HMOH DIY #515: branch out your table numbers

Well this HMOH has been up to some hand'maid' craft making this week.  Kelsey asked me to design the table cards for her summer outdoor wedding this June. From the ceremony at a quaint outdoor chapel overlooking the cliffs of Chadds Ford, PA to the tented reception at the home of the Groom's parents - this rustic wedding will have beautiful elements that compliment the couple's personality.   The BTB  was looking for a way to incorporate branches into her theme - so I embraced my artistic talents and took a trip to the candy store for artists, Lee's Art Shop, to create these:

These table cards will sit in the carved wooden stands (courtesy of the Father of the Bride), and placed at the head of each table.

handMAID of HONOR (c) 2010

Materials

Card stock for place cards

Vellum, inkjet white 

Mini paper slicer

Printed numbers (stencils)

Fine point ink marker 

Raffia ribbon (straw)

Email me if you have any DIY questions or comments.  

-HMOH

cynthia rowley for bridesmaids

Rowley, one of my favorite designers, has paired up with the Dessy Group (Alfred Sung, Lela Rose, After Six) for an exclusive collection of designer bridesmaids' dresses.  Design elements for the bridal dresses are taken directly from Rowley's RTW (ready-to-wear) collection and include tulle skirts and drop-waist silhouettes designed for both day and evening weddings ...  as well as long after the reception.  These are the kind of dresses that actually live up to the "don't worry, you'll be able to wear it again" crap that Bride's feed you.

The collection landed this month.  Prices range from $175 to $220.  
-HMOH

bachelorette unedited footage leaked

SPOILER ALERT:  If you can't wait a few more weeks, TVGrapevine.com posted raw footage of introductions with Ali and Chris Harrison (CH, as I will affectionately refer to him for here on out), plus the guys getting out of the limo. Along with the link, I may or may not have accidentally gotten access to a listserve of some of the guys.  I promise not to email them (unless, of course, I believe fate and Gmail should bring us together). The footage gives you a feel for how real it is behind the cameras - but note it's 30 minutes of unedited clips and you can't fast forward. 

If you don't want to watch now - hang tight and come back to this after you've seen the season premiere with the rest of America.  Again, do NOT click on this video if you don't want to see everyone's first step out of the limo. [It's like telling a four-year-old not to push the button, right?]   


There are no clues as to who gets roses and who goes home after just hours in the mansion ...  so, for everyone else who's as impatient as me:

TVGrapvine.comI'm going to have some fun with my recaps - lots of jetsetting, lots of guys and some throwback college stories about one of the bachelors.  I'm going to watch alongside you readers and promise not to spill anything I know before it happens.   IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SEASON - and a bachelorette party this HMOH is definitely attending.
-HMOH

pictage? perfect

See below.  These weddings (and beautiful weddings I might add) happened last August and September, and somehow ... somehow ... I am still being asked if I'd like to order prints with "exclusive offers".

If I get another email from Pictage that says "LAST CHANCE. Order Now!  [BRIDE] and [GROOM]" I'm going to freak.  "Five days left for free shipping on everything!" and by everything you mean the 2000+ photos of someone else's wedding?  And by 2 days left you mean 2 years left?  Leave me alone!


No, I do not want to order a coffee table book of my friend's wedding, especially now that they're celebrating their one year anniversary.  Their wedding was last summer - I'm concentrating on the seven I have this upcoming season and making sure I look good in those photos so they can be emailed daily to all the guests there for the next three years.  Did I opt into this weekly harassment when I sent back the RSVP card?  And sure, I might continue to get them because I'm too lazy to unsubscribe ... but that is NOT my fault.

I'd like to hear word from a Pictage fan that is neither Bride's mother or someone who is ordering the photos in an effort to photoshop their face in and live vicariously through the bride and groom.  Who wouldn't be excited at the chance of having a professional canvas print of the happy couple to hang in their 400 square foot studio apartment?  


If you're reading this and you aren't getting it ... then you just wait.  You clearly have not attended a wedding with one of "the world's 10,000 best photographers" or haven't made their way on to their stalking mailing list yet.  You will, and you will understand.


-HMOH

happy 9,733 days alive to me

We should always be able to stop and take a moment to celebrate each day we're given.  It's hard to find the time in between the hours at the office, DVR catch-up sessions, social and family gatherings to really appreciate that you've survived yet another day.


My friend Adam will be celebrating his ten thousandth day on earth next Wednesday, May 19.  The idea was born from yet another random conversation where he tried to convince another friend that he's lived in NYC for at least 500 Saturdays.   It proved to be way off ... which led to his guesstimate that he was at least 60,000 days old.  Since Google (alive a total 5,365 days) has the answer for anything - he was able to calculate just how many days in total he's been alive.  


As luck would have it - the milestone at 10,000 days was fast approaching - so he sent out an invite on Facebook in celebration. In NYC we look for any reason to be at a bar mid-week.


Save the date for my big day - February 3, 2011 and click here to see what day milestone you have coming up in the near (or not so near) future.  Also,  you can expect to hear from me on July 26, 2079 at  35,000 days alive and pushing for just 1,500 more to get my name and photo featured on Today's Smucker's jar (but seriously, Willard Scott better still be around for it) .  Pretty sure my write-up will go something like this:


HMOH
100 years old from New York, NY
Publicist by day, blogger by night, bridesmaid by the weekend
Secrets to longevity - side ponytails, cheese, dance parties

-HMOH

bachelors announced

ABC.com has just announced this season's bachelors vying for Ali's heart.  Take a look for yourself (I'm hoping some of these photos don't do them justice).  I'm not going to go all reality HMOH on you and ruin any surprises (I want to be surprised myself)  ... but let's just say me and a bunch of my readers are cheering on bachelor Craig R. ... and then getting him to set me up with Chris H., Jay and Tyler M. ... in no particular order.

ABC.com - The Bachelorette - The Bachelor Announcement


-HMOH

two thumbs, straight up, extra dirty, with more olives please

On a recent business trip I picked up Chelsea Handler's "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea".  Aside from the fact that the title is a play from one of my favorite childhood books, it's  a must-read.  I was that creepy chick on the plane laughing out loud and then looking around to see if the person seated next to me was staring (or thought I was an alcoholic).  I also had to explain to a supervisor during a sit-down that the $15 receipt for 'vodka' was indeed a book and not a binge at the airport bar.


I feel like Chelsea and I are kindred spirits with the same sense of humor - only she's far more  (at times) crass and disgusting, and makes money doing it.  


Here's an excerpt from my fav chapter, which perfectly captures my feelings slash fear towards feet and phalanges.  Note, there's MUCH more where this came from.

Jerry was a really nice guy, but my main problem with him was that he had a double-decker toe.  His middle toe laid directly on top of his index toe.  If this is the hand you're dealt in life, then fine, but at least have the courtesy to keep the situation under wraps until all parties have been fully prepped for an unveiling.  He constantly walked around in open-toed sandals as if nothing whatsoever was wrong.  I find that to be not only arrogant,  but Jerry obviously had no concern for other people's comfort levels or gag reflexes, which is just plain disrespectful.

HMOH rates this book  "TWO THUMBS, STRAIGHT UP, EXTRA DIRTY, WITH MORE OLIVES PLEASE".


-HMOH