The Post Wedding Cut

Well, after nearly two and a half years growing it out, I chopped it all off! (Sorry Andy…I know you’ve got a thing for long hair but, it’s too much work and really…it’s just not me. What’s the point if all I do is pull it back in a ponytail everyday?)

I didn’t tell a soul, except my stylist who knew I’d be in sooner than later. I made the appointment and went over my lunch hour last week. When I came home I snuck in the house while Andy was on the phone and somewhat to my surprise, he gave me the thumbs up! He said it was a bit short (and it is, especially in the back) but he thought this style suited me more. I agree.

What do you think?

 

I’ve Been Hit! Er, um…Tagged!

  I’ve been tagged for the very first time!
Kim at Newly Woodwards has awarded me with
the Kreativ Blogger Award – how exciting! 

My instructions are to list 6 things that I am thankful for and pass the award on to 6 other bloggers. So, here we go…

I Am Thankful For:

1. Andy – my best friend and new husband. As cliché as it sounds, I truly feel my life is a modern day fairytale. The lyrics to Rascal Flatt’s “Bless the Broken Road ” pretty much sums it up for me. I’ve never felt more loved, cared for, and respected. Andy is amazing. He can finish my sentences before I even open my mouth to speak. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for me, my dogs, or my family. He’s everything I never knew I always wanted.

2. Friends, Family & Dogs – I have been blessed with wonderful friends and family, both old and new, near and far. And, of course my boys Max, Putter & Tiger are included as family; ornery but loveable, they are my babies.

3. Home – Andy & I have been fortunate enough to buy a beautiful home that we absolutely adore. Having a house that you enjoy coming home to after a long day really makes life so much nicer.

4. Job – It has its ups and downs but I appreciate having a steady paycheck during such an unstable time in the economy; I have everything I need, a good majority of anything I want, and the ability to give to those less fortunate. Plus, it’s nice to have an employer that provides the flexibility and a good portion of the funds to get my MBA and even study abroad!

5. My Workshop – Maybe something silly to mention, but it’s my very own creative space with LOTS of fun (and expensive) tools, equipment, and supplies. This space allows me to make and do things for fun and every once in awhile for profit. J

6. Internet – Hello my name is Laura and I am an Internet Junkie. Seriously, I really am. I go crazy when I don’t have immediate online access. It is a lifeline to me. I know that may sound silly to some, but consider for a moment how intertwined it is with all the abovementioned things I am thankful for…without the internet I would have never met Andy (thank you match.com yep, believe it or not!), or be able to meet new friends online & keep in touch so easily with other friends and family via e-mail and keep them updated through this blog, we may not have found our dream home (thank you qcfsbo.com), I couldn’t perform in depth research for my job, or find and share great ideas or inspiration, or get supplies to run my small business, etc. while working in my awesome workshop. Makes perfect sense now, doesn’t it?!

 

Now, I would like to pass the award along to:

1. Laurie at Tip Junkie – Laurie has a couple wonderful sites geared towards creative women; I check Tip Junkie almost daily for great ideas and inspiration. She’s addicting…don’t say I didn’t warn you!

2. Stephanie at Crockpot365 – This girl is amazing! I can’t think of anything I could do for 365 days straight (but it sounds like an interesting project!) I’ve found lots of great crockpot recipes on her site.

3. Angie at Visions of Nothing – My friend Angie is a wonderful up and coming photographer in the Colorado area. She flew back to do some photography for our wedding and I can’t wait to see the photos! (She promised me by the end of next week so stay tuned; you know I’ll be sharing with the world!) Angie is a busy girl these days and hasn’t had as much time to blog, but I think she still deserves to be on my list. J

4. Amber at The Sweeneys – Amber is also a newlywed that I blog-stalked while she was blogging on Trip to the Altar. She had some great wedding ideas, also used black & pink in her wedding, and I am still jealous that I never stole her idea and bought my own wedding Chuck Taylors. J Amber is going to be a mommy again next year and I enjoy reading her posts on her new blog.

5. Laura at Sparkly to Single – I haven’t been keeping up with Laura ’s blog much lately (school REALLY cuts into my internet time!) but I enjoy catching up with I can. I am in awe of Laura ’s strength and independence…her profile states, “I got engaged at 26 and spent a year planning my wedding, but then my fiance and I split up before tying the knot. A month later, I got laid off, and decided that my newly single and unemployed state was the perfect excuse for a trip abroad. I spent three months traveling solo through Europe and figuring out what I wanted to do when I got home. Now back home in Vancouver , I’m building the life I want for myself from the ground up.” WOW. And I thought I was Miss Independent!

6. Cindy at Skip to my Lou – Another creative soul that encourages her readers to Craft, Create, & Celebrate. Cindy shares lots of crafty ideas and yummy recipes!

Weekend Update

 This weekend is my last FULL weekend with no plans so I tried to cram in as much wedding stuff as I could. I had my final makeup and hair trial, got most all the gift bags packed (I will post photos after the wedding so our friends can’t be snoopy and see their gifts!), got my ring back from the jewelers, packed the bathroom baskets, and I finished my bridal banner! As always, for your viewing pleasure….

Andy’s is a titanium with carbon fiber inlay. Mine is diamonds and pink sapphires.

The ushers (Blake & Tyler) will carry this down the aisle in front of the flower girl (Aaliyah) right before I make my grand entrance. I thought this might help Aaliyah be less nervous since she will be walking not far behind her cousins.

And, how cute is this:

We got Booed!

This little bag was left on our doorstep Friday with a cute poem about Halloween. You’re supposed to go to the store (good plot Walmart!), get two new “Boo Kits”, fill them with treats (ours had this cute candy dish and mini Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups…hmmm, where did those go I wonder?!) then leave the bag on the doorstep of your friend/neighbor. It also has a door hanger you put on your door that says “I’ve Been Booed!” so people know if your house has been booed! 

And We’re Back!!

My goodness. If I lose internet connection for a hour I go nuts. Can you imagine how I’ve felt all week without my website?! I had a little bit of free time and A LOT of stuff to tell you and photos to show you all but my server was down.

Good news is we’re back. Bad news is you’ll have to wait until I have some free time once again to post. LOL. Hopefully tonight.

License to Wed

Well we just checked off one very important item that I almost completley forgot about…getting our marriage license! THAT would not have been a good thing to forget. Yikes!

What are some other things I should be sure to get on my to do list before the big day??

Short Update

Whew! 10 minutes ago Renee & I sealed the very last invitation. 214 of those bad boys are headed out tomorrow  to friends and family. That was QUITE a project. But it was so much fun!

Tonight Renee & I are headed to try on my beloved wedding gown then take it to the seamstress!!! Maybe I’ll post some photos if Andy can promise not to peek!!

Eeek!! The countdown is on and it’s all becoming so real now. I have a feeling I may go through some wedding craft withdrawal once this is all over. LOL

Thank You Readers!

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to all the new peeps that are stopping by and especially the dedicated people that check in on a regular basis. It’s so nice to know my stuff isn’t wandering aimlessly out in cyberspace.

We’ve received a lot of hits most recently from Laurie’s awesome blog called Tip Junkie. If you haven’t been there you need to check it out. I am obsessed. It’s a wonderful resource and wealth of information, fun ideas and projects. What’s really cool is that Laurie promotes other bloggers and work at home moms. Gotta love networking ladies! Laurie included my CD Jewel Case Calendars in one of her recent posts. Once my life slows down a bit (I know, I know, yeah right, huh?!) I would like to share more DIY freebies.

In the meantime, please keep reading and posting comments and if you use one of my freebies please share photos!!

All for One, One for All

Are my fellow co-worker wonderful or what? Despite their warnings that they are not crafty, Renee (my personal attendant) and "Schmeed" have been helping me assemble invitations over lunch. We’ve managed to get about
100 done, so that leaves about 100 more!

Color Me Pretty

I had a fabulous time with my Mary Kay lady, Susan Sever-Goetz, on Saturday. Susan is so much fun and promises I’ll look my best on the big day. I’ve been using my new products for the past couple days and I must say that I have already noticed an improvement in the hydration of my skin. This crazy winter is pretty harsh so I usually have issues with dryness during this time of year. And I’ve been doing the nightly routine thing too, removing my makeup, moisturizing, etc., which is something I’m not always so good at. So far so good anyway.

And…I’m so excited that Susan has agreed to help behind the scenes before the wedding and reception so we look our best, especially for photos and video!!! Can I just say I feel like a total rock star with my wedding day entourage?! Two wedding planners, a personal attendant, a makeup extraordinaire, and a partridge in a pear tree. (What’s next, wardrobe people so I can swap out dresses between events like the celebs do? Only kidding…I promise I won’t go THAT far!)

For the record, I am happy enough to be able to marry the man of my dreams, fairytale wedding or not. It just so happens Andy & I are kind of extremists and we are trying to create the most wonderful day we can, not only for us but our guests as well. I hope you will all be there to share it with us. Which reminds me, if you have not yet received a Save the Date postcard or magnet, that means we do not have your address on file. So please, please, PLEASE register on our guest list if you are interested in joining us for our very special day.

Rehearsal Dinner Location Booked!

After much debate over where we should hold our rehearsal dinner, Andy & I chose the River House in downtown Moline. They have excellent food, a full bar, Pepsi products – an absolute requirement for my personal attendant! , and are located within walking distance of the Radisson Hotel.

I am so excited to be able to cross things off my To Do list!

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