mingle magazine

Okay friends, humor me for a minute. I'm kinda crazy with excitement!!! (Warning: excessive use of exclamation points in this post.) The Mingle Magazine will be on shelves in 4 days!!! As I've said before, not only am I surprised (and humbled) that I'm in a magazine, but this past weekend, I found out the one and only Kim from The TomKat Studio is featured as well. This is just nuts to me... She is one of the party stylists who I have looked up to and "wanted to be when I grew up" since I started my little business/blog. As I told her this past weekend, she has provided inspiration to so many of us to do what we love to do and showed us how to do it with such poise and humility. To be included with someone who I have such adoration for, as well as other talents, is a weird feeling. I can't believe this is happening!!!

So, this Saturday, I will be driving around town to see the magazine on shelves. (I know, I'm a dork right!?) In the meantime, look what I spotted yesterday... the table of contents for the premiere issue for Mingle. There I am!!! On page 90!!! I can't wait!!!



sneak peek :: picnic party

This past weekend we celebrated my youngest daughter's third birthday with friends.  It was a classic picnic theme with plenty of gingham, sunflowers and ants! After many hours of hard work, we pulled it off - barely! I could not have done it without the constant support from my husband and lots of friends pitching in to make my vision a reality. I got an extremely late start on this party prep due to other jobs, so their help is what made this party happen.  Thank you, Thank you!!!

I also have to give a shout out to my friend and skilled photographer, Stephanie. She did an absolutely fabulous job capturing the event! Check out her beautiful work on her website and her blog. I can't wait to show you all the pictures, but in the meantime here is a little sneak peek of the day.



retirement cake

Last Monday, I delivered a cake for a surprise retirement party. It was a big cake that took me a long time - 56 hours to exact! (Ouch!) I was given a list of items about the retiree and included them all on the cake - a collage about him and his 26 years of service as a safety director of a construction company. My favorite parts were the fishing pole and the hard hat. (Major props to my hubby for building me an outstanding base for the hard hat! Doesn't it look great!?)







picnic invitations


My daughter's third birthday party is coming up this weekend - busy, busy!!! (Anyone wanna come help!? Please!?) While I finish up last minute details, I thought I'd share the invites I created. I've had this idea for years and was so excited I finally had an event to use it for.

The party theme is classic picnic. Like I said, I have had this idea stored in my head for a long time, but I do have to give a shout out to Jessica from Two Shades of Pink for one awesome element. While designing the invites, I searched other picnic invitations. I stumbled upon Jessica's and just had to use her genius RSVP idea for the milk carton. Hilarious, right!?

The envelope is made from a brown lunch bag. (I included a photo on how to fold it.) For the sandwiches, I made each individual piece, put them all together and then placed the finished sandwich in a fold-over sandwich bag. The lettuce is a crumpled piece of green Post-it note. The cheese is cardstock punched with two different sized hole punches. For the meat, I raided my never-ending stash of paper; I cut it out and then outlined the edge with a marker. The bread and tomato were just printed from images I found online.

When creating an invitation, you should always include the who, what, when, why and where. So each piece of the "picnic lunch" represented on of those elements.

1. The napkin includes the "who" (Bree), "what" (a picnic) and the "why" (3rd birthday).
2. The pickle states the "where".
3. The sandwich tells guests "when".
4. The milk carton captures the necessity of RSVP-ing in a comical way.
5. And finally the watermelon, was left for any other notes. In our case, requesting guests to come empty handed.











halloween inspiration :: balloons

(image and how-to via Crafty Crafty)

As Halloween approaches, I have been spotting lots of great ideas and inspiration. Like this beauty - spider web balloon. So cool! So creative! I've got to find the supplies and try this myself. Has anyone else made these? Any hints for us rookies?

In other news, I have a little feature over at Be @ Home.  Wow, I'm with such great company. More blogs to get wrapped up in...


ms halloween magazine

It's here!!! The annual Martha Stewart Halloween magazine is on newsstands now.  For me, this day has the same level of excitement as the day I receive my Girl Scout cookie order - it's the little things that get me excited. I picked up my copy yesterday and read it from cover to cover last night (while watching my OSU Cowboys beat Arizona - Yay!).


There is a lot of repeat ideas from years past, but a good balance of new inspiration as well. A couple of my new favorites:
1. Every year the cover is Martha all made up in a fabulous costume. This year does not disappoint - "Motha". I love it!
2. A how-to for spooky, haunted house windows using card board.
3. A witch template to adorn your candy apple sticks.

With Halloween creeping into my job schedule, seeing supplies/decorations at the stores and now reading the "official" Halloween magazine, I getting amped up for my favorite holiday!


published :: mingle magazine


I'm giddy as a school girl over here folks! While on vacation, one of my dreams came true. I found out I'm going to be published in a magazine! So cool, right!?

I was contacted by Stampington & Company asking if I would be interested in being featured in one of their magazines. (Ahhh, yes please!) With 30+ different magazines, each one about different aspects of the arts and crafts industry, you are sure to find inspiration in your area of interest. Their newest publication will be called Mingle and it hits stands this October. Mingle will be a magazine all about party planning, as well as DIY decor. My article will be in the premier issue - I am over the moon excited! I will update details as the release gets closer. I can tell you the magazine will be available at Joann's, Michael's, Barnes and Noble, Lowe's and Costco.

I am extremely honored and humbled to be given this opportunity. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I guess I have to start dreaming up a new dream... bigger and brighter things ahead. Believe you can and you will. And I also have to thank all of you, my wonderful readers, for your constant encouragement and support.


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