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As a stylist it wasn't hard to get excited about the process of making a designated room for our soon to be little cherub. I was immediately flooded with an array of ideas (too many really!) and spent a couple of months in early pregnancy slowly piecing together an initial design board (you can see it here) and seeking out details for the space that didn't necessarily scream 'baby!' As I've mentioned in previous posts, we knew we were gonna to be up against a space issue – our home only has one 10×10 bedroom on the main floor with our other two bedrooms on the lower level, so making a nursery posed some logistical challenges.
A couple folks suggested we just forgo having a nursery all together, but I was determined to prove that even in the most constricted spaces you can have a beautiful area for your baby to dwell in, which can not only be a direct reflection of your personal style, but also offer a fluid extension of your traditional space. We went back and forth over and over again about the possibilities of where we would put baby (all of us downstairs? all of us in our bedroom? him in our bedroom, us downstairs?) and finally settled on us all staying on the main level of our house. I loved the idea of converting our kitchen/breakfast nook to our "baby nursery" and although I knew it would be a tight fit, on the flip side the idea of being secluded in a room away from our main living space while breastfeeding him 40+ hours a week was a horribly unattractive idea.
Being that the space is super teeny (8×8) I started the design process knowing I wouldn't be able to fit much. I therefore wanted to be really intentional about making a few investments that would offer a lasting and beautiful bang for our buck. The design of the space initially centered around this gorgeous cloud print by Megumi Shauna Arai (a local artist here in Seattle) and I could see myself happily gazing at it in the wee morning hours of exhaustion in the those early months of motherhood.
We had the artwork professionally framed and placed it above this vintage Drexel Kipp Stewart credenza which was a piece we had coveted in our home for a while but had been in storage for the past year and half during our remodel. It has offered such a great way to store all our baby clothes/supplies and paired really well with this Dwell Studio changing station which we secured to the back of the credenza. It took about six months for everything to come together and each day that a new box of goodies arrived on our porch or I spotted something that would be perfect for the space while out and about I got so immensely giddy. The entire process has been so much fun!
The baby nook sits all nice and cozy directly off our kitchen and it makes me so elated to peer in there while I'm making dinner or moving about our home. That chair was seriously worth EVERY last penny and is SO SO comfortable. Being that I'm nearly 6 ft tall I needed a chair with a high back so I could rest my head in the middle of the night and catch some extra zzz's.
After sitting in nearly 20 nursery chairs, this West Elm Graham Glider in dove grey stole my heart and made my lower back super happy. I also love that it's not a traditional nursery rocker and can transition to other areas of our home long after baby boy grows. The shaggy pouf ottoman is a Land of Nod find and pairs perfectly with the comfort of the chair.
I spent a lot of time considering lighting for the space and gleefully settled on this hand crocheted chandelier my Grammie made nearly 20 years ago. I love it so so much and until now had not found the perfect spot for it. It adds such a soft and inviting touch, and helps make the space extra special/feel very personal.
The gold sconce above the chair is from Schoolhouse Electric and I'm OBSESSED with it. Their lightning is such amazing quality and I love that they are PNW pals with their headquarters just down the road in Portland. It will be so nice to switch on the sconce in the middle of night for diaper changes without flooding the whole room with light.
Also, that Land of Nod bassinet…uhhhhh swoon right?! I love how snuggly it fits right in the room and offers additional storage space beneath it. ***A little sidenote : being that we live in an earthquake state, I have NO intention of having our babe sleep in the bassinet while under the shelving. During his nap times I will be pulling the bassinet away from the shelves or into our living room to keep him safe.*** But when it's not in use, it fits perfectly under the white custom shelves Adam made and those West Elm antique brass prism brackets.
In conjunction with the nook, we are also planning on having our babe in our bedroom for the first few months after bringing him home. I wanted him to be visibly accessible in the middle of the night (new mama worries!) without having to leave our bed. We borrowed this sweet Babyletto origami mini crib from our friends Andie & Christian and it instantly became our solution for overnight sleep. The cozy vintage african mud cloth crib blanket was custom-made for us by One Fine Nest and the blue quilt was made by hand by Adam's Aunt Sandy using fabrics from my friend Keli over at Drygoods Design. The cute polka dot mini crib sheet is from Land of Nod.
These GORGEOUS baskets are from The Citizenry and have been so ideal for storing toys and all of the beautiful blankets we were gifted by friends and family at our baby showers. The colors of the baskets are so dang pretty and vibrant, and I love that each one was handmade and is one-of-a-kind. The persian rug is a vintage find from an estate sale a few years back, and the macrame wall hanging was made by me and my mama about a year ago for an Anthropologie photo shoot. The mobile consists of drift wood and shells I picked up along my beach walks at Discovery Park here in Seattle. The vintage black and white african mud cloth pillow as well as the pillows in the bassinet in the baby nook are from The Mod Boho.
It has been such a treat to set out all of the amazing items and teeny shoes we have been gifted on these simple shelves. The little wooden toy cars were actually Adam's from when he was a little boy, the maternity photograph was shot by pal Catherine Abegg when I was about 29 weeks pregnant, and those adorable wooden name blocks are made by Little Sapling Toys and were a gift from my friend Laura. The vintage painting was a treasure found during my travels in Berlin last year; the bear piggy bank was a sweet antique find from my sister Coli; and the stuffed knit raccoon doll from my Aunt Sue is from Blabla.
Everything about this space gives me a rush of happy mama feelings. I absolutely cannot wait to bring our little guy home to this loving space as it has quickly become my favorite spot in our home. I've already spent many an hour sitting in this space with our pup and am counting the minutes until I'm holding our babe in my arms.
images captured by : Belathee Photography (thank you Dorothee!!)
white changing station : Dwell Studio (similar here) | mixed media hanging mobile : Attalie Dexter | 'hey babe' framed art : Oh My Deer | brush/comb cup and cement plant pot : Anthropologie | chair : West Elm Graham Glider | ottoman : Land of Nod shaggy pouf in white | curtains : Land of Nod Tie Die curtains in blue | sconce : Schoolhouse Electric Isaac Plug-In Sconce in brass | custom shelving wood from Home Depot | shelf brackets : West Elm Prism Bracket in antique brass | bassinet : Land of Nod Norse bassinet | white & black crib blanket and blue chair pillow : One Fine Nest | white mini crib : Babyletto | white and black polka dot crib sheet : Land of Nod | baskets : The Citizenry Bombo Basket and Sauda Basket | black african mud cloth pillows and pillows in bassinet : The Mod Boho | side table, brass shelf and green triangle rug: Urban Outfitters | soft blue nook curtains : Anthropologie
The idea of taking professional photographs of yourself when you're not feeling your most svelte can seem a bit daunting. What to wear? Where to do them? How to cover up my expanding thighs, my dimpled arms? When? But since becoming pregnant I knew that no matter what, this time in my life was something I wanted to (I MUST) capture, regardless of any developing body insecurities. For many of the women in my life, pregnancy had been something that they had fought years, even decades for. Some were given the sullen news that pregnancy would never be an option for them, others are still trying with all their might to start or continue their families.
So when we got pregnant relatively quickly (I went off birth control in May of 2014 and we got pregnant without consistent effort and a crazy travel schedule by February of 2015) I thanked all our lucky stars that we were able to conceive a baby naturally and without much trouble. Therefore, I'm intentionally appreciating every last-minute of this pregnancy with unwavering gratitude and even though I don't always wake up feeling or looking my best, I couldn't imagine not documenting this exciting event in our lives. There is something so incredibly empowering about seeing your female body transform throughout pregnancy, no matter what that pesky scale might say.
Here is where I tell you the story of how freaking fortunate I am to have the girlfriends I do. Each one is equally passionate about their life, their work, their families and each one provides something so unique and special to my life. Not only do I have a plethora of numbers to call or text when the going gets tough, but I know that each one of these women are over the moon for me and Adam and this little bebe we are about to bring into the world. So when I considered taking some traditional maternity photos not one, but FOUR friends offered their services. Seriously?? I could sob uncontrollably in a blanket in response to the generosity of these women. And honestly there is NOTHING more special than having someone you love capture your special moments…it's priceless REALLY.
Julie and Catherine were kind enough to tag team a maternity shoot for me a few weeks back, and I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun it was, although I was pretty nervous from the get go. The dresses I had ordered for the occasion came late, our house was a total disaster the weekend before the shoot and my face/chest were in that lovely stage of pregnancy breakout (ick). But at 7 months pregnant I knew that I wanted to capture my body in all it's expectant glory before I felt too tired, too bloated, or too stretched out to enjoy it.
With A LOT of help from Adam our house was cleaned, I picked up the dresses from UPS the morning of the shoot, I had my hair and makeup done by sweet Chelsey and Julie and Catherine came over in the afternoon sunlight and worked their magic. I felt comfortable, and beautiful and just so joyful and happy. Julie shot with her digital camera, Catherine with film. We spent about an hour going from room to room and even to our backyard to capture the light and my growing belly. I cried happy tears when Julie sent me the first images she had edited and I couldn't resist sharing a few of my favorites here. I cannot wait for the day that my little guy is old enough to (maybe?) appreciate seeing these photos of when his mama was growing him in her belly. Regardless of his enthusiasm, I feel so thankful to have images like these ones to forever remember this fleeting time in our life.
If you are even considering getting pregnancy photos, DO IT. Even if it's just a few photos taken by a loved one, don't pass up the chance. I considered canceling the shoot a few days before after feeling overwhelmed by the idea of being behind the camera (and not feeling so great physically with non-stop contractions), but am SO glad I went through with it. I plan to have my belly captured one last time right before our due date (just to get it in all its fullest, roundest glory) and am counting the days until I can get some of these framed for our home.
Thank you again to Julie and Catherine for taking the time out of their busy mama/biz lady lives to make this shoot happen. You can see more from the shoot over on Julie's blog.
photography by Julie Harmsen Fitts and Catherine Abegg (images 1, 9, 10, 13, and 14). hair and makeup by Chelsey Matley. dresses by Free People.]]>
When we bought our house back in January 2014, we were so eager to have a home of our own that we overlooked many of the red flags and happily committed to buying a home that might not have been one of our finest choices. You can read more about our home buying experience in this post, but long story short…it has been a treacherous journey. In conjunction with the number of issues with the home, I quickly realized that even though our house was a generous 1600 square feet, the layout wasn't so ideal. Our first floor only had one bedroom and with guests eager to visit we quickly had to get creative. Our basement was gutted (for reason's I'm too exhausted to explain), so our only option was to either offer our guests slumber on an air mattress in our living room (complete with dog licks and smelly breath panting) or to convert our breakfast nook into a tiny guest bedroom sans doors.
Breakfast nook it was.
For over a year and a half, it worked! Friends and family came to visit and they resided in our kitchen right next to the dishwasher and sink. No one complained (if they wanted to they were too kind to say anything), but after decorating the 8×8 space with a few favorite heirloom pieces and a Jenny Vorwaller oil painting, the nook did well serving a purpose other than just an eating spot. You can spy a few images of the nook as a guest room in the last post.
When we made the decision in mid 2014 to stop 'not trying' for pregnancy it quickly became apparent that we needed another solution. Where would we put a baby? Would we all transition downstairs to the basement once we had it finally remodeled? Could we get it remodeled in time? How much would it cost? Would we move our bed into the guest "kitchen" room and give the baby our room as a nursery?? Would baby be in the kitchen? We went back and forth for what felt like months trying to decide how we would transition to a family of 3. Knowing full and well that many of our friends who lived in much smaller places or even studio apartments in NYC made life with a new baby work, we knew there was a solution…it was just a matter of picking one.
By May of this year, we finally settled on a plan : Guests go to the basement. We stay in our room. Baby gets the kitchen nook. Kitchen nook quickly became "baby nook" and the basement was quickly remodeled to accommodate our plan. Now with just 10 weeks to go until baby arrives, we have moved the guest bed downstairs and I've started setting a plan for baby boy's space. I love that we are going to be in tight quarters as a family during his first few months and seeing my new glider already finding its spot in the nook has made me all the more excited for this new adventure. We plan to keep our babe in our room during nighttime sleeping hours for the first few months, but everything else (rocking, breastfeeding, changing, playing, napping etc.) will hopefully happen in that sweet little nook right next to the dishwasher and sink (ya know, what's so bad about that?).
Much more to come on how we transitioned our breakfast nook into our new baby room, but for now a quick peek into some of my initial design inspiration for the teeny nook. I cannot wait to get everything set up and to rock that little guy in my arms come Thanksgiving!]]>
It's hard to imagine that I actually thought I was rocking a serious baby bump at 17 weeks when Talitha took these photos a couple of months ago (vs a whole lot of belly bloat!). At the time everything felt so new and exciting and I felt like my belly MUST BE showing. Now with less than 3 months to go, it feels as though these images could have been taken a lifetime ago. So much is changing in our lives (especially my waistline!) and this new teeny person we are about to bring into the world is certainly the most thrilling part of it all.
When Talitha spontaneously asked to take some photos in our home after a brunch date, I couldn't have imagined at the time how much I would value them. Not only for documenting the beginning signs of my pregnancy, but for capturing our home before all the changes began to happen. Our breakfast nook, which served as our guest room for over a year and half while our basement was in disarray, is slowly being transformed into our baby nook.
We plan to co-sleep with our little guy in our room for the first few months (I'm so excited to use this cute mini crib), but things like my glider for feedings and his changing table will take permanent residence in the nook. I could not have imagined when we first bought this house that we would be utilizing this little space off our kitchen for a baby one day, but I'm so excited to keep us all in close quarters during the first months as a family of three (four if you count our precious Bailie-Bug). I'm sure I cannot even begin to anticipate the changes we will need to make to the arrangement as we figure out sleep/feeding schedules and the personality/temperament of our babe, but I'm eager for a fresh start in that tiny little space and it has been so fun to brainstorm colors, patterns and art for the room.
These days my bump is now loud and proud, and I'm spending nearly every waking minute "nesting" - driving Adam insane no doubt. I had always heard about the nesting urge, but it wasn't until six months of pregnancy when I really realized how intense it can be. From scheduling every last yoga and childbirth class I can get my hands on, to frantically finishing our basement remodel, to closing out that decades old IRA account, to purging unnecessary items to make room for baby gear, to preparing two season's ahead for the holidays just to ensure our nieces and nephews don't go gift-less this year; I'm trying to dot my i's and cross the t's on anything and everything I can possibly think of. I've never felt more productive (or tired) in my life, but I know as each day passes I'm getting closer to focusing my time on what matters most which is this sweet bambino I'm growing in my belly.
I can't wait to share with you my plans for our baby nook and of course some photos of our little guy once he arrives come November. The fall still seems so far off, as the PNW heat (it's SO weird to say that!) has still refrained from letting up, but I know the leaves will begin to change color and begin their final decent in no time.
As a first time mom I would love to hear any tips or advice you have about pregnancy or those first few weeks as new parents. Everything feels so new and different and I'm trying to anticipate as much as I can as we jump into this new adventure.
photography by talitha bullock.
It has been quite some time since I checked in on this here blog of mine. I decided back in October after a very busy couple of months of work to take the early winter weeks off to travel and spend some good quality time with friends and family. This included time off from blogging, email answering and really anything that could be classified as "work". As an entrepreneur you get in the practice of never really taking time off…EVER. Even on those days when an outsider looking into your life might say, "hey that chick ain't working!" I would still beg to argue. And the argument would actually be a new one for me.
I too used to think on those days when I was home and not answering emails that I was in fact "taking a day off", but what I quickly realized as a stylist is that even on those days when I feel like I'm prioritizing self-care and downtime, I'm still seeking out inspiration in mundane places, still fussing with our house and practicing my styling, still fretting over business practices and the future, still flipping through magazines and blogs and book to hone my creative eye, still taking photos of life while being overly cautious of composition and lighting and scale etc. So I decided that (minus my treasured instagram feed) I would attempt to refrain from REALLY working. I'd turn down jobs, put on an out of office on my email and for the first time in four years, really REALLY just rest, travel and enjoy the sweet joys of life. I was going to try to have a period of winter calm. So far, I've done…OK. There are days when I feel horribly guilty for not responding to emails straight away, or turning down jobs that could otherwise help us with our much-needed and anticipated home renovation, but I'm a work in progress and know soon enough, I'll be back to the hard focused grind in the early new year.
For now, I wanted to pop in and share a couple of images my dear friend Dorothee captured of me during our time together in The Netherlands. We stumbled upon this beautiful little cafe/boutique in Amsterdam (I had forgotten how many of the spots double as a cafe and clothing shop) and the light was just so so stunning that afternooon. It was bitter cold outside, so we decided to lay low and sip coffee and tea while thumbing through the magazines they had on hand. I've visited so many amazing cities in the last few months that I'm dying to share with you – lots of shopping and where to eat tips and of course images too! My plan is to work them into a new feature of city guides that I'll be working on over the next few weeks (see how that "work" word seems to always creep in there?!).
Until then, I'm off to Raleigh, London and Albuquerque over the next two weeks. I hope, like me, you are finding yourself enjoying this lovely holiday season (we got snow in Seattle while I was home for a few days last week…yahooo!) as well as some time of your own to relish in the simple beauties of life.
You can follow my current travel adventures here : @jelliottblake
photography : Dorothee Brand of Belathee
location : COTTONCAKE , 1e van der Helststraat 76-hs 1072NZ Amsterdam]]>
After a month of non-stop travel, a week of family in town and then an immediate dive right into a big holiday campaign, it's no wonder the blog has been a bit quiet lately. Regardless of how busy the change from summer to fall has been, I've been so eager to share some recent work I did alongside Rina Jordan and Jean Galton earlier this year for a book that released just this week!
I've always had a mad love for pies, so when Kate Lebo reached out and asked if I'd style and help conceptualize the images for her upcoming pie book I couldn't help but say "yes!" Kate had a very particular aesthetic in mind for the book, one that was very much a reflection of her own personal style. Anytime I see Kate, she's dressed head to toe in 50′s era vintage, with her large collection of bold vintage dresses being one of my favorite things about her! It was so fun to brainstorm ways to incorporate Kate's love of bold prints and era driven aesthetics into the styling of her book. If you peek closely I actually used a couple of her favorite dresses as napkins in the book!
If you love pies as much as I do and are looking for some fantastic pie recipes for the upcoming holiday season (including pointers on how to achieve the perfect pie crust!) be sure to pick up a copy of Pie School! Don't forget to check out the full double page spread chapter openers as those images are some of my favorites from our shoots! The book is available on Amazon, as well as Barnes and Noble, Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table too! Just got a copy in my own hands today and was so excited to see it in its completed form! Congrats on your new book Kate!
photography by : rina jordan | prop styling : jenn elliott blake | food styling : jean galton | author : kate lebo.
A couple of weeks back I was asked by my friend Aran Goyoaga to come along for a day on the beach at Discovery Park during a 3 day photography workshop she was teaching here in Seattle. I absolutely love collaborating with friends and didn't think twice about spending a day in the sun sharing some of my thoughts on prop styling.
The goal of the day was to give the students opportunities to learn lighting techniques for when you are dealing with direct sunlight and tips on styling shoots on location. I loaded up a rustic vintage picnic table into the car and packed up a couple of bins of relevant props (lots of wood, neutral pottery pieces, some pretty linens) and we headed down to the beach to create some fun.
The night before the workshop I pinned together an eclectic mix of soft linens and fabric pieces in a color palette Aran had been inspired by for the shoot. The resulting canopy/tent provided some much-needed shade on the rocky beach that day. Aran brought along the most beautiful produce and food she had sourced from Pike Place Market, and she in turn created the most stunning tabletop spread for a seafood picnic feast.
Since shooting on location is always a bit more challenging than shooting in studio, a few tips for creating a beautiful setting outdoors :
1. SEEK OUT THE PERFECT SPOT : Find a location that offers a variety of textures, color and lighting opportunities (dappled light is quickly becoming my favorite environment to shoot in, especially in the summer months). If you're having a picnic on the beach with friends, you definitely want to have a shady place you can escape to if you get overheated from the hot sun.
2. PLAN AHEAD : 80% of my job as a prop stylist takes place before the day actually arrives. Give yourself plenty of time to plan out the details of the day. Find inspiration photos online that inspire your ideas and color palette. Find props that help to evoke the mood you are hoping to create. Think in terms of texture, color and dimension. Vintage is always a great way to achieve all of these goals…there is so much character and worldly charm that is already built into vintage items and props. Instead of purchasing a new picnic blanket for example or some basic paper plates, pull out that beautiful old afghan your grandmother passed down to you and generously pack some pretty vintage plates you picked up on the cheap from a second-hand store. Enamel is also always a great option for shooting or enjoying food outdoors – very sturdy!
3. FIND HELPING HANDS : Anytime you are planning to create an event or photo shoot in a location other than your home make sure to ask for or find help. First off, things are always more fun when you are working on a team, and second you don't want to be completely exhausted from carrying furniture/props/decor from the car to your location before you even start setting up the scene.
4. GET CREATIVE : Maybe instead of a conventional picnic on a blanket, you bring chairs and layer them with cute pillows to be placed among the tall grass lining the beach. I'm of the philosophy of thinking outside the conventional box with pretty much every visual aspect of my life that has the potential to be unique or different. As Steve Jobs once said "For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through." It's perfectly okay to keep things simple when it comes to styling or event planning, but even that simplicity can be done with great intention with every detail of the day.
5. FIGURE OUT YOUR LIMITATIONS : Some local parks and outdoor areas require permits or special permission in order for you to set up a photo shoot or event in that area or space. Be sure to check with the city or park about whether or not you are allowed to be there. The last thing you want is to spend a whole lot of time planning and setting up only to be shut down before you even get to enjoy your efforts.
6. DRESS ACCORDINGLY : You want to be comfortable especially since you will be working hard to set up all of your props/decor/food, but you also want to wear something that reflects the vibe you are attempting to create. I always have my friends pointing out how I end up matching the event or the shoot I'm working on. Although not always an intensely conscious decision, it is intentional nonetheless. If I know I'm going to be attending an event or styling a photo shoot in a very natural environment, I tend to wear clothing that reflects the palette of that environment. Especially with a photo shoot where I might not have it in the budget to bring a model on board. I know there will inevitably be a shot where the photographer asks me as the stylist to "reach for something" within the frame. I make things a whole lot easier and a heck of a lot more visually cohesive if the sleeve on the top I'm wearing or the jewelry on my hands pairs well with the items I'm reaching for. Plus, it helps me as a stylist to set the tone for the day for not only myself but for those on set. It's like turning on music to create a mood…I dress accordingly to also set that mood for the images I'm hoping to create.
For more photos from our day on the beach and a fantastic corn chowder recipe that's nearly too pretty to eat, make sure to check out Aran's blog post about our collaborative adventure here.
photography and food styling by aran goyoaga | prop styling by jenn elliott blake.]]>
What a week it has been! As I mentioned on Monday, I'm in Italy right now styling a wedding for a wonderful couple from Seattle, and the villa we are staying at right outside of Lucca could not be more beautiful! I feel so blessed and honored to be here, and I can't wait to show you all the pretty wedding decor and resulting magic that is happening here in the Tuscan sunshine (and rain)! If you aren't already, follow me on instagram for a bucket load of images and updates from the trip thus far!
In sticking with the wedding theme on the blog this week, I figured this the perfect time to talk about the oh so important engagement ring. A close girlfriend of mine reached out to me a few weeks back asking for advice on finding the perfect ring. Her fiance had proposed earlier this summer, but he wanted her to have a say in what her ring looked like. As a result she was having trouble finding a ring that suited her taste. She had already hit up all of the local ring shops she could think of with her fiance, and was feeling frustrated that she couldn't find a setting she really loved. I cannot even imagine what kind of stress the guy (or gal!) is put under when they decide they want to pop the question to the love of their life – what size, what color, what setting, what shape?? The list of possibilities go on and on. Things become all the more complicated (and fun!) when both partners have a say in that final choice of ring.
Luckily I had the chance to attend a really fun (and really informative!) cocktail party put on by Blue Nile last week in downtown Seattle. Although Blue Nile fully admits that their initial boundary to launching their brand was the unnerving question as to whether or not folks would actually be willing to purchase such an important and symbolic piece of jewelry online. What they found quite quickly was that people actually were! They have become the largest online retailer of certified diamonds and help nearly 365,000 proposals happen every year…isn't that crazy?! I got the chance to try on many of their beautiful and sparkly engagement rings (check out this instagram shot…which one happens to be your favorite? . . . that Kate Middleton look-a-like knocked me off my feet!). I was really impressed by their large selection of styles. I know when Adam was looking for a diamond for my ring setting, he searched high and low to find the perfect diamond to suit his budget and taste, and I have no doubt Blue Nile could have been a big help!
When it comes to finding that perfect diamond there are a few key factors (a few key C's to be more specific) to keep in mind:
CUT – Blue Nile notes this one as being the most important of the 4 C's. If you're looking for a ring that is extra sparkly you will want to pay special attention to how the ring is cut – the higher the cut grade – the more sparkle. The cut of a diamond is 'the measure of a diamond's symmetry and light performance'. The team at Blue Nile also noted that the round cut (although the most popular) is also the most expensive. If you are on a budget, or want more diamond for your buck, consider an emerald or princess cut instead of a round cut.
COLOR – Before I had my own engagement ring I had no idea how many variations in color there were among diamonds. I found out later on that this was the 'C' that was most important to Adam. He wanted the most colorless ring he could afford to match the platinum color of my setting, so he went with a D grade colorless diamond. Blue Nile suggests that there is great value and little to no noticeable difference to the eye if you look for a diamond in the near colorless grade of G-I.
CLARITY – This is the 'c' that still has me a bit baffled. Clarity is 'the measure of the number and size of a diamonds inclusions'. You won't see most inclusions with the naked eye, which is why trained professionals use magnification to determine a diamonds clarity. Inclusions do not necessarily affect a diamonds beauty when viewed by the average person, so avoiding "flawless" is wise if you are looking to save money. Blue Nile does not carry anything below an SI2 – whereas a standard jewelry store typically carries SI2 and below.
CARAT WEIGHT – Oh the ever so controversial carat size! I would say this is probably the one 'c' that is most debatable or appreciated when it comes to engagement rings. Most men would prefer to go with a diamond that is of the highest quality (great cut, color and clarity) while more women would typically prefer to focus on obtaining a larger diamond within budget. Blue Nile suggests that you can save quite a bit if you choose to go with a diamond that is just under that full carat weight (i.e. if you want 1 carat, go just below at .97 and save or if you are going for 2 carats hit at the 1.97 range). Nobody will be able to tell the difference and your sweet partner can feel like they got a lot more diamond for their all hard-earned time-saving for that ring!
What about you? What has been your ring experience? Do you have a favorite diamond shape? If you're on the hunt for an engagement ring, be sure to check out Blue Nile's amazing selection! Hope you all enjoy your weekend! Adam and I will be celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary in Lucca tomorrow…can't wait!
**Also, my friend Sally created the beautiful illustrations above. Isn't her hand lettering just divine?! If you're about to get married or have a fun event coming up, seriously get in touch with Sally – she is one of the best in the biz when it comes to custom paper details and hand lettering, and she ships her work all over the world!
This blog post was sponsored and created in collaboration with Blue Nile. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Original hand illustration by Sally Balt of La Happy.]]>
On Sunday morning, with 9 bags in tow, McKenzie and I jetted off to Lucca, Italy for a wedding for some fun clients of ours. I've been working with this couple for nearly a year and it's just so so exciting to finally see their wedding come to life. Although I don't work on weddings full-time, I do love styling a couple of these types of events each year and am always all the more thrilled when they are in unique destinations. I'm so thrilled to be celebrating such a special day with Ali and Kevin, and I'm giddy with excitement to see their wedding come to life on Thursday!
With this week being my "week of wedding" I figured no better way to celebrate than with some fun wedding inspired content right here on the blog! Since summer typically marks the most intense period of wedding season, it's crazy knowing the warm hot summer months will soon be coming to an end already. I can't believe how fast this summer has flown by and I'm going to do the best I can to really soak up the Tuscan sunshine all week!
Since weddings have always been one of my favorite events to style and since my own wedding anniversary just happens to be THIS week (5 years Adam! can you believe it love?!) it's so fun to share some bridal inspired images I captured along with my friend Jill Devries back in early spring in Paris, France. I had flown to Paris to do some collaborative projects with Jill and my friend Jonathan Grant and before leaving for the trip I was offered the chance to attend a French ball at the Palais Garnier by my friend Anne whom I stayed with during my time in France. It has always been a parisian DREAM of mine to attend an event at this gorgeous opera house and knowing I'd be attending with my dearest friend Grant made it all the more special!
The only MAJOR problem?? I had nothing to wear to the thing. NOTHING. And as a girl who rarely (if ever) wears high heels and certainly doesn't keep ball gowns in her closet, I was in a bit of panic mode leading up to the trip. Thankfully my friend Camille Wynn and her amazing collection of bridal gowns came to the rescue! I've known Camille for quite sometime now and her bridal shop The Dress Theory is one of the best in the biz. Not only does she have a shop just down the street from me here in Seattle, but she has also opened a boutique in Nashville as well as San Diego too! The woman is so so inspiring! If you or someone you know are looking for the perfect bridal gown…Camille is your gal! You can find more info on how to find the perfect gown and the locations of The Dress Theory here or find loads of pretty bridal inspiration here.
On a whim and assuming nothing would quite fit me right for the occasion, I wandered into Camille's shop less than 24 hours before leaving for Paris. She suggested I try on Jenny Packham's Eden gown and to my surprise it fit LIKE A GLOVE. Even Adam nearly fell off his chair when I walked out of the room to show the number off and I fought back tears knowing how special it was to be able to take such a beautiful gown right off the rack and fly it to Paris with me. I mean seriously…how lucky was I?! Certainly not deserving, but definitely lucky!
I held the gown tight to my chest during the entire route to Paris (3 plane rides, 2 trains, and a not so short walk to my friend Anne's apartment in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the wee wee hours of early morning). I eventually stopped correcting people when they would congratulate me on my upcoming wedding (after the 10th person, I just decided it was better to bring a smile to someone's face, rather than to tell them I wasn't really a bride heading to her wedding).
The dress luckily made it to Paris in one piece, and it was such a treat to slip it on the night of the ball. It was like a fairytale to hop in a cab that night with Grant in his fancy suit and to drive through the streets of Paris to the opera house. I seriously felt like Cinderella at the ball the entire night, and it will be a moment in my life I will always cherish and NEVER forget! Grant and I could not stop giggling at our good fortune throughout the entire night. We spent hours and hours walking arm in arm going from room to room listening and dancing along to the amazing array of music (an old man jazz band in one ballroom, a youthful 50′s era band in another, a hip-hop DJ in another). We assumed we would stay no later than midnight, but finally headed back to Anne's apartment around 4am with the lights of the city guiding our way.
The next morning before I packed up the gown to ship it back to the States (Camille had been kind enough to allow me to borrow it for a few days, but needed it back in her shop to allow potential customers to try it on) I decided to take it out for one last spin. With my hair completely in "bed head" mode and a quick dab of Jill's lipstick, I tied up a sweet and simple bouquet of purple lilac that Grant had purchased from a street vendor earlier in the week, and Jill and I hit the streets to snap some casual photos of the dress. The photos you see here are the result of that time with Jill, my attempts to look like a fresh-faced Parisian bride and the amazing generosity of Camille. Cannot wait to be back in Paris again in September!
photography by Jill Devries| Jenny Packham Eden gown compliments of The Dress Theory.]]>
Oh my gooooooodness. Is it Friday already?! The past few weeks have just flown by so so fast! I was out to dinner with a few girlfriends last night and we were talking about how winter and the change of season will be here before we know it…eeek! I have had all the meaning in the world to share so so much with you this summer (about the house, about travel, about some current inspirations), but work has pretty much taken over lately. I took on a HUGE styling/photography project over the past couple of weeks, flew home for a few days to see my new nephew (ooooh he's SO cute!) and am gearing up to leave on Sunday to style a wedding in Italy and then spend nearly a month abroad. All the while, I've been dying to share images of this baby shower I styled and co-hosted with Nicole for our sweet friend Julie. The images Nicole captured of the celebration seriously bring me so much joy. Because honestly in the midst of the madness, moments like the one I'm about to share with you are why this life is really worth living.
Julie is a dear friend and one of the first people who invited me with warm and open arms to my life as a stylist. Jules is a brilliant photographer (you can see all of her amazing work over here) and she has been such a huge support in my life here in Seattle, especially creatively. So when word got out that she and her adorable husband Andy would be making the big move to Hawaii to be closer to family this spring I was selfishly devastated. Although I was happy for this couple I cared about so deeply, I couldn't imagine life in Seattle without Julie, and it felt horrible knowing that she would be so far away, especially with her first babe on the way.
As life often does, time slipped through my fingertips while Julie was away, and although we didn't get a chance to connect as often as I would have liked, she was on my mind daily. So when I found out that she would be moving back to Seattle in July I was over the moon with excitement! Julie was already planning to be back in town to shoot a wedding and for us to throw her a baby shower this summer, but when I found out the date would also represent her return to her friends/family here, I wanted the shower to be all the more special for her.
We hosted the shower at Nicole's house in Greenlake (her backyard is so so gorgeous and was the perfect summer-y and whimsical backdrop). Nicole and I brainstormed and created all the details for the shower with plenty of lead-time so we could get creative and source pretty vintage props. Nicole sourced the most gorgeous vintage blankets and made a bunch of beautiful dream catchers to hang around the yard, and also found some great inspiration for all the food we served. I got to work on a feather/wood bead and soft golden yarn backdrop for above the food table, some graphic paper details, really wild flower arrangements and some hand painted triangle napkins to add some soft and sweet touches to the shower. We tag teamed making the food (the fig and arugula pizzas and strawberry crumble bars being a few of my favorites!) and along with Julie's closest Seattle friends, we showered Julie and her baby boy to come with all the love we could that day.
One of my favorite details of the day was the mobile. I don't know about you, but I have found when helping friends design nurseries that finding a baby mobile that isn't too cheesy or too expensive can be a bit of a feat. Since Nicole and I already had our crafty/DIY hats on, there seemed no better opportunity to create a mobile for above the baby's crib than during the shower itself. Using leather, suede, pretty feathers and more wood beads, each guest who attended the party stranded their own string of beads to the mobile throughout the evening. It was such a special way for each person to be involved in the shower and everyone was so excited to know they had a hand in making something pretty for the baby's room.
You can find lots more pictures from Julie's baby shower over on 100 Layer Cakelet where it was featured last week! Happiest of weekend's to you friends! Lookout for exciting new posts all next week!
photography and outdoor styling by nicole vaughn | tabletop styling and floral arranging by jenn elliott blake.]]>


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Last week, LinkedIn announced its new homegrown search architecture "Galene." On Thursday, Huge Brooklyn hosts Asif Makhani, head of search at LinkedIn and former lead of development on Amazon CloudSearch, and Daniel Tunkelang, lead on LinkedIn's efforts around query understanding, for a talk about the unique search system they built to improve LinkedIn's billions of searches.

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Definition of Western blot in English:
Western blot
An adaptation of the Southern blot procedure, used to identify specific amino-acid sequences in proteins: the sample could not be confirmed positive by Western blot [count noun]: protein interactions on Western blots
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- Southern blots and Western blots were used to confirm correct tagging and protein expression.
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Rent Handbook of Theoretical Computer Science 1st edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Jean Van Leeuwen. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by MIT Press.
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text: After many tries was able to get albums to show up. They are hyperlinked but it doesn't go anywhere. I will try this plugin again in the future since it looks like it would be extremely good if it did work, but already wasted too much time on it for now.


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Larish Padilla Neutzman - January 26, 2011
To Larry and Rizza Neutzman of Gothenburg on Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, at Gothenburg Memorial Hospital, a daughter, Larish Padilla, weighing seven pounds, eight ounces. She was welcomed home by a sister, Sheena.
Paternal grandparent is Larry Neutzman, Sr. of Burlington, CO. Maternal grandparent is Rismida O. Padilla of Aborlan Palawan, Philippines.
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I'm sure Ribery would like to come to Arsenal, but AW has never stated that he intends to try and sign him. I have never seen him as a realistic target, not talking financially, but as being a sound investment to the team, something Wenger is fond of trying to maintain. I wish people would stop talking about him joining because no one at arsenal has ever said anything, it was all Ribery trying to get attention. No doubt if we do get a winger, it'll be someone we've never heard of


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Pet Industry Leadership Conference
Brought to you by the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), the inaugural Pet Industry Leadership Conference will take place January 18-21, 2016 in Tucson, AZ.
The pet industry's future is being reshaped every day. For the first time ever, industry executives and management are gathering to discuss the state of the industry, keys to success, and to further their education and advance their business.
The highly anticipated Pet Industry Leadership Conference combines the best elements of PIDA's management conference and the PIJAC Top2Top conference with the scope and size of APPA to deliver industry panels, word-class speakers, table top exhibits, and offer productive one-on-one discussions with key trading partners and industry influencers.
Attended by more than 300 of the pet industry's leading voices—CEOs, CFOs, owners, V.P. Sales & Marketing and other C-level executives. The Conference will bring together all industry stakeholders for the first time to address the critical issues facing businesses and offers education and insight to help businesses grow and succeed in the industry.
Registration is now open to APPA, PIDA & PIJAC members as well as additional industry professionals.
Click here to download the brochure and learn more about the conference program.


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LEE — Lee Church and Red Cross representatives met recently at the Pizza Spinners Restaurant at 54 Calef Highway in the Lee Market Place on Rt. 125, to thank owner Ted Sougranis for his many years of support.
Since 2006 when the Lee Church first began hosting blood drives, Ted has been providing pizza for donors. That's 165 pizzas to date.
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Mirrim Vale
by Amos T. Fairchild
- #15902 in Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
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The dramatic conclusion to the Mirrim Dawn saga.
The Mirrim Dawn's world had been settled and long forgotten by the Federation, Dawn herself born to a time of peace and harmony under the gods. Then came the men of the stars, the Masters, life as she has known it forever lost to her, her mother dying within her arms. As perhaps the last Mirrim, the last Oracle of the Gods, she is left in a world torn by conflict with her faithful companion Cally at her side, a world that heads inevitably toward a war the people of Theos will never survive unscathed.
Dawn's brother now stands within the ranks of enemy, a man at her side born also of the stars from where the curse of the Masters has come, her estranged father moving headlong into conflict. It is a conflict Dawn herself now is drawn into the heart of, into the centre of the Masters' world, to the seat of power of the Baron Elsworth. It is a journey perhaps into the waiting arms of the enemy, perhaps into death itself, yet Dawn knows that must do as she can to save her people. Deep within she also still feels the call to the distant Vale of the Mirrim, a call to travel all the surface of the known lands if she should survive, to return the power of the Gods to the surface of her world.
As she is separated from those she has come to love dearly, the war at last coming to her world, Dawn learns even more of the truth of existence and becomes what must. She knows then that she can be the bringer of life and hope to a world in need, and yet she knows well that she is also the hand of the Gods, the mighty above, indeed even the hand of death.
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- Amos T. Fairchild, August 2011
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- Overview
- Transcript
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Jan explores online sharing features of Photoshop Elements 11: emailing photos, sharing them on Facebook and Flickr, and uploading video clips on YouTube, Vimeo, and the Adobe Photoshop Showcase service. The course also offers some advanced tips on preparing photos for publishing on the web and for exporting photos in various formats and sizes. The course wraps with a look at printing photos on both Windows and Mac OS computers, and ordering prints through Photoshop Elements 11.
- Creating a contact book
- Emailing photos and PDF slideshows
- Sharing photos on Facebook, Flickr, and SmugMug
- Sharing videos
- Creating interactive albums
- Exporting albums to a drive or disk
- Preparing photos for print
- Watermarking photos
- Printing on Mac and Windows
Skill Level Beginner
Elements offers color management features whose main purpose is to get as close a match as possible, between the colors that you see in a photo when you're working on it in Elements, and the colors you get when you print the final photo. Color management can also help predict color in photos that you share online, but only if your viewers happen to be using your color managed Web browser to view your photos. Currently, not all Web browsers are color managed, so the techniques I'll show you here are most important for those of you who are planning to print your photos. Now, color management is a pretty complex subject, and it requires some equipment beyond just Elements' software, as I'll explain in this movie.
So, I want to make it clear from the start that color managing your photos, as I'll show you here, is optional. If you're printing casual snapshots only, or you're just posting photos online, and you're happy with the colors you're getting, you don't have to follow the color management workflow that I'll set out here. But if you use Elements to make high quality photo prints in which color accuracy is important to you, it's a good idea to practice the color management techniques that I'll lay out for you. The first step in the color management workflow in Elements is to choose the color space for the photos you're working on.
Make this choice before editing your photos in Elements Editor, so that the colors you see as you're editing are likely to match those in your final output photo. Choosing a color base is done by going to the Color Settings dialog box. I'll go to the Edit menu, and I'll choose Color Settings. That opens the Color Settings dialog box. Here you'll almost always want to choose one of the two middle options: Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens, and Always Optimize for Printing. If you're preparing photos to be displayed on a computer screen, then choose Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens. You use this if you normally work on photos that you upload to Web sites, to social media sites, that you send by e-mail, or that you include in slideshows, or PowerPoints that you run from your computer.
Making this choice, Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens, will set the color space in which you'll be working to sRGB. The sRGB color space includes a relatively narrow range of colors, but that range of colors is similar to the colors that can be displayed on most typical computer screens, so this is the best choice when you're working on photos that will be displayed on computer screens. Alternatively, if you're preparing photos to print on your own desktop inkjet printer, the best choice is this one: Always Optimize for Printing, and I'm going to select that one now.
This choice will set the color space that you'll be working in not to sRGB, but to Adobe RGB, which is a wider range of colors, and one that an inkjet printer can usually accommodate. Now, if you're going to have someone else, like a service bureau, print your photos, before you make a choice here, ask the printer which color space they want you to use; either Adobe RGB, or the narrower, but commonly used color space, sRGB. If they say sRGB, then go back and choose Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens, even though the photo is technically going to be printed, but if they're okay with an Adobe RGB file, then choose Always Optimized for Printing here.
By the way, whatever you choose in this dialog box is not set in stone. If later I were working on images that I wanted to put online, then I would come back into the Color Settings dialog box, and switch this Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens, but when I'm working on images I'm going to print on my desktop inkjet printer, I'll leave this at Always Optimize for Printing, and I'll click OK,. And that determines the range of available colors that will be used to display my photos in Elements as I work on them here in the Editor. But exactly which color space is used to display each photo depends on whether that photo already has a color profile embedded in it.
So, what's the color profile? A color profile is a bit of text that describes the color space in which a photo is edited, or in which it was created, and that color profile stays with the image down the line, so your final output device, your printer, or a color managed Web browser, knows how you intended the colors to appear. A color profile might be embedded in a photo by digital camera, by you, as I will explain in a moment, or by someone else who worked on the photo previously. Let's see what happens when we open a file into this color space in my Elements Editor.
I'm going to go up to the File menu, and choose Open, I'll navigate to this file, and I'll click Open. Now, this particular photo is one that does not have a color profile embedded in it yet. I know that it is an untagged image. I would like to see what the color space is in which this photo is being edited. So, I'm going to switch from the Quick edit workspace, the default workspace in the Editor, over to the Expert edit workspace by clicking the Expert tab at the top of the Editor, and I'll come down to this small information area just at the bottom left of the document window.
If I click the arrow to the right of that information area, I see a dropdown menu from which I can choose Document Profile, and that tells me the color space that's being used to display this particular photo. Because this is an untagged image, Elements has assigned the color space that I chose back in my Color settings, the Adobe RGB color space. It would do the same if this was a photo that had the Adobe RGB color profile already embedded in it before I'd opened it. But what happens if I open a photo that has a different color space embedded in it? For example, if I open a photo that has the sRGB color profile embedded, then Elements won't display that photo in the broad Adobe RGB color space. Instead it will display that photo in the narrower sRGB color space.
In other words, it will honor the sRGB color profile, following the logic that the last user intended that to be the way the colors should look. And finally, if I open a photo that has a color profile embedded that Elements does not recognize or support, then Elements will convert and display the photo in the Adobe RGB color space; the one that I chose in my color settings. The next step in a color managed workflow is to make sure that the color profile is embedded in the photo that you're working on in Elements Editor, and you'll do that from the Save As dialog box. So let's say I have made some edits to this photo, and I'm ready to save it. I'll go up to the File menu, and I'll choose Save As, and that opens the Save As dialog box.
If you're on the Mac, this dialog box looks slightly different, but the options are very similar. Down here in the Color field, you'll see an ICC Profile, or color tag for the color space associated with the file; in this case, Adobe RGB. You can't choose a different profile here. All you can do here is choose to check or uncheck this box. It's important to check this box in order to embed the profile in the file, so that your printer, or a color managed Web browser knows what color space you edited the file in, and therefore how you intended its colors to look.
In this case, you remember that I started with an untagged file, then Elements assigned the Adobe RGB color space I'd chosen in my color settings to this file. But the Adobe RGB color tag has still not been embedded in this file, so if I were to uncheck this, and save, this would go back to being untagged file. So, I'll make sure that ICC profile Adobe RGB is checked here, and then I'll click Save. Now on to the next steps in your color management workflow. If you're preparing an image for print, as supposed to online viewing, there are even more color management tasks for you to do in the Print Dialog box.
There you'll tell your printer how you want to manage color, and choose the profile for the printer, and the paper that you'll be using to print with. The color management settings in the Print Dialog box look slightly different depending on whether you're printing from Elements on a Mac, from Elements Editor here in Windows, or from Elements Organizer on Windows. So, I'm going to cover all of those steps in the next movies, where I go through the Print dialog on each of those platforms. Finally, there's one more thing you should do to get the best results if you're following the color management workflow I've outlined here, and that is to calibrate your monitor, using a hardware device called a color calibrator.
Color calibrators are manufactured by a number of different third parties. To find a color calibrator, go to a Web browser, and Google monitor calibration. That should bring up a number of different color calibrators, and if you purchase one, it will come with its own instructions about how to use it. Calibrating your monitor with one of these devices creates a monitor profile that describes how your particular monitor displays color. Your monitor profile, the color profile embedded in your photo, which we talked about here, and your printer profile, which I'll cover in the next movies in this chapter, will all work together to try to give you consistent color throughout your photo workflow.


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Troubles for the Reading School District and a deadly shooting on the Thun Trail were the 5th and 6th top stories of 2012 in Berks County.
Pennsylvania is launching its database on prescription drug dispensing in an effort to prevent their abuse.
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Students in Several States Lobby to Maintain Access to Polls
Sydney Jordan has made students' voting rights her top priority this summer. A rising senior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she is canvassing local neighborhoods to argue against a state-constitutional amendment on voter identification...
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text: This deal is expired! The deal below has expired, but no worries. You can still check out available coupons and "follow" the store to receive alerts for future offers. Amazon Coupons » Strathwood Malas Hardwood Garden Bench Flag this deal What's the matter? Choose a reason Dead deal Duplicate Bad link Spam Inaccurate No value Alive again Edit deal jgsteeler Aug 02, 2006 08/02/06 This item is currently not avilable. I hope they get some in Reply Load More Comments


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49 U.S. Code § 20154 - Capital grants for rail line relocation projects
§ 20154.
Capital grants for rail line relocation projects
(a)Establishment of Program.—
The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out a grant program to provide financial assistance for local rail line relocation and improvement projects.
(b)Eligibility.—A State is eligible for a grant under this section for any construction project for the improvement of the route or structure of a rail line that either—
is carried out for the purpose of mitigating the adverse effects of rail traffic on safety, motor vehicle traffic flow, community quality of life, or economic development; or
(c)Considerations for Approval of Grant Applications.—In determining whether to award a grant to an eligible State under this section, the Secretary shall consider the following factors:
The capability of the State to fund the rail line relocation project without Federal grant funding.
The requirement and limitation relating to allocation of grant funds provided in subsection (d).
The effects of the rail line, relocated or improved as proposed, on motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, safety, community quality of life, and area commerce.
(d)Allocation Requirements.—
At least 50 percent of all grant funds awarded under this section out of funds appropriated for a fiscal year shall be provided as grant awards of not more than $20,000,000 each. The $20,000,000 amount shall be adjusted by the Secretary to reflect inflation for fiscal years beginning after fiscal year 2006.
(e) Non-Federal Share.—
A State or other non-Federal entity shall pay at least 10 percent of the shared costs of a project that is funded in part by a grant awarded under this section.
(3)In-kind contributions.—The in-kind contributions that are permitted to be counted under paragraph (2) for a project for a State or other non-Federal entity are as follows:
A contribution of real property or tangible personal property (whether provided by the State or a person for the State).
A contribution of the services of employees of the State or other non-Federal entity, calculated on the basis of costs incurred by the State or other non-Federal entity for the pay and benefits of the employees, but excluding overhead and general administrative costs.
A payment of any costs that were incurred for the project before the filing of an application for a grant for the project under this section, and any in-kind contributions that were made for the project before the filing of the application, if and to the extent that the costs were incurred or in-kind contributions were made, as the case may be, to comply with a provision of a statute required to be satisfied in order to carry out the project.
(4) Financial contribution from private entities.—
The Secretary shall require a State to submit a description of the anticipated public and private benefits associated with each rail line relocation or improvement project described in subsection (a). The determination of such benefits shall be developed in consultation with the owner and user of the rail line being relocated or improved or other private entity involved in the project.
(f)Agreements To Combine Amounts.—Two or more States (not including political subdivisions of States) may, pursuant to an agreement entered into by the States, combine any part of the amounts provided through grants for a project under this section if—
(h)Definitions.—In this section:
(1)Construction.—The term "construction" means the supervising, inspecting, actual building, and incurrence of all costs incidental to the construction or reconstruction of a project described under subsection (b)(1) of this section, including bond costs and other costs relating to the issuance of bonds or other debt financing instruments and costs incurred by the State in performing project related audits, and includes—
relocation assistance, acquisition of replacement housing sites, and acquisition and rehabilitation, relocation, and construction of replacement housing;
(2)Quality of life.—
The term "quality of life" includes first responders' emergency response time, the environment, noise levels, and other factors as determined by the Secretary.
(i)Authorization of Appropriations.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for use in carrying out this section $350,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2009.
(Added Pub. L. 109–59, title IX, § 9002(a)(1), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1919.)
Pub. L. 109–59, title IX, § 9002(b), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1921, provided that:
"(1)Temporary regulations.—
Not later than April 1, 2006, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue temporary regulations to implement the grant program under section 20154 of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the issuance of a temporary regulation under this subsection or of any amendment of such a temporary regulation.
"(2)Final regulations.—
Not later than October 1, 2006, the Secretary shall issue final regulations implementing the program."
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Just 120 hopefuls turn up for Birmingham open auditions in first two-and-a-half hours
Where to go and when to audition for the ITV show
X-factor girl group 4th Impact dropped into Ward 1 of Birmingham Children's Hospital
Controversial Brummie waiter is one of the three in the Boys category despite arguing with Simon Cowell
The Brummie waiter is tipped for the live shows after Judges' Houses on Saturday, October 24
The Brummie says he accepts Nick Grimshaw's challenge but many on social media think he should be banned
The Brummie waiter is chosen to replace Tom Bleasby at Judges' Houses despite row with Simon Cowell
The Birmingham waiter who rowed with Simon Cowell compares himself to Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga
Jamie Benkert said he was 'young and reckless' over 2012 court case
Hopeful impressed judges on show - but then old tweets slagging off Cheryl emerged
Arena auditions held only in Manchester and London
X Factor star's mother travelled from Midlands to dance in London
Andrew Hammersley, 29, of Nuneaton, sneaked victim into hotel room in her school uniform
Redditch-born superstar was just 16 when he tried out for the X Factor
Singer is coming to Symphony Hall in Birmingham, the city she associates with failure and trauma
Jordan Adams and Alison Atkins-Green will perform at NEC in talent contest final
Nativity 3 star Ben Wilby, from Cannock, rubbed shoulders with co-stars Martin Clunes, Catherine Tate and Ralf Little at the premiere in London's Leicester Square.
Brazilian-born crooner has high hopes for south London van driver Ben Haeno and Italian Andrea Faustini
Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell, Mel B and Louis Walsh are ready to face the music on this year's X Factor
Amazingly, Scarlett-Rose Davis's ice bucket challenge was not the first time her family was captured on camera turning the air blue
Film editor Paul Claydon gives an insight into the TV talent mogul who trusts him to turn hours of footage into television gold
Thousands of wannabes took what they hoped was the first step to stardom when they auditioned for the X Factor today
How we covered the stories of the hopefuls who turned up at St Andrew's to impress the talent show producers.
Noel Sullivan talks of pop past and new role in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Hotel worker Katie Louise Weaver saved the day for revellers in Centenary Square after X Factor hopeful Kari Roberts pulled out
The 22-year-old, who scooped our own Birmingham's Best Talent competition this year, was booked to perform a 40 minute set in Centenary Square tonight in front of 8,000 revellers.
The boyband pledged to sell off the instrument after being moved by their visit to the hospital last month
Our pick of the best shows on the box for Thursday, October 24 - plus our at a glance soaps round-up
Hannah Sheares ditched her friends at the audition stage after judges said she could progress alone
Local singers bagged spots in each of the four categories for the talent search show
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Consultation with Dr. Forrest - Dr. Forrest, MA, MH, DC, is a licensed chiropractor in California. His is available for in-office visits and informational/educational phone/Skype consultations and Zyto and EVOX Biometric Body Scans. You are welcome to draw on his over 28 years of clinical experience.
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Full CoverageWEATHER
First beer sales in Benton CountyUPDATED 11:11 AM CST Jan 18, 2013
You can now buy beer and wine in Benton County. 40/29 was there as registers rang up the first six pack.
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- Report: #1035589
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Kaplan Cosmetic Surgery
Kaplan Cosmetic Surgery106 Boston Avenue, Suite #203 Altamonte Springs, Florida United States of America
Kaplan Cosmetic Surgery Dr. Barry Kaplan, Dr. Barry J Kaplan BEWARE!!! MONEY HUNGRY PERVERT!!!! Altamonte Springs, Florida
*REBUTTAL Owner of company: Kaplan Cosmetic Surgery
*Consumer Comment: A Satisfied Kaplan Customer
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After some thought & letting my male friend talk me into it (of course he wanted me to get them) I went back and paid in full (1/2 cash, 1/2 credit) for a breast augmentation less than 2 weeks before my scheduled surgery. I signed NO paperwork whatsoever except for the page where it says I gave them my money....NO paperwork about pre and post surgery preparation, Did not sign the CONSENT for breast augmentation, authorization for him & his physicians to perform the surgery, NO informed consent, procedure for treatment....I signed NOTHING except for the money paper.
Go figure. He didn't even tell me to read it....just told me to stop smoking (which I don't anyway) & to stop taking vitamins. That was all. I should have known right then and there, that there was something wrong with this situation. But I was just too excited for my new additions. I let this blind me & wish I saw the 'writing on the wall,' but even then it was too late. He had my money.
About 6 days before, I had to take my dog to the vet & he was very sick & needed surgery & I could not afford both. I begged, cried and pleaded with Dr. Kaplan to refund the money so I can pay for his surgery and he refused. He then agreed to give me back half of the money, $2,000, and kept the other half of $2,000 CASH for himself, no service rendered!!
So now he has $2,000 of my hard earned money, for nothing! But he says its for ordering the implants (saline) and booking the other doctor, which he did in about 4 seconds right in front of me. I then proceeded to look online and he has many negative reviews I somehow did not see in the beginning, so I will not even consider going back to him if I ever decide to this again. He offered to reschedule my surgery, but for a rescheduling fee of $1,000 in addition to the money he was keeping of mine!!!
In closing, I feel he has no right to keep my money, being that I never signed any of the required paperwork to book and confirm the surgery. I know certain doctors have their policies, but I truly believe this was null & void, being that I never technically consented to the surgery. He still has $2,000 cash of my hard earned money, all of which is rightfully mine and it disgusts me to this day that he thinks he is able to get away with this.
Read up on this man....he has had multiple lawsuits against him and has had his license revoked. Don't want to see this happen to anyone else....Please ladies, DO NOT let this man touch you or steal your money!! I hope this helped your decision.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/17/2013 08:10 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Kaplan-Cosmetic-Surgery/Altamonte-Springs-Florida-32701/Kaplan-Cosmetic-Surgery-Dr-Barry-Kaplan-Dr-Barry-J-Kaplan-BEWARE-MONEY-HUNGRY-PERVER-1035589. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company
Kaplan Cosmetic Surgery
AUTHOR: A True Christian - ()
SUBMITTED: Monday, May 05, 2014POSTED: Monday, May 05, 2014
I had the same beyond terrible experience with this Evil so called Plastic Surgeon Dr. Barry Kaplan! He is a hacker, thief and con man!! He costs me thousands of dollars for ruining my breasts and face and now I have to spend thousands to get it all fixed by a true highly recommended plastic surgeon! If you love yourself...Do Not Go to Barry Kaplan the Con Man...Hacker and Thief! This man is a Joke not a True Caring Doctor. Don't waste your time looking at a few photos like I did! God only knows who truly did those few people and he uses those same few photos all the time! Barry Kaplan is Beyond Evil ....Don't Go Near this Con man surgeon!!
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#2 Consumer Comment
A Satisfied Kaplan Customer
AUTHOR: brinewe - ()
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, March 05, 2014POSTED: Wednesday, March 05, 2014
A friend of mine, who was considering going to Dr. Kaplan for a breast augmentation, discovered and almost didn't go to him because of it. I am a very satisfied patient of Dr. Kaplan a felt the need to post a rebuttal for those that are considering going to him. I have no ties to the office whatsoever, nor will I ever recieve any type of compensation. I just know how nerve racking it can be to pick the find the best Dr. for a cosmetic proceedure. I do not mean to discount anybody, but I wanted to share my experience in contrast.
Dr Kaplan did my breast augmentation 2 years ago (March of 2012). The whole process was very easy. I felt very comfortable during the consultation. He did mention my curves, but I felt like he would need to evaluate my body and "size me up" to determine the right size implants. I never felt he was inapropriate, and I am kind of a shy person. The pre-op instructions where very simple, don't smoke or take viatamins for x-amount of time before.
I paid the full amount when the surgery was scheduled. I did sign a paper that I believe this report referred to. The paper that I read and then signed and took a copy of, did explain additional charges that could be incurred if the surgery date was changed. It was not simply a reciept, but an agreement to the scheduled surgery time. He does work on a very tight schedule out of two offices. I had to wait almost a month for an opening.
The surgery was done on a Friday afternoon. I walked out of the office as promised, Kaplan personally called that evening to check on me (as he does with all patients). He had me raise my hands over my head, asked some questions etc. He did tell me that my breast looked amazing, but I felt that was a proffesional taking pride in his work... I relaxed all weekend, and I was back to work on Monday. The results where amazing, I could not be happier.
I know 6 other women that have gone to Kaplan for both Breast Augmentations and Lipo Suction/tummi-tuc. Some went to him before and after me. Every single one of them have beautiful results that they are extremely happy with.
You should feel comfortable with your doctor. Go to his free consultation, and if you don't like him, don't use him! I met with two other doctors before him that I did not feel good about.
Another thing I would suggest... If you do not have funds set aside for emergencies, you should probably consider getting yourself in a better financial position before you spend a few thousand dollars on a cosmetic procedure... I wanted b***s for years. I started saving in when I started college. I still waited 2 years after college, until I had a good job, a rainy day fund, and the cash to pay for them.
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Friday Jan. 30, 2009
PITTSBURGH, Pa-- Left-hander Paul Maholm has avoided an arbitration hearing by reaching a preliminary agreement on a $14.5 million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also finalized a one-year deal with free-agent utilityman Eric Hinske worth about $1.5 million.
Maholm's contract locks him up through his remaining arbitration years and includes a club option for 2012. He was the most effective starter on a 95-loss Pirates team last season, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


text:
NEW YORK (AP) -- A research group says personal-computer shipments will pick up in the second half of the year with the debut of a new Windows operating system and the broader availability of notebooks that are thin like tablet computers.
IDC expects growth in PC shipments this year to be a modest 5 percent. In healthier times, PC shipments had double-digit percentage growth. IDC's forecast is in line with other recent estimates.
IDC says PC shipments worldwide grew less than 2 percent last year. The growth came from emerging markets, while the industry saw a 9 percent drop in mature markets such as the U.S. and Western Europe. A weak economy and consumer interest in tablets were to blame.
Another research group, Gartner, also has forecast a relatively weak 2012.


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Credit: Fil Giuriatti
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Heart Stock PhotoBizarre,Black Background,Brazil,Color Image,Heart - Internal Organ,Human Body Part,Human Hand,Human Heart,Human Internal Organ,Ideas,Internal Organ,One Person,Part Of,People,Photography,Porto Alegre,Studio Shot,VerticalPhotographer Fil GiuriattiCollection: Moment Open Felipe Giuriatti


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With Instructables you can share what you make with the world, and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.
One of my favorite hobbies is roasting my own coffee. In this instructable, you'll learn how to roast your own coffee (tastes way better than any other you ...
You will need to purchase a roaster. I have an old popcorn popper, a "Poppery II". It works great. You can purchase new coffee roasters online, but they ...
Pour your coffee into the popcorn popper. For my Poppery 2, I prefer to use 2/3 cup at a time; that way it doesn't have too much air ...
After about 2 minutes, you will start to hear a cracking sound. This is called the "first crack". You should now stir the coffee to make sure the ...
Now that the coffee is cool, you can put it into a masonry jar. Put the lid on, but do not seal it. If you seal it, the lid will ...
Coffee Roasting with a hot air popperby BradMartinson
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Celebrity News
See inside a $3.4M Swiss Avenue home, with multiple media rooms, five fireplaces and more
Photo: Ebby Halliday/ Lauren Brown
In addition to guest quarters, a family room and large office, the guest house also has a 20-seat theater.
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Optimist's Shakespeare: Try it, you'll like it
Two weeks ago, director Tom Reed had fully intended to make another round of cuts to Shakespeare's "As You Like It" — slimming the run time to just over two hours — before Optimist Theatre opened its production in Riverwest's Kadish Park. Am I ever glad that he had second thoughts.
When Optimist's press preview performance ended Thursday night — two hours and 45 minutes after it began — my aching body was screaming for a seat cushion and the ground on which I was sitting was wet with dew. »Read Full Article
Setzer brings swinging holiday cheer to Potawatomi
On the 16th day of November, Brian Setzer gave with glee: 5 sax men, 4 trumpet players, 2 backing singers...and drums dressed in tinsel, glittering.
The Brian Setzer Orchestra's Christmas show, at Potawatomi Bingo Casino's Northern Lights Theater, also had falling suds (subbing for snow), TV theme song cameos (including "The Flintstones," "Peter Gunn" and "The Andy Griffith Show") and covers from Setzer's Stray Cats rockabilly days. »Read Full Article(1)
Danceworks' 'Intersect' showcases breadth of artists involved
If one creative mind is a good thing, bringing many together for a project must be an even better thing — right?
Apparently so, given the variety of dance and original music in the Danceworks Performance Company's collaborative "Intersect" program. »Read Full Article
Next Act Theatre offers solid primer on Marxism with 'Groucho'
Like the Marx Brothers' early vaudeville show, Next Act Theatre's"Groucho: A Life in Revue" is a "skule" act. It gently and congenially educates the audience about one of America's great comedians, Groucho Marx, whose remarkable career included Broadway, movie and TV hits built around his wisecracking persona.
After a brief opening sequence, this revue, written by Groucho's son Arthur and Robert Fisher, unfolds chronologically. It's sentimental in spots, but heck, you might be sentimental, too, if you were writing a show about your father and uncles. It's not warts and all, but it does acknowledge Groucho's regrets about three marriages that ended in divorce. »Read Full Article


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Skip to comments.CBO: Food Stamp Rolls Estimated to Hit Historic High
Posted on 03/28/2013 3:54:55 PM PDT by EXCH54FE
There are more Americans today collecting food stamps than ever before, and that number is expected to rise steadily for the rest of the year, according to the CBO. The Wall Street Journal reports:
The financial crisis is over and the recession ended in 2009. But one of the federal government's biggest social welfare programs, which expanded when the economy convulsed, isn't shrinking back alongside the recovery.
Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as the modern-day food-stamp benefit is known, has soared 70% since 2008 to a record 47.8 million as of December 2012. Congressional budget analysts think participation will rise again this year and dip only slightly in coming years.
The biggest factor behind the upward march of food stamps is a sluggish job market and a rising poverty rate. At the same time, many states have pushed to get more people to apply for SNAP, a program where the federal government picks up the tab.
But there is another driver, which has its origins in President Bill Clinton's 1996 welfare overhaul. In recent years, the law has enabled states to ease asset and income tests for would-be participants, with the encouragement of the Obama administration, allowing into the program people with relatively higher incomes as well as savings.
The new rules were designed to encourage people to take advantage of the program before they became destitute. By expanding the pool of potential applicants, they are redrawing the landscape of government assistance. It is one reason why SNAP appears to have evolved from a program that rose and fell with the unemployment rate to a more permanent feature of the landscape.
Republicans are often portrayed as heartless advocates for cutting government programs that ostensibly help children, senior citizens, and the poor. But the truth is that many -- I daresay most -- of the people on, say, food stamps, really shouldnt be. Because of poorly crafted policies (dating back to the Clinton era and continuing through the present day) more and more Americans are lining up to receive food-assistance benefits. Why? Because the government has perversely incentivized -- and recruited people -- to accept government hand-outs they dont need. And while this certainly helps Democrats expand their voting rolls -- and win elections -- how does this promote a vibrant, healthy 21st century economy? Isn't that what we want above all else?
The key to eradicating poverty is crafting policies that empower citizens -- not making them dependent on free benefits. As meticulously detailed in Arthur C. Brooks book, The Road to Freedom, opportunity created via the free enterprise system is what lifts humanity out of poverty -- not government. Of course, we should absolutely have a social safety net that protects the poorest among us who cant provide for themselves. But there must be realistic and stringent restrictions on receiving government benefits. Our public policies should encourage and promote working. After all, Big Government stifles innovation and traps people in poverty; it doesnt create prosperity.
Another argument for commodities, eh? Oil and food. Propagandize panics for those items as we've seen so successfully done in another market recently. ;-)
Maybe that's what we want. But it's certainly not what nobama wants. Cloward-Piven to the rescue. nobama needs as many people as he can possibly get sucking on the government teat. More suckers!!! More takers!!!
All of this speeds us towards the day nobama can declare himself dick tator for life and gloat as the USA turns into a turd world hell hole.
The Republicans could have done something about this via a funding reduction in the Continuing Resolution they passed recently. But they did not.
Not forgiving them for that.
Then, they want to add millions of illegal immigrants to these numbers.
> CBO: Food Stamp Rolls Estimated to Hit Historic High
Obama probably thinks that "the economy is doing great because more people are receiving food".
parasites that become so fat they need gastric bypasses
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text:
- Report: #874239
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: USPets
USPetsInternet United States of America
USPets Product Overcharge, Internet
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The 15% discount amounted to $3.90 which was to be applied (subtracted) from my total bill at checkout. The shipping cost was a flat $5.00 (USPS),so the total order came to $26.00 + $5.00 -$3.90. Doing the very simple math, this means that my TOTAL COST = $27.10, and that is the exact charge which SHOULD have been made to my charge card. The ACTUAL CHARGE to my account was $31.00.
Apparently, the 15% discount was never applied to my order, even though the ORDER CONFIRMATION SHEET, COMPILED BY USPETS.COM, DOES SHOW THE DISCOUNT, AND ALSO DOES SHOW THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE AS $27.10, AND NOT $31.00. I contacted USpets.com about the discrepancy, and they promised to credit my account in the exact amount of the overcharge ($3.90).
The USpets.com representative said that it might take as long as 1-3 days before the credit would appear on my account. It has now been EIGHT "BUSINESS" DAYS, and I have NOT received the credit which had been promised, and I have NOT received any communication, in any form, from USpets.com concerning this matter. It appears as if they just want to ignore the whole situation, in hopes that I'll just forget about the whole thing. After all, it is a rather small amount of money.
The amount of money involved is of little importance to me, but having a company overcharge me in the first place, claim to be sending me a refund in 1-3 days, and then failing to do so, really irritates me! I strongly advise any and all potential customers of USpets.com to TAKE THEIR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE !
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 04/26/2012 11:17 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/USPets/internet/USPets-Product-Overcharge-Internet-874239. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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Check out our guide to Male Grooming with Mankind. From your hair down to your toes, we cover the basics and beyond in the Mankind Master-classes.
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