My Favorite Things #2

Lots of things caught my eye this week. From cool venues to ideas for romantic lighting DIY projects to personalized gifts for parents and the boys.

The Finds: Handmade Vintage Doily Lamp by Shannon South spotted on Apartment Therapy Main; The Ambiance Venue in San Francisco, CA spotted on Ruffled; Handmade Journal from the Bride to Her Mother spotted on Green Wedding Shoes photographed by Todd Pellowe; Engraved Collar Stays spotted on 100 Layer Cake photographed by W. Scott Chester Photography available from Quality Stays, $26.90 for 24 sets; Pine cone Bouquet spotted on Green Wedding Shoes photographed by Jenny Haas; Hollow Book Safe available from Conduit Press (Etsy), $55; Dried Rosebud Heart Wreath spotted on Writing with Light available from Heavenly Hearts (Not on the High Street), 13 pounds; Smokey quartz ring by Andrea Bonelli spotted on Unruly Things; Chalk Label Storage Jars from Hindsvik, $14 for a set of 2.

We're planning on creating a book with our story for our parents. Because personalized books were on my mind, I loved seeing the reaction another bride's mother had when presented with her daughter's journal. If money weren't an object ($40,000), this offer from Rigel Stuhmiller, a designer in Berkeley, CA, to develop a graphic novel (spotted on Paper Crave) would be tempting. (cubes loves graphic novels and is reading The Sandman by Neil Gaiman to me.)

As you might remember we struggled for awhile to come up with a gift for our groomsmen. Engraved flasks had been done (and humorously included in a friend's wedding ceremony) so we shied away from that path. However, had I seen the hollow book safe (with flask included), I might have been tempted to choose books over vintage traveling bars. Another gift idea that would have gone perfectly with the boys' custom shirts: engraved collar stays. I didn't know collars had stays until we sent cubes' shirt to the cleaner.

Finally at the end of the week, Hindsvik once again inspired me. Their chalk label storage jars brought to mind custom spice mixes. You could write the guest's name and table on the jars tackling two projects at once: escort cards and favors.

“When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.”

~ by Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) discovered via Kiss the Groom