Details, details, details...

After months of bleak weather and a few recent days of the sun teasing me this spring, I am reminded that wedding season is right around the corner. Growing up in a Russian community, spring and summer weekends were always packed with weddings to enjoy and get inspiration from. Thinking back on my wedding 5 years ago, I knew that I had done everything that I wanted but now I wish that I had put more thought into the details of the day. Seeing current weddings and blogs on the web have inspired me to focus more on the little things of this memorable day. This inspiration has led me to create Bumble Bridal, a line of wedding accessories that focus on the details to accentuate the details of a bride’s day. I have started by creating some hair pieces and veils for brides, but am beginning to expand the collection to include flower girl and bridesmaid accessories, boutonnieres, bow ties and neck ties for ring bearers, and much more. Here are a few pictures to share:

Virginia is a good friend of mine with a flawless face and gorgeous hair who I thought would be perfect to showcase my new bridal line. She worked the camera like a pro!

One of the things I lacked at my wedding was a stunning hairpiece. That was a very difficult thing for me to find at overpriced and tacky bridal shops so it ended up being a detail that I overlooked. I want to give future brides the opportunity to embrace their hair and find an accessory to accentuate their beautiful features and dress to help tie everything together. If you are one of those brides who finds themselves clueless when it comes to hair accessories (like I did), I would love to create a one-of-a-kind piece just for you.

Check out my full Bumble Bridal line on facebook

~Maria

Sweet Smell of Spring

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve humbled myself knowing we only get one “true” season: Summer (if even that).The rest of the year combines into one long rainy season. With summer just around the corner, I can't help but realize that the most breathtaking season is about to begin for most of the nation. Of all four seasons year round, my favorite by far is the beautiful spring (that unfortunately we don’t see much of here). When I think of spring, I think of green grass, flowers blooming, cherry blossoms, tulips, pastel colors and sun. However, the Northwestusually brings us clouds, rain, rain and more rain. Our springs aren’t as bright as I wish they were. The sweet smell of spring is muffled by the grey clouds and the wet feeling of rain. So for this approaching season, I have created some Bumble Alley pieces that will stand out and brighten up the dullest days. I'm going to make the most of this season and bring a little cheer to our wardrobes.

Spring Fashion 2010 is all about bold colors and oversized, attention grabbing hair bows and accessories. I've been working on many new ideas and products for the Spring line and I am excited to share some of my new creations with you.

Be well and happy spring,

Maria

More Than Just Planning

Growing up, I never really cared for planners or To-Do lists. In the mornings, my brain used to be able to remember the last thing I was thinking about before I went to bed. I always used to be able to know what I came downstairs for. But now, I'm retracing my steps to remind myself: "I'm here to get a pen." Oh boy. Is this what comes with age?

I’ve finally taken it upon myself to go and buy myself a planner. I will be learning how to effectively plan my week so that I get the most out of my weekdays. Hopefully I'll be able to plan when to get my work done in one sitting rather than taking a million breaks to attend my children and husband. In which case I'll be able to spend more time with my family rather than running upstairs to finish a project I accidentally forgot to finish. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to cut dinner short or have my husband feed my girls because I was running behind schedule. For most, this is a practical tool that has worked for many years. Lets hope it works for me.

Organized Thoughts

It’s Friday again! Ahhh…Friday. I have really been looking forward to seeing you again. It's usually my favorite day of the week, but thisweek...not so much. Because I know what's just around the corner. I have finally gotten my home and sleep schedule back in order after my girls have been sick this past week. It always amazes me how being out of it for just three days really throws my sleep patterns and my home out of whack. When my kids aren’t feeling good, the last thing on my mind is cleaning. And after this short weekend, I'm preparing to face my biggest project yet: organizing my office/work area. One may wonder: how messy can a 120 sq. ft. room get? With fabrics, thread, toys, books, furniture, etc. in every square inch of the room, it can get pretty darn messy.

First, I have to get my thoughts in order and decide what I really want this space to look like. I want to be able to work easily and smoothly and feel comfortable in my chair. That reminds me: I have to get a comfy chair. I also want to feel like I'm not cramped among so much stuff because my work room is so small. One thing I'm going to keep in mind this weekend as I am shopping for storage bins and shelves are these pictures that I came across surfing the web one day. Motivation is key during this process. And once I accomplish my goal, I'll have one less room to de-clutter this spring:) Any ideas for how to make my messy work room more manageable?

This is what I need!! A wall of shelves....

So fresh and so clean...ooh yeah!

I own a ribbon rack, but the ribbons tend to find their way to the ground by the end of the day. I need something like this.

Bumble Alley Cover Models

Bumble Alley Boutique Photoshoot January 2010

Our first Bumble Alley Cover Model Photoshoot was a success! Olga Kruz, mother of our girl winner Erika hosted the photoshoot in her home, and it was so much fun! Aiden and Erika were definitely troopers. They did a great job! Our photographer Dina Chmut did a fantastic job capturing the smiles and poses of our little models. Thank you to all who helped make this photoshoot come together so smoothly. Now I can’t wait for our upcoming summer photoshoot! Don’t forget to check out our new creations modeled by the contest winners in our new Glamour line of Bumble Alley Couture.

Their little smiles and giggles didn't come that easily towards the end of the shoot. We bribed them with lolly pops and cheese puffs. It worked!

For a complete look at our photoshoot, check out our facebook page

Shine,

Maria

Love is in the Air

Have I ever mentioned that I love Valentine’s Day? It's the day we celebrate and show our loved ones how much we really care about them. Of course, showing our kids, husbands and friends how much we love them should happen on a regular basis, but on February 14th, we have a chance to go all out! With all the balloons, cards and roses at stores, there are many ways to show you care about someone. However, showing your love should go beyond a box of chocolates. Maybe surprise him by wearing his favorite dress, wear your hair the way he likes it, or give him a longer than usual foot massage. Do something that you know the two of you will enjoy.

With Valentine’s Day approaching fast, I'm curious how many of you will be wearing red? I never really dressed up for the occasion (well, if you don’t count grade school when we layered Valentine’s Day colors on ourselves). This year, I want to go all out! I purposely went to Target and bought red outfits for my girls and I. When February 14th approaches, we’ll probably look like Santa Claus on Valentine’s Day. But hey, it hits only once a year!

What better way to spend the Day of Love than with the people you love most? For my family, the day will start with breakfast in bed for daddy, going to church dressed in red, grandma and grandpa's house for lunch, and then coming home and watching romantic movies with my husband. Later that evening, we’ll drop our kids off at the babysitters and it’ll be our time. I’ll be wearing a little black dress and a red headband, red lips and red nails. And I'll probably throw a red tie on my husband, just so it looks like he tried. What will you be wearing on Valentine’s Day?

Our new Valentine’s Day creations were inspired by nothing but LOVE! I put all of my favorite materials together to create accessories that will stay in season beyond Feb. 14th. These stunning crimson shades are a total trend for spring/summer 2010. So lets get RED-dy for Valentine’s Day!

For a complete look at our Valentine's Day creations, visit our Facebook page Click here

With Love,

Maria

New Year Cover Model Contest

After much thought and deliberation, a winner for the Bumble Alley Cover Model Contest has been chosen! All of the adorable entries made the decision much more difficult, which caused us to choose 2 winners (a boy and girl), and 2 runners-up.

Boy runner-up: Aiden Chmut

Girl runner-up: Isabella Grace Rouss

Boy WINNER: Aiden Paul Bondarev

Girl WINNER: Erika Summer Kruz

Winners were chosen based on many criteria, including personality projection, facial beauty, overall appeal, location, and wearability of Bumble Alley items. The runners-up will receive a goodie bag from Bumble Alley and the winners will receive a photo shoot to model various Bumble Alley items and will get to take home many one-of-a-kind creations in their goodie bags.

We'd like to thank all of you who took the time to enter your beautiful children. Stay tuned for pictures of these cover models in the coming months on our blog and facebook site. We will be conducting another cover model contest in the summer, so keep snapping pictures of your cuties!