birdie’s first birthday
We celebrated Birdie’s first birthday last October with our family and close friends. My friend Cyn Kain came by to take these pretty pictures. Birdie is such a happy, happy little girl, but she erupts into absolute joy at the sight of a balloon, so we had many of those in all shades of pink tied off with pretty pink satin ribbons, as well as this girly #1 balloon, which was, obviously, the highlight of the party!
I labored over her smash cake, and out of fear I’d totally bomb the icing, made a trial-run cake the week before. The cake recipe I used is from The Back in the Day Bakery cookbook. It’s the classic vanilla cupcake Back in the Day Bakery is known for — a cupcake Jon and I enjoyed on a trip to Savannah a few years ago! I used two 5″ pans and stacked the cakes. The recipe yielded just enough batter to make both cakes and nearly a dozen more cupcakes. You can find the frosting tutorial I used here.
The cake pedestal is from Sweet Shop Lulu (I ordered the 6″ round stand), and the topper (a celebration candle kid) is from The Small Object; Sarah was kind enough to paint the hair color to match Birdie’s!
We were busy birthday elves crafting lots of pretty to surprise Birdie on her big day! My husband, Jon, made party hats for pumpkins (since Birdie’s birthday is in October).
Meanwhile I made a birthday hat for Birdie, mini pom pom garlands and big pom poms to hang from the ceiling. To make the pom pom garlands, I used this tutorial for napkin pom-poms and attached them to satin ribbon. I found along the way that the tissue paper from Paper Source is the best weight for pom pom crafting. I used the colors red, strawberry, blossom and poppy, which corresponded with the colors in Birdie’s invitation designed by Jennifer Wick at Minted.
My mom and I baked “1″ sugar cookies, dusted in glittery, pink sprinkles. We used this cookie cutter.
Inspired by Jon and Sherry, we made a first birthday time capsule, filling it with all sorts of things we collected and our guests gifted, from magazines, to a grocery receipt, to a newspaper. We’re looking forward to opening it when Birdie turns 18!
And that is how we celebrated Miss Birdie’s first birthday!
All photographs except the instagram photos by Cyn Kain
happy mother’s day
I had fun creating this quick + easy Mother’s Day D.I.Y. for Oh Joy! Hope you’ll pop over and have a look!
Happy Mother’s Day Mamas! xo
{photography by katie stoops}
Happy Mother’s Day weekend!
images: mother & child via flickr; silverware and red & white table photographed by claudio raschella for wedding style guide, issue no. 4 via once wed; strawberries via The Bride’s Cafe tumblr; lighting bug catchers photographed by A Bryan Photo via Southern Living;
All wrapped up!
I’m so happy to have a special guest blogger here today. Brittany started working with Merriment last year as an intern and continues to assist on event days. When she said she’d be interested in guest blogging, I took her up on it immediately, of course! Hoping to see much more of her around here. Today she has a great gift wrapping idea just in time for Mother’s Day.
I love the idea of using fabric for wrapping gifts. Not only is it clever and eco-friendly, it can be two gifts in one if you use tea towels or a vintage scarf. To secure the ends, tie them in a simple knot or secure them with a cute pin, button, or pretty ribbon to give the package an extra special touch. Also see more wrapping techniques here. Add a personal element to your wedding by wrapping small favor boxes in monogrammed cloth napkins or vintage fabric scraps.
images: 1 Photograph by Joseph De Leo for Handmade Weddings via The Haystack Needle; 2 and 5 Studiopatro Tea Towels; 3 and 4 fabric wrap by Chewing the Cud via Oh Joy!
brilliant backgrounds
We’re working on some photo booth concepts for a client, and, really, the options are endless. When you’re working with a blank 9′ wide space there’s so much you can do!
Garlands + streamers…the first two ideas by Jordan Ferney are so much fun!
Fringe walls are always great backgrounds…
Paper daises, honeycombs and pinwheels, oh my…
photos: Garlands and streamers…zig zag streamers and fringe streamers by Jordan Ferney at Oh Happy Day, Green garlands photographed by StudioBooth at Urban Wed; Fringe… wall by Confetti System via Oh Joy!, Smilebooth at Martha Stewart market party, Smilebooth at Hitched 2010; Pinwheels…. Rebecca Thuss for Simple Silhouettes, pink and orange pinwheels photographed by Rebekah Westover, Pom Pom cluster photographed by Sarah Rhoads via Style Me Pretty
How fun is this photo booth, which looks like an adult sized puppet theater (!), from the Kate Spade party at Alt Summit via Twig & Thistle?
neon and neutral take two
Loving all of the bright, bright neon colors I’m seeing everywhere — perfect for a party!
{letterpress cards by Jordan Ferney via Oh Happy Day; dessert table designed by Susana of Simplesmente Branco and Ana of Pinga Amor via Somewhere Splendid; flowers and photos by Oh Joy}
eye love you
Kate Spade’s mini party at Alt Summit looks like too much fun. Could totally see an “eye love you” concept coming to life for a wedding with black horn-rimmed glasses as the central design element. Speaking of, how much fun is this identity work by Sussner Design?
{first image via kate spade on twitter; sussner design via design work life}
twirl
Loving all of the promotion for Kate Spade’s newest scent, Twirl, photographed by Phil Poynter and styled by Elissa Santisi. The creative team transformed a nightclub into a sparkly new year’s celebration, but it’s great year round party inspiration, no?
{photographed by Phil Poynter and styled Elissa Santisi; images via PR Starworks and Kate Spade}
