Pumpkins Pumpkins Everywhere!

There are so many options in decorating with pumpkins these days...carved, painted, real, faux, large, small...the list goes on. I've gathered together some of the coolest ideas I've found on the web so far.
I think the white pumpkins are so interesting and can give a very modern feel. Think about painting patterns on them, or spelling out words & monograms.

These chic white pumpkins above are so decorative, they can take you right into Thanksgiving(with the exception of the web and bug designs). Look at the amazing statement those pumpkins make in the dining room above! They use large nail heads to create beautiful patterns(click on pictures to enlarge).

Of course I always love a zebra print, whether painted on or tied on with ribbon. And ric rac trim looks great outlining the natural lines of the pumpkin.

If traditional orange pumpkins are your preference, why not give it some Bling with sequin trim, glitter paint, or rhinestone stickers from the craft store.

You can also create drama with paint or ribbon in contrasting colors. Use the smaller size pumpkins around the room, as table centerpieces, or at place settings.

Go modern with geometric cut-outs.

Create whimsy by inserting lollipops into a pumpkin for a dessert display. Wrap a box with a fun graphic print and use it as a riser to lift the pumpkin up.

To find further instructions for all these pumpkin designs, click on the links below.

Collage #1:

"halloween" pumpkins, black & white polka dot pumpkins, "s" monogrammed pumpkins, "thanks" pumpkins

Collage #2:

white pumpkins with nail head trim,
zebra & bugs pumpkins, white pumpkins with ric rac trim, zebra ribbon pumpkin(unknown)

Collage #3:

glitter paint web pumpkin, glitter pumpkins, sequin trim pumpkin

pumpkins in fireplace, pumpkin place setting, mini pumpkins wrapped with ribbon
Collage #4:

lollipop pumpkin, pumpkin with cut-outs

Circus Birthday Party

Check out the very adorable, very do-able Circus birthday party by Tori at Thoughtfully Simple. It was the perfect theme for a first birthday.

She has included all the classic elements for this theme, from the invitations(at the top) to the photo booth(bottom photo), and gives some great tips on how to do this theme on a budget.

Love the pennant surrounding the cupcake stand!

The photo booth pictures are the cutest I've seen!! This booth was made from a refrigerator box!! See all the pictures and DIY tips on her blog post.

Autumn Party Cones

Display all your halloween, autumn, or Thanksgiving favors or snacks from a pumpkin. Fill cones with nuts, seeds, popcorn, or trail mix and display them inside a hollowed out pumpkin, or a faux pumpkin from the craft store.

Have A Sweet Birthday

Check out this adorable birthday created by Trio Events.  There are a couple of things I love from this display, other than the bright colors and sugary goodness. In the top photo, I love the detail on the hanging lanterns. It adds so much to the party space. And in the bottom picture, I love the jelly bean favors crafted to look like cupcakes. Two very cute ideas that are easy to recreate!

Halloween Place Card-DIY

Park your guests in the perfect spot with these broomstick place cards from Country Living. Paint a dowel black for the broom handle. Fold strips of raffia in half and attach to the handle with a piece of string. Cut looped raffia ends to create bristles. Write guests' names on pieces of ribbon and hot glue to the handles.

"A" Is For Apple-Operation Shower

 Here are the pictures from the Operation Shower-March of Dimes event that I designed & styled on Sunday. Operation Shower gave a "shower in a box" as well as a car seat to each of 25 new or expecting moms, who have husbands serving in the military. This shower was a little different than the usual ones, in that many women had their babies prematurely thus missing out on a traditional baby shower. Kmart was the major sponsor of this event and donated so many wonderful items for the boxes, prize giveaways, and the 25 car seats! We even had a special guest MC the event. Wendy Davis from Lifetime Television's Army Wives was the hostess for the day.

The theme was "A is for Apple" and combined flash cards with apples and pears. The colors used, and the choice of fruit was inspired by the fabric used by Resa Designs in creating bibs for all the babies. The bibs were draped over the backs of the mother's chairs. I framed a piece of the fruit fabric to be displayed as part of the decor, and made 27 napkin rings with more of the fabric, and attached them with a diaper pin.

Generous Donations:

• All the flash cards, invitations, box stickers, and place card circles were designed and donated by Kim at TomKat Studio. They were all 'pear'fectly adorable!
• Adorable "baby" cupcake wrappers provided by Plates and Napkins.

• We had a fantastic photographer, Stephanie Beaty of Lifeography, offer her services for the day, as well as donate a photo package to one lucky mom! Check out her blog post and The Give Ten Project.
• Another great prize was a custom art piece donated by Inspired Design, which can be hung in the baby's nursery.
• We had 120 red and green apples generously donated by Turkey Knobb Apples...the best apples grown right here in Virginia! These were used in the decor and then gathered by the guests in there eco-friendly bags, to take home. Great way to save the Earth and your budget!
• Delicious chocolate ganache covered cupcakes topped with white chocolate fruit pieces were another wonderful donation by one of our readers, Jenifer Helton. She also follows our Facebook page if you'd like to contact her for your own cake needs.

Design Details:The tables were done with a contemporary fruit centerpiece.  The mother's napkin ring was an apple-shaped teething ring given by Kangaroo Boo, while the guest's was the fabric rings I made. Small flower arrangements were set in baby food jars and flanked the centerpiece boxes. Each table had it's own monochromatic color scheme.

You could use this type of decor yourself with a theme such as "Fruits of our Labor," for a baby shower, or "Apple of my Eye," or "Perfect Pear(pair)."

You can see even more pictures in our Facebook Album.

To see video from the local news coverage in Portsmouth, go here.

I am honored to have been a part of such a special day. Big, big thanks to all who donated their items and their time!!

Black & White Halloween Soiree

I think it's about time to start planning some Halloween parties! Right now I'm really digging the idea of a black and white soiree for adults. Something a little "spooky" but also a little sophisticated. Think wine and desserts.

Start the buzz by sending out an invitation from Tiny Prints, above. All of their halloween invitations are 10% off through September 28. Add some creepy labels to wine bottles, like the ones here from Midnite muse's Etsy shop. Serve some cheese and crackers if you like but save room for the real treats...dessert!

Use black dishes and wine glasses, candles, decorative halloween ribbon, and spiders, combined with white spider webs, lace tablecloth, hanging gauze, and coffee mugs. These ideas above are from the October issue of Sandra Lee magazine. Don't forget to have everyone dress in either black or white (or combination) costume!

Set up a buffet with black and white desserts to serve with coffee and flavored liquers.

Chocolate covered pretzels and white candies

Chocolate dipped pretzel rods

Black and White cake

Black and White cookies

Black and White brownie parfaits

Oreo balls dipped in white chocolate

This is a pretty simple party to pull together. Even if you find yourself busy with kids halloween activities, you could easily hold this on a Friday evening after work.

Printable Envelope Label Wraps

Next time you're mailing invitations, greeting cards, or thank you notes, give it a wrap with these cool labels from A Very Chocolate Wedding. Print the recipients address on one end and the return address on the other. Print it on adhesive paper, cut out, and stick it on the envelope so it wraps around and creates a unique look. These are offered free in the white background(left) or the black(right).

If polka dots are your thing, print out the ones above in any of 6 modern color options. Very cute and stylish!

Big Event This Weekend!

Here's what I've been working on :

I'm so honored and excited to have the opportunity to work on this Virginia event with Operation Shower and March of Dimes, this Sunday. You must know that gal pal Amy at Stem is the Chief Event Planner for Operation Shower. Unfortunately, she is unable to attend the Virginia event at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, because of a previous commitment. That's where I come in! I'll be taking over and playing "Amy" for the weekend and styling this event. Above is a sneak peak at what is to come. Inspiration comes from the apple and pear fabric used by Resa Designs, who is donating those cute bibs for the new babies. Kim at TomKat Studio is the talent behind the flashcards and invitations we're using.

I can't wait to show more and tell you about all the other great sponsors we have for this. Stay tuned...

Create Your Own Fabric

Do you love to coordinate your party to a tee? Now you can go one step further by creating your own fabric to match another image you're working with. I was first introduced to this concept while reading one of my favorite blogs, Room Remix. There is a great site, Fabric On Demand, which gives you step by step instructions on how to upload your design and create a fabric with it. The price per yard is about the same as some name brand fabrics. Think of the possibilities in coordinating baby showers, wedding showers, or birthday parties!

Moss Panels

If you read my interview over at Pepper Design blog, then you know my love for what I call "party art." From party pics, you also know I have a buffet in my dining room which is the perfect place for me to hang some type of art or decor that coordinates with the rest of the party. I'm thinking the example above may be on my to-do list. A simple project with moss sheets and foam core backing! OR make these moss squares inside a cool picture frame(sans glass of course)...... Gotta find a reason to do this.

image source

An Interview With Little Ole Me

Remember the awesome new blog I told you about recently, Pepper Design Blog? I hope you guys have been checking it out! Morgan invited me to answer a few questions about design, for her Friday Guest Blog Interview section. Click over to read the answers and see all of her great ideas!!

Casual Chic Tabletop

I wanted to share this beautiful tabletop from Brides.com because I love how it looks incredibly glamorous at first glance, but when you break it down, it's really quite casual and easy to put together. Simply top the table cloth with a lace runner(you may have from your grandmother). Use a mixture of candle sticks, and vases down the middle of the table. These blue vases are something you would normally find on a side table or part of every day decor. They look so modern and fresh as part of the tablescape. Add some votives and roll towels for napkins, and you have a casual, yet chic table setting. Of course, loads of a single flower type always fill everything out perfectly.

Special Touches Make Your Gift Shine!

Posts are kind of short and sweet this week as I am consumed with helping with the Virginia Operation Shower event(Yay! more on that later) However, I wanted to share this fabulous gift arrangement from Paper Source blog, becouse I know how much you guys love to make things cute, and love to do it easily! Ribbon does the trick here, but the little banner across the front of the basket adds that extra special touch. Check out the post to read the "how to" details and make your own adorable baby gift basket.

A Co-Ed Baby Shower

Today I want to share this beautiful co-ed shower from J. Bailey Occasions. It is for a baby boy and does a wonderful job of incorporating "little boy" details into some pretty shower decor that is neutral enough for the men attending.

It starts with this cute invitation done in yellow, orange, green, and brown. I love how they incorporated the colors into the drinks, the florals, and the fabulous table cloth above.

My absolute favorite part is the party decor near the entrance. The colorful vase filler combined with the small toys is happiness for my eyes!

See more photos and read all about it on the blog here.

Cool Product

Here's a fantastic find! These Napkin Catch Placemats found at Greenward are interesting and innovative enough for the modern hostess. Even better, they are made from recycled materials and come in 6 fun colors. Great for outdoors or indoors, they hold your napkin in place until you are ready to use it and then the catch flaps lay flat out of the way. Great for yourself or hostess gifts!

White Peach Sangria

This morning I asked my husband, "Why don't we ever make Sangria's?" I mean it's a perfect combination of wine, liqueur, fruit, it feeds a crowd, and you can make ahead! It's not New Year's, but I'm going to make a resolution to make a pitcher of Sangria. Soon! Here's one I want to try....maybe for a football tailgate party!?:

White Peach Sangria
2 bottles pinot grigio
1 1/2 cups peach schnapps
2 cans peach nectar
1 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup frozen sliced peaches
1 cup frozen raspberries
In a large pitcher, combine wine, peach schnapps, peach nectar, lemonade concentrate, and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add peaches and raspberries and chill for 2 hours. Serve chilled or over ice.

recipe from Southern Lady magazine
photo from bon appetit

Sweet Ideas

I saw this fantastic idea on the Get Married tv show the other day and had to share! Serve a small brownie on the rim of a shot glass of milk. Choose a delicious mocha brownie recipe that has a little instant coffee added, and even add a little Kahlua to the milk(aka Kahlua and Cream). I have a feeling I couldn't stop at just one.

This interactive mini fruit tart dessert buffet is from Rachel Ray. She lists a lovely recipe for it but I would do this the semi-homemade way. Using refrigerated pie crust, I would cut out circles using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a small glass. Then proceed as directed.

Finally, this idea that makes you say, "Why didn't I think of that?" The idea of topping a cupcake off with a Ferrero Rocher candy is just Genious I tell ya! This is from Couture Cupcakes, but I found it via the lovely Kim, at TomKat Studio.