5 Things Thursday: Party Splurges and Steals

You guys know full well how cheap I am.

If you hadn’t already figured it out from the ridiculously low outfit totals from my Goodwill buys or from the fact that I will agonize over spending a few dollars more on one brand of nails over another or that I tend to craft out of a “necessity” to get something I Iike for way less…then you could just go with my constant assurances that I am, indeed, quite frugal, since I freely and frequently admit it.

And yet, there are times, when I will purposely turn a blind eye to a price-tag (all within reason, y’all; I can only restrain my inner frugalista for so long) if I have a specific goal to accomplish or feel like I can get a lot of longevity out of a purchase.

Such was the case with several items for last Friday’s dinner party—even though I would love to be able tell you that I pulled the whole thing off, food and all, for less than $100.

(Not quite).

Of course, there were plenty of made-over Goodwill junkers mixed in with the new purchases (hello? I’m still me).

So, today I thought I’d show you 5 things I didn’t bother to shop around much for or even try to knock-off AND their cheap-o counterparts in an attempt to demonstrate how I very inexpertly jumble together bought, made, bargain, and retail into one hopefully somewhat cohesive final product.

In the process, you’ll also see a lot more of the party details in pictures since I’ve mostly given you a general overview in Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s posts (a huge thank you to Mandy for grabbing my camera without my even asking and snapping most of these details shots while I took care of the last minute dinner prep, or I’m fairly sure there wouldn’t have even been any pretty before shots to show you).

1.

SPLURGE:

The napkins.

I had high hopes of making my own napkins. In fact, the plan was originally to use a ginormous drop cloth to make the tablecloth and to sew the napkins out of that pretty coral damask fabric you see for the tablecloth.

But when my husband ended up making the table for the party, and I realized what a drag looking at 15-odd feet of oatmeal-colored drop cloth was going to be, I decided to go bold with the tablecloth, leaving the napkins a bit of head-scratcher for me.

That is, until I spotted these at Target for $10/4.

It’s not crazy expensive or anything, but since I could have made them for pennies on the dollar, it certainly seemed that way (until I stopped to think about the facts that a) I don’t already own cloth napkins, b) these match my breakfast nook décor perfectly, and c) it would save me oodles in therapy if I would just buy the dang things rather than trying to add one more “make this!!!” to the list).

So! $30 later, I was the proud owner of cloth napkins and dang cute ones too!

STEAL:

To offset the napkin “indulgence” (and also to keep from having pattern on top of pattern on top of pattern on top of…huh, what?….you get the idea? oh good, I’ll stop), I kept the placemats simple—literally drop cloth rectangles cut with pinking shears.

I think they came to something like $0.50/each.

2.

SPLURGE:

The lights/lanterns.

I knew that I couldn’t achieve the “enchanted evening” ambience I was hoping for without the help of “twinkle lights” and colorful paper lanterns.

I found both the green ones and the white eyelet options on Overstock.com, and they were about $26 shipped, which, now that I think about it, is actually a pretty remarkable price when you consider that I got 9 lanterns out of the deal.

I was planning on using both as décor in my kids’ rooms after the party, but the green ones aren’t holding up too well. The white, lacey ones are doing great, though, and are even more gorgeous in person. They’ll be serving as the mobile over the twins’ crib.

The large bulb patio string lights are available in Target stores for $13 per 20 ft. strand, and we bought 4, which brought our light splurge total to around $80.

STEAL:

The green glass tea light holders + tea lights which came from Goodwill and Ikea respectively and cost a whopping $6 for all 8.

3.

SPLURGE:

Silverware.

Okay, so the silverware wasn’t exactly a true splurge since it was just a $45 60-piece set from Walmart.

Still, we did already have silverware from several different sets that could have been hodgepodged together to make do for our guests.

But they weren’t quite hodgepodge enough to be “charming,” just mismatched.

So we opted to buy a matching set, instead, and keep it for future use.

(Sheesh. Cloth napkins. Matching silverware. Apparently, this party went a long way toward helping me become a real adult. These weren’t splurges! These were rites of passage!).

STEAL:

Our mason jar “drinking glasses,” which were $8/12 at Walmart.

(One of my favorite shots of the night for some reason).

4.

SPLURGE:

The flowers.

Our fields were bursting with wildflowers, and I was leaning toward gathering bouquets of Black-eyed Susans and Indian Paintbrush until I spotted those clumps of minty hydrangeas at the grocery store (classy, I know), and immediately plunked down $35 for them because I could see in my mind’s eye just how great they would go with the coral in the tablecloth and the more intense green of the tea light holders and lanterns.

I was planning on grouping them in small vases for maximum “spreadage,” but…

STEAL:

At the last second, my awesome friend, Jolinda (from yesterday’s Wardrobe Wednesday post), sent me a text with a picture of buckets of flowers in the perfect color scheme for the party sitting around her 'kitchen, and it said, “You need some flowers?”

She came early and “threw together” that beautiful arrangements using the hydrangeas I already had and some of her other pretty blooms, and—voila!—at no extra cost to me, my $30 “clumps” morphed into a much more expensive looking centerpiece (Thanks, Jo!).

5.

SPLURGE:

Spray paint.

Don’t laugh (especially considering the color).

I realize that spray paint could be considered one of the least splurge-y purchases ever, but at $4 a pop, when you buy 15 cans or so and then proceed to use them all, it can add up fast.

STEAL:

Fortunately, one of the main things I spray painted were the $6 benches (for both) that almost got me a hot date with the Goodwill loader who helped me put them in my car.

I couldn’t find a shot that really gave you a good angle on the seating, but you can at least get a glimpse of my watermelon pink benches in this one, and you’ll be seeing more of them very soon.

So, there you have it, folks!

A party tour and a completely non-comprehensive cost breakdown of some of the most/least expensive elements of the décor.

To say I’m pleased with how everything came together is quite the understatement.

Especially the color scheme, which just made me happy and came about so organically that it practically chose me!

I bought the fabric for the tablecloth a while back with nothing party-related in mind and only thought of adding in the pops of green once I found the paper lanterns on Overstock.

I had planned on using white Dollar Store dishes but did a serious happy dance in the kitchen when it occurred to me that by mixing and matching all of the various patterns/solids of dishes that I own (most of which are from Goodwill) that I could come up with enough place-settings to go around AND that the colors coordinated pretty much perfectly.

Of course, I couldn’t help but giggle a little bit on a last minute Target run where I found my coral-trimmed bread basket, those tall, coral paper-encased decorative candles, and a plethora of other accessories in apparently trendy shades of either…coral…or spring green.

Obviously, I was quite au currant, and I had no clue.

Oooooookay.

I think that’s all I’ve got for the moment, but I thought I’d leave you with a few last shots of some of my favorite tidbits…because what party recap around here could be complete without a collage?

Of course, if you’ve been paying close attention, then you might have noticed one glaring gap in all my party detail recaps.

What is it?

Say it with me now: THE FOOD!

Which is exactly what I plan to talk about tomorrow for Feature Friday!

Speaking of which, if you’ve got something to show off, Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL will be live @ 7AM tomorrow.

Can’t wait to see you there!

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Wardrobe Wednesday: Option E

Edit 1: I get the pleasure of posting the (uber) easy tutorial for how I made my party tablecloth today over at My Sister’s Suitcase, so be sure to swing by and check it out! : )

Also, remember that adorable marker onesie tute those talented sister showed us last week and how they promised to make a pair for my twins?

Well, today, they have fun poll on their blog with their top three favorites from all your suggestions of what to put on them, so go vote for YOUR fave! (I’m about to). I can’t wait to see who wins!

Edit 2: Have you seen my party post from yesterday? Lots of fun pics, plus a brand new, straight-from-my-noggin (scary thought) idea for an icebreaker game for a party of your own!

So, last week, you guys were so nice to help me choose what to wear to the party.

Just as a quick refresher, you voted on these options:

So, which one did I choose?

Ahem.

That would be Option E (and some really puffy legs).

For the record, I already had Option A from a super-sale at a boutique (it was originally $280, and I talked her down to $25!) and Option C (which was a $5 Goodwill score from a while back…I’ve yet to wear either of them). Option B was a $13 clearance buy from Ross that I plan to wear throughout my pregnancy, and Option D was $27 from Urban Outfitters online, which I almost love but can’t quite decide what to do with (meaning, it might go back…woot for free return shipping!).

I was definitely with you guys on Option C being the best in terms of light, summery fun and baby-bump hiding potential, but the fact that I needed to take up the bodice for a safe fit made me a little nervous since there was so much else going on.

So, I ducked into Ann Taylor Loft 2 nights before the party, emboldened by the: “Extra 50% off all sale items” sign displayed in the front window, and, just as I was about to leave, saw Option E tucked in a corner.

They had my size, and it fit like a dream, disguised the bump, left me room to move, was nice and cool, had polka dots AND ruffles (two of my faves…boy, do I sound like a girly-girl), and was only $25 with the extra 50% off—a price-tag I could deal with for a dress that had so many elements I loved and could be worn for a while longer in this pregnancy and definitely afterwards.

So I bought it but kept the receipt, still hoping to find time to alter the blue dress.

Needless to say, considering that I got dressed and did my hair and makeup at 6:20 when the party was at 7, the alterations did not happen.

But when I walked out of the bedroom, and my husband, who had just bounded up the stairs to change as well after just finishing stringing the patio lights (I promise we didn’t wait ‘til the last second; it’s just how it went) stopped dead in his tracks, hugged me, and said, “You look good,” (after having responded with a polite, “Sure, I like that one, baby,” to most of my other options), I knew it was worth that extra trip!

All of the other girls at the party looked absolutely lovely, including:

Jolinda…who made that adorable polka dot number she’s wearing.

Mandy and her sister-in-law, Cayse.

…and my brother’s girlfriend, Hannah (they had to leave early, and I didn’t manage to nab a better picture of her).

I really loved my $4 necklace from a super-cheapo mall store called Body Central.

And I couldn’t help but laugh at how perfectly Mandy’s green dress and coral necklace matched the party’s color scheme. (I promise I didn’t drop any hints!).

Our expressions in this pic really crack me up. It was a really breezy evening, and I was feeling some serious heat from that tiki torch!

As blogworthy as a Wardrobe Wednesday shot of me with my hair on fire would have been, I wasn’t feeling quite ready to make that kind of sacrifice for you guys.

So selfish, I know.

So, what do you think of Option E?

Yay? Nay? Eh?

Do tell.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy.

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Try-it Tuesday: DIY Scratch-off Party Cards

Well, folks, I think I have finally recovered from The Great Dinner Party of 2012.

While I say that very tongue-in-cheek since it was actually a very small party and totally not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, even small, totally-not-big-deal parties can mean a whole lot of work if you have a certain “feel” in mind, and that was certainly true in this case.

Of course, that’s certainly compounded by the fact that we’re pretty much incapable of simply throwing a party.

I don’t know about you, but around here, parties are the times when we get done all those things that keep getting shoved to the back burner in favor of, well, life.

When we’ve got a party deadline, though, all the “extras” rapidly find their way to the front burners and start boiling like mad, if you’ll pardon the extended metaphor.

In this case, we planted flowers, moved the play area from one part of the yard to another, remulched everything, finished the deck, painted the front porch, spray-painted furniture, did belated spring cleaning, organized the craft room (which inevitably becomes the daily dumping ground for anything we don’t immediately have a good place for when we’re in project mode), cleaned up the construction area around the new addition, redid the tile on the patio, weeded, mowed, laid carpet, moved Della from her “hallway bedroom” into the new nursery (for now), and made tables (not even kidding…my amazing husband whipped up a “simple” 12-foot-table for me when I expressed concerns about fitting everybody around our current dining table) and tablecloths (which I’ll show you how to do tomorrow).

And none of that includes the shopping, crafting, food-prep, and actual decorating for the party itself.

Oh yeah, and all the while, Shaun was programming like a madman in preparation for a work trip he had to leave for the Monday after the party (that would be yesterday), and we had a six-year-old’s birthday (the day before the party) to not completely ignore. 

To say that it’s been busy around here is bit like saying that Mt. Everest is tall.

But pretty much everything that needed to happen got done (barely), thanks in no small part to family (Love you, Mama!) who helped watch the kids, a couple of friends who showed up early for the party to help out with the last minute details, and an incredible neighbor lady named Teresa that my husband hired to help me out the last couple of days when all the food, etc. had to get done. That woman is a marvel and a wonder, and I don’t think I could have maintained my sanity without her.

Saturday was Ezra’s party, which was a very low-key trip to the spray-park, with a couple of our closest friends who have kids the same age as ours.

And for the last two days, I have done very little other than hang out with my family, migrate from one couch to another, and take naps every chance I get.

I feel almost normal again today, and my ankles are no longer three times their usual size, so I thought it was high time I actually showed you some of the details of this party that I’ve been talking about for weeks and which turned out great and was enjoyed by all (I’m pretty sure).

I’ve got a little to show you each day, but I thought I’d start with the one element of the party that I’m most proud of because I came up with it (almost) entirely on my own.

A while back, I was flipping through an old issue of Better Homes and Gardens and stumbled upon a “recipe” for DIY scratch-off cards.

The craft from the article was geared towards Valentine’s Day, but I figured I could adapt it for some party purpose or another.

After a bit of noodling, I came up with this:

First, I’ll show you how I made the cards, and then I’ll explain the game’s concept, which is really quite simple and works as a fun icebreaker. 

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own “Getting the Gist of It” Game.

• Cardstock
• “Getting the Gist of It” PDF template (or make your own!). I’ve included it in teal and mustard.  (Just click the “download” button on the link page to get the file. Oh, and ignore the second page that prints. For some reason, I couldn’t get the table to delete correctly and keep the dimensions on the  first page right).
• Pencil
• Fine-tipped marker
• Small craft brush
• Metallic Craft Paint
• Dishwashing Soap
• (Optional) Washi tape (or scrapbook paper + double-sided tape for my homemade version)

1. Print the “Getting the Gist of It” template on 8X11 cardstock and then cut out each card, using the table lines as guides.

2. Fold the cards in half.

3. You can either use the fine-tipped marker to write your guests’ names directly on the cardstock, or you can add washi tape for a little definition/decoration and then write on top of that.

4. I chose to add “washi tape,” which I made using scrapbook paper:

…and double-sided tape:

To make your own washi tape, simply line up one side of your double-sided tape with the edge of your scrapbook paper, like so:

…then cut the strip out along the tape edge…

…and snip it into the lengths that you need for your project—in this case about 1 1/2” long.

You can even use a contrasting color/pattern to add a border to your card:

5. Using a small strip of cardstock and your pencil, outline the “gist” word so that you you know where your paint should go:

6. Mix your scratch-off paint, using 1 part dishwashing soap to 2 parts metallic craft paint.

7. With your small craft brush, paint a layer of scratch-off paint inside the pencil border and allow it to dry. You’ll have to repeat this process at least 3 times (it took me 4) until the paint is no longer streaky and you can no longer see the word underneath.

(You can see the original Better Homes and Gardens tutorial and their Valentine’s Card Templates here).

8. Divide blank pieces of cardstock into 4 sections, cut them out, and number them, bullet-style, with the number of game participants you will have. These will be your score-cards.

9. Provide coins for the big reveal (you could even tape a penny to each card!).

Okay!

So, your cards are made…

Now what?

Here’s where the fun starts (as if painting 4 layers of paint onto small rectangles one dozen times wasn’t fun enough!).

Getting the Gist of It—THE RULES

1. Give each participant their card (or, if you’re using them as place-cards like I was, have each person sit in the appropriate place).

2. Explain that they will have an allotted amount of time (I chose 6 minutes…random, I know) to reveal and gather as many clues as possible about their own profession as well as those of their fellow players. Make sure that they know that each profession ends in the words “gist.”

3. Also, make sure they know to write something down and keep moving since the person with the most correct answers wins, which makes a guess better than a blank. It’s best if none of the players confirms or denies another player’s guess. (Also, they should be sure to write the name of the person beside the profession since they probably won’t remember…you also could do this for them ahead of time when you number the score cards if you wanted).

4. Count it down and let the scratch-off mayhem begin!

Here are Rob and Jolinda, one of the most ridiculously photogenic (and nicest!) couples I know getting ready to role play (you can also see here what the card looks like painted since I forgot to snap a picture once I’d finished with all 48 coats of paint).

And here are a cosmetologist, a neurologist, and a mixologist yukking it up as they try to figure out exactly who their fellow dinner guests are supposed to be.

Since I already knew the answers, I couldn’t fully participate, but I had a blast watching everybody drop silly clues, and I’d say, judging from those big smiles, that the everybody else liked it too!

And here’s Mandy, looking pretty happy with herself, and with good reason too, since she won with 6 correct answers!

**I chose to include several obscure “gists” to make it harder/more fun, so if you do that, you may have to whisper an explanation in a participant’s ear if even they don’t know what they are!

Hopefully, I’ve explained the game clearly enough (when you come up with something yourself, it’s pretty easy to assume that what’s in your head makes perfect sense to everybody else whether it does or not!).

If you’re still wondering about anything, be sure to leave me a comment or question.

And hopefully, I’ve whet your appetite a bit for more party details (coming soon!).

Wouldn’t want to give it all away at once, right? : )

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Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL {#21} + Dinner Party {#1}

Welp.

Today’s the big day, and I feel like someone just yelled, “Ready or not, here I come!”

(Hang on a sec while I find a place to hide).

With all this talk of dinner parties and dresses and such this week, you may be thinking that I’m having quite the blowout at my house, but the truth is, there will only be a dozen of us.

And they’re all really nice, low-key types who wouldn’t care if we ate snack food and played Charades.

But, as I told my husband at 11:30 last night as I hauled my swollen ankles (really? at 5 months???) into bed: “I may never have another party like this, but I’m going to do this one up as right as I know how, darn it!”

And to fulfill that claim, I’m pretty much going to have to say, “HAPPY FRIDAY!” and skedaddle.

I promise you oodles of pictures and details next week, and I’m promising myself a nap sometime in the very near future.

Want just the sneakiest of sneak peaks?

Here you go!

PARTY ON, PEOPLE!

It’s a FREE-FOR-ALL!

If you’ve blogged about it, I want to see it!

So…

1. Link to your specific post URL instead of your blog URL (no limit on the number of linkies, so add as many as you like!)

2. Grab a party button so that others can join in the fun! (Text link-backs are great too! : ))

<a href="http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com" target="_blank"" title="five days five ways"><img alt="five days five ways feature friday free for all" src="http://www.capitalhcoder.com/fivedaysfiveways/5d5wfreeforall.png" style="border-style: none" /></a>

3. Consider visiting/commenting on at least 2 of the other links. You never know what kind of inspiration you might miss out on if you don’t. Plus we all love to read words of encouragement! (I know I do!)

4. PLEASE, no shops or giveaways!

5. If we aren’t already friends, would you do me the honor of getting regular post updates here?:

or you can:

subcribe for email updates,

and/or join our Facebook page!

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5 Things Thursday: Guest Post from Grasping for Objectivity (Get ready to laugh!)

I’ve said it before, and I do believe that I’ll keep right on saying it: you guys are nice.

Seroiusly, Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the fun, wonderful, detailed, helpful feedback on THE dress decision.

Looks like #3 is the winner so far by a longshot, and I have to admit that it’s my husband’s and my favorite as well.

Oh, and for those of you wondering about the comfort/coverage of the the strapless neckline…I don’t wear strapless very much, but I think this one will be nice and modest once I nip/tuck it…meaning it’s modest now (no cleavage), but it’s big enough that things get suggestive fast if I move too much since the dress is sliding around on me. However, with a nice, snug fit, the neckline is definitely high enough, so we’ll just have to see how it goes!

OKAY, enough about the dress already, right?

Today is this handsome little guy’s birthday:

He’s six. SIX!

I don’t usually get too sniffly over birthdays and milestones, but this one feels huge. And weird.

How in the world did that 7 lb 5 oz. red-faced bundle morph into a gangly-legged, kind, well-mannered (you’ve never heard such an expert at: “May I pleases,” “Yes ma’ams,” and, “Why, thank you, Mamas”), extremely compassionate, slightly neurotic six-year-old??

He is the best big brother, the biggest snuggler, and the quickest to share (when the aforementioned firstborn neuroses don’t get the best of him).

And I love him to pieces!

Happy Birthday, Ezra! I am so thankful God gave you to me!

I’m also very thankful that the lovely and hilarious Rachel of Grasping for Objectivity agreed to stop by for 5 Things Thursday today since that gives me a chance to celebrate my little man (not to mention knock out a few more last-minute party details).

Rachel’s blog is a daily pit stop for me—a chance to replenish my supply of random and funny, which are both pretty essential ingredients for Mama-survival in my world, and I love her quirky sense of humor, her writing style, and the way she approaches mommyhood with both love and levity.

I could go on, but I won’t, since I’ve practically already hijacked her entire post talking about dresses and firstborns.

Just know you’re in for a treat!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi! I’m Rachel from Grasping for Objectivity in my Subjective Life. I know, I know… like long blog titles much? What can I say… I like being specific, if not succinct. I was honored when Abbie asked if I’d like to guest blog. I’m amazed at how she can stay on subject (albeit with a LOT of rabbit trails) and blog within the framework of a daily theme. I’m pretty sure that there’s nothing resembling a “frame” or a “work” on my blog, so hopefully I won’t bring too much destruction onto hers.

---

I am a naturally shy, fade-into-the-background, introverted person. I don’t like crowds, I don’t like small-talk, I don’t like being the center of attention, I don’t like meeting new people, I don’t like going places alone, and I especially don’t like being embarrassed or making a spectacle of myself. However. On a whim a little over four years ago, I started a blog. You know, to keep the grandparents informed of the minutiae of our lives – because surely they’d be the only ones that cared.

I quickly realized that I enjoyed blogging, and things began happening. And changing. Until I didn’t even recognize myself anymore. The things I’ve done for the sake of blogging… The facts I’ve revealed about myself to entertain the masses… It’s shameful, really.

So.

Let this be a warning to any of you considering blogging, or perhaps innocently starting out along the path of blogging. (cue sinister music here): It will make you do things. Things that will make you look in the mirror and wonder what happened to the person you used to be.

1. Blogging has made me take perfectly good sandwich meat, sausage, cocktail wienies, pepperoni, and nay, even BACON, and turn them into Meat Flowers.

Who does that?? And if they do, WHY?!?

2. Blogging has made me shame my butt and bring ridicule down upon it by wearing dozens of pairs of the most heinous selection of Mom Jeans. And even worse, by photographing it and publishing it for the world to scoff.

3. Blogging has made me care so little for my husband’s dignity that I made him be my Donkey. (And yes, there was a real baby in that belly. And no, I’m sure that I wasn’t very light at that point in my gestation process).

4. Blogging has made me bare the embarrassments, dirty laundry, and shames of both my own life and my family’s lives to the entire world, such as admitting to eating a stranger’s petit four crumbs off of a bakery table, outing my Mother for torturing me as a child, writing out my disgusting nursing imaginations and fears, sharing completely unnecessary details of ghastly medical ailments, and revealing my most embarrassing Junior High “mementos”.

 What happened to that shy, introverted, avoiding embarrassment at all costs person that I used to be?

5. And finally, blogging has made me talk about things that women just don’t talk about. Such as the fact that our breast pumps talk to us. (You know they do. Quit denying it). But you know what? There are a lot of women that feel liberated by the knowledge that all breast pumps talk, not just theirs.

So maybe there’s value in this blogging thing after all.

Or then again, maybe I’m just creating my own worst nightmare.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hi guys! Me again.

I’m just sitting here grinning because I realized as I reread this that I haven’t even had the pleasure of reading some of the posts Rachel mentions here (I’m a relative GFOIMSL—*snicker*—newbie), and I can’t wait to catch up on what I’ve missed so far.

Thanks again, Rachel,for stopping by and for making our worlds just a little more randomly hilarious each day!

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Wardrobe Wednesday: Party (Dress) Time!

Okay, people.

I’m about to be that girl who doesn’t want to talk…but still wants your help anyway.

Because, quite honestly, today, I don’t have much time to talk (not if my guests for the big dinner party on Friday night are going to actually get any of the dinner that’s kind of implied in the event title, anyway).

And I haven’t been wearing anything you would want to see anyway, since my uniform for the last week has consisted of sweaty workout clothes and sweaty, paint-smeared project clothes.

But I would still love it if you’d stick around and help me because I have a very serious, important, and momentous decision to make.

I bet you already have an idea of what it is too!

THE party dress!

If you’ve ever had trouble deciding what to wear to an event that’s important to you, imagine (or remember) trying to nail “the dress” while you’re in a most inconvenient stage of pregnancy—not big enough to need a full-on tent but too big for all the cute, little summer dresses out there that require you to have a waistline (the nerve).

Now, compound that with the fact that you’re a miser like I am and don’t want to spend a lot (otherwise, that perfect Kate Spade frock I spotted online last week would already be on my doorstep), and you’ve got yourself a real pickle.

Which is where you come in.

I’ve been scouring the local Goodwills, Ross’s, Marshall’s, and clearance racks in general, and, while I haven’t found the one that makes me go, “YES!” (don’t think that’s happening again until well after the twins are born anyway), I did manage to dig up some options that I like well enough to say, “Yeah, that could work.”

Here they are, in no particular order.

OPTION 1:

Note: I’ll need a full slip since this one’s a bit transparent

OPTION 2:

Note: Ditto this one, which might require Spanx too (do they make those for pregnant people?), since the material is thin and a bit clingy,

OPTION 3:

Note: the bodice on this one’s too big, so I’ll have to do a few nip/tucks.

OPTION 4:

Note: this one’s still on its way, so I have no idea how it will fit.

I would also absolutely love to wear a necklace very similar to this one from J. Crew (though not actually that one because—hoo-ah!—it’s $150!!!):

…which looks like this when worn:

(mine won’t be as big)

But any other suggestions for accessories (particularly shoes) or hairstyles or last minute places I can find the perfect cheap dress for a preggo girl who still wants to feel attractive at a fun, summer party…I would LOVE to hear them!

I’m including a poll for easy voting, but you know I will love you (even more) for-evah and evah if you explain your choice in the comments.

And now I’m off to vacuum something (it’s pretty much a take-your-pick kind of deal).

So…

Which one is THE dress?

Thanks tons ahead of time for your help!

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Try-it Tuesday: Berry Sweet Guest Post from My Sister’s Suitcase!

Several months ago, as I was trolling the linky party circuit, clicking around through the pics that caught my eye, I noticed a trend.

Uber-cute crafts.

Great pics,

Fun writing.

And it all kept taking me back to the same place:

My Sister’s Suitcase.

I’m not exaggerating one teensy bit when I say that I haven’t seen a less-than-stellar post from these ultra-talented girls, and so it is with great pleasure that I say: “Take it away, Nat and Holly!”

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Hi! We're Nat & Holly, sisters and best friends living 462 miles apart. We only get to see each other a few times a year, so in the meantime we share everything on our blog, My Sister’s Suitcase.

We're excited to be here for "Try-It Tuesday!" Abbie is a sweetheart, and she has been so encouraging as we are getting our name out there in the blog world.

We are thrilled to be sharing a super easy tutorial with all of you today! This project takes me back to my summer camp craft days, but in a good way... haha!

I saw some adorable tea towels that Heather at Setting for Four made by tracing an image with a plain black Sharpie! I thought, hey maybe that would work with a white t-shirt. So I busted out these "berry sweet" t-shirts {made with sharpies and fabric markers.}

My daughter was happy to model her new threads!

I decided to make matching outfits for our daughters... we'll be seeing each other on vacation in exactly 4 days! For Anna, I made the "berry sweet" design, and for Nat's daughter, Bella, I made "berry cute." I started with a simple pattern:

{fonts} berry: the only exception, cute: bebas

Here's what you'll need:

• plain white shirt {mine is Garanimals from Walmart, $3}
• fine black Sharpie... {they also have some cool new fabric markers}
• fabric markers in desired colors {mine are Fashion Fabric Markers from JoAnn's}
• printed pattern

{1} Place the pattern underneath the top layer of your t-shirt {2} Make sure it is centered, then start tracing carefully with your black Sharpie. After all of the letters are outlined, fill in with a fabric marker. It is easy to use because the tip is shaped like a brush and distributes the color nicely. {3} Continue tracing your design. For the "berry" I used a chisel tip fabric marker. It worked well for precision and adding a little extra thickness to the letters. {4} Let your design dry completely before you wash. (Oh, and you should "heat set" the design by throwing it in the dryer before you wash it.)

*Another tip: Pin your pattern in place!

These were SO simple to make, and now my boys want to make some too {with Star Wars and Pokemon!} Think of all the ways you could customize these :) I love that I was able to make a custom outfit for less than $10!

I got the little chambray skirt at Target for $5, and the adorable strawberry {iron-on} applique at JoAnn's on clearance for 50 cents!! The shirt was only $3, plus the cost of my markers. Now these cute cousins will have fun wearing matching outfits next week :)

 

 

As most of you know, Abbie is expecting twin girls!! We are so excited for her, and as a little thank you, I am going to make some custom "marker" onesies for her babies. I have several ideas for fun words or designs that would be

perfect for twins, but I want to know what YOU think...

 

Head over to our blog and leave a comment with your idea for the twins' onesies! We'll compile a few of our favorites, and then have people vote on the top 3. There will be something fun for the winner :)

 

And of course, Abbie's darling babies may be seen wearing your idea!

 

While you're there, we'd love for you to take a look around at some of our favorite projects. We feature Home Decor, Printables, Upcycling, Kids Crafts, Seasonal projects, and more.

 

We hope you’ll join us in our LDCR {long-distance crafting relationship!} Thanks again for having us Abbie!

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No, thank YOU, ladies!

I really love how simple (and cute) this idea is.

And...umm…seriously?

How nice are these sweet girls?

please, Please (PLEASE!) go leave suggestions and then vote on the final pattern for the twins’ onesies.

That would pretty much make my week!

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