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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Wedding: Invites

So i guess i should really get started on the invites even though i'm super lazy. Even though we are only having a dinner with about 20 people, i still need to let them know the details... unless i evite them which is pretty tacky even for me...

As a graphic designer, i've designed tons of invites for friends as well as my own wedding invite the first time around which i loved... so its just natural to be forced  to want to do it for this big event in my life...

Here are some designs i found on weddingpaperdivas that i'm using for inspiration. I also ran them by the fiancè last night to get his thoughts on what i should choose, not that ill listen to him!

I'm shooting for something simple this time around... since we're only having very close family i'm not even bothering with a response card since i already know everyone is coming...








There are different things about all of these that i really love... mostly i want to stay simple... and not sure about a color theme? Last time around i matched the invites to the bridesmaids dresses and flowers, but since i'm not having bridesmaids and have no idea what i'm doing for flowers, does that really matter?

I also need to come up with better wording since my parents aren't so much "giving me away" and/or "hosting" the event. Rather G and i are paying for and inviting everyone... so hopefully i can find something cute/catchy for the beginning of the invite.

Let me know which ones you like (if any) and if you have ideas on wording!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Oh how Pinteresting!

Link up HERE!
i jumped on this bandwagon a while ago and have been a pinning addict ever since. However, this is my first link up so here goes!
How yummy do these Jello shots look! Oh you fancy huh?!



If i could find a dress like this for the wedding i'd just about die... major SWOON!




Trying to embrace my man's love for football, thinking about making myself him these!


It's all about the planning, something i definitely need to work on. 
Our dinner last night? Burritos from Chipotle!


These cupcakes would be perfect to make for my company picnic next week!

Need to try this nail look STAT!

Those are my pins for the week... do you love Pinterest as much as me? 
What fun images have you found? If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, let me know and i'll add ya!
Happy Hump Day!


Monday, July 25, 2011

Highlights with a little side of Ombre

Wow mondays come way too fast you guys... don't cha agree?

Last week i set out to my FAVORITE hair dresser Alicia (she's been doing my hair for at least 5 years now) to get my color updated... a few years ago i added some major highlights to my dark asian hair. believe it or not... this girl was my inspiration (IN HAIR ONLY...)

[boobalicious]
Its really hard to find Asian girls with "lighter" hair, that still looks "natural"... we asians don't have too many options on hair colors unless we want to look like this...

[scary!]

[scarier!]
So, since i am never going to be a gorgeous blond, a la my lovely ladies PinkLouLou, The Bargain Blonde, or Stefanie and Such (and the list goes on) i figured i should work with what i got. Here was my inspiration...

doesn't hurt that she's stunning to begin with right? [via]
and here's my "after" shot...


I love that its subtle and blends in with the highlights... i would definitely do this again and maybe even lighten the ends a tad bit more. Alicia glazed the whole thing since its summer and the sun will lighten it up a bit anyway. It should be perfect for the wedding in 2 months, i wouldn't want anything super dramatic for that (though i think i'm wearing my hair in an updo anyway).

What do you ladies think? Is ombre too much of a fad?

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Ready, Set, GO!

With too much to do (moving, wedding planning, dad's surprise birthday, dog training, getting my fat ass to the gym, working, sleeping, sipping skinny girl marg... oops! hehe...) and not enough hours in the day to do all of it... life has become a whirlwind obstacle course clusterfuck.

So i thought i'd take a minute to TRY to get a little organized and unjumble my life. And who better to listen to me complain organize everything but you guys!

OK... first up.
  • The move... official moveout date from the townhouse is Aug 23rd. So that means i have ONE month to.... sell my dining room set, end tables, lamps, and possibly dressers on Craigslist. I also have to finish going thru the crap in the basement that i hauled down there last year only to not touch for the next 9 months but still ABSOLUTELY need. I have to pack away all my kitchen stuff that i never use because i'm never home (dishes, cups, pots & pans) and finish packing my bedroom (clothes, make up, dog stuff, more clothes). I have to figure out what i'm doing with the couch (giving to the rents, bringing it with me?) and i have to rent a U-haul and figure out a move out date.
Next order of business...
  • The wedding... first and foremost - find a minister. this is sort of like looking for a needle in a haystack because a) im catholic, yet cant be married in the catholic church (long story) and b) our date is 8 weeks from now (ack!). Once i find and book a minister, i have to book the venue (thank goodness we already know where we want it) find a photographer (if you know of anyone, send them my way!) and find a dress (pink pink pink!). Oh and we need to design our wedding bands, G needs a new suit and we need a wedding song! 
 Here's a question for ya's.. we're having a small intimate dinner... so no real music or dancing... should we still have a "first dance"? If we decide not to actually "dance" should we still have a song that is ours? what are your thoughts on that?

And finally...
  •  Dad's 70th Surprise BDay... Falls right smack in the middle of August... i have to decide on decorations, get the wine bottles for the favors (2 buck chuck from trader joes), make the labels, figure out where i'm getting balloons (hello dollar store!), make collage of photos of dad over the years.
That's not too much right?? I can get this all done, plus work my full time job, freelance business and keep hitting the gym... by the time this is all done i'll definitely be ready for the honeymoon. Oh wait, i have to figure that out too! Though by that time, i might be calling it the exhausted moon! hahaha.













PS. Sorry for the lack of pictures in this post... but i got nothin peeps. Your lucky your even getting a post. so deal with it. hahaha... i kid i kid... 

PPS. just got off the phone with the 7th church... think im going to hand this task over to G to start helping out and making some phone calls! Good call right?

Monday, July 18, 2011

Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed!

With approximately 9 weeks til my wedding day (sort of, depending on if we book the place we saw on friday), one of the most important things i need to do is find a dress PRONTO! this being my second trip down the aisle, i'm not quite sure i want to wear the classic white (though the first time, my dress was "off" white - mom said since i traded in my V-card early i was ineligible for white white, no joke!)

Then i had this fabulous thought... what about pink! its a summery color, would look nice with my tan and elle woods pulled it off for her wedding to emmett in legally blonde 2!

via
Though in real life, Reese Witherspoon took a second trip down the aisle too and wore this which was also gorggggeeeeeeoussss...
via
though i dont know if i want something so "bridey"... but i also can't quite afford monique lhuillier, so its sort of a moot point.

anyhoo.... i also love the simplicity of this gown that malin ackerman wore in the movie 27 dresses.

via
So i guess i'll start looking around and hopefully be able to find something that i fall in love with.

What's your take on me looking for a pink wedding dress? good idea? weird idea? would love to hear your thoughts!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Friday Confessions! Vol 3

Morning All... Starting out and trying to blog before i get working... i know i've been slacking a bit, things have just been so darn busy and now that wedding planning is taking over, it's only going to get worse. So, please, bear bare bear with me and i'll try my best to not be MIA.

Anyway, i've had a lot on my mind so here are my confessions...

I confess... I had every intention of going to the gym last night, i even put gym clothes on... but when my roomies wanted to order dinner and be couch potatoes, i found that idea MUCH more appealing.

I further confess... that i said to make up for it i would go today after work... yeah that ain't happening either... its Friday and i'm feeling more like a pedicure than an hour on the treadmill. (Can i get an Amen to that?)

This will NOT be me.

I confess... that wedding planning already has me a bit stressed. I know this time around its much smaller and there isn't nearly as much to do, but still... finding a venue, finding a minister, finding a photographer can all be overwhelming. Oh yeah, and did i mention finding the money to pay for it all? My stomach hurts just thinking about it.

I further confess that it sort of makes me want to just elope in Vegas. I just don't want to look back 20 years from now with any regrets. G's mom didn't get to see him get married his first time around, and i'd really love for her to be able to witness it this time around (especially since its FOREVER this time! hahahaha)

This could be G and i... married by Elvis? Swwweeeeet!


I confess... i was SO tired the other night i fell asleep in my gym clothes, without washing my face OR brushing my teeth... Skanktastic right?!

I confess... i love that my roomies are make up artists. I get so much free make up that i almost never have to actually buy any. they are saving me probably hundreds a year! I just got 2 eye shadow palettes... the new smokey eye palette and a matte eye palette that's not even out yet. I'm wearing it today, its thebomb.com...

You can find it here
I confess... I keep forgetting to get a stamp to mail an invitation for my cousin to my dad's 70th surprise party. By the time she gets it, the party will have passed! Then again, i don't expect her to actually come, so maybe that's why it keeps slipping my mind!

Anyway, that's about all i have time for today... Hope you all have great weekends and I'll be back next week and maybe start to detail some wedding plans (i won't overload ya's, don't worry)...

Happy Friday!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Biggest Surprise of my Life.

Hi girls, i'm back from an amazing weekend and one of the biggest surprises of my life! I am now soon to be the future Mrs. G! Shocking right? I mean, I knew that G and i had plans for the future and were going to be building a life together, starting with me moving in with him in September, but i definitely didn't think he was going to propose til sometime next year (since that's what he was telling me for MONTHS! sneaky squirrel!)

This is how it all went down...

Friday as i was leaving work, G called and asked if i wanted to go to dinner at The Chart House in Weehawken. Its an upscale seafood restaurant with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline as its right on the Hudson River.

via
It had been raining pretty hard and i knew rush hour traffic up the turnpike was going to be annoying, but i reluctantly agreed, figuring it was a Friday night and i shouldn't be acting like i was an 80 year old.

Our ride up to the restaurant was pretty uneventful, and though G says he was a bundle of nerves, i didn't really notice. Though, at one point i did comment on how quiet he was... and then i noticed that his hands were clenched (he told me he was cold LOL)... so i guess my subconscious knew something was up!

We got to the restaurant at about 8... and were promptly seated by the windows facing the skyline. It was really the perfect view... (well minus the rain) We ordered and got our drinks, pomegranate mojitos... i looked over at G and his drink was GONE already! (Later he fessed up to needing some liquid courage!) Then he turned to me and said "so are you all ready to move in with me?" which, we've been talking about this for the past few weeks and i've already started bringing some of my belongings over... so i was a little confused as to why he was asking... but STILL didn't think anything of it! so i replied, "yup, of course i am!" he then said, "and are you ready to spend the rest of your life with me?" i gave him a funny look and said, "well i certainly wouldn't be moving in with you if i wasn't ready to spend my life with you!" (yeah, im a snot sometimes. haha!) he then proceeded to lean forward and place a jewelry box on the table.

WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTT??????!!!!!!!!!!!  my heart was POUNDING in my chest as i literally stared at the box for a good half a minute, and then asking him, whats in there? whats in the box.... looking back i was channeling my inner brad pitt via the movie seven.... though i didn't have to worry about finding a head in the box, and my feelings were of total complete surprise, excitement, shock and absolute happiness.

I slowly opened the box and saw this.

the photos don't do it justice!

G got down on one knee next to the table, and asked me to marry him. which he then had to repeat another 2 times, because i just kept saying, "omigod, omigod, is this real?" until i finally realized i hadnt given him an answer and said "YES! of COURSE i'll marry you!"

The realization of it hit me about 5 minutes later, and then i was bawling like a baby... i then proceeded to ask him a million questions about how, when, did he talk to my parents, who else knew, etc. Which he had fibbed to me a little bit during the day in order to pull off his big plan... and yes, he talked to my parents and was given their blessing (they were ecstatic as they are old school italian [yes, italian, im adopted] catholic, dont live together before your married folks).

The rest of the night was spent finishing dinner, calling friends and family and stopping by my brother's house to share the good news.

Future Mr and Mrs!


All i can say, is this has been a dream come true. Though its only been 8 months since we've been together, i just feel like i've been thru so much in the past 5 years of my life that i finally know that what i have is perfect. After first being with someone who had a drinking problem, was verbally abusive, degrading and plain mean and then someone who was great but didn't put me as a priority or gave me any kind of committment, i finally found someone that would go to the ends of the earth for me. So for all you ladies out there that think you're never going to find your happy ever after, DO NOT give up. Just be patient and it will happen when its supposed to happen and trust that God knows what's best for you.

sorry my hand looks old and creepy! ba hahahaha. and i have to get the ring sized smaller...

Now onto wedding planning! Who wants to help? :)

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Coral Lips...

I've been thinking about jumping on the bandwagon for this trend for quite some time now... and while pinning (email me if you need an invite to Pinterest aka the best website EVER - besides blogger of course) some beauty pics, came across these gorgeous photos...

the perfect beach look, IMO

will coral lips make me look this good??!!
flirty & fun!
Jessica Biel, so pretty...
gorgeous!
What's your take on this summery lip trend? Have you tried it? Do you have any favorite colors you could share with me? 
(all photos via Pinterest)

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I'm trying to be good...

but i just can't control myself! Went to Kohl's on lunch break with C today... i was doing really good, til i spotted this:

via

Luckily this is the only thing i bought... i was able to restrain myself from further buying shit i don't really need. However, i do have a family BBQ on Saturday and this pretty sundress will look perfect with some brown flips and a braid of some sort! Oh and it was on sale from $50 (crazy, i would never have spent that much) down to $35. Just gotta go home and try it on and see if it fits...

My budget is usually not so tight that i can't afford to spend $35 on a dress. i usually end up buying tons of random crap during the week. However, next month dad is turning 70 and we're having a surprise dinner party for him, and i have to help foot the bill. ah yes, the joys of being an adult with a better job than the rents... but you only turn 70 once, right? so i want to go all out.

i also calculated how much its costing me to have doubled scooter's dosage of allergy pills. $35 - A WEEK. so that's $140 a month. for dog medicine. just shoot me. i'm now attempting message #3 for the vet to see what she says about the dosage he's on... long story short, we upped the dosage, its working great, and i'd like to switch him from two 10-mg pills to one 25-mg pill. just waiting for the ok from her. which would drop the price to $80 a month though i found a generic, so if she approves that it will be like $5 a month which would be a godsend on my wallet.

so because of that, im just trying to watch my wallet... How good are you at refraining from spending when you're on a tight budget?

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Tail Wagging Tuesday is back!


Wow, we really missed Tail Wagging Tuesday and we're really glad it's back! So without further ado, from the boys themselves, here are some of their favorite summer activities!

Summer is good for...

Tank tops!

Being patriotic!

Long naps in the sun!

Waiting for the ice cream truck!

Walks outside!

Road trips!

Link up with CMae here and show us your fur babies in the summer!