Last Monday I went to a Halloween Craft event hosted by Lyndsey of The Stationary Place and Marie LeBaron of Make and Takes at Trophy Cupcakes. It was such a great, relaxed event full of fun crafty goodness! Marie and Lyndsey taught us how to make Felt Rosette Wreaths, Hand-embroidered Spider Cards, Glittered Spider Rings and my personal favorite – Pipe Cleaner Spiders.

It was the perfect occasion for any type of crafter. The ladies were so prepared and had everything all set out for us and ready to use. Sadly, I forgot my camera and wasn’t able to snap any pics at the event but I did manage to finish my Rossette Wreath and Spider Rings and take some shots over the weekend.

The wreath is an easy craft that anyone that can handle scissors and pins can manage. Check out Kristen’s tutorial on Domestifluff for step-by-step instructions and pictures.

The Glittered Spider Rings are another brilliant idea and insanely easy to do! Purchase plastic spider rings from a craft store and simply paint the top surface with crafters glue. Once covered, sprinkle with glitter making sure to cover well and let dry. Wear as a festive ring or add them to a wreath like I did by cutting the band in the middle and attaching them to a rosestte!

Be sure to check out The Stationary Place and Make and Takes for tutorials on the rest of the crafts. And don’t forget to make these adorable Pipe Cleaner Spiders, kids would LOVE them!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend ahead and for those of you celebrating the 4th of July, may you have a fun and safe weekend! I don’t have any major plans but I hope to get some R&R and hopefully a little sun if it ever decides to show up here.

With a few days before the holiday I thought I’d do a round up of some of my favorite crafts I’ve seen lately. Hope you enjoy!

Creature Comforts Fabric Dessert Flags, Two Shades of Pink Mason Jar “Sippy Cups”, Packagery Paper Button Garland

Mrs. Lilien always has the most clever combinations and playful collections when it comes to fashion. She’s a favorite that I visit for style inspiration and a dose of class.

I particularly love her recent post about setting a proper table when entertaining. If it’s one thing I absolutely love, it’s a good ol’ dinner party! But it can be a bit of a challenge to remember the approprite place for each of the flatware, glassware and dinner plates.

Thanks to Mrs. Lilien’s charming illustration, setting the perfect table is confusing no more! Read the full article here for a complete explanation of the proper Mrs. table setting. Cheers!

Photos by Edyta Szyszlo

I just adore these DIY Baby Shower Invitations by the talented Edyta Szyszlo. Created for her friend, I especially love the fruit stripe envelope liner and the custom silhouettes. Also, make sure to check out the photos form the event, Edyta did such an amazing job!

Hi Friends and happy Monday! I thought I’d start the week off with a DIY project that I created for larger events like weddings, showers or anything that requires multiple tables. Instead of traditional numbered cards I thought it would be fun to number the napkins instead. They make for a striking presentation that your guests are sure to remember. The template comes in black but can be easily customized by changing the color of the napkin.

Complete instructions and step-by-step photos after the break.

Materials Needed:
Cloth Napkins
3″ Circle Punch
Iron-on Transfers (light colored fabric)
Iron
Ink Jet Printer

No St. Patrick’s Day is complete with out a good Irish beer! Why not celebrate in style with these shamrock inspired coasters?! Substitute with sparkling cider for little ones and everyone can join in the fun!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Color Printer
Paper
Blotter paper or thick cardstock
Spray Adhesive
Craft Knife

INSTRUCTIONS
To make these printables more coaster-like, simply print template onto regular text weight paper then glue them to a thicker cardstock with a spray adhesive. I use thick blotter paper or watercolor paper which can be found at any art supply store.

Once glued together, using a craft knife, carefully trim out each coaster along solid grey line. If printed with an ink jet printer be warned that the ink may bleed when dampened. An alternative is to either print with a color laser printer or have them laminated. Sláinte!

CONDITIONS OF USE: All Twig & Thistle downloads are subject to our Terms & Conditions. Downloads are for personal, non-commercial use only. In addition please do not redistribute or modify any of the templates. If you’d like to link to the pdf, please link to this post directly. Thanks!

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With the Academy Awards coming up and all the DIY freebies available to host your own award party, I thought it’d be fun to gather some Oscar event inspiration.

I’ve been obsessed with this Oreo Cake since I spotted it in the September issue of Martha Stewart Living. Since the Oscars are traditionally a black tie event, I can’t think of a more appropriate occasion to make one of these! Yumm!

I’m also loving gold lately! Funny how as a girl I loathed it, and now I can’t get enough of the stuff! Gold confetti plates would be perfect for an awards party. Speaking of sparkle, sequined shoes and a glittered clutch would make the for lovely accessories to a red gown or a shimmering black dress.

And before the night is over, gold heart shaped cakes would make for a sweet finish to a glamorous evening!

The 2011 Oscars air on February 27th this year and I couldn’t be more excited! I’m a huge movie fan and grew up in a family that celebrated film and television. Consequently, the Academy Awards were always a big deal to us. My parents even named our cats Oscar and Emmy!

Last year, I created a downloadable Oscar suite that included printable party invitations, ballots, envelope liners, popcorn bags and candy toppers. I’ve been getting quite a few requests for an updated 2011 version so, with out further ado, here they are! Each PDF includes instructions and if you need more information, please see my original posts here and here.

OSCAR INVITATION & ENVELOPE LINERS
Set the tone for the party to come with these printable Oscar Party Invitations and envelope liners.

OSCAR BALLOT
Play along while you watch! Have guests arrive early to fill out the ballot ahead of time for who they think will win. At the end of the evening, tally up the score to see who guessed the most right!

POPCORN BAGS
What are movies without the popcorn? Serve individual portions by printing the template directly onto white paper bags, line with glassine bags to prevent butter stains and fill with movie popcorn! Both the paper and glassine bags can be found in my Etsy shop here.

CANDY BAG TOPPERS
Of course you can’t have the popcorn without the candy! Dress sweets up by arranging in cellophane bags and topping with red and white stripped toppers. Arrange it all on an old fashioned candy tray and pass it around to all your guests. Learn how to make a candy try here.

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CONDITIONS OF USE: All Twig & Thistle downloads are subject to our Terms & Conditions. Downloads are for personal, non-commercial use only. In addition please do not redistribute or modify any of the templates. If you’d like to link to the pdf, please link to this post directly. Thanks!

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Check out these images featuring the new wishing tree and place cards from Hello Hanna! Don’t you wish you could climb right in and take a seat? Hello Hanna suggests using both for a bridal shower but I also love this idea for a Valentine themed party. You could use the wishing cards for jotting down love related resolutions for the coming year like; “can’t wait to meet someone to share my life with”, “looking forward to having a baby”, “Say “I love you” at least once a day”…

The whole concept of a wishing tree is beyond brilliant and I love they way Hello Hanna has made it so beautiful and customizable. I pretty much love anything these ladies do! Have a peek for yourself here and check out their cute blog too.

From left: Melanie, Danni, Me and Vivien

Hello friends! I had such an amazing time at the Altitude Design Summit in Salt Lake City last week! The lovely Lisa of With Style & Grace and I roomed together and had a blast catching up, meeting so many amazing people and partying! I got to reconnect with some lovely acquaintances from last year like Danni of Oh Hello Friend, Nole of Oh So Beautiful Paper, Kirsten of Simply Grove, Chelsea of {frolic}, Vané of Brooklyn Bride, Stephanie of Steph Modo, Melissa of IS•LY, Kathryn of Snippet & Ink and Rachel of Black*Eiffel.

I also had the pleasure of finally meeting more of my personal favorites like Ez of Creature Comforts, Joy of Oh Joy!, Jordan of Oh Happy Day, Melanie of You Are My Fave and Megan of Not Martha – to name just a few! To top it all off, I met so many other amazing people that I can’t wait to follow on Twitter and online. My RSS reader may explode from all the brilliant new sites I have to read!

The two day conference was divided into 3 different sessions every hour and a half. Choosing between the panels was beyond difficult since each one showcased bloggers from all over the country that I was dying to see. I enjoyed all the panels I attended but my two favorites were the Faster, Smarter, Better Blogging and Taking it Offline – Events and Social Media. The Better Blogging session featured Megan Reardon, Erica Reitman, and Susan Brinson. The panel on events was hosted by Ashley Meaders, Brittany Egbert, Jordan Ferney, Victoria Hudgins. Both provided insight into each bloggers process and business goals. I think the tip I loved the most was “collaboration cultivates creativity”.

Some of the other highlights were chatting with Mondo of Project Runway for nearly a half hour and getting a hug from him afterwards. Plus, I got to hear the lovely Tina Roth Eisenberg of Swiss Miss. She gave the best keynote speech I’ve ever heard and meeting her afterwards was definitely a moment I will never forget!

Lastly, I took two classes (think summer camp), where I learned some great table top photography tips from Nicole of A Little Sussy and a silkscreening class by Andy Kane of Sparka. Both classes were fantastic and a new feature to the ALT summit that I hope they continue.

To complete the festivities, a series of mini parties were hosted at the hotel by the sponsors. I got to sample my first ever chocolate fountain in the HGTV room and received a party bag from Kate Spade with some thick black glasses thanks to the Girls with Glasses hosting the event. Oh yeah, did I mention that Brooke White of GWG was one of my all time favorites from American Idol??!!

All in all, it was a great time! I’m so glad I got to participate and share the experience with so many lovely and talented people. Saving up for next year already!

All images curtesy of ALT Design Summit 2011 and photo booth images by angela and ithyle

Before the year was out, I was asked to contribute a mood board for the latest issue of Nonpareil Magazine. My board (above) was then used as inspiration by a selection of designers, photographers and stylists to bring the whole wedding theme to life. The “From Farm to Table” concept began with french country inspired details paired with pops of natural green and coral tones along with rustic wood and burlap surfaces.

I was unbelievably thrilled to see the final results! It is such a honor to see my concept realized and interpreted by the team. The outcome is just beautiful and all the credit goes to the amazing crew that put it all together: The floral and event styling were done by the talented Rachel Bowes of Fitch & Thistle Event Design / Photography by Angel and Evan Carlyle of Angela & Evan Photography / Stationary by Iwona Konarski of Iwona K. Design / Fashion and wardwrobe was provided by Chrissy Wai-Ching of Wai-Ching Studio / Hair and make up was done by Teryl Hawk / The georgeous model was Kara Saidler.

Below are some shots from the article but to see even more details be sure to check out the seventh issue of Nonpareil. The magazine, as always, is chalk full of beautiful details and concepts from other select bloggers. I can’t thank Maddy and Kristen enough for asking me to contribute and a big thanks to the team that made the board a reality!

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LADIES & GENTLEMAN

Ladies & Gentleman is an all time favorite and they never cease to come up with the most creative pieces. I adore the sense of humor portrayed through their work which is evident in the “BOOH-YA” and “WTF” doilies along with their recent Daily Affirmation Mirrors. I also love the repurposed vintage superior flatware and  salt & pepper creature paws!

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A WORLD AWAY

A world Away had some pretty adorable kids clothes and pouch bags in an array of patterned fabrics. Of course I loved the plush matryoshka doll ornaments as well!

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SCHMANCY

Kristen Rask of Schmancy is another local Seattle favorite. Well known for having all things quirky and cute, she had some of the sweetest felt gifts at the show! I’m smitten with every single one of those plush pins and magnets. Felt ravioli? Yes please!

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MOUFELT

Moufelt is a Portland based design studio specializing in wool felt products. I couldn’t get to the booth fast enough, so many lovely pieces to see! Everything looked impeccably made and I particularly loved the trivets and color selection.

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JILL BLISS

I had one of those pinch me moments when I came across the Jill Bliss booth. I hadn’t looked at the vendor list beforehand so it was the sweetest surprise to spot her. I’ve been a huge admirer of Jills work for years and have nearly every journal she’s sold. I had never seen her fabric pieces though so that was a pleasant surprise. Loved her art pins and tiny gift tags as well!

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TAKO FIBERS

Another highlight and new-to-me shop was the work of Tako Fibers. Emily Baier is the genius behind the embroidery shop which sells handmade embroidery kits and supplies. All kits are designed using Emily’s original artwork and include everything you’ll need to make the project. Her astetic is both witty and charming and her little party fox stole my heart!

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WONDER THUNDER

Last but not least, Wonder Thunder caught my eye with their graphic prints and eco vegetable bags. I’ve mentioned them here before but they were even more beautiful in person. As we all try to conserve aand use less plastic bags, these are not only smart but they look cool as well. LOVE their illustrated tea towels too!

I love making my own wrapping paper, it’s such a great way to add a personal touch to any present. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own, I noticed that Mae, the Australian decal company, is offering a selection of free downloadable designs. Available in two sizes and all insanely sweet, what are you waiting for?! Head on over!

I’m taking the rest of the week off take some much needed rest and relaxation, have a great Thanksgiving if you’re in the states and if you aren’t I’m sorry you have two more days of work

One of the best details from my surprise birthday party had to be the invites and place settings. Katie hired Miss Danae, a completely amazing calligrapher! Her work is nothing short of perfection, just spend a few minutes (or hours) in her photostream and Etsy Shop, you won’t regret it!

My birthday was last Friday and I seriously think it was the best I’ve ever had. It was one of those long birthday weekends with a celebration planned everyday. To top it all off, my dear friend Katie, threw the most amazing surprise birthday luncheon for me! I showed up expecting a simple lunch with her and her family only to find her home completely decorated and a few of my closest friends waiting to celebrate with me.

The decorations were beyond exquisite and I can’t begin to describe how amazing everything was. It was like walking into the best dream ever! Tulle… felt… glitter… I swear, that girl and I are cut from the same cloth!

To set the tone, she created two wreaths for the outside door reading “Happy Birthday”. Made up of a variety of felt pieces cut into floral shapes with small glittered birds peaking through. The entry way was decorated with pink tule around the banisters and a “Surprise” banner draped the front hall. Her living room had a canopy of tulle along with a cluster of pink pom poms hanging from the ceiling and the effect was amazing! Even the fireplace had it’s own dash of sparkle!

Note: All Address Have Been Changed

The invitations were hand lettered by calligrapher Danae Blackburn Hernandez of I Dream of Letters with matching custom envelopes. She also made the place cards and tags for each of the favors.

The dinning table was the true show stopper! Decorated with coordinating table linens, vintage pink glassware, and gold cutlery; all of which Katie has collected over the years. Katie even asked my husband what my favorite meal was and made pasta Boscaiola for lunch. For desert, we had a white cake with lemon buttercream frosting!

I honestly can’t think of a better way I could have spent my 32nd birthday. It was, without a doubt, the nicest event thrown in my honor and I loved every minute of it. Katie thought of every last detail and it made for a very memorable and delightful lunch. Big kisses to Katie for such an amazing party and to Melissa and Erica for celebrating it with me. I will never ever forget it! xoxo