The Knot Networking Party:)

Still jet-lagged from my trip to LA on Oscar weekend, I threw on some make-up and a has-been dress and drove into the city to attend the Knot vendor networking party. (Hey, all you had to tell me was that they took over an entire baseball field)

It was FULL of swag, and Katie Martin from Eco-Beautiful Weddings had everything to do with it. I went solo, and headed straight for the bar like you do when you have severe social anxiety. ( hehe ) ---and then I ran into a group of ladies (one of which I knew already as my new BFF Photographer Michelle Evantine...) and we had a great time. Us + Photobooth = YOU NEVER KNOW.

Oh! THERE WAS A CUPCAKE BAR (of which I indulged in an undisclosed amount, even though there were tables full of delicious food from the best area caterers.) Can you tell we were the life of the party?!?! Some posts coming soon about my talented coterie below!!

Launch Party:)

Here is a very quick snapshot of our amazing launch party:)
I have more pictures to post, but my image manipulation software just crashed.....until it's back in business later today, I wanted to share a few pictures. This week will be ALL about our sponsors and contributors. They were the BEST~!

Real Wedding: Jason & Vinny

We had much too much fun working with Jason and Vinny to plan and design a perfect travel themed wedding. The beautiful couple has been literally around the world together and wanted to tie the knot in the same style! With the much needed help of our amazing interns Livy and Dior, we pulled together this beautiful wedding for the sweet couple. (Um.....can we say HOURS of crafting and printing ? ----with a bottle of wine of course. lol)

We created an airplane with their initials on it as the model number, along with some vintage aviation goggles and helmets for a photo-booth that the guests LOVED. -----So much that one of them um, danced with it? lol.

We also got to work with some of the BEST vendors around, including the lovely San Fransisco based Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed whose wedding in Mexico we will be crashing. Sigh. No, really though, Ben and Erin. hehe.

We got to meet Holly Chapple, the florist who doesn't stop smiling ----she went above and beyond to provide some jaw-dropping florals and lended us some of the travel-themed props that you see in the pics below.

Planning/Design: DIYva Designs, LLC 
Venue: Oxon Hill Manor
Caterer: Main Event Caterers (Michelle Fishman)
Photography: Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed
Florist: Holly Heider Chapple
Lighting: DaVinci Florist
Cake: Patisserie Poupon
Ceremony Musician: Chris Dunn
DJ: Evan Reitmeyer 

                                                   Vinny is BEAUTIFUL, always smiling.
                                           Her dress was so intricate and it fit her perfectly.

                                                                  The bride and groom. :)

Seriously? Who thinks up a shot like this? 

For the table numbers, there was the name of a country, to correspond with their luggage claim tickets...

We did America, France, and Indonesia for the dessert bar, and I took a vintage globe and put the word TREATS in front of it. :) 

Our cupcakes from scratch were gone in like, 60 seconds. lol. 

The JV-627 (Jason & Vinny + Their wedding date)

We danced with the bride. (and a few other folks too)-----you know we like to boogie! 

Can you see him dipping the bride in the distance? Perfect shot once again. 

HILARIOUS!!!!!!! 

Luggage Tag Placecards!

Here are some Luggage Tag styled place cards that I created for a Vintage Travel Themed wedding recently!

Soon we will post the actual pictures from this wedding and I'm sure they will be delish! There is a lot coming from my art studio quite soon, as you will see----SUGAR IS BACK!! lol

A Tea Party:)!

The suprise party that we helped to plan last weekend went swell! I only managed to snap off a few pictures, but here are some of the elements of this '50's Style Tea Party' :

A Digital Invitation I created for her:) (This is just a screen shot so it's not as clear as it was)

(Above) A Birthday Banner, some cool flag garlands, and some hanging flower balls finished the look.

For favors, I made personalized tea-bags (Green Tea) and named it after the Birthday Lady:) the Party Date is in the middle, and the bottom says "Sweet. Refreshing" (Someone has already asked for a tutorial, so I will post one later.)

I made strawberry shortcakes, and soda-floats for dessert, and their menu included simple finger foods like sandwiches and shish-kabobs (that is spelled my way btw)----so it was simple yet sassy. I'm sooo sorry I was only there for set-up so I forgot to take pics after it was ALL put together. I'm TERRIBLE at that! But you get the idea right? Hehe!

And lastly, I made a Tea-Pot Cake, complete with a little 'Sugar Dish', some sugar squares, and one of the teabag favors.:) It was delish!

Angelina Ballerina Cake

So I think that Angelina Ballerina is basically a lab-rat in a tu-tu, but the children absolutely adore her. Nar and I ended up doing this cake for a four-year old (and a batch of cupcakes for the extra guests); they LOVED it. (And I heard there was not a scratch left after the party, hehe!)

(German chocolate on one layer/butter cake on the bottom, covered with fresh buttercream icing and then topped with homemade fondant. YUmmmmIE!)

Coasters from Le Shower

Oh! A few of you emailed me about posting my coaster art from the baby shower; here it is!
(That is not fecal matter on my art table. It is paint. I was wondered myself, if perhaps my art studio had been violated by a bowel movement but it is clear (by way of a taste test)----that it is caked up paint. Thanks)

Fundant!

While I finish up a painting and a bridal headpiece for two clients, I thought I would post some pics of a cool project I undertook a little while ago.
My love of baking (and mostly devouring cavity-inducing cakes and treats)---led me to try my hands at fondant cakes. I always admired the skill it takes to create an edible sculpture such as a fondant cakes, you know like the ones you see on 'Ace of Cakes' and the likes? It would be awesome if I could offer our brides a fondant cake for their wedding, on top of the other amazing crafts they get for their special day! (Of course this would take a little time to learn and master)
Well after researching and trying different fondant and cake recipes, (as they MUST be made from scratch---store brought fondant is just icky)----I found the perfect recipes, downloaded a picture of a really nice Coach Purse that I thought would look cool as a cake, and this is what I created: What do you think?

This took me a while, and there are still some things I need to prefect, but it tasted AMAZING and that's all that matters! I tried some simpler cakes, too:
It is sooo fun I totally suggest getting messy (but clean) in your kitchen with some fondant, and you can practice on a boxed cake too!