DIY: baby shower invitation: [cute as a button]

My best friend is having a baby girl and I couldn't be more excited for her. This weekend we are going to shower her in love, love, love. Making the invitations for her shower was pure joy. She wanted a shower that was a rustic and beautiful spring tea party. Not the kind of tea party you had as a kid or the kind that you would have at high tea with the queen. This party will be an iced tea, spring warmth, mini foods, delight! 

Here is the step-by-step for the invite:

You'll need...

I designed the layout on my computer using two contrasting typefaces, a centered alignment, coral and mint coloring, on a 5x7 ivory card stock. 

Once I had the invitations all printed out, I punched two holes in the top center about an inch apart. I made sure to punch them high enough up so that when the fabric ribbon was added, it wouldn't cover the type. 

I bought grey linen fabric from Mood and cut it about 4 inches long then frayed the edges. 

pull one side through the punched hole...

then the other...and flip the invite over.

take both ends in one hand and punch them together making sure the fraying is laid out how you want it.

 

lay it back down and stretch the ends equally and taught, flattening them out...

pinch one side towards you and feed it back through to the front. repeat on the other side as well...

*the action of pinching your ribbon or fabric towards you is a crucial step. if you do this step correctly, then the ribbon will lay flat on the front of the invite

flip the invite over. pull the ends outward and "fluff" the edges so that they look how you want them to. 

using a small dot of glue (which dries clear) apply the button. hold down the edges of the button for 10-15 seconds so that it adheres to the ribbon. 

give it time to set and dry and you're all set

repeat.repeat.repeat

hand address your envelopes for an intimate and personal touch & and you are ready to put them in the mail and send them off. the best part is that you have a customized invite, embellished with an adorable button and the postage is no higher than normal. 

 the invites are out, the RSVPs are coming in (yes, even still), and we are ready to celebrate the joy of baby Emi growing in Christine's belly!

YAY! next week I'll be back with a little recap of the shower for ya!

baby brunch

I promised today's post would be about the baby brunch we hosted for Dana, so here you have it.  Yesterday seemed to come to fast...how was is Monday already. It was one of those days. Hard to get up, hard to get through. Looking back at these photos makes smile so it's a perfect day to share them.

 It was the perfect mini get together. We drank mimosas with fresh squeezed oj, coffee and lemon water. We ate yogurt with berries & granola, muffins, bagels & cream cheese and fruit bowls. We smothered the mama in cute little girly things. (Dana said she didn't want presents but how can you resist the teeny tiny things for a baby girl...you can't!) Most importantly of all we got to spend the morning together.

[Tawni, Mama Dana, Me]

I knew as soon as we decided to host this little get together that I wanted to keep the table setting simple and colorful. The table covering is simple kraft paper, the place holders are paper doilies, the vases are plain clear cylinders with zig zag cut fabric tied around them and filled with all types of mums.

[the table setting]
[Emily, Amanda, Ivy]

[a variety of mums, a clear cylinder vase, fabric tie to adorn, a paper doily]

I have wanted to use the gorgeous goodies from Shop Sweet Lulu for quite some time and this was the perfect time to do it. Their product is adorable, they are affordable and they shipped SO fast!

[striped straws from Shop Sweet Lulu and hand stamped place holder doilies]

[favors; cookies in yellow chevron bags and glassine bags (from Shop Sweet Lulu), fabric strap ties, dried mums and millinery leaves]
[striped pink paper straws also from Shop Sweet Lulu]

[Meagan, Me, Mama Dana]

[Vanessa of a fashion gal & a fireman, Ivy, Meagan]

[Mama Dana with the cutest baby girl outfit ever (vest embellished by Vanessa) & Jess]

[my bucket o' goodies for the baby girl]
[cutest trapper hat ever, cutest book ever, striped hoodie towel & more]

[Vanessa, Meagan, Me, Tawni, Jess, Dana, Emily, Amanda, & Ivy]