A Few More Photos of Our Trip!

A crab on the beach (in all fairness he was more sick than crabby):

A sneak peek of my vintage inspired mini-dress for the reception: Out on the Nehalem Bay River kayaking (gotta exercise those biceps!):
Picking out a couple bonsais to take home (jade tree):
And of course, my parents' pygmy goats Tabitha and Sabrina:

The Future Ceremony Location

We're home from our weekend at the beach, and although I'm back at work my brain is still not functioning as though I'm done with my vacation. This morning I was in the lunch room absentmindedly filling my tea cup with cold water. It took a few minutes of staring and wondering why it wasn't steeping to realize what was going on. Then I accidentally took-out one of my co-workers with the bathroom door because I was too busy daydreaming about the ocean. I'm sure once the bruises heal I'll be forgiven.

I wanted to share some pictures we took of the beautiful beach and our soon-to-be ceremony location: Manzanita, OR:
I hope to turn this into part of the aisle:

A view of the town from the beach:




And of course after our walk in the sand we had to stop in for some blended mochas...

I can't wait for next Spring!

Updates Soon!

The fiance and I are taking a much needed vacation to stay with my parents over at the beach this weekend. I will be taking a bit of a blogging hiatus, but hope to get a lot accomplished while I'm there. A neat picture Nick took of me a few years ago. On the promenade in Seaside during one of our trips to the beach.

When I get back I'll have tons of new pictures and updates to share. Stay tuned!

Cute as a Button

I've never been a huge fan of the rhinestone encrusted t-shirts and sweatsuits many brides purchase to wear a handful of times before their wedding. Bachelorette Party, Bridal Shower, getting ready for the big day... after that they pretty much become sparkly (and usually fairly spendy) pajamas. Now don't get me wrong, I've thrown a Bachelorette Party or two in my day, and there is no better a photo opportunity than catching your good friend drunkenly screaming "Wooooo hoooo!" while holding up a blended cocktail and showing off her blinking sash/t-shirt/tank top. Oh, I get it alright. It's just that when I envision my pre-wedding festivities I picture them to be a little less... traditional (at this point any of my friends who are reading are probably snickering and searching google for the biggest, cheesiest, battery operated sash they can find).

For my Bachelorette Party I requested fake moustaches. Photo from anytimecostumes.com

Picture this: a group of young girls tucked away in the back corner of a seedy dive-bar (my favorite kind), sipping away at fishbowl sized margaritas (oh yes, fishbowl), smoke, nickel slot machines... a thick handlebar moustache and a nice pair of chops. My kind of night.

A moustache, and of course, these (a girl's gotta be a little cute!):The sweet buttons I recently acquired from button empire for the fiance and I. I love buttons. They're small, aesthetic, and after the wedding I will have fun toting them around to class on my bookbag. I think they're a great alternative to the usual bride-to-be ensemble.

Once I become a Mrs. I will need to add the "I'd rather be smooching my nerdy husband" button to the collection.
Photos from button empire on Esty

Ok- I want them all!

Eco-Swag from NPR

While checking out the news on NPR this morning I found some great new eco-friendly products in their online gift shop that I just had to share with everyone.

Being a tea fanatic, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this kit from Numi that includes five different organic blooming teas and a glass teapot (because of course watching the tea "bloom" is half the fun of drinking it). At under $30, the Dancing Leaves Teapot would make an excellent gift for an eco-conscious bridesmaid (or even just a little treat for yourself). I'm definitely picking up one of these!

Also, these Organic Cotton Grocery Totes are exactly what I've been looking for to replace my tattered old shopping bag. You can get them as pictured below in a set of two for only $32, or if you just need one they sell them individually as well.

Photos from NPR

By purchasing these not only are you getting some great eco-friendly products, but you help to support National Public Radio as well!

Yearning for Bulging Bridal Biceps

The other night the fiance and I sat down to watch the premiere of HBO's new series 'True Blood'. I think it might be my new favorite show second to 'Dexter' and 'Breaking Bad'. Between bouts of sexual tension amongst the characters and the sometimes awkwardly faked accents, I couldn't help but fixate on one thing in particular (be prepared to be creeped out): Tara's amazingly toned arms. Photo from about.com

Well, hello beautiful! I know, I know, my fascination with women's arms might be construed as a little odd. I can't help myself. Lately I've just been yearning for some magnificently toned biceps to pull off my wedding day look (nevermind cellulite or buns-of-steel, just give me forearms that could put someone in a choke-hold while doing a one-armed push up and I will be delighted) .

You see, these are my biceps now:

And this what I want them to look like by May of 2009:Photo from popsugar.com

I happen to have a huge bicep crush on Sarah Jessica Parker. I can't get through an episode of 'Sex and the City' without flexing my muscles and wishing I could trade arms with Carrie Bradshaw. I'm not expecting any miracles- just to have arms even half as nice a hers would suffice. I just need to lose a little fat and add a little definition- mainly in my deltoids and triceps.Photo from iemily.com

Here are two of my favorite arm and shoulder exercises:

The Toned Arms Plan

Tone Your Arms- in 10 Minutes!

If you want a good workout I suggest checking them out and picking a routine to do a few times a week (if you want a good tongue twister just try repeating "Bulging Bridal Biceps" ten times in a row).

Also, I'm lucky enough to have On Demand through Comcast and they have some great free workout videos in their health & fitness section (including some videos made especially for brides. I recommend Violet Zaki).

So here's my tentative plan:

-cardio (in the form of jogging or hiking) 2-3 times a week

-10 minutes of freeweights or resistance band a night

-drink plenty of water and have a (mostly)healthy diet

-do at least 2 OnDemand workout videos a week

I will keep you updated with pics of my progress. Wish me luck!

Killer Shrimp

Every once in a while the fiance and I try to put the hectic wedding planning behind us and enjoy a relaxing afternoon to ourselves. This Sunday that is exactly what we did.

Inspired by my love for Kitchen Window on NPR (and setting aside my lack of cooking abilities), I pulled out a recipe I found online for a version of 'Killer Shrimp' and had a go at it. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of sampling this dish, Killer Shrimp is a restaurant in Marina Del Rey, CA that gets its name from the main dish on their menu- their Killer Shrimp. I first discovered Killer Shrimp on one of my trips to Marina Del Rey to visit my uncle back when I was in high school. He took me to sample this spicy seafood dish and I have been craving it ever since. Being that I live nowhere near a reasonable driving distance from this amazing restaurant (and am horribly jealous of anybody that is) I figured the next best thing would be to attempt a passable version of it in the confines of my own small apartment. So I cracked open bottle of wine, armed myself with the best organic ingredients I could find, then got to work.

After sifting through the reader comments for this dish on allrecipes I decided to stray from the original recipe a bit. These are the ingredients I ended up using:
-2 quarts organic chicken broth
-1/2 a 6oz. can of organic tomato paste
-1 8oz. bottle of clam juice
-1/2 cup of butter (instead of a whole cup)
- 2 tabelspoons rosemary
-5 cloves minced garlic
-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon celery seed
-1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
-1 heaping tabelspoon red pepper flakes (to add some extra spiceness)
-1 cup organic white wine
-1 and a half pounds of local caught shrimp (de-veined with tails and shells intact)
-1 loaf of fresh baked french bread (to use for dipping)

First I did some research via The Food Network to find out what type of white wine would be best. Their rules are: don't use something you wouldn't normally drink, dry wine works best for seafood, and "what grows together goes together". Since I decided to use local shrimp I figured it was best to use the local Cooper Hill Organic Pinot Gris as well.

Of course I also had to get some of their Organic Pinot Noir to enjoy during the lengthy three hour cooking process.

To start I mixed all the ingredients together in a pan (minus the wine and shrimp) and let it simmer for an hour:

After the hour was up, I added the white wine and let it simmer for another two hours:

After another two hours I added the shrimp:

I let the shrimp cook for about 3-4 minutes (just long enough to turn pink), then once they were finished I served it up in two large bowls and we both sat down to enjoy!

It turned out very spicy, aromatic, and delicious- also very simple to make. It was pure torture to have to wait a whole three hours to devour it while smelling the broth simmer! Was it as good as the Killer Shrimp I remember from years ago? Well... no, but until they open a restaurant here in Portland I think this substitute will do just fine!

Vintage Style on the Beach

Although my fiance and I do plan to have our ceremony barefoot in the sand of the beautiful Manzanita beach, we don't plan on incorporating a beach theme into our wedding decor. Not the typical "beach themed" decor at least. We felt that in staying true to our vintage/shabby chic style it wouldn't be appropriate to have the typical seashell place card holders adorning our tables. And although they are adorable, we're shying away from the miniature ocean-in-a-bottle favors as well. Instead we opted for more subtle ways to incorporate our love for the Pacific Coast into our big day. For example, we're keen on the idea of giving out bags of local saltwater taffy as favors:
Key Lime Saltwater Taffy from thecandybaron.com

We think it will be a lot of fun picking out the flavors together beforehand, and this will give our guests a chance to take a piece of the beach home with them (if it makes it that far!).

We are also considering using a sand unity ceremony with our vows- a more practical idea than attempting to light unity candles on a windy beach. Afterward we can even take it home and put it on display if we so desire.
Sand Unity Ceremony from weddingofficiantservices.com

Last but not least, I love the idea of incorporating the beach into my wedding day ensemble. At Star of the East on Etsy you can find these creative earrings and ring made with bits of shells collected from the shore. They also carry jewelry made with sea urchins. Very unique and fun!

This ring is my absolute favorite:
Ring and earrings from Star of the East on Etsy.

I'm still on the hunt for more unique beachy ideas and will keep you posted with updates!

Photo by the talented Joey Bloom (I've posted it before- but it's my favorite so I just can't help myself!)

My New Addiction

This just must be Holly Stalder week because once again I find myself in love with something from her Etsy shop. But, this time I couldn't stop myself from purchasing it...

Behold the gorgeous top that arrived in my mailbox yesterday afternoon:

And note the exquisite detail:

Do you think maybe if I wear it enough some of her design talent might rub off on me? One could only hope!

Peonies & Wine Part Two

I want to thank Jennifer of earth friendly weddings (yet again) for helping us out with some more great eco-friendly menu advice! She just posted a blog sharing the links to a few organic wines that also happen to be very budget friendly. This is a lifesaver for me because in my own hunt for organic wines I was finding it nearly impossible to locate selections that weren't going to break the bank. If you get a chance you should definitely check it out: Eco Wine!

Above picture: my lovely little sister Amber hiding under some wine grapes at my grandma's house the other summer.

DIY Peonies

I believe that I am destined to have peonies at my wedding. It started back when I purchased a bottle of Stella In Two Peony Parfum and fell deeply in love with their rich, tangy scent. Then, one lazy Saturday afternoon as I casually flipped through a local bridal magazine, I stopped dead on a page featuring an Oregon bride wearing the perfect lace mini-dress and proudly clutching a lush bouquet of large, delicate, pink peonies. I have since tracked that dress down, purchasing it for my own wedding (the infamous second dress), and fantasized about those magnificent flowers non-stop.

Shortly after that I ordered a package from Springcart, and when the box arrived I was ecstatic to find a small cellophane bag containing three peony postcards in chocolate brown envelopes tucked inside.

Finally, my mom called me one evening after bringing home a backseat full of peony bulbs from a local gardening store. She told me that upon taking them into the house my father saw the pictures on the bags and smiled, telling her how much he loved peonies because his grandmother used to grow them in her yard when he was a child. They are fragrant, hypnotic, and they make my dad smile? Anything that makes dad happy makes me happy! (with the exception of taxidermy)

At that point there was no turning back.

As I started my hunt for the perfect peonies I knew I wanted to make DIY bouquets. My mom can garden like nobody's business and with her help I would be in safe hands.

Generally peonies bloom from Spring to early Summer (approx. end of April to mid-June), and by having a May 30th wedding I knew we would be right near the end of mid-season (which happens to be when my favorite peony species are in bloom!). We were lucky enough to discover a local nursery on the outskirts of Salem, OR called Adelman Peony Gardens. A couple months ago my mom and I kidnapped Nick and went over to the gardens to check out the flowers and get some more info. to prepare us for the following Spring. Here are some pictures Nick took of our top choices:
Mrs. FDR

Mister Ed- they bloom with both white and pink flowers on the same plant

Monsieur Jules Elie

While at the gardens my mom purchased a few live plants that we hope to have in bloom for our reception next year (we are planning to bring in tons of live plants from her garden for green-decor). After speaking with Mrs. Adelman who was harvesting flowers in the garden, we learned some valuable peony advice:

1. Peony buds can be kept in the fridge sans water for weeks (though you want to keep them away from fresh fruit because it emits ethylene gasses that speed up the maturity of the flowers).

2. You cut them when they are tight buds, then when you want them to open you can place them in warm water to speed the process. If that doesn't work, Martha Stewart has some great peony advice here (if you fast forward, the peony tutorial starts in the fifth section about 25 minutes into the episode).

3. At the Adelman Peony Gardens cut peonies cost about $2 a bud. At around $24 a dozen, DIY peonies fit almost any budget!

4. Leave at least three leaves on the stem of the peony to keep it thriving. Make sure you do cut off the leaves that will be submerged in water as they will rot in the vase if you don't.

Thanks to the Adelman Peony Gardens for the wonderful tips!

Also, If your wedding doesn't fall between the months of April and June and you love the look of peonies, you can always substitute for the gorgeous Ranunculus. They can be just as lush as peony blossoms and come in an array of vibrant colors:These are some purple fringed ranunculus that can be found at Saipua (and while you're there, check out their yummy soaps!).

For our centerpieces we purchased various vintage crystal vases and will be filling them with peonies and greenery from my mom's garden. I will be sure to update with pictures when we get some!

I also recommend this video from The Knot On Demand (scroll down to 'How To: Make a Bouquet' to watch a tutorial on how to make a simple yet elegant peony bridal bouquet).

Gardens that sell cut peonies:
Adelman Peony Gardens in OR
Bridgewater Gardens in MI
The Peony Garden in IA
Swenson Gardens in MN
BB Peony Gardens in ME
Third Branch, LLC in VT
Omena Cut Flowers in MI
Halcyon Hill in NY

If you have any more tips on using peonies in bouquets or know of more cut peony suppliers please feel free to share!