enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

  • yesterday is over.

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    Yesterday was busy. Sorry for the abandonment, Blogland. I was pulling things together and pulling bobby pins out of my hair.

    I went for a practice round with my wedding hair guy and it was a disappointment. And by disappointment, I of course mean disaster. I would say the problem was a clash of visions but it was really just a CRASH. I got home, looked in the mirror and realized my hair looked like I had just been to the gym. And if that is going to be my wedding hair, I might as well be sponsored by Nike.

    So scratch that.

    I have some fantastic bridesmaids that are going to help me out and make it work and we'll play my favorite game, "Skip the middleman."

    But on a much better and excited side of the same day, Paul and I traveled downtown and got our marriage license. I have to say, the County Clerk/Recorder's office is not the fanciest building on the block and the energy in the room was downright sad, but we were happy. We even got to raise our right hand and swear that the information we provided (our names and birth dates) was true. In the sincerity of the moment, I became paranoid that I had put that I was born in 1885 or something. (I hadn't.)

    So. Two more lines on the to-do list crossed out.

    Three weeks to go. We're rolling. And we are now legal. And when this is all said and done, I'll have to share photos of the hairstyle flop.

  • wedding wednesday : rsvps + flowers.

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    RSVPs are "due" tomorrow. We have most of them in already. Our venue holds 180 and I think we are going to come in right around 165. I wish I had known this 5 months ago. It would have saved a little "who to invite" stress.

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    I placed an order with Costco yesterday for 500 yellow orange roses to be delivered the Tuesday before the wedding (April 20th). Opening those boxes is going to be interesting. I was informed by the floral lady at Costco that the colors can range dramatically. Decided to just roll with it. As long as they aren't black, we'll be fine.

    We're getting to the end here. Most of the details will be sorted out by the end of this week. We're picking up our marriage license tomorrow. I'm meeting with the hair guy for a practice round tomorrow. We are picking the official menu and meeting with our pastor and piano player on Saturday.

    I'm excited. 25 days.

  • last night picnic.

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    We spent our last night in Maryland with a picnic on the floor. I told Paul this would have to become a tradition. Something small to look forward to once our TV has been moved, our tables and chairs are in storage and our internet has been disconnected.

    We grew so much as a couple in that apartment. It was nice to spend the night remembering, debating and dreaming over great wine.

  • happy flowers.

    Flowers

  • stick to the plan.

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    We made it to California on Saturday and it's been a little non-stop since. This is an interesting adjustment, as I keep reminding myself this isn't temporary. (And also that no one cares that the trees in Maryland were still only budding.) But we're here until the wedding. That's totally exciting and a tiny bit insane.

    Yesterday, my mom said with a smile on her face, "Elise, I have decided that I am just going to enjoy the month of April and not stress about this wedding."

    "GOOD." I said, "that is totally my plan too." Let's stick to the plan, Mom.

    ALSO IN APRIL :

    I have summer kits in process again! This was my favorite shop item last year and I am happy to be bringing it back. Similar style, different colors, text and papers. I will be sharing photos later in the week and hope to get them up in the shop by Friday. I can't wait to get a few more supplies and get mine started. Hopefully I'll keep up with it better this year.

    I've got a photoshoot (I feel crazy using that word) idea. I hope it doesn't fail now that I've spent so much time typing about it.

    I might just marry a field of poppies. These flowers, they slay me.

  • and, we’re empty.

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    This is our first big military move and my first chance to see just how little we, the movees, have to do. Yesterday our apartment was boxed up and today everything was loaded into a truck. Most of what we own will sit in storage until mid-May when we find a new place to live in San Diego. (In the meantime we are going to be crashing with our families in Sacramento, getting married, honeymooning in Bora Bora, and watching/participating in a med school graduation.)

    It won't be boring.

    And for the next two nights it's just me, P, a few bottles of wine and a wireless internet signal. I think that's all we'll need.

  • wedding wednesday : 4.5 weeks until showtime.

     
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    I've heard rumors that as you get closer to your wedding there is a drastic spike in impulse purchases. I am prepared to confirm there is much truth to this.

    image and bracelet via kate spade.

  • and thank you.

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    I had custom stationery printed awhile ago during a sale. I have mailed out a few, but am finally finishing up the box these past few weeks while sending shower gift thank yous. I'm so glad I loved that orange liner back then. I'm so glad I'm getting through them before the big name change.

    p.s. Great post by Marta yesterday with hostess tips. I'm hoping to throw many a party with our fun shower gifts and loved her thoughts.

  • sunny yellow weekend.

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    I soaked up all the sunshine and yellow I could this weekend.

    I sold my car. We took it to Carmax because I didn't want to deal with a private sale. I wanted someone who knew what they were doing to make an evaluation and transfer ownership. It took awhile, but we walked out with much more than we anticipated. I forgot to say goodbye to the car that for all my faults was exceptionally great at getting from A to B. But no matter, it's on to better owners and Paul and I are on to sharing one vehicle. I'll be nicer to his.

    Spent time with lots of east coast friends. I have met some great people out here and as I keep telling them – they've been the best part of living here.

    Five more days until we're on a plane bound west. No doubt it will be raining there. But summer's so close I can smell it.

    p.s. I've got big plans to step away from the in-the-car photo shoots and do something much more grand starting April 1st. No fooling.

    p.p.s. Dancing with the Stars returns tonight! Paul is trying to contain his excitement.

  • home dreams.

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    image credits : 1. Untitled, 2. feather, 3. Summery aqua blue bedroom: Neutrals + bright colors + 'Lido Green' by Benjamin Moore, 4. Untitled, 5. coffee cup lives- sometimes for tea, 6. Me & You Show Sign, 7. color palette: browns & oranges, 8. Serene, 9. Photo Gathering, 10. little treats for grey days, 11. they're back!, 12. 295: 11.22.07, 13. Bench Monday: I Never Stop Painting Edition, 14. 30 days :: 26, 15. joy-bedroom1, 16. my light at the end of the tunnel

    As we are cleaning and sorting and purging to prepare for the movers, it's hard not to think about "how I'll do it next time." For one, I'll keep the house cleaner right from the start. It's not that I want to make up a chore chart… it's just that I can totally see how a chore chart could be instrumental to getting things done.

    It's also so easy to start dreaming of this magic (and yet to be discovered) apartment we'll decorate in San Diego. I went through my 50 pages of flickr faves yesterday to pull some images from special spaces.

    This reminds me of the mosaic I made up for our wedding back in the beginning. That mosaic sort of kept me on track, so maybe this one will too.

    Loving : dark gray, teal, yellow, neutrals, soft patterns & flowers.