Hi, My Name is Beth...

...and I have a problem.

An addiction, really.

I love wedding signs. I do. I really, really do.

Look at this one I found this morning on Etsy!



Charming, no?

Tom's already cut the wood for our signs (and they actually look just like this!). Now, I'm tempted to redesign the way I want them painted so they look all cute like this!!!

Do You Know What I Love?

You know, besides Tom, that is...

Fabric swatches.

I'm not sure why. Could it be the promise of what will be made with those swatches? Maybe. Could it be the ability to coordinate these swatches with the rest of your design elements? Possibly. Could it be the ability to feel the different textures and see the way they look in different lights? Could be.

Who knows? I just love them. So when I received swatches in the mail on Saturday, I was a happy, happy girl. I immediately dug out my wedding boxes from underneath my bed and in the depths of my closet, comparing ribbons and invitations and flower girl dresses to these tiny swatches.

And what where these swatches for? The guys' ties! (Say that 5 times fast.)


(Etsy Seller Jesswitaj)

I put a bid out for these ties using the Alchemy feature of Etsy. You simply describe the object(s) you want, how many you want, and the price you are willing to pay. Sellers then input bids that you can accept or reject. Then you work with the seller to create your custom item.

I received over 20 bids in 24 hours, which was awesome! I had retired Home Ec teachers, stay at home moms, and aspiring fashion designers all offering to custom-make these ties.

In the end, I selected Jes. She falls into the aspiring fashion designer category. Her Etsy shop is filled with her printed ties, which are really fun. We're not having our ties printed, since it doesn't really match up with the feel of the wedding, but I've seen some of her work from weddings, and they look awesome!

So, back to the swatches: After showing them to my family, the consensus was to select the Light Aqua silk and the Kiwi silk. But since they're for the boys, the decision ultimately came down to what Tom liked. He chose Light Turquoise and Apple, which were the colors I like first. :)

Now we just have to decide who gets what color tie, and place the final order.

Oh, and before you get all judgey-judgey about ordering custom ties, I'd like to mention that these ties will cost us less than if we purchased them in a department store. Total price for 8 ties? $120, or $15 each. Plus, I get to keep the fabric swatches! ;)

Budget Secret #1

One word: Etsy.

Etsy is a cross between eBay and a giant, online craft show.

Each vendor sets up a "shop" where they sell homemade items, and occasionally, vintage stuff. And because this stuff is all homemade, the prices are not neccessarily cheaper than their store bought counterparts, but sometimes it is. And when its not, you can be assured that the quality makes it totally worth it.

Where else can you order custom linen napkins?



Or paintings/prints from budding artists? This is one of my favorites on the site, OlaDesigns. I just love the whimsy of her work, and plan to incorporate her stuff into my future home design :)


And don't forget the bath & beauty category. Homemade soaps, lotions, mousses, etc.

Check out this holiday cranberry soap:



Umm...delicious? This would make a great hostess gift if you bought a few bars and wrapped them up in a cute, gilded basket. Holla!

One other plus to Etsy, if this is your thing, is the commitment to organics. Since most of the sellers tend to be "off the grid" types, most of them use organic ingredients and recyclables. For instance, the hair comb I bought was shipped with recyclable packaging. Most of the beauty products sold on there (including soaps) are free of harsh chemicals.

It's pretty easy to get overwhelmed with everything offered on etsy. I recommend using the category tabs on the left if you're just browsing, and using the "Alchemy" tool if you're looking for something specific. "Alchemy" is basically a classified ad: You (the buyer) posts what you're looking for, and a crafter will contact you if they can make it, along with the price. It's pretty awesome. Check out Etsy if you have the time!