Entertaining Ideas | Design Happens

ALL POSTS TAGGED "[entertaining ideas]"

Entertaining with the Color of the Month: Let’s Talk Teal

by Kim Stoegbauer October 4, 2011 31 Comments

For October, our trend savvy HGTV.com editors chose teal as the Color of the Month. This lovely shade falls somewhere between blue and green. While researching ideas for using this rich color, I came across a wide spectrum of tones, many of which were called teal but seemed too blue. I think a true teal has more green in it. I compiled a few ideas on how you can use this color in your next event. First up, sweets like candy, cupcakes, sprinkles and candy apples that are eye-catching and easy to serve at a casual or elegant gathering.

tealpartyideas teal sweets :: sprinkles, candy apples, candy corsage, chocolate bar, cupcakes

Paper is always an essential part of the party, at least for me. Use invitations, tags, thank you notes and paper decorations in teal to carry the color scheme throughout.

tealdecoratingideas teal paper elements :: thank you cards, tags, pomettes, tissue flowers

I spotted some great decorative pieces in teal that can add the color and style to your gathering. I love this custom made initial, which could be placed on your food/dessert table or by the front door to greet guests. The gorgeous pattern is fabric, which could be used to make a table cloth or runner.
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Entertaining With the Color of the Month: Party Blues

by Kim Stoegbauer September 20, 2011 18 Comments

Did you catch Anna’s Color of the Month post for September? Your response to indigo was really positive. Readers called it calming, pretty, lovely, organic and many more flattering adjectives. Indigo falls somewhere between blue and violet and is named after a dye used in India and other countries around the world. When it comes to entertaining with indigo, finding inspiration gets quite a bit harder. I have personally never used this color for a party, but after my research, I think it would be beautiful for a dinner party or wedding.

sources :: plate, placemat, coasters, tea towel

What I did find, was that you often see gorgeous intricate patterns paired with items of this color, as seen above in the plate and tea towel.

While searching Etsy, I spotted a few handmade paper items including a heart garland, journal and gift tags. Aren’t they gorgeous?

Party Trend: Flags, Bunting and Banners (Plus Free Printables)

by Kim Stoegbauer September 6, 2011 15 Comments

Banners and bunting are everywhere in the party world. Wherever we party stylists can find a place to stick cutout triangles stringed together, we do. There is just something so festive about them. Not to mention how ridiculously easy and simple they are to make! For a recent birthday party photo shoot I styled, I designed printable bunting using the popular chevron pattern. Just print, cut and string with ribbon or twine. I hung the bunting behind the desserts to help create a focal point. The free printable alphabet banner featured on the blog Ruffled is so adorable and can be used for so many occasions. Fabric bunting is another great option for parties and decorating. Party stylist Kate Landers and I collaborated on a Wizard of Oz inspired party, and she used yards and yards of custom made flags over the blue and white children’s table.

printable chevron bunting {photo by laura winslow}, free printable alphabet bunting, fabric bunting

Another popular trend that I love is using mini bunting to decorate simple cakes. This can also be done using paper or fabric, along with ribbon or twine. Simply attach to skewers or decorative straws and your simple cake becomes the life of the party. Super cute, right?

multi-colored cake bunting, red & blue bunting, yellow & white bunting

Party Trend: Burlap Adds Rustic Charm to Weddings + Fetes

by Kim Stoegbauer August 23, 2011 27 Comments

I love the burlap trend that I am seeing grace parties and weddings everywhere. Think beyond potato sacks and get creative! There are so many ways you can use burlap for your next gathering, whether it’s a dinner party, wine tasting, children’s party or wedding. The natural color and texture add charm to any setting. Plus, burlap is biodegradable and inexpensive.

There are a wide range of products now available for home decorating and entertaining made of burlap. Why not use a burlap runner for your dining table. This printed one is gorgeous. A simple, plain one would be great too, because you could use it everyday or for a variety of events. These embellished votive holders are simple and darling. And present your utensils beautifully in a basket dressed up with a burlap liner.

sources :: burlap table runner, votives, basket liner

When I spotted this burlap wine carrier on Etsy, I knew I had to share. I wouldn’t mind carrying this into a party at all. It’s so stylish and functional!

source :: wine carrier

Entertaining With the Color of the Month: Hosting a Party? Say Hello to Yellow

by Kim Stoegbauer August 16, 2011 23 Comments

Last week, Anna blogged about decorating with chrome yellow, HGTV’s August Color of Month. So, as I prepared my post on entertaining with chrome yellow, it dawned on me that I must have a thing for color, because I seem to adore every hue that is picked as the Color of the Month. One of these days, the HGTV color team will select a tough one for entertaining, and I promise to confess if I hate it. For now, I’m all about this month’s bright shade of yellow.

credits :: lemon bars, frozen lemonade, lemon cupcakes

My favorite color trend right now is the yellow and gray combination. From home decorating to weddings, this pairing is simply gorgeous. These pretty paper details will add color and texture to your next soiree.

sources :: paper medallions, pinwheels, thank you cards, poms

Design Crush: My Interview With Amy Atlas, Sweets Stylist

by Kim Stoegbauer August 9, 2011 9 Comments

It’s time for another Design Crush interview! This month, I am introducing you to the lovely Amy Atlas of Amy Atlas Designs. If you don’t know Amy yet, I think you’ll be happy to meet her. She has taken the wedding and event industry by storm with her beautifully styled dessert tables. Amy is an inspiration to so many, and she inspired me to start designing my own dessert tables for photo shoots and parties. As a lawyer turned creative event stylist, Amy is the perfect role model for those thinking about taking a leap of faith to pursue a passion. You can read Amy’s story here. Her website is pure eye candy, and her blog features tips, projects and gorgeous dessert tables submitted by her readers. I caught up with Amy last week, and she shared some favorite dessert tables, exciting moments and an update on her latest project. Enjoy!

{1} Prior to starting Amy Atlas Events, your previously career was in the legal field. You are such an inspiration for so many women, including me, who decide to leave a completely different career to start a creative business. What advice do you have for someone starting out?

My best advice for someone starting out is to slowly dabble in the new career before jumping right in. My business began as a hobby, and I had time to experiment with it on friends and family before completely switching paths. This helped me assess if I was completely committed to my new path.

{2} You are known for creating the styled dessert table trend. You have styled so many beautiful dessert tables for clients, magazines, television and more. Which one is your favorite design of all time and why?

I really love our yellow and black damask table. It has elements of modernism like the Motherwell-inspired cake, yet we paired that with a classic design element, the damask backdrop.

I also really love the modern Moroccan table we did with Sunday Suppers. The bold turquoise and orange color palette with the Moroccan mandala pattern is unexpected and refreshing.

{3} On that note, which dessert table has been the most popular with your fans?

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TomKat Studio: Celebrate Back to School + Free Printable Lunchbox Notes

by Kim Stoegbauer August 2, 2011 4 Comments

It’s that time of year again! Time for the kids to head back to school. Before the first day, why not host a back-to-school themed party to get the kids excited? Gather up neighbors and friends for snacks, treats and fun activities. Last week, I styled a back-to-school event to celebrate the start of the school season here in Phoenix that included The TomKat Studio’s Printable Back-to-School Collection and delicious desserts and snacks.

Crafts and coloring are perfect activities for a back-to-school get together. Print the template for a sweet card for your child’s teacher, have him/her color, cut and take to school on the first day. I also designed an exclusive printable for HGTV readers, Lunchbox Love Notes. If you pack lunch for your kids, tuck in a little notecard to brighten their day!

{download the HGTV exclusive printable lunchbox love notes}

Sweet cupcakes are always a favorite with the kids. Top with sprinkles and a cute topper and the little ones won’t be able to resist. Apple cake pops are not only adorable but delicious, too. Find the instructions on bakerella.
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Entertaining: Make Your Party Personal with Silhouettes

by Kim Stoegbauer July 19, 2011 9 Comments

Silhouettes. Simple. Classic. Beautiful. I fell in love with printed silhouettes when a friend sent me a framed art print of my children as a gift. That was a few years ago and since then I have incorporated silhouettes into my own designs and parties. I’ve also come across some gorgeous examples of how to use them for weddings and events. When created in black, silhouettes provide a striking contrast, especially when paired with muted colors. I’ve compiled several examples and ideas of how you can use silhouettes to make your next event personal and beautiful. This stunning navy and pink dessert table by Shauna Younge illustrates a beautiful way to integrate silhouettes at a wedding or engagement party.

silhouette dessert table dessert table :: shauna younge

Silhouettes can easily be incorporated into the actual desserts of your party. Cake designers create beautiful fondant silhouettes for cakes and cupcakes. These mini cakes with fondant bride & groom are incredibly detailed with the tie, necklace and earrings. Another way to use them for desserts is to print the silhouette on edible paper to attach to cookies or other flat confection, like the cookie shown below from my daughter’s birthday party.

silhouette desserts cupcakes sources :: mini cake, cookies, cupcake

Bride and groom silhouettes are very popular for weddings and can be incorporated in many aspects of the event. This gorgeous wedding cake I spotted on Style Me Pretty shows how to display the silhouettes on an important focal point of the big day. Isn’t it lovely?
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Color of the Month: Entertain in the Lime Light

by Kim Stoegbauer July 12, 2011 35 Comments

Did you catch Anna’s July Color of the Month post last week? Lime is HGTV’s top trending hue for July, and I agree — it’s a perfect color for summer. Bright and refreshing! I shared my affection for June’s cerise in my last Color of the Month entertaining post, but I have to say that I love lime green even more. I hope you enjoy the entertaining ideas I’ve compiled to illustrate how to use this color at your next summer soiree.

lime centerpiece, lime cupcake

I love the idea of using actual lemons and limes to create centerpieces and floral arrangements. Simply fill glass vases with sliced or whole limes to add color and dimension to your arrangements. Cupcakes are always popular at celebrations, especially when they look as delicious as this key lime cupcake. And it brings new meaning to eating your greens!

green dress hair flower, dress, bracelet

Your guests will be green with envy when you welcome them to your soiree wearing one of these gorgeous green items. A simple green cocktail dress makes a bold statement. I love all the fabric flower hair accessories I’ve been seeing lately, and this lime one is perfection. Not into going green for your outfit? How about a little pop of color with this sparkly green bracelet?
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Spotlight on Our Very Own Blogger, Kim Stoegbauer

by Karli Sanders Cook July 6, 2011 4 Comments

Kim (right) with Andrea Robinson of Fox 10 Arizona Morning

Our featured bloggers are on a roll this summer! Last Wednesday, High Gloss Magazine ran a feature on the hilarious Brian Patrick Flynn, and now it’s entertaining darling Kim Stoegbauer’s time to shine! In an interview with her local Fox affiliate, Kim takes us through her home/studio and shares how she went from real estate player to HGTV.com’s go-to entertaining guru. Check out the video on The TomKat Studio blog. If you can’t get enough of Kim Stoegbauer be sure to check back every Tuesday for her bold and innovative party posts.