Contest #2 - Bye Bye Blog

It's time to say "goodbye" to this blog! We are going to transition to the website, which also acts as a blog. It will streamline all of the Flossy information to one place, so you won't have to jump from site to site.

www.flossystylishdesign.net is now the #1 spot for everything Flossy. Any new contests, photos, ideas, information, etc. will be posted on the website.

Now for the contest info...

I want to know your favorite paper idea from the past few weddings. Please vote under the contest post on the new website. The items you are voting on:

Sarah and Jason's Seating Chart board

Melanie and Kirk's Program Fans

Melissa and Bryan's Candy Tins (which also acted as seating escort cards)

Leah and Ryan's Personalized M&M Shot Glasses (which also acted as seating escort cards)

Aimee and Matthew's little Booklet Programs

Jenna and Michael's Menus

Julia and Mike's round escort cards hanging in the tree

I will randomly draw the winner from the voters of the winning paper item. The winner will receive 25 personalized notecards or 15% off of a future order. The bride and groom with the winning paper product will also receive a 15% discount off of a future order. This discount would be great to use for Christmas cards as well!

Some of the posts that you're voting on will be under previous posts. There is a previous post link at the bottom of the page. If you have questions, feel free to ask!

Don't Forget!

Some paper items that clients often overlook for their weddings:

• Thank You Notes
• Favor Cards
• Menus
• Reserved Signs for ceremony aisles
• Programs
• Escort Cards/ Place Cards
• Reserved Family Table Signs
• Bridal Party Gifts
• Information cards/booklets for welcome gifts for out of town guests

These items have the ability to add to the decor and ambiance of the event. They can make your family and friends feel welcome, and they help with the organization and flow of the event. It's important for people to know where to sit :) If anyone thinks of anything else, feel free to comment!

*** Thank you to Emily Estfan of EME Photography for the photos... you can see more about the wedding on the Flossy Website http://www.flossystylishdesign.net/ or at http://www.emephotography.com/ ***

Arizona Bride Best of 2009

I was informed that Flossy Stylish Design is a finalist in the Arizona Bride Magazine Best of 2009 readers' choice awards in the "Best Invitations" category! They announced the top three finalists for each category after the voting closed, and the winner will be announced in June at an awards reception.

I am honored to be nominated in the top three! Thanks to everyone who voted. I am SO very appreciative. My mom, Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings, was also nominated in the Best Wedding Planner category. If you know her, you know that she is probably the hardest working person on earth!

Thanks again! I will let you know the results, but again, it's an honor simply to be nominated.

Drumroll Please...

And the winner of the FIRST ever Flossy giveaway is...

****Whimsical Creations!****


Don't be sad if you didn't win! There are more giveaways to come, so make sure you keep checking in with the blog.

Contest!

I am giving away a set of 25 personalized notecards and envelopes! Simply comment "I love sending cards" on this blog or send it to my email, kelsey@flossystylishdesign.net, and you will be entered to win!

The winner can have whatever they want on their notecards!

Maeghan's Baby Shower

My mom (Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings) had the pleasure of planning Maeghan and Nick's wedding, and I was able to assist her. We had so much fun with them and were able to get to know Maeghan's family. I was thrilled when my mom told me that Maeghan was expecting a little one and that we had been asked to help plan a baby shower.

Sandy, along with Maeghan's parents, decided on a vintage baby shower theme. It was held at The Boulders in Scottsdale. Thanks to Robyn at the Boulders for all of her help! The Flower Studio did the BEAUTIFUL flowers and AZ Cakes created the cake, which was a work of art...

For the invitations, I used an Envelopments cocoa polka dots z-card. The mom-to-be and her family and friends flew down from back east, so we had an itinerary of all the fun events they had planned for the weekend. I created the baby carriage artwork, which was inspired by the vintage theme.

We had so much fun at the shower... the food was amazing, I laughed a lot, and it was so much fun to be able to spend time with Maeghan and her family and friends.

Blog Slacker

I've been seriously slacking on my blogging responsibilities. Unexpectedly, my February turned into a crazy month for wedding invitations. I am very excited about the new invitation creations. I've been able to design invites to beach weddings in Maui (wish I was going) and fun, colorful, yet elegant invitations to a wedding at the Botanical Gardens. I can feel Spring coming when I design baby and wedding shower invitations. I will post photos as soon as I have them.


Don't forget to visit the new website at http://www.flossystylishdesign.net/ and feel free to leave comments on either this blog or the website. Also, remember to vote for your favorite Arizona vendors for the annual "Best of" awards for Arizona Bride Magazine. You need to vote for at least six vendors at www.arizonabridemag.com. Look for “Best of Bride” on the tab. You can vote one time. I would appreciate your vote for invitations (Kelsey Murrietta of Flossy Stylish Design) and a vote for Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings for best Wedding Planner. Voting closes March 1st, 2009. If you need help choosing other vendors, just e-mail me and let me know!

The Shopping Mama

One of my favorite new clients has an absolutely adorable blog called The Shopping Mama. She finds great deals and cute stuff and blogs about it. You should definitely check it out! Yesterday she featured some thank-you notes we designed for her son and said some very nice things about Flossy :). I know it will be a blog that you look at often!

Arizona Bride Best of 2009

Arizona Bride Magazine gives annual “Best of” awards for wedding vendors. In order for your favorite vendors to be nominated, you must vote for at least six vendors at www.arizonabridemag.com. Look for “Best of Bride” on the tab. You can vote one time.

I would appreciate your vote for invitations (Kelsey Murrietta of Flossy Stylish Design) along with a vote for Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings for best Wedding Planner. Voting opened on January 1st and closes March 1st, 2009. Winners will be announced this summer and appear in the Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Arizona Bride. Only Arizona vendors are eligible. If you need help choosing other vendors, just e-mail me and let me know!

Thank you!

Jenna Catherine Photography

I love to work with people who are just starting a new business. I remember the difficulties I faced, and I appreciate all of the people who helped me along the way.

Jenna Campos is passionate about photography. She loves taking photos of families and babies, as well as doing maternity shoots and weddings. She commissioned me to help her with a logo and business card design, and together we created something that reflects her personality and vision for her business.

Check out her blog at http://www.jennacatherinephotos.blogspot.com/.

***On a side note, I update my new website often... so make sure you check out www.flossystylishdesign.net. There are some cute Valentines! Let me know what you think.

Showing your Appreciation

Merry Christmas Eve!

First off, I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I pray that it will be a special and blessed time with family and friends.

I wanted to remind everyone of the importance of showing your appreciation for those who have taken the time to give you a gift... whether it was a plate of cookies from the neighbors or fancy jewelry from your hubby, everyone loves and deserves to know that you are thankful for the gift they gave you.


I think thank-you notes are important, and I haven't done the best job of sending them out in recent years. I hope you'll agree that writing a quick note of thanks is important, and I am writing this blog as a reminder to myself to send them out. You can find thank you notes at the dollar store, you can make your own, or I can design some for you.


Thanks to all of my wonderful clients for ordering Christmas Cards and gifts. I really appreciate your business, and I look forward to working with you in the future. You are a blessing to me!

Apple a Day

So I've been a slacker on posting gift ideas these past two weeks. Wedding Season was in full swing and I couldn't stop for fear of falling behind.

My gift of the week is something that we use frequently in my house: our Apple TV. No, it's not an actual television, it's a little silver box that magically links to your iTunes. It not only plays your music through your TV but also allows you to upload your photos and displays them in a slideshow.

The thing I love about it the most... you can buy and rent movies. Pretty much any movie I've ever wanted to watch is on there. It's the best. Plus, you can watch Utube videos. Check it out on the Apple Website.

Gifts for Pet Lovers

If you know me, you know that I LOVE dogs. I have two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and I think they're the sweetest dogs in the whole world. Pudge and Ellie would like everyone to know that they're working on their bad habits. They can't help it that they like to lick legs... you all make it very hard for them to restrain themselves when you wear that smelly good lotion. They are also trying not to jump on our guests. Here is a photo from our Christmas card shoot last year. Ellie is showing off in her Mrs. Claus costume.

I know that you are probably close to someone who adores their pet, so I thought I would post some gifts that they would love to receive for Christmas. Petsmart has tons of stuff online that you can't find in stores. They have mugs, t-shirts, key chains, socks (for humans and dogs), ornaments, calendars, journals, and the Monopoly Dog Lovers' Edition for only $29.99! They also have Charity Wrapping paper with Kitty Cats on it... proceeds go to charity! I love the little Cat photo holder for only $9.99!

Wrapables.com has this super fun Dachshund Salt & Pepper Set for only $14.95. SO adorable. They also have these unique Pet Stockings for the same price! If I had a cat, I would want the Diva Delights Fashionista Apron. SO cute! So are the Cattitude i-Pots!

If you want to buy your dog a Christmas present, I would go with any treat from Three Dog Bakery. They even have a Holidog Sampler full of Christmas cookies! Their treats are Pudge and Ellie approved!


I also highly recommend Mrs. Meyers Clean Day pet products. Her Oatmeal Pet Shampoo and Odor Removing Carpet Cleaner are my favorite products. Oatmeal is an important ingredient in pet shampoo in order to keep skin moisturized. Her products are environmentally friendly and have a refreshing scent. Currently, they are giving away their Peppermint Candles with any $30 purchase!

Christmas Photo Sessions

This is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I light all of my Gold Canyon fall candles and drink hot tea, hot cider, and coffee. I also start brainstorming ideas for Christmas cards.

Which reminds me... make sure you schedule your Christmas photo session! It's time to place your Christmas card orders. If you're not having a photo, it's still time to work on Christmas cards. If you would like to view the Flossy Christmas Card Catalog, e-mail me and I will send you a copy!

Contact me if you need referrals for Photographers!

I Voted!

Today is election day, so I thought it would be fun to give some Patriotic Christmas Gift Ideas. I went to vote today expecting it to take at least an hour, but I was in and out in 5 minutes! I was excited, but hopefully our neighborhood turns out to vote after work! I am proudly wearing my "I Voted Today" sticker.

It was actually a little difficult to find Patriotic Christmas gifts. One of my searches produced a Peruvian Alpaca Llama (see below). Tell me how that happens. I'm going to go ahead and post the picture just in case someone wants to buy someone a little Llama.

My friend Emily loves Llamas.

I have a few members of my family and many friends who are serving or have been in the military, so I'm all about the gifts that show love to the U S of A. I found some cute stuff. But first, the Llama. You can find it at Cost Plus World Market for $14.99.

JCPenney Americana set of 4 bowls- $19.99

Remember our Troops Ribbon Christmas Ornament- Target -$14.99

Remember our Troops Flag Christmas Ornament - Target -$14.99

Pottery Barn Flag Wall Art - $129

Statue of Liberty Christmas Ornament - Target- $8.99USA License Plate Puzzle - Target -$12.99

This is a book about America's First Presidential Campaign. I haven't read it, so if it's not good, it's not my fault. I thought it was an appropriate recommendation for Election Day!

Find it at Barnes and Noble.



If anyone has an other ideas, let me know!

The Daily Ritual

This week's Christmas gift idea is for the men in your life. I found out about the product while working at Moors & Cabot.

Ritual is a really cool company that has an original, useful, and unique product line. For starters, their motto is "Goodbye Metrosexual, Hello Machosexual." So cool. They produce Men's Health and Grooming Products that come in manly packaging and have a manly scent. My favorite product is called Nature Calls. You can drop a couple of drops into the toilet, and the odor is eliminated. Very useful and helpful to others. My gift of choice would be The Kit. It is a gift set full of products that come in a branded box. It's only $79 and is full of good stuff.

My hubby used the products, and he LOVES them. He has The Kit, and he will be VERY sad when it runs out. Visit their site to order at http://www.myritual.com/. David Arquette liked it. You will too.

Word!

This week's Amazingly Wonderful Christmas Gift Idea has been a favorite of many, but I thought I would remind everyone of the infinite ways to use Uppercase Living products.

You can stick these bad boys on walls, votives, hurricanes (the big glass vases, not the natural disaster), wood, glass blocks, windows, cars, picture frames, picture frame glass, white boards, front doors, plates, sinks, refrigerators, trifle bowls, serving dishes, metal signs, pizza pans, pumpkins, Christmas ornaments, mirrors, wood blocks, shelves, breakfast trays, wooden chairs and other furniture... WOW! They have quotes, graphics, and all sorts of wonderful things.

On a wooden tree, beautifully created by my Grandpa...

On a glass block...
On a wooden board... beautifully painted by my hubby. I can't wait to hang it on the wall for Christmas. Pudge wanted to be in the photo...
"Our Wedding" on the wall above a frame from Red Envelope...
Graphics on a wall above the bed...

To order, contact me, and I will put you in touch with my wonderful Aunt Nancy Cummings, or you can e-mail her at ncummings@att.net.

Personalize It!

This year, it's easy for you to make Christmas gifts extra special by personalizing them! My favorite personalized gifts throughout the years include a pillowcase my mom gave me with my name embroidered on it (for college) and a throw pillow we created for my high school girl friends with our photo on it. The options are endless!

A cool idea... Paint a small canvas a fun, bright color, and have your child put his or her hand print right in the center. They are cheerful decorations and great gifts for a grandparent. Red Envelope even has a kit!

$39.95 from Red Envelope

Red Envelope is a fantastic place for personalized items. For the man in your life, consider this personalized watch case. For the girls, you can never go wrong with jewelry. I love the "B" that Betty wears in Ugly Betty. Either make your own or purchase a beautiful piece! My favorite initials are from Tiffany's Alphabet Collection. JCPenney has their version as well! See below.

$79.95 from Red Envelope

$165 from Tiffany's

$149.99 from JCPenney

This year, I created the Fat Stack, which is a tall, personalized, square notepad tied together with a ribbon. I don't have a very good camera, so I couldn't capture the fatness, but basically, it's a really tall stack of paper, and each piece has the person's name (or whatever you want) at the top. They work really well for grocery lists, reminder notes, etc. I also have them available in spiral bound. Stationery is a great gift! I always love having notecards around to use for thank-you's. Contact me to order!

Fat Stack-

5x5 = $13.50 7x7 = $18.50

Stay tuned, more gift ideas to come!

Tis' almost the Season to be Jolly

Christmas is upon us! It's starting to feel cooler at night, thank goodness.

This year, I promised myself that I would be organized and get a jump start on gift buying. I LOVE buying gifts. I also love wrapping gifts. I want to have extremely unique and pretty packages, so I come up with a theme and color scheme. I've done it since junior high, and it's a skill that I learned from my mother. We had pristine, coordinated trees that were way cooler than the ones in department stores. Her packages were BEAUTIFUL, and she would make her own bows. She is like a short little Martha Stewart, but with a way better personality and a better sense of style.

So, that's why I'm blogging about Christmas. I know that it's annoying that they already have Christmas stuff out at the stores, but it's time to think about family photos, Christmas cards, gifts, travel plans, wrapping paper, and decor.

I will be posting gift ideas... from handmade gifts to designer duds throughout the next three months.




GIFT POST NUMBER UNO-------------- Anything from Cross

A Cross pen... I know some people may not understand the value of a good pen, but I've loved school supplies since forever, so I love nice writing utensils. Cross has the cutest paisley pens for the girly girl in your life, and really nice chrome ones for a gentleman. They also have watches, computer bags, journals, etc. My picks are the Fulham Cross Town Computer Bag in Grape, the Women's Slim Envelope Wallet in Pink and Orange, and their New Paris watch for men. For pens, I like the aforementioned New Century II Paisley in Rose Blush. Be prepared to spend a little more for these gifts, but it's well worth it! You can have the pens engraved to add a personal touch.$195- Fulham Cross Town Computer Bag $60 - Rose Blush Paisley pen$90- Slim Envelope Wallet

$150- Paris Watch

Bold Black and White

Jenna and Travis were a fantastic and beautiful couple. Their wedding was coordinated by the always amazing Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings. You can check out more of their pictures on the In Awe Weddings Blog.

Jenna had really creative ideas for her paper products, and it was a pleasure to work with her. It was a joy to create products that were unique. Thank you to Kevin King for the photos.

Jenna chose a patterned paper from Envelopments. They had a black and white color scheme, so it worked well and set the tone for a fun, yet elegant, atmosphere. I LOVED that she chose such a bold pattern for the outside of the invite. We put them in clear envelopes, so it had a lot of impact upon arrival in the mail. Jenna wanted stand up menus, which also included a favor, for each guest (pictured below). It was a refreshing twist to the normal flat menu!