Semi DIY invitations, Sandra Lee ain't got nothing on me!!!

I'm soo excited, I have been thinking about my invite designs of course as soon as I had completed my save the dates. I wanted something elegant and posh and modern and wow. I remembered back when Sciz and I decided we were going to learn calligraphy and began searching calligraphers on the internet to see how much they charged to design invites etc. I was blown away at the prices (faint). Then I found www.calligraphybyjennifer.net and it was a SCORE! She and I have been conversing back and forth and she can do our names in a digital format (I am using a level four font) and I will design the invites and print them out but our names will have the custom calligraphy. And the it's not too cost prohibitive especially since I'll be doing my own printing and the rest of the design Here are my fave fonts by her.




Platinum Flourish I think this is our number one font, can you imagine our names in the scrolly squirly swirly fonts?!

and Hollywood Swirl... love ths one too but it's not as dramatic and the first one and we know I'm all about the drama!!

She will also be addressing our inner and outer envelopes and I'll use a lower tier font for price purposes... This is a Level 2 about 1.50 to 1.75 depending on if I choose Monoline or traditional calligraphy
Flourished Italic

This is also an invite by Jennifer and it sort of sparked my aha moment (yes I had an Oprah moment)... Our invites will have our names in an incredibly scrolled and large design and the rest will be a stock print that I will design and the chandelier will be stamped in the background or on the right hand side!!! i'm soooo excited!!!!!!  This design is from Jennifer as well.

I think I may attempt to make the above  invitation look more like this with my new stamps  I think the juxtaposition of the imperfect stamps with the perfect names will be amazing, don't you?

There is something so deductive and sexy about a black invitation, don't you agree? (source) but we could still stamp it with three different chandeliers in a metallic silver?  So sexy and vintage.

I will probably be adding little crystals at the bottom of the chandelier (gotta have a little bit of bling, right?!)

An ode to Chandeliers

Again lol!!! I love chandeliers and after seeing various designs, I have decided that I want to make that a running theme!! Look at what I found while posting a thread on wedding bee! One of the wonderful posters on was nice enough to share the following pictures and now I MUST have it!! I have already put out an etsy alchemy ad lol!!!

(wedding bee user cre8tive's daughter)

The same bee user draped carnations in the chandelier, Love it!!!

Etsy seller uncommon makes these which is much more my style, a bit goth, a bit dramatic, really modern

Etsy Chandelier

Omg Gotta love etsy! Lookie at what I found thanks to a great etsy seller!!!

(photo courtesy of Kikkerland)

I will of course be draping a lot of crystal strands throughout them to make them more luxuriuos.  Did you see something in your wedding that totally inspired you?

I DO Letters

I got such a great feedback for these letters at my bridal show, and they are really easy and inexpensive to make! They give a great wow for your decor. Similar letters can sell for 10-15 per letter and up!!

Items Needed

• Wooden Letters (I find mine at Michael's, but Wal-mart and Hobby Lobby has them)
  
• Scrapbooking Paper of your choice


• scissors


• adhesive (I use Martha Stewart's all purpose gel adhesive with the sponge applicator)

**You can also use Mod Podge which protects the paper and creates a decoupaged shiny look.

Here we go (Approximate Time of Project 5 minutes per letter)

Clean your letters of all dust and debris with a dry towel

Trace the letter on the side of the scrapbooking paper that you don't want to use. I usually trace my letter face down on the opposite side of the paper to give a clean edge on the other side.
Cut your paper along your guidelines (feel like a first-grader again, good!! This project brings out the kid in you, my 8 year old often times helps with it!!) It was too hard to cut and take pix so I am showing the cute cut out!

Apply the glue to the letter

Stick the paper on the letter

Voila! You've just made customized letters for your wedding.

These also look good as wall hangings for your living room, children's rooms, and candy buffets!! Are any of you ladies willing to take the letter challenge? I'd love to see how you make this project your own and become a frugalista, because remember, it's chic to save!!

(Photo courtesy of pb kids. These are wood, but you could fake it with great paper)

(Taken from The Knot, these appear to be painted, but again with great scrapbooking paper it can be faked)

Here are letters taken from my living room to make sure they look okay (excuse the crooked letters, I promise I didn't leave them like that!!)