Only 15 Days Until Christmas!

Well… actually there are only 14 shopping days left!! Can you believe how quickly this year has flown by? It seems like just yesterday I was getting engaged, planning a wedding, walking down the aisle, sitting on the beach in Jamaica. Ahhh, how wonderful 2010 has been!

Since we have a whopping 2 weeks left until Jolly Ol’ St. Nick comes squeezing down our chimneys, I decided to make a quick checklist for my last minute Mary Kay shoppers. Here are some of my favorites as well as my customers favorites that make excellent Christmas gifts for moms, neighbors, sisters, wives, family friends, teachers… you get it right? EVERYONE loves getting pampered and there is nothing better than a practical Christmas gift. Please note, these are in no specific order – they all ROCK and all come in UNDER $20!

#15 - Starting our countdown is a Mary Kay Best-Seller – ULTIMATE MASCARA. Fantastic for all lash shapes and lengths, this mascara is long wear, no run, all around super fantastic. The smart brush technology is sure to make your eyes pop. ($15)




#14 – Get those lips Mistletoe ready – SATIN LIPS SET. The winter causes our lips to become dry and cracked. Fight mother nature’s harsh weather with the lip mask and balm. ($18)

#13 – Another Mary Kay Best-Seller and customer favorite – OIL-FREE EYE MAKEUP REMOVER. After a long day of Ultimate Mascara wear, you need to clean the slate to start fresh. This remover works to remove both waterproof and non-waterproof mascaras leaving no oily residue. ($15)

#12 – Sooth those tired eyes – INDULGE SOOTHING EYE GEL. Got sleepy eyes this Christmas morning? Wipe away the bags with the relaxing gel. Instantly reduces bags giving a freshened look. ($15)

#11 – Ahhh, the smell of Warm Amber, Exotic Passionfruit, Simply Cotton or Enchanted Orchid fill the air – FRAGRANCE COLLECTION LOTION, SHOWER GEL OR SUGAR SCRUB. Let the amazing scents of Mary Kay’s Fragrance Collection pamper you and yours today. Purchase as a set or separately. ($15/each)




#10 – Beauty to go – COMPACT. Mary Kay’s patented compact design is perfect to fit in a woman’s purse, pocket and hand. Perfect for customizing the latest trend, the magnetic bottoms allow for easy filling. ($18 – unfilled)

#9 – Fill those compacts – MINERAL EYE SHADES. Customize your compact with the latest eye color trends. Mineral powder eye shades are perfect for light day looks or sultry evening eye. Baby blues and sexy browns are sure to love these colors! ($6.50/each)

#8 – Compacts need some cheek color – MINERAL CHEEK SHADES. Complete your glamour look with a mineral cheek shade. Perfect for your compact and every look you need. ($10/each)

#7 – Make that Eye Shade last all day… and night – EYE PRIMER. Love this product! The lightweight cream helps eye colors pop, while keeping them from creasing throughout the day. Perfect for daily use! ($12)

#6 – Unruly eye brows? – BROW GEL. Keep those brows in place with the clear brow gel from Mary Kay. Excellent for polishing off your look, this gel holds brows in place & keeps brow pencils all day strong! ($10)

#5 – Lightweight, full coverage, yes please – MEDIUM COVERAGE LIQUID FOUNDATION. Another one of my personal favorites, this liquid foundation is made of marine extract pigments (top quality). Long lasting and full coverage! ($14)

#4 – Make those eye pop – EYELINER. Toss out that old black eyeliner and spice it up this season with a new shade from Mary Kay. Amethyst, Taupe, Olive, Steel, Navy & Bronze eyeliners complete your look with a twist. Of course, we do have the black for those evening, smokey eyes. ($10/each)

#3 – Tips of your fingers and toes – NAIL POLISH. Don’t leave your digits out of the fun. Try Mary Kay’s limited edition Nail Colors in Crimson, Purple and Silver. So festive and so fun! I have one of each color, so grab them before they are gone! ($8/each)

#2 – Pamper those peds – ENERGIZING MINT LOTION. I love, love, love this product. Bring your feet new life with this amazing lotion. Cracked heals are gone after a fabulously scented rub. ($10)

#1 – Last, but certainly not least, keep those fingers friendly – SATIN HAND CREAM. Lasting through several hand washes, this hand cream keeps your fingers ready for all your Christmas gatherings. No one likes dry fingers, so keep your hand cream handy! Comes in fragrance free or peach scents ($10)

Oh what I lovely countdown… these products are sure to make everyone’s Christmas list this year!

Gift wrapping service is available, so let me know which products I can wrap up for you today!

Merry Christmas,
Steph


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Christmas Cards

One thing that I LOVE to do - besides writing & blogging of course - is using my creativity and design skills to create some really cute stuff!  I designed our Christmas cards last year and thought I'd give it another go this year... I love it. 

As you can see, my design taste is very simple.  Less is more.  I am a sucker for clean lines and contemporary styled fonts.

I also decided to design a Christmas card for my mom.  Jennifer, my brother's girlfriend, took this precious picture of our pug Zorro this summer.  I thought he needed a santa hat for the season!  Cute huh?

Need some holiday cards?  I'd love to help!  I create them and turn them into jpegs so I can print at home to save money OR upload to a site like Shutterfly or Vistaprint depending on the stock I want to use.

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Willowed My House

A few weekends ago I held my second annual Willow House (formerly Southern Living at Home) party. First of all, I A-DORE their home decor. The unique touches, elegant patterns and high quality companied with reasonable prices allow me to decorate my home with nice items - not my old $2 junk from the clearance isle at JoAnn's!

I'm so excited about my new stuff that I wanted to share... So, without more rambling from me, here are the newest additions to my collection:

Medallion Mirror & Cordova Sconces: these SO completed the living room decor!



Cyprus Footed Bowl & Elegant Christmas Balls: I'm not done decorating here... Just wanted them out since they arrived yesterday :)



Filigree Iron Candelabra: Brandon's pick of the bunch. We will move it to the mantel after Christmas is over. My Santos Angel is also Willow House... Got her last year!



Lady Jane Vases: perfection! They are exactly what I wanted and much larger than I thought they would be, which is a good thing.



Framework Urn: I had to get this... My lovely friend Adrian has this and decorates so well with it that I decided I'd follow her lead. Now I just need some festive fillers!



Utensil Holder: completed the kitchen look... A LOT better than the old wooden one we had.



Candle Sticks: I found these in the outlet for $9 each (original price was $40 or so) - bought 2. They frame out my Christmas decorations fabulously!



So... Now that you've seen all my goodies, you have to understand why I was WAY TOO EXCITED when I came home to this:

Delish Deviled Eggs

Today, my husband's company is throwing a Thanksgiving lunch for their employees and spouses. (I know, so sweet.) BUT since I'm WAY down here in Norcross I wasn't able to make it. Yeah, I'm a bit bummed about that.

Since I couldn't be there in person, yesterday I decided I'd help my honey out by making the deviled eggs he had offered to bring. Can you imagine what our kitchen would've looked like if he had made them? Eeek!

Here is my yumm-o / easy recipe that you should use to treat you and yours this holiday season!





18 eggs (these are good y'all, people are going to eat a bunch)
3 spoonfuls of Mayo
4 pickle spears (dill please... Sweet pickles are nasty and you know it)
A splash of pickle juice
A squeeze of yellow mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika for sprinkling over the finished eggs

Boil your eggs. (If you don't know how to do that shoot me a message and I'll dive into it with ya.)

Peel eggs. Cut eggs in half and remove yellow/yolk. Set aside in bowl.

In food processor mix yellows, pickles, pickle juice, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 whole boiled eggs. Blend together well - the food processor makes the filling fluffy.

Scoop out into plastic bag and cut corner off to create an easy piping tool. Fill each egg white generously and sprinkle with paprika.

Done and delish! Happy Holiday Cooking!!

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Longing for a Good Read

One of my recent goals is to develop my reading investments into more than a once a year, beach trip, mindless reader. My entire life I've always said "I'm not a reader... Don't enjoy it", but have come to the conclusion that my statement isn't entirely true. My issue with reading isn't the fact that I don't like to dive into a great book, it's the being pulled back out to face reality. If I could curl up on the couch or sink into my rocking chair on my back deck and spend days reading volumes of books, I believe I would be content as could be. Unfortunately, doing such an extraordinary task would cause a lot of strain on one's finances... So, since I'm no millionaire with boo-koos of time on my hands, I've begun to set aside moments in the day where I can designate time for reading - perfect example is my lunch break. Thirty minutes of uninterrupted (well... I try if the bossman leaves me be) reading time. Perfection.

I'm also going to TRY to venture outside my typical comfort zone and try some new genres... I did read an excellent book on leadership that blew my friggin' mind. AMAZE-ING!

I've noticed that, since I have a limited time, my reading abilities have sped up... I mean, I'm reading at a much quicker tempo these days.


I've just finished a book by Tasha Alexander called Tears of Pearl. Her writing technique is intriguing as she develops her characters and storyline through the excessive use of dialogue, while painting descriptions of their surroundings with narrative text. The book was ok - meaning it wasn't great and it wasn't bad. I always try to take a stance but I'm sitting on the fence whether I enjoy her writing abilities at the moment. Her story, presumably suspenseful, was lacking. Her attempt to throw romanticism in on the action seemed half-hearted. Simply, it was (to me of course) an underdeveloped romance novel with a few murders/case solving thrown in. Not really my kind of book. However, I may venture to read one more of her novels in order to decide if it is her writing style or choice of plot that turns me away.

Now that I'm on a new path for reading what authors or titles shall I grab next time I'm at the library?

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mobile Blogging

Ok readers... Once again, I'm trying ANOTHER blogging app. This one I like much better because it allows me to use a little more bells and whistles. :)

As a trial run, here is a precious little photo of my precious little girl sleeping in the floor after sharing WAY too much popcorn with her daddy.





Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

You Can Call Me Sal...

Sal-monella that is!

Seriously, this is one of the worst, most drawn out, most embarrassing illnesses I've ever had! My life for the past month = too many trips to the bathroom. So bad.

Originally my doctors thought I had brought back a lovely little parasite from Jamaica, but after a few (and let me say VERY embarrassing) tests, the results came back with Salmonella. Normally treated with a little TLC and maybe a round of antibiotics, Salmonella goes unnoticed or hardly causes a problem. Of course you know me... I have to get the Mamajama Salmonella.

After 1 round of antibiotics my symptoms came back a week later with a vengeance!! High fever and aches - blah! So, dr has put me up for round 2 of antibiotics in hopes this gets knocked out... Prayers people... Needed!

According to the doc, picking up a simple food born thing like Salmonella is one thing inside the good ol' USA, but another beast entirely when it comes from a third world country. I know this first hand - ONLY a beast can keep me down for so long!

Here is to better health - and a tummy that allows me to actually KEEP my food intake down. :)

Good Times & God Bless,
Barfarella

Waiting for my Pictures

Since I haven't been able to share my professionally taken wedding photos with you, I figured I would tease ya a bit with this one... Fingers crossed they are ready soon!!

Post Wedding Hair Results

Thought I'd take a quick second to share a photo of the new do.

I'm loving the bangs & the tons of layers. :)

Thanks to all who voiced their votes. Appreciate the assistance.

Anyone else going to make a hair change? I know mine doesn't look drastic, but the bangs took some getting use to!

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Wedding Vendors: Complete Music & DJ Services

Complete Music (www.cmusic.com) was the DJ service we selected for our wedding. Coming highly recommended, we went ahead and booked Complete Music early. Their pricing was budget-friendly AND they gave us $200 off for having a Sunday wedding! Now THAT is my kind of deal!!

Grading:
Product = A
Customer Service = A
Reliability = A
Overall Rating = A

Robert, our amazing, super, awesome DJ was exactly what we wanted for our day! He arrived on time, set up his equipment, helped us out with sound for the ceremony and kept guests dancing all night! I do have to say he was a trooper... In order to go along with the Collegiate Theme, I asked him to dawn his maze & blue Michigan tie & I was SO happy when I saw that he had remembered!

We met Robert at a bridal show back in January and I knew then he would be the perfect personality fit for us! I recommend him for all your DJing needs.

The coolest part about Complete Music is their personality questions. While filling out the forms I thought it was a big daunting, but come wedding day it all paid off. Robert acted like he has known us for years, which helped make the day much more personable.

Ooooo... AND he brought along all kinds of disco lights to set the mood into dance mode. We had a blast and wish there was another event we had coming up for Complete Music to join us again! (I wonder if a DJ at a baby shower is overkill. Hahaha!!)

A quick note: save some money brides! Hold your wedding on a Sunday afternoon and get off season rates from several of your vendors!

Good Luck Brides to Be & God Bless,
Steph

Wedding Vendors: David's Bridal & Savvi Formalwear

As promised, I'm going to recap & rate the vendors who helped make our wedding such a HUGE success. I'll rate on a grading scale, so it's universally known what is going down.

I figured there really was no rhyme or reason for where to start, so today we will chat about the dresses & tuxes.

David's Bridal:
Product = A
Customer Service = D
Reliability = F
Overall Rating = D+

I know, strange to see the varied grading on this one... Here is the scoop... Back in December of 2009, I visited David's Bridal to check out their selection. I was very happy with the bridesmaids dresses and actually picked them out there on the spot - 20 minutes down. I then went to the bridal dress side and had HUGE success, finding the gown I wanted in record timing... Not to mention, it was the $99 gown (woop!). Selection day at David's Bridal was perfect, but from there on out it went down hill fast!

Each of my bridesmaids (I had 5) ran into issues when it came time to purchase their dress. The dress selections were lost & had to be re-entered, the color selections were incorrect, they discontinued one of my colors and, finally, they ordered the wrong size for one of my girls. Now, as a bride who was doing the wedding planning & prep herself, these kinks (if you will) were staggering at times.

In the end, the products were all as I had originally wanted, but that sure didn't come without several heated phone calls to the manager & a headache or two on my end.

If you do decide that David's is the place for you, call your consultant to check on your registry occasionally... I know they are supposed to call you, but sometimes you've got to take it into your own hands ladies!

Savvi Formalwear:
Product = A
Customer Service = B+
Reliability = C+
Overall = B

This was a fun process. Brandon, Kevin (my little bro) & I went to the Savvi shop at the Mall of Georgia where they greeted us with a smile. The process was painless (I was shocked at the number of different types of tuxes) and relatively quick. They matched our color swatches to perfection & off we went!

My only deductions on the grading are because I had asked for the guys to select the shoes of their choice, but they didn't note that in their system. Causing a bit of a stir three days out from the wedding with the wrong shoes for the guys because "the bride didn't select a specific shoe" was a bit silly. I mean, it's a freaking shoe people!! Who cares!?! However, they quickly fixed all problems and the guys looked gorgeous!

A quick note:
Ladies, don't be bridezilla. Every vendor I had told me that I was the most easy-going bride they had ever met. Seriously? Life isn't perfect, so what makes you think your wedding day will be any different? Just make your picks, be open to ideas, and prepare for the best time of your life... Stress is overrated!

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Post Wedding Hair

I'm having a dilemma here... Hair appointment is 24 hours out and I have NOT made up my mind about what I want to do with my tresses. Keep it longer? Cut it shorter? I'm a ball of undecidedness here y'all!

Keep the length and add layers?

Take the razor to it?

Take some of the length off and soften the look?

I did come across three photos that I kinda like... Maybe I can combine all three to make a superfab hair bomb. Ugh... Help!

Wedding Day

Welp, it's here... Today is wedding day! I cannot believe all the hard work and long planning process has come to an end. It's a bittersweet feeling...

I'm sure many of you former brides think I'm nuts for posting this morning, but since I've been awake since 5:30, already had my Hampton Inn waffle & would wake up my beautiful bridesmaids if I went back upstairs, I thought I'd take a sec to recap the amazing amount of feelings that are running through my heart right now.

I'm stoked! Today I marry my best friend!! I am so excited to start the next part of our journey together...

I'm nervous... My stomach is an absolute mess! I feel like I swallowed 10 butterflies or something! Maybe that waffle wasn't the best idea. :-/ By the way, not a fan of being the center of attention, so being the bride is gonna be hard. Can you request your guests to not look at you? Ha!!

I'm excited! Christmas morning as a child times 10 type of excitement. Hey, maybe I'll be able to sleep on Christmas Eve from now on! ;)

I'm on the verge of being emotional. I can feel the tears coming, but know that they won't start rolling until about 3:15 or so... I hope.

I'm a ball of feelings right now. Seriously! It's the strangest feeling.

Thank you to all of our family and friends for helping us get to where we are today... We are so blessed to have you and each other!

GREAT Times & God Bless,
Mrs. Hunt ;)

Wedding Week Has Arrived

Hello Blogging Buddies!!

Wedding week is FINALLY upon us! After 10 months of blood, sweat & tears we will soon be able to see the fruits of our labor. Excited is an understatement!

The vendors we have selected over the engagement / planning process will surely be put to the test this Sunday. With our guest list topping out at 275 (about 75 - 100 more than we had originally expected) there will be lots of people looking for a great time. Quick note to future brides: don't listen to the 60% rule of attendance... We are pushing 92%!!

When I return from my magical Jamaican getaway, I will review each of the vendors. Future brides should get the good, the bad & the ugly of it all up front. Although I'm sure MY vendors are going to be the good!

Just for a quick note, here are the vendors that are help us make our day so special:
Catering - Ippolitos @ The Forum
Cake - Sugar Kneads
Photography - Platinum Bride
DJ - Complete Music
Venue - 550 Trackside
Guest Transportation - The Lawrenceville Trolley

Cannot wait to share this time with our friends & family!!

GREAT Times & God Bless,
Steph "Hunt to be"

The Forgiveness of Sins

Have you ever had one of those moments? You know, where you suddenly realize what God's message is to you? I like to call them your "Here's Yerr Sign" (thank you Bill Engval) moments. Well, I had one of those just about 5 minutes ago.

Let me begin by going back to last night... Our small group is back in session (amen to that) and we are diving into Vintage Jesus this semester. Now, let me start by sharing that I am a Christian. I love Jesus. However, lately I've been feeling like a fan instead of a follower... I feel like I'm falling down on my face instead of running toward the light. Get it? So I'm stoked to get into this and see what it is inside me that is holding me back.

Anyway, back to my "ta-dah" moment... Last night we learned about the different aspects of Jesus that make him the one true God. I've wrestled with that for YEARS but last night helped in my journey toward ultimate faith and today, something discussed last night - something that came from my own lips - smacked me upside the head.

Here's Yerr Sign - These past few months have been a bit of a struggle seeing that all goes well and smooth for the wedding (10 days to go). Today everything seemed to pile up and explode causing more stress than I was really hoping for at this point. All day, back and forth, to and fro, here and there... Ok, enough. My mom sent me an uplifting email in which she told me to do one thing to get rid of the negative thoughts and feelings... She told me to PRAY.

While I was pondering the mornings festivities (if you will) and her email, it hit me... Last night, what was my response to why I believe Jesus is the way, the truth & the light? "Because He forgives our sins"

HELLO STEPHANIE!! HERE'S YERR SIGN!!!

So I pray, Dear Lord, that you grant me the ultimate peace with things that arise such as they did this morning and that You give me the grace to forgive others as You do so me each day.

Be uplifted y'all. It's amazing what Jesus can do for you! :)

Good Times & God Bless,
Stephanie

Luke 5:20-21

Fall Fever

Hello Blogging Buds! I'm sure if you live around the South, you are SO with me when I proclaim I AM READY FOR FALL!! I do love the heat and sun of summertime, but I've got Fall Fever BAD this year. I'm ready for the changing colors, pumpkins and spice scents, cooler temperatures, football - ya get it.

Since I've caught "tha fevah", I went ahead and began my home transformation over this past weekend. I mean, what a way to usher out the last weekend if summer (not really, but unofficially) than to throw up some fall foliage and lights, right?

Take a look at my fall frenzy mantel (& excuse the iPhone quality photo). This so simple look took all of 5 minutes. All I used were:
1 - set of white lights with brown cord
2 - two leaf garlands I bought on sale a few years back
3 - my olive jars from Willow House (formerly Southern Living at Home)
4 - my new "H"s from my dear friend Kelly
5 - twigs that the Mr picked up while exploring with the pup

In a nutshell, I had all these lovlies at home, combined them and tah-dah, a beautiful look for the fall. Now all we need is a TV to join the party ;).

How are you decorating your digs for the cooler temps? Any suggestions for other parts of the house?

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Blogging From The iPhone

Hey readers!

I'm super excited to share that I'm blogging from my iPhone! Hoping this allows me to post more... Off to explore the new app!

Good times & God Bless!
Steph

Red IS My Color

The title of this blog is something that many of you think you already know – Red IS My Color.  Yeah, I've worn red my entire life… especially in the fall.  (GO DAWGS & ROLL TIDE)  This red is a different kind of red – this red is Mary Kay RED.

When I first began my Mary Kay business at the end of March this year, I decided that I wanted to go as far as possible, as fast as possible. (Besides, who wouldn't want aFREE caddie in PINK?!)  One of my first milestones just happened last week when I received my official promotion to Senior Beauty Consultant.  I was awarded my Mary Kay beauty coat and given my pin enhancer.  I'll be honest, I was a happy, but not super excited.  All that meant to me was that I was halfway to my first goal… (my go big or go home goal) but that all changed on Tuesday. 

Let me begin the SUPER EXCITING part by saying this: my mom is amazing.  She has been SO supportive of my business being an excellent customer and spreading the word about the Mary Kay opportunity.  Well, she finally was able to be rewarded as a talent scout when she helped me recruit my third team member this week!  This put me to my next promotion, Star Recruiter, helped me achieve my first HUGE milestone and put me into my RED JACKET!  Now many of you think I'm nuts because I'm so excited about a red jacket, and that is understandable.  All I can say is know that it is a big deal.  I'm moving as fast as I possibly can to hit goals that will put me on target to debut as a Sales Director in January – changing my red to blue!

I am so excited that God placed such an amazing opportunity in my life to help be support my soon-to-be family (soon is an understatement… we are down to 51 days folks!), to help me grow in such an amazing way and to allow me to meet such amazing women. 

Some other exciting news on the Mary Kay front is that I will be going on target for my first car in August (yes, this August… as in two days from now).  My team is a strong one and I am so blessed to be able to work with such amazing women. 

Good Times & God Bless, 
Steph

Tybee 2010: Report 1

Oh Tybee, how we adore you! The trip has been a BLAST so far and we still have an entire we of fun in the sun!

Just a quick update...

Reception Tables

About a month ago, someone asked me about how the wedding was going... The conversation went a little like this:
     Other: "How is the planning coming along?"
     Steph: "Pretty much done... Need to get rolling on my invites, but other than that I'm good."
     Other: "You have everything? Caterer? Flowers? Linens?"
     Steph: "Oh yeah! My cousin is catering, Brandon's aunt is doing the flowers & we registered for all out linens."
     Other: "Uh, I meant linens for the reception tables..."
     Steph: "Ohhhh.... Forgot about those. Oops!"

I knew that tables needed to be covered at wedding receptions, but I didn't think about WHO was responsible for it. Guess I just assumed it was gonna get done. Ha!

I started my search for the best fit. Like I said in the invitation post (see here), I want the simple, southern, elegance theme throughout - I want people to be comfortable, but think "how nice!"... Got it?

To tie in to the "Simple" & "Southern" part of the theme, the tables will be decorated with antique mason jars of all sizes! I just love the old blue shade the glass has... It also leads to a little more casual feel.

There are going to be three different heights on our tables that will scatter throughout the room on the 15 tables. The first is the short look - blending fall leaves with an overturned Mason jar. (Please excuse the bad pictures and horrible arranging skills I have... just imagine perfection here.)

The second is two medium sized Mason jars, one holding flowers - spider mums, etc - and one overturned.

The third is one large Mason jar with tall glads.

To tie it all together, here is the picture i found of the table layout I wanted. I love the look of this table! It is simple & was exactly the inspiration I needed... Instead of the blue, we are going with black.

Whew... Tablescapes are hard work!  What were your tables like at your reception?  Any thoughts on mine? 

Good Times & God Bless,
Steph

Wedding Invitations

September 19th is quickly approaching (82 days for you folks who are counting down) & I'm getting super excited! Sometimes I'm nervous, others calm - just cannot wait!!

In order to have a HUGE yet budget wedding, I decided one way to cut costs would be to make my own invitations. Wanting them to follow along with the theme - Simple Southern Elegance. I found a really cute idea for the invites at Michaels and decided I'd give them a shot. Making my changes in the ribbon color and invitation selection, they are EXACTLY what I was looking for!

The best part is the price! With coupons and a selection of a little cheaper ribbon, the total for all the invitation supplies is right at $200... Saves me a nice chunk of change all while giving me the simplicity I was going for (and allowing me to throw my crafting skills in to the mix).

First, I printed the information on the invitations by following the instructions provided in the invitation box. All it takes is a little formatting in word and you're all set! Then, I cut the ribbons to fit around the invites for a little pop of color...


Secured them with glue dots and poof! My perfect Simple Southern Elegance wedding invitations!! I also made the response cards, printed the return address on the envelope and made the cute little "info" squares to let guests know about our wedding website where the bulk of the information can be found.

What special touches did you add to your wedding invitations?
Good times & God bless,

Steph

Moooving Aint No Fun...

... So I'm staying put for the next couple of years!

Hello blogging world! Whew... We are in and the new digs are super-amazingly-fantastic! (Like my new word?)

Let me start with a quick shout out to ALL of the family and friends who helped out (Keith, Tim, Timbo, Deb, Adrian, Waters, Kevin & Ma for watching the granddog). We appreciate ALL the help and would've never been able to get it done without you!!

As we started unpacking everything I decided that the walls were going to have to stay the plain ol' creamy color for a while - I have no energy or time to tackle that right now. Slowly, but surely, things are being unpacked and pictures are making their way to the walls - it's so nice!!!

Here are a couple of quick pictures of the place. Note, it is no where near being finished on the decorating end.

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Mary Kay Office

Stop on by for a tour anytime! :)

Good times & God bless,
Steph

Moving Day 2010

So, I'm freaking STOKED... We made it folks... Moving Day 2010 is almost here. Actually coming a week early, I thought this day would never come. Not that I hate where I live, because I don't. I'm actually staying here - same complex, different (MUCH larger apartment).

Here are the deets: was expecting to move the weekend of June 4-5 into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, apartment with a loft. Thinking of all the extra space just makes my mouth water... The guest bedroom, the Mary Kay loft office. Magic was going to happen.

Then I got a call TODAY. Long story short - guy had apartment, guy doesn't want to leave apartment, B&S don't get loft apartment. Hold it, it gets amazingly better right here!

In an effort to keep good customers happy, our amazing office staff threw out some options. The final decision, after a walk through of course, is this... Next weekend we are moving into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. Yes, 1548 square feet of habitable space!

Decorating thoughts mentioned in previous posts are still applicable, just no wall colors for now.

Although this is going to hit us like a ton of bricks about a week from now, the extra space is LONG overdue.

"I" Story

When I first started Mary Kay, I was seeking an avenue for additional income with the flexibility to work on my own time - at my leisure - around my full time job. After hearing the marketing plan and learning that Mary Kay was whatever I wanted it to be, whether that is an extra $200 a month or $2,000 and hearing that the company's beliefs - God first, family second and career third - matched that of my own, I knew I had found a fit. I started my Mary Kay business on March 22 of this year and although I was in need of extra income, it was after attending my first party that I truly understood why God had led me to Mary Kay and why I am going to further develop my Mary Kay career... I finally understood what Mary Kay was all about.

The slogan "Enriching Women's Lives" encompasses it all for me. Being able to spend time and visit with women like yourselves and helping you feel as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside is why I'm here with you today. Your happiness is the greatest reward.

I do have amazing goals with my Mary Kay business and this month, I WILL go on target for my first FREE car!!

What other part time job rewards you with the gift of helping others AND let's you earn a car?!

Good times & God bless,
Steph

Movin' On Up: New Digs

June 4th is the day… we’re moving! Woo hoo!! No more cramped little, one bedroom, one bathroom, overflowing apartment. We’re moving up in the world… well, not in the world… in the complex though! I’m super excited to expand into the 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom loft apartment I can hardly stand it. The extra space (double what we have now) is a dream come true. My only thing is, what on earth are we going to decorate with?!

I want the new place to be really homey – not apartment acting as homey. I’ve got some more space to fancy up this time and I want to make sure it is right on the money since we’ll probably be here a few years. (I hope the next move is into our house.)

Let’s go room by room and see what I’m thinking. Thoughts, comments and suggestions are SO welcome here!

Living Room / Dining Room / Kitchen: Since it is still an apartment, the three rooms are open to one another, so color schemes need to match… kinda. In order to go with the furniture we currently have the colors are going to stay the same as they are now: reds, golden yellows, dark browns. I want a warm and cozy feel with a contemporary flare. Mix old and new – chic shack if you will. I dropped my color thoughts into the Sherwin Williams site and came up with these… do you like the golden yellow? Or charcoal?

The dining room table is a vintage piece I got from my grandmother before she passed away. It has a golden yellow top with black iron legs. So far, the dining room is my least planned room. I’m thinking of keeping the walls the cream color and using my artwork / mirrors to decorate the walls. Any suggestions for a great centerpiece?

In the kitchen our feature color is red / cinnamon. Many of my appliances are this cinnamon color, so our accents are dark browns. Since we have white cabinets in the apartment, I’m not sure how to work with more color here. Thoughts?

Master Bedroom: Since we have SO much red going on throughout the rest of the home, I want to get away from that here. The bedroom set we registered for is a charcoal/nickel color. I was thinking of accenting with a smokey blue. What do you think of this? Like the dark wall or light wall?

Bath #1 / Guest Bath: I’m going for a spa feel with chocolate browns and creamy vanillas. I want to toss a spa green in here somewhere – probably in the shower curtain or artwork. Part of me thinks this should be in the guest bathroom as it will be more welcoming for our visitors.

Bath #2 / Master Bath: Still want to use the chocolates and vanillas, but think I’m going to change it up by throwing the smokey blue back in the mix. Suggestions?

Guest Bedroom: My open slate. The only item we have for this room is my black platform bed. I have no real color preferences in here but am hoping for something bold. Maybe keep it clean and simple? Any color thoughts?

Stephanie’s Home Office / Mary Kay: I’m SUPER excited to tackle the decorating for my new home office. The loft area will be designated as the Mary Kay hub-bub of our home. I want sleek, sophisticated, lines with a relaxing feel. I also am going to create some inspirational art to adorn my walls.

So… designer friends and creative peeps HELP ME OUT!! I’ve got a month to get my color / design in order before it’s time to move on up.

Good times & God bless,
Steph

A Mary Kay Mother's Day

As Mother's Day quickly approaches many of us scramble to find the perfect gift for mom. What do you buy for someone who has done so much for you to show your love & appreciation? Since many people are not familiar with Mary Kay's product line I thought it would be helpful to review some of the best Mother's Day gift suggestions for a little helper-outter. I've sorted them by price point, but any and all of these are great products - alone or in groupings!

Ultimate Mascara $15 & Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover $14: Both Mary Kay best-sellers, this set is perfect for any mom! The Ultimate Mascara is an exclusive formula for longer-looking lashes that lasts all day with up to five times the volume! The Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover gently removes eye makeup, including waterproof mascara.

Satin Lips Set $18: Buff away dry skin then refresh with moisturizer that leaves lips soft and smooth. Satin Lips help lipstick last longer & is perfect for regular use!

Fun-In-The Sun Set $25: a special set through my personal business, this summer-lovin' set is a must for any mom's beach bag. Enjoy Mary Kay’s SPF 30 Sunscreen (a lightweight, oil-free sunscreen for face & body that provides UVA/UVB protection) & Mary Kay’s After-Sun Replenishing Gel (formulated with botanical extracts rich in soothing antioxidants).

Fragrance-Free Satin Hands Set $34: One of my FAVES - this set comes with a hand softener, hand scrub & 24 hour hand cream that leaves hands feeling silky smooth. The softener can also be used on cracked heals or dry elbows!!

Mary Kay Makeup Brush Set $48: Professional-quality brushes are a staple in every mom's beauty routine. Including a powder brush, cheek brush, eye defined brush, eye crease brush & eyeliner/eyebrow brush, this great set comes in the Mary Kay cosmetic organizer bag!

This Mother's Day pamper the moms in your life! Visit www.marykay.com/steph.wallace to purchase these & other Mary Kay products! In honor of Mother's Day, those who purchase by April 29 will receive 10% off their order!  Email me with the code: MOM10 after placing your order. :)

What are you giving your mom(s) for Mother's Day?

Happy Shopping! Good times & God bless,
Steph