table numbers, welcome bag tags, valet tags, hanging place cards, coasters, menus, programs, and another gorgeous seating chart …

If you didn’t check out her work when we first announced the Seating Chart Giveaway last week … you really should. Oodles of paper pieces with so many ideas for personalizing your own wedding!

Sooooo…..

We couldn’t wait any longer … we’ve decided to announce the winner of Gourmet Invitation’s Seating Chart Giveaway one day early! We’ve had SO many fantastic entries and as always, it’s just so hard to select one winner. In fact, it was so hard that we are selecting two!!

First winner, selected by Tifany is Julia C !

Julia’s entry …

Hi Tifany, thank you for this wonderful gift! Your designs are pieces of art and I would so appreciate having the opportunity to have one of your amazing pieces showcased at my wedding next March 20th, 2010. I am in love with your invitation set for Molly and Carl. My colors are pink and I am doing a romantic 18th century feel. You see I waited 30 years to find my soulmate we got engaged Christmas eve this past year unfortunely we live in Michigan and my fiance lost his job just shortly after we got engaged. I am trying my hardest to make our wedding day what we both have dreamed of but because of our situtation we have to make some cutbacks. However, having one of your seating charts greet my guests as they walk in would make my day all that more special! thank you!!

* * *

Second winner, selected by Style Me Pretty is Vickie D ! {Because it tugged at my heartstrings … and as the mom of three brides thru the years, I can totally relate to her feelings. And, I love it that moms read Style Me Pretty~Eddye}

Vickie D’s entry …

These are the most elegant options for a seating chart. I am the Mom of 2 brides , marrying within 11 weeks of each other and I am running out of time and money. This would be a lasting treasure for Katie to keep always. What a fun surprize this would be for her. The black one with the chandeler is perfect.

* * *

We will be in touch with both of you soon! And for those of you not selected, please do give the Seating Chart idea a thought. They are a very reasonably priced and an eco*friendly option for your wedding!

Everyone else … head over to Gourmet Invitations website and blog to see the full range of possibilities! Thanks SO much Tifany!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 1 comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Butterfly, Coasters, Fan, Gourmet Invitations, Menus, Place Cards, Programs, Seating Chart, Table Numbers, Valet Tags, Welcome Bag Tags
Post categories: Contests, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

From the bride…Custom Photo coasters are a great favor for any size wedding. Depending on your budget you can choose how many coasters you’d like to include. They are environmentally friendly because your guests will re-use them in their home for years on end, rather than throwing them away, like so many favors. If you have a photo booth at your wedding, what a great way to tie in that theme – along with your save-the-date cards and even your thank you cards after the fact. Here is the breakdown and instructions…

Materials

Scissors
Tape
Photo Coasters
(www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com, www.favorfavor.com, www.americanbridal.com)
Home Printer & Photo Paper
Ribbon

Instructions

1.    Print Photos of your choice on your home computer in color or black and white. For this project , we chose a theme: “Our Firsts”: First Date, First Kiss, The Engagement and The Wedding and we chose each picture to go along with those firsts.

2.    Using a word processing computer program we crafted tags for the favors and appropriately sized text boxes to tell our story on the back of each coaster. We chose captions that matched our theme, “The Snapshot: Take 1.”

3.    Using a cut-out template to size the photos appropriately to fit in the coasters, cut out each photo and photo story.

4.    Fit each photo in each coaster. Depending on your budget you could choose to do just one, two, three or all four coasters.

5.    Tape the story to the back of the coaster and stack them in chronological order.

6.    Tie them together with a ribbon of your choice that matches your wedding colors or theme.

7.    Tie the tag in with the ribbon that has your wedding emblem, a cute caption and your names and wedding date. Again, we crafted these with “Picture Perfect” to go along with the theme.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Coasters, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Favors and Gifts, DIY Projects, DIY Wedding Decor, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Here is the play by play…

From the crafter…I think these favors are appropriate for our current economic situation. With each set of four coasters costing about one dollar (mine were a little less), I think it would be difficult to find favors for this price.

I was first inspired by glass coasters that Martha Stewart featured on her website. When I investigated these, however, each piece of glass was going to cost almost $7. I tried lots of ways to achieve the look without the cost, though this this was my final idea. Enjoy!

Materials

Home Improvement Store:
-Square ceramic tiles (mine were 16 cents each and 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″, although you may find variations in sizes between stores)

Craft Store (Don’t forget about the 40/50% off coupons! S ign up for the email list!)
-Decoupage glue, I used Mod Podge (or craft glue to dilute with water at a 1:1 ratio)
-Paper- can be scrapbook, cardstock, leftover invitations, monogrammed napkins, copies of love letters or song -Foam brushes
-Felt for backing coasters. You can use rolls of thin cork board, which will increase your cost slightly. Cork does make it easier to achieve a clean, professional look.
-Paper cutter
-Heavy-duty glue
-Ribbon or raffia for tying, or small appropriately-sized boxes. Even paper cut into thin strips and glued.
-Waterproof acrylic sealer, in a spray or paint can

A note about what paper you choose:
You can order extra paper from your invitation supplier to make sure that your coasters coordinate. This way, they are clearly associated with your wedding. You can also stamp any logo you may be using onto your paper in waterproof ink. I kept mine black and white so they would match with most people’s home decor, but there are so many amazing patterns available! Scrapbook paper comes in large packs that are all pre-coordinated, which takes the guesswork out of which papers to choose. Finally, you can choose to stamp directly onto your tile with an ink like Staz-On, which you can color with ceramic or glass paints and then cure. This would work especially well if you had a custom stamp made for your wedding.

Instructions

1. Clean the tiles with alcohol to remove smudges/fingerprints. Be sure you’re working on a non-stick surface like plastic or vinyl. The decoupage glue WILL stick to newspaper or cardstock! (That’s it’s intended purpose.)

Optional: The grooves on the sides of each tile can be sanded down. I like the way they look, though. They can be painted, or sponged with waterproof ink before adding your paper. They can be gold-leafed or covered in ribbon at the end of the process.

2. Cut your paper into squares 1/4″ smaller than your tile. Have a stack of these cut to expedite the process.

3. Brush the tile with decoupage glue. Use a generous coat, since you want all parts of your paper to bond permanently. You must work quickly, as it begins drying immediately. Decoupage glue is NOT very forgiving!

4. Center your paper on the tile. Press the paper to the tile firmly, beginning in the middle and working your way outwards, eliminating air bubbles. Pay extra attention to the edges. These must adhere well, otherwise the paper will peel. Allow this layer to dry, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Make sure your brushstrokes are uniform and run in only one direction, as you will be able to see them (lightly) when the glue dries. Allow this layer to dry 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Brush another layer of decoupage glue over the coaster. You can make your brushstrokes in the same direction or the opposite direction (horizontally). The latter will produce a hatchmark effect.

7. Continue adding layers of decoupage glue until you are satisfied with the look. I used three. Then repeat the process of sealing with waterproof acrylic sealer, brushing on a layer and allowing it to dry. If using spray sealant, follow directions on the can. With either, make sure you are in a well ventilated area and you follow the precautions on the product! I wait at least one day before adding the sealer to make sure that my coasters are thoroughly dry. Each sealer has a different curing time; check yours for the appropriate number of hours/days it will take to dry.

8. When the coasters are completely sealed and dry, cut the felt to the appropriate size to match your tiles. Use the heavy-duty glue to affix the felt square to the bottom of the tile. Most heavy-duty glues require adequate ventilation! Again, be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions and precautions. The same process applies to the use of rolled cork board. Wait a few days before packaging to make sure that the adhesive no longer has an odor.

9. Stack and package your coasters. Add a tag with a printed message, or place a larger poster-style message on the table where these will be displayed inviting guests to take a set. “Next drink’s on us!” or some variant of “Coasting through marriage.” A cute or humorous set of instructions would also work.

Alternate ideas/Additional Considerations:
*These look beautiful when they are placed in a grid arrangement next to each other, especially when arranged in the pattern of the original paper. These can be used as a part of your table centerpieces if they are placed under a flower or other arrangement. They would look amazing used as a runner down the center of a long table. You can leave a note for guests instructing them to help themselves to their favorite four if you choose to display them this way.

* Each set doesn’t have to be identical! It actually looks even cuter if you mix and match!

* Consider making each coaster one letter of a four letter word, like LOVE or LIFE. You can use die cuts or stickers over paper.

* Tiles are available in larger and smaller sizes, as is paper. I saw 16″, 12″, 8″ and 6″ square tiles. The same process can be used to personalize these, which can be incorporated into other areas of your wedding. 

* Consider punching paper with various punches to create an eyelet or papel picado look. Some scrapbook paper is cut to look like lace.

* Many craft stores sell rub-on images and letters that can be applied to the tiles and then sealed.

* Don’t forget the elements that personalize the coasters. Use monogrammed initials, stickers, etc. to ensure that they are a coordinating part of your day.

* If you don’t love the unfinished edges, the paper or fabric can be cut long enough to cover the edges. Just fold the paper/fabric over the edges and tuck under the bottom side of the tile. The felt or cork will cover the rough edges.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 297 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Coasters, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, favors
Post categories: DIY Favors and Gifts, DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Instructions for the Coaster Favors from Katherine…

I designed the coaster in Microsoft Word, converted it to a PDF file and sent it off to For Your Party. They were great to work with and we had our coasters in a few weeks.

I finall found the correct sized glassine envelopes (4×4) and at Paper Presentation. I ordered the rubber stamps from Impress Rubber Stamps and got the ink at Michael’s. The labels came from Paper Source. (materials picture)

I put four coasters in each envelope, hand wrote out all of the guest names on the labels and then stamped their table number onto the label. I re-created one and accidentally screwed up the R in my last name, so the finished product looked neater. (finished picture)

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Coasters, Seating Cards
Post categories: DIY Projects, DIY Wedding Invitations and Stationery