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!

Picture Perfect

Spent a sunny, Nashville Sunday here with my friend - and amazing photographer - Kelli Trontell. The mission? Capturing photos of two brides and two grooms. Two couples with two totally different styles, but both equally gorgeous. And so much fun to work with!

To accomplish said mission we scaled mountains and rocks...Ahem. Okay, so it was actually rolling hills and stone pathways, but when you are carrying camera accessories, boxes of props and bride's bouquets they do sure FEEL like mountains and rocks. But, it was completely worth all the trekking for the beautiful end result. I can't wait to share the photos with you as soon as I am able to!

One of my favorite things about designing weddings is getting to see how different and unique each couple is and discovering how to coordinate and execute a look that accurately represents who they are. So, with that in mind, here is just a little preview of the two wedding designs we are working on:

Wedding #1:

style - Modern Classic Elegance
colors - black and white with touches of crimson red, lemon yellow and soft sky blue
textures - glass, metal, silk and lace
couple affectionately known as - "our GQ couple"

Wedding #2:

style - Rustic Spring Woodland
colors - browns and spring greens with touches of teal, pink and lavender
textures - burlap, bark, yarn and twigs
couple affectionately known as - "our Anthro couple"


Two completely different directions - but, I love them BOTH. And, both are going to be so much fun to work with...just like Kelli, who by the way, just re-designed her site. You should check it out. Really, you should.

And now it is time for me to go unpack the previously mentioned "boxes of props" and try to put my jumbled studio back in order before the next round of wonderfully chaotic creativity begins!

a Beautiful evening

Candles flickered and cupcake paper flowers stood tall as we sat beside the Nashville skyline and were inspired. No, more than inspired. Called to action. By friends who are not only compassionate. They are changing the world.

And, when creating centerpieces meets world-changing? Well, THAT is when life (as an artist and designer) is truly beautiful.

this week we are.....

busy. And, busy is good. It is especially good when it involves collaborating with wonderful, creative (and FUN!) friends on their new ventures .

Busy is also (oh so) good when it includes making pretty things for shindigs like this one. Clear glass vases, red paint, cupcake papers, floral wire and round paper boxes have all gathered on my work table. And they are ready and waiting to be transformed into lovely, unique centerpieces. 5 designs. 25 tables. 3 nights from now.....it's time to (go grab a paintrush)and CREATE.

More details (and photos)from both projects will be on the way soon!

Custom Artwork: Delivered!

Here at 615 Creative our New Year began with custom artwork: signed, sealed (with many generous coats of Mod Podge) and delivered to our friends, Zak and Erin.

I first had the pleasure of working with Erin when she called on me to design and style her and Zak's wedding several years ago. It was a creatively chic brown and (several shades of) pink affair that included unique details like: a Bride's bouquet made entirely out of Baby's Breath, a dance performance by a ballerina dressed in a frothy pink confection and wrist corsages for the bridesmaids that were handmade from ribbons and orchids.

Not too long ago Erin and Zak moved into a new home here in Nashville. And, once again, Erin called on me to help. This time she needed some style direction and color advice for their new, spacious living room. Erin, herself, actually has such good taste - and a great eye for design and creative details - that she makes my job easy! It's always lots of fun to collaborate with her, compare ideas and then turn them into a reality.

Once things started coming together with the direction and plan for the room, there was one particular wall that seemed to just be begging for a substanstial piece of artwork. So, she commissioned 615 Creative to begin, what was to become, the largest piece of custom artwork we've done so far!

It was Erin's (brillant!) idea to use an old door as the canvas. We began to cover the door with grey acrylic paint, tissue paper, glue, newspaper from an international market and, finished it out with: trees painted with white latex, a red origami crane and flying, blue, paper birds. And, it was FUN. So much fun that - if I had adequate storage space available - I would like to promptly go out and begin collecting old, abandoned doors and cover them all with colorful paint and fun papers!

For now, though, we will just be happy to have made Zak and Erin so happy. Oh, and once the piece is in place and hung we will be sure to show you more pictures of this stylish couple and their fabulous, artsy modern living room!

color crush

I think my first color crush of the year is developing. I'm not sure if it is just the need for something fresh and crisp on my plate after December's sugary overload..or, maybe a subconscious longing for the leafy foliage of summer, but....I can not stop thinking about GREEN. The cheerful kelly green cardigan hanging in my closet, the refreshing lime ice green paint on my kitchen walls, a roll of deep blue-green yarn sitting in the art studio and...my favorite vintage tablecloth: green perfection, captured (oh so beautifully) by my friend, Ian. And, I know just the bowls that need to sit on top of it. They are chartreuse.