"just because" gift from R

A few months ago I posted that I was interested in the silver elephant ring holder from Redenvelope.  Well R surprised me with it!  I've had it for a few days but I kept forgetting to take a photo of it.  It's so tiny - maybe the size of my fist.  It's perfect though, anything bigger would look too bulky for my bedside table.   It's also nice and heavy, Lilly likes to knock things off the table and I wouldn't want something she could easily slide off in the middle of the night.  The little tray underneath is perfect for holding a few pairs of earrings - which is great because I can't sleep in my earrings.  I think it retails for $29.95 so it could make a great gift and it's the perfect size for a stocking if you are looking to purchase a holiday gift!  It's adorable and unique - I'm so glad R remembered that I wanted it!

Fall Fun 2012

R is on his bachelor weekend in Baltimore this weekend.  His friends bought tickets to the baseball game and they are going to party for a couple of days.  Which means....I get the house to myself!!!!  I'm never alone and sometimes it's nice.  I can lay on the couch and watch wedding shows until the early morning hours sipping wine:-)

 Dinner last night was courtesy of Fresh Market...dill salmon and lemon orzo washed down with a cold sierra nevada tumbler.  I also purchased some cookies to snack on...their kitchen sink cookies are phenomenal!

I had some fun shopping yesterday afternoon for some halloween decorations.  I really don't have a lot of space for a ton of new decorations but I really wanted to make the house more festive. I'd love to decorate our front door with a new wreath and some potted mums but those things just don't last.  Our house faces west and the sun is so strong in the afternoon that the doorknob will burn you when you come home after work.  My front door rug has faded and every garden flag I've put out there has faded in the sun.  I tried putting a potted plant beside the front door and it was completely fried in a couple of weeks (it was a shrub plant that belongs in direct sunlight too!).  Anyway I found a cute flag at pier one that I'm hoping won't fade too much in a month.

 I decorated our mantel this year.  I hate that this wall is so white, this didn't photograph well at all but in person it looks a lot better.  I covered our mirror with some spider web material and I purchased some crows, porcelain pumpkins, and some candy corn from the dollar tree.

 We actually have this silver skull on our buffet table in the dining room year round but I move it to the living room for the month of October.  It's actually meant to hold dip and the little spreader has a handle that is shaped like a bone.

 I purchase this last year at pier one at the end of season sale.  I really hope I can hit up some sales this year for more fall / spooky decor.

Another purchase yesterday.  I've already used quite a bit of this candle.  It was $20 at Bath and Body Works and it literally smells good enough to eat.  Apparently they had a big sale last weekend and I missed it.  I only purchase one candle a season but I'd still rather not pay full price so they put me on the mailing list. I'm hoping I can go back and get a few more before the holiday season!

Well that was my attempt at decorating using very limited objects.  It definitely looks more festive around the house.  We will be going to pick out our pumpkins soon and I'm excited for that.  Last year the "melted crayon" pumpkins were really popular and I'm hoping I'll get to try that this year.  

Wedding List Update

Here is the update on the progress we have made so far.  Up until this month the planning was between R and I but this month the bridesmaids were asked to order their dresses and the guys went and picked out their suits so now everyone is "invested" in it :-)   I highlighted the chores I'm trying to accomplish in October and the items crossed off in purple were completed in September.

 

Set a date

Book venue

Book photographer

Book Music and lighting

Decide on bridal party

Book caterer & bartender

Create wedding website

Register for shower

Book florist

Purchase wedding dress

Purchase bridal accessories

Rent linens

Take engagement pictures

Select bridesmaid dresses

Select groom & groomsmen attire

Send bridesmaids ordering info for dresses

Book cake baker

wedding coordinator guidebook

Buy cake knife & server

Order save the dates

Send save the dates

Book officiant

Pre-marital counseling ßOctober

Order guest book

Finalize guest list

Obtain guests addresses for invitations

Order cake topper

Decide on videographer services

Hotel room blocks

Rent hotel rooms for March 22 and March 23

MOB & MOG dress shopping

Find wedding shoes

Find wedding jewelry

Book makeup artist & hair stylist

Reception menu tasting

Hair trim, nails, tan for bridal portraits

Take bridal portraits / hair & make up trial – Scheduled for October 18th

1st dress fitting

Bridal portrait bouquet Scheduled for October 17th

Final dress fitting

Make ceremony programs

Practice Carolina shag

Write out escort cards

Find 10 glass milk vases

Pay venue for ceremony chair set up

Order invitations

Address invitations

Mail invitations

Book rehearsal dinner venue

Buy Rehearsal dress

Buy sparkler for send off

 Find hair accessories for FG

Decide on bridesmaids shoes

make table numbers

make cake stand

Buy groomsman gifts

Buy FG and RB gifts

Reader and coordinator gifts

Bridesmaids gifts

Bachelorette party outfits

Bachelorette party

Buy gifts for mothers

Bridal shower attire

Bridal shower

Shower thank you notes

Shop for wedding bands

Purchase wedding bands

Create wedding day timeline

Put together picture list for photographer

Buy drinking straws

Buy mason jars

Bridal Makeup trial

DIY signs for reserved seating

Engagement photos framed for auxiliary table

Book a salon for day of wedding

Makeup for MOB

New passport?

Decide on setup for cocktail table décor and purchase accessories

Escort card display and welcome sign

Purchase alcohol for reception

Get marriage license

Create signs for sparkler exit and favor

Book transportation from reception to hotel

Book honeymoon

Honeymoon outfits

Bridal luncheon invitations

Bridal luncheon favor

Decide who will return reception rentals

RD invitations - FMIL

RD groom's cake - FMIL

Final vendor payments

Music selections to band

Order thank you notes

Hair, nails, tan for wedding

Ring cleaning

Pack for honeymoon

Wedding announcement in News and Observer

Walk down the aisle & say I do!

 

Dansko...yes? no?

This is happening...I need to break down and buy a pair of Dansko clogs.  I'm going to choose from the professional line with the patent finish that can be wiped down at the end of a work day.  The new company that purchased us just sent our scrubs and as an RD I'm allowed to wear them too.  I will probably only wear them on days that I plan to spend in the clinic with patients.  Office days and charting days I will still wear my professional clothes.  Anyway getting back to the Danskos - I think they are hideous and honestly not terribly comfortable.  They are however slightly cuter than plain white or black sneakers.  I'm okay with these patent purple ones...they will probably clash with the scrubs but I really don't care, I'd rather have a pair no one else has and the irridescent blues, purples, and grays are really popular in my clinics.  Everyone swears I'll love them once I wear them and I hope they are right for a pair of shoes that cost this much.  If any of my blog followers have any opinions on the matter please comment!

Wordless Wednesday - Fall 2012 Season Premiere

Not completely wordless.  I have done these off and on in the past but after a few weeks I run out of topics.  In the interest to post more often maybe I will attempt to start doing this again.

 

Wedding Planning: Bridal Hair Ideas

My bridal portraits are October 18th and I have booked EnV salon because they are close to my photographer and to my wedding location.  They also were recommended by one of our trusted wedding vendors.

I don't want to share too much about my hair accessories prior to the wedding (because R reads my blog occasionally). But I will share a few of my favorite hairstyles. Some of these have been saved on my computer for years so I have lost some of the original sources (yikes). Please let me know if you recognize the source and I will give credit to the photographer/owner. I want to try my hair up and down during my trials. 

Weekend Festival and Weekend Fun

What is up with blogger?  I've tried to post several times and my photos wouldn't load.  I wanted to share the fantastic and super fun weekend that R and I had this past weekend.  We went to a huge festival held annually in my small home town.  On Saturday morning we started with the parade and a trip to a craft fair.  All the local churches were out selling delicious sausage biscuits and sweets for breakfast.

The grand marshalls of the parade and the most beautiful horse I've ever seen!

 

This large grocery cart is driven in almost all North Carolina small town festivals to help remind us to support NC agriculture and local companies, it is also featured at the state fair.  I just really love seeing a giant shopping cart :-)  My niece was in the parade with her dance team - they won the award for the 'non-float' competition.  She has been sick for a week so I was surprised to see that she was actually in the parade but it was the best 30 seconds of the entire weekend for me!

R and I in the crowd.  I wish I had remembered my sunblock!

After the parade there were bluegrass bands in the park and local pork barbeque.  R had been craving BBQ so it was spectacular timing.

We met Big Juicy from TruTV's Lizard Lick Towing.  This show is a guilty indulgence for me - I can't miss an episode and I think she is hilarious.  I joked with R that she cuddled up with him for the photo but  I AM the fan of the show and look like I'm photo bombing in the background.

Our Saturday schedule of events...carnival, rodeo, street dance...oh my!  We did actually attend the street dance both nights but we definitely preferred the bands featured on Friday to the DJ's that were out on Saturday.  After wearing boots all weekend and checking out all the horses and mules in the area, a guy singing Johnny Cash seemed more appropriate to the setting than a DJ playing Akon.

This was the only thing I purchased at the craft fair and I love it!  It's a wine bottle that has been melted flat in a kiln and now it can be used as a cheese tray.  It even came with a cute spreader!  I like to pick out unique things at local fairs and it was hard to make a decision but this tray seemed like a lot of fun.  I love that it can be hung as decoration as well.

R and I stayed with my mom so I snapped this photo of the cheap efficient plastic shelves that are serving as "wedding storage".  Everything shoved in this corner is for the wedding and I hate how disorganized it looks.  At least it is all in one place and it hasn't completely taken over the room.  We are almost done buying "things" and can focus on paying for services instead.

 Sunday I had my first Starbucks pumpkin spice latte of the season and we finished an important wedding chore.  All the guys have officially picked out their suits for the wedding!  I had a few concerns in the beginning that it would look strange to have different suits but it worked out well.   I think every guy will have a ton of confidence that they are wearing a suit they love and can have tailored to fit. 

After suit shopping we met my MOH and her husband at Cafe Caturra to celebrate her birthday (one day late) with mimosas and salad.  We had such a good time that two hours passed easily before we realized that we had to move on with our day.  I had a whole afternoon of laundry and they were entertaining her parents for dinner than night. 

 

And the best part.... R and I officially made it to the 6 month mark!  We were engaged on March 23 2012 and we are getting married on March 23 2013.  I'm happy with the progress we've made in our planning but I can't wait for the months to come! 

New Products and the search for a new lip color

Lately I've been obsessed with finding a new perfect lip color.  I love my L'Oreal infallible lipglosses but I wanted something new to try.  After a little research I decided I'd try some Revlon products - they've changed the packaging in the last few years and they are so chic looking now!

 This is probably my new favorite gloss - Revlon's colorburst in rosepearl.  This is a beautifully pigmented gloss - not too pink, not too red and most importantly not too sticky.  The doe foot applicator is not nearly as precise as the L'Oreal infallible gloss though, I find that I have to swipe it several times against the top of the tube so I don't have a glob of gloss on the applicator.

 Revlon's lip butter has a huge cult following.  I purchased raspberry pie thinking it would be a flush of color....oh no, it's a bright highly pigmented berry shade.  I probably would not wear this often straight out of the tube but I would be willing to swipe a bit on my lips and dilute it out with my finger for a little color.  It's actually quite moisturizing which really surprised me.  The color payoff is excellent but the staying power is next to nothing, I found it on my teeth (ick), water bottle, breakfast sandwich,etc.  I'd be willing to purchase this in a more wearable shade..this color might be reserved for nights out.  The color itself actually looks okay on my pale skin but it would be more wearable on someone with darker skin coloring.

 Laura Mercier kohl eye liner in Black Gold is my new love.  I received this with my 500 point gift from sephora and I've used it every day.  I've used many shades of "brown" eyeliner in the past and they've always oxidized on my eyes.  This shade is almost a gold / taupe exactly the shade I would have steered away from in the past.  It doesn't oxidize!  It's stays a pretty shade of golden brown across my eyelid and looks more like a shadow than a harsh line.  It's so hard to describe and I'm so glad i didn't just give it away - I will definitely purchase the full size.

Alright so I realize I'm probably too old for the MTV teen drama Awkward but the show is hilarious (and way too adult for teenagers IMO).  Anyway this is a screen shot from the last show where Jenna is daydreaming about what her life would have like if she had made different choices.  I love the way she portrayed a "mean girl" and I love the makeup they used to amp up her features.  The point of me sharing this picture is to try and pinpoint the shade of berry pink that I'm looking for in a new lip color.  I think it's perfect for fall and I think it would look amazing in my bridal portraits next month.  The search continues - after a bit of research I have a list of potential lip products that I need to see in person.  I scheduled my hair appointment for early next month so my hair will have fresh color and I will be able to test drive new lip products for my fall look.

Grooms Attire

We decided early on to buy suits instead of renting tuxes for the wedding - R has been wanting a new suit anyway.  A few weeks ago there was a great deal at Joseph A Bank and R loved their signature separates.  They also have a great ongoing special on suits if you mention that you are buying several for a wedding.  We wanted our groomsmen to wear gray so R and all his guys are selecting their style of suit in whichever shade of gray they prefer.  R chose the black and white herringbone with a flat front trouser:

R purchased the ties for all his guys as well.  We decided not to do bow ties (even though I'm still sad about it) because we would have to have them made in the paisley pattern that matched the bridesmaid attire and it was easier (and cheaper) to purchase ties.  I love the pattern and the color is beautiful!

I wasn't sure what we wanted as for the boutonniere.  My main wedding flower is a peony and I didn't want anything to compete with the pattern and color of the tie.  Our florist suggested doing something "earthy" using greenery instead of flowers.  I sent this picture to her as an idea.  I don't know where I found this photo and I didn't tag it in my favorites so if anyone knows who it belongs to please contact me and I'll give credit to the photographer.

I love that it's wrapped in twine, my bouquet will have some twine around it so I think it could pull the look together.  Shopping for the male attendants attire isn't quite as much fun as looking through bridesmaid dresses.  I hope that all the guys are happy with their suits - the look will hopefully be coordinated without being too uniform.