Happy Friday everyone! I’m so excited because we have a long weekend here in Canada. Only means that summer is on its way…. and that there is just about 1 month until my wedding…the stress has finally kicked in. Okay, enough about me… lets get back to this post.
I’ve mentioned in a previous post my love for the new Wedding Style Guide website. I had not gotten a copy of the magazine until yesterday. Can I just say that they are simply wonderful. I mean W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L 
Images courtesy of Wedding Style Guide
I love everything about them, from the format to the layout. Every little detail has been taken into consideration and it shows. If you can find yourself I copy, I strongly suggest to buy it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it become your favorite new bridal magazine.
Here is one idea from their 5th Issue (the yellow one).
Images courtesy of Wedding Style Guide
Girls like to get pampered its a known fact, so why not opt for a beauty day spa with the girls. Very simple, hire a mobile massager and maybe a manicurist/pedicurist. Put some soft music and finish off with some herbal tea. Plus, if you want to personalize your day, Style Guide has some awesome down-loadable stationery items available to help you make your spa a success. (See I did one too - image above)
They even give you the recipe to a home made scrub… what can be better than that. Visit their website for more goodies.
Makes enough scrub for 2 applications.
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon finely ground almond meal
1 teaspoon finely ground oats
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons of pure water
METHOD
Combine all ingredients well and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Apply liberally to a dampened face and massage gently. Allow it to dry (5-10 minutes depending on the weather). Rinse face well with warm water to remove all residue. Follow with a witch hazel toner and then a moisturizer for perfectly clean and glowing skin. Discard any remaining mixture.
May 16, 2008
Flowers play an important in any occasion. It can really set the tone of the event. As for bouquets, I find it can truley reflect the personality of the bride herself and not to mention her bridesmaids.
Apart from the actual flower choice and color combination, another important element to any bouquet is the handle. For me it’s as important as the bouquet itself, so I thought I’d share with you just a few examples of ways in which you can dress your bouquet.
Elegant ribbon bouquet paired with unique looking buttons - source
Unique ribbon ruffle and bow - source
Vibrant two toned ribbon braided handle - source
Bold color, I love the contrasting colors - source
I love the use of ribbon to create a cuff for the bouquet - source
Also the beautiful work in the handle make the whole bouquet so glam - source
This look is absolutely stunning, various shades of
ribbon creating a waterfall of textures - source
Go all natural by using actual leaves to create the handle - source
Using fabric and ribbon - source
Wire wrapping used as a bouquet cuff - source
Different sizes of ribbon paired with beautiful embellishments- source
You can also adorn any bouquet handle with an element which is truly meaningful to you. Monograms of your future initials, a piece of a material of you mothers wedding dress, or even a handkerchief given by your grandmother. There’s no wrong way to dress the bouquet, as long as it is something you love… because in the end you’ll be the one holding it.
May 5, 2008
I love the idea of using candles. There’s just something special about them, whether it be the color, smell, shape or just the beautiful lighting it creates- candles are my ultimate good thing. When I saw these Greeting Candles, I knew I would find a way to use these somehow.
Good Thing courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
Candles in three shades of white are wrapped in corrugated paper and tied with waxed twine; written inside the paper is a message from the bride and groom.
These are so easy to make and the message adds such a personal touch to this little favor. Not only can this be used for weddings, but bridal showers, cocktail parties and even baby showers. This is an idea that is timeless…just let the words guide you 
April 23, 2008
Today is a beautiful day. This morning I purchased the new Martha Stewart Weddings. You have no idea how happy this makes me. I would marry Martha if I could. Seriously!
Because its such a beautiful day, that spring is on its way, and because I love tea, I thought this idea was perfect. Perfect for a thursday. These Tea Tin Centerpieces are ideal for a tea party, shower or a wedding.
Good thing courtesy of marthastewart.com
With their beautiful ornamentation and lettering, biscuit and tea tins bring old-fashioned charm to a reception table. New or vintage, the containers are inexpensive and easy to find at specialty-food stores, tag sales, and online auctions. Test tins to make sure they’re watertight before filling with single-flower arrangements. If any do leak, use plastic bags as liners.
April 3, 2008
Now in case you might of forgotten, I usually post Martha Good Things throughout the week (one or twice-when necessary). I find that this a great way to remember some ideas in the magazines we forgot to tear out (because we said to ourselves - “I’ll remember that” or “I’ll tear it later” ya right
That being said, my intentions are not to pretend that these posts are my own creations, I try to make it quite clear that these are Martha ideas an not mine. I apologize if this is not what you understood. That being said… its time for our Good thing of the week: Veneer Tabletop. Perfect for any occasion, shower, even for your own home decor.
Warm up tables with wooden accents. All you need is wood veneer paper to turn plain glass vases into perfectly matched pieces that can hold flowers or candles. Lay paper down the center of the table for a runner (allow a 2-foot overhang at each end). At each place, store-bought favor boxes (fill with any little treats) are embellished with ribbon and a place card. Buy a few extra boxes, and use the lids to hold table numbers: Turn lid upside down, cut slits in opposite sides, and slip in numbered card. Wood paper and boxes from Lenderink.
Vase How-To
Wood veneer sheets are as easy to cut as paper and come in lots of tones (we used maple). Cut a strip of veneer to the height of a glass cylinder; it should be long enough for ends to overlap slightly. Use double-sided tape to affix one short end of veneer to glass; wrap around cylinder, and secure with more tape. To finish, tie ribbon around the middle.
March 26, 2008
Spring is officially here (though you wouldn’t know it with all the snow here in Montreal.) I thought a spring good thing would lift up are hopes that summer is around the corner Tulips scream out spring and these cuffs are a unique way to dress up a bouquet.
For the best-dressed bouquets, cloak them in a little couture — wrap the stems with fabric sewn to resemble shirt cuffs. Suitable for a bride or bridesmaids, these playful arrangements will add charm to any wedding.
Cuff How-To
Cut two 5-by-12-inch rectangles from fabric. For each piece, cut off the corners of one end to create a point. With right sides facing, sew pieces together, using a 1/3-inch seam allowance and leaving the straight end open.
Turn right side out and iron flat. Sew again, this time using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Cut a piece of thin cardboard to fit inside cuff, and slide inside. (Since the cuff will overlap when wrapped around the flower stems, there’s no need to sew the opening shut.) Sew button near point, just inside the seam. On the day of the wedding, wrap cuff around hand-tied stems; cut off any excess, and secure with a hot-glue gun.
March 20, 2008
Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had an awesome weekend. In case you didn’t know, my second love would be ribbon. There’s just something about the satin, colorful piece of embellishment. So when I saw these Ribbon Cylinders I thought the idea was perfect for recycling useless cylindrical containers we all have in our homes. Very simple to do, its a great project for the whole family.
Image courtesy of : Marthastewart.com
Bring varied, commonplace cylinder vases into beautiful harmony with an easy ribbon treatment. Choose ribbons in various widths and colors that match your palette, in satin, grosgrain, or both. Cut the ribbons 1/2 inch longer than the circumference of the vase. Wrap around vase, side by side or layered, using double-sided tape to secure.
February 25, 2008
Thanks everyone for comforting me and saying everything will be alright! But I’m back with another Martha Good Thing… and I’m sure your gonna love it.
Bird themes are very popular and small details can be incorporated through out the wedding. But what about centerpieces? Why not be different and opt for these Glorious Peonies. They are stunning and different then the classic branches in a vase. Aren’t they fab?
Image courtesy of Marthastewart.com
Large, open peonies settle into nests of twisted fern vines. Inside each basket is a shallow plastic bowl of water (for extra stability, use a wire grid to hold stems in place). A smaller nest atop the napkin at each place holds a more closed flower; its stem sits in a water tube concealed within the nest.
February 21, 2008
I love this idea of Table-Number Centerpieces, its like killing two birds with one stone. If you are a DIY-er and love flowers but you don’t want to splurge, this idea is for you. Easy to do and beautiful at the same time, this idea is perfect for any occasion.
Image courtesy of Marthastewart.com
Enamel pails overflowing with fresh green and white hydrangeas are charming for an informal reception table. The buckets do double duty as table numbers with the addition of numeral stickers. Self-adhesive vinyl numbers are available on the Internet in many sizes, colors, and typefaces. Tiny pails that echo the shape of the centerpiece are filled with pistachios and prop up the place card at each setting. The rim of each pail has been colored with black permanent marker to match the black numeral and the text on the place cards.
February 18, 2008
If you’re like me, your ceremony site will not permit confetti. I found that to be quite sad, since it has such a symbolic meaning to it and whats a wedding without the confetti’s right? :). Then searching on the Martha site, I found Vanishing Confetti an alternative I will definitely inquire about!
Image courtesy of : Marthastewart.com
Showering the bride and groom with confetti as they exit the ceremony is a twist on a time-honored tradition, but it can create a mess. With biodegradable paper, the problem literally disappears: The confetti disintegrates once it gets wet. These tiny pieces come in all sorts of colors and shapes, including stars, bells, and hearts. Sew them inside glassine packets, and guests can tuck them away, then tear them open later.
Vanishing Confetti How-To
You’ll need a 5-by-71/2-inch piece of card stock, 5-by-71/2-inch glassine sheets, a ruler, art paper printed with date and couple’s names and cut into 3/4-by-6-inch strips, confetti, and a sewing machine.
1. To make a guide for folding glassine, fold card stock in thirds and crease. Lay glassine on card stock. Lay ruler in crease to help hold steady, and fold glassine.
2. Turn glassine over; center strip on top.
3. Sew one end shut (3/4-inch seam allowance). Fill with confetti. Sew other end.
4. Trim ends with scalloping scissors.
February 15, 2008
