Happenstance

I forgot to post anything about this. Way back in September, I created some felt masks for Mark and me to wear at the Big Zoo Party. I am very interested in making animal masks for all of the people in our bridal party as well. I think that would make some fun zoo photos. I started by deciding what animal masks I wanted to create and then looked up pictures and masks of said animals. This time I went with Red Fox and Red Panda. The next step was figuring out what supplies I needed. For these masks, I found a very nice mask form and used glue to layer the felt over it. I decided on the design I wanted to reproduce and printed it up to be the size I needed for our masks. Then I cut out the felt to match the shapes I needed. It was pretty simple. I then placed the design on the mask and moved felt pieces around until it looked the way I wanted it to. The hardest part was gluing it all onto the mask without making a huge mess or ruining the felt. I added some finishing touc...

Serendipity. Happenstance. Fate. Luck. Whatever you want to call it, something or someone, was working for us on February 12, 2006. Both Mark and my father's invited us to a free lunch at Claddagh’s, the one thing neither of us had ever turned down.  We both showed up, wearing what they had found on the floor that morning, expecting nothing more than a free meal; neither of us expecting that we would be meeting the person we would be spending the rest of their lives with. I was living in East Lansing at the time and was finishing my junior year of college at Michigan State University. Mark had recently moved to the area, in hopes of returning to school and starting a new chapter in his life. The first thing I noticed was his smile and quick wit. Even looking like a hobo, he seemed at ease with himself and able to put others at ease as well. I kept hoping he would ask for my number (Mark said he regretted not asking). I spent the next few months pestering my father to get Mark’...

Today I sent out packages to ask my friends if they would be willing to be my bridesmaids. I really enjoyed deciding what I wanted to include and creating everything. I decided to create a postcard that individualized the "Bridesmaids" movie poster. On the back I wrote a message about why I wanted them to be in my bridal party. I wrote up information cards that laid out my ideas about the wedding and who I was inviting to be a part of the bridal party. I included a card that spoke to the Celtic influences that would be playing a part in our wedding. I added a sterling silver anklet with charm, that I thought well represented the gratitude I had for their participation. There was an Irish blessing. Lastly, I put in the colors I chose for the wedding. The items I chose to include and create represented my desire to make sure my bridesmaids felt appreciated and knew what I was hoping for from them. I have been a MoH and bridesmaid several times. During which...

This Halloween was a lot of fun. Mark and I went as Carmen SanDiego and Waldo. It was not our most inspired or difficult costumes. But it was still great. Work involved a costume I made a few years ago: Harley Quinn. I was so glad to be able to wear it again! I made my Harley Quinn costume a few years ago when I went as Harley and Mark went as the Joker. We made quite the pair. 

The Toledo Zoo was suggested to me by my friend Liz and it was the perfect fit for Mark and I. After extensive research, we decided to put down the deposit to have our wedding at the Toledo Zoo! Not only is the Toledo Zoo absolutely beautiful and perfect, but it is very reasonably priced. We will have our ceremony in the gardens and the reception at the African Lodge.  I am pretty excited about this! We will have free entrance to the zoo for our guests and live animal interactions during the cocktail hour!

Today I went wedding gown shopping with Sarah and Mark. The intention was to try on the gown I was obsessed with (as it was on sale) and realize that it was not the dress for me. So I could move on and go real gown shopping with my mom and friends later. However, that is not what happened. Everything lined up and I ended up leaving with the gown of my dreams. I have been obsessed with this gown for months. I found a picture on Pinterest that led to nowhere. I had no idea who made the gown, where I could find it, or what it looked like below the waist. I searched several times for it, with no luck, and had given up on finding it. I decided to look for it again, after Mark proposed, and found it on the first search. There was only one boutique in Michigan that was selling it and they only had one gown left. The sample. They said they were having a sample sale that weekend. The weekend my mom was in Chicago. The gown was way out of my budget and I doubted the one size ...

Today Mark proposed. It was absolutely amazing. He proposed at our 6th annual Memorial Day party, in front of all of our friends and family. It was perfect. It was amazing. It was everything I ever wanted (and waited for). To be fair, I would have said "Yes" no matter what. I have love Mark for what seems an eternity and I know he is the person I want to spend my life with. That being said, who would say no to this ring? I am extremely excited to start planning our wedding. I love event planning and this is one of the most meaningful events of my life.

Seans Iontach is Gaelic for 'Unique Opportunity'. So what does that mean? I feel like our lives are filled with unique opportunities to be amazing, make changes, or succeed. It is all a matter of being able to see and take advantages of a seans iontach. I am not always the best at this. However, I am trying to be the best version of ME that I can be. Mostly I will be blogging about the mundane and wonderful things that happen in my life. This will range from crafting, travel, beliefs, career, and so on. I hope that it will be enjoyable to read and have the occasional seans iontech to inspire.