Lookit’ everybody!

It’s our Save the Dates!

The turned out really, really well. Everybody who’s seen them has gone a little ga-ga. I’m a little ga-ga.

How did they come about?

Well, we needed save the dates. They’re not a necessary thing, you can totally just send out invites once and be done with it, but since we have so many guests coming from very far away (Australia and Korea far!) we thought they’d be a nice gesture so people have time to make plans.

Then I realized that half my friends are Graphic Designers and artists. This thing had to look awesome. No pressure or anything.

Well, blame it on me reading too many wedding websites, but I was drooling just a little too much over all the crazy-gorgeous engagement photos I’ve been seeing. I also find them just a little ridiculous. Spending all that money on a bunch of professional photo shoots, a year before you even get to the wedding? Seems a little much to me. But at the same time, a nice photo on a postcard seemed liked the easiest route for a save the date.

So we put together our own professional photo shoot instead. We found cute little vintagey outfits (mostly from our own closets), found an atmospheric – but free – location ( which was admittedly a little tricky in the middle of dreary March – but the loading dock at Liam’s former work worked out surprisingly well), posed cutely and got our sister to press the button on a borrowed DSLR camera.

There’s nothing pro about what we did, except for the polished, editorial-quality results. I think they even get across the vibe we’re going for perfectly – vintage, thirties-era whimsy. Which just proves that there’s no need for a fancy-shmancy photo shoot. All you need is a camera, a location and two people in love (although cute outfits help too!).

Oh, and there’s out-takes. Lot’s of them. Good ones. Expect to see them sometime soon, as well.

Spring has sprung, originally uploaded by beth maher.

In my little old backyard. Something to look forward to…

I need something to look forward to right now.

I’ve been meaning to post a review of my lovely Moop bag for, pretty much ever (I even took pictures – note the Christmas tree in the background).

After a (literally) lifetime long search for the perfect bag, I think I finally found it. It’s the “tote” from Moop.

Most bags these days are way too big, shoddily made, ridiculously bedazzled, horrifying coloured, and slide right off your shoulder. Darn females and their eschewing practicality for fashion!

Anyways, this bag is none of these things. It’s pretty much perfect. Well made, functional and design – as opposed to fashion – oriented. Because it’s practical instead of trendy, I think I’m going to be able to use it for years to come. But it’s stylish too, I think, in a industrial, utilitarian kinda way.

Best of all, it has all these wonderful little organizational pockets on the inside – one for your wallet, one for your cellphone, one for a pen, one for a book, one for a notebook, and a little ring to clip your keys on.

The attention to detail is really quite amazing – all the seams are reinforced, all the hardware is coordinated, the cell phone pocket even fits my iPhone like a glove!

The added practicality of having tote straps in a addition to an over the shoulder strap – well, it’s genius, really. It makes grabbing it on the go super simple, but taking it out for a hike or long day on public transportion just as do-able.

My only recommendation would be that if you get something in the corded canvas, it picks up a bit of cat hair. I got black, and I have kitties with white fur – I should have gotten gray, but I’m digging black these days. So I’ve resigned myself to a lifetime of lint rolling.

Other than that, it’s held up pretty darn well to regular use for the past few months. It still looks brand new (minus the cat hair).

Highly recommended!