Category Archives: Uncategorized

Jeff and I thought it would be super cute (and really very helpful) to have buttons at our wedding describing the guests; friend, family or plus one.   Hopefully it will help to start some conversations like when “family” wearers don’t know each other or when “plus ones” want to commiserate.  I have a button maker at home, so this project was free for us, but if you like the idea you can always order custom buttons from this shop, or this shop!

2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

For more info on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

Breakfast

• Tomato, Basil, Egg McMuffin

Lunch

• Buffalo “Wing” Tofu Wrap

Dinner

• Chicken Sausage, Arugula and Mushroom Pizza

Dessert

• Root Beer Float Pop

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Jeff and I decided to buy our own wedding wine (at a whopping 36 dollars a case), and change the labels to match our other picnic packaging.  Ok…SO…it’s really just a way to hide how cheap our booze is, but it sure is pretty too!   All you have to do is soak your bottles in room temperature water for a few hours or overnight and scrape off the old labels.   Scrub off any sticky residue with a soapy sponge or scrubby brush.  Design and print your new labels on 8 1/2 x 11 sticky paper, cut them out and stick them onto the dry bottles.  Additionally, we went over the Chardonnay labels with a clear contact paper so the printing won’t run when the bottles are on ice.   This is a great “do far ahead” project for a wedding, party or even an event where you want to advertise on the labels and resell glasses for a lot more than it’s worth!  😉

2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

For more info on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

Breakfast

• Poached Egg with Asparagus and Toast

Lunch

• Turkey Meatball Sliders

Dinner

• Curried Veggie Potpie

Dessert

• Smoothie Popsicle

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OK….truthfully, I can’t take any credit for the contents of this post.   This co-ed shower was thrown for Jeff and me by our good friends in Los Angeles, but I thought the ideas were great and worth sharing anyway!   Co-ed showers are perfect for people who can’t stomach the classic separate boy/girl-ness of weddings or having babies or for those of us with just as many opposite sex friends as same-sex friends.

Strawberry jam favors were stamped and monogrammed and a "D" and "J". So sweet.

And honestly…I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving out my future husband, bridesmen or guy friends just to sit around with a group of women feeling uncomfortable about NOT being a girlie-girl!    This beautiful Southern luncheon was the perfect compromise for us.   You can never be too grateful for a group of friends who really understand who you are as a couple.  Thanks again to Sallie, Kalimba and Ernessa!  Continue reading →

2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

For more info on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

This week’s lunch uses some stuff we had in the freezer from Easter dinner.  Feel free to use any meats you have in the freezer for your stew or buy kielbasa and some ham to make yours like ours!

Breakfast

• Berry French Toast

Lunch

• Jeff’s Dream Stew

Dinner

• Spinach, Beet and Orange Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Medallions

Dessert

• Frozen Chocolate Pecan Bananas

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2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

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THIS WEEK’S MENU

This week, most of the food is cooked ahead so you’ll have more time during the week, but chisel out enough time to get it all done on Sunday (about 3 hours). 

Breakfast

• Zucchini, Mushroom, and Red Pepper Frittata

Lunch

• Veggie Moussaka

Dinner

• Mini Cheddar Meatloaves with Green Beans and Smashed Thyme Potatoes

Snack

• Corn Muffin with Strawberry Jam

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Jeff and I practiced our pickle making this weekend for our wedding favors and the result is amazing deliciousness!  Here’s how you can make 8 little jars of garlic dill pickles too.

You will need:

• 8 8oz. canning jars with 2 piece lids
• about 12 Kirby cucumbers
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons pickling salt
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• dill seed
• peppercorns
• crushed red pepper
• large pot with a pasta strainer in it, or a rack set in the bottom (so the jars don’t touch the bottom of the pot when you are boiling them)
• tongs
• ceramic teapot or nonreactive bowl with pouring spout Continue reading →

This sweet floral print will look great with the guys who are wearing checked shirts with gray ties!

“You can totally wear it again!”   We’ve all heard it, but 99% of us have never worn it again.  I’m talking about bridesmaids dresses and for our wedding, I really did make an effort to stick to that promise!   I decided to DIY the girls’ dresses to save everyone some money.   I knew I could make a simple dress that would truly look good on everyone for 60 dollars a piece versus the average 100-250.   I picked a cotton voile print and lined them in broadcloth.  The pattern is very simple to change per measurements and I designed a dress that really does look good on everyone.    The dress is a simple A-line shape with an empire waist to hide big hips, but ties in the back so it can flatter a small waist.   It covers fully for your girls that HAVE to wear a bra and ends just below the knees because not everyone loves theirs after the age of 23!   I should also mention that I do prefer the girl’s wearing a matching dress that they can style anyway they like rather than telling them to wear a particular color.  Call me crazy, but I do like some amount of control.

As a stylist and designer, my advice is this; Don’t fool yourself!  NO one will wear a solid colored taffeta dress again even if it is from J.Crew.   Choose something more casual like cotton, washed silk, a print or even something amazing from Anthropologie….or just don’t lie to yourself and go ahead and make them buy that ugly dress for you!   😉

2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

For more info on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

Breakfast

• Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Nectarines

Lunch

• Turkey Provolone Wrap with Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad

Dinner

• Southern Taco Potatoes

Snack

• Roasted Potato Chive Salad

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