Chambray. 3 Ways.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about anything fashion – Mom life and stretchy pants seem to have taken over my daily uniform… but there is still one very true statement – I live in my J.Crew Chambray shirt. I actually put a huge hulking hole in the arm of my last one. The reason – I am constantly finding new ways to wear it, new outfits to try it with etc.

The Canadian Tuxedo.

A personal favourite of mine, the denim on denim look is easy to wear, and can be polished or relaxed. Depending on the fit of your shirt as well, the look can be changed with accessories and makeup. It’s a really easy look to add a pair of sneakers with, or heels and some sparkles, depending on your mood.

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Tied up.

With a skirt or a dress, putting a cute little knot in the front of your shirt puts a little polish on the outfit. I have a dress I love to wear, but when it comes to being “office appropriate” the spaghetti straps don’t really make me feel like a professional. Add the chambray shirt and a knot, and it’s the perfect addition to my favourite summer LBD.

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Opened up.

As reported in My Perfect Travel Shoes I have a bit of a uniform when it comes to travelling. Leggings, T-shirt, Chambray, Walking Shoes. For spring and summer, adding a light layer like a chambray can update and outfit, and dress you in layers – always appropriate when the weather can be unpredictable! Leaving the shirt unbuttoned has a more relaxed look and with the right accessories, can take you anywhere.

Post Partum.

For those of you not pregnant, you might want to skip this list. But for those of you interested, there are a few notes for new parents, but most especially new Moms!

When you’re at the end of your pregnancy, the only thing you can seem to think about is the baby. At least it was for me. The anticipation was killing me. Thoughts were consumed by onesies, baby bottles and baths, car seats, preparing for birth… I gave a little thought to Post-Partum me, but now that I know how it was… here is some wisdom I wish to pass on.

Prepare your wardrobe

Nursing tops, undies, comfy pjs. Sounds like a reasonable shopping list, but I was only prepared with one of them – undies. For whatever reason, I thought it was a good idea to buy some underwear that would be comfortable on the off chance that I had a c-section – spoiler alert! I did!

I bought 4 pairs of these from the Gap – they are IDEAL! Loose waist band without elastic, boy short shape is big enough for coverage and a pad. They weren’t too tight on my incision and cute enough that I didn’t feel like a blob.

I also decided it was a great idea to be prepared for nursing AFTER the baby arrived – don’t be like me. Nursing tank tops from H&M were my go-to, but I wish I had bought a few tops and especially bras (in bigger sizes than I thought) before baby. A few things to consider – your chest will get bigger when your milk comes in, your ribs may have expanded, be sure that you size that out generously instead of conservatively. Don’t be like me. Plan ahead. If you have what you need it is easier to focus on feeling like yourself again and taking care of baby.

It’s going to take a while for your stomach to go down. It’s alright to live in stretchy pants! Personally, I favoured the high waisted ones I had worn throughout my pregnancy – like these!

Freezer foods

This is on a number of “before the baby comes” lists, but I wish to add my 2 cents. I made a few things for breakfast and lunch/dinner that were really good go-to meals in those first few sleep deprived weeks.

Breakfast wraps

Seriously simple! I scrambled the eggs, sautéed the spinach, added some shredded cheese and bacon and rolled them like burritos. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then stacked in the freezer. DONE! To bring them back to life you can either pop them in the microwave, oven or a mixture of both.

1. Eggs
2. Spinach
3. Whole Wheat wraps
4. Cheese
5. Bacon

Chicken Burritos

I don’t really follow a recipe for these, but there are about 500 easily made recipes I found in a quick “Chicken, Black bean burritos, freezer” on Pinterest.

Visitors

THIS IS UP TO YOU! I didn’t know how I would feel, maybe I would want my family there every minute to help. Maybe I wanted space, but the best thing I did was tell them that. I was brutally honest. There was a chance I just wanted to be alone for a few days. There was a chance I wanted people around for only 15 mins at a time or 24 hours at a time. I left it up to me, and Nick and baby to set the pace.

Having help is amazing and necessary when it is what you need. Be honest, ask for things, say yes, but above all – make sure it fits with your needs. You are the new parent, you get to decide what that looks like for you.

GO SLOW!

As my friend said to me, “being a parent is a marathon – not a sprint”. I have just made it through the infant stage, and I already see how true that statement is. Right after having Everly, I tried to do too many things too fast. Feeling inspired by the amazing weather we were having in February, I – 3 days post MAJOR SURGERY – decided it was a really good idea to walk 4 blocks. It was not. My mom had to come and pick me up in the car and I ended up back at the hospital to get checked out. Move slowly, ask for help, let your body heal!

It took 9 months to grow the baby, it took me 5 weeks to feel like myself again – be patient.

Any tips or tricks you mommas would share?!

xx

 

 

3 Tips to get out of a rut.

What’s hilarious is that I started this post in March of 2016. It’s now mid February in 2018… but the truth is, I’ve come back to this post and used my own advice. So it’s high time I shared it.

Here are 3 steps you can take to get yourself out of a rut.

Sign up for something

Whether its a class, workshop or to volunteer – having something to plan around and look forward to can be a great way to get you motivated. Here is an extra tip too – most yoga studios and gyms offer a free introductory class. Go by yourself or grab a friend and get out there.

Get outside

Seriously. There is nothing more depressing than waking up and staying in your pjs all day. Ok, sure for most people Saturday’s like this you can sink right into, but if you’re having a hard time, being outside and getting some fresh air can be a game changer. Even if it is only a walk down the street.

Invite someone out

Do something – drinks, dinner, coffee, run, walk, TV/Movie date – get around people. Just being around someone and being able to talk to someone other that the walls around you can make you feel more human instantly. I have a history of taking aimless wanderings through the mall. I love getting lost in the people – this is NOT what I mean. Anonymity is not the goal here, connection is. Introverts and extroverts alike can benefit from some social time.

These seem to help me out, is there anything you would add?

xx

Updates & Uncertainty.

The last few months have been crazy. I haven’t blogged, missed the gym, snagged a run injury (great!) – On a lighter note, I’ve travelled a ton (stay tuned for those posts), visited with friends and family, and somewhere along the way made it through what the MBA’s call Hell-ary – really it’s Hilary Term, but the last 5 weeks were pretty much hell for the students.

From March 14-April 6, Nick was in full work mode. Assignments came in doubles and he had 2 exams to prepare for. As his partner, it meant certain demands on me to ensure that he was supported and that we both made it out alive. I spent days in the study rooms with him, gave him pointers for his marketing assignment, and took care of everything at home and we planned an amazing trip to South Africa to celebrate the end of term. Sometimes, you just have to be superwoman. From April 7-15 I toured around Oxford, Bath and Liverpool with my parents; April 15-21 Nick & I were in South Africa; Nick had Nationals for ice hockey between the 22-24; the 26 we were in Birmingham; the 28- May 2 I babysat in London; the 3-8 I was in Ireland, Nick was in Paris; the 8-10 we were in London with my Brother-in-law Justin and his gf Jenna; the 13 we had the (almost whole) Anstett fam in Oxford, the 15 was Nick’s Varsity Match, the 17-22 I was travelling with Mike & Bev (Nick’s Parents)… phew. Now I’ve hit a sense of reality again.

As much as my days are filled, there is still this looming sense of uncertainty that is pulling us into the final term of his MBA. Graduating in September, the next few months will mean some big decisions for us – where are we going to live, what is each of our next career moves, what type of life do we want to have. While the MBA and life in Oxford has become our “normal” it is far from what our life has been together for the last (almost) 8 years.

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Do I have any answers… not really…can I give you a 1 year plan for our lives…kinda – But, I’m alright with it. There are a few things that I am doing to ensure that both of us are set up to manage uncertainty.

Here is what we are looking at right now.

1. Our lease in Oxford is currently ending July 31, I can extend it, but is that the right choice? I don’t know.
2. Nick will be in DC over the summer for his strategic consulting project, I will go and visit, but so far, the plan is for me to be here.
3. Graduation is on September 10… after that, we need to have some really big decisions made.

Talk about it.

Don’t let uncertainty, fears about the future, assumptions or even excitement go unnoticed and unmentioned. The only way that you can plan for a strong future is by being really honest about your present. At the end of the day, it is really exciting that we get to map out our lives together, and while I never want to lose sight of that, sometimes – frankly – it’s terrifying.

Be Selfish.

I have a chance to really choose. To shape the next few years of my life to be something that I am excited and proud of. I get to be selfish. Yes, I have really taken time to figure out what I want this year – have I nailed it yet? No. But at the end of the day, I am never going to regret taking this time to really think about what it is that I want. This MBA may be about Nick, but this marriage is a partnership. I need to find my next big thing just as much as he does – let’s just hope we find them in the same area code or more questions will follow.

Use your network.

I have made some incredible friends here in Oxford, and so many of them are in the same uncertain category. Without the candid, sometimes hilarious – or even tearful chats we have had, I would not be making it through as gracefully without them. Part of that opportunity to be supported starts with being vulnerable. We have to be able to admit and share that we don’t have all the answers, and I have learnt a ton just by being vulnerable and asking questions – and, when necessary, leaning on the people who love and support me.

There is no special formula, but taking the time to think through this post even is helpful. Hopefully, it can help someone else too.

xo

Friday Favourites. Apps.

Made it! The final instalment of March’s Friday Favourites – Did you catch them all?

Travel. Wedding Edition. Inspiration and now APPS!

Being a millennial, it’s almost cliche to say that my smartphone is one of them.  Yes, I can do without it. Yes, I can put it down. No, I don’t have to admit that I have a problem.  The truth is, smartphones and technology have made our lives simpler in many ways – in an increasingly complex world.

I use my phone for all of the traditional things of course – texting, phone calls, keeping my contacts… but I also use it as my workout buddy, organizer, source of inspiration and personal assistant.

Here are a few of the apps that I just can’t live without.

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Nike+ Running

Back in September, I wrote about fresh starts and goals. I have always relied on Nike+ running to keep my runs tracked and to review my progress. The GPS will track you as you run and read out your pace, distance and time at whatever interval you want.  More than that, being able to look back at all of the KMs you have clocked is really helpful for motivation – “I haven’t run since February…” – and for seeing how far you have come!

Recently, I have tapped the app as my coach.  On Monday, I am going to start a training program that is aimed at making me a faster runner for mid distances (5-10km). I just signed Nick up for the Liverpool Rock&Roll Half Marathon, and myself for the 5km race on the Saturday. The app will also link into your Nike+ Training Club app if you are working through a program there as well.

Both apps are free!

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FaceTime & WhatsApp

Seems like an obvious choice, but living abroad makes connecting loved with home so important.  Gone are the days of long distance phone call charges, since you can now call people over WhatsApp, FaceTime, Facebook, Skype… I remember when people would talk about video phones when I was a kid – seemed like a really awkward technological development, but now I couldn’t live without it.

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Evernote

Recipe planning. Keeping data. Scans of important documents. Numbers and stats I can never remember but always need – Evernote. It’s the best personal assistant. Nick and I are also able to share documents and chats over the app to keep us organized together – something I have found increasingly important as his schedule is overwhelming with school.

 

Friday Favourites. Inspiration.

There are a few websites that I frequent daily.  Whether to pass the time, find some inspiration, or read stories that I connect with on some level. This post is dedicated to those places.

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Pinterest.

I am an avid “pinner”. Before finding Pinterest, I had folders and folders on my computer of beautiful images, recipes, fashion photography, illustrations, design ideas. It was never organized, but they were things that I wanted to keep track of. I think I was an early adopter of Pinterest, because I had to send in my information and ask to be added to the site as they were still in testing. I was immediately hooked – and my hard drive thanked me for clearing the space.

I now have boards dedicated to almost anything – and the search function for recipes has saved me on more than one occasion. One night we had 2 zucchinis and 2 cans of corn and parmesan – I entered the ingredients I had, and immediately a delicious looking recipe popped up. Recently I have taken to pinning recipes that look amazing, but I haven’t tried them all, so I went back through and liked each of the ones that I had tried and liked – and simply deleted the rest.  A wildly better system than what I was pursuing before.

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Skillshare.

One of my goals for 2016 was to “know more.” It’s a wildly uncertain goal, but I created a little more direction by picking a few manageable targets. 1. Read the newspaper cover to cover for 1 week. 2. Learn a new skill/take a class – this is where I am now. I found the website Skillshare through The EveryGirl. It’s classes on a whole host of topics from DIY and Photography to coding and the entrepreneurial process. So far, I have taken 2 classes on Marketing – you know, to brush up on my skills – and 1 on SEO – a topic i know only broadly about. I have a 3 month subscription that I got for $0.99 which opens me up to all of the premium classes as well. I would highly recommend it, if for no other reason than to “know more”. You don’t have to sign up to take some of the classes. But if you do, here is a code to get you on your way! http://skl.sh/1TB0kTK

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The EveryGirl.

Of all of the blogs and sites that I follow, the EveryGirl is definitely one of my favourites.  The articles are usually well written, not too long, not too short, and filled with useful tips, beautiful photography and great ideas. Career & Finance, Culture, Fashion, Beauty, Travel… what’s not to love? I was even able to find an awesome post on Barcelona before heading there – complete with some bar suggestions that came in handy!

Three sites, very different forms of inspiration, but I highly recommend you take a look at each!

xo

 

 

Carry-on Necessities.

When I was a kid, we went on a number of long family driving trips. Minnesota, New Jersey, South Dakota, Florida, we drove the entire route from Halifax to Sydney and back… and my mom ALWAYS packed us an activity box. Usually a small plastic box (to be used as an activity table) our boxes were filled with MadLibs, bingo games, colouring supplies, usually a treat or two – they were my favourite part of long trips.  Which is why I think I have been trained into over packing my carry-on – I never know what I am going to want, what forms entertainment can take – especially if the flights or trips I am on do not have a built in TV screen. (Funny how quickly we come to expect something that was not even a reality when I was a kid – for more on this see Louis C.K)

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Today, I am off with my friend Sarah (another MBA wife who is living in DC) to Venice and Barcelona.  Naturally, we were cost cutting and I am only going to be packing for 5 days in a back pack! It means that I am going to have to be slightly more discerning in terms of what I pack. Outside of the obvious, there are a few things that I will not leave home without that always make it into my carry-on.

Facial Cloths

These Boots Cucumber Cleansing Wipes are the replacement for the Life Brand ones that I would generally buy at home. They are perfect for taking makeup off or a quick cleanse when you have been out and about all day. They’re especially useful when the liquids limit puts your daily cleanser into the”not allowed” category.

Find them here.

 

Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm

Of all of the lip products I have purchased in the past, for some reason this is the one that I have yet to lose – and for that I am thankful.  The truth is, out of all of the chapstick, lip balm options out there – this has been my favourite now for years – so naturally it is on my packing list.

Knowing how these things work, I will probably lose my Rosebud on this trip, but hey, I guess thats how things go.

 

Cozy Scarf

I have already done an ‘ode to my favourite travel shoes‘ but next to a great pair of shoes, having a great wear with everything cozy scarf is just as important. My essential is actually a turkish towel that Nick and I got for me on our honeymoon.  It washes easily, its nice and big, and the oatmeal colour I picked pretty well goes with everything. From cool nights, to cuddling up on the plane, having a scarf is definitely needed for all travel.

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Stay tuned for my next travel post – how to pack 1 small carry-on for 5 days in Europe.

 

 

Black Tie.

“Black tie” – Two words I seem to see on an invitation now more than ever. I am not complaining… but it means that the question “what will I wear” becomes even more complicated. How many black tie outfits do you have at the ready? Since September, I have been asked to wear black tie 4 times. My most recent outfit for a wedding I think is my most successful, and my most versatile.

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In January, Nick and I were invited to Matt & Sarah’s wedding in DC – the dress code? Black tie. This time, armed with some Christmas money, I went out looking for a dress that was more versatile – something that could go with me to any number of black tie Oxford events, and be appropriate for a wedding.

Exactly what you would expect looking for that one great dress that will work for everything, my search was long.  But I ended up with a fantastic black skirt and a few tops. The skirt was easy to find, and I instantly fell in love. The tops were much more difficult – mostly, because of the black satin look to the skirt. Matching black’s was next to impossible, and finding things in colour and in the right fabric was much more complicated when looking in January.

Coast Clothing, Meslita Skirt

Zara, Velvet Peplum Top

I found the skirt at Debenham’s here in Oxford, and lucked out with a few great sales at Zara where I found this velvet v-neck peplum top from Zara.

Overall, the outfit was a hit! I had a few people come up to me telling me how much they liked my dress. I think my favourite was one of the more elderly guests suggested that only girls with small chests could pull off my top (wink).

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Back in September, my trip to Paris with Emily called for one black tie outfit – saved by Primark – I thought It went pretty well. The black jumpsuit that I picked up was a great fit and easy to dress up and down.

In October, I rented a dress from ChicbyChoice (the Rent the Runway of the UK) for the Oxford Union Masquerade ball. The reason that I rented a dress was because I couldn’t seem to justify spending upwards of £100 on the dresses that I was finding – nothing seemed to be what I was looking for. This black and gold t-shirt, full length dress was perfect – and after wearing it, I just shipped it back.

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Since then, the same “Paris” outfit came in handy for Nick’s MBA Christmas party. The strapless navy dress I have just didn’t seem appropriate for a winter event. I was actually one of two girls wearing a black jumpsuit at the event – and likely one of the most comfortable at the afterparty.

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Since attending all of these events, I have come up with a few rules for black tie. Following these will keep you well within the ‘traditional’ guidelines for Black Tie events:

1. Black is always an easy choice – and is incredibly versatile
2. Add a little sparkle – earrings, necklace, bracelets – anything to add a little more
3. Red lips are always classic
4. Keep it below the knee – whether you’re going for a tea length or full length, to me, black tie means long(er)

There are a few more events coming up this spring that I will have to bring out the black tie skirt for again – maybe with an update to my jewels and top.

Copenhagen.

This past January, Nick and I took a last minute trip to Copenhagen. It quickly became one of my favourite cities – and, thanks to some stellar recommendations from my friend Frazer, we had an amazing time and amazing food.

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It is a city I would definitely recommend visiting! So here are a few tips, tricks and places to go if you find yourself in Copenhagen.

City Travel:

You can easily take the subway from the airport into the city centre. All you need is a 4-zone ticket. We found many of the kiosks in the airport were full and had long line-ups. We walked into the metro tunnel and quickly found a free kiosk, paid for our tickets with a credit card and were on our way – easy!

Unlike Amsterdam (which felt smaller to me) you will likely want to take the bus or the subway while you are there.  EASIEST thing to do is to download the cities app – Mobilbiletter from the app store. Not only are you able to purchase bus tickets for multiple persons and trips right from your phone, it saves you the trouble from searching for a ticketing booth. We happened to be in Copenhagen in the winter, the app made a huge difference.

NOTE: Watch out for the bike lines. There is the sidewalk, bike lane and road (3 levels)- just be sure not to walk in the bike lane.

Where To Go

We only had about 36 hours to see the city, so most of our time was spent wandering between the sights.

We did however, go in and take a palace tour – we noticed that there wasn’t a lot of signage telling you where to go for the tour, so just walk-in as if you were going through the front door. Once inside, we were provided with a set of booties to cover our shoes, an the option of putting our bags and coats into lockers.

Places we Wandered

– Stroget 

One of the main shopping areas in Copenhagen there was no shortage of shops, unique Danish design and spots to stop and grab a drink or a snack

– Walked past Tivoli Gardens

It was winter, so the gardens were closed, but we were able to peek in and get a sense of the worlds first amusement park

– Nyhaven at night/First thing in the morning

Go! At night or in the morning, we were able to capture some stunning photos at first light.

Where to Eat

Our 36 hours in Copenhagen was a lot about food, and we did really well. Armed with my friend’s suggestions, I starred all of the spots she had suggested in Google Maps in my phone – this is something I am going to be doing for every trip! Not only was I able to bring up the suggestions really simply, but depending on the area we were in, I was able to find close by spots for us to stop.

Ol&Brod 

We had an amazing meal our first night at Ol&Brod. It was definitely indulgent, but oh so worth it. Pictured below are the 3 dishes we ordered to share – Roast Cauliflower, Shrimp and Steak Tartare. It is also part of the Mikkeller group, serving some amazing craft brews.

War Pigs – Texas BBQ and micro-brew in the meat packing district. We ended up eating here on our second night and kept joking that we went all the way to Copenhagen for some American BBQ – it was worth it! We ordered brisket, pickles and baked beans, and of course a few beers.

Paté Paté – we stopped in for a drink, but the food looked amazing.

Mikkeller Bar – Post dinner at Ol & Brod, there was a Mikkeller bar just a few doors down that we stopped at for another drink.

Granola – We stopped in for breakfast before a full day of touring. It was a really cute spot and the perfect way to start our day. I had the Apple, Coconut, Banana oatmeal and a coffee to warm me up.

Torvhallerne – A food market located behind Norreport in city centre, we wandered through the halls before making a decision. Smørrebrød (traditional open faced sandwich), we chose 2 options and stood at the counter to eat them as a pick me up before heading our for lunch.

GRØD – We stopped at GRØD for lunch and were not disappointed. The only dishes they server are based on porridge. I had the parmesan risotto with roasted carrots and ricotta – it was amazing.  We enjoyed the meal so much that we actually bought they English cookbook too.

Mostly, our trip was about eating and wandering, and we were not disappointed. We couldn’t make it to all of my friend’s suggestions, but the ones that we did make it to were instant favourites.  Even writing this post I am being transported back to each of those restaurants (and wishing that the food in Oxford was even close to as good as it was in Copenhagen).

 

Wedding DIY.

It’s getting to be that time again – wedding season. If you are “at that age” wedding invitations start rolling in, and don’t really slow down for a few years. They just get intermingled with the baby announcements and shower invites.

At our busiest, we attended 6 weddings in one summer – and had to decline 2. Yes, it is ok to RSVP ‘no’ to a wedding; one just happened to have fallen on my Dad’s 60^th birthday. Amidst all of the invitations, décor, dresses and extras, you’re bound to pick up a few details about what you want your wedding day to be like.

By the time Nick and I got married in June 2014, I had a pretty good idea what my wedding style would be – and I was determined to make most of it happen on my own. I used Pinterest a lot. There was no shortage of DIY ideas, tricks and projects for weddings of any style or season – the trick is just narrowing it down. Check out my board All in White for my wedding inspiration (and a few pics).

Here are 3 DIY projects that helped dress-up our wedding.

1. Bunting flags

The Inspiration:

Ordering these online will cost you – seriously. I wanted a more rustic look, and was drawn to burlap (a very trendy choice). But spending $20 on a string only 10 feet long, didn’t seem reasonable – especially when my idea was to string these little flags across both the ceremony space/ballroom and our tent. With a little patience, we got the look I wanted at a fraction of the cost.

cutting triangles

I painted a few of the triangles that were used as extra decor

I got lucky, we had old drop cloths lying around from a recent move that I washed and ironed – so I was able to save some extra $ there. A quick trip to the dollar store for some “laundry” cord, and I had everything we needed.

HOW TO:
What you will need:

• Good scissors
• Drop cloths x 2 (like this or similar)
• Dollar store white cord (200ft) x 4
• Sewing machine (or in my case a mother-in-law with one)
• White paint – optional (dollar store acrylic is just fine)

Using a piece of cardboard as a template, trace your triangles in pencil onto the drop cloths. Be sure to line them up as tightly as possible, that way you can maximize the number of triangles your drop cloth yields. Cut them out and set them aside. I wasn’t too worried about the edges of them because they were going to be more that 10 feet above people’s heads.

Stitch the triangles onto the cord placing them about 8-12 inches apart, depending on your desired look.

We ended up with 4 full length strands of bunting. It ended up being enough for the tent, ceremony/ballroom, and a little extra for décor around the space.

2. Place cards/ Table assignments

The inspiration:

In the winter of 2013/2014, Toronto was hit with an ice storm that took a serious toll on the birch tree in my parent’s backyard. A number of branches were to be trimmed and cut down – leaving me with the option to up-cycle them!

HOW TO:
What you will need:

• Birch branches
• Saw
• White 1-inch gift tags
• Alphabet stamp
• Ink pad
• White paint/brushes

Trim each branch (around the same thickness) to about 12 inches. Place each trimmed branch down on a table to figure out how it will lie – you don’t want to cut where the branch won’t sit straight. Then cut 10 slots (or the number of seats at your table) in the branches, as a place for the place cards to be set. Finish off each branch with the table number, one for each table.

Throughout the décor, we used gift tags and bakers twine. We carried these through to the place cards. I hand stamped each person’s name onto the cards using letter stamps and blue ink. Then we tied a corresponding piece of bakers twine to each person’s card, signifying any dietary restrictions.

3. Signage

The inspiration:

One thing that you learn planning a wedding, is that people are so incredibly willing to help – you just have to know how they can. Thankfully, the Anstett family friends in Exeter, Ontario were one group just so eager. We were able to secure around 5 planks of barn board that we cut down to size for wedding signage.

HOW TO:
What you will need:

• Barn board or Pallet planks
• Saw
• White paint
• Paintbrushes

We had a sign for:

• Parking
• Ceremony
• Candy table décor
• Lawn Games

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DIY projects can make any wedding a little more personal, just be sure that you don’t bite off more than you can chew.  I started cutting triangles for the bunting in October for our June wedding – always be sure to leave yourself enough time, it makes the process more fun and much less stressful.  When in doubt, consult a creative friend, or bring your bridal party into the mix!