New Blog: Northern Bloom

A bridal bouquet I made for a styled shoot I did with

Heather of HMN Photography and Alora of Alora Rachelle Photography. 

Hi friends!  I'm super excited to tell you about my brand new blog today!  I've been feeling like Cupcakes & Confetti has been needing a change for quite a while now.  This little blog has changed so much since I started over a year ago.  My sister isn't part of the blog, so it has become my space and I'm sure you've noticed that I've been posting more and more about floral design.  Don't get me wrong I still love a great party.  The reality is that I don't plan a party every week that I can post, but with flowers I can create a design every week that I can post.  I like being able to create my own original content and it has become a natural but unexpected transition into flowers that I've walked into.  So this is where the road has led me, I'll now be blogging over at my new blog - Northern Bloom, where I'll be talking about flowers of course along with an occasional celebration here and there.  I hope you continue to follow me and my journey over at Northern Bloom.

Collaborating

If you follow me on Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook, you may have noticed that I've been working on a little something with the wonderful Heather over at HMN Photography and the sweet Alora of Alora Rachelle Photography.  We've been busy pinning, scouting and prepping for a vintage inspired bridal shoot.  Over the weekend we finally got together and got it done.  It was a perfectly beautiful day and it was just as I had envisioned it to be!  August is usually hot and muggy here in Michigan so, I was hopping not to melt during this outdoor shoot. The weather ended up being mild with no rain.  Hooray!

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous, but super excited about this project.  This is the first time I've had a opportunity to collaborate on a shoot like this.  I was hopping that all of us had the same vision and that we would work well together creatively and otherwise.  I was hopping that I could deliver what was expected of me.  I wanted all the details to come together naturally, organically and without force.  And thankfully, it did.  I was relaxed, comfortable and at ease with these ladies and our beautiful model Katie too.  

The reason why I read other people's blogs and the reason I blog is because I seek inspiration and I seek people who share the same interests that I do.  I have loved this process of collaborating because it allowed me to be in touch with people who find beauty and importance in the same things I do.  Honestly, I don't take the best pictures and I know that.  I needed Heather and Alora to work with.  They are amazing photographers who see images through their lenses in a different way than I ever could.  I think we're a great team and I'm hopping to work together again in the future.

That bad picture up there is one that I took at home.  That pretty dahlia made it's way into the photo shoot.  Stay tuned to see what I did with the dahlia and to see the results of the shoot! 

      

Hand-Tied Bouquet

It's summer - my husband and daughter are out of school and I'm kind of in school for the summer and that's the reason you've seen less of me here at the blog.  I started off at the end of May taking The Style Lab course by the lovely ladies at Confetti Pop and learned a thing or two about photo styling.  If you have a blog, business or simply want to know a little more about photo styling, I highly recommend taking the course.   

At the moment, I'm taking Floral Arranging 101 with the talented Chelsea from Frolic.  I just finished my first week and made a first hand-tied bouquet!  That's it up there!  It's a start and I can only go up from here.  I've been tapping into my creative, girly side all while playing with flowers - I couldn't be happier.  

I love that in life you are constantly absorbing new knowledge and skills.  You can take control and make the decision to take the time and put in the work to learn something new.  Part of learning process is making mistakes, which for me is difficult to accept.  I love learning each lesson and attempting to do the homework assignments, but the critique - that's rough.  I'm only human, right?  I'm taking it much better now though then I did in my younger years. 

So that's what I've been up to.  I've been jumping into new things, improving myself and embracing change. I'll keep you posted on my progress.  How about you?  Are any of you taking any classes out there?  Are any of you interested in trying something new?

   

Blog Birthday

 

Cupcakes & Confetti is one year old today!!!  I can't believe it.  This year has been incredible.  Incredible I tell you!  I was terrified at the idea of having a blog.  I know that that may sound weird but, I was afraid to share pieces of myself.  I was afraid people would laugh at me.  I was afraid to fail.  I've come a long way since my shaky first post.  (Please don't look back at it.)  A year ago I never knew I could create a mood board.  I didn't know I would connect with some amazingly talented people.  I didn't know I could overcome my fear to create and share.  For me Cupcakes & Confetti has brought out a creative side of me that I never knew existed.  Through blogging, I've gained some new skills, a new view of myself and the possibilities out there. 

I would like to thank anyone who has read my posts or supported me by way of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or any other way. You're the best!!! You have energized my spirit and given a skip to my step.  I'm thankful that you have taken time out of your busy life and decided to take a sneak peek into mine.  Like I said, it took me a lot of courage to get to this point of sharing my thoughts and ideas. 

I have some goals I would like to accomplish over the next year and I hope to meet those goals head on. I would like to strengthen my current skills and learn some new ones.  I would like to gain more readers and more "likes" on my Facebook page.  I really need some likes on my FB page so if you haven't already, please head on over and hit "like".  Pretty please.  I know I shouldn't base success on numbers, but unfortunately I do and others do too.  I know that with blogging, just like everything else, I need to "keep at it" and that's what I plan on doing.  I'm going to keep at it.  I also have some other secret goals for myself.  I hope to make those goals, those dreams a reality and I hope to share them with you.  I learned so much over this past year and I can't wait to see what the year ahead has in store for me.  Again, I thank you for sharing and supporting this journey with me and I hope you continue to enjoy the ride with me.  You're all fabulous and I hope you have a fabulous weekend. xx

        

It's Her Business: Paper Fort

This post will be a It's Her Business + Blog Love in one type of post because I have lots to say about this small business owner.  I LOVE Twitter and I'm on it a lot, probably too much.  I find so many great people, blogs and products through Twitter like the person I'm about to introduce to you.  Meet Khrystle, owner of Paper Fort.  She creates these super adorable travel journals for girls.  These immediately caught my eye because I have a daughter in second grader who I'm always trying to encourage and empower in every way possible.  The journals are made right here in Michigan too, which makes this fellow Michigander smile.  

Khrystle hopes that the travel journal inspires girls, and their families, to go on adventures and explore new places. She would love to see families put away their electronic devices and play road games together. She also hopes that girls are inspired to draw and write about their travels, because her favorite memories are ones that she captured this way.  On top of offering travel journals, Khrystle also offers other graphic design services too.

 

You have to check out Khrystle's blog Paper Fort Studio too.  It's unique, fun and honest.  I love her series Fear Confessions that includes guest bloggers who are small business owners like Khrystle.  What I love about this series is that we see so many blogs out there where the bloggers seem to live these perfectly stylish lives, which is totally not realistic.  The truth is we all have faults and fears and it's comforting to know that someone else does too.  It's something that I and I think other people can relate to.  I don't always wear the perfect outfit and I've had more than one craft fail.  I'm a person trying to make my dreams come true just like the people in the series and along the way we have a bump or two in the road.  Whether you're a creative or not, you will be able relate to these personal stories in Fear Confessions. 

So did I give you enough reasons to go over and visit Khrystle and Paper Fort?  I sure hope I did.  Summer vacation is just around the corner and I know plenty of families who are planning trips.  It's a great time to buy a travel journal for a special little girl in your life and support a small business owner along the way.  

First Communion Banner

I was busy preparing for my daughter's first communion last week and I wanted to share this little project with you that my family made together for her special day.  My daughter was given the option to create a first communion banner which would hang on her chair during mass.  I suggested to my husband that he oversee this project, because he is Catholic and I am not.  I didn't want to put together anything that wasn't appropriate for the occasion.  If you know me, I still had to put in my two cents about the design and it ended up being a family project that we all became involved in.  I have to tell you that my husband actually assembled most of it.  My husband, who is a big burly man, is quite crafty.  While we were dating, he once gave me a bouquet of paper flowers he made himself.  Yep, I married a good one.  Anyway, back to the project.  

Here's how it went down.  We were given the directions to make the banner out of felt and perhaps write out our child's name and first communion date on it in puffy paint.  I knew that this would probably end up looking a bit messy so, I typed up my daughter's name and the date in a nice font and printed it onto transfer paper that I then ironed onto a white piece of felt.  My husband cut a chalice out of yellow felt and I suggested that he highlight some areas with some darker shades of yellow too.  Grapes leaves and grapes in two different shades of green and purple were then cut out.  We knew that we wanted shafts of wheat on the banner, but my husband wasn't sure how he could make felt look like wheat, so I suggested using an actual piece of wheat bought from the craft store.  The host was also cut out of a wheat colored piece of felt.  I had some left over gold glittery scrap book paper that my husband used to make the cross.  There you have it - my daughter's first communion banner!  What do you think?  Does your family craft together too?

      

Buy a Cup for a Cop

Somewhere Splendid

 

I, like so many other Americans was following last week's events in Boston and Texas.  I watched, read and listened about the brave first responders who as always, comes to the rescue of all of us.  Maddy over at Somewhere Splendid was also moved by last week's events and has started a fantastic movement to show a bit of gratitude to first responders by simply buying them a cup of coffee and she has put a call out to her readers and bloggers to spread the word about the movement.  I absolutely, positively love this, so here I am doing my part.  I personally have some first responders in my life and I know that it is sometimes a thankless job that involves lots of hours and lots of sacrifice for not only police officer, firefighter or emergency technician, but also for their loved ones.  Everyday they put their lives on the line for you and I and the least we can do is what Maddy is suggesting - buy a first responder a cup of coffee.    

Here's how you can join the movement:

What to Do: Buy a cup of coffee for a local firefighter, police officer, or other first responder when you come across one. Approach them and explain that you’d like to buy them one out of appreciation for their service, and ask what they’d like or have them escort you to a coffee shop. On the run, or shy? Get a gift card with the approximate value of a cup of coffee (or more!) to a local or chain coffee shop and keep it on hand.

Spread the Word: Let everyone know you’re participating so we can engage more people. If you have a blog, post a note about it. If you’ve bought a cup of coffee for someone, Instagram it with the hashtag #cupsforcops – share your gift card photos, too!

Be sure to hop on over to Somewhere Splendid for a free printable gift card to give to a first responder too.  Thanks Maddy for coming up with the brilliant idea!  Tell me, will you be buying a cup for a cop?  Hugs to all of you friends!  I'll be seeing you again soon. 

Learning From Other Bloggers

Blogging can be incredibly rewarding and I've learned so much since I started blogging, but it can sometimes be a challenging process too.  Blogging for most of us is a lone process.  We sit by ourselves at the keyboard, with no one next to you to talk to, at least that's how it works for me.  When I write a post, there are usually two little girls around me playing and being loud and little fluffy dog at my feet.  Sometimes my wonderful and supportive husband is around, but he really doesn't understand what I do and can't offer any advice.  

I have lots of questions about blogging and there are times when I simply need some encouragement.  Luckily there are some seasoned bloggers out there that are willing to share their experiences and wisdom on blogging.  I wanted to share with you some great series and resources that I've come across.  You may already know about these sources or may not, for those of you who aren't familiar, I hope you find these as helpful as I do. 

Jordan over at Create Like Crazy has a series called Behind the Blog that I love.  Jordan interviews bloggers and posts the interview in a "Q & A" style.  In the bloggers own words, they anwer questions like "How do you get past creative funks?".

Dream Find Do was created by two fabulous British ladies.  Michelle is an event planning superstar at Pocketful of Dreams and Rebecca is the lifestyle blogger behind Florence Finds.  For those of you in the U.K., you can attend their blogging masterclasses in person, but for those of us who are not, you can follow along on their site for fabulous blogging tips.  

Have you attended a Blog Brunch lately?  Blog Brunch is a community of fellow bloggers that take part in a Twitter party every first Saturday of the month.  Sign up for their newsletter to receive information on upcoming event topics.  If you can't make an event, the Blog Brunch team will post a recap on monthly discussions.

It's one of my goals to make it to an Alt Design Summit, but until then there is plenty to read on their blog and of course they offer tons of ecourses from "super bloggers".  On their blog, I recently read a honest and wonderful post from Tiffanie of the Corner Blog titled Maintaining a Small Blog with Pride.  Let's face it, there are far more small blogs out there than big ones.  I could definitely relate to this post and I'm sure many of you will too. 

The Elembee blog is written by Lisa who's business is designing blogs for the business minded blogger.  Since, Lisa's business is designing great blogs, she offers equally great advice in her "Blogkeeping" series. 

Right now you can't mention great resources for blogging without mentioning Blog, Inc. by Joy Cho of Oh Joy!.  Blog, Inc. has become THE blogging guidebook and yes, I too have read it, forwards and backwards and back again. 

    

It's Her Business: Jane Blease Design

Hi friends!  In an earlier post I talked to you about how I was feeling about the blog and what direction I wanted the blog to go in.  So, today I'm really excited to introduce you to the first woman in the It's Her Business series.  Meet Jane and her business Jane Blease Design.  She creates sustainable lighting and interior products, beautifully hand-crafted from wood and reclaimed vintage plastics.  In Jane's current collection, she embroiders geometric patterns into wood veneer using colorful threads.  I like how she brings a hard and soft material together into one modern design and the way the vibrant pieces of thread weave new life through the wood.  Jane Blease Design offers everthing from bookmarks to acrylic lampshades and artwork to dress up your home with.  Are loving her designs like I am?  Go over to Jane's shop to see all she has to offer and buy from this lovely lady. 

How great are these broaches?


Parachute Ball by Jane Blease Design


This is just one of Jane's wood lampshades. 
I love raspberry and turquoise color combination that she used.

 

Do you know of a fabulous small business or are you yourself a small business owner?  Get in touch with me!  I would love to meet you. 

 

 

It's Her Business

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the blog.  I feel like I haven't been contributing enough.  I want to do more and I want Cupcakes & Confetti to be more.  I want to create conversation and a community.  I really didn't know where I was going with this and then a Facebook post from a personal friend sparked an idea in my brain.  My friend posted a bunch of photos of some of her friends' creative businesses.  I've had a long time passion for art and design and a general love for creatives.  I studied artists in school and I went onto work to help promote artists and I thought to myself "Why am I not doing this now with the blog?".  I should do what I know and do what I love.  

These thoughts have lead me to start a series called "It's Her Business".  I would like this series to be a space that highlights, encourages and supports small creative businesses owned by women. I would like you to get to know a little more about the women behind the businesses.  I would like this to be a space where you can find out about these businesses and hopefully, eventually buy from them and help support them.  To help It's Her Business grow, I need a little help from you too.  I'm on the hunt for well designed, well crafted work.  Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative who has a creative business that you want others to know about?  Do you have a creative business?  I want to hear from you.  Don't be shy.  Contact me.  I would love to see and learn about all the amazing work out there and the women behind them.  I would like this to become a community of talented, creative women that supports one another.  Later this week, I'll introduce you to the first woman in this series.  I can't wait for you to meet her. 

Hello, February!

Hello, February!  Is is too late to say hello to February?  I don't think it's too late.  Well I had this post all planned out for the first day of February and then the flu hit me.  Blah!  The cold and flu season has been rough on my household. I've been trying to recover from my battle, while taking care of the other sickies in my family and I'm also trying to catch up on all the everyday things I missed while I was sick, so you can see why I had to put the blog on the back burner. 

Now, let's talk about some good things -Valentine's Day.  Swoon...what a sweet little holiday.  I love the pops of color and life that Valentine's Day brings to winter, as well as, the nostalgia that it brings to me.  Remember in elementary school when you constructed the little mail boxes made of an old shoe box to catch all the Valentine's Day cards?  You would decorate it with red construction paper, white doilies and stickers.  I get to relive those days with my oldest daughter now.  We brainstorm ideas and then we get to put together little goodie bags and cards for her classmates.  It's such a great way to bond with the people in our lives.  

Another great thing about February - the Oscars.  Many of us girls anticipate the glamour and glitz of this night.  Some of us have viewing parties of our own and play fashion police and I'm no exception.  I love to see who's wearing what and who's wearing what well.  That's what I love about February.  Tell me, what do you love about it?

National Handwriting Day

January 23 is National Handwriting Day, which celebrates the art of handwriting.  If you've been following my blog, you know how much I adore pretty paper.  I'm also obsessed with faux calligraphy and all around beautiful handwriting.  Do you want to find out how to fake calligraphy for yourself?  Check out this post from Joelle Duff over at Something Charming or this post at Jones Design Company.  So, in celebration of National Handwriting Day, I challenge you to send a handwritten note to three people in your life.  Find some great paper and write a kind, thinking of you note.   In the age of email, it's always nice to receive a lovely handwritten note.  Let me know if you're going to join the fun.  Post a little something on the Cupcakes & Confetti FB page, tweet me or email some pics or a simple message letting me know if you've brightened somebody's day with your handwritten card.  If I receive enough photos, I may share some pics on the blog.  Happy handwriting friends!

  

Spotted: The Shoppe by Madeline Trait

As I search the web for items to include in some of my posts like Party Palette and other mood boards, I stumble upon some super cool items that may not necessarily fit with what I'm working on at the moment, but I file it away to save for next time.  As I was going through some of these items, the thought of creating a series of posts with these finds popped into my head.  There are so many talented people out there creating amazing items for parties and events that are so much more than what you can find in any box store.  I want to highlight these people and share them with you. 

So, I begin my Spotted series with The Shoppe by Madeline Trait.   Madeline describes her shop as "a unique place to find modern and unique items for celebrations and weddings."  And that's exactly what she gives you.  She offers delightfully crafted cake toppers among other items.  Below are just some of the items she offers, but please visit her shop to see more loveliness.

The Make A Wish Cake Topper is made of wood veneer.

 

 

This is definitely not your average party crown.

 

 

The Shooting Star Cake Topper would add a nice little sparkle to any cake.

 

Gold + Copper Holiday Table

Like many of us, I have been busy trying to get all of the details for the holidays taken care of, which has left me little time to blog.  I just wanted to write this post to share with you this gold and copper holiday table I'm planning for a Christmas day brunch I'm hosting.  I'm in love with metallic colors right now, which is perfect for holidays.  I filled cylinders with faux snow and put some fresh greenery inside them for centerpieces along with some gold and copper colored votive candle holders.  The gilded burlap runner and ornaments are from Target.  You got to love Target.  The ornaments also act as place cards for everyone.  I wrapped each place setting in gold glittery ribbon so that each one is like an individual present.  Simple, but it's always the little touches that make a difference. 

Celebrating This Weekend - My Husband

I'm starting a sort of new series here on Cupcakes & Confetti titled "Celebrating This Weekend".  I've written weekend posts in the past, but now I'm giving it a little bit of a party twist.  My husband's birthday was yesterday and we really end up celebrating it the entire weekend.  This week I've made Star Wars cookies and cupcakes for him and my Mother-in-law will be making him a long time family recipe of angel food cake with pink frosting.  It has to have pink frosting or it just doesn't taste the same.  His birthday isn't complete without this particular cake.  Do you have to have a dessert or food or a tradition that you must have for your birthday every year?  Have a lovely weekend friends! xx

 

 

 

 

6 Months and Counting

 

Cupcakes & Confetti is 6 months old today!  I can't believe I made it this far.  This time last year, I had no idea that I would have a blog.  Since the launch of Cupcakes & Confetti in June, a lot has changed here already.  I (Naree) do most of the blogging, tweeting, posts and pins.  Dara's life has become very busy and she just hasn't been able to devote the time that she would like to.  Maybe she'll pop in again, but until then it's just me.  But, I would like to thank my sister for getting me started.  Dara is the one who pushed me into the idea of starting this whole adventure.  I was intimidated and she, without fear, told me to just go for it and I couldn't be happier. 

Cupcakes & Confetti has become a creative platform for me, a grown up place for me.  If you read the "about" page, you would know that I background is in art.  I'm not an artist, but I appreciate and admire those who can create and inspire others with their work.  I not only like beautiful things, but I also like things that evoke emotion and thought.  I surrounded myself with art in my twenties and then my life evolved into being a devoted mother and my focus became my children.  This blog has brought time to think about myself and the things that I enjoy.  It has been a way for me to collect and share things that I love.  I thank anyone who has stopped by the blog for a glance, or who has followed on Pinterest or Twitter or who has "liked" our FB page.  By the way I could use some more likes, so hop on over there and hit the like button.  Anyway, back to the subject.  I thank you because you have been a part of reenergizing my creative spirit. 

I'd also like to thank Kate at 17th Avenue Designs for bringing our vision of the blog to life.  The design and colors are exactly what we wanted, it's like she read our minds.  If you need a blog makeover or are looking to start of a blog of your own, I highly suggest that you check out 17th Avenue Designs.  Kate is super relaxed and patient and absolutely wonderful to work with. 

I hope you've enjoyed Cupcakes & Confetti so far and I hope to bring more things that inspire great celebrations and that inspire life in the months (years?!) to come.  Thank you friends, I hope you continue to follow along with me on this journey.  XX