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Spring Veggie Time

Was just looking for some inspiration for my veggie garden on this gloomy Oregon day, and peeked into what Martha's been up to this season. Her garden is huge! but meticulously gorgeous of course, so I though that I would share. Garden shots are great for finding color inspiration for events and decor. It's often the ones that come from nature that speak the loudest!!

Photos courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Programs!

Whether you're having a traditional Church ceremony or a Garden Party in the backyard, programs are a fantastic way to tell the story of your Wedding, and to introduce your guests to everyone who's involved. And after having grown up in an Irish Catholic household, trust me, if you're having a traditional Catholic ceremony, you're going to want to give your guests some reading material!

I've of course always been a fan of programs and pretty paper, but I for sure struggled with designing a functional program that would be environmentally friendly and not as wasteful as the typical options. After countless mock-ups and many different designs I've come up with a solution that I think that you'll all love!! I found this fantastic ribbon from Of the Earth in Seattle, made from recycled and vegetable dyed, handmade paper. So not only will your programs look fabulous! but you'll be able to recycle or compost the entire program!! And if you're looking for a more formal look, I'm offering a gorgeous, vegetable dyed double faced satin ribbon, that's completely non toxic. The programs are also printed on 30-100% recycled paper and printed with an energy efficient digital printer. Plus, I've designed them to have an extremely efficient paper yield, so there will be no paper waste turning the production process, which is generally unheard of in the stationery industry!

You can purchase these little lovelies through my Etsy shop, at www.FoosieDesign.Etsy.com. Assembled programs range from $3.00-$2.25 each depending on quantity. And if you're looking to save some cash I sell them unassembled as well, with prices ranging from $2.50-$1.75 each! And you can customize your programs at no additional charge! Choose from my ink, paper, and ribbon swatches to coordinate your programs with your event decor.

And to beat the Spring and Summer Wedding rush I'm offering FREE Shipping on programs for the months of March and April. Plus if you join my blog, or inquire about a quote, before March 31st. I'll automatically give you an additional 5% discount on your program order!! By joining my blog you'll be privy to all sorts of fabulous deals throughout the season, so join today and save!

I'm also very proud to say that these earth friendly programs were featured in Southern New England Weddings Magazine! Click on the link for "Sarah & Chris 7.11.09" fourth row down, and second to the right to read more!!

Check List: Something Old...

So while shopping around for my upcoming wedding (which I am getting so unbelievably excited for!!), I happened upon this dainty little vintage shop on Etsy called emmjeyessvintage that specializes in vintage jewelery and hair accessories. Not only is Vintage jewelery earth friendly, it also fits the requirements of the "something old" category. And if you happen across a stunner, like this opal with cerulean blue rhinestones cocktail ring, you can check both boxes in the "something old" and "something blue" categories.

Now before you run out to your favorite vintage shop, make sure you check in with mom and grandma first. Chances are they may have something that you"ll absolutely love that they've been waiting to pass down to you. What better way to celebrate the "something old" category than to wear a bracelet that your grandma wore in her wedding, or maybe the hair comb that your mom used to pin in her veil.

I think that this might be one of my favorite traditions as far as Weddings go as it stems from sentiment rather luxury. Even the "new" category can be something that was given to you by a friend or loved one. You don't have to use it as an excuse to go out an buy brand new Tiffany earrings, unless your really want to, and then it's totally acceptable :)

To check out more of emmjeyessvintage vintage finds, check out her Etsy shop at emmjeyessvintage.etsy.com and enjoy!!

Save the Date!

Now I know that it's been a while since my last post and I promise it's only because I've been feverishly helping brides spread the word about their big day! It's that time of year, when the planning begins, and the dates get saved! I wanted to share a few of my favorites from this season so far, for some inspiration and celebration!

These fabulous Save the Date Postcards range from $1.00 - $0.75 {each} depending on quantity, and are printed on recycled paper with an energy efficient printer. Interested in these environmentally & budget friendly lovelies? Shoot me an email at erin@foosiedesign.com and we'll get started today!

5th Street Market Holiday Bazaar

Join Foosie Design, starting this Friday November 20th - December 20th, every weekend {Friday - Sunday} for the 5th Street Market Holiday Bazaar in Eugene, Oregon!! Foosie Design will be offering our custom and packaged holiday cards, as well as wedding invitation and birth announcement custom services. The Holiday Bazaar is located in on the second floor of the Markets west end, next to LaVelle Vineyards Club Room. Stop by to grab a glass of local wine, and shop from local artists for the holidays!

Not only will the 5th Street Market Holiday Bazaar include local artisans, but there will be live music inside the space throughout festivities. So get a ahead start of your Holiday shopping this year, and come on down to the 5th Street Market for the Holiday Bazaar! Your local artisan boutique for the Holidays!

Couture Wedding Dress for under $500?

Yes it's true! I'm here to help you find the dress of your dreams for your ever so realistic budget!

For most Brides looking to keep to a Wedding budget, I'm sure that you've learned that at some point you're going to have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty! Lots of DIY couples today tend to spend the majority of their budget on food and location, often leaving little cash left over for items such as your Dress, Flowers, table decor etc.

Now, anyone who has ever shopped for a Wedding dress knows that to find a dress for under $500, your embellishment choices are typically sequence, polyester toole, or more sequence! So for the brides out there looking for something that's not quite so "flashy", try this idea on for size!

Appliaué Your Way, by Kayte Terry, is a wonderful new how-to book, giving you a step-by-step guide, on how to create handmade embellishments such as fabric roses and much, much more! Chances are if you're trying to keep cost down you're probably not in the market for a grand ballgown anyway, right? So why not create the dress of your dreams yourself!

Try starting here: First, find a dress silhouette that suites your figure and makes you look absolutely gorgeous! Check out this great little tool from TheKnot.com, to help you pick out the best silhouette for your body.

Once you've found your prefect silhouette, start shopping around for a simple dress within your price range, keeping in mind that you're going to add your own embellishments, so the simpler the better. The Whitney Long Dress, and Cecelia Long Dress from JCrew.com, both go for $395.00 and have the perfect amount of elegant minimalism to be the foundation for your one of a kind Wedding Dress!



Now that you've found the dress, it's time to get started on Jazzing it up! Kayte Terry gives a wonderful step-by-step guide on how-to create these darling little fabric roses, on The Storque, Etsy's Handmade blog. To craft these fab little rose buds first head on down to your local fabric shop and go straight for the fabric remnants section. Here you'll find a magical array of discounted fabric, perfect for what you need it for! Or why not head down to the local vintage shop we're you'll be sure to find the perfect fabric just waiting to be repurposed for your big day!

Using your fabric finds, follow this step-by-step guide and voilà! you've got yourself a couture Wedding Dress for under $500! Not only will you save some cash, but the sense of satisfaction that you'll receive from rolling up your sleeves and doing it yourself will be priceless!!







To find out more information about Kayte Terry's Book, Appliaué Your Way and other fabulous independent book writers, go to Indiebound.com.

QUICK TIP: To keep your handcrafted dress from looking the a handmade mess, start by using natural fabrics. Starting with your dress, if you stick to natural fibers, like cotton, silk, and chiffon, your couture masterpiece is far more likely to look tasteful and purposeful, than like something that Bjork might have worn to the Oscars!