Love vintage valentines? You’ve come to the right place. I scoured the web for vintage valentines and came up with some that are super sweet. (My 7-year old is going to hand out some of these at school on Valentine’s Day. They print out great on photo paper.)
I love this collection of super cute vintage valentines from Vintage Holiday Crafts. All of these valentines are available for printing.
Fab collection of printable vintage valentines over at Tipnut.com.
Awesome printable set from Flickr.
Looking for a charming California wedding venue? One that gives you the freedom to create an intimate wedding that is truly one-of-a-kind? Love the idea of a wedding weekend with your nearest and dearest?
Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa is an 11-acre garden paradise located in the hills of Escondido, California. The historic estate is perfect for couples who relish the idea of creating an intimate wedding weekend that is fully customized to their own personal tastes.
The DIY wedding weekend allows couples to rent the entire property (full and exclusive use – no other events) and sleep up to 40 of their guests.
Couples can bring in all of their own vendors – or go completely DIY and have family and friends pitch in during the event. (The site has two kitchens – why not enlist friends and family with some of the food prep?)
There are numerous ceremony locations on site, including a gorgeous wedding terrace and an amphitheater in a live oak grove. The reception can be held in the 2,000 square foot event center or on a mountain view deck.
Want more info? Go to Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa.
Sponsored Post.
Photo One, Two and Three: Heather Aschtgen Photography
DIY name cards made from Shrinky Dinks
When I was a kid I pined for Shrinky Dinks, but to no avail. Fast forward 30 years and I’m finally getting my Shrinky Dink Fix! Honestly, I can’t get enough! I even had to buy the refill kit because my kids and I have been on such a Shrinky Dink tangent.
Not only can you make name cards, but also fun and creative pendants, charms and bracelets for your bridesmaids and flowergirls.
Here’s the DIY on the name cards:
Shrinky Dinks shrink. A lot. Here’s how much they shrink:
Keep this in mind before you get to work.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If you don’t want to use your oven, you can also use a toaster oven.
Grab your Shrinky Dink sheet (you can buy Shrinky Dinks
Draw your letters with a permanent marker on the shiny side of the sheet. I did mine freehand, but you can also find letters you like and trace them.
Use a Rounded Corner Punch
Erase the pencil lines that you used as guides. Turn the sheet over and colour in your design with coloured pencil.
Place your design on a parchment paper lined baking sheet – coloured pencil side up.
Place in oven for 2-5 mins. (Don’t leave unattended. Stay put and watch the magic happen through the oven window.)
Remove your design and place a piece of parchment paper over it. Pile some books on top and let it cool for a few minutes.
Voila! Add a jump ring and a spring clasp and your creation can be added to a key chain, or become a cellphone charm or zipper pull.
You can use these as name cards for your wedding. Simply add to your napkins or prop them up against something.
*This post has Amazon Affiliate links.
When I was in high school, trends were the last thing on earth that I cared about. Trends were for the preppy kids who wore Espirit jeans and deck shoes. I was not preppy.
While the preppy girls were singling along to Jack Wagner and New Kids on the Block, I was blaring the Sex Pistols and worshipping at the altar of Joey Ramone. While the preppy girls went to house parties, I went to bush parties with boys sporting Mohawks.
Aren't The Ramones cute? Definitely the type you 'd like to bring home to momma.
Fast forward a few years and here I am smack dab in the middle of weddingland (how in the hell did that happen?) where everyone wants a “unique” wedding, but very few end up having one that is not influenced in some way by wedding trends.
Even the non-conformists in weddingland follow trends. No one is immune.
No one. Because we’re social beings and that means that no matter how much we try to be different, we are influenced by others.
See the girl with the day-glo pink hair and massive panda bear tattoo on her neck? She’s conforming to a sub-culture. See the guy with suspenders, vintage brim hat and pink argyle bowtie? He’s following trends too.
When I was 11 I remember passionately rejecting the Michael Jackson hysteria that swept across the land.
“He sucks,” I would say. “You should listen to the Go-Go’s instead.”
My brother bought me "Vacation' when I was 10. I still know all the words to most of the songs.
Now I can’t wait to try out Micheal Jackson: The Experience on my Xbox – for nostalgia’s sake.
In high school I rejected spiral perms because everyone had one. (I secretly wondered how I would look in one.)
I also rejected anything having to do with Kirk Cameron or 90210. (That was heartfelt.)
90210 was not part of my after-school plans.
Kirk Cameron was definitely not my type.
Although my rebel teenager days are over, my inner Sex Pistol is still alive and well. But I no longer dismiss trends simply because they are popular.
Because the masses aren’t always wrong. I love my Xbox Kinect and Lady Gaga is up there with Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed on my iPod.
So, what in the hell does this have to do with weddings?
Trends are EVERYWHERE in weddingland.
Last year it was typewriters, peacocks, mason jars, moustaches-on-a-stick, chalkboards, barns, circuses and cupcakes.
What will it be this year? There are people who spend their working lives predicting these things.
No matter what their crystal ball reads (honeysuckle is the colour of the year, you know – and pie is the new cake!), don’t be afraid to blaze your own trail, buck the trends and get creative.
But only if you want to.
If pink, er honeysuckle floats your boat, run with it. Even if your inner rebel calls you a sell-out.
Or if you’ve got it bad for candy buffets and cupcakes (tisk, tisk… they’re so last year!) – dare to hold your head up high and be boldly out of style.
Final Image: Corey Klassen
There are few places on earth that I love more than the library. Before I had kids I would spend hours there, poring over books. When I finally headed for the exit, my book bag would weigh more than a small child.
Two kids later, my library book bag still weighs as much as a small child, but now the bag is full of kids’ books. I do miss reading – and I do miss solitary time spent at the library.
Given my love for the library, it’s no wonder that I love weddings with a library or book theme.
Here are a few that recently caught my eye:
Amazing! I LOVE this setting in an orange grove. How perfect for a small wedding! Photos by Jessica Claire.
The talented Anne Ruthmann shot this black and white photo at the Detroit Public Library.
Library wedding reception shot at the George Peabody Library in Baltimore by D. Bryant.
Boston Public Library wedding photographed by Lisa Rigby.
Wedding in New York library shot by Zlatko Batistich.
Book centerpieces and table numbers. Photos by Jenny Liu.
Book themed engagement shots by Adrienne Gunde.
Country chic wedding with books and baby’s breath bouquet.
Library themed wedding invitation.
Library card generator. Fun, fun, fun!
