Manda Girl Designs - "IRL"

IRL = In Real Life, for those of you not "up to speed" or "down with the lingo."  At the end of 2010 I worked with a wonderful bride named Jennifer.  She and her fiance were getting married on New Year's Day.  I gathered they were having a casual wedding with their five children as their attendants and some things would be unique, such as the flowers!








Jennifer wanted intimate paper bouquets made completely of black, red and white colored magazine papers for herself and her daughters/bridesmaids and boutonnieres of the same for her fiance and their son/best man.


Jennifer is the first bride to share pictures of her special day with me.  I am completely stoked to finally have some images to share of them in use!  They certainly added something not typically seen and SUPER special on their special day (take note of me being humble).

Jennifer and her husband's family are lovely and I think they look like a smiley happy bunch of charming cool kids while holding their "up-cycled" flowers.  I wish them the best life has to offer.

Tutus!!!

Two weekends ago, my husband and I walked to the Strip District and checked out the new indoor market.  While there, I came across one of my dreams - mass quantities of tutus!  Little ones, big ones, pink ones, green ones, even black and gold!  All in their poofey glory.

This past weekend my husband and I went to the Strip, as we often do, to visit our favorite shop - Penn Mac.  We decided to stop at the indoor market again and low and behold I was drawn right back to the Adar & Mimi shop.  This time I had a valid reason to buy one.  My niece Emma will be two years old tomorrow and every girl needs a tutu....right?!?  So, with my husband rolling his eyes, I snagged up a version like this gorgeous one from Adar and Mimi's children's line Snickelfritz.

I've since learned wonderful things about my new friends at Adar and Mimi.  Looking at their page I have learned how much they have to offer with handmade purses, gifts and chilldrens' clothes.  Check out their Etsy Shop for the cutest Halloween options.

I'll be joining them on Saturday, November 13th for a craft fair at 130 W. Prospect Ave., Pittsburgh, PA  15205 from 10am to 4pm.  Come and shop!

It's animalistic and it's awesome!

 Animal print flowers - gosh I'm loving them.  Although she has not seen them, this leopard print flower arrangement is for my sister-in-law, Nikki.  She does know about them, so this is not ruining a surprise but I just had to share them here.  Nikki has a salon - Hair's Perfection by Nickcole  - and she's got a trendy awesome thing going on there.

When she first opened, my husband and I gifted (he designed it) her the zebra print arrangement just because we thought it was fun.  Now that fall is here I felt she needed a more seasonal arrangement for her reception desk, but the usual autumn arrangement just seemed too dull for this up and coming salon.  Although it isn't usually the case, animal prints were called for!  I've designed this arrangement around the leopard print paper keeping fall tones involved but not escaping, what I think, is a wicked fabulous vibe.

 Of course I'm a fan of my flowers, but I am enjoying how exceptionally unique these flowers can be for each individual person or need.  Instead of choosing the person's favorite flower, you can actually design a flower that suits them, their style or the decor of their office, apartment, house or party.  I think this is especially true for an event.

I am self proclaiming my flowers trendy!  Have a good week everyone.

Labor Day Weekend

I had a crazy busy Labor Day Weekend.  It began with pizza and a movie Friday night with my husband.  Then Saturday we attended an evening picnic with a nice family bonding fire at my aunt and uncle's home.  I spent my morning on Saturday preparing these pretty little sugar free cupcakes topped with my Labor Day cupcake toppers.  My uncle is diabetic and gets a kick out of swapping my sugar free cupcake signs with the real sugar versions.  For some reason he thinks this is hysterical, no idea why, but my father fell for it and kept raving about my delicious sugar free cupcakes when he was really eating the full leaded peanut butter and chocolate variety another guest had brought.  No, they are not children.  But this is probably why my family's parties are fun and funny.

The next day we raced home from staying the night at my aunt and uncle's to head off to my husband's family picnic.  We had a lovely time enjoying conversation my sister-in-laws and watching our niece.  But we were completely beat from the night before.

Then today we did my family's favorite Labor Day activity - The Great Stoneboro Fair - Oh yeah!  It is a crazy itty bitty little carnival without which my life would not be the same.  When I was young I always thought it was crazy that I got to go to a fair on a school night!  I have so many warm and fun memories and now that our family has expanded to include mine and my brother's spouses it has become even more enjoyable.  My weekend inspired this Etsy treasury Kettle Korn.  I hope you enjoy it and that you enjoyed your holiday.

veryvintage

Klewism

Ruthmikos

Treasury Love!

Recently I've been featured in a lot of wonderful treasuries.  I completely appreciate the "love" and want to give back.  But there were a few I was unaware of: Copper Colored Weddings by Emmalinedesigns.  Another wedding treasury surprise Autumn Weddings by rubarbginger.  And yet another Origami Weddings by MyBohemianSummer.  I am tickled pink with the attention and especially these wedding themed features.  I'm a fall bride and adore rustic colored weddings.

Gosh I love fall!


Oh and by the way - my husband designed the arrangement featured in this blog post!

Someone stole my flowers!

I'm trying to have more guts!  I have started this online business known as Manda Girl Designs, and I am working on the whole "nothing ventured nothing gained" attitude.  Two nights ago I decided I would take down one of my small Labor Day styled arrangements and put it in our building's mail room area.  My husband and I live in a very nice condo building.  We are renters not owners and I am not completely up on all the rules, but what I do know is there is a small table and cork board in our mail room that has a stack of business cards for a wedding photographer on the table and a handwritten advertisement for housekeeping services on the board...amongst a few other things.  It is all neat and tidy, but due to the nature of those items, I thought nothing of putting my little arrangement and some business cards out with it.

The next day....they are gone.  I can only presume they were removed.  I would LIKE to think that someone loved the arrangement and claimed it as their own and all the business cards were taken for worthwhile purposes, but....there were probably about twenty cards so, yeah, I doubt it.

Maybe I should have asked permission, but I really wish they would return my arrangement!

I'm going to a fall bridal shower!

Okay so that is not exactly true.  Today the wonderful gals over at Sunday Girl Designs included my Three Rustic Ladies fall inspired centerpieces in their blog.  They were planning a fall bridal shower inspired by their beautiful invitation from their Esty shop.

I'm extremely honored to be a part of their blog and especially excited about the party.  I'm so looking forward to the cocktails!

Thank you again Sunday Girl Designs.

By they way - adore your shop name.