anoisette

Ok so the real reason I got inspired to update this blog is because I was so happy to find Pink Panda Fabrics, a Canadian online fabric shop that offers free shipping in Canada and carries Cloud 9 Fabrics, who do terribly cute organic cotton prints. That was probably a very poorly constructed sentence, but I needed to fit all that information in there.

Now that things are winding down post-wedding, I want to get some sewing projects going but I’ve frustrated by the lack of cute eco-fabric options. It is  such a breath of fresh air to see that there is stuff out there. With all those cute prints to choose from it’s going to be hard to decide which to get…

I guess a better post a couple of shots… My shoes (which I finally found and were surprisingly comfortable for someone who never wears heels), my flowers, and our ‘cake’. In the end groom’s dad made the cake stand which turned out so awesome so yay to that.

Shot by Cheri Pearl and found via Junebug Weddings Best of 2008 (definitely worth flipping through). Love those flowers! Love love love them! They are so perfect for what I thought I was going for, but florist says no go because hydrangeas out of water on a hot August day are too hit or miss. Best not to get too attached to anything when wedding planning.

That’s kind of along the lines of what I have been looking for. I wanted green shoes but gave up, blue shoes seemed easier, yet when I find them, they never have my size! It’s incredibly frustrating. I guess that color is last season.

These Nine West shoes are cute but it’s not quite the right shade of blue. They’re an option for settling.

My search has at least pointed me to some good sources for evening shoes in Vancouver. After 5 is an evening wear (I actually saw a dress there that I thought would make a very nice wedding dress, strapless lace with a full skirt, and it was only $300!) store in Oakridge Mall that carries Nina shoes, so does Romia Shoes in Richmond Center and the best selection I found is at Lord’s Shoes on Granville.

In the time I’ve been MIA invitations went out and RSVPs have been trickling in. It’s exciting to check the mail every day and see who is and isn’t coming.

After having some second thoughts and moments of panic, I’ve resigned myself to making my dress. Fabric has been purchased and I made a huuuuuuge cutting table that is going to save my life for this big project. I’ve dabbled a little in tulle, but am making an excuse that a lack of shoes is holding up the show.

I have been on a relentless hunt for shoes. I am so tired of searching for shoes.

Have met with some florists and have had centerpieces on the brain.

Food tasting this week, menu has been on the brain as well.

We decided not to have a cake. I am thinking ice cream cups of sorbet on a cake stand. The search for cake stand rentals turned up options that cost $100 (Did I mention the quickly ballooning budget has also been gnawing at my brain?). Then I found this lovely list of DIY Cupcake Stand options. Jackpot. Another thing to add to the DIY list?

New favourite wedding blog that I wish I had found much much sooner: i-do-it-yourself. They have a huge amount of resources for DIY brides! I just spent the past hour skimming through their archives. So. Much. Awesomeness!

After I got my sewing machine it was only natural that I would need a pin cushion. Except of course I couldn’t find anything I liked in the store, the red tomato? No thanks. So, like pretty much every other time I can’t find anything I like (wedding dress, anyone?) I figured I would just make one. At some point. In the future. I still haven’t, but along the line my mom gave me an extra magnetic one she had so that serves my purpose well for now.

However.

Today I came across these beautiful linen and lace pin cushions at namolio.etsy.com

Would make a lovely mother’s day present for a crafty mom, no?

I just got an email about this Nifty for fifty sale happening this week-end, featuring designer and vintage goods all for under $50. It’s this Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19 from 12 to 7 at the Pacific Palisades Hotel (1277 Robson Street @ Jervis). Read more about it in this blurb at the Straight.

I’ve made a muslin of my dress, but despite the fact that I know it’s a muslin and will look different when it’s made out of the read fabric and has a proper lining and all I can’t help think there’s something missing. I sure wish I had found out about this book Bridal Couture: Fine Sewing Techniques for Wedding Gowns and Evening Wear sooner. I put a copy on hold from the library but it will likely be a few weeks before I get it, since it’s currently signed out. I found it while considering going back to a lace dress idea, but realizing that I don’t actually know a whole lot about working with lace since I never have before. Regardless, if I do stick with the idea I’ve been working on, I’m sure the book will have some very good suggestions and techniques for inner construction. In the mean time, as I am planning on making the dress out of Dupioni Silk, I found some very helpful information about sewing with it here and here.

I stopped by Michael’s the other day and picked up some ribbon to have a try at what it would look like on the invitations. I really like the ribbon with the organza middle and it’s just the right shade of navy (the green of that type of ribbon was sadly too yellow), however in the end I think adding ribbon is a bit much. I feel like it makes it look too cluttered. Better to keep things simple. So I’ll just do the punched corners and the green mat. I ordered the paper, hopefully it gets here soon. A friend of mine is coming to visit next week and is staying at our place. She’s probably one of the most fastidious people I know so maybe we can put that to good use However, I’m not exactly sure what the best kind of glue would be to use to mount the invites. Any experienced invitation makers or scrapbookers have any suggestions?