In the course of planning my wedding, with is a mere 8 days from now, I've created several documents to save money along the way. Since I'm only using them once, I figure why not throw some images and templates out there into the interwebs for others to use if they see fit? As such, the following posts are my various wedding creations for the big day ahead.

Creation #3 saved me a TON of money.  As I was not a fan of creating nearly 200 escort cards for the wedding reception, I figured that an easy to follow seating poster was a far better and more efficient idea.  I really liked some of the poster designs I saw on Etsy, but they were asking $50+ just for the digital design - having it printed costs a whopping $120!  For a poster, no thanks.  I came up with my own template.  It took a Google image search for a cool, free vector template (THANK YOU to the artist who designed the heart-leaf design in the top right corner) and manipulating the image from there.

This is a BIG poster (36" x 24") and only cost me around $35 to have a PDF version printed at Office Max.  While there was much more time and effort put into this, the money savings was well worth it!

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In the course of planning my wedding, with is a mere 8 days from now, I've created several documents to save money along the way. Since I'm only using them once, I figure why not throw some images and templates out there into the interwebs for others to use if they see fit? As such, the following posts are my various wedding creations for the big day ahead.

Creation #2 utilizes an idea I saw on Pinterest.  A couple had written these words on a chalkboard to help seat their guests for the wedding ceremony.  As we're not having ushers and this is a fairly casual affair, I loved the idea and made a poster to emulate the design I saw.

This will be framed in a weathered, wooden frame and displayed via a small picture holder on the ground.  The finished poster is 16" x 20"

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In the course of planning my wedding, with is a mere 8 days from now, I've created several documents to save money along the way. Since I'm only using them once, I figure why not throw some images and templates out there into the interwebs for others to use if they see fit? As such, the following posts are my various wedding creations for the big day ahead.

 Creation #1: Signs for tables These little guys have been put into cheap 5" x 7" frames ordered through Walmart's website (12 for $10), with one frame being put at each table to explain to guests why there will be just a crossword puzzle and pencil at each place setting.  We figured that we'd go with something cheap and personal so we can make a nice donation to our favorite animal rescue instead of giving out jordan almonds or candles....

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The last few days have been spent gearing up for the start of summer school next week.  Curriculum planning, pooling supplies, and lesson planning, lesson planning, and more lesson planning!  I'm a bit anxious due to the fact that I've never seen the classroom I'll be teaching in, I have no idea what scientific equipment will be made available, and I really have no clue how this program is going to work.  The good news is that I have an orientation meeting tommorrow morning and will get the keys to my classroom.  Hopefully that will put me on the right track and I'll be off to a running start!

While planting our garden, I met a very nice neighbor around my age who noted that she'll be moving from her apartment to a smaller one at the same complex later this summer.  This turned out to be great news, because she will be moving out of a two-bedroom with a balcony (exactly what we're waiting for) on the secluded back side of the building.  It's prime real estate and we're touring tommorrow....I'm quite excited!

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Now that I've flung myself headlong into the "real world" and have a bit of free time on my hand, I figure it's a good time for me to start writing once again.  Though I realize few will be all that interested in reading about my daily trials and tribulations, writing it all out is a good exercise in writing and discipline....we'll just see how long I can keep it up.

A week ago today marked my final move out of camp and in with my boyfriend, who lives in Ann Arbor.  The move was hectic and tiring, but now, blessedly, it's done.  I have a packed 5 x 15 storage unit down the road with items that could not fit into our one-bedroom apartment, and over the past week I've been bustling around the place and "de-bachelorizing" it.  By that I mean giving it a good vacuuming (my Dyson had to be emptied 5 TIMES...gross), bleaching the bathroom walls (you should've seen them), and mild organizing around the apartment.  Nothing drastic or life changing...just enough to make it presentable and to give us the space we need.  We've been figuring out ingeneous ways to keep the guinea pigs contained during their floor time (who knew dollar store pool noodles would keep them out from under the couch?), and in general, adjusting to life together.  Thus far, I LOVE it.

Yesterday we took a big step in opening a joint checking and savings account.  The best news of the day was when our new banker informed us that we have absolutely awesome credit....even she was (or at least pretending to be) impressed!  She noted that we'd get the best rates on loans, especially if we ever decide to buy a house.  Always good news to hear.

On Friday we'll be touring a 2 bedroom apartment in the same complex where we're living now.  The rent here is cheap, the location is awesome, and despite the roof trying to cave in, it's not all that bad of a place.  A two bedroom apartment might include a nice balcony and may even find us moving to a quieter side of the building....I'm all about that!

While my summer job will be starting in less than two weeks, I'm still in the hunt for a job come August.  I got a great lead on a position with the City of Ann Arbor and it sounds like something I'd love to do.  The big issue is that it's only a 10 month stint, it pays poorly (enough to get by, but poorly), and there are no benefits.  BUT, if I get a chance to interview and take the job, it might be a nice position while I continue to hunt for teaching jobs.  On that note, there are positions here and there that pop up every day, but nothing around Ann Arbor and nothing in my realm of expertise.  It may be a lost cause.

Time to go grocery shopping....I just recieved Martha Stewart's cupcake cookbook (thanks Mom!) and I'm looking forward to baking up some tasty chocolate malt cupcakes.  Yum.

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