08/15

back to school

I remember the rush of trying to read my summer reading list in one week {before the first day of school}, the anxiety of seeing my crush on the first day, the stress of picking out the perfect outfit, posing for my mom’s annual first day of school photo shoot in the front yard and the sadness that endless summer days were over.

I am still so thankful my school days are over. I still have nightmares I can’t find my locker or I show up naked to school!

But, maybe had I been invited {or hosted} a Back to School party, I would’ve been more excited to go back to school. I want to throw one just for the heck of it these ideas are so cute!

Amy Atlas, School Days
Who knew school supplies could look so delicious? Only Amy Atlas.



Back to School Party, Bird’s Party

Read more about the details such as the milk bottles, apple cake pops, party favor lunch boxes, black-board backdrop and edible school supplies here.


{images via Amy Atlas and Bird’s Party}

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07/29

no ordinary guest book

Every bride wants a unique wedding. And the guest book is no exception. Spruce it up a bit. Surprise your guests. Do something memorable.

See if any of these ideas fit your fancy.

Art Canvas
Getting married at a museum? Enjoy art? Have your guests each add their own “little” piece of artwork that will be a part of the “bigger” picture on a blank canvas, and hang in your home ~ it will be your first artwork as a couple.

Puzzle Board
I am in love with this idea. Each guests picks up a card with a small image on one side and blank on the other, writes a note, and finds its exact spot on a “peg board” {or a board with nails} to “complete the puzzle.” It’s so creative, and what a fun piece of art for your home.

Vintage Skis
I had a good friend who married her sweetie in Steamboat. They had their guests sign vintage skis, which would later be used as decor in their home. Fabulous idea.

Vintage Typewriter
Jenna used our grandparents antique typewriter for her guest book to coincide with her “vintage glamour” wedding. Guests typed a message and she compiled all the pages in an antique book for a memorable keepsake. See the rest of her gorgeous and vintage wedding here.
grandparents vintage typewriter

Photo Book
We were married in Beaver Creek, Colorado and wanted our guest book to reflect the place where we got married, and we wanted it to be something we didn’t store away in a box. So, we asked our guests to sign pages filled with photgraphs of beautiful mountain landscapes taken by renown Colorado photographer, John Fielder. The Mountain Ranges of Colorado book now sits on our coffee table and the sweet words remind us of that special day.

Anniversary Messages
CasaSugar had a great idea to have guests write messages in a book for future anniversaries. You could even assign each table a different anniversary year {1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc} and each year you and your hubby can read your guests words of advice.

Photo Booth
We love the vintage photo booths that produce a photo strip of 5 black and white images within minutes that guests can tape in a scrapbook along with a note…but this takes it a step further and it’s so fun! Set up an actual photo booth with chairs, empty frames and even props {mustaches, hats, glasses, etc} for people to pose.

{images via Flickr, Jubilee Events, Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Betsey Holley Photography and John Fielder}

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07/25

o is for orange

It’s wedding week here at Tutto Bella. We love weddings and we’re in the midst of wedding season {personally and professionally}, so this week is dedicated to all-things weddings.

Cheers to Happily Ever After…

First, the bold and beautiful ORANGE at weddings. If you’re a citrus gal {or guy}, you can find ways to incorporate it in everything for your wedding day.

Decor
This unique sculptural grid at this reception table displayed orange ‘Milva’ Equadorian roses, bleached Mitsumata branches, white hydrangea and fresh oranges, along with a logo with the couple’s monogram and a horseshoe mounted on tangerine fabric. This is one gorgeous contemporary piece.

Place cards
These are such fun place cards and the color combination of the orange and blue and white stripes is so striking together.

Bouquets
I love these modern bouquets and the different shades of orange in contract with the grey dresses, and the orange fruit is perfectly placed.

Centerpiece
The gorgeous arrangements below greeted guests at The Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, Colorado for the wedding of Andrea and Robert Callagy. This gorgeous, mountain wedding, coordinated by Meg Stepanek of Gemini Event Planning and photographed by the talented Liz Banfield, was featured in Town and Country Weddings magazine, 2004. 

Floral designer Judy Stevenson used flowers to reflect the hues of the Rockies with blossoms in rich reds, oranges and browns set off by crisp white orchids. I love the eye-catching tall cylinder and coordinating small vase filled with clementines topped with flowers. 

Food & Drink
Incorporate a little orange zest into your cocktails and dessert for that extra special taste of refreshing citrus.

{images via Hostess with the Mostess, Ruffled Blog, Liz Banfield, The Knot, Polyvore }

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07/19

chalkboard fun

I am fabulous
I am fabulous
I am fabulous

Much better than the notes we use to write on the chalkboard during detention after misbehaving in school

I will not pass love notes during class
I will not pass love notes during class
I will not pass love notes during class

…don’t you agree?

Now that you’re out of school and not getting into classroom trouble, have some chalkboard fun!

You can find Chalkboard paint in a bucket or in a spray can at your local home improvement store, such as Home Depot, and don’t feel limited to use just black. Hudson Paint offers a rainbow of chalk paint colors. And, get even fancier and more creative with must-have chalk ink {colorful chalk in a pen form}.

Chalkboard Wall with Frames: I love this office space designed by The Adventure of Ordy and Joon.

Chalkboard Label Glasses: Label your drinks with your own chalkboard stickers or purchase these glasses from Pier1. 

 Chalkboard Wall: Three Men and a Lady created a perfect place to jot down notes for the whole family to see in her entry with a chalkboard wall.

Chalkboard Pots: Remember what herbs you planted with this easy-to-do chalkboard potted label by Martha Stewart Living.

Chalk Wall Calendar: Stay organized with this calendar from The Martha Stewart Show.

Chalkboard Globe: Mark all the places you’ve visited or let your children learn their geography with this great globe idea from Design Sponge.

Chalkboard Window Pane: Repurpose an old window pane with chalkboard paint with these tips by Sweet Home.

Chalkboard Place Cards: Make sure your guests know their seat with these adorable place cards at Blue Pearls etsy shop.

Chalkboard Dresser: Remember which drawer your pants, socks and underwear are in with this cute idea from HGTV.

OK, two more adorable projects I just have to share…

Chris at Celebrations at Home has an easy DIY chalk project you can do for a fabulous backdrop at a party.

Finally, chalkboard chargers. You can always customize with guest names and kids will love it too. Tatertots and Jello has the how-to you can follow here.

{images via The Adventures of Ordy and Joon, Martha Stewart, Design Sponge, Blue Pearls, Sweet Home, Three Men and a Lady, Celebrations at Home, HGTV and Pizzazzerie}

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07/18

bugalicious fun

My sweet babies turned 1-year-old and 3-years-old last week. This year’s party theme…bugs. Caterpillars, ants and worms, and ladybugs for our little lady.

I think it’s just the cute decor possibilities that lured me into throwing a bug party because I am the type to scream and panic when I see bugs, and the thought of anything crawling on me gives me the creeps. But, it was a really fun party for the kids. We did it on a budget this year, so although I would’ve liked to do a lot more, the credit card will thank me at the end of this month. 🙂

We served brunch – egg casserole, blueberry coffee cake, fruit skewers, a delicious french toast casserole and a yogurt bar along with a milk and juice {and champagne for mimosa’s for the adults} bar.

  

We served Potted Chocolate Mint Pudding with gummy worms in 1/2 pint mason jars and “bug candy” for dessert.

I found a frame with wire in the middle, and used it as a prop for photos on the yogurt bar. Jameson, ages 1, 2 and 3 were on display, and for Gabriella, months 1 through 12. I used numbered labels made by Jenna at Fleur de Lis, and used a hot glue gun to adhere them to clothes pins.

I tried the crepe paper weave, and it was super easy and cheap – 2 rolls of crepe paper for 97 cents each. Steal!

Caterpillars, made of balloons, made appearances throughout the inside and outside of the house.

Fleur de Lis designed all the paper products for the party including the adorable invite, water bottle labels, tags and toppers.

 

 We bought bug catchers from Michaels for each toddler and found bug-catching tools to place inside. Before everyone arrived, we hid candy and big fake bugs {from Walmart} in the backyard, so once we were ready, the kids were off on a bug hunting adventure.

Once they caught all the fake bugs, we released 2,000 live lady bugs {bought from O’Toole’s Garden Center} they caught in their catchers too.

Exciting news about all the cute paper products for this party – you can customize and purchase for your little ones at Fleur de Lis in Denver. If you don’t live in Denver, you can order through our etsy store here. All the stationery for this party is available for purchase. yay!

{images via Tutto Bella}

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