Category — good things

Disclaimer: non-wedding-related post ahead!

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s green week around here.  And being green = being environmentally friendly. 

One of the most amazing places I have ever visited is the country of Ghana, in West Africa.  My sister was volunteering there and I was incredibly lucky to be able to visit her over Christmas in 2006.  So today, when I was browsing CRAFT Magazine’s blog and saw this article, I was especially moved.

Image and original article found here via link and link

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DIY Birch Centerpieces found via Portovert

Green weddings give me headaches.

I know, this is a horrible thing to admit.  But part of my anxiety and apprehension is that there seems to be no stopping point in the quest to be green.  There also seems to be no way to know the greenest choice.  Are invites printed at home more green than ordering an invite you love from an art studio in Philadelphia?  Technically, the DIY invites have a lower carbon footprint (depending on the paper supplier) but I don’t have vegetable based inks on my printer!  What about plantable paper?  Is that truly the greenest?

On top of this, I feel like green weddings are just this trend that give brides a point of pride. Like marriage, living green is about more than just one day. On your wedding day, you should not feel guilty about choosing an invitation that isn’t recycled paper printed with soy based ink from a solar powered (local) art studio. You are getting m-a-r-r-i-e-d! The rest is just a fancy party.

I love simplicity. I love uncomplicated. In my life, being green is the courage and energy to force things to be simple. So my part of Green Week will concentrate on simplicity in weddings. Because really, it shouldn’t be that hard. There are easy steps you can take to make your wedding less of a stress AND more environmentally friendly.  I hope you enjoy.

I love these gorgeous unique alternatives to paper envelopes, made by the Cloth Envelope Company.  Approved by the USPS and even specially made so that stamps adhere permanently, these are a great way to make your invitation stand out from the rest.

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 I saw this idea in the current issue of Martha Stewart Living and thought it would be a simple way to add style to a wedding.  You can find instructions here.

Thoughtful Day posted a review of Flea Market Style in November.  The pictures looked so lovely that I just had to buy.  It’s ended up being one of my favorites.  I highly recommend it.  Some of the ideas are easily transferable to events (i.e. the simple arrangements on the tables, collections of items that have meaning, silk scarves turned into decor).  This book is now part of my collection, and I can’t wait to pick up others in the series.  You can find it on Amazon or at your favorite local bookstore.

A friend just sent me a link to the coolest website.  Store Adore is this fantastic website that lists out boutique shopping.  You have the ability to write a review and create a custom guide to maximize your shopping potential.  Sadly, it’s only in a few major cities right now.  But I’ve added a lot of shops I want to visit while I’m in Boston in April.  It’s a new fantastic site.  Pass the word!

I’m crafty.  We all know this.  I know that not everyone likes or wants to be crafty, but this little competition is about our dream gifts, the ones that we would absolutely die to receive if we were in a wedding.  So I’m going to assume that my bride is just a little bit crafty, or at least willing to collect images and/or write letters.

My dream bridesmaid gift is a handmade album, chronicling the years of friendship between myself and the bride.  She could do an altered book design:

Dedra Long via Paperclipping

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Any of these separately would be great gifts, but together? Fantastico!

Little Otsu Annual Planner from Little Otsu - $16

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith- $12.95

Personalized Paperweight from Rock Paper Scissors - $36

Marquee Stationery from Pink Loves Brown - $12

Green Paper Suitcases from Pink Loves Brown- $22

Quatrefoil Pen from Paper Source - $68.20

Verbana Soy Candle from Archipelago Botanicals - $29

Total - $196.15

Let the voting commence!

E and I were talking about how we really build each other up.  We bounce ideas back and forth, critique even the smallest details.  We’re a great team.  But not today!  We’re introducing a friendly little competition.  Today, we’ll be creating our dream bridesmaids gifts.  Well, if we were the maids!  The limit is $200 and the deadline is 5pm today.  Check back to see what we’ve come up with!  Comment if you love what we’ve done.  Most comments wins bragging rights.

Love,

Elizabeth and Anne

Did you know that just by one click of your mouse you can donate .6 bowls of food to an animal shelter?  I didn’t, until this morning when I read this post.

Each day, please take the time to go to the Animal Rescue Site and click on the purple button - your click directly helps animals receive food, paid for via the site sponsors.  Just look at the number of clicks and bowls of food that shelters have received due to this site in the last week!

Please help these sweet and loving creatures that cannot help themselves by taking time each day to visit, and pass along via your own blogs. 

Thanks Jennifer, for alerting us to this amazing way to help!

E.

{site found via Made by Girl, all images via the Animal Rescue Site}