happy shoes

Shoes! Shoes always cheer me up. Especially pink or yellow satin ones, worn under beautiful white wedding gowns. Even better because they're under $200.00.

my ring

Monday morning, I noticed that my engagement ring was missing. What immediately followed was a panicky, frantic hunt, throwing the already messy house into even more disarray. I knew I had it the previous Tuesday, our 3rd year anniversary, because I cleaned it right before we went out to dinner. I knew I had it on Friday, when I was cutting color swatches for KenzieKate, because it was pinching my finger when I was using the scissors on the tough paper. After that, I neither remembered having it nor not having it. Where had I been? Where did I see it last? Could it have fallen off? Did someone take it? My entire Monday was spent in a daze, trying to remember what I did with it.
Then, I remembered putting it on the coffee table, while I cut swatches. I had taken it off, because it was hurting my finger. I remember putting it in a box lid, so it wouldn't fall on the floor. Then I remembered putting scraps from my paper swatches in the same box lid so I didn't make a mess. Then, as far as I can remember, I left them there. The ring in the lid, with the scraps. Once I remembered, I immediately went on the hunt for that box lid. It wasn't on the coffee table any more. We had cleaned the room on Saturday morning. One of us must have dumped the scraps into the garbage, not knowing or remembering the ring was in there. Then came the frantic search thru the trash. Not in there. Then the horrible realization that the trash had been picked up that morning. Oh God. All the trash from the week before. The trash from Saturday too. It was all at the city dump by the time I realized what had happened on Monday night.
I've lost things in the past, important things, but never something this meaningful. I had pictured giving this ring to my children as a family heirloom. My friend made this ring with her own two hands, especially for Dell and I. It was my "something blue" at my wedding. It is the single most meaningful gift I have ever gotten. And now it's gone. I feel a little silly being so upset about this. But I can't describe how much I feel I've lost.
I know that most of you have just gotten your rings, and you love them, and you can't imagine ever loosing sight of them for even a second. So I guess that makes this blog post pretty much a huge downer? I promise that tomorrow I'll write about something awesome and cheerful. Just don't hate me if there are no engagement ring posts for a while. The wound is still pretty fresh.

flushdesigns: puzzle invite

customized word puzzle card/invite

word-nerds, unite! the above sample is a birthday card, but courtney of flushdesigns also makes a custom wedding invitation version. you supply her with colors, preferences, up to 30 words, and she makes gorgeous inkjet and letterpress word-search cards. brilliant. more custom invitation options at flushdesigns.etsy.com

the dream house

So this is an interesting concept. Conde Nast has created something called Dream House. As far as I understand it, Dream House is a showplace home, designed to inspire newlywed or newly engaged couples. In addition to displaying some fabulous decor, the fanciest in bridal attire, and the epitome of registry chic, the Dream House will be open to the public for tours, cocktail parties, classes and spa treatments. The Dream House will only be open for four weeks, starting on the 18th of October. You can visit the Dream House main site to see a schedule of events, and purchase tickets. Part of the proceeds will go toward the I Do Foundation, and at $10 per event, it seems like a pretty reasonable fee for a cocktail party or a manicure. Take a few of the girlfriends! Where is this Dream House you ask? Manhattan, of course.

dekel: mezuzah case

mezuzah case -- lahav/flame

for those unfamiliar, a mezuzah case holds and protects the mezuzah, a parchment scroll that contains specific verses of prayer from the torah and is attached to the doorframe -- both as a commandment of the faith as well as the blessing of a new home. as the description elaborates:

In the Book of Deuteronomy it is written: “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates." Jewish homes have always fulfilled this commandment by hanging a mezuzah on the frames of their doors.

this case is one of a traditional/contemporary series with beautiful silver filigree caps and etched hand-blown glass made by israeli artist irit dekel -- more at dekel.etsy.com

for your ears only

Gorgeous! These earrings from Shebangs are sort of ideal, in my opinion. Not too expensive, nothing fake, in variety of unique options. I happen to be spending every last penny to my name right now at Home Depot, but if that were not the case, I would be heading in this general direction.

vreelanddesigns: hemp invites

eco-friendly wedding invitations in orange

so leafy wedding invitations

vreelanddesigns block-prints designs onto hemp paper invitations by hand, with digitally printed type, and the results are quite fresh. the 'eco-friendly' invite has a biodegradeable ribbon and a paper-saving email RSVP -- or spring for something more traditional with a reply card, more choices at vreelanddesigns.etsy.com