Saturday, August 29, 2009

A Side-Effect of Marriage?





Congrats to Jill and Ryan!!!-Nico






A few weeks past I had the amazing opportunity to provide the floral decor for an amazing couple, Jill and Ryan! They were so sweet, and I really enjoyed working with them. When Jill first came to our office and sat down for a consult, she started looking through our portfolios and noticing how 'structured' all our bouquets were. She looked up and me and asked
" Do you only do structured arrangements like this?" I laughed and replied
"Honey, I will do whatever you want me to do."
We had a nice laugh and she described that she liked arrangements "messy" and hand picked, but still balanced. I had a great time with this wedding cause I didn't have to be structured I could loosen up a bit. She found love in colors from dahlias, yellow roses, sunflowers and the deep plum of mini calla Lilly. This is also an example of a wedding that we just provided floral for, which is just one of our many services. Jill was married on the shoreline bluffs with the reception at the beach front Marmonte Hotel. I LOVE working with this hotel cause EVERYONE is SOOOOO nice and accommodating. They also coordinated her ceremony as one of their wedding packages
Jill Back from their honeymoon and posted this super sweet message on our facebook wall:

Jill Miller Turner August 26 at 8:22pm
Hi, how are you? Wish I could have seen you on our wedding day. Ryan and I loved the flowers. Everything was just beautiful. I loved my bouquet. That was truly amazing. And the other color combinations of flowers were awesome as well. The arch looked soooo good. I honestly was like shocked at how beautiful it turned out. Everything was amazing! Thank you so much... you are the best. I will post some pics soon. :) Take care...

Here are few snap shots taken by guests and wedding - So fun!

Friday, August 28, 2009

I'M IN LOVE by jasmine schoch


Wedding Vows 101

Looking for your wedding vows - those special words that will marry you? Here is an assortment of traditional and non-traditional, religious and secular wedding vows to get you started. If you are getting married in a religious setting, check with your officiant as she/he may have specific words that you cannot deviate from. Otherwise, feel free to add your own embellishments, loving words, funny promises (I promise to always make your favorite apple pie!) and inside jokes.

I, (Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

I, (name), take you, (name), to be my [opt: lawfully wedded] (husband/wife), my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

I (name), take you (name) to be my (husband/wife), my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.

In the presence of God and these our friends I take thee to be my husband/wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful husband/wife so long as we both shall live.

I, (name), take you, (name), to be my friend, my lover, the (mother/father) of my children and my (husband/wife). I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity.

I, [name], choose you [name] to be my [husband/wife], to respect you in your successes and in your failures, to care for you in sickness and in health, to nurture you, and to grow with you throughout the seasons of life.

I, (name), take you, (name), to be my partner, loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together, getting to know the (man/woman) you will become, and falling in love a little more every day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us.

After both have said individual vows, they may wish to say something in unison such as:

Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord do with me and more if anything but death parts you from me.

Source:

http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesandgrooms/a/vowwording.htm

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/image/s_wedding-vows.jpg

Monday, August 24, 2009

GIRLY MONDAYS by jasmine schoch


The Magic of Mascara

After the rest of your face is made up and you’re ready, how about rounding off your make up with a little mascara? It gives a finishing touch to your eye makeup and the effect is marvellous, wouldn’t you agree?

Steps to Apply Mascara:

First, curl your upper lashes with an eyelash curler, if your lashes are straight. See that you take in all the lashes in the curler and that it is fitted as close as possible to the bottom of the eyelash. Apply mascara by sweeping from the top and coming down, while also coating under the lashes. Now, close your eyes and apply mascara from the roots to the tips, using full strokes.

Use the comb side of the brush and comb through the lashes to separate them. You’ll find that it is easier to separate lashes before they dry. Repeat. Now, hold the brush parallel to your nose and coat the bottom lashes with a stroke of the mascara brush. Now, once again, comb through the bottom lashes with your eyebrow comb/brush.
To give an extra long look to your lashes, once they dry, coat the tips of the lashes two or three times with black mascara, while also drying and separating the lashes between applications. If you want very long lashes, coat them from the top.

You must check to see if the lash base is coated as close to the skin as possible as this shows up the shape of the eye and makes the look very natural. If you want to give the impression of not having any makeup on, coat below the lower lashes with clear mascara only and then comb them with eyebrow brush/comb after application. If you want real thick lashes, coat the upper and lower lashes with clear mascara, comb them and then coat the upper and lower lashes as with black mascara.

If you find that an excess of your mascara is deposited on the wand than required, use a tissue to wipe away the extra color before application. You can choose from a range of mascara colors such as brown, navy and green. Don’t share your mascara with anyone else, as this may cause infection in the eye. If you have the slightest irritation, take it off immediately.

Use a thin and short brush for better hand control and so that it gets to the corner of the eye easily. You could also use powder under the eye before applying mascara to avoid smudging. However, if you use a gel-based mascara, it will play up the lashes and give your thick mascara a more dramatic loo, while also adding volume to your lashes.

Brown, navy and aubergine add subtle and sophisticated touches to your eyes, while burgundy looks striking on redheads. No matter what you decide, please don’t match your mascara color with your eye color.

Now, dress up your eyes and be prepared to dazzle everyone with your rocking appearance.

Source:

http://beautytips.ygoy.com/makeup-tips/mascara.php

http://www.rosejoyce.com/ProductImages/z_EyeLashes_Mascara.jpg

Friday, August 21, 2009

I'M IN LOVE by jasmine schoch















Everytime I Look At The Stars

I gazed in your eyes,
Such a beautiful blue;
My heart whispered to me,
And that’s right when I knew;
The waves had ceased crashing,
On the sand at our feet;
Time had stopped passing,
My search was complete;
I finally discovered,
What I'd known all along;
A mystery uncovered,
That just couldn't be wrong;
It wasn't our first kiss,
Nor' the day that we met;
But I realized something,
I will never forget;
With the stars shining brightly,
From high up above;
I'd one word to describe it,
That word, is love.
I knew then these feelings,
For my sweetheart were true;
The man of my dreams,
And my soulmate, is you.
I think of it every time,
That I look at the stars;
This memory is mine,
But that moment was
OURS.

- Stephanie Lumley -

Source:

http://www.lovepoemsandquotes.com/LovePoem105.html

http://buyastarforsomeone.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/stockxpertcom_id2314981_jpg_e778a2ec77d335c34e54ed71d0e0e9a0.jpg

Monday, August 17, 2009

GIRLY MONDAYS by jasmine schoch


There's a reason it's called blush, not embarrass ;-)

You see models and actresses and friends with slightly highlighted cheekbones. How do they get that so perfectly? Like in most things in life, there is an art to makeup too. This is the art of applying blusher, which are going to be revealed here. By using blusher, you can create an illusion to highlight your best features and even change your facial shape.

Here’s how you should go about it:

Blush is usually the last of all your cosmetics that you will use on your face, while doing your makeup. How you use this varies from different face shapes. Using the blusher right can make your face look longer, wider or as you like it.
First, find a color that matches your cheeks when they are red after a workout. If you don’t know what shade that is, slap yourself on the cheek and choose the color that emerges. The rule of thumb is that fair skin matches with rose, olive with peach and dark skin with apricot.

With the shade in hand, choose the right formula for your skin type. For oily and combination skin, powder is best and cream for dry skin. Liquid and gel are ideal for oily skin. Now, combine cream and powder and you will find your blush stays on longer and has sheen.

Now, apply foundation, eye color and lipstick. While blush is the last but one step you go through before applying powder, it’s necessary for you to experiment with what’s best for you.

How to use:

1. Dab blush on your brush and tap off any excess.

2. Smile into the mirror and see where the apple of your cheek is.

3. Keep the color of your blush light and blended. It is also good to dab it on with your middle finger, then blend with your ring and middle fingers. Experts say that the cleaner finger picks up any excess blush.

4. If you think you’ve used excess powder blush, cover it with a little translucent powder or if you’ve used cream blush, blot it off with a tissue. Remember that gel and liquid blush ‘stain’ the cheeks, so lighten it by washing your face, then moisturize and reapply your makeup, but this time use very little makeup.

5. Now, add a layer of translucent powder.

Here’s a tip: Dab a little bronzer powder on your forehead, chin and nose before you apply blush. This will give you a sun-kissed sheen. Use a big brush and a very light hand to ensure it doesn’t come through like a stripe. If you have a dark skin tone, try a caramel-color bronzer along with a yellow-based blush.

Source:

http://beautytips.ygoy.com/makeup-tips/blusher.php

http://images.smarter.com/blogs/guests/how-to-apply-blush.jpg

Monday, August 10, 2009

GIRLY MONDAYS by jasmine schoch


Looking great and feeling good is what all brides want on their Wedding Day-and with the most perfectly applied bridal makeup, any bride can be princess for a day! Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that bridal makeup is distinctly different from everyday makeup and makes the bride stand out in the crowd in the most flattering way possible. Good bridal makeup actually begins from a pre-bridal phase with facial care and necessary skin and hair treatments followed to set the stage for D-Day.

Essentials of Bridal Makeup:

Bridal makeup is important to the bride and her family since it must be such that highlights her beauty and charm and also be ‘photo-friendly’ so that the family can have memorable pictures of the occasion. The correct use of colors and expert highlighting, contouring and shading can help a bride look stunning and dazzle the guests and groom alike. Cosmetics chosen for bridal makeup therefore, needs be long lasting, easy to blend in and allow for use along with a touch of shimmer and gloss to make the bride truly outshine the others!

Choosing Bridal Makeup Products:

-For those brides that are not accustomed to makeup on a regular basis, a departure from the norm may be a bit of a hassle; however, a light application of makeup can help them look naturally beautiful and warmly appealing.

-Luminescent cosmetics are quite the rage currently and a great bridal makeup enhancer, used as they are to add to the natural glow of the lady in question.

-Application of concealer and foundation should be slow and practiced as these are the base for good photographic quality on the wedding day. Flawed skin and hastily applied foundation can show up in close-up shots and ruin what could have been a great photographic memory.

-Summer brides would do well to spray the face with sealer after application of foundation, blush, eye and lip makeup as this will help it last longer.

-A great lip-tip to make lip color last longer is to first apply foundation over the lips, use lip liner to define them and then apply the lip color. Wait a minute or two to dab extra color off with one touch of a clean tissue and reapply it, touching up with a sealer and possibly a dot of shimmer at the center of the lips!

-The color of the eyebrows must match with the bride’s hair color. Gray ash blondes can use ash brown shade to cover their eyebrows while redheads can use reddish brown shades or orange or gold tones depending upon the undertone of their hair.

-Loose or pressed powder is a great touch-up and stabilizing factor for bridal makeup if it is in the same skin tone as the foundation/concealer.

-If mascara is to be applied, ensure it is the waterproof kind.

-For a sun-kissed look, apply a touch of blush to the forehead, sides and top of the nose, finishing off with a curving stroke.

Source:

http://beautytips.ygoy.com/makeup-tips/bridal.php

http://www.facebybethany.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bride-680x1024.jpg

Friday, August 7, 2009

I'M IN LOVE by jasmine schoch
















Weirdest Ways People Have Proposed - Skipping the Diamond Engagement Rings

Finding the person you want to settle down with for the rest of your life is one of the most important things you will ever have to do. People find all sorts of ways to ask “Will You Marry Me” and it doesn’t always include diamond engagement rings. You can come up with some really creative and original ideas when it comes to proposing and save yourself a handsome sum on the cost of diamond jewelry. Here are some of the unique ways people have popped the question.

1) This one is pretty interesting. Most of us wouldn’t think a funeral as much of a place to ask someone to marry them, but that is exactly how one man decided to propose to his girlfriend. This story was entered into a contest that was looking to find the world’s most romantic marriage proposals. Apparently, the man was standing in front of his brother’s casket and in order to share this special moment with him, he decided to ask her then for her hand in marriage.

2) Another odd marriage proposal was made by a man who said he would marry his girlfriend, but only on the condition that she first go through the Army Reserves. According to him, joining the army would improve her self-esteem.

3) This one is just hilarious. A guy decided that he would write his girlfriend a note asking her to marry him. Sound kind of lame? Not even a pair of diamond earrings or anything? But just guess where he put the note… There probably couldn’t be any less of a romantic place to put it, but, to each their own. When the girlfriend went to change her daughter’s diaper, sure enough, there it was. (Hopefully the diaper wasn’t too dirty.)

4) What about thinking someone wants to marry you and then finding out they want to break up. Well that is exactly what happened to one woman. The Onion put out an article in February of 2003, when they heard Amanda Gentry’s story. Her boyfriend Wilson Crandall had been acting vey strangely and erratic with her. He was in law school and studying for the bar exam. He told her that once school was over he had something important to talk to her about; something that concerned their future. Having been together for many years, she thought that the time was finally coming to move forward in their relationship. Well, you just imagine the surprise she got when the “talk” finally did occur and he told her that the relationship was over.

Source:

http://www.blisstree.com/jewelryandbeading/weirdest-ways-people-have-proposed-skipping-the-diamond-engagement-rings/

Monday, August 3, 2009

GIRLY MONDAYS by jasmine schoch















How to Care for your Skin Through Hydration

The best way to provide for complexion care is to focus on skin care through hydration. Hydration simply means to keep the body supplied with adequate water and moisture so it functions at its optimal level and gives you healthy, glowing skin.

Importance of Hydration:

Hydration or water in the body is very important as it makes for a healthy functioning of the system and youthful looking skin that can belie your age, if you take good care to follow the thumb rules. Drinking water helps to flush out the toxins in the body and eliminate the pollutants that are present in the bloodstream and make up for dehydration suffered by the body when exposed to sunlight, faced with perspiration and harsh winds.

Prevents skin aging:

Even with all the wide variety of skin care products available today, containing the best of natural goodness; the reason why there are more complaints about premature aging is due to the lack of moisture in the skin. Most products have additives and chemical that are abrasive and strip skin of good oils, which are difficult to replace.
Following hydration therapy encourages people to intake at least 8-10 glasses of water daily along with following a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals such as fresh fruit and green, leafy vegetables, most of which contain water. Restrict use of soaps, creams and gels as they do not contain the main ingredient that the skin needs and replace them with more water to contribute to hydration therapy for healthy, happy skin.

Soothing Skincare Through Hydration:

The only way to truly moisturize your skin is to get water into it. However, as simple as the advice is, the only problem is that the skin by itself is virtually waterproof and water cannot penetrate its resilient surface. Therefore, the next best thing is to provide it with necessary water through oral intake and prep it up with external elements that have essential oils rich in nourishing elements like almond oil, coco and shea butter, among others.
The reason why a baby's skin is smooth and flawless is due to the high water content in the body, which gets depleted over time due to normal aging, exposure to the elements and sunlight, poor diet, stress among a host of other factors. Due to this wrinkles appear, normal skin function is reduced and many other problems arise like oily or dry, scaly skin.
Hydration is necessary to help raise the skin's natural barriers and to moisturize and nourish the skin. The use of gentle cleansers can prevent stripping the natural essential skin oils and combat winter dryness.
To add moisture in your home, place cups of water throughout the house when running your heater so that the room-heating element that dries the air of moisture and robs the skin and nasal membranes of the moisture they need, can be replenished.

Source:

http://beautytips.ygoy.com/skincare/hydration.php

http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/blog/water.jpg