More than meets the eye

With Valentine's Day just two weeks away, I thought it was time to share this little gem with all of you. A friendly warning: it's a little geeky (or a LOT geeky, depending on how cool you are) and it's not for the faint of heart.

Over the past few years, my husband and I have exchanged handmade cards to celebrate special occasions. It's easy to guess which one of us started this tradition, but we both look forward to receiving our cards and, quite honestly, we never know what to expect. For his birthday last year, I decided to kick it up a notch and create the mother of all cards...one that would transform.

I brainstormed. I googled. I found the perfect downloadable PDF template that would help me "transform" a mere sheet of cardstock into Optimus Prime himself. Little did I know that this little project would take me hours to complete (it's the perfectionist in me). But the end result was a menacing 6" Autobot with moveable parts that when folded and tucked in the proper way, transformed into a compact semi-truck.

Was it worth the time and effort? I'm not sure. But if I ever do something like this again, a glass of wine sure wouldn't hurt.

No fuss, no muss pups

Years ago, a friend emailed me photos of these adorable chrysanthemum puppies and it was love at first sight. I was ready to put cute new collars around their necks and take them out for a walk. I was determined to find out where I could find one of these little guys, but a Google search turned up dismal results.

For some reason, I was thinking about these little flower monsters again late last night and set out on a mission to find them. THEY DO NEED HOMES, PEOPLE!

Imagine my surprise when I found a local florist who has a "Pet Lovers" section on her web site! Emi's Flowers and Gifts (another Emi - yay!) offers oh-so-cute carnation puppies, rabbits and fine-feathered friends. And, I spotted the perfect floral arrangement to celebrate your best friend's engagement (see below).

Photog blog

One of my neighbors at the Bridal Expo was Kris Labang from On 3 Photography. Besides being super friendly, Kris is a talented photographer who effortlessly captures those fleeting, precious moments on the happiest days of people's lives. I just visited his site and was delighted to see that he also maintains a blog chronicling his latest shoots around the island. And don't miss the blog entry from 10.23.07. All I'm going to say is cute engaged couple + festive carnival + death-defying rides (for Kris)! Enjoy!

WHITE wine

The third issue of the popular WHITE publication is hitting newsstands this month! My husband and I enjoyed another fun release party last week, this one hosted at Wine The Experience...and what an experience it was! Wine tasting, bottling, sing-a-alongs, and chatting it up with our fellow industry coherts was a blast! How could it not be?

Once again, the latest issue of WHITE showcases some of Hawaii's most popular wedding professionals and delves into the who/what/when/where/why that makes them so successful. It's a fun read and a cool way to get to know your vendors!

Box o' goodies

Just days before I left for my Christmas vacation, I was scrambling to put the finishing touches on 350 favor boxes filled with sweet treats from Satura Cakes. The boxes were fashioned after my own wedding favors, but were given a contemporary, plastic-y twist. Glossy white origami-fold boxes, shimmery silver organza ribbon, and iridescent strands of cellophane grass were the perfect backdrop for the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that were dusted in confectioners' sugar.

I could not have finished the job by myself without the Christmas elves that eagerly jumped in with helping hands. Thanks guys!

Speed reading

Since you've found your way to my blog, I'm assuming that either: A) you enjoy reading blogs, or B) you're lost and are about to click to another site in about five seconds. I'm really hoping that your visit is not an accidental one because I have something incredibly fun to share with you.

A friend recently gushed about Google Reader and after having checked it out myself, I can honestly say that it has changed my life.

Simply put, I love blogs. I write them, I read them, I can't live without them. Every morning, I sit down at my computer with my bowl of Yogurt Burst Cheerios and a glass of Simply Nutritious Morning Blend juice and faithfully read my favorite blogs. It's my version of a morning cup of coffee and my day feels incomplete if I don't start it off with a healthy dose of blog reading.

Google Reader (the super fantastic tool that I absolutely worship) allows me to read through blog entries in one convenient place. It's just like how you read your new emails that arrive in your inbox...it's that easy!

It took me about half an hour to set up my personalized Google Reader and now I've got about a dozen different blogs housed in one central spot. From design blogs, to craft blogs, to wedding blogs, I can zip through them all in half the time. It's definitely worth checking out if you're a blog-lover like I am. And don't forget to add a link to emiink.blogspot.com!

Bridal Expo!

Put your comfy shoes on and get ready for this weekend's Bridal Expo! It's going to be a big one with LOTS of vendors so come ready to sample wedding cake, browse through photographers' albums, and see amazing floral arrangements.

Emi Ink will have a booth there so please stop by and check us out! We've got tons of beautiful new paper swatches to share with you including some gorgeous patterns and pretty metallics. And if you want to add a little *bling* to your invitations, be sure to ask me about my über-cool Swarovski crystal chart -- over 150 colors to drool over!

Hawaii Bridal Expo

January 18-20, 2008

Neal Blaisdell Center

Friday: 6 pm to 10 pm

Saturday: 11 am to 5 pm

Sunday: 11 am to 4 pm

New blooms

Just like clockwork, with the holidays a thing of the past, the panic is setting in...not for me, but for all the couples getting hitched in 2008. I've been talking to clients everyday who are scrambling to get back on track with the booking of their vendors, compiling of their guest lists, and scheduling of their menu tastings.

So, if one of your important to-do's is hiring a florist to transform your wedding with beautiful arrangements, I'd like to throw another name in the ring for consideration. Tropical Blooms & Bouquets, owned and operated by a dynamic mother-daughter team, offers florals ranging from traditional Hawaiian stylings to modern and contemporary creations. Gladiolas, mini mums and gerbera daisies are given a stylish twist in these sample arrangements:


And I love, love, love these handmade silk dupioni boxes that I predict could become one of the company's signature items. What a stunning way to add a punch of color to your centerpieces!


For more information, contact Shayne Liedtke at suhanaliedtke@aol.com. And tell her that you read about her here!

Happy New Year!

I'm only four days late with my new year's greeting. Not too bad considering the week I've had. Luckily for me, one of my resolutions is to focus on the positives and bury everything else (until I can write about it in a juicy memoir somewhere down the road).

Here are we are at the beginning of another year and, again, I'm amazed at how fast time flies...and crawls. The holidays were a blur, although New Year's Day seemed to stretch on forever thanks to a disheartening Sugar Bowl party at my parents' house. (For the record, I still BELIEVE and seeing the UH Warriors on the front page of USA Today on a wintery night in Illinois was still a thrill for me.) Our quick jaunt to Disneyland was over in the blink of an eye, although the ten minutes that we were stuck on the top of the Matterhorn ride felt like an eternity. (Side note: my husband and I got an up close and personal view of the abominable snowman as we climbed out of our sled. That, I have to admit, was pretty cool.) And time spent with my husband's family and friends was all too short, although the one night that we were both touched with a bit of food poisoning was dreadfully long. Hmm, it seems that I've already forgotten my first resolution and succumbed to the dark side. I had the best of intentions.

But I am VERY EXCITED with the dawn of the new year. I have plans...big plans. Throughout the year, I'll be sharing some important milestones with you and hopefully the trials will outweigh the tribulations and we can celebrate often along the way!

Thank you for your continued support - let's make 2008 a great year!