Garage living!

How many of you have dreamed of turning your garage into something more spectacular? If you live in New Jersey then you probably have a garage full of nothing but "extras"...my sweet take on "junk". No one around here parks their cars in their garages, we all just use these big ole spaces for things we've accumulated over the years. I'm hoping this post will inspire you to switch things up a little! Sort through all those things, donate what's still in good condition and kick the rest to the curb. Then you'll have plenty of room to do something different with your garage, something that will make the neighbors jealous...

Up in Massachusetts, Frank Shirley of Frank Shirley Architects changed the way I look at this space. He turned an attached two-car garage into a magnificent family room, three bedrooms, two extra bathrooms and a laundry room...with the help of an addition of course. Talk about some serious extra value when it's time to sell! Plus the bonus of all that added space to enjoy.

                                       
                                                        Just your average garage right?

                                                 
                                               Only till Frank Shirley got his creative hands on!

                                                      Garage full of "extras"......

                                              turned into a garage full of extras we love!

Can you imagine your messy garage looking like this? With a little extra work and some creativity it could! A little thinking outside of the box can make all the difference between a regular ole garage and a gorgeous living space/additional bedroom/game room...skys the limit!

Justin Alexander...stole my heart

Every once in a while I'll stumble across a designer that makes my jaw drop...Justin Alexander is now on that short list. The team of designers there are beyond amazing. Words truly can't do them justice. The Justin Alexander Collection itself is described as "Seductive. Sophisticated. Refined. Modern interpretations of traditional silhouettes." Personally, I think that while their collection is all of those things, it should really be described as "Original. Fresh. Daring. Throwing tradition to the wind, in favor of breathtaking gowns" But hey, that's just me! Let's take a look at why I love the Justin Alexander Collection:

1. Black in wedding gowns are not only acceptable, but brilliantly designed! Not many designers can pull this off

2. Detachable gowns! Not your typical two-piece wedding dress.

3.They made the standard ballgown more trendy. What's not to love about the capulet they added to this dress? It completely changes the style and adds a modern update.

4. Vintage!! And Details!! Love it. Capulet, vintage styled dress, and that darling belt. Perfect combination. [I think it would go splendidly with the vintage inspiration board posted today]

5.The dresses just ooze sexy confidence. What bride doesn't want to feel like a goddess on her wedding day?

I could go on and on about all the different dresses in this collection. Better yet, they have two more bridal collections and a mother of the bride collections also. Justin Alexander is at no shortage of glamorous, romantic, standout gowns. Definitely go check them out...Shabina Says So <3

Thoughtful Day

For awhile I stopped being so obsessed with wedding invitations and stationery in general..until I came across Thoughtful Day.  They certainly have me in love with paper goods all over again!

                                            They did an awesome job of designing these invitations for Jenna & Jon's circus wedding..which can be seen this week on 100 Layer Cake (you must check it out!) They are even featured in the new issue of Martha!

                                  Pink and orange just scream "summer!" in my lovely opinion. Tara and Scott asked Erica to design something that was bold and included lots of fun flowers because their wedding was going to be at vineyard. Erica hand drew all of the details included in everything from the save the dates to the paper goods for the day of the wedding.

                  I love how elaborate this Save The Date is! 3 different layers, each revealing information about a different part of this couple's wedding weekend.

                                              The couple's theme was "Fiesta Fabulous"...enough said.

                                                  I can't get over how seriously talented Erica is! The couple wanted a program for their wedding that was inspired by the "Steamboat Bill Jr."s film poster, so Erica made some changes to make the couple in the poster look like the bride & groom. Simply brilliant!

Oooh Eye Candy!

Not your average eye candy at that, actual Eyecandy, in fabulous Las Vegas! The lounge and bar here have spectacular lighting and super posh furniture. Eyecandy sound lounge is revolutionary, with their touch tables, giving guests the chance to control their audio and visual experience. Talk about having a completely customized experience!

The bar features Master Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, mixing up your favorite cocktails at your request. It's Las Vegas so expect the drinks to be a little pricey. On the bright side, from what I've heard, the drinks are extremely stiff! One or two cocktails and you should be set for the night if you like to party.

The DJs play a chill mix of the latest hits and classic 80 songs. What's not to love?! It gets better...they play music videos on huge screens across the dance floor that are coordinated with the lighting.

Next time you're in Las Vegas, stop by Mandalay Bay and make sure to check out the chic eyecandy lounge...Shabina Says So<3

"Emerald Underworld"

Oh Gloria Wong just brings me to my knees. I can't even put into words how stoked I am over everything she designs. For Wedding 360 she did a cocktail party, "Emerald Underworld", that is just dripping with glamour!

I'm mildly obsessed with this color combination. There's just so much going on in this shoot that I can't seem to pick my favorite part. Maybe it's the seating section, or perhaps all the details on the lamp shade, oooh or maybe awesome hanging candles!! Yes, Gloria Wong has out down herself again.
If you live out in San Francisco, be sure to get in touch with the fabulous team at Gloria Wong Designs for your next event...Shabina Says So<3

Major thanks to LunaPhoto for these fabulous shots from the Wedding 360 event!