Aurelle Designs Gets A Website!

I've finally taken the plunge and am going to have a real website. It will be AurelleDesigns.com. Its very exciting while a bit daunting at the same time :)

For hosting, I decided on going with BlueHost. They have a special for just $6.95 a month right now. I read a TON of reviews before deciding on a host and they just seemed to be the best. Last night, at 1:30 or so, I managed to mess everything up and called customer service. Not only did I get help, but I got help within 2 minutes of dialing the number. No waiting. No pressing 1, then 4, then 1 again. It was awesome!

Having a website will allow me more flexibility in showcasing my designs as well as having a shopping cart system and better previews of design. In the meantime, if you are looking for a custom wedding monogram, check out my etsy site: aurelledesigns.etsy.com.

My live launch goal is for January 1st, 2009. Wish me luck, there's lots to do!!

Wedding Discounts and Coupons - Save Money With These Deals

It seems like when shopping for your wedding, it all adds up to a LOT of money before you even realize it! Here are some deals to help you get the most for your money and still have a fabulous wedding!

Invitations, Paper Goods, Favors & Party Supplies

MyWeddingFavors.com - Enter coupon code TAKE25 to receive $25 off orders over $200.

Enter coupon code SAVE10 to receive 10% on orders over $150.

Free Shipping on Orders over $175. Enter Coupon Code FREESHIP175 at Checkout.

Personalized Wedding Cameras, Custom Napkins, Personalized Candles & MORE On Sale at The Knot Wedding Shop


MOO MiniCards - $19.99 for 100 unique mini-calling cards. Make people remember you!


Save 10% at Bachelorette.com - Use Coupon code CJ10 to save on bachelorette party supplies and gag gifts.

Wedding Dresses, Bridesmaids Dresses, Bridal Party Dresses, Shoes & Accessories:

www.HouseofBrides.com - Free Shoes with the Purchase of Select Bridesmaid and Special Occassion Designers

Free Bridal Veil and Shoes with the Purchase of Select Wedding Dress Designers

Huge Discounts on Mother of the Bride Dresses

Huge Discounts on Flowergirl Dresses


Beauty Products, Skin Care, Make-Up

Save 10% on BABYLISS PRO Nano Titanium Mid Size Ionic Dryer - Coupon HP2008

Save 10% on BABYLISS PRO Ceramic Extreme Flat Iron 1-1/2 inch in Silver

FREE Stila Glaze Lip Liner with any purchase over $25 USD at StrawberryNET!

Free gift for all new customers -- visit StrawberryNET.com

FREE SHIPPING on Fragrances delivered within the U.S. at StrawberryNET.com

SkinCareRx.com Steal of the Day

Save 10% on All SkinStore Automatic Shipments

Receive free US shipping on all orders over $49 at SkinStore.com.

Diet, Fitness, Wellness

Shop at eVitamins and save 20%-70% on top name Health products! Click here

Get one FREE week of meals with your first eDiets' Deliciously Yours meal delivery order

FREE eDiets Profile

Honeymoon, Vacation, Bachelorette Night:
Bachelorette.com has free shipping on all orders over $75.00.

Indoor skydiving Gift & friend flies for free .. By the way, I highly recommend Indoor Sky Diving! I tried it in Gatlinburg and it was a BLAST!!

Save on Travel to Europe with Luxury Link

Get $100 off your First Purchase at LuxuryLink.com - Enter Code LUXLINK100 (Exp. 12/31/08)

Admission to over 40 of New York City's best attractions: New York Pass

Save up to 25% on tours and attractions in top US destinations. CLICK HERE!

Vacation Rental Homes: Save up to 70% on last second travel deals!

Cheap Hawaii Vacations! - Save up to 50%

Whew! That's a WHOLE LOT OF SAVINGS!!!

After all that, I have a special freebie for you! A free custom wedding website!

Free Personalized Wedding Website

Remember to use the monograms you got here at Aurelle Designs to personalize it!

If any of the promotions expire, let me know. I will be updating this list monthly with more great deals so you can have the wedding of your dreams!!!

Elegant and Modern Square Wedding Monograms

My last set of monograms were all in circles so today I introduce my square wedding monograms! Each one can be customized with your wedding colors, names, dates and even location! Check out my etsy site at AurelleDesigns.etsy.com for more great wedding monogram designs!

Its always fun to come up with new designs. I especially love the one with the fleur-de-lis in the background, since I am from Louisiana, they are everywhere! For ideas on how to use these monograms, check out Wedding Monogram Ideas on my blog. There are many different uses for your custom wedding logo or monogram.

A neat idea is to use Snap Fish to create your own memory book. Use the monogram as the first page and it will peek through the cover!

My Wedding Favors.com
is having a 5% off sale right now on all of their favors! Enter coupon code SAVE5 to receive 5% off of your order. Check it out! They have a wonderful selection of favors to use your monogram on!

Speaking of sales... House of Brides is having an offer for FREE bridal veil and shoes with the purchase of your dress! Check it out! Free Bridal Veil and Shoes with the Purchase of Select Wedding Dress Designers

Coming soon...
A whole list of deals and discounts I have found while scouring the world wide web! I'll show you how you can have a fantastic wedding without spending a fortune!

Getting Fit For The New Year 2009

Here it is, almost time for 2009 to roll around. Just like most people, I have made up my mind to get fit, watch what I eat and work out. I have tried several different things in the past with success. One of my favorite things was my Total Gym. For those of you who are not familiar with it, the Total Gym is advertised on TV by Christie Brinkley and Chuck Norris.

I used one and loved it for about five years. It was fun to use (believe it or not) and really toned me up. My favorite thing about it was that it was quiet and I was able to get a work-out in while my babies were taking a nap! The only reason I quit using it was my ex-husband took it when we split up. Check out their website, they have a sale right now and will let you try it out for only $1.00. If you're like me, you're going to love it!




Another thing I've tried is Power 90. They have a fantastic work-out program that gives you some serious results FAST! In October, I worked out with the DVDs every day and within two weeks, I had already dropped a pant size! That's what I call RESULTS! The program is pretty tough but you can go at your own pace and do as much as you can. After the first two days, I was so sore I could barely walk but after a few more days, I felt great! Dang Thanksgiving got me off-track but after Christmas, I am back to it again.

Another great tool to use is eDiets.com. They have a special promotion for our New Year resolutions to get one week of food for free! What I love about eDiets.com is the online community to help you keep true to your diet and the free profile and goal setting they have. A great site all around. Check them out at:




I will be posting my success and progress on my blog. Hopefully, that will help me stay accountable for my daily successes. My goal is to wear a bikini on my cruise in May of 2009. Check back for updates!

Web Hosting For Small Business Or Personal Site

So, I'm thinking about taking the leap and getting my very own dot com website. There are so many different options out there but I think I have narrowed it down to two. GoDaddy.com and BlueHost.com. Both seem to have great products and features. I have used BlueHost.com before and loved them but I've heard such great things about GoDaddy.com - not to mention the ads on tv.

According to one website, BlueHost.com is the better of the two. Check out the link HERE. One thing I did notice about GoDaddy.com was the fact that they have mobile websites available as well. I'm not sure how big of a deal that is, I know a lot of people's phones now have the power to be able to see the regular web with them.

Hmmm....

I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has used either of these sites!

Planning the Perfect Bridal Shower

So, your wedding is coming up real soon and its time for your bridal shower. Your bridal shower is a time for you and your girlfriends and female relatives to get together and celebrate the up-coming event.

Choose the perfect location. Ideally, have your bridal shower will be hosted at your Maid Of Honor's house. If that is not the best location, choose a nice reception hall or a favorite restaurant with a private room.

Set the tone for your party with custom-made invitations. There are several online stores that sell ready-made invitations or go the extra mile and get some custom-made ones. Zazzle.com has some great invitations, personalized and standard, and the prices are awesome!

Another great printing site is Moo.com. They have very reasonable prices and unique styles and sizes. Upload your own custom image or use a ready-made template for that personalized touch.

Decorating can be minimal or all-out... Its up to you! Sometimes, a little goes a long way though. Special favors and treats can make your guests feel important. A great site for those is at MyWeddingFavors.com. They have a huge selection of Bridal Shower favors with lots of options.

Having games at your shower can add a party mood. Bachelorette.com has Bachelorette.com has free games you can download and print right from your computer!

Remember to thank each and every one of your guests with thank-you cards. Pre-printed is fine but put in a hand-written note for each guest to let them know you really care.

Your bridal shower is a day you will always remember. My wedding was almost 10 years ago and I smile every time I think of all of my girlfriends hanging out with my mom there and my grandmother. Happy memories indeed!

Wedding Monogram Ideas

So, you're thinking about getting a custom wedding monogram but you're not exactly sure what to do with it once you get it? The possibilities are endless!

Check out Zazzle.comfor lots of customized items! You can use your monogram to create a custom postage stamp with YOUR monogram on it. Its easy to use, just upload your image and you'll have your stamps in no time! On Zazzle you can upload your image to tee shirts, stickers, tote bags and more! Definitely worth checking out!

Custom magnets are a cute touch to the goodie bag you give to your bridal party. Aurelle Designs @ Cafe Press allows you to have that custom look without spending a fortune.

Zazzle.com also offers tee shirts, post-cards (for honeymoon updates), mousepads, and much more! Just click "create" at the top, upload your personalized monogram and you are good to go!

Check out Arelle Designs on Etsy for the custom wedding monogram to accent your special day!

Another great place worth checking into is MyWeddingFavors.com. They have great products, especially the DIY favors! Add a personalized monogram sticker to the favor boxes for a touch your guests are sure to remember!

Check out my DIY Wedding Invitations on Squidoo for some other great ideas.

Snow In Louisiana?

Can you believe it? I woke up this morning to THREE inches of snow! In Louisiana! Not that it never snows here but its rare. The last time it snowed, my 9 year-old was just learning to walk. It was just a dusting and didn't last long. TODAY - It really snowed! And it stayed there! All day. Streets closed, people crashing cars, no one showing up for work - it was crazy.

In honor of our first ever "Sneaux Day", I've created a new graphic set!

There were snow men everywhere! Even on the medians of the streets here. People here just don't know how to deal with it. And to top it off, the high temperature on Sunday is supposed to be in the 70's. Funny stuff!

New Victorian-Inspired Etsy Graphic Set

So, apparently I'm on a Victorian kick. Maybe its from seeing all of those fabulous "Steampunk" items on etsy. I've made two new Etsy Graphic packages which have sets of graphics for sale items, vacation, etc....

The first one really has that rich chocolate look I just adore:























I really like the way that one turned out. Then I found a fabulous French looking black flower background and that inspired yet another Etsy banner and graphic set. Being from Louisiana
there are fleur-de-lys everywhere and this one just had that feel to it.














































The Shabby Chic font goes just perfectly with the crisp black flowers.

I've got about 40 more patterns that I am really excited about working with but my real life has me at a meeting early in the morning so I'm off to bed for the night!

Banner Design Give-A-Way

I've been working on some new banner designs and monograms for my etsy shop and it occured to me that I really want to do another custom banner for someone's shop. This is your chance to get one for free!

By leaving a comment, that is your entry to the contest. Post a link to my blog or etsy shop from your blog or etsy shop and receive an additional entry!

The giveaway will happen next Sunday and the final design should be finished within one week. :)

New Designs Added

My grandmother always says "Do something you love". For me, one of those things is graphic design. So here I am, at 2:20 in the morning, playing with fonts and colors and scale. What I have come up with is two different sets of custom wedding monograms. They can be used for stationary, invitations, favors, balloons, even stamps!

Check them out on my etsy site
aurelledesigns.etsy.com

To date, I have two sets made up. The first is the "traditional" set. Tried and true, this is similar to what I used for my wedding.





The next set is more retro, modern, mod, funky.. whatever you want to call it, it is FUN!

It is very tempting to play around with outrageous colors on these (one of them I did in orange) but I restrained myself.





If the lucky couple wanted to change the colors, it would be relatively easy - I can just see the one on the bottom done up in a fabulous celedon green!

Comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated.

Rita

Added Some Graphics

Check out Aurelle Designs on Etsy. :)

aurelledesigns.etsy.com

Finally got around to finishing some of my designs!

Banner Re-design Project

In an effort to give banner design a try, I posted in the etsy forum that I was offering free banner redesigns...

There were a few responses and I just finished my first one. I'm not sure what it is about her shop (her items are beautiful), but it was a difficult task. I guess I really want the banner to capture the feel of her shop and hopefully, I have done just that.

Here is the original design:



and a link to her shop:
Luminous Soul Designs

and here is the re-do:





The next one was fabulous and funky! She requested bright colors and a mod feel.

First the original:




and my re-do:




She has the neatest upcycled items!

Check her out at: Happy Accidents

Once Liz received the image, she had a few changes and here are the results of those:




It does look better now :) It captures the mood of her shop for sure!
_______
The next one I did had a generic sales banner, probably for the holidays...
She makes awesome handbags: AStonesThrow
Here is her new banner... I hope she likes it! I used some images from her shop as the inspiration for the color and design...




It seems like they are all in shades of teal!

More to come shortly - I will try not to use teal this time LOL

A New Beginning

It starts with some jewelry I found online. In an "etsy" shop. For those of you who do not know what etsy is, you simply have to go check out http://www.etsy.com. They have the best hand-crafted selection I have ever seen. From jewelry to clothing to home decor to children's items. Its amazing.

So, back to the jewelry. I have recently taken up jewelry making as a hobby. There seems to always be some new hobby I learn. A few years ago, it was painting. Before that it was scrapbooking. Before that it was sewing. You see what I mean. Well, before when I was painting and scrapbooking, I would sell some of my things on ebay to offset the cost of my hobby. It worked out just fine. So, I was thinking I would do the same with some of my jewelry.

In the process of wanting to sell some of my jewelry (on etsy), I came across a "critique" thread in the etsy forums on shops. This wonderful girl was dishing it straight on why everyone's shop needed work and the number one thing was always the banner. She was right-on in what was wrong (color, scale, font, etc) so I decided to re-do one of the shop's banners... I was hooked and the rest is history.