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Monday, March 24, 2014

{Styled Party} English Garden Inspired Spring Party

SPRING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!  You may remember back in January, I posted that my English Garden inspired Spring party was featured in Everyday Party Magazine.  As promised, I am sharing more photos from the shoot in celebration of one of my favorite seasons of the year - SPRING!!!!

PARTY ELEMENTS THAT INSPIRE:

  • Yarn Pom-Pom Topiary Cupcakes and mini yarn pom pom garland cake topper.
  • Paper Crafted rosettes, gift tags, flowers, banners and vase wraps with stamped details.
  • Fresh florals, forced bulbs, potted flowers and garden bulbs.
  • Birdcage elements used throughout the overall design. 

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

Spring Garden Party, yarn pom pom cake topper, garden party, terrarium

This shoot has to be one of my favorites to date.  I came up with the concept when trying to figure out how to use spring items for a shoot that was going to take place in the dead of winter.  After surveying what was available in my party stash, lots of baskets, bins, floral moss, and a random faux terrarium that I found at a thrift shop, I decided an English garden inspired theme would be perfect.  I was trying to lean a bit on the Victorian side of design, as best as I could and incorporated lots of birds, birdcages and topiaries, 

I used a lot of my paper crafting skills to create various decorative items like small rosettes, paper flowers and gift tags.  I also wanted to use vintage seed packets, but couldn't find any, so I grabbed a few packets from Home Depot and aged them with ink.  I love the color green and I happened to have a lot of green scrapbook paper on hand and knew that it would come in handy one day.   I also wanted to incorporate white and earthy browns into the color scheme so, I used burlap, some woven grass baskets, wooden crates and some spring bulbs that I had stashed away in my basement.


For the main dining table, I used a very good quality gift wrapping paper to cover the table, the runner is a simple cut of oversized burlap ribbon.  One item that I initially didn't have on hand, but I really wanted for the table set up, were white birds. I ended up making a few using white spray paint and ceramic birds from the dollar store but they were really not what I wanted.  Well, there's nothing like manifesting what you want, the same week of my shoot, I was at Michaels and found the most adorable white ceramic birds and white bird cages....they cost under $12 total!  I love a good party stash deal! 

I added the birds and the birdcages along the center of the table with forced bulbs that I found in the floral section of my grocery store (another awesome score)!  I also wanted to use vintage seed packets, but couldn't find any to match my color scheme, so I grabbed a few herb seed packets from Home Depot and aged them with ink.   I placed a packet at each place setting to serve as 'place cards' and a lovely take home gift.

For parting gifts - I love making altered paper bags; it really creates a personalized custom item that you can send your guests home with.  So, for my 'guests' I added decorated bags to each place setting.  I created the gift tags on the bags using my Cricut machine and just stamped some images onto them and added the cutest bird charms (another Michael's find) to them.  I also made paper flowers to finish the look of the bags and attached them with clothespins that had a stamped sentiment.  I took pictures of how I made the flowers and will get a tutorial posted int he next week or so - you're not going to believe how easy they are to make. 

I styled a dessert table using store-bought items from the grocery bakery and presented them on pretty stands and platters.  I also baked chocolate cupcakes and placed them into mini terracotta pots, then topped each one with a small green yarn pom pom to look like a topiary.  A few sticks of rock candy were embellished with a stamped flag and placed in a glass apothecary jar.

My overall goal in setting up the dessert table was to create as many handmade items as I could using supplies I had on hand.  I created topiaries using floral moss, styrofoam balls and branches that I spray painted brown (fyi branches cut from trees in the winter look dead......very dead) and anchored them in aluminum tins.  Each one was decorated with a small hand crafted and stamped banner.  I also created a Spring mini garland on my Cricut machine, that I hung across a birdcage wall decoration that I found on clearance a few days before my shoot!  I added a few tissue paper tassels and rosettes to finish the look.  For my backdrop, I created a banner that I made, once again, using my Cricut machine.  One other fun project was created twine eggs.  I grabbed a handful of plastic Easter eggs and wrapped them with jute twine and placed them in a fancy jar with floral moss.  Since these were items I already had on hand, this project cost me absolutely nothing. 

As tables go, there was an empty space under the table.   I really wanted to utilize that area so, I created a vignette under it with wooden crates, bulbs, baskets and garden tools.  My sweet cousin let me use an antique bird cage she owns to add to the decor.  I placed a potted primrose plant inside of it with one of my upcycled birds.  This area just made me happy and I love how it came together.

Like I said earlier, this is one of my favorite shoots and the idea of a gathering like this is perfect for a small group of girlfriends, a book club or even a tea party for little ladies.  I hope you were inspired by something you saw here!  HAPPY SPRING!




10 comments:

  1. This is just adorable. Love it!

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  2. Great job Keisha! I love the little pops of yellow in with the greenery and the wood tones in this party!

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  3. Oh my goodness Keisha! This is beautiful. Love it!

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  4. @Painting Paris Pink - I love the yellow too - it works great with the green!!!

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  5. @Atutudes - thanks so much! It's one of my favorite party shoots!

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  6. What a beautiful party lay out!! AFter the long hard winter we have had it is wonderful to see such beautiful spring decorations.

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  7. I love nature inspired parties! You definitely nailed the Spring concept. Loving all the green!

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  8. Wow! This whole setup is amazing! It feels so inviting too!

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