one more to go

This past weekend we helped to pull of the most RAD 80’s wedding one could imagine! My body may be tired, but I’m pulling myself together and gearing up to do it all again this weekend for a super cute vintage flared wedding at the Zilker Clubhouse. It will be the perfect ending to a fantastic wedding season!

Speaking of season... there's no stopping it now, Christmas is just around the corner! Last week, I came home to find a brand new, shiny and clean trashcan and recycling bin curbside... apparently, the City of Round Rock passed out presents early this year! As an avid recycler, I was am highly enthused and thrilled with my new gifts since I no longer have to drive clear across town to do my part in saving the planet. Don't worry, I realize most people do not consider recycling bins among their favorite gifts, so I have compiled a list of my top three perfect, one of a kind gifts for newlyweds…

3. Silhouettes

2. Couple Pillow

1. Custom Fingerprints

favorite {idea} friday

Austin Film Festival AND Austin Beer Week! My mind may still be reeling after the viewing of the bizarre and disturbing Black Swan film, but all in all, it was a fantastic week to return to the real world. This week {over on Once Wed}, a DIY wedding flooded the pages of the super cute wedding blog and is now burned permanently into my mind. In sharing, I hope to spread the inspiring and unique idea that will surely be a treasure for years to come…

During the bridal shower, guests helped in creating the ahhhh-mazing Tree of Life quilt... Gifts don't get much better than this! Find more info here.

it's a girl thing

The best part about being a girl: the freedom to squeal in public when something excites you. And this I did. Last week. At Walgreens. I had been searching for what seems to be a lifetime for a hair accessory that… 1. Would hold my thick hair up without falling within a minute or after taking two steps or turning my head side to side, 2. Wasn’t a hair tie or butterfly clip, since they both hurt my ridiculously sensitive scalp and 3. Would vanish and go undetected by the eye. So, I’m sure you could imagine my delight when, not only, did I finally concluded my lifelong hunt for this perfect product, but when I discovered it actually works… and works well! Okay, so maybe my newly found don’t-leave-the-house-without-it accessory isn’t near as couture or advant-garde as these AHHHmazing pieces, but it gets the job done while I'm dreaming about these...

Tour De Force

Untamed Petals

Green Eyed Girl

commission modern byrd

A couple of weeks ago I subtly introduced you to a great artist and her work while sharing great gifts ideas. But today, I will step it up to boast about what a fantastic creator of all things art this little lady is. Okay, so maybe I’m biased since she is my best friend, but I know great work when I see it and Brooke {the artist behind Modern Byrd Designs} is the real deal! The Art History graduate now specializes in custom made paper portraits. She takes an ordinary photo from your special day and then recaptures it through the use of paper. Read more about her paper designing journey here. How someone can be so patient while working with such teeny-tiny-nearly microscopic objects is beyond me. All I know is that I am thankful she can because without her we would be missing out on specialty, one of a kind pieces to be treasured for a lifetime.

A year ago come November, our friends Andrew and Ashley wed in Austin on the beautiful property of Laguna Gloria. Needless to say, the wedding was absolutely stunning {as were the bride a groom- pictured below}!

Brooke took nearly every aspect of their wedding and recreated it in paper form. Speechless? Breathtaking? Yeah, I think so.

You, too, can stalk Brooke's creations through her etsy page, follow her blog and/or contact her to create your very own masterpiece at ModernByrdDesigns@gmail.com.

gift giving gone good

If you are anything like me, you often come across THE PERFECT gift for someone and instead of purchasing it right then and there you tell yourself “remember this for {insert name here}’s birthday”, then as the special date creeps around the corner you completely forget what that perfect gift was and where you saw it. You’d think I have learned my lesson, but nope, this is a reoccurring theme in my life! So here you go… since we all don’t want to shower her with kitchen accessories or bath towels, this is me helping you make that special bride’s gift stand out amongst the heaping pile of crate and barrel gift boxes.

go-n-find: name hanger, wooden cake topper, custom stamp, his&her forks, ring holder, paper masterpieces

fun finds friday

Yesterday was crazy, so please pardon my absence in the blogosphere.


It’s finally Friday and so far so GREAT! While running errands this morning I turned my radio way up while listening to the Backstreet Boys and Nsync (may you RIP) back to back, I’m wearing my favorite new outfit (this with a silk tank from Madewell, dark jeans and grey slide-ons) and as I was catching up on my blog stalking for the week I discovered these fun finds…

how cute are these?!

THE garter girl

find your way here

a novel way to cover a Macbook

oh, and a HUGE congrats to my old roomie and her new mister!

porcelain goddess

Okay, people...Let’s dish. Literally. Elbows off the table. The right fork for the right course. Sip don’t slurp. At certain places, dining out might as well come with a rule book. But at home, eat as you may. As long as you have uniquely striking china no one will notice you are using your shirt as a napkin.

This time last year I was in search of my dream fine china place setting to add to my wedding registry. I came across the pattern below and the search was O-V-E-R.Done.Fin. In my opinion, Bloomingdale’s has the most exquisite china with trendy, yet classic patterns that stay fashionable throughout the years. Good luck searching for your perfect china!

book for brides

Boy, those retail folk really know what they are doing by precisely positioning those appealing little “add on” items next to the register. I stopped by Pottery Barn yesterday to pick up a few new rental items [which- by the way- are fantastic and will work wonderfully for any event] and as I was checking out I noticed this cute vintage bridal pocket book and like a magnet my hand attracted it. The book reveals secret meanings behind every wedding detail – from flowers and color combinations to where the newlyweds go on their honeymoon. Beautifully detailed with whimsical illustrations, gilded edges and a ribbon page marker. It is absolutely THE perfect gift for the newly engaged or the planning bride to be.