DIY Project: How to Make Votives to Match Your Party Theme

Looking for the customized butterfly votive tutorial?  Head over to its new home at Tikkido.com.

Fabulous Product: Birch Bark Napkin Rings with Rustic Elegance

I ran across these lovely birch bark napkin rings from the Vermont Branch Company and just had to share them here:

Birch Bark Napkin Ring from the Vermont Branch Company.

Sweet!  Romantic!  Rustic!  Elegant!  Natural!  Refined!  All at the same time!  Wouldn't they look great on a table along with the birch bark carved initial centerpieces from this tutorial?

Birch Bark Carved Initial Centerpiece

Fabulous Product: Customized Galvanized Tubs for Beverages or Centerpieces

Sometimes I stumble across something so fabulous that I feel the need to plan an entire party around it.  The gorgeous customized galvanized tubs from Brody and Ma definitely fall into that category.

They're obviously fabulous for filling with ice and beverages.  But why stop there?  How about using a smaller one as a floral container for a centerpiece?  Filling a tub with inexpensive flip flops for the ladies who want to keep dancing, but have reached the end of their tolerance for high heels?  Filling a bin with toiletries and emergency needs and setting it out in the bathroom (sewing kit, lotion, mouth wash, hair spray, etc.)?  

Since fabric is used to embellish the tubs, the options are basically limitless, and you could easily find something perfect for any wedding scheme.  What a gorgeous way to carry the theme through all of the decor!

And best of all, they're really a great deal.  I have a very strong DIY streak, and as soon as I saw these I started googling wholesale galvanized tubs.  Between the cost of the materials and shipping and handling (not to mention labor!), I'm definitely ordering from Brody and Ma whenever I have a need.  (Need?  Who am I kidding.  I'm just looking for any excuse at this point.  LOVE.)

DIY Project: Super Simple Lace-Covered Votives

Looking for the simple lace covered votives tutorial?  It's moved to its new home at Tikkido.com.

DIY Project: How to Get Roses To Open

Do you have a rose flower arrangement you'd like to make for a party, but the roses you bought are still closed tightly?  Full roses take up so much more space that you'll need far fewer flowers.  And fewer flowers means substantially less expensive floral arrangements, always a good thing for a budget bride.

Tightly closed, newly bought roses.

One quick and dirty, highly effective way to get roses to open up is simply to use your hands.  Physically open them up.

Get in there.  Use your hands.  Physically force the flower open.  It can take it, I promise.  Flowers live outside, in the wind and rain.  They're not as delicate as you might imagine.

Once you've opened up your roses, you'll be ready to create your flower arrangements, using about half of the flowers you otherwise would have needed!

DIY Project: Carved Initial Rustic Centerpieces

Looking for the Carved Initial rustic centerpiece tutorial?  It's moved (along with all the other content on this blog) to its new home at Tikkido.com.