Thursday, June 23, 2011

5 Foods {Day 5 of 10}

Five foods... Just five.... LOL!

Well, I travel a lot...so when it comes to foods... I am very diverse!  So I put a little spin on this and shared my favorite five restaurants.  First up, Surin of Thailand in Huntsville, AL!  My #1 ALL TIME FAVORITE!!!!

Thai
Favorite Restaurant: Surin of Thailand located in Huntsville, Alabama
Favorite Dish(es):  Chicken Curry and Sweet and Sour Chicken
Website: http://www.surinofthailand.com/huntsville


Japanese
Favorite Restaurant: Umi's located in Florence, Alabama
Favorite Dish(es):  Steak Hibachi
Website: http://www.umijapanesesteakhouse.com/menu.html


Chinese
Favorite Restaurant: Golden Star located in Huntsville, AL
Favorite Dish(es): Beef Lo Mien
Website: none :(


Italian
Favorite Restaurant:Ricatoni's in Florene, AL
Favorite Dish(es): Chicken Parmesan
Website: http://www.ricatonivalentino.com/

Soul Food
Favorite Restaurant: Nikki West in Birmingham, AL
Favorite Dish(es):  Everything on the Menu
Website: http://www.nikiswest.com/index.html

And now I am officially hungry! 

Until next time,

M'Shonta


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wedding Wednesday 003- As Good as Pink, Brown and Gold

My little cousin {and I use the term loosely, she's really not that much younger than me} is getting married next May.  We have been planning her wedding since the beginning of this year and we can't wait... At least once a week she calls me and we shrill and giggle on the phone as we peruse through wedding websites and facebook in search of wedding inspirables. 

She has enlisted me to do the planning and decorating for this shindig and I want it to be as good as gold!  She is my little cousin after all!  LOL!

Almost all of this wedding will be DIY; so I am constantly on the lookout for future projects in which to indulge in preparation for her big day! 

Today I will look at the big picture view using some images found on google and then we will go from there... We still have about 11 months so I am certain that I will do a few {breakout} post of this wedding.... so bear with me... Hopefully, this will serve as a reference for us as well....





The creativity is really flowing now.... And if you have any creative ideas or can point me in the direction of some create DIY wedding sites please share.... Thanks in advance!

M'Shonta

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

4 Books {Day 4 of 10}

Ummm... Okay!  I have been venturing in the wilderness for the past few days; so now it's time to play catch up...

Where were we??? Yes, books...

Four books. When I began to ponder on my favorite four books... I immediately thought of the four that I know have shaped my life forever.

For my spiritual life; nothing has impacted my it like this Daily Reading Bible by Max Lucado.  Several years ago I set a personal goal to read the bible in a year.  I had made several attempts with my church family; but I was never successful... That is until one of my coworkers blessed me with this daily reading bible!!!! Not only have I accomplished my goal of reading the entire bible in a year.... I have read the bible in its entirety three times and each time/each day I read it;  I get new revelation! Reading the bible has become an integral part of my daily regime;  it is a wealth of knowledge and my source of strength.


For my professional life---Brand Me. Make Your Mark: Turn Passion into Profit by Melissa Dawn Johnson just did it for me.  After reading this book I finally got it! Oprah is the queen of branding yourself and this girlie is the princess!  I mean...I could not believe that take-a-aways that I gained from the short read.  Here is an Amazon Editorial that really sums this book up:  "In this compelling book she shares the 7-Step Brand Me Blue Print T designed to offer a personalized action plan to turn your passion into profit. Her practical insight and personal passion enable anyone to apply these power points of branding in any situation. Make Your Mark: Turn Passion into Profit is more than a book, it is a movement that is sweeping the world. You are the product the world has been waiting for. Now is the time to market your success."


For my personal life I chose a book from one of my favorite authors, Maya Angelou.  I would love to sit in here class and hear her lecture just one day... that lady is full of so much wisdom.  I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as a very young child and unfortunately I could identify with EVERYTHING that she shared.  It was a coming of age story that served as a motivational tool for me.  After everything that I had endured after reading this book...I felt as though a had a reason to sing.  God had given me a life, a purpose and a destiny and one day I would be free to fulfill it.  I never allowed {the cage} take away my song... I only allowed its bars to carry my melody. 


And finally, for my emotional life I choose a collection of books by Javan.  I was introduced to these books by an old college friend.  I remember feeling the textured cardstock and thumbing through the pages like a pupil seeking an answer for an open book test.  I did not put those books down until I had completed the entire collection.  I loved them so much that since then I have purchased two copies of this collection.  This reviewer from Amazon said it best; Javan's books are not literary poetry. They are short reflections on our relationships with ourselves, others, and the world we live in. They are not only beautiful and easy to understand, but as indicated by several hundred people who have signed the guestbook on Javan's website they are especially helpful when things are going bad. I tell you...whenever I am going through a tough time this collection paired with a hot bath and a glass of cold Welch's white grape juice does just the trick :)!

{This is only one of the four books.  The others are entitled, "Meet Me Halfway," "A Heart Full of Love" and Footprints in Mind."}

So....there you have it....

4 God
4 Motivation
4 Reflection
4 Love
4 Books

Until next time,

M'Shonta

Friday, June 17, 2011

3 Films {Day 3 of 10}

Yes! Yes! Yes!  Finally, an easy one!  When I think of 3 films... here is what comes to mind immediatley!

The Color Purple... A classic and a must have!  I can watch this movie a million times and never get tired of it!  Can't wait until the day that I can say... "I's married now!"


What's Love Got to Do With It?  That's right, what does it have to do with it??? This movie was so personal for me... It really gave me the strength to fight to get a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.  No more tunnel vision for me;  I only see by faith and by faith I will fulfill my destiny!


And finally, Poetic Justice... I guess the poetic nature of this movie captivates me every time!!!


Until next time,

M'Shonta

Thursday, June 16, 2011

2 Songs {Day 2 of 10}

There are sooo many songs that I could pick.....soooooo many!  I love all types of music---contemporary Christian, Gospel, Old School, New School...music to listen to On the Way to School! Pop, Country, R&B, Techno, Rock and Roll...you name and I could name at least my top three songs and artist from that genre of music. 

So.... with that being said.... I decided that I share a song that I will play on my wedding day!  The title of it is "Never Thought" by Bebe and Cece Winans.  It really describes how I feel about my relationship with God and Mr. Falsetto! 


The second song would have to be He's Able by Preashea Hilliard!  Such an inspiring an uplifting song!  The entire cd is awesome!  If you don't have it...get it! 


So there ya go!  2 days...2 songs... 2 down...

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wedding Wednesday 002- When Inspiration Comes to Life

It's wedding Wednesday!!! YAY!!!!

This week I will be sharing with you some photographs from a wedding that I coordinated and decorated on June 11th.  In our initial meeting the bride expressed to me that her #1 favorite color was yellow and so we went with yellow, black and white!  I immediately began to surf the internet for inspiration and here is what I found...





Yes! Yes! Yes!  Lots of yellow-yumminess! 

And here is what you get when inspiration comes to life!







The wedding turned out beautiful and the bride was glowing and gorgeous!  Oh how I love happy endings!!!!

S.N.- Have I mentioned how much I love the new blogger?  Whew hoooo!!!!  Four post in one day!  A new record for me!!!

1 Picture {Day 1 of 10}

I love to take pictures and I love to {take} pictures; so when it comes to photographs... I have no shortage!  LOL!  When I initially thought about finding one picture of  myself...I was overwhemed for a milli-second... And then I thought about the photograph from the climax of my life... My 30th birthday!

This photograph encompasses everything that I am at this point in my life:
  • A Devoted Woman of God
  • Happy
  • Free
  • Loving
  • Open
  • Outgoing
  • Fearless
  • Living the Blessed Life
  • Comfortable in my own skin
  • And most of all ME!
It took ME 30 years just to be me!  30 years is a long time to live with a person that you know and it is even worse when that person is YOU!  When I turned 28; I decided that it was time for a change and the change that I was seeking all started with me!  Little did I know that 2 year process would end in a 30th Birthday Celebration!  But it was a very special celebration to me because for the first time I celebrated a life that I never had... A life where I could be "Free to Be Me."

........................... One decision
........................... One change
........................... One life
........................... One me
........................... One picture

Until next time,

M'Shonta

Ten Day You Challenge... {Something I Really Need These Days}

A challenge... This is something that I really need these days... I saw that over at Adrienne's blog on and I am going to give it a try... Starting today!!!


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wedding Wednesday 001

I have been caught in a whirlwind of weddings and I am sooooo loving it!  After assisting my best friend with planning her wedding.... I thought to myself... I can do this and so I did!  Now, I offer day of wedding of coordinating services as part of my event planning company- Visuality Planning and Events.  You can read more about it here!

Planning and coordinating these beautiful weddings have been blissful for me.  Words can not express the emotions that I feel as witness two lovely individuals joined together in mutual love and respect for God and for one another.

At the culmination of each wedding I am filled with mixed emotions... I am happy for the new couple... I am delighted in the way that day unfolded....  I am thankful for the gifts that God had given to create and coordinate... I am exhausted from all of the energy and effort put into making their day extra special... and I am sad that it has all come to an end... No more countless phone calls, no more locking-in vendors, no more looking for the perfect jewelry and flower girls dresses... Just like {that} it is over... And I am on to the next bride!

I wish I could plan a wedding every weekend, but since that is next to impossible right now... I will settle with my new blog series Wedding Wednesday!  As time alots, I am going to post my wedding inspirables on Wednesday.  I will try and focus on the small details that will make a world of difference on your wedding day.