Floral Design class + Wedding/Event Planning course update//FUN FACTS

This past week was full of fun facts and pretty spring blossoms!
Since Easter is tomorrow, we created our first all around arrangement within a colorful Easter basket for Floral Design class this week. We used daisies, carnations (which have been in all of our designs so far), alstroemeria, ming fern, and wax flower.
I really enjoyed creating this arrangement and guess what? We even got out of class on time! This never happens by the way, but hopefully we can keep this momentum up. For the bow, we were supposed to place one on each side but I cheated and just plopped it on top. Ha!
Here's the arrangement from this week.

One side.

Other side.

A fun fact I learned in floral class this week was that you can put a bit of clear lemon lime soda in a vase of flowers to help expand their life. The sugar in the soda will help nourish the flowers and the carbonation will help keep the vase clean. Cool right?

I also completed lesson 3 of my first unit of Wedding and Event Planning. This lesson was my favorite so far because of all the interesting customs and traditions of weddings within several different cultures.

Here are some fun facts I learned about the traditions we still carry out today in weddings:
*The tradition of a bridal bouquet originated in ancient Rome with the belief that fragrant florals and herbs would ward off evil spirits.
*The wedding cake originally symbolized fertility. Same with the tossing of rice.
*The kiss at the end of the ceremony symbolizes an exchange of spirits, uniting the couple in both body and spirit.
*The reason why we have bridesmaids started within some cultures that the idea of hiding the bride among similarly dressed women would confuse any evil spirits. This also applied to groomsmen.
*Having the groom stand on the bride's right side started in ancient times when men armed themselves with swords. If any danger came to the couple, the groom would easily be able to draw his weapon with his right hand. This is the same reason why we place a knife to the right of our dinner plate when we set a table.

I also learned of some pretty interesting customs from many other countries including:
*In the Chinese culture, the bride and groom will have a drink with each table as they visit the guests. (I can imagine the photos by the end of the night!)
*In the German culture, on the night before the wedding, it is tradition for the guests to break pottery and play pranks on the bride and groom. Also, during a German ceremony, the groom will kneel on the hem of the bride's dress to symbolize his control over her and the bride will rise and step on the groom's foot to assert her power within the marriage.
*In the Scottish culture, when a couple first decides to wed, they will notify the baker who will create a dense wedding cake for them. Then, brandy is poured over it once a week up until the wedding day.
*Russian newlyweds will tie a doll on their wedding "getaway car" if they want their first born to be a girl or tie a bear to the car if they want to have a boy.

There was SO much more that I learned and as you can see, it was a lot of fun! I love how ancient custom still plays a role in why we do things today during weddings. Whether or not they still have the same meaning, there is a reason why each tradition started in the first place and it's quite fascinating! Even for the most "non-traditional" bride, there is always something that companies a wedding which rooted from ancient meaning.

Are there any intriguing wedding traditions or customs that you've learned about?

New website LAUNCH + my new business cards arrived!!

I just received my new business cards in the mail and I just adore them! I was so nervous that something would go wrong when I had sent them to print but they are exactly the way I wanted them. I'm so excited to  package these with my new orders and send them off with the ladies at Elevate in May.

More exciting news? My new website is now up and running! I officially own my own domain name and have a landing page with all the good stuff. :) I still have a bit of work to do with it but for now, it's good enough.

lovesparklepretty.com

{Enjoy}

Also, I am offering a special discount on a new custom necklace and earring set that will be arriving to the shop soon. For $12 + shipping, you can have your very own custom set in the colors you choose! Send me your Paypal email below or email me at kaylanicole0317[at]aol.com. This offer is for my blog and FB followers because I love you guys! It's only for a limited time so don't wait too long.

Have a beautiful week!

A {FLASH DEAL} for you my friends. :)

This morning, I shipped out this custom necklace and earring set to a bride in Ohio. This set will be available in my shop soon but before it is, I wanted to offer my blog and FB followers a special discount as well as a first glimpse.
  For a few days only, you can get a custom set for yourself for ONLY $12 + shipping before it arrives to the shop! You can choose your colors of fabric, colors of chain for the necklace (silver, gold or brass) and choice of beads (purple, aqua, turquoise, pink, silver, black, pearl or brown).

All you have to do is comment or email me (kaylanicole0317[at]aol.com) with your Paypal email! It would also be nice (although not mandatory) if you can share my blog or FB page somewhere on any of your sites. Please & Thank You!

Floral Design class update

This past week in floral design class, we created an asymmetrical arrangement using carnations, daisies, larkspur, statice, ming fern and myrtle. It was supposed to be a slight "L" shape and although I thought my arrangement was looking like it was supposed to, I look at the photos and it doesn't really look asymmetrical to me. It may be because I took these photos a few days after I made the arrangement and some of the flowers actually changed their facing direction.
Either way, I really enjoyed this week in floral class! I feel like I'm beginning to be more comfortable with placing flowers in floral foam and using up its surface area wisely. I loved working with the different textures and colors of the flowers and foliage as well! They really welcomed the first day of Spring (which is the day we created this design).
When I was done, I gave this arrangement to my mother in law to celebrate her "birth week." She had a few different events throughout the week for her birthday so the day we went roller skating, I surprised her with this. :)

How have you welcomed Spring? 

Recently (new orders, new glasses, wedding course update + the park)

Recently,

*I have been extra busy with the shop creating and sending out orders. I LOVE my job!
*I decided on a final design for my new business cards and sent in my order.

*I officially completed lesson one of my Wedding/Event Planning course (with an A+) and I am just about done with lesson 2. This lesson goes into more detail about the beginning stages of planning a wedding from the guest list to invitations to starting a timetable.

Each time I listen to the audio for the lesson, I feel so drawn in. I get to listen to an experienced planner who is based out of New York which is even more compelling because one of my goals is to visit NY in the near future--hence this mug I bought from Target as a reminder.

* I received my new glasses in the mail from Firmoo! This time, I opt for the "geek chic" look with the larger lenses. When I opened the packaging, to my surprise, they even came with a case and repair kit!
After I put them on, I really loved how comfortable they fit, their durability and the way they look when I wear them. To be honest, I prefer to wear them over my other lenses from the Dr.s office!
You can get your first pair for free with the cost of shipping and feel them for yourself. :)

*With the weather warming up, my husband and I took our handsome little man to the park where he tried to feed the ducks but picked up the bread off the floor instead and ate it, played on the swings with daddy and even threw lots of wood chips around.

LOVE LOVE LOVE my little family! Thank you Jesus!

My week is treating me pretty well and I hope yours is too!
Have a beautiful (almost) weekend!!

New business cards + I need your opinions {please}!

I am in the middle of creating my new business cards and I want your opinions! I have been going a little crazy trying to figure out what I want my layouts (new website, blog + shops) and my business cards to look like. I know that I want a simple yet fun and feminine design so I have been doing everything on my own with the help of a free trial from Photoshop. I'm sure in the future, I will definitely invest in the professionals when it comes to graphic design but for now, my little skills will have to do. Here is what I came up with.

This back side?

Or this back side?

 If I gave you my business card, what would your first impressions be?

P.S. My new website will be done by the end of the month. I have been pretty busy but my goal is to FINISH it by April 1st!

A message to my readers + THANK YOU

I'm sure most of you have heard about Google Reader being discontinued after July 2013. I'm not too happy about it-just like several other bloggers and followers. Although I signed this petition, I guess I just have to set up everything with Bloglovin'. I have already transferred all of my subscriptions and I hope you do as well!
Thank you to all of my wonderful followers! I love you friends!
 Follow my blog with Bloglovin'

This week in Floral Design + a NEW shop opportunity for my wedding pieces

This week in floral design class, we created another symmetrical triangle arrangement similar to last week but incorporated a St. Patricks theme to it. We used several different types of flowers including daisys, button mums and carnations keeping with the green color palette and adding pops of yellow.

What is usually a 5 hour class, turned into a 6 hour class. Even by staying an extra hour, I didn't really complete my design exactly how I wanted. I was actually pretty frustrated with this arrangement and when I finally walked out of class around 8:30pm, I was exhausted! Honestly, I didn't think flowers could really test your patience very much! lol It's a great learning experience though and I'm so ready for next weeks assignment when we create an asymmetrical piece.

In other news...
I was informed about this amazing site just for brides where they can easily browse and purchase anything and everything for their wedding right from home! It's called Cloud Parade. If you haven't heard of it, you will seriously wonder why you haven't. I know I did!
Anyway, the day I discovered Cloud Parade (thanks to my friend Aurora), I submitted an application to become a partner with them and sell my wedding pieces through their site. I recently received an email back saying that my shop has been ACCEPTED and they are excited to see my items on their site (as am I)! So now, I am working on getting my new additional shop up and running. :)
Watch this video and you will fall in love with Cloud Parade like I did!

Cloud Parade from Cloud Parade on Vimeo.
Have a beautiful weekend my friends!

Spring Events {Table Decor}

I am so excited to welcome spring! I love the pretty colors it brings along with soft rays of sunshine and blooming flowers. I can't wait to put some ideas into action for a few events!
Here is a bit of inspiration for your lovely spring dates.

Peaches are soo pretty as decor! I swoon over peach details. :)

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A single rose with babys breath adds such a feminine touch to any place setting. That fabric is gorgeous too!

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I love how the tulips are placed in this arrangement. They are so care free and create a playful elegant setting. This color combo has got to be my favorite as well!

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A brunch in the orchards? Yes please!!

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I have never really liked tall centerpieces because it's hard to interact with others on the opposite side of the table but with a beautiful airy blossom branch, it still allows everyone to communicate amongst each other. Not to mention, it's very pretty as well!

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This branch chandelier is GORGEOUS! Enough said.

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Do you have any upcoming events this season? If so, what ideas and color palettes are you incorporating?

AOSA Project Event from Saturday night

I have been hearing about a store called AOSA Project and Alissa from Rags to Stitches had posted about an event the store was having to launch their new site. It looked really cool (plus, there was dessert) and since it was in Huntington Beach (which isn't too far of a drive), my friend Crystal and I packed up and headed to HB this past Saturday.

At first, we were just supposed to drive down and then come right back home after the event but right before I was supposed to leave, I booked us a hotel room so we didn't have to drive back home so late. Let's just say, this is where good ol' spontaneity comes in for a good night! Once we arrived to our hotel though, it was a wardrobe catastrophe in many ways and we ended up with all of our clothes out of our bags and spread out on the bed. From "what to wear" chaos to a bad hair day to then getting lost and driving all over the place to find the shop, we finally pulled it together when we arrived. A glass of wine and yummy chocolate was waiting for us and it felt like fate after the first taste!

Once I "de-stressed" and really looked around, it was absolutely amazing inside! The atmosphere was so calming, natural and beaming with "BUY ME" voices all around. Jonathan Kraina also added to the soothing vibe as he played guitar and sang his little heart out. That guy has talent!

Walking around the racks, every piece of clothing felt so soft to the touch and the accessories were all made with lots of care and love. One of the brands, Bird of Virtue is made up of all hand-carved wood. They create beautiful necklaces and earrings that are so unique!

Another brand that I loved and saw for the first time was 31BITS. The designers of these stunning jewelry pieces are all women from Northern Uganda who use their creative abilities to help rise above poverty.
There were so many great pieces at AOSA Project and I walked away with some of their vintage pieces including a tee-shirt maxi dress and a PRETTY tattered sweater. I will share these treasures a little later. :)
We also left with really cool swag bags that included some great gifts such as TOMS merchandise, wood prints from Emily Boelsems, a discount for Cristina Robeck Photography and a pretty pink bracelet by 31BITS.

The event was so much fun (THANK YOU to the ladies who helped put it together) and I was really excited about meeting some other fellow bloggers such as Alissa from Rags to Stitches, Jackie from Jackie's Beauty Guide and one sweet photographer Cristina Robeck! I definitely want to go back and visit this little shop again but in the mean time, I can just shop online at TheAOSAProject.myshopify.com!
Here are some photos of the night. I wish I could have taken more but with holding a clutch under one arm, hanging purchases from the other arm, a glass of wine in my right hand, chocolate and fruit in the left hand and a camera around my neck....it was hard to juggle and take lots of photos at the same time! Hehe

{Enjoy}

(Yes, this is supposed to be upside down.)

Annnnddd here are some silly photos we took when we arrived back at the hotel. I realize that some may be too embarrassing to post but we have a funny/weird/strange/hilarious side so why not? :)

What did you do this past weekend?