Well once again it has been too long and so much to dish about!

Since it is “Summer in Saratoga” and it is the “Summer Place to Be.”  Many of the events we were invited to be a part of were all around my own Fabulous stomping ground.  As many of you may or may not know.  It is a tradition to wear a fabulous hat to the Saratoga Flat Track.  So we were invited by couture retailer “Fancy Schmancy” and photographer Kermit Hayes to help photograph their fabulous custom made hats.  We shot 60 different hats on model Liz in a few short hours.  If you have never been to Fancy Schmancy, it is so worth a trip.  Every dress, hat, piece of jewelry, handbag, or pair of shoes are original, couture and there is nothing like it in Upstate NY !

www.fancyschmancycouture.com

Kermit Hayes for Fancy Schmancy

Next, former bride and Frank Adams Staff Member Laura Mullin invited us to help she and staff jeweler Betsey become Models for David Yurman Jewelry at the Saratoga Polo Club.  First off sweet Laura greeted Kyle and I with lunch from Putnam Market on Broadway in Saratoga. The staff at Frank Adams worked so closely together to make the event a success.  They are all like family and it was apparent how much they care about each other and their roles at Frank Adams

Next, I was invited by friend and colleague Denise Eliopolus, Owner of Something Blue Bridal to be her date to the Induction Ceremonies of Michael Jackson into the National Museum of Dance .   Well the best part, other than meeting brother Marlin Jackson, Sipping on Moet while watching dancers from Step Up 3 and Dancing with the Stars, was getting to go shopping at Something Bleu for the perfect dress just minutes before stepping out to the event. Photos of this event can be seen at Imagine Portrait Studio’s website at the following link.

http://imagineportraitstudio.photobiz.com/cart/event_welcome.cfm

Ok so we had to have a little fun in Albany too,  The New York Players invited Alayne to help out with the new promotional photos of the band, atop of Dale Miller Restaurant with photographers, Joe and JP of Joe Elario Photography.  Always a fab time when you have that many musicians in one skyline.

I also worked on bringing some great new products to the boutique.

My obsession with growing my own lashes and doing it in a natural way , brought LASHEM to MMF.

Lashem is paraben and prostaglandin free

Lashem is one of the most natural eyelash growth products. It is specially formulated with a patented technology that does not require any preservation chemical and still have a longer shelf life. They are very effective to use and can show results in only two weeks unlike other eyelash growth products. The natural ingredients used in its manufacturing such as Goji berries, cranberry, green tea and grape seed fruit extracts cause no irritation on the area of application.

Products that contain prostaglandin can cause a change in the eye color of the user and is some cases, can also affect the eyesight. It becomes inevitable for women to carefully check the ingredients of the eyelash growth product before applying them. Lashem products are free from prostaglandin and do not pose any risk to the eye color or the vision of the user. Those who use contact lenses can also safely use lashem because they are ophthalmologist-tested to be non-irritating. Even if women use eyelash extensions, they can apply Lashem products without any risk of irritation or eyelash hair falling out. 3 month size  is $85.00

You can safely grow longer eyelashes with Lashem.

Well, its been another amazing month!  Wow, where did April go.  I actually had to refuse any new projects for a couple weeks because I haven’ t had a day off in over a month!!

Another fabulous article came out by www.sosara.com  Apparently we held on to our Hot 100 status in the issues of Beauty Entertainment and Salon City trade magazines for April!

Here is the article and the actual link to it!!

http://sosara.com/2010/04/30/ballston-spa-salon-named-1-of-hot-100/

Ballston Spa salon named 1 of Hot 100

BALLSTON SPA (April 30) — Hollywood … Manhattan … Las Vegas … Ballston Spa?

All of them are home to one of the nation’s Hot 100 salons, according to Salon City and Beauty Entertainment magazines. In Ballston Spa, it’s Make Me Fabulous — ranked 77th.

Make Me Fabulous was already well known to brides up and down I-87. While the salon does all of the usual beauty services — cuts, color, hair extensions, makeup, manicures, pedicures, airbrush tans and so on — it has become a star in preparing bridal parties on the big day.

“We do over 200 weddings a year, so we really have a little niche in that area,” salon owner Alayne Curtiss said. “That’s where we stand out.” 

Make Me Fabulous owner Alayne Curtiss’ salon has been named 1 of the nation’s Hot 100 by Beauty Entertainment magazine.

The salon has a team of 17, and it travels for onsite hair and makeup preparation.

“We’re all over the Capital District,” Curtiss said. “We’ve done weddings in Long Island, Plattsburgh, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont.”

Curtiss said this is because women from throughout the Northeast visit the area to be in bridal parties.

“The Adirondack area is really starting to become a destination wedding site for New York City brides,” she said. “People in that bridal party will go home and remember us and tell their friends.”

The downstate brides are willing to pay travel expenses for the Make Me Fabulous team — including a night in a hotel. Even with the travel expenses, Make Me Fabulous is competitive with the city’s salons.

The Capital Region’s cost of living is 1 of the reasons 3 area salons made the Hot 100, said Marri Aviza, owner of 73rd-ranked Rumors Salon and Spa in Latham. Brooklyn Attitude in Saratoga Springs is 83rd on the list.

“We can remain reasonable without sacrifices,” said Aviza, who added it’s easier to shine in the Albany area than have to battle for attention in the highly competitive New York City market. “It’s a great place to live and run a business.”

But being so close to Manhattan allows stylists to easily head to the city for trade shows and advanced training.

“It isn’t hard to go there and learn about the latest styles and trends,” Curtiss said.

Curtiss has been learning about styles and trends since she was young. As a kid, she was the one at slumber parties who would do all of the other girls’ hair and makeup. After getting her bachelor’s degree in marketing, she came home to help her mother with the family restaurant.

But after the restaurant was sold, Curtiss followed her passion — entering the beauty business. She ended up spending 14 years with Clinique. She had to return to college to become a licensed esthetician.

Once again, she came back to Ballston Spa, this time to start her own business. Since then, she has not only thrilled brides but has done work for national magazines and advertisements, guests on the Rachael Ray show and Larry King Live and the on-air personnel at Channel 13.

“I always loved doing this,” she said. “I just never dreamed I could make a career of it.”

For more information:

• Make Me Fabulous, 102 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, 885.2929
• April’s Hot 100 salons
• Rumors Spa and Salon, 594 New Loudon Road, Latham, 786.1777
• Brooklyn Attitude Hair and Body, 135 Ballston Avenue, Saratoga Springs, 580.0016

For commercial projects I had the opportunity to be involved in the 2010 American Cancer Society Gala. This year’s  award ceremony, fundraiser  and video presentation were held at the Hall of Springs  in late April. 

Without being involved in this project I would have never known the  amount of support E. Stewart Jones has given to the cancer community.  This man and his family had gone through a  long painful struggle losing wife and Mother, Penny,  to ovarian cancer and E. Stewart has made it his mission to support those suffering in our community with cancer.  There was not a dry eye in the room as we taped Mr. Jones telling his story and reaffirming his commitment to stop this disease and those who suffer from it! 

I also traveled to Newburgh, NY to film an entire 3 year marketing campaign for Walden Savings Bank that included Print and  Video shots between multiple locations around Poughkeepsie, Newburgh and Walden, NY.

In addition, Suzan, Erin  and I shot some additional video spots for the NFIB, Pre-Approval opposition,  Excelsior College, Broadway Auto Clinic and Long Energy.  Pamela and I also traveled to Boston for advanced airbrush tanning training.

Also,  been doing some intense beauty testing with photographer Kermit Hayes!  OMG,  I cannot wait for you to see these.  It may be a bit because Kermit is a perfectionist with the camera and the mouse!

I was also asked to be a founding member in two new exclusive wedding associations.  One of which I was also asked to be a board member! They are SWEP-NY - Society of Wedding and Event Professionals and NYWB -New York Wedding Boutique.

We also began our wedding season with some really fabulous weddings:

The first was Kelly Harrigan, Kelly was photographed by Hayden Yund   Hayden is the daughter of one of my makeup mentors.  I took my first makeup class from her mom who is now a successful commercial stylist and her father is a long time photographer, writer and editor for the Times Union.  What a lovely woman, mother and photographer Hayden has become!

Photo by Hayden Yund Photography

Also, A wedding I’ve waited for since last year.  Danielle Brock, photographed by Matt Ramos. You may remember the wedding of Ashley Papa, last November also photographed by Matt.  Well Danielle and Ashley are great friends and I got to see them BOTH again! Oh and did I mention that Danielle’s images are so gorgeous her wedding has been chosen to be featured in the New York Post.

Matt Ramos Photography

Also the wedding of Kathleen and Chris, photographed by Alisha Clark of Clark+ Walker Studio. Kathleen’s kitty never left her side the entire morning as we prepped for the big day!   

Clark + Walker Studio

Clark+ Walker Studio

Just love my new pink brushes, that MMF bridal coordinator, Jessica gave me for Christmas! 

Our girls also had a great time  at the Glen Sanders Mansion.  The team did a fabulous job.  It was a  first with us, for our new MMF girl Kyle.  Kyle has so much experience. She has worked for MAC and Clinique in the past and loves working with our brides.  JP of Joe Elario Photography  loved Kyle’s work and that of our ever fabulous Erin as well.

Joe Elario Photography

I grabbbed this photo too, because I loved this pink bouquet by the newly wed Kris Ann Elario of Fleurtacious 

Joe Elario Photography

Ok so in the midst of all this…my baby,  Haley,  qualified for a state pageant at the end of May, so we had to have a photshoot for new headshots and get this… I’m already booked on weddings that weekend so I had to hire a pageant coach and hair and makeup person to take my place.   I am hoping to make it in time to see her crowning!! 

Dan Doyle Photography

Dan Doyle Photography

Dan Doyle Photography