Paper Lanterns

We had a busy weekend this weekend! One of our tasks at hand was to decorate for Kelly & Victor's Wedding Reception. It was held at Evergreen Baptist Church of San Gabriel Valley, it was a very large room and needed some color and paper lanterns were the way to add some color and impact in the room without breaking their budget. This adorable couple was all about the celebration of their marriage and their guests, they were even donating a percentage of their wedding gifts to a children's charity. Everyone at the church was very friendly and it was a pleasure to work there.

BEFORE, JUST A BORING CEILING

AFTER, WOW COLOR & FUN

Paper lanterns are a great way to add color and pop, but if you are thinking of having something like this for your wedding reception or party just a FYI it takes time.

Gerber Daisies

Awww Gerber Daisies, one of my favorite flowers and also a hit with Brides who want fantastic natural flowers in vibrant colors. But she is a temperamental flower. Many Brides who are do it them selvers think she will be easy to use. They are if you know a few tricks. There is a lot of back and forth on the toughness of a gerber daisy. I have experienced both sides of the Gerber Daisy dilemma and even with the proper handling they can go south on you depending on a lot of things and I have had them be wonderful. Yes they are pretty tough if treated properly and care is given to how long they will be out of water. Its their stem that makes them susceptible to drooping and looking sad as well as the flower petals. Keeping them in water constantly is the best way to avoid droopage, but unfortunately as with all flowers the heat of the day will determine how well they withstand. When you purchase your Gerber daisies you want to make sure that the heads are in good condition and not missing petals, other wise your daisy will look lop sided.

Gerber Daisies have long stems which are not that durable on their own, they require water and often some help to keep them standing straight up.

You will want to get gerber daisy tubes, which are basically a clear straw with a big enough opening to slide the stem through. You can slide the full straw onto the stem and then cut it the desired length. You can also wire them but that is a little rough for this type of stem especially if you don't have much experience with them. You will also need water vials if you plan on using the gerber daisies in garlands, or bouquets or on the gift card table by themselves without a vase.

They hold up well when kept in water so grouping them together in vases like this above is a good option, for you do it yourselfers.

Mixed in with similar color flowers in vases is another good option.

However, if you are planning on making a bridal bouquet with them you need to be sure to use flower vials with water. The best plan of attack for something like this is to leave the stems longer than you want so that when it is time to take the vials off you can simply cut the flowers straight across to remove the vials and the wet ends of the flowers. You don't want to pull the vials off and have wet stems leaking on the Brides dress or bridesmaids dresses. If you are planning on using Gerber Daisies and doint it yourself I would suggest having a florist make any boutonneires or corsages for you, they will just look better in the photos. You don't want to see scrunchy looking flowers in all your photos which is what might happen.

Don't shy away from the Gerber Daisy enjoy it for all its vibrant color and funness (is that a word) just be sure to treat her kindly and she will give you what you are looking for.

Hot 2009 Wedding Flower Colors

Just in from Oasis, the leader in floral accessories and supplies the hot new colors for 2009. Also noted they said that October is also a Hot month for weddings this year, ironic that October tends to be one of the hottest months. The HOT trends are PINK WEDDINGS, EXCURSION WEDDINGS, GOLD WEDDINGS, COOL JEWEL WEDDINGS, CLEAN GREEN and VINTAGE.

I thought the Vintage Weddings collection of flowers they showed were very rich and classic looking but also offered a little twist for the more contemporary Bride, so I am showcasing the photos below, courtesy of Oasis.

VINTAGE WEDDINGS

Beautiful cascading bouquet with lilies and orchids.

Adorable simple waist corsage. Simple but elegant small flower corsage topped off with trailing beads. Let the flowers make the statement on your Bridesmaids dresses.

Love this tall candelabra centerpiece with the greenery and beads coming down. You could mix these up with tall ones and short ones on your tables to add some dimension to the room.

Happy Birthday Scarlet

This weekend I was invited to a Party! It was my neighbor's granddaughters First Birthday, Happy Birthday Scarlet! I love First Birthdays they are just so sweet and this one was no exception. How cute is this cake from Rossmoor Bakery surrounded by cupcakes. Rossmoor always does a great job with their cakes. They are extremely helpful creating custom cakes that always turn out fabulous.

Here is the Birthday Girl Scarlet, all dressed up in her cute polka dot birthday dress, with of course............

the matching pink party shoes, so cute. Ahh, I miss dressing up a little one, those days seem so long ago, sigh..............

and of course you must have an embroidered Birthday bib. I love bibs.

All the little guests were treated to yummy flower cookies, again from Rossmoor Bakery, packaged in cellophane and tied with ribbons to match the party theme. First Birthdays always have children with a wide range of ages in attendance and they were kept busy pinning the bee on giant flowers, playing with bubbles and sidewalk chalk. The weather was perfect and it was a wonderful day to celebrate a First Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCARLET, WE LOVE YOU!

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to Everyone! I hope you enjoy your weekend and take time to think of all the military men and women who have given their life to this country and those who are currently serving this wonderful country of ours. Without them and their sacrifices we would not enjoy the freedom that we take for granted every day. It is their undying sacrifice and fortitude that keeps this country strong.

Thank you to all the military and their families for the sacrifices they make and have made in service to our country the United States of America. God bless you one and all.

Its Back, AHHHHHHHHH!!

My tendinitis is flaring up again! DANG IT! I have been so busy working and when I'm not working I am typing that my darn tendinitis has flared up in my left arm and I can feel it getting worse in my right, DANG IT, DANG IT, DANG IT!!! After 13 hard core years in the event industry there really isn't anywhere in my body that doesn't ache but the worse ones are the tendinitis in my elbows and the plantar fascitis in my feet. I have to be careful, so I guess I will be taking a few days rest away from the computers and lifting. Thank goodness I'm not working this weekend. Why am I not famous yet so that I can have little elves like Martha Stewart???? Soon...............................

Carnation Centerpieces

Not your Grandmothers favorite flower anymore! Carnations are the unsung flower, you never hear anyone say, "When I get married I want carnations everywhere!" But perhaps after taking a look at how far carnations have come you just might change your mind. Whether you are getting married or throwing a party carnation centerpieces will definitely go easy on your budget. For example at the whosesale flower mart a bunch (which is 25 stems) of Roses with a medium size head ranges between $13 to $20, a bunch of carnations is between $6 to $8. Generally you lose a few roses from your bunch that are just in too bad shape, hardly ever do you lose carnations.

Carnations are a sturdy inexpensive flower that can be used in many different ways and are easy for a do it yourselfer to use to create create great centerpieces. They come in a wide variety of colors, both natural and un-natural depending on the type of event you are having or color theme you are using. They best way to use carnations is to use groupings of the same color it adds more impact and fullness, otherwise if you mix the colors, it will look low-budget.

Look how fabulous they look all grouped together to create carnation topiary balls. This definitely doesn't look low-budget.

How sweet are these simple little clusters for a tea party or child's party.

Again grouped together for a very contemporary look, very cool.

Carnations lend themselves well to creating shapes, look how fabulous they look adorning a monogram or below they have been turned into a cake shape, complete with a pedastal, very elegant look for the simple carnation.

If you are going to attempt to create some carnation centerpieces for your next event keep in mind that when going for the round look you have to pay very close attention that all the flowers maintain the same height or dimension otherwise your ball won't look much like a ball. Stick with the more simpler designs and it will definitely make your attempt easier and much more appealing.

I Believe

 A Birth Certificate shows that we were born. 

A Death Certificate shows that we died.

 Pictures show that we lived!
  
 Have a seat . . . Relax . . . And read this slowly.
    
I Believe...
That just because two people argue, doesn't mean they don't love each other.  And just because they don't argue, doesn't mean they do love each other.
    
I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
    
I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
    
I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.  Same goes for true love.
    
I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
    
I Believe...
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be. 

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
    
I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
    
I Believe....
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
    
I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
    
I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
    
I Believe...
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
    
I Believe...
That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time.
    
I Believe...
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you When you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
    
I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
    
I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them......and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
    
I Believe...
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
    
I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
    
I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
    
I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.
    
I Believe...
Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
    
I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
    
I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, if a friend cries out to you.........you will find the strength to help.
    
I Believe...
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
    
I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
    
I Believe...
That you should send this to all of the people that you believe in.
    
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;  They just make the most of everything.
    
Thanks to all the wonderful people who help me throughout the journey of life.. 

Decorating with Paper Lanterns

Paper Lanterns you see them everywhere from dollar stores to on-line stores that sell them in every color, size, shape and pattern. I love paper lanterns, they are colorful and fun and add that extra pop. I am a firm believer that any time you can decorate above your guests the impact is so much much more. One of my favorite on-line resources for paper lantern decorations is Luna Bazaar. They offer a great variety of paper lanterns as well as all the lighting gadgets you will need.

Just a few simple white lanterns makes this tree just a little more special.
{not quite sure why there are people picnicking just behind the bride, wouldn't happen at my event LOL}
Photo courtesy of the Knot.

A good idea for an easy installation and look is just to focus a grouping of paper lanterns in a specific area, like they did here just over the dance floor. This adds impact and makes a statement less expensively than trying to decorate the whole ceiling.
Photo courtesy of the Knot

Another fabulous look for evening is use colored led lights in your paper lanterns
to create a colorful glow in the room.

If you are planning on lighting your paper lanterns I recommend using triple LED lights. They shine, brighter, longer and lessen the risk of going out. If you use a single LED light and it goes out you have no light in your lantern. Replacing these lights is much easier said than done. When installing ceiling decor it has to go up before tables can be laid out and set. If your lantern goes out after the tables have been set you have to move the table, drag out the ladder, replace the light and move the table back. Easier said than done.

PAPER LANTERN HANGING TIPS

Use monofilament (fishing line) or ribbon to hang the lanterns with.

Mix up your sizes, shapes and colors. Use groupings of different sizes for more impact.

Be sure you have a ladder tall enough to reach the ceiling.

Use a sturdy ladder and a minimum of two people for the installation.

Give yourself plenty of time to install the paper lanterns. A good formula is 10 mins. per lantern, some will go up easier than others. If you have two ladders multiply the number of lanterns X 10 mins and divide by 2. This will give you a pretty accurate time frame needed for installing the paper lanterns.

Be sure not to light your lanterns too soon before your event, you want to make sure they will stay lit during the entire event.

Order replacement batteries at the same time you are purchasing your LED lights, they are handy to have on hand and you will have the batteries for next time you want to use them.

Don't pre-assemble your lanterns until you get to the venue, trying to transport them assembled is a recipe for disaster.

Do you ever have that feeling?

Do you ever get that feeling? that what begins as a lovely morning is going to only disappear? Not that you have done anything wrong but you know what is to come. I am having that feeling. While in our infinite effort to re-do, change, learn and tighten up our websites we have stumbled upon many factors that we were not aware of. Not to mention a whole lot of new terminology. I was pretty happy with the fact that I re-did from scratch with a brand new web design program 21 websites in 10 days. Definitely thought I was a rock star! I have gone back and tweaked them and changed them and made them more inviting and pretty, still a rock star as far as I'm concerned.
BUT THEN..............I bought a book, don't buy books they only re-confirm what you don't know and probably didn't want to know AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! We made the mistake of opening an SEO book, seemed like a good idea at the time, thought we were going to get the websites in a lot of link directories, and so on. BUT...........then we found out they had rules...........if your pages weren't constructed properly, you probably wouldn't get in..............if your key words, meta tags, h1, h2 and h3 tags weren't right, you probably wouldn't get in..........if your content, links and reciprocal links, alt tags and b tags weren't right ...........you get the picture. And I must say on my own behalf you can pay someone to design you a beautiful website, but that still doesn't mean all these things will be right. In fact most beautiful websites are full of errors as well.

Oh did I mention web site pages have grades? yes they do and mine weren't pretty but I did figure out how to make them As and B pluses.

So of course, what does one stubborn, bull headed, undeterred person with the mind set of "I don't think so" do ...........they buy a book and open a whole can of worms. Please understand that it is not my desire to become a web site designer/seo expert but it is my desire to get things done and done right and who better to do it than me. Realistically the cost and wait time for someone else to get these things done for me would be ridiculous. I have already been there and done that.

So today is the day that I begin the complete process from beginning to end armed with not just one book but 8 books, I am ready to tame this beast to the best of my ability. But I just have the feeling by the time this is done............................

I am going to look like this! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Happy Mothers Day!

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Mothers Day!

Great Summer Favors

The beginning of Summer brings great inexpensive fun items into the stores that can be combined to create great inexpensive Party Favors. Take a beach bucket, add some bubbles, beach toys, sidewalk chalk, the possibilities are endless. Wrap the bucket up in plastic basket wrap use multi colored curling ribbon and tie together with the beach shovel and voila a great, inexpensive, large party favor. If your party isn't until the end of Summer be sure to stock up on these great deals now, because they won't be there at the end of or middle of Summer. Kids love them and so do adults, everyone needs some new beach toys at the beginning of Summer. Even if your party isn't a beach theme, just buy the bucket in the colors that match your party.