SWEET HOME CONNECTICUT

CHARMING CHARLIE

2011-12-12T10:17:00.004-05:00

UH OH! Steve's in trouble.... Charming Charlie now has an online store! :)

http://charmingcharlie.com/

I had written an entry about this AMAZING place a lil while back...check it out here! http://skv6.blogspot.com/2010/11/william-miles-katy-jared-charlie.html

CHOPPED

2011-12-05T15:38:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love her new do! She looks so different! FABULOUS!

SURPRISE!!!

2011-12-02T11:32:00.003-05:00

For my blog readers/followers out there.... :) We sent out this super early Holiday card to our friends & family right before Thanksgiving...It's been a long road of ups & downs over the past year. Steve & I are over the moon!

VINTAGE DRESS FORM

2011-12-02T10:05:00.003-05:00

LOVE! Xmas Wish List for sure! :) ABC Distributing Catalog/Online store! It would go PERFECT in our large purple guest room!

http://www.ltdcommodities.com/LTD%2BExclusives/Vintage-Dress-Form/prod320117.jmp;jsessionid=64E53CB7DC3A646DC5BE8E39C8B2F4C6?fm=email&navAction=push&categoryId=cat570013&navCount=0

RESPONSE RECEIVED: WWII DOG TAGS

2011-11-11T10:36:00.001-05:00

In honor of Veterans Day 11-11-11 I wanted to give an update on my story....

I recently received a thank you note in the mail from the wife of the husband's dog tags I found! Here is what she wrote to me…it makes me tear up & smile every time I read it...

"Hello Shannon, my name is Betty Yeager, and Im writing to thank you for finding my husbands "dog tags" and for sending them to me. I have no clue how they ended up in CT. I thought he lost them over seas. He shipped out from Virginia but returned to NY, I thought. Paul has been gone since 1991, he would be 92 now, Im 91. My three sons and daughter were happy to see the "tags" and want to do something special with them. Again I thank you for your kindness. God bless you. Betty Yeager"

ORIGINAL POST:
http://skv6.blogspot.com/2011/07/dog-tags-found.html

UPDATE:
http://skv6.blogspot.com/2011/07/update-wwii-dog-tags.html

WANT

2011-09-28T11:19:00.002-04:00

i think this would fit perfectly in our retro vintage pink kitchen! saw it at BJ's the other day!

MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU

2011-09-16T12:43:00.004-04:00

Simply stated... ;)

I found this on Etsy forever ago & showed Steve! He ordered it w/o me knowing & gave it to me last night! Can't wait to frame it! :)

IT POPPED!

2011-08-31T15:11:00.002-04:00

As i had suspected...when we returned from NC my sunflower had POPPED! Full bloom! Sooo pretty! :) ***Check out the before photos a few blog entries down...

THE CHILDREN OF 9/11

2011-08-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

I'll definitely be purchasing this copy of PEOPLE...

ONE LAST SLICE

2011-08-31T14:57:00.001-04:00

OF AMERICAN PIE THAT IS!!! The FINAL flick!

American Reunion, set for release April 6, 2012

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20524453,00.html

DWTS SEASON 13 CONTESTANTS

2011-08-30T10:28:00.001-04:00

I might actually watch it this go around... :)

And the 12 DWTS contestants for Season 13 are:

David Arquette: The comedic actor and former husband of Courteney Cox is best known for his performances in Scream and Never Been Kissed.

Chaz Bono: The only child of legendary entertainers Cher and the late Sonny Bono would be the first transgendered contestant on the series.

Nancy Grace: The former criminal prosecutor and opinionated legal commentator is expected to keep hosting her show on HLN while she competes on the show.

Ricki Lake: The actress-author-birth advocate is having a great year; she recently announced her engagement and will launch another talk show next year.

Rob Kardashian: Kourtney, Kim and Khloe's younger brother works as a talent manager but occasionally steps into the limelight to appear on his family's shows.

Ron Artest: Standing at 6-foot-7, the Los Angeles Lakers forward is one of the season's two professional athletes.

Chynna Phillips: The Wilson Phillips singer is related to two Hollywood families -- her Mama and Papa John and Michelle Phillips and her Baldwin husband Billy.

Kristin Cavallari: The former star of MTV's reality series Laguna Beach and The Hills occasionally appears on TV shows but is mostly dedicated to her charity work.

Carson Kressley: The personal stylist and television host became a household name when he starred on Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" in 2003.

J.R. Martinez: The "All My Children" actor suffered burns over 40 percent of his body while deployed in Iraq; when he's not on the soap he's a motivational speaker.

Hope Solo: Filling in the other pro athlete spot is the beautiful, heavily endorsed goalie of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team.

Elisabetta Canalis: She may be tabloid fodder for being George Clooney's ex, but the gorgeous model-actress is a famous TV and film personality in her native Italy.

POTTY TIME

2011-08-22T11:38:00.001-04:00

The outhouses that were made for my cousin Jesse's outdoor wedding in VT this past weekend! I was impressed! Of course I needed a photo in front of them! :) Just a quick pic for my readers...I'll catch up on blogging at some point this week!

IT'S ABOUT TO POP

2011-08-11T13:24:00.003-04:00

By the time we get back from the beach this, baby will be in full bloom! Sunflowers are my favorite! :) Until next week...PEACE.

RANDOM

2011-08-11T10:42:00.003-04:00

Kanye? Or Jay Z? maybe a lil bit of both? :) pretty awesome.
I really love this lavender rose cropped jacket from Newport News!

Purchased this retro pair of earrings from a vintage antique shop in California a few months back! Totally wearing it to my friend Mike's wedding in NY at the end of August.

I was having a lovely quiet Chinese lunch on Tuesday while my car was getting looked at during my work lunch break. Little did I know I was about to pay $170 for a new battery, oil change & fluid check.

Awwwe. Boo always knows when we are leaving him. He followed me around all morning!

NORTH CACKALACKY

2011-08-10T14:12:00.004-04:00

Onto the 2nd wedding on our list for August! (as you know this is our 3rd wedding in general as we attended our 1st one in June!) Tomorrow we are off to North Carolina for Kelly Lewis' wedding until late Sunday night! The Lewis family have been our close family neighborhood friends since elementary school! Our parents are the bestest of friends! And us "kids" continue to reunite every so often w/o missing a beat of course! SUPER exciting! The area that we are heading to is Wilmington/Sunset Beach. PUMPED! I can't wait to see everyone, including my family as my parents just retired into their brand new house down there! Steve & I will be checking out their brand new digs (built from the ground up) for the 1st time! While we are in town we will also be checking out downtown Wilmington, soaking up the sun on the sand & bringing out our inner "dorks" (as some would say) by sight seeing OTH's "clothes over bros/karen's cafe" & the rivercourt! I really can't wait for that part! Woo! Hoo!

WILMINGTON, NC: http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/

2 SIDES OF SHANNON :)

2011-08-10T11:06:00.002-04:00

it's rare that i post an extremely "raw" before photo.... but it's just too funny not to share! LOTS of teasing to get this fabulous beehive hair do! :)

ME & MY LOVE :)
CRAZY!!! :)

YOU GOT ME

2011-08-10T10:32:00.005-04:00

Sooooooooo Jacob & Amy's wedding was this weekend! What a BEAUTIFUL day all around! I cant wait to share my photos! Down below is a quick sneak peak! Remember...it all took place in their backyard. Chandeliers, white Christmas lights, vintage/antique decor, comfy seating areas, an in-ground pool, wild flowers, garden esque everything & more! This song by Colbie Caillat played as us bridesmaids & the stunning bride walked down the aisle! LOVE! Just imagine it...we all walked from the back gate, along side the pool and ahead towards the bird bath on the opposite side of the yard! The sun was peaking through the clouds & all you could hear was the birds chirping!

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ8Osinlfe8

***STACEY M PHOTOGRAPHY***

***STACEY M PHOTOGRAPHY***
(Gav, my hubby Steve & Me--Jacob & Amy---Katie & Andrew---Danielle & Josh---Sam)

SLITHER

2011-08-10T10:22:00.003-04:00

Snakes...not a fan. Esp in dreams...last night i had a dream that had several snakes in it! If i ever remember a dream I tend to search the meaning of it online to see what i can find. Of course it depends on which link or website you click on as sometimes there are different meanings...this is the one i came across the most...

Snakes come to those who are in the process of transformation. Change, squared. In other words, if you are having snake dreams, get ready for a shake up. And this is GOOD. Change is scary, threatening; it can come upon you like a snake in the grass, biting you when you least expect it. Change can come in many forms and colors, and sometimes requires a huge swallowing of information (like the snake when eating), or a shedding of skin and with that, sense of trust in the divine (like the blind snake when shedding skin).

As a positive symbol, snakes represent healing, transformation, knowledge and wisdom. It is indicative of self-renewal and positive change.

FLEA MARKET FIND

2011-08-09T10:35:00.001-04:00

10 cents. YEP, that's it. :) Reminds me of a necklace my Grandmother used to wear...she may still have it actually.

CH-CH-CH-CHECK IT OUT

2011-08-04T15:43:00.003-04:00

Remember the gold chandelier I was going to spray paint for my friend Amy's backyard garden pool side wedding per a few posts down below on my blog? Well....here is the outcome! :) Let our August wedding festivities begin!!!

MY OPEN ROAD

2011-07-28T11:34:00.008-04:00

i took this photo last night... it has inspired me a bit...makes me think of the future & the possibilities ahead, as life has had it's ups & downs over the past year & has been a bit stressful in so many ways...try to keep up w/ this jumbled, unorganized post. don't get me wrong, i love my life & Im truly happy but sometimes there are things that can bring a person down, or things that can make a person start to crack. Ive heard that there are people out there that think my life is picture perfect. totally not true. i have issues just as much as anyone else out there. sometimes i just don't display those issues on my face, within my smile, through words online or verbally if Im not asked about them 1 on 1. i try not to get involved in drama or share my drama as much as possible. i try to stay positive about life & try not to stress out too much. Sometimes when bigger things happen to you the small things aren't as big as they seem. Unfortunately my feelings hurt easily. i try not to take things personally, even though sometimes, some things certainly feel as if they were meant for me to take them that way. sometimes i feel as if i can't win w/ certain people, i have to remind myself that it's them, not me. can't help but feel as if Im constantly walking on egg shells. the little things tend to be big things in my life. and the big things tend to be even bigger. on top of it all, i easily feel left out. i started my blog a few years ago to in hopes to keep my friends & family up to date on how my new life up North was treating me. i also started it so i could jot down my thoughts & feelings as I please. I slacked on that part a bit, as Ive recently been posting notes about fashion, celebrities, music & DIY projects. Figured i should get back to me for a few mins. Here's a quote from the infamous Carrie Bradshaw that caught my attention last night while watching TV in bed...kinda ties in w/ just part of this entry..."the truth is, at any given moment someone somewhere could be making a face about you. But it's the reviews you give yourself that matter." .....I truly cherish those friends & family members who have been there for me face to face or a phone call away. Those people have gotten me through this year so far & have reassured me that I am a good person & deserve to be treated like one...they have also reassured me that things will look up in the future & everything happens for reason...I'm not a religious person but God does have a plan for everyone. Even if you don't know what that plan is at this moment in time. I have to continue to reassure myself that I am only handed what I can handle. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way though. After reading this, some of you out there may think that Im only looking for sympathy. I am NOT that kind of person. Typing all of this out is almost a sense of therapy. It feels good to get all of this out, even If Im not going into detail. I know what Im talking about & a few others close to me will know as well. Oh to the struggles of growing up, as well as moving away...Ive def been beaten up a bit, that's for sure. No doubt there's someone out there that's going through what I'm going through. I'm probably not alone. Yah, & maybe some if "it's just a girl thing". I've learned some lessons & I've also learned both positive & negative news. Keeping my head up, my mind in the right place & my heart open will hopefully guide me along the way...

here's to the possibilities in my future...
new friendships
(even) stronger relationships (husband & family)
less stress @ my real job
stronger friendships
more photography side jobs
less "to do list" stress
mended friendships
and...hopefully...babies.....*our* biggest struggle.

JANELLE HONEYCUTT FUNDRAISER

2011-07-25T15:26:00.000-04:00

NOVA friends & family... :) Sept 10th--fundraiser for Janelle Honeycutt :) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/janellehoneycutt

OMG IT'S SO HOT OUT

2011-07-22T15:10:00.005-04:00

This is me mimicking everyone on FB yesterday & today! In a teasing kind of way. I will take the heat over any super cold Winter day, that's for sure!!! Bring on the sun! Bring on the humidity! I can take it! :) This weekend we have NOTHING set in stone on the calendar. What a great feeling! Here are some things I plan on doing at my own leisure...just typing "at my own leisure" sounds so freakin fantastic! HA!

*catch some rays
*photograph some things on this road that's right behind our house: horses, a red barn, an old blue classic car, an old "tug boat" of some sorts, wild flowers & more!
*check off a few items on my "to do list" inside the house & in the yard
*laundry, laundry & more laundry....sheets & towels
*possibly "Mystic Pizza" w/ friends on Sun
*use/spend a few shopping certificates & coupons
*paint that gold chandelier pink finally, collect some sticks, collect a few last min need be's from the flea market & create a vintage wedding yard sign for Amy & Jacob's big day

*& so on, & so on, & so on

WEDDING GUEST/BRIDAL PARTY DRESS #1

2011-07-22T14:42:00.003-04:00

We have officially entered into wedding season this year! We have 6 total! Steve & I are in 1 together! & I'm in 2 total! Craziness, yet super fun! Vacation time, money, dresses, suits, wedding gifts, hotels, flights, long drives & more! BUT sooo worth it! Woo! Hoo! The 1st wedding for us this year was Crystal & Nick's on 7*9*11! The full FB album is below! I just had to share the pictures w/ my readers. I had so much fun taking these photos as a guest & then editing them after the fact! Im pretty proud of myself actually. Can't wait to take more wedding photos between the 1st weekend in August & the last weekend in October! Here is my 1st wedding guest dress! I purchased this lavender & black lace dress @ a cute lil boutique shop in FL when Steve & I went down there for our 1 year anniversary. I fell for it as soon as I saw it! Under $20! The black wedge shoes are from Target...a lil bit more then $20 but oh well-super comfy though!

Me & Steve---my newest fav shot of us!
Danielle, Jess & Me

Dancin' the night away! I had just enough drinks in me to strut my stuff! HA!

NICK & CRYSTAL'S WEDDING 7*9*11 ALBUM:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150233126593176.315014.516028175&l=d467e07e3d&type=1

***Today, one of my favorite inexpensive websites sent out a 50% off online coupon code! I totally had to use it so i purchased THIS dress for the 3rd wedding we have on the calendar in NC on the beach.---Hi Kelly! :)

RANDOM

2011-07-21T16:09:00.004-04:00

Just purchased the latest Kate Voegele CD "Gravity Happens" using our Best Buy rewards online. I <3 Kate. I first heard of her while watching "One Tree Hill" several years back. I saw Kate perform a lil while back in a VA coffee shop, what an intimate show that was!
The view from our new hammock area...sooo peaceful. Can't wait to relax on it this weekend, maybe even take a nice nap.

How cute! My Grandparents left this note on our (dirty a**) oil heater in the storage room of our basement when they visited in June. We recently noticed it so I had to snap a quick photo! I don't plan on cleaning it off. EVER. :)
My new fake "Toms" from Payless! Silver glitter sparkles! So fun & so me!

The "American Apparel" newsletter hit my inbox the other day.... check out these fabulous shades! My favs are the red ones on the top right.

ROCK ON Miss USA. Simply stated.

My top 4 snap shots of the "Kid Rock" performance that Steve's company CVS hosted. What an AMAZING performer he was...

So fresh & so clean. Vanessa & Hayden

UPDATE: WWII DOG TAGS

2011-07-21T16:02:00.000-04:00

QUICK UPDATE: The tags were still @ the antique store when I swung by Tues night! I was able to purchase them for 21 & change! :)

TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE

2011-07-20T11:18:00.002-04:00

This commercial crack's me up! Just saw it last night! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDQ3jl-wCZw&feature=related

DOG TAGS FOUND

2011-07-19T15:20:00.000-04:00

I have a story to share…the kind of story that gives you goose bumps…

On Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 I had a "day date" w/ my friend Heidi in Putnam, CT. Roughly 25 mins from where I live. We had lunch @ 85 Main outside under the white Christmas lights dangling from the trees above. After lunch I was debating about needing to get back home or not to get my (well overdue) hair highlighted that afternoon before our friend's Jack & Jill party that evening. Before making a final decision Heidi suggested we browse the antique shops that surrounded us as we both LOVE antiquing! We can spend ours checking out all the furniture, jewelry, knick knacks, clothing & more! Im ALWAYS wondering what the story is behind each item…who's was it? where is it from? Ect ect ect. I am completely & utterly fascinated by the answers to those type of questions…Of course I can't think of the name of the antique shop right now but hope that Heidi can help me out w/ that once I hear from her. Anyway, we ended up browsing this one shop for at least an hour if not longer…taking our time walking down aisle after aisle and eyeing display case after display case… shortly before we left I noticed a pair of silver chained dog tags laying on a glass shelve that was locked up for safe keeping. I kept looking at them trying to see if I could read the name on the tags. Looking back I don’t know why I didn’t just ask the front counter to unlock the cabinet for me so I could take a closer look. I was able to finally read the warn out/scratched off name imprinted on the tags. "Paul L Yeager"….WWII. Whenever I don’t want to forget something I send myself a text to my work email so It will shake my memory the next day. So that's what I did…of course Im kicking myself right now for not buying them right on the spot. The next morning I emailed my Grandfather who lives in NC & fought in WWII to see if (I know it was a crazy long shot) he recognized the name at all…no luck there….so I began to search the name online and ended up coming across THIS website… http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohclecgs/cemeteries/stlouis/inscriptions.html If you scroll down to the "Y's" you will find Paul's name…. Paul L Yeager born Feb 23, 1920…..it's sad to say but, Paul passed away on Feb 22, 1991 just 1 day before his 71st birthday. If you look at the top of this website it reads "St. Louis Church Cemetery in Clermont County". Soooooo I searched this church & found out that it was located in Ohio! On the church website I found a contact email address for their front office & sent a note introducing myself & explaining my story, then asked if they thought it was the same person that was buried in their church cemetery. I also mentioned that I thought that maybe the family would want the dog tags back in their hands after who knows how many years….I didn’t hear back for a few weeks & decided to send a reminder email just this morning. The person who I contacted at the church got back to me apologizing as she had been on vacation for quite a while. Just a few mins later I received another email saying she had reached out to Paul's wife who was over the moon after hearing about all of this! She was very thankful & shared that Paul L Yeager stood for Paul Louis Yeager. She asked that I mail the dog tags directly to the church so she could have them. (Ive got goose bumps just typing this out!) She was very thankful for my research, time & effort which makes me smile! I can't even imagine what she must be thinking or how she must feel. All I know is, if my husband passed away or fought in any of our wars I would absolutely want a piece of his past that reminded me of him….This evening, Steve & I plan on going back to the antique shop to purchase the tags & mail them out as soon as possible…no doubt I will cry if they aren't there anymore. If they are still there, I'll cross my fingers that Mrs. Yeager reaches out to me one day to explain Paul's story. I wonder how the tags ended up in CT when she lives in OH? Why were they in an antique store in the first place? Did someone find them & sell them?....How long have they been there? Had the family been looking for them all this time? Stay tuned! I will for sure post an updated entry about my story in the near future! Feel free to share this w/ others!

WHERE'S GEORGE???

2011-07-01T14:06:00.002-04:00

http://www.wheresgeorge.com/

Have you heard of this? I have but have never checked it out! Until today. I pulled a $10 bill out of my wallet that my Grandmother had given me (yes my Grandmother still slips us "kids" money when we see her! HA! Love it!) the other day when she was visiting us for our mini family reunion. Before I had the chance to spend it at lunch the stamp on the back of the bill caught my eye! I plugged in the serial # ect and found out that the bill had been all over the US! Pretty cool huh?

VISITORS WELCOME!

2011-07-01T13:48:00.000-04:00

Sent this out today...just wanted to share... :)

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to say hi on this slow Friday afternoon. Hope all is well! I think about all of you non stop! Don't forget to let me know if you are ever up North! Especially this Summer as I'm sure all of you have travel/vaycay plans underway! Keep in mind we are close to Boston, New York, Newport, RI, Providence, RI, New Hampshire, ect! If you can't come visit us at our house we would love to try & meet up w/ you somewhere! I miss all of you sooo much! Have a lovely 4th of July weekend! PS: The next set time we will be back in NOVA is October, hopefully we will be able to make it back home sometime before that!

HUGS!

Love,

Shannon

PROJECT CHANDELIER

2011-06-29T10:29:00.003-04:00

My next lil project isn't actually for me! It's for Amy & Jacob's wedding coming up the 1st weekend in August! You know those ugly brass generic chandeliers that usually come in your apartment or house? Welllllll Im taking the one that came w/ their house & spray painting it a bright fun color to hang in their backyard as a unique decoration on their big day! FUN HUH!?!? Easy for sure! I bet it takes 5 mins tops! These before & after pics are just examples....ill share the real deal once I complete my current project this weekend! :)

FROM TRASH TO TREASURE

2011-06-28T13:23:00.004-04:00

My friend Ari (Andy Schuh's wife) was on TV recently in Cali! "From Trash to Treasure"

Check out the video & her company Design Squared Interior Design based out of San Diego!

http://www.fox5sandiego.com/videobeta/6ef50a83-acf7-48aa-80db-d1413286d67d/Community/From-Trash-to-Treasure

ARTS & CRAFTS

2011-06-13T13:12:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago Sue & I went to the Silver Circle Studio to take a 2 hr mosaic mirror class! We had such a great time! Wine & cheese/crackers included! Sue has her mirror displayed in her family room on a floating shelf & I have my mirror displayed in our bedroom on a floating shelf!
http://www.silvercirclestudio.com/

http://www.pietreduredesign.com/

Sue's before:
Sue's after:My before:

My after:

Around the same time Steve & I had gone into downtown Westerly, RI for our lil date day/date night! We lucked out as that weekend was their huge arts & crafts fair! I came home w/ THIS dried flower necklace charm, a vintage red ring & a few other things!

NEVER ENDING PROJECTS

2011-06-13T13:02:00.005-04:00

When you buy a house you take on project after project after project! I swear it's never ending! Here are a few sneak peeks of things we have been working on! :)

My YELLOW photo office! It all started w/ a wall decal! Ummm is it just me or does it look crooked? GREAT. A "quick trip" to Lowes this weekend just to pick up a few flowers & plants! Over $100 later...HA...these babies will be planted/potted this evening!
FINALLY! We found classic/crayola RED curtains! We had struggled w/ this for a few months! Every place we checked sold burgundy/wine/rustic red curtains! Steve found these through a seller on EBAY! They are new "team colors" (REDSOX) curtains!

Our kitchen chairs used to look like this...(see my original post here!) http://skv6.blogspot.com/2009/07/cherries-roses.html

And now...they look like this! Up against our PINK kitchen wall!

CRACKLE ME

2011-06-10T16:13:00.003-04:00

I'm gonna totally have to pick me up some of this crackle nail overcoat polish @ CVS this weekend when we use Steve's corporate 30% off coupon! SCORE! Super funky! Just my style!

RANDOM

2011-06-10T10:24:00.005-04:00

My husband Steve in the sunlight!

“I just want to say to all the girls out there that I know it’s cool to be bad, I get it, it’s cool to be bad. But it is possible to make it in Hollywood without doing a reality show. When I came up in this business, if you made a sex tape, you were embarrassed and you hid it under the bed. And if you took naked pictures of yourself on your cell phone, you hide your face people! Hide your face! So for all the girls out there, it’s possible to be a good girl, and I’m going to try and make it cool.” ---Reese @ the MTV Movie Awards---

Spring flowers near our front porch & sidewalk!

Miles, our newest addition to the family!

My Marilyn Monroe calendar @ work. GORGEOUS.

Klematis, the flower I fell in love w/ @ Heidi's parents house on the lake!

Always room for HANSON. ANYTIME!

Steve's co-worker Bob emailed this to me! Baby birds he photographed! Awww.

Lady. She's always surprising us!

HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE BABY

2011-06-10T09:51:00.003-04:00

Did anyone watch the CMT Music Awards the other night??? No, I'm not wondering if you saw Shania Twain's fall (poor thing!!!).....I'm wondering if you saw the last performance by Jason Aldean & wait for it...wait for it.... LUDACRIS!!! I cannot get this song out of my head! When Jason introduced Luda on stage I screeched "WHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT?????"! I could watch the video of their live performance over & over! LOVE IT!!! As Luda said..."HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE BABY!" :)

***Thanks to Tim McGraw & Nelly paving the way w/ "Over & Over Again" of course!

"Dirt Road Anthem"

http://www.killerhiphop.com/video-ludacris-performs-with-country-singer-jason-aldean-at-cmt-awards/

FREE DONUT @ DUNKIN DONUTS

2011-06-03T16:36:00.005-04:00

This week got away from me! Goodness! I'm so glad it's over! Ive been bustin' my butt @ work (like usual of course), and to think I was only in the office 3 days! :) Most of you know that I'm an Assistant @ COX. Some days I wish I had an Assistant for myself!!! I love my job, I love my job, I love my job...OK Im done.... This weekend is pretty low key for Steve & I, the only 2 things on the calendar are Nick & Crystal's Jack & Jill partayyy Sat night (of course I put together my infamous girly basket to raffle off!) & Danielle's birthday brunch Sunday morning @ "The Mill on the River"! Check this place out! We have never been! I'm so pumped to go! It's gorgeous! http://www.themillontheriver.com/

Other then that I plan on decorating my photo office more! Ive talked about this a few times in the past. About 2 months ago now we got our house professionally painted! We are FINALLY finishing up putting the house back together. I can't wait to share photos of our progress! As you know, when you own a home, projects are never ending!

PS: Did anyone get their FREE donut at Dunkin Donuts today? If not you still have time! All you have to do is purchase a beverage! I took advantage of this on my way into the office! YUM!

THE GLEE PROJECT

2011-06-02T10:05:00.002-04:00

THE GLEE PROJECT: SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH

Love the commercial for this!!! :)

http://video.oxygen.com/shows/the_glee_project/casting_calls/the-glee-project-presents-firework/v1329081

METRO DEVIOUS

2011-06-01T10:55:00.001-04:00

Check out my friend Sooney's Detroit artwork!

http://metrodevious.com/

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

2011-05-27T11:14:00.015-04:00

***I'm so annoyed that the spacing is off in this post! I can be anal like that! HA! I just tried fixing it 43981783471234 times! UGGG....letting it go...

Our 3 day weekend is finally here! I've been looking forward to these 3 days for some time now...having that extra day tacked onto your weekend makes such a huge difference doesn't it??? Just about 2 weeks ago Steve & I had no plans on the calendar! And now, it's a bit filled! Funny how that happens!

FRI: Mosaic Mirror class @ Silver Circle w/ my friend Sue!

http://www.silvercirclestudio.com/

SAT: Photo shoot for my friend & co-worker Stephanie & her 2 adorable daughters!
THEN date night w/ my hubby in downtown Westerly, RI! I actually took engagement photos here last Fall for Bethany & Matt! Check the public FB album out!

http://www.westerlydowntown.com/

BETHANY & MATT'S ENGAGEMENT PICS:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.449145463175.236879.516028175&l=ee53379869

SUN: Memorial Day cookout @ our neighbor's Wayne & Sarina's house!

MON: NO SET PLANS!!! :)

THE OTHER LOVE OF MY LIFE

2011-05-27T10:13:00.005-04:00

I don't think I'll ever break away from purchasing CDs. There's something about picking up a new disc that includes photos & lyrics! LOVE! Last night I went to Walmart to purchase cat liter & couldn't help swing by the music aisle. These 2 CDs had been on my "to buy list" for a lil while now...Im already so much in love w/ both of them!

Avril Lavigne's "Goodbye Lullaby"
(a lil taste) "Alice" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZb8CnUzUOc
&
Glee presents' The Warblers
(a lil taste) Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E46BhMIRujI

A FRESH START

2011-05-26T13:27:00.004-04:00

A fresh start on blogging that is! Annnd maybe a few other things while I'm at it. Starting w/ a fresh new haircut! Let me re-introduce myself. My name is Shannon & I heart blogging. Here I am...getting back into a few things that I love... :)

TURNING TABLES

2011-04-20T10:52:00.003-04:00

Im a HUGE fan of glee, it's no secret. Last night Gwyneth Paltrow sang this song called "Turning Tables". I googled the lyrics this morning & realized it's by Adele. LOVE! Check out the comparison! Both are amazing.

GWYNETH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WdDPkrrFmc

ADELE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w44dk4ysnz8

ACM AWARDS

2011-04-04T14:13:00.002-04:00

I was a HUGE fan of these 2 performances last night... HUGE I tell ya! Taylor Swifts "Mean" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKwWq4mnaiw AND Rihanna & Jennifer Nettle's "California King Bed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWCQrbWUxsU

SIZE DOESN'T MATTER

2011-04-01T09:12:00.002-04:00

I've never posted a video before from my cell phone....here goes nothing! Hope all my readers can see the super quick flick of our kitten Miles attacking our cat Boo. They playfully fight all the time, I was finally able to capture it for a few seconds! Too cute & funny! http://pictures.sprintpcs.com/share.do?invite=4EH44HY8mzU5J5c7h09h&shareName=MMS&messageState=RETRIEVED

IKEA

2011-03-28T15:09:00.004-04:00

I think we bought the whole place on Saturday! ;) HA....or at least half..... snapped a quick picture of Steve writing down our choices as we walked through the store....it reminded me of the funny IKEA commercials this one, where you cant tell that the characters aren't @ home...or if it's even a non IKEA commercial until the end.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66t0KAtWec

30 SECONDS TO MARS IN CONCERT

2011-03-24T15:51:00.004-04:00

Who's going to the concert??? WE ARE!!! Steve & I just purchased tickets to see them in Boston May 1st!!! Sooo excited!!! As you know I have been lovin' Jared Leto & crew more & more recently as I have posted about the band HERE & HERE. I've been checking their website a lot about when Mr. Leto will be touring in the US, as they are out of the US right now. Wellllllllllllll just this morning I heard on the radio that they are throwing into the mix a random show in Boston! Of course I couldn't pass up this opportunity! YAY! Can't wait! Another cool thing is that one of the band's opening up from them is Anberlin. NEAT. Goodness...times like these I really miss my friends from home as I KNOW a bunch of them would have wanted to go with us to this concert. Booo to that. :(

SHOP FOR JAPAN

2011-03-18T13:21:00.001-04:00

FOREVER 21: TODAY ONLY

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

2011-03-17T10:00:00.003-04:00

***OLD NAVY & GAP LOVERS***

30% off March 17-20

PROMO CODE: WYWJ9LYJX3GH

SHOP AWAY!!! :)

***Just picked up a few Spring items for work! :)

SAD TO SAY BUT IT'S TRUE

2011-03-17T09:55:00.001-04:00

NOTE TO SELF: make sure you always have something in the back of your closet to wear to a funeral...

RANDOM

2011-03-10T10:22:00.005-05:00

Purchased this vintage sweater on Etsy last year....isn't it the coolest? LOVE.
My new kicks from PAYLESS....sportin' these babies today.

How adorable is our cat BOO? He cuddled w/ me a lot this past weekend. It was much needed. You can see my arm/hand in the 1st picture & my leg in the 2nd...

This new ***soft bristled*** round brush has saved me! Normally I only spend a few bucks on brushes, but I "splurged" on this one and spent $12 @ CVS.

I've always been "TEAM ANISTON"...that will never change. Even with her changing hair styles... Im diggin' her new long blonde bob!

SPA DAY VIA GROUPON

2011-03-10T09:50:00.005-05:00

Have you signed up for GROUPON yet? If not, you MUST! It's amazing! So many daily deals, with no fees, rules/restrictions, ect! All you have to do is purchase that GROUPON deal, THAT day when it hits your inbox! Obviously for it to hit your inbox you have to sign up for the GROUPON emails. Check it out here! :) http://www.groupon.com/r/uu6318335

Myself & my friend Amy just purchased a 75 min facial worth $55 for only $30 @ the Waves of Healing Wellness Boutique in Riverside, RI! The spa is right on the water! We are gonna go sometime in the Spring/Summer, lunch and/or dinner included when we put a plan together! Maybe even an overnight stay!

ARTIST TO WATCH

2011-03-03T14:41:00.002-05:00

I took the 2 photos (back in the Summer) in these 2 online articles about an up & coming band called "KANERKO" who I've blogged about before. Just wanted to share.... Pretty cool.

#1: http://www.my411source.com/kanerko-article.html

#2: http://type3media.com/2011/02/27/artist-to-watch-kanerko/

STORMY AWARDS, NYC & GO RED

2011-02-25T13:37:00.007-05:00

Annnd a packed weekend yet again!!! Im so excited about this weekend yet Im a bit stressed at the fact I have a feeling I won't get much sleep!

FRI: COX Stormy Awards work event...something I have worked on & put together for the past month. It's a yearly thing, I believe this is my 3rd year working it, maybe 4th? Just went shopping @ Best Buy for a bunch of prizes, giving away a ton of them this evening! Sweet. I believe I'll be home around 11:30pm...

SAT: Departing @ 6am...NYC for a girls weekend w/ my sister Ashley, mom Linda, aunt Lee & cousin Kelly!!! Steve & I are driving into the city together. The hubby will go his way & hang out w/ his buddy Sean while me & the ladies of the Vaughan/Wampler family do it up! Staying at the FABULOUS Fashion 26 Hotel! I scored an awesome deal, it's crazy! Hopefully we will be checking out DASH (The Kardashian's boutique) & FAO SCHWARTZ to play on the "Big" piano!-----Check out the photos below of the hotel! :) http://www.f26nyc.com/

SUN: CAT COUNTRY GO RED SNOWBALL: VIP STYLE starting at 5pm...The local country radio station puts together this concert every year. The proceeds go towards Women w/ heart disease. This year's line up includes Gretchen Wilson, Thompson Square "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" & Jarrod Niemann "Lover Lover" & "What Do You Want"!!! (CLICK ON THE LABEL BELOW "CAT COUNTRY GO RED SNOWBALL" FOR THE CONCERTS IN MY PAST!)

***Like I said, not much sleep...but FUN FUN FUN!!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY

2011-02-24T10:06:00.003-05:00

HAPPY 31ST BIRTHDAY TO MY HUSBAND STEVEN!!! :) SUCH A STUD HE IS! LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS GUY! I MEAN LOOK AT HIM, WHO WOULDN'T? :)

CRAZY RIDE

2011-02-24T09:34:00.003-05:00

Steve & I caught up on DVR a bit last night...Michelle Branch's song "Crazy Ride" played during a scene @ the end of "One Tree Hill", I had a feeling it was her, when I heard her voice, although Ill have to admit I thought it was "The Wreckers" her female duo group. I feel in love with the song instantly!!! Check it out....Im totally picking up her latest CD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zkV1pnS-MA

AGAVES MEXICAN GRILL

2011-02-23T11:56:00.003-05:00

Dinner date w/ Amy tonight @ Agaves Mexican Grill! The new Mexican restaurant down the road from my work! Hello Margaritas & Guacamole! YUM! :) Really looking forward to this....sometimes life is so hectic, it's hard to keep up w/ each other just through email or the phone! Face to face is always a special treat!

I CAN DO THIS (ON REPEAT)

2011-02-17T11:35:00.003-05:00

Here goes nothing....

long weekend in NOVA!!! :) Visiting w/ family & friends, meeting lil Maddox Kimmel & photographing my 1st (low key & small) wedding!!! (<---scary!)

accepting positive vibes...i'll need em'!

BOSOM MAX & 2 SURPRISES

2011-02-16T11:52:00.006-05:00

1. Google "Bosom Max"...I dare ya! I saw this ad in a magazine last week! I texted it to a few of my friends & family members knowing they'd all get a good laugh out of it...

2. (I had permission to post this-FYI!) Yesterday Steve & I received this surprise photo postcard in the mail! It's of my cousin Jesse & his fiancé Carly! YES, I said fiancé! This was their way of announcing their engagement! The writing on the photo reads "Hey, are we getting married?" "Yeah...".....This is soooo Jesse & Carly! LOVE IT! Very clever & unique!!! It's officially on our fridge @ home! Congrats again you 2!!!...Now we have 3 weddings in August---3 weekends in a row!!! NC-NH-NY

3. My good buddy Paul Warren from home in VA emailed me yesterday morning to let me know he would be in Mass for work, wondering if Steve & I were close enough to 95 to meet for dinner on his way back! I was sooooo excited when I got his note! Its been tough not having my close group of friends around me these days---STILL... Sooo of course we jumped on this opportunity! What a special treat it was! The timing worked out perfectly for all 3 of us to meet up. Hopefully Paul will have another trip up North in the near future for business, if he doesn't come back sooner for play! :)

CATCHING UP

2011-02-16T11:34:00.004-05:00

This past Friday night we hosted our 2nd annual neighborhood Valentine's Day party! All of our adult & kid neighbors came over for holiday fun! I snapped a few shots of our decor around the house....What a great time it was! And as I have said many times before what great neighbors we have!!! I love living @ the top of a cul-de-sac!
Goody bags for the kids... :)

Fondue!

The yummy punch that Steve made! 1 can of pineapple juice, 2 liter bottle of ginger ale, ice & watermelon sherbet ice cream!

Thennnnn Saturday night we had Heidi's (in the green vest) surprise 30th birthday party!!! Her boyfriend Tom & best friend Kelley put the whole thing together!!! They worked sooo hard! What a great night it was! Tom even catered the food---Mexican style & Kelley made all the decorations, including the photo backdrop & props! These photos pretty much sum up the night! PS: Today is Heidi's actual birthday! HAPPY 30TH PRETTY GIRL!!! :)

1 + 2 = 3

2011-02-16T10:54:00.004-05:00

Sooo yesterday on my lunch break I took a quick trip to JoAnn Fabrics to purchase a backdrop for my 1st wedding that I am photographing this weekend back @ home in VA! Oh wait, did I not mention that??? Yah! It's the truth!!! GOD HELP ME!!! :) I am sooooo excited yet soooooo nervous!!! Any last min tips are welcomed my way!!! ;) LUCKILY my fabulous friend Michelle, who's birthday is actually on Saturday!!!---will be helping me out! My photography partner in crime really! We've gotta start somewhere right??? Anyway....so after picking up this fun background print (the color scheme/theme is red roses, black & gold) I came across the below....

ONE

PLUS TWO

EQUALS THREE

Yep! I made this adorable headband! I found the band & the flower in the jewelry section of JoAnn Fabrics & thought how easy & fast of a project this could be! Wellll I was right! It took about 3 seconds to put together! A lil glue & I was good to go!

THE BACHELOR SPOILER ALERT

2011-02-15T10:21:00.004-05:00

I haven't watched "The Bachelor" from last night yet but I couldn't resist checking out http://www.people.com/ to see who Brad said goodbye to. FINALLY! Miss Michelle got the boot! Even though there was a part of me that really enjoyed her outgoing personality, extreme confidence & humor Im glad she got sent home. Like I said in THIS post & THIS post a lil while back...Im more of a fan of the "nice" girls...like EMILY!!! :)

GAP 40%-45% OFF

2011-02-15T09:51:00.002-05:00

HAVE FUN! :)

I LOVE MY VALENTINE

2011-02-14T15:35:00.006-05:00

.LOVE.
Today is Valentine's Day. I love this day. I feel really lucky & thankful this year! We actually decided to celebrate last night for the most part. That way it made it easier for us, as today is a work day. It will be nice to just go home & relax when we walk in the door. Oh & watch the Grammy's from last night of course!....Sooo what did we do? Well let me tell you! We used our points from the hotel that we got married at & stayed over for FREE! Then we used a gift certificate my boss gave me for my birthday in November to the restaurant 1149 here in RI. Steve had never been so we thought it was a great idea, not to mention, the thought of dinner being FREE as well! A few days ago I had contacted the event planner of our wedding at the hotel to let her know we were staying last night. I asked her how much it would be to have some champagne & chocolate covered strawberries sent to the room. I figured if it wasn't too pricey, I'd have her send them up as a lil surprise for Steve! Well....it never hurts to ask ANYTHING, keep that in mind, bc she responded saying "its all on me!" WOW, I thanked her a million times, how sweet! Yesterday afternoon we drove out to RI (from CT) & stopped at one of our favorite stores near the hotel called "Anne & Hope", after that we checked into our room, got settled & exchanged gifts. Steve gave me black diamond earrings!!! Sooo unique, just my style as Im not a big fan of "fancy" jewelry! I just LOVE them!!! He did a great job (as always) & totally surprised me! Then it was Steve's turn....I gave him Kenny Chesney tickets for his concert in early April!!! This was actually a joint gift from myself, my parents & my sister & her fiancé for Valentine's Day (from me) & his birthday coming up Feb 24th (from all of us). As much as I wish Steve "jumped for joy", he was pretty darn excited & in shock that I was able to pull this off! He has always wanted to see Kenny Chesney, the timing of his upcoming show was just perfect! Thx again to a lil birdie who helped me out w/ this!.....After relaxing for a lil while, we headed out to dinner earlier then our reservation time, we were actually able to be seated right away. Steve devoured his filet mignon & i devoured my shrimp stuffed w/ crab meat! YUM! Afterwards we came back to our room & found a tray of goodies sitting on our bed! Yet again, SCORE! HA!.....Annnnnd to top it all off Steve sent me flowers! Multi colored roses to be exact, that came in a lovely red vase! They arrived at my office this morning so I've been able to enjoy them all day! I love feeling special!!! As I said... I feel really lucky & thankful! :)

SEE YOU SOON NOVA

2011-02-10T11:15:00.000-05:00

Ill be home in NOVA next Thurs 2/17 for a few days! YAY! :) Anyone wanna hang out? Anyone wanna photo shoot?

SD@ShannonDanisPhotography.com

ESPN MAGAZINE

2011-02-02T13:47:00.004-05:00

In early December I found a "can't pass up deal" through http://www.hip2save.com/ for Steve for Christmas! The offer was with ESPN magazine. A 1 year subscription for only $3.99 SHIPPED! I was very curious as to if this deal would end up in our mailbox & it did just the other day! Steve of course knew about this @ Christmas time since I wrapped up a current ESPN magazine. I of course wanted him to have something to open for this particular gift.

This was the confirmation I received in December so you can see the price breakdown...

You will be receiving the following products:

1 x ESPN Magazine Subscription
$25.99
Coupon Discount
- $22.00
Subtotal
$3.99
Shipping
$0.00
Total
$3.99

FELLOW BLOGGERS

2011-02-02T13:38:00.001-05:00

How do I make my pictures larger within my blog entries? Is there a way to up the size directly through blogspot? HELP! :)

OSCAR CONTENDERS

2011-02-02T11:23:00.003-05:00

I stayed over night in a hotel yet again last night for work...this time bc of the ICE that hit us. While I was in bed watching "E" they showed the new cover of Vanity Fair magazine! Check out the Oscar contenders!
While googling for the full photo I came across this comparison...HA! Too funny!

CARRIED AWAY

2011-02-01T09:57:00.005-05:00

***UPDATE*** Hip2Save recently posted this new coupon that doesn't expire until Feb 22nd! Now you have no excuse not to try "Carried Away"! :) http://hip2save.com/2011/01/bath-body-works-free-travel-size-item-15.html

Soooo through my favorite deal website www.Hip2Save.com I scored a coupon last week that stated if I purchased *anything* @ Bath & Body Works I would receive a FREE travel sized item of the new "Carried Away" product! I didn't get a chance to get to Bath & Body works until Friday, but the store still welcomed my print out even after it had already expired. My goal was to spend as lil money as possible, so I found a cute pink gift bag that only cost me $1! I picked out the "Carried Away" travel size body spray & let me tell you it smells sooooooooooo good!!! Like a light scent of flowers really! Steve loves it too which is def a bonus! :)

MORE GOODIES & MY CAR ACCIDENT

2011-01-30T13:57:00.007-05:00

Check out the items I found @ the flea market we went to a few weeks back w/ Tom & Heidi! I can't wait to use these as I am currently decorating my new photo office!

I also found these beautiful vintage necklaces for under $5. SCORE!

And these awesome earrings as well! Goodness I'm a huge fan of these!

Annnd finally...some of you may know I got into a car accident the Wed night before Christmas. Poor me & my lil yellow Lancer. Let me tell you it was VERY scary... :( I am still shaken up over it as I have HATED driving in the snow ever since. Luckily I wasn't going very fast bc of the weather, on top of being on a back road, but the damage was worth almost $3000. The truck that hit me was very large, old & beat up. As you can see my passenger door & mirror was busted up. The glass on that side shattered completely. The glass ended up in my purse, on my coat, in my lap & under my feet. Thank god I wasn't hurt & the accident wasn't considered my fault! My car is finally fixed & we will be reimbursed 100%.

ORGANIZATION, FASHION & MORE

2011-01-30T13:33:00.005-05:00

Organization #1 for most of my necklaces

I went to Meghan's baby shower yesterday & wanted to share my attire w/ all of you.....starting w/my earrings that I purchased for $5 at a quaint vintage store recently! :)

I found this black velvet jacket Friday night @ Warwick, RI mall at a store called "Urban Behavior" for $3.99 since the store was going out of business!

Black velvet ballet flats w/ black velvet bows from "Charlotte Russe" on clearance for $6.99!

Ring from "Charlotte Russe"...can't remember the price but totally under $10. OOOH! And this fabulous locket necklace that I found @ a art craft fair for either 50 cents or 25 cents!

Remember my dress was from "Target" for roughly $7 on clearance that I picked up in December!

The full affect!

Organization #2 for most of my earrings

Went through all of my nail polishes....kept my favorite shades!

Cuddle time...Mr. Miles (black) & Mr. Boo (white)....I swear they did this on their own, it's very common! MELT MY HEART.

A quick snapshot of the sun one morning as I pulled over on my way to work...

CALIFORNIA HERE I COME

2011-01-28T16:13:00.003-05:00

OMG! I JUST BOOKED MY *FREE* FLIGHT TO CALIFORNIA TO SEE MY BFF EMILY IN APRIL!!!!! THANK YOU SOUTHWEST POINTS!!! THIS TRIP IS SOOOOO OVERDUE!!! I AM SOOOOO EXCITED I CAN'T CONTAIN MYSELF!!! YAY!!!

ME & EMILY :)

SEAN & MEGHAN'S MATERNITY PHOTOS

2011-01-26T16:38:00.006-05:00

I am SUPER PUMPED to share these photos w/ my readers/followers!!! I have been working really hard on my photography skills ever since I got my new camera. I am so proud of myself, I have to admit. I truly believe this is my best photo shoot yet! I can't wait to do more in the near future! Sean & Meghan are our awesome buddies that live in NY. Sean & Steve went to HS together & Meghan & I have become good friends. The last time (besides today) it snowed in CT I posted on my FB status that I would love to do a photo shoot for someone in the snow! Meghan messaged me right away saying she loved the idea & wanted to do her maternity pics w/ me! As you can imagine I was honored & excited to take these just a few days later. Let me tell you, lil miss preggers Meghan was a trooper in all this snow! Roughly 15 inches I'd say! It was definitely a bit cold out but her & Sean sucked it up for about 1.5 hrs! How adorable is Meghan w/ her lil belly? Sooo adorable! Congrats again Sean & Meghan!!! Baby Emma will love looking at these when she's older! :) ***PS: Thank you again for this wonderful experience! I had a blast with you "3"! OHHH & Meghan...I'll see you @ your baby shower on Saturday, can't wait! YAY!

FULL FB ALBUM: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=259412&id=516028175&l=75852fe40d

BIRTHDAY WISHES

2011-01-26T16:19:00.005-05:00

Happy Birthday to my friend Justin in VA today!!! Oh how I miss my close friends from home...especially during birthdays or special events like babies being born.... Justin & Amanda's son Maddox arrived last Thursday! I funked up a few pics & made these collages for them! :) Congrats again to the new Daddy & Mommy! I sooo can't wait to see him next month when I go back to visit for a long weekend!!!

As you may remember...I took these photos of Amanda pregnant w/ Maddox before he was born! (obviously-HA!)

Amanda & her best friend Ashley---who's my sister!

Amanda & Ashley

Justin & Amanda

Justin & Amanda again... :)

HURRY UP SPRING

2011-01-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

Work is putting me up in a hotel yet again tonight bc of the snow. Goodness! Hurry up Spring! :)

FREE FOOD

2011-01-26T10:27:00.002-05:00

HBO Holiday Luncheon @ 1149 today for work! YAY! FREE (YUMMY) FOOD!

LINDSAY COLBUS JEWELRY

2011-01-24T13:42:00.005-05:00

Lindsay Colbus' Jewelry website has been saved on my "favorites" list for a few years now! I have purchased a few beautiful (conversation) pieces from her that I just adore! It's been a while since I've checked her site...bad Shannon, I know! HA!....Here most recent designs are for her Spring/Summer 2010 collection as shown above....check out the rest on her link! I look forward to viewing her newest beauties in the near future!

http://www.lindsaycolbus.com/

***Notice I made a "LABEL" for Lindsay Colbus Jewelry, as I have bloged about her company before!

OPRAH'S "MASTER CLASS"

2011-01-24T11:22:00.001-05:00

"I’ve had a lot of clouds but I have had so many rainbows… The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so that you can be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud."
— Maya Angelou, “Master Class”

TEMP PAPER

2011-01-24T10:44:00.001-05:00

TEMP PAPER... aka temporary wallpaper! Saw this on the Nate Berkus show! Check it out!

http://www.tempaperdesigns.com/

LOTTERY WINNER

2011-01-19T15:47:00.001-05:00

We went out to dinner @ "Sing Asian Bistro & Lounge" for FREE last night since Steve won $50 from a lottery ticket! :) Score.

DOWN ON THE CORNER MUSIC BLOG

2011-01-19T15:12:00.004-05:00

The ol' ex who is out in Cali now just passed on his music blog. Check it out, it's pretty neat.

Introducing...*DOWN ON THE CORNER*
http://downonthecorner.tumblr.com/

RANDOM

2011-01-19T13:27:00.012-05:00

I KNOW THE CHEF.... it's pretty cool to be able to say that! Tom here on the right works @ a local CT restaurant called "The Lake Tavern"...or better known as "The Lake". Website found here: http://www.thelaketavern.com/

He is the best chef e-v-e-r!!! He is one of Steve's long time friends', who happens to make us dinner quite a bit! HA! Right Tom? He pretty much creates everything from scratch, as you can see him making pasta down below...of course I can't forget to give Steve credit for assisting him that fine evening about 2 weeks back!

"American Idol" starts back up tonight! I can't wait to check out the new season w/ the new judges! Love these 2 promo pics which include Jennifer Lopez & Stephen Tyler!

Welcome back My Chemical Romance! Last night I read an article in Rolling Stone magazine about this "long lost band". (FYI: my Rolling Stone magazine was part of my 3 FREE magazine yearly subscription deal that came w/ my new camera in Dec!) Anyway, back to the band...the article talked about how the lead singer Gerard Way cleaned up his dark angry act & lost a few pounds. It was a very interesting read, my kind of read really. Here are 2 songs-1 official video included off their newest album....

"SING" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTgnDLWeeaM

"KIDS FROM YESTERDAY" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHF0PzbdWjw

Last but not least...by tomorrow 2 of my closest friends from home in VA---my guy best friend Justin & my sister's best friend Amanda will be welcoming their baby boy into the world. The thought of this unimaginable. I am on edge as my sister continues to update me throughout the day--it's so hard being away from home, especially during special times like these. Luckily she was able to finally fly back home (as she now lives in NY) this morning to be w/ Amanda. No detailed updates just yet, as I wouldn't even put them on my blog until they are 100% official & it's 100% the right time... but I promise I will when I've been given the OK. In the mean time Amanda texted me this photo of her recently. It's a snapshot of her wedding rings & the necklace I gave her for her baby shower around her neck. "Maddox" simply stated. This of course made me smile as I know she appreciated this sentimental gift that I ordered. Props to Jessie McCann's shop found on Etsy!

Speaking of ordering...I sent these baby blue chocolate covered strawberries to Justin & Amanda! They should arrive at their house tomorrow! Can't wait till they get them! These delicious treats from "Shari's Berries" are gigantic according to my friend & co-worker Stephanie!.....Don't worry, my guess is Amanda wont be reading my blog today (or any other day in the near future) so this lil surprise won't be ruined! :)

PRETTY PLEASE

2011-01-19T13:05:00.001-05:00

*CARRIE MARVIN*

COME BACK TO THE BLOGGING WORLD.

WE MISS YOU.

FLOWER POWER

2011-01-19T12:51:00.003-05:00

Next weekend I'm attending my friend Meghan's baby shower in Greenwich, CT! I'm very excited about this! I am all about anything wedding & anything baby! I found this dress @ Target a few weeks back for only $7 on the clearance rack! Holy 60's/70's right? The dress was originally $35 designed by "Tucker" (for Target). Last night I was wondering to myself what I was going to wear so I browsed through my closet before heading to work. The bright colors popped out @ me & I thought this would be perfect! What a wonderful way to welcome Spring! Now.....here is my dilemma....what should I wear the dress with? I googled "orange flower dress" & actually found 3 photos of THE dress online under the "image" section. Im not exactly a fan of what these top 2 models paired the dress with though.... Im leaning towards solid black tights & black ballet shoes---similar to the 3rd photo...thoughts? Any other ideas?

GO BACK TO THE SALON

2011-01-18T16:28:00.004-05:00

There are a few things I haven't been a fan of lately...i wont list those right now but towards the bottom of my list is this....

Hairstylist Michelle of "The Bachelor"...soooooo not a fan! She doesn't seem to be very kind at all! Def a bit cocky & crazy I'd say! I seriously hope she gets the boot the next go around!

RAINBOW CUPCAKES & SNOW

2011-01-14T14:10:00.005-05:00

Before the big snow storm we had a small ammount of snow that was just enough to cover the ground late Saturday night into Sunday....I grabbed my camera Sunday morning, took a few snapshots & funked up the pics a big! ENJOY!

The view from our front door...

That Saturday night before the snow appeared we went over to Amy & Jacob's house to celebrate Amy's birthday!

I attempted to make rainbow cupcakes for her as a surprise! I found the recipe on a fellow bloggers website, although I am currently drawing a blank as to which blog I found it from on the right side of my page under "MY FAVORITE BLOGS"! If you know who you are let me know so I can give you some credit! :)

The recipe was sooo easy! The only thing that was not easy was making the layers of the rainbow look pretty...my rainbow cupcakes ended up looking a lil more marble-ized...BUT i kinda like it that way so they aren't considered "perfect"! :)....All you gotta do is make cupcakes like you normally would. After mixing the ingredients in a large bowl, separate the batter into separate bowls/mugs (whatever) depending on how many colors you want. Then in each bowl/mug add your food coloring....obviously if you want purple mix blue & red, or if you want turquoise mix blue, green & yellow. Make sure you use a separate spoon or fork for each bowl/mug when mixing so you don't mix up the wrong colors. Then start with 1 color and divide it up into your pan, use sparingly so you have enough when you get to that 24th cupcake wrapper! Then onto the next color, then the next, then the next, keep layering on top until you have gone through each color. Put it in the oven as normal & ta-da! RAINBOW CUPCAKES!!! :) Sooo easy, a lil time consuming but sooo yummy & pretty!

This first color is really turquoise as you can the shade a bit better in the 2nd photo below, it's the 1st layer I added in the wrapper. You can also see the correct shade in the finished product as well!

***A lil added bonus since several people have been asking me about the shoes I wore for New Years Eve...I purchased these babies for under $20 at this store up North here called "RAINBOW"...to my surprise they are sooo freakin comfortable!

GOING TO THE CHAPEL

2011-01-14T13:14:00.004-05:00

OR shall I say...GOING TO THE CASINO AND THEY'RE, GONNA GET MARRRRRIED! :)

Our friends (& adorable couple) Dan & Jess are getting married @ Mohegan Sun Casino on Saturday! We can't wait to attend their wedding! Fun times ahead of us for sure! It's going to be sooo unique from what I've heard! I mean come on, getting married in a Casino---how fun & unique is that? This future Mr. & Mrs. are such wonderful people. We have had the pleasure of hanging out with them even more recently, including an "all you can eat" sushi lunch date! I can't wait to continue building my friendship w/ Jess...she is such a sweet & down to earth girl! My kind of friend that's for sure. :) Here's an early congrats to Dan & Jess! I just know that Jess will make a beautiful bride & Dan of course a handsome groom! Photos of their ceremony & reception will be up on my blog next week! PS: The hotel we are staying at is located right near Mohegan...Im pumped about this place! It's sooo beautiful & modern! Here is the link! http://www.uncasville.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp

GET YOUR GROUPON ON

2011-01-13T11:18:00.004-05:00

Get your GROUPON on here! :) http://www.groupon.com/r/uu6318335 Click on the link & then subscribe by picking the area you live in & entering in your email address! It's that simple!

GROUPON ROCKS! I signed up a few months ago & always receive majorly discounted deals for restaurants, salons, spas, movie theaters, shopping & more! There are no fees! Why wouldn't you sign up? You can get more for your money when you purchase & print off your GROUPON coupon if you are interested in that particular deal for the day! For example...the other day I received a 50% of deal from a Spa here in RI. I purchased the GROUPON for $30, but can use it towards a facial or massage that's worth $75! As soon as I purchased the deal I printed it off. I then made my appointment! $30 that's it!

THIS IS FOR YOU JOE DOOLEY

2011-01-11T16:31:00.005-05:00

:) Hi Joe.

Work is putting me up in a hotel tonight around the corner from my office, along with several other employees...over 100 I'd say! They are calling for almost 18 inches of snow---CRAZY. I really heart hotel rooms...BUT I'm just nervous to drive home in this mess tomorrow evening. I'll take pics of before & after, as I packed my camera last night in preparation for this year's Nor'easter!

Tonight
Snow...mainly after midnight. Snow accumulation of 4 to 6 inches. Not as cool. Near steady temperature in the mid 20s. East winds around 5 mph...increasing to northeast 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Wednesday
Snow with a chance of thunderstorms. Total snow accumulation of 12 to 18 inches. Near steady temperature in the upper 20s. North winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night
Cloudy. A chance of snow in the evening. Lows around 17. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph...diminishing to around 10 mph after midnight. Chance of snow 50 percent.

THE HOLIDAYS

2011-01-11T12:43:00.007-05:00

NEW YEARS has come & gone...

Which means CHRISTMAS has as well...

JARED LETO CONTINUED

2011-01-06T16:53:00.004-05:00

I really think Im a lil obsessed... holy crushing at the least. Last night I realized that the Thirty Seconds to Mars CD that I just got, came with a DVD that showed behind the scenes footage for these 2 videos below. WOW was that cool to watch...I just checked out their tour date & of course they played in CT LAST FREAKIN NIGHT. Now they are off & out of the states...oh well. Next go around for sure! Check these out...I dare ya.

CLOSER TO THE EDGE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLqHDhF-O28

KINGS & QUEENS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTMrlHHVx8A

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://thirtysecondstomars.thisisthehive.net/blog/

STUNNING

2011-01-06T13:04:00.001-05:00

Khloe Kardashian’s New Red Hair

20% OFF PAYLESS SHOES

2011-01-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

ENJOY! Print this off or plug in the coupon code online!

EMILY & ASHLEY

2011-01-05T12:52:00.004-05:00

No, not my sister & best friend but my 2 favorite contestants on this season's "The Bachelor"!

EMILY
ASHLEY S.

If I were had 2 first impression roses to give away I'd totally choose Emily, the sweet Children's Hospital Event Planner who's fiancé died in a plane crash a few days before she found out she was pregnant w/ their daughter AND Ashley S., the Nanny who seems like the down to earth girl next door---who also squeezed Brad Womack's butt when she first met him!....I am so excited to watch Brad fall in love! Im a sucker for love stories....most of America was appalled that Brad didn't choose someone at the end of his original season. But I don't get it...he obviously (unfortunately) wasn't in love with any of them. Why should he chose someone just for TV purposes? He was there with the best intentions of finding someone but it didn't work out... Id like to give the guy a high five. Here's to TEAM EMILY & TEAM ASHLEY S.

PURRRRR

2011-01-05T10:17:00.004-05:00

Now THIS is a funky duffle bag!!! Found it on one of my favorite online shopping websites'. http://www.pinkice.com/

PS: As I stated on FB today...I heart Jared Leto's hot pink mohawk. I also heart his band's Thirty Seconds to Mars "This Is War" CD that my parents got me for Christmas. It has been on repeat every since...

MISS TRACY

2011-01-05T10:11:00.006-05:00

CONGRATS to Miss Tracy!!! @ http://cottonpickincute.blogspot.com She has won the stone necklace posted down below! Thanks for playing & posting my blog on your blog! I always welcome new readers/followers! Email me your info so I can mail you your prize! BrwnEydAngl6@aol.com

SHOCKING

2011-01-03T13:00:00.004-05:00

I find this very shocking....thx for the info Celeb Gossip Reader Amy! :) I always thought they were an odd pairing, but at the same time cute together. Too bad.

Mila Kunis Splits From Macaulay Culkin After Eight Years

GOODBYE WEEKEND

2011-01-03T11:04:00.005-05:00

This weekend was pretty fun yet also mostly low key. Friday we celebrated New Years w/ friends @ 2 different small gatherings (1 @ Crystal & Nick's & 1 @ Sue & Bryan's), pics coming soon! Saturday we slept in, which we LOVE doing, and then headed out to RI to run some errands, exchange a few things & eat @ TWIST restaurant! We used one of the certificates that my boss gave me for Christmas. YUM YUM YUM! (WEBSITE & MENU: http://www.pinellimarrarestaurants.com/twist.htm) Great prices, which means we can go back 3 more time before the certificate balance is zero. After lunch I took this phone pic w/o the flash (since i don't have one-HA!) & captured this awesome shot of the sun that afternoon! Keep in mind this was around roughly 12pm in the afternoon, the weather was GORGEOUS! The photo looks as if it was taken at night but all I did was edit the colors to give it a lil boost! Pretty cool huh?.....Sat night we hung out w/ a few peeps @ Tom & Heidi's & then Sunday we went to this awesomely HUGE flea market! I picked up some vintage jewelry totally $5, a few old school Nintendo games & controller, decorations for my future photography office & 2 solid wood matching side tables that are spray painted silver! VERY unique & funky! I'll post those pics tonight or tomorrow! I believe that covers it, another weekend come & gone, and now after the Holidays it's officially back to the daily grind!

ONE UP

2011-01-03T10:59:00.001-05:00

Steve & I played old school Nintendo's Mario Brothers 3 last night for almost 3 hrs! HA! Oh what fun THAT was, @ one point we had 19 guys! :)