I also catered my own wedding reception from Sam's Club. I recommend putting your hot food on the table last so that guests won't load up their plates with the more expensive food first. This strategy worked well for both my and my good friend's wedding.
My food included: Hot: - cocktail meatballs (bought frozen, made our own sauce) - mini crab cakes (frozen) - mini bread bowls with a bacon/tomato cheese mixture (frozen)
Cold: - cubed cheese (bought in 3 lb. pkgs. already cubed, and froze the leftovers -- was great in casseroles for months after the wedding!) - cracker assortment - veggie trays - spinach dip
Sweet: - Mixed frozen fruit, thawed (so much cheaper than a fruit tray, and we served it from a punch bowl to be more elegant with fruit dip on the side) - Mini fruit tartlets (frozen) - Cream puffs (frozen)
For beverages, we had golden punch made by my mother and cold sweet iced tea from a silver urn that we borrowed. We didn't serve alcohol, but I would certainly recommend a limited selection for your budget's sake.
Clear forks, plates, and punch cups were also purchased from Sam's Club. Borrow as many "accessories" as you can: platters, small glass bowls for dip, table clothes, greenery, etc.
I also would have ordered fewer printed napkins and instead alternated them with color-coordinating, same-size napkins from Dollar Tree. ... View related article.
I use Mean Green on the underarms of my husband's shirts and it helps with deodorant buildup. However, I have only tried this with white shirts. The spray recommends you test it on an inconspicuous area first if you are in doubt about it discoloring something. I've heard that you can drop a couple of plain aspirin in the wash with new white tee shirts to prevent buildup in the first place. ... View related article.
Royal blue bandannas would be an inexpensive and Western themed way to pick up your colors. You could use them as napkins for your reception BBQ, underneath mason jars with flowers or dried wheat inside on your tables, or you could even string a line of rope along the top edges of your tent and use wooden clothespins to pin the bandannas on for a flag effect. Look online to buy these in bulk.
For your silver accents, consider using small galvanized pails with sand and a candle inside to light your walkways, or these would even be an adorable centerpiece on your tables with a raffia bow on the handle and a bandanna spread underneath. Other thrifty ways to include silver would be spray painted horseshoes or rocks, or small pictures of you and your fiance in dollar store silver frames on the table. ... View related article.
What "feel" are you going for? Right now the trend is maple, and oak is often criticized for being typically '80's or '90's. Really, you should go with whichever one you prefer, though, because both have their fans and their strong points. For an elegant, warm, up-to-date look, go with maple. Its grain is not as pronounced as oak and it's therefore very versatile for many kitchen styles. For a cozy, country-style kitchen, oak is your answer, because it's heavy grain contributes to the overall rustic effect. If you know the color of wood or stain you want, try it out on samples of both woods, because the grain patterns of each will pick up the color differently. Take a look at hardwood flooring samples to see what I mean. ... View related article.
I believe your puppy does indeed have some pit bull in his heritage, and possibly some boxer also. Search for pictures of pit bulls online to help you figure things out. My best advice is to also be aware of the training, dominance, and discipline issues related to pit bulls so that you have a positive relationship with your dog. ... View related article.
I recovered a vintage shade just last weekend. Drum shades (perfect cylinders with no slope on the sides) are the easiest to do. First, remove any trim from the top or bottom edge and take off any existing fabric if possible. Then, measure around your shade and add an extra inch to this measurement (for folding over the extra and creating a "finished" edge).
Measure your shade top to bottom, and add an inch to this measurement also (so you'll have enough to fold over and glue inside the shade top and bottom). If this is the first time you've ever recovered a shade, choose a fabric that doesn't have a pattern like stripes or a plaid, because it will be tricky to match. Iron your fabric well and spray the WRONG side with spray adhesive. If you use hot glue all over the shade instead, it could show through once the lamp is on.
Line the edge of the fabric up with the edge of the seam on your lamp, and carefully roll on top of the fabric, making sure you have equal amounts of fabric top and bottom of the shade for later. Stretch and press the fabric firmly against the shade to encourage it to stick well. A blow-dryer can be used to reheat the spray adhesive if you fear it's not sticking tightly enough to the shade after it's applied.
When you finish, take the extra inch of fabric and fold it over at the seam to hide the raw edge, and hot glue it down. Then, fold the extra fabric inside at the top and bottom of the shade and use the hot glue gun to secure it. You may need an x-acto knife to trim it evenly later if the edge isn't even. You may decorate your edges with ribbon, fringe, beads, you name it! You can also stencil on designs, decorate with silk flowers, tassels, or whatever. Here's my rummage sale lamp with its $1 Goodwill shade, wearing a new cover of broadcloth and grosgrain ribbon. Enjoy! ... View related article.
Cut floral foam to fit in the shoe and arrange silk flowers in the foam as you like. Use Spanish moss, easter grass, or colored shredded paper to cover the foam.
If you have to use real flowers, buy the glass tubes to hold water for the stems and secure the tubes inside the shoe somehow (maybe poke them in hollowed-out areas in the foam).
If you don't want to actually put the flowers IN the shoes, another possibility would be to use a round mirror as your base, then put a tall skinny vase in the center for your flowers and have the shoes as accents around the vase with bright tissue paper or tulle poking out of the shoes to add color and fun. You could have shoes in a complete circle around the vase, or just one or two as an accent. Scatter confetti or flat colored glass marbles around the mirror for extra decoration. ... View related article.
If they aren't frozen in sauce, you can put them in a sauce made of chili sauce (tomato based) and grape jelly, and simmer on low to make a really tasty cocktail meatball. That's how I used mine from my wedding. They're good with a stroganoff-type sauce over noodles or rice also.
Could they be threaded onto shish kebobs with veggies like bell pepper and onion and grilled while basting with a sweet and sour sauce? This might be a fun use.
Try to find a tunic top that has a bottom hem that hits you below your widest area. Don't go for a really baggy shirt -- you want it to skim over your body, not be a tent! If you are large-busted, do not pick anything that is empire waisted (has a band or sometimes stretchy gathering all the way under the bust). A V-neck or scoop neck is flattering because it makes your neck look longer. Wear a camisole underneath for modesty if needed. A long necklace is more flattering than a short one because it makes the eye "stretch" vertically and is slimming. Choose 3/4 sleeves over short sleeves because they'll elongate your upper arm. Short sleeves are notorious for emphasizing arm flab! You can also put a loose belt over your tunic to accent your waist slightly -- this can be a chain belt, large leather belt, or a scarf. Avoid large prints -- solid colors and small prints are best for a person of your height. ... View related article.
I don't know of any ready-made items, but I strongly suggest having a primarily black and white wedding with red flowers (roses seem a natural choice) as others suggested, and using the damask as accents, because it's a big print that can be overwhelming in large doses. Make your own black and white damask print accents whenever possible because wedding stuff is expensive. Here's some ideas:
-- Search for black and white clip art on www.Office.Microsoft.Com using key words like "flourish," "fleur de lis," and "scroll." You could use a plain invitation kit and print a band of damask or just one accent at the top, and use red ribbon for a little color. These would also work well for favor tags, menu cards, or stenciling a custom aisle runner.
-- Also check Hobby Lobby and Michael's craft stores for damask print scrapbooking paper and stamps.
-- Look for black and white damask print tableclothes (even vinyl ones would work) or bedsheets online, and have someone cut them in table runners and finish the edges with a sewing machine. These could be used under food trays at the reception, accenting the cake table, and over the white tableclothes at individual tables where people eat.
-- Google "black and white damask wedding" to see examples of what others have done and learn where they bought certain items if you don't feel comfortable with your DIY skills. ... View related article.
