{Valentine's Day} Pinspired Valentines

Since the holiday crafting party was so much fun, we decided to have another crafting day: A Pinspired Party.  You know how you pin & pin images that inspire you but you never get around to tackling the project, whether it be a craft, recipe or cleaning tip?  At the Pinspired Party, each guest chose a craft from their crafty Pinterest board & we actually made them!

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I picked a pretty Valentine's Day card that had been languishing on my Crafty Projects Wish List board for over a year: 

I got busy with my paper punch & my deep purple, hot pink & heart red paper to create the ruffle effect:

Before I knew it, I had gorgeous, homemade Valentines to send to our family & friends:

Once I got home, I had more Valentines to make & my poor hand had cramped from punching the paper.  It's a bit of a workout!  Lucky for me, my amazing husband bought me a Silhouette, a fancy paper cutting machine, for Christmas & I put it to good use making these extra Valentines: 

The Pinspired Party was a good time!  It was cool to finally complete a craft from my Crafty Project Wish List board & I was so inspired by the other talented ladies & their beautiful crafts.  For a complete recap of the crafts & food of our Pinspired Party, please visit Crafty Party Girls on Jen Kim Made!

I can't wait for our family & friends to receive the made with love, pinspired Valentines!

Photo 1: via; Photo 2-4: koru kate

white pumpkin LOVE

I tried to warn you on Tuesday: I am falling in love with white pumpkins!  My white pumpkin-loving heart has been on overdrive pinning white pumpkins.  Each time, I think it can't possibly get better than the last white pumpkin image, I'm proven wrong.  & I just had to share the white pumpkin love with you! 
  
Hello, perfect Fall white pumpkin centerpiece!  This time, the flower colors and burlap runner are traditional Fall and I couldn't love the look more:

Does it get any cooler & stylish than a white pumpkin drink cooler?  The pumpkin cooler would look perfectly at home for your Halloween party or Fall wedding:  

Pick your favorite color (purple for me!) & add some vibrant friends for your white pumpkin:

& my very favorite!  Those mostly unloved, except by me, carnations look pretty festive & snazzy nestled in a white pumpkin:

I did break down & buy two baby white pumpkins for Halloween & I'll show you those cuties next week.  But I am hugely inspired to make a white pumpkin decoration for Thanksgiving.  My problem is deciding which one!  

What have you fallen in love with this Fall?

Photo 1: Readyluck via; Photo 2 Rebecca Hansen Weddings via; Photo 3: via; Photo 4: via

Hello, Winter?

Old Man Winter, you have really, truly disappointed me this year.  One measly snowstorm?  Come on, it's embarassing at this point.  If I did my job so poorly, Koru Wedding Shoppe would be out of business.

Yes, my dears, my winter-loving heart has been broken in 2012.  Now luckily for my winter wedding loving-heart, there has been plenty of snowy wedding goodness to keep my heart beating.  Naturally, I must share my wintery favorites with you!

A  kiss is just a kiss, unless it's a kiss against a snowy backdrop:

Why not romp through the snow on the joyous day of your winter elopement? 

A little walk on the winter wedding wild side:

And this is one beautifully accessorized winter Bride (the cardigan, the necklace, the boots!)

 

I heart winter weddings SO much.  I have a little more winter loveliness to share next week, then I promise to move on to spring weddings.  Tell me, what is your favorite wedding season & why?

Photo 1 via; Photo 2 via; Photo 3 via; Photo 4 via

Chevy-Loving

While it's about time for my monthly Wedding Wheels post, one getaway car photo has received so much attention on Pinterest that I decided it deserved a post of its own.  

Many Bride & Grooms use props for their photo session, whether it be antique furniture or a thank you banner.  This beautiful Bride & Groom were no different, only they chose a lovingly-restored 1952 vintage Chevy pickup for their prop:    

This prop + a gorgeous Bride & Groom + a pretty location + a Fall bouquet = a beautiful wedding portrait!

The icing on the cake?  This vintage Chevy is no random prop.  It was passed down from the Groom's grandfather & restored by the Groom, his father & his brother.  Props with sentimental value, I adore it!  

What props do you like to see in wedding photos?  Will you or did you use props?


Photo by Hazelnut Photography via

Holiday Card Evolution

In what seemed like a flash of brilliance, I chose to send homemade Christmas cards this year.  I enjoy making cards & I adore the holiday season so why not?  Sure, crafting 50+ Christmas cards would be my largest cardmaking project yet.  Oh yes, of course I would find the time for this project during the busy holiday season. 

Looking back, I identify that moment as a stroke of insanity! 

Allow me to take you on the journey of the Koru Kate Holiday 2011 Card from inspiration (I'm so excited to make my holiday cards!) to reality (What in the world was I thinking?) . . .

Six weeks ago, I pinned a snowflake card as my inspiration:

One trip to Paper Source, one trip to AC Moore & one raid of my craft armoire later, I had Version 1 of my holiday card:

A few minor tweaks of colored card stock & patterned paper later, I was happy with sweet Version 2 of my holiday card:

Bright Version 3 of my holiday card on RZ's choice of classic holiday red card stock:

A few more of lovely Version 2 on my choice of icy blue card stock:

I'm a complete sucker for details so every card has a snowflake stamped on its butt:

I'm pretty proud of my humble holiday cards.  We dropped the first batch in the mail last night; the second batch should be ready this evening.  I've glued my fingers together, I've smudged countless snowflakes, I've wondered if the project would ever end.  But there is a definite satisfaction knowing I created our newlywed holiday cards with care & love for our family & friends.

Will I make my holiday cards next year?  Ha, by then I will have forgotten the insanity & I will think it's a fabulous idea!  

Photo 1 via, Photo 2-6 by Koru Kate

My Wedding Invitation Ornament

From inspiration to reality . . .


One of the first images I pinned was the wedding invitation ornament:

I loved the idea, especially since I had a wedding invitation or ten collecting dust.  I promised myself to make my wedding invitation ornament when the Christmas season arrived.  My Christmas spirit kicked into full swing this weekend & I started this DIY project with my extra-large, clear ornament:

I set out my supplies: my pocket wedding invitation; my outer & response envelopes for color; my ruler & exacto knife in place of fancy cutting matts; & my pencil:

I separated my wedding invitation from its pocket &, I'm not going to lie, I started to freak out a bit about cutting up my wedding invitation.  It seemed wrong!  Then I reminded myself the extra invitation was doing no good collecting dust.  I detailed 1/2 inch strips & began cutting:

I repeated this process with my wedding invitation, response card, reception card, hotel card & both envelopes.  I decided to cut my pocket only if needed.  I had an extra-large ornament to fill; you probably don't need more than a wedding invitation for a regular-size ornament.  As soon as I had a decent pile of strips, I wrapped each strip around my pencil to curl it into a swirl & dropped it in the ornament:

Soon, my wedding invitation ornament was filled to the brim!  I couldn't control how or where my swirled strips landed but they naturally arranged themselves just perfectly.  I spy meaningful details like my maiden name, my husband's first name, our reception location, our zip code & more:

I played around with adding different ribbons & other details to my wedding invitation ornament & nothing looked right.  In the end, my simple wedding invitation ornament is quite lovely on our newlywed Christmas tree:

  
We'll admire & treasure our wedding invitation ornament for years to come!


P.S. I still have extra wedding invitations (the stationer in me ordered plenty of extras just in case!).  Do you have any creative, holiday or non-holiday ideas?


Photo 1 via, Photo 2-7 by Koru Kate

Cranberry Craze

I'm officially dreaming of Christmas.  Nope, not a white Christmas; I'm not a huge fan of the white stuff.  A cozy Christmas with a crackling fire, a glittering tree & a festive table.  A pretty table just like the one above. 

I would love, LOVE this gorgeous holiday tablescape.  I pinned the image forever ago & I'm still a huge fan.  It's the perfect balance of stunning & attainable, unlike many of the images in Martha Stewart that require a professional crew to assemble & display.  Nope, I think I may be able to manage this DIY project!  Fill a glass container with water, cranberries & hydrangea, then add holly & pine needles.  Decorate your table with thick ribbons & sparkly garland.  Be creative: pick ribbon & garland colors & patterns to match your holiday look.  Place your cranberry arrangement on your ribbon/garland runner & you have instant holiday magic for your merry festivities! 

Holiday/Winter Brides, the cranberry hydrangea arrangements are just lovely as centerpieces.  For the sake of simplicity, you could nix the ribbon/garland runner & choose a beautiful table linen instead.  If you're having anything other than an intimate wedding with one or two tables, I'd skip the DIY route & put a florist in charge but maybe that's just me.

If you haven't noticed, I adore the holiday season.  If I'm missing any DIY holiday fabulousness, please share!!!!

Photo via

Irish Wedding Bells

Maybe it's because I'm Irish.  Perhaps it's because I love green.  Or just because.  But I love Bells of Ireland!  Those perfect lime green bells have my heart.


I don't spot them much in the wedding world so I was absolutely delighted (I may have squealed!) when I stumbled upon not one but two, DIY bridal bouquets that included Bells of Ireland.  I did what any decent blogger would do & pinned my heart out so I could share them with you.  


This stunning beauty is a combination of orchids, beach grass & Bells of Ireland just perfect for a beach wedding in Maine:

Photo by One Love Photo 

via

& the sweetest part?  The Groom's Dad made the Bride's bouquet!


For a Fall wedding, this lovely is a combination of snapdragons & Bells of Ireland that is unexpected yet just right:

Photo by Cassandra Eldridge Photography

via

& that beauty?  The Groom's Dad was taking a snooze on his duties so the Bride & Bridesmaids made it!

The cherry on top of the stylish Bells of Ireland is that they are known as a symbol of good luck.  What Bride doesn't want to carry a little good luck down the aisle as she get married?!

Tell me, what are your favorite flowers?  Does their meaning play into your choices for your wedding? 

Koru Kate Finds: Holiday Tree Alternative

Forgive me, Koru family & friends, as I have Christmas on my mind.  I blame Pinterest.  While I can successfully & willfully ignore store Christmas displays until after Thanksgiving, it's really, really difficult to pass up the enticing holiday crafts, decor & recipes on Pinterest.  I caved & pinned an idea for our handmade Christmas cards weeks ago.  Last night, this simple Christmas tree wouldn't let me pass it by: 

Idea & Image via

Today, this Christmas tree alternative comes to you as my latest Koru Kate Finds.  Can you guess what this Christmas tree is made of?  A tomato cage!!!!!!!!  


Yes, that's right: a cheap tomato cage.  You can find them in your nearest garden center or garden aisle of a large store like Home Depot or Target.  Simply flip it upside down, cover it in lights & you have a festive Christmas tree.  


I wouldn't use this alternative tree to replace my actual Christmas tree but I can think of a million & one fun ways to use them for my holiday decor.  A few cage trees in various heights would make for a very pretty lawn or front porch display.  Or perhaps place an alternative tree to add some Christmas love to an empty tabletop or foyer.  Bay windows are the prime spot for alternative trees to be enjoyed from inside &  outside of your home.  


Winter Brides, these cheery Christmas trees are perfection for winter wedding decor!  A few grouping of these alternative trees are a fabulous winter touch for your altar.  Place a few on the floor by your head table or sweetheart table to make a twinkly statement.  Add a few of these alternative trees to make your photo booth backdrop wintery.  Maybe put a few at the front entrance of your church &/or reception space for a winter touch.  Just use your imagination!  


Can you forgive me for bringing up Christmas so early?  Pretty please with a cherry on top?   

Pretty Paper

I have a wedding invitation appointment tomorrow & I'm really, really excited because I don't have such appointments much anymore.  I'm not comfortable bringing strangers to my home studio & I'm not lugging my heavy invitation books elsewhere.  But tomorrow is a fun appointment with a family friend that will give me the golden chance to flex my creative invitation muscles.  Now I have invitations on my mind! 

Invitations are my favorite wedding detail & I'd love to share some recent finds with you:

Invitation by Avie Designs

via Oh So Beautiful Paper

The modern, lasercut Mexican Papel Picado invitation is AMAZING!  I'm in absolute awe.  This invitation is practically too good to be true.  I would love, LOVE to receive this invitation to a fun, fiesta wedding!! 

   Invitation by Julia Kostreva

via Once Wed

No doubt about it, letterpress is beautiful.  This Fall invitation takes letterpress invitations to a new level with a process called split ink fountain.  I don't know anything about split ink fountain except that I absolutely love it!

Invitation by Woodland Papercuts

via Postcards and Pretties

This charming invitation is named Deer Beloved.  I mean, that just about says it all!  Papercutting is used to create the invitation & I'm a huge fan of the results.   I'm picturing a winter wedding in Aspen.

Invitation by Scout's Honor Co.

via 100 Layer Cake

Nautical-themed weddings & invitations are nothing new but the fabulous watercolor design takes this invitation to another level.  I know from my art class days that watercolor is no easy feat so I really admire this design.  It's a fresh, pretty take on a classic waterfront wedding. 

For more of my fun invitation picks, check my Paper Board on Pinterest!

What invitations are you loving these days?

Wedding Wheels

Here is a little-known fact about me: I love cars.

Yes, it's true.  My little fascination with cars started when I was younger.  I favored my Matchbox cars over my Barbies.  I treasured my car & truck quilt my Grandma made me because it was much more fitting than the flowery stuff available for little girls.  I adored our family friends' Mercedes.  I dreamed of owning a classic Mustang (still do!).

You may think my love of cars got lost in my wedding planning world of tulle, lace & flowers.  Oh no.  As I pore through wedding magazines & wedding blogs, I always look for fun, creative modes of wedding transportation.  It doesn't have to be a car to catch my eye either.  Now that I can pin & save those images of wedding wheels, I'm in heaven.  My Wheels board on Pinterest is my favorite.

Allow me to share some favorite Wedding Wheels with you.  Nope, wheels aren't limited to cars!

An unexpected cherry-red tractor for a Farm Wedding:

Image via Snippet & Ink

An adorably-styled classic for a Classic Wedding:

Image via Martha Stewart Weddings

A cute bicycle of love for a Country Wedding:

Image via Ruffled

A vintage blue truck for a Southern Wedding:

Image via Southern Weddings

For my absolute favorite Wedding Wheels, just take a look at the Koru Wedding Style header!  I really love cars so Wedding Wheels will become a regular monthly feature- I can't help myself :-)

Do (or did) you have any fun plans for Wedding transportation?

Crafty {Belated} Birthday

Belated Birthday Gifts & Wishes 

for Jen of Craftiness NOW

At Koru, the inspiration & celebration of new beginnings involves weddings 99% of the time.  But beginnings come in many forms like births & birthdays.  & I like to celebrate them all!!!

My friend Jen of Craftiness NOW is no exception.  When she announced her birthday bash in August, I eagerly started a birthday project for her that involved her love of pink & crafts.  Then I was unable to attend her party (boo-hoo) & I stalled on my crafting.  We finally made plans last week & this was the fire I needed under my crafting butt to get this project done.

Let's call this project Inspiration Canvas Set.  I found inspiration on Pinterest but (stupidly) I didn't actually pin the source but the basic canvas, letters, paint idea is similar to this pin.  I wanted something simple & sweet to decorate Jen's cute apartment & inspire her with some well-chosen words.

First things first was a trip to AC Moore.  I loaded up on 4 baby canvases, wooden letters & paint.  Because a throng of sorority sisters had depleted the supply of wooden letters to make their paddles, I was forced to rethink my words.  I ended up with my original words of Love & Hope, plus the new additions of Joy & Wish: 

I painted two of the canvases with a few coats of Ballet Pink because Jen loves pink & the other canvases with Vanilla for a nice contrast:

The "toughest" part of the project was painting those tiny letters.  For most of the letters, I painted them before I glued them on the canvas.  It wasn't easy keeping them in place to paint them.  I didn't paint Wish until it was glued on the canvas for that exact reason.  Then I ended up with pools of extra paint on the canvas.  I can't decide which method was best:

Before too long, my birthday present idea turned into an actual birthday present that I'm pretty proud of:

I wrapped these cuties in a cupcake gift bag & paired them with pink wine & presented them to Jen at our little dinner & dessert party.  I'm pretty sure she liked them.  Hopefully, all of Jen's birthday wishes come true because she deserves each & every one!

FYI, with the right words, these could be a great engagement, wedding or baby decoration or gift.  Think Marry Me with the couple's name, wedding words like Forever/Always/Love/Heart or the baby's name, birth date & stats.  Be creative & have FUN!

It's A Wrap! 23rd Edition

Invitations, Art Deco-Style

Image via 100 Layer Cake

Hello, Beautiful!  Did you have a good week?  Yes, no, maybe so?  Whatever the case may be, no worries because the weekend is here.  Take a little time to feast your eyes on some serious wedding eye candy before you start the weekend celebration:

A scrumptious soiree, styled in the name of 1920's & Art Deco

Need I say more?

Yup, I adore the details but big smiles & pure joy capture my heart

(psst . . . there's a tractor too!)

 What's white, black, green AND delightful?

Rhi of Hey Gorg is one of my fav wedding bloggers & 

she doesn't disappoint with this bright, beautiful wedding full of amazing details!

On the serious side, I haven't changed my name yet.

Come here & be part of this important discussion. 

If you'd like to be a part of the ongoing collection of the lovely & beautiful that catch my heart each week, join me on Pinterest.  I pin my heart out every day!

Until next week when I have tons of fun stuff coming EVERY day, have a fabulous weekend!

It's A Wrap: 22nd Edition

Count this beauty as one of my Favorite Weddings

Image via Style Me Pretty

Hi, Koru Family & Friends!  Today is the first day of Autumn.  It's pretty much a wash of heavy rain & grey skies here but I hope Autumn delivers sunny, crisp, cool days soon.  Enjoy the first Autumn weekend!

Before you leave to celebrate the weekend, please enjoy the Koru List of my favorite finds this week:

It's a bold statement but I feel comfortable making it:

This whimsical Wedding is my favorite Wedding EVER

Will you be using Tangerine Tango or these other hot colors for your Wedding or Event?

Sometimes an amazing Wedding needs no words

What would you do with 66 Minutes with your loved one?

Come join me in pinning lots & lots of Wedding loveliness!

May your Autumn weekend be fabulous~

Koru Kate Finds: 7th Edition

Making Memories

Image via Treasury of Memories 

Newlywed Nesting.  Is there such a thing?  Well, the hubs & I got major nesting fever back in June when we started several major projects in our home sweet home.  Now we're finishing up with a few little projects, including choosing, printing & hanging wedding & honeymoon photos on our walls.

That's where my latest Koru Kate Finds comes in.  I found this Established Canvas Kit gem during one of my many Pinterest binges & I thought it was absolutely perfect for displaying a few of your wedding photos.  It's beyond fabulous!!!  The kit comes with the four canvases, the ribbon & the established sign.  All you need to do is choose & adhere three of your favorite photos.  Then presto: you have a sweet wedding memento to adorn your home! 

Now, of course, I opt to take the more difficult route & make my own Established display.  I will pick up the four canvases at my craft store, plus some pretty ribbon to match our decor & wooden letters to make our name & wedding date.  Then I have the difficult task of choosing three favorite wedding photos.  I'm excited about these personal touches that will make the display the perfect match for our home.  I'll post the results soon :-) 

I hope my find inspires you.  Get those creative wheels turning . . . Make your own to celebrate your Wedding.  Fun gift for a First Wedding Anniversary.  Lovely gift for a baby's First Birthday.  Or great gift to mark any special occasion! 

It's A Wrap! 19th Edition

America, the Beautiful Bride
Image via People

What a week! I came home from a peaceful, relaxing vacation to a rare earthquake, quickly followed by reports of a hurricane. Craziness. Our home is prepped with food, water & supplies for 3 days but we plan to leave town Saturday & not return unless the current storm prediction changes. I hope each & every one of my fellow East Coasters stays safe & sound!

Until we meet again, here are some lovelies gathered just for you:

So-called Ugly Betty is a Beautiful Bride!!!!
Am I the only one that missed her wedding?!

Follow me, this is sooooo much fun!

Trust me, just check out the fabulous getaway car

How did you know it was "The One?"

Wishing you a safe & happy weekend!

Koru Kate Finds: 4th Edition

A Wedding Path
Image from Martha Stewart Weddings

Today's Koru Kate Finds is another oldie but goodie.

I have been pinning my little heart out & I came across this classic image from the great Martha Stewart. The image brought me back, way back . . .

Once upon a time, I was a lost girl. Little passion, no direction. I happened to stumble into an internship with a wedding planner. Oh, I loved it so very much. The Brides, the wedding gowns, the flowers, the food. I began to eat & breathe weddings. As such, Martha Stewart Weddings was my Bible.

I remember spotting this simply incredible image in the gorgeous pages of MSW & it captured my heart. Years later, it caught my heart when I found it among the pretty in The Best of Martha Stewart Living Weddings. Then just days ago, it reclaimed my heart in the lovely world of Pinterest. There is something about this beautiful rose petal path lined with large hurricane candles that speaks to me over & over again. So powerful, so timeless. Among other things, I find this wedding path reminds me of how & why I came to love weddings.

Wouldn't you just love to walk down a rose petal path? Who knows what beauty is on the other end!