Personalize Your Style: Gadabout

Hannah of Gadabout is incredibly talented and captures the essence of personalization like no other designer I have ever seen. Here is a sneak peek of a few of her fabulous notecards.

What better way for a Bride to begin her correspondence than with notecards like these?

Buy them for everyone you know: maid-of-honor, best friend, boss, secretary, teacher. Keep them on hand for hostess gifts and spur of the moment birthday parties.

Absolutely fabulous!

www.agadabout.com

Real Couple: A Love Story

We featured pictures from Bridget and Steve's Wintery Wedding over a year ago. Well, since then, Bridget has embraced the blogging world and are you ready? She is sharing their incredible love story on her blog: "Tales of me and the Husband (plus 4 kids and a gracie)"

Warning: It is a laugh out loud tear jerker!

Glorious Giveaways

Erin McDermott Jewelry giveaway hosted by: Southern Weddings. Check out Erin's fabulous jewelry and tell Southern Weddings about why you like them and you could can enter to win a pair of these pretty pearl earrings. Hurry you must enter here by February 17th.

Are you getting married near Chicago? Well than this contest is for you! Doug McGoldrick is offering free wedding photography to a lucky couple. The catch, his daughters get to pick the winner! You have to write your story and send a photo by February 22nd. For all of the details, visit Doug's blog here.

Need Invitations for your wedding? bridal shower? engagement party? Then check out Papermints. They are offering 50 free RSVP sets with purchase of 100 invitations.

Aregreyline & Lucky + Lovely have teamed up to offer free wedding photography and styling! To enter, your ideas of what your wedding will be must be super unique and you must face financial barriers. To learn more about the details, check out either of the posts above and enter to win! They will be deciding on the winner March 1st, so don't delay, enter here.

And my own very special giveaway:

A $50 discount on any calligraphy order in 2010!

3 Ways to Enter:

(in separate blog posts)

become a follower and tell me

tell me why you think calligraphy is important

blog about my giveaway and add the link in a blog post

Deadline: March 23rd

(my birthday!)

The Smiths: Family Portrait Session

My favorite photography duo has come through for me again! My family decided to throw a last minute surprise party for my dad has he hit a major milestone. (literally only a week's notice) So we needed to figure out a way to get Dad out of the house. Michael and Lindsay immediately came to mind! In a pinch (from Hawaii) Lindsay was able to pencil us in after an early portrait session that same day.

Communicating via facebook and e-mail, we were able to line everything up and keep the surprise on the down low.

Michael and Lindsay were troopers and drove through snow to meet us and help us keep Dad otherwise occupied while friends set up at the house and guests began to arrive. Here are just a few of my favorites, including fantastic shots of the actual surprise!

and the Surprise:

Check out The Smiths Pictures for your special photography moment!

P.S. Their wedding photography is out of this world!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day!

Can you believe it? Are you prepared? If not, here are a few quick ideas to keep your loved ones happy (and unaware).

Image: Christen's Kitchen

Oreo Truffles - with only a few ingredients that any convenient store will likely carry: Oreos, Cream Cheese, and Chocolate, this should be a cinch to pull together. But if Oreos aren't your love language, be sure to see the rest of Christen's Truffle Recipes including everything from raspberries to Bailey's Irish Creme.

Image: Decor8

Candles and Candlesticks - Candle light will set the mood for an evening at home...dinner and a movie anyone? But they also bring the promise of romance in the future. Attach bows to indicate that the candlesticks are a gift, and add in a few love coupons (Hint: you can make these yourself!) with promises of activities by candle light.

Image: Kitchen Creations

Breakfast in Bed - Pick up a heart shaped cookie cutter to make pancakes, french toast, or even fried eggs that much more special!

A Picture Frame and a Bottle of Wine - Present the frame with a note declaring your intentions to capture the moment and frame the bottle of wine you are yet to enjoy this holiday. Be sure to save the bottle. Once it is empty put it in the oven at 250 for 5-10 minutes. As the bottle heats up, the glue adhering the label with loosen. Have a piece of paper ready to stick the label to and be sure to use caution!

Image: Design*Sponge

Decorate - It is unexpected and can be a lot of fun. Just be sure to take pictures to capture your hard work! For fabulous decorating ideas, check out Design*Sponge.

Have a Lovely Valentine's Day!