Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
{inspiration} tiny cake pops
{ps: if you know the source, please let me know!}
Saturday, January 29, 2011
you're in steeler country.
Being a Steeler fan means so much more than football. It means being from a corner of the world unlike any other.
It means being from a place where the people are so tough-minded that they have survived the Homestead strikes, the Johnstown flood and most recently the Etna Floods. These people have the DNA of hard work, in mills and mines, without the necessity of complaint. They live simply, with no frills. They don't have movie stars or fancy cars.
Instead, they have simple traditions like kielbasa, Kennywood, and celebrations. They live in distinctive neighborhoods like Polish Hill and the Hill District and all of the surrounding counties. These people are genuine.
They don't have chic internet cafes and cappuccinos, but they have The Original Hot Dog joint, Primanti's, Eat n' Park and Iron City Beer. People from Pittsburgh don't have sunny beaches or fancy boats, but the rivers roll gently, connecting the small towns of people whose histories have been built on strength and humility.
People from Pittsburgh don't have the biggest shopping malls or the best nightclubs, but they'll take Friday night high school football and Steeler Sunday over anything.
Steeler football means so much more than you think. It symbolizes a Diaspora of generations who had the best childhood they could imagine.
They ran free without a care or concern in the valleys of those Allegheny Mountains . Their blue-collar world was easy ... there was no one to tell them that they lacked material things. There was no one to tell them that they needed more.
As the steel mills closed and the jobs disappeared, some of these people had to leave. While the world benefits because they spread their Pittsburgh values, they long for their home where things were simpler and more pure.
They teach their kids about Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Ham, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Greene, and Myron Cope in hopes of imparting not just the knowledge, but the feeling that they represented.
They are everywhere, those Terrible Towels. They wave, not just for the team, but for the hearts they left behind.
They wave in living rooms in Fort Lauderdale and in the bars of Washington , D.C. They wave all the way to the Seattle Superdome! They wave for the Rooney family, whose values mirror our own - loyalty, grit, and humility.
They wave for football players like Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward, whose unselfishness and toughness have allowed sports to be about the game and the team.
Make no mistake that Steeler football is not just about football. I could not be prouder to be from the Pittsburgh area than I am right now!! Even if you no longer live in the area, you have South Western Pennsylvania in your blood no matter where you go.
And deep down in your heart of hearts, you can still hear the Super Bowls of times past, the excitement in everyone's voices especially our fathers, cousins, and anyone else who gathered around the TV on Football Sundays!
Make no mistake, its just as exciting right now! It's not just about rivalries and who is better than the other, it's about family, tradition and roots! It's more than football, but its football at its finest! If you now live in Arizona , Colorado , Ohio , Indiana , California , Florida , Nevada , or Texas , be proud of where you were born and who your FIRST favorite football team was!
Picksburgh GO STILLERS! Ah yes! "Picksburgh"
Yinz is from the Picksburgh area or maybe you grew up there if:
1. You didn't have a spring break in high school.
2. You walk carefully when it is "slippy" outside.
3. You often go down to the "crick."
4. You've told your children to "red up" their rooms.
5. You can remember telling your little brother/sister to stop being so " nebby."
6. You've gotten hurt by falling into a "jaggerbush".
7. Your mother or grandmother has been seen wearing a "babushka" on her head.
8. You've "worshed" the clothes.
9. I ask you to hand me one of those "Gum-Bands" an' you actually know what I'm talking about.
10. You know you can't drive too fast on the back roads, because of the deer.
11. You know Beaver Valley , Turtle Crick, Mars, Slippery Rock, Greentree and New Castle are names of towns. And you've been to most, if not all, of them.
12. A girl walks up to three of her girl friends and says,"HEY,YENZ GUYS!"
13. You hear "you guyses" and don't think twice. Example: "you guyses hause is nice."
14. You know the three rivers by name and under stand that "The Point" isn't just on a writing instrument.
15. Someone refers to "The Mon" or "The Yough" and you know exactly what they're talking about.
16. You remember the blizzard of 2010 &1993 (or 1976, or 1950, or 1939 or...) and remember not being able to go outside because the snow was over your head and you would have suffocated.
17. Someone starts the chant, "Here we go Still-ers!" and you join in. In the proper cadence, waving the appropriately colored towel.
18. Bob Prince and "There's a bug loose on the rug." hold special meaning for you.
19. You've either eaten a Farkleberry Tart or know someone who has.
20. You drink pop, eat hoagies, love perogies and one of your favorite sandwiches actually has coleslaw and French fries ON it.
21. You know what a "still mill" is.
22. You expect temps in the winter to be record-breaking cold and temps in the summer to be record-breaking hot.
23. You know what Eat 'N Park is and frequently ate breakfast there at 2:00 AM after the bar closed and made fun of people.
24. You order "dippy eggs" in a restaurant and get exactly what you wanted.
25. You spent your summers, or a school picnic at Luna Park , Kennywood, Westview, Sand Castle, or Idlewild.
26. You've been to the Braun's Bread Plant or Story Book Forest for a school field trip.
27. "Chipped ham" was always in your refrigerator when you was growin'up.
28. You refuse to buy any condiments besides Heinz unless a Pittsburgh athlete's picture is on the side of the container.
29. When you call the dog or the kids you shout, "Kum-mere" and they come.
30. Franco, Roberto, and Mario don't need last names and you can recite their exploits by heart.
31. Food at a wedding reception consists of rigatoni, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut and polska kielbasa.
It means being from a place where the people are so tough-minded that they have survived the Homestead strikes, the Johnstown flood and most recently the Etna Floods. These people have the DNA of hard work, in mills and mines, without the necessity of complaint. They live simply, with no frills. They don't have movie stars or fancy cars.
Instead, they have simple traditions like kielbasa, Kennywood, and celebrations. They live in distinctive neighborhoods like Polish Hill and the Hill District and all of the surrounding counties. These people are genuine.
They don't have chic internet cafes and cappuccinos, but they have The Original Hot Dog joint, Primanti's, Eat n' Park and Iron City Beer. People from Pittsburgh don't have sunny beaches or fancy boats, but the rivers roll gently, connecting the small towns of people whose histories have been built on strength and humility.
People from Pittsburgh don't have the biggest shopping malls or the best nightclubs, but they'll take Friday night high school football and Steeler Sunday over anything.
Steeler football means so much more than you think. It symbolizes a Diaspora of generations who had the best childhood they could imagine.
They ran free without a care or concern in the valleys of those Allegheny Mountains . Their blue-collar world was easy ... there was no one to tell them that they lacked material things. There was no one to tell them that they needed more.
As the steel mills closed and the jobs disappeared, some of these people had to leave. While the world benefits because they spread their Pittsburgh values, they long for their home where things were simpler and more pure.
They teach their kids about Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Ham, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Greene, and Myron Cope in hopes of imparting not just the knowledge, but the feeling that they represented.
They are everywhere, those Terrible Towels. They wave, not just for the team, but for the hearts they left behind.
They wave in living rooms in Fort Lauderdale and in the bars of Washington , D.C. They wave all the way to the Seattle Superdome! They wave for the Rooney family, whose values mirror our own - loyalty, grit, and humility.
They wave for football players like Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward, whose unselfishness and toughness have allowed sports to be about the game and the team.
Make no mistake that Steeler football is not just about football. I could not be prouder to be from the Pittsburgh area than I am right now!! Even if you no longer live in the area, you have South Western Pennsylvania in your blood no matter where you go.
And deep down in your heart of hearts, you can still hear the Super Bowls of times past, the excitement in everyone's voices especially our fathers, cousins, and anyone else who gathered around the TV on Football Sundays!
Make no mistake, its just as exciting right now! It's not just about rivalries and who is better than the other, it's about family, tradition and roots! It's more than football, but its football at its finest! If you now live in Arizona , Colorado , Ohio , Indiana , California , Florida , Nevada , or Texas , be proud of where you were born and who your FIRST favorite football team was!
Picksburgh GO STILLERS! Ah yes! "Picksburgh"
Yinz is from the Picksburgh area or maybe you grew up there if:
1. You didn't have a spring break in high school.
2. You walk carefully when it is "slippy" outside.
3. You often go down to the "crick."
4. You've told your children to "red up" their rooms.
5. You can remember telling your little brother/sister to stop being so " nebby."
6. You've gotten hurt by falling into a "jaggerbush".
7. Your mother or grandmother has been seen wearing a "babushka" on her head.
8. You've "worshed" the clothes.
9. I ask you to hand me one of those "Gum-Bands" an' you actually know what I'm talking about.
10. You know you can't drive too fast on the back roads, because of the deer.
11. You know Beaver Valley , Turtle Crick, Mars, Slippery Rock, Greentree and New Castle are names of towns. And you've been to most, if not all, of them.
12. A girl walks up to three of her girl friends and says,"HEY,YENZ GUYS!"
13. You hear "you guyses" and don't think twice. Example: "you guyses hause is nice."
14. You know the three rivers by name and under stand that "The Point" isn't just on a writing instrument.
15. Someone refers to "The Mon" or "The Yough" and you know exactly what they're talking about.
16. You remember the blizzard of 2010 &1993 (or 1976, or 1950, or 1939 or...) and remember not being able to go outside because the snow was over your head and you would have suffocated.
17. Someone starts the chant, "Here we go Still-ers!" and you join in. In the proper cadence, waving the appropriately colored towel.
18. Bob Prince and "There's a bug loose on the rug." hold special meaning for you.
19. You've either eaten a Farkleberry Tart or know someone who has.
20. You drink pop, eat hoagies, love perogies and one of your favorite sandwiches actually has coleslaw and French fries ON it.
21. You know what a "still mill" is.
22. You expect temps in the winter to be record-breaking cold and temps in the summer to be record-breaking hot.
23. You know what Eat 'N Park is and frequently ate breakfast there at 2:00 AM after the bar closed and made fun of people.
24. You order "dippy eggs" in a restaurant and get exactly what you wanted.
25. You spent your summers, or a school picnic at Luna Park , Kennywood, Westview, Sand Castle, or Idlewild.
26. You've been to the Braun's Bread Plant or Story Book Forest for a school field trip.
27. "Chipped ham" was always in your refrigerator when you was growin'up.
28. You refuse to buy any condiments besides Heinz unless a Pittsburgh athlete's picture is on the side of the container.
29. When you call the dog or the kids you shout, "Kum-mere" and they come.
30. Franco, Roberto, and Mario don't need last names and you can recite their exploits by heart.
31. Food at a wedding reception consists of rigatoni, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut and polska kielbasa.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
{pretty little things} couture bridal accessories
+
Bridal accessories should enhance the look of your wedding gown, and these pieces from Enchanted Atelier do just that. Can we say STUNNING?
chocolate bar wedding invitations
Being a stationery designer myself, I wouldn't normally showcase another designers work. But CHECK THIS OUT. Wedding invitations on CANDY. Hello!! Have you ever seen something so awesome? High five to Uncle Pear, the designer of the amazingness you're about to see.
"For Alessandra & David's wedding we designed this packaging handfolded on about two hundred Novi's chocolate bars. Every invitations contains a map to reach the church and a funny rhyme about the special occasion."
{via uncle pear}
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
{fashion} vera wang spring 2011 collection
Lovely Vera Wang Bridal Dresses
FIONA
Asymmetrically draped strapless stretch Mikado mermaid gown with full tissue organza skirt with ladder technique
FERN
Strapless two-piece silk gazaar gown with multi-tiered peplum bodice and cascading peplum skirt with tissue organza ladder technique
FAWN
Strapless soft mermaid gown with pleated illusion keyhole neckline, floating Chantilly lace applique and soft tissue organza blossom flange skirt
FARRAH
One shoulder soft modified mermaid gown with hand-painted organza and metallic tulle with corset bodice and blossom flange skirt
FREIDAS
Strapless sweetheart tissue organza & lightweight gazaar ballgown with asymmetrically draped corset bodice, Chantilly lace hand painting and softly draped skirt
Strapless silk gazaar & tissue organza modified mermaid gown with full-length asymmetrical blossom flange detail
Strapless sweetheart lightweight gazaar & silk crepe sheath with corset bodice and asymmetrically draped skirt
Strapless tulle and tissue organza ballgown with floating petal rosette embroidery on bodice and softly tucked skirt
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
{pretty little things} couture garters & panties.
Florrie Mitton has some serious cuteness going on. She uses some of the finest fabrics, silks, laces & trims to make her beautiful garters so special! Fun Fact: Hilary Duff wore Florrie Mitton on her wedding day!
And what about a pair of sexy panties to wear on your wedding day? Elle & Cee has it going on.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
{inspiration} wedding dresses.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
emotions running wild
If you would have asked me ten years ago where I saw myself in five, I never, in a million years, would have told you that I want to be a stay at home mom.
My goal was to graduate college, move to NYC and become an ad exec. Dreams, right? But then life happened.. I met this really cool guy that I kind of liked, and kind of liked turned into making my heart skip beats & he felt the same way so we got married and bought a house and never moved out of state.
We've been trying for... well, a long time. Like since we got married almost three years ago. I was so convinced that I didn't have an actual problem that I put off seeking treatment. I finally saw my gyno in winter 2009, who sent me for bloodwork. He wasn't happy with the results and referred me to a reproductive endocrinologist for further evaluation who ran 5 months worth of tests and diagnosed me with a syndrome called poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (which is really just a mouthful for jen is overweight with multiple cysts on both ovaries & probably can't have kids (which I suppose is a mouthful too.))
Two years ago a "friend" was upset with me because we were trying to start a family, and she didn't want a pregnant bridesmaid. Now I'm faced with another challenge... I'm in a wedding this summer, and the bride frequently questions when we will be pregnant. I'm sure she means well but I can't tell you how painful it is every time she asks me if we're pregnant yet. Or "do you know when you'll be pregnant?" or "how far along do you think you'll be in XX month?" I can't predict these things, and if I could, I wouldn't be undergoing fertility treatments. Does she not understand how insensitive it is to ask me these questions? That it kills me a little bit inside every time she asks me about us starting a family? That it's seriously not a big deal for me to buy a bridesmaid dress because worst case scenario, I have to buy a larger dress (in case we are pregnant at her wedding) and have it taken in (if we aren't). Or that it's not her fucking business?
I'm undergoing another treatment right now. My RE Specialist doubled the dose & doubled the length of time I'm supposed to take Clomid, so this "double whammy" is really supposed to do the trick. If it doesn't, then... we move on to something else, like an IUI. I'm supposed to test on February 13th/14th. Nothing like pressure, right? But in all seriousness, I already have my test bought. Because that's what I do... get excited, anxious and hopeful.
It seems like everyone around me is pregnant, and every other day there is a new announcement on facebook that someone else is expecting. I try to feel excited for them, but I selfishly admit that a tiny part of me is jealous and wishing it were me. Jealousy is one of the ugliest emotions, yet I feel it all the time. I do my best to try to be strong, but hearing "Did you know that so-and-so is pregnant?" over and over again is a painful reminder that we are alone. That we don't have kids. That we might not have kids. That I'm broken.
I have been hoping for joy, but preparing for heartache. There is absolutely no guarantee that we'll ever become pregnant, but the odds are (thankfully) in our favor. But after several rounds of unsuccessful treatments, I can't help but wonder if this will ever happen for us.
My goal was to graduate college, move to NYC and become an ad exec. Dreams, right? But then life happened.. I met this really cool guy that I kind of liked, and kind of liked turned into making my heart skip beats & he felt the same way so we got married and bought a house and never moved out of state.
We've been trying for... well, a long time. Like since we got married almost three years ago. I was so convinced that I didn't have an actual problem that I put off seeking treatment. I finally saw my gyno in winter 2009, who sent me for bloodwork. He wasn't happy with the results and referred me to a reproductive endocrinologist for further evaluation who ran 5 months worth of tests and diagnosed me with a syndrome called poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (which is really just a mouthful for jen is overweight with multiple cysts on both ovaries & probably can't have kids (which I suppose is a mouthful too.))
Two years ago a "friend" was upset with me because we were trying to start a family, and she didn't want a pregnant bridesmaid. Now I'm faced with another challenge... I'm in a wedding this summer, and the bride frequently questions when we will be pregnant. I'm sure she means well but I can't tell you how painful it is every time she asks me if we're pregnant yet. Or "do you know when you'll be pregnant?" or "how far along do you think you'll be in XX month?" I can't predict these things, and if I could, I wouldn't be undergoing fertility treatments. Does she not understand how insensitive it is to ask me these questions? That it kills me a little bit inside every time she asks me about us starting a family? That it's seriously not a big deal for me to buy a bridesmaid dress because worst case scenario, I have to buy a larger dress (in case we are pregnant at her wedding) and have it taken in (if we aren't). Or that it's not her fucking business?
I'm undergoing another treatment right now. My RE Specialist doubled the dose & doubled the length of time I'm supposed to take Clomid, so this "double whammy" is really supposed to do the trick. If it doesn't, then... we move on to something else, like an IUI. I'm supposed to test on February 13th/14th. Nothing like pressure, right? But in all seriousness, I already have my test bought. Because that's what I do... get excited, anxious and hopeful.
It seems like everyone around me is pregnant, and every other day there is a new announcement on facebook that someone else is expecting. I try to feel excited for them, but I selfishly admit that a tiny part of me is jealous and wishing it were me. Jealousy is one of the ugliest emotions, yet I feel it all the time. I do my best to try to be strong, but hearing "Did you know that so-and-so is pregnant?" over and over again is a painful reminder that we are alone. That we don't have kids. That we might not have kids. That I'm broken.
I have been hoping for joy, but preparing for heartache. There is absolutely no guarantee that we'll ever become pregnant, but the odds are (thankfully) in our favor. But after several rounds of unsuccessful treatments, I can't help but wonder if this will ever happen for us.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
{inspiration} wedding cakes
I am a huge fan of 1-2 tiered cakes right now. What do you think of these little beauties? The lace piping is simply stunning!
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