cool koozie

My husband and I love koozies (or coozies, whichever floats your boat).  This may sound lame, but we've been working on a pretty decent collection.  We like to pick one up if we travel somewhere cool, for example we got one in Tahiti while we were on our honeymoon and we just picked one up in South Carolina over Thanksgiving.  Who doesn't love a koozie?  I mean, don't you like your beer to stay nice and cold while your hand stays warm and condensation free?  Yes is the answer, in case you were hesitating.  

Yesterday we officially cancelled our trip to Dallas (sad) and since my favorite Packer fan was pretty devastated, I decided I'd get him some new Packer gear to cheer him up.  I wanted to find a special koozie that he could use for the Super Bowl.  And I'm pretty sure I hit the jackpot.  Check it out.  

That's right, it's a turf koozie.  I can't wait to surprise him with it!  I think it's hilarious.  While I was looking for the perfect Super Bowl-worthy koozie, I also came across this...

It's a green and gold mitten koozie.  So basically when it's cold out and you're tailgating (hello Lambeau Field) you don't have to wear a mitten AND hold a koozie, this is one stop shopping.  Pretty amazing if you ask me.  Check out KnittyTracy's etsy shop for more pictures and details.  This one didn't make the cut for Super Bowl Sunday because it's in the mid-70's here...far too warm for a mitten.   

So, while we won't be in attendance at the Super Bowl, we will be sporting some new gear and Adam will have his super cool turf koozie...that's a good alternative right?  I think so.  

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Wedding Wednesday - just some things

I've been a little distracted lately, so I decided to just fill today's Wedding Wednesday with some things that I love and have been in my "inspiration" folder for a while now.  There's no real theme to today's post, partly because these things just make me happy and partly because I'm feeling like I just want to share a bunch of happiness with you.    

Enjoy all the pretty pictures...I hope they inspire you and fill you with ideas and beauty.  

Balloons and confetti are SO happy!  And a great idea to make your e-pics festive.  

I'd love to do this for a couple as their escort card set-up.  How fabulous would that be?! To find your seat with a glass of champagne?  Fun.  Way fun.  

Could this cake and set-up be any more stunning?  

I'm always giddy for a good napkin treatment and I love this one because of it's casual elegance.  I love the double grosgrain ribbon and the billy button/leaf combo.  

May I please have this dress in white for a perfect little Bride that I know?   

Don't you just want to nuzzle up to this fluffy, cotton candy-like bouquet?  

What a fun, festive and DIY-able way to jazz up your aisle.  

Loving this ruffle cake.  Simple, fun and sweet.  

I hope you enjoyed all the random-ness!  There's so much beauty out there, it's nice to save the pictures that you see that bring you joy and inspire you.  Make your own inspiration folder, even if your not getting married, but particularly if you are and you'll be able to reference it for ideas or for a general boost of pretty when you need it.  

girl-date

I'm headed out for a girl-date on this gorgeous and sunny day.  A movie and lunch, talking, laughing, heart to heart honest conversation, advice, stories, love...I can't wait!  I'm going to spend the day with my original girl-date friend in LA.  I don't get to see her too much but when I do, I always leave with a full heart and feeling amazing.  When is the last time you went on a girl-date?  GO on one, with a girlfriend that makes you feel home.  And enjoy every second of it because it's good to take time out to feed our soul once in a while.

Have a beautiful day!

a packer dream

Yesterday was an incredible day.  The Packers beat the Bears to go to the Super Bowl!  The SUPER BOWL people!  It's beyond exciting.  However, while yesterday was filled with hugs and high fives, today I feel a little heart-broken.  Let me explain.

Adam went for a good luck ride before the game...in his jersey!  

I have a husband that loves the Packers so much, it is hard for me to describe.  I know that some of you feel the same way about your team, even possibly about the Packers, so you understand.  Yesterday, about ten minutes after the game ended, he was on the internet looking at tickets to the game and flights to Dallas.  Like a bunch of nutty fans, we booked two airline tickets.  I know.  Crazy, right?  He did some searching for tickets and got a great lead that we have been following up on.

After doing a little researching on my own today, I am realizing that this person is trying to scam us.  Trying to take our hard earned money for fake tickets.  And that breaks my heart.  Why do there have to be such mean and nasty people in this world?  And why do people want to treat each other that way?  It confuses me and it makes me very sad.  Adam wants to go so badly that I don't think he can see the scam, he's like a little boy who wants to buy a ticket to go see Santa in the North Pole.

I also feel sad that I can't afford to buy tickets from a super legitimate ticket source (like ticketmaster) because they are SO outrageously priced.  It breaks my heart that I can't just make his Super Bowl dreams a reality.  He does so much for me and makes me so happy, I only wish I could make this happen for him.

I know that we can cancel our flight and watch the Super Bowl here with our friends.  Maybe even throw a Super Bowl party and that it will still be really fun, but for now I feel a little heart broken about it.  I'm sorry for the venting and the downer of a post, but I just had to share how I'm feeling.

I'm grateful for you...the good people in the world who would never take advantage of someone trying to make a dream come true.

Whatever the outcome of this is, there is one thing I know for sure.  On Sunday, February 6th we will be cheering "Go Pack Go" no matter where we are!  I'm grateful that the Packers have made it this far and I know that whatever is meant to be will happen.

Mean people suck.

glorious

I've been having a lot of incredible days lately.  You know the ones where you just feel on top of the world and insanely grateful for all of it.  Yesterday I heard a song called "Glorious" on my Pandora and it pretty much sums up that feeling for me.  HERE is a link to the MaMuse website where you can listen to it.  

Take a few minutes and listen to these lovely ladies sing about gladness.  It'll make you think about those incredible days of your own.

Also, I think this would be an awesome song to walk down the aisle to if you were having an outdoor ceremony.  "Good friends to the left of me and good friends to my right," is too perfect of a lyric for that!

'Oh, what a day' I hope you're having!  

Wedding Wednesday - hang time

There is something so beautiful about the simplicity and quiet elegance of the dress detail shot.  The dress that you've dreamed of and carefully selected, hanging there waiting for you to bring it to life.  I love it.  

{photo by: Love Ala} 

{photo by: Hazelnut Photography}

{photo by: John Solano} 

{photo by: SNS Photography}

But do you know what will ruin this gorgeous shot?  This guy...

The plastic hanger.  I know you'll have a ton on your mind as you're packing and getting everything ready for your Big Day, but just a quick stop at Target or Bed Bath and Beyond and you'll be set.  All you need is a nice wooden hanger (preferably with ridges to help it hang) or you can order something fun and quirky like this...

available at the LilaFrancis shop on Etsy

I know it seems like a minor detail, but trust me you'll be happy that you took the time to pack a wooden hanger because no one wants that plastic one ruining their pictures.  

globes are coming

Who's excited for this weekend?  Not only is it a long weekend for most of you, it's also Golden Globe time!  (And our first wedding of 2011 and a huge Packer playoff game)  There's clearly a lot happening this weekend to be excited about.  

I can't wait for Sunday and the red carpet arrivals.  I love this time of the year.  My husband and I are doing double features to try and see all the "must-see" movies that are nominated, I'm feeling constantly inspired by the actresses and their performances and then there's the fashion.  Sigh, the fashion.  

I'm excited for Sunday because I think the glitz and glamour will be back in full force.  I'm also hoping for a lot of color; beautiful, bright and saturated colors.  

For the first time ever, I'm making a few fun predictions.  I picked out some gowns that I love and hope to see on the red carpet and then I tried to pick the perfect person for them.  

Clearly I am no fashion-ista expert, but it's fun to play.  So enjoy the eye candy...and enjoy the show on Sunday!  

(fingers crossed for miss natalie...go get 'em girl!!)  

I die for this Monique Lhuillier and how amazing would nominee Julianne Moore look in this?  

This Elie Saab gown has nominee Angelina Jolie's name all over it.  Right?  

Oscar de la Renta's little darling, nominee Anne Hathaway, would kill it in this.  This color on her would be delicious.  

I know it won't happen...but how adorable and so Black Swan would (hopefully winner) Natalie Portman be in this?  Plus it would hide that beautiful baby bump that she might be sporting.  This one is Oscar de la Renta again...he never disappoints.    

This Jason Wu dress and its stunning color would look perfectly feminine on Claire Danes.  (though something will clearly have to be done about that sheer top)  

Nothing cures a women scorn like a short sexy dress and a fierce new look.  Remember this coming out party in 2007, after her heartbreak?  

So, I pick this little Jenny Packham number for Eva Longoria.  Cheating men, be damned!  

or maybe this Monique Lhuillier if she wants a little color and a little more length.  

Here a few more that I love...

Elie Saab

Lanvin

and will anyone be bold and wear a print like this Christian Siriano?  I hope so!  

Enjoy the show on Sunday!  Sit on the couch, don your favorite baubles and savor being fabulous, just like all the nominees!  

loving guy

Recently, I've been watching a lot of Guy's Big Bite on the food network.  I love that he makes Asian inspired dishes since I've been wanting an Asian food show on there for a long time.  I'm half-Japanese but I didn't grow up in a household where we ate Asian food all the time.  However, we did have white rice with every meal, my mom makes a mean sweet and sour pork and my Dad's fried rice might change your life.  But I can't seem to master those family recipes.  I guess I'll just leave it to "the experts" and look forward to visits home to fill my belly with fried rice.  In the meantime, I've decided that I'm going to expand my kitchen repertoire into the Asian field.  I'm going to work on perfecting some dishes that I can make forever and someday my kids can count on my (fill in amazing dish here).

This week, I made one of Guy's recipes.  You can find it HERE and HERE (minus the toasted coconut...eww).  And it was deee-lish!  It was a lot of prep work, but totally worth it in the end.  I took a few quick pictures of how it turned out, but I was so hungry I forgot to put the fruit salsa on top before I snapped away.  I think this would be a great dish for a dinner party, because the presentation is fabulous and would definitely make an impression on your guests.

Yay for Asian food!

Wedding Wednesday - aubergine

A current client of mine wants to use aubergine as her wedding color.  I have been busy putting together a few design proposals for her, incorporating her desired main color.  I'm excited about how they turned out and wanted to share them with you.  Enjoy!  

aubergine and orange 

aubergine and fuchsia 

Which one would you pick?  

been a while

Hey you guys!  I've been a horrible blogger.  I can't even believe how long it's been since I last posted.  The Holidays came and went and then we had a crew of wonderful friends and family out here to see the Badgers play in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.  It was a very full few weeks, but I'm back and trying to get back in my routine.  Work is back in full swing, in fact I've booked two new clients this week!  So tonight, my husband and I are going out to celebrate.  Celebrate being together, making it through the Holidays, having a weekend with no real plans and booking weddings!  I can't wait.   

I'm happy to be back to the blog.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend...and that you GO celebrate something!  

I thought I'd play a little catch up (through pictures) of what life has been like for the past few weeks.  Enjoy!  

{made these Christmas goodie bags for my husband to hand out to his co-workers} 

{a delicious Bloody Mary at a fabulous home town bar} 

{got to spend time with my most favorite nephew} 

{got to meet and hold this little man, my cousin-in-law's son} 

{we petaled the W and I for the Wisconsin Rose Parade Float} 

{attended the coolest pep rally ever!} 

{just a few of the wonderful friends who traveled a long way for the weekend}

{you know you're having a great NYE when you go into the "ugly" laugh}

{the Bloody Mary Bar at our fun and festive tailgate party} 

{the party planner setting up her tailgate} 

{wonderful bonding time with my sister-in-law}

{we're clearly not excited about this at all} 

{a breathtaking sight for this Badger fan...I might have cried a little.  Maybe.}