Handmade Graduation Gift...

Hello, and Happy Wednesday!! Half way to the weekend already! (Except for me lol because yesterday was the last day of my 5 day vacation from work, and it was very much needed/enjoyed!), so I only have three work days left this week and then I get to enjoy a family graduation party on Saturday and attend my little brothers' baseball games. Yayy!!!

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So I'm back to share with you all, those custom stationery note cards I was talking about in my last post. I was on Etsy for some inspiration for graduation presents for my friends, who have recently graduated from college, and I saw that stationery was a highly recommended gift. Being that I have a liking for creating paper goods, I thought, "Oh my gosh, I could totally make custom stationery for my friends' gifts!" And hence, the stationery note cards I've created below. I'm in love with chevron, so I decided to use that in my design and to add the unique, personalized element, I placed a monogramed design at the center front of the note card. I'm super, super pleased with the design, and I am definitely considering adding these babies to my Etsy Shop! 

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Be on the look out for a Shop Update this weekend! & don't forget you can still get 15% off your order when you use the Promo Code below:

Happy Wednesday all!!!

xxoo

Graduations, Family, Friends & Stationery...

Hi all! June is finally here and the first week is practically over already! It's crazy how fast the days seem to be going lately. I have a couple graduation parties to attend this month and I'm rather excited about it. I really love when my family all gets together and can enjoy each other's company. My youngest sister is graduating 8th grade and will be starting high school this fall!! I'm still in disbelief, as it was only a mere 4 years ago that I was in high school!! It's mind boggling! I know she going to do fantastically well, like I did and have a really great four years.

I'm working on lots of design stuff for some friends and fellow bloggers, so this is a turning out to be a busy month for me, and I'm happy about that! I love to design/create, and being able to share what I make with others is a truly wonderful feeling.

For my youngest sister's graduation party, I'm in the process of designing her invites. Hopefully, I'll be able to come up with something she agrees with and loves. We've been through several different designs/themes already and so far she hasn't fell in love with any thing. I mean she's only fourteen, so she changes her mind depending on the day of the week lol I have faith will come up with something soon, as long as she stops changed her idea in mind lol

I'm also currently obsessed with stationery, so I've been putting some designs together to send out to some lovely blogger friends... Maybe we'll start pen-paling! That'd be loads of fun! I haven't had a pen pal since the third grade lol I miss writing snail mail to others, it's such a truly fun and unfortunately forgotten form of communicating.

Also, my friend recently graduated from college and so I thought a great, unique gift would be a simple stationery set for her to write little letters/notes to her friends and family, just in case her career path leads her far away from home. So I decided to design a simple monogram theme for her and I'm going to gift them to her at her party. Fingers- crossed she loves them!

I'll post pictures later on so you can all see what I've been working on...

Happy June Everyone!!

Here's to another stellar month!

xxoo

weekly wishlist: springs here!

Here's to my second 'weekly wishlist!' Due to a sudden personal event, I am currently driving on my way to Florida. I'm not comfortable writing why right now, but maybe in time one day I will.. so because of my current inability to access an actually computer, I'm stuck writing this up on my iPhone...

My list this week isn't really a list at all lol there's just a few things I'm wishing for this week, so I hope you guys can understand my half assed post.



Wish #1: Lots of happiness this weekend.. Lord knows I need it!

Wish #2: Have a really stellar St.Patrick's Day... even though I won't be in jersey to celebrate with friends

Wish #3: For everything [in my life currently] to turn out okay and for the better...



Well that's all have this week.. sorry for being so odd and not have much to say, but hopefully in time and once I know for sure what's happening, I'll be comfortable enough to share it with you all.

Have a beautiful Wednesday all!

xxoo

On a Sunday in March...

As I informed you guys last week, I attended my Future Sister in Law's Bridal Shower on Sunday. It was actually much more enjoyable than I expected it to be. I say this because being that I am one of 11[i think?] bride's maids, I thought the day was going to be very chaotic. But it was the opposite.. I got to see all my relatives from my mom and dad's sides of the family and also meet some new faces from the Bride's side of the family. It was a lovely way to spend my Sunday and I am so happy to be apart of my only older brother's wedding and sharing in their very special day. Their wedding is in just under a month, April 7th. I'm very excited for their big day as well. They've been together since their sophomore year of high school..that's 7 years!! I'm so happy for them and I can't wait for Florina [Bride to be] to become an official member of the family and my sister in law.

The Bride's maids + MOB and MOG

The day was perfect. The weather cooperated nicely and all our family and friends were together to celebrate. We spent the day dancing to traditional Albanian music, which I am starting to really enjoy, laughing with relatives, meeting new soon-to-be family members and simply enjoying the fact that very soon to families will be one at the wedding of my brother, Artan and his fiance, Florina. 

 Above: myself, the bride-to-be, my mom, 

my grandmother, and my two sisters

Below: The Bride-to-be, my sisters and my self.

The theme for the Shower was 'Fashionista,' as the bride-to-be went to LIM in New York City and graduated last spring with a degree in Fashion Marketing..[she's now the manager of Bare Essentials..] The color scheme was black, hot pink, and light pink. Her center pieces contained three key items, which two of the three were used for prizes for the games we played, Hat Boxes with well-known fashion brands on them, martini glasses filled with cosmetic goodies, and dress form shaped jewelry holders. The games we played were 'Purse Scavenger Hunt' and 'Gift Bingo.' It was a great laugh watching the older guests play these games. The hat boxes were used to hold recipe cards that each guest was asked to bring, containing a recipe they wanted to share with the Bride and Groom. The cake was actually made by one of the Bride's old high school friends, themed to match the center pieces..[it was the baker's first cake since graduating from culinary school just recently]

 [Pretty good for her first cake in my opinion.]

And then the groom arrived! Such a sweet surprise, even though most of us knew, including the bride lol. He came in with the biggest smile on his face I'd ever seen! I was soo happy to see my brother soo happy!! He came baring a bouquet of beautiful flowers for his fiance and they matched her gorgeous pink dress perfectly. They danced to traditional Albanian music, as friends and family gathered 'round the dance floor to celebrate the two of them together.. although this wasn't their actual wedding, it made the reality of the two of them getting married even more real and I can't wait to see them on their Wedding Day!

 Congratulations to the two most amazing, loving, special people I know, Artan & Florina! I love you both to the moon and back!! I hope you have an a marriage full of as much love, success and happiness as you've had so far! love you guys!! xxoo, Ana

Notes about the day:

Venue- The Brownstone

Cake- Also by The Brownstone

Bride's Dress- unknown, sorry guys!

DJ- Family Friend

almost the weekend...

Thank goodness it's Friday and the weekend is just a mere 3 hours away for me! I really need this weekend to catch up in my assignments.. there's too many to even think about right now. My brain is fried from work this week.. wedding season is definitely approaching!

I'm excited for Sunday because it's my future sister in law's[FSIL's] Bridal Shower!!!! I can't wait to see all my family, play cheesy bridal shower games, and drink lots of wine with everyone! Should be a lovely Sunday afternoon.. I'm wearing the prettiest dress I've ever owned! All black lace with sheer sleeves, it's amazing. I'll make sure to post lots of pics from the bridal shower next week.

I have a coffee date tonight with my very good friend, Justina. I'm really excited about this because I haven't seen her in a few weeks and we have lots of catching up to do.. I hope I find the time for all my homework this weekend haha.. any way I'll be back mid next week to update you all on the bridal shower and my 'weekly wishlist!'

Hope everyone has a very lovely weekend!!!

Ohh and here's a random photo of the shoes I'm wearing today... just because lol

little simples

    well today is monday and that usually means everyone is miserable and yearning for the weekend to start again. However, this monday was definitely one of the best that I've had in a while! In case you are unaware of today's significance, it is 5†23†11, the release date for Lady GaGa's brand new album, "Born This Way"!!!! I have been waiting for today for what feels like forever!!!! I'm tickled pinker than you can believe that today has finally arrived! My best friend in the entire world, and myself went to Target to pick up a copy of this musical genius!! and it was only 10 bucks, WIN!! And we both unknowingly wore the exact same Lady GaGa shirt and black hoodie with matching black leggings haha I felt like I was 5 again dressing to match my best friend. And it didn't bother either one of us that we were matching head to toe lol It was funny, actually. As soon as we each purchased our own copies of our audio bibles, we played the CD through its entirety until we reach  the restaurant we were going to have lunch at. Its an awesome Mexican style restaurant that is decorated like a fiesta everyday! and the food is literally amazing! PLUS, they offer vegetarian dishes!(Another WIN!!) Lunch was delicious, just like we expected it to be. We talked about the usual; family, school, work or lack-there-of lol and we finalized our plans to see The Hangover 2 at midnight on Wednesday! This week is definitely out weighing all the stressfulness that has also arrived at my front door but that's another post lol
     Also, so more random news, I had to send my beautiful acoustic-electric guitar out to be fixed in the middle of April and I just got it back today! I've been so restless without it! Usually when a song idea pops into my head i strum it out on my guitar, or to relieve stress, sadness, anger, etc... Its been the most stressful, sad, anger moth without my guitar! I;m so glad to have it back, But its not the same exact guitar, they sent me a completely brand new guitar, same style but updated! and the black wood has sparkles in it!  eep!! I was sooo excited when my dad brought it home tonight! I've been playing it nonstop! 
     I guess its the little simples, as i like to call them, that truly make life worth it! Enjoy the rest of your week everyone and have a super awesome memorial day weekend!! 

xxoo