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I went down to visit B on Wednesday evening after work, drove back Thursday morning before work, and then I'm driving down for the weekend tonight. It's not a bad drive, but YAWN. The 3 days of it is what's tiresome. Darn the mcdonalds at the halfway point. So tempting. Always.
I asked B if he could have dinner and a movie awaiting me when I got there. Something simple, you know? That way I can just crash.
Good news: Friends of ours are bringing down the mini-freezer on Saturday. Woo not having to drive 130 miles with it in my car, blockin' my view. They have a big SUV so it's not such a blockade for them. And Saturday will be spend touring around town with them, then dinner in the evening with other friends. Sunday: invites and lanterns. I have the car stocked with supplies.
Didn't get to the farm place in time yesterday to get the pussywillow branches. I'll try next week and if no luck, then B can go next weekend.
Showing posts with label lanterns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lanterns. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Inside of reception hall
So, here's the inside of the hall. The tables and chairs we will set up-- they were only up and about because there was an event the night before.The eating area is a big U-shape around the dance floor. Lower ceilings in the eating area, and then the dance floor has high ceilings. The walls are all white... except for one stupid section that has knotty pine walls (yuck). The dance floor actually has the pine too, but that actually works there b/c of the fireplace. We may do something with that, but we have to see about time...
So here's the dance floor looking towards one portion of the eating area. You can't tell, but the ceiling above the photographer here is tall. That's why we can get away hanging the BIG lanterns here (there's space).
The fireplace in the dance floor area. No, we won't use it, but it looks rustic. I like. Everywhere in the eating area has carpet, but on the dance floor it's wood. I like that too. Oh, and theyjust replaced the carpet to a red color-- wonderful. Now we don't have to worry about spilling red wine as much!
So here's the dance floor looking towards one portion of the eating area. You can't tell, but the ceiling above the photographer here is tall. That's why we can get away hanging the BIG lanterns here (there's space).
The fireplace in the dance floor area. No, we won't use it, but it looks rustic. I like. Everywhere in the eating area has carpet, but on the dance floor it's wood. I like that too. Oh, and theyjust replaced the carpet to a red color-- wonderful. Now we don't have to worry about spilling red wine as much!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Things are really getting busy...
There are a lot of projects on the table right now... Thought I'd list the immediate ones, partially for my organization, and partially, well, to post.
*
Invitations: B's finishing step 1 of the actual invitations down south; they should be ready to come up by next weekend. We'll work on step 2 and 3 the weekend of 4/3. I'm working on envelopes at home right now, and I'll get the outer envelopes from B this weekend so I can start labeling next week.
*
Placemats: 56 have fabric on them, which means another 44 need fabric. We're planning 100 for now, and additional ones can be made if we get more than 100 rsvps. Then, all 100 need ribbon and backing. Goal to get this done: 3 weeks from now.
*
Giftboxes: We've done nothing! Well, we have all the supplies. I need to cut and glue paper on to all of them, as well as make the contents. I think the making will occur the weekend of 4/3 because baking can happen while other stuff is happening.
*
Registries: Will be finished up the weekend of 4/3. BBB's will take a while though... there's a lot to go through.
*
Website: Needs: photos for a few things, hotel information, and registry links and info. I think that's it though!
*
Centerpieces: My big project this week and next week during the week. I sit at home and cut and make paper roses. No joke. I made probably about 40 last night and cut probably about 70. Not very productive, especially considering each centerpiece needs about 200 roses. UGH.
*
Lanterns: Our friend, Tiana, it cutting circles and folding, B is doing the same. Our friend, Jenn, is stapling and making lanterns. So, while I NEED to staple the petals I have, I have to work on centerpieces the next couple of weeks. Those take greater importance right now.
*
Food: I need to do a test-run of the rouladin to double make sure the freezing/thawing process doesn't ruin the integrity of the item. This is more to please my parents than me... I've done this before! Ugh. But I suppose it will make me happy too. Food preparation should begin the first week in May. I figure 1.5 months frozen is an ok time. I plan on freezing the rouladin in gravy so as to keep it moist in the freezer. Spaetzle will be made probably the first week in June.
*
Tablecloths: Need to be made. I have the material... but I think I will use the material I have on chair covers first, and then possibly use the remainder or buy thicker material for the tablecloths.
*
Chair Covers: Need to be made. ASAP. We will be measuring the hall this weekend, as well as taking detailed measurements of the chairs. Then it will be a matter of cut and sew for me. I need to get these finished soon. Hopefully by mid-April.
*
Yellow Lanterns: Haven't even begun to be made. Eek. I figure we'll probably need about 200 of these.... They will be easier than the regular lanterns because these only need to be hung on a vertical strand... but still.
*
Hiring Workers: One has been hired, the other 2-3 need to be. This will occur in late April/early May.
*
Flowers: Need to be ordered. Probably this weekend. I need to also order other items for the flowers, and that will probably happen online or I will call local florists.... that will probably occur next week.
*
Menu Cards: Will occur late-April, once I do a test-run of the rouladin.
*
Name Cards: Will occur mid-June, after we've hunted down all the RSVP folks.
*
Church Decorations: I think we're going to do all-white. There had been the hope of doing color, but B and I discussed it, and we like the idea of lanterns in the church done in all white. Thign is though, white will show staples more, so we may glue these lanterns. 28 rows, each side, so 56 pews to hang on, times 3 lanterns each = 168 lanterns. I have beautiful white satin ribbon to hang them on. B & I think it will be a nice way to tie the church decorations with the reception decorations
*
Dress Rehearsal: I need to fill out the card reserving things. UGH. I keep forgetting. B and I need to decide who will provide the meat... probably a local BBQ place.
*
Cake Decorations: I have to get started on these. Maybe a day in the next week or two can be devoted to these....I will probably start after 4/3 weekend because I want to do a few more practice ones and get B's input.
*
Rose Droplets: It depends on whether we get the centerpieces done with enough time. I'd like to have 3 rose droplets on the back of each chair at the reception, but if we dont' have time, these will become lanterns instead.
*
Table runners: Need to be sewn. This shouldn't be too complicated.
*
Wine Glasses: Need to be cleaned (they have logos on them right now... extras from an event) and have charms put on.
There's more, but you get the idea....
*
Invitations: B's finishing step 1 of the actual invitations down south; they should be ready to come up by next weekend. We'll work on step 2 and 3 the weekend of 4/3. I'm working on envelopes at home right now, and I'll get the outer envelopes from B this weekend so I can start labeling next week.
*
Placemats: 56 have fabric on them, which means another 44 need fabric. We're planning 100 for now, and additional ones can be made if we get more than 100 rsvps. Then, all 100 need ribbon and backing. Goal to get this done: 3 weeks from now.
*
Giftboxes: We've done nothing! Well, we have all the supplies. I need to cut and glue paper on to all of them, as well as make the contents. I think the making will occur the weekend of 4/3 because baking can happen while other stuff is happening.
*
Registries: Will be finished up the weekend of 4/3. BBB's will take a while though... there's a lot to go through.
*
Website: Needs: photos for a few things, hotel information, and registry links and info. I think that's it though!
*
Centerpieces: My big project this week and next week during the week. I sit at home and cut and make paper roses. No joke. I made probably about 40 last night and cut probably about 70. Not very productive, especially considering each centerpiece needs about 200 roses. UGH.
*
Lanterns: Our friend, Tiana, it cutting circles and folding, B is doing the same. Our friend, Jenn, is stapling and making lanterns. So, while I NEED to staple the petals I have, I have to work on centerpieces the next couple of weeks. Those take greater importance right now.
*
Food: I need to do a test-run of the rouladin to double make sure the freezing/thawing process doesn't ruin the integrity of the item. This is more to please my parents than me... I've done this before! Ugh. But I suppose it will make me happy too. Food preparation should begin the first week in May. I figure 1.5 months frozen is an ok time. I plan on freezing the rouladin in gravy so as to keep it moist in the freezer. Spaetzle will be made probably the first week in June.
*
Tablecloths: Need to be made. I have the material... but I think I will use the material I have on chair covers first, and then possibly use the remainder or buy thicker material for the tablecloths.
*
Chair Covers: Need to be made. ASAP. We will be measuring the hall this weekend, as well as taking detailed measurements of the chairs. Then it will be a matter of cut and sew for me. I need to get these finished soon. Hopefully by mid-April.
*
Yellow Lanterns: Haven't even begun to be made. Eek. I figure we'll probably need about 200 of these.... They will be easier than the regular lanterns because these only need to be hung on a vertical strand... but still.
*
Hiring Workers: One has been hired, the other 2-3 need to be. This will occur in late April/early May.
*
Flowers: Need to be ordered. Probably this weekend. I need to also order other items for the flowers, and that will probably happen online or I will call local florists.... that will probably occur next week.
*
Menu Cards: Will occur late-April, once I do a test-run of the rouladin.
*
Name Cards: Will occur mid-June, after we've hunted down all the RSVP folks.
*
Church Decorations: I think we're going to do all-white. There had been the hope of doing color, but B and I discussed it, and we like the idea of lanterns in the church done in all white. Thign is though, white will show staples more, so we may glue these lanterns. 28 rows, each side, so 56 pews to hang on, times 3 lanterns each = 168 lanterns. I have beautiful white satin ribbon to hang them on. B & I think it will be a nice way to tie the church decorations with the reception decorations
*
Dress Rehearsal: I need to fill out the card reserving things. UGH. I keep forgetting. B and I need to decide who will provide the meat... probably a local BBQ place.
*
Cake Decorations: I have to get started on these. Maybe a day in the next week or two can be devoted to these....I will probably start after 4/3 weekend because I want to do a few more practice ones and get B's input.
*
Rose Droplets: It depends on whether we get the centerpieces done with enough time. I'd like to have 3 rose droplets on the back of each chair at the reception, but if we dont' have time, these will become lanterns instead.
*
Table runners: Need to be sewn. This shouldn't be too complicated.
*
Wine Glasses: Need to be cleaned (they have logos on them right now... extras from an event) and have charms put on.
There's more, but you get the idea....
Friday, March 20, 2009
Cake flowers and leaves
I am very excited this morning.
*
It should be noted that my darn camera (we're hopefully getting a new one soon) flash totally heightened the yellow and made it look very bright. That said, I will be diluting the yellow in the future with water so it sort of melts into the white, rather than you being able to see brush strokes.
*
Last night, instead of getting up to organizing (I put it off because I took the bus to work on Thursday, thus 80% of the boxes are at my office), I folded 1 basket of red petals for lanterns AND... drumroll... made my first batch of cake flowers!
It should be noted that my darn camera (we're hopefully getting a new one soon) flash totally heightened the yellow and made it look very bright. That said, I will be diluting the yellow in the future with water so it sort of melts into the white, rather than you being able to see brush strokes.*
Here's what the live ones look like:
Here's what the live ones look like:
I've never used fondant before, and that's what they're made out of. I have a silicon mold (the flower) and a plastic mold (the leaf). I've been reading up on working with fondant and molds, and I finally felt ready last night. QUITE FUN!
*The plastic mold was more difficult to use than the silicon mold. I eventually had to spray then wipe it to get the fondant to mold in and then be able to come back out. The silicon was much easier.
*Fondant is great because after it comes out of the mold, you can easily tweak it about, take off petals, make a petal flipped, roll a leaf, etc etc. And, for the most part, it stays in the position you tweak it to (unless gravity is really NOT on its side).
*Changes in future rounds... I think I will add a pointed backing to the flower (the real ones do anyway-- see below to see stems), which will give me more of a base to put a toothpick in. I think I will dry the flowers therefore on a cookie rack, that way I can stick the toothpicks in and have them danglign below and the petals of the flowers won't get mussed up. I think I will paint the flowers and leaves after they dry, but I have to experiment to ensure that the fondant will still take the paint after it is dried (for paint, by the way, I'm using food coloring... no wackiness in real paints, don't worry).
With all these changes, I think I will have a final product that is ready-to-go onto the cake and won't need tweaking. I will be able to not fret about it! The toothpicks on the flowers (and I think I'm goign to put a toothpick on the bottom of each leaf-- at one end) will ensure that I can work them into a vertical surface. I will have icing, but if it's warm, the icing won't always hold much weight on a vertical surface. Icing + toothpick will work. And honestly, if it doesn't, at this point there's not much else I'm willing to prepare for to make this work. It either does or doesn't, and if I can't use vertical surfaces, then, well, we won't! It will still look pretty.
*The green was still drying, so I couldn't take pictures, but I laid a few vanilla beans next to the leaves and flowers and moved them closer together. Oh my gosh! So pretty. The vanilla beans just hit the plumeria spot-on. They really look like branches!!! I mean, of course they aren't, but still. And oh gosh, they smell SOOO good. Right now I have the plate in my cabinet with two vanilla beans and the flowers, and whenever I open the cabinet door, this fresh vanilla sent comes out. Ahhhh....
*99 days left.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Lantern update
We finished and strung a bunch of the lanterns, and here is the effect! I love them. They look so much more festive in-person. The flash really takes some of the life out of them. They're just so JOYOUS in person. And I can envision the tables... with things ALL matching. 
Again, imagine more vibrant, celebratory colors. The flash just takes so much life out.
The table runners: 3 of the organza ribbons... the centerpieces: the same red paper. The placemats: brown, but with the ribbon accents. Lanterns on either side of the centerpiece, glowing. Menus, backed with the same colorful paper. Giftbags with ribbon accents. Chair covers: white, but with the same colors in the ties and either lanterns or rose droplets hanging in the back.
Again, imagine more vibrant, celebratory colors. The flash just takes so much life out.
The table runners: 3 of the organza ribbons... the centerpieces: the same red paper. The placemats: brown, but with the ribbon accents. Lanterns on either side of the centerpiece, glowing. Menus, backed with the same colorful paper. Giftbags with ribbon accents. Chair covers: white, but with the same colors in the ties and either lanterns or rose droplets hanging in the back.Oh my. It all makes me very happy.
B went back south again yesterday EARLY morning. That fantastic man went and got a ream of paper, and he is cutting circles down there and taught a friend of ours to do it too. My friend Jenn may also help us out. The thing with the lanterns is that while they're pretty, they're time-consuming. So the fact that people are pulling together for us is so touching.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Lantern circles and folded circle petals
Thought I'd post some pictures from our weekend o' fun.
Here are the scraps from having cut out all the circles.
Proof of having cut out the circles... here are the circles! There are lots of layers, so this isn't SO impressive, but if you were to see how many layers there are, you'd be impressed. There are probably about 1500 circles here.
Red circles, folded. Jenn dubbed them "petals." I liked it.
Same basket, different angle. And B's sexy sexy foot. Oh baby!
I'm taking a break from attaching them all together...by posting!
I'm taking a break from attaching them all together...by posting! Monday, March 9, 2009
FUN weekend!
Sucky Saturday aside, what a FUN weekend!
Friday evening: Jenn came over and learned how to make lanterns. I think she's now addicted. We cut out so many circles (you need 20 circles per lantern), and she made a bunch of lanterns! She likes all of the ideas, which is so comforting you know? I think it's pretty easy to get side-tracked and lose track of if everything goes together.
We also tried out one fondue recipe... she liked it, and it wasn't bad.... but the cheese didn't do what we wanted to It was good, but all the solid cheese bits somehow became tasteless (after an hour or two) and migrated to the bottom of the pot. This left cheese-flavored cream at the top (which wasn't bad), but the overall impact wasn't too positive after about hour 2. I'm not sure what caused it. I'm liking more and more Erin's idea about using the Campbell's cheddar soup instead of cheddar cheese. I wouldn't have the problem with the grated cheese bits, right? So maybe cheddar soup, blue/gorgonzola, wine, cider, salt/pepper, and some sort of swiss-type cheese. I know gueyere (spelling?) cheese is often recommended for fondue, but I think it's expensive. I think we may have to scout out Costco...
Saturday: Besides the sucky morning... B had to go to a conference during the day. So I cut cut cut circles and more circles. And then folded more circles. I took photos, will post later today.
Sunday: We changed from red to orange and repeated Saturday. Thing is, on Saturday I was able to actually construct a bunch of lanterns, whereas on Sunday, we just prepared the circles (cut, fold, separate) for construction. I also did the first parts on the placemats: cut fabric, ironed, spray glued onto backing, and tucked in sides. My goal was to set up one complete placemat before B had to leave this morning, that way he could tweak and change what he didn't like. I like having his input, and it feels a lot better to work on a project that he likes and agrees with rather than me just being bull-headed, my-way-only girl. I took photos of the process, but I'll post those later today when I have the entire process photographed (missing 3 steps right now).
Today: My goal for today (besides work) is to photograph the remaining steps of the placemats. Then, it's wedding stuff aside because I have to work on a couple of presents for people.
Friday evening: Jenn came over and learned how to make lanterns. I think she's now addicted. We cut out so many circles (you need 20 circles per lantern), and she made a bunch of lanterns! She likes all of the ideas, which is so comforting you know? I think it's pretty easy to get side-tracked and lose track of if everything goes together.
We also tried out one fondue recipe... she liked it, and it wasn't bad.... but the cheese didn't do what we wanted to It was good, but all the solid cheese bits somehow became tasteless (after an hour or two) and migrated to the bottom of the pot. This left cheese-flavored cream at the top (which wasn't bad), but the overall impact wasn't too positive after about hour 2. I'm not sure what caused it. I'm liking more and more Erin's idea about using the Campbell's cheddar soup instead of cheddar cheese. I wouldn't have the problem with the grated cheese bits, right? So maybe cheddar soup, blue/gorgonzola, wine, cider, salt/pepper, and some sort of swiss-type cheese. I know gueyere (spelling?) cheese is often recommended for fondue, but I think it's expensive. I think we may have to scout out Costco...
Saturday: Besides the sucky morning... B had to go to a conference during the day. So I cut cut cut circles and more circles. And then folded more circles. I took photos, will post later today.
Sunday: We changed from red to orange and repeated Saturday. Thing is, on Saturday I was able to actually construct a bunch of lanterns, whereas on Sunday, we just prepared the circles (cut, fold, separate) for construction. I also did the first parts on the placemats: cut fabric, ironed, spray glued onto backing, and tucked in sides. My goal was to set up one complete placemat before B had to leave this morning, that way he could tweak and change what he didn't like. I like having his input, and it feels a lot better to work on a project that he likes and agrees with rather than me just being bull-headed, my-way-only girl. I took photos of the process, but I'll post those later today when I have the entire process photographed (missing 3 steps right now).
Today: My goal for today (besides work) is to photograph the remaining steps of the placemats. Then, it's wedding stuff aside because I have to work on a couple of presents for people.
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