Handcrafted Celebrations
Last weekend I styled a party for a 3 year old princess- It was lovely and magical with shades of pink popping out everywhere. Here is a very tiny sneak peak…
Party photos will be coming soon. Next week I look forward to sharing the first of the party’s DIY projects, which might be my favorite DIY of all time! Until then here is my inspiration for this princess in pink soiree. Girls are so much fun, don’t you think?
blessings.
I’ve fallen instantly in love with the wedding of Kim and Mike, every detail so vibrant and beautiful. My favorite touch of the day was this gorgeous handcrafted sculpture, stuffed with flowers and wine corks that dangled over their cocktail table.
(Photo by Orange Turtle Photography via Project Wedding)
The piece was crafted by ebony one of the bride’s dear friends who has been so gracious to share her tutorial today for the stunning display. It would also be a fun project to stuff with baby items for a shower, an amazing piece to showcase treasures in a wee ones room, or perhaps a gorgeous place to hang special mementos over a big comfy bed.
(Photo by Orange Turtle Photography via Project Wedding)
Materials:
You will need… Cans with different circumferences and heights, a can opener, nuts (short, slotted) and bolts, drill and drill bit that matches the size of the nuts (also something to puncture the can. I used a screw), flat-head screwdriver and a wrench that matches the size of the bolts.
You will also need… Spray paint (outside color), craft acrylic paint (inside color plus white) & varying things to fill the cans with.
How to:
A seriously beautiful no… gorgeous project that would make a stunning addition to any celebration.
blessings.
I have seen many well done Alice in Wonderland themes this year. Vibrant colors and striking pieces fit to make a child giggle with glee. This afternoon tea was different than the others… and I love it!
It may be the first truly simple and very pretty take on the popular Alice theme. I am so impressed by this sweet party submitted by Lorajean, a birthday she threw for herself.
The understatement of it all, the beautiful textures collide with the simplest of colors and materials to make a very lovely afternoon.
The bunting was a handcrafted project that would be easy to replicate with dollies and a length of string. Fold each in half, double side tape and hang- the result is one of the prettiest versions of bunting I have ever seen.
The accessories each share their own story of vintage bliss, paired with hand written tags they give the table a swoon worthy contrast. I adore every piece of this tea, it makes me want to put on a fluffy dress and white gloves! Thanks for sending in such a lovely treat- A happy un-birthday indeed.
blessings.
These ostrich feather chandeliers by Haldane Martin are astounding- a beautiful way to start off our week together. Imagine one hanging over a bright bold tiered cake, or strung in succession over a dance floor. It might take a little time and patience but I am convinced these could be tackled via DIY.
(via ishandchi)
Here is my recipe to recreate this beauty:
You will need… 1 large plastic or metal bowl + a pile of a single shade ostrich or other bird feathers (fake feathers often available at major craft stores if you lack the real deal) + hot glue + an electric light socket pack.
To make… drill one small hole in the bottom of your bowl (large enough to fit the light socket), put the socket and light fixture into place making a simple bowl shade, then beginning with the bottom layer use a small dab of glue to connect the tops of the feathers to the bowl moving around the fixture. Continue with lines of feather up to the top, overlapping twenty five percent on your way up. Hang and enjoy!
PS. You could make one just as striking in a deep rich color for fall or perhaps black for Halloween!
blessings.
I am so pleased to announce that I am one of the new contributing editors over at Inspired Bride this fall. There I will be posting a new DIY’s and encouraging handcrafted design for all the brides-to-be!
This week I started off with cigar favors, topped by sweetest goodbye bottle caps. They even have a ribbon loop on the side to include a match for your guests.
The free PDF download and assembly instructions can be found through my weekly post HERE.
blessings.
The plum love shoot was one of the most fun projects I worked on this summer, partly because the women I had a chance to partner with, partly because I adored the concept and partly because we shot it in my backyard, against my favorite white chipped wall.
The main design piece of the concept was the wall of flowers. We used fabric tape to stick each bloom individually to the wall creating an incredibly dramatic backdrop with only two dozen stems. I love the simple way to make a big impact on a small budget.
I was shocked when Leigh Anne showed up with bushels of the most beautiful flowers for us to work with. She created this gorgeous bouquet and even let me add a whimsical detail of miniature bunting to it!
We incorporated plums into the table by using them as seating cards. Each plum had a table number written in cake frosting and a name card made with printed ribbon sticking out of the top. This idea would be great to use at showers or parties as well- lemons, limes & apples come to mind as good alternatives for differing themes.
Etching wine glasses is a fun, easy & very inexpensive way to add a bit of drama to the table, done in cinnamon they are also fabulous way to liven up a fall tasting party.
One of my favorite pieces of the shoot was the love journey artwork. I made this using an old trashed frame, spray paint and chalk board pens- writing in dates and meaningful memories the couple experienced together. A lovely way to share a relationship story with family and friends who may not know all of the fun details. The poster would also be a great addition to a birthday party, sharing sweet and funny moments from the honorees life.
Simple and lovely favor boxes that I designed for the shoot are available with download and instructions through Nonpareil mag.
The chandelier was a garage sale find, the same one that was previously pink. I sprayed it a deep purple and the bulbs a glittery silver to fit in with the design. The light was draped to hang very low over the table. Lesson learned, never overlook an amazing thrifted piece just because it is brass- spray paint cures a multitude of design mishaps:)
One last shot because Jackie is so rad, she had this whole back-lighting system set up that was super fancy and high fashion. A fun nighttime twist on the setup.
Designing this shoot was a great honor and blessing for me, although to be honest, I wanted to cry when we were through that no one actually, physically got to enjoy the design. A serious downfall to photo opp set-ups. I will take encouragement though that you are enjoying the photos! Thanks for being my very lovely clients for this project.
blessings.
I have been so eager to share this inspirational shoot with you. Plum Love was a lesson in monochromatic color as we sought to bring shade of purple to light amidst a backdrop of white & silver. I collaborated with two amazing gals, Jackie Wonders and Leigh Anne from The Floral Lab to create the stunning display.
Head on over to Nonpareil mag issue #5 where you can see the complete spread + DIY instructions for many of the pieces included (We are on the cover-eek:). I will be back later with a couple extra photos and ideas from the day, but first, our inspiration board.
blessings.
Handcrafted celebrations seem to be popping up everywhere these days- it is quite refreshing. Whenever I find pieces that I adore I flag them to attempt making someday. However my folder for future projects is overflowing with months of work- oops;)
Instead, I am sharing a new series entitled recreate recipes, where I share just a quick photo of a piece & my own little recipe for recreating it. You will have to take the project from there.
First up, this amazing wood mason jar chandelier…
(Photo by Beth Helmstetter)
Mason jar light fixture recipe:
One large piece of wood + two buff hands that can cut holes + mason jars + tea lights + heavy rope.
Cut holes in wood, mix together mason jars and tea lights, slip jars into the wood piece and tie it all off with rope. You will end up with a romantic and cozy solution for fall celebration lighting.
PS. Not to worry this new series is in addition to each of the actual and full tutorials I will continue to share with you.
blessings.
It has been incredibly hot in California this week- enjoying dinner out doors sounds so lovely…
(Photo by Dreyer & Hensley via Everything fabulous)
Especially wen paired with a string of lights, wood logs for seats & homespun blankets.
PS. There is a new fad for secret dinners held outdoors & I want to go! Austin’s is my favorite – “From the 1,500-person mailing list, the Supper Underground, in Austin, Texas, selects 30 lucky diners to dine in a secret location—from flower-filled nurseries to stately private residences”. What a completely perfect evening.
blessings.
Inspired by Anthropologies fall look book, I am finding boxed up vintage crates to be the most lovely of pieces.
(Product photos from the fall catalog)
I made a few from re-purposed wooden crates for an engagement party & they looked perfect overflowing with apples. An easy project that will add a touch of handcrafted warmth to any celebration you have this fall.
(Party photos by Jackie Wonders)
The Materials:
One re-purposed wooden crate, one yard quilted backed fabric, scissors, measuring tape, fabric glue & embellishments (ribbons & buttons).
The Process:
Ready to be filled with fall goodies for a party or packed up for a very fashion forward move!
blessings.
I love to share the process of design, especially my inspiration. For a massive dose of design inspiration to start off your week take a peak into Pinterest, an online social catalog where you can view thousands of lovely photos and follow them back to their original sources- I promise you will get lost for hours!
(A recent pin of mine by Jessica via Creature Comforts)
There is a waiting list to join but you can follow my celebration board to see what pieces of beauty are currently inspiring me. A few other amazing boards I follow can be found here, here, and here.
blessings.
We are live… City Cradle Design is officially up and running.
The website is where you can find my ever growing portfolio and information about hiring City Cradle Design to style your next celebration. It is accessible from the sidebar widget and the top menu link.
I couldn’t be more pleased about FINALLY launching this site, hope you like it:)
blessings.
A sneak peak of the rustic fall engagement party…
As a style statement for the recent engagement party, I tied a porcelain white deer head to a tree in the woods- I named him Roger, he is awesome:) It was such a fun contrast to the woodsy rustic feel of the evening.
Antlers are surely one of my new favorite home trends- I think they would liven up any affair as well. Here are a few of my favorites…
Not available until mid-September, but totally worth the wait- an adorable mini version.
Anthropologie always has the most unique takes on my favorite trends.
A DIY to make your own stuffed animal head.
Affordable wall antler decals that come in any color.
&
A recipe to make your own antler dessert.
blessings.
I am in quite the holding pattern these days… Waiting on photography, article releases etc before sharing my recent celebration goodies with you. In the meantime another AMAZING handcrafted celebration… Fiesta style!
I’ve fallen in desperate love with the recent mini-bunting-on-cake trend. I have also begun a small fetish with laser-cut banners. Combine these two and I found myself just adoring this fiesta bachelorette party that Jenna from EatDrinkPretty threw.
Her favorite part, and mine- the amazing cake! I love the mini-cake bunting, a fresh take on two of my new favorite trends!
Nikki from Lovely Scribbles was the mastermind behind this adorable detail and she is here to share her goodness with us today!
Materials needed:
How to:
And…you’re finished… Now all you need is the cake!
The perfect project for one last summer party.
blessings.
Matt and I have the same exact birthday (he is 31 minutes older than me!) So I am always looking for ways to make his day a bit more special while still living it up for mine. This might be the most simple and lovely way to celebrate a birthday of someone you love…
Brooke from Inchmark made this banner for her husband’s birthday chronicling 39 reasons why she loves him… he turned 39. Colorful tape, string and paper was all it took to make the very lovely celebration banner.
PS. Wouldn’t this be a sweet way to celebrate a child’s birthday- I can just imagine them running from paper to paper peeking at the words written about them:)
blessings.
A dose of cheery yellow to start off this new week + a lovely way to great guests at your next celebration! This gorgeous monogrammed wreath serves as a formal nod to tradition and also a whimsical showing of personal style.
An easy tutorial by Kristy makes this element a cinch to recreate with very little money and time.
I love this project because of the ease it gives to personalizing any celebration. A newly engaged friend will be thrilled to see her soon-to-be last name hanging up, an expecting mom will swoon to see her baby’s initial showcased and placed correctly the wreaths would even make a lovely showing at a wedding.
blessings.
We are off enjoying our last little family trip of the summer, but I am popping in to share a fabulous find for your Friday afternoon! These handcrafted creatures are just perfectly cute.
See the whole gallery here – cake toppers, favors, party masks, decor & even DIY inspiration. The whole shop just made me giddy!
PS. I am looking forward to returning home to share a new celebration theme + a couple great handcrafted projects with you next week.
blessings.
It is often the most simple detail done on a very grand scale that transforms a celebration from normal to stunning. Four pieces of wood + a bit of paint can do it like no other.
Lovely detail… a very, very large frame- Really there could not be an easier way to make an incredibly noteworthy statement!
PS. I’m doing one in pink very very soon.
blessings.
Seeing this wedding featured made my heart skip a beat. It is the perfect mix of rustic and beautiful, filled with hundreds of gorgeous details.
The rustic barn, the old fashioned cameras, the vintage dress hanging daintily between two rusty old cars- It was picturesque, and the flowers amazing! See more of the sweet details here.
Amidst all the vintage charm stood the most lovely paper flower tree to great guests at the reception. The creator Lori from Lori Boe Floral Design has created this same tree for parties, weddings & holidays. Thankfully it is super easy to replicate!
How to make a paper flower tree.
Simply by changing the paper color you can match any color scheme. The tree is an inexpensive and large eye-catcher for the entrance to any celebration. It works great as a wishing tree or tree of life for your guests to tie notes onto at guestbook table or it would be sweet with little socks and booties hanging for a baby shower. The possibilities are endless!
Thanks for sharing your great work with us Lori.
blessings.
Today I am styling a rustic, fall inspired engagement party- wearing suede boots and all:) The design has been prompted by the lovely fall trends popping up around us. Vintage crates abounding, I am using glass in new ways and nodding the coming season with gorgeous textures and warmth inducing treats. Hoping for a very enjoyable evening in the midst of this late summer month.
Here are a few photos that have inspired the party and my ever growing vision of fall.
(photo’s from Johnny Miller’s portfolio via The Inspired Bride)
blessings.
