Bright Backyard Engagement Party

This past weekend we hosted a big engagement party for Kevin's sister Marielle. She and Chris got engaged a few months ago, but this was the first time everyone was able to get together to really celebrate! They are planning a destination wedding at the beach next April, so this was a great party for everyone that could make it.

Engagement Party Invitation via Etsy

The party was held on Sunday afternoon, it was a beautiful day and actually almost hot!  We were so glad that there wasn't rain, especially since most of the party took place in the backyard.  When I started planning, I wanted to go with a garden party theme, incorporating bright fun colors. I think we achieved that pretty well. Everyone had a great time and commented on all of the details. 

Drink table outside on the deck

Tables on the lawn

Beautiful peonies in mason jars for flowers

Drink station with lots of DIY details

Mimosa bar!

Sangria, yum

Custom reusable cups for the party!

Flowers in mason jars on each table

Gorgeous coral peonies

Tables on the lawn, and lawn games in the background

DIY chalkboard sign

Playing cornhole

Family at the party

The newly engaged couple!

Dessert table, with custom sugar cookies

Beautiful cake with custom cake topper

Cutting the cake

Advice cards for the couple

It was a fabulous party, I know that everyone had a lot of fun! :) Congratulations Marielle and Chris!!

Sources: 
Invitation: Etsy
Cake: Simply Cakes, NC
Rentals: Party Reflections
Cake Topper: Etsy
Cups: Stadium Cups
Flowers: Fifty Flowers

More posts to come featuring the recipes and DIY projects that made the party a success!

Bedroom Updates

I've been really slacking on posting recently! I decided I should just jump right back in and show you some of the updates we've made in our bedroom.

We added a clock/starburst mirror to the wall above our bed. I had originally planned to put a large framed print here, but found this clock at HomeGoods and decided it was too good to pass up. I like that it's a unique shape and I love the antique-y metallic color.  I haven't taken any good pictures with my camera yet, so this is an all iPhone picture, but oh well!

I'm also working on a new project in this room, although this one is slow-going. I'm adding a gallery wall to the main wall in the room (to the left of our bed in that picture above). I'm planning to create a wall of frames around a mirror that goes above the dresser. Currently, we have a matching mirror and dresser there, but I plan to paint the furniture and get rid of the matching mirror. Here are some inspiration pictures from Pinterest about creating a gallery wall around something like a tv or mirror.

via

via

via

via

I'm have already collected a bunch of wood frames in white, champagne, and distressed gray that I plan to use. For Christmas, I received these two Etsy prints that I will use for this gallery wall. Darah at The First Snow Etsy shop has such amazing work!

Here are some ideas for other pieces that I am planning to incorporate:

Anyways, that's what I'm working on right now. The weather forecast looks like it will snow a few inches tonight here, so hopefully I will have time to post again tonight or tomorrow! If you're getting snow where you live... stay safe and warm!!

2013 in Review

As we get started on a new year, I want to go back and see what some of my most popular posts were from 2013! So, here they are:

Tiling the backsplash in the kitchen Part 1

and Part 2, grouting!

This project was a lot of hard work, but it turned out really well. We also saved a ton of money doing it ourselves and by doing it we learned how to lay tile! Plus, if we can do a herringbone pattern, we can do anything, right!?

DIY Raised Garden Bed for ~$30

We loved having fresh veggies all summer, and this project was more than worth it's cost in veggies produced. Plus, it is still holding up well, even in the winter, so we will be able to use this for years to come! The chicken wire prevented rabbits and other animals from getting to the vegetables, but still allowed easy access for us to reach everything. 

Date Night Recipe: Beef Wellington

This recipe was so good! If you're looking for something special to make for an amazing night at home, try this. Make sure you get quality beef and you won't regret it... the beef is the superstar of this meal. Plus, it's very filling, so one filet can almost fill two people, depending on the size. Yummm!

Cucumber Crostini

I made up this recipe on a whim when trying to think of a fun summery appetizer for a party.  I was inspired by tzatziki sauce and cucumber tea sandwiches, and came up with this.  It's so refreshing, and I think my friends and I could eat them any time.

Media Room Update

This year, we completed decorating our media room. This was a fun room to transform, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. We spend a lot of time in here, and now it's both comfortable and pretty! 

DIY IKEA French Pleat Curtains

This is a recent project that we completed for our bedroom, but it has tons of use for almost anyone. I love that you can take standard IKEA curtains and elevate them to something that looks a lot nicer.

60th Birthday Party

We hosted a big 60th birthday party for Kevin's mom in March of this year. It was a lot of fun and we loved seeing family and friends. All of the little details really made the party personal!

Our Next Project

Picking paint for our bedroom really got us going on redecorating our bedroom this year. We have made lots of progress, and I love how it's turning out. We ended up painting the walls Evening Dove by Benjamin Moore. I haven't posted about this project enough, so I'll be sure to update with all of our progress very soon! 

Easy Pistachio Ice Cream

This pistachio ice cream turned out really well, it's a nice summer treat! If you have an ice cream maker, you could be enjoying this in no time!

Updates around the house

I haven't posted in a while, but we actually have been doing some updating around the house! I am planning to do more detailed posts of the progress, but I've got some teaser photos to tide you over.

Here are some (not so great) iPhone pictures of the projects I'm currently working on or have recently completed:

- adding photos and prints to the gallery wall in the media room


- media room bar


- working on the alcove area of the media room


- painting and redecorating master bedroom


- prepping for Thanksgiving and upcoming parties


Be back soon with more! :)