1000 Pillows

John and I got married in Chicago on November 28, 2009. It was fantastic! The weather was sunny and in the 50’s. I could not have asked for a better day! My grandmother made it to the wedding and that was the best gift that I could have asked for. She is currently in the hospital and fighting an infection, but we are hoping for the best!

Thank you for all of your well wishes! I will continue the love story and pillow making on this blog because many of you have asked me to do so.

However, 50 percent of all money made from any pillow I sell will be donated to the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation in the name of my brother, Americo Palladino who passed away almost five years ago because of this disease. The goal is to raise $2900 because he died at the age of 29. My hope is that some day they find a cure!

So please join me as I update the love story and create a new pillow weekly for a greater cause!

Much love,

Frances

To all of you who have supported this blog, I wanted to let you know that John and I have decided not to wait any longer or do a super expensive wedding. My grandmother’s health is fading and I really want her to be a part of our day so we decided to get Married over the Thanksgiving Holiday in Chicago. We are going to have a small ceremony of just close family and friends and a dinner party.

Many of you have written to me to ask that I continue the love story so I will. I have a lot of planning to do in the next few weeks so I will not update the love story until after the wedding.

1000pillows will take a new turn starting December. It will be the story of our love and I can’t wait to continue telling it.

Love,
Frances & John

I recently discovered a fabulous place called Melange Apothecary in Sherman Oaks a few weekends ago with John. We walked in and I immediately fell in love with the intimate fragrance that invites you into the the shop.
John and I spent an hour customizing a perfect blend of eau de parfum made with hints of chocolate and fig. The owner blended my choices and guided John through the process of what additional scents she could add to make the perfume tantalizing to his senses. I loved discovering what peeked John’s interest.

I highly recommend spending some time with the man in your life in a place like Melange Apothecary to learn what scent makes you irresistible to him.

The convenient roll-on applicator delivers the perfect dose of fragrance and is great to carry in your purse or pocket. The budget friendly price of $18 for a scent that is customized to make your man go crazy for you, is well worth the price!

This pillow is no longer available for purchase.

Love Story continues…Life always seems to have its own plan for me. There is constantly a struggle when it comes to control. Some people know exactly what they are doing and when, while others get a clue along the way. I knew what I wanted to accomplish and what I needed to be responsible for in life, but it forever seems to have a bit of a different plan for Me! Instinct can only take one so far. I am learning that it is necessary to just let go.

Coming to Los Angeles may have been a test run for Boston. Boston would bring me relief or challenge my ability to accept some of the things that have happened in my life. To understand solace. Being alone, as I have mentioned before, was never needed or possible. I didn’t know how to be still, much less far from home. My Home… Alone…Quiet. I didn’t know what those words meant after so many years of being surrounded by people. Too many people. Too much of what everyone else always wanted but not enough time for me to decide what my favorite drink was or what Chicken Tika Masala was, or Pho, or real French Onion soup! Read more»

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My mom and nephew are in town for three weeks so I will be taking a break from making pillows while they are visiting. However, I am on the hunt for some good fabric deals so if you know of any please let me know.

One of John’s favorite deserts is Linzer Torte. I have never had it, but he says, “It is out of this world.”

I found this recipe for Linzer Torte on Joy of Baking and thought I would surprise him with it.

An idea for the wedding is to have your baker make your groom’s favorite desert and surprise him with it at the cake cutting. A delicious start to a sweet life together!

Another idea would be to print the groom’s surprise recipe desert and attach it to heart shaped measuring spoons like these from candles & such and send one home with each of your guests as wedding favors.

This pillow is no longer available for purchase…
This cotton fabric pillow is 16×16 in size and has a zipper for easy removal. The donation for the pillow is $25. Thank you for supporting our wedding dream!

The Love story continues… The hazard of sleeping in random places is waking up and not remembering where you are. I had slept in a half a dozen places in the last two weeks so when I woke up on Joel’s couch, it took me a moment to remember where I was. Teddy had ended up on the floor facing me with his cute little perma-smile. Joel and I had worked hard over the last few weeks and this was the first morning we were able to sleep in. Read more»

If you want to add the look of the finer things in life to your reception tables without breaking the bank, check out these lumiere candelholders from CB2
They are hand blown from breaker glass and range from $2.95-$4.95 each. Mix and match them to create a glass act mood.

Get ready to make a statement with these gorgeous Guess- Blue Patent, pointed-toe pumps. For $79.99 from heels.com you’ll not only strut down the isle, but all eyes will be on the four inch silver stiletto heel!

Here is another fun find for chocolate loving brides. If you haven’t noticed from reading this blog, I have a serious affection for sweets and when I found this recipe for chocolate marshmallow pillow cookies I could not resist and had to share! If you love S’mores here is a great alternative. No fire, no sticks, no mess. Round up your bridesmaids, a few good bottles of wine and bake the night away.

Wrap the chocolate marshmallow pillow cookies in any of these cute favor boxes and your wedding guests will leave with a wonderful taste in their mouths. Click here for the prize winning recipe.