{REAL WEDDING} DIY Midwest Rustic Wedding

This lovely DIY rustic wedding was featured on Green Wedding Shoes.

I love that the bride planned all of the details and did the design entirely herself!

That's my kind of girl!

Head over to Green Wedding Shoes to read about all the details behind the day as told

by the bride herself, it's really inspiring.

Vendors:
Photography: Troy Grover Photographers
Hair & Makeup: Teez Salon (where the bride is a hair stylist)
Flowers: Mulhalls
Reception: Bellevue Berry Farms
DJ: Audioscenery
Cake/Cupcakes: The Cakery
Limo Bus: VIP Limo
Dress: Cymbeline
Groom & Bridesmaids: J Crew
Groomsmen: Express
Ceremony: St. Bridgets Church

Stylized Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice Shower Inspiration

Created by SHEPAPERIE + Design Boutique, this pastel~hued inspiration shoot loaded with sweet treats and pretty fabric details was found on one of my favorite reads, The Sweetest Occasion. It truly is the perfect inspiration for an over the top feminine bridal shower!

There are so many creative DIY details that love, like layering the place settings and streaming fabric for a feminine feel. I could just drool over this setting for hours for inspiration!

Found via The Sweetest Occasion

Photos by Jeanna Hayes and Amy Atlas Designs

DIY Fall Blossom Pumpkin Centerpiece

Flower Pumpkin Centerpiece

Turn a foam ball into a bouquet of fall blossoms to use as a pumpkin centerpiece

for your fall tablescapes.

What You'll Need

• Florist's foam ball
• Crafts knife
• Bowl and cold water
• Skewer or length of wire
• Approximately 60-75 marigolds, orange carnations, or button mums
• Pumpkin stem
• Long blackberry cane or other vine
• Cake stand or platter

1. Slice off the bottom of the foam ball to make a flat base. Trim the top to make it less round.
2. Soak the foam in cold water until completely soaked.
3. Poke holes throughout the foam about 1 inch apart with a skewer or length of wire. Depending on the size of the blooms, you may have to adjust the spacing between the holes for complete coverage. Leave space to insert the pumpkin stem at the top of the arrangement.
4. Cover the ball with flowers and insert the pumpkin stem in the top.
5. Arrange blackberry cane around the top.
6. Use a cake stand or a platter with a lip as a base and place the flower-covered ball on top. Add water to the base to keep flowers fresh.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Fall Wedding Inspired Photo Shoot

I admit it, I love fall.

I love everything about the season...the crisp weather; the rain; boots & layers in my wardrobe; the warm~tone colors; the smell of pumpkin candles, and goodies baking in the oven; making tried and true family recipes and discovering new ones; crackling fireplaces; and spending time with friends and family throughout the next few months celebrating the holidays.

Fall actually gives me a renewed sense of excitement, and energy.

With my love of fall, I so enjoy seeing photo shoots that combine all the elements

of the season.

This gorgeous Fall Wedding Inspired Photoshoot, styled by Candice Dowling of Jubilee Events, and photographed by Carla Ten Eyck, captures Fall at it's finest. I first found this beautiful shoot one of my favorite reads, Style Me Pretty.

As told by the stylist, Candice: "We really wanted to use anthropologie's signature vintage / modern look as the inspiration for our shoot. The shoot was also inspired by the rustic location and fall season. Tyrone Farm was an amazing location to use ~ it's nestled on a hill in Pomfret, Connecticut and overlooks the tree tops of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They have an amazing property, complete with a farm house, tented blue stone patio, organic gardens, cottage and the barn."

I would absolutely love to be invited to {or host} an event this warm and cozy!

As always, please see the original post on Style Me Pretty (Part 1) and Style Me Pretty (Part 2) for credit and links to all the talented vendors who participated in this shoot.

DIY Fantasy Pumpkin Carriage

I am absolutely going to be making this fantasy pumpkin carriage for my little girl!!

This was originally posted on Hallmarkmagazine.com which has since ceased publication.

What You'll Need:

1- 12" tall pumpkin
4- 4" tall gourds
4- ornate drawer pulls
3- ornate metal belt buckles
1- ornate lamp finial
2- 1/4" dowel rods (cut to the approx. diameter of your pumpkin)
Pencil or marker
Knife
Craft glue
Heavy-gauge florist's wire
Cordless drill fitted with 1/4" bit

Instructions:

1. Trace the inside of each belt buckle onto the pumpkin and cut to create openings for two windows and a door.

2. Glue the hardware over the openings.

3. Remove or cut down the stem until it's even with the flesh of the pumpkin, and twist the finial into the top.

4. Drill a hole through the center of each gourd.

5. Insert one dowel rod into the holes of two gourds to create an axle, and secure with glue. Repeat to create a second set of wheels.

6. Finish off all four wheels by inserting a drawer pull into the outside hole of each gourd for hubcaps.

7. Line up the two sets of wheels next to each other at about the same width as your pumpkin. Then wrap wire from one dowel rod to the other to fasten the axles together and to create a webbing for the pumpkin carriage to sit on.

8. Gently place your carriage on the wire.

For illustrated instructions take a look this Pumpkinhowto.pdf

Original Source: HERE

Affogato ~ The Perfect Fall Drink

I found this yummy fall drink on one of my favorite reads; Eat, Drink, Pretty ~ and I can't wait to try making it!

Recipe & Photo Credit: Food Network

Affogato (recipe credit to Food Network)

Ingredients

1/3 cup cold whipping cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 pint chocolate gelato or ice cream

Directions

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate the whipped cream.

Whisk the boiling water and espresso powder in a 1 cup glass measuring cup until the powder is dissolved, or use an espresso machine to make 4 shots of espresso. Scoop 1/2 cup of the gelato or ice cream into each of 4 dessert bowls or glasses. Pour 2 tablespoons or 1 shot of hot espresso over each. Top with the whipped cream and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas from Country Living

Here are some creative and inspiring ways to incorporate pumpkins in your fall decor ~

all of these ideas {and photos} are courtesy of Country Living.

You can find all the instructions and templates for these projects and many others,

directly on Country Living's site.

~~~

Spell out your greeting in mini pumpkins gathered at a prominent ~ and stationary ~

location. Here, strings of Christmas~tree lights, gathered in small bunches, illuminate

each pumpkin.

What a darling idea to use small pumpkins as votive candle holders! These festive

decorations can be used to dress any autumn table, Halloween party or Thanksgiving feast!

An artificial pumpkin, a faux crow, and some fall foliage create a beautiful focal point

when on this ivy planter chandelier.

Tuck candles and small pumpkins inside glass cylinders or canning jars.

Use pumpkins to create a painted tree effect in the bookcase.

Stack tiny jack-o-lanterns on a tiered cupcake stand for a darling buffet centerpiece!

This Crescent Moon mimics the look of a Lite-Brite by punching holes and adding a

tiny string of bulbs to make it glow. Love the idea!