Valentine’s Day- I couldn’t help myself

How un-event-like would I be if I did not post something for tomorrow’s big, romantic day? I will admit, I am not a huge fan of the holiday because I believe that you can show how much you care for the people in your life without having to save it all up for one day.  However, Valentine’s day is another day to celebrate and host an event and for that reason alone (and I love the colour red), I write this post.

Thankfully there are a lot of Valentine’s day enthusiasts out there  in the blogsphere that give some great ideas/tips on how to decorate, adorn, create, love, treat and gift for Valentine’s day.  If you are feeling extra creative this weekend, here are some of my favourites that hopefully incite some romance and creativity for your celebration with friends/partners/family/bf/gf’s…..

Valentines Day Macaron

via (Tartlette)

Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

(via Kaboodle)

Chocolate Heart Cookies

Chocolate Hearts for your Sweet (via Style at Home)

Eco Invites: Smock Paper

If you are going the hard copy route when it comes to invitations and feel guilty about all the trees that will have to suffer in the process to make your event and invitations look beautiful, here is a company based out of Syracuse, New York that will put some of your guilt at bay.  Smock Paper is the print shop in the US to print on luxury bamboo paper which they developed in-house in conjunction with a European paper mill. 

In addition to using bamboo paper, Smock Paper is also a member of 1% For the Planet, a non profit organization that allows companies to donate 1% of sales to a network of 1699 environmental organizations to give back and keep the earth in business.

If my first two points don’t win you over, then take a look at some of the impressively detailed and stylish letterpress greeting cards and invitations they develop on their eco-friendly lined envelopes. (more pics to come soon)  You can check out more from Smock paper on Etsy.com

Smock happy birthday C418T (photo courtesy of Etsy.com)

Smock Happy Birthday C404T1 (image courtesy of Etsy.com)

Smock Congratulations C445T1 (image courtesy of Etsy.com)

If you are reading the post and are living in Toronto you can purchase Smock Paper wedding invitations at RSVP Studio 533 Eglinton Ave West, Toronto 416-785-1761

The ultimate tea party- Crown and Crumpet (SF)

Tea is my water.  I drink gallons of loose leaf tea and would call myself somewhat of a fanatic.  Perhaps it was the five years I spent travelling back and forth between Toronto and China that did it! I was engrossed by tea culture from a young age and now make it a part of my daily life and travel.  Actually, make a point of looking up local tea houses or places that offer afternoon tea when I travel to sample local interpretations of the delightful afternoon pass time. 

What I am enraptured by the most is the creativity that hosts inject into designing afternoon tea menus, tea party table design etc…  It is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy some bite sized treats and share good conversation with your guests. 

One great place (of many) to experience afternoon tea is at Crown and Crumpet in San Francisco.  They have done an excellent job designing their store to reflect the nuances of tea culture.  This brightly coloured space will be sure to ignite the senses.

Crown and Crumpet Store SF (from Crown and Crumpet)

Afternoon Tea Service (from crown and crumpet)

Inside the salon (from Crown and Crumpet)

Other honourable mentions in SF go to :

Samovar Tea Lounge

Lovejoy’s Tea Room

Honourable mention in LA:

Royal-T

Royal T in LA (from Royal-T)

Stunning dining room = stunning event

I am a big proponent of interior design and architecture especially when a space affords you the ability to up the ante on your style factor when entertaining. 

Today my attention was drawn to a Brazilian design firm, Rosenbaum, that works on a variety of  a commercial and residential interiors in Brazil. 

After a bit more digging to find out more about Rosenbaum’s projects and style, I found a piece posted on Design*Sponge written about the Brazilian firm and wanted to share my favourite picture. 

I think the dining room Rosenbaum put together is just stunning.  The combination of high ceilings, artistic chandelier contrasted with the red goblets on the table make for an eye catching dinner party!

Rosenbaum dining room (photo courtesy of Design*Sponge)

1154 Lil Studio- Design your own purse

If you are stuck on what to give your bridesmaids as a gift or how to inject colour/pattern into your bridal party, look no further than 1154 lil studio.  

1154 lil studio is a business started by entrepreneur, Jen Velarde, that allows customers to interact creatively design their own handbags and accessories both at the store and online.

There is a huge list of purse/handbag patterns to choose from only to be complemented by an even larger inventory of materials that you can select to design your own purse. 

What’s better that giving a great bag that can be used for ever that no one else will have!

Craft + creativity = awesome gift.

company logo

example bag

Lovely Yellow Wedding

While the ground outside may be covered in snow, there is no reason why you can’t blog about a different season.  I read blog, delight by design from time to time and a couple months ago (also in winter so I don’t feel so badly commenting on a summer wedding) a beatiful wedding done in yellow and white.  When I first saw the photos and read the post, the vibe I got was calming.  What better way to have your guests enjoy themselves by creating an atmosphere that evokes a sense of peace, coziness and serene.   To give you a flavour for the event style, I have included a couple detail shots- extra little decor items such as the cusions on the couches, the candles wrapped in an eyelet pattern to match the bride’s dress as well as the guest favours.  To see the rest of the pictures, visit Snippet & Ink’s blog