MAMA'S BIG RED MONEY MAKER

My husband is amazingly, AMAZING!

As times are tough right now, he's going back to the one thing he thought he'd never have to do again - landscaping, and ultimately, what goes hand-and-hand with that, plowing - because I know, as he took a step up in life and into his role as a financial planner for Prudential two years ago, he thought those days of breaking his back were over.

So, as we ride this roller coaster we call life, he's getting out there, in the bitter cold, so I don't have to stop doing the one thing that enjoy the most - design.

There are not enough adjectives or verbs in the English dictionary to convey what that stirs up in me, but I do have to say - Thank you God, for giving me an AMAZING husband!

This is him trying to show me how to take the plow off ... just incase, he say's ... ah-huh, right!

30 DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 20

Day 20 of my LET'S GET PERSONAL: 30 DAY CHALLENGE - a Recipe...

My Mom's Meatball Recipe:

Chopped meat (use a beef, pork, veal combo - about 1.5lbs)
1 egg
2 Tbs of Parmesan Cheese
Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste

Mix together

Then start adding small amounts of Italian flavored bread crumbs (the secret ingredient). This is to bind the meatballs together - the trick with this is to add small amounts at a time. (You don't want to make the meatballs dry, so just add enough to make everything stick together)

Cooking Options:
1.) In Sauce - start off by browning them quickly. This will help them to not fall apart in your sauce.
2.) Baking at 350 degrees for about an hour-and-a-half, turning them every so often.
3.) Frying at low heat - no oil needed. This option is the fastest, but the key is to cook over low/medium heat. This helps the insides cook without burning the outsides.

ENJOY!!

If anyone tries this recipe, I would love to here about it! Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

USING THE COLOR WHEEL TO PICK YOUR WEDDING COLORS

Artists and designers have used this design principal for ages, but it can also be helpful for brides when choosing their wedding colors - especially for those brides who get that glazed over look when it comes to color, fashion or trying to coordinate anything.



Coordinating colors give your wedding visual unity. By making this visual connection, your event will feel more elegant or more expensive then it really is.

Consider:

Monochromatic Colors - This is many shades of one color

Related Tones - Colors located next to each other on the color wheel

Complementary Colors - These are colors located opposite of each other on the color wheel

Picking too many colors will create an unsettled feeling amongst your guests. You want to create harmony - two colors, sometimes three, all in the same tone is the best way to do this.

Tone is the decided by it's chroma - intensity, saturation or purity of a color (free from white or black); shade - the amount of black added to a color or it's degree of darkness; tint - color that is softened or desaturated by the addition of white or it's degree of lightness; and hue - the modification of a color, for instance, bluish green.

One way to create harmony, is to choose one primary color and one or two accent colors. Another option is to highlight your chosen color among neutrals. Finally, if your more prone to the darker shades of colors, use a more saturated color as your accent.

In the end, never loose your personality. If you don't know where to begin, think about what's in your closet, what shades did you use to decorate your home. These are probably colors your already comfortable with, so use that palette and dress it up with a complimentary or analogous (next too) color from the color wheel.

I'M TWEETABLE

WHAT, WHAT ... LIFT YOUR HANDS UP!

When I stumbled across this last night, I started to do the roger rabbit, the scissors and the cabbage patch, all at the same time - on the inside of course! - I didn't want Shelvie to think I finally had lost it. No-But-Seriously, I almost busted out the Jersey fist pump, ha ha!

It's such an honor to be mentioned by two people I highly respect! - Promise Tangeman and David Jay.

I'm not sure how I found Promise - probably on one of my trips through the rabbit hole - but I've been following her for some time now. Her style and freedom of expression has been instrumental in helping me to allow the designer in me to blossom - not to get caught up in the image being portrayed, but be true to the artist inside. Her ability to juggle both design and photography was also a catalyst in me taking my photography to the next level.

I'm collaborating with Promise on some upcoming design ideas, to be release in January, I'm SUPER EXCITED so STAY TUNED!

I found David Jay by accident too. When Promise did a post about ShowIt, a site that helped her build her website, I had to check it out! At the time, I didn't know Dreamweaver or how to build DOSSIE-A from scratch - well, sort of - but I knew I didn't have the skills to execute the design in my mind effectively.

I just started to really dive into the information and the options ShowIt has to offer - totally making the helpdesk (a.k.a. Jason) earn their keep! Some really amazing stuff people!  I can't wait to implement some of the new things I'm learning ... maybe I smell a new website in the air, sniff .. SNIFF ..

Not only is David awesome for putting together a place for photographers (or designers, in my case) to go and build their own website, but he is an amazing photographer! Check out some of his shots here.

If I could only get him to teach me all he knows about taking good photographs?!! 

Thank you Promise, for the reference. Thank you David, for thinking I'm tweetable. You guys ROCK!

BIRTHDAY BLUES

As I rolled over in bed Wednesday morning, I was smacked with the reality of another year gone.
I can't say that I hate birthdays, but I can admit - out loud - that I struggle with growing old. Is it because if I only knew then what I know now, I'd make different decisions in life - better, life altering decisions. Or, is it the realization that this life is so heart-breakingly short. Perhaps it's facing the fact that my body no longer feels as young as my mind.

where-is-that-slow-motion-button...

Then he rolls over ... happy birthday my love

*UMPH*

Later that night, as I walked from the warm hallways of school out into the cold, wet night, it struck me - I know NOW what I didn't know THEN. An epiphany that only comes with age, I gather. I no longer had to find my way, but new the way. I was reinvigorated.

I then came home to candles lit, Hot Tub Time Machine waiting to be played and the most wonderful display of love. Ever.

Waiting for me was a hand-made card, a hand-made/hand-written bookmark (I'm usually a find-anything-handy bookmark maker), two bars of my favorite Cadbury chocolate, and a promise that 'your gift is in the mail'. (He bought me a charm necklace with our favorite saying on it)

It was pure bliss. Love overload.

I realized then, in my thirty-three years, age has afforded something invaluable - appreciation, love and the self-assurance to be vulnerable.

The card Shelvie made - a three-dimensional montage of his favorite picture of us (recently taken in September while in Vegas). I'm like a proud pa-pa ... look at his crafty-ness!

I'm still waiting for the necklace - ha, ha!

BOW TIES_PART 2

The other day I talked about how to incorporate bow ties into men's bridal fashion, making it
unique to them and your event.

The more I see this look, the more I just LOVE it!

CREDITS: Trendy Crew

However, since I never play favorites! Ladies, inspiration for bow ties in women's fashion ...

CREDITS

CREDITS

and, if your not ready to channel your inner Rihanna ...

these bow tie necklaces will make a statement of their own - whether in jeans and a t-shirt or an evening gown and stilettos.

CREDITS

CREDITS

CREDITS:

LEFT

RIGHT

THE LOVELY COURTNEY SMITH

I first met Courtney when I joined Velocity, my church's youth ministry, as a leader. She was the
first person to approach me and make me feel apart of the family - immediately. What I learned
about Courtney in the few short months of knowing her is that she is a beautiful person, both
inside and out. She is available, approachable and reliable. Best of all, has a heart for God, and
with that, challenges me to be better.


you go girl ... gimme sassy ... LOL ;)

30 DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 20

Day 20 of my 30 DAY CHALLENGE ... a hobby of mine.

I often wonder if this would have made more sense 30 days in a row ... LOL ... oh well

This is not so much a hobby, but an extension of my talent.

This past weekend, we went camping with some really great friends - Brittany and Vito.

Now, I'm not a camper - cooking over a fire, not showering for two days - but my husband loves it, so guess what that means? ... I love it too ... LOL

While the boys were napping, Brittany and I took a walk around the lake. These were just a couple snapshots I took of her.

I would love to know your thoughts?!

BOW TIES

I may just be jumping on the bow tie bandwagon after all people!!

Check out Tom Ford's eyewear campaigns

I love the edge being created in these images (the crows, that devilish grin - sophistication mixed
with a little edge, gets me every time). It allows for this new generation, with its vast style range,
to identify with the look. Its no longer your grandfather's bow tie!

____________________________________________________________________


I first seen the bow tie being worn by Brad Goreski, from Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project.
I wasn't convinced, but I thought it worked for him.

CREDITS

Then, I was watching the news, channel 12, the other day. Alicia Vitarelli was doing a spot on the
best kept secrets of NJ and talking about a local bow tie maker, Michael Lamont. Every bow tie is independently created and hand sewn, no two are alike.
 

CREDITS

I thought, wouldn't that be a unique and personal gift to give each of your groomsmen. You could
have them all in the same color palette, but each would have a bow tie to match their personality.

Nowadays, bridesmaids are picking their own dress style, why not let the men pick their own bow tie!

WEDDING MBA_SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION

This was shown to me by the youth pastor at my church, he discovered it while researching how to relate to today's youth.

The reason why I'm showing it is two-fold, it's very interesting and while at the WMBA, part 2 was shown to the crowd.




I watched part one for the first time late last year, part two recently at the Wedding MBA. There are a lot of similarities between the two, but one significant one that blew my mind.

Part 2:




Did you notice?! If Facebook were a nation, it went from #4 to #3 - in less than a year!! HELLO PEOPLE?!! - totally amazing! LOL

hmmmmm .... makes me wonder though, for the children being born in such a high-tech society, what would happen to them if the whole thing crashed?!