Whimsy & Wise Events

Rock-A-Bye Baby Shower: Baby Brixton

2012-01-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

My bestie is having a baby!!! YUP!! A real life, rosy cheeked, soft skinned baby boy!! You might remember she's the photographer that's done all my Christmas card pictures {here and here} and my maternity session {here} Well, now she's having her own baby and I am SO excited. She's due in less than a month. Ironically, it's almost exactly one year to the day that I gave birth to my son. Thus, it's a given that our little guys will be best friends, just like their mommies!

When we started planning Jennifer's shower she kept saying, "I don't want a theme! I don't want anything too "baby" in the shower! I want it to be a cool shower." But being the "party-passionate" girl that I am, I knew immediately that having no theme is just plain IMPOSSIBLE. Even if you have a color scheme, the theme is still the colors.....and eventually, you end up adding some baby elements to make it just the right amount of "baby" for the mom-to-be. In Jennifer's case, she quickly realized she loved the Rock & Roll themed baby shower idea. It was cool, hip and not at all your typical baby shower theme. she must have had a crazy pregnancy dream with teddy bears, sheep and bunnies taunting her, which scared her straight out of anything remotely baby-looking. The colors she wanted were red, gray, black and white; perfect Rock & Roll colors! After that, we "rolled" with it and everything fell into place....

{These were AMAZING! There was a whole Oreo
cookie at the bottom. And notice the small Oreo
on top placed to look like a vinyl record!}

{Beautiful Mama}

Candy: www.candywarehouse.com
Party Design: Whimsy & Wise
Rentals: Create-A-Party Rentals
Houndstooth Fabric: JoAnn's Fabric
Party Styling: Whimsy & Wise/ A Blissful Affair
Paper Goods: Whimsy & Wise
Graphic Design on Tags: etsy shop- Itsy Belle
Invitation: etsy shop- Roxter Designs
Cake Pops: A Blissful Affair
Marshmallow Pops: Whimsy & Wise
Pretzel Sticks: Jamero Delights
Cupcakes: Babycakes
Cupcake Tower {handmade}: Alex Fazio
Photography: Jennifer Nicole Photography

Happy Holidays...and a little bit of a rant.

2011-12-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

I know this is a party blog, but on occasion I like to talk about my life and mommyhood, as well. On that note....here I go.

I know my blogging has been quite limited lately, as has been the case this entire year, really. But I think that adjusting to a second child and a new job has been harder than I thought. I find myself trying to balance motherhood and work along with maintaining a blog....and as much as I try I usually fail at at least one of them. The laundry piles up {it gets washed, it just takes DAYS before it actually gets folded}, dinners don't get cooked, the house does not get dusted and the blog posts I write in my head do not make it onto my computer screen. The culprit of all of this is a combination of lack of time and pure exhaustion. For those of you moms who manage to do it all and do it well, I salute YOU! :)

My New Year's resolution is to be more organized at life. Yes.....at LIFE. The first step I've taken to get organized is by getting THIS by etsy shop: CleanMamaPrintables. I've actually been doing it and I really hope to make it a permanent fixture in our home. This is a huge step in the right direction for me.

As we get closer to the end of 2011, I hope that you have all learned more about yourselves, have had more time to spend with family and have managed to take some time out for yourselves. {I did two out of three....that's not too bad!} I also wish you all a marvelous 2012 full of partying!

May the holidays bring you closer to your family and may the new year bring you all that you wish for yourself and your family.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year, from the Wise Family.

{photos courtesy of Jennifer Nicole Photography}

{OC Blogger Bash 2011} Mad woMen

2011-10-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

I was born in the 80's, a time when side ponytails, neon clothes and LA Gear's were all the rage. A time when MC Hammer pants, mismatched socks {a la Punky Brewster} and big scrunchies invaded the American fashion sense.

So, it's no wonder that when the Anaheim Orange County Tourist Visitor & Convention Bureau announced the 1st annual OCBLOGGER BASH as MADMEN themed, I became excited to dress the part!

Quickly, I scoured Google for the best fashion ideas for that era. I soon realized I had the PERFECT dress in my closet! An H&M black, A-line cocktail dress I purchased over 5 years ago for my company Christmas Party. It was spaghetti strapped, so a sophisticated small cardigan would have to go over it in order to make it 1960's appropriate. I had the perfect sweater in my closet! Ding ding ding ding ding!!!! Fashion jackpot!! {At least, for me it was!} I may not have been "Best Dressed" that night, but I was so excited to look the part of a Mad Men cast member and not have to spend a cent to achieve it! {My husband was thrilled, too!}

The Bash was so much fun!!! I went with Megan of the Mamabub blog. {She and I are friends and we sort of push each other to attend all these blog events that sometimes we may be too shy to show up to.} As soon as we got there we were greeted by the step & repeat/ red carpet entry that celebrities encounter at movie premiers....so naturally, we stopped and posed!!

I truly had such a great time! And it didn't hurt that there were upside down pineapple cakes {flambéed on the spot!}, bottled Pepsi's, popcorn, milkshakes, red vines, sliders and fondue! We were in food heaven! Oh...and I forgot to mention the fact that we got two drink tickets each, so, free cocktails tasted even more fabulous!

Megan and I "snacking"

After Megan and I had our sliders and Pepsi's we hurried over to The Photo Booth Pro to capture a complimentary image of our silliness in front of various OC landmarks and locations. {Don't judge us.}

As we headed back to get some more "snacks" we ran into a bloggy friend of Megan's {and now friend of mine}, Wendy Nielsen of Wendy Will Blog, who introduced us to her friend Maegan of Beyond the Bandaids!! HA! So, the Me/aegan's and the Wendy's proceeded to take their own photo session of silliness. Again....don't judge us. We were a bunch of moms out "late" and not having to herd kids into bed that evening. :)

Bloggers also had the opportunity to win over 50 prizes. We got raffle tickets at the door and they also did fun giveaways like "The first six ladies wearing a black dress need to come up right NOW!" {That's how I won a Spa Massage and a Spa mani/pedi at the Hilton Anaheim.}

{Me and my fellow bloggers winning our various prizes!}

Finally, we were all treated to a pretty neat fashion show. We watched them strut down the escalator in their 1960's best, courtesy of Queen of Heartz. All the ladies in that room stood their picking out their favorite designs. It was quite fun!

You might be wondering why Snoopy was there. Well, Knott's Berry Farm is in Buena Park {Orange County} and Snoopy showed up to tell us that we ALL would be getting two tickets to the park in our evening swag bags. Naturally, being the gift-hoarders that we are, we all went nuts! I don't know if it was the two free tickets that did it or the knowledge that there was a swag bag! Nonetheless, we all ran off with some great prizes, a good time and a few hours to mingle with our blog colleagues, twitter friends or the ladies our husbands like to call our "pretend friends".

I hope the OC Blogger Bash becomes an annual event. I had a blast! Thanks to the Anaheim Orange County Tourist Visitor and Convention Bureau for putting it on! The ladies involved in the planning of it did a marvelous job!

{Photos courtesy of my Blackberry, the Mamabub Blog and the OC Blogger Bash Facebook page}

Christening Theme: And the winner is...

2011-10-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

...the Little Guy in a Tie theme!!

After consulting my husband on the possible themes {because yes, he does care about these things} he said he liked "both the tie theme and the burlap theme" and he suggested I incorporate both. So let's see how I do with that. Wish me luck and send me suggestions! Thanks to all of you that tweeted, commented and shared your opinions.

Let the record state that I'm officially in party planning mode for this event.

Operation Baptism/1st Birthday is in full effect!

Christening Theme #3: Rustic Burlap Baptism

2011-10-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

I enlisted your help a few days ago in order to help me choose a birthday/baptism combo party for my youngest son, Noah. So far you've seen the Little Guy in a Tie theme and the bright and whimsy Birdie theme. For the third theme, I'm considering a more rustic approach. This theme would be better suited for a baptism, however, it can easily set the tone for a sweet first birthday party.

Although I didn't find one specific party, I thought a compilation of photo ideas would work to get the theme idea across.

Right now, I think I'm teetering between the Little Guy in a Tie and this Rustic Burlap theme. All opinions are welcomed and deeply needed.

Thanks party peeps!!

{This first series of pictures may look familiar. They're from my friend's sister's baby shower which I featured over a year ago; "How Tweet It Is"}

{This next series is merely a compilation of images}

{photo via Our Creative Life}

{photo via The Passionate Home}

{photo via Push Pin Revolution}

{photo via Our Creative Life}

{photo via Oh So Beautiful Paper}

{easy shop: funkyshique}

{photo via Our Creative Life}

{photo via The Celebration Shoppe}

{photo via Design Decor Staging}

{photo via Southern Grace}

Like I said, all votes and opinions are encouraged and welcomed. Obviously, I'm all over the place with ideas. I need to narrow it down! H....E....L....P!!

Christening Theme #2: Sweet Little Birdie Baptism

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

I first saw this christening reception on the Amy Atlas Blog. I was struck by how bright and cheery it was, being that most moms tend to flock to the typical white and pastel color combination. However, with this event, the mother let the event planner, MaddyK, have free reign and it turned out bright, bold and fun.

So? How about this one? Do you like or love?

Christening Theme #1: "Little Guy in a Tie" Baby Blessing Party

2011-10-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Kara, from Kara’s Party Ideas, hit it right on the nose with this event. It's such a sweet and perfect theme. The color combination is fabulous. I love all the white with hints of color here and there. So fab!

{Cupcakes by: Dippidee}

{Printables by: Paper & Pigtails}

{I adore this custom tablecloth. Kara had it made to match her invitation, below, by Pots & Pins. FAB!!}

{I LOVE these cookies!! They're by etsy shop: Bee's Knee's Creative}

Let me know what you think about this one. I know it's the first in my series of baptism/ christening posts, but I think it may be my favorite!

{For the full post, go HERE}

With a Little Help From My Friends....

2011-10-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

"I'm organized. I'm detailed. I planparties a year in advance."

That's what I used to say not too long ago, however, somehow, I have managed to let 8 months go by since my second son's birth and there's no planning in sight for his 1st birthday. I swore I wouldn't be the kind of parent that made a fuss over their 1st kid's first birthday, first steps, first tooth, first anything and then do nothing for the 2nd kid. That being said, I realized just a few weeks ago, that I'd yet to start planning my 2nd son's baptism, let alone his first birthday; then I panicked!! I AM that parent!

At this point I feel like it would be too much {money, time, energy, money, shopping, MONEY} to plan the kind of baptism I'd like to have, without cutting into the birthday budget. So, I've convinced myself {and my husband....although that wasn't a difficult task} that it's best to have a baptism-birthday combo party. I know, I know.....it's anti-everything we party girls strive for. We look for any excuse to throw a party. We have Clothing Swap Parties, Housewarming Parties, Murder Mystery Parties, Royal Wedding Parties, Divorce Parties and even Grandma-Sneezed Parties {just kidding!} We love parties!! But, although I'd be avoiding throwing a 2nd party, it's got to be done! For everyone's sanity, including my own, we'll be having a combo party.

Now comes the hard part. What theme should it be?! I need help from YOU. I need suggestions. I want something that isn't too-birthday themed and neither too-christening themed. Does that make sense?! I just want it to be cute, simple and a sweet theme to help celebrate BOTH events. A birthday and a Baptism/Christening. So, on that note, I need help! I'll be posting theme ideas I find and all I ask is that you all help me pick the perfect theme to illustrate the two events we need to celebrate.

Thank you in advance party lovers!

{etsy store: PrettyInPaperShop}

Summer Recap: Didn't fly away, but had a great time any way!!

2011-08-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to SUBWAY® restaurants for sponsoring my post about summer fun with my kids. Check out the Kids Eat Free program at any LA area location! Just purchase any two subs, two sides and two drinks, and you can get a kid's meal FREE!

Many of you may have spent the summer jetting off to some tropical place like Hawaii or sailing away on one of those insanely popular Disney Cruises or even eating your way through the Italian countryside. Am I jealous?? Heck yeah!!! However, my summer was a little more understated this year, due mainly to the fact that we had our second son in January and with new children come more expenses.

Aside from planning a few parties for friends and clients here and there {because that's what I do} I spent a lot of family time trying to make the most of our summer. Our oldest is 3 years old now, so we had to find ways to entertain him as best we could. He’s old enough to tell us when he’s bored and when he’s ‘having SOOO much fun!”

This summer we made a conscious decision to take a few “stay-cations” or go on fun family outings that didn’t involve spending too much money, but still enough to buy us a great time. We started off by investing on an annual pass to the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park. If there's one thing our kid loves, it's ANIMALS!!!

Then, The Husband surprised me with a Disneyland Resort Annual Passport for Mother's Day. So I counter-surprised him with the same gift for Father's Day. Not HIS ideal gift on Father's Day, but perfect nonetheless, for us all to go as a family. So naturally, our next summer stop (and every weekend since then) was Disneyland. {"We're goin' to Disneyland!!}

We also had a summer full of firsts! It was exciting to take Caden to his first Major League Baseball game! He had such a blast at the Angels game!!!

We also took him to his first movie theater experience....Cars 2 was the movie of choice. He couldn't have been more thrilled about the "really BIG TV!!!"

First time at the Circus {Barnum & Bailey's at The Staples Center}. I don't know if we'll be able to beat this experience again, as we got lucky and saw it in an executive suite {FREE, of course!} stocked with food, drinks and an AH-MAY-ZING dessert cart!!

And finally....his first concert!!! We were invited, by one of my best friends, to join her and her family to see the Barney & Friends show. Caden LOVED it!!

Our summer didn't go without attending BBQ's and family parties {posts about those to come soon...including Caden's last-minute Race Bar 3rd Birthday Party}.

It's been a stupendously FUN summer and as we bring it to a close, we have come to understand the our new family of 4 doesn't need fancy vacations to have a great time together

{although we will not turn them down when they come again!}

Hope everyone's summer has been just as great. Let's finish it off with a bang! :) Keep your family safe, love one another and keep on partying!

{We may now return to our regularly scheduled PARTY blog!!}

*I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.*

Wisely Planned Birthdays: Cortez's Circus Carnival

2011-08-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

I’m never surprised by the captivating style of my friend Yuri. Professionally she’s a wardrobe stylist here in Hollywood, but it is my personal opinion that she should be a professional event planner and event stylist instead. Her ability to extend a theme throughout the entire party is just plain fantastic! You may remember she planned THIS sweet Rustic Bird-themed baby shower for her sister, Paola. Well now, that baby they were prepping for has turned one!

The Circus came to town to honor Cortez!! As you’ll see, Yuri and Paola thought of every detail to make this party as close to a Vintage Circus Carnival as possible. From the colorful bunting photo backdrop to the whimsical hand made cupcake tower. They thought of everything!! I love this party and I know you will too!!

{I adore his Strongest Man of the Circus costume!}

{photos courtesy of Carlo Sanchez Photography}

Thanks for sharing with me ladies! I can't wait to see Cortez's 2nd birthday party!!

Got Milk......and Cookies?: B's 1st Birthday!

2011-07-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

A year ago Brooklyn came into the world with the intention of bringing her parents joy sooner than they had been prepared for. She was born three months early and was a resident of the NICU for another two months. Since the day she took her first breath it was evident that she was here on her own terms. She’s a burst of energy and such a tough cookie {pud-um-pum-pssh!} So naturally, her mom thought that a milk & cookies themed 1^st birthday party would be the perfect fit for this little princess and she enlisted me to help out with all the little details of the party. I couldn’t make it the day of the event, due to a previous commitment, but I feel very fortunate to have been asked to participate so fully in her big day.

Her mom {and one of my very close friends} is very indecisive. She had no idea what she wanted or how she wanted to do it. She was absolutely "party illiterate." HA! Who am I kidding?! She was organized and precise to-the-tee. She knew exactly what kind of cookies there would be and how many. She knew exactly what shade of pink she wanted and she even knew exactly where each lantern and pom would be hung. And naturally this was relayed to me in the form of a very detailed file folder. Complete with pictures, measurements and swatches. {No joke!} I, of course, LOVED this!!! As you might recall, I did the same when "helping" my friends plan my baby shower.

From the gender specific cookie cutter favors, the cookie decorating station and the milk & cookies bar.....it was all so detailed! You did a great job Nini! And Brooklyn, you're one lucky little girl. Your mom has officially become a Party Planner. Every party from now on will surely knock your socks off! Happy Birthday, beautiful girl!!

{The Birthday Girl! Tutu by paisleyposies}

{Strawberry Milk, Chocolate Milk & 2% Milk
in glass containers found at TJ Maxx and Marshall's}

{Cookie Jar labels and all signage by Whimsy & Wise}

{All pink bins, bowls and buckets were found at the Target dollar section}

{Cookie Decorating: Sugar cookies by etsy store sweetjuliessweets}

{Invitation, favor tags and favor labels by freshchickdesigns.
The favors, aside from the full blown cookie bar, were cookie cutters! So adorable!}

{Cake Topper by Whimsy & Wise. Cake inspired by one found on The TomKat Studio}

{The balloon animal guy was a HIT! Nater the Inflater}

{Big Brother shirt by etsy store MyDuckDuckGoose}

{Photos courtesy of Jennifer Nicole Photography}

{Whimsy & Wise Customer}: E is for Elephant!

2011-06-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

I’ve been busy on the party front! I’ve been very fortunate to get a lot of party décor requests lately. The last one I worked on was an Elephant themed 1st birthday party for a former co-worker.

Jennifer’s little guy, Mason, turned one last week and she requested I make a door sign, favor tags, a party banner and a high chair banner. She chose the elephant theme because she really liked the Tiny Prints invitation below, so I tried to match it as best I could. Luckily, her centerpieces turned out to be almost identical. What do you think? {She only got a few pictures of the things I made and I took a couple pictures on my cell phone, so pardon the poor quality of my phone pictures.}

{This door sign was unfinished in this picture. Added some red ribbon to hang it from}

Thanks, Jennifer! Hope you loved everything!

{Sneak Peek!} Milk & Cookies 1st Birthday

2011-06-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted to give you all just a small peek at the milk & cookies post that will be coming soon. I helped one of my besties with her daughter's 1st birthday party. I'm just waiting on all the amazing pictures, then I will put them together for you all.

I wasn't able to attend the actual event because I had a wedding to go to, but I did work on all the paper decor, signs, cake topper, etc. Doesn't the cake look delicious?!

Stay tuned!

Graduation Cap Cup Treats

2011-05-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

It’s officially graduation season!! Many of you will be celebrating graduations this Grad season and I’m right there with all of you! My sister, Janice, is graduating from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Aviation Management. The girl wants to be a pilot and myself and our family could not be prouder of her! She flies small planes right now as she practices to get her pilot’s license. I can’t promise that I’ll get in a plane with her, just because the notion of having a relative fly the plane I’m on kind of freaks me out. But nonetheless, the girl will be a “pilot and not the flight attendant”, as she likes to say.

As a result of her amazing dedication to her flight career choice, we will be having a graduation party for her next month. Normally, when I plan parties I do research for MONTHS before the event date. However, in this case, my mom and I didn’t finalize anything until recently and now I’m scouring the internet for graduation party ideas. Ideally, I’d like to incorporate a flight/airplane theme to this shindig, but I have yet to find anything inspiring. ANY IDEAS would be greatly appreciated! I need help!!!! Anyhow, I did come across these sweet Graduation Cap Cup Treats by Bakerella. I think I will have to make some for the dessert table. Enjoy!!

Marshmallow Apple Treats

2011-05-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm SOOO late on the Teacher Appreciation Week posts, but I wanted to post this anyway, because I know I will want to reference it again next year during this time. I came across these last year via Andrea at {Dolce Drive} and I fell in love. I made a mental bookmark for when my little man had teachers that I could actually make these for. Andrea's tutorial is just perfect and well illustrated.

These Apple Treats are just perfect little treats to give to a teacher....and they are such a hit! I even thought that they can be placed on a dessert table for kids parties: a Princess Party, a Snow White Party, an Apple of My Eye Party and even a Wizard of Oz party. Not only are they cute, they are delicious and SO easy to make! Chocolate covered, sprinkled, marshmallowy goodness!

Here are {really bad} pictures of the apples I made for the teachers at my son's preschool. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good image other than with my BlackBerry, but here they are, nonetheless. Please disregard the pans on the stove and the mess on the kitchen table {obvious signs that our family is outgrowing this house; we have LIMITED counter space!} Maybe one of you can try them and send me YOUR images!

Thank you, Andrea, for letting me share these!

Wisely Planned Birthdays: S is for Sesame Street!

2011-04-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

I came across an awesome little blog recently and I am so glad I did! Kate’s blog, And Everything Sweet, focuses on her baking of amazing cakes and delicious sweets. In between, you get some great party posts as well…..much like her daughter’s Sesame Street Birthday Party. So colorful, whimsical and just plain adorable!! Stop by and check out her blog…..and if you happen to be on The Food Network, look for her on Paula Deen’s show this week!

Enjoy the party pictures….and for the full collection of party photos and details, go here.

{Thanks for allowing me to share these Kate!}

Going Bananas over a Pink Mod Monkey Birthday Bash!!

2011-04-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

This party feature is a special one to me because it's the party of one of my best friend's daughter, Jaylynn. She turned two this month and it was quite a wildly sweet party. You may recall, Jaylynn's 1st birthday last year..... a Big Top Circus blow out! That was quite a party for a one year old and both kids and adults alike had a great time! Well, birthday #2 could not be any less fabulous as the first. My friend, Kelley, wanted a Pink Mod Monkey Party that wouldn't be as "over the top" as the first birthday. However, I think the party was beyond fabulous and "over the top" in a sweet and girly kind of way. Her friend, Zaali, of Z Magnifique, did the styling of this little affair, and she did a great job! Whimsy & Wise {shameless plug} provided the paper decor.

I hope you all love the pictures below just as much as my family and I enjoyed being at the actual event. My little monkey had a great time raiding the cupcake stand and the Banana Split table! :)

The Decor

The Sweets Table

The Banana Split Bar

Photo Booth

{The pink pail contained hand made monkey ears that kids could clip to their hair, along with pink flowers for the girls}

Cupcakes Galore

Kelley, thanks for letting me feature Jaylynn's 2nd birthday! It was fabulous! !

Cake Pops with a Twist

2011-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

I think by now we've all seen them. Cake Pops! They're all the rage right now. And even if you just recently joined the party blogging world you've probably seen them by now at none other than.....Starbucks! Yup! Starbucks has recently started selling cake pops. I won't say they are AH-MAY-ZING, but they're decent. They were a little too raw for my taste. I like them more cake-y and less raw-dough-y {did that make sense?}. But they're cake pops nonetheless. We've seen Cake Pops on every dessert table and party, also. They are just too delicious and cute not to include in the dessert buffets of parties everywhere. However, some of us are not too good with an oven.......((clears throat)). I'm a terrible baker! I end up ruining everything I bake, so I rarely bother. I let my husband do the baking around here!

As I surfed around some new blogs I came across Hank + Hunt. I'd heard of Jenny's blog before but never visited.....and let me tell you....I'm so glad I came across it today!!! The first post I read was her take on Cake Pops. She calls them Frosting Bombs or Icing on a Stick. They look just like Cake Pops but there's no baking involved....AT ALL!!! And there's also no cake....it's all frosting, baby {and some yummy chocolate too!}!

You MUST check out her blog for all things that are party chic and stylish. She's quite a party-talented lady....and seemingly, a dessert-talented lady as well! Check these out! {Go to her blog for the full recipe}

{photos courtesy of Jenny at Hank + Hunt}

I'd love to see the results if any of you decide to make these. I think I just may try these myself!

I'm back!!!

2011-04-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

I'm back!!! I was gone for a while. Ok, Ok....a looooooong while! I had a baby in January and I must admit that adjusting to being a mother of two is NOT easy. Everyone said that adjusting from one child to two children was incredibly difficult.....but they didn't emphasize just HOW difficult. First of all, when one child (who happens to be 2 1/2 years old and goes to pre-school) gets sick, that inevitably gets the other child (who happens to be 2 weeks old) REALLY sick. This was my reality in February....

I had my new little guy in late January and usually new moms have time to get used to their new life, however, I had no time to get my feet wet as a mommy of two. I called it baptism by fire!! My newborn was back in the hospital with RSV just 2 weeks after he was born. He was there for 3 days and it was so difficult on our family. Things only got harder as we tried to keep our 2 year old healthy and free of pre-school germs (which you surely know, if you have a pre-schooler, that this is almost impossible!). So as you may understand, I have been M.I.A from the blogging world, in order to focus wholeheartedly on this little angel:

{photo by Jennifer Nicole Photography}

Thank you all for sticking around and I promise to deliver some fantastic party content! I appreciate all of you!

My Maternity Photo Shoot

2011-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that my BFF, Jennifer, of Jennifer Nicole Photography, had taken my maternity pictures for me. We held the shoot in my backyard and it was while Jennifer wasn't feeling well. She was beyond amazing and kept the appointment despite the fact that she had every reason in the world to cancel.

I love and appreciate her more than she knows and feel wholeheartedly that the best is yet to come for her; both professionally and personally.....because she deserves every bit of it.

I hope you like the pictures, because I sure do! I'm absolutely IN LOVE with the heart picture and the one of my little guy kissing my belly. Those will definitely be framed soon!

Thank you Jennifer!

{If you are looking for a photographer for your babies, families or an expectant mom contact Jennifer. She's in SoCal and she's absolutely talented....you can see for yourself!}

Valentine's Day Craft: Lace Framed Picture

2011-01-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a cute Valentine's Day gift that I can make myself. Money will definitely be tight very soon. I'm having Baby #2 this Friday and all gifts will virtually become non-existent come January 21st.

I know that my best friend, Jennifer, will be the official baby photographer when the baby comes and she did mention doing a Valentine's Day picture using an adorable prop she found on etsy, so I found it only appropriate to look for a cute picture frame craft to do for Valentine's Day for The Husband. Normally, we don't do gifts. I think it's a silly made up Hallmark holiday, however, he's been nothing but amazing throughout this pregnancy and is a pretty incredible Dad, so I think a sweet picture of the new little man will be a sweet gift to give him to let him know I appreciate him and to let him know I love the way he loves our family.

The craft is this very pretty picture frame with lace accent to liven the baby picture inside. It's a Martha Stewart Craft and the very easy instructions can be found here:

To add a Valentine's Day touch, you can take a picture of your kids wearing either this for little boys:

{etsy store: petitepeanut}

There are a million adorable options for little girls, of course! That's my gripe about having boys. Girl things are always so much cuter, so naturally, pettiskirts and hats are also a very cute option for this Valentine's Day idea. These two are just too cute!

{etsy store: paisleyandposies}

{etsy store: AmberMichelleWilson}

Hope you all have a great time crafting for your loves on this Valentine's Day.....and if you decide to have a little photo shoot with your kids, I'd LOVE to see the results!

Jennifer Nicole Photography: Christmas Card Photo Session

2010-12-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

She's not just my best friend, she's my photographer! I couldn't be more thankful for Jennifer of Jennifer Nicole Photography. She took on the task of taking our family Christmas card pictures....and while she was at it, she took a couple "headshot" photos for me to use for my blog.

I happen to think she's pretty darn AWESOME. The Christmas card pictures below are just a sneak peek to those of you who will be getting cards from The Wise's this year. If you're in the Los Angeles/ Orange County area, contact Jennifer for your family pictures.

Thank you Jen! I know you're very modest about your work, but I think the pictures are fantastic!!!

And to all of my followers and readers..... Happy Holidays from my house to yours.

{Poster courtesy of etsy store: Poster Pop}

Modern Safari Shower

2010-11-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

I have some pretty amazing friends and family! Not only did they let me be a part of the planning of my baby shower for Baby #2, but they also saved the trash-talk until after they left my house that first day that we had a "baby shower meeting". Why would they trash talk, you ask? Well, I handed each of them a file folder containing an inspiration board along with various links on where to find certain items necessary for the vision I had in my head.

I know......it's ridiculous to be that controlling that I needed to be involved in the planning of my own shower.....but that's just the way I am. So to Kolini, Jennifer, Becky, Megan, Monique and my mom, I say.....THANK YOU! You guys are awesome! You put up with me and my controlling ways, and you listened to my gripes about the rainy weather that came the weekend of the shower. Despite it not turning out the exact way I envisioned it originally {due to rain}, I think it turned out AH-MAY-ZING!

{Invitations designed by: senojaldesigns}

{The brown & white zebra lanterns were hunted down (literally) and finally found at Pier 1 Imports}

{Bamboo vases and palms are from Sav-On Crafts}

{Plates are from Polka Dot Design}

{Yes, I made the banner...}

{Giraffe Print flannel fabric was purchased at JoAnn's Fabrics and my mother-in-law made it into runners for me}

{Amazingly delicious cookie bites from Laurie at The Whimsy Cookie Company. Thanks Laurie!}

{The Cake Pops were scrumptious! Andes Chocolate coated and
Heath Bar coated...courtesy of Monique at A Blissful Affair}

{Orange Tang and Torani Kiwi Lemonade}

Thanks again girls!

{Photos courtesy of Jennifer Nicole Photography}

Someone has a CRUSH on me! {17/365}

2010-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Kristy, from The Purple Pug, has a crush on me!!!! I'm so excited and honored!

Kristy started a little experiment in kindness just 16 days ago. She committed to a 365-day "experiment in nice", as she calls it where she'll be featuring a "crush" on a blogger every single day from now until next October. The purpose? To show a little love to the creative bloggers out there in blogland who have inspired, influenced or just touched her creativity in some way and also to show a little love and camaraderie to other bloggers. I am honored to be 17/365.

Please hop on over to The Purple Pug to see what Kristy can do! She makes gorgeous party decor....and she LOOOOOVES her some glitter! She's one creative lady!

Thank you so much Kristy!

Our Lil Buckeroo turned Two!! {Part 1}

2010-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Our little Cowboy turned two in early August and it was quite a production. My husband thought I was crazy wanting such an elaborate theme since he was "only turning two". But, I justified it by saying that since I'm pregnant with Baby #2, he will not be having a 3rd birthday. {My fingers were crossed behind my back every time I said that. Naturally, the boy will have a 3rd birthday!}

My entire reason for choosing this theme was that my mom wanted to get him animals to have at his party. Since elephants and giraffes were out of the question {although they'd definitely fit in my back yard}, horses and a petting zoo were the next best thing. Thus, a Cowboy Corral was in the works!

Here are a few pictures from the Cowboy Round-Up!

{The Details}

{The Welcome banner}

{Welcome Chalkboard from Save-On Crafts}

{bought the cowbells for $1 at Michael's Craft Store, the galvanized buckets were from the dollar bin at Target and the fabric was on sale after 4th of July at JoAnn's Fabrics}

{the kids' table: burlap table runner was $1 p/yard; picnic plates were on sale at Party City after 4th of July; place settings wrapped with twine and accented with barn animal and bright western cowboy lollipops from O.T.C. We also rented low tables and little chairs from Create-A-Party Rentals for the kids to actually be able to reach. They looked adorable once they took their seats.}

{mini mason jars were a huge hit! Each cowboy/cowgirl got to take theirs home. They were purchased here.}

{the red and blue mini pails were purchased in Target's dollar bin right before 4th of July. Cowboys & cowgirls were able to take them home filled with treats and snacks.}

{cowboy hats were waiting for every buckeroo at their seats, along with a bandana}

{the milk can was borrowed from my mother-in-law's backyard}

{the barn photo back drop was there for guests to enjoy. We had a bin full of mustaches, sheriff badges, sunglasses, stick horses and wigs for guests to get silly with}

{Ponies and a petting zoo made a surprise appearance. This was everyone's favorite part!}

{Howdy partna'!}

{Daddy at the WANTED sign; even the adults had a great time!}

{the birthday boy was WANTED....for being so dang cute!}

{Even I got in on the fun!}

{The Birthday Cowboy & Mommy. His birthday shirt is from etsy store: ispotyou}

Part 2 of the post will include food and dessert table details. Stay tuned tomorrow....

{photos courtesy of Jennifer Nicole Photography}

My Little Buckeroo turned two: Sneak Peek!!

2010-10-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm such a procrastinator. I'll blame it on my pregnancy.....yeah that's it! I'm lagging because I'm pregnant!

My son turned two a couple months ago and I threw a Cowboy Western party for him. The party was on July 31st and it was such a blast. It's proven by the over 600 pictures that were taken by my best friend and photog, Jennifer Nicole. Also proven by the fact that my son still thinks that ponies, sheep, chickens and goats will be showing up for him to ride and play with every weekend. I have to explain to him that it was a one-time thing. He still doesn't get it. :)

As I prepare some of the photos for a full blown post, here is a little sneak peek:

More pictures coming soon....

Halloween Playdate Ideas: Mummy Wrapped Drinks!

2010-10-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

I'll be hosting a Halloween playdate next weekend and have been checking out ideas on fun things for the kids. I saw this over at PartyWishes, a sweet blog I follow, and hopped on over to One Charming Party for the tutorial. They're just adorable and I just had to share with my followers!!!

If any of you attempt this, please send me pictures!

Happy Friday!!

Oreo Cookie Sucker Tutorial! {Finally!!}

2010-09-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

I know most of you have seen the chocolate covered Oreo cookie suckers/treats that have made the rounds on the party/creative-mom blogosphere. I've seen them and drooled over them endlessly. I even attempted to make them, thinking, "I can do THAT!"

I tried to make them for a friend's baby shower, in lieu of the oh-so-easy chocolate covered Marshmallow Treats. However, my attempt brought me broken Oreos, pink chocolate all over my kitchen counter and a sad realization that my Oreo cookie treats looked more like strippers on a pole {they just slid down every time!} than chocolate covered Oreos on a stick!

Fastforward to TODAY!! In my hunt for cute things for a dessert table for my Mod Safari Baby shower {that my girlfreind's are throwing, but I'm "supervising"} I found this tutorial from How Does She? I'm sure some of you more kitchen-crafty ladies had already seen this or learned how to make them. But for those of you like myself......here's a little enlightenment! :)

How cute would these be as Zebra print for my shower?!?!

If you're feeling kitchen-crafty, try these for Halloween! ADORABLE!!!

Oreo Cookie Mummies

Nutter Butter Ghosts & Mother's Sandwich Tombstones! {LOVE THEM!!!}

{photos courtesy of How Does She?}

And the Winner is..........ME!!!!

2010-09-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

The 2010 OC Blog Awards were last night at the awesome Pretend City in Irvine.

As you know, {or may NOT know} I was nominated for Best Creative Blog, as well as Best Lifestyle & Design Blog. Yup! TWO nominations! Surprised?! ME TOO! {I still have no clue who nominated me, so whoever you are.....THANK YOU SO MUCH!}

The Blog Awards are put on by Just Spotted, a family-oriented site dedicated to showcasing all the BEST things in and about Orange County, so I was truly honored to be considered for any recognition that these girls were giving.

Anyhow, I won in the Best Lifestyle & Design category. According to Just Spotted, the winner of this category "will represent the BEST lifestyle & design sites in OC. You know, the sites featuring impeccable taste & style." When they called "Whimsy & Wise" I was shocked and soooooo excited!!!

So I just wanted to thank, my friend Megan {and her little one, Hannah} for letting me be her date last night!

And all of YOU who voted for Whimsy & Wise, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

See how excited I look?! I'm even showing gums! :) {My trophy is the gumball-filled mason jar}

{photos courtesy of Mama Bub}

***If you'd like to see all the nominees in all the categories, or are interested in knowing what many considered The Best in the OC, go HERE***

Again, thanks for the votes, my friends!

I need your VOTE, please....last day!

2010-09-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was nominated for the 2010 OC Blog Awards in 2 categories: Best Lifestyle & Design Blog and Best Creative Blog. I would love, Love, LOVE to win! But, I need your vote and the voting ends tonight. {Vote HERE....}

It takes all of 5 seconds to vote, I promise. The Awards ceremony is tomorrow and I would love nothing more than to win in either category {or both! :)} I started this blog just over a year ago.....never with the intent to be publicly recognized or appreciated, but more-so as an outlet to my creative, party planning ways. So to accept an award for this would be absolutely amazing.

Thank you so much!! Just go HERE. {5 seconds, I swear!!!}

I've been nominated: 2010 OC Blog Awards

2010-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

Oh happy day!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I just found out that someone (I have no idea who), nominated me for a 2010 OC Blog Award! Can you say FLATTERED?! I am beyond shocked! I am so excited!!!

I was nominated in TWO categories!!!! Yes....TWO!! {gasp!} So if you have a minute, I'd like to ask you to please, please, please {pretty, please} vote for me in both the Lifestyle & Design category, as well as the Creative category. Just go HERE and vote for me, Whimsy & Wise.

And while you're there, please also vote for my friend Megan. Her blog, Mama Bub, was nominated for Best Personal and/or Family Blog in OC.

Please, please, please vote for us! It would mean so much to us! Again, just go HERE. It takes 2 minutes. I promise!!!

The fact that you follow me is so much appreciated......and now I would love it if you could just go over and let the OC know that you really, truly like me! :)

Thank you!

My Baby Shower Theme

2010-09-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

I'm 18 weeks pregnant now. Belly getting big, boobs getting bigger! It's almost a little ridiculous! I kept a sweater on all day yesterday just to cover them up!

Any way, my friends know that I love a party, so they'd been asking what theme I wanted for my own shower. I've thrown at least 2 showers this year, so I've come to see MANY baby shower themes this year. As I racked my brain for ideas, I couldn't help but think back to Jenn's baby shower, from Hostess with the Mostess. She had a beautiful, Mod Menagerie themed shower that I loved!!

We've decided the baby shower {or sprinkle} will be November 21st. I'm not due until January 31st, but I don't want to inconvenience people during the holiday season. There's already too much going on. So November it is! :)

My girls wanted a little inspiration for the shower, which will most likely be brown and white animal print {zebra/giraffe} with lime green accent. I'm having a boy so I don't want too much of a baby theme. I also want it to be boyish, plus, this is my 2nd baby, so there's no need to do the all out baby shower with every pastel color known to man. :) Safari theme will work for me! Can't wait!

What do you guys think?? Any suggestions or ideas are welcome! Apparently, when it's your own event, your ideas are fewer in numbers than if it were someone else's!

{photos courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess}

{Invitation from Polka Dot Design}

OC Blogger Ball: Blog Crush Event

2010-08-27T20:21:00.001-07:00

I'm at my first Blog event and I must say it's awesome!!! So many interesting ladies!!! Loving the Embassy Suites Anaheim South! The food is great and the hotel is beautiful!!! Thanks to them! Follow them @ESAnaheimSouth. Great start to my weekend!

Pink & Brown Polka Dot Baby Shower: A little miracle!

2010-08-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

I hosted a baby shower, for my friend Kolini, back in June. It was a brown and pink polka dot theme. However, this baby shower was a little different. Brooklyn had arrived early, at just a tiny 28 weeks.

Just like her first pregnancy, with son Troy, Kolini got pre-eclampsia and had to deliver early. To top it off, she got HELLP syndrome, which just made Brooklyn's birth that more urgent. On June 1, 2010, Brooklyn came into the world at just 2 lbs. 4 oz. and 14.5" long. This little girl was nothing short of a miracle. She was able to breathe on her own when she was born, which doctors found to be quite amazing. Like I said, nothing short of a little miracle.

The baby shower was in full swing, so we kept planning until we knew for sure if Kolini was up for a few hours of "showering". She decided to stick with the baby shower, so her friend Summer and I moved on with the planning details. As a result, this is what came of it.....a celebration of a life so small yet able to impact so many of us with her fighting spirit.

Pictures of Brooklyn with her mommy, daddy and big brother were used throughout the shower, since most people had not yet had the honor of meeting her. She was in the NICU for a total of 10 weeks.

Guests pre-addressed envelopes for Thank You cards, inorder to save Kolini time and allow her to spend as much quality time with Brooklyn as possible.

Kolini and her friend Summer (co-hostess)

This gift basket of girlie goodies was from Summer. But the bows and things were so adorable! Her cousin, owner of Peppermint Park Designs, made them. So cute!!!

One of my gifts to Kolini, from the fabulous Vana at Le Papier Studio. She loved it!

Baby Brooklyn at 2 months old. Just precious! She is so lucky to have the most loving family a little angel could ever ask for. Mom, Dad and Troy are in heaven now that's she's made it home and is gaining weight so quickly! Look forward to watching you grow up, little one!

{photos courtesy of Jennifer Nicole Photography}

I've been away.....

2010-08-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

I must begin by apologizing for being gone from blogging for 2 months. TWO MONTHS!!!!! I know, I know.......completely irresponsible! I hate that I haven't blogged in so long. However, I have a whole list of excuses that I'm ready to sound off on.

Amongst them are the fact that I found out I was pregnant the last day of May, as a result I have been a useless lump on a log. And yes, I said I'm pregnant!!! :) Baby Boy #2 will be here in late January and we are pretty excited now! At first, we were SHOCKED! We didn't exactly "plan" this one, but at the same time, we aren't teenagers, so we know how human anatomy works and what the possibilities are......so yup; I'm KNOCKED UP!!! :)

Then came June....I had a couple baby showers to plan for friends and clients {pictures to come soon}. July came way too fast and then there was my son's 2nd birthday party. A Cowboy Western Hoe-Down, complete with real ponies and a petting zoo {pictures coming VERY soon}. That was a whole production and while pregnant, it only brings on EXTREME exhaustion. In between all of that, I've gone into business with an old friend from high school! YUP! We've started The Chic Event Studio, an event planning company. We've been very fortunate in our new venture. We have one wedding next month, three weddings in the fall and a 50th birthday party {Mad Men themed} next month, as well. Thankfully, we've been swamped!

So I just ask that you all be patient with me......I'm working on 2 posts for sure. One is the Pink and Brown polka dot baby shower I hosted for one of my close friends. That was a lot of fun. And the second one is my son's 2nd birthday party. That one will be a big post.....we took a ton of pictures! :)

Thanks to all of you who follow me! I appreciate it! I hope you head over to The Chic Event Studio and follow us there too. The weddings we are working on are quite "chic" and glamorous! We can't wait for all of you to see those! :)

Wisely Planned Birthdays: Green Eggs & Ham!

2010-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Megan sent me a lead on a party she thought I "had to see"! When I saw it, I was amazed!!!!
Aside from the fact that the house is beautiful, the decor that Erin, of The Blue-Eyed Bride, put together is impeccable! Her son, Hudson, turned 1 and the theme was Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs & Ham. I've seen a few Dr. Seuss parties before, but this one was so chic! The party looks like it was so much fun and the food looks delicious!

If you hurry over there NOW you can enter her giveaway for a "Celebrate" painting like the one she had at the party. You can choose your custom colors for it when you win!!! :)

To see Erin's original post of her little guy's party, go to The Blue-Eyed Bride. If you're looking for cool wedding ideas, you can also go there for that. She's a former event planner with a great eye for stylish and chic event design, so you'll come across some great stuff on her site. Enjoy! {and thank you Erin! I LOVE Hudson's name, by the way!}

{Photos courtesy of Wendy Woodall of Southern Accents}

Wisely Planned Birthdays: Circus Carnival 1st Birthday

2010-06-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

I know, I know......I've already featured a FEW Circus birthday parties! I apologize! But, in my defense, the Circus parties just get better and better! This theme is so great because you can really go all out with the details.....and Adriana, of "and baby makes three" did just that!

My jaw dropped when I first saw this post. I was blog-hopping and somehow came across Adriana's post about her son's 1st birthday party. She had a ton of games, treats, toys and fun for the kiddies to enjoy. No detail was left out and it looks like it was a fun party to plan. She even had a ticket booth that her dad made just for the birthday boy's big day! It's adorable! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And you MUST go to her original post to see all the pictures. The ones below are just a few but they don't do it justice. Go check out ALL the pictures to get a better understanding. :) Enjoy!

Wisely Planned Baby Shower: How Tweet it is....

2010-05-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

It seems that there is a running trend going on in baby showers! Birds, nests, feathers, chirps and all things bird-related have been brought to the forefront of baby shower themes......and why wouldn't it?! It's just adorable and can easily be made SO chic.

A couple weeks ago, one of my really close friends, Yuri, threw a baby shower for her sister, Paola. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend, as I, too, was hosting a shower that day, which you might have seen here not too long ago. When I got the invitation, I knew it was going to be nothing less than fabulous {nothing Yuri ever does is less than FABULOUS!} So, when I finally saw the pictures last week, I was not surprised at how great it all looked. Everything was detailed, and everything went together with such cohesiveness. The color scheme was perfect. Sage green, light brown with burlap textures throughout.

All the floral arrangements were made by Yuri herself. She took a little trip to the L.A. Flower Mart and got right to work! {they look SO professional!}

The linens {table cloths and napkins} were rented from Yuri's friend's company, Creative Touch Linens. They even custom made the ruffle tablecloth used on the gift table. So impressive! The burlap she was able to find in downtown L.A. at $1 p/yard! AMAZING!!! I'll be using a lot of that for Caden's Cowboy party!

She bought all the little ceramic birds, birdhouses and mini pots at The Dollar Tree.....yes, The Dollar Tree!!!! Paola then brush painted the birdhouses and mini pots white, to go with the rustic color scheme.

The bird cages and green porcelain birds were purchased at Michael's. The big bird nests were found at a flea market. The tulle curtains were bought from Ikea and used as color for the side walls of the tent. LOVE this idea!!!! The cake stand, candy jars and chalkboard sign were purchased at Save-On Crafts. The gold stands used for the baby's breath arrangements (my favorite) were purchased at Tuesday Morning.

Yuri started planning this shower the second Paola knew what theme she wanted. She spearheaded the production of the theme, but it was a family effort, as all the women in the family came together to carry out the final look. Yuri, you and your family should be so glad. The shower turned out BEAUTIFULLY.....and Paola, you look stunning! Congratulations!

{I apologize now for having so many pictures, but I couldn't leave any out. It was all too pretty!}

{majority of photos courtesy of Carlo Sanchez Photography}

Wisely Planned Sip and See: Feather Her Nest!

2010-05-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw her Circus themed party, I've been in love with Brittany's blog, Grey Grey Designs. And now she's struck again!

Brittany helped host a Sip and See for her friend Meredith {another blog follower and whose blog I follow as well}. The theme was Feather Her Nest and everything turned out so lovely! I LOVE the wicker wreaths used as nests, the chocolate dipped Peeps and the homemade feather wreath! FABULOUS!

Head over to Grey Grey Designs to see all the details of the beautiful day.

Custom Inspiration Board: Peacock Themed Wedding

2010-05-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, my brother in law is getting married and as a result, I've been asked to create a couple inspiration boards for his fiance. Yesterday I posted one of the color schemes she showed interest in: Black & Yellow Damask. Well, today I'm displaying a few more boards for her.

Annie mentioned she liked deep purples and pinks together. During my research I came across a lot of Peacock themed weddings with deep purples. I decided to create a board using this theme {and secretly hope she liked this one more than the black & yellow}. I began compiling images on this stunning color combination. However, this morning, I came across 2 boards that I just fell in love with. The boards even had links to access some of the items shown. The boards are FABULOUS! I ended up sending Annie these two boards I found on The Peacock Brides.

After I sent her these, I decided I would go ahead and use the images I'd already found and make a compilation board with all the images. Here they are, links and all:

Peacock themed bouquet {Brides.com}
Centerpiece {source unknown}
Peacock Feather Chair Decor {Brides.com}
Peacock Feather Wedding Invitations {Baron Cards}
Vibrant blue wedding shoes {Wedding Bee}
Peacock Themed Ring Pillow {Zimbio}
Peacock/Orchid Boutonnieres {Hawaiian Wedding blog}
Peacock Feather Cake {Wedding Paper Divas}
Peacock Clutch Purse {etsy: LaVitaLola} Great as a bridesmaid gift!

Peacock/Lavender colored bouquet {Wedding Wire}
Traditional Purple Swirls cake {Just Temptations}
Lavender Flower/Candle Centerpieces {Pryor Events by Julie Pryor}
Deep Purple Tablescape {True Colors Events blog}
Themed Cocktails/ Champagne Glasses {source unknown}
Midnight Calla Lilies Bouquet {With This Ring Weddings blog}
Pink Paisley Invitations {Annie & Pip}
Pink & Brown Cake {Super Weddings forum}
Pink Ceremony Venue {True Colors Events blog}

Annie, you have a hard choice to make!

{Whimsy & Wise Etsy Feature}

2010-05-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

I often surf through Etsy and find myself LOVING so many things there. I always think there are some stores people should really know about. My friends would love some of this stuff. As a result, I've decided to feature these awesome shops on my blog, every once in a while.

Today, I came across a Wedding Tree. It's a tree composed of thumb print leaves. In lieu of the old fashioned guest book, the bride & groom put out a Wedding Tree. Each guest is asked to leave their thumb print on the tree and sign their name next to it. By the end of the evening, the couple has a beautiful tree to frame, instead of the often forgotten guest book or the framed picture with the different color greetings on the side.

It's so beautiful! I showed it to my brother in law's fiance and I think she's getting one! :) Head over to Lovliday to check out all their items!

Custom Inspiration Board: Black & Yellow Damask Wedding

2010-05-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

My brother in law has officially decided on a wedding date. April 30, 2011 I was talking to his fiance, Annie, today and she didn't seem to have an idea of what she wanted to do, so I offered to create an inspiration board for her. She told me she has 2 different visions in her head. One of them is black and yellow, so I naturally thought of damask as well.

I scoured the internet for images that would apply to this color scheme and found numerous ideas. I'm still trying to put the links together, but for now, here are the two boards that resulted.

***If you're interested in a Custom Inspiration Board, I can make one for you to include full ideas on how to execute the theme and pull together a complete party. Links to various How-to's and DIY ideas would be included as well, all for $20. Contact me for more information***