Trader Joe’s really is a special place. Not only do they have awesomely delicious food (have you tried their frozen flatbread pizzas?!), but they also carry a really nice selection of loose flowers and greenery at a great price. For the wedding we hosted at our house last March, we used a variety of eucalyptus bunches from Trader Joe’s. They cost $2-4/bundle and we only needed 8 bundles for 30...
Hosting a Wedding at Your House? 5 Things You Need to Consider
When my father-in-law proposed to his girlfriend, the first thought that popped into my mind (aside from woohoo! we love Gayle!) was, I hope they decide to have their reception at our house! Hands down the best part of our house is the backyard and this lusciously amazingly huge patio that begs to host events. Over the last several months, we’ve had a lot to consider in preparing our house...
Nail Those Romantic Wedding Details
Planning a wedding is no joke. I remember that overwhelmed feeling searching for decor items wondering, “will this look good together?” Or better yet, I would find something I LOVED on Pinterest and have no idea where or how to buy it. Fear not! I’ve come up with a collection of tasteful decor items to pull off that cohesive, yet curated look whether you have a wedding planner, or, especially...
A Bathroom and a Birthday Volume 1: Demo
This epic saga began with a toilet that constantly ran. It drove my husband crazy. Sure, it was only $40 to replace the “guts” of the toilet, but since we were going to renovate that bathroom anyway, why not buy a whole new toilet? And if we were going to buy a whole new toilet, why install it over the floor we were going to replace anyway? And thus begins...
Watercolor Wedding Invitation Inspiration
Who doesn’t love a romantic watercolor invitation, amiright? Soft yet dramatic envelope lining, cactuses and flowers in thoughtful places…swoon. Here is a gorgeous collection from some of my favorite photographers and print houses: [Photo Credit: Amy and Jordan | Invitation Design: unknown] [Photo Credit: Pinkerton Photography | Invitation Design: Smitten on Paper ] [Photo Credit: Pinkerton Photography | Invitations: Katie Davis Creative] [Photo Credit: Pinkerton Photography | Invitation Design: Minted]...
DIY Gold Foil for Signs and Invitations
Gold foil adds a glamorous touch to everything from signs to invitations. However, custom gold foil invitations can be very expensive, adding multiple dollars to the cost of each invitation, especially if they are letterpress. There is a simple method to creating your own DIY gold foil invitations, signs, and other paper goods that uses some inexpensive equipment. You can add foil to some or all of a design –...
Building Cold Protection Structures for Frost Sensitive Trees (and Plants)
When growing non-native plants in Phoenix, the first “protection” that used to come to my mind was from the sun in the summer. After starting some tropicals this past fall, I’m now equally concerned about frost/cold protection. We had an impressive freeze right before Christmas in South Gilbert, dipping down into the twenties. For a mango tree, that could spell doom. Unfortunately, our first round of frost protection was very...
A Tribute to Our First Garden
We are coming up on a year in our new house. It has been a crazy first year moving while in my third trimester, and then having our first baby. I took some time to look back and reflect on the amazing things we built and grew in our first house. We planted trees in a barren, dirt backyard. We built a garden and watched it grow year after year....
Flood Irrigation Project: Diverting the Flow
When we purchased our new property, we were so excited to reap the benefits of flood irrigation. Aside from being dirt cheap ($8/hour every couple of weeks), the water is better for plants than city water and allows for truly deep watering of our trees. We have two, large 12″ pipes that stick out of the ground in our front yard with metal caps/screws. When it is our watering slot...
DIY Bridesmaid Gift Bags
My contribution to my sister-in-law’s bachelorette weekend was cute tote bags to hold all of the goodies the other ladies brought. I wanted something simple and classy. My sister-in-law was using a lot of gold, blush, and neutrals in her wedding decor, so I stuck with that palette. The Bag I searched far and wide for a reasonably priced, yet nice looking canvas tote. I eventually found a decent option...