Scrabble Crush...

I have seen so much scrabble all over the blogosphere and I have to admit that I am amazed and inspired by people’s creativity. I am loving the trend of using scrabble tiles as part of wedding décor, its such a sweet way to share and incorporate something you love and put your spin on it.

To take something so simple and apply it so creatively, its absolutely gorgeous. Whether you're a scrabble fan or not, you will definitely love these inspirational mood boards. With this in mind, I cannot wait to incorporate scrabble into my own designs.

Happy Scrabbling Everyone! xx

meet yummy mummy Sharnel of {Sharnel Dollar Designs}

I’m excited to share this amazingly inspiring interview with our lovely readers today. I would like to introduce you to the uber talented Sharnel Dollar, a highly sought event planner and owner of a bespoke event styling business, named Sharnel Dollar Designs. Amongst all other things, Sharnel is well known for her signature dessert tables.

In the last 2 years, there is a huge focus on styling the perfect dessert table, having said that Sharnel has executed every event to perfection. She has shared the 3most important tips to keep in mind when you are styling your next dessert table. Starting from choosing the perfect backdrop to adding dimension and layers as well as mixing your patterns and textures, Sharnel has it all covered.

As Sharnel has mentioned in the interview below, the highlight of her amazing career is the divine baby shower she styled for the queen of daytime TV – Oprah. While Oprah was in Australia late last year, Sharnel had the honour of styling the most amazing baby shower which was showcased on TV and had the whole of Australia totally smitten.

Also, many of us have seen her gorgeous work in many magazines such as Peekaboo Magazine, South Australia Home Liftout Sunday Mail and alongside the amazing Oprah, Sharnel was featured in the Courier Mail last December. Enjoy the interview xx

When did you launch your business/blog and what is the inspiration behind your business? I began my blogging journey in January 2009 and my business launched in June 2010 after receiving encouraging advice and feedback from Amy Atlas.I have a background in Marketing and have always had a keen interest in interior design, theatre, music and food (especially desserts).

Who and what inspires your work?
I’m most influenced by colour. I can get teary over colour. Whether it’s the colour of a flower, a piece of fabric or the sky. Colour makes me happy.

What was the most rewarding thing that has happened in your career so far?This would have to be hands down designing and styling the Baby Shower hosted by Oprah last year. Meeting Oprah and working with her team was an absolute pleasure. I was fortunate to work with some wonderful vendors on this project too, for without them I wouldn’t have been able to produce such a beautiful shower. I have also met some beautiful woman during my short but rewarding career. Woman that I now have the honour of calling my friend.

Can you tell us your favourite handmade item you have brought recently?
To be honest, I haven’t bought anything handmade recently. My daughter though made me a single paper diamond earring to match the other one I thought I had lost. I will keep it forever.

What would be your best 3 tips for someone thinking of styling their own dessert table?
1.Consider the background. Where is the table going to be placed and how will the background coordinate. Adding a strip of wallpaper, fabric or painted background to mdf backdrop can really add extra visual impact to a dessert table.

2.Add dimension and think layers. Vary the height of your vessels and stands and remember to think three dimensionally. Place items behind and in front of each other.

3.Mix your patterns and textures. Create visual interest by using different textured foods and vessels. Smooth v bumpy. Gloss v matte.

If you could style a party for a “well known/A list” celebrity, who would you choose and why?
Well I’ve sort of ticked that one off the list already! But I would love to style a wedding or bridal shower for Reese Witherspoon. I love her classic no nonsense taste in fashion.

Do you have a favourite trend? {it could be related to anything}
I must say I’m really enjoying the reality cooking shows especially Masterchef. It is such a clever show and my favourite cook is Maggie Beer, I could listen to her all day long. She is such a warm and beautiful soul.

What is your day-to-day like?
Things are a little busy around here at present. I need to slow down and enjoy the ride. My favourite part of the day is snuggling with my kids on the sofa after bathtime. I wake up at 5.30am check emails and organise the kids school bags before waking them at 6.30am. We are out the door by 7.30am. Once I’m back home I pick and pack orders and reorder stock as necessary. I spend quite a bit of time at my children’s schools helping out where I can. On a perfect day I like to have dinner a least preparerd before school pick up. I love my slow cooker!

Once home from school there are the normal things to do like homework, unpacking, lunches for the next day, dinner and bathtime. Once kids are in bed I spend a few hours working whether it’s packing orders or liaising with clients for their upcoming celebrations.

What does the future hold for {Sharnel Dollar Designs}?
I would like to break into the corporate sector providing my sweet and dessert tables for functions and events.I would also like to launch my on line of products!

What is your favourite place in the world?
Anywhere with a beautiful view, peace and quiet, my husband next to me and my kids on my lap and my closest friends nearby.

Email: sharnel@sharneldollardesigns.com.au
Website: www.sharneldollardesigns.com.au
Blog: www.mylife-myloves.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sharnel-Dollar-Designs

I would personally like to thank Sharnel for giving our readers an insight of her life and business and we look forward to seeing more of her stunning work in the future. Make sure you visit Sharnel's website and blog for more inspirational party ideas and more. xx

Vintage Button Inspired: Desserts and Decor

I am a sucker for vintage inspired events, no matter if it’s a wedding, christening or birthday, if you are lover of vintage, this amazing shoot is a dream come true. I spotted this amazing party on 100 layer cake and it was a love at first sight. I just want to mention few of the highlights from this amazing shoot. The backdrop is magnificent; I am head over heels for all the hanging vintage frames, mouthwatering desserts and pretty flowers. Make sure you check out Leila’s {Inspired by this} blog for more inspiration and I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy xx

Tiffany and Co 21st Birthday Party

Breakfast at Tiffany’s in one of my favorite movies and I don’t know any woman who doesn’t get excited over that gorgeous blue box. I was absolutely delighted when I was asked to style this dessert table with Suzanna of Mon Tresor. The colour palette we chose for the event was tiffany blue, pink with touch of gold and crystal. The waterfront venue for this special Tiffany & Co event had the most magnificent ambiance and understated elegance and glamour.

The sweets and candy matched perfectly with the rest of the theme and we can’t go past and not mention the divine flower arrangements which featured david austen roses and dusty miller flowers. The candy jars were perfectly embellished with the gorgeous tiffany blue ribbon and crystal broaches.

I was also delighted to custom make the printables for the event which coordinated perfectly with the rest of the wonderful pieces. We had the most amazing time styling this dessert table with Suzanna and we are so honoured to have it featured on the beautiful Pizzazzerie blog today. Enjoy xx

{chocolate bars, david austen roses & dusty miller folwers,

lolly pops by Candy Soirees}

{delicious cupcakes by Blissfully Sweet Cakes}

{key cookies by Hello Naomi}

{jelly beans favour boxes and jar with white chocolate candy}

Lovely Vendors:
Printables- My Little Jedi
Props/Styling- Mon Tresor & My Little Jedi
Flowers- Harperwood Floral Design
Macaroons- Lindt
Lollipops- Candy Soirees
Tiffany chairs-Walkers Hire

stamp my heart...

We are very excited to share this fabulous post with our lovely readers today. Please welcome todays contributing editor & guest Jayde from Little Paper Lane. Little Paper Lane is a dream come true for any stationery lover and has got to be the sweetest stationery/paper shop I’ve ever seen!

Jayde turned her life long passion for paper into a beautiful and inspiring shop. Little Paper Lane is where Jayde can gleefully revel in her passion for paper and then share it with all of us. And today we are very excited to share her wonderful passion for these amazing rubber stamps. This story is very special to us as it comes straight from the heart. Enjoy x

{Winter Scape Box set $49.95, Paris stamp set $19.95}

Jayde:‘I remember my first stamp purchase! I was visiting my Nan and Pop in Victoria in their hometown of Frankston. We would take little trips to Bayside shopping centre and my Grandparents would always buy me a little gift, usually something I could create with! My Nan is a big crafter, and quite a skilled one at that! I remember my Nan taking me into the very new Cardiology shop and I was very heart fluttered! From a young age I was very fond of stationery, I am even more so now ;) but I had never seen a whole shop with such beautiful stationery and most importantly...Stamps!

They were all in rows and rows on the wall and all had a little wooden top with the picture on the wood of what the stamp created! There was ink pads galore, and not just solid colours, I remember seeing a rainbow pad and thinking it was the best thing I had ever seen! There was embossing powders and plain cards to make your own cards and just everything a little (and big) girl could dream of!

{Petite Tea Time stamp $21.95, Matchbox tea time stamp $12.95}

{Seedling my stamp city $23.95, Babushka Marche stamp set $27.50}

I still remember that it took a very long time to pick my stamp!My Nan didn’t ever get impatient, and just giggled when I changed my mind 12 times, it was a very important decision in my mind! My Pop would wander in from time to time and I would show him the hard choice I was making and you could tell he was busting to just let me take them all home, but my lovely Nan knew not to over spoil....just spoil enough! Finally I made my choice! A beautiful stamp of a heart of little flowers and she let me pick a mini pad and I chose red because I thought that hearts should be red!

I think I stamped every possible piece of paper, I wrote my Parents letters just so I could stamp them and my Pop sat with me for so long stamping away and he even got out the old school date stamps to use so he wasn’t using mine...I did want to share, but he knew I was having too much fun with it all! He always joined in with my adventures, I even have a picture of him doing ballet with me :) The next day my Nan had things to do and my pop snuck me back to the shopping centre and bought me all the stamps I was trying to choose between....and a rainbow stamp pad :) not because I asked, it was a very big surprise for me, he just saw how much I loved using my little stamp and thought I needed them all! I still have them all, and quite a few more now!

{The lovely stamps that Jayde received as a gift from her Pop}

I don’t think I realised until writing this that my love of stamps must come from that experience! My Nan patiently and so happily watching me choose the little stamp like I was choosing a puppy to take home and my very cheeky Pop completely spoiling me with stamps not because I was selfish and wanting more(although I am quite sure I badly wanted more) but because he saw the joy in my face that a tiny little object made from rubber bought his granddaughter and he just loved me......I loved him everyday of my life and still do and miss him so much and especially miss the love he had for me!

Today I sit in my little shop surrounded by the most beautiful stamps from all over the world and honestly smile when I look at them! They are just beautiful! A customer came in with her daughter in the holidays and let her choose a little treat, it didn’t take her long, but she picked a tin of stamps that included a stamp that had a ‘thank you’ stamp in it! I asked her what she would be creating and she said she wanted to make a card for her Grandma and Grandad to say Thank you for having her the previous week. It made my heart melt! Stamps are awesome.’

Love, Jayde
{of Little Paper Lane}
http://www.littlepaperlane.com.au/

say it with 'Chevron'

I've been seeing a lot of {chevron} patterns popping up everywhere in the design blogosphere and I must admit, I'm totally smitten by it. I've always loved herringbone and honeycomb patterns and the latest addition of chevron design is just a more modern twist on that classic zig zag pattern.

Even though I have been a fan of chevron décor for a while but lately this obsession has stepped up a notch. From cards, invitations, chairs, to rugs, to walls, chevron is here to stay and this is how my latest chevron envelopes printable collection was born. To confirm by chevron obsession, i have designed my latest business cards with this lovely candy chevron design and i am also desperately waiting for my chevron monogram iphone cover. {image below}. This is my spin on this everlasting trend. I hope you flaunt the chevron design just as much as I do! xx

{chevron printable envelopes by My Little Jedi}

Delightfully Sweet Alice in Wonderland Party

Spotted! Totally sweet & adorable {Alice in Wonderland} dessert table! What makes it even more special that my dear friend Niki of {Candy Soirees} worked collaboratively with Kate of {Kiss Me Kate} and these two amazing masterminds have created a masterpiece which I would love to share with all our readers today.

I absolutely adore the story itself, its classic with plenty of fun and iconic figures to plan a theme around. The use of divine pastel colours, mix of textures and patterns and an eclectic tower of teacups, Niki and Kate have created a wonderful whimsical event. There are so many amazing details featured in this lovely dessert table, for me the stand outs are the lovely backdrop, vintage tea cup tower and the divine teapot cake . The hanging baroque frames and clock as well as the tea cup tower add a touch of whimsy to this special event. I have to admit this is one of my favourite Alice in Wonderland parties I have even seen. And when you combine the amazing styling of Niki with the deliciously gorgeous sweets made by Kate it all turns into magic! Enjoy xx