Your Love Is Better Than Ice Cream

and cake.

But I have to say, these cakes are divine. The other day I was hoping for a scratch and sniff monitor ... right now I'm wishing there was a way for me to just take a little bite! ;)





All photos courtesy Creative Weddings Magazine.

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Hey Love, Come and Talk to Me

At a recent wedding in August I was lucky for a couple reasons ... I was asked to do all of the stationery for a great couple AND at the wedding, the lovely .: Jennifer Images :. was kind enough to take pictures of everything for me as I was supervising another party.

If you'll indulge me for a bit, I would love to share the photos with you ... some have been featured already but most are brand new!



Jesara and Matt chose very vibrant colours ... it made for such fun in creating their invites! Months before the wedding, these are what were first created ...

Next we decided to do up some simple programs. The end result were crisp white bi-folds with the same fonts, colours and gerbera daisy accents.



Important to many couples now is finding a way to honour loved ones not able to witness the day. Jesara and Matt had a perfect verse and I was able to print it VERY simply for them. What they did with it really is the story here. The table, in my eyes, was exactly how it should be.



Jesara is known for wearing flip flops and wanted to bring them into the wedding somehow. This table is what she put together and I was more than happy to make the sign ...


And finally, I created a tri-fold reception menu for the wedding. Look at the way the tables popped!

One side had the menu laid out for guests, the other had the lyrics to their first dance and the third had each table number.



Thanks Jesara and Matt ... it was a pleasure getting to know you both better. And special thank to Jennifer for these wonderful pictures of my creations in use! :)

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Take Your Dress From Off The Floor

So happy that the digital issue of my favourite wedding magazine arrived in my inbox! Especially since it's an Australian-based publication which means it isn't available here for quite some time. I thought I would share some fabulous wedding dress shots. If you would like any info on the designers, just let me know!

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Reach a Hand to the Crescent Moon

This is a fantastic way to sample a playlist for an upcoming event or to just waste some time ...

It really quite painless to do and the best part is
that it's completely free! Go to .: Mixwit :. to have some fun with it. After putting together your tape, all you need is to add your email address and you're all set!

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I'm Gonna Pounce ....

Etsy has a really cool feature called, "Pounce". When you click on it you're asked to choose whether or not you would like to view Undiscovered (shops who have yet to make their first sale) or Just Sold (shops who ... obviously ... have just made a sale). This week I wanted to feature some of those shops who need more exposure ... get out there and POUNCE on these ones! :)

.: MartaWeaverJewelry :. has introduced a new line of bling to Etsy. I love this dragonfly!

With the weather cooling down (and the fact that I actually had to bundle up the other day), this caught my attention. A funky scarflette by .: Feeting Frenzy :.

How cute is this purse?! .: textstyle :. is just starting out and has this hand knitted and then hot water felted handbag up for sale.

I wish I had a scratch and sniff monitor right now. This body oil by .: lioevilo :. uses 100% pure essential oils so it's sure to be lovely on the skin!

This notebook by .: mokeep555 :. holds pages of bamboo paper inside and comes in a handmade box!

A mini-watercolour painting of a place with special meaning is such a great gift! Contact .: birdbluff :. for more information.

.: bluetricycle :. has a wonderful concept ... contact them and you can buy artwork (like this earthy calendar) that YOU print. This means you select the paper, colour, how to want to assemble it ... what a great idea!
I had to choose this one to display as soon as I saw it. It seems .: mattdonders :. took a recent trip to Toronto. When he did, he thought our fire hydrants were amusing because of the colour :) What I found really cool about this photo are the Sarah Slean posters on the pole in the back ... she's one of my favourite artists.

And my favourite of the week ...

LOVE these invitations by .: rationaljarofhoney :. The real gem is the customized map on the inside. So fairytale-like!

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In It To Win It

Contest Alert!!!!!!

I would love for one of you brides-to-be to win this as I'm a huge fan of Diane's work ...



Check out .: Melissa's Smitten Blog :. for full contest details but to sum up, all you have to do is email info@smitteninvitations.com with your name, email, snail-mail address and wedding date to enter! Contest ends on November 7, 2008. One entry per person per day.

If you aren't able to get the flower you want because it's out of season, what better way to capture it?!

Good luck!!!

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Skin Care - Cleansing & Toning

Makeup is only as good as the skin that's underneath. A bold statement yet so true. Whenever a client sits in front of me the first thing I look at is their skin. More often than not, I discover that they aren't caring enough for their skin or aren't using the most beneficial items based on their skin's needs at the time.

There are a multitude of skin care lines and manufacturers on the market today, and a treatment for everything your face can possibly ever encounter. With so much selection, how do you go about choosing what's right for you?

First, start with the basics. Cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Since the skin works on a 28 - 33 day cycle, use this trio for 2 months, twice a day before seeing your maximum result. After that, you can begin to introduce special needs items which are more targeted to your specific concerns.

But that's another issue. Actually, over the next four months, I've broken skin care down into a 4-part series covering:
Cleansing & Toning
Moisturizing
Serums & Eye Care
Masks & Scrubs

Although you should cleanse, tone AND moisturize twice a day, this issue begins with just cleansing and toning.

The purpose of the cleanser is to clean the skin. Whether you wear makeup or not, throughout the course of the day, your skin encounters pollutants, irritants, bacteria and whatever else floats in the air. Invisible particles stick to your skin, especially if you are an oily skin or a woman who "flushes in the face".

This has to come off and since water is not enough to clean, pair it with a cleanser formulated for your skin type. Remember that the water should be luke warm, too hot or too cold is a shock to your skin. Whether you're oily, combination, dry or sensitive, the most important tip is avoid soap. It's harsh and strips the skin of it's NMF (Natural Moisture Factor). Opt for a foaming gel or mousse cleanser if your skin is oily and a gentle milky or creamy cleanser if your skin is dry or sensitive. Combination skins can flip either way depending on season and personal preference.

Since the texture of a product is formulated to feel good on the skin it's going on, choose products that feel comfortable. For example, oily skins generally prefer a "squeaky clean" after cleansing so they would not feel comfortable washing their faces with a rich product that leaves a filmy residue behind. They would prefer a foaming or lathering product that cleanses well and rinses thoroughly. Conversley, a dry skin would enjoy a cleanser that leaves the filmy residue behind. It "cushions the skin" and comforts a skin lacking oil. So always remember, texture should be key in selecting your skin care. The more oily you are, think lightweight and more fluid formulas, and the more drier you are, think more rich and creamy formulas.


Now that you've cleaned your skin, your next step is to tone it. A toner will remove any residue left behind, but more importantly, it restores the pH balance back into the skin. The pH refers to the acidity or alkalinity of something. When they are equal, the substance is said to have a pH of 7.0. When the skin is below 7.0, it is acidic and when it's above 7.0 it's alkalinic. The toner restores the skin to a pH of 7.0.

Toners come in liquid form, are applied with a quilted cotton pad, and can be used as a instant freshener anytime. For best results, choose the toner that matches your cleanser as they are formulated to work together as a pair. Avoid toners containing alcohol or benzoyl peroxide. Instead, opt for products that contain more natural, purifying ingredients like camphor, grapefruit and basil extract.


And finally. don't forget your eyes. As far as skin care goes, your eyes are a completely different entity. Treat eyes with specific eye care products only, NOT the products you use on your face. The skin around the eyes is very thin, easily stretched and more sensitive. Eye care products are specifically formulated for this area, being opthamoligically tested, non irritating, and rapidly absorbing.

You will want to cleanse your eyes and remove any eye makeup with a regular or waterproof formula depending on what you're wearing. Eye makeup removers come in liquid, gel or cream formulas and applied with a quilted cotton pad. Or, opt for convenient pre- soaked cotton disks in a jar that not only remove your eyes, but your stubborn lipstick too. Whatever product you choose, the most important thing to remember about the eyes is to be gentle with them. Don't tug, stretch or rub this area....doing so stretches the thinner skin and causes pre-mature wrinkling. And who needs that!

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