one night in bangkok.

Everyone has been asking me how Thailand is, so I thought I may as well do a blog post. My husband is still in his meetings for another few hours, and I've been camping out at our hotel since 6am this morning. I'm having a lot of trouble with the time difference, and the days go by slow since I have no one to talk to. I've spent a lot of time working on new designs, like a Christmas line, and a few new wedding invitations I'm anxious to introduce!

Getting here
Getting here wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and worse than I'd hoped it would be. Weather conditions delayed our first flight out, and we barely caught our flight to Tokyo because of it. A typhoon hit Japan as we were nearing, so our plane circled for awhile adding an extra 90 minutes to our already 13 hour flight. Engine trouble delayed our last flight by an extra two hours, and we didn't get to our hotel until 3am Thursday morning.

Stormy clouds over Japan

We got into Thailand around 1am, and took a cab to our hotel. By the time we got through customs, drove 30 minutes to our hotel and got checked in it was 3:30am Thai time (which is 4;30pm US time). We'd been up since 6am the day before, and we were EXHAUSTED.

Ben had meetings all day the following day, but later that night we met up with a few of his colleagues and went to dinner at a restaurant within walking distance.

Ben had shrimp, I had chicken and cashews

It was really cool to meet some of the men and women he was meeting with. Carl-Eric is from Sweeden. Dev is from Britain, and Emma is from Australia. I can't decide whose accent I love the most!! They're all incredible people and we sat and talked for three hours straight at this restaurant. It was a really fun night!

The restarautn was outdoors, but had a canopy over the dining areas. Exposed birdcages hung from the ceiling with a lightbulb inside. It was really pretty!

Last night, we went for a walk before we went to dinner. There is a Carrefore within walking distance, and we had to cross a skywalk to get over.

Us, on the skywalk, overlooking the highways.

We read reviews on the Carrefore, and we understood it to be like a Wal-Mart. We went there in hopes of getting some coke and maybe a bag of chips. I've been craving Western food so badly, and there are absolutely no options other than Thai cuisine here. I'm sure you're thinking, "Well DUH, that's a given" but I truly expected there to be a mixture of foods available since this area has so many tourists. I have to admit... there is only so much chicken and rice I can eat before I crave a slice of pizza!

The Carrefore was more like a flea-market on the bottom level (which sold cheap, plastic things). The upstairs was supposed to be an actual market, but it looked more like a Dollar General to me. There truly wasn't anything worth buying, and while we DID find Lays chips... they were shrimp flavored.

This morning, after breakfast ,we walked to 7-11. THEY HAD COKE. AND PRINGLES. This completely made my day.

It's slightly sweeter than coke we have back home, and I suspect that they use real sugar in it. Ben says it reminds him of Throw Back Pepsi, so.. I guess it's real sugar after all!

It's 6pm here now, and Ben is still in his meetings. They decided to make today extra long so everyone could have tomorrow off. We are moving to our next hotel in the morning, and will be downtown. I'm really excited to explore the city, and go to the Grand Palace.

So, that's the last four days in a nutshell! Not too exciting, but I didn't expect lots of site seeing while Ben is in his meetings. I'm not comfortable leaving the hotel by myself, and by the time he gets back he's so tired he just wants to sleep.

Tomorrow, though, we get to start our real adventure in Thailand!

{inspiration} table numbers

I think my favorite have to be the DIY Jar Numbers. These are SUPER easy to make, and there are several different ways to make them.

• Use a Cricut machine to make the numbers and then glue them onto the jars
• Cut out iron on numbers and use Modge Podge to glue them onto the jars
• Use self adhesive vinyl numbers (you can find these at your hardware store)
• Cut out numbers and run them through your Xyron to give them a sticky back
• Print out numbers from your computer on full sheet sticker paper
  

{wedding wednesday} french inspired

I came across this set on another blog, Wedding Inspirations, and couldn't help but share. There's a great chance that this shoot made it across the blogosphere in 2009 and I never noticed, but I'm sharing it with you today because my jaw dropped when I saw these images.

Event & Photo Stylist: Grey Likes Weddings
Floral Design: Flora Organica
Hair & Makeup: Vivian Tran: All Made Up
Wedding Stationary, Favors, and Paper Suite: MaeMae Paperie More details of her work for this session on her blog here.
Printing of paper products: Czar Press
Fabric Rosettes, shoe clips, and “just married” banner over cake: B. Poetic
Cake: Cheryl Stewart of Cake My Day
Bridal Wardrobe: The White Dress
Rentals: Olde Good Things
Organizer of the day/ teacher: Jessica Claire
Check out more photos from behind the scenes and from the shoot on Brandon’s Blog.

...and the winner is

STAR!

Star said:

I was amazed at how many of your favorite Christmas traditions were BAKING. What about EATING, people?!

I haves a few favorite Christmas traditions. Not many people like the movie, but once A Christmas Story comes on at 9pm on Christmas Eve, you are NOT allowed to change the channel in our house. In fact, the TV stays on all. night. long. even when we're all fast asleep. It stays on while we open Christmas presents in the morning. The TV gets muted, Christmas music gets put on the CD player, but the TV is never turned off! You'd be a damn fool to change that channel in my house on Christmas.

I also love Christmas morning with my parents. For 24 years, my dad would wake us up at 5 o'clock in the morning to open presents. Yes, my DAD! He would turn on all the lights in the house, make coffee, and play Christmas music. He would turn the music up louder and louder until everyone in the house was wide awake. By the time I was 17, this was more than annoying so my brother and I hid all of dad's Christmas CDs in the piano bench. Instead of bothering to look for the CDs, dad went out to buy more. Now he has an impressive collection of Christmas CDs that he loves to play all morning long. It wouldn't be Christmas without them!

Lastly, FOOD! My family goes all out on Christmas. We have three tables full of food, and my mom starts cooking at 8am. My entire family gets together to exchange presents and have dinner, so there's at least 20+ of us together that whole day. We make 8lbs of homemade risotto, ham, chicken, stuffed chicken, pastas, salads, sour cream cucumbers, mashed potatoes, breads, desserts... ohh I could go on and on about our food. It takes 10 hours to make, and ten minutes to eat it all up. It's sooo yummy and so worth the 15lbs you gain in one day.

So, Star, shoot me an email at blushprintables@gmail.com and CLAIM YOUR PRIZE! A $25 gift card to the shoppe :) Congrats, girl!

take a seat

Escort cards are meant to direct your guests to their tables, but when carefully designed and displayed, they can become a gorgeous detail to your wedding reception.

Long gone are the days of simple tent fold escort cards. Here are a few that I think that are unmistakably gorgeous and inspirational:

{freebie} Christmas Tags

I promised a fun giveaway when Blush's facebook page hit 300 fans... and here we are, hovering around 315 320 340! WOW! You guys are so, so amazing.

Christmas is right around the corner, so I thought it would be fun to give EVERYONE a free download of ten holiday-themed gift tags.

Each tag is a finished size of 3.25x2, and come in an assortment of colors and phrases. Each tag is unique in it's own way! I think these would look super cute if they were printed on cardstock, then cut to size and strung around your packages with bakers twine. They can also be printed on full-sheet sticker paper, and used as sticker tags as well!

To use:
1. Download the printable PDF by clicking the link below. This PDF contains 10 gift tags in a finished size of 3.25x2 and are both portrait and landscape in orientation.
2. Print onto card stock, and cut on the vertical dotted lines (there are two of them) to separate the portrait from the landscape tags.
2.1 OR print on to sticker paper (I use and recommend Avery #8165) and trim to size. You will have instant sticker tags!
3. Now you should have three separate sheets of paper. Trim each individual card to size.
4. Write your name and your recipients name in the designated space. Use double sided tape to secure your gift tag to your package. Alternatively, you can use a small hole punch in the upper left corner, and thread ribbon or bakers twine to make a hanging gift tag. If you chose to print your tags on sticker paper, they are self-adhesive!
5. Enjoy!

{thank you - a freebie + a giveaway!}

and

I promised a fun giveaway when Blush's facebook page hit 300 fans... and here we are, hovering around 315 320! WOW! You guys are so, so amazing.

Christmas is right around the corner, so I thought it would be fun to give EVERYONE a free download of ten holiday-themed gift tags.

Each tag is a finished size of 3.25x2, and come in an assortment of colors and phrases. Each tag is unique in it's own way! I think these would look super cute if they were printed on cardstock, then cut to size and strung around your packages with bakers twine. They can also be printed on full-sheet sticker paper, and used as sticker tags as well!

I promised one lucky fan a free download, though. There were several votes for the Mustache Bash printables, and several others for cupcake flags. I couldn't decide which would be the most fun to offer... so I decided to give away a $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE instead. One lucky winner will be able to purchase any ready-made item in my shop, personalize with their unique colors and information, or apply the gift certificate towards a CUSTOM party!

Sounds great, huh?!

Here's what to do:

- Leave a comment letting me know your favorite holiday tradition. Is it decorating? Baking? Making snowmen?

And for a few extra entries:
- Become a fan of Blush Printables on facebook at www.facebook.com/blushprintables and leave me a comment letting me know you are now a fan!
- Tweet about the giveaway using the following phrase, and leave a comment below with your twitter username:
"Win FREE stationery from Blush Printables! http://bit.ly/dmxNvF @ohsoglam "

If you are already a fan on facebook, just let me know!!
Please leave ONE COMMENT PER ENTRY -- this gives you THREE chances to win!!!

ONE lucky winner will be chosen at random using random.org on Friday, October 22, 2010. Contest entries will be CLOSED on Thursday, October 21st at midnight EST.

{inspiration board} elegant halloween wedding

Have you noticed a trend around here lately? HALLOWEEN! It's my favorite holiday (OK, I say that about EVERY Holiday...) so it's only fitting we talk about a Halloween themed wedding.

You can instantly turn a gruesome holiday into something very special and glamorous.
A Halloween wedding doesn't have to be traditional or cheesy. Stick with a bold color palette: Black and white, mixed with greys or purples, can instantly look glam. Incorporate black candelabras, place settings and flowers. How about some top hats for your groomsmen, or eggplant colored boutonnieres??

Mix in a bit of damask pattern or lace for extra texture. If you're going for a goth look and feel, include skull patterns in your decor.

And what's Halloween without CANDY? Have a dessert buffet filled with black and white candies. It is sure to be a hit!

Enjoy and get inspired!

spooky halloween printables

Full disclosure: I am NOT a photographer. I take blurry pictures. I am so in love with this vintage-goth collection, though, that I had my own very little impromptu photo shoot showcasing some of my favorite printables.

These vintage-goth inspired wine labels are so versatile. I printed them on sticker paper, cut to size using a paper trimmer, peeled, and stuck right on old bottles we had in our house. These two bottles, in particular, are Bacardi & Jack Daniels. Perfect for wine bottles, too! They're a great way to dress up and spookify your existing bottles. What a great way to transform a plain 'ol bottle into something creepy and toxic.

Party flags are also versatile. Simply print on to cardstock, cut to size, then wrap around a straw or lollipop stick for instant decor. The best part? THEY'RE FREE and available for download, right here on my blog!

supporting pink steel

This Pittsburgh-based team is made up of cancer survivors and gives the women an outlet and support group.

My mother-in-law is one of the beautiful women in this photograph.

The photograph was taken this past summer, in our home town of Pittsburgh, by Sports Illustrated photojournalist Lynn Johnson.

Lynn spent quite a bit of time following the Steel City Dragons this summer, documenting their practices and meets both here and in Chattanooga. Steel City, for the record, went on to win first place in the Chattanooga, competition. Sports Illustrated later went on to run an article profiling the team's training sessions, competition successes at Nationals, and the strength and camaraderie that make Pink Steel special.

These aren't just ordinary women. These are the kind of women who schedule mastectomy's around their sports schedule. These are the kind of women who look "that cancer stuff" in the face and simply say, I do not have time for you.

My mother in law was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, several years before I met my husband. She fought hard, and has been in remission for years. We recently celebrated her fifth year cancer free, which is a huge accomplishment and something she should be proud of. We're proud of her. I'm proud to call her my mother in law, and I'm proud to know someone who is such a survivor. She is the kind of person who refuses to cry, refuses to frown, and always has a happy smile on her face.

Pink Steel has grown to more than 50 women, ranging in age from twentysomething to seventysomething, of all shapes and sizes, representing the entire trajectory of breast cancer. Some of them were fortunate enough to detect a lump early and incur only psychic scars; others have undergone double mastectomies and are just weeks removed from chemo. Regardless, they all have warmed to competitive sports. They schedule their lives around the thrice-weekly practices. They watch their diets. They attend preseason training camp. They show up for off-season workouts, held in the converted weight room in their coach's garage.

In honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I've designed four FREE pritnable notecards. They are a finished size of 4x3 and can be printed on card stock then cut to size.

I teamed up with Christine from Better Bit of Butter, who has made gorgeous pink ribbon cookies this month.

You can download these FREE cards directly from my website.

adventures in cake bunting + a FREEBIE!

After falling in love with cake bunting, I decided to give a stab at it myself.

I'm a completely impatient person, and my twine from The Twinery hadn't arrived yet, so I improvised with sewing thread and needle. I also cheated by using shimmer cardstock (yellow + eggplant) instead of fabric. I think it would look much cuter with fabric, but I didn't have any scraps in the house.

I realize this is poor photo quality. It was taken on my living room floor with my Android. It gives you a good idea of what I did, though!

I started out with 11 flags, and alternated colors stringing them on the thread.

Then it was time to bake a cake! I decided to make two red velvet cakes.

After I let them set and cool, I iced them in a fluffy white marshmallow icing.

I attached my bunting to the skewers using thread (double knotted!) and voila. Easy-peasy cut and simple cake bunting

My husband took the photos of my finished cake, and we paired the cake with a super sweet Sweets & Treats invitation that I created for my friend's daughter's birthday.

So there you have it! Super sweet and EASY cake bunting. It looks adorable atop this two-layer cake and white cake stand.

And hey, you didn't think I'd let you get away empty handed, did you?!

In true Halloween spirit, I have designed these downloadable Halloween-themed cake bunting flags! Download these Halloween inspired cake bunting and make your own decorative banner!

BLACK Halloween Bunting

PURPLE Halloween Bunting

ORANGE Halloween Bunting

What other colors and styles would you like to see? I've already got Christmas on my mind!! Please let me know what else you'd like to see available for a FREE DOWNLOAD!!

{inspired} winter wonderland

cake bunting: the cupcake flag's best friend.

Please let me introduce you to the amazingness that is known as Cake Bunting.

Cake Bunting are an understated and modern spin on cupcake flags. They're made of upcycled and vintage cotton flags, handsewn together with thread and are strung between two (skewer stick) poles then fastened with clear glue.

Not feeling so crafty? Don't worry! You can buy Original Cake Bunting by KikiLa Ru on etsy!

These are perfect and FABULOUS for weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries and any cake you feel like baking "just cause!"

holiday photo cards

It seems like Pittsburgh skipped fall and went straight to winter. Not even two weeks ago I was wearing tank tops & my favorite pair of sandals, and this week? I had to break out my winter sweaters! It's been cold and gloomy for the past several days, and between the weather & the ridiculous amount of Christmas items on display at places like Target, Marshalls and Kohls... I've got the holidays on my mind!

Holiday Photo Cards are a great way to showcase your favorite family photo... or even a photo of you and your pets!! These cards are fully customizable, and include color matching and your favorite photo.

What are you waiting for? It's time to start thinking about the holidays!!