Pretty!

I love these fancy pencils from iomoi. Then again, I love most things from iomoi, especially these.

{Images}

P.S. Peach Post is having a giveaway! Entry ends on Saturday.

Guess Who I Just Stood Behind in Line at the Deli Inside Her Healthclub?

Image: The Oprah Blog

That's right. I guarantee that I am one of maybe a dozen Chicagoans that has seen her in public. She NEVER goes out in Chicago.

A Few Things That I Forgot To Discuss With You Guys...

Overall, I was pleased with how my makeup from the trial photographed in our engagement pix. It looks great in black and white, but as I type this, I think that it may look a little washed out toward the middle of the colored photos. BUT, that could have been because it was 9,000 degrees out with 300% humidity. Here are the some close-ups where you can see the makeup. I think that they're the same ones that I shared a few weeks ago, but I have double chins in all of the other close-ups so I'm not sharing them. I wonder where I can buy a neck within the next 15 days?

Images: Sarah Alair

I picked up the bridesmaid jewelry from Sara Lenart last week. It is gorgeous. I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE my sister's necklace and wish that I could keep it for myself after the wedding. They both know that they're getting bling, but I want it to be a surprise, so I can't share it yet. :( Besides, I need something to post about when I'm going through withdrawal after the wedding.

I had my final dress fitting on Saturday. The dress itself fits like a glove, but I am so nervous about the top. I hope that I don't have a waredrobe malfunction while doing the Twist. It chaps my hide too because I busted my a*s looking for a dress that had straps so that I wouldn't be in this situation.

Hopefully, I'll look more like this:

Source

Than This

Source Unknown

Hair Doesn't Come the Bride or Groom or Bridemaids or Groomsmen or Flower Girl

I talked to someone from the hotel that screwed us over today. Apparently, their management company has gone into receivership and all of their assets are frozen. Which means that they have no assets with which to pay for the trolley transportation between the Ambassador East and ANL. Which means that we now have a six-person wedding party, our immediately families, and 15-30 guests with no means of getting between locations. And we also have no assets with which to pay for them to do so. (Who says that there is a gap between the classes?) So, as of this writing, I will be stranded in a hotel suite with stained carpets and no hairdo on my wedding day.

I've contacted a few limo companies with my swan song to see if they could work with me. One of them actually seemed to feel bad for me. And my dad used to powerwash the vans at a local place with very affordable prices, so I have a voice mail out to them. (fingers crossed) I have to say, trolley service is some expensive sh*t considering that trolleys are made of wood and don't have any windows. Oh, and, of course, the hotel miscommunicated the start times so the $770 rate that I was quoted was not only three hours short, but it would have gotten the guests to ANL 30 minutes after the ceremony.

If I had my Fantasy Budget Way, all of our guests would be transported in a fleet of these:

Image: Pretty Bride via Classic Bride

If anyone in Chicago knows where to rent old school cabs, will you please comment? I looked a few weeks ago for Andy and I, but came up empty.

TGIF

I forgot my makeup bag, moisturizer, eye cream, and brush when I was packing my bag for the gym this a.m. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until AFTER my workout, when I also realized that all of the hairdryers in the locker room were busted and that I was out of hairspray and gel. I improvised by squatting under the hand dryer and blowing drying my hair. Then I went to work with very flat hair and an uneven complexion. Thankfully, most of the office was out for the holiday weekend.

At lunch time, I wandered over to Paper Source. I was talking to an associate about envelope liners when a man came in and started photographing us -- FROM THE SIDE. When he left, I asked the PS guy what the photog was taking pictures of and he said "Crane's Chicago Business." Yes, I was photographed in my favorite store FROM THE SIDE, while wearing no makeup and flat hair, and holding up an ugly outdated version of my invitations. I am guessing that they wouldn't use such an unflattering photo of ANYONE (I mean, hot chicks sell, right?), but COME ON! What are the chances?

Also, I stopped to see "Made of Honor" on the way home from work tonight. I want my $10.50 back, please.

Guest Book

So, go figure that I hauled my MS Weddings stash between four apartments between 1997-2007 and then pitched them exactly 13 days before I got engaged. Not even kidding you. I was so defeated during my move to apartment #5 that I pitched my Marthas. I scanned them, tore out a few things, and then pitched them on 9.2.07. And then I was unexpectedly engaged on 9.15.07.

Well, many thanks to Ritzy Bee for reminding me of some of the photos that made the cut in my "keep" stash:

Images: Martha Stewart via Ritzy Bee

Here are the instructions from Ritzy Bee's site:

Create a book with pages marked 1st Anniversary - 50th Anniversary and have guests slip messages into various places throughout the book. Each year on your anniversary you can read the messages together that correspond with that date.

Done! This is our guest book! I am going to use a photobook of our engagement session photos (because, really, what will you do with them?) as the book. I'll use Poppy and Papaya-colored envelopes from Paper Source and a selection of pretty papers like in the second photo.

If we had fat cash, I think that it would be funny to have the guests take Polaroids photos of themselves with a cutout of us, like in the photo below, to include in their messages.

Image: Another F*cking Wedding

How cool would it be to stumble upon random photos of your college friends and family 30 years later? I'd love it.

These cutout people are genius.

I Dream of Jeanne('s Wedding)

So, my brains works OT. I mean, 24X7, it's going. I know that a lot of people say this about themselves, but people that spend a lot of time around me -- family, roommates, Andy, previous boy toys, travel partners -- agree that my noggin is worst than most. And it has caused issues on occasion. Who am I kidding? It causes issues for me every single day. Anyway...

The problem with being engaged is that I am completely overstimulated ALL OF THE TIME. There is constantly something pretty to catch my eye. And reading all of these blogs has opened up a whole new world of distractions to me. In other words, I am now thinking about other people's weddings 24X7.

I first noticed this last month when, after reading this post on With This Ring, I had a dream that I had found the perfect kate spade polka dot sash for Darci's flower girl. In the dream, the item was on clearance. I debated whether it would be weird to buy it for her and then I grabbed it "just in case" rationalizing that I could just return if it she didn't want it. But now I find myself doing this all of the time.

On Sunday, I sat down with my copy of the new In Style Weddings and, seeing this cake, thought that a darker variation would look great with A Bride in the Making's new color palette, marigold and pewter.

Image: In Style Weddings Magazine, Spring 2008

And yesterday, I stumbled upon these programs on the knot and thought, "These would look great with Hasel's Save the Dates."

Image: The Knot

Is that weird? Does anyone else so this or am I the dork on the blog block? And do I tell people when I find cool stuff for them or is that just too odd?

Dear Stranger,

You don't know me, but look this cool thing that I found for the most important party that you'll ever plan. Hope you like it!

-tina

Ha, Ha.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Photo: Margaret Smyth Photography

How cool is that bride?

I can't believe that I didn't go out this weekend! Usually St. Patrick's Day weekend is what keeps me ramped up during the lame post-holiday months. I had plans to go out, but forgot to go out. Seriously. My workout wore me out so much that I showered and went into the bedroom to watch TV. Two hours later, Andy said, "So I take it we're not meeting Piehole?" Oops. How do you forget to go out?

But here's what I did do this weekend:

• Found a baker! (Hooray! More on that later.)
• Printed the Save the Date labels and addressed half of the envelopes. (More on that too. What a pain. Any of my guests who save this stuff, please humor me and tell me that you saved the envelope.)
• Finalized the cover page of the Save the Dates and prepared the printer files.
• Went to the pool for an hour. (More on that later too.)

Always the Last Kid in the Pool

I finally had time to set up a Google Reader last night. Oh. My. God! I should have done this three years ago. This is going to be so, so much better for my Internet Explorer History and Temporary Internet Files directory at work. (Just kidding, coworkers!) This is the best thing since sliced bread.

And I am adding to my Friday Favorites Post from yesterday. I have a:

Favorite Wedding

Julie and Kaori featured on Snippet & Ink

Their venue, their couture, their flowers, their personalized invitations, their bold colors, their minimalist bridesmaids...everything was perfect. What a great combination of rustic* and elegance.

Image: Leah McCormick via Snippet and Ink

*Isn't it odd how a rusty old truck sitting in a lot is sometimes trashy and sometimes charming? Talk about your fine lines.

"Pussy Willows, Dottie!"

I was reading this post on In This Instance ,when I clicked the DIY link to the Martha Stewart web site and saw this:

Screen Shot: Martha Stewart web site

I don't know what's funnier -- Martha censoring the "p" in "pussy willows" or xandra10's tenacity.

Know whose tenacity isn't funny? A-holes who run their snow blowers outside your window at 11:24 p.m.

I got served.

I was tagged by Tara at In This Instance. Here goes:

1. What is your occupation?
   Training Project Manager: I manage and design
   sales training courses.
   
   
2. What color are your socks right now?
   Barefoot. But, in general, I'm not a colored socks girl.
   
   
3. What are you listening to right now?
   Sweet, sweet silence. I am home alone, which is the only time that there isn't a TV blaring.


4. What was the last thing that you ate?
   A bite of Tamal de Chocolate from Adobo Grill. Thankfully, I didn't like it!


5. Can you drive a stick shift?
   Nope!
   


6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
   Green. Or maybe yellow or orange.
   


7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
   My dad.
   


8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
   Judging from her blog, she has good taste!
   


9. Favorite drink?
   It used to be Diet Pepsi, but I think that I'm growing out of that. I will never outgrow a delicous Cab or Pinot though!
   


10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
    I could lie and pretend that I care about a sport, but at the end of the day, I don't. I can't sit still long enough to watch sports. I do enjoy going to Blackhawks and Sox games.
    
    
11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
    I don't even remember what my real hair color looks like anymore. God would have saved me a lot of money if He had made me a real redhead.
    
    
12. Pets
    A beta fish at work. That's about all that I can handle. I think that he'll be my last pet too. He has the personality of a rock.
    
    


13. Favorite food?
    I have to pick A food? No can do!
    
    • My mom's lasagna.
    
    
    • Vienna Beef hot dogs.
    
    
    • My mom's carrot cakes.
    
    
    • Andy's tater tot casserole
    
    
    • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    
    
    Wow! That list probably explains why bridal salons are calling me a "bigger girl too."
    


14. Last movie you watched?
    No Country for Old Men. Update: I lied. It was 27 Dresses. I forgot that I saw it until I saw it mentioned on someone else's blog.
    


15. Favorite Day of the Year?
    Halloween. Christmas Eve is a strong second.
    


16. What do you do to vent anger?
    Unfortunately, I b*tch to whoever is around me. Or call Andy.
    


17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
    According to my mother, I didn't like toys or dolls. I think that I was kind of a, um, sassy child.
    
    
18. Which is your favorite, fall or spring?
    Fall is so fun! It is pretty and full of so many activities. Although, there is nothing like the first warm day in Chicago. The city comes alive!
    


19. Hugs or kisses?
    Hugs. Unless it's above 75 degrees, then a quick peck that requires minimal touching will do. (We don't have central air!)
    


20. What kind of pie?
    Apple.
    
    


21. Living arrangements?
    I share 400 square feet of Heaven with Andy. Just kidding. It might be 425 square feet.
    
    


22. When was the last time you cried?
    I teared up on Thursday and Friday! The lack of sunshine and fresh air is weakening me!
    


23. What is on the floor of your closet?
    As if I could see the floor of my closet to tell you.
    


24. Favorite smell?
    I don't have a favorite smell.
    


25. What inspires you?
    Obviously it's not the concept of looking like a sow on my wedding day, because I only made it to the gym once this week.
    


26. What are you afraid of?
    Deep water and bugs. Seriously, standing at the edge of a pier with an army of thousand leggers, roaches, butterflies, and moths charging at me would probably cause me to spontaneously combust in fear.
    


27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
    Cheese!
    


28. Favorite Car?
    My Honda Civic. As long as the HC runs for 200,000 miles, I promise that she was always be my #1.
    


29. Favorite cat breed?
    The breed that doesn't come anywhere near my house. I am allergic to cats and hate pet hair.
    


30. Number of keys on your key ring?
    5 + the world's largest key fob.
    


31. How many years at your current job?
    7 years in this role; 10 years with the company. Holy cow.
    


32. Favorite day of the week?
    Saturday
    


33. How many states have you lived in?
    Two -- Illinois and Indiana.
    
    


34. How many countries have you been to?
    Three -- Japan, Mexico, and Italy. Knock on wood that the dollar gains strength so that I can add some more to the list this year or next. According to Facebook, I have been to 6% of the world.

I am not sure who to tag, as I don't know how many bloggers actually read my blog! I'll try -- Elizabeth Anne Designs, a bride in the making, blushalicious, enjoy:{the blog}, A Windy City Wedding, Hasel and That Girl.

Girl Power

My good friend (and lady in waiting) volunteers for Girls on the Run, an after-school program that prepares school-age girls to run a 5K while teaching them important lessons on self-esteem, respecting themselves and others, etc. They've posted a video on You Tube. It's currently the 71st most-watched non-profit video. They want to make it number 1.

Click here to see the video. (I can't figure out how to display the video.)

Take a few minutes to check it out, then help some sisters out and pass it along to everyone you know.

Click here to visit the Girls on the Run web site.

A donation to GOTR would make a great wedding favor for your guests if you're doing charitable donations in lieu of crappy crystal clocks.
(No offense to anyone who's giving out crystal clocks as favors.)

Anyone who watches the Chicago Marathon will recognize GOTR chicks as the "Team Tiara" women. They run in tiaras, bling, and sometimes feathers!