Party Puff

2011-04-26T09:21:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to announce that my party "Once Upon A Midnight Dreary" won the 2011 Capital Award for Event Decor!

Whoo hoo!

The gala was a great event. The awards ceremony was held in Silver Spring, MD in a refurbished art deco theater. Thanks to everyone for their support!

2011 ISES Capital Awards Nomination!

2011-04-08T08:16:00.000-04:00

I'm excited to announce that I've been nominated for a 2011 Capital Award in the category of Event Decor! I submitted my Edgar Allan Poe party, "Once Upon A Midnight Dreary" from last October (you may remember my Poe tomb tutorials).

Last night they threw the nominees a lovely reception at the Bolger Center in Potomac, MD.
Awards will be announced this Sunday at the annual Gala.

Free Collage App

2011-03-21T10:20:00.001-04:00

In my blog searching this weekend I stumbled upon a free app from Shape Collage that takes your photos and arranges them into a collage. Not only is it free, but it is SUPER easy to use! I made this heart in about 90 seconds.

I then turned the same photos into

If you don't want the freebie watermark, and also want to be able to reposition the photos using your Photoshop, the full personal version is $25 and the commercial version is only $45.

And finally I got wild and crazy and imported my own PNG shape of a pomeranian silhouette
Have fun!

A day in the life of...me!

2011-03-19T12:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wonder where all of my time goes. The weeks seem to fly by and I don't seem to have much to show for them sometimes. So today I'm going to show you one of my weekly tasks, which is to groom the dogs. My girls aren't super high maintenance, but they do start looking shabby after awhile. I clip their nails weekly and usually give a little brush. However every other week they need to be deep brushed and trimmed. For Minnie this isn't too bad, but for Coco it takes a good chunk of time to get all the way down to the bottom of her coat.

Here she is before:

Not bad, but getting rough around the edges. And under her top coat it is getting thick and matted.
Here's her archnemisis, the Furminator...

It doesn't look very imposing, but with those tiny teeth it rakes down to the very bottom of her double coat and pulls all sorts of hair out.

Needless to say, she doesn't think it's great at all. She's a-ok with being matted and dirty.

After an hour of brushing and trimming, here's what's come out.

Now she's a looker ready for her time in the spotlight!

Doesn't she look like she knows she looks great?

So there's where a couple hours of my day each weekend go. I think it's worth the investment. :)

And not to leave anyone out, here's Minnie after her trim.

Blogging Your Way Class Time

2011-03-02T13:14:00.005-05:00

So the second class I'm taking is called Blogging Your Way, taught by Holly Becker, the woman behind Decor8.

We just started on Monday and already I've met so many other bloggers from around the globe and have been really inspired by the assignments. Now I just have to keep up, it's a very ambitious course outline!

Class time!

2011-02-28T00:45:00.003-05:00

Last year at this time I started to blog and use my DSLR so this year I'm taking some classses to become more proficient in my posting.

I just finished my first class, Photoshop 101. I still need lots of practice, but now am much more comfortable with the program and making corrections to my photos. It's the basics that I will use most often, but I'm also familiar with how to use actions and brushes. So now I can make this:

Look like this!

Leashes, pole and road sign have been removed.

And collages too...

Have a great week!

New toy!

2011-02-27T13:27:00.000-05:00

After my Photoshop 101 class I really felt the need for a tablet to ease my work flow. So I did some research, hunted around online and finally found this baby on ebay. It's a Wacom intuos 4.

She rocks! So excited to be using a pen/stylus instead of the mouse. Helps my wrist a bit too.

New find: your cupcakes can be the most original on earth!

2011-02-03T03:53:00.001-05:00

I know how popular cupcakes are these days, but how many of us actually have the time to customize them for every party? I like the printables that stick in the top, but after a couple of those it's time to change things up. So look at these!

Cupcake wrappers and design ideas from Roundabouts!

Here's how they work:
1. Make the cupcake

2. Put on the wrapper

3. Decorate the top!

Easy as, well, cupcakes!

New find: keep your florals forever

2011-02-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

While at The Special Event, design maven Sasha Souza presented her favorite things for weddings. One I just loved and which would be great for anyone who receives a gift of special flowers are Bloombeads.

These are custom beads and jewelry pieces made from your flowers.

• Bracelets • Charm bracelets • Charms, including Pandora style
• Necklaces & pendants • Earrings • Rosaries • Rings
• Keyrings & mens’ accessories

All jewelry is handmade with solid sterling silver findings. Air-dried flowers can be used so it’s never too late!

I can think of many times when a special bouquet, corsage, or arrangement is a memento I would want to keep. Anniversary flowers, baby shower cake topper flowers, a prom corsage, so many moments are highlighted with floral accents. Since the stones are made from your actual flowers, they reflect the same color and vibrancy of the original petals.

TSE Update

2011-01-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

The Special Event is over halfway through and I've seen some great speakers and events. Here's a peek:

Simon T. Bailey and Marley Majcher

Wedding Luncheon

I'm off to another day now starting off with Michael Cerbelli's Hot Event Ideas 2011!

TSE 2011

2011-01-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

Super excited for The Special Event 2011 this week! I should have lots of exciting ideas and photos to post from Phoenix.

In the meantime, here are some ways I've been playing with my Silhouette.

In the kitchen for my trash and recyle bins

In the living room to change up the fireplace and also add some Valentine spirit

I even worked some magic into my office, but will have to upload those photos.

Fairyland

2011-01-10T19:58:00.000-05:00

My first tooth fairy was such a success I had to make a sister. Again this is from mmmcrafts blog.

The tooth body is white fleece. Skirts are wired ribbon.

I love weekends when I can be productive and turn out some fun and quick projects!

Tooth Fairy Pillow

2011-01-08T13:19:00.000-05:00

The cold weather has brought out my domestic skills. I found this cute tute on mmmcrafts and gave it a whirl.

Voila! The Tooth Fairy has landed.

Last blog of 2010

2010-12-31T17:37:00.002-05:00

I had a super time away for Christmas and now it's the end of 2010! Have a happy and safe celebration. See you in 2011!

And the choice is?

2010-12-09T07:44:00.003-05:00

Yay, I went with...

One project done!

Now to choose and install the window treatments...

Bedroom selections

2010-12-07T19:44:00.000-05:00

Once home with all of my finds I put them all out for comparison.
First I put them all out together.

But that didn't give me the overall look (although the helper is cute).

So I laid them out individually photographed each one and then compared.
The first shows a duvet and lavender throw both from Overstock.com. One panel is from Z Gallerie and the other is from West Elm.

The second has 3 lavender and silver pillows from Overstock.com (labeled Z Gallerie!), a small throw pillow from Overstock, the duvet is from Z Gallerie, and the animal print throw is from Target.

The third duvet (silver) I didn't pull all the way out. It was the least favorite of the three, and it clashed with the drapery panels so I knocked it out of contention.

Which one do you prefer?

Finished product to come!

Bedroom re-do

2010-12-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

Time flies and we're already into the 2nd week of December! I've had big plans for crafting and decorating and yet haven't posted anything. Unfortunately I have several projects that have been started and then abandoned. My clay wall decoration? Scratched. My felt and sequin ornaments? Nope. Sweater vases? Zilch. Ugh. I was feeling so discouraged. Each project just wasn't working. So much for the Martha in me!

So with the encouragement of Black Friday sales I picked up my ongoing project of redecorating the guest bedroom. I picked up 3 duvet sets, two types of drapery panels and assorted pillows and throws. Why so many you ask? Well I wasn't sure which would work in the room. The walls are painted taupe, trim is white, and my latest addition, a zebra rug is cream and grey.

I just love the rug. It was from Overstock.com. I'm not sure how it will survive my precious pooches, but I couldn't say no, it was too fun.

Next step? Trying it all out!

Grosgrain: ANOTHER SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-11-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

Grosgrain: ANOTHER SILHOUETTE MACHINE GIVEAWAY!!!!

Lots of Silhouette love this week!

2010-11-23T12:24:00.000-05:00

There are a number of Silhouette cutter giveaways this week in blogland. Check out these links to try and win one for yourself! If you don't win, they're also doing a Cyber Monday deal.

Thrifty Decor Chick
Infarrantly Creative
HowDoesShe
Make it and Love it
Tatertots and Jello

Thrifty Decor Chick: Silhouette Craft Cutter Giveaway!

2010-11-23T12:11:00.000-05:00

Thrifty Decor Chick: Silhouette Craft Cutter Giveaway!

Back in Business

2010-11-17T21:14:00.000-05:00

You haven't heard from me lately. I've had all of these big thoughts on crafts and activites for Thanksgiving and Christmas and have been planning all of the things I can blog about. However I've seemingly been thwarted at every turn. I've bought clay, felt, sequins and fur and each one led to disappointment. The last straw was my Silhouette when I broke the plastic cutter. Ugh.

So deep breath. And another. And... ahhhh ok, much better now.

And then happiness! My replacement part for the Silhouette came today. So hopefully I'll be back with some crafts before you know it. The silhouette is whirring away as I type!

Lost in a daze

2010-11-09T13:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, my Halloween coma lasted over a week! Everything is finally put away now so I'm feeling better about that. It's a daunting task to wrap and pack all of the usual holiday goodies and then to find space for the new goodies that were aquired.

Now my basement storage area looks like this:

As you can see I'm fond of Sterilite containers.

How about yours? How do you store your out of season items and how much space do you allocate before you have to start purging?

Happy Halloween weekend!

2010-10-29T12:27:00.000-04:00

Halloween is almost here, are your party plans ready to go? I still have a to-do list but things are slowly getting checked off.

I wanted to draw your attention to this great dessert idea from The marshmallow studio. They will make custom marshmallow treats for any occasion from their San Diego shop. The puffy pieces are priced from $12 per doz and will ship.

See you on Monday!

Tombstone tutorial: Part 4

2010-10-25T17:59:00.002-04:00

So if you've been following this tutorial and are still with me, Congratulations! Thanks for hanging in there. Last time we finally saw a real monument coming together and it is now caulked and sanded and primed. Now we're ready to foam coat!

The foam coat is tricky and time consuming. You can only mix a small amount at a time or else it will harden before you can get it on. I used Hot Wire Foam Factory's Foam Coat plus Bounce on all of the soft foam pieces like the top trim. I used Foam Coat by itself for the middle and Foam Coat plus Boost for the bottom and top. It took me one entire day from top to bottom.

Once that was over it was on to paint! Fortunately this was the fast and fun part. The first layer I used was stucco paint in a matte finish from Home Depot. It came white and I didn't change anything. This paint was thick and easy to apply.

Pretty and white:

Next I added marbling around the whole monument. For inspiration take a photo of real marble and see how the lines run and change. There are many marbling techniques shown online as well. Remember that this is a prop, not a piece in your home, so you want it to be on the "overdone" side so it will stand out.

Then I started aging and weathering it by adding "water stains", "dirt" and so on. I used multiple shades of grey and a hint of black for these. Since this was an actual tombstone I mainly followed the photos I had. However if you are going from your imagination, visualize how this piece would stand out in the rain, collecting airborne particles and being exposed to the elements. Nooks and crannies will either get a lot of deposits, or few, depending on where they are located.

Make sure you are consistent and it will turn out well.

This will be mainly seen at night, so make sure you over emphasize the weathering so it will show up under event lighting.

Next I tackled the verdigris on the bronze. I used several shades of turquoise craft acrylic paint. I wanted it to show up, but not be overboard. On the original it runs down onto the marble, so I copied that as well.

For my final step I used Thompsons Water Sealer over the whole thing.

And finally, we're done!!!

Thanks for walking through this project with me. Even if you don't build this one I hope it gives you ideas for something else with these techniques.

Let me know what you try!

Entertain Exchange contest

2010-10-25T07:19:00.001-04:00

Have you entered your Halloween party or costume yet?
I did!

PW's cinnamon rolls

2010-10-24T20:59:00.000-04:00

I love my bloggy friends! Just tried Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls and Wow! They're easy and delicious. I tell you that woman can do anything. And she does it with photos for every step! Totally my speed.

Get all of the details here.

Tombstone tutorial: Part 3

2010-10-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

So finally the weather cleared and I was able to get outside and make some cuts.

As you can faintly see in the photo below, I marked each board with the lines for all of the pieces.

I used my radial saw to make all of the major 'board' cuts and although you can't see it (I didn't think to photograph the underside and the dust while cutting was too intense to bring the camera out), I mitered both edges at a 45degree angle so that each side would meet at the corners. Make sure you have a dust mask and goggles. These are key for all of the cutting and sanding. I sanded after every cut so that the edges were always nice and clean. I used my electric sander which made the process go quickly.

I used regular molding from the home improvement store for the straight pieces of molding. The ends have all been mitered to match the 45 degree of the board.

The round rosettes were purchased online, they are 2.5" diameter. I glued everything on with liquid nails and/or HWFF Foam glue. The foam glue is not as thick and dries slightly faster, which I ended up preferring.

I cut the square middle pieces from 1/2" pink foam and glued them on. One piece gets a round hole, three do not.

So up until this point I was motoring along and pleased with myself for all the progress. However the true test was coming...the curved top trim.

Originally I thought I could make this with my hot wire tool and I started with good result.

However when I started the curved piece it all fell apart. I couldn't get a jig together that would hold the tool at the right angle and curve it at the same time. I tried and tried (for way too many hours I tried, and thought, and ate some chocolate, and tried again). No, this was just not going to work. So while not exactly the right profile I came up with this.

I used 2 sizes of pipe insulation from the home improvement store. The ends are mitered at 45 degrees to match the sides of the board and the middles are at 35 degrees or so. I glued the ends on first and let them set up. Once firm and dry I added the curved middles. I was pleased with this and so went to the next step, adding small diameter window and door insulation in between the "steps" so that it would look more like real trim with the little peaks and valleys. The styles I used are below. The best part about these are that they come with adhesive built in. Just peel of the tape and you're ready to apply.

Next I cut craft foam sheets into 2" strips, mitered the outside edges to 45 degrees and glued them to the top of the pipe foam to create the "roof" of the trim

Then I added a large trim piece to the bottom and again mitered the ends. Now, for you observant folks, you will notice that some of the square pieces in the middle are solid, and others show a round recess. This is because the Poe stone has one side that has a bronze relief and the others do not. I didn't keep tabs on which piece was in front while I photographed.

This photo includes a really cute model to distract from the fact that I neglected to take photos of several stages.

One: I glued the four board components together and let them dry. I think you can figure how how that works so that's not a big deal. I used blue painters tape to hold them in place. This works well on the foam provided you stick it down really well and it's not too humid.

Two: I made simple rectangular boards and mounted them to the bottom. Again, fairly straightforward.

Three: I made the pyramid top and glued it on. Sounds so easy, right? NOT. Although it was fun to use my geometry skills for once in 20 years.

To figure out the dimensions of the four triangle shaped sides I first decided that the pyramid should be 6" high.

So for the first formula, you have to imagine a cross section of the pyramid. Take a straight line from the tippy top of the pyramid down to an imaginary table it is sitting on. Then continue that line to the middle of one of the sides. If you continue the line up the sloped side back to the top, you've created a right triangle. The height of the right triangle is 6", and the base is 12" (each side is 24", so half of that, to the middle, is 12"). From there you use your formula to get the hypotenuse of the triangle. a2 + b2 = c2 (those 2s are supposed to read as "squared"). Thus you get 6 squared (36) + 12 squared (144) = 180 whose square root is 13.41. So when you go to cut your triangle pieces, they should be 13.41" tall, and 24" wide at the base. I just drew them out and connected the dots to complete the triangle. Although you could again use your formula if you love it so!!

I cut the four triangles out of 1/2" foam and then mitered all three edges of each triangle so that they would match up flush when glued together. Now in reality they weren't exact, (well, at least my reality. Maybe you're a better carpenter- it wouldn't be hard) but I evened everything out in the end with some sanding and joint compound.

So that was a lot. Are you still with me? Only one more post to go...

Tombstone tutorial: Part 2

2010-10-21T13:38:00.000-04:00

We're using more Model Magic clay today to sculpt Poe's face. There are many techniques you could substitute for this, but here's what I did and learned.

So first let me say, I am not a sculptor. These are not professional techniques. However I needed a passable representation of the bronze bas relief on the Poe tombstone and so I jumped right in!. I started with a plain mask to give me the right proportion of eyes, nose, and mouth. It was much too tall/deep, so I trimmed it with scissors. Still was too tall, but I didn't have anything else, so I forged ahead. I built up his facial features, made some eyes and lips, and then added hair. So far so good. Model magic takes a while to air dry so I let it sit for several days.

Then I rolled out a fairly thin model magic sheet and covered a piece of foam core for the background. I used regular baking tools like a pastry roller for this. I then let it dry for another couple of days.

UH OH.

It cracked. And cracked. And cracked some more.

Model Magic shrinks when it dries. So by placing it on the mask and board which don't shrink, the clay had to crack. Ugh.

I covered up all of the cracks with wood filler, however this did not solve the problem, there was still more cracking. Totally feeling failure now.

So I took my HWFF Bounce and Foam Coat and brushed it on all over the clay.

And at last!! it worked. The cracking stopped and the foam coat covered up all of the lines. Whoo hoo!

So life went on and I added the dates (clock number with adhesive backs) and started to paint.

I started with a combination of gold and copper metallic acrylic paint. Then added bronze and black metallic. It doesn't show up well in these photos, but there are different colors in the crevices and highlights.

It was done for now. I'll wait until I mount it to the tombstone to add the verdigris as shown below...

See you in Part 3!

Tombstone tutorial: Part 1

2010-10-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

So here's your how-to on tombstones! Of course yours doesn't need to be this complex. Usually people start with something well, smaller and less complicated. But not here, I'm very goal oriented and just HAD to make the real thing. If you're not as crazy, you can use these steps to create any size and style of tombstone you'd like. We have many old cemeteries in the area so I often go and take inspiration from those. If you don't have one handy, there are many great photos on Google images.

So, I started off with several good quality photos of the real thing I found online.

I made a quick sketch of the tombstone right on my pieces of 2" pink insulation foam. This type of foam is sold at home improvement stores and comes in long sheets. It doesn't break apart into pellets like white styrofoam does and is much more dense. Pink foam comes in 2 foot widths, so I made the main structure 2' wide and then just eyeballed the proportions of everything else.

Once I had the dimensions pencilled in, I started on the small items. Mostly because it was raining outside so I couldn't cut my big pieces of foam and I needed projectss I could do indoors. My first task was the harp. I sketched out the design on 1/2" pink foam and cut it out with my hot wire saw. Of course I did this in front of the open door so that the fumes didn't kill me.

Then I sanded. A LOT. And some more after that. Finally I ended up with nice round edges and a pleasing shape.

For the leaves I used model magic from the craft store. It is very light and stays plyable when dry. I rolled it out with a rolling pin and used leaf shaped cookie cutters to cut out the leaf shapes. I rounded all of the edges with my fingers and let them dry in different positions. I also made the stems by rolling little snakes.

These took several days to dry completely.

I put those aside and went to work on the acanthus leaves on the upper corners of the tombstone. I did these exactly like the harps.

First I sketched them on the foam, then cut them with the hot wire, and finally kept sanding until I thought my hands would fall off. I used several types of block sanders and half round metal files. Remember, I did the full, 3-d tombstone, so there are FOUR sides, thus 8 are needed.

And here they are all nice and polished.

Finally the leaves were dry, so I added those to the harps with liquid nails.

Phew, that was a lot of work.

Next time we'll work with some more model magic and sculpt the Poe bas-relief.
I'm also looking forward to part 3, actual construction and power tools!! See you next time.

Once Upon A Midnight Dreary

2010-10-18T07:25:00.043-04:00

Edgar Allan Poe is a great theme for a party. He wrote so many poems and short stories that you can make it very literary, very creepy or somewhere in between depending on your audience. For this corporate reception I aimed to capture a spooky feeling in the middle.

The centerpiece was a re-creation of the Poe tombstone and cemetery in Baltimore, MD.

Several vignettes brought scenes from his works to life, like this one from "Murder at the Rue Morgue."

Life size text from "The Raven" along with a mysteriously floating quill.

Aged books and candles decorated the cocktail tables.

The butler greeted guests along with his pet raven.

I always like to provide informational props for guests who may not be well versed in a particular theme. This road sign reproduction gave a lot of information about Poe in a party friendly way.

Framed graphics with illustrated titles of his works also illuminated the connection between the props and theme.

The purpose of the themes and props are to provide conversation starters for attendee networking and recognition for the sponsor.

I think these goals are important for all events, whether corporate or personal. Facilitating guest interaction keeps the party going and encourages attendees to stay longer and feel connected, even if they are attending solo.

Even though it was a "dreary" event the attendees had a great evening with Poe.

Creepy crawlies

2010-10-13T10:08:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick and easy mantle or buffet decoration. A jar full of spiders!

Materials needed:

Spiders in various sizes
Clear vase or jar
White cloth or batting
Spider webbing

Step 1
Clean your jar. I always plunge right in and then regret it when I'm through and can see fingerprints or dust on the inside.

Step 2
Roll up your cloth or batting until it is within 2" of the diam of your vessel. This is your form.

Step 3
Pull off some spider webbing and loosen it up. Start adding spiders to the form and lightly string the webbing over it to hold everything in. Once the outside layer is full, carefully slide it into your jar.

Step 4
Add more spiders to the top and sides as if they have pushed aside the lid and are crawling out.

Quick, easy and Eeew!

Bones them bones, them...thigh bones

2010-10-12T08:13:00.048-04:00

I've found several ideas to try in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living. My favorite thus far is from page 148, "Skeleton Crew". I tried it out and here's my tale.

I wanted large bones so I rolled up newspaper into 2" diameter rolls and taped them closed with masking tape. I made mine between 16" and 20" long. Make sure these are thick and sturdy so they won't crumble under the watery plaster cloth.

Then I took 3 pages of an ad insert, the booklet kind, and scrunched them into barbell or bowtie shapes. Use the fold as your center line and crumple the paper on both sides into balls.

Take a long piece of masking tape and tape the "barbell" down the middle to the end of your roll.

Do this for both ends.

Now comes the gooey part.

Make sure your table is covered in newspaper or plastic and that you have removed all of your jewelry. I skipped this step and had to thoroughly scrub my table and clean my rings. It gets into every crack and crevice.

Then unroll your plaster cloth and cut into varying sizes. The longer they are, the easier, is what I found. I cut mine into 16" and 5" pieces. You'll want to make most of your cuts before you start wetting as your fingers are soon too gooey to pick up the scissors.

Following the manufacturers instructions, dip the cloth into warm water. Martha says to add tea for a stained effect, but I admit, I forgot and didn't do this. Will try it next time.

One helpful tip is to keep working the fabric in the water/tea until it gets a little gooey. It will adhere better and also dry with fewer holes.

Cover all of the newspaper and add layers to anything you want more definition.

Let dry in a warm place and voila! Giant bones ready to add to your favorite haunt.

I got my plaster cloth from Michaels, it is called Rigid Wrap. They had two sizes and the larger was easier to cover large surfaces. I used one large size for three bones and two small sizes for the same. This cloth is great, I'd like to use it for other crafting projects.

Let me know how it works for you!

Happy find

2010-10-10T17:20:00.001-04:00

Sometimes things just already exist that are perfect for an event or theme. I found the perfect butler for my Poe party and am thrilled. He has a raven on his shoulder and says things about "nevermore".

Even though he wasn't in my original plan, I think he'll add a lot! So when you see them, grab them. A little extra spend, but absolutely NO DIY! Sometimes that in itself makes me happy.

Crystal Ball

2010-10-07T08:31:00.001-04:00

I need a light up crystal ball for my upcoming party. However after looking online and seeing the prices (yikes, that's scary!) I decided to make my own.

I had the following already on hand...

1 purple glass ball (originally from IKEA)
1 pumpkin light (1/2 off after Halloween last year)
Black electrical tape

Starting at the outside of the base just wind the electrical tape around the light. Keep winding until you get up to the clear plastic. All of the orange should be covered. Then place the ball on top of the light (this is the tricky part) and keep winding until the ball feels secure. My ball had a flat base, so this is pretty easy.

And here it is, one light-up crystal ball. Fortunes anyone? Hmmm, I see saving and craftiness in your future...

Make your faux candles creepy

2010-10-05T07:13:00.000-04:00

I love my battery operated candles in Autumn. They're stationed around my house and automatically turn on and off every night. I just got a new box at Costco (4 for $20). Unfortunately when you get them they don't look very authentic. Sterile comes to mind actually.

But we can fix this! Grab a heat gun,

and start melting away.

Keep melting until you achieve your desired look. You will get run off down the sides, so put some wax paper underneath for easier clean up. The wax will also melt and run down the inside of the candle. I let it build up and then carefully pour it out onto the sides of another candle. Remember the wax will be hot.

Now isn't that better! Much more believable.

Happy decorating!

Linky Party with Eighteen25

2010-10-04T10:52:00.000-04:00

Today I'm linking with Eighteen25 for their Halloween Linky Party!

Check out their site and see all of the other party members.

So relieved

2010-10-04T07:04:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, so relieved this weekend. I finally completed the major props for my Poe party. I'm apparently not very patient with myself when it comes to my projects that last more than a week or two. I did have a deadline though, so I guess it wasn't just my own pressure!

It feels great to finally get the kitchen table back. It has been covered in craft supplies and tools for the last month.

So here's the big reveal (although not in its "natural setting" yet)... The Poe Tombstone!

This is a replica of the real one in Baltimore, MD. It stands about 4.5' tall and is mostly made from pink insulation foam. The 'bronze' face is model magic.

So there it is! Stay tuned for the tutorial and the rest of the setup in future posts.

And the preparations continue

2010-10-01T10:04:00.002-04:00

The theme for my 2010 display is Edgar Allan Poe. I wanted to include vintage books in my display, however didn't have the budget or the resources for actual old, leather books. So I went to the used book store and as luck would have it, they were thinning their stock. So for the price of just one nice used Poe compendium, I got two big boxes of hardbound books they were going to toss!

However they were bright and shiny all taken care of in their dust jackets. So I ripped off the jackets and set about aging them in tea. I brewed a very large and strong batch of tea and let it cool. Then I immersed them each for a minute or two.

Then I took a scrub sponge and went up and down the spines to dull or remove the lettering.

Finally I put them out to dry.

2nd project done for my vignette! Stay tuned for more Dark Autumn ideas...

Dark Autumn preparations

2010-09-30T07:26:00.001-04:00

I love decorating for Halloween!! It's my favorite holiday of the year. So many themes to choose from and lots of imagination!

One thing I like to use in my decor are leaves. However black faux leaves are really expensive and they're fairly poor quality in terms of density/# of leaves on the garland.

This year I wanted to use them at the base of my decorations. I had this one from last year but needed several more.

So I went to my M's craft store and bought four of these all on sale at $9.99 ea. They're full and thick, however they're much too pretty and bright. I need moody and a little decayed.

Spray paint to the rescue, one can of black and voila! Dark and mysterious, just like I wanted.

The fabric leaves really soak up the paint, I used one can per two garlands. If you wanted a solid black they would need another coat. I liked the varigation showing through so left them as shown.

Before/After

These will show up soon in one of my vignettes. Only 31 days to Halloween!!

In the works

2010-09-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

Fall is here and that means it's time for new theme ideas and props. Here's a sneak peek on what I've been working on in the back yard...

Can't wait to show you the whole reveal next month!

Color themes

2010-09-01T07:10:00.001-04:00

Planning a party with a color theme makes selecting items much easier and really makes the decor and food "pop". While browsing through the new Lindt chocolate brochure I discovered that their beautiful truffles come in a variety of opulent colors. These higher-end treats would be a great item for a dessert table or favors by each plate if dessert isn't served. http://www.lindtusa.com/

Swamp shack tutorial

2010-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

A swamp shack is a great backdrop and focal point for multiple event areas including bar and game areas. My shack had to be shipped to the event site, so was created with transportation ease in mind. Here's the tutorial on how I made it.

The framework base was made from 1/2" PVC pipe I spray painted black. Painting was an extra step that is not 100% needed, but for this application I wanted to make sure that if they were visible through the cover materials they wouldn't stand out. PVC pipe is available from any home center, however I had to order several of the specialty fittings with 4 and 5 openings online. To increase stability, after this photo was taken I cut the verticals supporting the "building" in two and added horizontal cross pieces to the middle. I left the two verticals "as is" for the open porch area.

The roof was vacuformed plastic shingles from Sketch-Lite, a theater prop supplier. It comes white so I first painted it a dark brown and then went in with lighter brown, grey, yellow and green to highlight areas where natural weathering and growth would occur. The faux painting and aging should not be subtle, it needs to be heavy in order to show up under the darker specialty lighting of the event. The plastic can then be trimmed and cut to size with heavy scissors or a utility knife.

I attached the roof with wide hook and loop tape. This allowed for easy assembly onsite. The shack sign was carved from foam and also mounted with tape (look for my tutorial on foam signs). The sponsor, guest of honor's name, or other fun store name would all be appropriate to highlight here.

The same paint technique was also used on the shack door which was carved from pink foam and white styrofoam.

The door was created in two pieces for easier transport. Skewers were used to attach the top and bottom on site.

The porch posts were actually giant size pool noodles, painted and aged in the same color as the roof and door. They just slipped over the pvc (they come with a hole that runs up the middle).

The porch flooring was a simple roll up garden walkway that I stained and aged. I designed the pvc structure to fit the width of these planks.

The window was a carved piece of foam painted to match and then backed with metallic paper for the "glass".

Once on-site I assembled the pvc framework and then wrapped it in corrugated paper with a weathered wood print from Stumps prom & party supplier. I then attached the roof with hook and loop tape and attached the window and door with tape and fishing wire.

Palms, ferns and amaranthus sprouted from around the shack providing great texture and color to set off the structure. Finishing touches included a flickering lantern, wood buckets, plastic spiders, frogs, and geckos. Fishing poles with carved fish dangling from them leaned against the porch posts.

In front I added black wood rocking chairs where guests could sit, chalk boards which listed the prizes and how to play the treasure chest game, and finally shipping crates (made from foam) and real whiskey barrels for drinks and food.

Gambrel's back!?!?

2010-08-25T07:03:00.002-04:00

On my walk tonight I saw 3 high-end homes being constructed with gambrel roofs (a gambrel roof is shown in the example above). Is this look back in fashion? While not my favorite style it has an old barn/farmhouse style that has become popular in order to make 4,000+ sq ft homes look like they fit in an existing neighborhood. We've gone through a wave of craftsman style, now it appears builders are looking for something slightly different.

Is this a trend in your area as well?

Real Party: Bayou Bash

2010-08-24T08:56:00.000-04:00

Come on down to the bayou and prepare to party!

This Bayou Bash for 150 international guests was hosted at a Miami hotel. However as with most hotel ballrooms, it was bland and sterile. The goal was to create an atmosphere that would encourage attendees to interact and provide a format for conversation after sitting in sessions all day.

Planning this event presented some unique challenges. The room originally allocated was not big enough to accommodate the 150 guests. In order to capitalize on this "defect" I incorporated the hallway outside the room into the overall event space. It was staged to give the entrance definition. Guests were brought in through the swamp (complete with Florida wildlife, including flamingos and an alligator) which in turn transitioned to a shadowy dock area where the first bar was located. Then the party opened onto the beach with treasure chest and ship's mast in the ballroom space with entertainment and buffets.

Move-in was limited to 3 hours so many of the items were staged in an adjoining room and moved out at party time. All items were shipped to the site and assembled. Decor budget was under $1,000 for all three spaces.

I carved the welcome sign from pink insulation foam and painted it to match the theme. Look for my post on the how-to's.

Multiple types of palms and landscape plants were purchased from a local farm which was very cost effective. The blue and green lighting made the theme come to life and set the mood in each of the sections.

The stream with waterfall, bridge and resident alligator was a favorite conversation point for attendees. The next day they even named the alligator during one of the education sessions!
The faux grass and metallic paper stream were from Stumps.

Dock pilings were constructed in various sizes with corrugated wood-grain paper from Shindigz/Stumps and wrapped with rope. I used a hot glue gun to assemble all of these. Bars were wrapped with the same paper.

Faux flame tiki torches from Tiki Zone gave a lively touch to the bars.

Real whiskey barrels with natural patina coordinated with carved foam shipping crates. This also served as the station for the game to open the lock on the treasure chest.

A swamp shack was created from a base of PVC pipe, corrugated wood paper, molded plastic roof and carved foam. Tutorial to be posted separately. Additional elements were added to increase the charm, including rubber spiders, frogs, and geckos.

The hallway was lined with anchors and burlap bags which were used coffee bags stuffed with pillows.

Once in the ballroom the lighting transitioned from the cool and shadowy green and blue of the docks to warm orange and yellow.

The buffet centerpiece was a wood treasure chest overflowing with pearl necklaces, giant gems, "gold" coins, and jewelry.

Fishing nets, shells and flickering candles adorned the cocktail tables.

A wall mural of a beach with the setting sun over the ocean (Stumps) served as the backdrop for the live music. The second bar was backed by a giant mast made from PVC pipe, rope, a painted plastic bucket and fabric. One logo was projected onto the sail and I used an iron-on transfer sheet to customize the flag at the top of the mast with another logo.

Favors included custom imprinted gold chocolate coins from RockStar Promotions and gem rings.

Circus How-to's

2010-08-12T13:32:00.129-04:00

Creating the pieces to the Vintage Circus was laborious, but worth sweating all of the details for the final product. This theme can translate from a corporate event to a birthday party or even a fun wedding!
The first item I made was the ticket booth. A friend and I built this in about 5 hours including the trip for the lumber. Mine had to be shipped to the event site, so was made to completely break down into small sections and be screwed together. I drew up the simple plans on grid paper and estimated the dimensions by measuring things around the house that I thought would be the right size. For example the height of the counter is a little higher than my kitchen counters and the height of the bottom of the upper sign is just a little taller than I am.

Painting took much longer. Over two weekends I primed, basecoated and then striped. I used Kilz primer and then Valspar Signature Laura Ashley colors in Bleached Wheat LA208 and Violet Smoke W41005A.

Painting the logo sign took another weekend as it's humid here and the paint took a long time to cure before I could tape more stripes. The base of this sign is pink foam. I added silver and green acrylic paint from Michael's to add some pizzaz to the purple and antique white color scheme.

The lettering was done on the computer and then printed onto sticky vinyl by my local printer.

Lights were custom cut to fit the # of holes I had by Novelty Lights. They are G50 size and poked right through the holes I made. I taped the wires to the back with matching duct tape. For shipping they needed to be easily removed but you could secure yours more permanently if desired.

The theater section is made from pre-made velvet panels from Curtainworks. I made the striped fabric panels from a Waverly print I found at Denver Fabrics by hemming the bottom and making a simple rod pocket at the top. I didn't hem the sides as they didn't show behind the velvet.

The trims were from my local GStreet fabrics.

The wide purple striped background is a custom print designed by Mary Petitt and printed by my local large-format printer, C2. They finished it with a rod pocket at the top. Mary also designed the Pick-a-penny poster which was printed on sticky vinyl and then adhered to the background.

The HiStriker was painted a custom color combo and the face of the game was again designed by Mary Petitt in our colors and vintage lettering. I wrapped the handle of the maul in purple gaffer's tape to match. This game at 10' tall was a Jr version of the midway version. We also set it to the "easiest" setting so that more guests would win. However it was REALLY hard!!! Most female attendees and many of the males were not able to ring the bell.

The penny press was built for us with our custom die. We incorporated the circus theme and then added the event date and occasion. Many guests had never seen a penny press and some thought it was magic!

The flooring was roll vinyl in a bamboo print. It's meant to resemble hay that would be on the floor at a circus. It was padded and cushioned our feet and the histriker.

For safety in our small space I added rope and stanchion in purple velvet and brushed nickel. This prevented guests from accidentaly getting hit by a flying maul.

Vintage Circus

2010-08-10T13:45:00.006-04:00

No clowns here, but a whole lotta fun!
This vintage circus theme was classy and exciting all in one. I custom designed all of the elements to fit the event, using themed colors and styles, but you could replicate these ideas with existing rental pieces.

First: guests came to the Ticket Booth for their try at the "Pick-a-penny" game.

Picked pennies then went into the penny press where they were stamped with the event logo and date for permanent souvenirs.

Afterwards guests could try their hand at the custom themed HiStriker. Are you "Shaky" or a "Winner!"?

The theater held many secrets...

Attendants finished off the theme by dressing in coordinating outfits.

Construction details in blog to follow, but sources are:

Paint: Valspar Signature- Laura Ashley Bleached Wheat LA208 and Violet Smoke W41005A
Lights: NoveltyLights
Theater drapery: Purple velvet- Curtainworks
Stripe- DenverFabrics

On-site satchel

2010-08-05T13:49:00.002-04:00

You're on-site, time is ticking, people are scurrying and you're trying to do 5 things at once. What is your best companion? Your on-site box/bag/satchel filled with all of the utensils you need to complete your installation quickly.

I was given a fantastic new bag in Orlando by my destination management company, Kuoni, that had all of the essentials. The bag is from Swiss Army and is the perfect size to fit everything you need, but in a small enough package that can be easily worn and carried.

What's inside?

Kleenex
Binder clips (various sizes)
Wet ones
1st aid to go
Post-its
Pain reliever
Emery Board
Mints
12' tape measure
Rubber bands
Sharpie
Mechanical pencil
Pen

Mr 7 hands (this tool is fantastic and available at Target)
Lip balm
T-pins
Hand sanitizer

Do you have a fabulous way to stay organized on-site? Any favorite tools?

Office Makeover

2010-08-03T14:27:00.004-04:00

I recently gave my office (AKA crafty room) a makeover and am so pleased with the results! Now lest you think I got energized out of the blue, I was actually forced to re-arrange the room because of new hardwood flooring that was installed. Just removing everything was a daunting task!

Once the new floor was in, I couldn't just pile everything back in willy nilly. So I went on a massive IKEA run (well, more like 1 run a day for 3 days). The final result is: BILLY bookcases for my brochures, magazines and books, EXPEDIT storage units with doors and boxes, and ALEX drawer units. For future ease of moving and re-arranging I put casters under all of the pieces except for the Billy bookcases.

The drawer units are exactly what I'd been looking for. They are shallow and on slides so I can label them and sort my many tools and tidbits.

Once everything had a place I was pleased, but wasn't quite content. I needed to spruce the room up! Since this was such a small space I wanted to make the decor distinct from the rest of the house. The black IKEA cabinets started off my color scheme and then I found a black and white tablecloth I loved at HomeGoods. I made a valance for the window (and matching apron!) with the tablecloth fabric and made a cork board from a frame I had.

So now I'm energized to use my room again and can't wait to start a new project!

What are your secrets to staying organized in your workspace?

Metallic Paint

2010-07-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

After all of the brainstorming and painting for my work projects this spring/summer I'm getting in the mood to work on my own ideas for the house. One of my new obsessions is with mirrors and metallics. I'd love to bling out the guest room and make it super cozy and chic.

So I've been researching mirror furniture and some of my favorites are:

Zgallerie

Target

And then some metallic transformations:

1st dibs

So thus inspired, on the way home from the office yesterday I picked up two small jars of metallic paint in platinum and pearl from Modern Masters. Looking forward to some testing and then digging into a project!

Giveaway!

2010-07-28T14:45:00.000-04:00

Kate Landers Events has a new promo giveaway, these adorable toadstools!

New Find: Chalkboard paint in hot colors

2010-07-15T14:59:00.000-04:00

Such a long way from school days of basic black or green! Hudson Paint's chalkboard paint is available in 24 colors including Safety Orange and Genius Pink Genius. $25 per quart.

Creative ways to use this paint are as a photo backdrop like Good Housekeeping did in their Dec '09 issue. Guests could draw their own message or picture and then be photographed in front of it in lieu of a guest book.

Another option is to paint your serving pieces with menu details as shown below.

How would you like to use chalkboard paint? Which color is your favorite?

Carved foam tutorial

2010-07-08T16:46:00.001-04:00

Foam insulation is a fantastic medium for creating event and show props. It is a dense foam that is easy to find at any home supply store and comes in varying thicknesses. You can sculpt it just like wood, but foam is lightweight and easy to carve with hot tools. It comes in pink or blue and is manufactured for insulation in homes and buildings.

White foam can be used and cut in a similar fashion, but it is not as sturdy or easy to work with as its structure is not as dense and breaks apart into little "beads". It also does not sand well.

The tools to work with foam are probably already in your tool kit or garage. Small tooth saws, drills, sand paper, knives and awls will all come in handy when working with foam. Some unique tools are also available that help you manipulate foam and the most basic are the hot wire tools. These need to be used in a well ventilated area and a breathing mask is suggested. However the speed and ease of carving make these my favorite for design and faux finishing. A Dremel can also be used for fine carving and there are many tutorials online using different techniques. Mine will show the hot wire effects.

Hot wire tools can be created from scratch, however I bought mine from Hotwire Foam Factory. The kit comes with three different attachments.

Cut the basic shapes with a hand saw. I had a rectangular sign and a 2"x4" piece for the post that I cut out of a 2" thick sheet. I also had a 1/2" thick sheet I used for the party name lettering.

With the thin hot knife tool make the edges ragged and remove excess material until you get your basic shape refined. Next copy the image you want to carve, for my sign it was a logo and arrow. There are two good ways to copy the image to the foam. The first is an opaque projector. This is my preferred method as I can play with the size and location and see it right on the foam. The second is to print out the text or image desired on paper and enlarge to the exact size needed. Then take carbon transfer paper, lay it ink side down against the foam, place your image on top and trace the outline of your design.

Next comes carving the design. For my pieces I used the engraving tool. I followed the outline of my images with the tool, burning a line just inside the line. Then I went back and forth with the point of the tool to burn out the inside of the letters.

Finally I did the weathering and detail of the wood I was trying to create. Most of this I did with the thin knife tool and the engraving tool. It helps to view natural items that look like what you are trying to emulate.
Envision a weathered piece of wood that has been broken and split. The grain should be very pronounced with knots, splits, and worn edges. The carving should be bold and pronounced. A subtle design will probably not show up.

Paint will bring out your detail:

Once your carving is complete, use sand paper to sand all of the edges (including the knots and splits) so they are rounded and uneven.

Finally it is time for paint. Do not use spray paint to paint your foam unless you want it to "melt". The chemicals in spray paint react with the foam and cause it to disintegrate. I use household latex paint and craft paint. Many home stores will have a seconds bin of mixed paint for 50% off the regular gallon price. Usually these colors are really ugly for interior walls, but just right for many of the items I'm trying to emulate. I got both gallons of my main colors this way. One was an ugly dark brown and the other a medium gray.

I find it easiest to paint the recessed letters and images first. My selections were black and purple to go with the sponsor logo I was replicating. Next is to paint the base coat of the "wood" in dark brown. Then use the lighter wood tone on a dry brush to wash over the top. I was trying for a beach aged look, so the weathered gray was perfect. However you should play with the color to achieve the weathering that fits your theme.

For this sign I also cut out letters "Bayou Bash" that stood proud on the surface. I cut thinner foam pieces for these and cut them out individually. I also painted them separately from the rest of the sign (green and yellow mossy colors) and then attached them with liquid nails glue.

I added spanish moss to further age the party theme letters.

Carved signs are very effective and professional. The right one can provide just the right finishing touch (or entrance) for your event.

Please share any of your foam creations and tell me your favorite uses for foam.

I've missed you!

2010-07-05T19:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't belive how the spring/summer has flown by. Happy 4th everyone!
I've been out of the blogging world, waylayed first by a computer virus and then a new computer that hasn't yet had everything loaded. Add to that 5 out-of-town events and you have one slacker of a blogger. :)

Never fear though, I've been working on some fantastic events and I have such fun ideas to share!
One more trip to go and then I'll be back with all of the photos and details.

Rhapsody in Sand: Real Party

2010-04-19T10:25:00.001-04:00

Summer will be here before you know it! Even if you can't get to the beach, this party has the details that bring the season to life.

The circular menu cards reflect the design of the china and sit just inside the rim. They were individually cut with a circle cutter in two colors of brown and tan. The printed shell design follows the curve of the hand cut circles and is in the same color scheme. Napkins rings are made of natural leather cord with custom metal ringed tags which were tea stained and punched.

Crisp white linens set the stage for the natural color scheme reflected in the soft tan and brown candles, sand, and shells.

Once the sun set, the centerpieces took center stage. Glass cylinders filled with sand held various sizes and shapes of pillar candles. Shells and battery operated flower lights added another element to the tablescape. Their warm yellow light created depth and drama on the white linens.

These details would be at home at a corporate dinner, wedding reception, or contemporary birthday party.

The wonderful world of Flor

2010-04-12T13:55:00.001-04:00

Flor is a fantastic way to customize a space. I've used these colorful carpet tiles several ways in my exhibits, and this same idea can be used in the home or at an event where they would delineate an entry or lounge area.

For this booth I created a road to match that of the marketing materials. By slicing some of the tiles in half I created the dotted lines for the center. This style of tile is called House Pet.

And for the space below I wanted a fun and unique theme that played off the corporate colors. Again, the border was created by slicing several of the tiles in half. The half tiles are House Pet and the striped tiles are Stripe it Rich.

New Find: The Best Extra Chairs!

2010-04-08T13:05:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for extra seating for guests and I think these options are some of the best.

I like the acrylic for its versatility. It works with modern or traditional decor and all colors.

Above: Acrylic Ballroom Chair $450 for two from Ruby Beets. These can be stacked.

Below: Acrylic Folding Chair $80.99 from Sears

Acrylic is certainly not the only good choice and the warmth of wood can't be overlooked. Below: Folding St. Germain ballroom chair from Ballard Designs $99 ea. Storage bags and seat pads are also available.

I would love to have any of these at my next party. How do you typically accommodate extra guests?

Fireflies in the night

2010-04-05T13:57:00.002-04:00

For evening parties nothing beats an spring event that is lit by candlelight. However this is 2010 and lighting has gotten a bit more fun! Enter the multi-colored, lighted, ice cube!

Unfortunately taking photos that both captured the feel of the arrangements and yet also allowed enough light to see was a bit tricky. Hopefully you'll get the mood anyway.

First I took cylinders in varying heights and widths and filled them with colored water (I used regular food coloring from the supermarket in fluorescent colors). In some I added a scoop of gel beads and let them set for 4 hours. Once the gel beads had firmed up, I added the light cubes in varying depths. The ones with only colored water I set on top of illuminated bases.

If you haven't used gel beads you should definitely try them out. They are green friendly and so much fun. They even come in different shapes and colors now, spheres, cubes, black, white etc. Just add a scoop to water and watch them slowly absorb the liquid and gel into their shape. You can even re-use them! Get clear if you want them to absorb any coloring you put into the water.

I used colored wire twisted into springy shapes to hang from the lips of the cylinders. These also supported large test tubes which hung down with multi-colored gerbera daisies.

Cylinders, gel beads, light cubes, and test tubes from Accent Decor.
Gerbera daisies from Costco online.

The Peeps are here!!

2010-04-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

It's almost Easter and that means the annual tradition of The Washington Post's Peep's contest. This year the entries were fabulous! For fun and creative inspriation check out these splendid dioramas, Peeps show.

Happy Easter to everyone!

New Find: Elegant bubble wands

2010-03-23T15:03:00.001-04:00

Spring is here and so are visions of beautiful outdoor events.

Wouldn't these elegant bubble wands be perfect for the "mature" princess in your party? These hand-cast pewter versions of the classic children's toy make excellent favors. They are available in several styles for $16 each from Clay Company. Clay Company is located in my hometown of Santa Rosa, CA, and makes all kinds of pewter tabletop and gift items that are sure to please even the picky princess of your bunch. Made in the USA.

If you want to make your own bubble mix this easy recipe is a perfect DIY.

1/2 cup dish soap
2 cups water
2 tsp sugar

Mix gently together, dip wand, and blow!

Spring showers

2010-03-20T14:59:00.009-04:00

Spring is here!

And along with spring comes showers and blooms. This theme would be great for an Easter party or baby shower.

The fabulous centerpiece is an actual water feature with "rain" streaming down the umbrella and into a dish with a recirculating pump.

The copper colored table and chargers are a great counterpoint to the yellow slickers, duck place cards and blue table skirt. Look closely, the table is actually colored with a layer of pennies!

Rubber boots in fanciful patterns were placed on each seat for guest favors. They were accented with blue tissue paper and filled with rainy day goodies.

"Rainy Days" designed by Planning Factory International.

Book review: Signature Sasha

2010-03-18T12:58:00.000-04:00

Signature Sasha
is the latest offering from renowned wedding planner Sasha Souza. If you aren't familiar with her work, Sasha's magnificent events are highlighted by their visual layers and attention to detail.

This is Sasha's first book and it is a beautiful large format with fabulous photos of her weddings. I must admit that the photographs are the main attraction for me; I find great inspiration in the work of others.

It's hard to pick a favorite section, the gorgeous shades and tones used in Colors make tried and true selections like pink stand out as modern and current. Flowers showcases Leah Lowery's beautiful designs and truly makes me fall in love with flowers all over again. Oh, if someone would send me one of those bouquets! However the last chapter, Love Stories, truly encompasses the main message of the book. That is that Sasha truly sees each couple's dream and is able to translate it into tangible elements throughout the wedding day and evening. These events aren't just a ceremony or party, they're an expression of who the bride and groom are together. Couples who can take this philosophy and implement these tips and ideas will have a celebration with deep meaning for both themselves and their guests.

Signed copies are available from her website or unsigned from online booksellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Epiphanie! Have bag- will travel

2010-03-15T11:10:00.002-04:00

Are you a photography gal? If so you'll want to check out this new line of handbags from Epiphanie.

No more dragging around two bags, one for your camera and accessories and one for your personal items. These beauties combine the best of a designer look with the padding and compartments of a camera bag. As part of their launch they're also doing a fantastic drawing for a Canon 5D Mark III or a 2,500 Southwest Airlines gift certificate!

These bags would be great for anyone who needs multiple compartments: new moms and even those with lots of mobile devices. The problem is deciding on just one!

Part 2: Twilight Party

2010-03-12T15:54:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday we began the Twilight journey with Bella and Edward tables taking center stage. Today we see the rest of this dramatic event.

The Jacob table was nature inspired with trees, wood stumps and Native American motifs (the bird image was reproduced from the Quileute Tribal Health facility website). The menu of fish fry and potato bar reflected the favorite foods of both Bella's and Jacob's fathers.

Stumps were courtesy of my man and his chainsaw from our backyard.

Werewolf kibble was served as a snack in black dog bowls.

Thanks go to the Hostess with the Mostess for her great idea to use framed signs to highlight specific areas. These also helped guests who didn't have any prior knowledge of the series figure out the theme decor's connection to the plot. We created our signs to fit each theme area and most were quotes from the novels.

After all of this I still had another buffet table to fill so I created a vampire baseball scene. Baseball cookies, baseball bats, trees, and a giant scoreboard with Edward leading in RBIs!

The pennants I made from foam sheets available at the craft store. I used pre-cut letters for "Team". The "Edward" is sparkle felt.

Don't forget the lighting, red uplights illuminated the floor to ceiling windows and flickering candles were on every table. The lounge area was also surrounded by layers of pillar candles. Red and black pillows with gothic motif added a soft touch. The room didn't have hang points but I felt the area needed to be tied together with a candelabra. So I suspended it from a bow lamp base.

Finally, the cocktail tables were topped with alternating feather trees, parrot tulips in red glass vases, and black candelabras.

The layers of details at this event are what made it WOW for my attendees. They talked about it all the next day! You can put this same level of design into your event no matter how large or small and wow YOUR guests as you gush over New Moon together and wait for Eclipse!

Where to buy:

Trees, grass: Save On Crafts

Dog bowls, Black frames, Red glass vase, Regolit bow lamp base: Ikea

Foam sheets, Black candelabra: Michael's Craft

Parrot tulips: JZ Rose

Hanging candelabra: Shop Wild Things

Pillows: Walmart

Feathers and Eiffel vases: Fabulous Feathers

10 Days and counting: New Moon Release Party! Part 1

2010-03-10T20:33:00.001-05:00

The next installment of the Twilight series New Moon will be released on DVD on March 20 at midnight. Think you might plan a midnight viewing party? If so, here are some ideas from an event I designed that can help inspire your party. I hope you enjoy all of the photos!

This reception was for both Twilight addicts and those who knew nothing about the series. Tip to the wise: unless you have a really small guest list, you have to be open to the notion that not all attendees will "get" your theme and the nuances you create. And that's ok! If you just looked at this party without any background knowledge you got a cool vibe from the lighting and decor. You could also appreciate the layers of design that went into it. However for those in the know, you then could also see all of the references with the decorations and read much more into the settings.

Invites were styled to look like movie tickets and attendees received a Twilight quiz when they entered. The quiz really encouraged interaction among the guests. All of the questions could be answered by studying the decorations, so those familiar and unfamiliar with the story could have equal opportunity at winning the door prize- a replica of Bella's bracelet with Edward and Jacob charms.

Guests entered the room like they were coming into a theater, with movie posters, red carpet and red panels swagged across the entrance. There was even paparazzi! (Me!). The dark atmosphere of the W Hotel added to the mystery of the event.

I created theme buffet tables for the main characters. The "Bella" table reflected the first book and movie with her red truck, apples, books and locker (the feathers are actually inspired by the last book in the series). Mushroom pasta and breadsticks were served.

The Edward dessert table was the centerpiece of the room with an uplit tree covered in crystals. The bendable tree was a stunning 6' tall.

Although not authentic to the novels/movies, I couldn't pass up the vampire bite mini red velvet cupcakes. They rested on silver wrapped "presents", just like the Cullen's gave to Bella on her birthday.

Tomorrow, come back and see the rest of the Twilight party including Jacob buffet and vampire baseball table.

Where to find:
Posters, drapery panels, faux apples: Walmart
Candelabra, Crystals, 6' bendable tree: Shop Wild Things
Battery candles: Lamp Lust
Candelabra was suspended from an Ikea lamp base
Feathers: Fabulous Feathers
Truck: Mini Muscle Cars
Glass vases: Accent Decor
Frame: Ikea
White pedestals: Home Goods

Thanks to Mary Petitt for the great graphics.

Not in wine country? Try the mini-barrel.

2010-03-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

After reading about so many of my friends' adventures during the Sonoma County Barrel Tasting weekend, I've started to be a little jealous of all that vino and good times. So I had to share this fun find for those of us not in wine country.

With warm sunshine coming, picnics and BBQ's can't be too far behind! Get ready for the outdoor festivities with the red truck mini-barrel. This budget-friendly barrel of California red wine serves 4 bottles or 20 glasses and is $29.99. The barrel keeps the wine fresh for up to 6 weeks after opening and is almost 100% recyclable. New is the white truck mini-barrel of Chardonnay. I think these would look great on a beverage station and could be incorporated so easily into a cheese and cracker station as well.

Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos crafts some of California's "finest and most fun wines" from the red truck winery in Sonoma, CA. Rated by Food & Wine as "America's Top Value Winery"!

So don't fret if you're not in beautiful Sonoma County, bring the fun to you!

Make a wish come true! Wish Upon A Wedding

2010-03-04T10:55:00.001-05:00

I'd like to give a shout-out to a new organization called Wish Upon A Wedding. It was founded in San Francisco, CA, in January of 2010, by a group of wedding and business entrepreneurs I know and is America’s FIRST nonprofit wedding wish granting organization, producing weddings and civil union ceremonies at destinations across the United States for individuals facing terminal illness.

Chapters
Wish Upon A Wedding now boasts twenty chapters nationwide, headed by some of the industry’s most renowned leaders with plans to expand to over 40 chapters worldwide.

How Wishes are Granted
To qualify for Wishes, applicants must be unmarried legal citizens of the United States, over the age of 18, who have been diagnosed with less than three years to live. Couples can be granted wishes either in the chapter where they live or in a chapter of their choosing as long as they are able to make the trip.

Couples can simply apply online to request one of three wedding types:

URGENT (Up to 10 guests, in hospital or at bedside)
BOUTIQUE (up to 25 guests, in home town of applicant)
ROMANTIC (Up to 50 guests, at any WUW destination)

How Can You Grant Wishes?

As the organization is building, Wish Granters are needed in all locations. Please see the many ways you can contribute online today to start helping Wedding Wishes come true.

First Wish
On March 13, Wish Upon A Wedding will be granting the very first wish! To read more about that wish and the couple please visit the website.

Tablescape: Dog Days

2010-03-03T16:00:00.008-05:00

You all know by now that one of my favorite subjects is my Pomeranians and our pom parties. So wouldn't this design from the table showcase at TSE be great for our next meetup?

You can really pull out all the stops with a theme like this. From the "Paws and Claws Gazette" to the dog collar napkin rings you just can't get too much of this wild table.

Note the animal masks and tails on the chairs

Placemats for the four legged guests.

A Magical Affair, based in Franklin, Tenn., created "Furball 2010." All photos by Catch the Moment; http://www.catchthemoment.com/.

For more tabletops from the competition visit Special Events Magazine.

The dilemmas of decorating

2010-03-01T13:36:00.004-05:00

One of the hardest things to do in decorating is choose the right paint color. Paint adds so much to a room and can instantly transform it from blah to beautiful. However it's tough to stare at all of those chips and choose just one! So House Beautiful came out with a paint book called Colors For Your Home, 300 Designer Favorites. This book is a must have for all of those who dream about color filling your space. It lists the favorite colors designers use and shows how those colors look on the wall. If you ever wondered how to use a bright red or deep blue in your environment this book shows you the possibilities.
Colors For Your Home was published in 2008 and I have repeatedly used it both as a reference for choosing actual wall colors and as an inspiration for other projects. I highly recommend picking up a new or used copy to keep in your design library.

Available from Amazon and other booksellers.

What is your favorite color?

Rock the Launch

2010-02-26T11:56:00.002-05:00

Last night's launch party for the new website Weddzilla was held at the beautiful building for the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. The venue was at capacity with industry suppliers of all disciplines and brides looking for inspiration.

Guests bid on a variety of wedding packages in the silent auction and all proceeds went to charity. The table set up was elegant and refined. Tall cylinders of flowers from the Petal's Edge graced lavender covered tables. My favorite were the white antherium, just gorgeous!

Guest speakers included extraordinary cake decorator and personality Ron Ben-Israel (if you're not familiar with his work, please take a look at his website. He truly creates edible works of art with extraordinary detail.)

and fabulous lifestyle guru Steve Kemble, the celebrity host of the evening.

Both Steve and Ron are so full of energy and enthusiasm for this business, they really inspire me!

One of the evening's highlights was the diamond giveaway from Mervis Jewelers. The first 500 attendees received a box with either a CZ (499) or one REAL diamond! Alas mine was not a real rock.

Unfortunately the excited bridal community on the invite list exceeded the available space. The catering staff also struggled to replenish the hors d'oeuvres through the crowd. This was a shame as the food was well presented and unique. I really enjoyed the "shrimp on a stick," their upscale take on a corn dog.

Upstairs, vendors provided future brides with a plethora of options for their big day. One unique item I noticed was the beautiful floral preservation work of All Seasons Floral Preservation.

Weddzilla.com is an online planning tool aimed at the wedding market, but open to all looking for event vendors and contacts. They also have a blog staffed by both bride and vendor bloggers. Good luck and best wishes to them!

Nesting Newbies Magazine

2010-02-24T15:41:00.001-05:00

There's a great new online magazine I just discovered called Nesting Newbies.
Beautiful photos and great ideas abound. Personally I like printed editions better, but the bonus of an online magazine is that they can make the articles and spreads longer and include so many more photos. All of which I applaud!

New Find: Anywhere clips

2010-02-22T16:08:00.003-05:00

To start the work week off, I found these great clips from Mayfair Lane. These are no ordinary refrigerator magnets, these beauties stick to any nonporous surface. The adhesive back stays miraculously clean as you stick and restick. Happeez products grip refrigerators, glass, cabinets and more. Leaves no residue and are non-toxic and odor free.

Happeez Clipper, $6 ea or 3 for $15 from Mayfair Lane.

Which are your favorite? Would you use them in your office, kitchen or ???

Maddycakes Muse: Easter & Spring Tablescape Contest

2010-02-20T13:07:00.000-05:00

Maddycakes Muse blog is hosting an Easter & Spring tablescapes contest. I entered my Woodland charm party, but it's up against some stiff competition. Check it out and see all of the great entries! I love seeing what others are doing, it really gets the creative juices flowing.

Real Party: Woodland Charm

2010-02-17T15:56:00.002-05:00

This "Woodland Charm" baby shower theme came from a combination of two inspiration pieces. The first was the mom-to-be's charm bracelet and the second was the great birdhouse salt & pepper shakers from Pottery Barn that I highlighted on an earlier post. After a hard winter everyone has been looking eagerly for spring and this theme carried us right into the season.

Color scheme was green, brown, and blue which were all picked up in the accent ribbons on the napkins and buffet. This theme might trend towards being more feminine, so the colors helped keep the focus on the baby boy that was on the way. In addition this shower had male and female invitees so we wanted to keep things more neutral so everyone would be comfortable.

The plates are recycled leaves from Verterra (highlighted on an earlier post). They tied in so nicely with the theme. Each place setting received a felt fortune cookie with fun wishes about children and life.

I made all of the medallions for the napkin rings and water bottles from craft paper. I used two sizes of round punches plus assorted woodland animals (frogs, butterflies, flowers, and dragonflies). My xyron sticker maker helps this process go faster, especially for the little animals.

The wishing tree was a popular activity and the mom-to-be was excited to take home all of the leaf shaped wishes. I used three colors of craft paper and cut them into leaf shapes. Then provided colored pens and mini clothespins to attach them to the tree.

Here's a custom trick for time crunched hostesses: I purchased the cake from Costco. However as many know, they only offer limited designs. So I picked out a design I liked in the chocolate brown frosting and with this background in place I added sugar woodland critters and green gum paste leaves to add our theme colors to the top. This gives the cake a much more custom look at a fraction of the price and time it would take to make.

The snack buffet helped guests bide the time until the surprise honoree arrived. I made paper cones for the mixed nuts and planted them in wood buckets with faux grass and skewers that ran up through the middle.

As is usual with life, not everything went exactly according to plan. We had 2 feet of snow and didn't know if the party was going to actually happen until 2 hours before the start time. So there was some last minute rearranging, but fortunately a quorum arrived safely and we were able to celebrate together.

Custom Pet Portraits

2010-02-15T17:44:00.002-05:00

I had a great experience that I'd like to share working with L.A. Shepard on a custom portrait of my girls. First off I'm terribly picky about both the style of painting and how the likenesses are captured. I think breeds with spiky hair (like Pomeranians) are a bit more difficult to capture correctly than short hair breeds. Secondly I don't have a large endowment set aside to pay for custom work, which is very limiting when combined with the first requirement. So I'd been looking for someone to paint them for quite awhile and have done a lot of browsing through portfolios to compare work. I found some pieces I liked on Etsy, and then realized I also liked work shown by the same artist on Ebay. So I contacted the artist and commissioned an 8x10 oil painting based on a photograph I had taken. Ms. Shepard was quick to reply via email and also quick to deliver. She is based in Canada, so I worried that customs might hold things up, but I received my finished product less than 2 weeks after I ordered. I was really pleased with how it turned out and have been using it on my masthead. For pre-printed items you can look for her work at zazzle.com.

Original Photo

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks for being my friend!! I wish you a great day today.

I wish...

2010-02-11T20:42:00.004-05:00

Adding an interactive station to your event is a great way to engage attendees and also provide a keepsake for the guest of honor. One I've recently used is the "Wishing ____ (tree, wall, well, clothesline, etc.)." The wishing area allows guests to leave notes about the honoree, the special occasion, advice, or anecdotes and allows them to be as funny or sentimental as they wish. This station works equally well for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and showers.

Most of these wishing areas are quite simple and several can be a DIY project. Yet each gives you a big bang for your buck by being a focal point in the room and giving guests the ability to participate and interact with each other. The most effective stations coordinate with the overall event theme. Take a look at these great options to see which style could work into your plan.

Wishing Wall
This can be a DIY project or Uncommon Goods offers one complete with paper slips.

Wishing Well

Wishing Tree

Tips
It helps to give guests detailed instructions on how to complete the project along with creative suggestions to get them started.

Don't forget the pens! You could really make this station active by including glitter pens, colored stamps, and whatever treatments and colors go along with your theme.

After the party is over, the host can take a photo of the finished work and gather the paper, wood, leaves, or other surface selected for the wishes and present them to the honoree. This could also be a great gift after the event if it were incorporated into scrapbook pages with guest photos.

Quick preview: Woodland Charm Baby Shower

2010-02-08T20:20:00.001-05:00

Wow, just had the best time with friends celebrating an upcoming birth. This despite 24" of snow the day before that shut down the whole Washington area! I'll post the Real Party Pics soon.

New linens!

2010-02-05T15:17:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited, my linens arrived today from Linen Tablecloth and they're even better than I expected. I got 20% off plus free shipping for orders over $50. I've set one up on my kitchen table to see how it looks and now I can't wait to use them! Photos will be up soon.

Snow Day!

2010-02-03T11:03:00.000-05:00

We had snow AGAIN last night (with more to come on Friday, but that's a different story) so schools were closed and folks called out for work. However the streets were clear in my neighborhood, so I swept off the car and headed into the office. There weren't many cars on the road which made for an easy commute. However I was surprised to be WOWed by the beauty. The snow gently covered all of the trees and in the soft morning light everything seemed to just glow. It's hard to describe how picture perfect it was. I'm so glad that I made the drive in!

In my mind this equates to the reason we decorate and throw parties and change our environments. New "accessories" really open our eyes to see something different in our ordinary surroundings. I really enjoy my profession, but wonder what purpose it serves. Is it just frivolous? After a morning like this I don't think so. I think changing decor and creating special events makes you take a step back and take a new look at your world just like the snow changed the nature around my usual commute. Taking time to mentally note and enjoy a place is important, rather than just having one day just run into the next.

We as designers create the special time and atmosphere that enables our attendees & clients to have this same experience and the time to pause and enjoy it.

Tablescape: Very Valentine

2010-02-01T20:11:00.001-05:00

February is now upon us, have you made your plans with your Valentine? This beautiful tablescape would be just the thing for a romantic Valentine's dinner. Notice the unusual serpentine table and tall chairs. What really makes this setting special are the multiple fabric textures in the custom fitted tablecloth, chair pads, and chair covers.

Designed for the tabletop competition at TSE 2010.

Source of inspiration

2010-01-28T20:15:00.001-05:00

The latest issue of the Pottery Barn catalog had this adorable bird house salt & pepper shaker. I finally used the gift certificate I've had for eons and purchased it as the inspiration for an upcoming shower. Can't wait to share the photos!

New Find: All-natural dinner plates

2010-01-27T19:25:00.000-05:00

These great plates and bowls from Verterra are about as green as you can get! They're actually fallen leaves that are gathered and processed into disposable dinnerware. I'm using these for an upcoming event and am so excited about displaying something that is both good looking and environmentally friendly. After use don't toss them in the trash, they can be composted and will degrade in approx 2 months according to the manufacturer.

TSE 2010 New Orleans pt 2

2010-01-25T21:15:00.004-05:00

My favorite table at the showcasing event was the one from Sasha Souza. And not only did I love the finished tablescape, but I helped create a little piece of it! It was fun working with such a great team. Leah Lowery is a floral wonder, seeing Sasha's vision and making it come to life. And her other office leads are cut from the same mold, Suzanne Dement from Tennessee and Kim Laga from Denver.

I thought I would just be helping get things set up, but they asked me to arrange some of the beautiful flowers. Above are two of my contributions (the small yellow arrangements). Thanks Sasha for the opportunity to participate!

TSE 2010 New Orleans

2010-01-18T20:57:00.009-05:00

I've just returned from The Special Event in New Orleans where I was SO inspired by my instructors and colleagues! Here are some new products I can't wait to use...

The Butt Sketch
Port A Jane,
Acrylic Candelabra from Kool Party Rentals

Welcome

2009-08-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Party Puff! All things party, design, & decor.