04/24

shannon + jay

We’ve wanted to feature this beautiful wedding for more than a year now. So, today we are thrilled to feature this Vail, Colorado winter wonderland wedding. Last year, the mountains didn’t get a lot snow…the snow gods waited until Jay and Shannon gathered with their friends and family in January 2012 to say I do to let the snow fly. And fly it did – it dumped snow – which made for the perfect backdrop to this bride and grooms fairytale day.

This wedding is near and dear to my heart because Jay and Shannon and good family friends of ours, and Jameson {my son} was a ring bearer. Jay, the groom, has been my hubby’s bestie since they were 3! I first met Jay in high school, spent time with him on weekends when I visited my husband at college, and he stood by Tommy as his best man at our wedding {best best man speech, btw}. I love Jay. When I first met Shannon, I knew I wanted Jay to marry her…and I wanted to be her friend. Such a kind, fun, genuine, sincere and outgoing woman. I’m happy they found each other.

From the gorgeous bride, Shannon…I am not one of those girls who has known forever what their wedding day would be like, but it turned out to be exactly what I wanted. The only thing I knew going into the planning process was that I was wearing boots {cowgirl of course} and I wanted a winter wedding! We kept the theme very simple, wintery, and elegant, and tried to include as many “Colorado” touches as we could.

Jay and I both wore boots to the wedding and the reception. I am a huge boot fan, so my custom Liberty and Co. boots with my new initials will be a forever-loved item in my closet and a special reminder of our wedding day. I picked an all lace dress by Alvina Valenta because it was wintery and romantic, and also had somewhat of a country/rustic look to me. My fur shoulder wrap was a life-saver, as my wish for a “white wedding” did come true and it started snowing about an hour before the ceremony and didn’t stop until Sunday! My girls wore full-length Amsale dresses in chocolate brown with boots. They looked so gorgeous. And the boys equally as handsome in tuxes and for some, boots as well.

For the flowers we chose white flowers with natural accents of pods, twigs, and greenery, and of course lots of candlelight to give the room a warm glow. My favorite part about the flowers were the pheasant feathers that we included in my bouquet, the boutonnieres and the centerpieces. My dad and Jay are big bird hunters, so their contribution to the flowers was finding me some beautiful feathers to have our florist incorporate. A nice way to make the men feel involved. 🙂

We used all local vendors to support the Vail area, and they were all fantastic! My caterer is a rock star. Our menu reflected our Colorado roots and love for great cuisine. We served a split plate of Colorado trout and beef tenderloin with fresh veggies and risotto.

Nothing beats Willie Nelson for a first dance, someone who we really felt was a perfect artist to represent both of our styles of music. Jay loves to play this game where he asks the five musicians you would see live and Willie was one of mine, so years ago he surprised me with tickets. We took weeks of dance lessons to master our first dance as a married couple and the funniest thing in the world to me is that Jay drew our dance out on a post it note about a week before the wedding so he wouldn’t forget it. So darling.

For the favors we wanted to do something that wasn’t just chocolates or midnight snacks. I love to cook and so I visited my favorite spice shop in Denver, Savory, and had them put together spice packets that were the perfect mix to include in Jay’s favorite burger recipe. We included the recipe for “Juicy Jay Burgers” with the spice packets as a thank you to guests for being a special “ingredient” in our day.

The best part of our wedding was that we were surrounded by our incredible friends and family. It’s amazing to me to look at the friends we have made along the way, the friends we have had since we were two, and the family that has supported us the whole time, and know that they were there for each moment and by our sides for our wedding. Our friends and family are simply the best, and we are so incredibly blessed to have such love and support.


VENDOR LOVE
Photographer: M Todd Thiele Photography
MakeUp: Glo makeup, Laura Anzalone
Catering: Foods of Vail, Tracey Van Curan
Wedding Coordinator/Tuxes: Mountains and Meadows, JoAnn Moore
Ceremony Site: The Chapel at Vail
Reception: Donovan Pavilion
Ceremony Music: Pat Hamilton Music
DJ: A Great Time DJ
Reception Decor and Lighting: Pink Monkey Solutions
Flowers: Rose Petals
Hair: Inga Cox Hair, 970.471.9820
Transportation: Turtle Bus
Liquor: West Vail Liquor
Bridal Gown: anna bé, dress designer is Alvina Valenta
Bridesmaids Gowns: Amsale, worn with own boots
Bridal Boots: custom-made by Liberty Boot Co., from Cry Baby Ranch in Denver
Escort door: courtesy Tutto Bella gals!

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04/22

upcycle mania

So sorry we’ve been MIA. Goodness, it seems we took a 3 week spring break. Between birthdays, vacation, kiddos and work, we haven’t had a chance to sit at the computer at all.

In honor of Earth Day today, we are sharing a few upcycle DIY projects that make re-using old things in a new way just, well…fabulous. And the best part…the only energy it takes is from you. If you’ve done any cool upcycling yourself lately, please send us photos…

Upcycled Ladder with Shelves, Less Than Perfect Life with Bliss


Plastic Spoon Mirror, Little Things Bring Smiles

Frame Corner Ceiling, Michael Stravato for the New York Times

Suitcase Side Table, Cupcake and Cashmere

Ski Lift Swing, Colorado Weddings Magazine
I don’t like to ski, but I could so do this

Hanging Rainboots Planters, Rosy Posy

 Upcycled Can Vase, Apartment Therapy

Leather and Wood Shelf, Design Sponge

Record Side Table, The Flourishing Abode

{images via Less Than Perfect Life with Bliss, Little Things Bring Smiles, The New York Times, Cupcakes and Cashmere, Colorado Weddings Magazine, Rosy Posy, Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge, The Flourishing Abode}

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04/18

uncooked cards

Being a part of the fabulous Fleur de Lis (a paperie) family, you can guess I have seen my fair share of greeting cards. Personally, I am a huge fan of the quirky, weird, sarcastic cards. The ones that you’ve never seen before… the ones that cause you to turn heads in the store because you can’t stop laughing.

 Uncooked greeting cards are just that. And, they are absolutely hilarious. Seriously, if you’re ever having a bad day and need a good laugh, visit their website and read their cards… I guarantee your spirits will be boosted.

If you’re interested in purchasing any, because we all know somebody who would get a kick out of them, go to Fleur de Lis!
{I make sure we are fully stocked with them at all times!}

Here are a few of my favs… hope you get a good laugh!
{if not, don’t judge me on my humor :-)}

{images via Uncooked}

 

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04/02

DIY Crayon Flower Art

Crayon art is everywhere this year, so on a snowy Colorado day, while the kids and I were stuck inside, I brought out the box of crayons. The kids were busy making hearts and dinosaurs {for the kids, we used the standard method, inspired by my friend, Devon, who was also stuck inside with her kiddos for the day}, which included wax paper, shredded crayons, a towel and an iron.

When the kids went down for a nap, while I was cleaning up, an idea popped into my head. And when an idea pops into a DIY-addicts head, there’s bound to be another project…and a mess. The result, melted poppy crayon art.

Melted Poppies

Ingredients:

Wax paper
green crayon
red and yellow crayon shreds
modge podge
griddle
battery powered candles
glass vases/hurricanes

 How to:

Shred the crayons you want to use for the flower color. I used 1 yellow crayon and 2 red crayons. I didn’t find a cheese grater to be effective, so I used a pencil sharpener, and it worked great.

Cut the wax paper to the size of the vases {wrap the wax paper around the vase and leave just an inch or two extra space to overlap – this will be the area where you add the modge podge}.

Turn the griddle on low.

NOTE: You must work with quick hands for the next step.

Have the green crayon {to use for the stems and grass} and the crayon shreds ready and accessible because you will need to work quickly.

Place the wax paper on the griddle and immediately draw the grass and the stems freehand.

Quickly, place the center of the flower on each stem with yellow shreds, then immediately grab the red crayon shreds and add around the center of the flower. Don’t pile on the shreds too thick – a small amount is enough.

Once all the shreds are melted, which will take about 5 seconds or so, gently slide the wax paper off the griddle {don’t pull the paper up, or the flower will melt into each other}

Immediately place tightly around the vase {if you wait too long, the crayons will harden and then will crack/break when you curve the paper around the vase}.

Add modge podge to the end of one side of the wax paper and seal.

Add the candles to the vase and you have a lovely, DIY spring centerpiece.
 

Happy Spring!

{images via Tutto Bella}

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03/28

the little things…

It’s the little things in life that have the biggest impact sometimes. When I think of the little things that make me smile, it’s watching my kids discover something new for the first time, or the sound of tiny feet running into our bedroom in the morning, or a sweet note from a friend, a hug, a smile – whatever it may be, the little things are noticed and often, never forgotten.

All that was so ‘high level;’ in relation to what this post is really about. I’m not even sure why I got into that. This post is so not deep or philosophical. But, you know those little things that you’ve discovered, or special treats that can make a big impact in your day-to-day routine? That’s what we’re sharing with you today…some of our tricks of the trade that are small, but worth trying.

1. Frozen grapes in your wine glass.
Instead of ice, add frozen grapes to your glass of vino, and it will look pretty, and stay chilled without getting watery.  

2. Coconut Oil on the skin
Looking for a glow to your skin, without feeling oily? Coconut {organic and unrefined} is my go-to for a healthy, softening and brightening skin lotion. It adds a special glow, and doesn’t stain clothes or make me feel oily. You can find liquid Coconut Oil or solid Coconut Oil {when rubbed in between your hands, it will melt immediately and then you can apply to your skin} at your local health food store, and possibly grocery store. 

3. Cinnamon in coffee
Cinnamon consumption has been known to have positive health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and has also been noted to detoxify the system, help fight bladder infections and stimulate brain function. My brother-in-law, Will, said this coffee trick, changed his life. 🙂 Just a dash of cinnamon added to the ground coffee in the filter {before you brew} will give your coffee a little {and delicious} kick, and healthy non-natural flavor. 

4. Chlorophyll in water
I know this sounds totally gross, but a couple drops of chlorophyll in a glass of water is so yummy! Even my hubby likes it, and the kids ask for green water daily. If you’re not a water drinker, but enjoy mint flavor, adding chlorophyll to your water will make boring water, tasty and refreshing. Chlorophyll fights toxins and boosts energy, so you’ll get some healthy benefits as well. Find liquid chlorophyll {mint is our favorite} at your local health store, and follow the directions for appropriate amounts of chlorophyll in your water. 

 Do you have any little things we MUST try. Please share! Send us an email at trejsorelle@gmail.com or comment on this post.

{image via Tutto Bella}

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