I have an obsession with vintage teacups. Whenever I see one that catches my eye at a yard sale or second hand store, I’ll snatch it up if it’s a good price.

Occasionally, my girls and I will have a tea party with them, but mostly they just sit in my cupboard looking pretty. Why not put them to good use?

Last year I made teacup bird feeders to give to my kids’ teachers. They were a big hit! I made a few for myself and the birds loved ’em. With earth day just around the corner, I figured I’d use a few of my teacups to create some eco-friendly DIY favors.

The herbs in my garden are exploding with life – why not create share the wealth with DIY herbs in a teacup.

They’re super-easy to make and inexpensive! A unique wedding favor – also perfect for Mother’s Day, don’t you think?

You will need:

• Vintage teacups
• potting soil
• herbs

Place herb of you choice inside teacup. Fill with potting soil.

Clean off any excess soil from the cup. Place on saucer.

If you are having a vintage wedding, these would be perfect!

Next week we’ll show you how to make stamped spoon plant markers to add to your herbs in a teacup.

I had no idea that clear tents even existed until I saw one on Pinterest the other day.  What a brilliant concept as an outdoor wedding venue! You can fill your space with gorgeous light (whether it’s from the sun – or moon) and still be covered in case of inclement weather.

To be honest, I have no idea how difficult it is to snag a clear tent rental. I think they are fairly new on the scene – but I’m sure if the demand is there, they will become more readily available.

Paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling are a great accent in a clear tent.

I am an introvert. I spend copious amounts of time pounding away at my computer with no one around- aside from two bored dogs at my feet and a lazy, loveable cat on my lap. Life is good. I love spending time with my nearest and dearest and I am fiercely loyal to them, but my passions are solitary: writing, visual art, photography, reading, sea glass.

Which is why, in so many ways, I dreaded my wedding.

Weddings can be hell for introverts, because, well, so much of it involves socializing. There’s nothing that introverts dread more than having to make small talk with people they don’t know very well. Prolonged exposure to this type of interaction can be draining beyond words.  And being the center of attention for an entire day – that’s enough to push many introverts over the edge (and into the martinis!) Then there are those pesky things called speeches.

But there are ways to not only survive your wedding as an introvert, but make it truly joyful experience. How?

1. Have a small wedding!- Scaling back your guest list to only the important people in your lives will go a long way in easing your anxieties about having to interact with people you don’t know very well.

2. Elope – If the thought of having to perform even in front of family and friends is cause for anxiety – why not elope with just the two of you? Or just invite your best friends and/or your parents to share your special day. There are heaps of couples featured in the real weddings section who have eloped. Let them inspire you!

3. Nix the Speech – Don’t want to give a wedding speech or even a toast? Don’t! I wrote a short poem for my husband, but I told myself before the wedding that it was okay if I just gave it to him in private. I ended up reading the poem at the reception (a couple of glasses of wine can work wonders!), but a long-winded speech would have been out of the question for me.

4. Realize You Are Not Alone – Did you know that 1/3  of the population is considered introverted? You are not the only one dreading your Big Day! Some of the greatest thinkers and innovators on this planet are introverted (and probably dreaded their wedding day!) Take comfort in knowing that countless introverts have been there, done that – and lived to tell!

5. Forgo the Wedding Weekend – One of the biggest trends in weddings these days is the wedding weekend, where guests arrive at the chosen wedding destination and partake in activities with other guests and the wedding couple – all weekend long. Many couples  love this idea because they get to spend time with their guests. If you are only having a handful of guests at your wedding, this could be a great option for an introvert – but if you guest list is full of people you don’t know very well, a wedding weekend could be a dread-inducing experience.

6. Minimize Pre-wedding and Post-wedding Parties – Engagement parties, bachelorette parties, showers, rehearsal dinners, post wedding brunches – it’s enough to push even the sanest introverted bride into the Land of Crazy. Why put yourself through the stress? Parties are meant to be a celebration – not something to dread. Minimize them and keep your guest lists small.

7. Delegate – Let your partner do the talking. If your husband-to-be is less introverted than you, let him take on more of a social role in your wedding. This might mean he is the one that makes small talk with guests and thanks everyone for coming out.

8. Let Go of Perfection – Realize that your wedding will unfold as it should. There might be some glitches along the way – maybe even some awkward moments, but you will survive. In the big picture, these imperfections won’t matter a bit. Even tripping down the aisle is not a catastrophe! Really.

9. Be Yourself – Love yourself and don’t try to be someone you are not. If you feel awkward around people you don’t know well and you aren’t adept at initiating discussions about the latest weather forecast –  that’s okay! Your husband-to-be is crazy about you – just the way you are. And chances are, so are most of the people at your wedding (unless of course, you are having a big fat wedding with a bunch of people you don’t know:))

10. Communicate – If you are introverted and your upcoming nuptials are filling you with dread, confide in your partner. Let him know about the things that are causing you stress and let him get into problem-solving mode! Chances are the two of you can come up with a strategy to put the joy back into your wedding plans.

Photo: A Love Supreme Photo

Who doesn’t live chocolate + mint? I can’t say I’ve met a single soul who doesn’t love this flavor combination. If you are looking for a soft, delicious chocolate mint cookie that will delight your wedding guests, this recipe is it!!! Simply place two of these cookies in a cute favor box or bag and you have a perfect DIY wedding favor!

Ingredients: (Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 After Eight chocolate wafers

Are you DIY wedding obsessed? Are you the type of bride who knows that you want handmade details throughout your wedding, but aren’t sure how to make them personal to you and your style? Look no further! Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Personalize Your Big Day by Eunice and Sabrina Moyle (founders of Hello!Lucky) and stylist Shana Faust show you exactly how to determine your style and how to apply it to your big day.

This book offers lots of guidance and ideas to inspire you, but its overall message is make your wedding personal. There are tons of great tips and the advice on where to look for the materials you’ll need for the DIY wedding projects in the book. You can also find a genius list of places to search for your inspiration.

The authors also give great tips about what is DIY, and which projects that are too time consuming and/or expensive to make yourself. They recommend making things that are one offs (a ring pillow, small signage, etc.) and have sentimental or keepsake value, but suggest items like furniture, multiples, and very detailed invitations are best to buy, rent or plan ahead.

One of the many, many, amazingly helpful items they provide in Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Personalize Your Big Day is a great checklist listing all of the handmade elements you may want to include in each part of your wedding. For example, the book reminds brides to not just think about invitations, but also save-the-dates, enclosures (accommodation recommendations and maps), rehearsal dinner invitations and/or thank you cards.

Each project in the book includes the level of difficulty – ranging from easy to advanced; the category of the item; how long it will take to complete the project; when to start the project; whether it will be best to make the project by yourself or with the aide of some fabulous and helpful friends; and lastly the budget requirements.

The crafting tips found in Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Personalize Your Big Day are of course also incredibly helpful. The ladies suggest starting with a prototype – which is always a great idea when you think of how terrible it would be to have made 100 invites only to realize you misspelled your future spouse’s name! The book also reminds brides to take their time with the projects. Lastly, Handmade Weddings reminds brides to have fun! Isn’t that your mantra for your wedding day anyway? It’s a great sense of accomplishment to see something you created from scratch come to fruition and it’s an experience you get to share with your friends!

The book gives six categories of style for you to pick and choose from. While you don’t have to pick just one, it’s great that they’ve provided a great selection of items – from invitations and veils to custom favors – in each of the style categories.

The categories are:

“Retro Homespun”, which is defined as sweet, rustic, charming and handmade. The most important elements of this style are “nostalgia for the crafts and comfort of a bygone era.” In this section you can find cute button enhanced invitations, embroidered welcome hoops, cupcake liner pom poms and more.

Next you have “Girly Romantic,” whose key descriptions are ethereal, pretty and delicate. This look is the ultimate fairy tale wedding style. Pretty, soft colors, macaroons and meringues, vintage silver and costume jewelry all add to this dreamy look.

“Happy Graphic” is such a fun category. Bright colors, bold fonts and chic details. Pop art is a great place to start for inspiration for this style!

“Organic Minimal” comes next which displays simple, fresh, and modern styles. This is a style that would look beautiful in a museum with burlap table linens and simple organic looking floral arrangements in neutral colors.

If your style is simple and chic, “Modern Classic” may be the look you like best. Kate Spade and Coco Chanel are great sources to seek out to complete this look.

The last style is “Found,” which may be my favorite. Its influences are  recycled, reused and vintage elements that all work together to create an eco-aware celebration. The colors are bright and cheerful with inspirations from Anthropologie, colorful maps reused for invitations, fabric scrap hair clips, clip board menus among other creative and unique projects.

Each style features a color palette;  font and texture suggestions; even wedding venue suggestions.

Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Personalize Your Big Day is incredibly informative and beautifully styled by the authors with stunning photos by Joseph De Leo. The authors supply templates, fonts, and graphics for you to create your own customizable menus, invitations, seating charts and much, much more. The ladies describe their book as being an aide to brides seeking “clever, creative, and budget-friendly” projects.  Handmade Weddings truly delivers and will leave you feeling empowered, inspired, and ready to craft!

Rebekah owns the even design company A & B Creative. Read Rebekah’s blog.