A Handmade Proposal

Yes, this is what you think it is - a crocheted ring box! These caught my eye on Etsy quite awhile ago, and I couldn't wait to post them here. You can see an assortment of ring boxes like this one at Needle Noodles, and they are only $15 per box. And perhaps this ring from Tanya Logan Jewellery could fill it:

This ring is incredibly unique and priced nice at $100. Sterling silver and diamond.

Kick-off to Handmade

Well, the first theme week turned into several weeks, but I would like to keep going with this for at least a little while. Since I started this blog with the intentions of handmade weddings, the next theme is going to be, yes, you guessed it, handmade!

The photo above is from a wedding I went to on New Year's Eve. It featured a lot of handmade items, including boutonnieres, bouquets (which I got to help out with), and these wonderful centerpieces full of glittery gems and noisemakers for when the clock struck 12!

There is also going to be a giveaway soon, probably next month, so stay tuned for that as well. I am really excited about the giveaway, because it features some incredible Etsy sellers.

The handmade theme is going to feature all sorts of great handmade items, but also some how-to information that you can work with as well.

Eco-Friendly Paper Mache Bowl by Eclectic Meadow

One thing at weddings that can be the most wasteful are the centerpieces. I often attend weddings and wonder what happens to them. Do they go in the trash? Do they give them away? Many times, wedding centerpieces produce a lot of waste, but these Eco-Friendly Paper Mache Bowls by Eclectic Meadow don't!

These gorgeous flower shaped bowls are made with upcycled newspapers, and can be customized by color for your wedding. The seller recommends two to three per table (a long table). These would also be appropriate for circular tables.

They are painted with biodegradable paint that is non-toxic, or you can purchase them natural as well. The second photo that you see is from the seller's own eco-friendly Arbor Day wedding!

For more information about these bowls, including discounts, please see the listing. Also, check out the rest of Eclectic Meadow's shop for more fun supplies and fascinators!

Deep Teal and White

If you haven't already, check out the new Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. It is full of beautiful and bright colors, and fun ideas! This page is a terribly poor scan from it, but I just wanted to get a little bit of the gorgeous colors out there!

Back to regular posting this week. Last week I was learning some new ropes involving my job, and it was difficult to keep up! Although it is over a week, I would like to have a couple more posts about green weddings, since there are so many wonderful things out there. Next week is going to probably be handmade only. We shall see, there are so many ideas floating around in my head.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Items from Etsy

When it comes to eco-friendly, Etsy is one of the best places to go. Here are five of my favorite hand picked wedding items that are serving the go green purpose.

Candles are always romantic, and these pink, unscented soy candles have a cleaner burn. These vegan votives burn for up to 18 hours, and are available in other colors, including just plain white.
By using soy candles, you can easily wash out the containers when they are done burning. You can get them in bulk, or wrapped in cellophane bags for favors. $22.50 for 15 candles at Dew on a Petal Home.

Tired of the same old tuxedo look? If you're looking for something quirky, check out these ties from xoelle. These bow ties are repurposed from vintage neck ties, and come with adjustable bands. Be sure to check out the rest of her Etsy shop for more patterns and styles. $36 per tie.

I would love to go to a wedding and receive one of these as a favor. Treebuttons are handmade, wooden magnets. They are backed with ultra strong Rare Earth Magnets and come in a variety of wood types, including: cherry, oak, maple, and birch (plus more). Each magnet is finished with sandpaper and exotic nut oil. $5 per magnet from Wook Woodworking.

This dress is gorgeous and whimsical, and is made from 100% raw cotton. Perfect for a garden style wedding, this is available in custom sizes up to a size large. The back is open and accented by a row of buttons. This Leaf Applique Dress is a great price too: $180 at zelaya.

Finding an eco-friendly wedding band can be a challenge. This Ethical Gold Band from Ash Hilton is made with New Zealand alluvial beach gold. This ring was made by collecting gold flecks from beach sand, and the beach is left unharmed. The listing description behind this ring shows the truly incredible journey and craftsmanship that goes into making a ring like this one. $740.

Green Weddings: Seed Tin Favors

When visiting family over the holidays, I went into a wonderful gift type of store just to browse. While hoping to find journals, I instead found a fantastic gardening book, and these sweet little tins full of seeds. There were several tins for different occassions, including clover that said "good luck" and the lavender seeds in the photo that read "congratulations." Immediately I thought of my plans for green week and began planning this post!

While the tins were very affordable (only $1.50 each), you can customize this favor to go along with your own wedding in an affordable way.

What you need:

Tins (the number depends on the amount of favors you need)

Seeds

Stickers or customized labels

You can find tins at a great price from wholesalers, especially Elements Bath and Body.

The type of seeds you want is going to vary, depending on your location. Before you go on a seed buying frenzy, be sure to check which hardiness zone you are in. If you are having a destination wedding, check the hardiness zone of where most of your guests live, or choose a plant, vegetable, or flower that can grow anywhere. Also try to select something that is easy to grow. Sunflowers are a good choice (bird food and a gift all at the same time!) or zinnias.

When purchasing labels or stickers, make sure your stickers are the same size as your tin tops. You can customize your labels to go with your wedding by using a monogram, your names, the date, or just a simple saying like the photo above, or maybe a favorite song lyric or poem line.

Be sure to include growing instructions that can fit neatly inside the tin, and add seeds. A small bit of tape on each side will keep the tin closed, or tie it with a ribbon.

Don't know where to buy seeds? If it is not gardening season where you live, seeds can be hard to find. Some places, such as Home Depot, do carry them year round. However, buying them in person can be expensive. Try checking online on venues such as Etsy or eBay.

One of my favorite places to buy seeds is CheapSeeds.com. Not only do they have free shipping on your order, the website is easy to navigate and has the seeds organized by flower and by what you are looking for. They even have a wedding favor seeds section. This section is a little pricey ($50 per pound of seeds), but if you need a large number of favors, it is worth looking into.

I recommend looking at the "Easy to Grow Flowers" section. Here you can find bulk mixes of 1000 or more seeds for just $3.

Giving the gift of seeds is good for the environment and offers something unique for your guests. They will surely appreciate the thought and effort put into it.

Green Weddings: Alternative Wedding Bouquet

How's this for a modern, unique bouquet alternative? This incredibly gorgeous "bouquet" is made out of salvaged aluminum wire, and decorated with sparkling crystals and glass. It also comes with a display stand, and the description recommends using it as a tree topper during the holidays when it is done with its wedding duties. Functional and beautiful.

This is the last one, and you can find it at REFINERII, on sale for $100. There are a few other varieties, and I especially like this one:

Theme Week One: Green Week!

As mentioned in a previous post, this year marks the beginning of theme weeks. Of course, not every week will have a theme, but some of them will, starting out with "Green Week." With the environment being a concern for many, more and more green weddings are popping up. This includes one very high-profile wedding, Sami and Lucas on the popular soap opera, Days of Our Lives.

This week is going to focus on eco-friendly wedding planning ideas and resources. After paying a visit to a local shop, I was inspired by some of the great environmentally friendly gifts and came up with some tweaks to already great ideas.

One of my favorite green wedding ideas is this one from Martha Stewart: Tea Tin Centerpieces.

Tins can be either new or vintage, but vintage ones do offer more of a romantic flair. These can be filled with flowers, twigs and branches, cloth napkins folded intricately, candy, or fresh fruit for guests. The possibilities are endless! They don't have to be just tea tins either. You can find all sorts of tins that vary in color and type if you look carefully.

To use this idea elsewhere in the wedding, maybe throw a coffee themed shower with coffee cans stuffed with specialty beans, coffee flavored lip balm, or other treats. Play games so guests can win the cans and the prizes inside.

As the Martha website states, be sure to test each can for water leaks before using them!

Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe this blog has been here for nearly two years now. I am very excited about the new year, and have all sorts of ideas to share that I have been collecting for the past few weeks. Also, sometime late this month or early February, there is going to be a big giveaway featuring handmade items from some very talented artisans!

January also marks the first month where each week will revolve around a certain theme. If there is a theme you would like to see, feel free to suggest one in the comments or by voting in the poll to the right.

Happy New Year!