for all things creative!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Wedding Trend: Mini Wedding Cakes

One big wedding trend right now is having mini wedding cakes for each of your guests instead of opting for a traditional big cake. Some people actually do both!! I think its such a cute idea...but I would imagine its pricey! I've seen them range anywhere from $7 to $12 a piece or more!! If it's in your budget, it isn't a bad idea to do this at a baby shower too!

Check out some of the mini cakes I've found:

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Fabulous Linens

Ive always wondered where people get those beautiful custom linens and chair covers you see at these platinum wedding receptions some people have! Well I found out! One company called Wildflower Linens (www.wildflowerlinens.com) is a big provider of these upscale, specialty items. There are others out there too. Rentals for ONE tablecloth can range anywhere from $85 to $150!! But wow, they are soooo beautiful! If you happen to be one of those blessed brides out there where money is no object, I would definitely recommend you incorporate these linens in your wedding or event!!! OR if it isn't in the budget to have these linens on all your tables and chairs, try it just at the head table!!

Check out some of the BEAUTIFUL pics I got from their site! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these!
Beware...they are to die for!!! :)

Fabulous Engagement Cookout

So my bestie, Jackie and her fiance had their engagement party/cookout last weekend and we had a blast!! Her fiance cooked all the meats on the grill and we prepared all the other foods along with some of the other dishes people bought with them. Remember, its all about presentation! Check out some of the pics of how we set up all the yummy food! ;)

Check out the labels I created for the Lemonade and Tea jars! Click here to get a copy of them!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Home Decor DIY Project - Living Room Redesign

Today I'm featuring our Living Room Redesign. As you know by now, we did alot of updates/renovations to our home after I moved in. Below you can check out the BEFORE and AFTER pics of our living room area. Now the BEFORE living room wasn't bad at all...it actually looks good especially for a guy. But since I was moving in, I wanted to warm it up a bit more.

Lets reveiw a few things I noticed right away that needed an update:
1. Curtains - There were no curtains anywhere!
2. Wall color - The color isnt bad at all and depending on the look you are going for, it could work. I just wanted something that popped a little more.
3. Mirror -- Im a huge fan of mirrors in living areas but this one doesnt quite work for the space. Again, it doesn't look bad but it isn't the best fit for the wall space.
4. Lamps -- the two lamps on each side of couch create symmetry in the room, however, the style of the lamps are a little dated.
5. Masks hanging on wall -- it looks a bit out of place and his 'friend' is all the way on the other wall by the door.

BEFORE pics

6. Pub table -- I love pub tables but they dont have a formal dining feel because they really aren't for that. However, they do go really well in bachelor's pads which we NO LONGER HAVE! lol
7. Dated light fixture over pub table - the pic cuts it off so you cant see it but there was a dated gold light fixture over table

First thing we had to do was decide what colors we wanted to go for on the walls. I've always been a fan of the blue & brown look so we decided to go with that. Plus I think browns and other nuetrals in that color family really warm up a place.

AFTER pics

So for the dining area, we switched out the lighting fixture, added curtains, added a long mirror on wall, and got a new table set along with a centerpiece (from Home Goods). Check out the bench by the stairs. Remember I posted how I recovered it. In case you missed it, check it out here
We also did an accent wall in a chocolate brown color.

Here is one more pic of updated living area:

Now you see how the painting I did looks in the room. In case you missed that posting, check it out here. I also made a few pillows - see below

and bought the others. And the great thing about pillows is that you can switch them up anytime to give your room a new look!
Lastly, I got a shag rug in cream. Originally I wanted to add a coffee table in the middle area of sectional but I never found anything I was in love with. So we kept it clear which seems to work better anyway now.

Overall, I think our living room redesign came out well. Its cozy and we enjoy relaxing in the room and thats what really matters! :)

P.S. We used Valspar Paint from Lowes

Cute Baby & Bridal Showers!

Check out these showers I found over at www.sweetestoccassion.com! Decorating with tissue paper flowers is becoming really popular these days! And the best part is they are easy to make and very inexpensive!

Baby Shower

Bridal Shower

And check out this dessert buffet I found over at www.charm-events.blogspot.com

Creating different levels for your dessert/food displays always adds a great element and its visually pleasing to the eye! Try it at your next event! :)

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

1st Project in Floral Class

So I went to my first floral class on Monday and our first project was creating a topiary. It was pretty simple. Everything was provided for us...flowers and supplies. I cant wait til our next class..its so much fun creating arrangements! Check out how mine came along!!

Flowers for arrangement

Pot with Oasis (soaked in water) in it

Grouped roses together and stuck in the center of Oasis

Added greenery and flowers (not pictured)

Final result!

Stay tuned on what we create in my next class!

Fabulous Maternity Pics

There is nothing I love to see more than fabulous maternity photos! A woman being pregnant is one of the most beautiful things ever and to have that captured in a photo is awesome!

Today I am featuring a few of my lovely friends who have taken fabulous shots along with some other maternity photos I found while browsing online, check them out and get inspired if you are looking to do a maternity photoshoot soon!! :)

Jehan - Love the outdoors background! (photos by www.karenleonardphotography.com)