The "New" Kind Of Wreath

A fun decoration for any time of year. An easy craft that you can change up for each season. The rosettes are not glued on the letter, they are tied to the "C" which makes it easy to switch colors or decorations according to the season. The colors I chose are a mix of fall and Christmas. Better fall colors may be orange, red, and yellow. Christmas colors could be green, red, and white etc.

Now I'm going to warn you covering the letter with hemp, takes awhile, so I stuck in a favorite chick flick while I wrapped the letter. The rosettes don't take as long to make.

All you need is a ball of hemp and whatever letter you'd like to cover and a glue gun (you can get all these things at your neighborhood craft store). Now every letter is going to be different because each shape makes it easier/harder... curvy letters like C or S are a bit harder. Don't bother making it perfect, it looks great either way. The key is to make sure the white doesn't show.

First tie a knot and start wrapping I coated a little section at a time with glue and wrapped that little section. Now the corners are harder so you might have to use more glue or be more particular. You basically do one layer, and then another otherwise you will not be able to cover all the white. On the curves try angling the wrap and the second layer make it straighter. I wish I could be more help with this part but really, you just gotta go with it. Remember that only one side will be displayed so you can tie knots and everything on the back side.

My puppy was very interested in the "C" :) He's a boy - hence the hockey jersey!

Rosettes - You will need scrap strips of fabric and a glue gun or fabric glue.
Now this is going to seem easy - all you do is cut a strip about an inch wide and the length depends how big you want the rose. I took a t-shirt and cut an inch wide off the bottom it ended up being about 24 inches long - which was more than long enough - you probably only need about 12 inches in length. Make sure you cut off any tags from the t-shirt and do not use where the hem is - first cut off the hem and then cut the inch wide strip. You will have a circle of fabric, so just cut it so that it's one long strip and not a circle.

Then you tie a knot on on side of the strip of fabric and twist the fabric as if you were twirling your hair and wrap that fabric in a circle. Glue the side about every half inch, when you apply the glue put it closer to the backside of the rose so that you do not see any glue on the front (you just want to see the fabric). Again the backside of the rose will not be seen, so don't worry if it's coated with glue.

Alternative way of gluing -
when you get the size of the about a penny - coat the backside of the rosette with the hot glue let it dry - and then continue wrapping. Coat the back again with glue every so often.

Once your rosette is "big" enough, you will have a strip of fabric, if you'd like to cut it, you can. But I left the fabric attached and used it to wrap around the C. I wrapped it twice and then used a pin to keep it in place.

You can make a number of rosettes to change the colors for the seasons. You can also add embellished centers with little pearls or jewels.

Hope you enjoy!!
~Melissa

SHE's Trendy: Feathers

Whether you've seen feathers at a wedding you've been invited to recently, or just on "My Fair Wedding with David Tutera," they are a fun and trendy decorative accent for weddings.  They are also the inspiration for this week's trendy blog, specifically peacock feathers. 

Peacock feathers have so many great colors to set your event color palette, the most prominent being blue and green.  You could also introduce pinks and purples as accents. 

Royal/turquoise blue is definitely a popular and gorgeous color for bridesmaids dresses.  It is also easier to find green, pink or purple flowers than blue flowers and they also will pop against the blue bridesmaids dresses. 

To incorporate the peacock feathers, I found these precious hairpins for the bridesmaids.

The bride can also incorporate peacock feathers subtly with this garter or bouquet:

I think a great birdcage veil also fits well with the peacock theme.  The veil I found is really simple and could easily be paired with the feather hairpin mentioned above.  Another great detail would be to tie the feathers into your shoes, similar to this:

And to not leave out the guys, boutonnieres can also include the peacock feathers.

Now although peacock feathers are gorgeous, it is important to make sure not to over-use them.  I think definitely use some feathers in some of the centerpieces, but also stick with classic flower centerpieces to keep the theme calm.  You can even do some really pretty vintage blue and white vases with green flowers.

A final touch to keep with the bird theme would be to decorate with birdcages.  They are so pretty and have a natural vintage feel.  They can be used as simple decoration with candles, or they can be used for cards on the gift table.

For more ideas on how to incorporate feathers into your wedding, check out one of our former couples wedding albums here: http://www.stellaharperevents.com/#/randi---jason/

Bridesmaids Dresses
Hairpins
Veil
Garter
Boutonniere 1
Boutonniere 2
Centerpieces

Check back in 2 weeks for another SHE's Trendy blog!

SHE's Trendy: Video Save the Date

If you're newly engaged, chances are you're already thinking about your Save the Date announcement.  Save the Dates are not a requirement but they are a necessary courtesy if you're having a destination wedding or a lot of out of town guests.  As a general rule, these should be mailed six months before the wedding and if it's a destination wedding they should be mailed eight months prior. 

Okay- enough with the etiquette!  Now to the fun part... the design!  There are so many different options for a Save the Date, from magnets, cards, calendars, etc.  But have you seen the new trendy way to send your Save the Date... a video?!  Check out the videos below for some ideas on how to make your Save the Date trendy and unique! 

Love these!

Pumpkin Spice Latte
MORE PUMPKIN STUFF! 
I had seen this recipe for a pumpkin spice latte using a crockpot; and I've recently become obsessed with my crockpot so I was actually super excited. I was going to post how to make it and everything for you but... after making it... I was totally unimpressed. So I didn't give up, I used another pumpkin spice latte directions - no crockpot but same ingredients - and got way different results!

So my post is late, only because I would never tell ya'll to make something and say it's good without making it and tasting it myself. So my first advice - keep that crockpot in the pantry, use it for some other delicious meal.

Ingredients
2 cups of milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
1 – 2 tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute like stevia or splenda)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1-4 shots espresso or very strong coffee (If you get a bold or xbold coffee and use double amount of grounds per cup you'll get the coffee to be very "espresso like")
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I couldn't find pumpkin pie spice... so if you find it let me know where it is! BUT you can use 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg 1/8 a teaspoon of cloves 1/4 a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger)
Whipped Cream (optional)

Directions
First brew the coffee - either espresso or just strong coffee. You do not have to buy espresso beans, buy a bold or xbold flavor that you would like to drink even after you make this drink! That way, no waste!

Then add milk - soy, 2%, skim, whatever kind you prefer - pumpkin puree, sugar, and the pumpkin spices in a small saucepan. Mix them together in a sauce pan. Heat the sauce pan about medium heat, so that it gets very hot, but not boiling.

Once it's very hot, remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.

 

Okay the pictures are kind of boring and not super helpful... so I just have one of the saucepan!

Transfer saucepan contents to blender or milk frother and blend/froth until the liquid becomes a little thicker or "frothy".

I'm not sure how big your mug is so you can pour about one cup or 3/4ths of the mug full with the pumpkin milk mixture and add your espresso (1 to 4 "shots"). If you don't like the taste of coffee that much, add more of the pumpkin milk mixture and less of the coffee, if you like it stronger, do the opposite! I added whipped cream and put a little bit of cinnamon on top.

This recipe makes two smaller mugs or one and a half bigger mugs. If you would like to make more just double or triple the recipe ingredients!

This would be a fun thing to have for a halloween get together or just a special treat when spending time with family and friends! Enjoy! I know I did!!

Did you notice the mug is a Coca Cola mug... what can I say SHE is from Atlanta!!! :)

Until Next Week!! ~ Melissa

SHE's Crafty: Photo Frame

I really love the idea of this week's DIY project. It's a way to display many of your photos at the same time! It's also great for your event and then to use at home when you're finished! This week's DIY project is this great homemade frame with clothespins.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

1. Hook Screws
2. Twine
3. Measuring Tape
4. Pencil
5. Scissors
6. Clothes pins
7. Frame- You can either buy a frame somewhere that doesn't have glass, or you can make one. If you'd like to make the frame yourself the materials you'll need are:

• 4 Pieces of Wood

• 4 Screws

• Pencil

• Measuring Tape

• Circular Saw

• Power Drill

(A husband or friend that is good with a circular saw is definitely a bonus for this project as well!)

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE FRAME:

1. Decide how big you want the overall frame to be. Measure and mark two pieces of wood with the same size, and do the same with the other two.
2. Use the circular saw with a miter box to cut 45° angles in the wood pieces in a way that they will fit together to form the frame.
3. Put two corners together and use a 1/16” drill bit to drill a guide hole through both pieces of wood. Then screw in one screw to hold the pieces together.
4. Repeat step 3 until all corners are connected.

AFTER THE FRAME IS BUILT, OR IF YOU BOUGHT A FRAME:

1. Decide how many rows of photos you'd like to put on your frame. Use the measuring tape to measure evenly where the screws will hold the rows of twine.

2. Screw in the hook screws evenly.

3. Take twine and cut strips long enough to go across the frame. Slip one side of the twine through a hook on the left side of the frame and tie tightly. Then pull tight across the frame and tie the other side of the twine to the hook screw on the right side. Once both sides are tied, you can turn the hook screws in to tighten the twine if necessary.

4. Repeat step 3 until all rows of twine are installed.

5. Gather your favorite photos and hang them from the frame with the clothespins to display at your event!

I actually took pictures while doing measurements and placing the hook screws, but didn't have my memory card in my camera at the time, so I only have finished pictures. Hopefully the instructions were easy enough to follow without photos.

I loved the finished product of my photo frame and can't wait to use it at my best friend's engagement party coming up in a couple of weeks. It will be great to display in my house after the fact, too. It's nice to have these projects that can be used once your wedding is over, too. Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions at erin@stellaharperevents.com.

SHE's Crafty: Cornucopia

The Latin meaning for cornucopia is  the "horn of plenty" and is most often seen around Thanksgiving time. Greek mythology tells the story of the cornucopia; it was a magical goat's horn and whenever the owner requested food and drink the horn filled itself with whatever was asked. It's a great decoration for the fall festivities and would also be a unique decoration for a place card table at a wedding. This symbol of abundance and nourishment can be filled with gourds and pumpkins like mine or pears and nuts, whatever you would like.

To create the cornucopia you need burlap, a wicker cornucopia, hemp or twine, and raffia. You can find all these materials as a craft store (at least during Thanksgiving time). 

Take the burlap and wrap the cornucopia in it. It doesn't have to be perfect or look awesome because the whole outside will be covered. So if you try to make anything look good make the inside look good. Use a hot glue gun to glue the burlap to the cornucopia - just be careful because it's super easy to burn yourself (burlap has holes- ouch!!). 

Next take the hemp and tie a knot at the end of the raffia and wrap it around and tie the hemp in another knot at the end of the raffia. Wrap the hemp/raffia that you created around the cornucopia, use a hot glue gun to keep it in place. Continue this process until the whole cornucopia is wrapped with raffia.

Now it' time to fill it up!  Add whatever goodies you'd like to your new cornucopia!


See you next week for another holiday blog!
~ Melissa

Style Watch: Old Hollywood Glamour

The style theme for this week is going to be Old Hollywood Glamour.  The inspiration for this week’s theme is a great childhood friend of mine’s wedding, coming up in June next year.  She is getting married at a classic old theatre that is so beautiful!  Her color scheme is red and black, which I think is perfect for Old Hollywood.  When you have such a strong theme like this, there are so many fun things you can do!

As always, I stay true to my thought that invitations are the first thing that set the tone for your wedding, I think there are a few great ideas that will set the tone for this theme!  This first one I love because it just feels like 1920’s movie premiere.  The other idea comes from my bride friend, Laura, who will be using a ticket for her invitation!  Such a great idea!

Once you’re at the wedding, the theme can be carried out in so many ways.  The first thing that the guests would see would be the theatre marquee!  If you’re doing an Old Hollywood/Theatre theme but are not having the wedding at a theatre, I would definitely make something that looks like this. 

For flowers, I would stick with basic traditional flowers- red roses, white lilies/orchids.  If you do black bridesmaid dresses, red flowers would be a great pop of color. If you do red bridesmaid dresses, you could do white or a mixture of red and white.  

For the bridal look, I think the trend of the birdcage veil would be perfect at this wedding. The one below even has a feather which is perfect for this theme!

For centerpieces, it’s a good idea to have a little bit of a mixture.  Some just flowers-some should be tall and some should be short- and also some other special touches.  I think a great and fun way to incorporate the theme here would be to add feathers! 

I think that for the other centerpieces you could find some old vintage cameras and place them in the middle.  You could probably find some of these at thrift stores or antique stores.   I also love doing small candles with lace covering them.  Check out my past DIY blog to see how to make these.

Because this theme is so fun, I think the reception needs to have some fun things for the guests!  My first idea is a popcorn machine!  I think this fits perfectly into the theme, and is fun for your guests.  You can find these paper popcorn containers for pretty inexpensively, too.
My other fun idea is with the guestbook.  I think a Polaroid guestbook kind of gives off the old feel and gives the guests something fun to do!  All you need is a Polaroid camera or two, a blank scrapbook, blank Polaroid film, and some pens and tape.

The last touch for this theme is to have a great, bold, wedding cake.  I found this black and white cake that I love.  The stitch detail looks sort of like fishnet stockings which definitely reminds me of Old Hollywood. You could add red accents to the cake table, or with some sort of topper or flowers around it.

Overall, I LOVE this theme, and I love the many different things you can do with such a fun theme.  Hopefully it sparked some ideas with some of you!

See you back next Monday for another DIY project.

Invitation that IS a ticket stub

Invitation that is NOT a ticket stub

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

For the next three months, each Wednesday, Melissa, our Guest Blogger and member of the SHE team, will be blogging about something festive. We will use the holidays that fall within each month to guide the blog.  Many, if not all of the festive blogs will be easily worked into any wedding or party, but mostly we wanted to provide a general holiday blog that we felt like all of our clients, family and friends would enjoy!  Let us know what you think by becoming a blog follower!

It's October! Let the Pumpkin obsession begin, and everything else that is "Fall."

I found this awesome recipe for pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing that I had to share! So let this "DIY" project give your holiday season a sweet start.

Oh ya, the picture got your attention didn't it... can you smell the pumpkin yet?

Pumpkin Cookie Ingredients:
1 Cup Shortening
3 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Large Can of Pumpkin Pie Mix
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
5 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

I have a kitchenaid- if you don't have one, don't worry, use a handmixer... if you can afford one they are awesome!! 

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies... I was eating and making, so I loose track! But definitely enough to share!

Measure out 1 cup of shortening and 3 cups of sugar and put them in your bowl...

this is not an advertisement for Crisco or Publix :) so whatever kind of shortening or whatever brand of sugar is just fine!

Mix it up!
Next add two eggs and mix it up again!
Into the mixer they go!
Don't taste it... we're not to the "finger licking" step yet... Add the Pumpkin Pie (in a can) Mix!
Not an ad for Libby's :) Any large Pumpkin Pie Mix will work! Pour that stuff in and mix it up!
Add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract. I bought store brand, mostly because that was all Kroger had to offer... still tasted great!
SNOW STORM in the kitchen! It's time to add 5 cups of flour! This is when I put on the KitchenAid mixing cover thing to keep the flour in the bowl. If you don't have one of those just be more careful when mixing in the flour to avoid a white kitchen (It's not Christmas yet!)
My measuring cup only shows 2 cups, don't let that fool you! It's 5 cups of flour!
Almost finger licking time... first add the spices!
  


Add 1 tsp. of Salt, 2 tsp. of Baking Powder, 2 tsp. of Baking Soda, 2 tsp. of Cinnamon, and 2 tsp. of Nutmeg... Mix it good... Mix it Real Good! Should taste really good now! Lick those fingers! And wash them... :) Next plop them onto a cookie sheet! 

Put the cookies into an oven that is 350 degrees! Leave them in the oven for about 12 minutes.
Mmmmh... pumpkin smell...

 

Take them out, if they look almost "wet" they are not done... If your unsure, pull one apart and see if it looks like batter or like cookie :) Then put them on a cookie rack or if you cut up a brown paper bag that works or you could use wax paper! Whatever you would like. 

 
Let them cool for a little while... and once they are cool you'll add the cream cheese icing. Oh that's right, let's make the cream cheese icing now! You can make the icing first if you want! Just don't let the icing sit out all day, it's made of cream cheese, so it needs to be refrigerated!

Cream Cheese Icing Ingreidents:

2 packages of cream cheese (8oz)

1/2 cup of butter (softened)

2 Cups of Sifted Confectioners' Sugar

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

I used the Philadelphia cream cheese... but again, any cream cheese should work.

Softened butter. Ok so this is more like melted butter, but my husband and I haven't gotten around to getting a microwave and well frankly we've gotten used to not having it (I know we're crazy) so mine is more melted becasue I had to "soften" them on the stove. If you accidently melt them, don't worry, but they just have to be soft!

Put the 2 pacakges of cream cheese in the mixer, and the stick of (1/2 cup) butter and mix them together! Then add 2 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar (AKA powdered sugar). Mix it up! Add a tsp. of Vanilla Extract and mix until even!

This is what it will look like! Creamy goodness! Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl so that everything mixes evenly.

Now that's some tasty icing...

Ice those cookies! Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top or nutmeg works too if you prefer that flavor!

Share the delicious pumpkin treat!

If you make these let me know what you think! I really think you'd be amazed just how delicious they taste!