these are a few of my favorite things

Posted: December 31st, 2011 | Author: Sommer

This year I got some great gifts. I want to share the creme de la creme. For me: a Diana F+ camera (I actually got this as a birthday gift but finally got the 120 film I needed and am now ready to play!). A ArkHippo Iphone case, which stands my phone up for recipe reading in the kitchen or video watching with Nico. Plus if he drops my Iphone (which he does) it’s super durable. And lastly the ArkHippo holds my phone between my ear and shoulder just like an old school phone; perfect for talking while washing dishes and the like.

Nico got a couple great gifts too. And his gifts are my gifts. He got a great little drum set made by Plan Toys. And his grandpa “Ubi” made him a custom Learning Tower so he can cook with me. It’s painted red to match our kitchen stools! Although ours is homemade it is based on the one available by Little Partners.

that’s a wrap

Posted: December 25th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

That time lapse Fotobooth set really is the gift that keeps giving. Some of them were so fabulous that I decided to use them for glorified Christmas cards. Bought some beautiful Notre Monde glass frames. They’re just the right amount of vintage and fancy, and inserted some cameo photos. Now they’re wrapped up in ultra modern spanish art magazine pages and stacked ready to go.

post party post

Posted: December 20th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

There are a couple other things from that party I want to share. A lot of hard work goes in to getting ready for a great celebration but mainly I wanted to share that it was equally as fabulous that someone brought a Spam Platter and that no one ate it.

holiday cheer

Posted: December 13th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

This year our holiday party was warm, festive and wonderful. Thank you Party People. The Fotobooth (which is always fun) might just be the best one yet. It inspired me to do something a little different with the pictures we took. See below: A singing Telegram of sorts, created in a basement of a home, somewhere in Columbus, OH. Yes we do rock it out in the Midwest, actually. Please feel free to pass it on.

Oh and it is important to note that at this Mad Men themed party, (a la 1960’s) those paper cigarettes I designed a few years ago made a come back. No actual cigarettes were smoked in the making of this moving picture.

Huge thanks to the cast (in order of appearance): Abraham Alexander, Josephine Alexander,Steven Leput, Correna Starbuck, Kimper Swain, Nile Woodson, Jasmine Woodson, Chris Hawker, Jeff, Sommer Renaldo, Brianne Manzack, Scott Miller, Steve Anstead, Ann Baxa and Friend, Jon Hawker, Ryan Manzack, Rebecca and Joe Tien, Chris Brown, Katie Carlson, Anna Kissner, Khalindah Harris, Jennifer Hirsh, Christina Providence, Eliza, Gabriel, Paul Cook, Fricke, Joe Baer, Jody DenBroeder, Flo and Andy Plagenz, Tamara Dunaeff, Walt Herrmann.

You are all stars and you got mad shine. Love you.

my product is a cooking light stocking stuffer!

Posted: December 2nd, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Cookmarks, my own “invention”, in partnership with Trident Design, got billing in Cooking Light magazine this month. Oh oh how exciting! I bet you know someone who would like these in their stocking.

Thanksgiving

Posted: December 1st, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Though the turkey was brined and cooked to perfection, and the company was swell, this year I am most thankful for my new orange high heels.Is that wrong?

menu design

Posted: November 10th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

We ended up using plastic sleeves and a acrylic fastener for MoJoe’s new menu. Looks pretty good if I do say so myself.

a scary halloween

Posted: November 1st, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Nico had croup. Poor boy. But he still looked smashing in his Halloween costume. Next year we’ll try for some treats.

what a difference a year makes

Posted: August 30th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

2010 brought new babies in to my world. What a difference a year makes. Holy cow. See the below lineups.

nico is a fotobooth prop

Posted: August 30th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Of course we set up a booth at Nico’s Island party too. And placed props: think parasols, sunglasses and fans. I included a few of my favorites here but you can see a few more on Flickr.

Are you intimidated by the coolness of this last one?

project completed

Posted: August 30th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

One of the things I really like to have in my life is a “bikini on the horizon”. This means that I always know when my next beach holiday is so I can think of it when things are dreary or cold. My Brother-in-law thinnks that a Bikini on the Horizon would make a good drink. So he put it to me to come up with a recipe Introducing – Bikini on the Horizon, a strawberry ginger mash with rum. And yes dear Borther-in-law, it has sunrise layers. I feel the salt in my hair already.

freeman wedding fotobooth

Posted: August 30th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Here’s the Fotobooth from that pretty pretty city wedding. I must admit that the backdrop was a little tricky. We had to have a setting that could attach to a brick wall without making any holes. Hmmm. But after we got the attachment figured out we just added some frames and feathers- viola! More on Flickr if you like.

the backyard island getaway

Posted: July 11th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Nico celebrated his 1st birthday a couple weekends ago in Island Party theme. We had all ages and lots of fun. Here’s some detail shots. I missed taking shots of the Kabob Bar, a very fun way to feed even your pickiest child, darn. But we got most of the rest. My favorite details? The Birthday Boy, shells on the tables, vintage mumus, virgin cocktails with bottles of rum to add if you like, ocean seed necklaces, firedancer and a the end of the night when the Summer sky finally turned down it’s light we projected a St.Croix sunset on the wall of the house. Ah, and then and there we were somehow entertaining on an island somewhere exotic, while right here in Clintonville.

Thanks everyone for your big help. A special round of thanks to our hostess and to those Zen Geniuses for helping to make my vision reality. Thanks to my family-in-law for all their help and those tropical pillows! And thank you Miss. Josephine for the spectacular coconut covered cakes! (that’s right folks, she’s back AND she’s baking again). You have to imagine that Nico had as much fun as the rest of us right? Happy First Birthday Nico!!!!

Where does one hire a firedancer you ask? We happen to have a resource right here. Kritsina Isabelle hooked us up with one of her talented hot twirlers.

slice of life

Posted: July 10th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

We spent the Fourth of July in Ford City, PA. We watched the fireworks from lawn furniture in the front yard of my Great Aunt Jean’s house. The neighbors were cranking Freebird. That’s right people, Freebird. Cheers Ford City.

happyfourth

pretty pretty city wedding

Posted: June 22nd, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Well here it is. I am thrilled to say it came off without a hitch except for the one we were there for, theirs. This Bride and Groom were the absolute best to play with.

A note to the fabulous, lucky and perfect couple: If the rest of your life is even half as lovely as your wedding day you are truly blessed. I was there and I saw and I believe it will be. Thanks for taking a chance on me. And for taking the chance on each other.

That’s it folks, I am for hire. And signing my next two Brides for all day coverage at $1,000.

See my favorites below. (My favorites could have gone on forever….)

freeman_portG4

freeman_portG18

summertime is here!

Posted: June 21st, 2011 | Author: Sommer

And this Summer we had a big island party. It was a combination birthday party and it was our first all-ages soiree. Here’s a sneak peek at the invitation. More to come….

crawfish boil

Posted: June 14th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Our friends, Bri and Ryan threw an amazing crawfish boil, a la Louisiana, in their folks backyard. We were lucky enough to score an invite. Wow. It was as good as it looks.

one more mom’s day moment

Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

I was racking my brain trying to come up with a simple but sweet way to honor my brand new momma friends when it hit me- stylish african looking jelly bracelets (I got them at Collier West in the Short North which has the best finds!). They’re just like the ones we used to collect in grade school only infinitely more cool. After stashing a card inside I attached those bracelets to the front and sketched a quick face and hairdo in their likeness. (And no, they wouldn’t have been any better if I had taken more time.)

more and more babies

Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

Just met a new little man on the planet, Matthew Fricke. Welcome Matthew! Look how his big brother snuggles in with him. Awwww…

happy mother’s day

Posted: May 8th, 2011 | Author: Sommer

It’s a first here at my house. And I am happy to be one. Do you have a great mother in your life? I know quite a few. Look at how they glow when they see their little bundles of joy! Happy day Hot Mommas!

And then before you know it, time passes and the tables turn… Moms look up at their grown children. Life is so amazing.

Tags