A Very Sweet 13!

Today I am LOVING this post from Amy Atlas' blog, Sweet Designs.

I am DYING over this, y'all! I really needed some fantastic-ness after my horror show of a day.

Movin on Up!

Hello, my doves!

Some big news for you. In an effort to streamline my life and my business, I have decided to combine this blog with Holy, Matrimony!. I think this move will be a great one! I love parties and events (obvs!) and I think it will be great to move this into a more "lifestyle-y" blog while promoting the work I'll be doing. I'll have so much more to say...

So what's to become of Holy, Matrimony!? Well, lovelies, over the next few days HMat will be changing, growing and morphing into something new and exciting! More news on that over the next few days!

Thanks for listening, dolls. I really feel so much better, like a big weight is off my shoulders...The chip? Well, that's still there.

Perhaps You Noticed...

...that things look a bit different around here. Well. Things are different. I am working out a few ideas and trying to spruce the place up a bit. I'm headed in a slightly new direction and I am trying to figure some things out! I hope you'll bear with me as I shake things up a bit.

And away we go!

A Whole New World

I think I just found my new favorite place.

Umm, hello McFly! How freaking fab is this?! Furbish studio is located in sunny Raleigh, NC and might just be home to the most brilliant collection of interior lovelies I have ever seen. In ever!
Don't believe me? Check out her blog. I am simply dying for her online shop to be up and running. I will spend way too much money purchasing way too many beautiful things. I can feel it.

Seriously darlings, her blog is great. Full of inspiration. And these great pillows with coral on them. And this fabric. I die!

Oh, why can't I live in Raleigh, NC?!

Logo Credit:
www dot furbishstudio dot com

Illuminating!

I am working on several things this summer, not least of which is cultivating ideas for a great big country themed party I'm hoping to design. I have been considering some unique lighting schemes that are fabulously, uniquely country and have found some great inspiration! I can't wait to get going on the inspiration board...I am after all, a country girl at heart you know. I thought I would share some of my finds with you. Consider some of these for your upcoming outdoor soirees.

This picture is one of my favorites. Made from upcycled mason jars, these sweet hanging lanterns cast a lovely warm glow over an entire event. I love this look. If I was to take hold of this, I'd probably pair it with a few more clean lines while perhaps doing a wildflower centerpiece...so many choices.

Here we have a variation on a really fantastic theme. These beautiful votives are porcelain! They've been cast in molds made from Bell jars. Lovely! We have mastermind Alyssa Ettinger to thank for these.

Luminaries. Beautiful, ethereal luminaries. I love to use these to illuminate walkways and driveways. They're beautiful on tables, hanging in trees, you name it!

Well, I hope that was enough to get you started! We've got some of the most beautiful days of summer coming now, and I hope you all can use them to host some amazing outdoor soirees...I know I will!

Photo Credit:
1. Lanterns by etsy seller, Cherry Grove. Found on bustedwallet dot blogspot dot com
2. Lanterns by Aylssa Ettinger. Found on re-nest dot com
3. Paper Luminaries by Martha Stewart. Found on marthsstewartweddings dot com

Amy's Got a Brand New Blog

Hey y'all!

For those of you constantly on the look-out for incredible party inspiration, have I got the blog for you!

Party planning icon, Amy Atlas (swoon!) has a new blog! Two words for you. I. Die. It is possibly the most wonderfully inspiring blog in ever. But, you don't have to take my word for it...see for yourself!

Amy Atlas's super awesome, totally wonderful blog.

Exciting News!

Omg, y'all!

So, you've probably heard me talking (at length) about this blog. Well, as you may know, all of June is Wedding Month at Haute Apple Pie! It's a super-fab idea and I am pleased to announce that you're friendly neighborhood wedding blogger will be part of the extremely stylish action!

That's right folks, tune in to Haute Apple Pie on Friday June 25th and you'll see me! Our wedding is to be featured as a "Haute Wedding" and I'll be adding some tips and tricks of the trade to help you pull off a swanky little wedding of your own. I'm so excited!

I'll post a reminder as we get closer to the day.

You know what? Scratch that. Get your stylish little bottoms over there now and you'll be so addicted you won't need my reminder. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.

A Long Time Gone

Hello darlings!

It feels so good to be back. However, I think y'all deserve an explanation as to my ridiculously long absence.

Here goes:

1. I needed to take a step back for a little while to just clear my head, regroup my thoughts and get back in the saddle. I really don't want to do things if I can't do them well and I really need to do this well.

2. We adopted a kitten almost two weeks ago. She's adorable. Seriously adorable. She's taken up most of my time what with baby proofing the house, socializing her with Rosie, keeping her from tearing apart my Pottery Barn drapes and all.

I'm Roxie! Nice to meet you!

3. I am overhauling my business. The Hubbs has finally decided to go back to school here in MKE! Yay! I am really grateful because now I have a clear path and a big 'ol green light. I am gathering bids for blog redesign, working on contracts and distilling my vision and mission into something a little more me. I'm also working on a marketing/branding strategy! So much work! It has been really rewarding to watch this come together over the last two years.

4. I'm redecorating the office! Yay! An ongoing process, but since I will not be in a store front for some time...it's an important one! Here is what my desk looks like!

Can you see how much trouble I'm having editing at this point?!

5. Rescuing my bathroom. The bathroom doesn't vent out the moisture so, now the paint has started to come off the wall due to moisture. It's awful. And time consuming. I may have cried more than once just looking at it.

Wow. Just unbelievable, horrific wow.

6. I've taken time off planning events to...wait for it...here it comes...write a book! It's something that I've always wanted to do and lately I've been feeling like I won't feel complete as a person if I don't give it a shot. A real shot. I have books and books filled with stories. Some done. Some undone, some good, some not so good. I've gotten a really great start and I am feeling great about it. You know, it's weird to say it out loud, but there it is. I'd love to give you the details, but you'll have to wait. Writing has always been a huge source of comfort and release for me. It feels great to be doing it again.

So there you have it. I have a big week planned for us, so let's get started, shall we?

Grade A {for Adorable!}

Oh. My. Blog. This is just about the cutest darn thing I have ever seen! I found this whilst catching up on my blog reading. Enjoy this little dandy from Paper Crave:

How flippin' adorable are these?! The story is, the genius over at Paper Crave created these to contribute to The Sweetest Occasion's Stationery Show extravaganza. The best part is they are a free printable! You'll also get a super fantastic report card themed recipe card...so cute! But rather than blather on about it, here's the full story with all the fab deets! I really suggest checking it out. I am a HUGE fan of Paper Crave...I think some of you might be too, it you give them a look-see!

Now, back to the favor boxes. How perfect would these be for a kid's party (I'm sort of obsessed with kids' parties right now. I wish I knew more kids) or for an adorable milk and cookie themed adult party. I love! My head is just spinning with uses for these cute little boxes (not to mention variations on the theme)

Macaron Madness!

I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it! I love macarons (not to be confused with the American confection, "macaroons")!

Here's the deal. A little over a year and a half ago, I laid my eyes on some french macarons whilst planning the wedding. The obsession starts. A few months later, I see them in pink. The obsession begins to grow. Then I continue to see them in virtually every magazine and on virtually every blog in the cosmos. Usually, I just get tired of "party trends" like this and then I don't want to see them. But not this time, I love them so much I could just pee! But I won't.

And, lo and behold...what do I find on my Google Reader this afternoon? This! And this!

My wheels have been turning for months as I plan my next event. Must...have...macarons... Centerpieces, sweets tables, favors, you name it. Can you imagine brightly colored macarons as place cards...Think adorable little picks emblazoned with each of your guests' names. This versatile little treat is perfect for just about anything. And just to get your "I-want-super-cute-sweets" ball a'rollin, I'll leave you with this...

Ahhh, perfection. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Sweet Almond Wedding macarons from Paulette Macarons. (I Love.) via msn dot com

Simply Adorable!

Okay people, I love kids' parties. Well, I guess I should say I love chic, well planned out kids' parties. Like this one!

Love! A ballerina party! I would have seriously flipped my lid had I a ballerina party like this...what a lucky little gal. I mean seriously, how flippin' cute is this cake?

The rest of the pictures are just as adorable. Oh, the blog I found this on? Silver Spoons Scraps. Pretty cute, I'd say! Check out the blog, here.

Enjoy!

A Special Contest for Mom

One of my favorite spots in Milwaukee is participating a darling little giveaway sponsored by the fabulous Third Ward Merchants. ! I love Moms and I love giveaways, so this really piqued my interest! If my Mom lived here, I'd enter her....and she'd win. Ain't nobody's Mama betta' than my Momma! Check out the adorable announcement!

Tres chic, no?

So, check out the full post from Kate at Broadway Paper here! And enter your Mommas. It's the right thing to do.

photo credit: broadwaypaper dot com

Plantable Parties?

So, as part of my personal crusade for 2010, I'm focusing on ways to make my parties more eco-friendly and sustainable. I am quite the digi-gal, the perfect little consumer, you might say so this eco-friendly-ing of my events has been quite the challenge. But, I'm excited to say, things just got a little easier!

I found this wonderful little Etsy shop and I am in heaven! Green Things That Grow is based in Lake Erie NY. Look there and you'll find greeting cards and party accessories that are completely green. Her {clever} slogan is, "Keep the print, plant the paper." Her products are made with "with 100% recycled post consumer waste, upcycled tools, and organic seeds". Love. It.

So, my obsession with plantable paper started when I worked with these lovely people. We had big, beautiful sheets of it in the paper drawers in the back of the store. I used to ogle them and dream of all the things I could do. I was always a big fan of using it on greeting cards.

Well, that's enough babbling! Look what I found!

This:

Plantable confetti! Yay! Coming in an array of colors, this confetti is the perfect addition to any party. Stuff it in favor boxes, drop it in your centerpieces..what CAN'T you do with this stuff?

And this:

How flippin' adorable are these favor tags? I love them. They come with convenient and easy to read planting instructions, so even those with the least green of thumbs can rock these seeds!

Well, if you don't love this shop yet, you can also go to the Facebook profile and blog. I suggest checking them out. I can't wait to see what's next from this charming company! Enjoy!

New Love {Online}

I'm absolutely LOVING this!

Lonny Magazine

It's so cute! I'm really appreciating the amount of online publications creeping up these days. I've only read the latest issue, but I am already getting tons of inspiration from their dreamy color palettes and luxurious home furnishings. And you better believe I'm going to go back and read the first two issues! I almost feel like the Domino Magazine shaped hole in my heart has been repaired.

I'm going to enjoy making sweet sweet magazine with Lonny. I think we all will.

Photo credits: In order- www dot luxuryliving dot com, seebelow dot net and
blog dot shopdirtylaundry dot com

Bat Mitzvah Fun

Aren't these invites adorable??

Another perfect 10 from Milwaukee design dynamo, Allison C. Beilke. I've really been loving purple lately and these cute Bat Mitzvah invites are no exception. I'm seeing personalized cookies, like these, but with two or three coordinating designs...

I was so excited looking at these, I just had to pop them into a quick mood board! Nothing fancypants, mind you, just a quick little thing...

What fun! I really love kids' parties. Mostly, because I love letting myself remember what is was like anticipating something really spectacular, the days when life was full of whimsy and wonder!

Photo Credits:
1. Dessert Cluster
2. Macaroons
3. Table Arrangement
4. Sweets Table

Back, Again!

Hello cupcakes! Whew, what a couple of weeks I've had. First the back pain. Then the Hubbs' illness. Then I caught said illness and was down for the count last week. Now, I seem to have a cold. I feel like I'm falling apart.

But, I am back at it now....

Inspiration of a Different Kind

Originally posted on Holy Matrimony. I apologize for the copious amounts of cross posting lately, but I think this was important enough to appear in both places. So be a lamb and bear with me!

There’s been quite a lot of chatter within the DIY community lately about intellectual property and copyright infringement. Questions have been asked, most notably the question of lines. What are these lines in the sand between “inspired by and stolen from”? When are these lines crossed? What can we, as a responsible community of artists and creators do about it? This subject is one to which I have given a lot of thought. As my business is undergoing an overhaul, a reinvention if you will, I wanted to take a little time to clearly articulate my views and my policies.

A couple days ago, whilst on my daily blog rounds, I came across this post on Decor8. You can read the full post and comments here. While it is a topic without easy answers and its existence is outside the ease of black and white, the importance of it isn’t lost on us. I have encountered many of these situations both as a wedding consultant and as an event designer. In most cases I have dealt with the issue swiftly and succinctly. In one instance in particular (a bride and her mother kept taking photographs of the invitation suites I was showing them. I heard them say they would just use the pictures and have a friend copy them…even after my repeated appeals for them to stop) I was less than composed. Ah, that temper of mine… .

I believe in creation. I believe it is the thing that rousts me from by bed each day. . My life has been spent making art in one form or another. I have sung, danced, painted, photographed and acted out my triumphs, my sorrows, my insecurities, and my inadequacies. I have spent my life trying to make the world around me a little more beautiful. My heart swells when I am inspired by something and am able to ingest it, interpret it, expand on it and make it mine. My heart breaks when an idea is stolen, repackaged and re-sold as something it is not.

I believe the Internet is an exceptional thing. It has allowed us to “meet” and share ideas. It has given us new ways to promote ourselves and the amazing work we do. It has allowed small businesses to become more visible, more viable and more vibrant. But it, like all of us, has a dark side. It has made theft so much easier- so much more accessible. Our identities, our bank accounts and now our recipes and designs have become vulnerable. The idea of “intellectual property” has so many gray areas. I believe it is my duty, as a responsible member of the online artistic community to site every source, credit every picture, reference every author and include every link. I know what I didn’t create. I know what isn’t mine. As I learn more about the blogosphere, I know I will miss some things and I know I will make mistakes, but I believe it will be my task to correct them, learn from them and move on.

Now, to clarify... I would love to help you bring your vision to life. If you let me, I will do it in a way that no one else can. I will look at everything you bring to me, I will talk with you about your ideas. For me, the interaction between us will be the best part. Based on our discussion, I will create a unique experience for you. I will go through my quote with you, line by line and together we will make it fit your budget and your vision. I will never do the same event twice. Your event will be uniquely yours and uniquely mine. I will not recreate another artist’s work. Please do not bring me an existing design and ask me to reproduce it. I will not copy another designer’s designs, nor will I ask my fantastic designers and vendors to so. Copying doesn't allow us to show you what wonderful things we have in mind for you. Copying isn't honest and it isn't fair. I reserve the right to say no and politely direct you to the person who created the work you are actually interested in. I reserve the right to protect my integrity and the work of the talented artists and designers with whom I am so closely and so happily tied.

I love Lucite!

When I die I want to be buried with this:

The Louis Ghost chair by Philippe Starck for furniture icon, Kartell. I love this chair. I love all Lucite chairs. I find them so inspiring. They amp up the luciousness of almost any tablescape. Like this:

Umm, hello! I am not usually one for a banquet table design but look how delicious this is! For me the simplicity of the tablescape is key. I am always saying, "levels, levels, levels!" It's like a broken record, I know. Buuuut, look how fantastic a basically simple design can become. I think my favorite aspect here is the light, airy feeling I'm getting looking at this. The peach with the pop of turquoise....heaven. And again, hello gorgeous chairs. No covers, no ties, no fuss!

Then again, I do love a bit of drama. Like this:

Say whaaa?! Here again, clean lines, no clutter and a pop of bold color. I die! I think if I were to do something like this, I'd really want the table number to pop, but not over power the table. I've also really been into the idea of the " clear trays with glass beads" combo for quite some time. This is a perfect example of what I mean. Hello Hostesses! This is sort of what I'm always blathering on about.


1. Louis Ghost chair, Philippe Starck for Kartell via good bones, great pieces blog

2. Martha Stewart Weddings dot com

3. Tablescape by Taylor Creative Inc. via Swanky Tables Blog

An Unexpected Hiatus

Hello my doves!

I am sorry I have been away so long. My life has been a whirlwind of late. The Hubbs and I are searching for a new couch and preparing the house for the second round of renovations. I have also been plagued by severe back pain. I suffered a treadmill-related incident and then fell asleep on our couch a few nights later, exacerbating the issue. Last week I could barely move, but this week with the help of a heating pad, Icy Hot and copious amounts of Aleeve, I seem to have the injury under control.

Now I am digging myself out of a big, fat, pit of "catch-up." I do hope you'll join me.

New Found Glory: Tablevogue

Problem: You have a utility table sitting in storage. You bust it out when you are hosting an event that requires a little extra space. No matter how you try, you can never get it to look quite right and no tablecloth on this earth will fit.

Solution: Tablevogue! This unique new product comes to us from Florida and is the answer to our party prayers. The smart box pleats cut out the pinning, cutting, and sewing but leaves you with all the fab you can stand. Say goodbye at long last to table skirts {yay}!

Seriously, the possibilities for this thing are endless! Turn your drab little table into chic dining, bar, gift and sweets tables!

Entertaining outside? The brilliant floor length design is perfect for concealing extra supplies.

The best part?! Let's see...The modest price tag (only $39.99 for 34" and $49.99 for the 6' size) affords couture style at discount store prices. It's available in three standard sizes (34", 6' and 8') and comes in natural and white with more colors in the works.

I love this shot. A chic little patio party at a fraction of the cost. I die!

Check out the website for all the details. They're also on Facebook.

All Press Is Good Press!

Good morning, my little cupcakes! I hope you are staying warm in the frigid-ness that is this morning.

Some great news! Our friends at Kate Funk and Cracked Designs are featured in this article about handmade valentines. Love it. Love. It.

I Love Envelopments!

Oh. My. Blog. I cannot believe this is happening.

What I wouldn't have done to have this when I was planning my wedding. Rather than cart around my loose paper, I could've had this! I could've been a contender! (Well, okay, maybe not a contender per se, but I'm still really excited!) It's the Mini Deck! And Jigster! Take a look!

I die! I swoon! I can't believe I don't have one!

From the Envelopments website:

Why work harder, when you can work smarter? We’ve created tools to streamline the design and production processes. Whether you’re designing it yourself, or having it done for you we’ve got the perfect solution for personalized communiqués.

With over 200 options, the Envelopments Mini Deck enables you to find the perfect match to your bridemaid’s dress, your company logo, or any project. Take advantage of the $20 Rebate promotion by placing your order with your nearest Envelopments Dealer/Designer. For a more hands-on approach, we’ve developed the Envelopments Jigster. Assemble your custom invitations by mounting layers of Envelopments card stocks and papers consistently, accurately and quickly.

And at only $20 for the Mini Deck and $69.95 for the Jigster, what could be wrong! I totally recommend you scoop yours up today! Unless I beat you to it. For me this, couldn't have come at a better time (I'm almost out of Pearl paper and I have, literally no cardstock! What kind of party planner am I?! No cardstock....absurd)!

You really must follow them on Twitter, check out their website, and read their totally cute (and helpful!) blog. Trust me on this. How else will you know what's going on with this fabulous company?!

Wow. That was a lot of information to take in-in 30 seconds. But seriously. I had to tell you.

Photo credit: Envelopments dot com

A Taste of Love...

Here's a little taste of the 'Lovebirds' themed event I designed. I am finishing up the decorations tonight and tomorrow and the install is Saturday am. I am so excited, I think this little, casual event will be a memorable one!

Don't you just LOVE it?! I die! And, just in case you are wondering, this is the work of Miss Allison Beilke. Check out her ridiculously cute blog, here. More pictures to come as the event gets closer.

Where in the World is Erin San Diego?

Does it work? No? Ah, well....today is not my best "catchy title" day. Anywhoo....

Oh, my little cupcakes, I'm so sorry I've been away so long. I've absolutely been up to my EARS with work! The 9 to 5 has been a whirlwind, I'm back at job #2, I've been designing an event and I'm working on a few other things (to remain hush hush for now...). But as the dust is starting to settle I have ways to make it up to you...including a dynamite (if I do say so myself) mood board, how to's and some pictures from my last two events!

The fun starts tonight!

Thank you for being so patient!

Sweets for your Sweet: Twig and Thistle DIY Brownie Bags

Get a load of this 5-gallon bucket of cute! I die!

From Seattle based design genius, Twig and Thistle, these little DIY Brownie Bags were a huge hit last year. After tons of reader e-mail, she's updated the craft for the new year. Aren't you glad she did? You can download the template on her blog and print it right to the bag. Not very tech savvy? Not to worry, the instructions are at the top of the template. You'll notice that she's added the waxed paper layer to protect the craft bag-this was a reader suggestion and I totally agree with it. I would recommend doing this. The best part, you ask? Well, she carries the bags in craft AND white in her fab etsy shop.

Do yourself a design favor and check out Twig and Thistle!

How To: Waxed Paper Wrapping Paper

I'm planning an 'Lovebirds' themed party and I wanted something cutesy for the wrap job on the favors that I could also use in other aspects of the decor. I remembered doing this when I was a kid and it was so much fun, I decided to use it. Love, love LOVE this and I hope you do too.

Custom Waxed Paper Wrapping Paper
You'll need:

Waxed Paper
Tissue Paper
Iron
Ironing Board
Paper Towels

How To:

1. Fold a section of tissue paper (in some dreamy color) in half three times. You should end up with eight sections stacked like pancakes.

2. Using a craft punch, punch out desired shapes. (this can also be achieved by making a template of said shape, tracing it onto the tissue and cutting out the shape...although this does take longer)
3. Set up your ironing board (make sure to keeps kids and fur babies from under foot during this step. Safety first, I always say.) Cover the board's surface with paper towels; place a sheet of waxed paper on top.
4. Arrange tissue paper shapes on the paper. Cover the shapes with another sheet of waxed paper. Layer more paper towels on top. Run an iron, on medium heat, gently over the layers to set.

The best part about something like this is its flexibility. Think of how cute this would be with snowflakes or evergreen trees. I found the picture on the Martha Stewart website...it illustrates the process quite well. I intend to update this post with my pictures soon.

The Sweetest Things

Found these adorable things at one of my favorite stores, Paper Source. I am hoping to have a crafting get-together with my friends soon and I would just LOVE to make these for my co-workers...

The little boxes are so flippin' cute, I want to eat them! But I won't. Instead I'll give you the link the downloadable .pdf instructions so you can make them yourself. How cute would these be at a little Valentine's themed dinner party? These would be so cute in chocolate brown, too!

Oh, Paper Source you never let me down.

New Year, New Resolutions

It's that time of year again. The time of year when we all examine our lives and see what sorts of positive changes can be made. Sometimes we stick to them (start a party planning blog and event design company) and sometimes we don't (take up kickboxing). Since I already eat well, exercise daily, belong to Weight Watchers and conserve what I can, I decided to make a short list of resolutions that are a little more abstract, a little tougher to achieve. I hope to be able to follow these not only to the letter, but more importantly to the spirit.

1. Take more risks. Both personally and professionally. I want to keep broadening my horizons and I can only do that if I'm not afraid to fail once in awhile. I decided that just because I'm getting older (28) I don't have to let go of all of my interests. Besides, nothing worthwhile is ever easily attained. Nor should it be. To quote a popular 90's film, "The hard is what makes it great." So, in 2010, I will be fearless and I will run freely into the unknown.

2. Be nicer to myself. This resolution is two-fold for me. First, I need to ease up on myself a little. All the diets, exercise, stylish outfits and beauty products in the world can't help if I don't already love me just the way I am. I need to learn to be my best friend and not my biggest critic. We are all much more than what we look like. This year I will work harder than ever to remember that. Secondly, I need to (and I think this should be the anthem for the digital age) learn to relax when I am away from work and not feel guilty. That means, no checking the iPhone, no e-mail, no Facebook or Twitter. Just relaxation. In August while getting ready for my Honeymoon, I agonized over whether to bring my laptop along. "But what if they need me at the office?", I kept asking myself. Finally, my Mom and The Hubbs had to remind me that a vacation is just that. In 2010, I will bask in the glory of vacations (and we're taking a few of them this year).

3. Blog more. I love authoring blogs. I really do. I am so proud of the two little blogs I started last year. It's here with all of you that I get to explore my passions. I get to write about pretty things, glamorous parties, and incredible weddings. Everytime I write, I am exploring your ideas with you. Cultivating an idea into an event! But the best part is I have turned this all into an opportunity to do what I love in the city that I love. I feel great everytime I sit down to a new post. In 2010, I want to feel great more often.

So, What do you say? Let's make 2010 one for the books!

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings dot com