The Fete Blog

I moved into a new house recently. The dining room is a big space with high ceilings– and one wall in particular is just begging for a large piece of art. Unfortunately, my decorating budget is not scaled to match. Solution: Make my own art. I’ve been browsing the internet for inspiration and thought I’d share a few favorites. I have a good amount of traditional furniture– think oriental rugs and dark brown leather couch– and I like the idea of mixing it up with art that has a more contemporary feel. I have a feeling I’m going to end up with more than one creation when this all said and done. Good thing I have more than one wall. –kim

1. Paint by number meets song lyric via A Beautiful Mess.
2. Abstract from Dans le Townhouse. I think this would look awesome on a large scale painting. This is currently my lead pick for my dining room wall using white and a dark inky blue.
3. More song lyric loveliness from A Beautiful Mess. I’m a big music lover and will definitely be doing some kind of song lyric art in the future.
4. The bright colors and bold lettering in this DIY art post from Hits and Fits caught my eye.
5. I’m not sure I could do this and make it look good but it’s still inspiring, as are all Oh Happy Day! projects. Seriously, that blog has more talent in its “.com” than I do in my entire body.
6. Beautiful modern piece from The New Domestic. This is another top choice for my oversized canvas. I love the pop of color with the low key bits of gray. And the clean lines sing a siren song to my engineer brain.
7. From Lydia Lauer, fantastic personal art made with mad printing skills and the names of favorite cities, parks, and restaurants.
8. Rothko-inspired abstracts from Dans le Townhouse. I like the color combinations she used. Google “Rothko” for more ideas. This could easily be adapted for a bigger canvas.

Sneak peek– some of Kim’s own art projects! Cannot wait to see how she continues decorating her new home!

Stay tuned– Kim will be sharing more projects and inspiration!

Okay. This is absolutely the easiest DIY in the world. I threw it together in about five minutes, so it should be cake for you.

I haven’t been in the most “Valetine’s Day-y” mood (I’m all about love every day, but planning a special dinner or date night feels silly– it’s just me and John day in and day out, we go out on dates often, it’s not like we need one day a year to be over-the-top in love), but quickly realized I was being grinchy. So, I decided to DO something about it and bring a bit of festivity to our bare little apartment. What could be sweeter (and easier to construct) than hanging hearts?

Materials:
-Various shades of red and pink paper (construction, scrapbook, card stock, what have you)
-String, twine, or ribbon– or all of the above!
-Pretty scrap paper– from magazines, newspapers, or wrapping paper! Anything you can reuse is game
-Spray adhesive
-Scissors & hole punch
-Tape

How-to: Using your pretty scraps (I’ve long hoarded magazine tear-outs that I love or inspire me, but most of them are a bit out of date for my inspiration boards! Time to find a new crop), cut out hearts of various sizes. It’s easy to work with bigger hearts, but mix it up a bit. Depending on the size of the space you want to cover with your hanging hearts, the more the merrier. I love overdoing it, so I made 15 for one averaged-sized window.

Lay down some cardboard or newspaper and be close to a window, if not outside. Using your spray adhesive, spray a thin layer on the backside of your scrap heart. Immediate adhere it to your red card stock.

Cut out your heart– one side will be red, one side will be your pretty scrap material!

Punch a hole in the middle of your heart ad string a piece of twine, yarn, or ribbon through it. Make it hang as low or high as you’d like! I mixed up my lengths as I made more hearts. Tape the ends together at the top of your windowsill or door frame and voila! A curtain of pretty hearts to greet your love with.

Super easy– this is something you can do with a spare hour between now and love day! And while some people see hearts exclusively as a Valentine’s Day symbol, I love a good heart on the reg– I plan on keeping these up through the spring! In a few months, it’ll be time to mix it up a bit…

Happy Love Week! What are you doing to decorate your space? Are you DIY-ing any presents or Valentines to give away?

When I saw this post on Elsie’s blog, A Beautiful Mess, a few weeks ago, I was so excited to create my own “simple goals” to commit to before 2013… fast forward to now and hooray! Finally getting a chance to put these up.

The rules:

1. Choose simple goals that will make your life richer and happier on a daily basis. Choose things you may not otherwise get done, but that are not difficult to accomplish.

2. Do not choose result oriented goals, choose activity oriented goals. for example…. instead of “lose 10 pounds,” choose something like “eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day.” Get what I’m saying? Positive actions instead of just the end result!

3. Choose goals that are personal that you believe will truly make your life richer just by doing them! They can be daily, weekly or one time experiences.

4. Choose a reward for each goal as it is accomplished! It can be a small or large reward- it’s up to you.

5. Blog about your goals, each one as you achieve it and a big post when they are all finished before the new year!

So, without further ado, MY goals…

1. Write one letter a week. This is something I’ve been craving for so long and it’s about time I actually made it a part of my real life routine. I want to write a note or a postcard or a short letter (or long one, let’s not limit anything!) once a week. Attempting multiples might be too aggressive, so for now, one a week is the goal. Friday afternoons. Expect a blog post about this soon…

2. Stop being such a workaholic. Relax! I have a hard time keeping still. I’m not good at being un-busy. I’m always feeling the pull to be working on something and that’s even more apparent now that the wedding is over. WHAT do I do with myself now? I have a lot of plans and a lot of projects, but I need to embrace relaxation and quietness so much more. (I’m on my honeymoon right now, FYI. Workaholic much?)

3. Become a more confident cook. I LOVE cooking and baking. But I’m rubbish when it comes to whipping together a meal on the fly. I need recipes and a plan and ample supplies of food to make a fabulous dinner. But that’s not going to be so easy now that I have a husband and, oh yes, a budget to live off of. I’m going to have to get creative and work outside the realm of cookbooks and large kitchens.

4. Ask for help! I never ask for help, on anything. Not on my wedding, not on projects, not in training, not ever. For some reason, I feel like I have to do it all, be a Wonder Woman, and sometimes I can balance everything pretty well… and sometimes not. Asking for help is NOT a sign of weakness! It’s allowing others to do what they do best alongside you. Sounds kind of nice…

Play along! Let me know a few of your goals for the rest of the year– and work to keep them!!

Image one via A Beautiful Mess / Image two: “Inspired” by Tamar

We’re less than two months away from our little wedding– and I’m slammed with DIY projects! I’m trying to get a substantial amount done every day, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed with a towering (ahem, ambitious) to-do list. Without showing too much– hey, there needs to be an element of surprise!– here are a few tiny peeks at projects on my plate right now…

Can’t wait to show more soon! Did you incorporate any DIY projects into your Big Day? What were your favorite projects to work on?

It’s here! The annual Art of Photography summer workshop– brought to you this year by the powerhouse forces of Jen Fariello, Robert Radifera, and Katie Stoops! Which means it is NOT to be missed.

What happens at the Art of Photo workshops? Two days of non-stop learning from these masters in a beautiful, intimate setting. July 19th will include introductions, shooting, and dinner at Jen’s property, Falling Meadow Farm, and July 20th will be a full day of non-stop learning and practicing out at Belle Haven– a glorious historic property (and new venue) out in Scottsville. These photographers have teamed up with some stellar local vendors (including Meghan of Shindig!) to style incredible vignettes to inspire your photographic eye.

An extra goodie for you this time: Paden Reich of Southern Living Weddings (such a standard-bearer in the wedding publication world!) will be in attendance– a perfect opportunity to learn more about magazine styling and editorial work!

Longtime photographer? Budding amateur? Excited enthusiast? This workshop is the best opportunity to learn, practice, and enjoy photography on the East Coast. Hurry– spots will snap up quickly! For registration and more information, visit the Art of Photo site here.

Some snaps from past workshops–>

{photography by Robert Radifera}

DIY fashion is all the rage right now– and why shouldn’t it be? It’s a double dose of good feelings– you get to be excited about the process of creating a new piece or repurposing an old one and you have a completely fabulous new outfit or accessory. Sounds divine!

A few of my favorite bloggers are also DIY fashion mavens– Elsie of A Beautiful Mess, Kinsey of Sincerely, Kinsey, and Katie of Skunkboy Creatures. These ladies are experts at whipping up easy projects to turn a standard outfit into a “wow” statement. I’m personally attracted to anything with a pop of texture or color– and I’m always looking for something fun to do with my hair. Enter these ladies and their projects and voila! DIY AND fashion perfection!

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1. Floral Collar DIY by Sincerely, Kinsey
2. Scarf Three Ways by Valentine via {Wit + Delight}
3. Hand-Stamped Dress by A Beautiful Mess — think of all the possibilities with this one!
4. Vintage Inspired Hairpiece by Sincerely, Kinsey
5. From Maxi to Mini Dress by Skunkboy Creatures
6. How to Make Glitter Shoes! by A Beautiful Mess

Today’s DIY is another incredibly easy and super chic project from Jeannine at Small & Chic in Cville that we featured in the December Weddings issue last year. It is completely perfect for the Southern bride– can’t you see these moss letters hanging from lush ribbons on the doors of your chapel, strung as a garland along your vineyard ballroom, or nailed to a red barn door? I’d also love to use these as home decor– they’re perfect for hanging above the mantel or bed!

You’ll Need:
Thick poster board or foam board
A letter stencil, unless you plan to free-hand it!
An X-Acto knife
Artificial moss, as found at any craft store
A glue gun!

1) Draw out or stencil your letter(s) on the poster board in pencil.

2) Using your X-Acto knife carefully, cut out the letter. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, the moss will completely cover the board.

3) Cut or tear your moss into strips. We cut ours length-wise because our “J” is long, but cut yours into sections depending on which letter you are making.

4) Using your hot glue gun, glue the strips along the letter. Don’t worry if the strips don’t perfectly cover the letter yet! Just try to cover as much of the letter as possible.

5) Once your letter is covered as much as possible with moss strips, go back through and fill in the blank spots with smaller sections of moss or moss scraps (trust us, you will get moss scraps!)

And voila– a moss-covered letter! Accessorize it by adding a pretty ribbon and use it as part of your wedding-day design (it’s classy enough to work at your ceremony and fun enough to be part of your reception decor!), at a dinner party, or in your home!

Thanks Jeannine for sharing this project with Hook & Fête readers and thanks Tom Daly for snapping photos of the process!

This DIY project is one of my absolute favorites– and, for all you married gals, this is so easy to bring into dinner party, holiday get-together, or birthday party decor! Table numbers have been the bane of my existence throughout my wedding planning– am I supposed to come up with a cutesy theme for my reception and name each table accordingly? Some totally fun ways to name your reception tables: use photos of your favorite places to travel, names of your previously owned-pets, images of your favorite tracks to run on (I did seriously consider that one, since John and I are both runners, but he stopped me before I could even finish explaining the concept).

But for those, like me, who want a cut-and-dry, easy to demarcate, and perfectly elegant way to assign your guests to a table, regular ole numbers work great. Now, HOW to make said numbers look gorgeous? With a frame!

This idea was graciously shared with me by Jeannine Lalonde, blogger behind Small and Chic in Cville, and bride getting hitched at Pippin Hill Farm. Jeannine let me oooh and ahhh over some of her wedding DIYs and feature them in the December Weddings issue a few months ago. I loved these table numbers so much– and they’re so customizable– that I had to share them again!

You’ll need:
Fabric– any style works– you can either go with a neutral background color, one that matches your wedding colors, or a fun, funky pattern! Depending on how large your frames are or how many you are making, anywhere from 1/2 – 2 yards should do it!
Frames– you can use matching frames and get them for cheap at a Michaels or Joanns. OR you can mismatch your frames, using different sizes or colors. I recommend sticking with the same material– mixing metal frames with wooden frames could look a little more yardsale-y than “found.” Also, make sure you get frames that can stand on their own, unless you have something to prop them up with.
Hot Glue Gun
Unfinished wooden numbers– again, these can be found for cheap at your local craft store. *note: Michaels has discontinued carrying these, but Joanns or several online retailers/Etsy shops sell similar numbers!
Paint or spray paint– if you want to paint your numbers. You can leave them wooden if that works with your backing fabric color or type of frame.
Scissors

Start by removing the backing from the frame. With your scissors, cut out a piece of fabric around the frame backing, leaving room to fold the fabric over the edge.

With your glue gun, secure the excess fabric over the edge of the frame, gluing it tightly to avoid any loose, excess fabric on the smooth surface of the frame backing.

Once all your edges are glued over the frame backing, simple pop it back into the frame. This is where you need to be savvy with your fabric choice– if you choose to work with a bulkier fabric, the backing might not fit back into the frame.

The last step is to glue your wooden number onto the fabric. Note: If you choose to spray paint or paint your number, obviously be sure it’s dry before gluing it!

Because your number should be lightweight, hot glue should do the trick. Cover the back of the number with as much hot glue as it will hold and stick it directly onto the fabric-covered frame back.

Voila! Super simple– and just think of all the possibilities! Color combos, patterns, frames! This is truly a project you can use for ANYTHING.

All photos by Tom Daly. Special, special thanks to Jeannine for sharing this project with us!

It’s Valentines Day week! But don’t fret if you haven’t run out and spent boatloads on chocolates, diamonds, or flowers– I personally love the little things that make Valentines Day so sweet (give me something handmade and thought-out over store-bought ANY day).

And if you’re single, don’t fret– honestly, another thing I absolutely love is getting a group of girlfriends together, getting dolled up, and going out on the town on Valentines Day (no man, drama, or expectations required!). Show your favorite people how much you enjoy them this week with any of these lovely little DIYs!

ps–> In a relationship, but not crazy about Valentines Day? Forget all the commercialized expectations and celebrate your partner EVERY DAY. All of these projects are easy and sweet enough to put into action any time of the year.

1. Valentines Day attire via A Beautiful Mess  2. DIY Literary Mugs via Sarah Fritzler  3. Seven Days of Love via The Sweetest Occasion  4. A Wall of Hearts via You Are My Fave  5. Valentines Day Banner via Restored Style

Everyone in the blog, wedding, design, and events world has been posting their goals for 2012 lately. Business tips, a la the Green Room on Rock n’ Roll Bride, are everywhere, and most professionals are fresh from Alt Summit and ready to implement new projects and phases into their business plans. But being a little fish in a vast sea of incredible talent and knowledge, it’s easy for me to get overwhelmed. Do I need to reach out to collaborators? Refresh my blog design? Send out media kits? How do I get more Facebook “likes”? What’s the best way to interact with my readership? Ahhh!

{business cards by Creed Design}

Let’s get real. I’m 23 years old and I have many different things on my plate. Finishing a masters degree. Training for the Olympic Trials. Planning weddings. Planning my own wedding. Editing a quarterly wedding publication. There needs to be some slack cut– and I need to be the one to do it!

I’m not anywhere near the level of my idols– DesignLoveFest, Design*Sponge, A Beautiful Mess, the half-dozen event designers I drool over. So I shouldn’t feel major pressure to be making the changes and running my business the way they do– everyone has to start somewhere, right? But that doesn’t mean I can’t learn from the wisdom and design already being practiced out there. Without further ado– some goals for me, for Fête, for all the projects I keep piling into my schedule:

1. Be on time: I am notoriously late for everything. It’s because I have a false sense of how much time certain tasks take me. “I can get out of bed, dress, eat, pack for the day, and get out of the house in 20 minutes! I’ll just do my makeup in the car!” Wrong. I need to over-estimate how much time things take and, just to be safe, tell myself that I need to be somewhere 30 minutes before I actually do. It’s just professional and respectful– and I always feel like an idiot when I show up scrambling and messy.

2. Find an identity: I’m still trying to figure out the best identity for Fête. It’s about weddings, yes, but it’s also a lifestyle inspiration space. My motto for Fête– and for any business I take on– is to “bring more glamour into the everyday.” I need to figure out the best schedule and the best columns to express that organically.

3. It’s all in the details: I hate when athletes talk about doing the “little things” to be successful. I don’t want to be in the training room for hours a day! I don’t want to take 600 supplements a night! But think about it: in my wedding planning, in my editing, in my own wedding, I am all about the details– if I neglect the “little things,” I can’t produce a beautiful, flawless product. Why can’t I be that way in my athletic career? So let’s think of them as “details” and let’s remember to incorporate them into my daily habits.

4. Turn it off: I’m deep into the bad habit of feeling like I always need to be busy. There is a lot to do, of course. But the key to recovery and to re-vamping inspiration is in turning off the noise, turning off the phone, stopping the compulsive need to check Twitter, Facebook, email constantly. It’s okay. Life goes on. I’m missing it with when I keep my head down on my phone or computer. It’s tough– I’m currently a nomad, living in a place with no internet and traveling more days a week than not. But that means I need to take advantage of any downtime– five minutes of deep breathing will help me more than Pinteresting.

5. Do it for me: At the end of the day, I’m not doing any of this for money. This blog is too young to be rolling in big bucks; I’m a young runner and need to earn a big salary through my performances; I’m not currently trying to open my own design company or desperate for major clients to pay my bills. Let’s take advantage of being young and talented and do it all because I love it; learn along the way so that when I get to that point (where money needs to be a pressing issue) I can run, style weddings, or write articles/posts at the highest quality in exchange for a nice salary. But for now– I shouldn’t feel the pressure to be producing exactly like everyone else in the blog/wedding/design world is right now. They’re grown-ups. I should embracing being new and keep doing it for love.