My little piece of advice for ALL brides ...

I am obsessed with Offbeat Bride. OBSESSED. And, even as much as it dismays me to admit this, I am not very offbeat. Shocker, I know! Sure, I love a little leopard print, and cherry toting swallows are divine, but I'm pretty average and safe when it comes to my clothing and lifestyle. Sure, I have a few tattoos, and a huge soft-spot for men with tattoos (YUM), but really, that doesn't make me offbeat any more than my leopard sweater or my black converse.

What I LOVE about the website, is that it truly embraces each bride, whether they are super offbeat, circus performing, fire-breathing burlesque dancing brides, or a very traditional, church-going, veil wearing bride who's biggest step towards offbeat is a pink crinoline. (They call those brides, myself included, Offbeat LIGHT. Cute, huh?)

Well, in my effort to have an amazing, DIY-filled, inexpensive and unique wedding, I've been doing A LOT of reasearch. Both online and in books. You know my love of books leads me to the library at least twice a month, and one of my recent trips was a huge, exciting, sent-from-heaven event!

Its almost as if the library Gods KNEW that I had the Offbeat Bride book sitting in my Amazon cart, because there it was, just sitting there, beckoning to me from its lonely spot upon a shelf of inferior wedding books like "How to Have a Cheesy Wedding" (ok, I made that title up).

I heard angels sing. Seriously. Or maybe that was me singing, I don't know.

I picked it up, smelling it, turning it over in my hands and relishing in its beauty. Excited for all the wisdom I just knew it held inside its pages for Offbeat LIGHT brides like ME! Wahoooooo!!!!!

It took me no time at all to read Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides. It is truly an enjoyable read. The author, and original offbeat bride, Ariel Meadow Stallings, has a fantastic sense of humor, and had me laughing out loud multiple times throughout the entire book. I even read bits and pieces to Jon, which was my way of letting him know that all brides weren't white-covered taffeta monsters, slinging demands and craziness. No offense to all you crazy-eyed taffeta queens.

Ariel truly tells it how it is, and she tells it like she's sitting next to you having a cocktail, and you've been friends your whole life. She reminds you that the wedding is about you and your future husband, but that while focusing on your joy and your happiness, to be careful of not hurting or alienating those around you. She gives you examples and tools for dealing with the ups and downs, ins and outs of the whole horrible and wonderful planning process. She assures you that whether you are a little or a LOT offbeat, it doesn't matter. Just being yourself is offbeat enough, EMBRACE IT!

The point of the blog is that I am so happy I was able to read the book, and have decided it will be my one bit of advice for brides everywhere (if they ask, and even when they don't). Skip the other wedding books. They'll make you feel pressured and less than adequate, I almost guarantee it. (Seriously, I've read or flipped through close to 10 so far and stopped after this one.)

I'm going to embrace this wedding for the unique and (only slightly offbeat) union that it is. I'm going to embrace my little family, and the fact that we are getting married while already having an 8 year old. Whoops! ;-) I am going to embrace my inner rockabilly Princess, even though she only shows herself with an occasional skull hair flower or leopard print shirt. I am going to embrace that this wedding is for Jon and I (and our daughter). If there's not enough white taffeta or tulle for you, or you don't understand why I'm hiring a band called the Creepers to play my reception, or you hate my "engagement-announcement-save-the-date-non-invitation-invitation" combos, please just embrace Jon and I and give us your blessing. You don't totally have to understand us. In fact, you don't have to understand us at all. Just love us for how awesome we are. lol

Happy Holidays!

Bella Inspired is taking a BREAK!

You can find all of my pre-made items for sale on Etsy ... All of them would be perfect for tackling your last minute Holiday shopping!

All items are READY TO SHIP!!!

Engagement Announcements & Holiday Cards

We're engaged!

Ok, ok, I know you already know that. But seriously, did you hear the news???

I'm finally freaking engaged!!!! Really though, after 8 years together, can you blame me for being just a bit overly enthusiastic? Nah.

I, of course want to go all out, and do every single thing I can do in relation to the engagement. I mean, seriously! I've waited forever for this! Engagement announcements, engagement photos, engagement party, engagement this, that and the other. (Insert sympathy for Jon here.)

First item successfully checked off the list: our beautiful engagement photos. I am lucky to know a few photographers, and for a reasonable fee (homemade Korean style flanken ribs and mimosas) my friend Jill Phillips took our engagement photos recently. They are too freaking cute. Here's a quick sample:

Copyright 2010 * Jill Phillips Photography

What comes next, you ask? Well, engagement announcements of course!!! And who better to go through than Shutterfly? No one! I have been playing with my cards in their online shopping cart for a week or two now. I tend to be one of those people who over do things. For instance, when I was younger, I would color a picture so much that it would go right past looking good to looking downright messy and sloppy. I have since learned to stop myself when my artwork is done, but I still have a tiny voice inside of me that begs me to keep going. I'm pretty sure that voice wants to sabotage all my endeavors and successes with Bella Inspired, though, so I silence that messy little Jessa inside.

I have always loved the flat photo cards. Let's face it, in this day and age, with most people too busy to even pick up the phone, the folding cards just won't work for all of us. These flat photo cards make it simple and elegant to wish your loved ones a Merry Christmas and send your love. If I had the time though, I'd get this card for our Holiday cards. *Of course, the adorable little girl in the example makes these cards sell themselves! How cute is she!?

But hey, on to more important things. Here is the card I am using for my Engagement Announcements. (I keep saying I and MY, like Jon's not a part of this wedding! LOL! Whoops! Sorry babe!)
Since my theme is black and ivory with touches of teal and peacock feathers, I thought that a simple yet elegant black background would be perfect. In all honesty, it started out as the three-photo layout, and is now on the eight-photo layout. I love that Shutterfly allows me to leave my items in my cart to go back and play with anytime I want. Let's just say that my little "inner Jessa" voice is quite happy about that feature too. Heehee.

Since I was already playing around on the Shutterfly website - seriously, I get lost there for hours at a time - and Jill took a few family shots the day of our engagement shoot, I decided I might as well work on my Christmas cards too! It is already November, you know. (Yeah, I am as surprised as you are! Where does the time go!?)

Our Christmas cards this year will be basic - I want the pictures to be the focal point. The dots are supposed to be snow, but to me they are polka dots! (Which I love almost as much as I love black and red together.) They are cute and festive, without being over-the-top, and they are called "Snow Kiss" - awwww.


Of course, now that I'm writing about them, and looking through the site more, my inner voice is telling me to do go get lost on the website for a few hours. My disclaimer now will be this: Don't be surprised if the Holiday card and/or engagement announcement show up and look nothing like what I showed you today! I am a woman with the right to change my mind, am I not? ;-)

Now to just find the time .....

NOTE: Though Shutterfly has given me additional incentive to WRITE/BLOG about their products by offering this: Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… sign up HERE ... this in NO WAY affected my decision to order through Shutterfly, as, like I said, my cards have been sitting in my cart for a couple of weeks! As far as photo gifts and printing goes, Shutterfly has the market beat, and I have ordered cards and photo books from them in the past.

Wedding Tidbits ... the Maid of Honor cards!

Yes, I made these myself. And I love them. I asked my two very best friends to be in my wedding, and since there is absolutely NO WAY to put one before the other, I will be having TWO Maids of Honor. I am one lucky girl.

They say, "I couldn't say I Do without you! Will you be my Maid of Honor?"

(They both said YES ... yey!)

I'm Getting Married!!!!!! Woohooo!!!

So, I figured I'd share my little bits and pieces of wedding planning as I go along. Just in case there are other budget-minded brides out there like me, who also LOVE peacock themes and vintage style! :-)

FIRST, MY INSPIRATION BOARD:

I created this inspiration board, without a fancy program (as you can see) ... just using Paint in Windows. The wedding dress is by Stephanie James Couture, and the bridesmaid dress is by Pinup Girl Clothing. I am pretty dead set on both. The shoes ... oh the shoes!!! Do you not LOVE them!? I'm obsessed! I'd probably get them regardless of my peacock wedding theme! They are from LaPlumeEthere on Etsy.

Wordless Wednesday

(Drunk Fairies ... lol)

Foodie Friday!

My new favorite breakfast! Helping me lose weight, or at least not gain! LOL

Vanilla Strawberry Smoothie

12 oz. Skim Milk
1 cup Unsweetened FROZEN Strawberries
1 28g-packet of plain Instant Oatmeal
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!

MY TIP: Blend the oatmeal (dry) by itself first, it helps make finer pieces in the long run!

304 calories, 3g fat (1g sat), 7mg Chol, 6g fiber, 19g protein, 52g carbs, 201mg sodium.

This shake is from All You Magazine. I love it because unlike most shakes, smoothies, Slim fast, etc, the addition of oatmeal actually helps me stay full longer. That's a big PLUS. :-)