Fun With Paper

I love pretty things but pretty things often cost a ton.  However, as I troll around the internets I find all kinds of cool ideas for fun things to do with paper that look arty, sculptural, or just plain fun.

Observe.

Source

Zig Zag tissue paper streamers from Jordan Ferney/Oh Happy Day.  These are pretty and somewhat unusual party decorations that have the added benefit of being really light which makes them easier to hang.  They are also really easy to make.

Source

 Or how about the humble crepe paper streamer?  Closely layered on a wall provides a beautiful, softly textured backdrop.  You can also manipulate the texture.  Look at these ruffled versions.

Source

Source

 Gorgeous right?  Definitely fun with paper!

In Case of Rain

It's a rainy, grey day today and it makes me remember how enjoyable rainy days can be.  I know it's probably the secret dread of anyone planning an outdoor wedding, but I think a little rain is actually kind of romantic.  The fact that it might cool the temperature down enough to facilitate cuddling helps too.  I have been working on a rain plan just in case.  While I wouldn't necessarily mind a downpour, I would like my family and friends to be comfortable. 

Enter . . .  the picnic pavilion.

You know, that park structure that looks a little like nyah*  There is one that overlooks the falls and we are considering reserving it as well.  Just in case.

Source

That would get us out of the rain, but it could use a little dressing up.  We are having a little wedding along with our picnic after all.  I especially wanted structures or details that could be installed without nails or tape.  I generally like to abide by the rules in places.

Source

These curtains could be hung around the sides or the entrance with rope.  They are also fairly simple and quick to make or rig.

Source

Paper or fabric banners could be hung the same way.

Source

Picnic blankets could be re-purposed as tablecloths.  Add some flowers and some candlelight and you get serious ambiance.

Source

See the moody colors in this picture offset by the sunshiny flowers.  This really reminds me of a rainy day.  I think it could be beautiful.

*Random South Park reference. . .

Athens Awesome: State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Last Saturday was a perfect day.  Not too hot, not too cool.  It was beautiful.  So I dragged the boys out to the garden.  Wes and I had been there before but we went in the winter . . .  not the best time to go to a botanical garden.

But . . . I wanted something soothing.

Maidenhair tree . . . I'm obsessed with gingko.

Some roses were already in bloom

Tulips

I just added a rose draped arbor to my mental dream home.  Stand under this and just inhale.  It smelled delicious.

The botanical gardens are free and there are all kinds of goodies along the trails.  There was a wedding on Saturday and plenty of people just wandering around, picnicing, or tanning but it still felt pretty secluded. 

It was beautiful.

Creating Atmosphere . . .

Wes and I are getting married here . . .

Personal photo . . . Exterior, Mill Bridge Falls

Source

Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Comer, Georgia.

The pros are that it's beautiful yet inexpensive.  The cons are that it's about a thirty minute trip from Athens, and its a public park and people seem to think that strangers might wander through the ceremony . .  which, who would do that?  Also, the structures are what you would expect at your average Girl Scout camp.  That's awesome in it's own way . . . but wedding awesome?  We'll see. 

As you know, I took a break from wedding planning because I was just stressed about the whole issue.  I needed to creatively problem solve and it just wasn't happening.  Since then, I've recovered somewhat.

Wes and I would like to have our ceremony by the water, weather permitting.  There is a small picnic area with it's own parking lot on the high side of the falls with a nice strip of river bank.  The noise of the water won't drown us out (and if we sneak in a little music maybe it will mask it).  Having it by the water kind of negates the need for a lot of decoration, but I think it might be nice to wedding it up a little.  Create some romantic, fun atmosphere.

Source

Some picnic blankets spread out for ceremony seating . . .

Source

With some nice pillows and flowers . . .

Source

With a few chairs for our less mobile relatives . . .  They're in the background of that last picture.

Source

In addition to that, I think we might also need a little table if we decide to incorporate some type of unity ritual.*

If the sun is shining on our wedding day it will probably be doing less shining and more blazing . . . it's only April and we've already had some pretty hot days here . . . so I'm picturing another table with cold beverages and plenty of sun parasols.  

We don't have a rain plan . . . yet.  But it's coming and it will probably look a little something like this. . .

Source

*This unity ritual will definitely not be the dreaded unity candle.  I proclaimed as much and Wes was like, "why is it dreaded?" to which I could only reply, "because I don't like it."  Hmm.  That looks bitchier in print.

Un-Planning a Wedding

Remember our tiny budget?

That budget was a major stressor for a while.  I couldn't figure out how to make it work and still feel like a event.  I was struggling with the casualness of it all.  I wasn't immediately sure why that was because as I've mentioned before we are actually casual people.

Part of the reason might be that most wedding blogs, sites, resources, whatever are so opposite of our goals and definitely our budget.  It was a little disheartening.

I've mellowed since then.

First, I let the wedding planning go for a little while.  Wes and I have a lot going on here these days and he's going to be out of the frame for a while as he gets ready for his qualifiers.  There's a family reunion coming up and I have a project to complete for that.  The Little Bit's birthday is next month . . . and life goes on.

Second, I have learned to find inspiration elsewhere.  As time went by and I focused less time and energy on wedding planning, I started finding inexpensive options elsewhere that could work for our wedding.  Things that won't cost a fortune and will still feel special.  I plan to feature some of those ideas here in the upcoming weeks.

I call it un-planning and it is really kind of awesome.

What is the Opposite of Antiquing?

Check it . . .

John Deere Lamp, ca 1999

Five dollars and it came with a bulb. 

How Does Your Garden Grow? In April

So far . . . nothing is dead and one of our empty beds had developed an anthill.

 Our very first ripe strawberry!  It was delicious too.  Hopefully when Little Bit comes this weekend there will be more ripe ones for him to pick.  Plenty of green ones on the plant too.

 Lettuce and two of the tomato plants are coming along nicely.

 The greens look pretty good.

Lettuce and onions are lovely.

My experimental beds are actually coming along although you can't really tell in this picture.

One of my most intriguing garden experiments.  Clay pot irrigation.  I'm hoping that once my melon plants are bigger that this will help keep them hydrated when it gets really hot this summer.

The neighbor garden that looks way more awesome and professional than ours, lol.