Darling Dexter

Introducing: www.darlingdexter.com

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:09:00 +0000

I've made the move--away from the blogger platform and onto my own domain--yay! So take this moment right now to update your feeds, readers, bookmarks, etc, etc...

www.darlingdexter.com

With this move, I'm hoping to introduce sponsors and new features to my site. I've enjoyed the last year of blogging and the community that I've come to love and have been wanting to create a more permanent place here...so enjoy!!

So go on, go ahead, update...update...update :)

Can I get one of these?

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:32:00 +0000

Found this photo via Style me Pretty by Christian Oth...can I please be confident enough to wear something this great to a wedding... :)

Cindy Tomczyk

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Currently loving these prints by Cindy Tomczyk. She uses the gocco, letterpress, and digital media to bring to life her illustrations. Hmm...I might be eying a couple of her prints for Christmas presents...it's never too early!

Quail

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:51:00 +0000

Another great line that is pulling in the gemstone colors, Quail. Aren't these lovely?

Blog Love: Oh So Beautiful Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:02:00 +0000

Currently loving this new blog, oh so beautiful paper... Newly-wed and author, Nole, has created a lovely space to contribute to the paper world...plus her own shop and flickr site.

Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:43:00 +0000

Although I voted early and generally don't use my blog as a place to voice my political opinions--I couldn't help but share the cute cupcakes I made for the election day party we're having :) You have to give it to Obama's campaign for presenting a strong visual identity...yay graphic designers!

Avetts

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:54:00 +0000

I spent my Halloween evening in Greensboro, NC at the Avetts Brother concert. Those who know me well, are fully aware that I am slightly obsessed with this band -- if you are not in that small percentage, then I highly recommend checking them out :)

Decorating Help: Renters

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:57:00 +0000

I totally related to this article I found on the domino mag website this morning..."Decorating for Renters." When you are not allowed to structurally change your living space the obstacles are a little more frustrating when it comes to decorating. Since I will probably be living in such a space a little while longer--I'm going to keep these ideas handy when we move.

1. Finding petite yet attractive bedroom furniture to maximize square footage
2. Kitchen Storage...we have this problem now. The folks at domino have put their silverware in a caddy and have hidden it behind the cute curtain and found a snazzy container for utensils. I'm also loving the exposed shelves with stacked dishes.3. (Another problem we currently have) Nasty laminate kitchen floors. Here they have covered the floors with flor tiles..perfect!
4. An oversized paper lantern to bring a little pop and dimension to the room (I have about 40 of these left over from the wedding!)

5. As a renter, I'm not sure how I feel about this project - but if you could find a small wall to wallpaper--that could really add a visual element to your space
6. Paint--of course (if you are allowed)!

Wiksten: Lovely Colors

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:42:00 +0000

[Images via Wiksten]

I've broken down and unpacked my winter clothes -- too bad I don't have any colors like the above in my wardrobe. I love how rich the colors are in this Wiksten line.

300th Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:02:00 +0000

[Image by nushuz]

Yay! I've made it to 300--and in honor of my post I am going to have myself a cupcake and go vote early! :-)

Our Rehearsal Dinner Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:35:00 +0000

At our rehearsal dinner we wanted to be sure and thank everyone who was near and dear to our hearts but we didn't want to leave anything/anyone out! So we came up with the brilliant idea of creating a video where we can collect all of our thoughts weeks in advance and cleverly express how we feel. To keep a few parts of our wedding intimate I have chose not to play the whole video on the blog but here are a few still shots to give you an idea--we think it was a big hit :)

Curtain Love: UO

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:35:00 +0000

Inspiring curtains and patterns from Urban Outfitters.

Studio Makeover: Pink Loves Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:46:00 +0000

Nicole from Pink Loves Brown has completely renovated her lovely studio space. Oh how I love pretty organization....and look at that bamboo floor! You can check out more pics on her blog, Making it Lovely.LOOK at the before...major upgrade from the dragon's den![all images by Nicole Balch of Pink Loves Brown]

Sign me up for the not wedding!

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Emily of Once Wed posted earlier about the "Tie the NOT" wedding show coming up in a couple of weeks in Atlanta--how intriguing :)
Doesn't this sound fun.."Come party the night away at Opera, the hottest nightclub in Atlanta, as we turn the tables on one of the oldest and most beautifully celebrated rituals of our time - the Wedding...." -Tie the NOT!
You are basically a guest at 5 aesthetically different weddings from start to finish...sounds yummy right? Too bad I'll actually be at a wedding that same weekend, coinky dink :)

Wedding: Parent's Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

[Images: L-Martha Manning, R-Me]

Remember these? For the wedding, I framed my nest photos and hung them as decoration at the ceremony...Then as a surprise we gave one to each of our parents as a keepsake from the wedding.

Savannah

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:25:00 +0000

We spent the weekend in lovely Savannah, Georgia. It was our first trip to the area and although it was fairly short stay for the 5-hour drive (and the weather was not the best) -- we still enjoyed the southern charm and beauty :)I've been accepted into a graduate program for photography at Savannah College of Art & Design..so we went down to check out the school. SCAD has the best set up--I can just see us now living on a tree-lined street, biking to class :) Now we just have to weigh Dustin's job prospects to see if the Savannah or Atlanta campus would be more realistic for our new fam...to be continued..

See ya!

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:10:00 +0000

I hate to end the week early (yeah right!) but the hubby and I are headed out first thing Friday morning for a trip down south -- I'll be back Monday with pics to share :)

[Image by Chelsea of {frolic!}] Isn't her blog just grand, always full of beautiful clips :)

joetta maue

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:12:00 +0000

Currently loving the work of joetta maue. [image by joetta maue]

I like to bake.

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I get the sudden urge to be domestic -- and I start to bake :) I'm a fairly picky eater and not much of a cook but for some strange reason I really like to bake. Yesterday I made a two-layer yellow cake with buttercream icing. I'm not sure if I like the final presentation of baking or the fact that I have a nice new kitchenaid mixer ... who knows!

Our own "before & after"

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:03:00 +0000

Inspired by our recently upholstered chair, Dustin and I took on a bland footstool to get our feet wet with upholstery. Above is the footstool in it's original form.
We took off the fabric and with the seam ripper, separated all of the fabric pieces so we could have an exact pattern to go by.
By using the original fabric as a pattern we cut our new fabric accordingly and then started sewing. On the above right image, I'm sewing in the edge piping.
After sewing the three pieces together it was time to recover the padding and then staple it in place.
Ta-da! Much, much better :)

Another new addition..

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:31:00 +0000

Nope, not me and Dustin...but my brother and his wife just welcomed a little boy to their family not even a week after my wedding. I'm so proud, this is my first nephew :)
I couldn't help but blind the little guy with photos...thank goodness he slept through most of it. They have set him up a very sweet nursery pictured below...ahoy, it's a boy!

Have a great fall weekend!!

Newest Addition

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:57:00 +0000

There is an advantage to living close to a major state college - the university surplus: a place where all old university furniture is dumped and resold at a ridiculous discount. So far we've scored a filing cabinet, typewriter table and now our most recent addition...a chair!
We picked up this little (I say little, but no, it would not fit inside our compact car..another story there...) for only $5! With a quick upholstery job while we were gone on our honeymoon, we could not be more satisfied.

I am kicking myself for not taking a before photo. As soon as we got this chair home we had to toss it outside because of it's awful smell. Right when we put it outside the rain came and we had to cover it up. Needless to say the new fabric is a major upgrade.

My New Name :)

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:40:00 +0000

My good friend Lauren letterpress printed my first set of stationery with my new name. She printed my name in orange and paired the cards with mr. french patterned paper envelopes...love it :)

What to do next..

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:09:00 +0000

Now that the wedding planning has come to an end, I'm at a small crossroads as to where I want to take my blog. I love design, weddings, photography, paper, etc..etc.. and generally choose to post about whatever inspires but I am interested in knowing just a little bit more about what my viewers would like to see. So if you don't mind, would you please feel out this short (I promise it's short and easy:) survey...thank you!

Click here to take a Darling Dexter Survey

Dress Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Dexter) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:04:00 +0000

[jcrew image in the middle]

Ding, ding, ding! Some of you guessed it, I fell in the love with the Jcrew Daphne wedding gown. But of course, it was discontinued by the time I was ready to buy. Thank goodness though, we ended up creating a significantly less expensive version.
Using the Daphne gown as inspiration, my mom pieced together patterns to create a dress that perfectly fit my body. I opted to use a sheer overlay as the top layer of the dress with a large floral print ... followed by a layer of taffeta for body, and then an attached slip with a cute netted edging. My mom doubled up the patterned fabric on the neck and puffy-sleeves so they were completely sheer yet sturdy. We attached a satin belt to break up the dress ... that snapped in the back with pearl buttons.

I am very happy that we could not get our hands on the Jcrew dress, the process of actually making the dress from scratch allowed me the opportunity to decide on every detail from the buttons to the lining. I highly recommend creating your own dress if you have the resources. For me it was very cost effective and became one of the most special wedding projects that I will never forget.