I'm not sure why I'm even putting this up because it's actually kind of embarrassing but it's funny and you know what they say- if you can't laugh at yourself... So here it is, the First National Bank commercial that I was recently in. Yes, little ol' me was in a commercial. Not a real commercial (a national spot) but just a regional commercial airing only in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio but nevertheless, it's a commercial, my first one and it's hilarious!
Hilarious because all I can do whenever I see it is just cringe and laugh out loud. I knew I was going to feel very awkward when I saw it and I definitely do. Awkward and critical. I think I look funny and the height difference between me and the other actress is just too much! It's definitely like hearing your recorded voice and going, "That's what I sound like?" When you see yourself in a video or on TV you think- "Ugh, that's what I look like?".
As soon as I came across instructions for how to make pocket tissue holders on the craft website Skip To My Lou I knew I'd be making them for my wedding. I thought the tissue holders would make a fun and unique wedding favor.
At first I thought we'd set them on each guests dinner plate or somehow displayed in the reception area for everyone to take. But then I realized that it'd be kind of weird and random to have a tissue holder on your plate and thought it too boring to have them randomly set out in a basket. That's when I realized the best place for them would be at the ceremony site! What better place for tissue than where people will be crying.
The wedding programs and tissue holders were both made in green and brown (half and half of each color). On the day of the wedding I had my Day-of-wedding coordinator place a brown program and green holder and the opposite (green program, brown holder) alternating on each chair at the ceremony site. Loved the look! The details count!
Wedding programs
Since our ceremony was going to be outside I contemplated making these functional fan wedding programs. I got the idea and found the template for printing them on this website.
The instructions call for one sheet of scrapbook/stock paper but I wanted the fans to be less floppy and more functional so I thought I could easily do this by gluing together two pieces of thick scrapbook paper. One piece was patterned for the back of the fan and the other was plain for the front where the printing would go. It worked in theory but not in application.
First I printed the program on the plain paper, cut each blade out individually with a pair of scissors and then tried to glue the front and back pieces together. I quickly realized that since they were all cut out by hand, the printed piece and back piece did not line up exactly. Then I printed the program on the plain paper, glued that whole piece to the back and then cut the blades out as one. That worked better for the individual blades but still, since I was cutting them out by hand when I put all the blades together the variation between them although very slight was not perfect. I'm sure no one would have noticed that they weren't exactly the same size but it bothered me enough to not use them.
My failure came in trying to make the fan fully functional i.e., stiffer. The whole project is really easy and works really well if you're not obsessed, like I was, with making them thicker. Here's a kit I recently found that have the blades perforated! This would have been perfect for me, since the blades are already pre-cut they would have lined up perfectly when I doubled them up. Wish I would have come across it back then.
In the end I just went with traditional folded wedding programs. They were cute I guess but just pretty boring. Looking back I should have had Dave design a program like the wine labels he did. Now that would have been custom and much more unique!
Here are a few other fan wedding program ideas that I contemplated.
I'm back! I totally had blogger burn out last week and only posted once! That combined with the fact that I was sick lead to a week of just veggin' out wrapped up in my favorite blanket. Anyhoo, I think I've regenerated and am ready to get back in the bloggin' saddle. And what better way than to talk about the Oscars! Let's talk!
I saw Ryan Seacrest interview Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet and was surprised when I heard her say she hadn't slept in a week because she was so nervous for her performance that night. You could just really see in her face that she was very, very nervous. Poor thing. I must say though, it was nice to see that even a seasoned performer such as her still gets nerves. I so totally can relate to those nerves!
Here's her performance from last night, I think she did okay. You could tell she was nervous. I don't care for the song (love her song Country Strong) but I do think she has a great voice.
And now for the dresses...
TO DIE FOR
Amy Adams
L'Wren Scott and those amazing Cartier jewels
I loved this dress! It was simple in cut but blinged out with the sequins and fit her body perfectly. Loved the gorgeous emerald Cartier jewels worth $1.3 million!
SHE LOOKED GOOD FOR HER
Reese Witherspoon
Georgio Armani Prive
When I first saw her I didn't recognize her! She always pretty much looks the same on the red carpet, nice but nothing amazing. This look is still very simple but I just love that she did something totally different. And her hair! Love the hair. I heard Erin Andrews on Good Morning America this morning say she looked like vintage Barbie- so true, she so does!
Celine Dion
Giorgio Armani Prive
I thought Celine looked gorgeous and loved this dress. She usually picks weird, quirky pieces (like the backwards tuxedo she wore in 1999) so it was nice to see her in something so simple, sleek and elegant. And to think that she just had twins a couple months ago!
UGH
Marisa Tomei
Charles James
Can somebody please help Marisa Tomei? She is such a wreck. The poor woman just can not get it right. The top on this dress sat too high on her chest making the sides ride high up into her armpits. The bottom is too poufy, weird and unflattering with its asymmetrical line. I actually saw her kicking it out from underfoot every time she walked.
NICE TRY BUT UH, NOT SO MUCH
Jennifer Hudson
Atelier Versace
I think this dress is very pretty and love the color against her skin BUT I just don't think this dress found its rightful owner. Mainly because of her boobs. Sorry but they just looked so smushed, flapjack pancake-y. And I know she just lost a ton of weight and good for her and all that stuff but this dress just did not work with those boobs. This dress definitely calls for a small breasted woman.
BEST INTERPRETATION OF A
CARTOON/SCI-FI CHARACTER
Cate Blanchett
Givenchy Haute Couture
This is Givenchy Haute Couture so maybe it's just that I'm not sophisticated enough to "get it" but I just couldn't look away from those jarring cap sleeves. I think if the dress was strapless with a halter-like top it would have, for me, worked better. I thought the top part of the dress looked like a Star Trek uniform. My husband said he thought she looked like a Teletubbie.
We've been searching for vintage industrial caster wheels to go on an industrial console table we made in the Fall (a post on this soon to come) for awhile now. We've looked extensively online and have made several trips to antique shops in search of these elusive casters. On Sunday we drove up to Lorain Ave. in Cleveland (a well known antiquing area of the city) hoping we'd get lucky this time. You'd think they'd be super easy to find in this area. I mean, where else would you expect to find rusty industrial remnants and cast offs from the long gone industrial age but in Cleveland?
Our first stop was at Antique Arcade/Antiques in the Bank, an antique furniture and architectural salvage shop. It completely blew our minds how much stuff was packed into the two story shop. Every inch of floor space, wall space and even the ceiling was covered with hardware, banisters, floor grates, doors, stained glass windows and anything else you could think of. So cool!
We found several bins of old casters but they were all much too small (we're looking for 4 or 5 inch ones). We did find a set of industrial pocket door wheels that we thought might work so we bought those for $20. The store was so amazing and definitely someplace we'll keep in mind when putting together any future projects.
An aisle of antique door knob plates and door knobs.
Old heater/vent grates. Love these but couldn't figure out
what to do with them.
Door and chairs everywhere!
Along the way we came across Suite Lorain. A 50's diner looking building from the outside, inside it harbors mid-century modern furniture and in the back you'll find...
70's!
...a huge selection of vintage clothing! When I walked back into the clothing section I literally gasped out loud! I could not believe the amount of vintage clothing. I walked up and down the aisles, taking it all in and then settled down into a rack labeled Couture. Diane Von Furstenburg, Lanvin, St. John... amazing labels.
Unfortunately, it was already 3 pm and we hadn't even had lunch yet. I was starving and weak from hunger so we had to cut the visit short. But I will definitely be going back to peruse every inch of that place and add some fab pieces to my vintage dress collection!
Racks and racks of vintage goodies!
The vintage hat and bag section.
After visiting several more shops we walked away empty handed but not disheartened! We ended up getting a great lead on where to buy new industrial but somewhat vintage looking casters from the owners at Antique Revival, a shop that showcases industrial and architectural pieces for the home. Ultimately, I think we're going to end up purchasing new casters and then have to figure out some way to age and antique them.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart. -Helen Keller
Here are a few fun Valentine's Day facts courtesy of the History Channel.
Valentine's Day was created by the greeting card industry to bolster and bridge sales between Christmas and Easter. He, he- just kidding. Okay, here are the actual fun facts from the History Channel.
One billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year after Christmas.
In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages but written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400.
The oldest known Valentine card was written in 1415 by The Duke of Orleans of France. After being captured at the Battle of Agincourt he was imprisoned at the Tower of London. The Valentine depicts a knight and a lady with a Cupid shooting an arrow at the Knight's heart. It is currently on display at the British Museum.
The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful picture.
Watch the History Channel video that explains how the pagan ritual was Christian-ized in the 5th Century and how it eventually evolved into the Valentine's Day that we know today.
