Monday, December 13, 2010

AnitaWeds Giveaway: A Few of my Favorite Things!


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NNOUNCING the first ever AnitaWeds GIVEAWAY!! (Yay! Hooray! Woo hoo!)

As a Celebrant, I feel it's important that your wedding is a reflection of YOU. From the ceremony to the flowers to the dessert - your guests should feel that your wedding is uniquely yours. So, I want to know how you are planning on including your favorites on your special day!

One lucky winner will receive A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!

How to enter:
Send me an email at AnitaWeds@gmail.com with the heading:
"A Few of My Favorite Things Entry."

Tell me how your wedding is going to be ALL ABOUT YOU! How will your ceremony reflect your personality? Which of your favorite things will be seen at your reception? I want to know that fabulous, unique details!

This contest is open to all couples getting married or having a commitment ceremony in the U.S. in the coming year (2011).

Be sending an entry, you are agreeing to allow me to publish excerpts from your story on my blog and/or Facebook page.

Entries must be received by Monday, Jan. 3rd. The winner will be notified by email.

Please include (1) your name, (2) wedding date, (3) city where the wedding is taking place, and (4) another way of contacting you (phone # or alternate email) so I can get your address to mail your prize!!

The winner will be announced here on the AnitaWeds blog on Monday, January 10th!

I will be posting my favorite entries on the AnitaWeds blog and on my Facebook page after all entries have been received.

This is your chance to win A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!
The prizes include:
So, hurry up and email me your entry now!!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Celebrating Good Deeds and Great Talent!

I just heard some great news and had to share. I'm all about CELEBRATING, you know!

First, I need to introduce you to Kate Diaz. She is a local singer/songwriter that you will definitely be hearing about in the future! I had the good fortune of meeting Kate and her mom earlier this year at our homeschool Co-Op. I had the great pleasure of hearing her play guitar and sing - such a wonderful, rich voice!

So..... I was really excited to hear that Kate was invited by the band Sister Hazel to perform on stage with them at House of Blues earlier this year. Kate had done a cover version of "All for You" which the band saw (and liked!) on YouTube. They admired her talent as well as her generous nature. You see, Kate has been performing at Potbelly's on the weekends, saving her tip money to donate to a charity which supports families dealing with cancer. Sister Hazel knew that Kate was someone who deserved celebration!

Here she is performing with the band at House of Blues. This was so fantastic - it had to be shared!




And, the story doesn't end there! Kate has written a wonderful Christmas song called "Christmas Smiles." The song can be downloaded at iTunes. All proceeds form the song will be donated to CureSearch for Children's Cancer. Download it now! You'll get a great song and you'll be donating to a great cause.

Here is an acoustic preview of "Christmas Smiles":



This just shows that one person can make a difference. Thanks for the inspiration, Kate!!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Bring a Little "Nerd" to Your Wedding!



Attention fellow nerds! Check out this post from Offbeat Bride if you're looking for a unique way to get the word out about your upcoming wedding.

Don't make your Save the Dates the same old boring note that everyone else sends. Embrace your inner nerd and make them us funky as you are!

Check out all the fun examples featured in the article. This should really get those creative juices flowing!

Being a book nerd, I really love this library due-date card as a Save the Date. What a fantastic idea! I just adore all the crafty folks out there who think up this stuff!

These are two of my favorites. The vintage comic book cover design is available at etsy and is created by Team Welser, which also has some funky artwork you should check out.

Just do me one favor - please stop referring to them as STDs. That is so not cool.

Friday, December 3, 2010

It's Time for BEADS!! Stop by at my Bead for Life Open House this Sunday!


If you're considering Bead for Life jewelry for your wedding (for your bridal party, or as shower favors), or if you're just wondering what it's all about - I have good news for you:

I'm hosting a Bead for Life Open House this Sunday!

You can come by and see the beads in person - and learn more about the amazing work done by Bead for Life. Here are the details:

Bead for Life Open House
at Caribou Coffee at 90 E. Northwest Hwy. in Mt. Prospect
(across from the downtown Mt. Prospect Metra station, just east of Elmhurst Rd.)
Sunday, Dec. 5th from 1:30 until 4 pm.

I'll have a display of the gorgeous bead jewelry, as well as information about Bead for Life. The pieces really are beautiful and make great holiday gifts. You can leave with a beautiful present, and fell good about making a difference in the lives on women in Uganda.

The wonderful bangle bracelets are only $5! But, I'm warning you - it's be hard to pick just one. That's why I'm always wearing at least three at a time! I've been hosting these Open Houses for the past five years, so believe me, I've purchased lots of them!

So, come on by and say hello!