The Icing on the Cupcake

Eggplant, lavender, ivory and copper. One of the most unique - and beautiful - color combinations chosen by a bride that I've worked with. Carrying that theme over into the floral design, I chose to incorporate some copper wire twists and ivory pearls into the bride's hand tied, casually elegant bouquet. It was just the "icing" it needed to be complete.




And, this picture of the lovely bride and her bouquet (taken by my friend, ian) is definitely one of my most favorite wedding photos. You could even say it's like the sprinkles on top of the icing. rainbow ones.

Part One

Just a little look at the first finshed piece of the "Summer Lotus" triptych that I am currently working on.

Part Two...coming up...soon..

It's a be-A-uuu-tiful Saturday and I am putting some spring sunshine on the table. And, getting ready to go buy a wooden canvas. I am going to put some sunshine on that too.

The Icing on the Cupake

As promised last week: some more birthday party "icing." Using one of my favorite little tools (alphabet stamps) I created a "happy birthday" sign for the bouquet of pink and red carnations.




A simple, easy little detail, but it turned out to be one of my favorite finishing touches...that and the noisemaker in the candy. Colorful Noisemakers + Bright Fun Candy = Pure JOY. Don't you agree?

Have a sweet - and COLORFUL - day!

This summer...

there will be an art show. Therefore, there must be art. Some new art. A new triptych, in fact. The first piece is just about done. It involves red acrylic paint, turquoise and gold fabric and paper (from Nepal) and more colors. Lots of color.

Pink, red, yellow, orange PLUS the turquoise and gold, of course. That's right. Aside from international newspapers and some vintage fabric scraps there is not much in my world right now that is black and white. And, I like it that way.

More sneak peeks of the triptych in progress coming soon....

The Icing on the Cupcake

The guest of honor at a birthday party is ALWAYS a RockStar. And, they most certainly deserve a star (or some kind of creative trinket...the possibilities are endless!) on their drink bottle. Personally, too, I think the only way to make a drink this color look even better is to add a sparkly red star to it.

More "icing" from this colorful birthday party coming next week!

this week we are....

1. Shopping here for the perfect wedding invitation
2. Beginning to (gulp) organize and restyle the creative studio
3. Feeling inspired by these AMAZING and coloful still life pictures
4. Looking at recipes for pink champagne cucpakes (for a creative project, but - trust me - a taste test WILL be involved.)
5. Needing to get some paint on our fingers again (canvases are calling..)
6. Watching daffodils rise from the dirt to smile in the (almost!) spring sunshine.
7. Celebrating the shoot we styled with our friends,Tabor Jean Weddings, being featured here!!
8. Soaking in the bright daylight of a new season.

Happy (week before the official first week of) Spring!

The Icing on the Cupcake

A quick, easy, always beautiful and fun decorating detail? placing a fresh flower inside a cup at a place setting.


Especially a sushine-y daisy.



in a crisp, white mug.




with a colorful vintage cloth napkin on the side.





happy.

happy.

happy.

new color crush

Daffodils that have been sleeping under the dirt outside my front door, sunny paper bead necklace purchased in a Ugandan market, tube of lemon-y acrylic paint calling to me from my art studio: I cannot stop thinking about you. And, I am so ready to see more of you. You are cheerful. fresh. bright. hopeful. Just like spring.

New Weekly Feature: The Icing on the Cupcake

When I am working on design and decorating projects I often find myself feeling the most excited - and unable to stop smiling incessantly - at the little, lovely, unexpectedly falling-so-perfectly into place DETAILS. Whether it be a spur of the moment restyled vignette in my home or a carefully planned, unique bridal bouquet - each week I will share with you some of the details that have made the rooms, events and weddings I've had the priviledge of working on come together...the finishing "frosting" that made them complete.

So, why "The Icing on the Cupcake?" Well, I really do love cupcakes. Seeing a beautifully decorated one, with piles of pastel frosting on top, never fails to make me smile. My hope is that the fun details I will be sharing with you will also bring a smile to YOUR face...because we can always use that. Especially around midweek when the weekend can suddenly seem way too far away and our creative juices are often in need of a recharge.

And, speaking of (literal) cupcakes. These are my favorite here in my hometown of Franklin, TN. If you live in the Nashville area and have not yet tasted these...you really need to. If you get them to go, they put them in (the cutest of cute) bright pink bakery boxes - which, to me, is most definitely The Icing on the Cupcake (metaphorically speaking.)

Be watching for the first official Icing on the Cupcake post - coming your way next (mid) week!

Oh, and the fun photo above was taken (on my living room floor) by mister ian collins. You can see more of his lovely work right here. By the way, the "Icing" on THAT cupcake? The tall, thin, bright red candle. It makes me smile.

on the horizon...

We are beginning to dream and scheme about a fun, colorful summer event that you won't want to miss. Can't share all the details yet - because, honestly, I don't KNOW them all yet, but I can tell you that it involves:

1. Pieces of art created in Uganda
2. Collaborating with these creative friends

and...last, but definitely not least..

3. Making the world a better place for an amazing group of kids on the other side of the globe.

Oh so many fun things...just around the corner! Stay tuned...it's going to be quite a happy (grass-turning-green-and-flowers-beginning-to-bloom-all-over) sort of season!