inspired by : patterns.

I’m pretty sure my infatuation with patterns started when I was little and would take trips to the fabric store with my mom. As she scrolled the aisles looking to be inspired for her latest craft or home project, I’d run my hands across all the soft fabrics in total awe of the beautiful patterns.

At the time I had no idea where my life might lead or how truly inspired I’d become by the simple sighting of a pretty pattern, but I’m always on the hunt for the perfect art-to-material to add to some aspect of my life.  The paper to wrap a gift for a friend ; a new dishtowel for the kitchen ; a bright summer maxi dress ; or even now potential fabrics for reupholstering scout. goods – there is nothing better than a perfectly eclectic pattern. Patterns are so crazy inspiring  and these by Ashley Goldberg are certainly some of the cutest I’ve seen. What inspires you?

art cred: {ashley goldberg via flickr}

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scout. launch party!

It’s always the best feeling in the world when a design you’ve spent many months tossing and turning about in your mind finally comes to life! Last month, I had the immense pleasure of collaborating with Trophy Cupcakes and showcased my scout. vintage rental co. collection in their adorable party room. The whole evening was SUCH a blast and I was so excited that so many of you came out to see my loot!

When dreaming up a way to share my collection my 1st thought was: “oh my gosh, how will I ever make it all fit?!” and 2nd…”I want people to be inspired.” The whole intention behind my vintage rental biz is to encourage others to find beauty in things that might otherwise be considered past their expiration date. I absolutely adore repurposing old items into new designs, and threaded that passion into a lot of the party details for the launch.

I wanted the overall design to emphasize the immense amount of color that I have within my collection. Blue chairs, green tables, orange enamel colanders. I’m obsessed with color and the party was nothing short of a color explosion!

My dear sweet friend McKenzie who also happens to be one of the most AH-MAZ-ING floral designers in Seattle, was kind enough to offer her own dose of color to the party with some stunningly gorgeous florals. The second McKenzie arrived the morning of setup I was flabbergasted by her floral choices for the party. Are those gigantic neon pink peonies not the most amazing things you’ve ever seen?! So so good. Thank McKenzie!!!

The entire design for the room started with the ceiling. I’ve been collecting vintage fabric for sometime and I really wanted to create a vibrant fabric canopy over the party. After many tireless hours of knot tying the canopy came to life. I also incorporated an installation in the center of the room using the wire skeletons of old lampshades. Thank you Adam, Heather & Kate for your additional hands with setup & prep! Couldn’t have done it without ya!

My green hutch is definitely one of my favorite pieces and I was so excited to use it as one of the focal points of the room. The cocktail & cupcake party wouldn’t have been complete without some champagne and little mason jars & thanks to Hads, Emma & Christa everyone had drinks in hand through the night! Thanks gals!

One of the things that I was really adamant about with regards to my scout. marketing is that I didn’t lose the vintage aspect of the brand in the details. I cringed at the idea of using a modern looking business card to promote my business. So after a bit of deep thinking I came up with the idea of using vintage used postcards (some of the one’s I’ve found have dated back to the early 1900’s!) and placing a sticker on top of them with all my info.

I have this really crazy rad mint colored mattress frame that worked perfect for displaying my biz postcards during the event. I filled the mattress with a bunch of pillows I’ve found while scouting and a few I made on my own from leftover fabric.

I also really wanted the party to be a direct reflection of the personality of the pieces. I’d been dying to name each piece for sometime and figured the party was the perfect way to kind of say “hello my name is” for each unique piece. My buddy Amy (a stellar graphic designer who is currently revamping the scout. brand) suggested I use library cards in bright colors from the adorable paper co. Knot & Bow to display the names and details of my items. GENIUS! I was swooning over the library cards when they arrived in the mail, and after multiple attempts to get that “vintage typewriter” look (I actually begged my printer to cooperate during a 4am debacle) I was incredibly pleased with how they turned out!

Overall, I’m ecstatic with how the party turned out, and I was so grateful for the generosity of all of the people that stopped by. The party left me with visions of my own storefront one day, and I can’t thank Jennifer and her team at Trophy enough for all of their help in making the party a total success!!!

P.S. Thank’s to Mo for all the great shots and for being there to capture the night!

photo cred: {Mo Hines Photography}

a winter bride.

As I stood in the longer than life post office line this week (ick!), one thing was glaringly apparent: the holidays are here! Oh yeah, that holiday buzz was definitely in the air as I felt the immense pressure to already stock up on those hot commodity holiday stamps…would 5 books cut it this year?!? Enter me biting my nails and shaking a bit knowing I’m already behind on the holiday card prep. Oh the stress!

AND with the holidays comes the thought of that winter bride. The one that isn’t afraid to go coatless for those magnificent ethereal snow shots…below freezing temperatures and all. Winter weddings are some of my favs for sure. There is such a beauty and nearly eery quiet to those winter months that just gives a unique romance and warmth to the day…ahhhh.

I about fell over when I saw these “winter bride” wears from BHLDN. There’s nothing better than a little sparkle and snow to compliment the holiday season and to bring the wintery wedding festivities to a whole n-other level.

photo cred: {BHLDN}

prop styling.

I’ve always been incredibly drawn to intentionally styled photographs. Whether it be fashion, food, events or interiors there is just something I find absolutely intriguing about prop styling. If I could spend the rest of my life “styling” for a living I’d be one happy gal!

So when I stumbled across some crazy amazing styling talent here, I couldn’t resist sharing some inspiration. Beautiful right?

photo cred: {hans blomquist, lo bjurulf and stella nicolaisen via agent bauer}

sunday dreaming / 26.

dreaming of…

the perfect comfy grey sweater for every moment of the week.

photo cred: {isabel marant} {helmut lang} {thakoon} {doo.ri} {les prairies de paris}

a zoo themed baby party.

With only a little over a week to go until my sister’s anticipated delivery of baby Emryk I am over the moon excited with anticipation. As the days have ticked closer and closer, and as Sarah’s belly has grown bigger and bigger, the realization that my sister is about to embark on this grand new adventure in her life is becoming all the more apparent. And it is SUPER exciting!

Back in August I had the total pleasure of co-hosting her baby shower (although we called it a baby party) along with my Ma and little sis Coli and it was SO much fun! I was given full creative liberty which felt nothing less than AWESOME, and was totally stoked to really see where the zoo animal theme could go. The whole design was inspired by these adorable cardboard cutout zoo animals my Mom stumbled upon during her last visit to Seattle, as well as an animal invite I had fallen in love with from my favorite paper company: rifle. Lucky enough for us Sarah was also decorating her nursing in cuddly animal prints so the theme just made total sense. I wanted the party to be personalized and unique but most of all I wanted my sister to feel loved and adored.

I envisioned the use of a bright primary color palette (think red, blue, yellow, green) and intermixed unique and whimsically textured florals as well as little paper details for unexpected pop’s of color. I was so excited about the possibility of doing not just the paper details and decor but also to dip my hands into the floral aspect of the event as well. Let’s just say I loved EVERY second of it. It was one of those designs and weekends that just made me feel totally alive and bubbly with excitement! It was MOST exciting to see the total shock and awe on my sister’s face when she walked into the party. B-E-S-T feeling in the world to have your “client” thrilled with your design!

I used milk glass, as well as eclectic jars and bottles from my scout. vintage collection to sporadically place cheery florals around the party. I wrapped the eclectic vases in varying colors of yarn for added texture and a little extra whimsy. I continued the zoo animal theme onto the paper details by labeling each “station” or table with a different animal….i.e. “w is for walrus, w is for wishes” or “g is for gorilla, g is for grub” for the entrance and food tables.

One of the little details I was most excited about was the cake push pops. I’d found these super rad containers through the adorable party supply company shop sweet lulu. Aren’t they fun?!

We baked some confetti cake, punched out the cake in circles to fit down in the containers, and then squeezed in yummy icing to the containers. Finished ’em off with some sprinkles and voila! SUPER EASY!

I did have to get a little creative to get the little suckers to stand up, but with a little floral foam and one of my antique pepsi crates from scout. they were a HUGE success at the party. Everyone was so delighted by them! The kiddos were gobbling them up!

With sewing help from my ma (I have never been a wiz with the sewing machine) we hand-crafted little favor bags and attached thank you tags to them. I placed them atop the antique high chair that has been passed down for generations in our family for that extra special touch.

I loved the idea of decorating both the inside and outside areas of the party with paper chains. I stocked up on tons of bright colorful patterned paper, as well as a bunch of solid sheets and got cutting. A bazillion hours later I had NO clue how many pieces I had actually cut, but we ended up having enough chains to decorate the entire dining area and the outdoors…3 gigantic fences in all! I also cut smaller pieces to create tiny chains that could be used to accent the chandelier over the food as well as to hang from the umbrella tables outside as a substitute for centerpieces.

The one thing that Sarah said she absolutely had to have at her baby party was a “onesie” station. I will admit that I was just a wee bit nervous to see what type of “artsy” creations Sarah’s nearest and dearest would come up with but I was actually pleasantly surprised! The tiny tees were super personalized and were the sweetest touch to the day.

I wanted everyone to have the chance to display their masterpieces so Coli helped me create a “clothesline” effect with mini clothespins and some string.

I’m so thrilled with how the party turned out and was so grateful for help with the day of prep from my family. So excited for Sarah and I can’t wait to meet Emryk next week!!!

photo cred: {jenn elliott blake} event & floral design + styling: {bow tie & bustle} vintage rentals: {scout. vintage rental company}

defined: tulle.

tulle/to͞ol/

noun. a soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material like net, used for making veils and dresses OR a classic way to add some whimsy to your wedding day.

photo cred: {bride and groom by Vanity Fair Italy July ’11 via fashionising.com} {lace cap by twigs and honey} {tulle by tec petaja} {tulle separate by BHLDN} {fashion tulle via this is glamorous original source unknown} {aisle tulle little projects in style}

defined: lace.

lace/lās/

 noun: a fine open fabric, typically one of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns OR the stuff uber gorgeous brides are made of.

photo cred: {the photography genius that is: elizabeth messina} definition cred: {the internet genius that is: google}

green wedding shoes feature!

I am officially calling today: green thursday! Why?

bow tie & bustle and some of my favorite wedding peeps were featured today! Our Montmartre Inspiration Shoot made its way onto the front page of Green Wedding Shoes!!! Green Wedding Shoes is only one of the most spectacularly awesome and popular wedding blogs out there, and the amazing Jen Campbell featured our shoot today on her blog! I’m incredibly honored to have my very first styled shoot posted on her site, and I am so thankful for all the amazing friends and industry pros that assisted me in making it happen!

Photography: Monica and Seth of MoHinesPhotography

Floral Design: Teressa of Cashmere Floral Design

Desserts: Judy of Tallant House

Makeup: Cris of Glamour Cris

Hair: Brittany of Bartlett Bridal

Dress: Pricilla of Boston courtesy of Calla Bridal

Vintage Umbrellas: Bella Umbrella

Studio: Chalk Studios

Event Design, Styling and Coordination: me as in bow tie & bustle

Hair accessories, veil and paper goods: bow tie & bustle

montmartre inspiration shoot: part deux.

I’m over the moon excited to share the second batch of pictures (part one here) from the Montmartre inspiration shoot. These pics were shot by MoHinesPhotography and include some of my most favorite shots from the day, including the dessert table full of the most incredibly enticing French pastries one could wish for, and a vibrantly colorful graffiti wall – cause nothing says Montmartre like a little graffiti!

Thanks again to all of the amazing people who made this shoot possible! A total dream come true!

When I was dreaming up this shoot in Paris, THIS is exactly what I saw! So in LOVE! Gives me chills!

Another fab bouquet by Teressa. Stunning!

Too cute!

Gretchen is so fierce in this one!

If I had to choose a single pic from the shoot, the one above would be it. I’m obsessed!

The birdcage veil was made with netting I bought in Montmartre. I sewed together my most favorite vintage buttons to create the hairpiece.

I begged Mo to get one shot of just the wall for me…she didn’t disappoint. Thanks Mo!

Some of histories best known artists (Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Picasso) painted and lived in Montmartre during their day, and even now this amazing area of Paris bursts at seams with resounding art influence – putting art at the heart of my design. I wanted to make sure to pay tribute to Place du Tertre (a square beneath the watchful eye of the Basilique du Sacre Coeur) where artists set up their easels, canvases and umbrellas daily with the hopes of selling one of their masterpieces. Teressa suggested that we use the canvas as a guest book so I painted it with splashes of paint the night before and we all made our mark at the shoot : )

I used a distressed drop lead table, this adorable antique mirror and a rusty mailbox to create a “well wishes” table. The word “cartes” means letters in French. Each postcard had a different french poster on the front with many of them focusing on the infamous Moulin Rouge.

French bistro chairs…so in love with these gems.

The reception table was created using a distressed white picnic table, a picnic bench and adorable french bistro chairs I borrowed from a local cafe named Odd Fellows (if you’ve never been there…check it out…very yummy!). I used textured pillows in various patterns to give the table setting some depth and hung a yellow chandelier I found vintage over the top of the table.

Bonne Maman jelly is something you cannot miss in France. It’s everywhere. I used it here as a favor, tying a chalkboard tag around each jar with burlap. Chalkboard detailing was included in many aspects of the shoot, including the dessert table banner, various signage and the paper goods, since this form of marketing is used all over Paris in the floral and food markets. Teressa filled the table with pops of yellow, red and green flowers including ranunculus and parrot tulips. No two pieces of silverware on the table were alike giving the table an eclectic and whimsical touch. I couldn’t imagine the setting without a cup and saucer as cafe au lait and chocolate chaud are dining staples for Parisians. The black and white polkadot napkins were made with fabric I’d found at a local craft store and the setting was finished off with adorable red ranunculus by Teressa.

I used fabric and twine to create bunting across the wedding cake. This cake created by Judy Tallant of Tallant House is called “ruffled panties” – love it!

I used a vintage green hutch to create a dessert “table” which was layered with the most mouth-watering French pastries one could imagine and mini jars of French jelly to complement the almond croissants. The hutch was decorated with varying shades of fringed patterned fabric, more paper pinwheels, and a “bon appetite” banner. Judy from Tallant House masterfully created eclairs, french macaroons, tiny palimiers, teeny tarlets and the some of the most fantastic almond croissants I’ve ever tasted. I included mini Bonne Maman jellies on the table to complement the croissants. A wood window frame was used above the table with red ranunculus to create the effect of a french balcony.

I created the dessert stands by gluing antique silver platters to the bottom of glass drinking glasses. I then place the glasses over a pile of colorful buttons, labeling them with a chalk font.

The save the date listed out all the available pastries along with the phrase “Adore pasteries? Adore us? See you in Paris.”

I handcrafted the paper suite using red paper doilies as envelope liners, a red button and twine. I placed the words “I love you” in multiple languages in red, yellow, green and black across the top and bottom of the invitation, reply card and thank you note as a means to represent the “Love Wall” in Montmartre. I used a font that reminded me of chalk as a means to tie in the other chalkboard details throughout the design.

Event Design, Styling and Coordination: bow tie & bustle | Photography: MoHinesPhotography | Floral Design: Cashmere Floral Design | Desserts: Tallant House | Makeup: Glamour Cris | Hair: Bartlett Bridal | Dress: Pricilla of Boston courtesy of Calla Bridal | Vintage Umbrellas: Bella Umbrella | Studio: Chalk Studios | Hair accessories and veil: bow tie & bustle | Paper Goods: bow tie & bustle

montmartre inspiration shoot: part un.

I’ve never felt more alive than I did when I was in Montmartre. Montmartre is about a 20 minute metro ride outside the center of Paris and is an area of the city that has this raw, dark, whimsical edge to it that just makes my heart sing. It may be the monstrous hills that make you question your choice of attire for the day; or the Basilique du Sacre Coeur which entices you to gaze up towards the heavens; or the graffiti soaked rooftops and store fronts that bring a certain juxtaposition and mystery to the all the gray; or the big red windmill that stands proudly above the Moulin Rouge almost forcefully enticing you to catch a glimpse of the most famous cabaret of all; or Place du Tertre which is overrun with artists and portraitures alike; or the rows and rows of cafe chairs that when occupied make you feel like you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones. It would be near impossible for me to pinpoint just one thing that’s most spectacular about Montmartre…put simply: it’s all fabulous, it’s all Parisian and it’s all inspiring!

For the past 5 months I have spent an immense amount of time looking inward and asking myself where my passions lie and what types of things truly fill my soul. One thing I’ve realized most is that details (and I mean every detail, down to chipped paint and busted door locks) make me truly happy – and I’m talking pure genuine, butterfly in your stomach, smiling to the point of exhaustion happy. And over the past five months I’ve realized that there was this intense need/desire/burning sense of urgency within me to create a styled inspiration shoot paying tribute to my favorite place in the world, while also celebrating all of the little details that make life fabulous!

Many of my intentions as a wedding designer and coordinator is to encourage other’s to see the beauty in life’s details and to encourage brides and grooms to intertwine these details into their wedding day. I encourage them to pinpoint the things that feed their own souls, that reflect their own personalities and relationship and to make these things known and present on their big day.

I’m absolutely giddy to finally be sharing the neverending stream of details of the design with you…can you say: french macaroons, vintage umbrellas, a big black tulle bow, antique green gloves, a red bike, a pinwheel backdrop, vintage furniture, chalk, miniature bonne maman jellies, buttons, stunning flowers, dominos, a tree-branch umbrella, mouth-watering pastries, graffiti, a yellow chandelier, and red lips?!

Along with the support of some amazing wedding creatives my little slice of Montmartre came to life, and I couldn’t be prouder! But before I let the oogling begin, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to: Monica, Teressa, Cris, Brittany, Judy, Jodell, Yachi, Gretchen, Seth, Adam and Erik – this shoot would not have come to fruition with out your amazing contributions and talent!

Oh and these photographs….compliments of the AMAZING duo of Monica and Seth Hines – you two are beyond.

My stunningly beautiful friend Gretchen. She was the absolute best person to be our model for the day as she is achingly gorgeous and was just a bride herself this past fall! Also, what is a Parisian photo shoot without a little Eiffel Tower??!

Gretchen’s makeup was flawless. Cris did such an amazing job giving Gretchen those fantastic bright red lips!

We were privileged with the most amazing lighting in Chalk Studios.

Red, green, yellow and black instantly took front stage in the design, as these colors are key players in this area of Paris. I handcrafted this paper pinwheel backdrop using brightly colored and patterned card stock…my fingers were sore for days, but it was SOOOO worth it – I loved how it turned out. The pinwheel concept was meant to pay tribute to the many beautiful windmills throughout the hills of Montmartre.

Brittany of Bartlett Bridal did an amazing job on Gretchen’s hair creating a low messy bun with just the right amount of loose pieces….so adorable!

A french shutter was an absolute MUST. And isn’t that bouquet to DIE for! Teressa from Cashmere Floral Design has some serious talent!

I’m soooo in love with this distressed turquoise green french bistro chair I found in the rain in a “junk” yard. It reminded me of all the exquisitely distressed chairs in Paris.

One of my favorite shots of the day.

Calla Bridal generously loaned this adorable Priscilla of Boston gown which I chose because the silhouette reminded me of the many carousels throughout Montmartre. I added a petticoat underneath to give it even more flair.

The black bow! OOOHHHH! I couldn’t imagine this shoot without a humongous bow on top of Gretchen’s head. I used black tulle to create a “headband” sort of piece with the tulle singing loud and proud atop her head. I wanna wear this thing around town!

Nothing says “french” more to me than a gigantic baguette! The adorable wicker basket is actually a purchase from Paris.

AND the umbrellas. Aren’t they just fantastic?!! All the umbrellas are vintage and were provided by Bella Umbrella in Seattle. I wanted to incorporate the umbrellas because they reminded me of the intricately decorated carousels in Montmartre. I’m so head over heels for the yellow one above!

This “umbrella” on the other hand was a fantastic piece found by Erik who owns Chalk Studios where the shoot took place. Us Seattleites couldn’t imagine not using it in the shoot….so cool!

I was so excited about these green gloves. I found them at an antique store and just had to incorporate them. The number 13 in dominos represents the “wedding day” which took place on February 13th.

Judy from Tallant House was able to craft the most adorable French macaroons…yummy!

There was no way I could design a Parisian shoot without incorporating a bicycle! This one an old vintage Schwinn that I had painted red.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the rest of the details including a graffiti wall, desserts and more!

Event Design, Styling and Coordination: bow tie & bustle | Photography: MoHinesPhotography | Floral Design: Cashmere Floral Design | Desserts: Tallant House | Makeup: Glamour Cris | Hair: Bartlett Bridal | Dress: Pricilla of Boston courtesy of Calla Bridal | Vintage Umbrellas: Bella Umbrella | Studio: Chalk Studios | Hair accessories and veil: bow tie & bustle | Paper Goods: bow tie & bustle

Birthday Balloons

I have a friend. Her name is Vanessa. “V” for short. She is a doctor. And very cool. And very smart. And someone I admire. And my BFF. She lives far away. In Peoria, Illinois to be exact. And I miss her. A lot. I mean, A LOT.

I’ve known Vanessa for more than 8 years now, and I am so lucky to have her in my life. She is, to this day, the closest friend I have from my college years, and any time I spend with her is such a blessing. I was fortunate enough to get to spend some time with her in Chicago a few months back, and I had the time of my life. Vanessa is one of those friends that is just so easy to be around. You never have to question where you stand with her, and she is always able to shed some amazing light on anything for which you are seeking advice.

I love her to pieces, and wanted to send her a birthday card along with her gift that would hopefully bring a smile to her face. V works REALLY LONG hours, and is so dedicated to her career, so I wanted to remind her how important it is to take time for self-care, and pampering time. I filled a basket with all things “spa” like, and included a card with fabric birthday balloons as a finishing touch.

Happy birthday V! I love you!

The 4th

Holidays are the best! No work. Good food. Family and friends. AND on this particular holiday – FIREWORKS too!! Adam and I are lucky enough to be invited over to our good friends, the Andersons, this afternoon for a 4th of July celebration. We consider the Andersons our family away from home, and are super excited to spend the 4th with them.

I decided to make a 4th of July greeting card for the Andersons using (of course) red, white and blue detailing. I stitched floral fabric (fabric that was my grandmother’s that I found when I was back home early this spring) onto the card and then completed the design with polka dots and the number 4. I carried the design onto the inside of the card as well as the envelope. I made the envelope from scratch and included an envelope liner as a final touch.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

The Bachelorette

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it more than once on this blog, but I love my sister Sarah. I really do. And she is getting MARRIED! Soon! And of course as the wedding approaches, the festivities to celebrate the bride are quickly approaching as well!

In July, I get the opportunity to host my sister’s bachelorette party back home in Denver. Now, when I initially took on this task I thought, “oh no, the old chick is planning the party” and had no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have a clue where to start. But after some deep contemplation, I realized that “hey! I once used to be ‘cool,’ and have made a few rounds in Denver myself!”

After some “googling,” I set a plan for the party and got squared away on the invitation design to hopefully spark some excitement for the guests and for Sarah.

I wanted to keep most of the party a secret from Sarah, so I kept the details of the invitation pretty vague, but gave the guests an idea of location, time, pertinent lingerie sizing, and the basic agenda of the evening. I decided to use 3 different colors of paper to not only follow Sarah’s wedding colors and theme, but also to make the invitation a bit unique for the bachelorette party itself.

I used bright red brads to hold the invitation together and completed the “show some love” invite by hand stitching a heart on top of the invitation using red thread. I have ALWAYS loved the concept of incorporating unexpected items into my paper designs and was so excited when I found this turquoise, green, red and yellow striped fabric from a funky vintage fabric store in downtown Seattle. I finished off the hearts by distressing the edges to give them that worn, vintage look to complement Sarah’s 50’s wedding theme.

I completed the design by tucking the invitations in a string tie envelope and continuing the colors of red and turquoise on the address labels using colorful cardstock.

I CANNOT wait to head home in a few weeks to really get the celebration started with the bride and her friends and family!