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.

Calling All Wee Lasses and Wee Lads!

Do ye think ye are ready to see sweaty, brawny men in kilts?!

















Do ye think ye are ready to rock out with Molly's Revenge?!



Tomorrow is our visit to the Scottish Festival at Thanksgiving Point.


















We will be meeting at my house at 9 A.M.

We talked about inviting our spouses to some of our get-togethers & this would be a perfect event to invite your wizbit le fe (Scottish Gaelic for husband).

You may want to bring your mackintosh (raincoat), to keep yourself dry during a skarrach (rain storm).

Come ready to try what they call "the full Scottish." I'll be making this delicious and hearty breakfast:

Pull out those calenders

{Image taken at the Art in Bloom Festival,

which was lovely}

Alright, so we had an awesome planning session last

month, thanks to those that came and offered such great

ideas and suggestions, and we were able to work out

a schedule of events so we can all know when everything

is happening and plan in advance for the activities. All the

activities sound like they are going to be a blast. Ive posted

the schedule on the sidebar of the blog so you can always

check it for dates.

Here are some more details on those events:

June 13- Scottish festival. For this activity we will meet

at Angie's house (Ill send out the address in an evite soon)

and we will learn about scottish history and traditions. The

festival is held at Thanksgiving Point and there is a $10

entrance fee. Im looking forward to seeing all the events,

eating some tasty scottish food while listening to some

good ol' bag pipes.

July 31st- this concert series is held at deer valley

outdoor amphitheater with the UT symphony playing.

Tickets are $25, but well worth it. If you are a student you

can get a pretty good discount with a student ID. It would be fun to

bring blankets, lawn chairs, and tasty treats or picnics to

nibble and make the event comfortable and fun.

August 29th- Eastern European Night. This will be a fun

night to learn about all those countries we have all heard

of but know nothing about. It will be hosted by Mandi

Winkelman, Bethany's next door neighbor. Everyone is

to choose a country and then come with a traditional

dish to taste from that country as well as some facts

to share with the group. There is a list of countries to

choose from on the side bar. Email Bethany with your

choice so she can move your choice to the chosen list.

September 19th- Nature Hike. Here we will all meet at

Bethany's house to learn about some local flora and fauna,

you will receive a goodie bag with homemade trail mix and

granola, an info packet along with a list of leaves

and plants to collect on a not too strenuous hike up the canyon

to see all the fall leaves. The leaves and plants collected will be

used for a Cyanotype craft afterwards.

(Cyanotype- a photographic process were you brush on a UV

light sensitive emulsion on watercolor paper, then sandwich

your leaves on top of the emulsion in a frame to take outside

to expose it in the sunlight, and develop in water to create

leaf silhouettes on a painterly royal blue background) Fun huh?

October 24th- Halloween History- an activity where we will all

bring facts about the origins of the spooky holiday. then we will

decorate venician plaster masks....and maybe watch a scary movie

will decorating? THE LOCATION FOR THIS EVENT STILL NEEDS

A VOLUNTEER TO HOST IT. IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO

HOST AN ACTIVITY AND WILL BE IN TOWN FOR THIS DATE

WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO HOST IT. ALL ACTIVITIES WILL HAVE

AN EVITE INVITATION THAT WILL ASLO ABLE GALS TO SIGN

UP TO BRING THINGS THAT WILL HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD

OF THE HOSTESS. EMAIL BETHANY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

November 14th-Come find out more about yourself as we take and

study personality color coding tests. Kelly, our host, knows a ton

about personality typing and even after a few minutes talking to

her about my possible personality color Im most definitely

intrigued. Then Libby will discuss and unlock the mysteries of

body language and micro-expressions. Ever watch Lie To Me?

its a lot like that.

December: This activity's date still needs to be determined as

December is a busy time for all of us with family and parties so

if we could all stay in touch and start suggesting good times

to meet as soon as we know our holiday schedules that would be

lovely. This activity also needs a location to be hosted at as well,

if you are interested do let us know. But this activity will most

definitely be useful as well as being fun, everyone is to bring

6-10 versions of a certain craft total expenses totaling min of $15

and a max of $25. Then we will each make one of every craft and

be able to take home a variety of goods that we could later use as

various gifts.

There's the rundown, so pull out your calenders and

save the dates.