From My Heart to Yours!

Hi!

I have loved hearts for so long, I really don't remember when I wasn't fascinated by them. Since this year of 2011  is quickly coming to an end, I thought I'd post a little love... from my heart to yours. After all, I think we all need a little bit more love.

Katie and Teddy, 9/10/11! I love you!

 Erica and Charles' pie! In addition to the cake, pies and croquembouche was the order of the day! I love you!

When one of our trees crushed our swing and white picket fence, I took the opportunity to show more love! This is our new gate to the grassy area with a heart! I love it!

Kristen and David's Hallowedding with an appropriate black heart! I love you!

A heart was made of rose petals in the grassy area for one of our weddings! As the guests arrived, it was one of the first details they saw and it warmed their heart! I just loved it!

 Laura and Matt chose heart-belled table card holders for their guests. We rang those bells for more kisses and love! I love you!

This holiday season, I enjoyed the art of decorating sugar cubes! My first design was a puffed pink heart! The second design was a puffed red heart. The third design was a flower! hehehe I bet you thought I'd make another heart!  It's a gorgeous presentation and a beautiful gift that I love giving!  I love it!

I was looking for art projects and ran across this wine cork heart! Being a heart enthusiast, I quickly copied the picture. Since I have tons of corks from the last couple of weddings, guess what? Yes, I'm going to make one! I think it would be perfect at the bar!

I love it! 

Daniel and Jinnie found this beautiful cake topper! I loved it because the couple is surrounded by a heart! Who knew! I love you!

Sarah and Greg (mfg) added our incredibly, beautiful beveled and etched glass piece to their arch decoration. At the center of the piece is a heart. It's flanked by hearts on each side, presenting their two lives becoming one! I love you!

So, here are just of few pictures of magic I like to call love. I hope this holiday season is filled with love. I'm sending it your way. 

Love,

Michelle Gregory

Stylist and Coordinator

Vintage Printable Labels AND they are Free!!

Hi!

I found this website yesterday for vintage labels that I just had to share! And guess what? They are FREE and printable!! The designs are so adorable!!

They are perfect for Christmas Tags, Labels for Homemade Jelly or Jam, tags for Wedding gift favors  AND  I thought they'd be perfect for seating cards for any Wedding Reception! Forget the "Made in China" tags and make your own. It's easy, just pick and print!
Pretty fun, huh? I love these!!




Here's the link: http://blog.worldlabel.com/free-printable-labels-gallery.

These labels add so much charm and decoration! I used one of the labels for my "Soothing Bath Wafers" Jar.  I then reduced the size of the artwork and created a tag. This tag includes the recipients name and instructions for the wafers! 

Have a great day!!
Love,
Michelle Gregory
Stylist and Coordinator

Real Vintage Jewelry at its Best!

Hi!

Are you looking for vintage jewelry for you or your Bridesmaids? Or, how about a Christmas gift? 

I found just the source!!

Ocean Eyz Jewelry and Design, Kymmberly Arbiso: 

Contact info: barky16@hotmail.com ph (714)343-6050

Kymmberly, the owner, has been a vintage jeweler for over 17 years and has a huge variety to choose from. If she doesn't have what you are looking for, it's no problem. She'll customize the jewelry to you! She can add different stones to any piece or add a "drop" when there wasn't one.  

What's your dream? Do you need help? Kymmie is the one to call. 

Here, Rachell found this gorgeous broach and Kymmie added the "bling" for a sensation accent to her wedding gown. The earrings? Yes, Kymmie found these vintage pearls and created  beautiful earrings just for her!! Rachell's bridesmaid's colors were yellow so Kymmie made necklaces and earrings to match!

What can she do for you? "I deal in Antique, vintage jewelry. I also make jewelry for weddings & special occasions! I like to use vintage parts, to make similar to original or all different! I have many designers name items & parts, from pre turn of century to 60’s!  Ex:  Haskell, Weiss, Kramer, Boucher, Trifari and many names you might not know? Periods from Georgian, Victorian, Deco, Art Nouveau, Retro, studio to date!

I can take pieces by changing out rhinestones to add QZs, Swarski’s, real Pearls, stones, diamonds & such. Or keep it original, if you like it! "

Christina went to Kymmie for her Bridesmaid's gifts. Together, they created this wonderful vintage necklace! She found them and they were slightly different for all five ladies. They loved them!!  Each Bridesmaid received a gift bag from the Bride.  In each bag, they found  a  black vintage clutch purse  with the vintage necklace inside!! Brilliant!!

 Erica was looking for something delicate to go with her Organza Wedding Gown. Kymmie made the
pearl earrings, necklace and bracelet - all from vintage settings!! She also made the jewelry for the Bridesmaids; pink drop earrings and bracelets!!

Here I am with my vintage pink tourmaline necklace! I created the necklace by flipping one into the other! It can be longer or shorter, it was so much fun! - no clasps or hooks! It was just the perfect vintage accent I wanted  for my gown! Thank you Kymmie!!

So, if you are really into the Vintage craze, don't forget to accessorize! Kymmberly of Ocean Eyz Jewelry and Design is there to help!!

I hope you have a fabulous holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Love,

Michelle Gregory

Stylist and Coordinator

The Cake Topper and an Event Stopper!

Hi!

I just love the cake tasting and cake designing portion of the planning. Seriously, who doesn't like dessert?

There are lots of options; what flavors and colors, whether to use lace or ribbon,  flowers or a cake topper, is it going to be a three layered or a huge tower of icing magic? 

I thought this posting will help you see a few of the options we have enjoyed at the Jones Victorian Estate. 

What do you think?

 Katie Dyker chose a two layered delight with vintage lace and a flower on top and vintage lace! Her flowers and artistry was  Simply Gorgeous!

 Hillary Murphy went with an icing-less cake with a vintage cake topper!  Her entire wedding had that
wonderful homespun feeling utilizing all her vintage inventory!Her mother made the cake top in their likeness. In fact, she has her own site now and is offering special, personalized, vintage cake toppers to order!!! Contact her: Dawn NicholsCoronation Cake Toppers, nicholsd59@gmail.com, (714)319-9906, http://coronationcaketoppers.com/ and http://www.etsy.com/shop/coronationcaketopper?ref=pr_shop

 Sara Hamilton chose a Fire Fighting topper just like her new husband! It reflected her fun loving personality!

 Amber Willson decided she wanted a silver Monograms for her towering masterpiece. The clean lines of the initials were the perfect finish for their cake.

 Summer McMasters wanted a delicate and loving accent that reflected their style for the cake topper. She found this wonderful find at an antique store in downtown Orange! Absolutely lovely.

 Jinnie Liu, a fashion designer,   incorporated all of her design elements into her cake!  She found this lovely heart shaped Llardo for the finishing touch.

 Kristen Cushman broke all rules and standards and just had plain ole fun!! Her hallowedding was full of skeletons, black crows and cats, spiders and ghosts! What do you think she wanted for her cake? A spooky themed cake with "Love never dies" skeleton cake topper! It was a fantastic wedding full of lots of fun and love!! It was definitely an event stopper!!!

Denise Magstadt added a cake stand to the bottom layer and flowers with fruit on top of the top layer and bottom  layer. The colors were striking and went with her ruffled streamers! Who thought flowers, fruit and streamers would work so well together?

Megan Krueger had a blast finding her fishing themed cake topper! An avid fisherman, Andy enjoyed her enthusiasm to his sport.

This vintage cake topper from the 1940's is a wonderful keepsake! I love the detail and simply artistry.
What kind of cake topper do you want? It will be fun finding out!!!

Lovely!
Michelle Gregory
Stylist and Coordinator

Jelly Is Not Just For Your Toast!!

Hi, Happy Holidays!

Today, while I was making  Pomegranate Jelly for family and friends this holiday season, I remembered a gentleman named Michael at one of the weddings this year. Just thinking about him had me smile and I thought this would be a fun post. 

I was running around during a wedding earlier this year trying to locate all the members of the Bridal party for the introductions. An elderly gentleman came up to me and said, "What's going on? Who are you looking for?"

 "The Bridal party," I said, "I getting ready for the toast!"

 "Ahhh," he replied with a youthful grin and said, "I'll have mine with jelly!" 

I  stopped right then and there and had a good laugh! I hugged him and told him I was going to write about him on my blog. He said his name was Michael, the uncle of the Bride, from Oregon. True to my word,  this is Michael's story. A wonderful man who made me laugh  and smile all night long. So... Thank you Michael, this blog posting is dedicated to you, my new friend and jelly enthusiast!!

So, I was thinking... what about Jelly??!!

It's a great gift favor idea and one that everyone loves. Besides, what is peanut butter without Jelly, 

or as Michael said; Toast with Jelly?

I have had two Brides in the recent past that have taken advantage of this special fruity treat to the amazement of their guests.  It takes time to make it but anything this great does!

Here, my Bride Kristen, her sister and Mother made Strawberry and Raspberry Jams as a special treat to their guests. We displayed the jars on a separate table with a lovely sign that read, "Spread the Love."  The guests selected their  jar of jam as they exited the property as a special thank you from the Bride and Groom.

Another Bride, Katie Schmidt-Dyer made Jalapeno Jelly, her colors were purple and green, as their gift favor. They were delightfully decorated and placed at each place setting. The rich, emerald green color sparkled in the sun light and added a homespun feeling to the tables. 

Are you thinking about Gift Favors? Give them something they'll love... Jelly is a great idea.

My jars of jelly are ready for adornment! Happy Holidays!!

Love, 

Michelle Gregory

Stylist and Coordinator

Engagement Shoot for Brandi and Josh!!!

Hi!

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day and we took advantage of our good luck by having Brandi and Josh take their engagement pictures. There are so many reasons to take your engagement pictures at the Jones Victorian Estate, here are just a few!!

1) Your photographer gets the "lay of the land" so to speak. He's able to check out all the different
locations that he can't possibly get during the wedding and reception.
2) You and your finance have the Bride's room and Groom's room for your change of outfits!
3)  You and your photographer get to know each other better at the same location of your wedding!
(He can't get lost or be late!)

4) As a couple, the more you visit the Estate, the more at home you'll feel!  

Here, Brandi was in a white lace dress accented with Red boots and belt and Josh in his red plaid shirt!! Perfect for the rustic shots! Wait until you see her sequined dress and  Josh in his tie at the sunset shots!!

Brandi and Josh had pictures out in the "meadow", up on the hill over looking the city and in the palm farm where the trees line up like sentries. They walked all over and climbed - Brandi in heels!! I was able to see a couple of quick pictures from their photographer and they are INCREDIBLE!!  Here's what I took it with my camera phone!!! Geez! I can hardly wait to post the "REAL" ones!!

Have a lovely holiday!!
Michelle Gregory

Two Bright Lights blog

                                                                               Hi!

I was just notified that Stacy and Joe's pictures are posted on another blog... Two Bright Lights! It's so much fun seeing what other sites pick for their blog. 


 I am here to say they left out one of my favorite pictures!! I  L O V E this shot!! You're beautiful Stac!!


Check out the blog at this link:
http://donebrilliantly.com/2011/12/real-wedding-standout-bouquets 


Love, 
Michelle

Erica and Charles are on "Stylemepretty!"

Hi!

Erica and Charles' photos have been posted on the stylemepretty blog. Megan and Micah Dalberg did the honors and what a great day it was!!

Go to:http://www.stylemepretty.com/california-weddings/2011/12/01/jones-victorian-estate-wedding-by-micah-megan/

Congratulations!! Yippee!!
Love,
Michelle Gregory