I'll Leave the Porch Light On...

When I made my first post on this little bloggity blog back on August 22, 2007 (almost 2 months before I was even engaged!) there was no Snippet & Ink (September 2007), EAD Weddings (Oct 2007), the Bride's Cafe (October 2007), Green Wedding Shoes (Oct 2008) or 100 Layer Cake (Feb 2009). I know what you’re thinking…how in the world was one to ever plan a wedding without those blogs?!!? Back then I was (and still am) inspired by Classic Bride, An Excited Bride , Weddingbee and Style Me Pretty and I slowly began to plan our wedding day and document as much of the planning process as I could.

The wedding came and went and is now a lovely memory that I keep smiling back on. It would not have been as delightful if it had not been for the comments, ideas and inspiration left by readers like you and the copious amounts of pictures drawn from photographers blogs that helped form our vision thought the journey. After the wedding I pondered what would become of this little blog of mine. I didn’t really yet know the answer, so I kept plugging along and updating frequently with wedding things that caught my eye or made me swoon. And now, after 586 posts, I am once again pondering what will become of this little blog of mine.

I saw this quote on the {wonderful} A Practical Wedding a while ago and I think that it is most appropriate for this post of mine, "Every one of us is called upon, probably many times, to start a new life. A frightening diagnosis, a marriage, a move, the loss of a job... And onward full tilt we go, pitched and wrecked and absurdly resolute, driven in spite of everything to make good on a new shore. To be hopeful, to embrace one possibility after another - that is surly the basic instinct... Crying out: High tide! Time to move out into the glorious debris. Time to take this life for what it is." - Barbara Kingsolver, High Tide in Tucson

It is time for me to move out into “the glorious debris” of life after wedding planning. It’s time for me to cuddle more with my husband, fully enjoy nesting in our new home and make more time for friends and family. These things cannot be done while attempting to blog full time on two blogs, enduring a google reader containing over 100 lovely blogs and running a calligraphy shop on top of a real day job.
To say that this blog has brought me happiness over the past two years would be an understatement. I cannot put into words how proud I am of what this little blog of mine has become. I’ll never really be able to let this blog go, but it is time to start to loosen my grasp and move on to new shores and take this life as it is. Posting will be light and occur when the moment is right. After all, one can never resist to share a pretty picture of a soft image from a beautiful wedding, right? As long as I promise to leave the porch light on I hope that you will still drop by to visit every once in a while.

p.s. you can still catch me over at Penned & Pretty where I will continue to grow my blooming little calligraphy business and post as often on my calligraphy projects, favorite wedding invitations and other beautiful wedding paper goods.

p.p.s. perhaps a personal blog is in the works? would you read?!

photos by: adrienne beth photography . love them.

Merry Christmas!!!

Many of you know that I have a little calligraphy shop, Penned & Pretty. So, you shouldn't be surprised that I always love receiving a pretty card in the mail complete with a fabulous envelope. This little beauty would have been a welcome guest in our mailbox. Oh my deer {or buck or antelope, whatever!}! Loving the break from the traditional Christmas tree, jingle bells and Santa Clause himself.
Oh what is there not to love about this envelope!? Red & gold is always a winning color combination at this time of year! If I do say so myself, my pretty calligraphy would look pretty adorable right beside the "kindly deliver to" instructions. The icing on top of the cake is that the envelope flap is on the side of the envelope instead of its traditional spot! On this Christmas Eve, I'd like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Here's to hoping that your stockings overflow with all sorts of goodness {and that you're not stranded in an airport!!}!
You can see more pictures of this holiday card designed by wiley valentine right here. p.s. there is all sorts of goodness by wiley valentine on their lovely blog. Enjoy!

The Perfect Gift

Looking for the perfect gift for your maid of honor or bridesmaids? I think that I have found the answer. Keel's Simple Diary . The Simple Diary is a diary for those people that don't want just any diary. One with blank pages just won't do {mostly because our daily lives aren't that exciting to write home about}. The Keel's Simple Diary will ask you how your day went and give you only three options to choose from. Example: Your day was:
{ } irresistible { } reclusive { } listening Explain.
After that each page might feature a multiple choice question, a quote to ponder and a short question to answer either yes or no. Easy as that. Short and sweet, entertaining and just enough room to document the important or not-so-important events of the day.
I actually purchased the orange Simple Diary while on a recent {soul-searching} trip to New York City. Cross my heart, each night I look forward to recording my thoughts and answering the random questions in this diary. I recently gave a copy of this diary as a gift to my newly engaged MOH for her to use throughout her engagement period. What a neat keepsake to have {in my opinion}!

The Keel's Simple Diary is available on-line or at Anthropologie {$15} and can be purchased in a bevvy of colors!

p.s. just so you know, this post was in no way a sponsored post.

Cookie Favors or Gifts

For those of you that have followed my blog for a while, you know that Halloween is my favorite "holiday" ever. So, I took the chance to send my seven bridesmaids a little Halloween care package. There were festive cupcake holders, cupcake toppers, a card telling each of them how much they mean to me and a mason jar of ready-to-make "Spooktacular" cookie mix {idea/recipie via Bakerella}.
You can get the full recipe/directions/ingredient list here at bakerella. I substituted orange, purple, black and green m&m's to make this a Halloween themed gift. Use red & green for Christmas and give as a hostess/thank you gift. These jars of goodness would also make great "prizes" at a wedding shower or bachelorette party {easily incorporating the bride's wedding colors}. You could even give them as favors if you are having a smaller wedding!

I finished each jar with an orange bandanna and a snippet of Halloween ribbon. Attached to the ribbon was a piece of green card stock with "Spooktacular" cookie mix written on the front with instructions to flip over for the recipe & cooking instructions. You could easily make a template for this card to print out multiples if giving them as gifts.

My friends loved the mix {thanks Bakerella!}! Hopefully some of you can utilize this little gem of a favor/gift. Easy to make, fun to give and good to eat...how can you resist!?