diy pocketfold

Remember my DIY invitations? Well, here are my long overdue instructions, starting with the pocketfolds! In an effort to keep costs down while having a perdy invitation, we opted to make our own pocketfolds. I bought 8.5×11″ metallic cardstock paper (in Spring Green!) from bluedotpapershop.

What you’ll need:
- 8.5×11″ cardstock
- 0.25″ wide supertape (seriously, supertape is the only thing that will work)
- Paper cutter and scissors

First was cutting the main backing of the pocketfold. I wanted them to be the largest squares possible, so I cut off 3″ from the paper lengthwise (off of the 8.5″ edge). Then I scored the paper in half, to make it easy to fold.

Note: Diagrams not to scale

To make the pocket, I cut a 2.75″x5.75″ rectangle out of the 3″x11″ scrap paper.

I scored one long edge and one short edge by 0.25″. These would be the flaps that would allow me to adhere the pocket to the backing.

I then cut off one corner and also cut the paper diagonally from one end of the score to the other, as shown below:

Then I trimmed off the other two edges, so that they wouldn’t show once I stuck the pocket on.

I lined each of the edges with 1/4″ wide supertape and folded along the scores.

Then I stuck them on, one edge at a time, pressed firmly for about 15 seconds, and left it under a heavy book overnight, just to make sure it would stick (you’d be surprised at how much folded metallic cardstock will try to unfold!).

And voila, the pocketfolds are done!

diy big day timeline

photo by: Lori Decter Wright

Big Day Timeline

Want to use my Big Day Timeline? Here it is in MSPublisher or MSWord

This is a super cute and easy way to let your Bridal Party and Guests know the timelineon your wedding day. I made ours for our guests to follow. These were printed on our boarding passes which we sent about a month before the wedding to all confirmed guests as well as in our welcome letter that went into the gift bags they received upon their arrival in Kauai.

To make them all you need to do is download the template, change the fonts, colors, and text to reflect your Big Day Timeline. You may also change the clip art to match your specifics...

You can then use it as art to drop into a bigger paper project, like an invite or welcome letter or simply print them out on their own cardstock, cut to size and have a little card to share with friends and family at the rehearsal dinner or in out of town bags.

diy passport std

Supplies:

Colored cardstock (for cover)

White cover cardstock

Round corner punch

Adhesive runner

Clear thread & needle

Embossing powder

Heat gun

Directions:

These were created on MS Publisher. Here’s what you do: open a new document and set it to booklet. I added 4 additional pages for a total of 8 (on booklet mode you have to add increments of 4). Next, set your measurements as 4”x5”. Now you’re ready to start filling your book. If you have your own passport it helps tremendously! For the inside cover, insert a text box as big as your page. Set the text to show in a vertical direction. I didn't want white pages on my passport so I chose a background from the ones provided by Microsoft.

Now you're ready to begin. Find a cute picture of you two and place it in the top left hand corner. Next copy the information normally contained in your passport tweaking it to fit a wedding. On the following page do the same with the secretary of state message. Next fill your pages with activities, things to do, information about your locale, a map, etc. Be creative! For the back two pages, allow an area for the passport stamps (we used this area to attach our STD magnet). When all your pages are filled, print your front cover on an inkjet printer. As it is coming out of the printer, spread your embossing powder to cover the image and writing. Take your heat gun and “set” the embossing powder. Next print your individual pages. I had to print them one by one for it to work. When they are all printed, trim your pages down to size. Take your needle and thread and sew down the middle of the book (beginning and ending on the back end). When you’re finished sewing, glue your book to your front cover with your adhesive runner. Take your round corner punch and punch all the corners. Voila! You’re finished!

Member Comments

very detailed programs, all in one

photo by: Jennifer Prater

SUPPLIES:

These were puchased online and at Michael's Craft Stores:

-cardstock (1 8.5x10 sheet per cover) (I used Aqua Sparkle)

-Basho/Japanese Woven Cane Paper (1 24"x36" sheet)

-Contrasting cardstock to back cane paper (optional) (I used Chocolate Sparkle)

-Rubber cement

-Hot glue gun

-Thin, brown satin ribbon

-2-3" sand dollar shells

-Stapler

-Program insert (I printed ours on regular, white paper with my inkjet at home)

-Paper trimmer with cutting and scoring blade.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using the paper trimmer, I cut down the Aqua Sparkle cardstock to 5.5 x 11 to fold into a 5.5 program. To make a clean crease for the fold I used the scoring blade.

I also cut down the Basho into 3" squares and the Chocolate cardstock into 4" squares.

2. I used rubber cerment to glue a 3" squre of Basho to a 4" square of brown sparkle cardstock and adhered all of that to the cernter of the cover.

Basho can be purchased online:

Hiromi Paper
Kate's Paperie
Paper.com
Paper Mojo

3. I topped it all off with a 2.5" sand dollar which I affixed with a hot glue gun. The sand dollars came from US Shell.

4. Once dried and set, I inserted the program pages (which were cut down to 5.25 x 10.5, folded and stapled in the fold to secure together) and tied in place with a thin, chocolate brown satin ribbon. For our inserts I decided to include everything for the ceremony and reception in one place, including our seating chart for the dinner:

As well as the menu for our cocktail hour and dinner:

This eliminated the neccesity for additional paper menus, seating charts, etc.

NOTE: To package for shipping from CA to HI I wrapped each finished program in tissue paper and boxed well for the shipment. Not one shell broke!Here's how they looked on our wedding day:

diy luggage tag std

Mrs. Quiche's Luggage Tag Save the Date

posted 5 days ago in Save The Dates

While browsing a few random wedding sites, I came across the idea of using luggage tags for OOT bags. I LOVED this idea, and as we are putting “goody bags” in each hotel room, it seemed perfect. Then I had an even better idea and decided to use them as our Save the Dates. I had been working with a designer from Etsy.com for a monogram design and decided to have her make a couple of them - one that is more whimsical/tropical (STD) and one that is more preppy (invitation). We put the monogram on one side and the wedding information on the other side, set up to look like a luggage tag:

I wanted the tag to be clear on both sides and sturdy. I was having trouble finding one that wasn’t just a laminated business card or in a bulk lot of 500. Business card size was fine (trust me – DO THIS. Buy blank perforated business cards. It will save you hours of cutting), but I needed them to be cheap, but not LOOK cheap.

These were the cheapest tags that I could find that were sold in lower quantities. Sure, we didn’t need 100 of them, but we ended up using at least half of them. If I don’t find another use for them, I plan on selling them on eBay or in the Weddingbee classifieds. The one drawback is that you have to buy the strap separately. Back in the day, I was an eBay queen, and I found them for dirt cheap.

After FINALLY getting everything formatted correctly (I’m talking to you, Microsoft Word!), I went into work early to print off our Luggage Tag Save the Dates, incognito. Yeah… not so incognito when you a) can’t get the printer to grab from the bypass tray for heavy stock, b) decide to put the heavy stock in the regular drawer, c) print off a test sheet successfully, and then d) send all of them to the printer only to have them all jam up. In 4 different places.

Did I mention that I printed these on business card paper? So yes, every time I pulled on one of the jammed sheets, it would rip down the perforation. I had to perform minor surgery on the good ol’ Canon Q1 to get everything out. The last thing I wanted was for our IT guy to show up with “Kristin & Theodore” monograms shooting out of the printer.

Because I felt the need to be a masochist that morning, after the surgery I proceeded to try it again, this time one by one. With success, I might add!

Because I also feel the need to take projects one step further and therefore creating more work, I decided that a simple plastic strap would not do! I had the idea to loop ribbon (in coordinating wedding colors, of course) through the slot and to just include the plastic strap in the bottom of the envelope in case anyone wanted to actually USE the luggage tag (and I secretly hope they do! I have this vision of suitcases lined up in the hotel lobby with our lovely tags on them…anyway…).

Incorporating my love of all things preppy, I found navy blue grosgrain ribbon with white saddle stitching for this project. THEN I decided that I wanted bright pink as well, and found that in a smaller width to loop through with the navy.

THANK YOU bridesmaid A and dear friend L for joining the assembly line!

LOVE our whimsical monogram!

We set up the back to look like a “real” luggage tag, then modified to include the necessary details.

Packaging details:

I ordered small, navy metallic envelopes and DIY’ed the wrap-around labels (a post on this later!). The completed package required a 59 cent stamp which, apparently, a lot of post offices don’t have in stock. Keep this in mind. We thought about using Zazzle to make our own, but my antsy-ness trumped perfectionist and we went with this ridiculous cartoon man.

Hey, at least he’s wearing a lei, right? It’s tropical!

Back of envelope and label - also shows the envelope color much better!

I love our Save the Dates. Sure, they took a lot more time than I thought they would, but they were a labor of love and I couldn’t be happier with them!

I know I’m not the only one out there with printer and/or the demon that is Microsoft Word issues – right?

Did you spend A LOT more time and effort on a DIY project than you had originally anticipated? Is this more of a rule than an exception when it comes to wedding projects?

diy oreo truffles

My super duper friend Tia has been busy making loads of treats for a wedding this weekend. I went over to her house to help her make (& sample) some. We made Oreo Truffles & I couldn't believe how EASY they were to make--& how deeeeee-licious--so I had to turn it into a tute (tutorial).
I snapped a photo of the recipe, but if you can't read it here, go to THIS LINK at Recipe Zaar for all the details.
To make about 40 truffles all you need are:

1 package of OREOS (I HIGHLY recommend the double stuff mint ones. The truffles made from these are TO DIE FOR!)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb. of milk chocolate
1/2 lb. of white chocolate

The first thing you'll do is chop all the oreos into crumb size bits.

It'll look like this....

Next, in a separate bowl, add your cream cheese...

...& toss in the crumbed oreos.

Add your vanilla...

...& cream until smooth.

You'll roll the mixture into small balls & place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. While the oreo balls are partying in the fridge, melt your milk chocolate chips.


Tia mixes about 1 TB of shortening in with the chocolate to make it more smooth.

Now toss each oreo ball into the mixture...
& carefully coat it with chocolate. Tia says a small fork works best.
Lift the chocolate coated ball out of the melted goo & let the excess chocolate drip off.
Place the treat onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

When they are all done being dunked in the chocolate bath, you'll get to drizzle them with the white chocolate. For the mint truffles we added some green food coloring to the white chocolate before drizzling.

Don't they look so perty? They taste so good too!

She also made chocolate covered pretzel rods...

...& mini cheesecakes using mini vanilla wafers as the crust in the bottom.

I think I'll be crashing a wedding this weekend...

**Top photo courtesy of Tia Pollick.