Wedding inspiration - vintage style in full sunlight

I love how weddings these days are so much more free from convention than in the past. Call me a rebel, but most of the time all that ettiquette seems kind of a headache to me. Mainly because the bulk of it doesn't actually serve ANY purpose except to follow what couples did centuries before you. Which doesn't seem like a good enough reason to me. (I think I get these stubborn ways from my Dad. We grew up with the motto "Who says we have to be like everybody else?")

Even the awkward stepping-around-the-issue way you have to phrase invitations with lines like "if you would like to help us celebrate our wedding by contributing a gift..." makes us laugh.

But those things will be. Here's some inspiration from 100 Layer Cake blog that I love. I especially love how it is shot in full sunlight - an issue our photographer was concerned about because our wedding is a day-time one. All photographers have their fingers crossed for overcast days because it makes for better photos... but there is nothing I love more than some full sunshine!

P.S totally on a side note - isn't it weird how American weddings have like, 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen? Whereas over here you'd have between 2 and 4? Random!

Artsy + colourful

Source: ishandchi.blogspot.com via Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

Source: thefoundblog.com via Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

I have been painting my little heart out the last 2 days... it would have been a much easier task if there weren't BB-GUN pock marks all over the walls that needed plastering. But more on that later. For now, some artsy+colourful inspiration photos.

DIY cute little envelopes

I have this unique disability to ever do only ONE thing at a time. I just can't.

Which means that even tho I had the hugest weekend, the most amazing engagement party on Saturday, and the most stressful Tuesday today ever - and even tho I should be doing boring jobs like finalising the wedding guest list and finishing my architecture project...... instead, I'm making envelopes.

Yep.

 

 

 

 

Because I saw this tutorial here via Pinterest, and I couldn't stop myself.

I'm always seeing cute little pieces of stationary in shops for like $5 a piece, whereas these are just made out of old wrapping paper. You could easily use scraps of wallpaper too (inside out wallpaper works too, surprisingly).

These are tiny little ones but you can easily make any size or shape you want. I didn't follow a particular template - just made one up until it looked about right. I haven't done it here, but tying twine in a bow around it would make it even more special. I'm thinking of using these for thank-you notes for my girlies in the future.

    - Amyshka


Shared on Home Stories A to Z

A girl's room design

I have never really been a girly girl. I was always petrified of barbies (I think it's the synthetic hair. gag) and as a kid I would throw a wobbly every time someone tried to get me into a frilly dress (which was reasonably often). My favourite things were jeans and designing homes for my Sylvanian Families... Come to think of it, pretty much nothing has changed. (Except the Sylvanians. I swear I don't play with them anymore. Although they ARE the most awesome toys ever made).

There is something about designing kid's rooms, tho, that really brings out my fun side and in this project I found I was getting a real kick out of all that pink! However, trust me, I can't tolerate the typical pink+white girl's rooms - I have to have other colours thrown in to keep my interest. Which is where this virtual girl's room begins:

1. Falling Leaves bedspread

2. Lamp

3. Pink wallpaper

4. Ceramic bunnies

5. Yellow rug

6. Matroyshka doll bank

7. Owl pillow

8. Mini cane chair

9. Cubby shelves

 That hot pink wallpaper would be used very sparingly to liven up a space... the best thing about it is it REMOVABLE which means you can stick it on and peel it off! I envision it used to decorate the back of some simple cubby shelves.

I don't have a kid (give me a couple years, people!) but if I did, I imagine cubby shelves would be my new best friend. I'd fill them with baskets so that no-one would know what kinds of crap my kid was stuffing away in there... (I babysat for 2 toddlers recently. My eyes are so very, very opened.)


Here's a virtual room shot, with the inclusion of a wall decal.



I included the yellow rug to warm the room up, plus it won't need to be ditched when she gets her 'big girl room'.

The bedspread is from Urban Outfitters and I nearly salivated all over myself when I saw it. I actually want it for myself, but since we don't have such things as Urban Outfitters, IKEA or Anthropologie in New Zealand, I'm living vicariously through this blog. ;)

No kids room is complete without toys. How cute are the Finnish ceramic bunnies? And there will always be a space in a barbie-hater's heart for Matroyshka dolls. (No hair! woop)

That's all folks!
Now if I could just magically acquire an actual real life house to play with...

:)


    - Amyshka

P.S If it's not too late to get in, then I'm sharing this over at the Bright and Beautiful link party, and at Home Stories A to Z

Ann Marie's Sofa Dilemma - a virtual mood board

Recently I saw Ann Marie from "White House, Black Shutters" having a wee dillema.I am STOKED today to be able to share this possible solution. Thanks Ann Marie!

The dilemma:
Ann Marie originally wanted cool, calming tones for her living room and was experimenting with placing turquoise and aqua cushions against her olive-brown leather sofa. (You can read the full post here). Turquoise is such a lovely light, fresh colour. However turquoise is a definite cool colour, whereas olive is a warm colour.

Often when you put a cool colour next to a warm colour, they will make each other look dirty. The aqua cushions certainly popped on the olive-brown sofa, but they could be a little unflattering for the sofa itself. The best result would be to make the cushions and the sofa both look good, together.


The inspiration:
Here is the original inspiration picture that swayed Ann Marie to the warm side. It's completely different and shows how the warm colours work. (And since it's Autum in the Northern hemisphere, it's the perfect time for this!)

Source: houseofturquoise.com via  Pinterest

The solution: (meaning, just a possible idea that could be used for inspiration :) )

I  modelled this virtual living room mood board, showing colours and cushions to compliment the space (this is not their exact sofa - I've modelled one to be as close as I could get it!). The foundations of the room are PERFECT -hardwood floors, neutral walls, and lovely wood-framed windows. All the bones for warmth are here.

• The rattan pendant lamp (this one is a simple one from IKEA) is complimented by the rattan pouf. I love weaving like this because it adds so much texture and interest, and has a natural, cosy feel.

• The sunburst mirror could be bought, but I would suggest making one from driftwood like in this tutorial, and then staining it a warm reddish brown.

• The cushions are the key. The best thing about cushions is how you can completely change the tone of the space. I've opted for neutral creams and buttery yellows, with accents of geometric prints, and colourful highlights.

 1. Cream pillow

2. Brown chevron

3. Robin's egg blue pattern

4. Yellow pattern

5. Autumn leaves print

6. Yellow flower print

Cushion colours: 

• Cream neutrals - will go with everything, even when the colour scheme changes.

• Buttery yellow - is one of the few yellows that goes with olive - it is almost more of a pale gold.

• Robin's-egg-blue - is KEY to pairing 'turquoise' with warm tones. It is basically a compromise on the turquoise colour - robin's egg blue can be a warm colour, and in pale doses it will compliment the olive beautifully.

• Yellow-orange highlights - to be used super-sparingly. If you want to have a pop of colour, tuck one of these amongst the other pillows. They are very autumn-y which is why I thought it would be appropriate! You could actually switch these out for fuchsia pink for a different kind of pop!

• Brown chevron - I have included this one because Ann Marie has already made her own using a potato print stamp and it will go with the scheme. Awesome!

• My last tip would be to use pillows of all shapes and sizes - a lumbar pillow or two thrown into the mix make the cushions look more natural and interesting.

Thank you Ann Marie for letting me use your sofa dilemma as virtual-room-making material!

And lastly before I go, a virtual room shot of the wall the sofa is against:

Thank you so much for reading, I really have loved working on this project and will happily do others in the future!

- Amyshka

 

Candy Floss trees

I can't get over all the pink candy-floss trees we saw this Spring weekend!

via Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

The actual name is Cherry Blossom... which sounds equally pretty to me.

I really really want some. Never mind that they look like dry twigs for the rest of the year... :)

Weekend Lovin'

This weekend has probably been my favourite EVER. Or at least, EVER... since we got engaged. (was it really only 4 weeks ago?).

"So you've got engaged and have been walking on air ever since". I read this recently and snorted out loud. Which was very insensitive of me. It's not that I have a problem with walking on air, (it sounds quite lovely) but just that I haven't seemed to have had any time to do anything so frivolous. It's been hammer-and-tongs around here, folks. Venue: check! Photographers: check! Invitiations: almost finished... and the rush is still on to finish the rest in 4 months.

Amongst all the insanity there hasn't been a moment to breathe or just ENJOY being engaged.

So this weekend, Big C graciously cancelled his skiing trip so that we could spend Saturday out of town, doing something (anything!) other than wedding planning.
We are always around other people so just being together without having to socialise with everyone was a nice change.

We headed up to Greytown, one of the cutest New Zealand towns ever, an hour or so North of Wellington.

Cuckoo Cafe. Possibly my favourite in the country.

via Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

 

After a large and incredible pizza at Cuckoo Cafe (everything is pink and shabby-chic, including the fridge) we wandered around the quaint antique shops, salivated all over the floor in some awesome interior design stores, and enjoyed a beer in the sun outside the colonial-style White Swan Hotel.

A visit to the little 'Schoc' factory shop , where they make all the Schoc chocolates, was not complete without a few samples...

Tequila, Lime and Salt heart on the left, and the Smokey Tea chocolate on the right are my favourites!

Amy @ Kiwi Chic on Pinterest

Other than that we did a whole lot of beautiful nothing. Caught some rays on a rug on the grass, nibbled chocolates, and talked about everything except the wedding.

I can't believe how much better I feel after having just that 1 day of sweet, relaxing, quality time.
There is still a tonne of wedding stuff to do but I feel less like I am drowning, and more like I am walking on air!

It helps having a fiance who began the trip with a gift of my favourite perfume and a cute hand-made card. I feel so blessed.

What was your favourite part of the weekend?

  - Amyshka