Here's a celebration idea for a DIY wedding that we used. Actually, it would be fun at any number of occasions. It's a 6 foot chalkboard that we used at wedding #2 and repurposed for wedding #3. The Groom made a frame for it and we stood it on end at the entrance of the reception. I had one of the gals write on it "Jessie & Barry go together like...".  It went along with part of the reception theme of cookies and milk. We had the reception at a dairy farm that the bride worked at. 

Guests were able to write their combinations. Some of them were - bread & butter, salt & pepper, cowboy boots & mud, cornbread & chicken, mac & cheese, bacon & eggs, batman & robin, chicken & dumplings, hats & boots. 

I am CELEBRATING! The three DIY weddings are over! I'm thrilled for the marriages of my kids, but glad I'm at this end of the work. Here are the 3 DIY Wedding dresses. Luckily, I didn't have to sew all three. I sewed 2, which wasn't so bad, except, they were customized patterns, and you know, for the timing of 2 months to do both. Thank goodness they were simple. (Well, that was after I vetoed trying to make a Vera Wang number for wedding #2.) 

Here's wedding #3 dress and couple. 

Here's wedding #2 dress and couple. My two girls look different and have totally different styles.

Here's wedding #1 dress (compliments of her Grandmother) and couple. That's my son, so pleased.

When we decided on the birdhouse theme for this DIY wedding I did an image search of birdhouses. I didn't know there were so many different styles and that the really nice ones were so dang expensive. And I rarely find exactly what I am looking for anyway. So, plan B, we build them ourselves. I call this one the Birdhouse Triptych. Dictionary.com defines a triptych as "a set of three panels or compartments side by side, bearing pictures, carvings, or the like". I consider these birdhouses, "the like". Usually, paintings are done this way, like this one but this time, I just applied it to wood. 

I measured, drew, and cut some out. But admittedly, the Boyfriend is bigger, stronger and faster (and better looking) than I am. Everything takes me three times longer. So, he did most of the assembly. 

We make a very good team. Except when we don't. Luckily, this wasn't one of those times.

Hope you feel inspired for your next celebration.

I've really liked these Pottery Barn Table Pedestals for a long time. But, I knew I could make them myself, or have the Boyfriend do it, and couldn't justify the cost. Nor did I have a good enough reason to make them with all the other projects I have. Our DIY weddings changed all that. 

Here is my version of the pedestals. I had the Boyfriend make a taller one because I wanted the wedding cake to have a little more presence. But, it was too tall on its own so I had him make a smaller version that slid right underneath. We used that for napkins and the cake knife. (That's the handsome Boyfriend on the right in the mirror.)

I got an old chair from the local antique store. He dismantled it and used the spindles for legs. On the longer pedestals (about 4 feet long) I bought legs from the store. Can I just say I love the length of those long pedestals? Okay, I do. And I've already used them for other occasions.

I think the Pottery Barn hack was successful. Oh, and here's one more. We used these pedestals on the children's cake table. They are painted in chalkboard paint so I could write on them. I thought it was fun and playful. I think that we will use them for the cheese (and write the type of cheese on the side) for the next daughter's wedding. In about 2 weeks!! We'll see if I have any creativity left after being MOB & MOG last month. We don't do easy around here.

Do you like it?

I mentioned earlier about the 35 nieces and nephews that the Groom had. Just his family. Kids and weddings aren't always a great mix but I feel it's important for them to be part of it and have their own memories. I thought up doing a chalkboard kid table. 

Really I wanted to do it twice as long as what is shown but we ran our of board and didn't get to the store to pick some up. It's masonite, cut to size, and painted with chalkboard paint. I didn't round the corners because we are making a frame for it and using it for the next wedding. The small scale folding chairs I picked up at the local antiques store and they were already that color. 

It was a hit and served its purpose! It kept so many kids occupied and out of cakes. It's a definite do again thing. Here are some photos. 

Since we have one more wedding, do you have any good ideas to occupy the children?

More DIY from the wedding. And there's still more things I am going to share, but I am working on the next daughter's wedding. Number 3 for us in 1 1/2 months. You'd have thought with the "inshanity" I inflict on my family that I would have planned this. But, I did not. Love took over our home and did not consult with me.

This is the Wedding Throne. The couple didn't want to do a reception line, which was fine with me, I was in one 4 days before for our son and his new bride. But, I digress. Back to this daughter's wedding. Having no line, I thought they needed some kind of 'gathering spot' for well wishers, so I came up with the idea of a loveseat throne. And her style was ShabbyChic.

I had in mind what I wanted and found the perfect doors. Love them! You can't really tell from the photo but the two rectangle openings are glass. The Boyfriend was game to try and rip the door down the middle to give me the two pieces so the arched door could be the centerpiece. I don't doubt often about projects, but I wondered about the wisdom of this one, that door was rickety. He didn't even hesitate. He doesn't know I almost stopped him.

We took a third door, with the most perfect weathering, and made that into the seat and arms. Sometimes, when you have a creative project in your mind you're not quite sure how it's going to turn out. I think it turned out amazing, I was so pleased. After it was done I didn't want to give it to them. But, it's in their new home.

My sisters' Creative Mommas website has a few more photos if you're interested.

We had our daughter's bridal shower the day before the wedding so her BFF, who was flying in, could be there. Even with the BFF's flight coming in late we still squeezed it in between all the setting up. 

I'm not much into some bridal shower games. But, living an artsy life, lead me to the idea of having the guests paint little birdhouses (to go along with the birdhouse theme) and leave a wedding wish for the couple's new love nest.

I was surprised at how long everyone spent on them. Just proves to me that everyone has an inner artist. Whether they want to admit it our not. Here are a few up close. Then, we used them at the reception to decorate the cake table.

Then they got to take them home after the reception.  What are some ways that you've celebrated bridal showers?

I cannot begin to catch up on what's been happening. But this is the "sum up" - 3 of my children are getting married in 1 1/2 months (longest engagement 3 1/2 months). They have no sense of timing. One of them getting married is a boy. Thankfully, the Bride's parents took care of just about everything. Bless them.

The other 2 weddings are for our daughters. And they are totally DIY Weddings. I'll be posting bits and pieces in between the "inshanity" (as the boyfriend so aptly puts it) of it all. Here is a quick pic of the wedding cake for one of them. My daughter from another mother, Hannah, baked the cakes. My daughter Leila made the frosting. And I assembled and decorated the cake. The craftsmanship is not quite as lovely as I Am Baker from where I got the idea, but for finishing it at 4:30 am the day of the wedding I was not complaining.

I have not decorated a serious cake for 20 years. My daughter Leila was going to but I don't know what came over me and I said I wanted to. It was the delirious creative side of me. But, here is the link that gave me the fabulous idea and instruction - I Am Baker. 

More DIY wedding cake info. Underneath all that frosting was this. The bottom cake was 16". I think the others were 14" or 10" and 6". I borrowed the cake pans from a friend. The bottom cake took 3 1/2 cake mixes. The toothpicks were there to give me an idea where I was going to put the roses.

Glazed "dirty" layer to catch all the crumbs.

You can see the plywood base that I had the Boyfriend cut out for under the cake. It also had 1/4" holes drilled into it so I could use some 5" dowels to stabilize the cake. I slid the dowels up through the bottom of the cake. It worked pretty well.

Here it is @ 4:30 am the day of the wedding. And there's the frosting maker, the look on her face says this is serious business. We were relieved to have it done and looking decent.

Okay, she (Creative Momma Chelsea) just posts better and faster than I do. Which really, it works for me. So, here is the link to more of the wedding stuff we did over at Creative Mommas. Inside the birdhouse windows I put little votive candles. Some of them had words worthy of use in marriage. And others had sayings.

Loved this little quote, and movie line. Daina, who took this photo, does too.