The Kitchen Table

Well, here it is. My first domestic* project: our kitchen nook table. Preparing it may have taken me a good part of the week, but it's finally ready to be used. I really had no idea what I was getting into, but this week I learned how to strip paint, clean, sand, stain and paint wood. Like I said, I didn't know what I was getting into. Here is what the table looked like before:
*in a recent convo with katie d, I was encouraged to blog about my first project as a married woman. I'm working on being domestic ;)

A few weeks ago, I saw a post for a "small vintage table" on Craigslist. The couple selling the table noted in their post that they had shared many special meals at it when they were first married. When I went out to Edmonds to pick it up, the husband was outside in the yard, and after a warm welcome, he helped me load the table into my car. While he was helping me, he continued to tell me how special the table was to him and his wife. They hadn't been able to part with it, even after 18 years of marriage. When I told him that I had been married only weeks ago, he beamed. He told me that this table would be a blessing to us ("a table?" I thought, but I guess only time will tell).

When I brought the table home, the size felt perfect, but the cream and blue colors didn't seem quite right. So I turned to the internet for inspiration, and found posts on Design Sponge that gave me the guts to strip the paint and start fresh.


What I didn't know: a) stripping paint is messy! b) stripping paint can be toxic and c) there were coats and coats of mustard yellow paint underneath the top layers. I'll skip all of the messy details, but removing the paint took days, and that yellow just would not go away.

I turned to sanding next, and finally got down to the wood. I probably could have saved hours by leaving the paint on the table's legs (I just painted over the chairs), but I painted the stripped legs with a pale blue-grey color. For the table top, I chose a walnut color stain. I've already started to wish that the paint was a darker, almost slate, grey. Maybe I'll paint over the legs and chairs. Or, then again, maybe not.


And there you have it. A fresh, new table. With a bright green vase and fresh flowers from the Phinney farmer's market, I think she cleans up pretty nice. :)

I'm excited to see if this table will become a special place for Steve and me. Who knows, maybe it'll be around for another 18 years. :)

A Glimpse of Our Day

*

Jamie Hammond posted some photos on her blog. I will surely post more on Jamie later (she's SO great!) but for now, click here for some photos from the day.

Be sure to click on the slideshow link for more!
*all photos by Jamie Hammond Photography

Invitations

Ok, I admit it...I'm having wedding planning withdrawals. I don't know if this is normal, but I miss the project planning part of getting married (even though it is amazing to be married too). So, I thought I'd reminisce a bit and blog about our invitations--the project I was the most excited to do.

I knew I wanted a simple look for the invitations, but with a "pop" of color, which would come from the envelope liner. Simple, neutral, but with my favorite colors of pale aqua, greens, navy and gray, which slowly evolved into the color palette for the wedding.


I also fell in love with handwritten fonts that extend off the edge of the card. To me, the look is a little unexpected, but still simple. Originally, I saw it on this stationary site, but knew that purchasing invites would be much more expensive than designing them myself.

I downloaded a font I liked (for free from here!) and set out to find the perfect paper. I loved the look and feel of cotton papers, so I ordered samples of Crane Lettra paper but ended up reading about a great cotton paper from a company called Reich. The paper is ink jet and laser printer compatible, heavy, and pretty reasonably priced. I had already picked out the paper for the envelope liners from Paper Source and even found out that you can buy pre-cut liners that fit their envelopes online. Of course they only had 75 liners in stock, so with the help of my patient mom, we ended up using a template (also from PS) to cut another 75 or so by hand. PS A7 envelopes in "gravel," King and Queen Love stamps, and a customized return address stamp completed my collection of materials.

But there was one thing missing. The design. I thought for sure I would be able to figure out Adobe Illustrator, so I downloaded a free trial. But, I'm just not a designer...yet. ;) Lucky for me, I had just met a great couple who designs many beautiful things and has their own shop, Slide Sideways. I don't know how I stumbled upon their stuff, but I instantly loved their prints, especially their "Come Together" design. When I saw that print, I had the idea to change it slightly to reflect Steve and my relationship--a romance that started with running. :) The outcome was this awesome poster that is now framed in our home.

When I couldn't figure out Adobe, I emailed Scott and Jacqui to see if they could help me with the invitation suite. In little time at all, they designed an invite, response postcard, and reception card that matched my vision exactly. I am so grateful for their help! I took the design to the Costco Business Center, which worked out great, mostly because they were so friendly and helpful. They printed the design on my paper and cut each card for around $50.

Did I consider all the time it would take to complete such a project? Kind of. So I started planning, collecting, and buying things early. Did I think it was going to be easier? Yes, definitely. Still, I'm glad we did it. It was so much fun to put all of the pieces together and work on bits at a time with Steve, my mom, and my friends Jenny, Katie, and Mckenzie.
Oh, and if any one reading happens to have a wedding-related project for me (or any project really)...I'm ready to help. :)

Side by Side

Taking photos on your honeymoon is kind of a funny thing. There are 2 photographers--you and your spouse--and sometimes 3 if you ask another nice tourist, "will you take a picture of us?" So you end up with a bunch of photos of the scenery, shots of him in front of the mountain, and her in front of the statue. Still, it's fun to do. I had a lot of fun putting together these side by side shots of our honeymoon. Just a glimpse into our awesome trip!

Two Peas

in a stroller :)

The End of the 'Moon

Our perfect honeymoon week is almost over, and I can't believe it! What an amazing few weeks we've had. Of course there are many more photos, and fun moments that Steve and I experienced in our first week as Mr. and Mrs. Trudelle. I'm excited to share. :)

But for now, I'm sitting in our little light-filled dining room, gazing outside the window at the sun-drenched trees. It's incredibly quiet in this Phinney neighborhood. Someone is barbecuing nearby, and it smells delicious.

There are remnants of green and blue all over our house and Crate & Barrel boxes stacked in the kitchen. We still have loads to bring from each of our houses, and bags to unpack with things that we probably don't have the space for. There's a lot to do.

But I am savoring these days. We keep remembering funny/inspiring/beautiful moments from our wedding day, with the help of Steve's dad, who has started a running list. Photos are popping up on facebook. ;) It's so much fun to set up a home together, and we're shopping around for a bbq and a breakfast nook table for the kitchen. In fact, I'm supposed to be researching these purchases right now. Steve went back to his house to load up his car, and let me stay to do the fun job. He's the best.

I have to take a second to gush about how happy I am to have married the guy you see above. This photo was taken at the top of Whistler, after he picked up his second plate of food at the BBQ buffet (highly recommended by the way). I love this guy.

Steve is already such an amazing husband. He told me the other night that he wants to always get better at being a husband, and I'm inspired to take on that same challenge. I know there will be hard times, and it's my prayer that we can remember that commitment and the joy we feel now, when those times do come. That joy is really hard to explain, but I'm sure that everyone who is married can remember it. It's a deep feeling in your heart, a love for another person, that you know is going to serve you and stick by you...that you've just commited to for life! It's pretty cool. And even though our honeymoon flew by, there's a lot of fun still to come. I can't wait!

10 on 10: july: wedding day

Mckenzie, bridesmaid and friend for many years captured the best 10 on 10 of my life! :)

Oh Man

...we're getting close!

Here we are, right after picking up our marriage license. Do we look calm?


I am halfway afraid to post anything about the weather, but this is what the weather man is saying. I've always dreamed of a summer wedding. :)