Thursday Thoughts

Source: Pinterest

Wedding News: The Calm before the Storm

Hey there!

I know it's been a while since I've talked about our wedding preparations, but the truth is: actually there hasn't been much going on for the last weeks.

The thing with weddings is, that you have to take care of lots of stuff early in advance (like the location, photographer, church, etc.) - but after this is done, everything feels a little stalled. And sometimes I'm worried that I'm wasting time and that there has to be something I can prepare - but I just don't know where to start! Does that make any sense?

So here are just a few random things we've been thinking or talking about, and things that are in preparation (accompanied by some Pinterest finds):

Source: Pinterest

(Spoiler No.1: Our Color will be Yellow!)

The Documents:

Documents may not be older than six months at the time of the wedding, so we've just started getting everything together: as an unmarried German citizen, it's all very easy for me: I just need my passport and a certified copy of my birth register (check). With John it's a little bit more complicated, because he's an American citizen and has been married before. Thank god he has been married and divorced in Germany, otherwise it would have been a bureaucratic nightmare, as the nice lady in the registry office told me. As for his former marriage, he only needs a certified copy of his marriage register (on the way). Since he isn't German, he also needs some kind of "marriage ability certificate", issued by the home country. Some countries participate in that, others don't, and - you've guessed it - the USA don't issue these certificates. What we need now is an exemption from this certificate, issued by the Higher Regional Court. Complicated as this usually is, we're lucky here: since John had been married here before, it's just an uncomplicated bureaucratic act to get this exemption. Nevertheless, I'm glad when we've got all the documents together and can officially register our upcoming marriage.

Source: Pinterest

(Spoiler No. 2: I'm thinking about Pinwheels...)

The Dress:

We've been to a wedding fashion show recently, and I've seen some really cute (and even affordable) dresses - unfortunately there was not a single one that I'd like for myself :( At the show they've also handed out small catalogues with the whole collection of the designers, and in one of them I've seen a dress I really liked. However, I have to wait a little longer with shopping: unfortunately after our summer vacation I've re-gained most of the pounds that I've lost in the first half of last year, which brings me to the next point...:

Sports:

Last week we've started going to the gym again. It's so embarrassing crawling back after long months of abstinence, having to reduce the weights on every single machine, being frustrated to start all over again. But hey, it's worth it, right? The only thing I need is a shirt saying "Sweating for the Wedding" (seen that on Pinterest), that would definitely be the extra kick for my motivation!

Source: Pinterest

(Spoiler No.3: I'd love to wear my boots.
At least for a few takes at the photo shooting!)

The music:

That's the fun part of the whole preparations: choosing the music! And something that even John enjoys :) Everytime we hear or remember a song we like, we put it into a category: do we want it to be played at the wedding? If yes, will it be just background music during the day or will it make it to the playlist for the dance? Is the song so good, that it even makes it to the Soundtrack? Now here's another little spoiler: we've already decided that we'll give a CD as gift to our guests, our personal "Wedding Soundtrack" you could say, packed with the important songs of the day (the songs that our friend will sing at the church, our first dance, etc.) plus our personal favorites.

Source: Pinterest

(Spoiler No. 4: Yes, we will really be Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

so maybe this movie might play a role, too!)

So, it seems like I really had some things to show and tell, although I didn't even know what to write about when I started this post! :) Our next stop will probably be the jeweler's shop. The one where we've bought my engagement ring has a wedding-month in February, so we might check that out.

See you soon for more News,

Wedding Countdown: 149 days to go!

Meet Debi from "Dly's Hooks and Yarns"

Welcome to the second guest post in my new "meet in k-town"-series, and thank you all for the positive feedback to Jenn's guest post last week, I think that was a fantastic start! With this series I try to find a balance between brandnew blogs and blogs that are already very popular. My guest today is Debi, and I assume that most of us already know and love her blog, but let's hear how she summarizes six (!) years of blogging:

"Hi everyone - please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Debi Y. and my blog is 'Dly's Hooks and Yarns'.  

My sister Teri taught me to crochet a granny square when I was in high school.  I really didn't do much with that until quite a few years later.  I was pregnant with my daughter Erica (who is now 30 yrs. old), when a friend of my husband kindly gave me a refresher course on crocheting.  I crocheted lots of blankies for Erica and gradually over the years branched out into all kinds of crocheted items.  

On my blog 'Dly's Hooks and Yarns' - you will find over 100 of my free patterns.  There are baby blankies, baby hats, purses, scarves, squares, coffee cup and bottle cozies, kitchen items, Holiday items, and so on. 

For a little over a year now, I have been posting a regular segment called 'Two on Tuesday'.  Each week I post 2 things that has made me smile.  I invite you all to join me in posting on your blog 2 things that make you smile - you are more than welcome to use my picture.  We all need to reflect on the happy things and be thankful.   

Another one of my on-going projects is my 'Dly's baby hats & blankies'.  In February 2011, I started crocheting baby blankies to donate to the local pregnancy center.  A few months ago, I decided to add the baby hats.  This is just a small project that I do to maybe lift the spirits of a new mom who has found herself in a situation that she really wasn't planning on.

I'd love it if you would drop by my blog for a visit. The coffee is always fresh, but you'd probably want to bring your own cookies or cakes - I'm not that good of a baker. ;)

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I also host a bi-weekly link blog called 'Did You Make That?'.  This link blog is for anything crafty -  whether it's crochet, knit, plastic canvas, scrapbooking, baking, cooking, jewelry making, sewing, quilting, mosaic work, woodwork, pretty garden designs, anything really - if you made it, show it off.

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Back to the baby hats.  In my opinion, hats are the cutest baby item to crochet.  They are so quick and easy to make and the pattern possibilities are endless.  You can crochet cute hats, funny hats, fancy hats and even animal hats. 

http://hooksandyarns.blogspot.com/2012/08/q-e-baby-cupcake-hat.html

http://hooksandyarns.blogspot.com/2012/12/another-tmnt-baby-hat.html

Here's the link to Crochet Pattern Central where you can find a ton of baby hat patterns:

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/baby_hats.php

For just a few dollars worth of yarn and a little bit of your time - you can make a baby look even more adorable.  :)  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Debi Y. :)"

Thank you Debi for this nice overview of your diversified blog! If I were to compare blogland to College (the way I know it from US movies and TV *gg*), Debi would be the friendly girl that comes to you on your first day on Campus and introduces you to her friends. And even after a while, when you've already found your way around and made friends of your own, she always remembers to stop by and asks how you're doing. Thank you for that, too!! :)

Oh, and just in case you've missed it: yesterday Debi posted another super-cute wiggles baby hat with free pattern, you have to see that!

Wishing you all a happy Sunday and good start into the last week of January,

  

Thursday Thoughts

Source: Pinterest

Aaaah... love in the Movies!

You know what's missing here?

"Here's looking at you kid!"

(Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca)

What are your favorite Movie Quotes?

Meet Jenn from "Color 'n Cream"

Welcome to the first guest post of my new series "Meet in K-town"! I'm happy that Jenn has come over for a little Sunday chat. I've only discovered her wonderful blog Color 'n Cream a few months ago, and fell in love with it immediately. But let's hear what Jenn's got to say about herself and her blog:

"Hello, I'm Jenn from Color 'n Cream and Barbara asked me to do a guest post on her lovely blog. So here I am.

I'm a 30 year old craft addict. I live in the Netherlands and love it here, even more since we've moved back after living in Thailand for a year. It's been a great experience (also for our 2 girls), but I love the Dutch climate so much more...

I've been crafting all my life, owned a sewing machine by the age of 9  and was always busy sewing, felt crafting, drawing, embroidering, making collages, and what not. I started crochet only 3 years ago. Learning crochet took me quite some time, but I was determined to do so! I did it with tutorials and books, reading each word over and over 'till I got it right. I was actually inspired to start crochet by an article about Sarah London in Flow magazine. I tried when I was younger but didn't have the patience then. Luckily I grew in to it and I'm totally hooked now. I just can't stop!!! I love watching those little balls of colorful yarn turn into whatever I want.

My blog is only 4 months old. I kept on postponing it until 'the time was right'. I was always scared I wasn't capable or interesting enough. But after 3 years of wanting, I decided the time was right! And then my blog was born. I don't work much with computers and it took me a lot of time and energy to make it look like it does. Now I'm even making picture frames in Photoshop...

What's obvious about my work is that it's always colorful. Hence the name Color 'n Cream, my 2 favorite things in the world. Sometimes I try to work with less colors, but I always end up with a 'Color Bomb'...

I've been making tutorials and I love it! All the nice comments... It's just so much fun to help people creating. That's the way I've learned it as well. I must say it's pretty time consuming though!! This is my latest tutorial, the Vintage Flower Potholder.

Well, I hope to see you over at my blog Color 'n Cream and that you'll be inspired.

Thank you so much, Barbara, for your invitation! And good luck with you wedding plans!!"


Thank you Jenn for this lovely first guest post, I'm glad to have you here today, and I hope that a lot of people will visit you "at home"! :)

Have a great Sunday everyone,