Preparing for the Party of the Year...

Just to give you a little update... I will be taking a mini hiatus from the ole' bloggy blog for the next few days... I am having to spend every.free.moment. that I have planning for my 30th birthday party. Not to worry... When I returned I promise to post full picture heavy, detailed recaps as the paparazzi will be in attendance...

Until next time!!!!

A Christmas Photoshoot Gone Bad

After the fashion extravaganza we proceeded to the living room with plans of capturing a cute snapshot of the little one in front of the Christmas tree. We decided to pose the picture a bit and gave a ornament to the little one so that she could {pretend} as if she were hanging it. (Did I mention that she is only 21 months old) No, things did not go as planned and I never got that perfect shot that I had envisioned... Don't judge me.... I told you that I wasn't a mother! LOL! Instead she became totally engrossed/frustrated with trying to get the ornament to hang back on the tree and refused to cooperate for the photo {insert sad face}.

After many tireless efforts on my behalf to get the {perfect} shot and on her behalf to get the freakin' ball-ball (as she calls it) to hang on the tree; we decided to play a game of patty-cakes with feet.


I had a joyous time with my friends... This is what Christmas is all about... Making Memories!

Rippin' the Runway in Stilettos

Saturday night, one of my goddaughters (who happens to be 21 months) visited me while she and her mom were out and about purchasing Christmas decorations for their home. Lemme' tell you....she was a hoot! Upon entering the house she proceeded to my bedroom and started browsing through my vast collection of stilettos. Finally she selected a pair (the most comfortable pair btw) and immediately began to rip the runway!

We ALL fell into the floor laughing as hard as we possibly could. This.little.chic put on a pair of 31/2 to 4 inch stilettos and walked in them 300 times better than most adults that I saw in the mall during the Thanksgiving holidays. I did not get a picture of her actually walking in them; but I did manage to com[pose] myself enough to snap these shots!

I am not yet a mother, but watching little girls play in high heels brings about a somewhat maternal inner diva joy that I just can not explain... Perhaps, I won't think it is as cute one day when my little one grabs a pair of my priceless pumps and precedes to rip the runway or hallway.. But for now I think it's a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e and I can't wait to tune in for the next fashion show.

So... Do you have any little divas that pass their playtime to pick out their favorite pair of shoes? What is your favorite dress-up story of all times?

Up next, the little diva trims the Christmas tree..literally!

All Decked Out

While on Thanksgiving vacay I decided to go ahead and deck out my home for the holidays. From a girl who was never into Christmas trees until about two years ago; I think that I did A-okay. Now don't expect to see a fabulous tree like you would see over at Teresa's.... I am still working to get there! LOL! She is my inspiration!

As I started to unpack all of the containers that housed all of my Christmas decor; I was surprised to find all of the items that I scored after Christmas last year! It was like shopping all over again. I was so giddy! I was good that I made those purchases late last year and earlier this year because I was.not.at.all.happy.with.the.Christmas.wrapping.paper.for.this.year! Not.at.all! LOL!

However, I had a joyous time putting the tree together with Mr. Falsetto. We listened to Christmas music, sang along, sipped on Welch's White Grape Juice and before we knew it we were done! Here are the finished results! ( I am not loving my green bow; I am debating getting another one made this week) Enjoy!

P.S. ~ All seasoned Christmas tree decorators---Please feel leave comments on the likes/dislikes about this tree! I welcome any/all suggestions!

A Sneak Peek...

I have been working hard all weekend to create this... I will be sharing the completed project with you very, very soon....

Thanksgiving Cupcake Stand

I created this a while back for a harvest themed party; but I did not get the opportunity to post it. As fate would have it; I was able to reuse it at a company Thanksgiving dinner. It was fairly easy to make and relatively inexpensive.

Supplies:

• 1 large square cardboard box (free)


• 1 medium square cardboard box (free)
  
• 1 yard of brown fabric ($1.00/yard at Wal-Mart)


• 1/2 yard of orange fabric ($1.99/yard at Wal-Mart)


• 1 roll of brown and white striped ribbon ($3.99/ at Hobby Lobby)


• 3 floral fall picks ($1/each at Dollar Tree)


• Glue Gun


• Glue Sticks


• Toothpicks


• Fall Leaves ($1/per pack at Dollar tree)
  

This can be re-created for almost any event. If you have question please feel free to leave me a comment and I will be more than happy to assist you.

Creating a Prettier Christmas Tree

I am so engrossed with all things Christmas related that I am spending every free moment that I get surfing the net for ideas to spruce up my space for the holidays. Today I came across these tips on http://www.bhg.com/ on how to create a prettier Christmas tree. So go and grab and cold glass of milk and some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and I will be here when you get back...

Got it..... Great! Now sit back and clear your mind so that you are able to tap into the tips provided and imagine all the different ways to deck your halls...

Tip #1: Think Overscale
Our first tree illustrates a technique that most home decorators miss: using overscaled ornaments. The large silver balls and stars have a huge impact. Though oversized decorations may cost a bit more, you won't need many (about a dozen for an average size tree), and the effect will be stunning.

Tip #2: Stick with a Theme
A large white butterfly gives a clue to the leafy garden theme of this tree. Green dragonflies and a selection of artificial leaf sprays add to the theme that's further enhanced with green ornaments and glittered netting. Even the tree skirt was embellished with floral sprays.

Tip #3: Glam It Up
Crystals add sparkle and shine to any tree. Because they are see-through, however, you'll want to place them near lights and mix them in with more colorful items.

Tip #4: Fill in with Floral Sprays
Fill gaps between branches with floral filler such as silk flower sprays, leaf bunches, or a DIY nosegay as shown here. We used a base of artificial leaves, a floral pick of silver berries, and green ornaments, then wired and tied it with sheer ribbon. Plan to make at least 24 of these decorations for an 8-foot tree.

Tip #5: Remember to Repeat
Repeat one type of ornament so it creates a color, shape, or theme through a tree. These red decorations help unite the other one-of-a-kind ornaments. We recommend buying two to four dozen of a main theme element (like these red balls). Various sizes, shapes, or finishes of such an element will add even more flair.

I hope that these tips were as helpful to you as they were/are to me. There are actually a total of 12 tips on the site, but I chose to only share a few. Do you have any other tips that you would like to share?

Dreamin' of a Pink Christmas....

While searching the web for more inspiration for my pink and green theme; I came across the following images:

I love the originality and shades of pink and gold in this tree... Also take note of the beautifully wrapped gifts...

{Source}

What about the continuation of the clock theme onto the stockings... Hmmm... What a nice idea... I think that I will be stashing this one in my BOI (Book of Inspirations).

{Source}

The pink and green balls below make me smile.... I love them! These would probably look really good on a wreath. Note to self: find a tutorial on how to make a Christmas wreath... It can't be that bad right?

Okay... that's all for now... Excuse me while I swoon over Christmas decor and gift wrap. Are there any websites that you visit to swoon over hoilday images?

Let Me Give you the Run Down...

Sooo....

Where do we start? First of all let me say that I am elated to be back and I am sooo excited to share with you all the things that I have been up to since I have been on my blogging hiatus... There have been soo many new and exciting things going on in my life that I really do not know where to start...

How about a run down?

• Lots and lots of scrapbooking... So much so that I have put up all of my supplies until the new year... Ooops! I forgot that little sister has to do a book for the debutante in January... I guess that I will take them back out for that... {insert sigh} After that it will be a very, very long time until I deal with any more pink and green paper!





• Reading. I highly recommend Brand Me and Reordering Your Day. They changed my life and I am sure that they will do the same for you.





• Decking the halls... Yeah, it's that time again... I think that I am going to use my pink and green tree once more this year and then I will begin shopping of cream and gold decor for next year.





• Party Planning. Have a few parties coming up and I have to start working on a theme so that I can find my decor. I am really feeling the colors red, black and white right now..

• Launching out. I am launching an event planning business with a close friend.





• Focusing. I have been doing a lot of focusing and restructuring in my life. A lot of it brings me all the way back to the launching of this blog, Destiny Awakes. I have had some serious victories as far as my destiny and purpose goes, but I also have a lot of work to do in order to receive the full manifestation of what God has for my life. By focusing I have learned to be an "Eagle in the Chicken Business." (Title of my book that will be coming to you soon)




• Cooking. Call me Mello-Garden. I have been trying several Olive Garden inspired recipes and they have turned out wonderfully. I have learned that when you are patient and passionate when you are cooking the dishes are always delectable! ( I really own an apron like this)!
  
  
• Loving. I am learning to love and appreciate all that life has to offer. I just love my life and I love what God is doing in it!
  
  
  
• Celebrating.... I am turning 30 this year and am not sure how I want to celebrate it! We will count down the days together and hopefully devise a plan as to how I can celebrate my life in a way that is creative, original, fun and reflective of me!

So, there you have it! A run down of what I have been doing over the past couple of months/weeks? What has been goin on in yours? Also, if you have any fun and creative ideas on how I can celebrate my 30th birthday please post them here. I would really appreciate it!Thanks!

My Weekend at the Creation Station

This weekend, I will not be attending any Classic festivities (although I am a AAMU alum) or attending a chic custom party (don't celebrate Halloween)....

This weekend I will be docking in at the creation station...



I have a lot of really, really good news to share with you soon....

Stay tuned!

She calls me {HD}...

I have a very close friend and for the past two months she has been calling me {HD}. I never thought ask her what {HD} meant because I assumed that she was referring to my loss of interest in any subject matter, conversation, person etc. after the first 30-35 seconds. {It's not that I am being rude.....or even that I am not concerned... It is just that I have been very, very busy... and even too busy to ask her exactly what she meant by referring to me as {HD}!

That's is until now.... "Why did you refer to me as {HD}," I asked? "Because you are in high demand," she said.

And there you have it... That is where I have been, my dears...I have been in {High Demand}... Tackling a laundry list of diy projects, scrapbooking, event planning, coaching girls for pageants, working late to prepare for major changes at my job and I even have a new {side} gig....

And that is why she call me {HD}.

What have you been up too lately? Has there ever been a period in your life in which you felt as if you were in {HD}? How did you deal with it....

Let's Play Catch Up: The Prayer Brunch

On September 15th, Free to Be Me Ministries™ founded by my spiritual mother, Prophetess Janice Turner, held an intimate prayer brunch in Florence, Alabama at New Birth Ministries. Each lady invited a friend, coworker, relative or whomever the Spirit led them to bring and I must say that this was one of the best prayer brunches ever. You could just feel the love in the place. The theme for this prayer brunch was, "Saving our Sisters, Connecting Together for a Divine Rescue™." It was truly a blessing to partake in this conference and to be in the presence of such loving, supporting and nuturing women.

For this brunch, yes... you guessed it... I was asked to do the decor... And I cheerfully welcomed the challenge of creating a beautiful brunch for these ladies to enjoy. I would like to extend my apologies ahead of time for the poor photos; I must say that the decor looked much, much better IRL. But...that is the flip-side of being an ameteur photographer :P!

First off, I would like to share with you the bird cage that I re-created. {Warning!!! This comes with a full narration} The bird cage is the mascot {for lack of better terms} for Free to Be Me Ministries™. For years, a lady in the ministry took care of the bird who was affectionately named "Free" until each women's conference.

However, unbeknownst to me "Free" has passed away about a week before this year's conference. So the morning of the brunch I was so stressed out because the caterer told me that she wanted the centerpiece on her food table to be striking {to say the least}. The pressure was on... I could not sleep the night before... Visions of centerpieces danced in my head... Pages of magazines, blog after blog, post after posts... I racked my brain to find something that would meet the caterer's expectations and make me happy... The morning of I journeyed through the storage room inmy mind and saw a bird cage.. Then I began to visualize countless "bird cage" centerpieces that have been popping up everywhere... And so there it was... the recreated bird cage... And the best part of it all... It had a dual purpose... First of all, it served purpose. It brought closure to the life of "Free" and secondly it confirmed that we were definitely in the will of God... How great is our God?

So here we are... the final photogs of the Free to Me™ Prayer Brunch 2009.

Did you enjoy them? Have you ever re-created something only to find that it's value was more than you would have ever deemed imaginable?

Motivational Monday

• I have spread my dreams beneath your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. W.B. Yeats
• Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau
• All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
• The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.Paul Valery
  A skillful man reads his dreams for self-knowledge, yet not the details but the quality. Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Our waking hours form the text of our lives, our dreams, the commentary. Anonymous
• Hope is the dream of the waking man. French Proverb
• To unpathed waters, undreamed shores. William Shakepeare

Floetry Friday

"Hope" is the thing with feathers"

by: Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—

That perches in the soul—

And sings the tune without the words—

And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—

And sore must be the storm—

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—

And on the strangest Sea—

Yet, never, in Extremity,

It asked a crumb—of Me.

My Golf Experience

I went golfing with Mr. Falsetto and I am going sum my golfing experience/ highlights up in three photos:

Mr. Falsetto {of course}

Hole #1 {the beginning of the end}

Hole #18 {the end}

Enough Said!

Quote Me #03

The heart was created to love and the soul was created to desire… Don’t miss out on your “heartmate” because you are entangled with your “soulmate.” ~M'Shonta

i Must admit... i Am Addicted

i have never been one to smoke, drink or do drugs... So i never dreamed that in a million years that i could become addicted to something... but i am.... i must admit...

i am addicted to:

within ten minutes of opening the bag the pile of empty wrappers looked like this:

and the pile of gum looked like this:

and i can't stop chewing until the entire bag is gone...

is there any help for me...

Do any of you out there in blogland have a strange addiction? Am i the only one in world that is addicted to chewing bubble gum?

My Five Fabulous Finds

The economy may be dead; but my taste for fashion is alive and well... Thus I present to you my fabulous finds from my latest shopping escapade!

Animal print {Guess} sandals...... $15.00 @ T.J. Maxx

Rhinestone {Sketcher} Slide-in Sneakers.......$7.00 @ T.J. Maxx

Crop-A-Dile Big Bite.................$9.00 @ Wal-Mart

Crystal Chandlier......................$2.99 @ Hobby Lobby (used 40% off coupon)

Martha Stewart Tissue Paper Flower Bouquet Kit...... $2.00 @ Big Lots

Have had found any fabulous finds during these economically challenging times?