'The Lady Gaga of Wedding Invitations'.......

.......according to 'Beyond the Big Day'. This was the quote that really caught my attention when browsing for unique wedding invitation ideas. I thought to myself 'Wow, I want to have the Lady Gaga of wedding invitations for my wedding' and so it began. I immediately contacted Karen at http://www.weddingteatowels.co.uk/ and she got to work on designing our wedding tea towel invites straight away! Karen was so helpful from beginning to end and the whole ordering process was extremely straight forward and simple. You basically choose a design, pick a colour, decide on how many you need and choose which wording you want printed on it. Karen is also very accommodating when it comes to working with you to create your perfect design. For example, we are getting married in a barn and wanted this to be on our tea towel. We also wanted a tractor and highland cows, so we got it! She added theses drawings in especially for us so our invite was bespoke and personalized. We are absolutely delighted with the result and have had many compliments on them. People are amazed at how 'awesome' an idea this is and have never seen anything like it before. They have truly set the stage for what is set to be a fabulous, fun filled day! Karen, we can't THANK YOU enough. 

Crazy about Chia......

C/O www.uschia.com

Ch-Ch-Ch- Chia! If you haven't heard about it, I am sure you will soon. It is the next super food that everyone from Oprah to Miley Cyrus are raving about, and the good news is it is now available to buy right here in the US! Up until about 9 months ago I had never heard of Chia seeds and had certainly never tried any. Then...I met the lovely Zack Pennington (CEO) and partner Jacy Cruz who are the founders of the vastly expanding company US Chia. Both Zack and Jacy are Chia lovers and they were the ones  responsible for getting me started with this latest 'craze'.

The thing is, Chia is not a craze like a bunch of these other super foods out there. In fact, you would be 'crazy' not to be eating it. Adding Chia to your diet by sprinkling some on your salads, in your yogurt or on top of your morning oats has an unbelievable amount of health benefits including: feeling fuller longer, promoting weight loss, fighting belly fat, full of fibre, improve heart health, glowing skin, hair and nails,  packed with protein and full of Omega 3! These are just a few. It does not get the name 'Super food' for nothing.

Luckily for all of us Chia is now readily available here in the US. Up until recently Chia was only grown in South America and imported onto our shelves. Thanks to Zack, Jacy and the gang from US Chia it is now being grown right here in Florida and other parts of the country. We can now get Chia faster, cheaper and more nutritional than ever! To get your own Chia log on to their website at www.uschia.com and start reaping the benefits today!

Bucket List Before Baby....

Sooo...this one has been playing on my mind a lot this week and thought that there is probably a plethora of couples out there having the exact same feelings as my soon to be husband and I.

It all started 5 nights ago when we were both laying in bed after a very busy and extremely enjoyable Saturday; the morning was spent (slowly) eating 'Whole wheat banana pancakes' followed by a drive to the park (in our convertible) to play what turned out to be a very short game of tennis before packing it in to go home and sit in the blazing sun with a large cold wine and turkey baguettes. In the evening we attended a VIP  'Thunder over Louisville' fireworks party down town, where we proceeded to drink copious amounts of alcohol and eat yet more turkey baguettes (thanks to Subway's tasty but not so healthy catering).

By the time we got home that evening we were not only exhausted but extremely overwhelmed with contentment and satisfaction.  And furthermore, we were extremely excited about the long lie in we were going to have the following day! As I lay there smiling (albeit a fuzzy head) I casually mumbled, though half asleep....'God, imagine we had a baby right now!'. At which point my fiance's ears perked up and simply replied..'I know'.

As our wedding day fast approaches we are both very well aware of our lives having the potential to dramatically change in the very near future. As much as we are both excited about the prospect of being parents one day we are also having far too much fun and adventure to even think about giving it all up. We also want to spend a decent amount of time as husband and wife first before we have to share each other with another. I know some people say, that there is never really a right time and are you ever really ready? but we are both 100% sure that we want to bring children into this world when we are ready to give them our 100% attention and focus. They surely deserve that.

However, sometimes things don't always go to plan but for the sake of plan making we have made ours and are sticking to it.....this conscious decision we feel with not only benefit us in the long run but also benefit our children when we come to having them. We, as parents, will be more financially ready, emotionally ready and more whole/complete as an individual. This will enable us to raise our kids in the best possible way with no regrets about all things we wish we could have done before we had them. Kids change everything; they are the best gift you could ever ask for so why not give them the gift of you in return? You can only give the gift of you when you are ready to give yourself over.

All this deep, philosophical conversation got us thinking that night about all the things we want to do before we have our first baby. We decided there and then to start making a 'Bucket List Before Baby'...this included things like: road trips, adventure hikes, buying a fun car, spending all day in bed (at least 10 times), finishing studies, securing well paid jobs, running marathons, volunteering, writing books, spending 2 weeks on the beach, spending our well earned money on really expensive shoes that we have never before been able to afford!...the list is endless. From that night on we made a pact to start planning for an unplanned future and begin ticking these items off the list, as no doubt time will fly like it always does and our first little bundle of joy will begin it's own adventure into the unknown. (FYI I hope they too make a bucket list one day) :))))

Having the same thoughts? Whats on your 'Bucket List Before Baby'?

10 Days of Real Food....

c/o www.100daysofrealfood.com

Yeahhhh, I have just completed my '10 Days of Real Food Pledge!!'. What a beneficial and educational challenge this has been. Not only have I learned so many new things about food and nutrition but I feel way less bloated, have lots more energy and my skin is glowing like never before (I did also lose 4lb in 10 days which is a little bonus to top it off).

For those of you who want to give yourself a kick start into eating more natural/real and clean foods then I would highly recommend signing yourself up for the 100 Days of Real Food 10 Day Pledge. Whether it is to lose weight, feel better or to simply eat more naturally I guarantee this will give you the little boost you have been looking for.

Before my '10 Day Pledge' I considered myself to be quite a healthy eater but what I didn't know was that just a few items in my diet were responsible for my added weight and a bloated stomach. I am sure they were probably reaping havoc on my insides too! My one can of diet coke a day rule is gone, my Friday night bag of chips is gone and the only grains I now eat are 100% whole wheat. I also try and stick to alternatives such as beans or sweet potato if I want a side with my dinner. By excluding just a few items and making small changes you can make a big difference to your health. Processed/ refined foods should be avoided as these are the foods that your body finds hard to process and therefore stores as fat. Stick with these rules and you will notice a difference to your health in no time!

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe people can be 100% good, 100% percent of the time but I do think it important to follow the 80/20% rule when it comes to eating: 'According to the rule, you must choose healthy foods 80 percent of the time. Because you eat healthy the majority of the time, you are allowed to indulge in a few favorite treats 20 percent of the time'. I like to have a cheat day one day per week. This doesn't mean spending the whole day binging on chips and chocolate but it does allow you to be a little bit more relaxed: have a slice of cake with your coffee or make a homemade pizza. Cheat days make it easier to stay focused and make you feel like you are still living!

What you waiting for,,,,sign up now and GO CLEAN!

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/take-the-10-day-pledge

Handmade with True Love.....

I have recently been on a mission to find an alternative 'guestbook' for my guests to leave their 'mark' at our wedding. I didn't want a traditional guest book that people would write their warm wishes in as I feel that these are too often looked at once after your big day and put in the back of a cupboard there after. I saw this fabulous idea on Pinterest of a 'balloon thumbprint guest book'...the idea is that guests would dab their thumb onto a colourful ink pad and then print it on to the picture above to make it look like the bride and groom are holding strings of balloons! The picture can then be framed and displayed in your home as a constant reminder of a wonderful day with family and friends. I completely fell in love with this as balloons are going to feature hugely at our wedding. I knew this was perfect but what I didn't like was the huge price tag that they were selling for....So....I made my own! It was VERY EASY to do and I would encourage all those with time on their hands to do the same. You can too often be ripped off with these things that can easily be made yourself. I simply bought a clip art from the internet of a bride and groom and then created a page on MS Word with added lines/writing. I then took the document in to Staples and had them print it on onto a large poster all for the small price of $10!!! Not only is it a bargain but it was handmade with true love! (Hoping to start selling these on Etsy in the very near future so watch this space). 

Black Bean and Zucchini Quesadilla......

C/O www.fitnessmagazine.com

I am sharing another delicious recipe under 500 calories on the blog this morning....It is Monday after all, and we are all back on the diet wagon, right? This black bean and zucchini quesadilla is not only low in calories but it also has the added nutritional benefits from the beans and zucchini. Next time you are in the supermarket pick up the following ingredients for your next healthy/low cal meal! 

* 1 cup of chopped zucchini

* 1/2 cup of black beans - rinsed and drained

* 2 teaspoons of olive oil

* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 2 whole wheat tortillas
* 1/4 cup of shredded cheese
* 2 tablespoons of salsa

Make it: Saute first 4 ingredients for 5 minutes. Place mixture on tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Fold in half and cook in pan until cheese melts and tortilla is toasted. Top with salsa.and enjoy!

I heart shoes!......

When it came to planning the theme to my wedding and the style I wanted to go for, I didn't think for one minute. I knew right from the start that I wanted a fun, yet quirky wedding with a rustic/vintage feel. So it really wasn't a surprise when I went a purchased these stunning shoes by Vivienne Westwood! From then on my 'red heart' theme has exploded with colour and quirks, thanks to the inspiration from these little lovelies. What shoes are you going to be sporting on your wedding day? Whatever you decide to wear, make sure you quite literally 'heart' your shoes!

Want the same style? Get yours here @ www.viviennewestwood.co.uk 

When 'Love' Takes Over.....

With 17 weeks to go until my wedding, 'Love' has quite literally taken over! For the past 8 months, my life (and my fiance's) has been consumed with organizing and planning our perfect wedding day celebration. As the time gets closer it has become more and more difficult to keep up with my other interests and hobbies such as baking, cooking, blogging, hiking, photography, crafting etc.....I often wonder how different my life will be again when our wedding is past?. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely loved the process of planning our big day but I am also looking forward to getting back to normality and having time on my hands again to live life to the full and not constantly be replying to emails or pinning things on Pinterest! Yes. It will be lovely, but until then I am going to enjoy every single minute....after all, you only get to do this once!

Throughout the whole process I have tried my best to stay cool, calm and collected....and I think I have done quite a good job at that. I have found that there are certain things that have helped me through and if I were to share my advice with other blushing brides to be, this is what i'd say:

1. Remember it is your day, no one elses. Have enough strength to say what you and your partner want and don't want. Not everyone will like the same things you do, but that is OK. Your wedding should be a reflection of your personalities as a couple.

2. BLOW YOUR BUDGET! (well to a certain extent)...I don't mean go out and over spend by £30,000 but I do think it is important not to be so hung up on sticking to a budget. As long as you are flexible and have time to look for the best deals then I definitely think there are ways to save in some areas and not so much in other areas. So...if you want a photographer @ £2000 then only spend £100 on a cake. Prioritize what is important to you  and the budget seems to fall into place. Blow your money on some things and save on others!

3. Communicate with your partner. This one is crucial I think. Some people forget about the importance of the marriage and get so caught up in the day. Stay connected with your partner throughout and take time to plan activities together, go on dates and keep that flame alive!

4. Take time for yourself: pamper yourself, go for long walks, eat healthily, hang out with friends, go shopping...whatever it is that you do to de-stress. This is an essential part of keeping you mind healthy and active. How can you possibly plan a wedding if you don't have a clear head?

5. DELEGATE. This one is my favorite. Don't be afraid to allow people in your life to help out and take on some jobs for you. You will be surprised at how helpful and eager people can be. It makes you feel blessed to have people on board that actually care about helping you out.

6. Reflect/ write it down....and by this I don't just mean write a 'To- Do List' (that is a MUST) I mean take time to think about things, don't race ahead. Reflect on the importance of your day, think about your life after the wedding - how much fun you and your partner will have when you are actually husband and wife and continually remind yourself that it is just a celebration of love (or the words I use: IT IS JUST A BIG PARTY). No one cares what colour your bridesmaids are, that your cake was bought from M&S or that you handmade your own stationary. People just want to see you happy together and really do just want the best for you both, not only on your wedding day but for the rest of your lives.

To conclude, yes 'Love' can quite literally take over. It is ok not to have time to write a blog, bake cakes or take your camera out on big long walks. You only get to do this once so make the most of it, these things can wait until after the wedding, after the honeymoon even but if you can seem to fit it in (like I have done today by writing this) then that is great too! Enjoy, stay chilled and remember....it is only a wedding. The marriage will be the fun part! xxx

Roses are Red......

Violets are blue.....(ah, you  know the rest!)

Valentines day is fast approaching and this year I decided to make things a bit more personal by designing and painting my own cards. All you need to make this is some white card, a black pen, paint and your finger. Once you have written the word 'Love' at the bottom all you need to do is use your finger to create coloured finger prints in the shape of a heart. This is a cheap and thoughtful way to show your loved one just how much you really care and appreciate them...Happy Valentines Day!

Getting Foxy.....

C/O youaremyfav.com

Don't you just LOVE these cute little Valentines Day puppets? Perfect to make with your kids or as an alternative to giving a card! I know what I am going to be making next week......now lets get crafty! Learn how to make yours and get the free printable at www.youaremyfav.com. FOXY indeed!