Holiday Fashion Guide | 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year. . . to get dressed up!!  There isn't a better excuse to treat yourself to something pretty than for a holiday get together - so I've put together four perfect party outfits for this holiday season!  BONUS - each piece is under $100 :o)

The holiday season is the best time to spice up your wardrobe with a little red!  Pair it with warm gold and brown accessories for that perfect candlelight glow.

Where to wear it:  Your Holiday Work Party

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 You can't miss by combining sequins and textured tights with this perfect little black dress!  Save yourself a little cash and use a LBD that's already in your closet :o)

Where to wear it:  A Holiday Out on the Town

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Pairing gorgeous pops of blue with different black textures (we've used velvet in the top, sequins in the skirt and suede in the shoes!) will make you feel oh-so-sexy this season!

Where to wear it:  Your Friend's New Year's Eve Fête

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The simplicity of the soft ivory top and wide-leg pants is the perfect opportunity to top it off with a fur vest, a spot of color in an accessory and sparkly shoes!
Where to wear it:  Your Family Christmas Dinner

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What will you  be wearing this holiday season?!?!

True Brides {Kyle + Katy}

Remember the Beautiful Engagement Pictures for Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Richards? Well, Katy is back to give us a True Bride Report!

Katy and Kyle are getting married on New Years Eve at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Napoleon, Ohio. (I think it's so romantic to get married on a fun holiday such as New Years Eve!! What better way to ring in the new year!). Their gorgeous winter colors are red, black, and white. 

Engagement Picture Taken By Mirage Graphics and Designs. 

Engagement Questions

What was one of the first things (wedding wise) you did when you got engaged?

 True to my nature, the first thing I did was stress over the small details. Of course, come to find out although the details are important, it isn’t necessary to stress out over every small one, such as favors.

Did you know the engagement was coming or were you surprised?

 I had known he had the ring, but had no idea the engagement was going to come so soon! I thought he would wait until my birthday (in March), but he surprised me Jan. 22, 2011 with a proposal at Stoney Ridge Winery in Bryan, Ohio.

The Night Katy and Kyle got engaged at Stoney Ridge Winery (Which is an amazing place, I might add, ha).

Wedding Questions

One thing you were worried about when planning your wedding?

 Money. The biggest thing was money because, aside from some gracious help with food and beverages from our parents, we paid for the wedding ourselves, which isn’t easy on a tight budget! But I think we will be able to pull it off thanks to some creative DIY J

What was the easiest vendor to book?

  Haha, in reality, none of our vendors were exactly easy to book seeing as how nothing was going to work out for our original date of Sept. 8, 2012, which was a big reason we moved the wedding up!

What was the hardest vendor to book?

 See above haha

  

Is there anything special that has been done for your wedding?

With us moving up the date so drastically, the most special thing that’s been done for our wedding is having our amazing wedding party be so willing to do whatever it takes to still be involved on such short notice!

  

How was wedding dress shopping?

 Easy peasy! I went with one of my bridesmaids the weekend after Kyle proposed to “look” at dresses, thinking I would just get an idea of what I liked and then do the serious shopping later. Well, I wound up finding a dress I absolutely loved that day and bought it then and there! (Insert shameless plug for Bridal Elegance in Defiance here. Lol)

  

What’s been the most stressful part about the wedding?

 What was most stressful was not having anything work out for our original date as planned and having to adjust our date.

What’s been the best part about the wedding? 

The love and support that we have received from so many people. The whole planning process has been crazy, but so many people have offered to help and have offered advice that its very heart-warming.

Was choosing your wedding party hard or easy? 

That part was pretty easy for us since Kyle and I both have really close sets of friends.

 Have things gotten any easier as the wedding day approaches? 

It isn’t as if things have gotten difficult, but it definitely feels like we’re racing a clock to get things finished in time while both of us work two jobs!

I can't wait to see all the wonderful pictures from their December wedding. Be on the look out for Kyle and Katy to share there post wedding experience with us :) 

Congrats to the Future Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Richards!!

Wedding Wednesday | The Winter Bride

While grabbing inspiration for a future Winter Wedding blog post, we decided to focus on the winter bride first. Weddings are usually themed around the bride's decisions and especially the feel of her dress, from vintage to modern. The winter bridal look I put together is very vintage from the lace sleeves to the diamond and pearl drop earrings. Picking ivory over white creates a warm feel, which is great for winter!

This gown, Satin Faced Organza Gown with Illusion, is part of the White by Vera Wang collection at David's Bridal. It has a removable illusion piece that is great for a bride that would like to stay traditional in the church and look more modern at the wedding. The lace definitely gives a winter feel, especially because of the sleeves. 

Elle & Jae Bridal have beautiful wedding sashes for every theme. This sash would be perfect to replace the black bow on the dress. The crystals create a great repetition of the lace on the dress as well as create a glimmer that resembles winter!

I fell in love with this braided hair style by Keiko Lynn as soon as I saw it! This hairstyle would be best with the dress because it wouldn't hide the great details of the lace. The braid is awesome too because it is subtle and doesn't cause any distraction. 

Haute Bride has the most amazing bridal accessories! The petite freshwater pearl chandelier earrings continue the vintage feel and not to mention how great they will look with the hair style!

Due to the amazing details of the dress, sash and earrings, I would look for simple ivory shoes. 

{source: Calvin Klein}

For makeup I would keep it to neutral colors, this color creates such a warm, natural and vintage feel. Perfect for our winter bride! {source: care n' style}

baci's baking | Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites

Every time I log into Pinterest I find another tasty recipe that I must try - yesterday was no exception!  I found these Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites and I plan on making them this holiday season :o)  Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites

Original Recipe from Created by Diane

(Printer-friendly Link)

1 30 oz. package Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough (refrigerated section)
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1) Roll two teaspoons of cookie dough into a ball for each cookie.
2) Place balls of dough into paper lined mini muffin pans.
3) Make an indentation into each ball of dough with a flour dipped mini rolling pin or the back of a teaspoon.
4) Beat room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Place filling into a piping bag, cut off edge of bag.
5) Place one teaspoon of filling into each cookie dough. Don't over fill the cookies or filling as they will rise when baked.
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until cookie tested with tooth pick comes out almost clean. Let cool before removing from cupcake pan.

Handpicked | Must Have Items for Your Registry

Attention Brides-to-be:  Have you been contemplating what to put on your bridal registry?

Have you been racking your brain for hours coming up with ideas?

 Well, I was in the same boat as you not too long ago. There are several different items you can put on your registry, but here are my top nine essentials for a wedding registry :)

One IMPORTANT word to remember when using that wedding "gun".....UPGRADE!!! Don't register for something just because....register for the best and don't be afraid to replace the things you already own with better ones!

And one more thing----make sure to have a variety of prices, there are people who won't go all out and there are "let's get together to get them a wedding gift" people. You want to make sure there is something for everyone.

1) Kitchen Aid from Bloomingdale's - $269.99 - I didn't think I needed one of these, and now I can't stop using mine!! The Kitchen Aid mixer comes in handy for everything from cookies to bread. And they come in SEVERAL different colors!

2) Silpat Silicone Cookie Sheet Liners from Williams-Sonoma - $39.95 - Best thing ever! My mother-in-law has these and uses them any time she makes cookies or biscuits, and nothing sticks to the sheet!! I was so happy when I registered and received them :) 

3) Dyson from Sears - $548.95 - Who couldn't use the best vacuum around, might as well register for it (remember you usually get completion discounts on things left un-purchased on your registry)!

4) Calphalon Contemporary 21 Piece Knife Block Set from Bed, Bath and Beyond - $299.99 - It's never a bad idea to put a NICE knife set on your registry. 

5) Railroad Station Clock from Bed, Bath and Beyond - $39.99 - Don't be afraid to put what YOU want on your list too. This is one of the things I registered for because I wanted it to put in the kitchen. 

6) Simply Vera Vera Wang Pure Luxury Bath Sheet from Kohl's - $29.99 - Upgrade your towels to the nice ones that you don't have to worry about falling apart within a year.

7) Madison Park Dune 7-Piece Comforter Set-King from Kohl's - $179.99 - Eric and I already had a comforter, but we wanted to upgrade. And we used the old one for another bed :) 

8) Pyrex Smart Essentials 8-pc Mixing Bowel Set from Target - $20.69 - A variety of bowl sizes with lids, great to take anywhere or store leftovers in the fridge. 

9) Elite Cuisine 1.6 qt Mini Slow Cooker from Target - $17.89 - Perfect for warm dips! 


As I stated earlier, there are SEVERAL more items you should put on your registry, so I am going to add a quick list of things you might not think of to glance over before making your list :)

Meat Thermometer

Large Cutting Board

Small Decorative Cutting Board

Glass Storage Containers in Different Sizes

Breading Trays

Hand Chopper

Mandoline Slicer

Appetizer Plates

Measuring Spoons

Measuring Cups

Spatulas and Spoonulas
Serving Spoons and Forks

Wooden Spoons

Meat Tenderizer

Pastry Blender
Apple Slicer
Beverage Tub
Bath Mats
Closet Organizers
Throw Pillows and Blankets
New Bed Pillows
Bedside Lamps
Air Mattress
Tent and other camping goods
Sleeping Bags
Shop Vac
Pressure Washer
Basic Tool Set

Let baci know what you think, do you have an essential for a wedding registry?  Tell us :o)

REMINDER: Spring 2012 Intern Deadline Monday

Just a last minute reminder that baci is on the search for a Spring 2012 intern!

We are looking for someone who is fun and easy to work with and has the following traits: 
• Organization Nerd
• Social Networking Guru - Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Pinterest - you name it, we use it :)
• Blogger Experience
• Etsy/Wedzu Knowledge
• Photography Skills
• Must LOVE Weddings!!
• And don't forget you'll get to spend a lot of time with this cuddly guy

Here's some basic information:
1} This is an unpaid internship.  However, any design work that is done for a paying client by the intern will be compensated. Also the intern will be paid hourly for any day of events they work.
2} This position will require presence in baci's studio (in Cuyahoga Falls, OH) 2 - 3 days a week.
3} We are interested in stationery design or event planning interns - someone interested and talented in both departments would be GREAT!
4} The position will begin in mid January and run until early May.

If you're interested in applying for baci's Spring 2012 Internship - please send your resume and cover letter to intern@bacidesigner.com before Monday, December 5.  We'll be interviewing on December 12th and 13th.

If you know someone who would be perfect for the job, please forward on the information to them - post it to your FB wall, retweet it, email it - anything to help us get the word out so we can work with the best of the best is much appreciated!

Any questions or concerns please email Caroline at intern@bacidesigner.com. Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you soon!

baci's book club - October/November 2011 - One Day

Ok, first off I 100% apologize for the delay in this baci's book club post - not only did I not get a chance to finish the book before our meeting, I feel like I've been running around like a crazy person ever since I did finish it ;o)  So, once again, very sorry, but better late than never, right?  Lol!

So here goes - we met on October 20th at my home and the book of the month was One Day by David Nicholls.

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Here is a little introduction to the book from Mr. Nicholls' site. . . "15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.  So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows?  One Day is a funny/sad love story spanning twenty years, a book about growing up – how we change, how we stay the same."

WARNING, the following discussions may act as a SPOILER!

This one came with incredibly mixed reviews from the group, in fact some of the ladies who finished early recommended the other ladies not even bother reading it!  It's been a long time since we've had something so few people liked, but it's bound to happen every now and again.  Myself and a few others enjoyed the book, but we wouldn't ever say it was on our favorites list ;o)

I think the lack of interest was a combination of many things - the chapters were long and included a lot of needless information; Dex was incredibly awful and downright disturbing for most of the book; Emma lacked excitement and was sort of boring some of the time; and last but certainly not least, after drudging through all of that, the ending was quite possibly the most shocking and sad thing ever.

The hubby and I have the movie in our queue and I'm hoping the shortened version will be a bit better than the book. . . it didn't get the best reviews either so we'll see.  The preview really does look great and the premise behind the whole thing is wonderfully unique, I'm just afraid the characters were a bit too intense for readers.  We would love to know what you thought!

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For next month we've chosen The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow - it's a unique story of a group of women and their forty-year friendship!  We're meeting on Thursday, December 15th - see you then ;o)