Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Ribbon = DANGER ZONE

So, unexpectedly enough, picking out a cake design has sort of re-inspired me to start thinking about our invitations. After my invitation meltdown and subsequent break from thinking about them, I think I'm ready again. And I might even be ready for some sort of DIY project in the bargain.

I know, slap me, right? Or at least, three months from now when I'm stuck to the floor by dint of my own glue gun, sobbing and tearing out my hair, you'll all be able to say you told me so.

But, okay. What happened was that the baker told us that we should pick out the ribbon to go on our cake so that it is the exact shade of purple that we want. And I started thinking about ribbon, and then--and I really don't know how this happened--I turned into some sort of scary, wannabe crafty bride, and started thinking about how the ribbon could be the element that--oh god, I can't think of a verb here that wouldn't be a pun with the ribbon--ties weaves holds the wedding elements together.

So NOW I'm thinking what could we do with ribbon? Pew decorations? Centerpieces? Favors? Invitations? ALL OF THE ABOVE. I am bloody Martha Stewart over here, I swear.

Now, initially when I thought about this I went a little crazy and started thinking maybe I could get a Gocco? And then I realized I was insane. But that doesn't mean that I stopped being insane! Because after I gave up the Gocco idea, I still allowed myself to be seduced by the idea of a Cuttlebug.

I might be certifiably crazy, but I think I've pulled myself back from the brink over here. There will not be embossing, and there will not be many little bottles of ink, and there will not be still-drying cards spread out all over our apartment.

But there will be a trip to Paper Source. And there will be some sort of purple invitation that we will most likely assemble ourselves. And if all goes well, the assembled invitation will be tied with purple ribbon that matches the cake.

In other, non-wedding related news (You: I didn't know I could still FIND that on this blog!), I feel compelled to warn you that coming up, most likely on Friday, is the Choose Your Own Blogventure extravaganza. My participation in this collaboration was potentially ill-advised, as I shy away from the idea of posting fiction on my blog, but it's too late now! My section is written and other people's sections depend on mine!

The way it works is that NPW will post the beginning of the story on her blog with options for how it should continue, and the two options will be posted on two other blogs, each with two more options, and so on down the line until the end of the story. My section is somewhere toward the end, so please do not be shocked if/when you show up on Friday to find a random piece of fiction floating on my blog, seemingly lacking context.

Although of course you will have forgotten about this warning by then. Because FRIDAY IS STILL SO FAR AWAY.

30 comments:

  1. As someone who did most of the stuff for her wedding...I must warn you about trying to do too much. Make a list of priorities with the most important things being done first that way if you burn out you won't be too disappointed if you don't complete the things that are lower on your list.

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  2. Are you a good wrapper (as opposed to rapper)? If you can wrap a good gift, I'm sure your invitation adventures will go just splendidly.

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  3. OMG you want to be a DIY Knottie!! AHHHHH!!!!
    All you need now is a gaudy knottie profile with all your projects! AHH!! ;) haha in all honesty though, good luck, it could be fun!

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  4. My Mother is crafty to the extreme and has gotten into what's called the "paper arts". There are books, and classes and even conventions. Anyway, I would look into taking a class. They'll help you pick out card stock, etc.

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  5. ah! i have yet to write my section of the blogventure story. i was goign to do it last night and was super busy. it's a little weird writing it without knowing what happened beforehand ya know?

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  6. Who knew the Choose Your Own Blogventure would be so time-consuming?! Certainly not me. I have a new respect for -R- and her BlogShare.

    Also, I hate logistics. But I can't wait to read your story!

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  7. i think this is TOTALLY do-able, but like lspoon said.. make sure you limit how much you take on :-) i've received loads of DIY invitations recently, and there are tons and tons of really cute things you can do without having to get so involved that you're setting the type on each individual card. hee, now i'm all excited to see what you do!

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  8. Step away from the embossing. Slowly.

    :)

    FRIDAY IS TOO FAR AWAY. I agree.

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  9. I'm so not a crafter. It just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, lol.

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  10. Really, I should NOT encourage you, because I think having SOMEONE ELSE do the invitations is the best idea and that anything else is...unwise. BUT I can't resist pointing out that if you were to buy some sort of machine and/or gain some sort of experience, you could re-use that knowledge/equipment for birth announcements. Just saying. (Perhaps even with some leftover ribbon?)

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  11. That is very ambitious! I ordered our wedding invitations and thank you notes, but to save money, I made our rehearsal dinner invitations. I'll send you a picture when I get home today :)

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  12. "Although of course you will have forgotten about this warning by then. Because FRIDAY IS STILL SO FAR AWAY."

    It is moments like this that are exactly why I adore reading your blog. I was reading about Choose Your Own Blogventure, thinking about how awesome it sounded and wondering how I was possibly going to remember about this by the time Friday rolls around because that is DAYS away, and I can't possibly be expected to think that far in advance. That is just crazy talk!

    What I'm saying is I am very glad that I am not alone in my FRIDAY IS ABOUT A MILLION YEARS AWAYness

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  13. Hm, if you keep the design simple, then doing your own invitations could be a nice way to spend a few evenings.

    When Spawn jumped the broom, we did her invitations and they turned out really nice. It only took three of us one evening to put everything together. Of course, we were using rubber cement and the fumes made everything look a little... different.

    But seriously? Once you have everything prepped, putting them together is a piece of, um, cake.

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  14. I made my wedding invitations using Adobe InDesign, ribbon and pretty paper. It soudns tedious, but I had so much fun doing it, and they turned out really well - I received a lot of complements on them. Good luck!

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  15. As I was reading about your venture into craftdoom, I kept thinking I sure hope there's a Paper Source in Washington DC!!! When Sweets and I strolled in there, it seems like everyone is so knowledgeable and really willing to help you get started. In the suburbs, we also have a store called Archivers, which caterers more to scrapbookers, but definitely has materials to make invitations. Good luck - and keep us updated!!!

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  16. Do it! Be crafty! I have faith in you.

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  17. If you feel like being crafty - go for it!

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  18. I did my own invitations and it really wasn't that bad -- I had them printed, of course, but then I just put them together with ribbon and glue sticks and they came out beautifully. It wasn't that bad, honest. I gathered a couple of girlfriends for an invitation-assembling party and we went to down with a couple of bottles of wine. Yes, the calligraphy on the invites was sort of sucktacular, given that we did it ourselves, but it wasn't horrifying, given that they were handmade invites.

    And yes, Paper Source is your friend. I love that place.

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  19. Wow... am so not crafty. Am terrified of the craft store, or the ribbon store, or the paper store. You are inspiring.

    xox

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  20. Call me crazy but I think the ribbon idea is FABULOUS! Get crafty, do your thing. The ribbon can, hmmmmmm.... unite, tie, wrap? the entire theme.

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  21. I actually think a little bit of bride craftiness adds a nice touch. My only recommendation would be to keep it simple (I still remember the nightmare that was the elaborate invitation my best friend dreamed up and I helped make). Oh, and also not to let your crafty goals go TOO far. For example, consider making the invitations, but do not plan to make the favors and centerpieces, too (or vice versa). One or two little projects, though? When you still have months to get them done? Not a bad idea at all.

    Also, I have an idea for the purple ribbon, but this comment is already too damn long. If I can find the prototype I'm thinking of, I'll take a picture and send it to you, OK?

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  22. Interestingly (or not) one of the pieces of wedding 'advice' I gave to my SIL was to choose the ribbon first since she would likely end up using ribbon in a lot of decorative capacities. I hope you find just the right one.

    Also, I agree with lspoon....decide what you REALLY want to do yourselves so you don't end up feeling completely overwhelmed.

    I should post my wedding cake baking story sometime. Horror of horrors.

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  23. Having a wedding would drive me nuts. I would be obsessive with the decorations and bits and pieces! lol And not to mention that I'm a freakin' perfectionist! Ugh! Good luck!

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  24. Good Luck on the DIY projects! I'm so bad at them and when I get married, I'm not going to do any projects myself. I do not have a creative bone in my body!

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  25. Choose your own blogventure!? That sounds like a crazy amount of fun.

    Also? If I ever decided to get married, I think I'd really enjoy doing all the crafty stuff. Getting stuck to the floor by my own glue gun is my idea of fun.

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  26. what a great idea! it's exciting and overwhelming when one thing just takes over your plans, no? good luck with it all!

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  27. Hahah...so your story thing on Friday will be sort of like how on April 1st EVERY SINGLE BLOG OR WEBSITE that I go to daily caused me to go "Now...is this an April Fools prank or is it real???" It was very frustrating.

    I love this story idea though, can't wait to read it.

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  28. Those crafty tools look positively divine. And I love the idea of making the ribbon tie everything in. (punny). I know I had cute ribbon at my wedding, and we used it to tie bows around the mini-boxes of chocolates that we used as favors and also to tie the rolled silverware. I totally wish I knew you in real life (and that we lived in the same town) so I could help you assemble invitations. I love that kind of shit.

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  29. I LOVE the purple ribbon in all things at the wedding idea! And the blog story thing sounds like fun, too.

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  30. My wedding was a total DIY wedding... I mean down to that I baked the wedding cake and my mom decorated it, Half the wedding party spent the day (and most of the night) pitching the tent, setting up the tables etc.

    And we made the invites ourselves. And still I find myself wishing I had one of those thingermajigs to make raised cards... cause... wow thats kinda cool.

    But when we were in the thick of things -I just went for simple.
    So have fun -but don't take on too much!

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