mint + gold.... {inspiration}

here's an inspiration board featuring my newest engagement party invitation!

1. printable mint+gold engagement party invitation; 2. home-spun cotton candy; 3. glittered vases; 4. mint dress; 5. macaroons; 6. gold "love" wedding sign

real life......{inspiration}

i have a friend who asks me "how did you come up with that design" every time i show her something new.

my inspiration comes from so many different sources. sometimes nature will inspire. other times it may be work by another designer........and sometimes it seemingly comes from out of the blue but as a jesus-girl, i know that's not the case ;-)

here's my newest design:

and this was my inspiration, found on pinterest......

source

the photography, the colors and the layout is just gorgeous! obviously, my announcement doesn't perfectly mirror my inspiration. actually, other than the layout, it's not even close. my inspiration has an ethereal quality and my design is a bit more..........solid. BUT, it inspired a new design. something more modern than my norm, definitely unique and a design i'm very happy with.

so what inspires you? just remember, your inspiration and your final product may differ but it doesn't mean that the end result isn't equally fabulous :-)

let's party!

have you hosted any summer soirees yet? i've always been a bit of a late bloomer so i'm just getting started. here's a few pretty yet practical outdoor entertaining must-haves...........

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

enjoy those backyard barbecues and pool parties! and don't forget, if you're looking for custom invitations, i've gotcha covered!

nursery love..........

the blog is back! can't say for how long and can't really give you a direction but join me on this inconsistent wild ride, would ya?

there's been lotsa baby happenings in my world as of late. births, birthdays, baptisms and dedications so i've got baby on the brain (don't get excited. we won't be adding any new additions to our family unless they're of a 4 legged persuasion!)

but i can remember preparing for our little man's arrival. it's was around this time of year that i was setting up his nursery and i was IN LOVE with his room! soft greens and blues, a touch of yellow and lots of whimsy! almost 7 years later and he still has his original "blankie" :-)

as i mentioned, my days of baby decor are over but putting together this inspiration board was almost just as fun ;-)

1. hot air balloon print from my shoppe; 2. framed book prints; 3. baby blocks (source unknown); 4. explorer nursery; 5. baby mobile; 6. hot air balloon wall decals

for more inspiration, check out additional prints in my shoppe and my "b is for baby" pinterest board!

gift ideas........{for the fashionista}

i'm a pretty laid back, casual kinda gal but my secret desire is to be a fashionista :-)
so putting this board together was a real treat!

1. bubble necklace by bubblejewelry 2. bow scarf by anthropolgie 3. nkhenry "lexi" bag

4. leather wrap bracelet from opensky 5. jcrew crystal bow keychain 6. chandelier earrings by ktjewelry

7. nars eye makeup set from sephora

how's your holiday shopping going so far? do you have anyone on your list who's hard to buy for?

gift ideas......{for the entertainer}

exactly three weeks until christmas day.
my house is halfway decorated and not a gift has been purchased.
maybe you're one of those people who finished their holiday shopping in may.
if you are, please tell me how you do it!
but if you're like me, you haven't even made out your lists let alone begun your shopping!!

so for the purpose of inspiration, i'll be sharing some gift ideas for the loved ones in our lives.
up first: gifts for those who love to entertain.....

1. champagne square chargers from world market; 2. champagne flutes from ikea; 

3. ornament place card holders from open sky; 4.  penguin cocktail shaker from pier1;

5. personalized confetti placemats from paper source; 6. serving set from anthropology

you can't go wrong with one of these!

how do i know, you ask?

'cause i want each one for my very own *wink*

tell me, how's your holiday shopping going? have you finished?

bridesmaids on a budget.......{style::sweet}

i'm having a wonderful time with my summer bride!
as i mentioned earlier, her colors have been chosen....
the save-the-date design has been decided....
(i ended up doing the design myself and i'll be starting the invitation suite soon - so much fun!)
via conversations, emails, and photo swapping the style and design are slowly taking shape.

bridesmaids dresses are next on the agenda and you know what that means...
shopping!
now, i'm gonna be honest.
what i enjoy most about planning and shopping is finding a great deal.
i don't want my brides to go 'cheap'
i want them to go 'smart'
and that includes the wedding party.

imagine this: you're feeling oh-so-loved and important when the bride asks you to be a part of her big day.
then you find out that the dress she absolutely has to have for her wedding party is waaaay over your budget.
sucks, doesn't it.
(thankfully, i have a bride who is considerate and cost-conscious!)

 1. shabbyapple  2. modcloth  3. anthropologie

these dresses are speaking to me...telling a story:
soft, romantic, casual outdoor ceremony....

what are they saying to you?

inspiration....{pumpkin party decor}

you might have noticed the lack of halloween party posts on this party planning blog
honestly, i'm torn.
i'm not a huge fan given the origins of the holiday
but i love little man's excitement when he gets to go trick-o-treating.
(he missed last year due to a freak snow storm and i'm hoping hurricane sandy doesn't end up with the same results!)

anyway, if you're on the fence like me, it doesn't mean you have to forgo a celebration
instead of ghosts and goblins, i choose to focus on the pumpkins!
pumpkins were made for more than just carvings and pie......
here are a few practical ways to incorporate pumpkins into your celebration decor......

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

what are your plans for halloween? do you celebrate? how do you decorate?

inspiration.....{red, black and white - save the dates}

i've just begun working with the sweetest bride who's chosen scarlet + black + white for her wedding colors.
i'm really enjoying coming up with design & decor ideas and i can't wait for our first official planning meeting

first things first.........save-the-date cards.
everyone has gotten so busy these days that "save-the-dates" have become standard practice - even for children's birthday parties!!

i complied a few designs for my bride so i can get some idea of direction she'd like to go (i'm in love with the few ideas she's shared with me so far - this wedding is going to be so much fun!)

via 1, 2, 3, 4

via 1, 2, 3, 4

do you have a favorite? which one would you choose?

inspiration....{fall tables}

do you do a lot of entertaining in the fall and winter months?
aside from thanksgiving, it's pretty quiet here.
and, since our thanksgiving usually included more guests than there is room, tablescapes and place settings aren't the norm.
but a girl can dream, right?
here are a few ideas i've had my eye on - simple, inexpensive and stylish :-)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

how will you be decorating your table this season?

inspiration.....{neutrals}

for many people, fall = warm colors.....
burgandys, russets, greens....

me, i'm drawn to the neutrals.
not all will agree but these colors evoke a feeling of warmth as well

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

cocoa, slate, oatmeal, sage........
this says "fall"
this says "cozy"
this says "warm"

what does it say to you? what's your favorite fall palette?

inspiration....{tangerine}

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

i'm a bit surprised but i must admit, i'm still crushing on pantone's color of the year:

TANGERINE

how about you? can you see yourself incorporating this fun color into your next event?

floral love.....{zinnias}

i can't believe its august 1st already - the summer is going by so quickly, fall is right around the corner!

a beautiful bloom for late summer into fall is the zinnia. it blooms in a variety of gorgeous colors and, depending on the color, can mean anything from "lasting affection" to "daily remembrance".

via 1, 2, 3

 

the zinnia lends enough interest & texture on it's own in a bouquet with it's many petals and sunny center but also looks beautiful in combination with roses, dahlias or even stonecrop (beautiful for fall!)

so what do you think? will zinnia's make an appearance in your next arrangement or bridal bouquet?

visit my facebook page and share with me your favorite flower!

inspiration....{yellow + gray}

while folding laundry this morning, i was reminded of a color combination that i love (interesting how inspiration strikes, isn't it?)

yellow + gray!

bright and happy...

modern or vintage...

versatile!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

yellow 'pops' so nicely, it would be easy to carry it from ceremony through to the reception with very little effort, don't you think?

i've always been drawn to this color combination. how could you not be? way back when, i was determined that my very first kitchen would be gray and yellow. i bought everything i needed before i'd even moved out of my parents' house!

as a matter of fact, the very first wedding logo i created for my bonhomie bridal suite was showcased on a yellow + gray save-the-date card:

so what are your thoughts on yellow + gray? brides, what were your wedding colors? brides-to-be, what are your favorite color combinations?

share with me on my facebook page!

inspiration.........{shoes!}

i'm a shoe-lover. what girl isn't, right? sadly, i can barely get out of my flip-flops. fortunately for me, there is the internet!

i'm so in love with the recent lack of tradition when it comes to wedding footwear. i'm sure we all breathed a sigh of relief when we put the days of white-satin-dyed-to-match-pumps behind us! now anything goes and today's bride has so many opportunities to express who she is!

source: 1, 2, 3, 4

fun, fashionable, laid back, high style.........what's your choice? how did you express your style on your wedding day - or, for those of you still planning - what will you be wearing?

floral love....{wildflowers}

just recently, i had the opportunity to meet a new florist in town. her shop is fabulous - filled with beautiful florals and surprise goodies. and i'm loving her style - relaxed, organic and a bit eclectic. (though whatever your desire, she'll accommodate!) i can't wait to work with her :-)

my visit got me thinking about one of my faves....cottage gardens and wildflowers. i believe wild flowers are equally suited to both picnics and elegant events.

source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

what do you think? do you like cottage gardens? or are formal gardens your style?

enjoy your weekend, all!

inspiration......{beach wedding}

we've just returned from a wonderful vacation on the Cape - my most favoritist place of all :-)

of course, it's inspired me to dream of all things beachy! yes, beach weddings have been done.........

and done. and done. and done.

but there's a reason for that: they're fabulous! upscale or laid back. if mother nature cooperates, it's almost impossible to get a bad photo!

 

i'm in love with the mix & match vintage bridesmaids dresses! natural bouquets, beach umbrellas, vintage-y bottles and starfish complete the airy feel of this beach wedding inspiration board.

favorite colors.....{turquoise & lilac}

who says a wedding gown has to be white? yes, white is traditional AND beautiful.

but not every bride is the 'traditional' type and i think that's fabulous!

 i saw this gown and was immediately called to create this inspiration board....

enjoy!

credits:
cake, china, dress, ring, bouquet

favorite florals...

"april showers bring may flowers............"

okay, well the northwest corner of connecticut seems to be about a month behind. lots of rain as of late and temperatures are still a bit cool but warmer, sunnier weather is (supposedly) on the way!

may brings beautiful spring blooms and one of my favorites is rannunculus. gorgeous colors ranging from subtle pastels to brilliant brights!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

tip: when choosing your floral arrangements, ask your florist what's in season - utilizing readily available florals will help keep costs down!