Tag Archives: holiday

ImagingUSA2011 :: New Product!

By Chris | Published February 20, 2011

SO as most of you know my background is in advertising and pr as well as fine art. Basically I’m a hodge podge of creative experience and interests. So when a company does something really cool with say a trade show booth or say…the launch of a new product I have to high five them. So to Miller’s I give a high five, even though you are not my printing company your booth design, phone charging station and Luxe lounge made my design radars tingle.

So you pass a bouncer and go up a large escalator. To your left is this delightful all white desert table. When prices and quality of food in the convention makes you want to just burn money, some decent sugary snacks (free ones I might add) are a welcomed addition to the experience. Miller’s also had an extensive list of speakers showcasing in their Luxe Lounge.

There was also a wall with little sticky notes for photographers to share what inspires them. I loved this!

After all that sugary goodness a bathroom break was necessary. In the stall was the above. :)

So what was the big release from Miller’s? It was the talk of the show and also a big release for my printer of choice White House. Meet die cut cards! GASP! Cheer! Exclaim! To put it lightly, I’m pumped. Annnnnnndddddd (drum roll) meet Diliberto Photo & Design’s newest new product! Here are 5 samples of the 50 new shapes available. I want an excuse to use the one on the top left, its my favorite, I’m thinking wedding invitation maybe? So my friends, get thinking, lets do party invitations, shower invitations, new address cards, personal stationary, christmas cards, thank you cards…with a photo or without we can design something awesome and completely personalized! Can you tell I’m excited?

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The Photography Chronicles ~ 11

By Chris | Published January 17, 2011

Since its the new year I’ve been thinking about all the fun annual things that are soon to be here. One of the largest events of the year, and one of my favorites is The Hunt. We stuff an inhumane amount of plastic easter eggs with candy and prizes and send a ton of kiddos from the whole area out to hunt for them. Not only is it completely insane but its also beautiful to see hundreds, nay tens of thousands (50,000 to be exact) of colorful eggs scattered across a field. I’m a fan of things in bulk so The Hunt is right up my ally.

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Holiday Cookies Pizzelle

By Chris | Published December 30, 2010

Pizzelle remind me of family and of the holidays. Over two years ago my dad found a Pizzelle iron at an estate sale and gifted it to me with the mandate that I make pizzelle every christmas until the end of time (I kid, I kid). This was the first Christmas since he gave it to me that I was actually able to get it out of storage and create delicious cookies.

Its said that most pizzelle makers were handed down through the generations and branded the pizzella with the family crest. Ours isn’t quite that awesome, but it made some really great pizzelle.

You can eat them on their own, they are usually on the crunchier side, and they are flavored with anise, vanilla, or lemon zest. I’ve also seen recipes for chocolate and mint chocolate ones…which I will most certainly have to try. The batter is very easy to make, its base is created with flour, eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil. I found a basic recipe and added my own flare: anise, vanilla, and honey. I’m pretty sure once you get the basic batter done you could add whatever you like. They’re similar to making waffle cones, somewhat pliable when they first come off the iron. I rolled them over the handle of my pizza cutter and made cannoli shells (which we ate on Christmas eve).

They are also quite delicious served with chocolate gelato, strawberry reduction sauce, and fresh blackberries. YUM!

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The Annual Upside Down Christmas Tree Party

By Chris | Published December 30, 2010

Since…1993, we think, we’ve thrown an upside down christmas tree party. According to About.com upside down christmas trees are now, “one of the hottest fads of the season”. Who knew we were setting trends back in 1993. There are oodles of google found history about upside down christmas trees, some claim it dates back to the middle ages. For us, my mom just thought, “wouldn’t it be cool to hang a christmas tree upside down from the ceiling.” So we did. And then we had a party.

The party always doubles as an art show for my mom and a few other artists. There is always an abundance of food, and wine and beer. And the best tradition is that anyone who attends is encouraged to decorate the tree with a hand made ornament created from things found on their person, in their car, or in the yard. We have saved the ornaments over the years (thus how we can date the party back to 1993, thanks to a credit card sized pocket calendar someone hung on the tree that year). Some of my favorites are a cassette tape, an official actors guild membership card, an original photo of Pierce Brosnan from his first James Bond film, a digital watch that was worn by a friend during his service in the marines in Iraq, and sooo many more (I promise, next year I’ll take pictures of all my favorites). We always top the tree with a squeaky rubber shark.

This year the party also doubled as my mom’s birthday party. It was a big birthday, but I’ll let it remain a mystery.

I had Stacy from For The Love of Cake make her birthday cake, carrot cake, her favorite. And it was DELICIOUS! And way awesomely decorated. Thanks Stacy, you’re the best! (My mom has two turtles who live in her pond.)

Bill will probably hate me for posting this picture but its so rare that A. I am in a photo during an event. And B. That we’re in a photo together so there it is.

My brother did the food this year, sliders with lots of toppings, stuffed mushrooms, fruit, veggies, delicious.

And for the second year, the fire pit. Its so awesome, I believe there is some innate somewhat cave man like biological thing that draws us to circle around fire. So we do, and its awesome…the conversations that happen around the fire are by far one of my favorite things about the upside down Christmas tree party. So until next year…

 

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Our Christmas Card 2010

By Chris | Published December 29, 2010

You have no idea how difficult it was to get this shot…tripod+crazy dog+patient husband+anal photographer wife+timed shots=what you see above.

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Early Christmas Present

By Chris | Published December 29, 2010

Since we got married, almost two years ago, we have not had a TV. It was a choice Bill and I made for two reasons. First we were moving and needed to get rid of a bunch of stuff so we sold our gigantic TV before the total switch to HD. Second, we wanted to make sure our first year of marriage was spent together, with no useless distractions. Usually people are shocked that we don’t have a TV. They stare at us blankly with an ere of true concern and ask…”well, what do you do?” We read, we play with our dog child, we laugh, we play board games, we talk. We still watch our favorite TV shows on hulu, and we watch movies on our computers, we just don’t sit there with the TV on and zone out for hours on end.

That all said, we are now a home with a TV, though we won’t be getting cable…and even with the TV the only things we’ve watched on it have been football games. We still watch our shows on hulu, and we still talk and read and play with the dog child. Really we just have a much larger screen to watch movies on, and I get to use it as a photo display during parties. And clearly Bill is very excited!

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Thanksgiving and In-laws

By Chris | Published December 28, 2010

This was our first Thanksgiving in our new house, the first time the inlaws came to visit, and the first time for Sam to have Thanksgiving with us. It was a fun time, but I was completely exhausted afterwards and had to take a day to rest.

James, my father-in-law helped peel apples for apple pie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made two apple pies, one with crumble crust and one with regular crust. The pie dough is my Grandmother’s recipe, and it turns out perfectly every time (maybe I’ll share it…hmm).

I like the pre-Thanksgiving meal appetizers almost as much as the meal. I am under the conviction that Thanksgiving dinner should be enjoyed at…dinner time…so 6pm is when we eat. But, through out the day we snack on deviled eggs…

Crab, Sundried Tomatoes, and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms…

And for breakfast we eat homemade chocolate Amish Friendship bread and my mom’s Banana Bread.

And we take pictures with the giant corn…this became a tradition during my first Thanksgiving after college. I bought the giant corn mostly because it was ridiculous and we all took pictures with it, so thats what we do every year.

And then, after the pre-meal, and the real meal…we all take naps…This is my husband Bill with his mom. I think this is precious. :)

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Holiday Whirlwind

By Chris | Published December 28, 2010

So the holidays, though not officially over yet have come with a whirlwind. Between hosting Thanksgiving and the in laws, to Phyllis going into the Apple hospital, to flying to New York for my Great Grandmother’s funeral, to Christmas Eve Seven Fishes Dinner, to hosting Christmas Day…its been a lot. Clearly I’m behind on posts but I assure you…they’re all on their way. So in the next few days before the new year, I will be posting all of these events. So get excited!

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A Costume Birthday

By Chris | Published October 24, 2010

I love parties. They’re a ton of work and afterwards I’m always insanely exhausted, but I love them. My awesome husband turned 27 yesterday and that was a good reason for a party. We decided back in August…maybe July…that it should most definitely be a costume party.

I’m a huge fan of The Tom Kat Studio’s blog and she did this amazing black, green, and purple themed party design which became my inspiration for the evening. Bill and I debated for a few months about what to be for the party. We decided that he would be Zeus and I would be Zeus’s wife Hera which meant Togas, which is awesome. The menu was Taco soup with an array of toppings, queso, tex-mex salsa, mini caramel apples, and our good friend Stacy made Bill’s favorite german chocolate cake.

Mom came over to help with the food. My day started at 5am and I cleaned, went shopping, picked up the cake, made food, cleaned more, decorated, wrapped my husband in a toga, wrapped myself in a toga and then partied.

I made the wall flowers based on a tutorial over at the Made blog. She’s a new blogger who I’m following, awesome tutorials and she sews which has inspired me to break out my sewing machine (mom and I made pillows!).

I had the idea for mini caramel apples without knowing if mini apples even exist. They do, in fact! The table cloth was just some material I picked up from Hobby Lobby for a few bucks a yard.

Good Eats, Sweet Treats; there was a mix on the table. Taco soup was the main food, it consists of ground turkey, a whole lot of beans and a few other things. Its insanely easy to make and very inexpensive. I should post that recipe…maybe. :) You can doctor it up with all kinds of toppings. I like fritos, cheese, green onions and a dollop of sour cream. There were jalepenos, and corn and bean salsa, tortilla chips, and chile con queso as well.

Here’s Bill’s cake made by the AWESOME Stacy! I designed it and she brought my design to life in cake. She’s so talented. The spider was to go with the costume/halloween theme. It says Happy Birthday in his web, all Charolette’s Web style. His birthday hat matches the colors, and on his back…

…is the Philadelphia Phillies logo. :) Everyone’s costumes were SO awesome.

Bella and Edward Cullen showed up. (Bella…aka…Kristen is actually pregnant, and their last name is really Cullen, very appropriate!)

Brian and his wife Cherb came as his parents, which is way more funny than any of my readers will be able to appreciate.

Antoine Dodson showed up as well. If you don’t get this reference you need to check out this guy here, then someone remade the video into a song here. He’s now been in People Magazine and I’ve heard he’s gotten some TV/Movie offers or something.

My Step-Dad (on the left) and Mom (on the right) came as hippies, but gender’s reversed. Mad props to my Step-Dad for wearing a skirt and a bra stuffed with socks. Very impressive. :)

Here’s me and the birthday boy! I made his head wreath thing with a head band and glittery holly leaves from a Christmas floral pick from hobby lobby. I’d say we looked pretty awesome! Many more people came in costumes but I didn’t get pictures of everyone. We had a blast!

I wasn’t sure where to put the candles (the top layer was a “plate” of white chocolate), so this is what we did.

Happy Birthday to the best husband ever! I love you!!

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Holiday Cards

By Chris | Published September 16, 2010

I’ve gotten several requests from past clients for Christmas/Holiday Cards, and well, I listen to my clients so here you go. These are just a few designs. You can view them all at my website
www.dilibertophotoanddesign.com and I’ll probably be adding a few more over the coming weeks. They are completely customizable with your own message and I’ve done some serious printing cost searches so I can beat out prices of a lot of retailer’s photo cards.

So if I’ve had the privalege to take your photo over the last year (or more) and you’re in the need of Holiday Cards, send me an e-mail, post a comment on my blog, or what have you and we’ll get the very simple process started.

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