Wood Decor

We love the idea of incorporating natural elements to a fall party.  And wood is as natural as you get.  Here are some great ways we found to style your fall party with wood. 

Landlocked Bride//Celebrations at Home
Rustic Weddings//Brooklyn Bride

{Party Palette} Wine + Petal Pink

Call it burgundy, maroon or wine.  It's a hot color this season.  What about combining this rich color with the soft hue of petal pink? 

BL Soaps//via 79 Ideas, Photography by Alicia Busczak
 HWTM//Topshop//Ever Ours
Samantha Green Designs

{This Weekend} Preparing for a Party

This weekend we will be preparing for my oldest daughter's birthday party.  We will be cutting, tying, gluing and doing anything else that needs to be done.  In between all of that we will try to enjoy the crisp autumn air, since fall has arrived here in Michigan.  We hope you have a fabulous weekend doing whatever it is that the pretty little head decides.  See you again soon.

Little Golden Books Baby Shower

I recently helped coordinate my sister-in-law's baby shower.  I was thrilled that she fell in love with a Little Golden Books, nursery rhyme inspired invitation I had found from Nickle Design.  Little Golden Books were first published in 1942 and I instantly thought of tying in a vintage theme with her baby shower.  I contacted the lovely Kelly at Serradella Vintage Rentals who had some wonderful items to make the shower extra special.  Here is how it turned out. 

via Nickle Design

 

I created escort cards by using printables from Aesthetic Nest that the Mother-to-be found.   Each of the cards had a mixture of different covers from a Little Golden Book including the "Saggy Baggy Elephant", "The Pokey Little Puppy" and "The Fuzzy Little Duckling".  The escort card table was decorated with blocks made by the Grandfather-to-be and vintage baby bottles, vintage baby shoes and silver a rattle.  There was also a mini clothes line made from copies of paper doll clothes from the 1950's.  All the items except for the blocks were from Serredella Vintage Rental.  A mini clothes line also adorned the cake table. 

The centerpieces of gerbera daisies also had little paper cutouts of some favorite characters from the Little Golden Books that poked through the flowers.

 

Some of the tables also had some replicas of vintage toy cars from the Grandfather-to-be's own collection.  We also stacked toy blocks on the tables.



 

The cake table included a lovely bouquet of hydrangeas in a white pitcher, some vintage milk bottles, a child's set of "Beatrix Potter" china and a child's set of silverware.   

 

 

 

 

Mommy and Daddy had their table marked by specials blocks and baby shoes.



 

 

Fall Bridal Shower Inspiration Board

We were inspired by the bridal shower invitation below by Inviting Design Studio, that has a wonderful combination of fall colors.  Style a tabletop with natural elements of wood and maybe a centerpiece made of wheat.   Serve some fresh cider mill donuts and spiked apple cider, then send your guests home with a favor of caramel apple scented bath salts from A Little More Rosie.  We think these elements would make for a perfect fall bridal shower. 

 

invitation/doughnuts
drinks//bath salts
table//ribbon 

Watercolor Cake

Beautiful desserts can be the centerpiece to any party, so we are starting a series here on the blog called "Sweet of the Week".  If we find an eye pleasing, unique confection, we will share it with you.  This watercolor cake was created by the Sweet & Saucy Shop for a watercolor wedding shoot. Please hop over to see the post and all the delightful details from the styled tabletop to the beautifully designed paper.  We love the large single flower on the first layer of this cake, the unadorned middle that breaks up the design and then the explosion of color on the bottom.   

via My Sweet & Saucy//photography by Scott Clark Photography

 

 

 

 

Meet Up With Old Friends

I am truly excited for this weekend.  I am meeting up with some old friends that I can't wait to catch up with.  When I graduated from college I was fortunate enough to get a job at an art center where I was surrounded by what I love, art.  There was a constant flow of rotating exhibits that painted the gallery walls with color and life.  Artists, instructors and students filled the building with their creativity and their talent.  While I was working there, there was a group of young women who were all around my age.  We were all in the same stage of life, freshly out of college and single.  We had a blast together while we were there, but we eventually moved onto other jobs.  We grew together from single women to married wives and have now taken on the rolls mothers.  Life gets busy and I haven't been able to keep in touch with them as much as I would like to, in fact it has been years since I have seen them.  I am thrilled to set aside some time this weekend to reconnect with these amazing women that hold a special place in my heart. 

 

Gift Wrapping Ideas

We love beautifully wrapped gifts and came across this idea on the Wedding Chicks.  This creative bride wrapped the gifts to her bridesmaids in vintage cigar boxes and tied them with a simple string.  How brillant is that!

via Wedding Chicks//photography by Shannon Hollman Photography

 

 

 

Dahlias

While many flowers have bloomed its' last bloom, dahlias continue to thrive through the first frost, so September is a perfect time to incorporate dahlias into a centerpiece.  Whether a centerpiece for your home or a party, the dahlias large and colorful blooms are always gorgeous and delightful.  We love the rich tones that they come in, which are perfect for fall.

 

 

BHG//Ruffled
Martha Stewart//Amy Merrick Flowers & Styling
Waterwaif

Gift Ideas for New Parents

When a baby is born, usually the first thought is to get a gift for the baby.  The gift is usually an adorable outfit or a hat and booties,  but don't forget about celebrating the new parents too.  Shouldn't they receive a gift for what they have accomplished and for what they are about to embark on?  It's unexpected and we're sure the parents will appreciate it.  Here are some gift ideas for new parents that we came up with.

Via Baby Lifestyles//Photography by Brienne Michelle

1. Meals
    When you are a new parent, you barely can find the time to grab a snack, let
    alone prepare a nice meal.  Whether you make a meal for the new parents or
    buy one for them.  We know that filling their tummies will fill their hearts
    too. 
2. Parenting Books + Journals
    We think books are great gifts for any occasion.  A book on children's health
    is a great option, because parents always have questions about that.  We
    also love this modern trio of baby journals (pictured below) from Big &
    Mighty.  There is so much to keep track of when having a baby including
    feeding schedules and well visits to the pediatrician.  You also want to
    document those precious moments of the first smile and steps too and that's
    why journals make a wonderful gift.     
3. Photo Session
    Find an amazing local photographer and purchase a gift certificate for a
    photo session.  The photo session could be used for a family photo shoot or
    just for the new baby. Whatever they choose, we are sure this gift will be
    something that is treasured for years to come.
4. Sleep
    Every new parent will tell you that sleep is a much valued commodity.  Offer
    to come over for an hour or two to watch the new baby so that the new Mom
    and Dad can simply take a nap. Trust me as a Mom of two this is a much
    needed and desired gift.
5. Spa Day
    Many Moms find it difficult to carve out a little time to focus on themselves. 
    Giving a gift certificate to a local spa will allow Mommy to take a some time
    to pamper herself with a massage, mani, pedi or whatever she chooses.

 

 

Wedding Weekend

Dara is headed for her second weekend in a row of weddings.  I'm sure she will be dancing the night away with friends.  After the wedding, she and her man are headed to his home state of Illinois to see the sights of Chicago.  It's such a great city and I know that they will have a fabulous time there.

As for me,  I am planning to just head to a local craft show.  Hopefully I will find some treasures there to gift or to keep.  How is your weekend shaping up?

Green Wedding Shoes



{Fall Party Palette} Brown + Red

Fall is on its' way and I can hardly wait.  It's my favorite time of year and the season is filled with so much inspiration for me.  The sights, sounds and smells of fall warms my soul.  I was married in the fall and my first child was born in the fall, so yes, fall holds a special place in my heart.  Red + brown is the first of several fall party palettes that we will be sharing.

HWTM//Sugar Crafters
Romwe//Sugar and Cloth
La Garconne//Wit & Whistle

Bar Carts

Since we love to entertain, we are obsessed with bar carts right now.  It's the perfect movable space to mix and store all your favorite drinks, glasses and mixing tools.  If my dining room wasn't currently being used as a play room, I would put a chic bar cart in that room.  These stylish and fun bar carts from Society Social caught our eyes.  Aren't the illustrations and the product names just fabulous?  The Hostess drink cart comes in a variety of vibrant colors including purple, indigo and yellow.  Which bar cart is your fave?

     The Devlin

 

 

The Hostess

 

 

The Mrs. Lillien

Who doesn't love the fabulous Mrs. Lillien?

The Triple Trolley

 

 

The Hayworth