For Maggie's bridal shower, the girls chose a Mad Men theme. Vintage-inspired cocktail appetizers, punch and of course, outfits! Erin made the cutest invitation using a Paper Source printable. Inside the mailing envelope she sent along a recipe card to fill out and bring back.
With no time to spare, we decided last minute to decorate a plain white chef's apron using the invitation and graphic orange spots. The idea was that guests would sign it, but with everything going on, it got lost in the shuffle once the party started. That's okay, she has a sweet apron for the kitchen.
It figures too that I decided to snap the how-to photos a bit late, but here's how I did it.
Using PhotoShop, I scanned the invitation, adjusted and then cut and pasted the orange dots onto an enlarged jpeg image canvas. I dropped some new text onto a few of the dots. Then I printed a test, fiddled with it again and finally printed the whole perfect page onto an 8.5 x 11" inkjet printer cotton sheet (Staples).
I peeled off the paper backing and ironed the printed cotton page onto a cut-to-size piece of Heat'nBond iron-on adhesive backing. With the paper backing still in tact from the HnB, I cut out the invitation with pinkers and used regular scissors to cut out the dots.
With the apron pressed and ready, I put it on the table and played around with a layout for the invitation and dots. I wanted them to look like they were cascading out of the invitation.
I peeled the backing away from the HnB and used the iron to press and bond the fabric invitation and dots to the apron front as planned.
Pretty easy and no surprises - everything did just what it's supposed to do! It would have been so awesome if her friends could have signed it and written things around the dots - or along the hemline. But it turns out that the recipe cards came back to her with lots of words of wisdom, lovely notes and favorite family recipes. Mo made a beautiful scrapbook with all the recipe cards. Maggie will cherish that forever.
And, without a doubt, the apron will come in handy because she LOVES to cook! (Hey- they can sign it when they come over for dinner ;)
Thanks for all the kind words about Mary's handmade wedding invitation. I knew you would like that. We're getting so excited! Doesn't she look fantastic? That's her grandmother Betty's beaded cocktail top from the 60's!
Sparkling! And happy - yes, she is so happy!
This is magnificent and need more photos from shower! xo
Posted by: barneypark | March 14, 2011 at 09:16 AM
Just lovely!
Yes you can see how happy she is!
Enjoy every minute.
It is wonderful all the love your girls have for each other. You must be over the moon!
Posted by: Laura | March 14, 2011 at 11:01 AM
what a great idea Charlotte and your daughter looks splendid in her Cocktail chic top. xox Corrine
Posted by: Corrine | March 14, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Brilliant, Charlotte! And isn't Maggie gorgeous in that super chic vintage top?!!
Posted by: Zita - Mlle Magpie | March 14, 2011 at 01:35 PM
Absolutely gorgeous! What a lovely young woman.
All the wedding buzz is so exciting and how very special that Mary did the invite. I wish Maggie and James all the very best as they begin their life together.
Love to you, M.O.B!
xo
Posted by: jone | March 14, 2011 at 01:47 PM
I'm sure she will treasure that apron. What a fun idea. Great pics, she looks so beautiful. Hugs.
Posted by: Troy Louise | March 14, 2011 at 04:41 PM
I want you to write a wedding planning idea book(before it's Annie's turn)!
Posted by: LeaCR | March 14, 2011 at 09:41 PM
LOVE the apron idea, may I "borrow" it? I'm so glad you're having grand mama of the bride fun!!!!!
Posted by: tina | March 15, 2011 at 10:28 AM
yes, please do! so many ways to go with the idea ... birthday, Mothers Day, reunion ....!
Posted by: charlotte | March 15, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Just a thought, but what if the apron got sent to each of her guests they wrote upon it, and then mailed it to the next person the last one sending it to Maggie?
Just a thought of course... but a treasure is a treasure... and of course it would be all the more treasured that it had to take a difficult journey to come back to her? The apron turned out cute as can be. I still have recipe cards with favorite recipes from friends from my bridal shower...
35 years later! (We laminated them, which helped preserve them all these years!)
Posted by: Jean C. | March 15, 2011 at 11:48 PM
Darling apron for a truly radiant bride-to-be! Oh yes, a CL wedding planning book...extraordinary idea! xox
Posted by: linda warlyn | March 16, 2011 at 04:59 PM
Love this post Charlotte. What great ideas! Wish you could do a live feed, skype of these projects, then we could all follow along with you right there...Maggie looks fabulous of course!
Posted by: Nicki Dwyer | March 17, 2011 at 08:00 AM
Just wonderful, every bit!
Posted by: Lynne | March 17, 2011 at 02:10 PM
love this theme...I am saving it away for when my little sis takes the plunge...she got engaged in December.
Posted by: {beth} | March 18, 2011 at 05:48 PM
What an adorable idea! I just featued it on DIY Weddings at Craft Gossip. I love the idea of the guests signing the apron. What a sweet keepsake that would be! Congratulations to Maggie!
Posted by: Kimberly Jones | April 11, 2011 at 08:25 AM