marniestyle

New blog up!

2010-04-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

Come visit me at my new blog http://www.marniestyle.com/. I will be keeping this blog up for the time being....so feel free to look around.

Sweet Briana

2010-04-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm finally posting a few more photos of Briana's mini-photo session. She's the sweetest, cutest little thing! I had so much fun hanging out with Bethany and Briana for a few hours. Can't wait to do it again!

Lastly, a solo photo of Bethany, Briana's mom.

Ok...one more. This one is actually a mistake, but I kinda love it...graininess and all : )

Sneak peak. Briana 4 months

2010-04-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring! So happy to have had a few fabulous days of 70 degree weather to enjoy. I went over to visit my friend and former coworker Bethany and her 4 month old Briana. Along with catching up on everyday life, we had a mini photo session! This is one of my favorites from the day.

Designer Spotlight: Paloma's Nest.

2010-03-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

The types of design I'm drawn to have one main word in common. Simplicity. One of my favorite things is handmade pottery. I chose to feature Paloma's Nest because the popularity of her eco-friendly and stylish heirlooms is just amazing! The creative mind behind Paloma's Nest is that of Caroline Colom Vasquez. Paloma's Nest is a company that focuses on a collection of hancrafted modern heirlooms that include bowls, tiles, ornaments and a variety of unique decorative items. The products have been featured in numerous print publications, online and on television. Caroline's claim to fame is that of the original Ring Bearer Bowl. It was designed to replace the ring bearer pillow. Custom engraving is stamped by hand, and you can put any text on the bowl. It can be a date, a favorite saying, names, etc. This is one of my favorite things, and I can't wait to order one! It is a great idea as a gift for any type of celebration, not just a wedding!

One of my other favorites from the collection are the Egg Placecard holders. I love that they are gold, and they add a little bit of style and fun to a table setting.

Lastly, a major aspect of Caroline's business is that she uses recycled, up-cycled, and biodegradeable products throughout the collection. Here is a photo of the packaging, which again, is simple and natural. It provides a "nest" so that your products get to you safely and in tact. Speaking of being Eco-friendly, the Paloma's Nest studio is powered 100% by renewable wind energy.

I can't say enough about Caroline and the Paloma's Nest team. Their products are handmade with the utmost care and authenticity. There is an obvious care for the environment, but even more so, the client. Spring and summer are upon us, and if you're getting married, looking for a hostess gift, have a birthday party to go to, or just want something for your own home, Paloma's Nest, is your new best friend! Go check out the gorgeous website and get all your shopping done online! http://www.palomasnest.com/.

****All photos courtesy of Paloma's Nest.

Krista Leigh Hurst Photography partners with Think Pink Photography!

2010-03-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

Krista Leight Hurst is an up and coming photographer in the Harrisburg/Hershey area and fellow Penn State Alumni. She has recently partnered with Think Pink Photography. When I saw Krista's blog post, I wanted to help, and reposting on my blog is the least I can do. Hopefully, I will be able to provide my services in the future. This is also your chance to help in anyway you can. Here's the excerpt explaining the charity and please do what you can to suppport these fabulous breast cancer survivors and Breast Cancer in general.

Think Pink Photography was founded in October 2007 to support individuals and their families who have been touched by breast cancer. We are a charitable organization that serves two main purposes – celebrating life and supporting the cause. Through our professional photographer network, we are helping breast cancer patients to celebrate life with charitable photography sessions. Individuals may choose to document their fight against the disease before or during treatment, or prefer to capture their victory by scheduling a session within 12 months after treatment is completed. Photographers world-wide are now available to donate time and talent to celebrate life and support the cause. There is no cost or obligation to the breast cancer patient. Clients participating in a Think Pink Session will receive a complimentary photo session, as well as a set of 10 4×6 prints from the session, and 10 watermarked web images for social networking sites. They will also receive a 15% discount on any additional portraits they wish to purchase, although there is absolutely no purchase required at any time.

To support the cause, we have partnered with The Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation. All funds generated through donations and various fundraising efforts are paid directly to The Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation. As a 3-time breast cancer survivor, Danielle Beverly and her husband Eric joined together to form a foundation dedicated to promoting education, increasing awareness, and providing support and resources for families who have been touched by breast cancer. Please subscribe to our blog (on the Think Pink website) and tell your friends and family about Think Pink Photography. Awareness is everything and we can’t be successful without you.

Please go to Think Pink Photography to browse the website, make a donation and/or contact Krista to set up your photo session today!

Floral goodness!

2010-03-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

Since today was gorgeous, the snow is almost gone ( I pray I didn't just jinx myself), and spring is near, I decided to post a few photos I took last spring (in my backyard). These flowers are really simple, but I love that they stand alone. Look for floral design spotlights as well on the blog. Lots of ideas brewing in this head of mine!

marniestyle

2010-03-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

So, marniestyle it is. I have been struggling with this decision for a few months now. I had a few names in mind, but I kept coming back to this one. I also had nicknames like Sully, (maiden name is Sullivan) but I have three sisters and we can all use that one! I'm going with my gut. Marnie is a nickname that my dad gave me when I was a kid. No one other than my sisters ever knew this. So, my friends and family may seem surprised at the name, but a girl can't give out all her secrets! I didn't want to use my full name for the blog because I write about so many different things. Things that I love. They all have something in common. Style.
So, this is a temporary home for the blog. I'm going to update to a wordpress blog soon, but I will be sure to keep this site up until then. It's amazing what a name change can do, because I'm really motivated and excited for more change to come. Good change.

A blog post, isn't complete without a photo, so here's one of the first photos I took with my Nikon D70. I think it is very fitting. As the horseshoe is a sign of good luck, I'm hoping for a lot of it!

HGTV's Genevieve Gorder partners with QVC!

2010-03-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I was so happy to find out that HGTV's host of Dear Genevieve and Design Star, Genevieve Gorder is finally selling her own line of bedding and home decor on QVC. Genevieve was previously a designer on TLC's Trading Spaces for many years. She was always my favorite of all of the designers. Her style is clean, and simple with a little edge. There's a set of 3 owl vases, all different sizes that are a great addition to an office, living room, bedroom or tablescape. The classic white design has very distinct features and the overall look goes with any color palette. They will go great with a vintage inspired room as well. Needless to say, I couldn't pass them up! I'm a sucker for good design and style. Go to QVC and sign up for the wait list, they are sold out right now.

Thinking about doing weekly designer/photographer spotlights, so if there is anything that you would like to see on the blog, please feel free to leave me a comment on the blog or shoot me an email at msully24@hotmail.com.

3 of my favorite things!

2010-02-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

So, here goes my first blog post about some of my favorite things!! Oh, how I love Instyle Magazine. I have been subscribing to it for so long, I can't count the years. I love the photos, the editorial layouts, the articles, I love it all. A few of my favorite articles include the "Man of style" and the "Life" section because it showcases different celebrity homes every month. I also love the "where to find" page, even if this girl can't afford it! It is the highlight of my day when this mag comes in the mail. That, and well, I love getting mail. So much more intimate than an email or text. Snail mail is a nice surprise every now and then.

We talked about Magazines, now off to J.Crew . My heart skips a beat when there is a major MAJOR sale. That's all. Pretty simple. I love the clean, colorful, yet sweet style of the clothing line for men and women. I wish they had the wedding line when I got married. All the girls/guys and I would be in J. Crew for sure!

Moving on to my last favorite of the day...Pier 1 Ahhhhh! Let's just say I have a lot of Pier 1 in my home. It's me, it's "our" style. We've figured that out over time. We love clean design that is simple and stylish. Nothing over the top. Pier 1 is our happy place.

My favorite things.

2010-02-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I'm going to start blogging about my favorite things. I will start it this week! I'm also in the middle of changing just about everything about my blog. Name, design, etc. There will be a lot of change going on in the coming months. It will be slow, but it's a must if I want to move on up in this blogging world and my career in general. In previous posts, you all know that I love Fashion/Style, Photography, Writing, Design and so many other things. I blog about it all and in 2010, I would really like to MTH (Make Things Happen). I can't take credit for that motto. All credit goes to Lara Casey, editor of Southern Weddings Magazine and founder of the MTH 2010 Intensive. **I may have some news about this in a a future post.

Well, that's enough for my exciting Friday evening. Going to finish watching the Olympics opening ceremony!! In lieu of the 22 inches of snow we received this week....I'm looking at old vacation pics to brighten my winter blues. This is a photo I took on the rooftop of our hotel in San Juan, PR.
Makes. Me. Happy.

The best of both worlds!!!

2010-02-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

I came across this blog via Twitter. My love of photography and interior design in one place....there is a God. Ok, it's really not that dramatic as much as it is FABULOUS!!! Marsha Mifsud is the founder and editor as well as photographer of Sweet Bliss Studios for the past 12 years. If that wasn't enough, she has businesses on both the East and West coasts. Learn more about her at http://www.thesavvyphotographer.com/. I'm officially one of her blog "stalkers" if you will. Now, if I had enough rooms in my house to redecorate, I would be golden.

2010-02-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

I saw this blog frame on madebygirl today and thought it would be great for an office, it's artsy, fun and it's oh, so true. I could study lifestyle photography, fashion, design, travel and food blogs ALL day long.
The blog has a variety of card, prints, posters, and tons of different products for your shopping pleasure!! Take a look at Jennifer Ramos's blog, http://www.madebygirl.blogspot.com/. She writes about fabulous design ideas for your home and everything inbetween!

Here's another group of framed pieces that I thought would go great in any room because they are so basic and simple. LOVE!

Mangos Coastal Cuisine Restaurant Review!

2010-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Check out the new review of Mangos Coastal Cuisine at http://www.thelvscene.com/ and click on LV Eats. Mangos has a Mediterranean style menu, beautiful dining area, and a fabulous bar. The Mojitos are so refreshing! Take a look and let me know what you think. I'm dreaming of the summer time as I write this. It can't come soon enough.

Apartment #34.

2010-01-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

I was surfing the web the other day, and came across apartment #34. A fabulous blog about fashion, decor, and style. My kind of blog! If you want to know the new trends that are happening in fashion and style, and great new ideas in home decor, and everything in between, go knock on the door of Apartment #34! Love, love, love.

P.S. Totally loving this look from Banana Republic. Not sure I can pull the skinny jean off, but a girl can dream!

2010. New Beginnings.

2010-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of excited that a new year has begun. I've decided to make some changes to the blog and I will be getting that underway very soon. This year has gone by very quickly, and although a lot has happened..good and bad, I still don't feel that I treasured every day. We didn't get a chance to take a vacation this year, but I did get to take a few weekend visits to visit Kenny on business. I went to San Antonio, Texas at the start of 2009, and ventured to Miami for a weekend in October. I loved visiting both of these cities and we are definitely going back!!!!
One thing I have to do is to post more PHOTOS! I have really been through a mixed bag of emotions this year and never felt I had enough time to do so, but in reality I was feeling guilty about doing something other than job searching. I would love to attend a beginner photography workshop at some point this year. I'm hoping that is a goal I will achieve.
In late 2009, I had the opportunity to write a few restaurant reviews for http://www.thelvscene.com/. I connected with the creator of the website, @lvscene on Twitter. It's amazing what social media can do for you. I have made some new friends and connections that have been awesome. I'm going to start on the next review very soon. If you love food, travel, social events, and the Lehigh Valley...you need to check it out.

Here's hoping for a fun, fabulous and prosperous 2010!! (posted two photos from my Miami weekend).

Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant Review!

2009-12-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

Check out http://www.thelvscene.com/ for my latest restaurant review of Braveheart Highland Pub and Restaurant in Hellertown, PA! The food, drink and hospitality will keep you going back for more. It is a non-smoking venue so that is a nice plus. Kenny and I love the Braveheart and have brought family there who have raved about it as well. Go try it out for yourself. Slainte!

Check out www.thelvscene.com!

2009-11-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

Check out www.thelvscene.com for the Liu's House Restaurant review. I really enjoyed writing this review and I'm currently working on another one! Exciting things happening in the Lehigh Valley! This is a site to check out the hype on what's going on in the Lehigh Valley, whether it be an event, restaurant, store opening....anything and everything!!

I'm alive, really I am.

2009-11-12T08:48:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I haven't actually been home for the month of October and found little time to sit and blog. November proves to be just as busy. Traveling wise that is. Wedding out of state, visiting working husband in Miami for a few days, and making time to visit my parents has me exhausted! It was a no brainer to do all these things, as these are the most important people in my life. Having not been home (State College) since July, it was great to see the "rents" and my "kids" aka my niece and nephews if only for a few moments. I'm also trying to make more time to do some writing, and more photography. It's coming slowly, and is time consuming, but I'm excited to be learning more and more! I'm doing the dreaded job search of course....but as most of us know, it's not so good out there! Still hoping to win the lottery...which reminds me, I have to be in it to win it!

The holidays are fast approaching, which seems crazy to me!! I say the same thing every year...so I should just suck it up!! Well, hoping to post some floral photos I took outside over the Spring...nothing too crazy but it's a start. I will post some news about some writing aspects as well. Those will come soon...

Motivation or lack there of!

2009-09-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Motivation has been hard this week. Last week I got so much done. I gave 4 bags of "very nice'" clothes I don't wear anymore to Goodwill, 2 bags of books and a handful of shoes as well. It felt so good to give it away to those who need it, and to get it out of the house. I can't stand clutter and lack of organization. I also worked out and did "two a day" workouts 3 out of the 5 days. I have yet to workout this week. I have one more day to remedy that and go walk a few miles. I think I will.

I have also been trying to shoot more and try to learn my camera. ( Nikon DSLR) thanks to lifelong photographer friends...Jeff and Dana Sipper). You can visit their website at http://www.sipperphotography.com/. They have upgraded their equipment and sold me the Nikon D70 that I'm hoping to learn on my own. I am so addicted to photography blogs and the photojournalistic aspect. I love that style and hope to master it. Too bad wedding photojournalism wasn't on the forefront back in 2003 when I got married. There's always the renewal of vows!!! (which will happen...hopefully on a beach, barefoot, with a flower in my hair)

I also love all aspects of design...so I'm hoping to get involved in interior design/fashion/typography at some point. Not sure what I like the most. I'm a lover of all things Stationery!!! (Started with my frequent trips to the Hello Kitty Store on 5th Ave. in Brooklyn). My mom used to take us there and let us choose a few items. I would buy notepads, stationery, pencils, erasers, etc. I would NEVER use them. I didn't want to write on them or get them dirty. I loved the style/design and that they were "new".

Anyway, hopefully I will be energized and motivated to start a new chapter in my life and do things that I enjoy and get excited about!!

Cheers to that!

Sunday Mornings

2009-07-19T10:03:00.001-07:00

I really have to be consistent with my blog posts! It has been one month without a post. I guess life does take over sometimes. Right now, I'm actually sitting on my back deck, on a beautiful Sunday morning...well it's actually 1pm now. Drinking an iced latte....thinking about my Nana. She loves iced coffee. She will be 95 this August.

It might sound a bit weird, but on Sunday mornings, I really do a lot of thinking/pondering about my life. I have so much on my mind lately. Where I should be, what I should be doing, etc. Kenny will be going away for 10 weeks to Charlotte,NC. for the Wachovia/Wells Fargo merger. He's a Corporate Trainer, where travel is common, but this is a bit much. I feel that we never get that couple of days of just enjoying eachother without any worries. Whether it be travel, money, jobs, house...etc.

I know that's life...but it seems so hard sometimes to just "be" happy. There are a lot of things that make me happy...of course. Sometimes I feel that I can't be happy for myself, if other things in my life aren't fulfilled. I know I have to get over that, and take the plunge. I must do what I feel in my heart is right for me and my soul. I need to feed my soul....Once I start doing so...I believe everything will fall into place...

***One of the things that makes me happy. Fav pic from San Juan, P.R. last summer.

Birthday weekend!

2009-06-14T10:47:00.001-07:00

This year has flown by. Another anniversary and another birthday. My 33rd b-day to be exact and I'm not afraid to say it. I do feel that we all get better with age. I had my actual birthday off this past friday June 12th, 2009. It was a pleasant morning. I kissed the husband goodbye and he was off to work. He gave me a very sweet card before he left, he always finds the best cards. For some reason I have been getting up very early in the morning and that is sooo not me, if you know me. I got up around 8:30 am and just read a book in bed. I never, never take the time to just read and relax without the computer or blackberry by my side. It was so NICE!!! I then decided to treat myself to a pedicure. Haven't done that in over a year. It was a good time. Erica was my girl and she was awesome, I will definitely be going back to her at Olivers Salon and Day Spa. Traci is my esthetician there...she is fabulous! Don't know what I will do if when I move out of the area!!!

Anyway, it was a very stress-free afternoon. Kenny took a half-day and we just went to the mall and walked around...did the Barnes and Noble thing as usual. I love those kinds of days. Nothing planned, no major priorities. Saturday night, my sister Denise came up to celebrate my birthday. We went to dinner at Pacifico restaurant at the Saucon Valley Promenade. My meal was fabulous. We had shrimp tacos for an appetizer, and then I had the swordfish with 2 enchiladas as did Kenny. Denise had the Mahi Mahi, which was a bit dry, but enjoyable. The drinks were fabulous. A Brazilian Cosmo, and the Caiprinihi ( SP?). Strong...but fab! We found out that they have Salsa night there every other Saturday! They stop serving dinner at 11pm, take away the tables and the dance floor gets crazy!! What a great idea! Love!

Well, here's hoping that this is the best year ever. For many different reasons! Happy Birthday to my twin sister Anne. Love you and Miss you dearly.

Bethlehem Sands Casino and Emeril's Chop House Restaurant!

2009-05-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the previous post, last weekend was my 6th wedding Anniversary! Kenny and I decided to go to the new Bethlehem Sands Casino opening that weekend in the Lehigh Valley, and eat at Emeril's new restaurant. Little did we know that he would be cooking our meal!!!!!! That's right, Emeril was in the kitchen! He was also out and about talking to the hosts and waitstaff, and he came out to greet a few people asking to speak with him...don't know if they had an "in" or not. Even though we were only 10-50 feet away at times...it was very hard to get a picture without being intrusive. He did wave to everybody outside the restaurant that could visibly see him cooking in the kitchen, because that part is visible to the public...you can see part of the kitchen from the exterior of the restaurant. Emeril also had an Eat-In area by the kitchen, like he does on his show. A select 8 diners get to see the chefs in action. Not sure how you get to those seats.

The food was delicious. We had the BBQ shrimp appetizer, I had the Grilled Salmon and Kenny had the steak. Everything was delicious and worth the money for one night at least. I also had a drink called the Sand Island Iced Tea...this has local ties to Music Fest (which is held in Bethlehem every August). Sand Island is where a lot of the popular bands play. This iced tea had Rasberry rum in it...it was fabulous!!!

If you want to see the phone pic of Emeril that I got, you'll have to go to Facebook and look me up under Mary Sullivan Dunlap. No link for it at the moment.

We didn't win anything at the slots or virtual blackjack. That was a new thing. I've never seen virtual blackjack before. I think they have the Hottie Asian and Blond chicks to distract players....very wise business move I must say. Definitley making money there.

All in all it was a fun night! It's nice to get dressed up every once and a while. It would have been nicer to win a boatload!!! Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

Another year gone by...Happy 6th Anniversary!

2009-05-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. I have actually been writing this blog for more than a year. That's awesome! Although, I do wish I had time to update it more! To be honest, I have so much on my mind and lots of things I would like to do, or at least start to do in the coming months. I will discuss that in a future post I promise!

Today is my 6 year wedding anniversary! It's a pretty mellow day. We did some yard work and will be going to the Bethlehem Sands Casino tonight. It's the opening weekend, and we will be dining at Emeril's new restaurant called the "Chop House". I'm amazed we got a reservation, even if it is at 10:30 pm!

I'm kind of glad we didn't have anything major planned. It was nice to just hang out and enjoy the fruits and labor of our house/yard work! We started talking about how long we've been together and how old we are getting!! HA!

I seriously can't understand why the years go by so fast. Please slow down : )

Oh, the picture is from Larraine and Brian's wedding last September. I was a bridesmaid...it was a fun time!

Happy 3rd Birthday Ethan!

2009-03-11T20:11:00.001-07:00

I didn't get the chance to post anything on his actual birthday, March 6th, but I know he enjoyed his day with his Emma, Caleb and Mom and Dad. I can't believe how fast time goes. He's such a little man now! I haven't been home since Christmas and I miss them dearly. These are the times that I wish I lived closer to my family. It's tough, because everyone has to live their own life and go where life takes you. Here's my Ethan. He loves to pose for pictures!

San Antonio photos...finally.

2009-02-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

Hey! I'm finally getting around to posting some photos from my weekend in San Antonio. So, it's a few weeks after the fact...so what : ) Kenny and I went down to the Riverwalk and ate at "La Paloma" Restaurant and "La Casa Rio" which has different colored umbrellas to sit under and it's the most popular spot on the Riverwalk. We got serenaded by a Mariachi Band...which was awesome!!! No picture of that unfortunately. I'll always remember it though!

We also went to Market Square which is a huge shopping ground for anything and everything...and lots of entertainment with local singers/bands/dancers. Great food! La Margherita was the best meal of the weekend! I do wish the weather was a bit warmer that 5o degrees, but I'll take it!

My time was short there...but it was so much fun. I hope we can go back again soon! Ken really enjoyed it there and he enjoyed the people the most. They requested him (this 2nd time) around...so we'll see what happens in the future.

Enjoy the photos...more to come. Happy Spring...can't wait!