Cassandra VanCuren presents Marie's Danse des Fleurs!!

Hello Friends!!! It's been oh so long since I've posted!! I have been keeping my head above water between my two jobs and the holidays and an incredibly busy summer, but I wanted to let you know about a special event I will be attending in February of 2011! It's Cassandra Van Curen's Marie's Danse des Fleurs!!

Image courtesy of Cassandra VanCuren http://myartfuladventures.blotspot.com

This incredible event will be hosted by the sweet and lovely Cassandra VanCuren herself, along with teachers; Kimberly Ryan, Bryanna Lenan, Heidi Wallingford, and Jennifer Hayslip!

This amazing 2 day event will be held at the posh Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fl, so get ready for some fun in the sun!! Definitely a wonderful reprieve for those of us who live in the north where there's 6 months of winter every year!! I can't wait for the escape!

The event will kick off with two make and take projects by Kimberly Ryan and Bryanna Lenan, including a gorgeous hand mirror and a scrumptious faux cake!

Saturday evening, indulge yourself at the Grand Ball!! Clothed in the finest Marie fashions, taste the most decadent sweets, make new BFFs and admire the beauty Cassandra has created! And you'll be able to purchase some astounding works of art to fill your home with memories of your enchanted evening during Marie's Market Soiree, from 7:30-10:00pm.

Sunday will be filled with projects exploring your creativity with making a Marie style hot air balloon, Marie's altered cigar box, and a Marie inspired statement necklace! After all of the fun, Cassandra has arranged for a lavish dinner of the finest French cuisine!

If you're not ready to depart come Monday, you can head on down to the Webster Flea Market with us for a day of "flea"-ing delights!

For photos, more details and registration, please visit http://mariesdansedesfleurs.blogspot.com/2010/03/maries-danse-des-fleurs-art-event-and.html. But HURRY!!! Time is running out! I can't wait to see you in February!!

I’m Getting Married!!!!!!!

Hello!!  It’s been sooooo long!!!  I’ve missed so much- including my one year blogaversary!!!  Ahhh!!  I will have a giveaway for that soon- hopefully sometime this month, so stay tuned!!

It’s been crazy here and now you know why---  I’m finally getting married!!

Matt and I have been together since 04/05/06.  We met at work when I was terribly adverse to having a relationship, much less dating someone I worked with.  But it must have been the eyes….

We were engaged one morning, in bed, in January 2009.  Matt wore the ring on his pinky all night- lol :)

And now we have been blessed by my parents and are able to have an actual wedding!  My dad passed in 2001, but him and my mother set aside a wedding fund for me and my sister.  My mom turned 60- today actually- and had waited until she could access the fund to let me know.  So it really has been very recent since we found out we could have a wedding!

The reason we have to have a wedding next spring is because I am losing my job at the Research Institute on Addictions because my boss’ grant runs out.  So I will be without a job after next June or July.  And then we will probably have to move so I can have a *real* job- he he.  We didn’t want to have to come back to have the wedding if we had already moved…. soo…. time to rush!!

I’ve already picked out my dress!!

I hope I can lose all this weight so I can look like this in it!  lol!

  This is the back of it- I just fell in LOVE with the train!!!

I also picked out the bridesmaid dresses:

These look kind of white, but they are blue with a gold lace overlay!

And the tux:

Tomorrow I am going to put the deposit down on our ceremony and reception venue:  The Avanti Mansion

This is the mansion, however, they are building an entirely new facility that opens in August of this year.  Inside will be a library and a ballroom.  We are planning on having the reception in the ballroom, which will be gorgeous with antique style furniture and faux marble floors and also a huuuuge staircase entering into the ballroom!  Plus, the bridal suite will be upstairs with a balcony overlooking the ballroom which I think is sooo cool! 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to go into the real mansion the day of the wedding (because another party will rent out the tent that has been in use for receptions all these years) or the gardens over there because it belongs with the reception tent, but I don’t think that will be too big a deal.  There will be a tiered ceremony site along a little creek on our side and we will also have a patio outside of the ballroom that our guests can use to dance under the stars!

And, we are going to have such a cool dinner service!!  They do a live grill there- so everything is made to order and you can eat as much as you want!  Plus, dinner is served to all guests in 10 minutes, so no waiting around for everyone to get their food and be able to eat!

I’m sooo excited! :)  Finding a reception venue has been very stressful, so I’m kind of glad that part is over.  On to funner stuff!!

Don’t you want to come?!?!  Lol :)  I am definitely inviting some of my blog friends- ones I’ve met in real life and ones I haven’t met yet- and I would just be in heaven if everyone could come!  So look out for your Save The Dates!  :)  Tomorrow I will be back with a Set-In-Stone-Date!  Have a wonderful week and thank you for sharing in my happiness!

Simple Joy

I’m not quite done with my story of my vacation in Georgia, but remember all those swaps I kept writing about… well I have received them all and I want to share one of them with you today! :)

I participated in Linda’s A Swap For All Seasons Tussie Mussie Swap and my partner was Louise Granlund. Once we exchanged emails, we knew we had the same tastes! This was the first tussie mussie I’d ever attempted and I could not for the life of me find a paper mache cone! So I used what I had and created this for Louise…

To see the articles I included in the Tussie Mussie, you’ll have to visit Louise’s blog, because I forgot to take pictures before sending it off! But she had told me she loved Primas… :)

I was having a bad day the day that I received Louise’s Tussie Mussie, but that all changed drastically the moment I opened up her package!

Louise made me this gorgeous shabby chic Tussie Mussie! Just look at the beautiful torn paper strips in pale blue, cream, and pink… And that gorgeous lace trim!

And inside, two little girls in bonnets smiled back at me with beautiful pink flowers :)

Here are the things stashed inside… A beautiful rose handkerchief which was from her mother(!!!), two lace trims, a gold spoon, a tiny calendar, a gorgeous sewn hand (which I just ADORE!!), unique flower crystals, and a tiny little picture frame with a sweet little collage inside…

And then, there were even more gifts!

A sweet card from Louise and handmade “Card Candy” flowers in sweet shabby chic style…

Tons of paper ephemera and cards in my favorite 50’s vintage style! And from her sister-in-law’s family!

And a sweet, sweet yellow handkerchief card- a gorgeous collectors item!

I almost cried when I saw the thought and love Louise had put into this swap for me. Especially for sharing items with me that were part of her own heritage! But even though the gifts were wonderful, beautiful, and so very considerate, it was the feeling of connection- that someone, a stranger, had taken the time to know me and really Understood the kinds of things that I loved that brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much, Louise. This swap really touched my heart and I will treasure these heirlooms, always.

Miss Rhea’s Easter Basket Swap Reveal!!

This Easter, I feel so incredibly blessed.  I am so thankful for my friends and family, my new part time job, especially in this economy, the beautiful weather we are having here…  I only wish I could do more to give back!

I love to participate in swaps, as you well know, and today I get to show you the beautiful Easter Baskets I have received!  Are you ready for the picture show?!

This basket is from Deb!  Isn’t it sweet with the felt egg and gorgeous chenille?  I just love the fabric baskets!

A perfectly pink felt egg!

A sweet little flower patterned bunny, a gorgeous vintage Easter postcard, the most adorable bunny and chick figurine, a cute pink bunny cupcake topper, lovely bunny stamp, and a blue bunny ornament!!  Note:  There was also a box of chocolates, but um… they couldn’t be photographed as they hopped into my mouth as soon as they were spied! :)

Thank you so much, Deb, for your beautiful basket and all these delightful treats!!! :D

  This Easter basket and gifts are from Pam!  She included a sweet bunny, chocolate bunny, and chick figurine, a beautiful handmade cross, a pretty flower bookmark, pink, white and black paper flowers, and beautiful photo cards of photographs she has taken!  They’re just stunning!

A close up of the flowers on the basket handle- aren’t they gorgeous?!?!  I just love them…

And look!!!  A beautiful flower encrusted egg!!!  I am seriously loving this egg!

Thank you so much, Pam, for making such a beautiful swap for me!!

Lastly, I won Shell’s giveaway for one of the extra Easter baskets that she made!

Such beautiful details!!!  Let’s have a closer look…

I am in love with gingham!!  How’d she know :)  And look at those dainty butterflies!

They’ve laid tiny butterfly eggs as rhinestones on the handle! :)

As if that wasn’t enough, the basket came with two cute as can be vintage postcards- one finished with sparkling silver glitter!  And candies!!!  Yummmmm.  Which I have been Good, and haven’t eaten yet!!  lol :) 

Thank you so much, Shell, for this generous giveaway gift!!!

I just love Easter, Spring, and the promise of new and renewed life…  I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing these beautiful gifts- which I’ll keep out all year round!!!  :)  Thank you for visiting me today and I hope that your Easter is blessed with love and joy!