winter shoes for your winter wedding.

I have a real thing for shoes lately.  Well actually, I always have a real thing for shoes.  I'm a chick, I'm told it's in my DNA, right?

Here's a little sampling of budget friendly (under $50) shoes for your winter wedding affair.

I'm not typically a sparkle girl, but I have to say I'm lusting over #2!

1. J.Renee Women's Gabrie Open-Toe Pump | 2. Rampage Gracee Gold Sparkle | 3. MIA 24 Karat | 4. Madden Girl Sookiee
5. Michael Antonio Loveme-Met Pump | 6. Madden Girl Gambill Platform Pump

Cheers.

bunting for my BFF.

As you probably already know, my best friend is getting married.

In 1 month from today, exactly.  That is crazy.

She asked if I could make a bunting for her engagement pics, and of course I was all over that.  Any excuse to get crafty... please... pull my leg.

I love these two humans.  And I can't wait for their wedding in the cutest little white chapel you've ever seen.

*photos via Jenny Hill Photography

Cheers.

blush + navy + chartreuse.

I threw on a comfy weekend outfit this morning to run errands all day in preparation for one of my events coming up, and I kinda fell in love with the random color combo.

Blush + Navy + Chartreuse

I love finding wedding inspiration in every day life.

Counterclockwise from top left:  

Man in vest | Chartreuse color block | Wedding gown | Flowers | Dress | Bride + her maids | Blush makeup | Wedding invite | Earrings | Shoe | Flowers | Navy color block | Dried flowers

Cheers.

flannel.

Forgive me for gushing, but I'm dying over this flannel cover-up for a cooler wedding day.

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I'm wildly attracted to the juxtaposition of the dramatically fancy wedding gown paired with the laid back, down-to-earth, comfy flannel shirt.

It's a beautiful combo.

Cheers.

makeup artist extraodinaire.

Meet Beth Level.

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K first things first - isn't she adorable?  Her sweater is to die for, and her eyelashes are killing me right now.

She is the owner of Blush Makeup Artistry.  And also the lovely lady that did my makeup for our photo shoot with Erich McVey.

Of course I loved how it turned out.  All I did was send her a couple of pictures ahead of time to give her an idea of the look I was going for, then just let her work her magic.  I'm a straight-up chap stick kind of gal, and when I told her I was leaning toward red lips, she totally encouraged me to go with it.  So glad I did.

Take a look at some of her work.

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When she came to do my makeup, this is what she pulled out, aaaand I thought to myself, "wow crap, this lady is going to do a number on my face".

Here's a little more on our friend Beth...

1.) How long have you been doing makeup?

I got my start back in 1998 working for Bobbi Brown as a counter manager. I began freelancing in 2000 and have worked for many of the major cosmetic lines over the past 11 years.

2.) Have you always owned your own business while doing makeup?

I've always done private work and weddings on the side, but started a small business two years ago, focusing mostly on bridal/special event makeup!

3.) Where did your passion for doing makeup come from? 

Growing up, I was an athlete and a tomboy, so I suppose it's a bit ironic that I've chosen this as my career! My beautiful mom has been one of my biggest influences! She has always been polished and perfectly pulled together, but her gift of helping others realize their worth and beauty is what impacted me most. My passion for makeup was born when I saw how my work as a makeup artist could change the way people felt about themselves. Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing a client feel their most beautiful and the confidence that comes with that!

4.) What has been the most rewarding thing about your career so far? 

I've always been inspired and motivated by the inner transformation that takes place when a woman is feeling her best! The confidence and radiance that comes from my clients' physical transformation is what makes this job so rewarding! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love!

5.) What has been the most challenging thing about your career so far? 

Honestly, I love the challenges that being a makeup artist provides! With each face I work on, it's a new challenge in determining what colors/application will make a woman her look her best! Many clients come to me with a specific idea of what they want, so it's a fun challenge to interpret that vision and complete it for them!

6.) You have kiddos, HOW in the world do you balance it all?

Yep, I'm a lucky mom to four little people! The majority of my work happens over the weekend, so it's been fairly easy to balance! Dad takes over and I'm off to "work"! Seriously, can I call it that if I genuinely love doing it this much? :)

7.) Speaking of your kiddos, what's the funniest things one of your kids has ever said/done to you?

 Recently, after telling my three year old he'd be in trouble if he didn't obey, he responded with "well, I hate your sirt (shirt)...in sact (fact), I hate ALL your sirts...but I looooove Dad's sirts!" I guess he couldn't think of anything else to say. Either that, or he really does hate all my sirts.

8.) If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you take with you?

Hrrrmm...I'll be up all night thinking about this one! :) Can't live without beauty products? Bronzer, blush, and mascara!

9.) Do you have an embarrassing moment doing makeup? 

Oh geez, there are lots! I'd have to go with the time I accidentally drooled on myself while working on a customer! I had popped a Starburst a couple minutes before getting started, and apparently there was just enough stuck in my teeth to keep the juices flowing! There was no covering that one up and I finished the makeup with a cherry red drool mark down the front of my white shirt.

10.) What is your ultimate goal with your makeup artist career? 

 My dream job would be to work as a Victoria's Secret makeup artist for the catalog shoots!

11.) What's you favorite part to make up on someone's face? 

Favorite part to work on is the eyes! I love making eye colors pop!
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Isn't she just the cutest? I know I know, I already said that.  But I can't help it!

I'm also super happy that she's doing my BFF's makeup for her wedding in November.  Eek!!

I highly recommend any of my Salem-area folks to book Beth for any of your special events... she's was a breeze to work with, and is an expert at what she does!  Contact her via Facebook.  "Like" her page while you're over there, will ya??

Cheers.

anemone.

Looking for a nontraditional white wedding flower?

I like this one.

Maybe you do too?

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Cheers.

sunday's thwacks and shout-outs.

Thwack (verb) : to strike with, or as if with, something flat or heavy.

Shout-out (noun) : a public expression of gratitude or recognition.

Thwacks:

1.) While plucking my eyebrows this morning, I was really disappointed to notice how many wrinkles I have around my eyes.  What the heck.  I'm not even 27 yet.  Is that normal?

2.) The husband lost his iPod this week.  He was hussling between work and class in the library trying to get something printed out, and just forgot to grab it on his way out.  BOOO.

3.) The husband and I have not been grocery shopping for 3 entire weeks, and are going for the gold by trying to stretch it out another 1 week.  It's baaaad - we will most likely resort to top ramen, rice and beans, and cereal for the week.  Not like cereal is much different from the norm, but still.

Shout-outs:

1.) The husband and I got our photo shoot pics from Erich McVey this week. We are so so happy with how they turned out - and it's really no surprise with his talent.  Here are a couple of my favs.

You can see more on Erich's blog here.  Or my Facebook page here.

2.) Remember how I talked about the husband and I getting a new roomie?  Well, she's here.  And I think she's pretty great.  That is all.

3.) I had a little craft date with my friend Becky this weekend.  I made a bunting for my BFF Jamie who's getting married in a couple of months.  She asked me to to make one for her engagement pics in a couple of weeks - I'll post pics after she's had the chance to see it first : )

Beck and I also went to the Mad Hatter vintage flea market - which was AWESOME.  I honestly could have spent all afternoon ooohh'ing and awwww'ing over all of the inspiration.

4.) The husband, Sam (new roomie), and I went to Green Bluff today!  We went to pick out pumpkins and buy apples for more homemade apple sauce and apple crisp.  It was a gorgeous day, almost too gorgeous that it didn't feel normal walking through the pumpkin patch with all that sun shining on our faces.  But nonetheless, we ended up with some good ones.

Takes two to pull the empty cart.  woot woot.

Being unsure about my pumpkin choice.

Then being really excited about my pumpkin choice.

Aaaand this is our new roomie.

Albino pumpkin?

Our final loot.

5.) Believe it or not, the girls have dug a giant spot in our backyard, so now it's straight up dirt.  My good, perfect, angel dogs would never do such a thing, right?  Ha!  Anyhoo, we bit the bullet and had some sod laid this weekend so from here on out, they will no longer be covered in dirt every time they go outside.

These are the things that make this doggy mommy joyful.  Raise your glasses, here's to hoping they've grown out of their major digging stage!

Cheers.

his ring.

I tend to feel slightly bad for the gents when it comes to, well really, the whole wedding in general.  All of the attention seems to naturally bubble around the bride.  But it's just as much his day as it is hers, right? 

Right.

So, if you drill down a bit, think about the ring.  It's ALLLLL about the ring.  The first two questions people ask a girl when she gets engaged...

1. How did he propose?

2.) What's the ring look like?

I think the guys should get some ring love too.  Pardon me for any gents out there who are terribly in love with their wedding band, but let's get real, they are pretty boring compared to hers. Which is precisely why I fell in love with this wedding band when I saw it.

It's imprinted with her fingerprint.

So creative.  Admittedly different.  Without a doubt meaningful. 

Take a look at Adzias Jewelry Atelier on Etsy to see more of their creative work. 

BTW, I have to put a little plug in here for the husband's wedding band.  Although his looks just as plain as the next guy's, it has an immense amount of meaning for us.  His Grandpa Marshall gave it to us for him to wear... it was his wedding band with his late wife, Grandma Marshall.  Grandpa Marshall holds a special place in both of our hearts, so it's very fitting that the husband gets to wear his ring.

I love it.  Makes my heart melt.

Cheers.