At the lake...

I'm en route to Saskatchewan this morning to celebrate the lovely lady on the right. 

Since becoming engaged around the same time, Jennifer and I have enjoyed many a bridal tête à tête, dog walking stress-relief chats, bridal bootcamp sessions, and evenings of wine & cheese indulgences. I wouldn't change a minute of it and this experience wouldn't have been the same without her.   


The roller coaster of awesomeness continues as we head east for a champagne brunch shower in Jen's honour followed by a few days in the sun at her family's cabin. Perfection in my books.


I'll be back in BC next Tuesday but in the meantime, if you're so inclined, follow along on twitter & Instagram (username: @cstarevents).

July long, let's go!

Considering the extensive number of song posts made in the last several years, by now you may have identified that I'm quite fond of music. As a fun summer feature I've decided to create a playlist for each long weekend between Victoria day and Labour day. If you're looking for a few new tracks for your weekend soundtrack, feast your ears on the following. I hope you enjoy your long weekend. Happy Canada day to my fellow Canucks!

Enjoy!

1. Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
2. Video Games - Lana Del Rey
3. The A Team (Acoustic) - Ed Sheeran
4. Tongue Tied - Grouplove
5. Michael Bernard Fitzgerald - Follow
6. Queen of California - John Mayer
7. Skinny Love (Cover) - Birdy
8. Man on Fire - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
9. Take a Walk - Passion Pit
10. Wagon Wheel (Cover) - Mumford & Sons
11. Home - Phillip Phillips
12. It's Time - Imagine Dragons
13. Wishes and Stars - Harper Simon
14. White Nights - Oh Land
15. Love & Loss - The Honey Trees
16. Money Grabber - Fitz & The Tantrums
17. Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
18. Rivers and Roads - The Head and The Heart
19. The Lion the Beast the Beat - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
20. Down By the Water - The Decemberists

Like what you hear? Check out the May long weekend playlist.

Looking for a little red-and-white beverage inspiration? Check out last year's Canada Day Sangria recipes.

Grateful.

This is the face of a girl who is so happy and so overwhelmed with the kindness and thoughtfulness of her very favourite women.

. . .

Last Sunday my bridal party (pictured below) threw me the wedding shower of all wedding showers. Guests were treated to a high tea at noon, complete with a delicious array of all of my favourite savoury and sweet foods, bubbly beverages, and - of course - an extensive array of teas. I can't even think about the decorations without nodding my head in 'respect.' Jen's home looked so beautiful, the hand made decorations were amazing and the photographs arranged throughout the house was the sweetest touch. 

As it's now 4 days later and I'm just coming off the high that I experienced seeing so many of my favourite people in one room, I have much more to say and share about this event. That being said, it was important to acknowledge these five ladies and my two mum's for executing such a fabulous event and to send love & gratitude to each lady bird who was there in body (& those who were there in spirit). 

thank you.

I feel so special and so loved. I don't quite know how I'm going to make it through our wedding day. 

Angie, Julie, Jen, Jill, and Jenn: you are amazing. 

girl effect.

Just when I thought Kal couldn't get any more awesome she's gone and done it: her art shop is currently stocked with these girl power bracelets. The bracelets - designed by Winnipeg based jewelry designer Hilary Druxman - have been created in support of girleffect.org who put it best: The math is simple: Girls + Girl Champions = Something Way Bigger Than All Of Us. Now that's a movement I can stand behind. 

Pop on over to Kal's corner of the internet to have a look (after all, these pretties would make a great gift). More information about Girl Effect can be found here.

Oh, and while you're there: make sure you check out these rad key tags (link with love, y'all).



(Photographs courtesy of Kal Barteski).

wedding project [three]: the centerpiece vases

details:

The design of the centerpiece vases was inspired by the girls of Bash, Please (I spotted them on one of their Instagram feeds and was immediately smitten). I intended to dip-paint them; however, after contemplating logistics, cost, and other details (drips being one) I decided to pick up a cart of my favourite Martha paint and start sponging. The vases were all thrifted and gifted.

I used painter's tape to make a clean line about 1/3 of the way up the vase and applied 2 coats of paint on the bottom portion. This method worked well but I must note that the lines aren't perfect (in case perfection is what you're going for). All vases have been painted and my next task is to cure the vases in the oven so they can we washed (even in the dishwasher) without chipping and/or bubbling. 350 degrees for 30 minutes does the trick!

As our total number of tables remains to be determined, I've made extra. Truth be told I'm secretly looking forward to being able to keep a couple for myself.

up next:

I'm still on the hunt for cotton lace (and taking any and all sourcing suggestions) so I can finish our table runners. I'm currently stalled, half-completed, and this is a project I'd love to complete in full a.s.a.p.

I have a pile of wood sitting in my dad's backyard that was saved to be repurposed for a wedding-related project. My new belt sander, a can of black-brown stain, and a few nails are going to come in handy for this one. More details to come...

1, 2, 3... Go!

Cheers to the Weekend!

So there went another week with no blog posts. Apologies for being MIA. Here's the rundown on where I've been & what I've been up to in the last seven days...

Last weekend my sister turned a year older; I was lucky enough to share her birthday with her when she visited with two of my favourite people, Jen & Angie. We had a wonderful weekend full of cooking, crafting, drinking, and extensive hair tutorials (my friends are talented multi-taskers).

I had the opportunity to work on a fabulous side project in Kelowna with some amazing, talented, people. I promise there will be more to come closer to the release of the final product. In the meantime you can pop on over to the C Star Events Facebook page for a hint or two. Hint: it involves these two ladies.

Up next: I'm heading to Vancouver for a girl's weekend of shopping, pedicuring, and bridal showering. I can't wait to see my very favourite women and enjoy my first official 'bridal' activity.

I hope your weekend is full of fun. Check back next week for updates on the wedding planning process, craft projects, and the like.

shades of relaxation: pink edition

If I were to plan the perfect afternoon, it would be filled with sunshine, a good book, something to sip on, and a cozy chair to relax in. Although this recipe-for-relaxation can be applied in any season, these days I'm enjoying all things girly and basking in the sweet smelling glow of late Spring (at least this happens when the sun decides to grace us with her presence). I will be dreaming about these rosey indulgences as I sit at my desk watching the rain clouds roll in this morning.

Relaxation: it's in the details...

- I love fresh cut flowers. Short story: they make me happy. Especially peonies which are in their prime right now (this bunch was captured by the talented Elizabeth Messina).

- Emily (of Cupcakes and Cashmere fame) has written a book chock-full of thoughtful tips and beautiful photography (read about it here). I've added it to my list of things to gift. Don't you think it would pair well with a bubbly cocktail, say, The Capricorn?

- Candles are a staple in our house and exist in almost every room. I enjoy gifting Voluspa candles as they make some of my very favourites and the packaging is pretty. This one comes in a lovely glass jar.

- Truth be told, sometimes a girl just needs to curl up for a cat nap. An eye mask (a la Holly Golightly) and a cozy throw make the perfect companions for an afternoon snooze.

What is your favourite way to relax? 

(peony photograph courtesy of Kiss the Groom, book Amazon, candle Indigo, eye mask Soft Mur Murr, blanket Indigo, and cocktail Martha Stewart; collage created via Polyvore). 

Build Your Own Fruit Salad Bar

Well, June is here which means it's officially get together season. Excitedly, I have penciled in showers, birthdays, grad celebrations, and girl's nights over the coming weeks and look forward to the treats and drinks that will no doubt accompany them.

Always hunting for new and creative ideas for what to bring and what to serve, I stumbled upon this guest post on Rockstar Diaries written by Anna Liesemeyer. The concept is brilliantly simple and altogether marvelous for bikini- health-conscious lady friends.

If this is something you might fancy, pop on over to Rockstar Diaries (and while you're there, feel free to swoon over Naomi and Josh's incredibly adorable babies).

Memory Bank

I am absolutely smitten with the idea of a memory bank. Designed to store special mementos like ticket stubs, to do lists, and love notes, these adorable little piggies collect life's memories instead of pocket pennies. I'm tempted to order one to store the special keepsakes from our first year of marriage.

Do you keep things like ticket stubs or notes in a journal, scrapbook, or shoebox?



(Memory Bank available through Speechless Studios; found through swissmiss & A Cup of Joe).

String Art

If you follow me on Instagram (username: cstarevents), you may have noticed a hint I dropped about an upcoming string art wedding project. My lovely friend & kindred spirit Jennifer created a beautiful l-o-v-e sign for me and gave me all of the tricks she learned while creating it. As it turns out, Martha shares our affinity for board, nail, and string. I think this is a darling way to display escort cards for a smaller wedding, don't you?

Visit Martha Stewart Weddings for the how to and list of materials.



(Images courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings).

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), Mindy Kaling

After last month's tearjerker, I needed a book to make me smile. This book made me smile, laugh, and - on occasion - snort. I love Mindy Kaling and her smart, spit-fire humour; her book surpassed my expectations. I'm recommending this book to all of my girlfriends as it's a great summer read and the perfect companion to your lawn chair.

Have you read it? What did you think? Also, have you seen the preview for her new sitcom (Joanna Goddard posted about it here)? Suffice it to say I'm excited.