Fancy Fascinators!

My mom bought a gorgeous dress for my sister's vow renewal.  I absolutely loved it.
And she liked to brag that she got it for .98cents.
not really though... it was $20.98 and she had a $20 gift card... but still a great deal.
When she was trying on the dress (at Belk) there was a headband fascinator that she fell in love with, but it was $50 and she was too cheap to buy it (I don't blame her one bit) . Then it went on sale for $30 and my dad wanted to get it for her for Christmas but by the time we went back to the store it was gone.
So I did what any other DIY loving girl would do I set to make one myself!
I never saw the original one from Belk.... actually until just now when I thought to see if they had it online, duh.

 I'm actually glad I didn't see this one because I don't really like it that much...

Here is the one I made my momma!

It matched her dress perfectly!
It only cost about $4 to make:
.25cents for a 12inch cut of blue tulle
.99cents for the blue flower in the center from the wedding floral section of Hobby Lobby
.99cents for the blue beads
$1 for the black feathers
Free - the jeweled centerpiece (it came in a misc bag of stuff my dad bought off Ebay, used to be a clip on earring!)

I liked it so much I made some for my nieces to wear for the ceremony too!

I whipped one up for my other sister last minute, she thought her outfit needed a little extra something so she got a broach of mine, chicken feathers from my dad's chickens in the yard, and a headband. serious! and it turned out so cute!

Want to see more of our awesome New Year's Party??
Decorations
What We Wore
Photo Booth

Photo Booth!

I made my first photo booth for my sister's vow renewal and learned serveral things in doing so...

#1. don't have a shiny background.
in my defense, I didn't know it'd be shiny. I bought wrapping paper to use as the background and didn't realize that it'd be plastic and not paper. false advertisement if you ask me.

#2. make sure people know what it is.
several people didn't get it. advertise to the party guests. go first and look like you're having fun!

#3. have lots of props!
we had masks and hats and it really brought out some people's personalities.

So much fun, I wish I had done one at my wedding!  :(

What I Wear Wednesday - New Years Frock

I finally found something to wear to my sister's New Year's vow renewal ceremony and party!  At a yard sale in Grenada! What?
At the end of every term, when people are leaving the island, they have yard sales.  It is mostly kitchen and housewares... but I obviously found a dress!
I was there selling stuff to get ready to leave, but obviously couldn't resist shopping!
I got it for $3!
It was a little big... it was supposed to be that way I guess because it was a size Medium, but it was a little too voluminous for me so when I got home and dug out my sewing machine and trimmed down the sides.
Sadly I had to lose the pockets :( too much detail for me to deal with... and I was sewinging it like the day before the party. typical.
Anyway, I'm happy with how it turned out and I had the perfect shoes to go with it already sitting in my closet that I got for $3 at an outlet store 2 years ago! yea $6 outfit!
It was a little short, as my entire family pointed out, but you're only 24 on New Year's once!

My skinny hubby and I! He has lost 50lbs since we got married and I'm so proud of him!

My 13yr old niece has some pretty great style too, eh?
Such a beautiful girl inside and out

My sister and I. Loved her sweater dress and I made her hair piece too (hair things and fascinators are another day)

My sister who had the vow renewal and her husband!
beautiful princess fairytale dress!

My beautiful family! My parents (middle) and their 5 grown children!
I'm the baby :)

New Year's Vow Renewal Decorations

I'm still alive! Sorry I've been so MIA lately the holidays were CRAZY!
My husband and I visited family in Canada and the US and our house has been FULL of people and fun stuff going on so I was way too busy to blog.
But alas the family has all gone home, my husband is in Canada for 8 weeks studying for the USMLE (licensing exam for doctors) and I am here waiting anxiously to be called for a job! shew.
anyway...
I've only been talking about my sister's vow renewal for an entire year and it's already came and went!
It turned out beautifully and went off without a hitch.
well aside from the music not working... microphone set up next to a CD player it was!
I'll share the pictures in steps... today the decorations!
We decided to do every table a little different and I am so please with how they turned out.  I didn't really stick to the plan so they are quite different than my inspiration images, but still beautiful and wintery.
Sometimes a girl just has to go with what's on clearance, right?
and don't worry, I found something to wear! at a yard sale! more about it later.

 Hot Chocolate and smores bar by the fireplace!

The stage

So what did you do New Year's Eve?

New Years Eve Photo booth

For my sister's vow renewal I am planning a photo booth!
Instead of going with the trendy option of mustaches (I seriously don't get it anyway)  I'm going to make masquerade masks! I'm so excited!
Glitter, sequins, and feathers!  What more could a girl want? :)

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New Years Eve Vow Renewal Centerpieces

I've mentioned my sister's upcoming vow renewal ceremony this New Years a couple times before - most importantly - what am I going to wear?! haha. just kidding Sister.  And also the save the dates that I made using Picnik.

Now onto the decorations! yay!
For the centerpieces I have a few different ideas, most of which haven't really been run by the sister yet, but all she said was that she wanted it to be pretty! Check!

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Bottles rolled in Epsom salts to look like snow!  I love these!  So easy, cheap, and beautiful!  Does anyone at home drink wine??  I'll be accepting bottle donations!

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Keeping with the Epsom salt theme... in jars or vases it looks like snow!  I'd like to combine this idea with these hurricane vases -

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I also think that Christmas ornaments make great table decorations and can be bought by the dozen at the Dollar Tree!

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One the things I made for my wedding was tissue paper flowers and I think that white and silver tissue paper flowers will be so pretty with a winter theme.

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And one final cheapo decorating idea is to gather a bunch of branches and spray paint them silver.  I think these could be beautiful on the stage during the ceremony if done in large bundles as well as dispersed through the dining room!

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I am so excited to get home and dive into making decorations for my sister's big celebration!! I will have 1 week to make all the decorations! haha! easy right?  Thankfully I have all the vases left from my wedding to use and finding Epsom salts, branches, and silver and blue Christmas ornaments will be an easy task... I hope.

Stay tuned for many, many more ideas!  Next I'll be sharing my idea for a huge lit up ball to drop at midnight!  Have you ever had a New Years Eve party?? Any great ideas to share?

New Year's Dress

Too early to be thinking about New Year's Eve?
I think not.
Especially since I have a big shin-dig to attend this year!
Like I mentioned on Saturday my sister is having a 10 year anniversary / vow renewal on New Year's Eve!
I'm so exited for a big party!!
I will share my decorating ideas sometime, but today I am thinking dresses!

My sister is wearing blue, so I'm probably going with silver.
Will I actually be able to buy a new dress? Probably not, unless my Mom is feeling sorry enough for me to take me shopping... or something awesome shows up at the Grandview Outlet or Goodwill ;)

I do have a silver dress I wore a few years ago on a dinner cruise on Lake Erie with our college that I could wear. if I must.  I got this dress at JC Penny's for $10!  4 years ago though, is it still cute? or does it look too much like lingerie?  That was my fear even when I wore it then.

some of my best friends from college! miss you girls!

and of course my shoes matched Lee's tie.

Another idea is to "dress up" something I already own. I have lots of dresses... so maybe one could do with a little sequins?  I'm thinking I could make a sequins belt or sash pretty easily.

Kate Moss for Topshop - but no longer in stock

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You know who loves to wear an awesome silver, sparkly dress?
Taylor Swift!

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I'll take any of the above please!