Something different

Maybe it's a mom thing, but I have no idea where April went!!! It's almost Mothers' Day, and Bead It is having a sale on pearls... all their freshwater pearls are 50% off until this weekend. So of course, I stopped by and scored a few really nice strands of colored/dyed pearls I've been eyeballing for a bit, and another strand of irregular chunky ones with an incredible luster. I also picked up a small sterling silver hoop with 1+1 loops to make a Mothers' Pendant for myself. (Swarovski crystal in birthstone colors.) And a pair of faceted semi-precious briolettes... the precise stone escapes me at the moment. I guess today's project is to take some photos, huh?

So what on Earth is this picture of a card doing on a beading blog? Well, those are the wedding invitations!!! (Thanks to Myra at Kassidy's Kreations for the help with the red sakura seal/focal piece. Sorry, I have no idea what you would call that in paper crafting terms!) Anyway, by doing some comparison shopping, I found Taylor's Paperie on Etsy, who did a spectacular job printing the flat invites (see the Cherry Blossom branch?), matching RSVP cards, and mailing envelopes with return addresses. Her service was absolutely incredible, shipping was the fastest I've ever experienced, and proofing the invites was the LEAST STRESSFUL part of the wedding planning by FAR!!! (Naturally, she also has some wonderful samples of invites for a multitude of occasions...) The price was very VERY good for such a small quantity. Perfect for the DIY destination bride!

I also got some pre-made pocketfolds and pre-cut mats/inserts at Cards & Pockets, an online store run by a mother-daughter team. The best part about Cards & Pockets is that once you hit the minimum quantity (usually 10 units), you can order odd numbers of items. We made 40 invitations and ordered a few extra pieces just in case. Could you buy the paper for less money? Sure, but I've got other things to do with my time... like bead! HAHAHAHAHA.