An Artful Life – new look, new logo!

For the past several weeks I have been working feverishly on a new logo for Momental Designs. It has proven to be a big undertaking to design something for myself. As most designers will tell you it is extremely difficult to conceive personal design work with a good amount of objectivity. I must admit to assist in the perspective portion of this process I have enlisted the professional opinion of Heidi from Spitfiregirl Design. She is the fab designer of the wildly popular Style Me Pretty Logo and Blogsite and the soon to be fabulous new Momental site! So to help in this process I thought I would ask your opinion of the various logo versions I have been working on.

Would love to hear what you think!

An Artful Life – An Artful Reminder

I love The Handcrafted Wedding Blog. Lynn always finds the best of the best in the world of handcrafted pieces to perfect and embellish your day. On a more serious note, Lynn’s latest blog post hit very close to home for me yesterday. Thanks again Lynn for your continued support and respect for the Handcrafted Community!

An Artful Life – A Momental Celebration Part II

To continue from 2 weeks ago as promised….

After our spa afternoon I surprised everyone with dinner at Ruth’s Chris. I had been frantically planning this very small, but very detailed evening for weeks and worked very closely with the fabulous Dominick to ensure every detail was just perfect. I wanted everyone to experience a bit of luxury and detail.

I arranged for a signature cocktail which I named the “Momentaltini”- a blend of Effen Black Cherry Vodka, fresh lime and cranberry juice (YUM). The centerpiece by Kristen’s Floral featured orchids and bamboo for a eclectic, dynamic feel. A copy of the Spring/Summer KNOT, satin pull thank you note and fuchsia satin wrapped favor box were placed at each setting.

Cathy from Truly Scrumptious Cakes created this very Momental cake as a gift of congratulations and I cannot say thank you enough. The raspberry chocolate ganache filling was simply delicious.

Overall the day of celebration was quite magical – I am blessed with an amazing team and look forward to many more adventures with the Momental Girls!

An Artful Life – A Momental Celebration Part I

If you follow me on Twitter, you have heard about our recent big news. I felt it only appropriate to show my employees just how grateful I am for their talent and support everyday. I decided to treat everyone to an afternoon at the spa and then a special dinner celebration. Check in next week for photos from our amazing meal at Ruth’s Chris!

I chose my absolute favorite pampering destination in Northeast PA, Rejuvenessence, where they “pamper with a purpose”. Frank, Beth and the entire staff crafted an afternoon filled with amazing food (loved the shrimp dip) luxurious services and of course an impeccable atmosphere of calm and relaxation.

An Artful Life – Off to Ireland!

The Hubby and I are preparing for a self-drive tour of Ireland in mid-February. “Mr. Engineer” and master planner has been reading books & marking maps while I have been planning my trip by photo inspiration of the lovely rolling hills & rugged coastline I hope to capture in watercolor. Several of my recent brides call Ireland home, so I have been chatting with them for their insights. I may even have the chance to meet Darlene, who recently opened a wedding boutique and would like to represent my work – how fun!

I am most excited to visit Galway with the river nearby, colorful boats will be sure to inspire. Artist and Photographer Becky Haletky promises “You can spend an entire day in the old city of Galway. Winding streets of antique shops and art galleries will entice you as we view the city. You will find many handcrafted items such as traditional Irish sweaters, prints, and pottery, or shops filled with books or Irish music. Be sure to take at least one piece of Ireland home with you. Galway is a lively city that may even present you with dancers and musicians performing in the streets and alleyways. If its boats you are looking for, the river nearby is lined with colorful examples.”

I adore this watercolor – so alive with color and thoughtful details.

An Artful Life – Our Holiday party photos

For those that follow my weekly posts you know that I hired a photographer friend Shane East to document our annual Holiday party this year. I have to say it was the best decision I made all year!! Shane arrived at our place despite the fresh foot of snow that had fallen just hours earlier. I was quite upset about the snow but as it turned out only 3 guests canceled and we still had a full house for what proved to be our most memorable party to date. The snowstorm really only added to the overall excitement and holiday cheer that was so evident all evening long.

Adam and I spent the days before Christmas assembling the perfect shots into frames to give to family and friends in the days to follow.

An Artful Life – Party Map Invitations and Anise Cookies!

This week I am still baking like crazy in addition to wrapping up a bunch of last minute 2008 invitation orders – I am so grateful to be busy! Every year my mom and I bake Anise cookies. This cheerful cutouts flavored with the faintest hint of Anise oil are a family favorite. The light icing we color by hand has a lovely sheen and sparkle. We combine colors, sprinkles, sugars and a bit of love (sorry to be cheesy) to craft cookies that inspire rich memories and are as lovely to eat as they are to see!

I have been working like mad this week to prepare for our annual Holiday party on Friday. Several weeks ago I posted a peek at our holiday invite. The final invite was quite a feat. We printed my hand-drawn map on a shimmering stock, rolled, tied with double faced red satin, sprayed with a touch of evergreen scent and popped into a gold mailing tube from Uline. Our guests were quite surprised to receive such a package!

Next week I will be posting photos from our Holiday celebration by the very talented Shane East!