Etsy Find of the Week-episode three

It’s Friday and that means its time for another installment of Etsy goodness!  I think you all are going to love this idea, especially if you’re in the market for a unique, fun and useful wedding gift.  Or housewarming gift.  Or new business gift.  Or…you get the picture.  I’m not sure why this idea seems so cool to me, maybe it’s the decline of actual paper mail and the lost art of letter writing, but one of these babies from foryoo just might inspire you to get out the pen and paper.  foryoo makes custom return address stamps in super cute styles that will give all of your correspondence a little extra zip!  I couldn’t decide which one I like the most, so here is a foryoo buffet:

Cool stuff, right?  I think that Sugar(ed) needs one of these babies!  Now I just have to choose!

Have a great weekend!  Need a laugh to get the party started?  I posted this on the Sugar(ed) Facebook page earlier, but it really makes me giggle.  The “Hey Girl” Ryan Gosling phenomenon goes bridal.  Love!  It!

Stay sweet,

Miranda

Color Crave: Pale Aqua and Indigo

I decided to give my bathroom a little makeover last weekend.  After collecting a bunch of aqua-themed inspiration images for a client, I realized how much I L-O-V-E that color.  It just makes me feel happy!  The walls went from deep chocolate brown to a light, foamy aqua.  I added in accents of deep, rich indigo and it really made the colors pop.  Such a refreshing change!

I love this color scheme for a wedding.  Pale aqua offers a soft, dreamy base while the deep indigo gives it some teeth and prevents it from looking too sweet.  Subtly organic elements give it a vaguely watery vide, perfect for a seaside affair.  And, you guys!  How much do you love those soft aqua gowns!  Such an unexpected bridal look and so pretty.

Top Row, from left: ramona keveza gown via style me pretty, pretty aisle via snippet and ink, aqua eyes, indigo stationary via jesi haack design  Second Row: indigo sky, earrings via bauble bar, blue bottles via brown dress with white dots, bouquet via brinton studios  Third Row: spotted paper via anthropologie, dress via lela rose, cake via sweet and saucy shop, necklace via plumo (no longer available)  Bottom Row: dress via heart and craft, schwimmbad mitternacht by david hockney, russian navy by opi, dress via the perfect palette

Stay sweet,

Miranda

etsy find of the week-episode two

Ok, confession time.  I have owned…deep breath….six (!) “engagement” rings.  All from the same man!  Here’s the rundown:

1. The original proposal ring.  It was a sweet little princess-cut three-stone design in platinum.  But the band cracked while I was clapping enthusiastically at a University of Kentucky football game (go CATS!)  The future hubs was NOT happy!

2. Returned ring to store.  Unsure if Zales platinum was legit after the clapping incident, I panic-chose a new ring; the setting had both white and yellow gold with round stones.  Again, a three-stone style.

3. Felt the style just wasn’t me.  Upgraded to a slightly larger stone, a princess-cut with a white gold setting featuring baguette diamonds down the sides of the band.

4. Fast-forward to picking out wedding bands…I decided (surprise!) that the engagement ring STILL wasn’t me and decided to design my own ring using the center stone from the engagement ring.  It was ultra contemporary and incorporated gold from both of our families, a really cool and meaningful touch, if I do say so myself.

5. Seven-ish years later, the ring needed repair.  Guess what?  I decided that the setting (My design, remember!) wasn’t doing the stone any favors and opted to get a new setting.  This time it was very vintage-y and sparkly.

6. I realized that I’m not a very vintage-y girl.  We sold the setting and the stone and purchased a 30th-birthday major-wow upgrade.  And now I currently rock a lovely round stone in a bling-y setting.

You’re probably wondering “What’s wrong with this girl?  And why hasn’t her husband gotten fed up with all of this by now?”  Well, that’s a good question, so I posed it to the hubs last night.  He replied that he thinks it’s great that I have been able to choose the things that I like over the years and was proud to be able to upgrade me along the way.  Sounds like a keeper, right?

Soooo, IF I were to go for lucky number seven (you know I’m totally thinking about it, right?), this might just be it.  This style is definitely “me.”  Modern and simple but majorly sparkly and substantial.  LOVE.  Rose gold is so yummy and the white topaz is glittery and different.  It’s not a diamond, but does it really matter when you’re sporting a major sparkler like this?

The ring is from Garnet Girl Designs and all of the jewels in the shop totally rock!  I love that you can choose your recycled metal (yellow, white, rose, or green gold or sterling silver) for the setting and the stones are fair trade.  And always free shipping!

My latest love: Garnet Girl Designs Rose Gold and White Topaz ROCK fetish ring

how cool is this setting??

I’m going to keep drooling over this beauty for a while and not do anything rash.  But Valentine’s Day is right around the corner….and our 10th (eek!) anniversary is this summer…….so, we’ll see.

Have a great weekend, sugars!

Love,

Miranda

and i thank you

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

Your wedding is the greatest party that you’ve ever been to, a joyous reflection of your love.  Your day is made all the more wonderful because you get to share the joy with all of the most special people in your life.  It’s important to realize that these are the people who made you who you are, the people who made it possible for you to become the soul mate of the person who now wears your ring.  We often get caught up in the details of the day and shouldn’t forget to thank those who truly made the day possible.

Ok, enough sap!  Favors, thank you notes, special photos….there are plenty of heart-felt ways to show your gratitude.  I’ve collected some super cute ways to thank all of your favorite people (check the Pintrest board for more ideas and for credits.)

heartfelt, sweet, sincere and simple

a donation in lieu of a favor allows you to spread your love around the world

one at each place setting allows you to thank each guest individually. love the sentiment here.

super cute "thank you" card idea showcasing your entire "family"!

"thank you" pickles! yes, please!

cute and casual "thank" you table

love this "thank you" card idea!

"thank you" cake? um, yes!

Well, THANK YOU for stopping by, sugars!  Stay sweet,

Miranda

Etsy Find of the Week-Episode One

I love browsing through the pages of Etsy.com.  There is so much amazing creative talent out there and it’s awesome that there is a venue for independant artists to reach a worldwide audience.  I find so much inspiration there that I thought I should start a weekly feature on the blog to showcase the best of the best.  My first choice is Alexandria King Bridal.  AKB is a small collective of British designers who hand-craft gorgeous golden-age inspired gowns.  The dresses have a playful vintage vibe that is so unique and refreshing.  I love the shorter than average lengths and the full skirts!

my pick: the astor in handwoven silk and tulle

super classy: the sarah jane in silver silk taffeta...imagine with a black ribbon belt!

Have a wonderful weekend, sugars!

Miranda

guess who’s on ‘the hot sheet’ in the latest issue of ‘the knot florida’?

A big thank you to ‘The Knot Florida’ magazine for featuring Sugar(ed) in their latest issue!  On newsstands now, pick up your copy and give page 42 a big kiss for me!

romeo + juliet ’96 style

I was reading one of my favorite wedding blogs the other day, 100 Layer Cake, and came across a post where the bride walked down the aisle to ‘Kissing You’ by Des’ree.  Remember that song from the Leo and Claire Danes version of Romeo and Juliet?  Oh, I just love that movie!  I remember dreamily walking out of the theater after seeing it in high school and my little teenage heart being swept away by the visual intensity that director Baz Luhrmann brought to the story.  And that song is so utterly intimate and romantic, just perfect.  It makes me a little tiny bit teary every time I hear it….Take a break and check out the YouTube of it here.

Ok, are you totally under its spell now?  After watching that video I got to thinking, “What would a Romeo + Juliet wedding (minus the death and despair, of course) look like?”  The gorgeous thing about the ’96 version of the movie is the juxtaposition of bold, graphic, modern imagery with the original Shakespearian dialogue, all wrapped up in the serious romantic chemistry of  (a very young!) Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.  The mood is delicate and fragile at its core, wrapped in swirling colors, glittering lights and rich darkness.  See how it could work:

sets the mood for magic

how amazingly gorgeous and perfect is this? fits the mood perfectly.

simple and sweet, very Claire as Juliet

juliet hair, loose and flowing

a seriously cool nod to juliet's wings in the movie

hand-painted graffiti-style shoes add a little edge to the look

graphic, modern and romantic all at once

it's all about the lighting to bring this vision to life

one big table to bring the families together (whether they're warring or not!)

love the glow of this

simple, but adds lovely light and a slightly old-fashioned feel

add a dash of bold graphics with the cake

a deep color palette adds intensity

blood orange margaritas will be the only "blood" spilled for this romeo + juliet

You must end the night with lights in the sky!

this would look so magical!

sparks fly!

*sigh

Wouldn’t this be just the most lovely and romantic evening?  I must watch the movie again, and soon.  You can see my Pintrest board for this here and find the links to the original images.

Later sugars.  Stay sweet,

Miranda

cheers!

Happy 2012, Sugars!  Wishing you a New Year filled with love and possibilities!

Stay sweet,

Miranda

christmas sparkle and love

Merry Christmas, sugars!  Can you believe it’s Christmas Eve already?  I hope you are enjoying the holiday with friends and family, good food and good cheer!  And I bet that some of you will be competing with the sparkle of the Christmas tinsel with a gorgeous new sparkler of your own!  The holiday season is the most popular time of year for engagements and I love the idea of a holiday wedding to follow-up that proposal a year later.

When I think of the perfect Christmastime wedding, I envision lots of creamy white, tons of metallic sparkle and one color (either red or green) to make it pop.  You don’t need to get to literal here, just think “festive!”  Sparkling lights, rich textures and a sense of abundance and warmth will convey the happy holiday mood.  I’ve compiled a series of images below to help bring this vision of Christmas sparkle and love to life.  Check out my Pintrest board to more images and credits.

first things first! a little christmas bling from tiffany's to you. fits the bill perfectly: white, sparkly and a pop of red!

love the delicate yet wintery look of this lace cape!

the best excuse to get a fabulous pair of red-soled Louboutins!

the classic holiday shape in lush velvety red blooms

an amaryllis bouquet adds a seasonal touch

red and purple gorgeousness

gold rims and glitter add a festive touch to the tablescape

sequined tablecloth....love.

a sweet and simple way to dress up a place setting

serve a wintery white cocktail as your signature and don't forget the tinsel-topped stir stick!

love a super simple white cake adorned with gleaming accents

love the idea of cutting open that simple white cake to find rich chocolate and candy canes! yum.

simple yet fancy cupcakes

fun favors with a nod to the holiday season

diy glitter hats for when the party really gets going!

and of course, mistletoe is a must!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Stay sweet,

Miranda

field trip: wynwood, miami

Hey sugars!  This past week brought Art Basel to Miami, and while I didn’t make it to South Beach, I did take a little field trip to the Wynwood neighborhood.  The Wynwood Arts District is located north of Downtown and south of the Design District and is overflowing with talent.  The scene is centered around the Wynwood Walls, a project that began in 2009 as a way to transform the blank walls of warehouses into giant canvases and bring some of the world’s best street artists to Miami.  There are tons of great galleries, restaurants and shops, but the streets of Wynwood are the real exhibit.  Artwork pops up everywhere; on the sidewalk, on the walls, on the doors, no surface is exempt.  The creative energy there is palpable; on my visit I saw artists everywhere and spray paint fumes filled the air.  It’s a fun, crazy mix of color, texture and urban grit.  As I walked around I realized that it would be perfect place for an engagement photo shoot or even for wedding photos–the backdrop possibilities are endless and it has such a fun, eclectic vibe.  Check it out: