JENNI'S CONCERT THEMED SHOWER

HIP HOP HOORAY! A baby boy is on the way!

Jenni is due soooo soon with her second baby, Remy! Don't you love the name for a sweet baby boy by the way? Two great friends, Lori Mahon and Lauren Rauter, co-hosted with me. We decided to throw a concert-themed baby shower since Jenni currently thinks at one point thought she could be a country singer, and her husband Gabe a singer/performer/song writer (and for that matter Lori, Lauren's husband, and my husband are all in the music industry as well! It is Nashville, after all). A nod to 90's hip hop, Jenni's love of country music, and concert references mixed together to create our decor.

It all started with the invitation, designed by Lauren of Rock Paper Scissors. Actually all of the paper materials you see here were all printed by Lauren. Geez it's handy having a graphic designer bestie.

Concert posters, concert ticket garlands, and DIY marquee lights were the main decor, offset by cassette tapes and a boom box I got off of Ebay and spray painted gold!

Below is a DIY cassette tape mobile! I spray painted an embroidery hoop and cassette tapes gold, then used fishing line to attach. Command ceiling hooks held up perfectly.

For food, we did all concert food: hot dogs, nachos, soft pretzels, popcorn, and soda all held together in a food tray so it was easy for guests to carry around. 

Note the music themed names we gave all of the food... we crack ourselves up.

 Custom painted scoops sold on our Etsy shop.

Jenni's fav Sugarfina gummies in the shape of sneakers! Perfect for our hip hop theme!

At every shower we throw, we like to have the guests write their address on the envelopes for Jenni's thank you notes! Saves a ton of time for the mama-to-be.

Of course, we have the diaper cake - tutorial HERE - topped with baby Nike Dunks, Jenni's request for her baby boy!

For favors, Lauren made these little boom boxes wrapped around an animal crackers box.

 Being a Love & Lion shower, we had to have a tattoo bar :)

Big sis-to-be, Amara, helped open all of the prezzies.

 Gorgeous mama Jenni!!

We LOVED throwing you this shower, Jenni! You're already an incredible mom, and we know you're going to be a pro with two. Love you!

-L

DIY HOLIDAY CARDS DISPLAY

This is so easy... I don't even know why I'm posting it. BUT I think it turned out pretty cute. So. I'm also procrastinating cleaning my house. Typically when I'm at my most creative.

I just received my first two holiday cards! One from my bestie since college, and one from my sweet little nieces and nephews! Last year I was so lazy (read: just had my second baby) that I put all of my cards in a pretty bowl on the coffee table. This year I'm stepping it up a tiny notch. 

All you need for this easy DIY is:

- 1 wire wreath form

- 1-2 packs of plain clothes pins

- 1 roll of fun washi tape

- 1 clear command hook (sticks on the wall and removes without damaging the paint!) See below:

I found this pretty Meri Meri washi tape at our fav shop Rock Paper Scissors.

 Measure by sticking a clothes pin on the tape

 Cut tape

Bend around the sides of the clothes pin. Use the back of your finger nail to really stick it on there well. And... that's it. Told you it was easy! You could totally spray paint the wreath form gold or silver first, but it's going to get covered up with cards anyway, right? She says to convince herself.

I still have to finish decorating my mantel. Cannot find the rest of my decor!! It's probably in storage somewhere. Ugh. Ooh and I'm waiting on a sparkly banner from The Bannerie! I'm a tad obsessed.

Happy decorating!

-L

DIY FALL DOOR DECOR

We're stiiiiill in our rental- two more months to go before our house is finished!!- but that doesn't mean we shouldn't make it feel homey and festive for fall! Or at least that's what Jenni keeps telling me. This was a super easy and quick craft project that I did during nap time. You can do it too... promise! I made a free download for the template you can get right here.

What you need:

1 piece of Kraft paper or other color card stock

Metallic Sharpie (or you could use paint!)

Scissors

String

Stick

Washi tape

Glue and glitter if you want to make it glitzy

1. Print template... Click HERE to download

2. BEFORE you cut out the feathers, color in designs with a gold sharpie or paint designs. It'll make less messy that way!

3. Cut out the feathers shapes then score by using your fingernail tracing along the middle- I sort of did this in a curved shape to give the feather more dimension. Gently fold the feather up. 

4. Cut thin diagonal lines all the way down the sides of the feather. Run your fingers up and down the fringe to give the feather some texture.

5. You could stop here... or you could get a little messy and add glitter! I used Martha Stewart's Florentine Gold Glitter. 

See that fun fringy texture?

6. Find a stick...

 Tip: toddlers are low to the ground and can find the best sticks. And oh yeah... boys love sticks.

 See that pretty texture? Score, Ari!

7. Attach string to each feather with a little piece of washi tape then simply tie the string to the stick. 

Happy fall y'all! 

(I only say "y'all" in print... it just doesn't sound right in my midwestern accent!)

-L

RYAN AND CHRISTY'S RUSTIC WEDDING : PART TWO

After the beautiful ( super emotional .... I am a crier) ceremony ended, we headed to the reception space. It was held in an absolutely gorgeous barn. Guests enjoyed a little cocktail hour which also included a nacho bar. The bride loves her nachos! Great way to keep those tummies full while they get their drink on, haha!  

There was a taco buffet set up on the bottom level of the barn. DEEEEELICIOUS, and so festive! 

I had so much fun doing these tables. I had two men ( wedding guests who offered to help set up that morning) channeling their inner florist. It was amazing, and I was so grateful! Christy wanted 3-4 brass candle sticks on each table and beautiful greenery intertwined throughout them. Super simple and elegant. We topped each table off with a few light pink and cream roses to accommodate their color story. I used live moss to add a little something extra to the bridal party/family tables. My favorite touch by far. I didn't get a picture of it, but I also filled window boxes along the side of the barn with the moss as well. It is such an inexpensive way to make such an impact. So classy and so natural, which is exactly what we were going for.

Our sweet friend, Lori (aaaand her dear hubby), spent the ENTIRE morning assembling these napkins with a letters to their guests with cream ribbon. She worked her little heart out you guys!! These were placed on each place setting. Since the catering was done buffet style, Christy opted for these to make the impact of "plates" if you will. Such a beautiful letter written to share their hearts and express gratitude to their guests.

The dessert table was filled with mostly homemade goods and then some yummy treats from Whole Foods. The dessert table was devoured in no time!! We used custom made tree trunk cake stands, brass pieces and glass to make all of the treats look pretty.

Homemade cobbler and "strawberry shortcakes"..... oh my gawwwwwsh!

A friend of the couple made this stunning gluten - free cake for the big day! Look at those brass pinwheel cake toppers!!! Love! We simple wrapped the cake in live moss and a few roses.

While the reception was going on upstairs, guests were encouraged to come downstairs and take photos in the photo booth. The props were so fun, and you also were able to leave a video for the happy couple before your little photo session started. Then, the photo booth operator printed out photo strips for each guest..... one for them to keep, and the other to place into a book for the newlyweds.

These people can dance..... alllllll night long!

The lovely sparkler goodbye. Never gets old to me. Then, they rode off into the night on their motorcycle. (yes, I say "their" because it is no longer JUST Ryan's bike, right?) hehe.

I am sorry, but I have to add some more photos (just because). You don't mind, right?

Thanks for reading!! Ryan and Christy..... I was so honored to be a part of this day ( both as help and as a guest). You are both such special, giving, serving, genuine and loving people..... and oh so much fun! Wishing you all the happiness this world could possibly give you!

-J

You can see part ONE of Ryan and Christy's wedding HERE

Photos by: Kristin Sweeting Photography