September! So Much! So Beautiful! So Amazing!

September has much to be said for, amazing weddings, events and connections. A great summer I had indeed. So many wonderful experiences.  And as we go into the fall season, I don't even know where to begin except for at the beginning. Aurora and Eugene wedding began the month of September to a lift off of amazing! Another great wedding in the first of the month of September was at the Darlington House, La Jolla Alicia + Jeremiah Wedding. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and work with Zapher Dajani, Founder of The Abbey Catering and Design.

September 8th, introduce the second week of the month with another fabulous event hosted by  The Knot ,"Cocktails and Connections" showcased several unique wedding ideas, including Sylhouettes by Sylvia. I can't say enough about the venue- Rancho Las Lomas, one word-"stunning"! Property owner Jeanne Lawrence, equally as stunning and such a gracious host. Natalie Good, her talents amazed everyone! A Good Affair Events and Productions provided the most amazing decor, florals, colors,  vendors and need I say more.  No wonder they are The Knot's 2011 Best of Amazing Picks. Amazing!
And that is it for the first part of the September. 

Anne and Cory Wedding

August 20th we were at the Los Angeles Athletic Club for Anne and Cory's wedding. Anne was a delight to work with and her mother as well. Warm and very sweet people. The venue was not only beautiful but included a history of LA that no other could. We arrived early to set up and met Nam of  Modern LA Weddings who was absolutely wonderful to work with and very organized. We set up a wall of silhouettes of the bridal party. Anne provided a beautiful memory book she found on Etsy for the silhouettes to be mounted in for her keepsake. Mebo Photobooth is a fun idea for any event and I love their work. I worked with them at a wedding at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion and we had so much fun. The band Los Sindicate was providing entertainment. Jasmine Star Photography and JD provided the photos of this elegant event. Jasmine Star is an acclaimed international photographer.  Florals and designs were created by Shawna Yamamoto. This was just a wonderful event. I really enjoyed working with Anne and her mom.

One Heck of an Adventure!

The day starteid out kinda chaotic. Traffic seemed a bit heavier than normal Saturdays as I headed out  to my first event in Beverly Hills at Fago de Chao, I arrived late. I realized my scissors were not in my pouch with me. I was horrified! Thank God there was a mall next door and I purchased a small cuticle set. However, not what I am used to, it worked. I was so embarrassed. I went home to look for my scissors and they had fallen out of the bag and were in the trunk the entire time. Why didn't I think to look for them in there????

Traffic was stop and go all the way to my next event in San Diego La Valencia Hotel La Valencia Hotel. Not slow and go like usual. STOP and GO. I was late. And parked my car at the first parking structure I could find. Not at the hotel as suggested. I ran to the hotel to get started and stayed an extra hour to make up the difference for being late. I left and went to the parking structure and when I got to the structure the gate was closed shut. The car was unattainable. I was in La Jolla and no way to get around and no where to sleep. All of the hotels were sold out and needless to say, in La Jolla nothing under $300.00 per night. Now if I was going for a weekender to have fun, fun, fun. Maybe it would be worth it. But for a quick nap to get home. Nah uh.

Denny's here I come and I ended up in Pacific Beach, thanks to Costas my taxi driver. We walked and walked and walked in my formal dress and shoes and my bag on wheels in tow with my supplies. We walked down a street of drunks, street entertainers, bars, and need I say more. Alas! a tattoo parlour we can peek our couriousity and kill a few more hours hopefully. I saw a couch, I could rest my toes.

We meet the tattoo artist at Black Rose Tattoo. We talked, asked questions and eventually he asks what are we doing in Pacific Beach. Long story short....I cut out his silhouette, he gave one of us a free tattoo. Artist to artist appreciation thing. And before we know it it is four in the morning  and time to leave. We walk over to Denny's have a couple of cups of coffe and Costas comes back to pick us up at five am. Yesss!

We drive back to La Jolla and the gate to the parking structure is up. The car is free to go and we can drive home. An all nighter in . We save a few hundred bucks and finally get to sleep at 7:30 am. What a day! What a day! Who would have thought a silhouette job would have brought me to pull an all nighter? I am getting to old for this. But it was an adventure. I had a good time.

Not looking to do this again anytime soon. ha ha!

La Jolla Inn- $300.00 for one night. Only one vacancy in town.

One Forty Eight

I finally made a short video. It is a compialation of some of the weddings and events I have been to. I am usually so busy I don't have time to take pictures. So this is what I have to share. This is not a tutorial or alot of silhouettes. I hope you enjoy. Click on the title and you will see the video

Good News and Old News

First the Old News, as I was reminiscing about Knott's Berry Farm in my last blog. Coincidentally, a couple of days later friend sent to me a photo of the time when Knott's Berry Farm had first started Halloween Haunt. During the early years before the host of the "Elvira Show the Mistress of the Dark" it was the pioneer of night thriller was "Seymour the Master of Macabre". We laughed as he brought back many memories for us. I especially liked watching him on TV on Friday nights and he would pop up on the corner of the screen and tell a joke relating to the  thriller or scary movie. He was quite witty and funny too. Thanks BV for sharing.

Now we move on to the Good News!!! More events to come this summer, I have already have had a few great and wonderful events this summer  all over the Soutland. I am very excited for the ones I have coming up. It's the time of year when we have so much going on in addition to  weddings, birthdays, family reunions. I am so glad that I have one of these beauties come with me as my assistant they help me to keep the flow moving. I can get so many more silhouettes done as long as I have them mounting the silhouettes on the 5x7 card for the guests to take home.

Summertime

Summertime brings back many memories for me. Especially as I still live very close to Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland.

Today is the 4th of July. I can remember many years I spent working on the 4th and the days at the old amusement park would be so busy. Early on in Fiesta Village the seal lions would be barking for food and I could hear the bleating goats in the Animal Farm. The music from the famous Ballet Folklorico de Lampara del Cielo. (Or the name similar to that.) As they would perform every hour all day. The guests asking all day where are the restrooms or the Log Ride, or the Calico Mine Ride, etc,(if I could have a nickel for every question). The long lines for tacos and burritos. The iron on T-shirts, and the infamous candy store. The sounds of the gunshots of the train robbers and stagecoach robbers and the clinging of the chains on the horses as they pass us by on the stagecoach. Voices of the guests screaming in the background as they would go down the last fall of the log ride. it is ghost like in my memory.

 I can remember doing hundreds of silhouettes each day for guests from around the world. The lines would be long all day. I could hardly understand their language and barely communicate with them. But with a lot of pointing and smiling we managed to understand what was needed. The number of silhouettes and how many frames, square or oval. We managed. Oh yes. I miss those days sometimes and most days I don't. I am glad to service  people I do. Especially he way I do now  with the parties, weddings, customized the way each one wants it exactly the way they like it. I know the way it used to be in the summertime years ago. And for all the years I endured and enjoyed it. I have come to be of service to you.

May, June... Weddings, graduations, birthdays Oh My!

Things went so fast this last couple of months, whirlwind fast and exciting. I still have to get my pictures together to share. I often forget to get pictures as I am busy from the word go and don't stop until my time is up. I do have fun though. A wedding at an equestrian center, Jane Austen themed; to Napa Valley, the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion and then up to Lake Arrowhead. Children birthday party settings in the park with In and Out hamburgers for lunch. A graduation party at home with desert tortoises in the back yard. All in all this month has had lots of excitement and fun memories. I love the people I meet and the families and friends, guests and vendors and planners. What more can I say. I wish I had more pics to share. I do have more parties and weddings to come this summer. I will do better with the pics.

June Coming Up!

Memorial Weekend my weekend to take a nice break. Before June. Spending the last weekend in Palm Springs is just what I needed. Enjoying my time with friends at an estate in the foothills of the city, a pool in the backyard and playing zumba on the xbox... Several events in May and many more to go to in June. I had a lot of fun going to the fundraiser events I did for Haskell Elementary School another school. Another event; a luncheon awards for St. Edna's Sub Acute Rehabilitation Center. An award winning center. Looking ahead for June, weddings and graduation and birthday parties. Looking forward to connecting with people and creating memories.

Busy Month

Sylhouettes by Sylvia... got to be better at writing in this blog. I was reminiscing of the days when I worked at Knott's Berry Farm. I worked eight hours each day cutting silhouettes, long lines, the noise of the rollercoaster roaring past me, the loud screams of the daring riders from all different parts of the world who came to ride the "Corkscrew" and the "Parachute Ride". Running by to go on the next ride. Stopping quickly to ask me what it is I do at my little booth. Many faces from different places. Locals at night came to dance. A variety of people from all different kind of places. I was quite young and who knew how that experience would prepare me for now.

Not much different are the distractions of going to the receptions, weddings, and birthday parties. As I cut out silhouettes of each and every person. The loud music, the announcements, toasts, singing, relatives and friends cheering and greeting each other, reuniting. Drinking, and/or talking, celebrating with happiness and joy. Babies, wiggly, crying, restless and/or just plain not in the mood to sit on mom's lap to have their silhouette done. I cut away, the silhouette profile of each guest.

My job is to capture their profile although no matter how hard they try, they just are not able to sit still. Big an little. Little wiggly ones especially cannot sit still. Lo and behold, I stll must get their profile.

Busy Weekend Coming Up

This coming weekend is going to be a busy one for Sylhouettes by Sylvia. A wedding on Saturday night is on my calendar at the Historic Fullerton Ballroom. A beautiful venue. I anticipate this one to be a fun group. On Saturday a double header, a 1st Birthday Party at Hillcrest Park in Fullerton another fun group. Babies and more babies. Fun, fun, fun. Then to finish up the weekend, a wedding set in beautiful Calamigos Ranch in Malibu. An elegant and romantic setting for a evening wedding reception. I can't wait to do silhouettes for these events. I am excited and honored to be a part of everyone of these special days.

Email Photos, I cut silhouettes

Often times I will get a call to do a silhouette for someone who just can't find a way to meet up with me, or get to the next local fair. The best solution is to send me a photo of their loved on or self to get a silhouette done. Or for their wedding party and I will send the silhouette back to them in the mail. Here's a couple of examples of emailed photos and silhouettes I have mailed back to the the happy receiver. Just in time for Mother's Day or special event they want and need a silhouette.

Thanks again for really making the volunteer event ROCK.

We secured Sylvia to be both our entertainment and recognition part of our Annual Volunteer Recognition event. Our highly valued volunteers watched Sylvia weave her special magic with her scissors and were utterly delighted to receive a special keepsake as an expression of our appreciation. "SylhouettesbySylvia" served as fun ice breaker as our volunteers and clients mingled around her to watch each other getting their silhouettes done. We feel that Sylvia's presence greatly contributed to making this years event memorable!
Ruth Weaver,
Board Member. Shanti Orange County

Volunteers deserve a Silhouette by Sylvia

For all the work a volunteer does throughout the year, the time given, true altruism. Community leaders and givers. Nothing asked for in return, the pure simple giving. I must say. I applaud their efforts. April 16th, 2011 Shanti Orange County the Agency with the Giving Heart, will acknowledge and honor their volunteers. A non profit agency who serves the HIV/AIDS community with services to help people living with HIV disease, cope and manage their lives. Shanti OC provides case management, mental health services, support groups, lectures on how to access HIV medical treatment, and medications to live a longer and healthier and a better quality of life. They save lives. I think this is awesome. But on Sat. April 16th this is about the volunteers and how much they are appreciated. Sylhouettes by Sylvia will be there cutting silhouettes for these wonderful folks. I am honored to be able to spend my time with such devoted people to a cause that most tend to not want to discuss or acknowledge for a variety of reasons. My scissors and paper are held high to you.

Weddings, Baby Showers, Bat Mitzvahs, Birthdays...

To each their own individual event. To each their own touch. All sentimental and all memorable to those who book me for their event. And as for me, early on in the whole scheme of things. I am contacted as the process begins and the details are discussed. And alas, as the days draw near to the very special occasion. (And sometimes it is a very last minute call). And things are buttoned down as they say. On the day of the event, I arrive at the time arranged, dressed up, supplies in tow and ready to cut. My specific working location is usually unknown to me until I get there. But it always works out great and very do-able. Now and again, I could hope for better spot or brighter area. I put on my bright smile and scissors in hand the silhouettes are cut and pasted on the white cards for the happy guests to take home.

I keep in the fore front of my mind the effort of each event, whether it be a wedding, baby shower, bar/bat mitzvah or a birthday party, etc. how much effort, time and energy is spent in making their day a very happy memorable day for the families and friends they share their celebration with. I am a part of it and what I create stays with the guests and the hosts. What a wonderful experience! I have an art that will last a lifetime or pass on for generations to come. And to know that, and I have been doing this for years... is even better. Wow!

Another Month Flies By...

And I haven't made time to keep up with this blogging thing. Oh my. Well, let's see. I have been cutting silhouettes at some weddings and that has been keeping me busy. I guess I will include a couple of the double silhouette I have done for my wedding couples.

My problem is that I get so busy with cutting silhouettes of the guests, I don't have time to stop and take photos of my area and finished product. Maybe the photographers will send me some later. The reviews I get back are great though. I am proud of those.