Angelina Jolie and son Maddox goes shopping

Angelina Jolie and son Maddox went for shopping on Sunday afternoon. And guess what they bought? One shopping bag full with toys. Maddox is one lucky kid.

I wish I had so many toys when i was small. Most of the time, the toys I had was second hand because the toys were my elder sibling.

Some of the toys purchased by Angelina Jolie and son Maddox include a Warrior Playset, a Rapid Fire Dart Blaster and Pop Rocks candy.

Image source from here

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Happy Halloween!

Okay, so I am going to take a quick break from our regular programming to show you the 80s Cafe (aka the Girls and Guy of The Office)! We decided as a group that our theme this year would be 80s, and the one instigator of the theme decided to NOT dress up! (yes, you, Kim!) But here is everyone else - I hope you get a giggle!



From Left to Right: Shea, Me, John and Brandy

Gotta love Shea's blue eye make up and her side pony and crimped hair! It's totally bitchin' dude!

Brandy with her knee high socks, rainbow eye make up, nails each a different color, her hair has streaks of gold along with several braids- her layers of cloths, yeah, there are no words!

Yup, this totally radical chick is moi! I have on black pumps with white scrunchy socks, black leggings my amazingly bodacious gold belt, neon pink hair which is sprayed to the max, and in a banana clip! (can I just tell ya, that blue eye make up is really hard to do!)

We are one totally tubular group! Don't ya think!

Q&A: Ask the Pro's! Wedding Cakes!

I came across a great local article on Wedding Cakes by one of my favorite bakers, Debbie Welch-Busser, from Ms. Debbie's Sugar Art - I found the article in our Local Wedding and Reception Magazine, and I thought I'd share it with ya'll.

Q. When should I start shopping for my wedding cake?
A. Answers range from 4 to 12 months. Many specialized wedding cake designers limit the number of wedding cakes they do and can have some of the more popular wedding dates booked as much as 12 months in advance. You should call and inquire about your date's availability then request a consultant to see the designer's personal work and discuss ideas, budget and flavors. You can select your cake designer long before you select a cake design and should choose your gown style and reception decor as soon as possible as this will help to guide you with the cake design.


Q. How can I make sure my anniversary tier is tasty a year later?
A. Remove your cake ornament or other non-edible decorations. Place the cake in the freezer for 3-4 hours to firm the icing. Then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or large plastic freezer bags, double or even triple bag the cake. Remove as much air as possible with either a vacuum sealer or a straw, sucking all of the air out- air is the bad guy! Now place the cake in the smallest bakery box possible then tape all of the seams and open folds. Wrap the box with plastic wrap then with heavy-duty foil using a fold down method for maximum protection from frost. Place in the freezer. Set out to defrost the morning of and do no remove wrapping until thawed. It is NOT recommended to have a custard or fruit filling in this tier because they tend to start breaking down and will affect the taste of your cake.



There is more, but I thought these two were good to know.

PS- Don't know what in the world is going on with the fonts and sizes, it must be the crack, but dont' tell anyone.

Angelina Jolie is expecting a baby

Angelina Jolie

According to a report in The Sun, Angelina Jolie is expecting a baby. She pulled out of a UN talk in Italy because of this reason.

A not very discreet source at the centre where Jolie’s talk was due to take place revealed: “Angelina cancelled last week. Due to her privacy I can’t confirm her pregnancy, but I can say that the Italian newspapers are correct in their reports.”

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coming soon to ipod near you

Jay-Z - Hello Brooklyn Lyrics

T.I. - Do U Potna Lyrics

Bow Wow - Slam Lyrics

Kid Rock - Roll On Lyrics

Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again Lyrics

Jay-Z - American Dream Lyrics

Spice Girls - Voodoo Lyrics

Lil' Wayne - Gossip Lyrics

Jay-Z - American Gangster Lyrics

Leona Lewis - Angel Lyrics

Get your own here.

Studio - Almost Done!

We have been working so hard on my new studio - furniture is coming together. The television is mounted, all we are waiting on is the tables - which were supposed to be here in 3-8 weeks, eight weeks is this weekend, and there is no sign of the tables! The photographers I love are bringing images for me later this week! Thanks Caroline Johnson Photography and Powers Photography!

I am just getting so excited!!!

I'm so Lucky to have this Guest Blogger!

I feel so blessed and Lucky to have Erin from Lucky Designs guest Blogging for us! She has such a great story, and her work is just so beautiful! Her monograms are so personal, with such a unique and classic approach. So without further ado, here is Erin!


Happy Monday to the readers of Masterpiece Weddings. Melissa has been kind enough to invite me to guest blog today. As a newlywed, I loved planning my wedding. As a result of many compliments on our wedding stationary, I began Lucky Designs (with the help of my family). I greatly enjoy creating invitations, monograms, etc. for brides and their fiancés.


For those of you planning a wedding, shower, or any kind of event, I invite you to consider using a monogram to pull all the elements of your special occasion together. Monograms have been incorporated in household items for many years; however, they seemed to have really taken off in the wedding industry in 2005. A monogram does not have to a couple’s initials, but could also be a symbol (such as a leaf, flower, flourish, or pattern). Not only do colors pull an event together beautifully, but a symbol or monogram does as well (The Knot).


When creating a custom design for my customers, I love to hear about the venue, flowers, bride’s dress, date, and the couple’s overall style. For our wedding, my husband and I really focused on our venue for inspiration – a landmark museum with amazing Art Deco style of architecture. Our monogram and décor was simple, in order to not take away from the location. One couple that worked with Lucky Designs made a landmark the focal point of their monogram – the St. Louis arch!

Your monogram can be a part of your wedding plans from the very beginning – making an appearance on your Save The Dates. Incorporate a monogram in as many elements of your wedding as you see fit. Monograms enhance ... wedding website design, invitations, bouquet jewelry, menus, gobos, banners, aisle runners, table runners, or a something blue for a bride.

Check out some more of her beautiful work:

Angelina Jolie in green in The changeling

I seldom see Angelina Jolie in green but at least i have the chance to see her in this color in her movie "The Changeling".

Image source from here
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Angelina's daughter Zahara hates the spotlight

Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt reveals that he reluctant to travel around the world with his kids because his children doesn't like the cameras.

When Brad quoted by Contactmusic, he said "They have this view that anytime they go round the world there's this sea of people with cameras. This is their idea of the world they live in"

Among the kids, Zahara hated the spotlight the most.

Then he added "My two-year-old (Zahara) hates it. Hates the cameras. It's a strange idea".


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Sydney and Peyton!

You guys are too cute! Yes, Sydney and Peyton are twins. And by chance, I just so happen to totally agree with all of you that they are totally adorable!

I have gotten a so many emails today from you all asking about the girls - and thank you, I am super duper proud! I can't wait to see them!!!

They just turned one earlier this year - YES they are twins, for those of you who thought my sister was just THAT fast.

For the baby shower I did in fact make each of the girls a quilt - for those of you that just assumed I did. I personalized each on with their names on the bottom - her colors are pinks and browns. I think it's purdy!

Any other questions, just ask. :)

Off to West Palm Beach!

Here we go again! I am leaving for West Palm Beach today (well technically tomorrow) for an 80th Birthday Party! So fun!

But as an aside, I get to see my nieces that just turned one! Sydney and Peyton, here I commmmmeeee!!!!

I am really excited, it should be a blast! I'll let you know all about it when I get back (the Party), and hopefully include some photographs for you to take a peek at.

I hope you have a great weekend! I hope you have something amazing planned, and if you have no plans at all, that's perfect too!

Introducing Sydney and Peyton: (Peyton is the one crawling closer to the camera)

Sarah Jessica Parker admires Angelina Jolie for her adoption

Sarah Jessica

Sarah Jessica Parker says she admires Angelina Jolie for having her heart open to her adopted children.

Sarah tells Britain's OK! magazine, "It's too late for me to have a big family – I can't imagine it now. But I do think that what people like Angelina Jolie do is amazing. I love being a mother and I would be thrilled if my family were larger but I can't imagine having eight children."

She added, "The loss of privacy scares me, that's why you don't hear me complaining about that stuff and that is why you can't trap me into talking about the paparazzi. I don't know if I have found a happy balance with the cultural phenomenon of celebrity, especially what has happened over the last five years. I don't think I will ever understand or strike a balance with that."

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One Final Tip on Tipping!

Tapped Out Yet?

Well here's some good news: There are some people you don't have to tip. It is easy to remember that you don't tip the owner of a business, but instead tip the people working for that owner. In addition, the florist, bakery, and bridal shop will not be expecting a gratuity, nor will the invitation or party rental companies. Thank-you notes are, as always, universally and eternally appreciated.



However if you feel like ANY of your vendors have gone over and above and beyond the "call of duty" then a tip is always appreciated.

Yup! That's me working on 352 amazing buttons!

Tipping, Part Cuatro!

I was sort of over the french themed numbers after Deux.... so on to Spanish!

So who are these lucky recipients of your generosity? We'll begin with the first person you may encounter and then walk through the rest of the day.

· Hair, Makeup & Nails: Whether you go to the salon or the pros come to you, you tip the hair stylist, makeup artist, and manicurist just as you would normally, about 15% to 20%. If the bridal party is paying for their own services, it's nice if you take care of the gratuities, but of course it's not necessary.

· Wedding Coordinator: I am alittle hesitant to essentially talk about tipping myself, but why not.... Maybe you have a full-fledged "Franc" planning every little detail. Or perhaps someone from the bridal shop helps you with some loose ends during the day. No matter how intricate or basic their jobs are, they usually won't be expecting a tip. If you'd like to show your appreciation, you can include a monetary thank-you in a note, or perhaps send them a little gift after the wedding. (I love the thank you note best!)

· Delivery People (from the florist, bakery, party rental): They load up the truck, find their way to your reception site, and then oftentimes have to dance around the other delivery people, or even the band setting up, lugging in cumbersome flower arrangements, delicate cakes, and stacks of chairs. Show how grateful you are for all of their labor by offering about $10 to each delivery person. (but it's totally optional!)

· Officiant: It may seem a bit odd to slip an envelope to the person officiating your ceremony, but it is the proper thing to do. It's tradition for the best man to hand over the tip, which should be between $100 and $200. If you're getting married in a church, they'll often expect you to donate a percentage of your total wedding cost -- so if your wedding is $20,000, a $2,000 donation is gratefully appreciated. However, if you don't belong to this church and you didn't have a lot of involvement with the officiant, you can choose to contribute a lower amount.

Thus ends our series on Gratuity - I'd love to hear what you think....

Tipping, Part Trois!

Welcome back for another fun filled edition of Gratuity, and You! It's your hard earned money - so who gets it and how much, that's the question, and I am here to help!


· Musicians (ceremony and reception): Whether an organist or string quartet is accompanying you down the aisle, if you're cutting a rug to a 12-piece swing band or a single DJ, tipping the musicians is completely optional. If you do decide to "show them the money," calculate $20 to $25 for each member.

· Photographer/Videographer: This is completely optional. If you're paying top dollar for their fees, they shouldn't be expecting a gratuity. However, a thank-you in the form of cash is always appreciated, especially if the photographer or videographer doesn't own his or her own studio, honestly even if they do, and they are treating you well, a little present is always nice. Estimate $30 to $50.


· Transportation: We're sure you've heard a story about a limo driver who gets lost on the way to the reception and the bride and groom arrive an hour late. Well, those drivers don't deserve a tip. But if all goes smoothly with your transport to the party (and we're sure it will), add about 15% to 20% of the total to the bill. Unless gratuity is already included! Make sure you check before you hand the chauffeur a wad of cash.


Tomorrow, we'll talk about the rest!


And thanks for all of your comments and emails so far, great info all around!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will cooperate with HBO

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie and Pitt will cooperate with HBO for a project. They will serve as executive producers, along with Scott Burns.

This drama will feature behind-the scenes politics of an international aid organization, and chronicle the lives of humanitarian workers assigned to dangerous zones and the needy people they assist.
Source

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie going to marry?

Angelina Jolie

Are they planning to tie the knot? Brad Pitt has been giving hint that he wants to propose to Angelina.

Brad said: "I still want to kiss the bride, wear the ring, wear my suit and wake up in the morning and say 'Good morning wife'."

Source

New songs

Lil' Wayne - Gossip Lyrics

Foxy Brown - We're On Fire Lyrics

Chris Brown - Gimmie What Ya Got Lyrics

Billy Ray Cyrus - Ready Set Don't Go Lyrics

Game - Walk In The Streets Lyrics

Leona Lewis - Forgiveness Lyrics

Chris Brown - Down Lyrics

Dolly Parton - Better Get To Livin' Lyrics

The Dream - She Needs My Love Lyrics

Sara Evans - As If Lyrics

Get your blog's here.

Tipping Part Deux!

So who are the lucky recipients of your hard earned moola? Let's start with where the most of your money goes, the Food.

Banquet Manager, Maitre d': This is where it's very important to check if you're already paying a service charge. If gratuity is not included in your bill total, figure from $200 to $300 as a tip, depending on the size of your wedding. This amount should go to the person in charge of your reception; if there's more than one person in charge, divide the gratuity among them.

Caterer & Waitstaff: If your reception isn't in a hotel or club, there's a good chance your caterer has to work out of a tent or minimally equipped kitchen, and the waitstaff may have to run up and down steps carrying heavy trays. In these circumstances it's nice to show you appreciate all of their efforts. Figure the tip according to the number of waiters -- decide on a dollar amount (let's say $20) and multiply by the number of servers working at your reception, plus some for the catering manager. This total can range from $250 to $500.

Bartenders: Once again, it's time to scrutinize the bill -- sometimes at hotels and clubs a service charge is included in the liquor bill. If there isn't one, leaving 10% of the total liquor bill for the bartenders is a nice gesture. Try to find the head bartender when handing over the cash.

Keep in mind that A LOT of the time the gratuity is included in your final food bill, but if it's not, or you feel your catering staff or venue have gone above and beyond a little extra is always appreciated! Or a nice gift or a gift certificate is super thoughtful!

Tips on Tipping! Part 1

This week a bunch of my clients have been asking about gratuity. So I figured they probably aren't the only ones with these questions. I am going to dedicate the rest of the week to tipping your wedding vendors.

So, you feel pretty confident that you've completed calculating costs for the big day. But wait -- before you close that budget binder, did you remember to include tips? Technically, no one should expect tips, but many vendors might, since tipping has become standard practice.

Depending on where you're getting married, the protocol will vary. Here is a simple rule of the thumb: most of the time you tip employees, not owners. Don't add pressure to your wedding day -- designate someone to be in charge of tipping. The host of the event (often a dad) or the wedding consultant is the perfect person for the job. Several of my clients give me a bunch of white envelopes, and tell me to definitely give these out to "so and so" or tell me to use my discretion.

Advance Prep
The last thing you want at the end of your reception is someone having to count out cash when offering the tips. Set aside pre-determined amounts beforehand and place them in labeled envelopes. This way, your gratuity guy or gal simply has to hand over the designated envelopes, leaving little room for error. Having an additional envelope with a bit more cash is not a bad idea either -- that way, if the bill is higher than expected, or someone really went the extra mile for you or a guest, you can be sure to take care of it right then and there.

Get the 411

Before you just start dolling out money, however, find out about the tipping policies. Talk to the hotel or club manager at your reception site to see how tips are normally handled. Also find out if a service charge is included in the total on your bill. If so, you don't need to offer an additional tip. Remember, it's completely acceptable to have these kinds of conversations with your vendors, preferably at the time you sign a contract, rather than the day of the wedding. You can only know what people are expecting if you ask them.

Tomorrow tips on who and how much!

Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie looking a house in Europe

Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are seeking for a house in Europe. In this way, in their opinion, their children can have a "broad vision of the world".

Brad said this to XL Semanal "While we are very nomadic, we would like to have a base in Europe. More attention is paid here to what is going on in the world and it is easier to get to Africa and Asia from here," he told XL Semanal, the weekly magazine supplement of the ABC newspaper.

"We want our children to have a broad vision of the world. Spain, Italy and France have lots of quality of life and that is healthy".

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Cluster it!

I love the look of all one flower or all one color clustered together. I just think it looks so pretty! I had recently seen the most amazing all Carnation arrangements, Carnations, can you believe it! And they were absolutely incredible!

Just keep in mind a great cost saving idea is to use all one flower (an inexpensive one) and use a fair amount of them - it'll look great! I guarantee it! Check out these great Martha Stewart idea using a lot of carnations.

Where Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will be spending their thanksgiving

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie doesn't want to spend Thanksgiving Day at Brad's family at Springfield, Missouri home. Thus, they having problems on deciding where to spend their thanksgiving.

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Angelina Jolie fetches newspaper while filming The Changeling

While Angelina Jolie acting in her new movie The Changeling, she fetches for the newspaper.

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Constant movement cause unhealthy environment for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's children

Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's constant movement from one place to another place is not giving any good to their kids according to psychotherapist Puja Hall.

This is difficult for their eldest child Maddox.

When quoted by New York Post, she said "Maddox is an adopted child, so he already has a sense of abandonment. Kids that constantly move are like army brats, in that very often they don't want to open up to people. They feel loss, and there is a problem with attachment".

Source

Everyone's Favorite Awesome Baker, Blogs!

Charm City Cakes Blogs! Yep! Check it out, Mary Alice is bloging for the bakery! She's showing behind the scenes funness, and great pictures and video's it's gonna be Awwwwesome!

Big Announcement!

I've been waiting and waiting to announce this - but I think the time has come! MasterPiece Weddings Studio is opening SOON!

I am so excited to finally show you pictures, and get you up to date! Our furniture started coming in, and our favorite photographers are coming in with their pictures for our walls soon - and I think it's starting to look really homey! Don't you!

Before:

Wood Floor Going in!:

Wood Floor Done! And Furniture Entering the Room!:

Our Door, just because, well, I'm On The Door:

More Updates to come! We are officially opening November 1st!

Lourdes and Andrew are Hitched!

Lourdes and Andrew got married in Miami - and it was beautiful, and super personal, I mean after all that is what a wedding is all about, right! The joining together of two families, two very unique families and starting one anew!

Lourdes' mom grows amazing Orchids, her bouquet bookmark was from her mother's garden, which I think is just amazing!

The bread that is being carried down the aisle is a Ukrainian tradition, by the beautiful, Abigail in her Traditional Ukrainian outfit! This bread has been around and carried down from generation to generation! It's gorgeous!

Andrew is a sword collector, so they HAD to cut the cake with a huge very sharp object! Of course!

Instead of a guest book everyone signed a platter that will be glazed and fired by one of the bride's best friends, Elaina, It really turned out beautiful!

And one of my favorites is that Lourdes' Lace Veil was over 300 years old! It dates back to the time of Napoleon! Amazing, huh!

There were just too many personal touches to mention in one post, so I'll get ot the others later, I promsie!


Photography by: Robert Suarez