Anyone who reads my blog knows I love black and white. Add damask, and my heart starts pumping like it does when I near Chanel.
Here’s my latest fab fete collage.
October 23, 2010
October 21, 2010
Fab Fete: Halloween Party
For those of you gouls and goblins looking forward to Halloween, this post may just inspire you to host your own Halloween soiree.
Here’s how to glam it up at your next Halloween bash without having to rely on the traditional orange and black theme.
All these stationary sets are available through TomKatStudios on etsy.com. Isn’t it great that you too, can achieve such professional presentation all with the downloadable click of a button? My last post listed my favorite free printable party downloads. The ones shown here are available at half-off.
I just love how TomCat perfectly pairs one of my favorite prints, damask with some elegant touches of black and white with a pop of purple. THIS is how an adult halloween party should be decorated!
The party circles are so versatile. They can be f&b toppers, envelope stickers, labels and tags.
Here’s how TomKat’s team put it all together. I like the dessert table below but could have done without the sconces and bat trim.
All above photos are from Laura Winslow.
I’d decorate this party with black feather wreaths and garlands from Pottery Barn- maybe use the feather garland instead of the bat garland pictured above?
I’m also loving the idea of black chandeliers with this dark, glamorous party. Here’s my fashion meets decor collage for this party.
What do you think?
I’m going to be in Germany for Halloween this year, so this halloween party is simply a fantasy for me.
October 16, 2010
Fab Freebies
Everyone loves a freebie.
This post’s Fab Freebie is all about DIY templates and downloads. Everything from stickers, to candy bar signs, to monograms and invites are available online in free downloadable fashion now!
Check out the Weddingchicks for some of my favorite templates, monograms and signs. They have this cool function that allows you to customize the colors and satisfy your need for instant gratification with a quick email back to you with your free download.
My idol, Martha Stewart surprisingly gives out free downloadable DIYs online too.
And the queen of DIY free downloads is IDIY.
I was quite impressed with their selection of free downloadable invite templates shown above. Check downloadandprint.com for more!
What do you think? Would you use these?
For events with minimal budget (which is what I’ve been planning for work these days), these downloads are an invaluable resource!
Photo Booth
While my friends jump for joy at the sight of a photo booth, I secretly yawn. As an event planner who regularly attends industry tradeshows, and keeps up with the latest and greatest through BizBash and event planning blogs, I usually feel I’ve seen it all.
One of my favorites is shown above from Smilebooth where you can click and record your own photo all with a remote control and a custom backdrop. Then there are those that you can record videos in, there are those that you can print from and share through social networks, and there are photo booths that allow you to choose from a computerized selection of various backdrops like the ones popular in Japan.
The Japanese ones are so high-tech that you can digitally add accessories, words, frames and other endless graphics to your previewed photo.
In Japan, these booths were so popular, you’d often find an entire room filled with them.
Besides seeing these photo booths at weddings, industry tradeshows and on exotic Asian trips, I run into them through my online readings of event blogs. One kind of photo opp that stands out to me as something I’d want to incorporate in the future are these interactive photo boards made up of a collection of frames (which you know I love).
Pick your favorite wallpaper, match it to your color scheme or party theme, add a collection of frames with cutouts for people to poke their heads through and voila you have an interactive photo wall!
Add your own framed photos to make it seem like a more genuine wall of frames and you have a creative way to display those parent’s wedding photos and your engagement shots.
One of these days, I vow to have one of these fun photo opps at my event!
Has anyone attended a party with one of these unique takes on the photo booth?
October 12, 2010
Pink Parties
With October being breast cancer awareness month, pink party planning is in full force! Here are the pink themed events that I’ve been working on:
- Anzie jewelry trunk show with personal appearance featuring pink jewels, pink champagne and bracelets that donate sales proceeds to cancer research
- a pink-themed brunch for American Cancer Society volunteers
- an evening cancer charity event with a personal appearance and trunk show with jewelry master, Tito Pedrini
- 4days of Key to the Cure events
Here were some of my dessert table inspiration pictures to get me geared up for the month.
And I’m loving these pink ribbon dessert finds. Lollipops. Cupcakes. pink ribbon sprinkles and Oreo covered cookies. You’ve gotta love the pink fashionable goodies – they’re perfect for retail events!
For more on pink dessert tables see my previous post.
October 8, 2010
Style Diary: Black and White Fashions
I just bought myself my very first pre-loved bag through Avelle, otherwise known as Bag Borrow or Steal. It’s a bold, black and white striped Chanel bag with the iconic chain strap. And I absolutely adore it!
Here, I’m wearing a Forever 21 blouse, puff-sleeve black cardigan from H&M, Aldo shoes and a skirt from a Korean boutique. I love the black and white top. It’s very Chanel-inspired.
Trench coat shown below is by Sinclaire, an exclusive designer to Saks.
I love pairing black and white. Here’s another recent outfit.
dress and blazer – H&M, shoes - Vivayou ,purse – Chanel
Can you believe I bought this dress for only $15?
Pictured above is an outfit I wore this past spring (weekend brunch):
- striped blazer – H&M
- lace tank – Forever 21
- ruffled skirt – SP (bought at Daffy’s)
- patent leather purse – Express
- wedges – Temptation
October 7, 2010
Obsessed with Work
When you’re lucky enough to have your interests and work collide you become obsessed like me. I voluntarily work 10hour days, sometimes up to 12 if there’s a special event, then I come home to read my fashion news all the while highlighting pertinent news to share with my team, catch up on my favorite event planning and fashion blogs, dream up new event title ideas as I flip through fashion mags and catalogs, and find future event promotional ideas through my spam mail. And much to the dismay of everyone around me, my work’s to do list is constantly running through my head. “Revise local business development plan. Contact country club to confirm the height of the ceiling. Setup operations meeting for shopping gala. Find sponsors. Write up press release announcing all exclusives.” It’s endless and so are the sticky notes around me. By the time I do get to bed, I find myself dreaming about something work-related. I’m serious. And I’m seriously obsessed.
Besides getting to be passionate about what I do, I have a lot of perks as well. Firstly, there’s the shopping discount (which I’ve totally abused thus far). Secondly, there are the fashion previews. I love being one of the first to see and hear all the latest and greatest coming down the pipeline. I love visiting designer showrooms and partnering with each brand in their marketing efforts. Thirdly, I get to try out beauty products as they come in! At my last meeting, I was told I needed to try out the highly acclaimed, Cle De Peau Synactif facial. “Ok if you insist…” (as I try to hide my cheshire smile) And when I get told by higher-ups that I need to do my competitive research i.e. check out the mall and the competitive retailers, I can hardly hold in my delight as I oblige.
To top it off, finally, my fashion fixation makes me look smart, not airheaded lol. “See mom, all that fashion knowledge was NOT useless!” Those frivolous topics that you hated my brain being filled with are the exact topics that make me seem genius at work!
