A Look Back at 2017

Well, 2017 is almost over and it has been a pretty good year here at Designs and Events.  There is a lot to celebrate!  Weddings, Features and, personally, the expectation of two new grandbabies in January! There is much to remember and much to look forward to but, before we look forward, here is a look back at 2017 and our top 10 posts~

Merry Christmas and Twelve Days of Instagram~

Hello there!  I have been working around the house trying to get ready for Christmas.  I am sure you are all doing the same.  My goal for the last twelve days or so has been to post something "Christmas" on Instagram.  It has been fun and has given me the opportunity to show bits and pieces of my Christmas decorations this year since I haven't had time to do a complete blog post on the subject.

Some of My Favorite Things and Wishes Too!

Hey, Everybody!  How's it going with the decorating, shopping, wrapping, card sending, etc......?  I am plugging along.  I hope you are too!

I thought it would be fun to share with you some of the things I have come to love this season.  These are items that have enhanced my Christmas season and I wanted to spread the word along to you.  I thought I would also include some items I have discovered while shopping lately that caught me by surprise.  I am adding them to my Make Believe Christmas Wish List.  I don't really think they will be under the tree but, it's fun to dream, anyway.  Isn't that part of the fun of Christmas--to dream?

A Christmas Time Visit to the Wentworth-by-the-Sea

Hi, Everyone!  Are you enjoying the holiday season?  I am but, I have to admit it is going much too fast for my liking.  As fast as it is going, I still love this time of year.

Part of the fun of the month of December is that it is the season of parties and gatherings; the kind of every sort.  My husband and I were lucky enough last weekend to participate in one of those festive gatherings.  It was my husband's company holiday party.  Before you say, "Oh :/ ", you need to understand that this company party was held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and part of the whole holiday party experience this year was an overnight stay at the renowned, Wentworth By The Sea Hotel.

Naturally Decorating the Front Step for Christmas

Hi All!  Today I am finally sharing some of my Christmas decorations with you.  I know.  I've taken my good sweet time getting here!  In truth, I have been working on my Christmas decorating for a while but, have had other stories to tell you about until now.  Today, I thought the natural place to start was the front step; the entry to my home.

Elements of a Baby Shower

Yes, I understand that it is Christmastime and I should be sharing my Christmas decorating right about now but, a few weekends ago there was a special event in my life and the life of my family and I am hoping you will indulge me this little distraction while I share it with you.

  I, along with my daughter, Amanda, and daughter-in-law, Jessica, hosted a baby shower for my other daughter, Brittany, who is expecting her first child in January.  The preparations had been several months in the making.  Finding the venue, deciding on date, time and menu, ordering and sending out invitations and making decorations were all a part of the process.  There is so much I could share about the process but it is Christmastime, after all, so I am simply going to share some of the highlights of the event.  Perhaps, I will be able to share other details early next year when things slow down a bit :).  (Slow down...right!!)  Until then, here are some of the neat things we made or purchased to make the shower fun for Brittany and her guests.

A Bathroom Reveal and a Touch of Christmas

Hi, there!  So glad you stopped by.  I hope you enjoyed the wonderfully long Thanksgiving weekend.  I took a few days off from regular life and travelled to Lake Placid, New York for a special time with my family.  It was the best of all times having everyone together and I am thankful to my children for making it such a memorable time.

Rambling Thoughts and Giving Thanks This Thanksgiving

I wanted to say a quick, "hi", to all of you on this day before Thanksgiving.  Like many of you, I am busy getting ready for tomorrow's holiday.  I am not hosting this year which makes it less stressful but, I always want to contribute so, I do have a few items to make and bring to the Thanksgiving table.  That will keep me busy most of the day!

Helpful Hint Fridays: A Mason Jar Tutorial

A Thanksgiving Tablescape in the Shed

Hey, Everyone!  November is well on its way.  Fall is speeding by!  I can't believe it.  Can you? Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share a tablescape I created in the shed for the holiday.

White Pumpkin Arrangement

I have always loved floral arrangements created in fresh pumpkins. Since white pumpkins are so in, I thought I would play around with an arrangement in white pumpkins this time around.  I was getting tired of the same old fall colors so, I figured I would branch out with a different approach.  To my delight, the local farm stand was having a sale on pumpkins.  The sale included white pumpkins, as well.  I was thrilled!

Decorating Rebecca's House for Fall

Hi, Everyone!  I hope your week is going well now that the work week is almost over.  I wanted to share my busy last week with you~  Last Monday morning I got a call from a friend of mine named Rebecca.  She was contacting me to see if I would be willing to decorate the outside of her home for the fall. She wanted to brighten things up a bit.  I told her I would be happy to but, I was leaving for Washington D.C. on Friday. My main concern was being able to get all the materials necessary for the job.  In our neck of the woods the supply of fall items such as pumpkins, cornstalks, etc. starts to get a bit skimpy as Halloween approaches. After Halloween it is almost impossible to find large orange pumpkins or even a cornstalk.  I had already done my fall decorating and knew this problem was real.  I didn't want to wait until I came home to start the work on Rebecca's house and since we didn't meet until Wednesday morning to discuss the job, it meant I only had two days to get it done.  I got out my sketch pad and off I went!!

Decorating the Shed for Fall

Welcome!  I hope you are enjoying this great season of fall.  Last week I shared with you how I made mirror image wreaths to go on the doors of my shed.  You can check out that post here, if you'd like. This week I thought I would share a few photos of the shed decorated with cornstalks and pumpkins, some of my favorite things in the fall.  I thought it would be fun to have a mini tour of the place while the mums are still blossoming.

Making Mirror Image Wreaths for the Shed

Hi!  Well, the last few days have felt like fall again.  It has been a roller-coaster ride of temperatures around here lately.  Most days have felt more like August than October and I think that is why it has taken me so long to get my home decorated with fall decorations. However, today the weather finally felt seasonably correct and I thought it was a good day to show you how I made two mirror image wreaths to go on the doors of my shed.

Outdoor Harvest Decorations

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  It's a great time to decorate the outside of your home with organic and natural elements. Fall decorating really is the beginning of holiday decorating for me.  I especially love all the colors of fall.  The changing leaves provide a natural backdrop for beautiful outdoor "decor". Pumpkins, gourds, berries, branches, all can be used to create great scenery around your home, inside and out.  For today, I am focusing on outdoors.

Enjoying the Last Few Days of Warm Weather on the Back Deck

Hey, there!  Well, the leaves are starting to fall and I know that the time of enjoying meals and snacks on the back deck may be coming to a close.  I say this as the weather man is predicting temps close to 80 degrees today so, who knows?  However, while it is still possible I think we should enjoy these last warm moments in the sun and share a few snacks on the back deck.  It is especially nice when surrounded by beautiful fall colors.

Patchwork Pumpkin Patch Cake

Happy October!  It's finally feeling like fall here in Massachusetts.  With the change of weather I am finally moving forward into autumn~~emotionally and in every other way.  The heat is actually starting to come on in my house.  If that isn't a sure sign of fall, I don't know what is!

 Today, I am changing it up from what I usually do and sharing some baking.  To be honest, baking is not my forte and I really should leave it to professional baking bloggers but, since the cake is all done and turned out kind of cute, I thought I would share it with you anyway :).

Remembering Kiersten and Chris' Wedding

Hi, Everyone!  September is almost over!  Can you believe it?  I can't.  In celebration of September, I am remembering a special wedding from last September.  Chris and Kiersten celebrated their one-year anniversary this week on the 25th.  Since it was such a beautiful wedding with beautiful wedding flowers, I thought I would share some of the photos again with you.  I am being nostalgic!


This was the color palette for the wedding.  Weren't the colors gorgeous?!

Late Harvest to Table Tablescape

Hi, all!  It's been a busy week for me and I wasn't sure if I would be able to get a post out or not.  Here's to hoping I can get it done before the end of the day!  Oh, Happy Fall, by the way.  I can't believe it is September 22nd already!

I have had this idea of a "harvest to table tablescape" rolling around in my head for a few weeks now.  I have to admit, however, that the harvest part of it would not come from me.  The only contribution made by my garden to the tablescape would be a few sprigs of basil from my container garden.  But, I love the idea of farm-to-table and wanted to experiment with it a little bit.

Road Trip to Mackinac Island Continued

Hi, Everyone!  As promised, I am finishing up the story of my trip to Mackinac Island in Michigan. You can read the first part of the story here, if you'd like.  I finished the first part of the story with my husband and me stopping for the night in Bay City, Michigan.  We got up the next morning and headed toward Mackinac Island, the true destination of our trip.  This leg of the trip took about 2 1/2 hours.  It was a pretty ride with lots of scenery and before we knew it we were in Mackinaw City.  We would have to take a ferry from there to Mackinac Island.

The Joy of Farms and Farmstands in the Fall

Hey, there!  I know I said I would finish up the story of my trip to Mackinac Island and I truly plan to but, I had such a fun weekend with unexpected discoveries that I simply had to tell you about them! On Friday, my daughter, Amanda, texted me and asked me if I wanted to spend the day with her and two of my grandchildren.  Of course, I said, "Yes!"

Road Trip to Mackinac Island and the Places We Discovered Along the Way

Hi there!  Well, it is absolutely pouring outside so, today is a good time for me to sit at my computer and finally share my trip to Mackanac Island, Michigan with you.  After going over my photos, I have decided to split this story into two posts.  I hope, hope, hope that I won't bore you to death with my vacation story!  I, honestly, am sharing it with you because my husband and I had such a great time making our semi-cross country trip that I thought I might inspire some of you to take a road trip of your own!

A Wedding With Dahlias in Season Continued

Happy September, Everyone!  Well, it feels like fall is starting to make its presence in my area here in Massachusetts.  It was pretty chilling this morning.  I am still hoping to enjoy one more summer fun-filled weekend before hanging up the old bathing suit this Labor Day weekend.  Fingers-crossed!

A Wedding with Dahlias in Season!

Hi, Everyone!  I am sorry I have been among the missing for the last few weeks.  It turned out to be very overwhelming to go away for a week right before I was to prepare the flowers for a wedding and to create a blog post this week.  I was consumed with flowers and floral arrangements and all the preparation that goes along with that :).

But, I am back now and have lots to share with you!  I still want to tell you about my trip to Mackanac Island in Michigan but, I haven't had time to edit my pictures yet so, I thought I would share photos of the wedding I did this past weekend.  That's always fun!!!

Several months ago now I received a call from Carolyn, the bride-to-be.  She was calling from Texas where she is now living.  The wedding was going to be back in my neck of the woods where she was from, originally. Carolyn's aunt, Maureen, is a friend of mine from my garden club and she had told Carolyn that I do flowers for weddings. Maureen has always been one of my biggest fans and I truly appreciate her support.

The Joy of Little Gifts Part Two

Hi there!  Well, I am back from vacation.  What a great time I had!  My husband and I took a road trip from our home in Massachusetts to Mackinac Island, Michigan.  It is a wonderful place. I plan on telling you all about it in the coming weeks.  However, this week I will be working on doing the flowers for a special wedding and there won't be much time for writing and blogging once I begin that process.  So while I have a minute, I thought I would share Part Two of my "The Joy of Little Gifts" post with you.  If you would like to see Part One, you are welcome to see it here.

Taking a Little Vacation

Hi Everyone!  I am checking in to let you know that Designs and Events is taking a little break next week.  I am going to enjoy one last week of summer vacation before it is all over!!  Hubby and I are taking a road trip to some places we have not been before.  It is somewhat of a spur-of-the-moment thing.  Very exciting!  Hopefully, I will remember to take a few (good) pics and be able to share some of the experience with you.

Seaside Inspired Tablescape

Hi there!  I am returning from vacation and trying to get back into the swing of things.  I have to say, I already miss vacation.  We did lots of biking and beaching so, you really can't blame me!  But, now it's time to get back to the real world.

Garden Art and the Summer Garden

Hey, Everyone!  I am on vacation right now.  To be honest, summer is kind of one big vacation for me anyway but, I am on actual vacation this week :).  While I am taking the week off, I thought it would be fun to share some of my garden from home with its funky garden art with you.   My garden has been doing pretty well with the beneficial rains we have been experiencing this summer, although these photos were taken right before the flooding rains of last week.  Boy, did we get pummeled with rain!

Elements of a Summertime Living/Dining Room

I am going to be more positive and say, "better late than never" instead of the more negative saying of, "a day late and a dollar short".  I know that most, if not all, of my blogger friends have already posted their summer house tours.  I am a kind of a live-in-the-moment kind of girl (not a good thing for a blogger I am finding :/). The moments of this summer have been busy with family things. There just has been so much going on,  I have been enjoying it so much!  Have you?  However, even with all of that, I do finally have some summertime décor to show you.  I've been brightening it up in the living/dining room of my home and can't wait to see what you think.

Displaying the Red, White and Blue

Last week I knew that I would be spending the Fourth of July at our little cottage on Cape Cod.  So, before I left for the weekend, I decided to take some patriotic pictures I could share on my Instagram account for the holiday.  I was expecting a lot of guests and knew I wouldn't have the time or the opportunity to create a proper scene for my patriotic pictures.  The following were a few photos I had taken to choose from before I left for the weekend.

Grocery Store Flowers and a Hand Held Bouquet

I am always trying to practice the art of floral design but, it can get kind of pricey with the cost of flowers.  So often, when I just want to practice for practice sake, I buy flowers from my local grocery store.  They usually do not cost very much and there is usually a decent assortment to choose from. I think this day I purchased two or three bunches of mixed flowers.

My Bright and Fun New Herb Container Garden

I am soooo far behind this year when it comes to the garden and my container gardening.  Life and business have been busy of late, which is great but, all of that has put me back a bit when it comes to the garden.  Luckily, a few weeks ago I found this really cool bright yellow-green planter at the Ocean State Job Lot.  I've been itching to fill it with herbs since I bought it and finally this week I have had the time to do it!

Keeping A Wedding Secret

I am sorry I was away most of last week but, I was on a secret wedding mission ;).

Styling an Iced Tea Station

Hi Guys!  Summer is finally here in Massachusetts.  I mean really here!  My car thermometer read 100 degrees yesterday.  Crazy!!  With the hot days of summer coming I thought it would be timely to share my decorated Iced Tea Station.  Hopefully, you will be having plenty of summer occasions where these ideas might be helpful :).

As old and ratty as this garden bench is, it is the starting point for my Iced Tea Station.  I don't think I've ever used it for gardening but, it works out very well for serving beverages, appetizers and desserts at parties and social gatherings.  Most of the time I use it as a decorative piece on my deck. (I know, it really isn't that pretty, is it?) One of these days I am going to repaint and re-stain the poor old thing.  I'm sure such care would do a world of good for it but, for today, my old garden bench is going to have to do, as is.

A Special Garden Dedication

Hello, Everyone!  I am finally online again and able to tell you about the touching and amazing day I was honored to be a tiny part of last week.  It was so very special and I am excited to share it with you.

My Happy Fourth of July Garden

**Hi Everyone!!  Sorry I was away last week.  As I quickly mentioned on Friday, I was without internet, TV and home phone last week.  Boy, you realize how much you need those things when you lose them!  Anyway, as I continue to work on my new post for this week, I wanted to share in Celebrate The USA Link Party 2017 and share my Fourth of July garden from summers past one more time.  I loved my side garden that year. It was so colorful and sooo red, white and blue!  I hope you don't mind going down memory lane again.  I guess this time around we will call it, "My Patriotic Garden."

So here we go....one more time →

Been Off the Grid

Hi, Everyone!  It doesn't look like I will be able to publish a post this week.  I have been without tv, landline phone and the internet for two full days!!!  Verizon is outside working on the problem right now but, I don't think I will have time to edit my post and get it published before the end of the day.  I had hoped to be able to share some of the experiences I have had this week and the special event I was honored to be a small part of but, it looks like that will have to wait until next week.  In the meantime, I hope you have a great weekend!

Adding Whimsy to a Somewhat Carefree Late Spring Garden

Hi Everyone!  Hope all is well.  I am in the midst of preparing for some special events that are coming up in the next few weeks so, I have been very busy with that. I hope to be sharing those journeys with you soon. However, whenever I have a moment AND it isn't raining (It's been raining all day today!) I try to work on my yard and flower beds. I must admit I have not gotten very far in that task but, I am plugging along.

Farewell to the Old Picnic Table and Pfaltzgraff Cape May Tablescape

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are having a good week.  The weather is finally getting better here in Massachusetts and I am looking forward to finally getting into the garden.  One thing that will be missing from my yard's landscape this summer, however, will be the old cedar picnic table that has been in the side yard for so many years I have lost count.  The poor thing has been on its last legs for years now but, it has been the backdrop for so many of my blog and business pictures that I am very sad to see it go.

A Tribute to Mom

Hey, Everyone!  It's almost Mother's Day and time to celebrate Mom!  I've been thinking about all that mothers and grandmothers mean to us and would like to give a little tribute to all you moms out there---Young and Old and Everyone in between!

A Gift Wreath and Natural Spring Vignettes

Before Easter I wanted to make my daughter, Amanda, a special gift as a thank you for having our whole family for Easter dinner.  In preparing the food items and miscellaneous things I was bringing for the holiday, I ran out of time to make my "special gift".  Little did I know I was coming down with the flu and it would be a few weeks before I would get back to making it in earnest.  However, I finally did start to get better and was able to work on it bit by bit.

Helpful Florist Wedding Tips and WeddingWire Vendor Booking Timeline

Hi Everyone!  Today I am excited to be sharing with you the new Vendor Booking Timeline from WeddingWire! It is a very informative graphic which helps brides and their families when it comes to planning that all important day.  It is easy to read and concise in its information, making it a handy tool for brides.  WeddingWire has just made the process that much easier!

Decorating the Front Porch with Spring Flowers

Hi Everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful Easter with your friends and family this past weekend.  I did!  This time of year is just great, isn't it?  No matter how long or tough the winter has been, Spring is a welcome change from the cold and isolating weather of winter.  To celebrate this season change I desperately searched from nursery to nursery looking for pansies, tulips and whatever other spring flowers I could find.

A Springtime in Paris Open House Revisited

I started this blog a little more than three years ago, quite naively, with a post about the "Springtime in Paris Open House" I hosted at my home. I didn't know anything about blogging at that time.  Nothing!  I was encouraged to start a blog by my daughter and, somewhat on a lark, I began my blogging journey. My progress has been slow but, I continue to learn new things everyday and feel I am growing through the process, which is very gratifying to me.

I wanted to share this special (to me) Open House again with you because it was the kick-off to the start of launching my event planning/floral design business. I was a nervous wreck about putting myself out there and having to "sell myself", something that continues to be difficult for me to do.  But with a limited budget, I put everything I had into the Springtime in Paris Open House.  I wanted to make a good first impression for myself and my business.

Whimsical Easter Tablescape

Happy Friday, Everyone!  I have to say I really received some nice responses from last week's post with my Whimsical Fabric Flower Wreath.  That wreath has actually inspired my whole Easter tablescape this year. I am letting the colors of the wreath be my guide for color when it comes to my Easter dining table. It has been fun mixing so many normally taboo colors together.  Easter and Spring allow for whimsy I think,... or at least I hope so!

Making a Whimsical Fabric Flower Wreath

I am back from my mini-vacation to Florida that I took last week.  (I think I may have told you about it.)  It was great to get out of the cold and rainy/snowy weather of the Northeast and enjoy the sun for a few days!  We truly enjoyed our time in Naples but, unfortunately, it is back to real life again.  And, guess what!  They are forecasting snow yet again for tomorrow!!  Like I said, real life---smack in the face!

Oh well, as they say, "All good things must come to an end."  At least, I am back and can finish the craft I started before I left.

Floral Design Parade

I had planned on sharing a new craft I have been working on this week but, time got away from me and here we are at the end of the week and I am still not done!  Life sometimes gets in the way of our best laid plans~~in a good way, of course ;).  I hope to share the finished product next week.  Until then, I thought I would reminisce a bit and share some of my non-wedding floral designs from the past.

~Presenting the Floral Design Parade~ 

I purchased the flowers for this bouquet at Trader Joes.  I loved the colors together and wanted to play around with them in a bouquet.  It's so vibrant.  I like that :).

St. Patty's Day Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everybody!!  I apologize in advance for the randomness of this post.  I am kind of all over the place with this one. I wanted to create a vignette of sorts for St. Patrick's Day and  found an assortment of floral containers in my house I thought would work well for a nice display.  However, I wasn't exactly sure how to incorporate all of them.  I had a brand new hanging plant holder, an old square emerald green vase, green flowers pots, little green goblets and a cabbage!  What should I do with all of this?!  I wasn't quite sure!

I own a curio-type bookshelf and thought it was a good place to start.  It can hold a lot of "stuff".  Slowly I placed and replaced all these items on the shelves until I began to be happy with how they looked.  As you can see the predominate color was green; all in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The miniature castle shown here isn't overly green but it seemed like something that would sit very naturally on the Irish countryside.  So, I determined it was OK to use.  My friend, Michelle, had given me the shamrock ornament after she had travelled to Ireland with her husband.  I just HAD to use that!  Turns out I liked it so much that I used it everywhere :).