Friday: Song of the Week

Hoping I get to see one of my favorite gentlemanly friends this weekend... he's this kind of guy. We're like tight.

Griffin House: The Guy That Says Goodbye To You Is Out Of His Mind

Wednesday: Wishful Thinking

Today's version of Wishful Thinking will require a bit of self-revelation on my part. If you know me, you know that I work as a school social worker and that this is something I totally love most days.

But then I get these.... ideas. Ideas about doing something for a living (or more like on the side) that would satisfy that creative/entrepreneurial side of me. The side of me that appreciates design and believes that feelings can be experienced through the beauty we see around us or the things we taste and hear.

At the risk of being laughed at or otherwise judged, here is my latest (and I believe greatest) idea. I think it would be sweet to be wedding consultant/creative director for engaged couples in the greater Rockford area, with a specific focus on nontraditional/unconventional/creative/interesting couples!

And here's why I think this is actually a GOOD idea:

1. I love weddings and I love people. I love the idea of a couple sharing a day with all their loved ones, a day that is completely personal to who they are as a couple and the beautiful love they have for each other.

2 (This one's a doozy, so I needed to break it up into parts):

A. The world of weddings is absolutely busting at the seams with new ways of doing things. Weddings are no longer cookie-cutter events filled with red roses and enough tulle to fill a barn. More and more, couples are embracing their own personal style and letting their wedding be a reflection of who they are and what they love. Nowadays, everything from the dress (and the groom's attire for that matter), to the flowers, to the photography, to the venue, to the decorations, to the food, to the invitations, to the music, to the cake can be done in very unique and nontraditional ways.

B. Rockford, as in so many other areas, is waaay behind in this arena. There just aren't (or at least don't seem to be to the average Joe) a lot of options for couples in Rockford who want to shake things up a little and do their wedding day with a little pizazz and creativity. But the exciting thing to me is that those creative people, venues, and possibilities are out there... there just isn't a lot of organization and most people just don't have the time to seek out all these unique people and places and ideas... that's where I would come in!

C. I want to be a holder of the vision, you could say. It would be my job to figure out what it is that the couple wants for their special day, to translate what they have told me into a vision/inspiration, and to then go out and work with all the various members who would make up the team for this couple's event. It would also be my job to bring everything together in a way that reflects who the couple and is and do this in an aesthetically pleasing and cohesive way. Then there would be the weeks leading up to the wedding and the day before and of the wedding when things can get a bit wacky... this is where #3 comes into play.

3. I am, if I don't say so myself, fairly talented (okay, let's just say freakish) in the areas of organizing and coordinating things. Making lists and schedules and using spreadsheets are fun activities for me (insert laughing here). I'd also like to think that I would love (and maybe even be good at) meeting a couple and getting to know them and figuring out what they envision for their special day... and then helping them get there!

4. I scour over wedding blogs like Once Wed, Green Wedding Shoes, Ritzy Bee, 100 Layer Cake and Snippet & Ink for fun... daily. I am so often inspired by the millions of ideas that can make a wedding day special and unique to couples. DIY projects, out-of-box ideas, vintage details... you name it, I will find it and I will love it. I want to bring a fresh vision to what planning a wedding could look like for couples in this area.


5. I believe there are couples out there who would want what I have to offer. Maybe you're one of those couples... if so, let's talk. Seriously!

PS... I'd probably offer my services for about zero bones (and maybe a slice of cake at your reception) since it would be my first time doing this. We've all got to start somewhere, right?

Monday: Question of the Week

Hellllllooooo out there. The question of the week this week is fairly selfish, just going to throw that out there right now. Here's the deal... I may or may not be buying a house in the next couple of months. Additionally, I may or may not be in need of a lovely roommate (if you love cooking and cleaning and shoveling snow, this could definitely work in your favor).

Therefore, the question this week is: Do you need a place to live in Rockford?

Oh, you do, do you? Well then, why don't you just sit on down and tell me a little about yourself and when it is that you would like to move.

Peace out lovely people.

Saturday: Je ne sais quoi

Part of becoming a big girl will require me moving on out of my parents' house (as lovely as my parents are) and getting a place of my own.... as my winter-long house sitting job is about a month and a half from over, I find myself waffling back and forth about what I will do next for a living situation. Sometimes I think about getting an apartment (though where that would be is totally up in the air too with my job location, etc) and sometimes I even daydream about buying a house of my own.

I can't wait to have a place of my own, mostly because I would LOVE to decorate it. Today's post includes inspiration for my future kitchen. Yum!

Winking Wisecracker Jar, $68, Anthropologie

Capri Blue Mercury Glass Candle, $25, Anthropologie

White Lace Coasters, $19, Gretel

Salt & Pepper Cellars, $22, Terrain

Sunburst Wire Wall Art, $49, West Elm

Maggie's Harvest Cookbook, $125, Terrain

Striped Washcloths, $16, Terrain

Wood Grain Pitcher, $58, Terrain

Tiki Flatware, $54, Gretel

Handlebar Mustache Wine & Bottle Opener, $13.95, Paper Source

Dining Room Measuring Spoons, $24, Anthropologie

White Bozza Bowl, $98, Gretel

Two Liqueur Glasses by Rikki Hagen, $54, Gretel

Amidst Routes Letterpress Print, $16, Pearl & Marmalade

Fine Dining Placemats, $24, Anthroplogie

Festival Rug, $168, Anthropologie

I love the idea of having a couple of comfy chairs in the kitchen area if space allows. Kitchens should be a gathering place as well as functional.

Cozy Chair, $798, Terrain
Distortion Candlestick, $24, Gretel

Recycled-Glass Drinkware, $6, West Elm

Fleur De Lys Dinnerware, $10-38, Anthropologie

Perforated Wooden Silver Leaf Placemat, $42, Mothology

Friday: Song of the Week

Woh, have I been bad at this blogging thing! I will try harder, okay? (Stay tuned for a fun post tomorrow :)

This man murders my heart on a regular basis. Here's a new(ish) one from my main man Ray!

Ray LaMontagne, Beg Steal or Borrow