Happy WEEEEN!

When my cousin was two she didn't know that it was actually "Happy Halloween" and thus the family cheer resulted, "Happy WEeeeeen!"

I'm home early, thrilled to be in place to distribute candy from our nook of a house for the first time. I'm crossing my fingers we get just a few ghosts and ghouls. The pumpkins are lit, the candy's set out, and I'm roasting some winter squash to get me in the festive mood.

Here were a few of our inspirations for pumpkins this year. Pics of what resulted (minus the accompanying blisters on our knuckles ... doh!) will appear tomorrow.

{Source: All photos from my fave Sunset}

Lumination

I had seen these posted online before, but I just noticed that the Lumen Candles have been added to the Red Envelope site. I love them, and they aren't too terribly expensive: $48/piece.

Are you having an outdoor fall wedding? I think these would be beautiful thank-you gifts for your bridemaids and/or parents!

Nantaka Joy Launches!

Check out the new Web site! Oh, product envy!

Bouquets

I loved my bouquet (simply, funky), but don't you sometimes wish you could just carry a bouquet without being a bride or bridesmaid? Like this one from HouseMartin? I'm totally in love with it, and while it would have been perfect for my wedding, I'd also like to just carry it around today to cheer me up.

Product plugs

Okay, this is totally shameless, but I rarely become totally and completely addicted to things, so I feel if it's that good, I must share.

The Popcorn Factory
All Halloween items are on sale. They probably won't arrive in time for Halloween, but it doesn't matter. They will be completely delicious regardless, and you can use the tin next year! Seriously. Get the trio ... it's incredibly fantastic.

Wisconsin Wilderness
A friend bought me the Cranberry Mustard, and I can not live without it. It's incredible on pretzels (low-cal, fat free!) and also on pork and chicken. They have stuffing and rice mixes, chutneys, honey, pretzels, dessert toppings and more. I haven't had a product from here that I haven't devoured quickly!

One more knottie bio!

Brown and pink - a girl after my own heart! And check out Aletha's blog too! She's recently quit her corporate job to start her own wedding planning business in Michigan. You go girl! And best of luck too.

MrsPinkAJV

New Knot Bios

By far, two of the best bios I've seen in a while!

bcb4me

CraftyRachel

Recipe du Jour: Baked Potato Soup

I made this soup from the best of Cooking Light last weekend, and we've been eating the leftovers all week. It is easy to make, delicious, and perfect comfort food!

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
• 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

PreparationPreheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.

My pictures!!

Hot off the runway

Okay, maybe it's more like luke-warm than hot, but I'm back in town now and thrilled about the Fall 2008 lines that debuted last week. This is another "For my next wedding" or "If I were getting married again" post.

(Along those lines, did anyone see the WeddingBee posting this week asking how many of us were still obsessed with weddings even after we'd walked down the aisle? I hesitate putting my two cents in when I saw there were over 40 responses! Glad I'm not the only one!)

Enough schizophrenic ramlbings ... on to the dresses!

Monique Lhuillier

Jenny Packham

Amsale

Melissa Sweet

Reem Acra

{Source: All photos Brides.com}

Snippet & Ink

A few months (weeks?) ago, Abby at Style Me Pretty ran a fabulous contest for inspiration boards. I sent mine in and was thrilled when she posted it for the contest. I was also enamored by everyone else's inspirations. So, imagine by delight when I found Snippet & Ink's blog, which includes a different style board daily!?

Here a few of my favorites:

Stoneblossom Florals

What a source for inspiration! These are the type of Web sites I love - filled to the brim with pictures of beautiful weddings, flowers and all of the special details. I am totally serious when I say that you could browse through pages of images for hours and never get bored. I am on the train to D.C. and have been sitting here happily for about 40 minutes now!

Located in Providence, Stoneblossom was born from a passionate love affair with flowers, and the pursuit of a dream. Today, the Stoneblossom team has acquired over 75 years of collective experience in the floral and event design industries.

Buy This: Le Pen

Best pen ever. I'm obsessed with the Le Pen line from Marvy, Japan, and found them perfect for all of my wedding writing needs: thank you notes, addressing, etc. The color selection is endless too, so you don't just have to stick with brown and pink like me!

I fell in love with a wedding today

I'm not entirely sure how I ended up on Nicole Green's Web site today, but I am totally in love with her shots, and I've fallen in love with yet another wedding.

I absolutely LOVE the bride's hair:

These are the most ingenious centerpieces I've seen in a while. They hollowed out artichokes and filled them with tiny votives.

Sachets as favors:

And absolutely beautiful wedding flowers:

Mae Culpa

I'm really sorry for my lack of posts of late. My real job has gotten increasingly busy/hectic/crazy/insane (sorry, I couldn't decide on the appropriate word as none of them really carry enough weight). Such is the eb and flow of life.

This past weekend I did a wedding in Avalon, N.J. (When I say did, for those of you who don't know, I'm a Wedding Coordinator/Day of Coordinator on the side ... hence the wedding obsessions). I was really surprised by the location, which was lovely. The Web site doesn't do it justice, as the hotel is right in the dunes on the beach. It was very low-key and informal, laid-back and enjoyable.

I also had the opportunity to work with two wonderful photographers, Bless and Ron of Litrato Photography. I will post photos of the wedding, and all of the fabulous little details, shortly, but in the meantime, enjoy a few of Litrato's shots: