Design Your Parties: Sweet Shoppe 1st Birthday

 Once upon a time, there was a wonderful couple who fell in love and had a baby.....

Well that baby just turned one! Mom decided to honor her birthday with a party as sweet as her.

 Happy birthday Isobel!!

 Isobel's mom, Stephanie, is the Hostes with the Mostess. She created this Sweet Shoppe theme with draped fabric as a tablecloth, a cupcake tower, and sweets galore!

 Homemade cupcakes looked like they were straight out of a professional kitchen. They were vanilla with marichino cherries adorning the top.

 Pink and white polka dot balloons were everywhere, decorating the room from top to bottom!

 Guests sipped on strawberry lemonade and strawberry milk in jars with paper straws.

 A sundae bar and candy jars galore was a dream come true for the birthday girl and all the guests!

I think Isobel had a pretty good time, but pictures are worth a thousand words! Great job Stephanie!

Bargain find: Ethan Allen Josephine Side Chair

Love this side chair from Ethan Allen ? How can you not?! But there is no way I'm spending $669 for a side chair! Oh wait, it just starts at $669, depending on the fabric you choose, and goes up from there! Oh, Josephine... I wanted the look, but not the price! I headed on over to my local TJ Maxx, and there it was... *gasp* Beautiful! Check the price...*GASP* $129!!!! SOLD!!!!! Same look, 1/5th of the price :) I love a good bargain! Guest room #2 coming soon with this little addition.....

Ribbons, Bows and.....Flowers? Oh My!!

Everyone who knows me, knows I LOVE creative gift wrapping!! I love it almost more than whatever is inside! The thoughtfulness, the creativity, the anticipation... I love it all!

It all started with a simple silk flower atop a bridal shower gift....and quickly turned into my new favorite thing in gift wrapping - flowers replacing bows!! It's such an unexpected twist! For this pink checkered gift for my niece's 1 year birthday party, I actually used REAL roses straight from my garden!

The roses matched perfectly, and everyone was so surprised to find out that they were real!

 I think Grandma Marilyn had the most fun with the idea..... :)

Trend Alert: Beverage Dispensers

Beverage dispensers are all the rage this year! They are mixing modern glass and hardware with rustic touches like chalkboard beverage labels and seagrass and wicker accents. Adorn your drinks with bright fruits and mint for an instant party that looks like it was thrown by a professional! I just purchased this hanging oval chalkboard sign from Sur la Table to adorn my summer bar.

Try a variety of fruit, and use it frozen instead of ice cubes. Frozen Grapes, whole and halved lemons and limes, blackberries, cranberries.....The possibilities are absolutely endless!

Velocity

Pottery Barn

Design Your Birdcage

I have been seeing the shabby chic birdcage trend grow into the transitional realm for a while now, and I thought I'd try the look myself. As with most of my decor, I had to make the look my own before I could display it. I started with a rustic finish birdcage that matched my decor.

I inserted an orange candle into the birdcage to compliment my orange and red damask cushion on my outdoor sofa.

I then bent silk leaves into a circle so they would wrap "naturally" around the candle, and inserted orchids for some modern elegance.

 The result was magical!

 .....And it's even prettier at night!

 Try this creative touch in your own lanterns and bircages, and let me know the result!

Trend Alert: A Splash of Coral

As bold trends are popping up everywhere, my favorite color has become one of my favorite trends-Coral.

Paired with neutral tones or modern black and white schemes, it shouts to the world that this is not your 80's peach.

 You can use a little or a lot, but either way, it is sure to draw attention.

 Pair coral with grey for a young, sophisticated look.

 Match it, pop it, contrast it. This new trend is sure to set a new standard for pops of color everywhere.

Design Your Vacations

As I'm sure your lives will go on without me, I will be enjoying the sun and palm trees next week in Palm Springs! Palm Springs is Hostess Heaven with consignment and outlet stores galore!

I'll be relaxing by the pool.....

 Enjoying some leisure golfing.....

 Long walks.....

 Dinner dates with my husband.....

 Did I say relaxing? Oh, and some fun, too!

Oh yes, and a quick visit to my old friends Mickey and Minnie!!!

My first time to Disneyland in 10 years, I can't wait to see everything again!!!

Dreams do come true.....