I hope you all had a wonderful weekend whatever you did.  This past Easter Sunday marked the two year “miracle memory” I call it when Mr. Wonderful popped into my brain while I was worshipping at church with Rachelle.

Just one conversation about medical device sales sparked a memory, I had otherwise forgotten his name and him, for almost a year and a half.  From one divine recollection given to me, lead to my number being passed along, and six months after our first date we’d exchange vows, you can see why Easter is a doubley special day for me.  Read how we met here.

Gingham top: J.Crew / Tulle skirt: Etsy / Shoes: Sam Edelman

Equipment used:  5D Mark III and 50mm/1.2 lens

Diana Elizabeth loves her tulle skirt!  She found one not fluffy and the perfect length off Etsy.

Personal

“I think I broke my butt,” I said as I slowly maneuvered myself onto the bed.

I woke up feeling like I shot a 12 hour wedding and realized that every muscle in my behind felt like it’d been beaten with a baseball bat.  Thinking, thinking, What would cause this?

The nearly 100 squats I possibly did removing weeds from our neglected corner planter in our front yard.  Workout accomplished.

***

“Your face looks really tan, what have you been doing?” said Geni Bean, my photography girlfriend who lives in Louisville and specializes in senior portraits.  ”Wait, is it from gardening?” she quickly followed as she examined me over Skype.

“The back of your neck is sunburnt girl,” said Lizzy Marsh, one of my good friends and official makeup artist for my face told me as she was getting ready to curl my hair for a PHOENIX magazine shoot.

“Where are all these freckles coming from?” asked my facial lady Vicky as I went in for my monthly appointment.

So gardening.  It’s the new workout tan plan for me.  I’m probably going to look like a different nationality before summer officially starts.

Diana Elizabeth has a super cool announcement to share next week.  Have an incredibly awesome Easter weekend.  Praise God for sending his son Jesus to this world to die for our sins, that for those who believe will not perish but have eternal life with Him!

Personal

It was the perfect storybook tea party – a gorgeous residence in Arizona, beautiful light, pink everywhere and everything romantic and sweet.  This lovely shoot was conceptualized by the talented wedding and event planner Angela Saban Design, with cute tea party attendees – little girls in perfect tea party attire, tutus by Juju’s Tutus.  Perfectly shabby chic, romantic, these tutus will be perfect for flower girls and birthday girls.  The adorable tops, leggings and bloomers were a perfect compliment made by Makmay Designs.

Welcome to this lovely tea party featuring vintage China and tea party setup from Tea Crockery, cookies by The Baked Equation, romantic florals by The Garage by Ivy, and rentals by Modern Revival.  It wouldn’t have been the same without the prettiest paper goods from Paper Candee, hair accessories from Princess Pie Boutique and necklaces by My Sassy Sister, adorable hair styling by Mariana Marie.  As always, Angel Cakes Bakery‘s gluten free cakes are a beautiful centerpiece and treat for parties.

May this inspire you to have a tea party of your own, no matter what your age!

Please visit these vendors, most are located in Phoenix but most all do business nationwide and we had items flown from these talented vendors.  Whether it’s for a birthday party, shower or wedding, these vendors can supply everything you need for a unique and gorgeous party.

Equipment used:  5D Mark III / 50mm/1.2 / 35mm/1.4 / 100/2.8 macro

Venue: Private Residence at Creek Side Estates / Event designer, custom linens: Angela Saban Design / Paper goods: Paper Candee / Tea Party Table and vintage China: Tea Crockery / Gluten Free Cake: Angel Cakes Bakery / Cookies: The Baked Equation / Florals: The Garage by Ivy / Tea cart, hankies, candy tins: Modern Revival / Hair styling: Mariana Marie / Tutus: Juju’s Tutus / Jewelry: My Sassy Sister / Hair accessories: Princess Pie Boutique / Tops, leggings, bloomers: Makmay Designs

Diana Elizabeth can live in these images forever.  She loves the colors, the setting, the concept of a lovely and gorgeous tea party.  She also needs to have her own bloomers featured in the last image.

Portraits

I was introduced to the sprinkle concept when all my friends starting having babies – apparently when you have a second baby that’s the same sex, you still celebrate the munchkin’s arrival but you do it on a smaller scale – so instead of a shower, it’s a sprinkle.  Get it?

So what happens when it’s a third of the same sex?  A drop?  Although You’re invited to a Baby Drop doesn’t sound good on invitations…

Anyway, it was a gorgeous day this past Saturday as we celebrated Jennifer‘s second girl.  We found ourselves wandering under the grapefruit tree on blankets chatting away as the kids found sidewalk chalk and ran around drinking all the soda pop they could get their hands on.

Diana Elizabeth taught Mr. Wonderful how to back button focus and nail this shot.  Good job Mr. Wonderful!  He even did it while March Madness was on.  Husband of the Year.

Personal

I was on Pinterest and came across a crochet bike seat cover (here) which made me tempted to take off my bike seat and bring it home to my mom for her to make me a similar cover since she can do all things.   But I realized I had a plastic bin called “Doilies” in storage, made of a nice collection over the year for our backyard reception.  I decided to use some of my favorite colorful pieces to cover this white bike seat I bought at Target.

Step 1: Find doilies you like and rubber band them in the shape.  That way when you crochet, they stay put.  You can see my crochet work, it’s the off white color.  I have no pattern and no method to my madness other than a mission to attach my doilies together.  Click here for a crochet beginner video.

Step 2: Loop through any part you can, just back and forth.  The main part is in the middle and you’ll eventually stretch the crochet to each other under the bike seat. (You don’t have to be all fancy under the seat, no one will see).

Bonus!  I found a long doily and decided to turn it into a little bag.  Grabbed some floral scrap fabric and sewed an envelope lining and sewed the lining to the doily.  I used pinking shears since my serger needs to be serviced. Guess I used it too much.

I clipped off some of the flowers since I don’t think it’d feel comfortable sitting on them and attached them to the sides.

It’s time to go cruising!  Maybe if I crochet my bike helmet that would be more wearable.  Or maybe I’d look crazy…

Diana Elizabeth has a mirror not for other bikes but to check her lip gloss.  She calls her mirror the “lip gloss checker.”

Home + Garden, Personal

Sometimes you just need some girl time to catch up on life.  Just a tiny glimpse into yesterday’s shoot with Angela Saban and Juju’s Tutus.

Diana Elizabeth is having a baby girl sprinkle this weekend with girlfriends, just five girls and a few toddlers should be fun.  There will be a hula hoop contest for sure.

Portraits

While skimming Pinterest I came across this adorable pair of 2 Bow Sandals for around $50.  Already on the calendar was my personal crafty play date time with la Ricki, a super close friend of mine.  Knowing very well we could make them ourselves, it was agreed that this would be our Saturday craft project/mission.

You need:

1. Strappy sandals
2. Grosgrain ribbon – width should be thicker than sandal strap.
3. Hot glue gun
4. Scissors

Instructions:

1. Make 2 sets of ribbons, one larger, one smaller.  I put my smaller bow in the front, Ricki put her bigger bow in the front.
2. Use a hot glue gun to fasten bows together.  I looped mine in an S shape and glued the middle so my ribbon is actually one ribbon snaked around.
3. Cut a smaller ribbon for the knot and fasten in back.
4. Hot glue gun the ribbons to the shoes!

Time: 45 minutes while chatting and eating Kit Kats and surfing the iPad and other distractions. *wink*  After all, isn’t that what girl time is about?

Diana Elizabeth says for $16 a pair of sandals, you can make all sort of fun colors, even for your team colors!  She will be wearing these to her upcoming Ireland/London trip this summer!

Personal

I love thrifting, antiquing, scouring the boutiques that carry things that were previously loved before.  And sometimes, when I’m daring, I’ll step into a Goodwill to see if there are any good finds, rarely do I walk away with much, but I have always hoped for a super store of goodness.

In came my relentless search and bidding war on eBay over a metal rake head.  I just want the rake head to hang my small gardening tools on, just something I saw in one of my gardening inspiration books.  A Craigslist find turned into a text message and basically a great marketing strategy, enticing for me to come down and check out a 7,000 square foot warehouse in downtown Phoenix with over 200,000 products on consignment – called appropriately enough, Ultimate Consignment.

It’s amazing. And, I found my rake for $10. But someone needs to show me how to get the rake head off the rake handle.  Once I figure it out I’m sure I’ll blog about it.

You name it, they probably it or they are going to get it in.  Everything except clothes.

I was told they are opening a second location in Mesa soon and hopes to open about 50 more.  The guys who work there are so helpful.  You’ll see.

For more information on Ultimate Consignment, visit their website.  To see a list of their goods online, visit the Ultimate List site.

Diana Elizabeth showed Mr. Wonderful the photo and he said he wanted to go.  But, she’s pretty sure that once he goes he’ll be so overwhelmed he’ll want to turn around and leave.  She’ll report back soon.

Home + Garden

I’m gonna be honest, I always thought of Redbook as being similar to that of Reader’s Digest or Woman’s World, neither which are bad, in fact I read RD as a young child for some reason, I’m guessing it was a children’s edition.  I don’t know what they talk about in there, making pies or mom stuff, neither which I can relate to in this time in my life.

Waiting for my flight back to Phoenix from Sacramento, the cover caught my eye – adorable Miss Lauren Conrad on the cover and as I flipped through it was unlike anything I thought Redbook would be.  They got a new makeover, I read the pages from cover to cover – which rarely happens for any magazine, I tend to look at pretty pictures and that’s all.

The Team Red consists of monthly articles by experts – Rachel Roy (fashion), Kelly Osbourne (fitness), Carla Hall (food), Mally Roncal (beauty), and Tori Spelling (home).

Love.  Discovered that for $15, you can get a THREE year subscription.  Sign up here.

I’m thinking this is going to be one of my new favorite magazines.  All of my favorite things combined into one.

Diana Elizabeth wants her blog to be like a Redbook compilation – all the things she loves.  She’s getting there!

Home + Garden

The problem with being in off season is also a good thing – I am busy working around the house.

I recently got a pedicure and a manicure, but a mani without polish. You see, I now garden without gloves on.  I pull weeds and transplant new green babies and it’s just easier for me to handle with bare hands than with gloves.  Until something bites me, I’ll probably still be doing this for a while.  So please excuse me if you see dirt under my nails, I’m trying to still be a city girl and get my nails properly manicured.

Meanwhile, after spending over $400 in one sitting infront of the computer on a few gardening websites – gardners.com and shopterrain.com, I am excitedly waiting to set aside the time to open the packages that arrived last week.  Pretty things to dress up our outside home, things to help my green babies grow, and oh, this little decal greeting which I think should go on the window on the door, the one we enter through the laundry.  It’s the door where most of my guests come in to kick off their shoes and make themselves at home.

Ours says “beni” which means “blessed” in French.

Victory Ribbon Decal, $24 at Terrain

Diana Elizabeth says she knows it’ll be a while until Christmas again, but wouldn’t this be cute saying, “Noel” on it?

Home + Garden