This was an invitation created for a GE reception held at a planetarium. It was really fun because I used a combination of vector imagery and photoshop with brushes to create a starry night, hill scene. The constellation is the leaf motif from the hybrid paint scheme. It also had a matching little thank you card!

The most recent edition of Stairways Magazine, UP created with the team. I was really happy with this one because the colors were really great (blues and teals, my favs) and it was a winter theme. My goal was also to get way more consistent with the design so I we have a really nice, not busy template and created something I think will be easily updateable each time.

We also are almost done redesigning our website, and it will be up very soon!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

What are you, 43?? Love you tons, you are the best father I could have ever asked for.

other updates:

• It’s cold
• we have so much snow in the driveway i have to do a complicated turning radius to get in
• things are busy
• american idol started again
• brian got a new computer and i’m so happy for him
• he also finished reading book 1 of twilight
• i made my gramma’s spaghetti sauce on monday which was quite a triumph
• gave a meal to some friends who just had a little one
• i have 7 bridal consults in the next 2 weeks, and i’m happy + overwhelmed but managing better every day as I put it in God’s hands
• the weirdest part about it is how i’m suddenly looking 4 – 18 months into the future and evaluating everything and where will i be then, how will this work, etc. i’m not used to such a long-term outlook.
• a few of my friends have been so supportive during this time and i can’t thank them enough. i know i can be needy and when my friends see it and are there it just makes it all easier.

here are a few pics of my booth from the bridal show, plus a model who had really pretty hair. I have all the materials stored in my basement all wrapped and preserved so I can re-use them next year!

Now I’m just going to keep plugging away and stay warm!

Saturday, January 10, 2009 
Doors open from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. 

I’m heading over to the Ambassador this morning to set up for Bridesworld in Erie, PA held at the Ambassador on Saturday. I would LOVE to see you there. I’ve put a ridiculous amount of time, effort, stress and money into preparing for it. I’m excited to see what other people are offering, who’s out there, the whole set up, meet brides, friends and fiance’s in the Erie area.

I do believe you need tickets based on that link, but I can’t see that they would send people away.

I hope to see you and show you what I can offer. Or if you are just a friend/family member of mine, I hope to see you for no alterior motive

Oh well, I guess he’s a big boy, and it’s no secret he looks old. I mean we’ve been watching him debate in HD now for months. But it’s just too bad because they hired that photographer to do her speciality, retouch and make photos look dream-like. And instead to suit her own political agenda, she did the opposite. And, if you do a little more searching which I won’t link to here, I’ve seen even worse and terribly offensive images that she DID choose to retouch for her “outtakes” on her website on American Digest. I believe she’s removed then from her site now. But regardless, just awful.

I don’t care how you feel. 

Show. some. respect.

Last night I went to a Casting Crowns and Leeland concert. I really enjoyed the whole night, it was amazing… I wasn’t a huge fan of CC but live they are incredible!! And Leeland are just so amazingly talented and worshipful for being so young. I saw a ton of people I know and it was great.

Amazing news flash. Our tax lady just called. WE ARE GETTING A REFUND!!! That is the FIRST time since we got MARRIED that this has happened. And when I have my own business??? I guess I should buy a laptop every year!!!

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I was checking my yahoo mail and this article came up about Oprah’s big give. I have to say, I sort of agree with it’s stance on this program… I LOVE Extreme Home Makeover, and there is an element to that show that is similar to Oprah’s Big Give, but it doesn’t elevate it to a game. The focus is always on the ones who are being helped and in need (which is why you cry your head off when watching it). What do you guys think? Check out the article below.

‘Oprah’s Big Give’ puts good works in a bad light

Enlarge ABC Yay for giving: Oprah Winfrey hosts Oprah’s Big Give, an altruistic new twist on reality-TV competitions.

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

Anyone old-fashioned enough to believe in keeping acts of righteousness private should give a wide berth to Oprah’s Big Give (ABC, Sunday, 9 ET/PT), Queen for a Day as reinterpreted by the Queen of All Media. An Apprentice-type game that turns charity into a competitive sport, Give will strike you as immensely uplifting or horrifyingly vulgar, or an odd combo of both.

Good works clash with bad behavior, altruism shares space with publicity-masked-as-charity, all wrapped in the familiar reality-genre clichés. And at the stomach-churning center is that old American TV belief that every problem can be solved with a take-home prize, without any consideration for underlying difficulties.

Sunday we meet Give‘s 10 big givers, who are broken into five teams and given a picture of a person in need. Their task: Figure out what the person needs and raise the money to provide it. At the end they face three celebrity judges (Jamie Oliver, Malaak Compton-Rock, Tony Gonzalez), even though they’d be better served by advice from people with hands-on experience in raising money without the benefit of celebrity.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition treads much of this same maudlin, TV-knows-best territory. But at least that show doesn’t turn the people it’s making over into pawns in a game — a game that inevitably elevates the players’ problems to the level of the people they’re supposed to be helping.

It’s bad enough that what the people get has no necessary connection to what they need or deserve. What’s worse is it’s completely cut off from what they want, because the “prize” is decided by people who barely know them. For all its new-age trappings, Give is a throwback to a time when the poor were expected to be grateful for whatever they were given.

Seldom has the drive to do good works been as alarmingly, offensively presumptuous. When a homeless woman says she had hoped to be trained for a job, you can’t help thinking she may have had the best idea of what was best for her. Might there not be some widows who don’t want to be surprised with a block party or toy-buying spree, or who don’t like strangers telling their children how to best mourn their father?

There’s no doubt everyone involved means well, but then you do know where that road paved with good intentions leads, right? And it isn’t heaven.

Happy FREEZING Friday!!

How do you error-proof your work? Even when more than one person is involved, sometimes things still slip through – but generally I find the best and most important thing is to have at least one other person who reviews your documents before they go to the printer, or knows the intricate details of the projects you are working on.

Luckily both things weren’t too major. Things have been so crazy at work right now – there are so many newsletters to design, magazines to design, ads to fix, logos to design, websites to design and coordinate, files to find.  I have been bringing work home for the last two nights, but its ok… busy-ness makes the week fly faster!

So, behold, Primo Motif.

I don’t know why but it made me cringe a bit. Seeing something so close. It could be worse, though, right?

Also, I am looking to buy either these, or something similar. I need to take some close up photography of jewelery… and I need some help. Does anyone have experience with Diopters out there? I have a Nikon D70.

The news on my grandma comes tomorrow at 10am. I’m scared.

I think it is safe to finally post this on my public blog now. There are still details to work out, but I am finally on the road to changing my work situation so that I can allow more time for my freelance. I am not leaving my agency, which is a great place to work, but rather changing my schedule so I can work less and be part-time and keep building up my freelance.

Situations and pieces and parts have all come together. I am so excited about this…. SO excited!!!

1) I am a straight-up, saved, born-again, call-it-what-you-will Christian. I have been most of my life, but I’m an adult now who has grown into her own faith. I struggle, praise, cry, doubt, love, worship, and question my God. Also, my husband became a pastor last week and leads the worship ministries at our church, which I have been heavily involved in since I was in high school.

2) Pretty much, I’m addicted to cereal. Something about the cold skim milk and sweet crunch (2 favorites = honey nut shredded wheat and special k chocolate). I eat it sometimes for breakfast, lunch, and a midnight snack. Too much of a good thing is NOT healthy.

3) I have put back on about 7 lbs that I lost but am having a hard time getting the motivation to get it back off. It’s a lot of work at this stage of the game. I eat when I’m happy… and right now, I’m happy.

4) If I got pregnant right now, I’d be pretty ecstatic.

5) My current full-time job is not what I want to do forever.

6) If I wasn’t married, I know I would have more animals. Probably at least 1-2 more cats. I am a cat-freak-lover.

7) Sometimes I doubt I will ever be financially out of debt and on my way to riches like Dave Ramsey says you can be. Not when I have to have my cell phone, the internet, cable, etc. I don’t think Brian and I are “gazelle-like” enough. I want it very badly, but if I wanted it as badly as I say, would I be willing to sacrifice more now? This month IS going to be a good month. $1300 on the student loan baby and no over-budget categories!

1 Link the person who has tagged you (check)
2 Tell seven true things about yourself (check)
3 Tag seven new people (people have already been tagged)
4 Leave a message with the person you have tagged so they know about it (negative)

thanks for reading it if you did…