Jarfly

Wedding: At One Year: Jenni & Kenny Get Married

Unless stated otherwise, all photos are by Tyler Gould

Maybe it's cliche', but I honestly can't believe a year has passed by since Kenny and I got married!  Weddings are so funny that way...you spend so much time planning them, it's so much fun on the big day...then it fades away and life goes on as usual!

We got married on a cold day in May exactly one year ago. Out in the countryside, rain was a lingering threat that day, so rather than worry...we embraced it. Scroll down through the pictures and you'll see what I mean :)

 

 

Blogs are a dime a dozen these days. Particularly design and weddings blogs. I'm done trying to figure out which category I fall into but the last thing I want to do is sit here and gush about my big day going into every last detail of the planning process. I like teal. I like grey. I like jars. I like rainboots. There ya go! Done and done :)

All in all...it was a ton of work...but even more fun! We partied it up in celebration of the most important promise we'll make in our lives. It's something we work at, because I'd be lying if I said marriage was easy or that it's all flowers and hearts. Despite the hard times, we love each other so much more than we did that rainy day in May a year ago. Thank you to all our friends and family who ushered us into this big thing called marriage. Your honesty, support, love, prayers and laughter means so much to us! We continue to need you in our lives, thanks for sticking around with us crazy kids.

Anyway, here are a bunch of pictures. Feel free to look thought them if you like!

My bridesmaids had to be pretty tough in those little cocktail dresses while getting knocked around by the chilly wind. Thanks gals! At least they had rainboots and umbrellas to combat it...right? Riiighhhttt? Makes it all better doesn't it ;)

 

 

Yes, our wedding party was the size of a football team. Actually the original plan was to equip each person with a weapon as we slowly tried to take over the world. Yes (evil laughter) we'd form a small umbrella wielding army! Nobody would be able to stop us...(sigh...see this is why you should never blog at midnight). 

 

Months after our wedding, my friend Lavenda took some bridal portraits of me just for fun. This ended up being great because not only did I get to put my dress on a second time, but I got a picture of my teal wedding shoes! Something I forgot to show our photographer on the actual big day.
  

Bridal Portraits by Lavenda Weddings

 

Ah...our parade of children! The little guys made the ceremony that much more special. Aren't they lookin sharp all dressed up? Get a load of the smile on James on the far right corner! So funny. I also loved the "disgruntled" flower girl Abby (above left, second row of pictures)...who took to the gravel in her pretty dress as soon as the vows were over! When I was her nanny I always called her "a feisty pixie". She lived up to the name!

Invitation Suite & Menus by JARFLY

Rainboot Block Prints by Puddle Jumpin Cards

Sometimes when you run out of money for a cake...you should just buy 1,000 donut holes for $70.00! The end. Actually, everybody LOVED them...and they wound up looking pretty elegant. Who knew? 

 

Now it's time to dance the night away in a barn. And yes, that is a robot. How else do you get a dance party started? Robots are essential. Completely.








Happy Anniversary Kenneth Kupelian, I love you so much! Thank you to everyone who helped make our day special! We love you all....

 

Vendors featured in this post:

Bridal Portraits/Engagement Pictures: Lavenda Weddings

Wedding Photography: Tyler Gould

Venue: Postelwait Country Weddings

Bride Hair & Make Up: Destiny Taylor

Bridal Party Hair & Make Up: Caylan Wagar

Invitations: JARFLY

Wedding Programs: Puddle Jumpin Cards

Flowers: Jan Walker

Wedding Design: JARFLY, Jan Walker & Rebecca Ekstrom

Bride & Groom Guest Sign Illustration: Stephanie Astronaut

 

 

 

 

 

  

Featured: Wool Inspired Wedding Shoot

JARFLY Rentals were featured on a recent wool inspired wedding inspiration shoot. Check out this sneak peek from Erica Ann Photography.

I can't wait to see the rest of the shoot...more soon! Wedding season is upon us and we still have many weekends available if you are a Portland Bride in need of unique inspired table accessories for your big day! Contact Us to reserve your rentals today....enjoy the weekend everyone!

Design: Pierre Frey

I was reading my Elle Decor magazine this morning...which I mostly enjoy...but sometimes struggle to apply the asthetics featured to my average life. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful publication with lots of beautiful interiors to gawk over (if you love that kind of thing...which I do!). However, I feel that it mostly markets to a higher end community...and I'm more a flea market shopper. SO, my solution is to look at the trends in the magazine and find my own way to interpret them in a more cost effective and creative manner. 

Today I noticed a designer who created such beautiful brightly-hued interiors I just had to show some of it here. 

Pierre Frey Voyages Collection

 

Pierre Frey is home to beautiful textiles, home accessories and wall paper. I really love the bright colors and fun french-morrocan inspired floral designs. 

Pierre Frey Braquenie' Wallpapers

 

I was trying to convince my Mom the other day that wall paper is back in style! She refused to believe me. I can't wait to have a house and experiment with some. Another trick? If you want to avoid hating yourself while you peal off regrettable wallpaper, use fabric instead! Staple or tack in up in a gentle way that allows for easy take-down. I've used this trick in my last two apartments. Works like a charm.

Isn't this teal chair below fun? My teal obession...it's getting out of control.

 Pierre Frey Boussac Collection

 

Like the Pierre Frey Parisian look, but need a more affordable option? Well, my first thought is it's garage sale season...you'd be surprised what you can hunt down. Second best are thrift stores! However if that's not your style...here's some more wallet friendly finds that mimic the loveliness of the amazing collections above:

1. For Pillows: Pier One Imports

2. For Wallpaper: Urban Outfitters

3. For Fabric: Heather Bailey

4. Home Accents: World Market

 

Let me know how it goes! Happy hunting.

 

Thoughts & Stories: An Education.

I may be a student of Graphic Design, but before they even allow us on the computers we have to draw...and draw a lot! Here is my latest endeavor. Part of me likes it...part of me thinks it looks like the little mermaid (as so many of my portraits do).

I should never have joined that "Little Mermaid" club in 2nd grade.

Being a student again is weird. I had made total peace with the fact that education comes in all forms and not everyone needs to go to school to see their dreams accomplished. I still firmly believe that. My husband is a self made career man and has the ability to figure out just about anything...almost like, a robot or something. My friend Lavenda is an up and coming fashion photographer who just finished up a shoot for Ladygunn magazine. She's never taken a photography class in her life. 

Holly Becker of Decor8 just wrote an interesting post regarding a talented artist who is self trained. His work is A-mazing...do check it out.

For me, I tried to teach myself...and in the end realized that I NEED the structure of the classroom to really stay on track. I enjoy the energy of being around other students and being challenged by their talent. Don't get me wrong...I'm learning outside the classroom all the time and half of JARFLY comes down to determination right at home. I'm in a stage of plotting my movement for my dream over the next year and it will come down to focusing on much more than my homework. However, I'd be lying if I said the classroom doesn't keep me grounded in the midst of all this.

I guess I fall somewhere in the middle...molding the two. Self trained in some ways, formally trained (or currently being trained) in others. I'd really love to get a degree...as I'd be the first female in my family to do-so. However, I have really talented, capable, smart women in my family who don't have that little piece of paper that say they are "smart". At the end of the day, I don't place ANY emphasis on a degree when I consider the capabilities of others. Yet, I do place emphasis on it for myself. It's a symbol, of a hard work completed...an end goal for me. 

Perhaps I'm a hypocrite.

That's probably why I'll always be enrolled in some class...be it traditional college, online blogging courses, community learning or just being mentored by a friend. I really crave and need others to keep me motivated...and probably even self trained artists, artisans and designers would say the same thing.

When you really pull it apart...what's the difference really? It's all an education right?

Well...save that pesky thing called, (sigh) tuition. If you can avoid that...and still become amazing at what you do...then I say more power to ya!

What are your thoughts on self taught vs. formal education? Do you think it matters? What is your personal experience? No right or wrong answer...just a fun topic I've been pondering lately...

 

Wedding Style: Pride & Prejudice

Like every living & breathing woman, I love anything Jane Austen. I particularly enjoyed the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. Don't worry! For the purists among you, I also adore the BBC mini-series version with the impeccable Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy (could there be a better Mr. Darcy? No, there could not). 

Pride & Prejudice 2005

However, in this post I'm using the 2005 remake of for inspiration. I watched it with my husband the other night...I had to beg, but he endured it (and enjoyed it more than he will admit!). The whole time I felt really, well, enchanted by the beauty of the film...and got to thinking it would make a lovely wedding palette.

What do you do when you have inspiration, but nowhere to put it? You make a mood board ladies and gentlemen...and you file it away for a rainy day.  I have firm plans to style a table setting for you with these colors/textures below...but here's a little teaser in the meantime while I sketch and dream about some ideas I could capture on camera! Makes me almost wish I had a wedding to plan...wait...nope...not quite. Makes me wish I could twirl around in one of these dresses anyway!

 

(left to right, top to bottom) 1. Nordstrom  2.  Monique Lhuillier via NYMag 3. Three Nails Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

 

(left to right, top to bottom) 1. Bend The Light Photography via My Wedding  2. Tom Mannion Photography via This Is Glamourous  3. Aaron Delesie Photography via Ruffled

 

(left to right, top to bottom) 1. Ello There Invitations  2. Anthropologie  3. Anthropologie  4. Ann Taylor

 

If you haven't seen Pride & Prejudice yet, you really ought to. I'm serious...curl up, have a glass of wine and just be a girl....a proudly chocolate tote-ing girl!

 

Vintage: Old Bottles Make An Easy Centerpiece

Photo: JARFLY

I've always loved collecting old glass. This has taken the form of marbles, sea glass, jars and most recently, bottles! Pairing a group of old bottles together (remember always to group in odd numbers...which I didn't in the shot above) can make a brightly unique addition to any dinner table.

I love the simplicity of using simple glass with bright pops of color. Most of my bottle collection stems from old coke bottles to medicine bottles from 1925 on! It's been really fun to rent them to brides and see the different looks created.

Photo: JARFLY

Here's a compilation of some other really beautiful and simple designs...try it out! And if you post it on your blog...send me a link :)

(right to left, top to bottom)

                1. Alex Beadon Photography  2. Sara Drake Chicago  3. Better Homes & Gardens                            4. Emily G Photography with JARFLY styling & rentals

 

What other easy containers have you used for a centerpiece? Anybody find a chic way to use a nalgene water bottle yet? If you have...I will be amazed and intrigued. I've (in vain) tried when I could not find a vase. I wouldn't reccommend it...but you never know!

Thoughts & Stories: Slow & Steady...Wins the Race?

Above, you see my very first blog post back in 2008. While watching a bear documentary and drinking wine with my best friend Bethany, she suggested I start a blog. "You should get a blog...you're weird, you'd write entertaining things. I'd read it" she said. 

"What's a blog?" was my answer. 

Bethany swiftly pulled out her Macbook and before I knew it I had a blog called "Thoughts From the Jar" on at blogger. It started out as a place for random ramblings and confessionals while listening to (too much) Ingrid Michaelson.

Soon, however, a winter storm would leave me stranded at my friend Dominique's apartment. Unable to escape the reality of my apathetic and somewhat unhappy life...I realized I loved writing, creating, and designing. In order to respect myself and find a career path that I enjoyed, I'd need to be creating something.  My first "design" took place in Dom's living room...doodling a few christmas cards for my mother as a gift.

 

 

JARFLY was born out of a funny conversation I had with Kenny (my husband...then my boyfriend) regarding a lifelong dream I have of catching fireflies in a mason jar. It seemed like a perfect company name...so we coined it. I had no idea what type of products I'd be selling, but I knew it all felt right. So we designed a blog (above) as a blueprint for the next couple years of discovery. As you can see, it was a rough design and no where near the level I wanted to be...but I loved that little first start.

 

 

I struggled to wade the unnatural waters of...business building, dreaming and goal setting. For most of my life, I'd just assumed people with cool jobs were lucky or extremely vivacious...perhaps very A-Type. I never even CONSIDERED that I too, could love what I did. Or even love myself. I found myself really stumped as of last May, on where I wanted JARFLY to go...or what it should become. So in an effort to inspire myself, with the help of my husband...we redesigned the blog once again. This time, I felt I could hang in a little more with some of the heavy hitting blogs I followed.

However, fear and anxiety was never far. I was a newlywed and jobless. For the first time in my life I didn't need to work (due to Ken having such a great job) and I had any pathway available to me. I could completely focus on my dreams and pursue them in full force. This absolutely scared the hell outta me. I could no longer blame long hours, exhaustion or other commitments for my lack of excitement in life. It was simply up to me to make it happen.

That was a year ago. 

I've since started a rental company and gone back to school for graphic design. I've narrowed my goals for this year to three things:

1. Complete my first year of study

2. Complete the new Jarfly Vintage website

3. Open my new online paper boutique

 

If I'm honest though, I really get anxious when I think about it all. I worry I'm not good enough and that my market is saturated. I lay in bed at night staring up at the ceiling wondering if I'm a good artist and if Anthropologie would ever even consider looking at a stationary set I designed (one of my biggest goals). I become frustrated at my own lack of diligence at times and my ability to give up in my head every other moment. 

As an average gal, I wonder if I'm beautiful. I try and go the gym...keep up on housework...be nice to my husband. Yet, I never feel like I stack up against Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez or any other pretty face I see on a magazine cover....or heck...half my girlfriends on facebook. I change around 5 times before I go out  and sometimes feel unworthy of looking fashionable because I'm such a dork right? Right?

 I sometimes get caught the in the trap of comparison with others...and then I feel ashamed. 

Know what though? I think it's these struggles that ultimately make us stronger. Feeling a little bit broken is a sure fire way to stay relatable and see others with the eyes of kindness we ought to. It's also just part of life and growth. The key is not to let those thoughts linger too long or let them sink you. And of course, never giving up helps too.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." -Thomas Edison

I'm still so far from many of my goals. Yet, I have a little jar (or course) of dreams on my shelf. I read through a good portion of them the other night and was delighted to see that I'd accomplished quite a few of them without even realizing it. It felt good to take them out of the collection...replacing them with new dreams.

The saying goes, "slow and steady wins the race". Some people in this world are able to jump right in full force and succeed rather quickly. That's great! Yet, I think I'm more a slow and steady kind of kid. And that's alright with me.

For all you dreamers out there, as cheesy as it may sound...keep working hard and know that goals are always realized if you keep with it. They may not look like what you thought they would...but that's half the fun! 

I still haven't seen a firefly in my whole life. I look forward to the post I'll get to write someday telling you all about the time I caught them in a jar.

New Dress!

I bought a new summer dress yesterday, for the first time in a very long time. I'm kind of excited to see if it works out, it's still on it's way to me. Have you discovered Ruche yet? This sweet little boutique is chalk full of fun and feminine (and comfortable!) dresses for spring and summer. The dress below is called the "blissful maxi"...here's hoping it makes me more blissful. I had some fun pairing imaginary accessories with it...it's Friday everybody...what are you up to this weekend? Getting any use out of a cute summer dress?

 

 

Seychelles platform wedge

 

Studded handbag

 

Jenny Bird cocktail jewelry

 

Dorothy Perkins square sunglasses

 

Thoughts & Stories: Confidence

Do you remember the opening scene of Sound of Music? Of course you do.

Maria is twirling on a hill...the epic music queues up...she is free, she is sure...she is everything 9 year old Jenni could dream of being. Let's just say, twirling on a hillside became a professional practice of mine for the duration of elementary school (yes, I was THAT kid on the play ground).

Let me ask you this: Do you ALSO remember the song Maria sings to herself while lugging an awkward suitcase through the city (and an equally awkward hat) on her way to meet the VonTrapp family?

I think the lyrics went a little something like, "I have confidence, in confidence alone 
(Oh help........) ". Today I was having a bit of an "oh help" moment...a far cry from twirling in the Austrian Countryside.

Going back to school at 29 has been interesting. I'm not particularly "old", but for some reason Graphic Design is a young person's world. By young I mean 19-23....these are the wise old owls filling up most of my classes. I consider myself mildly proficient on a MAC... but let me tell you, my  MAC for Graphic Designers class is grueling. If you go for the mouse you get your hands slapped by a Nun. Okay that's not true, but it's all about the shortcut commands in that classroom. And they want you to be FAST.

I spend nearly every class with my hand up. I can feel the eye rolling from 19 year old girls (it's always the girls) searing into the back of my head every Monday afternoon. It's all I can do to not run out of the room in tears sometimes (as a 40 something woman seated next to me did the first week...she never came back).

One time a friend said to me, "You could easily do all sorts of great things, if you could just get your confidence in order." While I didn't take offense to the statement, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Do I have a confidence issue? I mean, it's easy enough to joke around about lacking self esteem over a glass of wine with girlfriends...but when somebody else notices of their own accord? That's a wake up call.

So, despite the scowls and sighs I sometimes hear in the background, I'm learning to hold my hand in the air and wave it until the teacher comes over to show me how to access the server with a shortcut, for the 10th time. Because...."I have confidence, in confidence alone, besides which you can see... I have confidence in me!"

It took me a long time to figure out who I wanted to be in this world. However, who I want to be isn't going to be worth much if I loathe me. See, everything I ever needed to know about life I learned from Sound of Music. Maybe I should start wearing awkward hats to class! I bet my teacher would see my hand right away!

Thoughts & Stories: Scrapbooking Detox

I have a confession. When I was in highschool, I became a chronic scrapbooker. Yes, a scrapbooker in the most lethal sense. I would take my hard earned babysitting money and gallop into the nearest "Scrapbooking Nest" where I would proceed to buy all the overpriced stickers and acid free paper I could. This paper (I was told) could withstand the apocalypse...at about $5.99 a piece (but money well spent right?).

I even went to scrapbooking parties where we would practice "page" themes. Simply putting my camping trip photos in an album would no longer do. They needed...NEEDED I say...sparkle borders and thought bubbles popping out of peoples heads saying "Schools out!" or "Party Time!" or "Girls Rule!". These items were essential for my memories to properly be recorded. 

As you can imagine not only did my bank account hit a low during this phase, but I became completely addicted to glue stickers and ribbon. Through a series of events (that I will not speak of here) I was finally set free from my over the top need for glue and photoalbums.

After helping out at a large banquet event the other night, I was awarded a bag of scrapbooking items (Thanks Sara & Kirsten!). I will not lie, my paper cutting addictive tendancies immediately began rising up in my throat and I would have given anything for that whole room of 200 people to clear out so I could start doodling right there on the floor.

Thankfully, SMASH products come to us at a much simpler time than 1998...and I can assure you my scrapbooking adventure this time around will be much simpler and in turn, more fun! I love the quirkiness of these products (notebooks, pens, sticky notes and fancy tapes). Did I mention they are sparkle and thought bubble free?  

When it comes to journaling and scrapbooking these days...I don't force miserable friends and family to look at pictures anymore. Instead I use scrapbooking to brainstorm for my business and dreams. It's a fun hands on way to organize my thoughts. I also look forward to the quiet time in the midst of such a digital age. Plus, when I pull out my books and journals later, I acutally enjoy looking through them. So in a way, I am making a memory...just a more purposeful one that's just for me.

Can I interest you in some bakers twine? For decades I'm sure it was used for just that, wrapping up dough and baked goods. For me, I love using it to wrap gifts and send packages. You can find bakers twine anywhere, but I purchased these on Etsy at Annie 42 Creations.

Another fun idea is making your own stamps. I drew this victorla design with ink and then had it made into a stamp by Puddle Jumpin' Cards. It's a great way to share your drawings with people without, you know, showing up at their doorstep with a painting intended for their mantle (that's weird).

The other day my Mom pointed to some tape I had with me and said, "what's that?". Oh man...well let me tell you. It's called washi tape! You can buy all sorts of japanese washi tape on the web, but I really like Cute Tape because they have many different styles. Washi tape is perfect for wrapping gifts and packages because not only is it perfectly secure, but it's pretty. And know what? I like pretty things. 

If you are in scrapbook recovery like me, these items are simple fun ways to boost any note, journal, letter or package. I don't know if they could withstand the apocalypse or acid rain, but for now anyway, you'll be glad they are in your desk.