A Fabulous Fete

{ rope chargers }

2012-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

remember these from here? well, i felt like sprucing them up a bit for valentines day.

so here's a super easy diy (without much instruction, sorry... i think it's pretty self explanatory right?)

i used thick cotton rope, dipped one end in dark pink dye, the middle in a lighter shade, and left the other end untouched. if you let it soak long enough, you'll get a pretty good ombre effect. I was impatient and pulled mine out early... in which case you'll get a "distressed" look:) thank goodness for the rustic/distressed trend. makes so many projects much, much easier.

grab your hot glue gun, start at one end, and coil the rope around itself.

and add in the extras that make your table setting complete!

i'm off to run 4 hours of errands in 1 and a half hours. wish me luck. and have a fabulous weekend.

{ a birthday banner }

2012-01-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

happy birthday sign sharon [cupcakes and cutlery] and i made for operation shower which took place yesterday in san diego.

i can't wait to see images of the entire event! but for now, you can see a few peeks over on sharons twitter feed. check it.

// color inspiration //

2012-01-24T08:42:00.000-08:00

orange + blush

/ models / table setting / lingerie / books / favor packaging /

save. the. date.

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

drum roll.. our save the dates!

originally i had big plans for our save the dates. but then LIFE got in the way:) we ended up going the simple route. well, if you call 3 rounds of printing and 3 different paper qualities simple, ya, it was simple (and all because of my picky-ness, not the printer!) anyways, i think the liner and addressing the envelopes in gold added a little bit of fun to the black and white save the date.

if you're on a budget and planning a wedding, i think save the dates are the place to really budget!

we chose our original paper from paper source in the clearance section. i honestly have no idea why anyone would ever put gorgeous peach cardstock on clearance, but i went with it.

print a standard size and pick a standard color for envelopes (and invite less people so you only have to buy 50 envelopes:) ha).

line the envelopes yourself! it's so easy. i bought that fabulous embossed gold dot paper at our local craft store... and wait for a coupon... i bought each piece for about a quarter.

what do you think? are you into the simplicity? or do you like save the dates that use engagements shots? or straight up over the top save the dates with butterflies and music (and you may only understand this one if you have seen bridesmaids... maybe)

[ have a donut. it's friday ]

2012-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

oh hey. it's friday already.

i always thought i wouldn't look forward to weekends as much after quitting my day job and working from home. wrong. i do.

weekends are for fun things and not being productive:)

so this un-productive weekend, i plan on decorating for valentines day, eating donuts, decorating my office, drinking wine, doing my nails, watching sunsets... and maybe a little yardwork (we're "that" neighbor with all the leaves on the lawn and the christmas wreath still up).

i hope you all have a fabulously unproductive weekend planned as well:) enjoy it.

// color break //

2012-01-19T07:28:00.000-08:00

random pairing of things today..

i found the image of the swiss dot dress and yellow shoes.. this instantly reminded me of an early morning brunch in the spring decorated with easy and bright decor.

[ eggs. dress. packaging. garland ]

just because..

2012-01-16T08:49:00.000-08:00

it's too pretty not to share.

i came across this on etsy while browsing for our wedding.

check out holly stalder on etsy to see more.

enjoy your monday!

{ 2012 printable calendar }

2012-01-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

2 things i realized this week

that we were still looking at our december 2011 calendar.

and that i haven't rotated any of our pictures around the house in probably 2-3 years.

this project solved both in one.

i designed a quick calendar that i (and you) could easily add in some of our photos!

i added special touches for birthdays.

and if you're not into the pictures, create a little art!

if you're like me and still haven't found that perfect calendar, i made a blank copy for you to print and use too:)

there are 2 months per page. all you have to do is add your pictures, print on 8.5" x 11", cut in half length wise, add a hole punch to the top, and hang.

click on the link below to download 6 sheets for 2012.

download your copy here

enjoy!

[ color break ]

2012-01-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

[ purple and green ]

wedding cactus | striped table | ice cream | invitation suite | hair

// today //

2012-01-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

i'm adding a few more colors to my etsy shop!

check back soon...

[ a cozy winter date ]

2012-01-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

happy friday!

welcome to the first in my new series of mini shoots i'll be featuring on the blog each month.

if you're on the west coast like me, it may be hard to get in the spirit of a hot meal enjoyed in a cozy setting... with the heat and all. but, i have hopes it'll cool down again and we can go back to our

normal winter activities. like eating chili while curled up in blankets.

my inspiration was a date that you could go on right in your living room.

just set your coffee table, put out some blankets and floor pillows, and your set.

i used a mexican blanket we brought home from our last trip there. the navy reminded me of winter, so this was the perfect option. black kraft paper was a nice contrast as well as the cement block i've been dying to use. if you didn't know, i'm kind of obsessed with hardware stores. things like cement

blocks inspire me. strange... but as you can see, it made a nice pedestal for our chili condiments.

branches were placed down the center of the table and babys breath was attached to give them a little life.

silverware was wrapped with string and chargers for the individual cast iron bowls were made from rope.

the candles at night were just gorgeous. they provided all the light necessary for a nice dinner for two.

valentines day is coming up. how about staging this for your someone special?

or even adding a few more settings, inviting a few friends over and hosting a game night.

hope you enjoy! have a fabulous weekend... i'm off to the desert for some r & r.

i'm looking forward to some hiking, hopefully lounging by the pool, good food, good wine, and time alone with ryan:)

.. a new feature ..

2012-01-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

did i tell you?

i'm starting a new monthly feature over here on a fabulous fete.

so basically i have about 400 ideas running through my head every day, give or take a few.

not only is it hard to get them down on paper, it's hard to actually use all of them.

i thought, why do you have to wait for an actual wedding, event, or party to use them?

how about setting up your own little mini shoots?

(this is me talking to myself about it in my head)

so that's what i did!

each month i'll share an inspirational shoot with all of you.

it may be based on a holiday in that month, or just some inspiration i've been gathering.

but either way, i hope to inspire all of YOU out there with some party and entertaining ideas.

and lucky for you, i'm not a big spender on these types of things.

oh, i can spend it, i just want to be able to feed ryan and myself next week;)

so lot's of the decor and ideas will be done with things that I (and probably you) have

lying around. that's always music to my ears when planning an event.

that being said. I hope you enjoy my new little series.

i'll be kicking off 2012 with a cozy winter date tomorrow!

|| velvet ||

2012-01-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

ok i lied. it's not velvet. but it's the closest thing i could find in the peach color i wanted.

we'll be covering our guestbook in this gorgeous stuff.

will share the how to soon!

drum roll...

2012-01-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

after weeks of hard work [plus lots and lots of frustrating moments]

i've finally finished my website!

afabulousfete.com

i'm proud to say that i built and designed it all myself.

i think that this new look reflects me much better.

you really know you're proud of something when you look at it 400 times a day:)

in addition to my new site, i'm also working on a winter line for my etsy shop!

super excited for this and a few new products.

i hope to have everything updated by next week.

of course i'll let you know when you can check out my new designs as well!

yahoo! so far so good 2012.

2012-01-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

i simplified this year.

rather than giving myself a list of 20 goals that i new were never going to happen. i gave myself 1 action that i truly believe i can use and will help me improve in multiple areas. try harder. that's it.

it's funny how you know there are things you can do to say, improve your business, your personal relationships, your health, etc. but you just don't. because it's easy not to.

SO. i'm going to push myself to take those extra steps.

i'm going to shut off the computer and brainstorm new ideas for my business.

i'm going to make those phone calls to family and friends just to say hi, even though i absolutely hate talking on the phone.

i'm going to throw away that junk in the pantry and have fruit for a snack instead of candy.

i'm going to wake up a half hour earlier and get that run in before i'm too "busy" to fit it into my day.

this list can go on forever. but you get the idea:)

it's the little steps that are going to make the difference. and if you think about them as they are, easy, small steps, it makes those goals you have seem a lot more attainable.

here's to a happy, and productive 2012!

[ giveaway winner ]

2012-01-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

And the winner of the sierra mist giveaway is... Shel!

congratulations and happy new year!

Thank you to everyone that entered. You had some fabulous cocktail ideas.

Can't wait to try some of them:)

|| le holidays ||

2011-12-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

1. i cannot believe we have one more day of 2011

2. i can't believe how much we fit into the last week. it felt like a month

3. i still have to make my list of goals and resolutions! the best/hardest part of Jan. 1

i took far too many pictures last week. so here are a few of my faves showing how we spent our holidays!

|| new shoes from old navy | louis | how i wrap | chalk calligraphy ||

|| yummy cocoa | my fave nail color | decorating my dog, poor dog | mini cinnamon rolls ||

|| finally! our save the dates | an etsy find | new swan ornament | traditional xmas morning mimosas ||

have you compiled your goals and resolutions?

ps:: don't forget to enter this fabulous giveaway i'm hosting!! it'll be perfect to achieve your "make more cocktails this year" goal ;)

// herb favor diy //

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

first, let me say wow and thanks for all of your entries to the giveaway! you guys have some tasty cocktail ideas. if you haven't entered, you have plenty of time.. until sunday night!

so, i've had this favor idea in the vault for a while and finally got to making it this week. it's super simple, super inexpensive, but with big impact.

i took a mini terra cotta pot. a mini candlestick. painted them up. hot glued them together. and added my herb of choice! i think they make a chic table accessory as well if you don't have a reason for favors any time soon.

you can also whip up some labels with any extra fabric, paper, and a toothpick.

i am selfishly keeping these. but they have definitely inspired me for our upcoming wedding!

keep enjoying your holidays, and don't forget to enter the giveaway! perfect for all of your 2012 entertaining needs.

{ raspberry mist cocktail and giveaway! }

2011-12-26T09:55:00.000-08:00

welcome back from the holiday excitement! hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. today i'm sharing a cocktail with you that i mixed up myself. i may not be a mixologist, but i think i have a winner here.

as a frequent entertainer. i like to make something special and specific for each occasion. usually, it's something super simple. so when sierra mist asked me to mix up a yummy cocktail, i thought i would step it up... for me at least:)

i created a "raspberry mist"! kind of a spin off of a margarita using similar ingredients. adding the sierra mist in gave it a more crisp and refreshing taste though. here's what you'll need:

[sierra mist]

[tequila, i used this, a tequila liqueur, so tasty]

[cointreau]

[triple sec]

[lime juice]

[frozen raspberries]

muddle about 5 frozen raspberries with 1 1/2 oz. tequila

add 1 oz. triple sec, 1 oz. cointreau, 1 oz. lime juice, shake it up...

before you pour, mix up some sugar and salt and dip the rim of your glass in it. i loved the sweet and salty flavor this added.

and finally...

top with about 3 oz. of sierra mist natural, drink and enjoy

what's that you say? you don't have a fancy shaker, glasses, etc? well you're in the right place! sierra mist has generously put together this amazing HOLIDAY GIFT PACK that you can win!

if you win, you will receive your own shaker, drink garnish/sugars, party glasses AND a $50 AMEX gift card! to enter, leave a comment sharing your most creative cocktail or mocktail recipe!

so easy:)

You have until next Sunday night to enter! I will pick a winner, at random, on Monday, January 2nd.

Happy Holidays!

Can't wait to hear your creative recipes!

[sierra mist provided product for use in recipes, all images and opinions are mine, mine, mine:)]

remember, you can check out sierra mist on facebook, they have an entire page just for sharing and finding recipes. i also shared a few last week, check them out here!

2011-12-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

i'm off to bake cookies, rent christmas vacations, a christmas story, elf, and the grinch, and watch them as many times as i can before sunday, finish wrapping, pick out a fancy holiday outfit for a get together tomorrow, and attempt to find a dairy free egg nog (does that exist?).

i hope you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy the holidays!

inspiration // simplicity

2011-12-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

a few of my pins from this week were screaming an obvious trend...

[logo, wreaths, tote, jars]

only 2 more shopping days! have you finished? i have a few more gift certificates to pick up today and i am done! i really do promise to start early next year;)

.. a shindig ..

2011-12-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

let me start this post by apologizing for the photo quality! i never understand how people get such amazing pictures of their parties held in the evening. i use a flash, they look washed out. i don't use a flash, they look yellow. ugh. i could not throw a party and not share it though:) so bare with me.

saturday ryan and i hosted our first annual white elephant party. i absolutely loved it and will definitely be having one every year. surprisingly, everyone was such a good sport and put effort into finding the most hilarious gifts.

i love a good champagne cocktail. and usually what ends up happening is i have to make them all night. so i got smart. i made a menu! we displayed 3 recipes for cocktails. the kir royale, the traditional champagne cocktail and a poinsettia.

striped paper straws, tinsel drink stirrers, fringe and a striped runner completed the look of our bar.

to adorn the table of sweets, i made some yarn poms and pinned them to the ceiling to create "snow".

luckily all of the desserts were devoured and i didn't have them in the house the next day:)

this year i wanted to go the easy route. i made cookie sandwiches with frosting in the middle, mini cinnamon rolls, dipped marshamallows, dipped pretzels and a few small jars of candy. OH, and the most delicious popcorn anyone had ever had. I used this recipe but took the chocolate out.

Happy Holidays!

[ frost bite or meet me at the mist-letoe? ]

2011-12-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

hello friends! how was everyones weekend? lot's of holiday parties and festivities i hope.

today i have the pleasure of sharing a fabulous cocktail with you guys and gals. Sierra Mist Natural provided all of the goods to mix up some deliciousness for me, friends, and family.

lately, in an effort to prepare for our wedding... and just lead a more healthy lifestyle, i've been cutting out (as much as possible) the "junk" that used to cloud our diet. preservatives, artificial flavors/sweeteners/etc, anything that is too far from natural. SO, when i had the chance to make cocktails (always a favorite) with a natural main ingredient (my new favorite), it was a no brainer. sierra mist natural is made with real sugar, has no artificial ingredients and is made with 100% natural flavoring. yum.

now, for the good stuff. how to make this festive and refreshing cocktail!

Frost Bite Cocktail

// Ingredients //

. 3 oz. sierra mist natural .

. 1 oz. blue curacao .

. 1 oz. coconut vodka . [i subbed in plain]

. fresh mint .

. 1 oz. pineapple juice .

. fresh blueberries . [optional, i omitted]

in a shaker filled with ice, mix your vodka, pineapple juice, blue curacao, fresh mint [i used about 5 leaves] and blueberries.

shake, shake, shake...

and strain into your glass

top with le secret ingredient... Sierra Mist Natural

and voila! a fabulously, sparkling, holiday cocktail!

you can garnish with the blueberries, i chose to thread a few sprigs of mint onto a fancy cocktail stirrer. you could do the same with the blueberries too!

and you don't think i would just make a cocktail for myself in the middle of the day right? ok, well i totally would, but this time i decided to share the wealth and get the opinions of my friends and family. aren't they adorable hanging in their little ornaments? :) meet kristy, ryan, christie and steve. seasoned cocktail drinkers... they know a good one when they taste it.

we all concluded that this one was pretty darn good. so good in fact i was asked multiple times for refills. steve made a good point... when i told him what he was about to drink, he said he expected some sort of tropical mai tai, super sugary drink. but was pleasantly surprised how the sierra mist natural countered those flavors. kristy agreed and added that the bubbles made the cocktail much more refreshing than your average vodka cocktail and also blended the flavors together nicely. we all loved that not one ingredient stood out (which was what we expected at first glance of the ingredients).

survey says... fab, awesome, yummy, let's do this again next weekend.

But wait, there's more. How about a Meet me at the Mist-letoe... Martini?

All you need is

. 2 oz. Sierra Mist Natural .

. 1.5 oz. raspberry vodka .

. 3 leaves fresh basil .

. 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice .

. 1 oz. blueberry juice .

In a glass, muddle 2 basil leaves, lime juice, and add to a shaker with ice. Add your vodka, blueberry juice and shake away. top with sierra mist natural... pour, and garnish with the remaining basil leaf!

Anything with basil is a friend of mine.

so which sounds yummy to you? will you be trying the frost bite or mist-letoe?

either way. you're in for a treat!

and guess what? if you come check back in with me next week, you will have a chance to win a pretty awesome entertaining kit that sierra mist natural has put together for you!

if you're now in the cocktail mood and you need more ideas, head over to the sierra mist facebook page or follow them on twitter!

[this is a sponsored campaign. all product was provided by sierra mist natural. images and opinions are mine... and my friends and fam]

[sparkle]

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

i have a mountain of things to get to today. as usual.. because of my dear friend procrastination.

we finally have our first holiday party of the season tonight! and i just hate worrying about unfinished projects on a fun night out. this means i should probably go tackle that to do list instead of scanning pinterest and catching up on twitter. xo.

[image by me... of an ornament.. not on my tree:)]

// color break //

2011-12-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

sure have been loving black lately.

[cocktail. mr and mrs. bouquet. hat. wonderful]

[ ornament diy ]

2011-12-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

oh, just another way to add some festive decor to your home or party with ornaments!

it's funny. i never buy ornaments with the intent of hanging them on our tree. they're usually for other projects like this!

all you need are some ornaments, washers, a hot glue gun, and seasonal greenery.

since i used clear ornaments, i put some beads as filler so you couldn't see the silver washer shining through. but you could also use painted, plastic, sparkly, or metallic ornaments in which case you wouldn't need the filler.

remove the ornament top

hot glue your washer on the bottom of the ornament

and your pretty much done. how easy is that?

now spruce away with your flowers or greenery.

boom. done. easy.

now enjoy:)

{ champagne grapes }

2011-12-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

{image via sweet paul}

i'm absolutely in love with champagne grapes. they're mini after all.

i'm putting these on my list as we speak as they are a must for our champagne cocktail bar.

i just hope they're in season and i can find them at the one store around us that actually carries them. is anyone a grape connoisseur and know? :)

// have yourself a... //

2011-12-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

I kind of miss the good old days when grandma would put so much tinsel on the tree you couldn't even see it any more. i love this picture from No Pattern Required. This is an actual picture from her grandparents house. not a staged and styled photo shoot:)

i think i've finally covered every inch and corner of our house with holiday decor. it only took a week. so now i'm moving onto party decor! on my list for the weekend and week to come is a photo back drop, drink stirrers, food picks to dress up our desserts, still contemplating favors... and much more i'm sure. once i start, i usually get inspired for many more decor pieces.

have a fabulous weekend.

{ sprucing }

2011-12-08T10:04:00.001-08:00

we have this chandelier. i like it. it's a chandelier. how can you not like a chandelier? well... it's hanging on a ceiling that is like 20 feet high. (i really have no idea how high it is, but it's really high) this means it's a pain in the ars to ever hang a new one. so, i like to spruce it up once in a while.

i decided to hang some sparkly ornaments with bakers twine last night. i just love how the glitter sparkles at night and can not wait to light some candles under these for our holiday party!

The table is a work in progress. i'm working on some hand painted napkins. scouting the perfect candle sticks. and need to add a bit more color before it is complete.

but of course i will share that as well:)

|| the white elephant invitation ||

2011-12-06T17:49:00.001-08:00

i have a problem.

i cannot just print an invite.

i MUST add something with glue, tape, or string.

our white elephant party invitation was no exception.

i found the most adorable miniature elephants online, painted them white...

these were way more work than originally anticipated.

since printers don't print to the edge (it's also a possibility they do and i have no idea how to do it, please share if you know) i had to tape off each invite and hand paint.

each piece of confetti, punched and meticulously placed... to look random.

and 4 coats of paint later, perfectly glossy white elephants were hot glued as the final touch.

i think i might frame one i love them so much:)

small kraft bags and washi tape were used as "envelopes". i didn't want to suffocate the elephants in a regular envelope.

what do you think? i also bought a boat load of that pretty tinsel. can. not. wait. to make some party decor with it!

[ holiday party inspiration ]

2011-12-05T19:20:00.000-08:00

i know you've heard everyone say it a million times. but i really can't believe it's already december. and almost a week in! i thought i could make time slow down a bit after leaving my "day" job. but now that i actually enjoy what i'm doing every day, the hours fly by!

but that is NOT what i'm posting about today. nor anything i can change:) so moving on.

ryan and i are hosting our first annual white elephant party! i'm super excited. it's our first party with a purpose... like not just a party to eat, drink... and eat and drink.

my inspiration for this shindig is red, tan and black & white stripes.

tomorrow. the invites!

[champagne, stationary, packages, candy, pillow, table, wreath, mini stand, ornaments, throw]

gifting on a dime || day five:: customized cake plates

2011-12-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

and last but not least... cake and/or appetizer plates!

i don't know about you, but plates, glasses and napkins are my kryptonite. i happen upon so many amazing deals that they just pile up in our closets. last years christmas plates are never good enough this year, which means LOTS of left overs.

i gave these a face lift with a porcelain pen. so easy to use, you can add whatever your creative little head can come up with. i'm a sucker for phrases. i'm much better at writing than drawing... so...

and why not wrap the plates up with a pretty tea towel? a great colorful touch you can add. and something they can keep and use rather than throwing in the trash as soon as they open your gift.

i hope you all enjoyed this week! and i hope i maybe even inspired some diy gifting ideas.

have a fabulous weekend.

gifting on a dime || day four:: grocery list and menu sign

2011-12-01T07:00:00.001-08:00

SO clever. I actually saw this idea on pinterest.

take an old frame, give it a fresh coat of paint, and insert a pretty piece of paper {maybe even lined or graph?} to get a fabulous list/sign. you can include some dry erase markers too... just in case your pal doesn't understand what the intent of this gift is at first glance.

i know that the grocery list is pretty painful around here. i try to keep a mental note until i actually stop long enough to write it down. this means forgotten q-tips, butter, and toilet paper... constantly.

i might even make one for our bedroom and bathroom while i'm at it. you never know when a thought is going to come into your head you'll need to remember.

gifting on a dime || day three:: mini and travel candles

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

how are you liking the projects so far? doable... and affordable? good.

i heart candles. i think everyone does. so this ones a no brainer.

i like the idea of traveling with your favorite scents too. so how about finding some portable tins like the one above? this tin was actually from a memory stick ryan bought for me. and the tea cup, a garage sale find. i used candles that were pretty much done. down to the point where if you burn them any longer you might just catch your house on fire. and.. ok, you might have to go out and buy some wicks.

now treat those friends that compliment how good your place smells, to a chance to have that in their own:)

gifting on a dime || day two:: a streamer bracelet

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

remember those friendship bracelets you used to make in elementary school? well they're back. and they're cool.

all you need here is some embroidery thread and an old gold chain. don't know how to make a friendship bracelet? check this out. now you are officially hooked and will make thousands of these.

i could NOT figure out how to flatten this dumb thing out. hence, the "streamer" bracelet! i kind of like it like that, you know, with my love for parties and all.

attach your gold chains to the end of a shortened friendship bracelet. chic.

now package it up for that special someone with a few pieces of felt confetti and a safety pin.

gifting on a dime || day one:: cocktail stirrers

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

happy monday! did everyone have a fabulous turkey filled thanksgiving?

welcome to the first day of gifting on a dime. hope you enjoy all of the simple and thrifty projects i have lined up. first up... cocktail stirrers.

all you need for these little guys are bamboo skewers cut to your desired height, some wood beads and craft paint. i used a pink and added in white to get the ombre effect.

just add a dab of hot glue to the top and bottom beads to keep them secure on the skewer.

LOVE these! These are definitely becoming one of my party staples from now on.

|| gifting on a dime ||

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

in consideration of my new "situation" (semi-self employed) i've been racking my brain for thoughtful, useful, and pocket friendly gift ideas for friends and family. actually, i've always thought this way, but now i actually have to act on it as my holiday budget has been slashed.

so, i put together a few fun and easy ideas. all of these projects cost me ZERO dollars. yes. really.

and if your fairly crafty, i have a hunch you have some of these things around the house or wherever you may keep your crafty goods.

remember: you're being thoughtful by making these gifts, eco friendly by recycling your old stuff, and saving your entire fam a load of cash. don't think of it as re-gifting your old crap. because it's so much more:)

these are just a few peeks into the projects i'll be sharing with you next week. all very customizable to your lucky gift receiver and materials are easily interchangeable with what you have!

can you guess any of these yet?

come back monday for day 1 of the...

5 days of gifting on a dime.

aloha...

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

i'll be headed back to this place for our second annual tropical thanksgiving extraveganza, today. i really hope we have a third, fourth, fifth, etc...

i plan on lounging, eating my weight in pineapple, drinking ryans weight in mai tai's, and spending much needed {uninterrupted by work and cell phones} quality time with my love and some close friends.

i've scheduled a fun little series while i'm away. more details to come on friday. enjoy the holiday weekend!

// packing my closet //

2011-11-22T17:04:00.001-08:00

the hardest part of a vacation.

[ holiday gift guide ]

2011-11-20T15:14:00.001-08:00

well hello! who's ready to get their holiday shopping started? i know, me neither. where did this year go?

i know one thing though. i never have a hard time picking out things for people like myself... it's like shopping for yourself... easy. that is why i've put together a gift guide for the sparkly entertainer. we all know one!

let's start with what that glitter gal in your life wants in her closet on december 26th.

01. sparkle booties

02. lip gloss

03. cross neckleace

04. fringe jacket

05. glasses

don't forget your hostess gifts! as party enthusiasts, i'm sure many of you know how much work goes into planning that anual christmas party, a dinner party, or even a casual night of wine and cheese. A LOT. so how about gracing the hostess with one of these lovely {affordable} treats to show your thanks for the mini turkey cocktail picks she stayed up hand painting until 3 am.

06. voluspa candle

07. striped tote

08. rifle paper notes

09. animal calendar

10. kitchen stamp

conversation pieces. we all love em. we're always on the search for them. they're those fabulous little touches that the entertainer cannot get enough of. let's be real. party city is easy to go to and grab a few things for your bash. but they're {usually just plain boring}. so get her something that she can adorn her party with that looks like a million bucks. but totally isn't.

11. cocktail swords

12. candelabra

13. brass urchin

14. bottle stoppers

15. forever banner

16. polka dot cutlery

17. flamingo tea towel

18. pitcher

19. horse print pillow

all of these pieces are super affordable. the only way i would have it. i really do want to help people with their holiday gifting. not just give you a post of pretty things i only WISH i could afford for my friends and family. {i might be secretly wishing my friends and family get all of this for me as well:)}

i know i only touched on a small category that you are shopping for, but that is why i have sharon, natalie, amanda, and green4u ! 4 fabulous ladies with fabulous taste picking out some more fabulous goodies to put on your list. head on over to cupcakes and cutlery, mint love social club, i go you go and green4u!

oh, and email me if you need my shipping address for any of the above. just kidding... kind of

{ pretty }

2011-11-18T07:50:00.000-08:00

i recently noticed that i tend to leave some of my favorite things just lying around.

all of these things have their place... the jewelry box, a drawer, my purse, etc. but instead i find places to display them. my new kate spade calendar is always in the kitchen or on the coffee table because it is just so darn good looking. my ban.do clip and fave little pieces of jewelry have a permanent spot on the bathroom counter. cocktail flags are waiting to be used... even during the week... sitting pretty in a vase in our kitchen. oh, and paper flowers i made as a test for our wedding are making their rounds around the house. maybe it looks like a mess to others a little more tidy than myself, but this stuff keeps me inspired and happy now that i spend a majority of my day working from home!

a few fashionable ladies and i decided to throw together some gift guides for you too! check back on monday to see mine and links to the others to get your holiday shopping started.

happy friday. enjoy your weekend

{ easy pillow update }

2011-11-17T10:08:00.001-08:00

now that things are finally leveling out around here... workload wise... i'm finally finding some time to do those little things around the house that have been on hold.

this one took about 5 minutes.

I had purchased a few pillows from walmart for an event. They cost about $7 each! For the event, i spruced them up with covers that tied in with the rest of the decor.

After bringing them home, I gave one a place on a chair in our living room (side note: chair also from ikea.. its was hideously red and on sale for a little over $10. better now right?). So boring.. Plain canvas pillow on a plain white chair.

I stitched on a little heart from a scrap piece of black fabric. I heart it now:)

// color break //

2011-11-16T08:21:00.001-08:00

// cobalt . and . peach //

plate . outfit . flowers . paper flowers

|| pretty in pink shower ||

2011-11-15T08:54:00.001-08:00

last weekend i made my way up to venice to turn a cozy patio into a sweet pink setting for a group of fabulous ladies celebrating the arrival of a friends baby girl.

here are a few shots of the handmade details i incorporated into the design::

each guest received their own individual succulent to take home

sparkling lemonade for the guest of honor... and a great little mimosa bar for the others

the sundae bar was adorned with a girly, glittery, fringe sign. hand dyed ombre bunting. custom calligraphy signs. embellished wood spoons. dipped cutlery and simple arrangements.

as always, it was a great time getting to create an all pink palette. my specialty:)

... featured! ...

2011-11-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

this little cutie was featured on the nate berkus show today!

rachel hollis from chic events set a fabulous table and topped the mini gold cupcake stands with a mini pie!

such a cute idea for your thanksgiving dinner.

if you want to see the segment, click right here. or head over to my shop for more info on snagging a few of your own mini cupcake stands!

[wedding project peeks]

2011-11-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

so i went missing for a bit. it got kind of crazy over here. i had a lot of project finishing up to do for a wedding last weekend. the above are just a few pictures i snapped quickly before rushing them off. the one thing i didn't take a picture of? oh, just the 450 pieces of silverware i painted. holy mac did i underestimate the time it would take to do that. it took many long days and nights, but i got them done and they looked fabulous. i cannot wait to see the gorgeous images to come from this wedding!

[ fall table setting // part two ]

2011-11-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

i always have a ton of this... wheat... stuff (not sure what exactly you would call the individual pieces) and, every year without fail, succeed in making some kind of awkward arrangement or garland with it. this year, i am finally satisfied with my use of the wheat. as cocktail stirrers!

i found it hard to mix a cocktail this morning, but i'll definitely share when these are in action. maybe this weekend;)

[ fall table setting // part one ]

2011-11-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

usually.. i'm not the biggest fan of fall decor. the browns and oranges just don't get me excited to create and decorate. with my new personal goal of trying new things and not getting comfortable, i decided to give it a go this year. most years, right after halloween, my brain switches to christmas mode. not this week. i wanted to try mixing it up with bright whites and pops of fun colors. see that mint in there? pop.

part one of my fall table setting are these super simple and FREE name card holders. i gathered twigs from our back yard, broke them into pieces of the same length, rinsed, tied with scrap fabric and voila!

happy fall decorating!

// color inspiration //

2011-11-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

meet our new house guest, goldie.

if he looks familiar, you may have seen him here.

anyways. next to those outstanding dahlias i picked up at trader joes, they instantly became my color inspiration this week. not the fall-ist of color choices... but still inspiring.

{ enjoy }

2011-10-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

weekend agenda::

finally work on some simple diy projects for ya! make myself a ban.do-esque flower.. just for fun.. and because i have extra fabric. try a cocktail from this book. work on a new garland collection for my shop {this stuff is fab. get excited}. order crepe paper and start making 500 paper flowers for our wedding. start training for a half marathon... slowly.

i should get started if i plan on accomplishing all of this. enjoy your weekend!

[image by me for from my bday]

// color break //

2011-10-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

inspired by::

emerald and orange for fall

// arrangement via one charming party // flags via martha stewart // pants via anthropologie // balloon via 100 layer cake //

:: weekend snaps ::

2011-10-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

a few pics from our weekend.

i really need to start using my [real] camera again. my phone is just so darn handy though.

finally had a chance to start organizing things like jewelry... still a work in progress, but it's definitely not "displayed" all over our bathroom counter anymore. put to use some easy little stands made with vintage plates and candlesticks. found a fabulous bust and horse sculpture. and started the weekend off right with champagne to celebrate my recent leap into self employment!

put out some of our halloween decor that's been waiting for weeks! better late than never? ryan and i made sushi! ok, ryan made sushi. i watched and tested. it was our first time trying it and it turned out better than we both expected. i think this needs to become a new weekend tradition for us. and lastly i had a great sunday afternoon organized by sharon taking head shots with desi! they looked stunning on the camera, cannot wait to see the real thing!

for the first time in a long time. this weekend did not fly by. i think this new state of mind i'm in... not stressing about making it to work on time monday, or dreading spending another day in my cubicle... i think this has allowed me to appreciate all the good things we have going on. it's an amazing feeling! how was your weekend? xo

{ pretty faces and a deal }

2011-10-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

{me.wendy.kristin}

look what i did yesterday... professional head shots... finally

Sharon helped to get together a fabulous group of bloggers for shots taken by Desi Mendoza.

I don't think Sharon could have picked a more beautiful day or spot for these. Look at that light. I mean... perfection. Desi was wonderful to work with. I am the most awkward, nervous person when it comes to taking pictures by myself. Usually individual shots of me consist of crossed eyes and my tongue. Classy, right? Plus we had Sharon there to tap dance behind the camera... what do you think Kristin is laughing at.

So. There's a little perk for you too. Desi is offering a smoking deal on a holiday session for you and your fam. If you need some shots for your holiday cards, I suggest you take him up on this. For $150 Desi will work with you at a 30 minute session. You will receive 5-10 images (digital downloads) within a few weeks to show of to your friends and family. Up to 5 family members are included in the price.

If you're interested, check out dezandtam.com, follow him on twitter, or send him a quick note via email.

Big thank you to Sharon and Desi for an amazing day yesterday, to Kristin for the scrumptious red velvet cupcake that Ryan and I scarfed down as soon as I got home, and it was great meeting Wendy:) xo

// for your party giveaway winner //

2011-10-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Congrats Natalie! Shoot me an email to claim your prize.

Thanks for all of your entries and great ideas!

\\ image via geronimo balloons \\

... and have a happy friday

2011-10-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

happy friday y'all

today is a good day.

the house is clean. i'm caught up on work. i made rice krispy treats. and ryan gets home.

i've been holding down the fort for 2 weeks now on my own and can't wait to have another human with me here! it's been me and 3 [messy] pets. it get's a bit old telling them about my day with no response:)

i have some yummy treats lined up! i made r's favorite... the rice krispy treats. and planned a fabulous breakfast for tomorrow of baked eggs, homemade cinnamon buns, and mimosa's of course.

enjoy your weekend!

oh, and if you have any tips on the cinnamon buns, feel free to chime in. i've never made them before and can imagine they're not too easy.

{image by me}

{book: the cocktail by jane rocca gifted by sharon!}

[ homemade favors ]

2011-10-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Favors are a simple way for you to get super creative and give your guests something with a personal touch. I love when couples or hosts can pass one something that they enjoy.

Ryan and I are very into [ok, it maybe a little more of me loving it] creating our own pieces of recipes from our garden or from scratch. So for our engagement party, we infused vodka with fresh rosemary, bottled, and customized a yummy recipe to hang from the bottle top. It was our way of sharing something we like with our friends and family.

The simple syrup I made earlier this week, it was just too good looking to keep in a bottle in our refrigerator... so I created an easy DIY favor idea.

These fancy little bottles were about $1 at my local craft store. I created some simple labels and attached with twine! You could even add a tag that included a recipe to a drink you recommend using your homemade simple syrup with.

If you're having a holiday party, there are plenty of simple fall and winter inspired mixes out there you could easily bottle up and impress your guests with!

And there's still 3 more days to enter the giveaway! Click here and check it out. All you have to do is tell us your favorite party theme... EASY!

// this weekend i tried... //

2011-10-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for champagne cocktails, so I'm always looking for different recipes to spruce up my usual mixtures. Usually it's a matter of mixing a sweet flavor with your favorite champs. Which made me think... simple syrup! It's sweet... so i'll just add some flavor.

I tried 2 flavors. Strawberry basil and Blackberry lemon. Both, equally tasty. But if I had to choose one, try the strawberry basil.

It was so simple. Boil 1 cup of water, add 1 cup of sugar. After the sugar dissolves, add your chopped fruit, bring back to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool [with fruit]

Strain, and serve!

For my combos, I used:

2 lemons + 20 blackberries

5 strawberries + 10 basil leaves

I was disappointed to learn that this only keeps about a week refrigerated... but I think will be a great addition to our next party at a champagne bar!

AND DON'T FORGET!!!

enter to win some fabulous party supplies below. why not?

[all images are mine]

GIVEAWAY for your fall BASH!

2011-10-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

It's fall! And that means the holiday party marathon is upon us!

We've got halloween, thanksgiving, and christmas to name a few... not to mention those impromptu get togethers for game night, movies, or just drinking kahlua and coffee next the the fire.

You're in luck. Let A Fabulous Fete and For Your Party help prepare you for your next shindig with a spectacular giveaway that'll go to one lucky hostess.

For Your Party is an absolute genius idea. With a few clicks, they help you make entertaining effortless. You know when you attend a cocktail party at your friends house [whom you've all dubbed "martha"] and she has those special touches that make you think, why didn't I think of that at my last dinner party? Well, get ready to steal the title... take your pick from cocktail napkins, straws, stirrers, ribbons, tags, coasters, and so much more. Not to mention these things all come in every color you could imagine.

Look at that... you can even add art. Perfect for a themed wedding, bridal, or baby shower!

So how does this sound.

YOU tell ME a fabulous party theme you've been dreaming up, are planning, or maybe have even hosted! I pick the most creative out of the bunch and send you on your way to For Your Party to design your very own collection of party goods! If you win, you'll receive:

{ 50 oval stir sticks }

{ 50 beverage napkins }

{ 50 coasters: square, round, scalloped, or stem wraps }

YOU get to choose exactly what you want down to the color, font, shape and special message.

This is a perfect time to prep for any of your upcoming holiday parties! So think up a creative party theme and leave a comment below before SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23rd.

I will pick the winner and announce Monday, October 24th!

GO!

[images and giveaway goodies all courtesy of For Your Party]

[ mid-week color break ]

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

|| calligraphy via rifle paper co. | cake via once wed | dress via InbalS | confetti garland via kristina marie ||

// this weekend i tried... //

2011-10-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

more like... embellished chocolate.

if you have 15 minutes, but want to make something that'll impress your guests, this is a perfect treat to end your next dinner party.

i bought a bar of dark chocolate. the rest of the ingredients were things we had in our pantry.

almonds.

coconut.

pretzels.

sea salt.

dried bananas.

first i coated the insides of a mini cupcake baking pan with oil. added a few squares of the chocolate. and popped in the oven at about 170 for 10 minutes... until melted.

added my chopped and crushed ingredients to the top of the melted chocolate...

refrigerated.

and served [to myself]

i played it safe this time. i think next time i'll get a little more courageous and try some exciting ingredients. herbs and spices?

[ i love you daily candy ]

2011-10-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Daily Candy was kind enough to recommend me to a few of their readers today!

If you're a bride, and looking for more info you can do a few things...

{email me}

{head over to check out a few things I can do for you}

{or learn all about A Fabulous Fete at afabulousfete.com}

xo. have a great monday!

{ mid week color break }

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

.. emerald and fuchsia ..

/ table runner via white dog vintage // flower arrangements via martha stewart // sequin heart via ban.do on glitter guide // dress and necklaces via the wonder girl /

// this weekend i tried... //

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

gluten free // dairy free brownies... kind of

my intentions were there. to be honest, i really didn't care much about them being gluten free. i was focused more on the dairy part. which was good because I had ryan run to the store... i asked him for coconut oil, almond meal and dark chocolate. i got coconut extract and cocoa powder:) [i appreciate that he DID try though. he was only trying to help me test my baking skills] so. i subbed in vegetable oil, wheat flour and made "chocolate" out of the powder. they were ok at best. i think the chocolate would have made a HUGE difference.

so, for the second week in a row. recipe FAIL.

i still ate 3 after work yesterday though. they weren't THAT bad.

i'm trying something easier next time:)

if you ARE looking for a gluten and dairy free recipe. i used this one from gluten free goddess.

i trust this would be spectacular with the correct ingredients

[painters tape for oktoberfest]

2011-10-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

hey there. happy october!

i cannot believe how fast september flew by. but here we are. getting out halloween decorations and searching for the best pumpkin spice candles. at least thats what i do when october first rolls around:)

what a better way to celebrate october than with a little diy dedicated to okterberfest!

when i think oktoberfest. i see blue and orange. not the most flattering color combo... but i guess it works for a time dedicated to beer and sausage. anyways. i thought i'd spice up my mans beer with some pretty little flags:)

all you need are a few bamboo skewers and blue painters tape!

flags. fringe and streamers were the obvious choice to decorate a frosty glass.

add a little class your oktoberfest shindig by trying one of these fun flags in your fall cocktails!

{ cozy polka dots }

2011-09-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

doesn't this pillow just make you want to cozy up on the couch with a cup of coffee, cinnamon candle burning, watching the rain outside, listening to adele on the record player?

ya, me too:)

image via suken on etsy

life and your bag

2011-09-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

this was the state of my bag

{trust me. you definitely don't want to see this in color}

i spy oatmeal... really? out of control.

and don't they say your life mimics your home/organization etc? Something like that? I think so. Well.. i felt a lot like that purse. a whole lot going on. jumbled in a mess. unorganized. and i had an anxiety attack every time i had to look for my stupid keys.

i decided, i need a bag for every "category" of things in my bag. stationary-ish things like pencils, pens, paper, camera, washi tape (you never know when you'll need it). personal type things like gum, chapstick, bobby pins, and rubber bands. coupons! (i'm cheap) etc. My mom used to call me a bag lady when i was a kid. I really still don't know what this is, but i think i'm definitely living up to the name now. (it may have had something to do with the fact that i NEVER threw anything away, it would go in a bag, in my closet, "just in case". the case never arose:)) This time it's pretty little leather and canvas bags... not grocery bags.

Moving along... here is my round up. Some purchase (yay!), some i want to purchase. Here's to getting organized!

when looking at my options, i realized their might be some colors i'm leaning towards? i'm okay with that. mint was definitely my summer color obsession, but i think it's going to transition well when mixed with some mustard and forest (one of my october inspiration colors!).

i can't wait to get my bag (and maybe my head) straightened out.

as usual. my faves are from etsy.

mint awesomeness via renneslechateau

mustard coin purse (that comes with a ring pillow! perfect!) via thezakka

tassle-ey canvas perfection via vellepurse

suede beauty via marketa

[ a relaxing weekend ]

2011-09-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

my weekend in some bad phone pictures

it was too short. as usual.

i assisted at a wedding on saturday. so my weekend consisted mostly of sunday, which we made the most of. i started out the day listening to so awesome new records we picked up. ryan had a collection of records. like legit classic records. anyways, i got him a record player for christmas because records are absolutely no good without one. we haven't used it much. until now. the only downside is we bought 3 new records... which are currently on repeat. i need a good source for record shopping. this is foreign to me! in addition to record playing, coffee drinking and craft making took place. perfect weekend morning if you ask me.

louis cuddled. but only long enough for the picture. he has cat add.

we made pizzas on the grill. amazing. except for the fact that eating that delicious pizza confirmed i am in fact intolerant to the lactose. see that pile of cheese? so good last night. today, my enemy. i'm bummed, but finally glad to know WHY i felt the way i did, pretty much daily. ryan and i will definitely not stop our wine and cheese dates. i'll just have to deal with it. it's worth it. once in a while at least.

And lastly. "this weekend i tried" was a BIG.FAT.FAIL.

cookies with the 2 main ingredients being a stick of almond paste and a little sugar. NOT good. I think that not having a food processor played a big part in them not turning out well... maybe. i promise the fail was not due to my gigantic glass of red wine ;)

[a new collection]

2011-09-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

i'm starting a plate collection.

beginning with...

i've featured celinda.ceramics before. i fall for just about every piece in the shop.

i'm planning on collecting vintage cake plates for our wedding. if i could, i would gladly buy each and every one from celinda.ceramics. unfortunately, my budget for each plate is about 1/24 of each of these beauties:) i CAN however buy this one and dedicate a wall to my new collection.

// this weekend i tried... //

2011-09-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

a glazed popcorn.

my inspiration came from this popcorn recipe on designlovefest. looks so good.

I never even thought of changing up popcorn. adding salt, or parm? ya.. but nothing like this

it reminded me a bit of kettle corn because of the sugar in the recipe, but the lemon and poppy seed gave it a deliciously... different kick.

it was super easy to make.

i whipped up an egg white, sugar, lemon extract, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest. tossed my popped popcorn in the mixture [which by the way was just plain old popcorn from a bag in the microwave]. baked for 20 minutes. and enjoyed.

full recipe is here

can you just imagine all of the ingredients you can pair together with the simple base of an egg white, salt and sugar? there are so many possibilities.. i will definitely be exploring some on our next movie night! have you ever made anything like this?

[all images by me]

ps. in the recipe, it did not specify what to do with the poppy seeds and lemon zest... common sense told me to throw it in the egg white mixture and it seemed to work just fine! i also pulled our popcorn out at about 16 minutes. i didn't want it to be as caramelized on the outside. hope these tips help a bit!

need.a.hand?

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

i'm working with some similar porcelain hands for a wedding. they just arrived today and i love them even more now that i've seen them in person. it makes me want to buy these, like real bad, and put pretty things in them on one of our tables that has been begging for something a little more interesting than our typical lamp and candle.

[via amradio on etsy]

// the weekend //

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

a few highlights from our weekend

lounging by the lake. baking and trying new recipes. some delicious wine. and fishing with my mini pole [my only catch of the day was a leaf. darn]

oh, and our excellent sunset.

// this weekend i tried... //

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

recently, i've been stuck in a rut.

cooking the same thing, wearing the same thing, eating out at the same places... basically, getting comfortable. now comfortable is definitely not a bad thing, but sometimes, you just need to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. i definitely wasn't doing that. so last week, i decided to take a few days off and re-think, re-plan, even re-decorate. i needed to get organized and updated. i organized my office, redecorated the downstairs of our house, started new projects, finished long over due projects and made a promise to myself to try something new as often as i could.

i even came up with a way to incorporate my blog into this new "way of life" :)

every weekend (let's be real, i may take a weekend or two off), i'm going to try a new food and/or drink recipe. drum roll...

this weekend i tried a sweet salsa. my intake of fruit usually consists of (possibly) a banana when i'm running late for work. not good. so i was truly hoping this would be a magical recipe that made me want to eat my fruit. and... it did. this stuff was amazing. and easy. i chopped up bananas, mangos and kiwis, blended some strawberries, mixed, and had a bowl of fruit salsa. served with equally as easy cinnamon chips made with flour tortillas, this was one recipe i will be using again.

the only downside is that i found this right at the end of summer. i would've made this for every backyard bbq, pool party, and afternoon snack. there's always next summer

i found the sweet salsa and cinnamon chip recipe on cooks.com, you can get all of the details here.

all images were taken by me.

try it and let me know what you think!

oh... and i tried a basil margarita. a word of advise. don't.

if you have and have a magical recipe like the one above, send it over:)

[for you and me]

2011-09-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

spoons // print // pencils // glasses

planning a wedding means endless searches for adorable touches like these. now i just need a place to use them all. easy.

happy friday!

. makes me want to bake .

2011-09-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

customers photos are the best. especially when they're a fabulous cake maker.

thanks alanna:)

[some weekend pics]

2011-09-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

hope everyones long weekend was great! i decided to take an extra long holiday weekend and take off thurs/fri. i think it just made it extra hard to come back to reality today.

we visited our wedding venue, finished projects around the house, had a little dinner party with friends, and my fave... spent a day at the spa. ryan had given me a gift certificate to the montage in laguna beach for my bday, 2 years ago i think, and we FINALLY used it. we found out that once you check in for your treatment you have access to the spa the entire day... which happens to include a pool with views i captured in the pics above. amazing right? i'm already planning future weekends and researching the most "affordable" option there to get us into that magnificent pool for the day;)

[our weekend] belated

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

i know. mondays are the times for weekend posts. but i had other fun stuff i was a bit more excited to share. as i said. most of the weekend was spent lounging...

that's all:)

just a few phone pics that turned out better than most i take!

and why are pictures of feet so fun?

// ramos house //

2011-08-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

my friend and i visited the most adorable little cafe in san juan capistrano a few weekends ago, ramos house. i couldn't stop gushing over how much i loved all of the little touches. so of course i had to capture a few pics!

lavender in tiny little vases... ferns and candles covering the weathered wood walls... and fabulous mimosas served in mason jars. my kind of joint.

oh and the food didn't suck either.

if you're in southern ca. i definitely recommend a visit!

{ finally! c o n f e t t i l a b }

2011-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

happy monday friends!

how was everyones weekend? we were lucky enough to spend ours [that was ALMOST in the triple digits by the way] lounging most of our days in a neighbors pool:) oh, the perks that come along with dog sitting while they were away! it was also the first weekend in a long... LONG time that i've actually had to myself. I had a few orders to finish up, but other than that, my weekend was work free. besides being poolside, i got a lot of projects done around the house that were long over due. it feels like i'm finally caught up on, life i guess.

so, to start off the week, i thought i would finally share our pictures from confetti lab! i know i already gave you the low down, so i will just let you enjoy the details that ed from up imagery captured beautifully for us that day.

streamers and lights created a fluttering canopy for day, and a twinkling ceiling for our outdoor venue at night.

several lounge areas were placed around the party for guests to mingle, sip and eat. i displayed the treats that were generously donated, bouganvilla "borrowed" from an overgrown tree of a neighbor [i considered it a favor as i trimmed a spot for them], vintage frames, and various bell jars and apothecary jars displaying air plants.

whats a summer bash without a refreshing cocktail? tres sietes was the perfect match for the margarita recipes i had gathered.

i thought we'd give our guests a little activity to

1. keep them occupied for a bit [i know, because margaritas, tacos, cupcakes, churros, and shopping is not enough]

and 2. teach them a new skill they could take home and use at their own shindig

masking tape garland and streamer cocktail stirrers [made with glue dots] were a nice match for summer entertaining ideas.

shopping! who can resist some hand crafted goodness?

we had lauren elise crafted, blair britt events, dolly's cotton candy, me: a fabulous fete, and stella & dot! it was a girls dream... sweets, pretty decor, and jewels, all in one place.

[lauren elise]

[blair britt events]

[stella & dot and dolly's sweet dreams cotton candy]

[a fabulous fete]

the party ended with our fabulous gift bags. here were just a few of the goodies guests got to take home.

a confetti favor by a fabulous fete. s'mores kit by lauren elise. and the very handy, individual cupcake containers by the posh box.

and the ladies that made it happen!

[eva from the wedding pantry//me//brittany shanks from spruce pr]

you still have a little summer left to put these ideas to use!

i hope you enjoyed all of the details from confetti lab. we sure had a blast creating it.

// event design // a fabulous fete

// venue // the wedding pantry

// pr // spruce pr

// photography // up imagery

// vendors // lauren elise crafted, blair britt events, a fabulous fete, dolly's sweet dreams cotton candy, stella & dot

// tacos // soho taco

// dj // mahjestik

// cupcakes // kupcake spot, dolce vista, somedays bakeshop

// tequila // tres sietes

// favor bags // the posh box, the scrappy sister, in the clear

// diy station donations // glue dots

{food & wine flatware feature}

2011-08-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

a few months ago i was contacted by food & wine to work on a little project for their september issue. and here are the {very exciting} spreads that were published! food & wine's style editor had seen the dipped flatware i had at my wine and cheese tasting birthday bash {i know, right? my birthday party}.

i'm currently whipping up some fun flatware sets to put in my etsy shop! the first of many to come is a pretty pink set of dessert forks perfect for a girls night celebration. i feel like i might just have to have a dessert party to properly shoot the pieces in action.

i hope not to be so mia moving forward. work, projects, and cake stands orders got the best of me. my head is above water now though and i plan on keeping it that way! there's been some fun stuff going on like a glue dots diy photo/video shoot, an adorable garden party for a friends company's grand opening, and a baby shower styling. i'll be sharing soon.

have a great week! and pick up your copy of food & wine!

enjoy yourself // and a recap

2011-08-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

oh, hello. i need this crown

throw your man a bash with inspiration from here

i wish i had an extra wad of cash for these beauties

currently wishing i was as talented as her. instead i'm using her tutorial. amazing

need some color inspiration for you august projects? check this out.

in other news.

i'm building a website. finally! i hope to have it up soon.

i will have my new biz cards next week. so excited. this also means a new look for a fabulous fete!

[everythings gotta match right?]

i'm working on new garlands for ya this weekend. and they're SO pretty.

watercolor... might be setting up shop, in my shop

oh, and i'm working on a very creative/pretty/exciting/fun project with glue dots this weekend!

wow, listing that all out makes it seem like a lot more...

hopefully these little recaps keep me accountable for the tasks i aim to complete over my weekend!

we. will. see.

enjoy your weekend

[ a birthday for him ]

2011-08-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated a friends birthday, which i decorated, as usual. I had showed you a little of my inspiration here, and definitely think we achieved a "manly" vibe. Maybe it was the mustaches, i don't know...

People can say what they want about ross. personally, i always find amazing things for amazing prices. these gorgeous "crystal" decanters were one of them. they really brought the bar to a whole new level. i heart them and will use them over and over {i'm not a crystal connoisseur by any means, these could very well be real, i have no idea, nor any idea what real crystal costs... so, let's call them real}

and whats a bar without some signature cocktails. the birthday boys wife and i met up the night before to test out some recipes. it was horrible... but we did what we had to do to make his night special;)

we ended up with two fabulously {and unexpectedly} yummy cocktails. one we appropriately named "be a ginger" and the other with the main ingredient being pink lemonade. yum.

distressed silver and succulent accents

and lots of books... because manly men read novels, right?

my masterpiece. a bowl of chips {secured with glue dots} placed on a candlestick made potato chips a little more fancy than your everyday backyard bbq display.

the photo area was a hit. mustaches do that to people. you aren't any fun if you don't take a picture with a mustache. for the word board above the backdrop, we made lots of letters to hang. people could choose a phrase to write out, rather than the typical speech bubble chalk board. i must say, you get a few of those ginger cocktails in people and it gets interesting.

backdrop was made from tissue paper fringe and a large succulent looking tree-ish thing i found in their backyard. love surprises like that!

the end.

need a manly man party for the guy in your life?

email me and I can design an event just for you!

{ our engagement photos. just a peek }

2011-08-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

our engagement photos are here!

When i finally pick my favorites {hard when your photographer takes gorgeous photos 100% of the time} i will definitely share more. For now, give Up Imagery a visit and check out our photos along with many other beautiful couples.

Thanks Eddie! We love them!

{ august color inspiration }

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

i did some end of summer cleaning. that lead to re-discovering lots of fun materials buried deep in old boxes. and that lead to a color inspiration shoot for august!

you always find it where you least expect it. junk boxes in my case.

{ playing dress up }

2011-07-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

with summer being here, all i want to do is wear pretty flowy dresses. So you can imagine what a large percentage of my favorites are on etsy...

I want them all (including those legs), but should really get one {if my wallet had a choice}. Which would you pick?

|| 01. buttertoastboutique // 02. hallecat // 03. 04. & 05. persephonevintage ||

|| le cookie organizer ||

2011-07-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

i went to visit another one of my new mommy friends today. a few of us girls decided to split up a meal and each bring part for all of us to enjoy while visiting. of course mine was desserts because... desserts the best part of a meal, right?

i found a set of 3 of these little white baskets at staples yesterday while shopping for a shipping box [same situation i mentioned here. i need to learn how to focus]. the set of 3 was only 99 cents!

i spruced it up with some gold spray paint and baked some fabulously easy cookies to fill it with.

yep. sugar cookies + frosting + sprinkles = fancy dessert that doesn't take fancy dessert time.

i added a few flags to customize it for our gathering..

and left [well... what was left after we all chowed down] the cookies for the new fam to enjoy. not sure they'll last long. they were really good if i say so myself:)

i plan to paint the other 2 in some fun colors. maybe hot pink and gold. i'll keep those 2 in my office for organization. talk about versatile... cookie tray/office organizer all wrapped into one!

oh look // i used succulents again

2011-07-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

per the usual situation when running errands. i failed to have self control during my trip to lowes for spray paint i needed for a clients project [which by the way is shaping up to be pretty rad]. i'm a bit of a geek when it comes to plants. i actually just like to troll around the garden department and WISH i could keep some of those beauties alive in my yard. baby steps. for some reason i can keep things in pots alive better than when they're in the ground.

we have a little patio set ryans parents gave us. it's been sitting outside our back door for a year or two now, sadly staring back at me asking to be prettied up. that was how i justified buying more succulents.. to give the outdoor table some decor!

it took about 5 minutes and only cost around $10.

round up your succulents

i found this great planter at the dollar store!

stuff (nicely) your succulents in.

and...

pretty decor that can withstand the sun, heat, rain, cold (just not frost) and can also afford to go a few days without watering. i also came up with some weather proof bunting for my new succulent garden:) of course! will share soon!

r's and l's and s's oh my

2011-07-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

{image via lacklusterco's shop on etsy}

One of the project ideas I had for our wedding uses lots of vintage letters. I’m having a hard time deciding on whether I used “R”s and “&”s and “L”s, or just stick with “S”s {r and l being our initials, s being the initial of our, soon to be my, new last name}. I notice a lot of brides like to incorporate first name initials, but one letter seems so much, um, cleaner? Simpler? I know the day is about the 2 of us, which would warrant using the first names, but it’s also about uniting… which would make using the S a great option. Please help me with this battle going on inside my head:) Whether you’re looking at it in the bride’s perspective, or the guests perspective, or even the grooms, what do you think? Of course I’ll take the grooms thoughts into consideration as well. But to be honest, I might be lucky to get a grunt of approval and shoulder shrug… men.

m a n l y // m a n

2011-07-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

in celebration of our friends 43rd year of life [i'm tired of saying the b-word], his wife and i have teamed up to throw him a bash, a manly man bash.

when christie asked for my help, i happily agreed. i'll never turn down a chance to craft up a shindig for a good friend, throw together an inspiring board, and then see it all come to life. it's what i do.

i've actually never planned anything for a guy/man/boy/male before. we've had little get togethers at home for ryan, but nothing too decked out. so i went straight to the manliest thing i could think of.

whiskey.

i was inspired by it's colors, sophistication, but simplicity of it's label, and it's all american "reputation".

we'll have accents of dark, worn in wood, sturdy antique silver, succulents (simply because i've yet to come up with a manly flower arrangement), mustaches, mason jars, and a hint of garland... because it's not a party without garland. we'll be serving peanuts, potato chips and corn nuts:) and at the moment, i am searching for some yummy vodka cocktails, guest of honors fave.

we have a little over a week and are sticking with budget friendly projects, so there will be lots of diy inspiration for you when we're through!

jack daniels // urn // gravy boat // bowl // succulents in creamer // dark wood tray // clothespins // garland on once wed // mason jars // mustaches

{sweets for the teats}

2011-07-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

party, bake, win a pink prize for the kitchen... AND support an amazing cause?

do it.

go over to cupcakes and cutlery and enter sharon's contest now!

[graphic logo by me, click here for more details]

[ homemade lemonade ]

2011-07-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

i heart lemonade. but not the calories that come along with it...

so i thought i'd give my mixing skills a shot.

this one definitely still has calories, that's what sugar does, BUT, i know it's {fairly} healthy as you use honey rather than pure sugar, i have the satisfaction of enjoying something i made myself, and if anyone asks... they'll probably be really impressed:)

here's my recipe. i read many different ones, tried them, and in the end took the main ingredients, but tweaked them to my taste.

lemons // water // honey // sweetener {i used splenda}

i know, i know.. splenda is bad. i'm aware. i still love it

mix them all together, chill, pour in a pretty glass and serve!

perfect for these hot days we've been having!

// a fabulous fete on urban scarlet \\

2011-07-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

tuesdays are hard. but this prettiness made it much better

justine from urban scarlet asked if i wanted to help with a little piece of her summer lovin shoot. local business with a gorgeous blog? yes, i'll support that... so a solid gold cake stand was sent right over... okay, solid wood, painted a pretty gold. head over to see the beautiful job they did. there are also tons of diy ideas that you can use at your own party or wedding. she's just that generous:)

what is that you say? you want your very own gold cake stand? well, then just click right on over to the shop:)

{a mini celebration is in order}

2011-07-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

so i have this friend.

she just had a baby.

i think she needs some adult time with mimosas.

so my friend lindsey and i are putting together a surprise mini party for her. she knows we're visiting this weekend, but not that we're coming ready to set up a mini party at her house.. cake balls, garland, confetti and all.

lindsey is the cake ball master and always asks me for an inspiration board to make them.. so here it is. a mini board for our mini party. can't wait! [for cake balls mostly]

and i'm pretty confident the new mommy is consumed with baby things and will not see this. if you were wondering:)

will share the a few shots next week!

yellow bags by lauren elise \\ neon heart stickers by weheartpaper \\ dress image in harpers bazaar via bloginity

a little advice

2011-07-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

i always like to add some kind of fun activity to our parties.. no, not like a pin the tail on the donkey, something fun that will get guests talking, but they can do at their leisure.

so at our engagement party we set up and "advice" area. i pinned lots of little cards to a bulletin board, made a sign explaining what to do [i even gave examples, like "dear lauren, here is what to do when ryan is playing with his cars while you're up all night stuffing envelopes for your save the dates"]. it was basically a place for guests to write a little note, nice, funny, or to give some advice they can recommend after a few years in their own marriage.

we're posting them slowly, one a day, over on our wedding blog. i think it's a fun way for us to have a memory of our guests, rather than just having a photo album.

here is one of my favorites::

(obviously)

have a fabulous holiday weekend, happy fourth of july!

- the engagement -

2011-06-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

our engagement party was saturday. the event we appropriately called meet the fockers. and strangely, both sets of parents tugged at the chance of being the "fockers". i mean.. i guess in the movie, both sides are equally strange in their own ways, so i'm not sure i'd want to be either:)
i had to switch gears quickly for this one. moving from a southwestern shindig to a classy cocktail party. it was a challenge planning two events at once {i like to put my focus on ONE thing only, i'm not the greatest multitasker} especially since they were only 2 days apart.

i think our party turned out great though after a stressful morning and set up. i didn't get to execute every single detail i had planned, but no one but me knows {i have to constantly remind myself of this}. and i think when you look at it in anothers point of view, it was pretty snazzy:)

and as ryan points out to me, every single time we have a party, i shouldn't stress over the details because the whole puprose of that day is to celebrate with friends and family. the details are just icing on the cake.

my custom "chandelier"

i put out a few signs, this one was in case people were wondering why i picked such an array of treats... because they're our fave! and not because they matched the color scheme {trust me, i had a very hard time accepting that our favorite candies were not green}

ya, my mom has a popcorn machine, so i figured we MUST put it to use. we're planning on hosting an outdoor movie night at our house this summer... pretty sure this gem will be in attendance again.

churros, again. because they were so darn good last thursday:)

the happy couple:)

the girls

and of course the shoes... can you guess which are mine?

ryan and i had a great time celebrating with family and friends and can't wait to do it again on the big day!

[ rosemary lemon margarita ]

2011-06-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

recipe 02.

rosemary lemon margarita

found here on allrecipes.com

i'm actually stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with ingredients that i may have labeled "gross" or "nasty" in the past. you see, i used to be a chicken and broccoli girl. i literally ate chicken and broccoli every night for months after i moved out of my parents house. rosemary would have never made it into a recipe, and would have never even come close to my cocktail glass. oh what a difference a few years makes {and not to mention a ~~boyfriend~~ fiance that makes me try EVERYTHING because he said i grew up in a bubble:)}. i now have a garden in which i'm growing veggies and some yummy herbs to cook and make cocktails with.

ok moving on. not sure what my garden has to do with this marg recipe... anyways, this one is tasty. i actually think people may have been a bit scared of rosemary in their marg, so it didn't go as quickly. but have an open mind! my suggestion on this one? i'd definitely want to try and infuse the tequila for a few days with the rosemary. the rosemary flavor didn't come through much by just adding it in the glass after you mixed the drink. i think letting it sit for at least a little bit would bring out the flavor.

try it and let me know.. or i might just try it again this holiday weekend!

. pomegranate margarita .

2011-06-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

recipe 01.

pomegranate margarita

i found it here on food network

all you need is pomegranate juice, tequila, triple sec and lime juice.

i'm a fan of these quick recipes that don't involve many steps. here you mix and serve. i like to keep it simple with cocktails {and cooking or baking for that matter} 4-5 ingredients tops. otherwise by the time it's ready, it was too much work and i don't want it any more. and if i do, and like it, i'm bummed because i'm usually to lazy to make another:)

my advice? cut a bit of the pom juice and add a dash of club soda to make it less sugary.

this was the first one gone at confetti lab, so i think if the guests could vote, they would give it 5 stars, two thumbs up... or just ask for seconds.

oh.. hey!

2011-06-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

friends:: i'm back!

confetti lab.. check

engagement party.. check

i can't believe how much of my time was consumed with planning these events last week. i guess since they were super important {to me at least} i didn't even notice the lack of attention i gave to everything else going on around me. that includes laundry, vacuuming, etc. ryan and i got home yesterday from my parents house, and it was like a bomb went off in the house. packages everywhere, confetti everywhere, cakestands on the floor, you name it, it was out of it's place and cluttering our home.

i'm so glad to be back to normal. i feel a new wave of inspiration for blog and project ideas. now i can't wait to get started!

thanks for being patient! i'll be back today with some yummy recipes we used at confetti lab last week!