My DIY Jewelery

So while I won't be posting pics of my dress on here, I will let you in on some sneak peeks of the jewelery I have created to wear on our wedding day.

First is a pair of earrings. This was my first attempt at making earrings ever so I think they turned out well. Really all I did was attach the earring part to the chandelier type thing and add the dangling bead in the middle But it's a DIY nonetheless!!

Here is a picture of the bracelet I made. It was inspired from a bracelet I saw at roots that was strings of black seed beads braided together. I attempted the braiding but it was also a P.I.T.A. so I changed to his idea and I love it!!! I am excited to wear it. I just need to try in on sometime with someone else doing it up because I lack the skills. It may also be a bit small so I might have to re-do it.

So there you have it. A little sneak peek into my wedding attire!

8 Months

So today it is 8 months to our wedding. Today was a good day getting things done...sort of. Last night I got addresses for Tom's family and friends and now have just 12 addresses remaining to get and confirm. So I set out addressing the remaining envelopes for our Save the Dates. As I was stuffing envelopes with our cards for the out of town guests, I realize that I did not put on their save the date, 'Formal invitation to follow.' I am going to confuse so many people maybe?? I hope not. There will be some no doubt who ask about it but whatever they will survive!!

8 months out and today we bought my wedding band! It was a bit more than planned but it's the band that goes with my engagement ring so it seems like a good fit! It's currently getting sized and we should have it next week. I also had gone in to get my engagement ring rhodium plated and found out after that it was going to be 7-10 days. Until I get it back, I'm wearing my $12 ring Tom bought me back when my ring had to be fixed.

Things are going well wedding planning wise. We heard back from the caterer today too!! Which was good! I had been waiting forever for that. It seems like we might be saving a good chunk of money there (compared to what I had put in the budget). So that is a good thing - help us to get back on track!

I realized the other day that I had about 26 DIY projects to do as of one year out and have not completed nearly enough as of late. This means it is also time to get back on track with all the little detail projects that need to be taken care! That is the goal for the next 2 months!! Plus CRAFT DAY is coming up in November!!

It's ok to cry!

If you know me, which I hope you do if you are reading this, then you might wonder why I titled this, 'it's ok to cry!' I have always been a crier. I remember many occasions growing up where I would cry, for one reason or another. I am just in touch with my emotions and not afraid to let some tears flow - like they are now.

You may ask, "Katie, what caused these tears to flow?" To which my answer is, "I have NO FREAKING CLUE!" Just minutes prior to tears flowing down my cheeks, I was searching around my apartment for stamps I bought 6 months ago on sale. I was looking for stamps so that we could hopefully send out our Save the Date cards in the next few days or weeks but cannot for the life of me find them. No doubt I put them somewhere safe - hopefully. So that's fine! I'll survive. Then I try to print more envelopes - and the new printer Tom and I bought for wedding printing activities has been a P.I.T.A.!!! It is constantly smudging when I am printing on the envelopes so I had to not print the return address on them (instead I had to buy some - $5 for 240 aint bad!) So once again, the envelope smudges -just one of three but enough to make me bitter. Bitter because I have already wasted a number of envelopes on this printer and the box of envelopes I bought contained just enough envelopes for our out of town save the date cards!

So conceding defeat on getting any further ahead in the Save the Date department, I sit down and start checking out the many wedding websites I check out and get many ideas from. One contains blog post from a recent bride who is recapping her wedding festivities. While looking at pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready, and their rehearsal tears begin to fall.

At Pete and Jenn's wedding rehearsal I remember having this weird feeling in my stomach. A feeling that was anxious and nervous - not for them - for me! It is so surreal now realizing that we are next. It's all us. For so long it was them, and then them and us and now....it's just us. I feel pressure that isn't really there. I keep freaking out that there are a million things I need to do and there won't be enough time to do any of it it. Which is crazy because in reality, I am way ahead of the game and have most things planned. So why the stress??? I don't know but stress=tears.

The other night, as Tom was leaving my apartment we ended up standing at my door holding hands and pretending to say vows. As we were doing this, I teared up! Oh man! All I have to say is, Nicole you better have kleenex on you at all times (your dress has pockets for a reason)! Tom the same goes for you! Make-up is getting done professionally so it's waterproof. And expect tears - maybe at the rehearsal, maybe getting ready, maybe during the Mass and maybe during the reception. And at any point in the next 8 months and 4 days!

But tears are good! A nice cleansing! And often happy!

2 down one to go!!

So last night was Pete and Jenn's wedding! It hit be all day long about how we are next! Even though it is just over 8 months away it is crazy!! I am so excited but then I sometimes think - I am not ready for this!! There is still so much stuff we need to do. Some days I feel like we are on track and have everything covered. Other days I feel so behind!!

In so many ways, I want to be married now. But in so many I don't want to be. I want to take my time and enjoy these months of preparation.

That is where I stand - confused about what I feel. I know ultimately what I feel overall - excited, happy and so happy to be marrying Tom - but a lot of mixed emotions about wanting time to go fast but wanting time to go slow

Level 2-30 day shred

GOODNESS ME!! Level 2 killed me! I thought 'I've been doing level 1 for awhile now, not every day but I should be good.' YA RIGHT!! It killed me!!! But it felt good!!!! I sweat soooo much!!!!

Just my little check in. Life is good. Can't complain! Wedding 2/3 for Tom's family a week today!!! Then its a friend of ours and then ours!! yeah!

This weeks adventure

So as time continues to fly by and we are at the 8 month and 3 week mark there is lots to do. I want to avoid having a lot of things to do last minute. So the current task is sorting out address for the save the date cards. If our wedding wasn`t on a holiday weekend I wouldn`t have even thought about sending out these but because it is, we thought it would be nice to give people some more warning since some people make plans early. So I have managed to gather a good number of addresses so far. Just need to get Tom to track down addresses for some more friends and then get his mothers address book. So that is the task. I am trying to work with my printer in printing the addresses on the envelopes...the first try not so good. I`ll wait for it to be happy again before trying again.

Also need to finalize invitation inserts because they need to be printed before craft day in November. So lots to do and I am very excited because with each project that gets crossed off the list it means we are getting closer and closer to the big day that leads to our lives together forever!

Busy Bee!!

Life is busy!

Work is busy!

When do I find time to just be?!?

Lately I have felt like the world is spinning a million miles an hour and that I am struggling, grasping at the earth to stay on. I find it very hard to take time to do things that I want to do and that I enjoy. This fall I am going to make time for me. Time when I can and will consciously do things I enjoy - more than just sleeping in and wasting the days away. It's very hard to believe that I haven't had time to do this during the summer but I haven't. This summer has felt like the craziest and busiest summer yet! So hopefully once things get up and running in September at work, I hope it can happen - at least for me own sanity.