Happpy-ness Continues....

Just past the checkers table, was our guest book table.

A simple burlap covered table.

An old up-cycled leather photo album with black pages 

and a galvanized tin with extra fine tip white Sharpies.

Our Prom picture from 1984 (Phillip's Senior Prom) in a distressed edge frame engraved with the quote "All because two people fell in love" - not too original, but SO TRUE - sitting atop a green patina'd metal easel. On one corner, I tied a laminated tag of our baby pictures using jute cord - Phillip on one side at about age 2 and me at about 6 months --- fitting since he's 1 1/2 years older than me. I've had this "tag" for a long time. I used to use it as my key chain fob when I was a teenager - even before scrap booking was popular.

Using a folding picket fence fireplace screen (thanks, Janice), I created a jaunt down memory lane of our life together - 1983 through now. To hold the photos, I strung the pickets with a jute cord and mini-clothes pins with muted party color paper flowers. In the other areas, I glued the clothespins onto white paper flowers.  

(everyone knows I'm a pack-rat - here's proof - a little scrap of paper - a typing class note that Phillip gave me back in high school) 

On the right side of the table, I used a metal display tree I found last year 

on one of my treasure hunts. I used this tree to display trivia cards about the two of us.

 Phillip brought his friend, Mike, to pick me up for our first date. He said it was because Mike needed a ride. I said he was his back-up plan, in case things didn't go well....Well, it went and in 1985, Mike was our best man.

Phillip coined the phrase "we've goosed" because geese mate for life.

We've never split up or separated, but I did "huck" a cheeseburger at him once.

We were married twice. Once on 7/22/1985 in Tonopah, NV and then again on 7/27/1985 in Bishop, CA.

Phillip has bought me five rings: a friendship ring, a promise ring, an engagement ring, a wedding ring, a 10th anniversary ring, a 20th anniversary ring.

On top of the tree, I painted up a found little house "block" in the muted aqua color of our party.

Rusty steel letters - P and T.

And a pair of painted wooden Geese - in love.

Behind the guest table, we had a photo booth set up. 

A Kissin' Booth.

This proved to be a TON of fun. Unlimited photos. Color. Black and White.

Janice and I collected numerous dress-up items. Wigs, glasses, google eyes, plastic animal noses,

boas, ties, hats...you name it, we had it.

I even brought a picture frame and Phillip cleaned up our old 1965 Impala steering wheel. That made for some really fun shots!

The photo-booth rental guy, brought some fun props too - boxing gloves and a wrestling mask.

 Our guests were prompted to take as many photos as they wanted, but to leave at least one strip in the photo album guest book. WOW! What a lot of fun. We have the best guest book EVER!!! We even got a CD of all the photos...

I won't share the photos of my guests here (at least until I get permission - then it's on!!!), but here are a few Phillip and I took.

Yeah, we didn't use any props. We just didn't have time, I guess...?

We will at our 50th!!! Or maybe we won't have to...I'm sure we will look funny on our own. Gray hair. Coke Bottle glasses. No teeth...LOL

Dinner was served on the shady patio of the inn. 

Simple round white tables with white table cloths. Burlap squares. Brown linens.


Kraft paper bows on the back of every other chair. I purchased a huge spool of paper rope online and spent many hours unwinding, flattening, and tying the rope into bows with pipe cleaner ties. Even though I saved $$ doing it this way, I would NOT do it this way again! Spring for a roll of it already unwound. Your hands and wrists will thank you...Trust me on this one!!!


A mix of blue mason jars (thanks, Bruce!) 
and milk bottles filled with fresh flowers.


White carnations. Purple and white daisies. 
Purple wax flowers. Lavender. Mint, in bloom.


I saved a bunch - no pun intended - by buying $5.99 bulk-pack flowers at our local Safeway store. The floral department ordered them in for me for the same price as the in-store floral kiosks. (thanks, Kristin for picking them up) 


The lavender A.J. and I picked the night before (that will remain a story for just us!) and from Kristin's garden. The mint was from Janice's garden.

I printed and folded a bunch of Cootie Catchers on 12" x 12" kraft paper.

Each set of 4 was printed in different colors - blue, brown, black, red, purple, green - with different numbers, and fortunes inside.

The girls' places were set with Cherry RED wax lips and the boys' places had Grape wax Mustaches....FUN! and even more fun in pictures!

This is my youngest, A.J. He looks good in red, don't ya think?

He takes after his mom....

For dinner, we had tri-tip, BBQ chicken, and ribs. Green salad, potato salad, pasta salad, and fresh fruit.

...and iced tea, beer, wine and lemonade...

I just fell in love with this bee hive beverage dispenser I found online, back in May. However, it took 5, yes, FIVE times to get one shipped to me that wasn't chipped, broken, leaky or full of huge air bubbles (that can't possibly be safe under pressure!)....I almost gave up, but the final time, just in time, was the charm.


They make spindly little wire stands for most of the dispensers I saw, but this bee hive didn't have one. The nozzle is too low to fill glasses, so I stacked it on two of my old soda crates turned upside down. Worked like a charm! 


The cute little wooden bee was a last minute addition. 
You've seen him on my blog before....


He's sweet!


Dinner was perfect. 


Phillip and I went through the buffet line first 
(that felt weird, but everyone insisted!)

We all had a great time.

Kristin titled this random shot of me, my
"Martha Stewart" moment.  

...maybe I was having a little Martha-moment that day.... 


But unlike Martha, I was wearing borrowed white sandals! (thanks, Ginger!)


Ginger was my maid of honor back in 1985. So, it was fitting. 
Something old (friendships?), something new (my dress), something borrowed (sandals), something blue (you'll see.....)


Stay tuned....


The party has begun, but is FAR from over!!!

Happy-ness....

Happy-ness is being surrounded by those you love 

and care about most on your special day....

...and having the support of all your friends 

and family when good things happen.

Phillip and I celebrated 25 years of marriage on 7/31 

at the Historic Wolf Creek Inn.

The weather was perfect for sundresses 

and open toe sandals (which promptly became bare feet.)

Grass-stained bare feet, I might add.  

I have to thank three of my closest friends and my youngest son, for 

all their help setting up my "dream" party.

I tried to have everything as ready and as planned out ahead of time as I could, but even the best laid plans can go awry and have a turn for the worst.

My girlfriends and my boy, however, pulled everything off without a hitch. 

Every detail was EXACTLY as I had in my mind's eye.

Perfectly Country Living meets Martha Stewart meets Flea Market Style.

Perfectly PERFECT!!!

T H A N K  Y O U

A.J., Janice, Ginger, Kristin

I owe you all, big....

All of our men showed up about 3:45.

At about 4:00, I was reminded that I needed to get ready for the party too.

Oh Yeah. That's right....

So off I went...

...to get ready and to show Phillip our Clark Gable Suite!!!

(and to all those who asked, the rocking chair did not rock at 2 a.m.)

Yeah, I'm a little bummed the "ghost" did not visit us, 

but the inn did lock its doors on a few of our guests!!!

...doo-doo doo-doo, doo-doo doo-doo.....

Our party started at 5 pm.

Our guests were greeted with this sign.

It set the tone for the whole party.

Simple.

Casual.

Sweet.

It's an old picture frame outfitted with upholstery burlap my mom 

left in our greenhouse when she moved out a few years back. 

The cream paper flowers were stamped with brown Staz-On using a 

Script stamp (this matched our invites) with muted paper flower centers. 

The '85 is painted onto muslin, trimmed

with brown zig-zagged stitching, and bradded onto the 

burlap covered foam core.

The rustic easel of Janice's was a wonderful addition. 

Thanks, Janice!!!

Just past the sign, on your right, a table was set up 

in a grove of shade trees to hold the over-sized checkers board. 

I had the plastic checkers I found at a thrift store years ago. 

It came with a ratty old yarn-like woven board.

I've always wanted a big 'ol checkers board for our square coffee table

at home. Phillip bought the wood. Darrin cut it on our router at work.

I painted it. Distressed it. Clear coated it.

AND 

lots of guests played Checkers!

...and a bunch of other stuff.....

stay tuned.....

The party's just begun.....