2009 March Archive at careykirk.com

Monthly Archive for March, 2009

Wedding planning milestones

Published

on March 30, 2009

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Tomorrow I will put the down payment on the 10 tables, 55 chairs, and 50 wine glasses we wil be using for the wedding. Yay! I’m excited. One step closer to the party unfolding.

Next I will purchase the linens, sew the napkins (I will take pictures of the fabric soon…so cute!), and check in with my future mom and sis to see where we are with getting plates and such. Deb has been in Florida with her hubby (my awesome future pa who will be marrying Nathan and I)….I bet she is enjoying the sunshine. She so deserves it.

That being said, I thought I’d share a little inspiration I found today. I just love this wedding. It looks like such a fairy tale. The photography by Our Labor of Love is just beautiful.

Spring snow showers bring veggies?

Published

Carey

on March 29, 2009

in Life

. 1 Comment

I’ve been dreaming of what I will do this year in my garden. I don’t like to committ to things with the status of this house always up in arms (we rent, but the house may/may not be foreclosed soon). I love to plan, trust me. I love to decide, but the thought of painting the bedroom only to have to move in a month makes my stomach turn. But as it is this will be home for another year, and I don’t mind that (I haven’t lived more than a year in any one place since moving to Chicago).

Last year I had a small (4×4) garden area where I planted TOO much. Four tomato plants, 1 squash, chives, strawberries (hanging basket), and radishes. Only the tomatoes really worked out. The squash was attacked by a fungus of some sort (too humid here), and I did use the radish tops in a soup.

This year I want to make the garden a little bigger, and do 6 tomato plants, 1 squash (I really want it to work), and lettuce if possible. Mostly I want to make the backyard area a place where I can sit and enjoy some quiet time. We have quite a few containers, and I thought it would be easiest to create an area with a container garden. I could get easy to grow plants that love containers (need to do some research in this area but definitely zinnias and marigolds), and concentrate them around the right side of the paved yard area. I was also thinking I could get a bamboo curtain for the small shed we have to hide any storage or planting supplies. Then I could hang lanterns, pull over the fire pit (need a screen for that), set up some fly strips (they are so bad in the summer), and nestle my small garden table and chairs.

I just signed up for Veggie Trader. It’s brand new - about two weeks - and it’s a great community effort started in Portland, OR (Janet you will love it)! There aren’t too many people signed up yet, but if we keep spreading the word in no time we can begin trading and supporting locally grown food. I love it!

house and honeymoon

Published

Carey

on March 29, 2009

in Uncategorized and Wedding

. 1 Comment

Nathan and I are lucky that we have rented out the gorgeous house we are getting married at for an entire week! Everything will take place at the house from the ceremony to the reception. Our plan is to also have some special people stay at the house with us. I am so excited for us to all be together in one place, and having them there the day or night before will be a dream come true for me. It’s going to be fun, loud, exciting, full of laughter, and I’m sure someone (maybe me?) will spill a glass of wine.

We will also all together be prepping a few of the decorations for the wedding. At night we will have little activities people are more than welcome to be a part of like making tin can lanterns, and the flower arrangements (real easy stuff - trust me)! Once the rentals (tables, chairs, and plate settings arrive) we would love for any friends to help us set up the event. (I am so proud of myself - got a quote for all rentals this past week).

The Ceremony will start somewhere between 130 -230 (we haven’t decided yet), and then we will have a BBQ party following. The party will then go all night as long as people feel like hanging out. This is obviously one of the perks of renting the space for an entire week.

By Monday all of our guests will be on their way home or off on other adventures in nearby cities, and Nathan and I will be alone in the big old house to enjoy each other as husband and wife and the quiet country. We are going to take those next few days to relax as a honeymoon would allow us. We might even take a car up to Portland, Maine or the Adirondacks. We decided that with the amount of time we are taking off and such we would plan for a more detailed honeymoon in February or March. (I usually always need to go somewhere around this time as Chicago’s winters feel as though they will never let up).

I’ve been looking up places that Nathan and I would both enjoy. Somewhere with beach and sun, but also adventure. I am really interested in going to Italy as well. Nathan is, too and we’ve looked at renting a home there for a week at a time (so affordable compared to hotels), but it will be almost as nasty weather wise in February in Italy as it is in Chicago. But it is still an option.

The other day I stumbled upon Belize. It is breathtaking. I always knew about the Blue Hole, but didn’t realize it was practically right next to Belize. There are a lot of options in this country for both relaxation and adventure - Barrier Reef (snorkeling), San Pedro (small city life), jungle, volcanoes, no high-rise hotels, waterfalls, and caves. I am just in love. Let me show you…

See didn’t I tell you? And this is just the beginning.

Photos by Jim Mecure, ohbelize.com, and Unknown.

flower arrangements - diy

Published

Carey

on March 22, 2009

in Wedding

. 0 Comments

Today I woke up, and then I rolled over and went back to sleep. I drank white wine again last night. And, it seems as though my body likes red more. It took me a little while to get to going about my day. It wasn’t until 1 pm that I decided to even do something. (Now I did watch Meet the Press if you were wondering.)

It turned out to be a lot chillier than the sunshine was letting on but I didn’t turn back for a jacket. I just kept walking. I discovered that google maps can do some really cool stuff (well, Nathan showed me) and so I have mapped out my walking trip for your pleasure.

View Larger Map

Normally I would go straight towards the 6 corners and linger about some shops until I sat down in Wicker Park for a bit. But today I decided to go down Division, and stop at a Letizia’s Natural coffee shop. It was packed! The patio and the inside… packed! It was a little too much for me not to be self conscious around so I ordered an Americano for some odd reason (I normally get coffee), and kept walking. I stopped in to Paper Doll for some wedding invitation inspiration. I love this shop! It would be my dream job to own something similar one day. They have the cutest pug that lounges around all day snorting and sniffing you. I found a card I really enjoyed, and bought that. Then I rounded the corner down Damen.

My plan was to pick up some flowers this weekend to attempt wedding centerpieces and a bouquet. I want to do the flowers myself, and obviously need to practice before the wedding. Come summer I plan on going to the Wicker Park Market plenty to pick up flowers. They will have better prices and are better suited for what I want, but today I stopped by the grocery store. I picked out the following:

Tulips

Spider Mums

Asters

and then I made these:

I’m so excited! I think they turned out beautifully. Not florist material by any means, but I love them. Of course tulips aren’t in season during October, but I sort of got the idea of what I’m working with especially with the mums. It’s still up in the air what flowers I’m going to do but I think I am leaning toward sunflowers with some sort of stock flower to add a second dimension (much like the Asters did in these arrangements).

I just need to send my email to get a quote for my tables and chairs, and I will have knocked two things off my list for wedding prep. Happy girl.

I need a wedding planner

Published

Carey

on March 21, 2009

in Wedding

. 0 Comments

The truth is I don’t but sometimes I really wish I had one. I’ve had my sights on a certain party rental place for chairs, tables, and such since we started thinking about the wedding. I just called them, and turns out we are too far and too small of a party for them to do.

I called a different place that the first one recommended, and he was so New England in dialect that I could hardly understand him! He said his name was Arthur, but I thought he said Author and I called him that. It was funny. They can’t get back to me until Monday, though. And, unfortunately I can’t do this kind of stuff during the week. I am too busy during the day (I usually work on my lunch breaks), and the time difference means they are closed by the time I get off and am settled after work.

So I’m going to email them, and hope that works. I’m sure it will, but I prefer face-to-face business.

We need 10 tables, 55 chairs, and 50 wine glasses. I mean, that’s small!
But someone’s got to be able to do it.

To soothe all of our nerves here is a picture of Landaff, NH looking towards Mt. Lafayette and Cannon Mountain (which Nathan and I hiked) during the Spring! Gorgeous!

flowers…

Published

Carey

on March 19, 2009

in Wedding

. 4 Comments

I can’t decide. I don’t know why this is so hard, and because it is I may do a combination. I really love how one flower can create such cohesiveness acrosss the tables, though. This weekend I’m going to run to a wholesaler here in the city to see if they have any flowers similar to what I’m looking for. Though most of these are fall blooming flowers.

So my choices have been narrowed down to:

The beautiful, casual, yet hearty sunflower!

The last set is called The Teddy Bear Sunflower…and I have to tell you I am in love with it! I love its name I love its shape! Super love it! I think I might plant some this summer, too.

Or Dahlias…gorgeous.

Amd, finally Football Mums.

They are all relatively affordable, and hearty. I really love the large flowering head on all of them, too. What do you think?

invitations

Published

Carey

on March 17, 2009

in Wedding

. 0 Comments

I can’t tell you specifically why but I really want a simplified, hand crafted wedding invitation. Something that so uniquely represents Nathan and I with impeccable craft, and thought. I once saw a typed wedding invitation that I just fell in love with it right away.

I love it! Vintage stationary, and that perfect little font.

I will admit that lately I’m drawn to simple for no other reason than I just want simplistic charm. Of course we don’t have a gigantic budget, and we want the wedding to feel homespun but I also just don’t want to have to stress about anything. The simple things are the easier it seems to me. I’m liking that.

I also recently saw this invitation. I love how quirky it is. Personality just exudes from the invites.

So many options… and ideas…especially with my creative husband-to-be.

countdown

Published

Carey

on March 17, 2009

in Uncategorized

. 1 Comment

200 DAYS UNTIL WE ARE MARRIED

inspired for spring.

Published

Carey

on March 16, 2009

in Life

. 0 Comments

Lately when I think about writing I feel overwhelmed. There is too much to write about, and way too much to do. Need to revisit those goals.

I just found this amazing photo:

It’s from this designer’s home. And, I just love the blue and the photos. How beautiful would that be over a bed? I love that idea.

I’m obsessed lately with spring cleaning, and redecorating. I’ve only done a little spring cleaning as I had a super busy revitalizing weekend with friends. Yes I said revitalizing. I feel like Chicago is peeling back the dead layers of leaves and dirt and readying itself for spring. Oh I am so ready. The birds have been out and about all day and night. I even saw Ma and Pa Cardinal this weekend. They live in the neighborhood and flirt all day. Really cute.

Goal 1 accomplished!

Published

Carey

on March 12, 2009

in Uncategorized

. 3 Comments

WOOHOO!!
I am very proud of myself. I accomplished my first goal today just like I said I would. I did some research (via Yelp), and found a physician’s group that is in my network. Then I made an appointment! They have great reviews as a whole, and the doctor I chose does as well. I am very excited about a Doctor appointment which is weird.

I have to fast from midnight on up to my appointment which is at 3:15 pm. WOW! I’ve never really had to fast before, ever. I guess it’s not that long, kind of as along as a long sleep.

And, in other good news Nathan got an Iphone!
And, in other other good news Janet is in town and we have festivities planned for the weekend. Mexican dinner and St. Patrick’s Party at the Mitchells.

Me and the Fets…my nickname for Greta. Last night she sat on my lap for a good ten minutes (unheard of) because she had crawled in to a brown paper bag. She loves bags. I’m holding her in a bag from here on out.