What a month...

Thank God 2008 is almost over. A New Year will bring a fresh start to a tumultus 2008.
I will be taking a couple more days off blogging and posting all new things in the New Year.


Blog ya next year!!

My new favorites...

Photography by Red Photo co.

I have officially become a Red Photo Co. stoker... Check it out!!

Happy Thursday!!

Amorologie Weddings

Hope you guys have a hoooooooooot today!!

In the last 48 hours...

1. Watched the windshield crack go from 10 cm to 30 cm.. (will show photos before the repair.. )

2. Manage to misplace half a prime rib (we think the dog ate it... but so far no evidence has turned up)

3. Made a home video remake of the in laws home movies.. (awesome day)

4. Got the beast to start for the first time in 3 months..

5. Drove around with the beast (no insurance/ no drivers license.. Rebel right here!!)

6. Stalled the Beast in the driveway.. back to square one..

7. Had Dim Sum with mom and baby bro

8. Felt bad for Britney

9. Found a box of old Diaries stored at the in laws

10. Went through the box of Diaries.. (at least I thought the entries were funny)

11. Played vintage video games on the wii (not so vintage)

12. Sorted stuff in the office..

13. wished for a snow storm to hit the city..

14. Listening to the freezing rain hitting the window.. (it begins)

Pretty productive weekend if you ask me... now If only I could sleep another full day...
Hopefully we get a snow day tomorrow...

Debating the outdoor weddings?

Read this...

http://www.kwweddingring.ca/planning/outdoor.html

Hello Dolly...

The Milan By Dolly Couture

My latest obsession. Dolly Couture.

Several months ago, I was browsing short wedding dresses on eBay (self proclaimed eBay junkie.. It's a problem..) and I came upon a few amazing dresses created by Dolly Thicke. I saved it in my favorites folder, and tucked it away for a rainy day. But, like my things tucked in the Favorites folder, I forgot to re-visit them.. until today.

I [Heart] Dolly.

Dolly Couture Offers a wide range of 1950's inspired tea length wedding gowns. You can have your gowns custom made to your liking whither it be more poof to your petticoat, intricate lace details to the gown or a fun flirty color to suit your personality. You ask for it, and she'll deliver. Her eBay store feedback speaks for itself.

Dolly's policy: NO unhappy Brides

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you will know I have a thing for the 1950's clothing era.. Like I've always said, I was born a few decades too late... This dress gave me little butterflies. Whenever I think of wedding dresses, I try to picture my better half's first reaction... this one hit it out of the ballpark.

Martha Fridays.. Silver Bells and Bouquets...

Photos from Martha Stewart.com

What a wonderful bouquet. Perfect for the winter wonderland wedding. Arranged beautifully in a small bouquet, the mix of Casablanca lilies and silver mesh leaves brings a touch of class to your overall look.

I really wasn't a fan of the white bouquet/white dress match up.. but this would work for me!

This combination would also go with any color scheme you decide for the maids..

Elegant and simple.

I need...

Shoes by Manolo Blahnik

These shoes... I did the math today. My wedding dress is going to be a wedding gift from my mother. She'd probably be really upset if she didn't get a chance to design it for me.. (back in her "hey day" she was a Bridal Couture Designer)

So the math was.. if the dress is a gift... can I splurge and get these beauties?

Pretty easy math.. right?

Here come the Holidays!!

Nathalie Moser photography: http://nataliemoserblog.com/

Are you ready yet?

P.s. How amazing is this holiday card?? Nathalie's done it again!!!

Martha Fridays... Tip of the day!

Photos from Martha Stewart.com

So I'm browsing the Martha Stewart site and this photo caught my attention.. Pretty Easy DIY if you ask me!! Match and co-ordinate your event colors and have fun with these. You can stuff them with treats to hand out at the end of the night.. or Kids loot cones!! Make the cones from coloring paper and fill them with wax crayons. That would be fun too for the little ones.. just a thought..

A minute maid in time...

I don't usually watch Rachel Ray.. her raspy voice and crazy over the top personality drive me nuts. But I will chew my words.. riiiiiiight now. I have a lot of respect for this lady at the moment.

Let me take you back to an hour ago.

I was watching Ellen this morning (I love Ellen btw, anyways that's another story). And as it ended, I saw a preview for the up coming Rachel Ray show, and I was a little curious. They named the show, The brides of Harris County. I figured.. why not..

The show started off with several clips of "brides to be" detailing what their childhood fantasies of their dream weddings would look like. Non of these stories included a hurricane ripping through the county a mere week before some of them were to wed the men of their dreams.
Shortly after Hurricane Ike destroyed parts of Texas, 33 Brides received some devastating news. Their wedding venues were forced into bankruptcy. Which meant losing all the money they had put towards the wedding of their dreams ahead of time. Some lost up to $20 000.

(I don't know about you, but I would be in shreds if this happened to us)

The show chronicles Rachel Ray and her team and how they were able to throw the biggest mass wedding in the county's history. Many vendors saved the day by providing everything from wedding gowns, tuxes, catered food, professional photography, jewellery, flowers, decor... to top it off with an absolutely amazing set up on the baseball diamond at the Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas.

I usually hate watching shows like this... I always get really teary eyed and sometimes sobby... But what a story... You should watch it.. : )

Martha Friday... sort of..

Photography via Rebecca Thuss

We'll call this post... Martha Monday.

I have been avoiding this for weeks now, but I will finally break down and write my first (and much overdue) Martha Fridays post.. on a Monday.

Let me introduce you to Rebecca Thuss.

Rebecca is famously known for her whimsical photo-styling spreads in Martha Stewart Weddings. She has worked with the magazine for over 10 years in many of it's creative aspects. As the Styling Director, she has helped shape the magazine into what it is today. Rebecca has won several prestigious awards for her work such as ASME (American Society of Magazine Editors) and six of the Society of Publication Designers merit awards.

Rebecca brings the full artistic package to the table. Her work speaks for itself.

Currently she and her Husband, Patrick Farrell, are partners in an artistic design firm (specializing in photography and graphic design) named ThussFarrell.

---------------------------------------------

Now that you've met Rebecca Thuss, let me introduce you to this sweet little idea.

Loose tea tin favors..

I am a huge tea drinker and have been for many, many, many, many,many years. When I first saw this photo, It didn't surprise me that I would love this idea. You can do so much with this! After picking the teas to fill these cute tins with, you can go crazy and create personalized labels to match with your event theme! The sky is the limit with this. Bridal showers... baby showers.. rehersal dinner... even your reception!! Your guests will love these little tins and they'll also be able to re-use them at any time. (Think green)

*CLICK* Wouldn't this be great for hot chocolate or Cider (apple or mulberry) favors?? Wrap little cinnamon sticks or a packet of mashmellows to the tin...

Favors for the fall... now we're thinking!!

Mad about this..

Photos by Be Cheery via Flickr

41 days left..

I case you haven't already noticed, Christmas is around the corner.

I haven't yet embraced the idea of the holidays coming at us so fast, but I have somewhat adjusted to it. It only really hits when I take a stroll through the Christmas Alley at the mall. We'll see how I feel after my stroll today...

Dreams like these...

Photos via A Dream Come Shoe

From the hair and makeup right down to the color of their toes, every bride wants to look their absolute best on their wedding day.

In comes, A Dream Come Shoe. Based out of Toronto Canada, A Dream Come Shoe takes dressing your feet to a whole new level. Each pair of shoes is uniquely embellished with Swarovski crystals to suit the wearers personality. Wither the design be loud and exciting or a special creation for a toned down affair, the owner works directly with you and makes sure you are 100% satisfied with the final product. Perfect for the stylish bride and her bridal party (and groomsmen if wanted), this personal touch will leave people talking about your shoes for many events to come.

Their Motto: "Make your wish, Our command"

You can never have enough shoes! Especially these beauties...

vintage memories...

Photography by poppysmiles on flickr

Don't you just want to hang out with these lovely people? This shot radiates awesomeness...

Goodbye and Goodnight..

Photography by Serena Grace via Flickr

I'm all bloggered out for today...
Happy Tuesday peeps!

Perfection..

Photography by Serena Grace via Flickr

I don't have words for this shot... just amazing.

Include your pets..

By Invitation Only Design via Etsy

I was browsing Etsy this afternoon, and I decided to look up local shops. One by one I checked them out and this particular image stuck out. By Invite Only Design is a stationary custom design business specializing in creative wedding invitations and more.

What a great idea!! I was trying to figure out a way to include our little guy in the wedding (when the time comes.. not yet) This is probably at the top of the doggy idea list. Table numbers with photos of our four legged furry friend.

Truly love this.

And it begins...

What a day.

The boy and I took the day off together (actually he took off. I already had the day off) anyways, we decided today would be a good day to stock up on things at the grocery store. It's been about a month since we've done a HUGE load of groceries so the pantry was a little bare.
Being a Tuesday afternoon-ish, we knew it was going to be quiet at the store.

Just the way I like it to be.

We start going up and down the usual rows.. Cereals, drinks, produce, frozen foods. And then it hits. When we first walked into the store, I thought I heard a slight hum of John Lennon's 'So this is Christmas' coming from the ceiling. I ignored it. "There's no way they're already playing Christmas music" I thought to myself, so I didn't really say anything about it and went back to picking out Beef broths for the stew I was planning for dinner.

Right when we were headed to the bread section for my pumpernickel loaf... the worst possible thing happened. (It's really not that bad, but still..)

Silver Bells came on the radio...

I was in awe. Now I don't know about you... but I think it's wayyyyyyyyyy too early to start thinking about the holidays.

My point is 4 folds.

1. No one should start decorating the house for the holidays before December 1st.
Decorating in November makes no sense to me. Halloween just ended.. give it at least a month. Our neighbours still have their Halloween spider bags on their front lawns... what does that tell you!

2. Early Christmas sales.
Don't you know they make these sales to get you to buy things earlier? They'll suck you back in 2 days before Christmas too!! And the day after that!! Don't believe me? Try this. Buy your spouse a gift now. (today, this second) I'm willing to bet you $15.00 and a piece of lint (it's all I have in my wallet right now) that you'll discard the gift and buy something else on Christmas eve. I've been there. Every year I do the same thing.

(I skipped 3, I wasn't inspired)

4. Santa photo op at the mall.
I actually secretly love these. I just tell people I hate them.
In high school, I used to skip school with my friends to sit on the creepy old mans knee for a photo. But here's where my beef with the mall Santa comes in... why is he only there at weird times?? Why be there at 1pm but not at 4 pm?? I just don't get it.

I guess I'm in denial. I'll probably be singing a different tune next week though..
It's just not the same without snow on the ground...

Weddings à la plage

Images from Couture wedding studios

I wonder how many takes it took to get this shot just right...

We're going to a wedding in Cuba next May.. I hope we get to see this in action... so cool!!

My pick of the day...

Images from amorology weddings

It's been a busy day..
but I'm glad I took 5 minutes of out it to check what the folks at amorology weddings had to offer.. I put together this little collage of my faves.. couldn't help myself!

Enjoy!

Perfection...

Wedding dresses posted on Country side weddings via Candy Anthony Designs

This. Is. The. One.

The dream wedding..

Photography by Marie Labbancz via Brides Magazine

I am going to hit the ground running with this one. I am official sold on this idea. The dress, the shoes, the vintage appeal, beautiful cake.. oh My god.

We talk about ceremonies and venues and different things. We like things that have meaning, family oriented things. That is just us. We don't plan on marrying in a church, or having the big bash In a sought after venue everyone dreams of getting married in. (If you haven't read the past posts and are just getting into this blog you will be quick to discover we are looking for a no fuss casual affair)

Amanda and Daniel were married at the beautiful Bartan's Garden in Philadelphia, PA. She wore a beautiful white tea length, strapless, 2 piece gown. He wore a Paul Smith black suit to complete the casual look. The bridesmaids wore black dresses of their choice and the groomsmen wore black suits to complement the grooms attire. (I love this look. Classic, timeless.. casual yet chic)

The details of this wedding are absolutely wonderful. From the hand made invitations to the custom upholstered furniture everything was thought out extensively and executed with charm.
The guests were treated to a delicious spread of baby lamb chops and mushroom risoto catered by Philidelphia's Jeffery Miller Catering. The cake, decorated with details of small and large buttons, was a creation by Old City bakery. (whoever thought this up is a genius.. such a beautiful cake)

As a personal touch for the end of the evening, the couple gave out smoores and hot chocolate to departing guests (This is my kinda of affair)

P.S. who doesn't love smoores and hot chocolate??!!

This way to the wedding..

Photography by Millie Holloman via Once Wed

It's no surprise to anyone that I have a facination with the south. I love everything about the south. The food, the decor, the hospitality... it probably won't surprise anyone when I say I love southern weddings. This past week, the once wed blog has been featuring weddings in the southern state... Here's a sneak peak.. check it out if you have a second... very worth it..

A Little Something Personal..

Available to purchase from Westbyron on Etsy

I love key rings. This is why this one gave me warm fuzzies..

Lovely letters..

Frames made by nameframes on Etsy

I want to get started on this project right away.

I have alot of empty frames in the house to fill AND I LOVE photography!!!

Love it...

Maids from hell..

Photography by pinkchick83 on Flickr

So I got a little bored at home tonight. When I get bored, I research random things on google. Google is a magical tool you know? So I typed this little phrase above in the google search field to see what would pop up. I was unsuccesful The first time because maids from hell apparently translated to cleaning ladies from hell.

Back to the drawing board.. I then tried my second attempt at searching 'Bridesmaids from hell'.

I found this little number...

http://syracusesingle.blogspot.com/2006/07/bridesmaids-from-hell.html

First, read the blog post above from Single in Syracuse.. and then come back here to read what I have to say about this little ditty.

*Are you done reading yet??*

In my opinnon, (bear in mind, I am allowed an opinion) this women is a class act bridezilla.

"Out of my six girls, three have been the epitome of perfect bridesmaids. The girls want to know, on a daily basis, what it is I need them to do. They know I am planning a huge wedding on top of finishing two schools, working, and renovating a new apartment to make it move-in ready in two weeks. The other three ‘maids fall in and out of my graces daily"

I'm sorry. Did she honnestly expect ALL of her 6 girls would bow down to her? I get she asked them to be maids.. but there are better reasons to be mad at them. ( btw did you read the reasons why she picked them in the first place???) You're talking about 6 women who also have other things on the go.. Guaranteed not everyone is going to be on the same page.

And it goes on... dress shopping...

"Maid: Can we get strapless? I want strapless?
Me: No, I’d really prefer if you girls have a different neckline than mine. I’m wearing strapless. Maid: But I want strapless.
Me: (losing patience) I want you girls in a different neckline! So you look different than me!"

Ok, I get the bridesmaid she's talking about in this post is a little hard to work with, but honestly.. Would anyone really remember you wore a strapless dress and your maids wore the same neckline? Is it a faux pas to wear the same neckline as the bride? Someone help me on this..

At least they didn't wear white to her wedding..

If only...

Vintage wear at www.vintageous.com

If only it were still available...

*sighs*

I don't even care if it's not in my size.

**Side note** I would starve myself to fit this dress.

oh well..

Mrs Darcy's take on Ferris Bueller's wedding invitation..

Invites designed by The Future Mrs. Darcy
Also, available for purchase on Etsy

How awesome is this?? I wonder which one of the 2 picked this one out... Sloan or Ferris?

My.. ohhhhh my!!!

Wedding Photography by Tec Petaja

One word... Amazing.

A gelato wedding..

Photo by fdiazh on Flickr

mmm how good does this look?

Gelato shops gained popularity in Ottawa a little under 7 years ago. Currently, There are 2 well known awesome gelato shops in Ottawa with at least 2 locations each. Piccolo Grande (in business over 20 years!) and Pure Gelato. If you've never heard or tried Gelato, you are in for a real treat. (this has got to be my fave type of ice cream) Alot of the common flavors include chocolate, lemon, lime, orange, passion fruit (A MUST TRY) and the list goes on.. and on..

If you wanted to spend an afternoon testing the flavors, I suggest you go to the Elgin street Pure Gelato location. They will let you try every single item on the board without a purchase. (don't quote me on this... I don't want to be responsible if you get grumpy serving you the day you go! that would be too bad..)

Instead of the dessert buffet, you could probably have sometype of gelato bar! Piccolo Grande offers a gelato cart rental (with an attendant). The only downside to this idea, is the price... but when you look at it, they give you an all you can eat display of 6 Gelato flavors of your choice ( 30 Litres) for about $650 ( attendant will hang around for 2 hours to serve your eager guests).. It's probably less costly to have an all you can eat ice cart than it is to have a "happy hour" open bar for an hour.

Which brings me to my posting point.. Would you like to have a gelato cart at your wedding? I think it would be a major hit!! P.s. you might want to keep bibs on hand.. boys tend to make messes when they eat ice cream.. I know mine does..

Real weddings: Tim and Laura

Photography by Casie Whissell Sherwin

Tim and Laura were married at the St-George lutheran church in Toronto, July of this year. They were surrounded by close friends and family in an intimate ceremony followed by an elegant reception at the ever wonderful Drake hotel.

I love this idea of having an intimate setting with close friends and family to share your day with. No need to fuss with details, just have fun with it. Low key events = stress free day.

Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos with us Casie!!

Introducing... Martha Fridays!

I am a closet Martha fan. I've been secretly stealing my mom's Martha magazines for a very long time now.. she's never really said anything, but I know deep down inside... she knows...

There's nothing like a Sunday morning coffee shared with a little Martha R&R time. ( that's rest and recreation for the acronym impaired) In her honor, I have decided to come out of the Martha closet and start a new weekly Friday segment called... (are you ready for this?)

Martha Fridays

(not as climactic as I wanted it to be, but still very exciting!!)

So starting next Friday ( put it in your calendars girls), I will be posting all things Martha. I'm not sure what I'll talk about, but I'm sure It'll be good.

I don't doubt it.

Tune in....

Romantic inspiratons for a Thursday afternoon..

1. Engagement charms on Etsy , 2. Romantic Pink pearls , 3. Orange rose, 4. Beaded bridal shrug on Etsy, 5. Flickr Bridal Bouquet, 6. Custom bridal dress on Etsy, 7. vintage colored earrings, 8. Wedding dress staged, 9. Vintage wedding ring, 10. Shoes on Flickr

Got any tin cans?

Photo by Starrvartan on Flickr

This would make a lovely center piece... don't you think?

For the maids..

1. Lush gift basket, 2. Chloe black leather tote, 3. Purple Pashmina, 4. Peacock clutch on Etsy, 5. Purple Petals locket on Etsy,

6. Amethyst Purple Leather Journal with Handpainted Button on Etsy

How will you thank your maids?? I've been thinking about this for about a week now. When the time comes that i'm actually engaged, thinking about it ahead may have it's advantages.
The boy and I are planning on only having 1 attendant each. Here's the reasoning. It's not that we don't want a large wedding party, trust me!! It's actually a lose lose situation for us; 3 simple points:

1. We have wayyyyyyyyy too many good friends. To include some and not include others would be a terrible mistake and perhaps a never ending battle with friendships ending in the shitter. You laugh now, but you'd be surprised at how many of our friends would become bitter about the situation.

2. We don't want to hastle with difficult people. we already have our mothers to deal with... more than enough.. trust me! I would rather throw myself off the roof than to deal with 4 PMS-ing bridesmaids and 2 pissed off mothers..

3. Keeping it low key means, keeping it cheap.. which also means.. no hassle.

While we assesed the pros and cons, this was the better fit for us. Besides! what do we need a wedding party of 10 for?? At first, I did protest. But in all thruthfulness, it makes sooooo much sence! (I might have to do a posting about difficult wedding guests and stories about the maids from hell!!!)

Ok back to the main topic. Thank you gifts for the maids. It is customary to give gifts to your bridal party to thank them for putting up with your (pardon the language) S**t for the lenght of the planning. I have already picked out my maid of honnor. It's been the same for over 8 years. We have been the best of friends since grade 9 science class and plan on being best friends for years to come. I know her inside and out and we speak the same language all the time. *hold the laughs* she completes me.

I will not be following the customary engraved gift. My better half has received 2 engraved gifts as thank you gifts in the past and they are either being used as door stopers or collecting dust in the basement. Personalize it withought doing it the generic way.

Here's what I want to do. (shhhhht... can you keep a secret?)

Leather tote bag, pashmina, Lush beauty products, clutch, Spa gift certs, note book, locket and a thank you note. Ah yes... and apple juice ; )

Pumpkins and mums.. How delightful!

Flickr photos by Mimosa http://www.flickr.com/photos/mimosa0/2936998280/

Nothing like dark colored chrysanthemums to make someones day. On a walking tour in NYC, we walked past this pub called O'Neals. Outside on the front steps, they had a beautiful display of poted mums and strategically placed pumpkins lined up. I fell in love.

I have now decided, this is the look and feel I am going for. Dark red and burnt orange mums & pumpkins.. oh and leaves.. and paper lanterns! You can't forget them, can we?

I love the fall...

"Dear Guest: You're Invited to a Surprise Wedding, Just Don't Tell the Bride"

Photos from www.weddingstar.com

This article title kind of freaked me out... I'm not sure If i'd be very happy if this happened to me. Some people might like the in your face type of surprise, but I would be more embarrased rather than excited about this idea.

Have I ever mentioned I hate HUGE surprises? I think I'd throw myself off in the deep end after getting the news that the one thing I've been looking forward to planning since I was a little girl was not only planned without me, but executed in a way that everyone knew about it but me. I'm sorry not an idea I'm crazy about.

Surprising your guests with a surprise wedding is one thing... surprising the bride? Totally different ball game.

Read on.. this one seemed to work out for the bride and groom..

Thoughts?

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/190950

Manhattan loves Magnolia

Photography by Triple Designs inc.

I've just come back from a family vacation in New York City. What a city it is! It's been my third visit so far to the Big Apple and it never ceases to amaze me.

Times Square, the Meat Packing district, strolling through Central Park.. But nothing can beat this jem. There are lineups out the door for this place.. this pretty much speaks volumes on how good these cupcakes are!! World famous cupcakes, world class bakery.

One word: Magnolia Bakery (actually, that was two words.. but anyways) Who wouldn't want a bite of this...

Click here for the recipe provided by Kitchen Link: http://www.kitchenlink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_2.html

Amélie.. How I've missed you..

Last June, my better half surprised me with an impromptu birthday weekend trip to New Orleans, Louisiana.Not only was this trip my first ever trip to the Southern states, it was also my first ever plane ride! (What a city! If you've never been to the Big Easy, I highly recommend you book a getaway trip)

The first night we got to NOLA (Short for New Orleans, LA), we took a haunted walking tour through the French Quarter. Our tour guide Holly, a local, was very entertaining and knew a lot about the city your average joe wouldn't know. She told us stories about Muriel's restaurant with the lone table set aside for the ghosts (in order to stop them from stealing the restaurant guests bread), Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre actress.. She also recommended a few restaurants she thought we might enjoy.. (and we really did!!) While walking down one of the side streets, I noticed a very cute sign above a brick wall (cute things seem to stick out... I don't know why). The sign read Cafe Amélie. We took a quick peek inside, and we immediately decided to eat there the following night.

And we did. What a place.. cobblestones.. candle lighting, beautiful brick walls.. just beautiful. We ordered a bottle of wine (expected) and browsed the menu.. the smells coming from the kitchen were too good to not be tempted.

I'm gonna zip pass a few details to get to the crucial point of the story.

After we had finished dinner, we still had about half a bottle of wine to go. Coming from a household who tends to polish bottles before dinners end, we weren't going to let this one go to waste. To make things easier, my better half decided that if each of us took a sip after every toast we made, we would finish the bottle in no time. So one at a time, back and forth, we toasted to the city... toasted the cobblestones, toasted to Holly (for guiding us there in the first place), toasted the stars... toasted Brad Pitt (long story.. lol) and it went on and on... it was kind of slow going for a little bit. I almost didn't finish my last glass.. and then something happened.

To break the pattern, my better half says "I've save the best one for last..". I started to get antsy.. I think I got a little too excited for what I thought was going to happen.. I started smiling lots.. getting sweaty (don't get me wrong.. it was hot.. but I thought he was going to propose!!) He gets to his last sip, looks me in the eyes (by that time, I'm blushing so hard my head hurts)and says... "To Rufus". I don't think it registered, because all that was running through my head was.. "I'm going to be Mrs Bleep*.. OMG I'm going to be Mrs Bleep*." And then it hit me. He didn't propose.. He toasted to the damn dog!!! (* to keep anonymity!!)

I was a little surprised and confused.. how was that saving the best for last??So the night went on without incident. I really didn't bring it up because after all, he did plan this fabulous little getaway on his own and I couldn't have sulked the rest of the trip because of this little "oops" moment. We took a carriage ride through the French Quarter, went to Coyote Ugly for shots and hung out with the craw fish mascot at Bubba Gump & co. We even walked on the set of Carmen Electra's new Flick "Mardi Gras". Overall, a great drunken night.

The morning after. We get a frantic call from my mother in law. ( I call her that because I've been in the family for 4 years now) She was freaking out asking if he'd popped the question.. (see I wasn't the only one with that on the brain!!) So he hangs up the phone, turns to me and asks me where she had got this crazy idea in her head from.. so I told him I too thought it was going to happen.. I think he felt bad about the situation lol

And then I added "When the time comes that you are ready to propose, it better beat a candle lit dinner, in a cobblestone courtyard in New Orleans.. and it also better not happen over the jumbotron at a Senators hockey game".

I think he got the picture lol

Ohhh boys... How I love them ; )

Things I like..

Bored? try this.. type random words on the Etsy search engine and see what you land on...

here is today's favorite.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_12&listing_id=15644319

I want this... Wanna buy it for me?

Falling in love..

http://thepinkbookblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/its-fall-yall.html

I've always dreamed about getting married in the fall. There is something about darker palettes that tickle my fancy. It's always good to see them after a long summer. It's very southing..
Venturing on The Pink Book Blog this morning, I saw this incredible idea board.. This is what I've always imagined.

A lot people say it's not very original to have pumpkins as a main theme at your wedding during the fall… but thinking about it makes me want it more…

Looky what we have here!

These Past few months have been slow at work. I guess with elections coming up, everyone hunkered down for several weeks. I've been reading blog after blog, switching back and forth to see what was new and exciting.. this stuck out.

I can't stop myself from salivating....

wouldn't this be fun for a cute welcome to the party appy/dessert? How about served with coffee?

Either way, see for yourself... mmm yummy goodness..

http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/09/triple-chocolate-mousse-three-ways.html

This months favorite cover..

https://www.brides.com/modernbrides

This months cover of Modern Brides
How ravishing!!!

Tele-drama!!

Lack of posts... omg, going out of my mind!

Let me catch you up to speed.

Reason 1.. not really a reason but here goes.
I have been sick for a couple months now, and I can't seem to shake this flu.

And now for the juicy parts..

The boy and I were watching TV last month when it went on the fritz. You turned it on, and all you could see was 1 line running halfway across the screen. Not cool considering we just pooled our pennies together to replace our previous car (see earlier posts). We were not looking forward to spending a ton of money on a brand new tv.

The better half decided to buy a second hand tube TV from some guy in the east end. BIG MISTAKE. Not only did the TV reek of cigs and was tainted yellow, ( non smokers here!!), but it was broke to start out with!! He asked the guy to show him if the TV worked, and hauled it in the car and off he went! The only feature he wanted in the TV, ended up being broken. He could not get his HD tv. (We discovered this after fitting the nook, and getting a couple guys to help moved the original TV out of it. btw, the original tv weighed about 300 pounds. Not an easy feat!!)

Soooooooooo my better half got this crazy idea to crack the back of the TV open to fix the HD input. I strongly advised him not to do it because if it broke, we would have wasted money. So what does he do? *all together now* He cracks it open!! What is most likely to happen when you open the back of a TV? *ready for this kids?* it breaks.

Like an idiot, I laughed. what else do you do after a half hour argument about NOT cracking the tube open??

So I had the upper hand and he cracked. We are now the proud owners of a BRAND NEW (emphasize the new) Toshiba 37" LCD television. I have vowed never to buy second hand electronics.. ever again.

This is where I can proudly use this phrase... I told you so!!! : P

Say Yes, well... maybe..

I'm a big TLC junkie. I love home decor, house flipping, wedding shows... but this one blew me off the shelf. It's Saturday morning 8am. Nothing else to watch but "Say yes to the dress". Seeing as I had never really seen the show, I figure.. why not?! Couldn't hurt right?

So basically, this is a "docusoap" that gives you an inside look at how things work at one of the worlds most renowned Bridal salons, Kleinfeld Bridal. This shop boasts itself as having the largest (most expensive) wedding dress selection in the world.

Being a self proclaimed wedding obsessed kinda gal, I really started getting into it. You see brides with different body shapes and sizes walk in and the consultants know exactly what to pick out for them based on their preference of price and style.

But here's my beef. (I'll keep it short I promise)

Why the world would you spend $27 000 (yes, twenty seven thousand) on a dress???!???!?!?!
Please someone take my hand and explain it to me.
I just don't get it..

Showing your true colors..

http://abackyardwedding.blogspot.com/

I Saw this photo on A Backyard Wedding blog... and I LOVED it. I want to start looking for goofy accessories now... mmm the memories

More reasons to love Etsy

kindredknits via etsy

These beautiful paper garlands made by royalbuffet on Etsy would be absolutely stunning for an outdoor wedding. Wouldn't you love to have hundreds of these steaming and flying about in the wind?

Another great thing about them is you can use them pretty much anywhere during the reception!

Try this.. Instead of hanging a vintage cloth as a backdrop for group photos, try making a back round wall by hanging these vertically. So pretty...

How delish!!

http://www.breakfastblogger.com/category/breakfasts/ottawahull/

Weddings aside, I LOVE breakfasting.. Hell I just love to eat. If it weren't for my uberly tight budget, and lack of motivation to get up VERY early in the mornings, I would eat out EVERY morning..

When we lived in Westboro, we always went to this great little pub called Whispers. It was literally steps from the house. We miss this place lots because they made the best home fries. Can't forget the NTN trivia games either..

Anyways to my point.. I have found my breakfast blogger soul mate. They take photos of different plates, running eggs, eggs beny drenched with Florentine sauce… make my mouth water every time… never fails… http://www.breakfastblogger.com/category/breakfasts/ottawahull/

Check it out! If you live in the area, I'm sure you'll find a cozy new favorite… I know I did!

Lack of sleep...

Pardon my lack of posts!!

It's been a busy week!!!

So I was laying in bed last night.. Couldn't sleep for the life of me. I tossed and turned thinking of different projects the better half and I wanted to do for the familys holiday gifts.. And then I took a left turn (off track as always) and went into this obsession over masson jars (don't ask, it happens sometimes..) My mind kept racing about big ones… small ones… tall and wide… would you put wax candles or waxless candles… water or no water.. floral centerpieces.. Colors? I couldn't stop thinking about it!!

That's when it hit me.

Ludwig photography via Kim Valley blog

Cheese Cake pops

http://www.gourmetpops.com/attract.html

One word... yummy

Cupcake Heaven...

http://www.thisnext.com/ti/cakes/cupcakes/

Whoever invented this needs to win a nobel prize. I am in love (again).
I really wanted cupcakes for my wedding cake.. but what if you have a cake shapped as a cupcake?? You can buy specialty cupcake pans at http://www.taylorgifts.com/ for under $30.00.

If you're looking for a better deal, try http://www.ebay.com/ bidding starts at around $10.00

The casting is non-stick, so your cupcake parts should come out without incident!! (hopefully) I've yet to try this, but I am ordering one right away to get the feel for it!! Great for centrepieces or an attraction at the dessert buffet!!

Another genius idea is Cakesicles!

Great idea for favors. Just personalize and wrap em' the way you want and send your guests packing with one when the reception winds down. Guaranteed they'll rememebr this delish treat!!

For your Candy Buffet

Keep this one in your back pocket ladies...

http://www.candydirect.com/

You can thank me later ; )

Posh-a-licious

http://www.poshgirlvintage.com

If you're trying to save a couple bucks on your wedding, why not think about cutting the budjet in the dress department?

Ever think about going the vintage route?

Posh girl vintage offers one of a kind vintage garments. They are inexpensive and an absolute treat to look at.. the only thing would be to get the perfect fit!! Oh and catch em' fast.. these things fly off the racks at every release!!

Delightful..

http://sweetavenuebakeshop.com/blog/?p=168