Procrastination at its finest

Like I said in my bio, I am a procrastinator. In this situation, I have procrastinated to the point that it was embarrassing.  People would ask how long I've been married I'd reply "5.5 years" and ask to see my pics from the wedding, I would stare at them with a blank stare. Not that I didn't know what they were talking about. We had pictures taken, I just never got around to getting them developed. I had seen them right after the wedding, but I figured, ehh the photog has the digitals, we'll get it done soon. Soon stretched out to years and finally this spring my photographer contacted me and said there was going to be another increase in the price of the album.

Well that got my ass in gear. And the fact that our kid has more pics of her than our whole album - total, was disgusting. And so folks I finally put my nose to the grind and ordered my beautiful leather bound photo book album. God I'm not that much older but I feel as though I was sooo young in those pictures.

Our wedding day was wonderful. We had very incorporated Polish and Filipino traditions to our wedding. We had a Polish style blessing in the home and Filipino traditions during the mass, which were the cord veil and coin ceremony. We also had traditional Polish Highlanders playing at the wedding, which is a nod specifically where we come from in Poland. We also made our own vodka (If you've ever been to an 'off the boat' Polish wedding, you know what I'm talking about) And of course as usual Polish weddings go we partied till 4 a.m. Plus the next day we had something called poprawiny which translates to re-do.

When we walked out of the church its Polish tradition to throw money at the newlyweds, and whomever picks up the most rules the money hand. I think all my bridesmaids helped pick up only the larger denominations, and someone stuck a paper bill in my hand too. 

But I have to say with as large of a wedding as we had, 500 people, the thing that got me the most was the surprise that my parents got for us. We had booked a limo and a party bus for the bridal party but when we got out of the church... there was a traditional highlander horse and carriage waiting for us. 

I think I balled my eyes out when I saw that, not only was it a huge surprise but it was something that most girls coming from a highlander background hope to have in their wedding. I always dreamed of it but never voiced to anyone and to have that done on my special day, it still brings tears to my eyes. I can't even explain it.

And of course when we went to take our pictures in the park, we had to bring along a cooler with the homemade vodka and other booze to tide the bridal party over. Although this tradition was new to most of the Filipinos the Polish crew got them accustomed real quick. 

To say the reception was fun is an understatement. I think we were all pleasantly surprised how well opposite sides of the globe got along and partied so well. We had a band and a dj took over while the band took breaks plus the highlander group played while guests walked in. We danced and drank and ate till the early morning hours and the next day the party continued until late in the night. It was a great day, one I will remember and smile on, for the rest of my life. 

Phew what a summer!

If the rest of the year keeps going at the rate that it's been going I'm going to crap out. We have had one hell of a summer with the storms and the subsequent water and roof damage and then ensuing repairs. Also not mentioning the weather has made keeping a pool from turning green a living nightmare. These are the type of summers that I regret that we ever had a pool and not a pool man to keep it clean. And to think that we have actually used the pool a total of 2.5 times, and that being generous. Plus trying to get the remodel done in time for the kids' birthday party has also put a little pressure on.

So I'll post the before and afters of the remod some other time. I wanted to focus on the birthday party in this post. I just want to preface this as "I'm crazy". I have always wanted to make a cutesy little party for the poopsie, with banner flags and decorations that wasn't dependent on streamers bought from a store. So I started this year extra early that I would get everything I wanted to get done way before hand and not omit anything.

I wanted to do the paper tissue poof balls and I wanted to do cake balls and I also wanted to make her a keepsake cake topper. All while also cleaning after a remodel and cooking a majority of the food AND worry about bad weather that would make all my party planning caput.

This year we weren't going to throw her a huge party, it was only going to be the grandparents and our sibling with a few of my girlfriends with their kids, which isn't that huge considering we've had 60 plus birthday parties in the past.

Crazy is as crazy does - I actually accomplished the tasks I set before me. Although I have to admit a few people came to help to get it all done. Especially my friend Janice who I need to take out for dinner with everything that she helped me with.


But with no further ado..... as my poopsie says TADA!

I made waaaay more than in this pic but with everything going on I took this pic a day later after they were mostly gone. Boy were these good. Time consuming but good. My brothers' sweet girlfriend Iza made her  red velvet cake from scratch - no box mix here baby. I mixed it with cream cheese frosting and dipped them into dark cocoa. S'cuse me while I wipe the drool from my mouth, they were delicious. Everyone kept sneaking one, which I don't know why they needed to sneak they were out for everyone to eat, maybe cuz they tasted so decadent? 

And then there were the pom poms that I did the day before. They were supposed to hang outdoors but the rain was coming down pretty hard so we swapped that idea, instead to decorate inside.

I had the whole first floor covered, and the kids took some home at the end of the night.  

Last but definitely not least the craft that took me the longest to make was her cake topper. I figure we can reuse this every year maybe I'll change the dress out.  This topper took me about a week to make, it was the first time I made it so I was figuring out the way to get the head on the glue to use paint, dry paint again. Phew. I have to say it was worth it, I plan on making more for some friends and maybe with practice it will take less time to make, and look a bit more finished. 

Quote of the Week

Pantone Fall Color Forecast

I live by Pantone colors. I love picking through the Pantone picker to decide on a color. It's not to say that the clients always have the extra money in their budget to print with spot colors, but I like picking through those first and then changing them out to process color system after. Sorry for the shop talk.

So when Pantone each year comes out with their forecast for the year I always take notice. I mean not only does Pantone set trends in advertising, this reaches far more – to fashion, interior, design, etc...

What do you think, anything strike your fancy? Sometimes we think meh, but after seeing the combos gel a bit, I can see myself using those colors.

What do you all think, can you see yourselves using these colors in your next home project, if so I would love to know which ones and where.

I knew I should have kept that...

That bad part of that statement is that stuff that I wore when I was younger is actually back in style, so I can't just blame my mom for getting rid of cool stuff. Although I wish she kept some of those printed jersey dresses that she wore when I was a kid back in Poland. Something about communist 70's fashion is striking a cord with me.

I think flavorwire says it best with this illustration of what it is to be a hipster.

But then again, I don't have enough room to keep all the crap that we accumulate in this lifetime, somethings gotta go.