Hotter Than July...

It is the 1st of July and it just so happens that one of my favorite songs in the world happens to appear on this particular cd by Stevie Wonder... All I Do, will be a great song for all of you July brides to add to your songlist... Listen to it and lemme know what you think...

Random Thoughts on Tuesday...

• I can not wait for Thursday to get here...
• I tried scrapbooking last Friday night, but I could not find my scrapping mojo...
• Do you have it?
• OOOOOOOK!
• I don't understand how people make it without a hobby... Having one can be so therapeutic... Maybe that is why I have so many...
• I think I missed my dad's birthday... OOPS!
• I HAVE NOT been sticking to my eating or spending plan(s)... Something gotta give...Literally...
• Have visited An Atlanta Bride Blog at http://jessicaralph.blogspot.com and nominated her for the Wedding Channel blog awards? She is truly deserving of it...
• I like the idea of a luau in lieu of a rehearsal dinner...
• {mournful voice} MJ is GONE yall... Whose gonna sing to me now?
• Will the State of Alabama ever issue my refund?
• Ummm....
• I had not watched TV in over a month... that is until the MJ story unfolded...
• I slept in on Saturday for the first time in {I don't know when}
• How long ago is {I don't know when}?
• Next...
• I desperately need to organize and simplify my life... That will make things so much easier...
• Will this ever end???

Until next time.....

Funeral Blues {by W.H. Alden}

My senior year in high school, we had to recite this poem in my AP English class... After this very tragic week, these lyrics somehow danced back into my head... My uncle died 15 minutes after I spoke with him on Father's Day and a true American Idol, Michael Jackson, died on the very same day that my uncle was buried... Let me share the poem with you...

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Now, I must admit that this poem does not reflect what I am feeling right now... I still have hope and life still goes on.... Maybe it just danced back into my mind for two very important reasons:

1. To remind me that I did learn something in AP English and that those things that I learned still continue to impact my life. {I have yet to find a use for geometry}
2. To inspire me to write a more optimistic poem about the sudden and unexpected of a loved one...

Has tragedy struck you lately? How have you dealt with it?

Baby Door Decor

I had a friend who gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in December of 2008. When I went to visit her in the hospital I was so inspired by the door decor that I wanted to create something for her door... Something special... Something unique... And I ran across something that looked like this...

Well, I am an avid scrapbooker and this door hanger really captured my attention. After I left the hospital I visited my local craft store only to find that they did not have one of these in stock. I later discovered that these were only available through Creative Memories... Oh well, on to find something else....

I visited a lss and came across this...

This was perfect for my little project... While,I don't have a picture of that particular door hanger on hand... I do have a picture of the one that I created for Seven...

All that they had to do is add his picture, birth date, time, weight, and length. I was really pleased with how this turned out... Do you have any unique ideas for hospital door decor? Would you care to share?

Seven's Ark

On May 23rd, I gave one of the most creative showers that I have ever given... It was for baby Seven and the theme was Seven's Ark {Yes, I drew my inspiration from Noah's Ark, Genesis 7}.

The following photos are of the centerpieces that I created for the shower. His nursery colors were green and brown so I used brown and white striped ribbon and green and white polka dot ribbon to wrap around the vases. I had a different animal on each cylinder vase.

I really, really enjoyed this shower. The scriptural reference made it really unique. Here are a few other shots that I was able to capture prior to the shower taking place...

First off the petite fours.... We opted to these verses a cake because it is always so much cake left over. They were all that with a bootie on top {literally}!

Next, the game/door prizes... They included everything from body sprays to embellished candles by yours truly...

And finally, the welcome/sign in table {I did these in reveres order didn't I?} Oh, well..... Instead of a guest book we used a book entitled, "The Creation". How fitting??? Everyone loved that idea...

Have you ever used a biblical reference to carry out a theme for an event? What was that theme and how did you carry it out?

Couture Confectionery Creations

Wedding cakes must not only look fabulous, but taste good too! For her wedding cake(s) my bf opted to be more modern and creative. There is no doubt in my mind that these cakes captivated the crowd and that they will remember them forever!

First up is the bride's cake inspired by Tiffany & Company.... {side note: their initials really are T&C}

Next up the groom's cake inspired by.... well.... his profession... a lawyer.... {yes, those books are the cake...}

How about those for some couture confectionery creations?

Now those really {took the cake}.... Don't you agree?

Let There be Light and it shall be called a GOBO

Have you ever been to a wedding and seen the initials of the newlyweds projected on the dance floor like this? {not the greatest pic, but you get the idea}

Well, it's called a wedding gobo... For those who are wandering about gobos, tune in, for the what, why, where, and how of the monogrammed wedding gobos.

I don't believe in re-inventing the wheel so I found this handy little article by Chris about monogrammed wedding gobos on http://www.weddingaces.com/2009/03/monogram-gobo-what-why-where-how/ .

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WHAT - A gobo refers to a small disc about the size of a silver dollar. The gobo has a design on it, and when a high power lamp is shown through it, the design is projected. The word gobo is used interchangeably to describe the small disc with the pattern, the pattern itself, and the actual projection you see. Gobos can be simple or intricate. They can also include colors. Depending on the pattern needed and the lamp used, they can be made out of several material… typically glass, metal, or plastic.

WHY - Gobos have many uses, but the ultimate goal is always (what I call) eye candy. At a concert, gobos add depth and texture. A gobo projected on the outside of a building can be an eye catching advertisement. For your wedding… a gobo is a distinctive way to tie in your unique monogram while providing a visual attraction for your guests. If done properly, a custom gobo is a relatively inexpensive way to spruce up a room or compliment an elegant atmosphere

WHERE - Where does the gobo fit into the wedding day? A gobo can be projected in any number of places and contexts. The most common location to see a gobo is on the dance floor during the reception. However, don’t rule out the possibility of a large wall or the ceiling. Also, there’s no rule that says a gobo doesn’t or won’t look equally stunning shown somewhere around the ceremony location or projected behind the bar during your cocktail hour. You are only limited by the business you choose to handle the gobo projection so I suggest you consider where you want to use the gobo before you select a company to help you.

HOW - How do you get this done? Many DJ’s offer this type of lighting effect. They will likely have a procedure to recommend. If your band or DJ does not have this lighting available, there are lighting specialty companies that will be able to handle it. Contacting a wedding planner is a good way to find a lighting specialist in your area.

You DIY brides will love this. If your vendor is willing to let you get the gobo yourself, you can very easily have a gobo made through a number of websites, which could possibly save you some money. I’ve had much success with Gobo Source. They have recently updated their site to include many new templates that can make the ordering process much easier. It is very important that you know the type of light fixture that will be used to project the gobo and or the exact size of gobo needed before you order. Not all gobos are universal. If you’re not careful, you could end up with a fancy silver dollar sized disc that is completely useless.

Lighting of any kind can add a unique element of visual stimulation to your wedding decor. The monogram gobo is an inexpensive way to serve some eye candy to your guests in a tasteful way.

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Do you plan on using a gobo on your big day and if so will you dyi your design?

The {Center} of Attention...

The centerpieces for the wedding were simply EXCLUSIVE {inside joke}. Before I disclose my non-pro photos of the centerpieces, I would like to take the opportunity to share with you an article that I found about centerpieces on this site: http://www.lifeorganizers.com/Organize-Your-Wedding/Organizing-your-Wedding-Decorations/Summer-Wedding-Centerpiece-Ideas.html.

" Wedding centerpieces are important elements that constitute the wedding theme in the reception venue. Summer is a perfect time for weddings especially for those planning to have an outdoor wedding reception. With these two statements declared, summer wedding centerpieces should be given proper contemplation and discussion in order to come up with the most valuable yet unique idea. Before moving on further, it's important that proper explanation be narrated on the importance of having nice and appropriate wedding centerpieces.

The wedding table centerpiece is one of the elements that guests will focus on during the wedding reception. Getting most of the attention of wedding guests, it is therefore necessary that wedding centerpieces jive with the wedding theme and all the other decorations in the wedding reception venue. In addition, these centerpieces should also complement in terms of colors with other decorations and at the same time complement the personality of the bride and groom plus the ambiance that they want to project for their wedding. With all of these factors taken into account, you can be sure that your summer wedding centerpieces will receive commendations from the majority of wedding guests who are particular with these matters."

This was a very good article. Unfortunately, I did not post it in its entirety. If you would like to read more please click on the link above...

Without further adieu... I present to you the {center} pieces of art....

Will your pieces be the center of attention at the table of your guests? How do you plan on ensuring that your centerpieces will add beauty and elegance to your reception tables?

Flower Power: Bridal Bouquets and Bouts

You can have the wedding of your dreams when you carefully select your flowers. Believe it or not flowers have the power to set or enhance the overall atmosphere of your wedding.

The flowers that were selected at my bf's wedding did just that.... Now before I show you the pics, I need to confess..... Are you ready? Okay... good.

Confession: I AM NOT a expert on flowers or trees by any means and nor will I pretend to be... So whether or not these beautiful arrangements include lilies, roses, daffodils, sunflowers or daisies...I can not tell you... But what I can tell you is that everything about the flowers chosen for this day were a perfect fit and that the vendor that created these lasting impressions was {J} of J Randall's Wedding & Special Events in Florence, AL.

First up are the corsages for the hostesses...

Next are the boutonnieres or {bouts} for the guys...


The cutest little flower girl baskets...


And these gorgeous bridal bouquets for the girls....

The mothers carried tussy mussies, but I failed to get a pic of those... They were stunning as well. Perhaps this pic will give you an idea of what they carried...

And now for the moment that you all have been waiting for............

A strikingly beautiful {and blinging} bridal bouquet.... Yes... it was blinging... Those are rhinestones in the middle of each flower....

What type of flowers are planning having for your big day???? What type of mood or atmosphere do you want them to set?

With a Personal Touch...

One of my favorite hobbies is scrapbooking {just in case you did not know that already}. But it requires a lot of time... something that I have not had much of lately, lol. So in an effort not to abandon this gift, I try and incorporate it into whatever project or event that I am doing at that particular moment.

In this case I created a mini scrapbook for my bff. It contained pictures of all of her bridal showers. She was gifted with it on her wedding day.

Here is an upclose shot of it.....

She used their initials on all of their paper goods throughout the wedding; so I thought it would be neat to carry it over to the bridal shower scrapbook as well.

What is your favorite hobby or passion? How do you manage to incorporate it into your life even when the time does not permit? Do you feel that it gift giving is just a little bit more special when you add a personal touch?

Beauty is Her Name...

My bf looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day... Words can not explain... So I will leave you with some of my non-pro pics of my friend... Beauty is her name....

Beauty was a two-dress-bride.... {I told you before that it was worth the wait...}

For the wedding she wore a full princess style wedding gown complete with train....

And for the reception she wore more of a mermaid/trumpet style form fitting dress... {please excuse the poor pics, but you get the idea}...

Beauty was able to accomplish both a timeless look with her elegant ceremony gown and a fashion forward look for all of fashionistas of the world on her wedding day.

Will your dress be more traditional or modern? How will you answer the call of the fashionista that lies on the inside of you when selecting your dream dress?

A Custom {type of} Card for A Custom {type of} Love

May 5th was Mr. Falsetto's birthday. I wanted to make this year extra special so everything that I gifted him with on his special day was hand made. He loves the fact that I scrapbook and he really supports my habit... ummm.. hobby... So it just seemed right to make him a custom birthday card and envelope.

I was really pleased at how this turned out... He loved it and stated that he did not want anymore store bought cards from me... Ummmmh? I think that I have started something special and I am luvin' every minute of it...

My Christmas Closet

With the current economical times that we are facing; now is a great time for us to swarm the clearance racks and discount stores. This past weekend I started a little Christmas shopping

at the one and only Burke's Outlet. Here is the link: http://www.burkesoutlet.com/. This is one of my favorite stores because it does not matter the day of the week or the time of the year... you can always find a good deal... that is if you know {quality}.

Well, as fate would have it the dots rolled on last Wednesday, May 27th. {If you know what I mean by this statement you are an avid Burke's shopper and if not visit the website above}. So my goal was to find the items with the green dots because those items were 95% off. Here is the results of my finds:

Can you believe I got this for about $1.25?

Harvest perfume, Lotion and Bath Gel Gifts Sets

Coffee Mug, Address Book, Shopping Pad and Pen Gift Sets

Huggable, Lovable Bears...

Clothes, Clothes and More Clothes

More gift sets....

The grand total for all of the items seen above was less than $60.00. I am now preparing these gifts for my Christmas Closet.... I can't wait until I find my next best deal ever. Some say that I have a special gift or {anointing} on me to find such great deals... I say..........I dido this quote!

I take Him shopping with me. I say, "OK, Jesus, help me find a bargain." ~Tammy Faye Bakker