A Piece of Cake: The Easiest DIY Project For Left Overs

We love all of our cakes that we are having at the wedding & seriously cannot wait to dive in to dessert time.  Whatever our friends & family pick: peanut butter or fruited bliss or pound cake with raspberry preserves  and delicious whipped cream cheese goodness, we know it will bring delicious delight to our guests' taste buds! 

Image via Myrtle's Studio

But one thing is a strong possibility.  With all that cake there is bound to be leftovers.  

I gave this some thought & was thinking about labeling gable boxes or getting adorable little bags for guests to take home sweet, sweet goodness from our big day.

But something a whole lot easier came into the picture when Mama Sweet Cream asked the local grocery store's bakery counter where they got their little plastic containers that contain the store's yummy single servings of cake.  She explained what it was for and the super friendly grocery store baker told Mama Sweets that she would just sell them to her.  Mama Sweets handed over $9 to the baker on her next trip to the supermarket and we now have 200 little plastic containers under the realistic circumstances that every last morsel of dessert isn't devoured.

I knew that I would want a little something extra on them.  And with my trusty paper cutter, some sticker paper and my favorite font, I got to work.  And just like that, they were finished!  A piece of cake!!

I think that they're perfect because they don't take up as much room as gable boxes and we don't have to fold them beforehand.  They are also better than the adorable bags because nobody will be left with squished cake.

For my fellow hive who might be interested in recreating this super simple project, here is what you need: 

• Paper cutter or scissors
• Plastic containers from a local bakery
• Sticker paper
• Computer with printed out phrasing or pictures (I used "Let Them Eat Cake!" with some hearts, our initials and our wedding date, but you could do other things... like a wedding monogram, "How Sweet It Is!," etc.)

Just measure how big to make the sticker, play with the fonts, print, cut and stick!  And your done!

Tell me, did you have a ton of left-over cake from your wedding?  Did you wind up having cake to last months after the wedding?  What was one of your easiest DIY projects?

Counting On Things in the Craft Closet: A DIY Table Number Tutorial

So hive...I know that I teased you with some of the wedding projects upon our introduction.  And I thought now is as good as a time as any to show you my table numbers, which I must admit that I am in lust with.  

But first: Here was some ideas that ran through my bridal brain prior to our current digits...

Wine table numbers would be perfect for a winery wedding.

Amazing? Yes! Cost-effective? No!

Image via ethereal bride

Kinda obsessed with Miss Crepe's hand embroidered numbers!

Image via Miss Crepe

I know that a LOT of bees are digging the succulent craze. 

How cute are these?

Image via Firefly Group Events

I love seeing all the seating charts on the bridal blogs nowadays...

like this one using an old window.  Totally vintage & clever...but not what we decided.

Image via bella destinee

Well, I knew that I wanted to use my inspiration fabric.  And I had an idea about using definitions for words that emulate marriage using an old dictionary.

I just love vintage fonts in books!  Look at this french love bird confetti 

Image via ddeforest / etsy

Well mixing my wants to get something I desired, I came up with this!

I swapped out vintage dictionary paper for something else. I love Ballpark Weiner font oh-so-much that I had to incorporate it.  The numbers stand out in their yellow and grey dreamy fabric glory.  

The cost for these pretty little pieces?  Since I had almost everything on hand -- with the exception of the frames -- almost pennies!  (Well 99 of them to be exact... per piece ladies & gents, per piece!).

And I promised to show you the ropes of my DIY table numbers... so are you ready?

Things You Will Need:

• Numbers printed out to use as templates (I used Ballpark Wiener via Da Font)
• Picture frame (Mine is Ikea's Tolsby (99 cents a piece & double sided(!))
• Fabric (I used my inspiration fabric)
• Heat'n Bond Ultra Hold Iron-On Adhesive (I got it at my local fabric shop & had it laying around) OR duct tape
• Glue gun
• Hot glue
• thin sharpie / marker / pen
• Background print outs (I typed out definitions of words I loved in size adjusted to desired frame)

I looked up words like love, sweetheart, friendship, marriage, wife, husband, spouse, partner, kiss, embrace, hold, cherish, heart, adore, honor, etc. in the good old dictionary & got to work transcribing

Numbers all cut out to use as templates 

First you iron on the adhesive to the back of the fabric.  This will make it stiff & give you something to trace your numbers.  If you cannot find the iron-on adhesive you can just put single layers of duct tape on the back.  The point isn't to use it as an adhesive, but to get it stiff so that you can trace & cut & that it holds up on the frame.

Once this is finished, you can trace numbers using your templates -- but be sure to do it backwards...so that it reads right to your guests. Also make sure to measure up the template numbers in your frame to be sure that they fit.  I had to make double digits a smaller font so that they would work.

Numbers all traced and ready be cut 

This number three getting cut out & ready to be mounted on the frame.

Both practical & beautiful.

Peel the paper off the back.

Then you will have your number.

Here's the definitions all typed up in their Ballpark Wiener glory & cut to size.

This is one of my favorite fonts of the moment.  I chose to do grey & yellow

since it is our wedding colors.

Slide the definitions into the frames (since Tolsby is two sided, you can put numbers

on both sides.  I didn't, but you can! I liked the idea of the 

guests being able to see what it is).

Hot glue the back.  I've noticed that more is better, especially at the edges.

Then smack them on your frame.  Press each part until sealed completely.

Tada! Table #7 and Table #14 look vintage & dapper, I must say.

It was funny to see that a definition of kiss is "a baked confection of egg whites and confectioners' sugar" & that the term "sweetheart" started in the 1200s.  And I love the way that they turned out.

Did you whip out the craft supplies for your table numbers?  Did you stick with traditional numbers or do something more creative (like sea creatures or exotic locales you visited together)?  

Let's Talk Labels (And I don't mean Prada or Versace!)

I was blessed with pretty decent handwriting in all shapes and sizes -- I can do everything from a mean cursive to perfectly sized capitols.

Which should have told my parents from a very early age that it wasn't in my pipeline to become a doctor.

Even though I used to be fluent in doctor writing after working for one during high school,

I certainly don't know what the heck this says!

Even though I took my time with each loop and swirl - I do admit that cursive Z's were hard.  Which certainly didn't help when I was scribbling in my diary about jazz class or zebras at the zoo.

Cursive Z's are hard -- and not just for Billy Madison!!

(source)

So even though I have become a lot better at my cursive z's, I decided I wouldn't be handwriting on our slate grey envelopes.  And while there are a number of gorgeous, swirly, delightful options for addressing the invite envelopes out there...

Mrs. Plaid's awesome DIY addressed envelopes...

Her tutorial is awesome!

This bride free-styled all in a scribbly larger-than-life address
with a brown India ink brush pen that I simply love.

I love the loops and ink blots of Bryn of Paperfinger's calligraphy

(source)

Lettergirl has a ton of great ideas for those who have proof of the sketching 

abilities from their old school marble notebooks.  

This envelop just oozes charm in a kitched-up-kind of way.

(source)

For one reason or the other I found the wrap around label the best for our tastes.  They are easy.  They are adaptable -- depending on what font/imagery you chose.  Not to mention cheap (with the exception of some out beautifully designed by a pro to order).

Etsy Seller, ImbueYouIDo sells these sweet wrap around labels

Although I would love to do the kitched-up-kind of envelope inspired from lettergirl, I do picture myself being way too obsessive about each loop and swirl. I can imagine batches of hair on our red carpet, crying as Mr. Sweet Cream quickly whips away crumbled wasted envelopes out of my sight.

For my STDs I decided on using some sticky paper that I was sitting in my craft closet I was able to pick my favorite font, and in a word doc typed all the labels, printed and used my handy paper cutter and wa-la...

Wrap around labels!

How did you address your invites?  Were they by hand? By computer? By a pro?  Do you have a great tip to share about doing this dreaded task?

So Sweet! A Super Sweet Invite Suite

With a lot of pressure riding on the invitations - it was time to pull the threads of inspiration & get decision making!


According to David Tutura:


Invitations should set a tone of excitement for your entire affair! The outside of the envelope, the stamps, the layout of the invitation, and the font—all the details count. When you’re creating invitations, imagine what it will be like for your guests to be receiving them. A great invitation grabs the attention of your guests and guarantees the impression that yours is a wedding not to be missed.

Thanks, David.  No pressure added.  None at all.  Especially for a bride that obsesses over paper & fonts.

So I got to work.  It would have to evoke the laid-back-ness of BBQ - not black tie.  And I knew that I would likely go the Etsy route (I love the idea of supporting independent designers).  I was thinking about designing them myself by have been holding out into splurging on photoshop.


With words swirling in my head about the essence that I wanted to evoke (sweet, fun, laid-back, charming, true love, vintage, simplistic romance)... I found these pretty pieces of paper:

Etsy Designer twoforjoypaper

Etsy designer NewBorrowedandBlue plays off MadLibs

in this adorable invite

and I just love the fonts & wording (we are "super excited" to be getting married too!)

in this invite from Etsy designer SwoonCreative

But one stood out in particular.  Given our history of Mr. Sweet Cream riding me on his handle bars everywhere after my bike got stolen in 8th grade, my heart melted when my eyes fell upon this:

Etsy Designer RazzleDazzle's sweet bicycle silhouette certainly encompasses

sweet, fun, laid-back, charming, true love, vintage...don't you think?

Sigh.  It was perfect.  Except I wanted it to speak to our feeling for each other.  Besides love paper and fonts -- I love words.

Although I certainly love the word "hitched" when speaking about tying the knot, I preferred "married" for our invite. It just felt a little more formal.  As much as a wedding that involved pulled pork could be.

And I just loved the words on this cake topper:  

"This day I will marry my friend, the one I laugh with, live for, dream with, love." 

I also wanted to tiptoe around the formality of my father & mother "cordially inviting" guests' presence...  Although I certainly think that it is lovely -- it just didn't fit with the feel of our wedding.

So I worked with Razz, going back and forth via email & her sending me things in the mail and vice versa.  Finally... Tada!!

via RazzleDazzle

Gorgeous! No?

But wait! Something was missing...

With that tree inspiration lingering in my mind, I begged Razz to incorporate a tree with our initials for the reception card.  I really think  that it adds that deep down tug at the heart strings that I was pining for.

So this adorable tree with our initials was swapped out for a duo on a bike for our reception card & now I am completely in love with our invites.

But it's not finished quite yet.  I'm still thinking about a way to incorporate a simply beautiful Bob Marley quote about love -- as well as a DIY wedding map.  I may add a bit of fabric here & perhaps some baker's twine there...But more on that later.  I can wait to share my full invitation suite with the hive!!

I seriously suggest jotting down the words that you want to evoke for your day to help with the planning process.  What made you chose yours?

Do you have a favorite phrase that had to make it into the invite?  Was your invite formal or not-so-much?  Were you brave enough to DIY the whole thing?  

Maids in Manhattan... I mean the 'burbs of Philly

After we began checking things off our big picture list we began to think of who we would want to stand by us on The Big Day.  Of course we knew just who... but the time killer was, how to complete the mission of the ask.  Being so stressed about the perfect ask for my BMs completely made me get just a glimpse into the intensity of planning a proposal... I realize that this wasn't as big of a deal as a "proposal" where I'd have to get down on one knee... but I still wanted it to be special.

I realize it could have been easier just to ask.  But I never left myself off that easy.

I loved ideas from all over the Bridal online universe...

How cool are these wine labels with pics?!

These gorgeous cards and paper doll strand just stole my heart... 

Miss Tartlet did them beautifully!

Look at these beauts from etsy

I decide to make everyone homemade peach vodka.  Even though it took a little peeling and chopping and some time, I thought it was worth it (and bonus that there was too much to fill all the bottles so some wound up staying with me!).  I found bottles at our local Home Goods for $3 and designed some labels with favorite fonts.

Next I decided to make paper dolls.  The old school kind where you have to tape lollypop sticks to the back of the neck -- because I'm a blast from the past like that. I sketched out assorted BM dresses & accessories & the sky was the limit since it was only paper...

Source (Self Pic) 

And then came the old-school slideshow I made in iMovie.  I spent hours scanning pictures of my past (and present) and it had my sobbing as I flashed back to my babyhood (with Cousin Sweet Cream) to braces (with BM Sweet Cream) to my future with my FSIL Sweet Cream.  The melodies of Miley's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Rascal Flatt's "Life is a Highway" and The Beatles' "In My Life" played in the background as we all grew up right before our eyes on the computer screen.  I knew it was worth the effort.  They are masterpieces!

Source (Self Pic)

I know that there is a vintage diet book in there...It's not because BM Sweet Cream needs a diet -- quiet the contrary! She just loves funny vintage stuff & this certainly fit the bill... You should SEE some of those exercises that promise to keep the bust high!! :)

While I invited each over separately for some snacks and wine and then showed them the movie and presented the basket filled with goodies, I had to mail Cousin Sweet Cream's package clear to the other side of the country.  But she got it.  And she cried. And she called me.  And she LOVED it.

So while Mr. Sweet Cream asked his men with a one-liner at a BBQ, I labored over these special surprises.  Although I certainly am jealous - I know that I couldn't have done it with just a question over the phone -- Even though I was asked that way and still felt so excited and tingles.

I hope that they liked it.  And I hope that they will be remembered.

Did you ask the near & dear to your heart to be a part of your day in a special way?  What did you do?  

Mark Your Calendars, Ladies & Gentlemen. We have a date!

I am a bride that loves paper.  I love combing through Etsy looking at invitation suites.  I love seeing other brides DIY invites and all of the time and planning that was put into it.  I love getting invitations for weddings and seeing how each one fits the bride and groom – an invitation with its own personality, whether it’s the font, phrasing or colors… before we could get to the invitation stage – I was on a mission.  To find the perfect idea for the save the date.

With a 15 month long engagement I just knew I wanted to send something in the mail announcing our date.  Nevermind the fact that most of the relatives learned our date during phone calls or at someone’s Christening.  This date was ours and it needed to be saved in something worth saving – at least for us to save & pull out to remember.

I first feel in love with something like this for the save the date…

 Source / JuneBug Weddings

Then was obsessed with the idea of a “vintage postcard," especially one in particular on etsy.

                                                                    Source / Etsy Seller ItsMelC

And I swooned over Mrs. Duckling's save the date tutorial.

If only a bride could have multiple save the dates!  Sigh.

Well with the inspiration of this:

Source / Crust Station Blog

Source / Bridesmaid.com

(NOTE: Click here for the DIY tutorial)

Aren't these adorable?! The Wedding Chicks

have this template for free on their site.  Totally customized.  Totally fabulous!

Source / The Wedding Chicks

I started my journey of carefully cutting, night after night, hot gluing and envelope lining, stuffing, addressing and finally sealing!  Tadaa!

Self Pic

Although it was a long process I am very happy with the outcome and think that it was worth the labor. I can definiately post a little tutorial for fellow brides looking for something that is oh so cute that literally cost $0 - besides envelopes/mailing that is.

Did you do save the dates? What inspired them?  Do you think all of the time and effort in the details is worth it?