DIY: Tinsel New Year's Number Banner

Got a little extra time between say now and midnight? Well these sparkly tinsel garlands make flashy party decor for New Year's Eve!



Don't pack up the Christmas decorations before you ring in the New Year. Sparkly tinsel garlands make flashy party decor. Here's how to turn the countdown into a glittery affair.

Make a Number Banner

Download the Martha Stewart "2011" template and print onto card stock. Cut out, and punch 2 small holes at the top of each numeral. String numbers onto a 2-yard length of ribbon. Use a hot-glue gun to attach a length of tinsel garland to each number, snipping ends. Hang with thumbtacks.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Tinsel New Year's Number Banner - Martha Stewart Crafts

Currently Loving: Confetti Systems!

ahh, Holiday windows! Full of sugar, spice, and most everything nice! They sparkle, twinkle, and inspire delight. Have you seen J.Crew's delicious displays? They are masterminded by the talented team of Confetti System and make me want to pop a bottle in celebration of all the eye candy to behold!  I was first introduced to these pinatas and garlands in the J.Crew Holiday 2011 display windows at the Christiana Mall in Newark, DE... and I just thought they were amazing!  Its a sea of tinsil, snow, glitter and piñatas! I must admit that while the windows feel much more like New Years than Christmas, I find them quite refreshing. The color palate is not typical for J.Crew, and I love that they are taking chances and mixing it up. However, I am a little sad that they took them down before the NYE festivities.  P.S. It is a good thing we were able to snag a few of these for our own personal use :)

Confetti System has designed a modern collection of handmade piñatas ($140) created from shreds of mylar (metalized plastic sheeting) that are sleek enough to double as party decor, so let the kids have their papier-mâché.

Available in a range of metallics including silver, gold and quartz, the piñatas would add sparkle to any festive event especially New Year’s Eve.  Although they may seem to pretty to hit with a stick, the piñatas are filled with handmade confetti for those that choose to break them open.

Office Furniture + Decor... coming soon!

So, last week I was telling you about my office remodel, which I am super ecstatic about! A place where I am able to take clients other than meeting them in the hustle and bustle of coffee shops. Truly, I don't mind, however, I thoroughly enjoy putting out a spread of cheese, crackers, and having my own beverage bar available for whatever may quench their thirst! Plus, it will give me a little piece and quiet to work that doesn't consist of working in my dining room and shifting papers around. Seriously, I have a file organizer hiding behind my curtains for when company comes over. Did I mention the neighbors can see it from the outside? Lol. This will make for a nice new addition to my home and I am super excited! I love mixing modern + vintage. I  plan on working off of a neutral wall pallet... more than likely my favorite Benjamin Moore color called Cape Hatteras Sand. Sometimes it looks gray, and other times it looks tan depending on the lighting in the room. The floors will be a nice dark walnut stain on plank flooring. I will be using a lot of white furniture, shelving, and decor and pairing that white with some nice bold floral print accessories and textiles. I did find the neatest thing today on the Urban Outfitters website that was a white textured floral print wallpaper that is paintable. Umm... yes, I will be finding a wall space for that to inhabit. Even it if is only like 5'x 8'! The office will be in my attic so the ceiling is slighting slanted, so I will not be able to hang artwork, however, I will be having several canvases done to display our absolutely stunning brides and details from our weddings and events in which we have worked. Below is an idea of the pieces that I will be purchasing... don't worry, there will be a lot of contrast with the white furniture!

From Left to Right:

Row 1: Blomster Candlesticks  $14.99 | Ikea  Docksta Dining Table $179 | Ikea  Swoop Arm Chair in Pewter Gray Velvet $199.99 | Target  Tradig Bowl $24.99 | Ikea

Row 2: Wire Capiz Sunburst Mirror $84.99 | Target  Mariposa Canister Collection $34.95-$99.95 | Z Gallerie  Oversized Gold Sunburst Mirror $69.99 | Target

Row 3: Athens Chaise Settee $549.99 | Target

Torsby Sideboard $299 | Ikea

Not Shown: Expedit Bookcase $129 | Ikea  Micke Desk $79 | Ikea  Summer Paintable Wallpaper $30 | Urban Outfitters

nicole brennan  .  302.545.0412  .  nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com  .  wilmington

getting ready for a remodel for a new OFFICE!

So the Thanksgiving festivities are all over, and all I can say is that brining a turkey is the way to go! I got an A++ on my first turkey, and I was even told it was better than my future mother in-laws by my fiance. Now that is big doings. She is always the perfect hostess!

Now I am super excited about Christmas, but the only thing I have on my Christmas wish list is to remodel my attic into my own personal office. It is about time to give the dining room back to the family... and with 345 of square feet to work with, I am super inspired, and extremely excited! Close your eyes and just imagine an exposed brick accent wall, white walls (or maybe my personal favorite, Cape Hatteras Sand by Benjamin Moore), exposed ceiling beams, pendant lamp, dark walnut stained plank flooring, white furniture, and textiles of accent colors (to be decided). My only problem is that I have always had extremely expensive taste, but never big enough pockets, so I have always been able to find great pieces curbside, at Target, or even at my extremely furniture friendly place, Ikea! My newest love of white decorative pieces is Z Gallerie... just had to share :) New windows will be installed in my new office in late January, so it looks like I will begin painting after the New Year! Here is a sneak peek at a few decor photos that inspire me, and then in my next post I'll feature some of the pieces I have my eye on to furnish my new fabulous space! To be continued...

 

nicole brennan . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . 302.545.0412 . wilmington, de

Thanksgiving: My first Turkey... part deux!

Wow... Thanksgiving is two days away! I promised to document my experience, but I have been so busy, that I hardly even had time to sit down and open up a browser. Extremely exciting though... I did do all of my Thanksgiving shopping last night during Monday Night Football. I am a late night shopper. I can't explain it, but there is just never enough time in a day for me it seems. Of course, it was better for me because I was able to miss all of the hub bub of the holidays crowds. Now, I will tell you that I was extremely nervous. I had planned on purchasing my Thanksgiving feast on Monday evening, but my future mother-in-law informed me that I needed to allow several days for my turkey to defrost if I was purchasing frozen (and of course I was... it was cheaper!). I could not really reroute shopping earlier because I would not be coming back into town until Monday afternoon from Pittsburgh. At least the Target Sales ads treated me well!

The Invitation | I decided to send out an Evite to family members and friends for my first fabulous Thanksgiving feast. Since we decided to do a potluck, it was great because they could RSVP on the invitation and include what they would be bringing so that we would not have doubles. I thought it was festive and informative!

Pillsbury Caramel Apple Pie

The Menu | Well of course the staples. My family has a lot of traditional menu items that we have grown up with through the years that would be hard not to include. My grandmother is bringing her famous beans, my aunt her sweet potato casserole, my other aunt is bringing deviled eggs, and my mother is bringing the French's green bean casserole, pumpkin roll, and biscuits! I have taken on the task of the turkey, traditional stuffing, stuffing balls (always a request!), mashed potatoes, and my turtle pumpkin pie! What is truly exciting is that my younger sister, Melissa has decided that she is going to try her hand at cooking and will be contributing glazed carrots with cranberries, a pumpkin chex mix for snacking, and a caramel apple pie. Needless to say, for twelve people we will have more than enough food!

a Thanksgiving Timeline

While some home cooks have years of experience preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, I however, do not. I already did my grocery shopping and chose my 20lb Turkey for twelve guests. However, because I was a little overwhelmed with all of the days feastivities, I decided to check in with Williams Sonoma to see what kind of advice they could offer! Williams Sonoma compiled this timeline to help you plan and prepare your feast. Their tried-and-true timeline has helped many a Thanksgiving cooks over the years, so here is to hoping that it will guide me.

Thanksgiving: My first Turkey

Stuffing Balls

As I rapidly approach thirty this upcoming year in twenty-eleven, my fiance told me that I needed to "woman" up and learn how to cook a turkey. It is true. I have never made a Thanksgiving turkey. That was always left to the previous generations; my mother and my grandmother. I have always contributed stuffing balls and most recently turtle pumpkin pie. Both made with love, but lets face it, I couldn't do it without kraftrecipes.com. Honestly, they were no fail... and I suggest if you are looking for something that you are sure your family will like, I definitely suggest checking out those recipes. But now since I have been handed over the task of the turkey its time to step up my game a little more than a lot.