Fall Dinner Change of Date

Hello Ladies! Just a quick update . . . our fabulous Fall Fest Dinner is going to be postponed. Thank you, Toni and Ashley, for being flexible on this! Just let us all know what the new date will be and what we can all do or bring to help! Can't wait to see you all!

Halloween Party Ideas

Hey Gals, while researching halloween craft and

party ideas for my mom I came across a few ideas

that I thought could be fun for our get together on

the 24th. Leave comments on what you like or even

sign up to bring a treat that is listed below. OR

feel free to post other ideas that you gals have found

so we can take a poll of interest and decide on a definite

craft. If you want more info on anything email me and

I can get you full recipes or patterns.

I would love to make these favors for everyone!

Chocolate Ganache covered cheesecake.

Loved the snake design!

Sweet Potato Chips

Green Curried Chile Soup served in a caldron

Pumpkin-gingerbread icecream sandwiches

Love this punch bowl made out of a hollowed out

and cut pumpkin. I also havent seen dry ice fog

for such a long time too.

Black licorice creme brulee. (mmm bread pudding

would be a yummy fall dessert too)

Bartlett Pear soup (I also have a white bean and

sausage soup that can be served in hollowed out

pumpkins)

Loved this idea. Carving a relief on the face of a

pumpkin (you can hollow out the pumpkin so the

shaved parts glow when lit form inside) but then

ink the relief and make prints off of it. Prints to

hang on the wall or prints on paper lanterns.

Every gal could bring a fake or real pumpkin, a small cylinder

glass vase (to put in pumpkin to hold the water), and a fall

bouquet from Costco and we can practice our flower arranging

skills.

Large pumpkins + mini pumpkins= pumpkin owls

These pumpkins had christmas lights stuck through

holes poked in patterns. Great lighting effect.

Idea from our cute Kitch.

Carved pumpkins that are carved to light up certain

areas while wearing these cute masks.

Gilding real or fake pumpkins, gold or silver

and making nice silk leaves to arrange with them.

Great craft that will look great on display all through

thanksgiving.

****Also Kelly mentioned that we could decorate

Witches Hats (with feathers, cobwebs, glitter, ribbon)

as the group craft as well. Very cute Idea....would make

for fun pictures.

the 24th!

pictures from marthastewart.com

hi cute girls,

toni and i are so excited to host the second cc meeting of this month! hopefully we'll get the chance to get to know some of you girls even better - we truly look forward to that.

anyway, the shin-dig will take place at ashley's home (up in midway - maybe the utah valley girls will want to talk about car pooling? it's a pretty drive - i promise). what do you guys think about 5 or 6 o'clock on saturday the 24th? we will be more than happy to provide some good directions and a cozy fireplace.

we are thinking we'll do something fun and festive (either a halloween or "fallish" type craft), a yummy dinner will be served and since toni is the QUEEN of classic scary movies, be prepared. or should i say...warned. 

hope to see you all there!

xoxo,

toni and ash

September CC meeting....in October!

Alright... Sorry about missing our date in Sept.

But the nature hike has now been rescheduled and...

just in time to see the wondrous colors that can now

be found up the road in American Fork Canyon.

These pictures are ones I took just in the last few days.

Really, its truly stunning.

New info:

Saturday October 10th

@ 1:00 p.m.

meet at Bethany's house

Fun treats, nature adventure, and then fun

craft will be included.

Email Bethany your RSVP as well as any questions

that you might have. Bring ideas for a fun and easy

dinner, craft, or movie that we can use for the

October meeting that is still scheduled for Oct 24th.

Ash and Tone you still on that?

Hope to see you all on the 10th.

August CC Meeting: Eastern European Day

Thanks ladies for all your time in preparation,

I felt so enriched with knowledge after hearing

all of your presentations and tasting your yummy

authentic dishes.

Countries Covered:

Romania

Czech Republic

Russia

Poland

{So many lovely pictures.... I know my

"Places to travel to" list has now

gotten longer.}

July CC Meeting: Summer Concert

Thanks for coming out.

What Lovely Memories!

Posting and hosting...

Alright, this is my first time posting on here AND my first time hosting. Two things that rhyme AND scare me. I am not the wonderful Bethany Madison, so please don't expect party of the year :). I am excited to have you all over for Culture Club this month though. Here is what we need.

1. FIRST, sign up for a country (if you haven't already). These are your options:

Solvenia
Montenegro
Moldova
Lithuania
Republic of Macedonia
Serbia
Latvia
Balarus
Croatia
Albania
Eastonia
Ukraine

2. SECOND, prepare a 5-7 minute presentation. Get that gals? Short and sweet. We want to know what YOU find interesting. History, travel sights, experiences, whatevs. Short is best.

3. THIRD, prepare a snack, food, or little something from your country. For example, I am doing Romania. I will make a food that people eat in Romania. Difficult? Maybe, but you can do it.

4. FOURTH (don't you love that I'm writing the number twice?) come ready to party in our Eastern European way. If you don't know where I live, I'm the house next to Bethany (on the corner).

5. FIFTH see you here at 2:00 pm. If that doesn't work for you we can do it earlier, but not later because of a ward gathering I feel I must attend.

Who's HYPED? I know I am. And just to get you started here is a little bit about a country dear to my heart, Romania:

Romania was ruled from 1974-1989 by one of the most evil men in history, Nicolae Ceausescu. He and his wife made up the creepiest couple ever and ruled the country by fear. Do you know that while his country was starving and couldn't even buy toilet paper, he and his wife refused to wear the same thing twice? They would buy a new outfit (including accessories) for each day and then would burn them afterwards so that no one else could wear them. They make me sick. Anyway, what Ceausescu is most known for are his crazy laws. In 1966 he banned abortion (now although this might not seem like a crazy law, just you wait) and created a 20% tax on men and women who had no children after they were 25. Most of us would be doomed huh? Infertility, being single, none of those excuses worked. He then later decreed that women should produce at least 5 children. If you had 10 you were declared a heroine of Romania, but few women ever sought that title. So 5 children? What's the big deal right? I grew up with 5 siblings...big families here in this state. But, can you imagine trying to have 5 children when you can't even feed yourself? Many mothers were forced to give up their children, hoping that the state would give them a better life than they could...

This intro sets me up for what I am going to talk about, the children of Romania. My favorite subject. Can't wait to see you there!

(me and some of my Romanian babies, can't get enough of them)

Lavender Shoot

{Pics I took on our picnic today}

I am so excited for this shoot I cant even tell you.

I just took my mother in law on a picnic for her

birthday in the fields and...oh my word.

It is so gorgeous, I couldn't stop taking pictures.

You guys will love it.

So here is the plan.....

-Everybody meet at my house @ 6pm

Monday evening, sun sets around

8:30 so we want plenty of time to

get there and shoot in good light

(for those of you that cant come till

later I will post directions at the end

of the post so you can meet us there)

-Bring a couple snazzy outfits, but at

least one all black dress or outfit

(group shot!)

if you dont mind I thought we could mix

and match our clothes for different looks

-Come with your hair done, but I will have

brushes, hairspray, bobby pins, etc

for some do's on the spot

-Come with your make-up done but do

bring your make-up bag with you

(I will bring some of my fancier

make up so we can add to and get

creative with your already gorgeous

looks)

-Im going to try to bring both of my

fancy chairs to pose with

-Bring some treats or drinks if you like

-Come ready to sass it up, lets not be

timid for the camera girls

I posted some pictures from my most recent fashion shoot

that is part of a vintage project that Im

doing for my grandmother.

Hope they inspire you and get you

stoked for our

shoot.

{my older sister Karin in Granna's power suit}

Directions:

-Go south on I-15 for 45 min from lehi

1 hour or so from SLC

-Get off on exit 242 South Sanaquin

-Turn left at the first stop sign

-go south on that frontage road for about 6 miles

-you will see the fields a few miles out

-Follow the signs to the visitor center and then

give me a call so I can direct you to our location

CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL.

Fashion Shoot Anyone?

A couple of gals thought that it would be fun to post

highlights on each one of us so we can get to know

each other better. The post would include your

answers to a fun little interview questionnaire and

a photograph. I thought that it would be fun to

collect lovely pictures of all of you in a couple

CC fashion shoots, photographed by me.

I came up with two particular shoots that you could

sign up for one or the other...or even both. Im open to

suggestions so let them flow if you have any. The

shoots will both be in that golden light that occurs

around sunset (the warmer tones make your skin look

great as well as create a great hair light that adds a glow)

I could bring all my gear reflectors, lights, and assistant

(Reece). We can go all out with make-up and hair as

well as multiple outfits and styles. (if you havent noticed

I love organized shoots, fashion shoots are the best)

Here are the options so far....

Option #1: To take place July 10th or 11th (late notice

I know Im going to call the location to see about some

more options, but all that great purple might get

harvested pretty soon)

With a chair that looks a lot

like this

or

this chair that I just got (will

look so hot with red lipstick)

Placed in the middle of this (in lighting

that will look a lot like this)

Mona UT, Young Living Farms

(south of spanish fork)

Option #2: Don't have a specific date for this one,

but I was thinking maybe the next week on the 17th?

This couch

possibly in the fields around my house

for this kind of look or maybe in front

of an architectural background?

but the lighting will look like this

(mixed, flash and daylight underexposed)

{photos are Rebecca Westover}

What do you gals think? Comment about

which option sounds best for you to sign up.

July Concert Tickets

Hey Girls its time to get your tickets they are $25 each

you can purchase them here. Select general admission

(its the cheapest, and is a great option for buying our

tickets separately without having to worry if we are

going to sit next to each other or not.... cause we will

no matter what)

So get excited and mark those calenders....

Friday July 31st

Gate opens at 5:30, a carpool for whoever wants to

will leave Bethany's house around 4:30 or 5. Bring

some treats, blankets, and a camp chair if you can.

Location: Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater.

Directions: here

Comment if you have any suggestions or questions.

Im looking forward to spending yet another wonderful

evening with you all.

June CC Meeting = Time of Yer Lives

Thanks Angie for your splendid traditional "Bubble and Squeak"

breakfast and the extremely informative yet humorous

slide show. We all arrived at the festival physically and

mentally fed. The festival was so much fun, thanks to all that

made it out even if it was for a little bit. Good times were

had by all. Hope to see you all again next month.