DIY Save the Dates

As you probably know, I’m getting married in October (woop woop)

It will be a budget friendly, family affair in the backyard of my parent’s home.

I think when most people hear ‘budget friendly’ and ‘wedding’ in the same sentence, they cringe….

but it doesn’t have to be that way!!

remember my “idea board” ?

 

I wanted to make the invitations and save-the-dates fitting for the outdoor event.

I was so lucky to find this ‘giving tree’ save-the-date from Merriment Design.

The template is free to download here

 

I modified it with Adobe Illustrator,

then had two printed per page at Office Max.

They have a great selection of cardstock colors and weights.

I think it came to about $20 total.

 

I trimmed the cards to the appropriate size using my mom’s ancient,

but still awesome, paper cutter

     

my friend Tiffany came over and helped me add water-color detail to the leaves

(love her!)

Chris’ had a special technique for sealing them (instead of licking each envelope)

(the Seinfeld episode where Susan, George’s fiancé, dies from licking low-end wedding invitation envelopes kept coming to mind)

    

The envelopes are called ‘Kraft’ or ‘brown paper bag’ envelopes

Number 10 (standard business), open ended

I bought them from Envelope Mall (100 envelopes for $12)

                  

    

 

             

 

I was so nervous to mail them….

it’s not like I can climb inside the mailbox and get them back if I forgot something…

believe me, I contemplated it, they make those things practically airtight.

This girl’s a graduate!

 

First of all, I just want to say THANKS to everyone who has stuck around with me through the whole graduate school thing. 

I know it’s been a long, long…. long road.

merci beaucoup!

 

thank you family…

for the free rent, free food, free laundry, and free hugs for the past 3 years.

 

thank you professors… well, most of you.

I know it isn’t always easy to deal with type-A students.

 

thank you Tiffany

There’s no WAY I could have made it through this program without you girl;

You are a forever friend!

 

 

thank you Chris

you are patient, you are kind, you do not envy, you do not boast, you are not proud (except of me of course), you are not rude, you are not self-seeking, you are not easily angered, you keep no record of wrongs….

I could go on… but it would take pages..

Thank you, my love, for living out 1 Corinthians 13.

now I can sign my name  -->   Ashley Miller, MS, CFY-SLP

au revoir   Leo the lion!

Oh, Happy Day!

“Oh Happy Day”

That was the text message I received from my dad on my birthday on Tuesday.

I told him I wouldn’t even ask how long it took him to type it out and send it.

It was a perfect day:

• Chris came over for dinner (which was roast, potatoes, and carrots… my fave)
• He brought cupcakes from The Carolina Cupcakery

 

Y.U.M.M.Y

 

• Chris’ present to me was a membership to the YMCA, which I had been wanting and wanting very badly for a while.
• my parent’s gave me

….drum roll please….

   

      

my very own SEWING MACHINE!!!!

oh, giggity giggity.

she’s beautiful.

 

and she’s all M.I.N.E.

stay tuned for my first project using ….um, I haven’t given her a name yet… stay tuned for that too!

Little Gym Luau!

in case you haven’t heard…

I love The Little Gym of Chesapeake.

 

Last week was our member’s party, a night of member appreciation full of gym activities, giveaways, and snacks.

It was also a time for current members to receive priority for enrolling their child in the fall semester.

 

Tiffany and Rachel donning their grass skirts (mine didn’t make it past 5 minutes)

  

 

um… some belly rubbing and a group photo

  

 

once the luau was over we headed down to skinny dip for a yummy treat

(you remember my love for The Skinny Dip,

and my work lovelies share the same affinity!)

   

what silly-millies

I know you love our matching shirts… go ahead… admit it… we ROCK!

  

ooh, my purse made it into both pics…. SA-WEET!

 

in other important world news… I’ve almost finished my save-the-dates!

I can’t wait for you to ooh and aah over them… and you will – trust me, oh, you will.

the finished product… and a FAB baby shower for a FAB friend!

Remember the sneak peek I showed you of a baby shower gift for my friend Tiffany?

Well, here’s the finished product:

                    

My first quilt EVER!

My mom made it look so easy…but this was definitely a challenge.

I was so happy, though,  to make this for Tiffany and her first baby, Hunter!

Here are a few more details from the shower:

 

                                        

 

The day before the shower Tiff and I spoiled ourselves with pedicures:

I won’t even go into how hard it was for me to choose a color…..

in the end I chose a “rockin” green,

(the kids at work are fascinated by it and try to poke at my toes to see if it will come off)

  We decided unanimously that we (and all women) need to do that more often…

i’m just sayin’