Easy budget DIY succulent centerpieces

I've got a private dinner party coming up and I thought I'd make my own centerpieces using succulents and found objects. I bought salvaged wooden boxes ($3 each) that I turned upside down to create a platform and spray painted the insides of short sundae glasses ($1) with a $3 can of berry pink spray paint. The succulents were about $1.97 to $5.99 a pot at Home Depot -- fortunately, succulents are very hardy and can be cut and eventually regenerate their roots so I didn't have to buy very many to make these (I just took pieces from a handful of pots). I'm pretty excited to display these! What do you think?

Feature on Style Me Pretty today

Last September, I had the pleasure of coordinating the day-of for a sweet couple, Angelica and Daniel. I love Angelica's style and it shines through! Check out more details to drool over at Style Me Pretty. (Check out the Burkart Studios video too!) The full gallery of beautiful photos are care of the very talented Andi Hatch (Photography).

My pics of the week: e-sessions that rock

As I mentioned before, Pinterest is one rad tool  for curating and sharing all the pretty things you find online!

I decided to look up some of the photographers I love working with and see what they have been up to recently. Here's a peek of some photos I added to my "E-sessions that rock" board.

P.S. Feel free to add me on Pinterest!

Aren't they the cat's meow? Photo by Jerry Yoon Photography (c) 2011

Rain didn't stop them from having a great e-session. Photo by Jerry Yoon (c) 2011

This gal's dress is sweet! Photo by Andi Hatch Photography (c) 2011

Eat, love, play. How did the bride jump in those heels? Photo by Dorothy Hatchel (c) 2011

Beautiful shot in this spiral staircase. Photo by W Photography (c) 2011

Getting hands-on with the gals behind "Handmade Weddings"

Handmade Weddings book by Eunice Moyle, Sabrina Moyle and Shana Faust

This past Saturday, Paper Source Berkeley hosted a "Midsummer's Eve Affair" with Eunice and Sabrina Moyle (the lovely ladies behind Hello!Lucky Stationery) and Chronicle Books, giving 16 lucky workshop attendees, including myself, the chance to create select projects from "Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Style and Personalize Your Big Day."

(L-R): Sabrina Moyle, me, Eunice Moyle, Christina and Lizzie of Paper Source Berkeley

If you don't already have "Handmade Weddings," I highly encourage you to get a copy ASAP (it's only $25). The Moyles and Shana Faust curated the DIY projects into major design themes -- complete with color palettes, suggested fonts, textures, and more to create a cohesive look. The step-by-step instructions, rated from easy to advanced, are easy to follow and time-crunched DIYers will appreciate the estimation of hours to complete the project.

My favorite chapters happen to be "Girly Romantic" (which includes the how-to on achieving Eunice's ethereal coffee-filter pom pom garlands that were featured in Martha Stewart Weddings last year) and "Happy Graphic," a whimsical and spirited look focused on fonts and bold patterns.

Lizzie sporting the Button Favors we made from the "Happy Graphic" chapter

The other great thing about Paper Source's workshop was that I learned some new tricks. The Paper Source staffers, like Christina, Fonda and Lizzie were extremely knowledgeable and introduced us to the incredible Xyron machine -- which makes anything into a sticker (Eunice even admitted it was a game-changer for her DIY-crafting). Another wonderful tool they shared with us was the embossing powder tray. I've been using paper plates and this simple tray has a funnel on one end so that you can pour the excess powder back into the bottle without making a huge mess. Best $6 buy ever.

Stay tuned this week for a how-to on making graphic paper clips with the Xyron gadget!

A DIY gal's best friend: the Xyron

My Button Save-the-Date, inspired by the "Happy Graphic" chapter

 

My $45 Wedding Band

Because my 14k rose gold and amethyst engagement ring is so fabulous by itself and quite large, we almost didn't get a wedding band for me. But when I stumbled across Kate Szabone's shop on Etsy, I gave it a second thought especially because she offered a 14k hammered rose gold band that was thin enough not to distract from my engagement ring. Plus, the price was right -- only $45 plus shipping. While the price of gold has increased a little bit since October 2010, the ring remains very affordable at $48. Szabone offers other styles of affordable but stylish rings featuring semi-precious gems as seen below.

Above: This is the ring I got to use as my wedding band! Photo by Kate Szabone - Etsy.com

For the nature-lovin' gal, here's a 14k gold twig ring! I liked how they're stacked.

Photo by Kate Szabone - Etsy.com

And here's a pair of his and hers 24k gold bands with diamonds for $995 -- Kate uses the 100-year-old hammer passed down from her grandfather to finish it as if were "found at sea."

Photo by Kate Szabone - Etsy.com