Color of the Week: Gray

Although we had a glimmer of spring fever cast upon the Washington DC area, we are now back into the eternal gray sky and snow. Even though I am so ready for spring to come, it got me thinking about the great addition gray makes to spring weddings. In the cloudy sky, a gray overcast may mean sadness and gloominess, gray in a wedding can be a great neutral to a pop of color. Gray is a great complimentary color and normally goes well with many different colors and accents. Gray looks great on almost every skin tone  (for your bridesmaids) and fits into different venues color schemes (walls and crazy carpets). Gray is also a very natural color if you are doing a spring outdoors wedding or trying to connect with mother nature. Here is a look at some of the great gray color combos for weddings or events. Enjoy!

Some of my favorite combos are:
Gray and Yellow
Gray and Green
Gray and Turquoise
Gray and Navy Blue
Gray and Bright Purple
Gray and Light Pink

Pictures From:
http://www.theknot.com/
http://bios.weddingbee.com/pics/77956/Color_scheme.jpg

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. I have never been the advocate for Valentines Day since I think it is somewhat over hyped, yet I love the idea of couples spending time together and showing each other how much they truly love one another. If you are like me you don't have a lot of money to spend on a large gift or an expensive dinner. Here are some great ideas you can do with your better half that wont break the bank.

If you can, bring our girlfriend or boyfriend a "picnic" at work. Surprise them with some of their favorite foods that they may not always have or just bring some sandwiches and cupcakes. You can go and eat at their work or go somewhere else, just spend the time together.
If you cannot get to your better half's work or have lunch with them, put a sweet card in their bag or briefcase for a surprise when they get to work.
If you are like me and not a great cook, surprise your better half with a home cooked meal, or better yet cook a meal together. Make something you don't always have and make a cake or dessert together as well. It will be nice to spend the time together and take time to do something together as well.
If you cannot do anything special on the actual day, set time apart another day or the next weekend to spend time together, go to a movie, or just spend time together.
Valentines day is all about love and it should not be commercialized.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Picture From: http://tain-con.com/website/events/Work/happy_valentines_day.jpg

Lemons and Limes and Everything Nice

With spring so close I cannot stop thinking about all the bright and amazing colors that spring brings. I love  the great fruits and vegetables that come with spring as well. fruit is a great way to bring in great color to a wedding or event. Use fruit as a accent to your centerpieces and flowers or as the main attraction. You are not just stuck with yellow and greens, you can add in reds, pinks, oranges and blues! Below is an inspiration board for all you waiting for spring to come and fruit to be in season!

Pictures are From:
www.theknot.com
http://bios.weddingbee.com
http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/thanksgiving-table-1107
http://libbyjames.wordpress.com
http://www.weddingwindow.com
http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/wedding-reception-centerpieces.html
http://www.sageberrydesigns.com

Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend

Diamonds really are a girls best friend, but there are many choices when it comes to diamonds. There are different cuts, shapes, clarity and color. It is important to know what you are looking at when it comes to diamonds and what you really want! Many companies that sell rings will be able to talk you through the different variances of diamonds, but here is some great information to know before you go into a store to look or buy a ring. Guys, it is also important for you to know what you are buying when it comes to any diamond ring, earrings or necklace. As a person with very strong opinions, it may be best to talk to your girlfriends mother, sister or friends to try and get the exact cut she wants. The worst thing you can do is get a diamond your future wife hates!

Here is a great explanation of the different diamond shapes from http://engagementrings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Diamond_Shapes

Emerald: The emerald shape features a rectangular diamond with trimmed corners. Flaws may be more obvious in this shape and clarity is critical because it has fewer facets to reflect light and hide minor defects. Emerald shapes are popularly set with multiple side stones to provide balance to the elongated shape.

Pear: This shape is also referred to as a teardrop diamond. Although pear or teardrop diamonds are popular as pendants and earrings, they are also considered an excellent choice for engagement rings. Because of the unbalanced shape, they are not usually set with elaborate accent stones, though a sleek pear shape can create the illusion of slimmer fingers.

Heart: The heart-shaped diamond is considered more of a novelty and isn't commonly used for engagement rings. A heart shape is more popular for pendants and earrings, but can be found in selected engagement rings, particularly in gemstone rings. The cut can be difficult to make, so you'll want to examine this diamond thoroughly before you purchase it to locate hidden flaws

Marquise: Elegant and traditional, the marquise is a slim oval shape with tapered, pointed ends. The center stone is usually set parallel to the finger, and it is frequently enhanced with small accent stones along either side. This shape is extremely popular for bridal sets.

Radiant: This square-shaped diamond has barely trimmed corners to enhance its brilliance, making it essentially a square version of an emerald shape but with a blend of facets usually found in round stones. It can be hard to find however, and is not commonly used for engagement rings because of its scarcity.

Princess: The princess diamond is also square, but the corners are not trimmed. It is a very popular diamond for engagement rings, particularly rings with three or more stones using a princess gem as the center stone. This can be a less expensive shape of diamond because it follows the stone's natural crystalline shape and may be easier to cut. Color is an important  characteristic of princess stones because lower-quality color is more visible at the stone's corners.

Round: Traditional solitaire engagement rings have remained the most popular choice for many couples over the decades, and most involve round diamonds. Round diamonds are incredibly versatile and can be found in prong and channel settings, with or without accent stones, and in a variety of unique engagement rings and bridal sets.

Oval: The oval shape is frequently used with other stones in a detailed setting where it may be flanked by smaller diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, etc. Women with small fingers and hands sometimes choose this cut as a solitaire because it blends nicely with the length of a finger rather than standing out as a stronger focal point.

Asscher: This pristine cut is a square with deeply trimmed edges. As a trademarked design, Asschers are rare and very sought-after for their remarkable depth and beauty. Couples interested in this unique shape should take care to choose only authorized dealers to guarantee a worthwhile purchase.

Cushion: Gently rounded like a pillow or cushion, this smooth shape is reminiscent of vintage or antique designs. Cushion shapes are relatively rare and are often set off as solitaires rather than being incorporated into elaborate settings.

Good luck choosing the right diamond for you! Everyone's style is different and you need to choose a diamond shape you like and that complements your finger! Remember Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend!

Pictures From: http://easydiamondguide.com/diamond-ring-shapes/

Super Bowl Weekend

I am a sports fan in general and love football (I even worked for a NFL team for a year) and I L-O-V-E the Super Bowl. Not just for the game and commercials but for the parties and food as well. Being a planner and baker, I love to find easy and new recipes and ideas for Super Bowl parties. Weather you are hosting a few friends or your whole neighborhood, you can easily use these tips and tricks. You can easily but minimal effort into planning a party and still have it be great.

I found these great ideas from NewsChannel5.com from Nashville, TN By Louise Tutelian
From Ideas That Spark
(http://www.newschannel5.com/story/13965469/super-bowl-snacks-that-score-big)

Instead of the same old brew:

Hold a mini beer-tasting. Choose six beers: They can be from different countries or states, and they can range from light to dark -- whatever piques your interest. Supply guests with a menu (a sheet of paper with the name and origin of each beer) and leave space at the bottom so they can take notes.

Instead of take-out pizza:

Set up a build-your-own-pizza bar -- your crowd needs something to do during all those time-outs! Bake packages of store-bought biscuits according to directions, and then split each biscuit in half. Have an assortment of toppings ready: marinara sauce, pesto sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, red peppers, onion and prosciutto. Keep a roll of tinfoil next to the oven and let people heat and melt their creations whenever they're ready.

You can also bake pizza casseroles. First, line a greased casserole dish with quartered biscuits. Cover with sauce, sprinkle with toppings and cheese, then bake at 350 F until the cheese is melted. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Instead of brownies:

Mix up the flavor with chocolate-chip and oatmeal-raisin cookie sandwiches with Nutella hazelnut-chocolate filling.

Or, make everyone happy with Super Bowl sundaes. Sometime after halftime, put out a few gallons with all the fixings -- grownups and kids alike will be glad you did. 



Love Love Love These ideas... Here are some of my own tips for decorations and games!

Have your own small gambling game and have each guest put down a dollar (or more or less) and choose squares for what they think the end score will be of the big game! Here is a link to the How-To's http://www.ehow.com/how_5664676_play-football-pool-squares.html



When I think of superbowl I think of beer... so get football  beer coozies for everyone at the party and use used beer bottles to make fun centerpieces and vases.  Have football helmets, footballs and jerseys as decoration.



You can go all out and make everything packers and/or steelers colors and have everything with a football theme or make it simple with a few small items. Whatever you choose you will have a great time! Enjoy the game everyone and drink and eats LOTS!

Pics From:

DCBeer.com

billbrady.wordpress.com