Kay Bella

Vase Heaven!

2011-08-05T13:08:00.001-07:00

I just came across Jamali Floral & Garden and am in love! They offer amazing vases that can even make me look like a florist, garden supplies and chic party decor at very reasonable prices. Super fun to check out their inventory and read their blog.

If the World was a Village of 100 People

2010-11-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

I was doing a little fall cleaning of old documents and found this. Great food for thought on a Sunday morning! Please note that the numbers are 20 years old...but still interesting.

In the world today, more than 6 billion people live.
If this world were shrunk to the size of a village of 100 people, what would it look like?

59 would be Asian
14 would be American (North, Central and South)
14 would be African
12 would be European
1 would be from the South Pacific

50 would be women, 50 would be men
30 would be children, 70 would be adults.
70 would be nonwhite, 30 would be white
90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be homosexual

33 would be Christians
21 would be Moslems
15 would be Hindus
6 would be Buddhists
5 would be Animists
6 would believe in other religions
14 would be without any religion or atheist.

15 would speak Chinese, Mandarin
7 English
6 Hindi
6 Spanish
5 Russian
4 Arabic
3 Bengali
3 Portuguese
The other would speak Indonesian, Japanese,
German, French, or some other language.

In such a village with so many sorts of folks, it would be very important to learn to understand people different from yourself and to accept others as they are. Of the 100 people in this village:

20 are undernourished
1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.
Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59% (all of them from the United States), 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%.
Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%.
20 have no clean, safe water to drink.
56 have access to sanitation
15 adults are illiterate.
1 has a university degree.
7 have computers.

In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year's end the number of villagers will be 101.

If you do not live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attack, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups, then you are more fortunate than 20, who do.

If you can speak and act according to your faith and your conscience without harassment, imprisonment, torture or death, then you are more fortunate than 48, who cannot.

If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, then you are among the richest 8.

If you can read this message, that means you are probably lucky!

(The statistics were derived from Donella Meadows "State of the Village Report" first published in 1990)

If I were still a little girl...

2010-10-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

...then I would love Birdies Big Girl Shoes. I was just at Target and came across this super cute book. It's all about how Birdie would love to wear her mother's Mary Janes and strappy sandals. When given the chance, she realizes she has plenty of time for big girl shoes and loves her barefoot shoes the best. For all of you shoe lovers out there, this is a super cute book for the little ones in your life!

September Creative Challenge

2010-09-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

I have been a major slacker when it comes to crafts lately, so I have been living vicariously through my good friend Michelle. She has taken on the September Creative Challenge and is doing something creative every single day this month. I have loved following her blog thewholeenCHELLEada as well as her friend Debbie's blog Inspired Honey Bee.

As I love camping, I thought I would share Michelle's adorable s'more craft which is just one of the many cute projects she has done this month.

Ziplist

2010-08-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

I recently started using a website called Ziplist which might be the greatest invention ever. From any website I can add a recipe to my virtual recipe box OR I can save one directly from Martha Stewart online. From there, I can add all of the ingredients from a recipe to my shopping list or enter my own grocery list. This list can be emailed to yourself, printed or accessed through your phone. You can also instant message (through programs like gchat) items to your grocery list. This can have multiple users adding items-so for example, your husband can just instant message "milk" to your list. Finally, you can sort items by category (which is editable) or you can sort it by aisle by entering the name of the grocery store you shop at. Amazing!

Happy Flowers!

2010-08-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

My friend and amazing florist Anna, from Anna Mara Flowers in Portland, Oregon, made these beautiful floral bouquets. I love the color and texture, but most of all, I love how they seem to just make you want to smile!

Congrats to Lacey and Sam! To see more of their pictures visit Anna Mara's blog.

I'm loving this punch of color

2010-08-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

On Darcy's Wedding Ideas (a Martha Stewart daily email), she sent out this "monochromatic magic" picture which I love! For more color ideas you can visit her online posting.

Lonny Magazine

2010-07-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who were heartbroken when the last Domino Magazine hit the shelf, I have good news! Enjoy Lonny Magazine for chic decor and fashion to style your life by.

Making a list and checking it twice!

2009-11-24T15:11:00.000-08:00

Wow, the holidays are REALLY here! To help keep you sane and organized, Woman's Day Magazine came up with an amazing 6 week holiday check list. To view the list please visit their website and enjoy the holiday cheer.

Is it springtime yet?

2009-11-17T15:17:00.000-08:00

I know we are headed into the winter months, but as California girl living in Portland I need a little sunshine! Nothing makes me think of spring time more than flowers and my favorite is the gerbera daisy. Here is an adorable table runner style centerpiece that I found at Real Simple online. Directions are available on their site.

Photo by James Baigrie

The gift that REALLY keeps giving!

2009-11-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

Every year I scramble to find holiday gifts for friends, family, hostess, etc. I spend hours and hours searching for things they will like and use, only to end up giving a sweater that later makes it's way to goodwill or a candle that burns out. Bummer! This year I found an item that will hopefully bring them enjoyment, me a warm fuzzy feeling for giving and a better world through fighting hunger, education and poverty issues.

So what is it?

Livestock...sewing materials...books...a new roof.... YES Really!

You can give your friends a $25 gift certificate to Kiva. They can cash that certificate in to provide a micro-loan to someone in great need.

"Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else." (Copied straight from their website)

This is also a great gift for members of your wedding party!

Ornament Exchange

2009-11-11T12:19:00.001-08:00

What a fun idea this is! I know it's last minute but I just found out about this and wanted to pass it along. I have already signed up and hope that you do too. Just click on the picture to sign up.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2009-11-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

I just moved into a house last year, but before that I was in a "space conscious" apartment (yes that is a nice word for small). Decorating for the holidays was a bit of a trick because a smaller place can seem overwhelmed very quickly. With that said, I love this idea! It's a Christmas tree that I found on etsy. It's so cute and a great way to get into the holiday spirit. It can be found on etsy at Circle Line Studio.

Champagne Pops!

2009-11-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

YUM!!! For those of you thinking that a festive glass of champagne couldn't get any better....you have obviously under estimated Martha! On her website you can find the DIY directions for these tasty liqueur lollipops. They can be made in a variety of flavors and added to a glass of bubbly (or sparking cider) for a real treat. For the recipe please visit Martha Stewart Weddings.

Mitten Hang Tags

2009-11-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

I saw these cute mitten hang tags at Paper Zone. You can make them out of any scrapbook paper for any easy addition to your holiday wrapping. Paper Zone offers a lot of great holiday templates which you can find on the "Create your Own" portion of their website. Directions for the mittens are on page 3. Here is the Paper Zone template in case you would like to trace it.

Fall Potluck

2009-11-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

For many of you the holiday season means an endless stream potlucks and parties! Although I am trying to learn to cook, I am no Julia Child. With that said, I always stress about what to bring to the office party or friend's potluck. During a recent trip to the Farmer's Market I picked up a recipe for Golden Winter Soup which was originally featured in the January 2008 issue of Cooking Light. It was SOO easy that I was even able to handle it. Plus was delicious, colorful and perfect for a cold day. You can just toss it into a crock pot to reheat at your party.

The picture is from myrecipe.com. (Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro )

Ingredients
2 T. butter
5 C (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 C (1/2-inch) cubed peeled russet potato (about 12 ounces)
1 t kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 C sliced leek (about 2 medium)
4 C fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 C half-and-half

Preparation
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat

Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes

Add leek; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil

Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally

Using and emersion blender, blend until smooth

Stir in half and half

Cover and keep warm

Barbara Kafka, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2008

Lonny Magazine

2009-11-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

I know that this isn't directly related to events, but the inspiration we find can come from a variety of places. It could be a tasty treat, a favorite hobby or the beautiful fall foliage. One of my FAVORITE places was Domino Magazine, which is sadly no longer in press. To those of you who miss the publication as well, I have some exciting news. Domino alumni Michelle Adams has started a new online magazine with photographer Patrick Cline. Check out their first issue and keep an eye out for the second issue which is scheduled to come out in early December. Enjoy...I know I did!

Photo Plates

2009-11-03T09:13:00.000-08:00

For a personal touch, add a quirky picture of your friend for her bachelorette party, a sweet snapshot for you baby's first birthday or a groovy flashback picture for an anniversary event. There are tons of templates to choose from at Hallmark.

Soda Pop Parlour

2009-10-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea from Eat Drink Chic! It's an adorable ice cream parlour themed event. She has done such an amazing job of creating all of the templates that you would need. I totally recommend visiting her blog for more information about the soda parlour and other creative ideas.

You can download these cute labels, directions and soda recipes by clicking here.

To see the whole suite of items that she created please visit her website Eat Drink Chic!

Got Milk?

2009-10-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

These mini milk cartons from Eat Drink Chic would make a super cute DIY favor. For the template and full directions please visit her website. Also, if the actual print isn't your style, don't forget you can just trace it onto any cardstock paper.

Take a bite out of these candy bars!

2009-10-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Doug and Paige of Newport Beach, Ca had a super fun and fresh carnival theme for their wedding. The wedding, which was coordinated by Heather at Amorology featured this sweet treat table. To check out the full wedding please visit Green Wedding Shoes (or Amorology), which is an amazing blog focused on inspiring the modern bride.

Photography is by the Jamie Hammond. The custom pennants were made by Jenn of Pincushion Princess and the vintage ticket sign was designed by Courtney Scowby Designs.

Lauren and Billy's wedding, coordinated by Mary Alice of A Delightful Day, featured a University of Tennessee (where they met) sized candy bar. I love all of the details caught in the picture by McLellan Style Photographers.
I love the look of this next candy bar, which was also photographed by McLellan Style. Maura at Honey Darling Events did an amazing job of keeping with the events rustic feel.

Annette Warnick, owner of Swanky Tables in Portland, Or does a great job of creating one of a kind candy bars. Here is one of my favorites.Let your imagination run wild by creating a candy bar yourself. Containers can be found at a variety of places; so keep your eyes open for fun ideas like science beakers, beautiful vases or fun vintage soda crates!

Do it yourself details

2009-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Cheree and Jeff's St. Louis wedding was full of childhood nostalgia and DIY fun. These amazing event details, created by Cheree of Cheree Berry Paper, are fairly easy to do and can work for a variety of events.

To view their full wedding please visit Martha Stewart Weddings.

Cheree made these adorable garland strands using foam balls and fishing line. For full directions click here.

Lollipop trees give your kids a sweet treat and your adults the chance to act like kids! For the DIY instructions click here. You can also buy these from Cheree Berry Paper.

I love these grab bags full of vintage games, toys and treats!

Donut Deleights!

2009-10-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

If you want an alternative to a floral arrangement, why not try donuts? This delicious idea (and photo) can be found at Martha Stewart Online and would be super cute for a kid's table or brunch centerpiece.

Where do I sit?

2009-09-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

For custom place cards look no further! A shop on Esty called Timeless Paper makes beautiful place cards and can even customize the shape that you want. Here are a few of my favorites.

Seriously...how easy is this

2009-09-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Try these super cute Martha Stewart's stir sticks for a quick and easy addition to your party.

Who said s'mores are just for camping???

2009-09-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

How fun is this drink featured on EveryJoe.com?!?! It was created by their cocktail guru Steve Kemble and would make a GREAT signature drink for a fall event! For the recipe please visit their website.

Wow, what pretty liners you have!

2009-09-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

Lining your envelopes is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to spice up your invites. It's VERY easy to do and it's great bang for your buck. This works with pre-made envelopes; so just think, that "print and home" invite can look custom made in no time at all. Just trace, cut and use adhesive to stick the decorated liner to the inside of your invite envelope. You can either create your own template or you can purchase a package at the Paper Source. Now that I have the package I use them all time! Here is a picture from the Paper Source website of some of the different design options.

You've got mail!

2009-09-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a cheap and easy way to send invitations try Pingg! With fun templates and extended features it's a great way to pop up into your guest's inbox. Not sure about sending it by email? No worries. It also lets you send invitations by text, social networks like facebook or mail. The part I like best is that it gives great event management features like sending thank you cards, updates, sorting guests by event and more! Your options are endless with this wonderful site.

Drink Unbrellas

2009-09-30T10:51:00.001-07:00

Looking for a way to spice up your drinks? Try these super cute DIY umbrellas from Martha Stewart. The template and directions are also available on her site. If the colors don't work for your event, just take the template and trace it onto the scrapbook paper of your choice. Don't forget to print onto card stock if you are planning on tracing it. It will make your life easier!

Lingerie Party Invite

2009-09-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Recently my Mom and I used this wonderful template from the Paper Zone. We used just the front bra portion as thank you cards for those who supported us in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. They would also work well for bachelorette parties or lingerie bridal showers. This is just one of the many super cute templates Paper Zone offers on their website.

We bought plain, pre-folded cards (size A7) which can be found at places like the Paper Zone, Walmart or Michaels. This made our life much easier and then we spiced them up with decorated pink scrapbook paper for the bra.

For the template you can link to their site. Have fun!

Social Calendar Stickers

2009-09-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

With the holiday season being full of festivity, check out these adorable stickers that can help you keep your events organized. They fit inside a standard calendar square or look super cute in a day planner. If these event topics don't work for you, try making your own! I bought the round stickers in the same size and made some that better fit my social calendar needs. They come in a variety of colors and can be found that the Paper Source.

Party in a Box

2009-09-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Are you hoping for a Martha worthy party but are to busy to actually create it yourself? If so check out Etsy for "Party in a Box" kits! They are so cute and let your event LOOK like you spent hours creating a suite of homemade details. Each kit varies in size and price. If you don't see exactly what you are looking for, don't be scared to email the vendor. Most of the time they can help create something just for you!

Victorian Dinner Party at Earmark

A Royal Gathering Princess Party by Make it Mine Parties

Printable Car/Truck Party by Parties by Hardie

Tasty Treats

2009-09-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

I found these adorable baked goods that could sweeten up your next event. They would also make great favors or host gifts. Bakerella has tons of really creative and tasty ideas on her blog!

The best part is that she gives you a detailed recipe, as well as templates for the all of the paper decorations like labels, baskets, etc. Here are a few of my favorites.

"Easy as Pie"

"Mix things up!"

"Fast Food Fun"

Marisa and Eric

2009-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

As we enter the last week of summer, I can't help but to think back on all of the beautiful summer weddings. With the spring and summer blooms, great weather and vibrant colors - it's a wonderful time to tie the knot!

This week I am featuring the wedding of a dear friend of mine, Marisa and her husband Eric. Although pictures alone do not do the shabby chic summer nuptials justice, they can give you a glimpse of the beautiful celebration at Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo, CA.

Their florist was the Janet Webb from Greenwich Floral of Thousand Oaks and their photographer was Carry Corcoran of David Michael Photography.

Fly away with the details

2009-08-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with these fun butterfly details! The top two items are from Laura Normandin's summer wedding to her husband Ben. To see more pictures from their adorable Brooklyn wedding please visit Martha Stewart Weddings.

Butterfly seating cards (follow the link for directions on how you can create these at home)

This butterfly bouquet is super cute and not just for weddings. You can use the same idea and make it into a centerpiece for any other type of event.For added flare you can cut butterflies out of scrapbook paper to create the next two items. A template is available by clicking here.

Let them eat CUPcakes!

2009-08-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

In a recent blog entry by the AMAZING Los Angeles based event planner Mindy Weiss, she had quite an opinion on the status of cupcakes. When asked if cupcakes were going out of style, here is what she had to say, "How can cupcakes ever be out?" To see her reasons you can visit her blog AND as for the cupcakes, I couldn't agree more!

Here are some great ways to spruce up the American classic!

You can create your own cupcake stand with a kit from Sprinkles. Choice of ribbon colors is available.

If you are hoping for something a little more tasty than the standard instant cupcake mix but a little easier than baking from scratch, try the Sprinkles Cupcake mix from William Sonoma. My personal favorite is the red velvet cake...YUM!

Millalove on etsy makes these adorable toppers in a variety of colors.

BelleFeathers can customize your toppers.

These cupcakes were created by Sibby Cupcakery and photographed by Silvana DifrancoAlso, don't under estimate the simple idea of an edible flower such as a pansy for a topper. Whether you top your cupcake with a cute banner, flower or decorative icing it's sure to be a hit!

Homemade Banners

2009-08-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Whether it say's "Happy Birthday", "Just Married" or "Congratulations" these homemade banners are a cute and easy way to add to your celebration. You can make them from scratch or you can turn to a company like Paper Source for supplies. For directions on how to make a banner like the one below, visit the "how to" portion of the Paper Source website.

Or you can buy a custom made one on sites like etsy where I found the following adorable signs.

Sevencupcakes

Ohsewsweetcreations bndesigns

Leaving on a jet-plane

2009-08-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

In preparation for my weekend get-a-way, I wanted to post a travel related event idea. I came across this adorable back-to-school centerpiece that was featured in Every Day with Rachel Ray. I think it would be SO cute for a travel themed get-together!

My Inspiration

2009-08-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

After years of working on events in the non-profit sector, I had the chance to plan MY dream event...my wedding. The one year task led me to fun new blogs, amazing ideas and a massive binder full of details. I received so much inspiration from sites like Snippet & Ink, Style me Pretty and more. Having loved the experience and coming from an event planning background, I have decided to venture out and create Kay Bella by Aiko. With this blog I hope to share tips and ideas for events ranging from weddings to 5th birthday parties and everything in between. After all, life is a celebration and you can find inspiration anywhere. Please feel free to share your thought and ideas with me along the way. Happy Blogging!

For my first entry, I thought it's only right to use my own wedding to thank those who inspired me! Thank you to Martha Stewart Weddings and their feature on Lily Fink and John Harrinton's beautiful Santa Barbara wedding. This was the first piece of direction that sent me on my way to wedding planning bliss! Other help came from Snippet and Ink who introduced me to Out of the Blue on Etsy. They did an amazing job of designing custom earrings and necklaces for my wedding party. Also, I want to thank Dodie at Brassavolas for his beautiful flower creations, great spirit and honest advice.(PS...don't worry. All of the blog entries wont be this long. I just got a little excited)
June 6, 2009-Calamigos Equestrian Center

In celebration of Doug's (the groom) Uncle Harry who was at the wedding on his 97th Birthday.

Photos by Natan Vigna and Michelle Wengert