The Infamous Hiccup Laugh

If you've ever heard me laugh, you know it's extremely contagious. Something funny gets me going, I start the slow, high-pitched hiccuping, and continue on for a million seconds (which makes everyone laugh so much more). It's very contagious.

Recently, I did a layout based on just this.

Layout was made using a funky, cute, kit I have, using owls, birds, and lots of pink! This layout participated in the Weekly Issue Challenge at Club Creating Keepsakes. The challenge was to use an Onomatopoeia in your layout (a word that imitates how it sounds).
The journaling reads:
This is what I look like when I'm laughing hysterically. I'm so proud of my infamous hiccup laugh. It suits me so well!

Hugs,
Kelster Jean

Fall Pretties

I picked up this beautiful shirt by H&M from a recent trip to the thrift store. Right on time for the beginnings of fall. Here is a poem to share with you as the days get cooler:

Indian Summer
Nothing can steal your heart away
Quicker than Indian Summer days,
When the sun is warm and the shadows are cool,
The lake water stands like a bright blue pool.
The warm sand begs you to bare your feet
The balmy air is meadow-sweet,
Leaves are falling from colorful trees,
And nature has moved in, merely to tease...
She comes with her warm days, just to betray...
For winter is only a breath away!
~Sallie Hinds~
Poem from here

headband from Rue 21.

Scrapbooking Galore!!!

My dear sister Jenny and I attended a Scrapbook Expo last weekend for the first time! Jen won the tickets on Facebook {for liking their page} and we were lucky enough to have a fun Saturday shopping and looking at pretty embellishments (while it rained outside the entire day). Here are some highlights from our wonderful adventure:

1. Eeeek! Welcome to the Scrapbook Expo!!!
2. Before walking in.
3. Jenny and I both bought scrapbook t-shirts: Mine reads "Scrapbook Diva" and Jenny's reads "Scrapbookers don't lie...they embellish!"
4. Some of the scrapbook goodies Jenny got were:
-this gorgeous kit by Creek Bank Creations, which includes envelopes by Maya Road and some gorgeous paper called Simple Stories by MemoryWorks.
-this amazing film strip ribbon by Tim Holtz.
-stickers by K&Company and EK Success.
-some super cute accents from SEI's Monsterville line.
-some super cute paper by My Mind's Eye.
5. While we were there, Jenny and I also made these necklaces during a Make-and-Take. Jenny's had music notes, with a "J" on the other side, and mine {of course} was a bunny (with a bird on his back and butterfly flying in front of him) with a "M" on the other side.


While I have yet to photograph some of the goodies that I purchased, one of the big items I purchased was a Scrap Rack. I had never before seen this, and being in a small space for crafting, this was perfect for me! I also took their workshop "Overwhelmed to Organized" and will be taking their online workshop soon also. They have wonderful tips on how to get organized (even if you don't use their products). It is perfect for any papercrafter or other crafters who would like to get organized and find their stuff quickly. Honestly, who wants to spend all their time looking for things? You want to enjoy your time crafting!

Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!

xoxo
Kelster Jean

August Book Reveal: The Time Traveler's Wife

Okay, August is mostly over, but I have missed the last few book club meetings, and have been longing for a new book to drool over, so I'm getting back into the swing of things with The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

This was my pick for the book club, so I am so excited to read this. I'm only on page 6, but I do know a bit about the book: It's a love story, about a woman and a man. A man who cannot control when he goes back and forward in time, and their struggles to handle a love affair when you don't know when your lover will be gone.

This is also a movie {but of course like my true habits, I always try to read the books first as they are almost always better}. You can watch the movie trailer here. I am already a fan of anything that includes the ever-so-lovely Rachael McAdams.

Stayed tuned!
Kelster Jean

The Language of Marriage

The Promises of Marriage-Bettie Meeks:
Marriage is a promise of companionship, of having someone to share all of life's experiences.
Marriage does not promise that there will not be any rough times, just the assurance that there will always be someone who cares and will help you through to better times.
Marriage does not promise eternal romance, just eternal love and commitment.
Marriage can't prevent disappointments, disillusionment, or grief, but it can offer hope, acceptance, and comfort.
Marriage can't protect you from being individual choices or shelter you from the world, but it will help to reassure you that there is someone by your side who truly cares.
When the world hurts you and makes you feel vulnerable, marriage offers the promise that there will be someone waiting to listen, to console, to inspire.
Marriage is the joining of two people who share the promise that only marriage can make-to share the sunshine and the shadows, and to experience a richer, more fulfilling life because of it.

At Nightfall-Charles Hanson Towne:
I need so much the quiet of your love after the day' loud strife;
I need your calm all other things above after the stress of life.
I crave the haven that in your dear heart lies, after all toil is done;
I need the starshine of your heavenly eyes, after the day's great sun.

American Indian Prayer:
Now you will feel no rain for each of you will be shelter to one another.
Now you will feel no cold for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now you will feel no loneliness for each of you will be companionship to the other.
Now you are two persons but there is only one life between you.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your life together.

1 Corinthians 13.4-7 (NRSV):
Love is patient; love is kind;
love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
{This was read at our wedding ceremony}.

-All of the above collections have been taken from The Language of Marriage, a collection from Blue Mountain Arts.

xoxo,
Kelster Jean

Wedding Party Highlights

Whew! Planning a wedding party is really hard work. I got a taste of what it would be like if I was a wedding planner for a living, but way beyond that. Alex and I have been working endlessly {with the help of my amazing sister Jenny (who has an amazing new blog, check it out)} for the past two months and it has finally all paid off. Alex and I could not be happier to share our wedding party celebration with all those who are so dear to our hearts. We are blessed to have so many family and friends who love and appreciate us, so we were so happy that lots of these people came out to share our love. Here are some of the highlights from our beautiful wedding party:

The decorations:When thinking of the party, I wanted it to be a paper paradise so we filled the room with lots of handmade paper beauties.

Handemade paper bouquets. We made 8 of these babies!

This "Welcome" sign was perfect to hang above the doorway.

These paper chandeliers are made out of tissue paper and are super easy to make.

These cute little flags (we made 10 of these) were also super easy to make. Just paper and a stick!

The pig roast: We decided to do a pig roast as it was a twist on a BBQ and most of our family/friends are from the city. Everyone loved it and it was super super yummy! NOTE: THERE ARE PHOTOS OF THE PIG BELOW, SO PLEASE PASS THEM UP IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO SEE THEM!

The Food: To help us fill in on the sides, appetizers, and desserts, we asked some people to bring a dish. Little did we know everyone would bring a dish, so we ended up with lots of extra food (which was nice because basically everyone got doggie bags).

This amazing turtle spinach dip was made by my fabulous girlfriend Jessica. She's getting so talented at twisting bread!

This amazing cake was baked by my sister Jenny. She worked so hard on this and it was sooo yummy!

These amazing piggie cookies were made by Alex's cousin Kristin. She made tons of them and they were so amazing! I loved that she made us our own special piggie cookies with our names on them.

And Finally! No matter what, something always happens to rain on our parade. In this case, it was rain literally! Luckily, the weather was nice enough to only last several hours of our party (thanks Mother Nature!). So, after the sun peeked out again, we wandered to the beach to take some photos.

Photos taken by my ever so lovely sister, Kristy.

We enjoyed ourselves so much and must admit, we are happy to go back to our normal every day lives. I love my new husband so very much and am just so excited to begin spending the rest of my life with him.

I'll be trying to get back to a normal post schedule on my blog and will be posting some new crafty posts soon. Stay tuned!

Likes Likes Likes!

I haven't had time for much lately....and the summer is going by in the blink of an eye. (I know, I know, I complain about how busy I am and how summer is going by quickly in nearly every post I do now...) Since I needed a break, and have been up since about 7AM in the morning, I have been bumming around online like an addict, and decided to share some of the things I have found. I swear I have never google'd anything this much in my life, but today is the day to set a record. So here's some stuff I like lately:

1. Alex and I watched this super cute documentary, Paper Heart, featuring Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera. It's bittersweet and reminds you of what love is really about. Check out the trailer on the website above.

2. Speaking of Michael Cera, it is confirmed that there will be a Arrested Development movie. I caught the show a couple times and it was pretty cool. Michael Cera will be in the movie.

3. I don't care for Russell Brand too much, but have a new-found respect for him for writing this tribute article in memory of the amazing Amy Winehouse.

{Photo from here}.

4. Kat Dennings, whom I love, love love, has a youtube channel?! Check it out here. PS, most of the videos are a little older, but still amazing!

5. Also speaking of Kat Dennings, in searching for her latest going-ons {yet 10 more google searches}, I found she has two upcoming projects. One is: 2 Rich Girls (scroll down to the bottom for a pilot) set to air in September on CBS; two is: Renee the Movie, based on the girl who was the inspiration for To Write Love on Her Arms, set to come out in 2012.

6. I also love love love Zooey Dechanel.

{Did you know she was married to Ben from Death Cab for Cutie? How cute is that?} Photo from here. Well looking up her latest To-Do's, she will be starring in a show called New Girl on FOX. It looks super cute and I can't wait to see it! Also, did you know she was in band called She and Him? She is nothing short of amazing...

Well, I guess my ranting was mostly based on celebrities, upcoming movies/shows, and that's about it. Maybe I will do a series called "Likes, Likes, Likes" in which I rant and rave about stuff...if I have time. We shall see.

Happy Sunday!

Loving Frank - Quite a Love Story

Hello,

While I am in the process of reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, I thought I would share with you a past book that contains an amazing love story. The summer is a bit too busy for books right now, but maybe as the weather gets colder {eventually}, you can stock up on some books.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

photo source

Loving Frank is a story about the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, but moreover, about his "love affair" with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, a neighbor that hires him to design a beautiful home for her and her husband. The way their love is described is simply amazing. As they go through the book playing with the thoughts of being together or not, and fighting everyone around them (including their families, the media, etc) that is trying to bring them down, a love story is described that is truly amazing.

In between is weaved the struggle of Frank Lloyd Wright and his beautiful makings, some of which can be found throughout Chicago. Very rarely in books is a "mistress" brought to light to play an entire role and have a book mostly devoted to her. She was such a strong, amazing woman who fought for what she believed in.

I found this book truly amazing. I usually don't read romance novels at all because I find them slightly boring {and I can't help laughing while I read them}, but this book was a page-turner I could not put down. It's more than a romance novel, rather a historical love story. The ending is not quite as happy as you would hope {I will reveal that because I was sad by this}, but the story itself is beautiful. I would definitely recommend this to anyone!

Hugs,

Kelster Jean