Help…it’s a potluck!

This is the first year that I have been part of or invited to several office and organizational Holiday potlucks.  Yikes.  My dilemma is, I can cook but am no where near a chef or a casserole diva!  This week alone, I have three potlucks and that’s not including next week.  So, I’ve called on my dear friend, Mr. Google to search for some simple (and I mean simple) dishes that I can tastefully contribute to the Holiday party food menu.

So, I’ve narrowed it down to these options:

• Good ole faithful veggie tray with a (semi) homemade ranch dip
• Sweet potato casserole
• Miniature Chicken and Tortilla Roll-ups
• Spinach Dip
• or, Chicken Quesadillas

 Pretty simple, huh?! And, all of the choices are quite reasonable and won’t break the bank.  And, if you’re planning a Holiday Potluck, Martha Stewart has a neat checklist and timeline for you to use to get you started?

So, do you think I have some pretty good choices for my upcoming Potlucks?  Have any suggestions that are super easy?!

Tish B.

Shopping for your Bridal Party…after Christmas!

Have you already decided on what you will get your bridesmaids as “thank you” gifts?  If you’re in the business of saving some cash, consider purchasing their gifts at the "after the Christmas" sale.  You can find some great gift ideas that will be marked 50%-75% off.   Most department stores (and our favorite discount stores) will have a large variety of cosmetic bags and totes, fragrance and cosmetic gift sets, bath and body products, and some jewelry that would be perfect for gifts.  Don’t forget the fellows, too!  This would be a great reason to bring along your boo so he can grab some items for his boys. 

Don’t wait to stand in a crowd of people to decide what you will purchase.  Browse the stores now when you’re out and about and make note of what you will look out for.  Use your camera phone to snap photos of the items that you want to remember to go back and purchase and jot down the price (it’ll be less after Christmas if it’s a holiday gift item).

Are you planning on taking advantage of after Christmas sales to purchase nice gifts for less for your Bridal Party?  

Tish B.

Tis’ the Season to be Giving

At the Planning Diva’s home, we are enjoying looking at our Christmas décor and in the neighborhood.  We look forward to watching Christmas movies and eating tasty baked goods.  Our little ones are making their lists (and we sure wish they’d check them twice…and reduce!) and we are excitingly browsing store shelves to pick out the perfect gift of gratitude for those that we love.  With the Christmas atmosphere among us, it is easy to get caught up in the commercial aspect of Christmas.  In our home, we celebrate Christmas as a component of our faith and to utilize this time to give—to those we love and those who are not as fortunate as we are.

We have donated gently worn clothing, coats, and toys to our local Goodwill and organized a food and coat drive at our local church.  Not at all am I saying do any of what the Diva’s family has done, but I do encourage you to share your heart with the unfortunate during this holiday season.  Some simple ways you can help is:

·         Save your change when you’re shopping and drop it into the Salvation Army Red Kettles

·         Adopt an angel from an Angel Tree at your local mall or JCPenney

·         Donate clothing, toys, and coats to your local women’s shelter, Goodwill, or homeless shelter

·         Donate non-perishable items and/or money to your local soup kitchen, food bank, church, or shelter

·         And, you can always volunteer at either one of the places mentioned above!

You've heard the saying, "it's always better to give than receive".   And, I believe that you will reap what you sow.  And with a generous heart, you're bound to reap a harvest!

Are you planning on giving back during the Holiday Season? 

Tish B.

Pantone Color for 2010: Turquoise

It is in!  The Pantone 2010 color of the year is, Turquoise.  The soothing but bold color resembles the dreamy look of an ocean and is sure to be seen on the runways and treading along many wedding aisles next year.  I really believe that this is a great color that can slow dance with almost any color.  Pair it with pink, reds, browns, greens, and even purples but you don't have to stop there--yellows will add a brightening touch, too!  I'm excited about this color because I have at least three darling and daring couples that have already adopted Turquoise as their wedding color with some exciting elements to compliment it.  And, I couldn't resist sharing with you a pair of Turquoise shoes that are high on my Holiday wish list.  The shoes above are by Paris Hilton and have the most gorgeous pink sole (watch out Louboutin!).  They're on my wish list because they are…SOLD OUT!  But, seriously, look how gorgeous they are.  If you are using Turquoise as your wedding color, what other accents or colors will you be using?  Tell me, I'm excited to hear all about it. image above:  Paris Hilton @ Heels.com

Thank You!

This is a post that I should have scheduled to launch on Thanksgiving but you were probably doing what I was doing...spending time with loved ones and eating some really great food. Thanksgiving is not the only time that I can thank my Superstar Readers, right?!   I do want to give a warm and fuzzy thank you to my past and current clients.  It is because of you that I can share my talent and love for weddings. I have had the opportunity to meet some great clients that turned into some fabulous friends (grooms included). For those of you who have just sent an email, read the posts, visit the website or "facebook" me your thoughts, I say thank you.  You really don't know how much that means to me.  It keeps me going. I would be lying to you if I said that I never get afraid of being a business owner, I do shake in my faux snake skin boots occasionally.  But, I keep coming back for more because of you! And, a very special thanks to all of the vendors that I have worked {and work} with. (I'm a planner and not a one woman show)  A lot goes behind the scenes of a wedding and it takes passionate and creative vendors to pull it off.  And, that you do.  Thank you for being in my circle of wedding loving friends. And, to you beautiful wedding planner friends that I have....MUAW!  Your humor, knowledge, and candid advice is priceless.   Enjoy your Monday, dahlings!

"Precious" the Movie

My husband and I went to the Rave Theater in Little Rock on Friday evening to see the much anticipated movie, "Precious", directed by Lee Daniels and based off of the novel, "Push" by Sapphire.  This movie was also produced by Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey.  Because the movie is playing in only select theaters, the Rave Theater had to serve many (and I mean many) movie watchers on that evening.  For those who have not seen the movie, I will not go into great detail but did want to share a few of my thoughts.  If you haven't heard of the movie, here it is in a nutshell: Precious is an overweight, illiterate, HIV positive, sexually and physically abused poor inner city teen that is pregnant with her second child as a result of incestuous abuse by her mother's partner. Precious is played by newcomer, Gaborey Sidibe. Her abusive mother, played by comedian Mo'nique, sexually and physically abuses her.  She was also very jealous of Precious' two kids who were conceived by rape (from her father who has AIDS).  The mother is determined to soak up as much as she can from the government system by collecting welfare and insisting Precious do the same. Precious enters an alternative school to get her GED and meets a teacher (played by Paula Patton) who is stern and has special interest in seeing her students succeed.  Some of the humor of the movie comes from the classmates. Encouraged by her mother, Precious finally decided to go to the welfare office where she meets her social worker (played by Mariah Carey who is glammed down completely) to receive assistance.  During her meetings, Precious shares information about her life at home (which you'll have to see how it is for yourself). Other stars played in the film, such as:  Sherry Shepherd (receptionist) and Lenny Kravitz (nurse) …very small roles might I add. There's  a good chance that you might cringe in your seat and even shed a few tears as some of the scenes are quite brutal and harsh. The saddest part of this film is reality.  For those of you who don't know, aside from running Pink Tea Rose Events, I work full-time in Human Services at a local high school.  Our youth (and their parents) have to deal with so many oppressors that may affect the positive outcome for their future.  Obesity, poverty, depression, illiteracy, STDs, sexual and physical abuse, violence, and the lack of education is destroying our communities.  This horrible reality just doesn't affect the Black community and has no specific color or race.  There are quite a few shocking scenes to leave you wondering, "does this really happen in reality?".  Please believe me that it does.  Now, I'm not a movie critic and don't know the art of dissecting a film to tell you if it's Oscar-worthy.  I'm not that good at it.  But, I will say that Mo'Nique did a fabulous job portraying such a deep and troubled character.  And, hats off to Gaborey Sidibe for stepping into such a powerful, first role as an actress. Is this a film that I would want to watch over and over, probably not.  In my own personal opinion, I thought it still missed something like-- better musical scoring, a better timeline of Precious' rise, and even a better ending.  But, again, I am not a movie critic just a ticket paying patron who loves the Big Screen.  The issues embedded into this film are those that need immediate action in our country…in our communities.  Let's stand to empower our communities and equip our youth (and parents) with resources to help them improve their way of living, believing, and responding.  There's a message of hope that is highlighted in the movie "Precious" and I am all for that.  And, no matter how successful I am or become, I cannot ignore the fact that there are others who are in dire need.  My husband and I are teaching our children now about the importance of keeping our hand in our community and the power of outreach.  Have you seen the movie "Precious"?  If so, what are your thoughts on the film and the issues highlighted? Additional Arkansas resources: Arkansas Council for Literacy Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-482-5964 Department of Human Services Arkansas Health Department Coalition Against Domestic Violence Guide for Troubled Teens Food Banks AR Department of Workforce Services Mental Health Resources

Many Bridesmaids, One Dress

I first saw this convertible dress on David Tutera's, My Fair Wedding.  David took one of his brides to a salon that offered the Dessy Twist Wrap Dress to brides who have bridesmaids of various shapes and sizes.  Before our eyes, the salon associate took the same style dress and twisted and wrapped each girl so that the dress was flattering.  The styles are almost endless.  This can really take the witchhunt out of dress shopping for your bridesmaids.  But, don't just stop with your girls!  The Twist Wrap Dress is a great item to have in your own wardrobe (I'm leaning towards the black one).  One dress for many occasions! The dresses are available in short and long length and also in a variety of the season's hottest colors.  To find  the nearest retailer, visit here. images:  Wedding-Resources

Beautiful Celebrity Wedding

In Essence Magazine, the wedding of actress Essence Atkins and financial exec hubby, Jaime Mendez were featured. The colors are very soft and romantic, too.

Tish B.

Diva's Day!

It's my birthday today, yay! It's not a complete off day but it's still such a great day to celebrate with those close to me. Hopefully, Mr. Officer will let me skip out on the routine evening mommy-activities (you know...cooking, cleaning, dance class, problem solving, counseling, negotiating).

Well, I hope that you have a great day like I'm planning on having today.

Tish B.

Chameleon Chairs...a beautiful trend!

I believe that chair covers are trying to make a slow exit out of the building. Certainly, they provide an inexpensive and eye pleasing solution to the standard banquet or folding chair but there are some new chairs in town that are aim to please...Chameleon Chairs. A bit different from the Chiavari Chair, chameleon chairs are about the same in rental costs (appr. $8) and are available in various colors.

The Moonbeam

Ohhh...I'm loving the ruffles!

Bella Braid

Regency

Bella Fleur

Tish B.

Glittered Sole

Christian Louboutin, $775.00

I can't help but to stare at these Christian Louboutin glittered platform pumps. These shoes would be PERFECT for the upcoming holiday season. With the hefty price tag of $775, I have to just add this to the wishlist. How pretty?! And, they come in blue and red! I'm officially drooling.

Flourish Boutique, $43.50

However, with a tad bit of web search, I did come across these gold glittered pumps that are under $50. Hmmm....to order or not to order? That is the question.

Happy Tuesday!

Tish B.

Badgley Mischka 2009 Bridal Collection

Badgley Mischka

The Badgley Mischka 2009 Fall Collection is hot! They are among many designers that I look forward to seeing when it comes to bridal fashion. I love the use of ruffles and bling in the collection. For more eye candy, visit their site!

Tish B.