so, this is a perfect example of what i am thinking for my girlies! it worked out so well when this bride had her maids (teehee) pick out a dress in green, it's cute!

on another note- one of my lovely ladies just got engaged this afternoon! congrats brit and alea!

yay. i'm currently occupying my time making new year's postcards- yup we decided to do that instead b/c its cool (and i'm behind on the ball!)

invitation meeting this friday!!

so we're totally pumped for friday- we get to go over to Humbolt Park and meet with Anne Benjamin of MOK DUK

http://www.annebenjamin.com/custom/wedding/wed_all.html

Check her stuff out, she's pretty cool and so nice!

YAY!

Until then, I'm going to be making New Year's cards for us to send out :)

look for yours in the mail

bridesmaid dress ideas...

so, i don't want the dresses to be something i choose for my beautiful ladies! i am going to get some fabric swatches together and then have the girlys go off of that. i want the choice to be theirs and for them to be comfortable... here's some ideas


bmaid dress sample by leealbright

and some shoe ideas...


bmaid shoes by leealbright

more pictures...

i've got wedding on the brain, can you tell? it's nice because it keeps my thoughts on something tangible and that has a specific date--- that's almost only 6 months away.

not soon enough.

how fun is this? it's in an old barn. i like the combination of the twinkle lights and the lanterns, oh and the circular tables!



here's a good picture of fabric draping



lanterns just over the dance floor?



i like this because its versatile- if it rains, the tables go inside the tent :)

new wedding ideas, 199 days until forever

some tent decoration ideas, dance floor ideas and what not, just to get an idea of what may be possible...













imagine these in aqua mason jars!



this is fun!



colorful cupcakes!



lanterns are wonderful!



i want a lounge like this, and weather like it too!

wordle

title="Wordle: first"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/352344/first"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

seven months to go!

with this, i write with the overwhelming/exciting/tubular (is that even a word?) feeling that from this day exactly, in seven short months i will be married. i will have a new last name and my best friend at my side for eternity. i can't wait.

decoration ideas

here's some cool ideas i've been thinking and looking at for the wedding... it is nearly 7 months away!



-this is a cool inspiration for the vibe of the event. yay 40's carnival feel!




-the layout of these chairs is so cool. its a great way to create and different atmosphere for the ceremony




i like the lanterns here and the cool colors they give off



-mason jars filled with tea candles. fun atmosphere creator, soy candles would be best




-A lounge area would be a cool place to relax outside of dancing. blankets, pillows and comfy seating

yes we can.


thank goodness this election is over. and while the outcome is amazing, returning to daily life without the overarching of politics into normal conversations is something i'm most excited about.

voting for the first time for this amazing man is something i will be proud about for the rest of my lifetime. i will tell my kids that i voted for a great man who changed the country for the better, regardless of what the next four years hold. i will not need to say, i voted for a black man, because the color of his skin won't be relevant. he is an amazing candidate and i feel so proud to be an american, for literally the first time in my life. I am an American, and I have a voice.

happy november

it's that time of year ;)

think about it...

Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cu m Laude

Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)


VS

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

in an attempt...

... to keep my stress level down, i revamped this and am trying to update as frequently as i can remember to. maybe some wedding ideas will be thrown around, maybe some business ideas will be thrown around too, but like i usually do, random thoughts will be what this is mostly about.

today- today is all about getting ready for this coming weekend trip home! to kansas! the boy and i are pumped because our future will pretty much be decided this weekend which is exciting! we have a business meeting on friday, dinner with my future in laws that evening, saturday we're going to check out the wedding site and then celebrate with all our friends that evening at an informal engagement party! yay! sunday night is when we leave so hopefully we can have a few more fun things completed before then.

but before that happens i need to: go to the store, do four loads/$12 worth of laundry, clean roux, clean oaduss' cage, do some yoga, finish some save the date cards, get my planning book together, stay sane, clean house, go to school, finish homework, much more i'm sure.

picture for your thoughts:



this is what i want to look like on our big day...

we're getting married.

june 20th!

end o' summer

its september?

no really...

yay for this week:
labor day, IMAX, friendship bracelets, classes starting, homemade lunchbox, art projects, sun, having a chef for a boyfriend, my bed, asprin, mazes, cameras, tips...

lovebomb

i love...

chicago. school. art. crafts. roux. oaduss. apple. quarters. baking. cookie dough. bike rides. makeup shopping. big pillows. friends. accomplishing goals. cupcakes. fondant. scones. movies. france. french. cleaning. rolling silverware. the beach. sushi. tuna. big purses. the office. tim and eric. family. new things. paper flowers. uncertainty. tea. sangria. sewing. manis. green living. music. theatre. performing. managing. dresses. legginings. planning.

tbc...

I MADE THAT. all by myself, and some help from the internet. but i'm proud.

i also just made a headband, while uploading pictures, so that's exciting.

it feels good to be creating again. i can't wait for school to start back up because two studio classes will for sure keep me creating like crazy, and i also have a lit class in which i get to read great works by women and a dinosaur class, oh yeah and a fashion class. wow. i'll be busy but hey, i can't wait.

going home in a week, and manhattan at the end of the week. i'm pretty excited to see family and friends as well as road trip with a dog and SB.

speaking of SB, that's his cake, i made for his bday. woohoo. 8.8.8.

i feel good, and feel like i'm becoming more in charge of my life. what a great feeling. not to mention how wonderful the weather has been lately. man i wish i was at wrigley. or the beach. no too cold for the beach.

that is all.

loves.

i am in charge of my happiness.

just a thought.

things to do

*finish school*have a rewarding "career"*travel*get a puppy*take a picture everyday*look for inspiration*be inspiration*love myself*eliminate negativity*let go*practice spontaneity*go camping*appreciate the little things*be a servant to others out of the goodness of my heart*audition*stage manage*write poetry*finish a painting*cook a new meal*pay attention*slow down*get a sewing machine*finish my tattoo*ride a motorcycle*bungee jump over a waterfall*be bold*take a road trip without a map*volunteer*

...and the list shall be added to frequently.

i've always found it so rewarding to make a list and the cross out what's been accomplished.

new site. new girl

while i've wanted to blog often, it never really stuck. i decided that i needed to employ some will-power and make it happen. i like fresh new things, so what better than to have a new place to blog.

chicago weather has proven itself just as bizarre as kansas weather. i kid you not, in the last week we've had hot, humid 80 degrees, chilly- scarf weather 40s, some rain, a tornado watch and then today= shiny happy weather. so strange. i'm sure its not just this are of the country, or world for that matter. global warming is among us my friends. anyways, at least it hasn't snowed yet (wait, its still may, i think it snowed at the beginning of the month).

currently, i've been attempting to define myself and who i want to be. just a little task i've embarked on! ha! i've decided that i chose how i live my life, with anything that's thrown at me, its up to me to decide how i feel about it and how i am going to let it effect me. be positive.

i've had a crazy last few years and i'm sure many more are ahead but one things for sure, i am going to take control of my life and be happy no matter what. after all, i have so many wonderful blessings that i take for granted everyday. my goal is to recognize all of the good things in anything as often as i can. why be negative? being negative in my mind, is being lazy. yes, so many bad things happen often but in reality moving past those things makes one stronger.

well, anyways...

summer school has started and two things are for sure. one= math at columbia is a huge joke. and two= i love art history, i love it. never have i felt so engaged in a lecture class. i think this is going to be the major for me. despite the overwhelming sense of insecurity, i can't wait.

working at a coffee shop again is great. its a bike ride away (on a free bike, might i add) and always leaves me with some great stories.

simon and i went to ikea with bret. what an adventure. it was followed by the realization, while sitting at joe's crab shack, that schaumberg, il is just like topeka.

last night, alea and i braved the hoards of girls and manolo's to see SATC, it was great despite alea and i realizing that we had to pee halfway through the movie and having to wait it out.

next friday i'm off to kansas for jenny and franks wedding with a wonderfully beautiful date by the name of margo. perhaps i'll meet up with some of my wonderful peeps.

the following friday i'm off to new york city. yep, first timer and i couldn't be more excited. second row center for young frankenstein, staying in the upper east side and shopping galore, oh yeah and a trip to the metropolitan museum of art. holy cow.

anyways... homework awaits. off to read about ancient egypt, mesopotamia and who knows what else the wonderful history of art textbook has in store for me.

later.