love is a 3-hole punch

Sweet molasses! Time is flying as we approach our wedding day. It's all good though. We've got the speakers reserved, the food ordered, photographer booked, hairdo figured out...we've crossed all the Ts and dotted all the lower case Js, so to speak.

I've been having a blast with my girlfriends coast-to-coast. Last weekend Dave and I galivanted to CT for some pre-wedding festivities. My girls threw me a bachelerorette, which I knew about but didn't know any details. Michelle, Ashley, Audrey and Becky were the party planners du jour. They made/bought all my favorite foods (sushi, Weight Watchers Mexican corn cakes, carrot cake, and peanut M&Ms, which I forget I love until you put them in front of me and they're gone in 60 seconds). I felt like a celebrity in my private dressing room, with all my faves at arms reach. Since this is a family-friendly blog I'll keep the details of the night PG rated, but there was definitely some good-natured naughtiness and penis-themed antics. Great times.



My friend Kristin is a teacher and she had her 4th graders make a book about "What Love Is", which she gave to us as our engagement present. Her students are mostly English as a Second Language, and their thoughts on love crack me up. For example: "Love is when my Dad tells me I don't have to go to school". "Love is hugging and kissing. Love is just a gift card". Or, "Love is when my dog licks my face, runs away and then licks my face again". It is an awesome book that is now properly displayed on our mantel.


Not to be outdone by my East Coast hotties, my Seattle girls and I went out on the town last night. We got some tapas, margaritas, and then moved on to kir royales. Yumm! Then we went to see some live music downtown. It was ridiculously fun.

I love my friends.

where the sun don't shine

Spring in Seattle looks just like winter, except there is some greenery on the trees and it stays light later. The air smells fresh. However, I am about done with the grey skies and rain. It's Bike to Work month but the weather hasn't really been cooperating. I've ridden twice and had to leave my bike at work both times because I am a fair weather rider. This ain't fair weather.

The good news is that I've been in the studio- and by studio I mean my office- on the weekends. Amazingly, the sun has been making an appearance on Saturdays as if on cue. Which is when I tend to be behind a computer screen. But whatever, beggers can't be choosers. Part of the wedding suite I'm doing for Julie and Chris includes an invite for their Pig n' a Pod party.
Chris is a crazy good cook, and my friends are hosting a pre-wedding throwdown on their property in Central Washington (where the sun does shine). The 'pod' is a wooden structure they built on their regulation frisbee golf course (seriously). In July we will trek over the Cascade Mountains and watch Chris roast a pig, engage in a multi-day frisbee golf tournament, and drink to our hearts' content. I can't wait!

I've made a point not to indulge in my bridal obsessions on this blog but I would like to share the invitation I made for our upcoming wedding. For weeks I had a hard time focusing on what to do. There are so many invitation designers whose style I love- and one too many who rely on the standard issue floral letterpress bullshit- and so many sources of inspiration. I was like my own worst client. My friend Keita helped me define my theme (old timey ass dance party!). Once I nailed down a theme for the whole wedding, the invitation concept fell into place, and I had a lot of fun making them. Dave provided invaluable critiques. For a non-artist, he sure has some good gut feelings about design. Here she is: