My Friday

My friend Kelly is a fellow wedding and event planner in Florida (we've never met, just know each from an industry "members only" message board). ANYHOO, this girl is a nut. A couple of weeks ago she created a montage of what kind of day she had as a wedding planner. This is her montage:

You can read about the details on the post on her blog. Stuff about creating a new DVD cover for a client, getting a tour of a gorgeous new venue, loving her Starbucks, shopping for a client, updating menus and budgets yadda, yadda. She looks so glam - hair styled and sporting Nicole Richie sunglasses. So "J-Lo". So wedding planner-ish.

And then there's MY kind of day as an event planner. Here's my montage:

(To view up close click on the montage. Hopefully I don't have any chin hairs showing.)

Left to RIGHT, Top to Bottom:

1. Went to the flower market to get flowers for Mariela's Birthday Party.

2. This is what greeted me at the entrance. I love gerber daisy's. They are just. Happy.

3. She's my intern. Don't mention anything about her height, she's a little self-conscience about it.

4. Stopped at McDee's before going to the flower market. So there Starbucks. Don't see a drive-thru at your place! Now I will have money left over to buy that McGriddle, and not spend it all on a Venti.

5. Yup. That's me. In my usual state of glamourousness - a baseball hat and no makeup. Didn't take a shower either, cuz flowers don't care.

6. I'm glad to see my lil' intern is very Green, and drives her electric car to work.

7. I wonder if David Tutera has ever had a power lunch at Funtown Hot Dogs?

8. All the flowers I purchased unloaded and in buckets on my front porch. Some one's gotta be the white trash on our street....

It was a great day.

Seriously, it was fun. I took Raina with me and we had a great time, she really likes to help me. And the flower market is literally across the freeway from Lego Land, and we have passes. So we went for a couple of hours which was also a lot of fun since we usually have "the boys" - dad and two brothers there, and they don't like to go on the kiddie rides. And it is so worth going there just for the Granny Fries. Omigawd. They are the best. They fry diced green apples, coated in sugary cinnamon, accompanied with a vanilla cream to dip them in. HEAVEN.

But I had to drive home like a maniac to pick up my son from school in time. Of course I hit traffic on the freeway. Took some side streets, hit every flippin' red light. When I got there to the school, they had him waiting in the office. The office ladies already know I'm NOT one of the totally-have-it-together-moms like all the rest of 'em.

But that's okay. They didn't get to see really happy gerbers....

Tag, I'm It

Okay, so I've been tagged by Sugar Bear Designs to say 7 Weird/Interesting facts about me.

............hmmmmm...........let me think..................

1. I can handle hearing nails on a chalkboard, but I can't handle hearing someone brush their teeth. Sends shivers down my spine.
2. I have a thing (since childhood) about swallowing pills. Hate it. Hate IT. HATE IT. Watching someone swallow a pill(s) sends shivers down my spine.
3. I have a hard time with written directions (not the map kind, I'm good with navigating). I can't sew with a pattern. Only straight stitch kind of things. Am self-taught on everything (web design, Photoshop, Powerpoint/Word/Excel, my businesses etc.). Don't tell me how to do it, show me how to do it!
4. I was adopted when I was two days old. When I was 17, my folks found my birth mother and I met her, then met my birth father when I was 18. My only daughter looks just like him (and she's a leftie, just like him). My creative gene (and pack-rat tendencies) came from my birth mother. I found out that I am related to Jenny Lind "The Swedish Nightingale", Shirley Temple-Black and Tennessee Williams. I thank God for my mom and dad, and for adopting me - they are the most wonderful people you will ever meet. Now they are full-time RV'ers. I miss them.
5. When I was 19 I moved from Alaska to Michigan with only $20 in my pocket, a suitcase and a Cosmopolitan magazine.
6. Even though my whole blog thing is about tea, I HAVE to have at least three cups of coffee in the morning to get the cobwebs outta my head.
7. I am a night-owl. Usually don't go to bed until 1 or 2:00am, but still have to get up like normal folk and take kids to school, etc. Hence why the #6. This, too, is inherited from birth mother.

Oops, last but not least and one fact over:
I am a follower/lover/fan of the movie Somewhere In Time. It's my dream to go to the INSITE Fan Club's annual SIT Weekend at The Grand Hotel and dress up in the era's costumes. I think in a previous life I was a lady in 1912. I even had my bridesmaids walk down to "Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini".

I wouldn't consider this a fact, but I kind of have an "old soul". For years I've wanted to be a part of the Red Hat Society as a Pink Hatter (even though all the local chapters here are full or they don't reply to interested newbies) and just hang around other ladies who appreciate tea and the gracious/silly things of life. It's on my list of things to do: "Start my own SororiTea".

There, I hope that let's y'all know me a little better.

So, I don't really know who to tag because my audience of three have already been tagged. So if you have not been tagged with this musing thus far, then consider yourself tagged and have at it!

One of my favorite quotes

Pretty in pink flower in my front yard.
Click on photo to view up close.

The Gap...generations, not the store

Today:

"Hi, this is Risa, The ParTea Planner returning your call."

"Oh hi! Thanks for calling me back, how are you? "

"Well, to be honest I have caught my son's cold so you'll have to excuse the Brenda Vaccaro voice. "

Silence. Obviously the caller doesn't know who she is.

"Sooooo....how can I help you out with your tea party?"

*****************

A few months ago when I was planning the Mary Poppins party:

"Good afternoon, XYZ Prop Company. This is Ashley, how may I help you?"

"Hi Ashley, this is The ParTea Planner and I need to rent an ice cream parlor prop that will make the space look like you are in a Farrell's."

Silence.

"Ashley, do you know what Farrell's is?"

"Uhm. Like. No."


Sigh.
Man do I feel old.

P.S. This is the final product of my vision:

The Party Planner & The ParTea Planner

David Tutera & me at The Special Event Convention

Shabby in the City left a comment to my **blushing** post:

"Your designs make me think of David Tutera-the party planner...do you know him? His show, I mean"

Yes, I know of David Tutera and his gorgeous work. I think I have tivo-d all his shows, and own most of his books. I still want to get his new book on Big Birthdays. I have actually had the pleasure of meeting him twice. Because of my wedding & event consulting business Romanza Events, I attend wedding & event-related seminars and conventions. The first time I met him was May 2005 at The Wedding March where he was a guest speaker, and he signed my book.

The second time was at The Special Event Convention at the L.A. Convention Center in Jan. 2007. He was just standing at one of the trade show booths, and I introduced myself, we chatted a bit, and then I gave him my business card of my The ParTea Planner business. He cracked up from the play on words. Really nice guy. But while I was talking to him, his violet colored contact lenses were distracting me - he is so darn cute, why the fake color lenses?

**blushing**

After adding my Sping Fling Tea Party (see post below) link to Artsymama's tea party, a very kind visiting blogger left very nice words and also a post on her own blog Shabby in the City about my work on my website. Here are some comments:

From Shabby in the City:
"I have now devoured this person's blog and her website. Of all the t.v. shows on design and party planning I've seen, of all the magazines on display and home decor I've seen...NOTHING has struck me like her website has. Go when you have lots of time and see these slideshows which are set to music! Beyond entertaining and inspiring...I'm still shaking my head..."

Replies to Shabby:
"Wonderful link! I have always suspected I needed a few tierd serving pieces -- but never realized I would develop a burning need for decorative tongs to pick up finger food. Thank you for helping lead me to this realization by pointing the way to the beautiful tea party images! "

"Oh what a wonderful site that was! With all of these talented women and beautiful sites...how is a girl ever supposed to get any work done? lol"

Thank you for the kind comments. Now if I could just get HGTV, maybe Tea Time Magazine or even the peeps at Martha to notice me.......

UPDATE
Theresa from Heavenly Chic sent this note:

"I wanted to say thanks to shabby in the city I was introduced to your awesome site. I was in AWE myself the entire tour, how BEAUTIFUL. I am so inspired now to have a teaparty with my daughter and friends. And do not worry, I too have a daughter (5) who does't do the tutu thing :)

Thank you again for having such a lovely site and I can't wait for my next visit and for the next tea party pictures. Thanks for your sharing your ever so inspirational designs. Martha Stewart who? Oprah needs to see your site, she loves having parties."

Fondly,
Theresa HeavenlyChic.com


Thank you for the compliment Theresa!

Get Beneath the Surface

Some of my most beautiful pieces of silver that I use for my buffet tables were not so beautiful when I found them.

I confess to having a lil' bit of a shopping disorder -aka- retail therapy. But I'm not a mall rat or standing in line at the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale early in the morning, kind of shopaholic. I have an affinity for the cheap stuff. Second-hand stores, thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, Big Lots or 99cents Only Stores. Hubby says my minivan is on autopilot to all the local thrift stores and requires no GPS for them.

It's the challenge I guess, of perusing aisles and counters of junk to then have your gaze fall on *it*. It just happened last week. I had to go to a local second-hand store to find a winter jacket for my son's camping trip because all the department stores only had their spring/summer stuff out. I found the perfect Old Navy jacket for $3 bucks and then meandered over to the kitchen wares. Sitting on the top shelf was a very tarnished silver bride's basket. My heart raced. Could it be? Quickly I snatched it and did a quick look-over...no dents...no silver rubbed off...no scratches. But it was almost black with tarnish, perhaps why it had been passed over. I have been wanting a bride's basket for a long time, and all the ones on ebay were too pricey! My new find was only $13 bucks. I couldn't wait to get home to start polishing it off to see what was beneath the tarnish.

Out came my favorite silver cleaning product, a tub of Wipe Ease wipes and began removing the tarnish. After discovering these wipes I will never use goopy silver cleaner or useless cloths again - these wipes work! It took several wipes and some elbow grease, but once it was rinsed off and dried, the silver just shined and sparkled! And the engraved detail that was now apparent was beautiful. Oh, I was so proud of my new find, it just made my heart sing! For those of you (who have even read this far) who collect antiques or silver KNOW EXACTLY of the feeling I am talking about.

So never judge a piece if it is tarnished. Underneath is a shiny, sparkly thing just waiting for someone to know its true worth, and to take the time and elbow grease to discover and appreciate the beauty. Just like ourselves, those around us and our loved ones.....get beneath the surface.