Cheers to the Kopczyks!

by Meredith

This weekend my best friend Sarah Glover becomes Ms. Kopczyk.  We are kicking off Labor Day weekend by cruising Lake Minnetonka: being fabulous, sipping spirits and checking out the bay side bars in honor of her bachlorette party.  Tomorrow is the rehearsal, and Saturday is the wedding!  I am so happy I get to celebrate this exciting time in her life along side her.  It's going to be a wonderful weekend in every way.  Cheers to them - and wishing them a lifetime of love, happiness, success and good health.  Love you both.

{Sarah and I at the Minneapolis Wedding Fair last fall}

MOH Toast

by Meredith

This weekend I'm the Maid of Honor in my best friend Sarah's wedding.  I'm so honored and happy to be part of her big day.  I've been feeling quite prepared with all of the duties, until I realized I had to write a toast to read at the reception.

I'm not really afraid to speak in front of people.  I've spent a lot of my life on a stage: piano recitals, dance recitals, band concerts and speaking at my high school graduation to name some.  However, this seems different.  It's not about me.  It's about them.  Plus, it needs to relate to the crowd, be meaningful, maybe a little funny and be short.  It seems like a really tough puzzle. 

A lot of websites offer great tips and I've watched a number of YouTube video examples.  However, I don't want to copy exactly what someone else did.  So, I've resorted to creating a draft and adding to it over the past couple of weeks.

For those of you who have created toasts or stood up at someone's wedding, what are your suggestions?  Any are appreciated.

New Sandals

by Meredith

Even though I hate to see summer come to a close, I love that sandals are on sale this time of year! I'm a sucker for BOGOs.  I was at Famous Footwear last week looking for wedding shoes I'll wear Labor Day weekend and of course found something else.  These are the new Carlos sandals I found. I love them and had to share! Have a great weekend!

 

Great Grandma's Lamps

by Meredith

My Aunt recently gave me pair of lamps that belonged to my Great Grandma Svac (My father's mother's mother). I was thrilled.  My Grandparents moved from Czechoslovakia to the United States in the 1950's, arriving Ellis Island. They didn't have a lot, but what they did have they took excellent care of - as you can see below.  She purchased these lamps in the 1950's and housed them in various places in her home until she passed. The lampshades have deteriorated over time, but they are still beautiful.

 

 

Shutterfly Photobooks

by Meredith

I love to take pictures. I take so many, usually I don't print them off very often.  I share them on Facebook and once and awhile I'll print off photos from a trip to scrapbook.  I really like the newer Photobook idea from Shutterfly.  They actually allow you to create your own hardcover scrapbook online where the pictures are the actual pages.  I've done this for the last three trips my family and I have taken and they think they are the coolest things.  This is the latest about our trip to DC and Virginia Beach.

 

Painting

by Meredith

Painting and wine sessions for rookie's I've noticed have become very popular this summer. I myself have not done one yet, but one of my very best friends Amie is a professional artist on her own.  She's always inviting others to come paint with her, so I took her up on it.  Both times were absolutely wonderful and I think I've found a new 'happy place'. My mind and body felt so inspired, relaxed and creative.  This is what a painted last week.  The artwork on the left was my first, and I used her backyard fence as a model.  The painting on the right is a sunflower.  It will be a gift to my mom at her birthday next week.

More about Amie:  Amie is a beautiful, passionate artist. I'd describe her artwork as colorful, dramatic, lifelike and vivid. She is on the edge of launching her new website (which I will share soon), but if you want to see more of her work come to her art show next week. Let me know if you're interested and I'll share the address:

AK ARTISTIC PRODUCTIONS
Presents...An Outdoor Summer Art Show and Sale:
AUGUST 17th and 18th!
4-8pm in Rosemount, MN

The Woods Chapel

by Meredith

Jesse and I went to a beautiful wedding at The Woods Chapel on Sunday. Yes, Sunday! There were so many things different at this celebration, yet the same.  The weather was gorgeous, the scenery fantastic and I've never felt so relaxed at a wedding before.  Watched the wedding in the woods, dined on a vegetarian Vietnamese buffet, picnic-ed on blankets, played yard games outside and danced the night away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Bows

by Meredith

With all the gifts I've been wrapping lately - I'm obsessing over making my own bows with the leftover scraps of paper. What do you think of the one I made this past weekend for a friend's wedding? I used the end scraps and folded them over numerous times. Then, stapled and taped pieces together. I think they are just as beautiful as anything I buy in the store - if not better.

 

 

Invitations

by Meredith

This year I've discovered Wilton printing. One of the many things this company does is help you create beautiful, polished invitations at home, then print them off with ease and bring them to life. I like to add some loose confetti to my envelopes for a little something extra.