waste not, want not

give me a sheet of 19.5″ x 27.5″ decorative paper and i will make sure to use every bit of it!

after using this decorative sheet of paper as envelope liner for my birthday invites, i kept the big pieces of scraps, like i always do, in hopes of using it for another project.

well this time around i decided to make custom cupcake toppers…

i can’t wait to get into the kitchen and bake the cupcakes for it!  check back in a few to see how the final piece turns out.

like the idea of custom “in a card” cupcake toppers for your next party???  drop me an email and we can talk details.

all deco’d out for 30

i think designing my own birthday invitation has been a bigger challenge than designing one for someone else. it took me a whole month to finalize the design and it went through several changes in the beginning construction phases until the final piece was complete. (the hardest critic is always yourself!)

so for my 30th birthday invitation, i decided on an art deco inspired theme. fitting don’t you think??? considering the art deco movement happened during the 30’s (1925 until the 1940’s to be exact).

incorporated into the invitation is a quote by Robert Frost:
“Time and Tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty.”

good things come in small packages…

… or, in this case, “little” packages!!!

i’ve started a new series of “little” invitations that are now available on my “in a card” Etsy shop. these custom invitations will make announcing your little one’s birthday real special!


“little cupcake invitation” by in a card on Etsy


“little super star invitation” by in a card on Etsy


“little sport invitation” by in a card on Etsy

i will continue to add new designs to this “little” series so make sure to check back often for new designs.

la dolce vita

i recently had the honor of helping plan my cousin joan’s 40th birthday party.  when an italian party was decided on, i immediately knew the theme would be “la dolce vita,” which translates to “the sweet life” in italian.  what a perfect way to celebrate a birthday milestone, with a night full of all the sweetest things in life… food, drinks, music, and an intimate party with your closest friends and family.

from classy invitations by in a card to set the theme and tone of the evening…

ladolcevita_image1

to a complimenting and really “sweet” party favor…

ladolcevita_image3

ladolcevita_image4

each party favor, by in a card, had a little thank you note tucked inside and was sealed with a picture of joan when she was a little girl to remind everyone that she is “fabulous at every age!”

ladolcevita_image5

for decorations, i arranged fresh flowers and candles throughout the house

ladolcevita_image7

ladolcevita_image8

freshly picked from the downtown L.A. flower mart that morning, with the help of joan’s husband, jonathan, who is also by the way the person responsible for throwing this fabulous party to honor his wife

ladolcevita_image9

ladolcevita_image11

5 different wines plus italian cream sodas to wet the palette while enjoying caprese salad, chicken parmigiana, lasagna and garlic bread from a wonderful local deli, claro’s italian market

ladolcevita_image12

and what party wouldn’t be complete without dots cupcakes (served with a side of cannoli of course, from claro’s)

ladolcevita_image10

it was a wonderful party enjoyed by all and hopefully a very memorable one for the, always fabulous, birthday girl.

don’t be late for a very important date!

my niece had her mad hatter tea party yesterday and it was the most fun filled children’s party i’ve ever been to.  and the most colorful!  big paper flowers and decorative lanterns were strung above the main table as kids ate with colorful mismatched place settings.  little flower arrangements lined across the center of the table adding even more vibrant colors to the setting.

mad_hatter1

mad_hatter2

the activities ranged from decorating your own hat, to face painting and of course as my niece had requested, a piñata!

mad_hatter5

mad_hatter7

mad_hatter6

my mom made a hat cake to resemble the invitations with a side of equally fun stacked cupcakes which the kids (and a few parents) gobbled up in an instant.

mad_hatter3

mad_hatter4

1 … 9 10 11 12 13