There will be much more to come from Kate + Cormac’s wedding, but I thought I’d pop in with this simple DIY before the pro pics arrive! As one of our projects, K and I put together tons of beribboned drink stirrers for the reception. They were easy to make and a big hit with guests.

I’ve heard from lots of brides that made something similar and were disappointed when they had piles left over at the end of the night because they sat unused on the bar. My tip? Ask your bartender to stick one in each drink before handing them over.

For this project, you will need wooden skewers, ribbon (I like using 5/8″), and a sharp pair of scissors.

Begin by cutting your skewers in half. J was my right hand man for this step, so I’ll have to double check with him as to the method he settled on, but I believed he used the mini saw from a utility tool.

Next, cut a length of ribbon (approximately 8 to 9 inches should do). Fold the ribbon in half, then fold it in half around the skewer.

Pull the tails through the loop you’ve created…

…then cinch the knot tight. If you’d like, notch the ends for an extra-polished look.

Of course, if you’d prefer I do the heavy lifting for you, I have a few for sale in my Etsy shop. Colors are completely customizable!

Our apartment has a lovely, glossy black door, but last spring I decided it needed a little sprucing up. I’ve been meaning to share my mini-project ever since! This was my inspiration:

{via Martha Stewart Weddings}

And this is what I came up with:

The letters were about $3 each from JoAnn, and the can of spray paint was about $4. I already had the ribbon. I’d love to add a little boxwood topiary in a terra cotta pot on the right side of the door, but for $10, I’d say I’m doing okay for now!

One of the tasks I’ve recently knocked off the list? Welcome bag hang tags. We’ll be assembling between 25-40 of these puppies the week of the wedding, so keeping things simple is of the utmost importance. What will they contain? A water bottle or two, a snack of some sort, a few pieces of salt water taffy, directions to spots around town, a hand-drawn map of the area (thanks, Wanda!), and a reminder card with a rundown of the weekend’s events.

The bags are simple brown paper lunch bags, the ribbon is from Paper Mart, and the tags were designed in Publisher then printed, cut, punched, and strung by me.

P.S. Jack the cat approves.

Y’all know I needed some help finding fabulous fabric sources a few weeks back (though I did end up with something beautiful for my curtains). I’ve stumbled upon another great online source, Lewis & Sheron Fabrics, and thought I’d share for those still looking! The patterns are stunning, and the pricing is almost equally so. Here are some of my favorites:

$15 and under per yard:

Cross section in green

Coral Bay in periwinkle

Criss cross in pear

Canopy in baby blue

$20 and under per yard:

Elyse in yellow

Rumelia in platinum

Links in indigo

Parterre in porcelain

$50 and under per yard:

Suzani in jewel

Links in 29

Akamai in pink

Which is your favorite?