My good friend Yunah got married in Grenada this past January, and I had the distinct pleasure of helping out with all her wedding stationery needs! Like me, Yunah is down here in Grenada accompanying her husband while he attends school at SGU. We met just over a year ago, but it seems like we’ve known each other for years. There’s just something about living on a small, tropical island with limited resources that brings people together. You learn to do without, to share what you have, and to ask for help when you need it. Yunah and I bonded quickly over our love for eating, cooking, and exploring new places. We still get homesick now and then, but it sure makes the time go by faster when you’re spending it with good friends. :)

Since Yunah and Jin were having a “destination” wedding of sorts (for all the guests, at least!), they wanted to have an invitation that gave their guests a taste of Grenada. We incorporated seashells, botanical leaves, and little touches of Grenada here and there on all the wedding stationery, while keeping the overall aesthetic simple, classic, and elegant.

Here’s a shot I took on my phone on their wedding day (gotta love the panoramic feature on the new iPhone OS). You don’t see it here, but just a couple minutes later, there was a full rainbow over them!

And I wanted to share with you a few more photos from their wedding day taken by our friend, Kat Fung.

Striped straws seem to be everywhere these days. I remember not so long ago, you could only find them in a few specific colors. Well, it looks like supply finally caught up with demand and now, you can find them in a rainbow of colors from a dozen different shops. But just because you can buy them, doesn’t mean you have to! Here’s a quick DIY for you on how to make your own striped straws in any custom color.

I love using the adhesive label sheets from Paper Source for this project because I can coordinate my straws with the rest of the party decorations.  I simply use the edges left over from the label paper I used for other elements of the party to make the straws.

Supplies:
Adhesive paper in color of choice (here from Paper Source or here for full sized color sheets)
White biodegradable paper straws (buy them in bulk here and keep on hand for all your parties!)
Paper cutter or exacto knife
Scissors

Step 1: Cut 1/4″ strips of your colored adhesive paper.

Step 2: Peel off the backing.

Step 3: Starting at one end, twist your colored strip along the length of the straw. You may need to play around with different angles to use up the entire strip/not run out.

Step 4: Trim off the ends. That’s it!

Peach, metallic gold, neon! The possibilities are endless.

For that special someone in your life….the one who completes you, who makes you better than you ever could be alone – the peanut butter to your jelly, the cake to your ice cream. Spread some love with these printable food pairing Valentines!

Download the free printable here.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Throwing a party in Grenada is almost as hard as throwing a party in Beijing. No Michael’s, no Paper Source, no Etsy, no boutique party decor stores. Not even a Wal-Mart. We’re lucky when we go to the grocery store and the milk and butter are in stock. :)

That being said, I was determined to pull off a beautiful bridal shower for my friend Yunah, even if it meant making everything from scratch! Luckily, we were able to find a few things that we could work with like tissue paper, coffee filters, recycled bottles and jars, and jute twine. I also had an awesome team of crafters and bakers who helped me do everything from crocheting doilies to fluffing pom-poms to making scrumptious treats like Chinese egg tarts, biscotti, and bubble tea!

We held the bridal tea party at the Grand Anse Beach Pavilion, which is located right next to the beautiful Grand Anse Beach. The pavilion had a breathtaking view of the ocean, a cool breeze, and beautiful lighting.

Mocha cake pops and tea favors

The beautiful bride-to-be

An assortment of pom-poms made from tissue paper and dyed coffee filters hung over the table.

Check out that view!

 Party games

Yunah chooses the winner

 Toilet paper creations

 My awesome team of crafters + bakers with the bride-to-be.

Photos by the talented Kat Fung.