Chair rail? Check!

I have been on a crazy "we need to get our house projects done NOW" kick. I think it's because we're coming up to the one-year mark of living in our first home and we still haven't had a housewarming party (because I'm convinced the house isn't yet visitable by scrutanizing eyes).

After painting the antique chairs, every time we pushed back out of them, they'd transfer white paint on our milk chocolate walls. I thought chair rail was the answer. Chris wasn't sure. Wasn't the antique chair revamp project proof that he should listen to my design ideas?! Nevertheless, I proved right in the end -- and isn't that what matters most, ladies?

Chair rail along the worst of the scuff marks

Chair rail in the corner. We're probably going to paint the hutch white, too, to match the chairs and chair rail

Sweden good for more than just IKEA: Polarn O. Pyret

Move over, Baby Gap, Polarn O. Pyret is my new fave for fab baby gear!

Clothes for Mama-to-be, newborns, babies, and kids. Everything's on sale right now, so check it out!

Gunila Axen Eco Bodysuit

POLKA DOT BLOUSE

MATERNITY ECO PAJAMA BOTTOMS

Gorgeous invite design

My Google Reader grows daily, and I just discovered Paper Crave. Loooooove!

Found these there. Aren't they simply TO DIE FOR gorgeous? Sigh.

The whole suite

The invite

Find more of this suite on Paper Crave here. Find more pics posted by the bride and groom on Flickr.

Julia's cake

Here is the cake I made for friend and coworker Julia's wedding. She wanted three flavours, three buttercream icings, quilted fondant, and sequined ribbon. I didn't think it would all come together in time, but I got it in under the gun!

Sure, there were mishaps: a broken 16" base, torn fondant, running out of icing sugar, misplacing my quilting tool 3 hours before the wedding starts; but it was all worth it!

Attaching the ribbon at the hall

Standing by the finished product!

A side view. That's a lot of shimmer dust...

All cut up. Chocolate, vanilla, almond.

The Fake (but one-day-will-be-real) Wedding: father-daughter dance songs

Ok, so I am so loving some songs lately and they're all for the father-daughter dance.

Here they are in no particular order:

Daughter by Loudon Wainwright III (hear it) (lyrics)
My Girl by The Temptations (hear it) (lyrics)
There Goes My Life by Kenny Chesney (hear it) (lyrics)
Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder (hear it) (lyrics)
Gracie by Ben Folds (hear it) (lyrics)
Then They Do by Trace Adkins (hear it) (lyrics) ...this one is perfect for my dad!
I Loved Her First by Heartland (hear it) (lyrics)

Check them with a box of Kleenex in hand. I promise you'll need them!