Ladybug Inspired Baby Shower

Have you heard the buzz? A little lady is on the way!

Miss Baby Brunk!

Welcome to a ladybug inspired pink and green couples baby shower hosted by my aunt Joy and cousin Jordann. They did a fabulous job for the new parents to be Rachel and Isaac Brunk :)

I have to get the recipe from aunt Joy (still to come) - she made these delish cookies topped with icing and fresh fruit. The longer they sat the yummier they got :)

Marinated cheese bites topped with sundried tomatoes and speared with fresh rosemary. Handmade edible ladybugs were made from cherry tomatoes, olives, chives and black gel icing. How cute!

Can you guess who brought the cupcakes?! Aunt Heidi did :) I made an orange infused vanilla cupcake with cream cheese frosting. Topped with cute lady bug stickers, sticked onto a toothpick.

Jordann did a great job building the diaper cake!

Brunch time

We ate a yummy assortment of marinated cheese, ham sandwiches, shrimp pasta salad, fresh fruit, chicken salad sandwiches, egg casseroles, cheesy grits and sausage and biscuits! Our family knows how to cook :)

Onto all the wonderful gifts the little lady got for her 2010 clothing line and baby room :)

The little lady (with the help from Grandma and Auntie Jordann) made take-home favors for each guest filled with a yummy danish. Too cute!



Onto the Games!

This one is for the gentlemen!

1. untie your shoes

2. blow up your balloon as big as you can!

3. When we say go... stuff your balloon under your shirt

4. tie your shoes as fast... I mean as fast as you can!

5. First to tie their shoes is the winner!

The winner is: Father to Be - Isaac Brunk

It's not that easy now, is it!?

Keepsake photo to show the little lady when she gets older :)



Next game:

This is a timed game. We have a mommy, daddy and baby that needs its diaper changed.

Each parents gives up 1 hand, so this is a process of working together in the fastest time to get the babies diaper changed and clothed. We had 3 different couple battle with the fastest time. Winner was Myself and hubby (with no experience at all, lol)!

My family

Father in law Darryl - Isaac - husband Darren - Myself - Mother to Be Rachel - Mother in Law Kelly

Congratulations Isaac and Rachel! Can't wait to meet the little Lady :)

aka Grace, Lily, Ellen, Jenny, Aubrey, Anne, Bethany, Elle, Carlee or Beyonce (LOL)

Inside joke since the babies name is a secret!

Marine Wedding - Fuschia and Navy

My husband and I went to a beautiful wedding in Camp Blanding, Fl for Acea and Christine Brown on May 29th 2010.

Mr. & Mrs. Brown

The couple exchanged their "I do's" in an adorable white chapel and had a reception following right on the lake with beautiful warm weather.

The Marines bride hand made each bridesmaids bouquet in pinks and fuschias accenting them with blue crystals to bring out the wedding colors.

Christine's bridesmaids choose their own style of dress and coordinated the colors of alternating the navy and fuschia. Chic silver heels to beautiful updos complimented each bridesmaid. The beautiful bride... well you can say nothing more than she was just stunning!

I love Christine's wild side of choosing leopard print garters!

Photos were taken by Anna Weaver Photography

A candy buffet was set up for each guest to make their take home favor or to snack on some yummy sweets at the wedding. An assortment of hard candies to lollipops.

Sign says - "Step right up to the candy buffet - Its a sweet addition to a wonderful day - this is a treat we are offering you on this beautiful day. When we day "I do" use the scoop. Choose what you like - Leave some for others - Be Polite - as you enjoy your bag of treats - Please remember - LOVE IS SWEET -"

If you are doing to much dancing and your feet are sore from your heels... kick them off and go over here.

Compliments of the bride and groom




As a surprise to his new wife and guests - Acea and groomsmen stripped down to boxers and ties running down the dock and jumping into the lake. What a surprise!

Now I didn't think that the bride was going to jump in too.... but she did! So did the flower girl, bridesmaids and many more family members.

The Brown wedding was definently a wedding I won't forget and an inspiration of new ideas to be brought to other brides and myself.

Congrats Acea and Christine! Love you both and wish you many years of Happiness!

The Browns have started their newlywed lives together living in New Bern, NC stationed by the base USMC.

Here’s some cute designs for your beginning of the summer celebrations that you may be planning. All of these adorable and free printables, created by talented designers, will make great additions to your dinner party, birthday celebration, engagement party, showers or any other special gathering with friends and family.







It’s easy to get these free party printables. Just click on the links in the descriptions below, print, and follow the instructions generously offered by the designers. Here are a few of the printables you can have for free!


1. Place cards with golden swallows and steel blue calligraphy from Candis Ellis of Heirloom Paperie.
2. Yellow fill-in-the-blank invitations and petal envelope from Melissa Esplin.
3. Favor boxes designed by Kathleen of Twig & Thistle for Style Me Pretty.
4. Summery gift tags by Erin Vale of Vale Design.

Enjoy!

Hors d"Oeuvre Planning

What are hors d’oeuvres?
Hors d'oeuvres are little snack foods, small 1 or 2 bite items of food served before or outside of ("hors") the main dishes of a meal (the "oeuvres") which are intended to stimulate the appetite. The terms hors d'oeuvres and appetizers are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference: hors d'oeuvres are the small savory bites, typically finger food, served before a meal, while appetizers appear as the first course served at the table. The name hors d'oeuvres comes from the French and is literally translated as "out of the work," but it's more logical to think of it as meaning "apart from (or before) the meal."

How many hors d'oeuvres should be provided per person?
The number of hors d'oeuvres you need often depends on how long the cocktail "hour" is, the time of day, and if a meal will also be served following the cocktail hour.

For a two hour party plan for:
10 -12 bites per person 20 bites per person if the hors d’oeuvres replace dinner (e.g. party starts at 7:00 pm)

When hors d’oeuvres are served before a meal plan for:
5-7 bites when served before a light meal 3-4 bites when served before a full dinner mealPeople eat more during the first 90 minutes. After two hours consumption picks up again, especially if hors d’oeuvres replace dinner.Young people eat more than an older crowd and guests eat more at casual parties than formal functions.

How many different kinds of hors d'oeuvres should be served for an hors d’oeuvre only party?
For 25 guests plan for 5-6 different kinds of hors d'oeuvresFor 25-50 guests, plan for 9-10 different kinds of hors d'oeuvresFor more than 50 guests, plan for 10 or more different kinds of hors d'oeuvresIf hors d’oeuvres take the place of dinner, include some substantial meal type foods that can be served like hors d'oeuvres (for example a carving station).Remember to provide a variety of foods to please everyone. That means something for the vegetarian as well as the meat eater. Having both hot and cold foods also helps to keep everyone nibbling happily. If hors d’oeuvres take the place of dinner, also include several bites of sweets per person.

How do you figure how many of each type of hors d'oeuvres to prepare?
A fairly standard formula is used by caterers to figure out how many pieces should be prepared for each kind of hors d'oeuvres being served:Number of bites desired per person times the number of guests divided by the number of different hors d'oeuvres being served.

Should hors d’oeuvres be served for breakfast or lunch?
Hors d’oeuvres are not needed for breakfast or brunch. However, 2-4 light hors d'oeuvres can be served per person for lunch, if desired.
Source: A tasteful affair

Beauty: How to maintain an all around Glow*

Face Time
Facials with steam treatments and multi-layer masks are a deliciously decadent way to get your skin in shape. But why stop with your face? The dominance of strapless gowns is putting the spotlight on your upper body, and luxe salons are stepping up to the challenge by offering the complete facial treatment -- for your back. Combining blemish control with soothing massage and masks, back facials ensure you look your silky best when you dare to go bare. As with regular facials, you should schedule your back facials for at least a week before the wedding.

Mane Magic
Sheen. Shine. Luster. A gloss treatment is the best way to get gorgeous, gleaming hair for the wedding day. You start with a shampoo and head massage, and then a nutrient-packed cool gel is applied to your hair to enhance its natural sheen. The result? Glossy, manageable hair that will look great down or twisted into an intricate updo. For maximum impact, get your gloss treatment five days before the wedding.

Twinkle Toes
Looking your best from the top of your head to the tips of your toes is easy with the new pedicure/reflexology combinations offered by salons. Your feet are treated to a
warm spa bath with salts, followed by a pressure-point foot massage. This technique, which matches sensitive points on your feet to sections of your body, is ideal for combating pre-wedding stress. After the reflexology session, your nails are carefully polished and painted until they resemble ten tiny jewels. Pedicures from reputable salons tend to last, so you can schedule your tootsie treatment as far as four days before the wedding.

At Your Fingertips
All your guests will want a peek at that glittering engagement ring, so make sure your hands and nails are up for the attention. In addition to your manicure, ask for a paraffin wax treatment. Your manicurist will dip your hands into clear, warm wax and then place them into heated gloves. The gentle heat and wax work together to smooth your skin and seal in moisture, so your hands feel as good as they look. For gorgeous, chip-free nails, it's best to get your manicure the day before or the morning of your wedding.

Loosen Up
Last-minute details can result in last-minute stress, and a massage is the perfect prescription for relaxation. Indulge with the traditional Swedish or Shiatsu styles, or try something new. Brides swear by stone treatments, where smooth heated rocks are placed on massaged muscles to soothe away tension. The popularity of Thai massage, which combines stretching with traditional massage, is also on the rise. Whatever style you choose, don't forget your groom. A couple's massage the day before the wedding is a guarantee of honeymoon harmony.

Skin-tillating
If all-over glow is what you're looking for, body wraps and scrubs deliver. Scrubs rely on natural exfoliants, such as brown sugar, sea salt, and oatmeal, to gently polish away old layers and reveal the radiant skin beneath. With your skin so soft, he won't be able to take his hands off you. Also try a wrap, where technicians cocoon you in steamy layers of linen and ointment, for total-body relaxation and optimal pampering of your skin. Just don't forget to drink plenty of water; all that steam can be dehydrating.

Source-WeddingChannel

Free Invitation anyone?!

Having a Yellow wedding? I came across this beautiful yellow invitation for free to download and print from The Wedding Chicks. Click here to get it now.

Green and Black Wedding

Darren and I at Yana and Michael's wedding

Tonight my hubby and I went to our friend Yana and Michael's wedding at the Bauhman center on Lake Alice (FL) and the Sweetwater branch Inn for the reception. Yana coordinated her colors in granny smith apple green and black.

I loved our favors! We got a granny smith apple with a heart wine stopper that said "Thank You" on it. Very cute!

When guests walked into the reception room each guest had to find their name a table # and bring it to their table. The table centerpieces were a glass vase with sparkled twigs and green beads on the bottom of the vase (illuminated in green).

Cheers to one of my best friends Heather Sarkis :) Yana's bridesmaid in green and black.

The wedding was simple and perfect for a weekend ender on a Sunday evening.