Blogging Over Here?

I apologize to any followers that I may still have.  I have started blogging for my company Note Worthy over here: http://noteworthync.com/blog/

Don't give up on this little baby just yet. I feel like she'll come back around and the goal is sooner than later.

Feeling Krafty!

As you all know, I love working with Rebecca Rose Events.  She has impeccable taste and any wedding or event she does is amazing. So when she asked me to do the invitations and programs for this November wedding, I immediately said yes!

The bride wanted her fall wedding to have accents of red and browns and we all know that the color Red is one of Becca's favorites!  With the freedom to embrace her love for red this wedding did not disappoint. Take a look at the amazing photos courtesy of  Red Balloon Studios.

photos photos via Red Balloon Studios.

 Stunning! Absolutely stunning. You wouldn't know that the day before it was raining cats and dogs!!!

When it came time for invitations, we had the idea of using kraft paper with a simple red  border design and flourishes for the programs.  We wanted the invitations to set the tone for this beautiful outdoor wedding so they were inserted in simple red envelopes lined with this beautiful kraft floral paper.  (I don't have a pic of the actual envelopes but I do have a sample of the lining-see below)

I think overall they turned out great and were perfect after seeing all the photos of the actual event.  I loved working with the kraft paper and hope to do more invitations using it in the future

What did you think? Are you feeling krafty?

Designed to Grow

So after watching UGA lose in their bowl game today in TRIPLE overtime, I decided to finally write some New Year's Resolutions.  But this year I decided I would take the advice of one of the DJ's from my new favorite radio station here in the triad, K-Love.  The idea isn't to write down a bunch of goals but to pick one word to focus on. Have a theme for all of 2012. You can read more about it here.

I really liked that idea. I tossed around a few words but nothing was really sticking.  Then it hit me!  Let me explain in photos:

This is me on 6/28/1979. I eventually grew out of that buddha stage

And grew into my pacifier stage (notice my great loves-Star Wars and UGA football)

Then I stopped being cute and grew into my dorky phase where I wore HUGE glasses but it's cool so did my doll.

I grew into contacts and went to high school and wore super awesome velvet dresses that make me miss 90210.

I grew up and went to college and (also grew a few pants sizes too-freshman 15 x 2).

Eventually I grew into an adult, started running, stopped dating losers and met the man of my dreams and got married.

But the story shouldn't end there! I should keep growing. I should continue to GROW in my relationship with God, GROW in my marriage, GROW in my new city, GROW with my besties in other cities, GROW in my new job, GROW as a runner, GROW in the kitchen, GROW in my hobbies, GROW our savings, GROW GROW GROW.  I think instead of staying complacent this year, I will GROW.

Hey maybe I could redesign that one word into a nice printable to frame and put on my fridge or up in my office.

What is your theme for 2012?  What one word can you focus on this year?

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Redesigned Renovations

So I have had the whole week after Christmas off from work. It was nice to travel back to Alabama and Georgia to see friends and family, not to mention spending some quality time in trapped in a car with the Mr.  It was nice to actually see and talk to him longer than an hour.  We got home late on the 27th and then the small around-the-house projects began.

I wish I had some amazing before and after shots to show you but no, these changes are very small but are HUGE. They are big because, I did them! The Mr. is away being a Dr. during the day and I decided instead of spending my days like a "Real Housewife" I would be an independent Housewife and get things done!

Things like this:

Switched out all the light switches and outlets that were brass!

Replaced the broken guest bathroom shower head.

Fixed the wobbly toliet paper holder-this one is HUGE. This thing drove me and guests crazy.

Finally fixed the broken towel holder in the master bathroom.

Hung a few crafty items I created above our headboard. 

Cleaned and organized the master bedroom office area. Hey Mr. you better keep YOUR office neat!

Took down all the Christmas decor (including the tree by myself ) AND made this nifty little wreath thanks to Pintrest

So I was feeling pretty darn independent, handy and confident.  I said to myself, "Self-why do you have to wait on the Mr. to hang those darn shelves in the den?  You don't! Go give it a try. You know where he keeps his drill!"

And this happened:

Ugly. Hole. Crack. Blemish. Boom. Ugh. Explicative. Sad Face.

But then this little nugget of a quote came in my inbox in the email newsletter from Consignment Furniture Emporium in Winston-Salem. 

 

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.  Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...not looking for flaws, but for potential."

 

~ Ellen Goodman

I can't find the potential yet in the hole in the wall. I am sure the Mr. will eventually hang the shelves for me and I can always strategically place a vase or picture over the hole but I should look at potential around me this year.  I can be more positive in 2012-more positive in my marriage, in myself, in my relationships and in my job.  Maybe even with this little blog.  Maybe I shouldn't beat myself up when I can't think of the perfect invitation & matching post. 

Hey, maybe I could redesign that quote into a redesigned little piece of typography.

So here's to POTENTIAL and REDESIGNED RENOVATIONS!

Star of Wonder

Good grief! I cannot believe that Christmas is only a few days away and I haven't blogged in MONTHS!! I officially have a full time permanent job here in Winston-Salem working for Wake Forest University and it is a very fast paced, busy, demanding and exiting job. Sadly, that doesn't leave room for blogging all that often.

The Mr. is busy being a first year Dr.  Lately we get to see each other about an hour or so a day! So the "down time" I do have, I spend with him or at least try to spend time with him before he either starts snoring or leaves for work.

Needless to say, I have a feeling my New Year's resolution will be more blogging...I have lots of side projects I have been working on that I would love to put up on the blog and show you all.
 
In the meantime, here is a little something I have been working on for the holiday season.

When we moved to Winston-Salem we noticed seeing these stars around town. On front porches, downtown, on WFU's campus and even atop the hospital.

photo via Flowergardengirl

 

 

 

photo via Digital Forsyth

photo via WFMY News

We soon found out that these stars are Moravian Stars.  The Moravians are German Protestants that came over to America in the 1700s and settled in parts of Pennsylvania and right here in Winston-Salem, NC. (They make some amazing cookies, sugar cake and other baked goods)  It is said that the star was taught as a geometry lesson but soon became a part of the Christmas Advent season:

“reminds us of God, who caused the light to shine out of darkness and of the light which is the life of humanity. It reminds us of the promise of Abraham that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars; we are reminded of the star that pointed to the 'great and heavenly light from Bethlehem’s manger shining bright.' The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. This is the message of the Advent star, which also points to Jesus, who said, 'I am the bright and Morning Star.' It is the star of promise, the star of fulfillment, and the star of hope.”

Hey, maybe I could redesign that Moravian Star into our Christmas Card.  I am eager to buy my own Moravian Star and hang it on our front porch year round to remind me of the hope we have in Jesus not only at Christmas but every day.

And HOPEFULLY you haven't given up on my little blog and you'll be back in 2012 to see more!

Redesigned Rehearsal

This week is my shout out to all things Becca with Rebecca Rose Events.  We are only 2 more sleeps away from the Rebecca Rose Events & Amy Lynne Originals grand opening shindig and I am so excited.

Becca approached me back in July to design some rehearsal dinner invites for a bride & groom she was working with.  Of course I jumped at the chance.  These two were having a Texas {groom} meets North Carolina {bride} bbq dinner at the perfect venue-WinMock.  I have already expressed my love for WinMock here and of course I hold a soft spot in my heart since I had my own wedding reception in a barn. {American Village in Montevallo, AL}

photo from my reception via ToDobyAmy

 So for this lovely bride & groom I knew the colors were coral & brown and the theme was casual, rustic and fun.  We definitely wanted a shout out to the barn and everything else would be clean and simple.  So maybe I could redesign that into an invite that expressed all those things in one.

all information has been changed to protect the innocent

And after seeing the photos from the actual event I think the invite was a perfect sneak peek into what this night was all about.

Styling by Rebecca Rose Events photos via Jessica Lobdell

Makes me want to have a party in a barn again! Y'all come back ya here.

Taking Care of Business

So just yesterday I blogged about the Triad's very own Becca of Rebecca Rose Events and the genius behind Ever Lovely.  Well I am so honored that this wedding planner extraordinaire has given me plenty of business this fall and even bestowed the honor to not only create her open house invites but also her new business cards!

Now that the office signs are officially up...

photo via Rebecca Rose Events

 Becca has new business cards & notecards to hand out to all the lovely brides and grooms out there! Feel free to swing by on Thursday, October 20th from 5 to 8pm to pick one up!   I'll be there ready to redesign that if need be.

Chevron business card

Gray business card

Green business card

Gray flat notecard

Congrats on your continuing success Becca! Can't wait to toast on Thursday!