October 16, 2008
Just back from the inspiring, fabulous Engage 08 Event in Orlando. A huge thanks to Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce from Engaging Concepts. This event was my first Wedding Industry Specific Symposium. Admittedly I was quite overwhelmed and nervous as I am not a natural networker. I met so many lovely individuals who were nothing but gracious and welcoming. I am really looking forward to the next Engage and have promised myself to be more, well, engaging!
Highlights for me…
Sylvia Weinstock with her trademark glasses. Ms. Weinstock’s honest sense of humor and perfect NY accent were quite intoxicating for me. An engage attendee asked “How do you manage to still answer your own phones?” Ms. Weinstock replied (and I paraphrase) “I love my work and I work all the time!”
Simon T. Bailey is quite an inspiration. Honestly, I’ve never been big on the self help genre but after hearing him inspire and entertain at Engage I have changed my mind!
Just some fun pics…(my name appears a lot in these pics, only because I wanted to show just how detailed and personalized the event was for each attendee)!
Dessert at lunch and some more lovely details.
Randy Fenoli, fashion director at Kleinfeld in NYC and Eda Kalkay, Publicist.
Sylvia Weinstock partnered with Godiva to create these truffles – just delicious!
Kate Spade journal from the fantastic swag bag given to all attendees. Check out Emilie’ post for a great shot of the entire bag.
Posted by kristy | Filed under: out and about
October 1, 2008
Preparations are underway for the upcoming Engage 08 Symposium. I am greatly looking forward to meeting the industry’s leading wedding experts! Orlando here I come!
Today I was busy ordering and finalizing details for my new leather personal portfolio and my plastic business cards! Yay! I always love an excuse to spruce up my materials.
Here they are! The top image is the front of the card to be printed on a shimmering platinum and the second is the reverse side of the card. I just love the watercolor, washy feel of the latter.
Posted by kristy | Filed under: out and about
April 1, 2008
Well in my free time – do I have any? I am not sure…but this Saturday I headed a team of bowlers at a local fundraiser. The “Momental Bowls for Kids” team raised nearly $700 for the
Local Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Several of my employees ventured out for the day – Laura, Jessica, Linda and Amy were all ready and willing to support the cause. My husband also came out to support the cause.
We had fun and luckily our sponsors chose to donate a flat fee and not per pin! We may have been enthusiastic but do not posses the best bowling skills.
Posted by kristy | Filed under: out and about
March 4, 2008
I have been amazingly busy this season with all the spring and early summer weddings coming up. I am creating, painting and drawing everyday. Several weeks agao I took some time to reflect on my experience as an aritst and where I draw my inspirations.
I have a deep rooted background in Fine Art that began as a young child drawing cartoon characters after bedtime by the bathroom light. I continued to explore my love of art with an amazing teacher, Sue Hand (what a perfect name) who introduced me to the wonders of watercolor. I continued my passion in college while studio mix media painting and drawing.
I still find myself referring to the masters or at least the masters of my experience. Frida Kahlo is one of my masters. Two weekends ago my husband and I took an impromptu trip to Philadelphia. We stayed in the historic Boutique hotel, The Morris House, near Antiques Row and enjoyed every wonderful minute of our trip – what a wonderful city full of hidden treasures.
We were lucky enough to enjoy the Frida Kahlo exhibit during its opening weekend at
The Philadelphia Museum of Art. I have studied Kahlo, watched the movie but never had the privelege to experience her work “in person”. The four room exhibit is immediately engaging with is intensely colored walls and the first glance of Kahlo’s richly hued, precisely painted canvases.
As I ventured deeper into the exhibit I found myslef intoxicated by every photo from her personal collection, every artifact, every canvas. I marveled at the intensely powerful stories you could feel she was compelled to paint. Her canvases were a diary of a life rich with experience, love and pain. I often felt I couldn’t get close enough – I stood within an inch of her “Self – Portrait with Thorn Necklace” and got lost in her sunsual brushstokes and velvetly color palette.
If you have the chance, I urge you to experience this exhibit. Whether you are an artist, lover of color or simply someone with a story to tell – see this exhbit.
Posted by kristy | Filed under: out and about
March 3, 2008
Last night I spent several hours judging the work of some amazingly talented young artists. The Suzanne Maria Rossetti Memorial Juried Art Exhibit is near and dear to my heart. Growing up as an art student of
Sue Hand (the sponsor of this wonderful show), Rossetti was always the highlight of my year.
It is such an honor to be involved in such an amazing display of local talent.
I sponsor an award every year and will post of photo soon of the winning work!
If you are in NEPA and looking for a wonderful afternoon trip visit me this Sunday at:
Luzerne County Community College,
1333 South Prospect Street, Nanticoke, PA.
The opening will be held on
Sunday, March 9 at 1:00 pm
at the Schulman Gallery
followed by an
Awards Ceremony at 4:00 pm
at the Educational Conference Center
The exhibit will remain in the Schulman Gallery until March 26
Back in August you may remember me mentioning my trip to Cape May, NJ. Yeah, the one where I returned as red as my fall invitations! Anyway I always visit the small shop slighly hidden from the main shopping area of Washington Street Mall.
The Nest is such a perfect name for this amazing shop where you can find anything from custom engraved sterling jewelry to funky wall art made from reclaimed vintage metal. They encourage their shoppers to bulid their own “funky, fun “nests” – and oh how I have!
I am particularly enchanted by these rustic and colorful sculptures. Each piece had its beginnings as something utilitarian, like a metal porch chair or vintage tub. The artist then takes these parts and turns them into something new, something to make life prettier.
I love the concept of turning the discarded and deemed no longer useful into a piece of unique art. I love the comments I receive whe someone catches a glimpse of these on my walls. I hear “is that made from one of those chairs my grandmother had on her porch? or “is that a tub leg?” My home is filled with unusual finds so I am accustomed to strange looks and questions, but everyone seems to love these sculptures form my engineer husband to by teacher friends.
I think there is something comforting about surrounding ourselves with imagery from the past. I also think it feels good to reuse that which could be easily tossed in a landfill.
I contacted Carol from the nest to inquire about the name of the artist. I found out that this artist sells only to the nest once a year, so these designs are exclusive to The Nest. Give them a call though and find out what treasures still remain from this very talented artist.
My husband and I went to NYC yesterday on an impromtu trip to see
Spring Awakening on Broadway. This new show has only been on broadway since late winter but has already swept the Tony’s with 8 wins this year, including best musical.
Now enough of me sounding like a wannabe critic – the show was really interesting. I can’t say I had the same teary, completely thrilled reaction as I did for Miss Saigon or Wicked, but it definitely made its mark on me.
The music was to say the least, mesmerizing and somehow eerie. The storyline tells of teenage love and sensuality set in the late 1800′s during a period of chaste and emotional repression. The story deals with many subjects that even today would make some squirm in their seats. Just when the plot seems to over the top or too much to bear, the cast breaks into song, but not in the typical broadway fashion. The songs are the thoughts of each character – explaining their innermost feelings of the recent dialog.
I felt the plot was somewhat anti-climactic, almost “done before” but I feel I will be able to immerse myself in the music, which is full of complex, philisophical text which is more like enchanting poetry than anything else. While the plot may have been a tad unoriginal the approach to the score and its interpretation on broadway will haunt me for quite a while.
Sylvia Weinstock with her trademark glasses. Ms. Weinstock’s honest sense of humor and perfect NY accent were quite intoxicating for me. An engage attendee asked “How do you manage to still answer your own phones?” Ms. Weinstock replied (and I paraphrase) “I love my work and I work all the time!”
Simon T. Bailey is quite an inspiration. Honestly, I’ve never been big on the self help genre but after hearing him inspire and entertain at Engage I have changed my mind!
Dessert at lunch and some more lovely details.
Randy Fenoli, fashion director at Kleinfeld in NYC and Eda Kalkay, Publicist.
Sylvia Weinstock partnered with Godiva to create these truffles – just delicious!
Kate Spade journal from the fantastic swag bag given to all attendees. Check out Emilie’ post for a great shot of the entire bag.
Welcome to the studio! My name is Kristy Rice and I work alongside six fantastic friends-artists-designers who help me bring the Momental Experience to Brides all over the world. I love custom wedding invitations, painting, paper and feel blessed to work in my studio each day. Each week I love to share studio happenings, my favorite projects, inspirations, diy tips and real wedding photos!
