When vacationing in North west Arkansas!

Why yes! that is Arctic Blue colored water, and yes it is in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas. This beauty of a picture was taken on the way to the Little Missouri Falls. Its a 16 mile hiking trail nestled in the North West region of the mountains of the beautiful rugged Ouachita National Forest. The little Missouri Falls is only about 5 miles from Camp Albert Pike, and is about 25 miles from Glenwood Arkansas. The roads are paved only halfway to your destination and the rest is a gorgeous mystery. Surrounded by breath taking drops just inches from your window, and walls of mountain towering tall above your head. This spot is sure to catch the hearts of all passersby, and even the locals, like me! The trail is a moderate or strenuous trail. It is not a place to would take wandering two-five year olds, but it is a quite beautiful place to picnic with the family. The trail takes you across steel enforced man made bridge-ways crossing the river and paths that tower above the river some 50-75 feet at times.
The dirt and gravel roads may gain victorious on small compact vehicles. although we did make our way up and down the mountain in the snow and mud with my 2001 Honda Civic. If you take pride in your vehicle and the cleanliness of it. please heed my warning and take a truck! The roads are not informative as far as telling you what is where, but there are a few signs along the way. Just when you feel like your lost and in the middle of no where, you have actually made it! Here are a few pictures from our experience I hope you like them!



Map Pictures Thanks to Google Maps
Other pictures were taken by me Jessica DuToit 2010

DIY Wedding Invitations.

In this entry I will give you a few frugal yet elegant "Do It Your Self" Money saving tips on making your wedding a hit, yet keeping it hip!

First we will start off with wedding invitations. Did you know, you can cut the cost of invitations in half almost twice! By making them yourself? here are the pros. of making your own wedding invitations.

1. They can be any shape or form without the extra cost!
2. they can be one pattern or many patterns and colors without the extra cost!
3. They can have as many or as few words as you want WITHOUT THE EXTRA COST!
4. By saving the extra money you can now afford to send invitations to a few more people!

I could go on and on!

The first step in making your own invitations is,

1. Price Scrap booking paper, as this will be the paper we use for the invites.
2. Also price embellishments such as, ribbon for card bows, any jewels, or flowers you would like to put on the cards. Also price any materials you will need hole punch scissors, tape , glue, or anything else
   
3. look for pressed scrap book paper for the back lay in the card. here are a few pictures for help.

Make sure you check at many different stores. (Hobby Lobby, Micheal's, Walmart, Hancock Fabrics, or your local scrap booking boutique.) I would suggest seriously pricing the local craft boutique and Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby has clearance sales all year round. Not just at the end of holidays. If you are having a seasoned themed wedding, you should try picking up a few things here and a few things there on the OFF season, for there are clearances, and end of season clearances for that extra savings.

Now that you have priced the paper it is time to purchase the paper and embelishments of your choice. you want to be frugal. So, buy enough for the invitations, the programs, and the thank you cards! you want them to all match. Also, buy a few extra things just in case you mess one up. It happens to the best of us.

On to making the invites.
Materials Include

1. Printer
2. decor scissors (with designs) and regular scissors.
   
3. 4-5 glue sticks. (yes you may need them!)
4. Embellishments
5. Hole Punch
   
6. papers

Place your paper that you will be printing on (the imprinted back lay paper, or solid colored paper) face down in the printer. Pull up the program in which you will be using to type out your invitations. Most invites usually start with a poem of some kind. these are SO easy to find on the internet, or you can write your own! Make sure when printing that you only print one the first time to make sure that it comes out the way you like!

Next:
Take your back lay paper that you have printed on, and the decorative scissors, and cut around your typed area to form a nice design. (NOTE, they make scissors that make more elegant designs than the regular cheesy one :) once you have done that, take your hole punch, and two holes at the top of the paper. This is where you will be tying your bow. when tying your bow allow a couple inches extra for tying then trim.
Now:
Your ready to glue the back lay paper onto the printed colored paper. douse the back of the paper with a good coat of glue stick, and then paste it on. Easy as that!
After: your glue has dried you can add as many embellishments as you like, weather it be a single strip of ribbon to the bottom, or chipboard flowers, and there you have it a do it your self invitation.

Making the programs are just as easy. just keep in mind they wont be as big so more cutting will be involved.

TIPS

1. Embossing stamps are sold at Hobby Lobby. They also sell pre-made embossed stickers to add an old fashion look to your envelopes.
2. set up your printer and computer to type your addresses onto the envelopes for a more professional look.
3. Always be sure to put a return address somewhere on your envelope. That way if you get an address wrong, you will know who got an invitation, and who didn't.
4. Always remember when decorating your invitations "Less is more." you want people to be drawn to the message of your card, not the shining what nots popping out of the envelope.

Note: Any pictures posted were found at www.photobucket.com