I have something fun for you this Friday and it's something I rarely do. I've created my own DIY post and even included a free download to go along with it. Hope you like this gold glittered apple as much as I do. I definitely had fun creating it.  And, it only required 3 supplies {paintbrush + acrylic paints}. With the orchards full of apples these days, this DIY is perfect for fall weddings, bridal showers and even Thanksgiving. It's such a fun and easy way to dress up place settings for your guests. 

I have always been a BIG lover of glitter, but I'm not such a fan of the "cover with glue, sprinkle on glitter, seal in the glitter" technique. It's just too messy for me and then I'm finding glitter dust for days throughout the house. What I LOVE is the acrylic paint with the glitter right inside of it. And, there are so many color to choose from, you can easily create apples in any color you choose. Or, create an assortment of colors. You simply paint and the glitter is there without even needing to seal it in.

Supplies:
Paintbrush
Acrylic Paints {base coat and the glitter color of your choice}

I use the FolkArt brand of paints and used the champagne color which has a tint of sparkle in it for the base coat. I applied 2 coats of this color and let it dry completely between the coats {approx. 1 hr since it was a bit humid in our house when I did this}. I then applied 2 coats of the folkArt Extreme Glitter paint in gold. The more coats of the glitter paint you apply, the more glittery it becomes. I recommend glittering the apples 2-3 days before your event so they don't get soft.

And, now for the freebie - I created these downloadable apple place cards that would look perfect paired with the glittered apples. Simply click here to download the pdf file and you can print and trim them out. They are blank and you can write in your guests names or even use them as gift tags if you prefer. {The calligraphed font used on the place card sample below is Dom Loves Mary  - the font used in the above photos is Melany Lane.}

PS: These place cards are for personal use only and cannot be distributed or sold. If you feel inspired, a link back to this post on Brenda's Wedding Blog would definitely be appreciated.

Hope everyone's Monday is off to a great start. In keeping with the "apple" theme of the day, I have a unique idea for your wedding bouquets. If you're planning a fall wedding, you might consider incorporating the fruit of the season, apples, into your wedding bouquets {this can easily work for centerpieces too}. Below is a sampling of some of the most gorgeous wedding bouquets I have seen that bring the popular and tasty apples of fall, fresh from the orchard, right into the wedding bouquets.

Image Credits: top left, {flowers by Du ziedeliai}, top right  {flowers by Weddings by Carly Ane's}, middle left, middle right {flowers by Moss Industry Florist}, bottom left {flowers by Eight Tree Street}, bottom right  {flowers by Blush Floral Design} 

It has been ages since I shared an Eye Candy Friday photo with you - but as soon as I saw this image from Laura Babb, I knew it was time to change that. Don't you just love the apples in the bouquet? So different. So unique. So amazing. And, the bride's green sash is just perfection with the bouquet. The bouquet is from Blush Floral Design.

found via pinterest {come follow me on pinterest}

I've got a great way to start the beginning of Thanksgiving week with you today . . . it's with a sunflower and apple themed inspiration photo shoot. The shoot comes to us from Jessica of Pink Champagne Events, and the inspiration behind the shoot, came from the photographer, Courtney Lee Photography. She approached Jessica with the idea of an apples and sunflowers fall shoot. Courtney originally awnted it to be in a red barn, but once deciding on the color palette of yellow, red and brown - they decided to go with a traditional barn setting {to avoid having too much red}. Once the barn was selected, they wanted to produce a casual environment with touches of rustic elegance which was accomplished with the use of the barn itself and Christmas lights. For the fall aspect, gingham ribbon was used for tying the utensils and wrapping the bouquet. Jessica writes . . . "Since most Colorado brides want a rustic chic wedding in the fall, we wanted to showcase that you can have a rustic fall wedding and include all of the things you think of when you think of fall, without going overboard or being cheesy."

Vendors:
Event Planner: Jessica McTaggart of Pink Champagne Events
Photographer: Courtney Lee Photography
Cakes: Rachel of Apron Strings Bakery
Venue: The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park
Hair and Makeup: Stephanie and Nichole of Rock, Paper, Shears
Paper Goods: Jenna of Fleur de Lis
Model: Jhenna Reed

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES . . .
color palette: red, orange and brown
theme: bridal shower or wedding

Happy Monday. Today I'm back with the 3rd submission of the October Wedding Vendor Challenges. Today's team consisted of the talented Kim of Something Floral with beautiful paper goods from Inside the Envelope, Inc. This fall inspired shoot was photographed by Urban Fire Studio at the picturesque Yates Cider Mill in Michigan. I will now let Kim explain the ideas and concept behind this rustic wedding inspiration . . .

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year in Michigan, with leaves turning vibrant, fiery shades and the air growing cool and crisp so when I heard  the October challenge colors were red, orange, and brown, I immediately knew the perfect location for an outdoor, rustic style event with a casual and relaxed atmosphere.

For many metro Detroiters, autumn is not complete without a trip to Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills. With a history dating back to the 1860's, Yates is located beside the rapidly flowing waters of the Clinton River, which power the mill to produce delicious Michigan apple cider.

We chose red as our dominant color, brown as the secondary color, and orange as the accent. A rectangular, classic table cloth in chocolate brown was used as the base linen to cover the dining area of each extra-large picnic table. A round, vibrant, cherry red linen of duchess satin was placed atop the base linen, and a burlap table runner was added to the top. Using three linens with different colors, sheens, and textures added depth, visual contrast, and textural interest to each table’s surface.

Our accent color was brought into the tablescape through a variety of primarily orange-based colors in the centerpieces and other floral arrangements. By using a mixture of roses, spray roses, lilies, safflower, celosia, hypericum, matsumoto asters, gladiolus, dahlias, Chinese lanterns, carnations, millet, wild grasses, and apples in a combination of orange, burnt orange, terracotta, melon, peach, mango, brick red, cherry red, copper, and chocolate, the centerpieces and other floral arrangements contained a variety of floral shapes, textures, and tints and shades within the same color family.

Since apples are round, we wanted the round shape to be a predominant visual element represented repetitively through a variety of round, almost-round, and cylinder shaped items and décor elements. For example, the round monogram on the invitations, round accent linens on rectangular picnic tables, round paper lanterns, round plates, round/cylinder stemware, almost-round placecards, almost-round accents on napkin rings, round /cylinder guest favors, round baskets as bases for the primary centerpiece, table numbers carved into round pumpkins, accent floral arrangements in round pumpkins, round desserts, etc.

Notice how the red paper lanterns are turned into apples by adding green paper leaves to the top of them? Such a BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!!!

We wanted to introduce a lace detail into the tablescape to coordinate with the delicate and pretty lace on the invitations, created by Inside the Envelope, Inc. We did that by creating custom napkin rings that were multi-layered of different colors and textures, similarly to the effect created with the table linens. The base of each napkin ring was burlap, and satin ribbon and delicate lace were layered and secured with hot glue. As an accent, a small, apple shaped, wooden cutout purchased from a craft store was then glued to the top of each napkin ring.The camel burlap, chocolate brown satin ribbon, and white lace provided a nice color contrast to the red duchess satin napkins.

Some Parting Advice from Kim:
Don’t be afraid to experiment with strong color linens or a mixture of linen colors and textures. Just like paint color dramatically impacts the look and mood of a room in your home, the linens you select will set the tone for your event’s overall look and feel. Consult your professional event designer, florist, or planner for advice. They can recommend the proper linen shapes, sizes, and a variety of colors, textures, and combinations that coordinate well and will best represent your wedding’s style and the atmosphere you want to create.

Vendor Credits:
Styling and Coordination: Something Spectacular
Floral Designs, Linen Rentals, and Custom Made Napkin Rings: Something Floral
Photography: Urban Fire Studio
Invitations and Paper Goods: Inside the Envelope, Inc.
Location: Yates Cider Mill
Apple Cider, Sparkling Cider, Caramel Apples, Apple Pie, and Apple Butter: Yates Cider Mill
Cinnamon Sticks - Madame Koiteh
Paper Lanterns and Large Wooden Apple Shapes (Placecards): Hobby Lobby
Burlap, Ribbon, and Lace for Napkin Rings: JoAnn Fabrics
Small Wooden Apple Shapes (Napkin Rings): Michael's