Hello Bella at The Kitty Card Christmas Party

Photo: Go Lucky Photography

Photo: Go Lucky Photography

Photo: Go Lucky Photography

Photo: Go Lucky Photography

Photo: Go Lucky Photography

When Lexie of The Kitty Card asked me to provide a treats table for their Christmas party, I was more than happy to oblige. Designing treat tables (or candy buffets/candy bars/ dessert tables) is probably one of my most favourite things to do. It is more than just my penchant for sweets (although that is a major factor), but it is the collective visual and sensory impact that can be made by bringing all the pieces together. From mini cupcakes to custom labels and dazzling decor, my "Merry Kitty Christmas" table was fun, fabulous and flirty (if I do say so myself).

Since The Kitty Card colours are pink and black, I thought a pink and black Christmas theme would still pay homage to the holidays while keeping the mood girly and cute. Framed by twinkling black Christmas trees and finished with a sparkling curly willow centerpiece, the decor showcased the tempting treats and nibblies . Instead of using one of my many cupcake stands to hold the bite sized cakes, I opted for a creative Christmas twist. I wrapped some boxes in pretty wrapping paper (pink and black striped paper that I had to design and print myself because apprantly it's impossible to find such coloured wrapping around Christmas time!) and used them to create a stack of presents that would also hold the cupcakes. Since all of the fabulous Kitties enjoy a good cocktail party, I kept the candy glassware fun and kitschy, using oversized martini glasses and snifters. Scoops and tongs were hand wrapped in pretty pink satin ribbons, and black baggies were available for those wanting to take some home for a midnight snack!

Among the goodies supplied were: candycane kitty cakes, glam city (cotton candy) cupcakes, pink cherry kisses, peppermint pretzels, pink cinnamon ribbon candy, pink mints, bubblegum candycanes, and pink chocolate covered fortune cookies.

While the girlies enjoyed the Hello Bella treats tables, they were pampered with manicures, makeovers and massages by some of Van City's top beauty professionals. Andrea from Go Lucky Photography was also there to capture some stunning images of all the fun. I love the pictures she took of our treats table (featured above) as well as of the party happenings (found on the Kitty Card facebook album). All of the great vendors, including yours truly, are sponsors of the Kitty Card, which means you get exclusive deals and discounts if you're a Kitty Card member!

It was so much fun to be a part of it and to get to meet so many great new people! I will try and blog as much as I can over the holidays, but if my good intentions fail, then I wish you and yours a very Merry Kitty Christmas and a gloriously Happy New Year!

The Cookie Buffet

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Are you starting to get the feeling that I have a bit of a sweet tooth? Well, I must admit, I have a MAJOR one... as evidenced by posts like this, this, this and this.

While everyone is pleasantly enjoying their October in 2009, us wedding junkies are living in 2010 seeking out inspiration and insight into wedding and event trends. One that I see making a huge mark on the wedding industry is the Cookie Buffet. Really, who doesn't love cookies? I'll take a cookie over, well, pretty much anything. There is something about cookies that just makes them so... satisfying. Yes, they're delicious and full of butter and sugar and tastiness, but there's also a feeling that cookies come with- that homemade goodness, those childhood memories of baking with mom in the kitchen and getting our hands a little messy (and then licking the spoon afterwards!).

Cookie buffets are, of course, a spin off of the uber popular candy buffet, but in many ways more economical and practical. I've done many a candy buffet, and can say they are, to say the least, a pain in the behind. Attractive, tasty, colour co-ordinated candy is difficult to find, and the cost adds up quickly (average about $2-$5 per guest). You will probably go to dozens of stores to find just the right selection, and you'll end up with a much larger hole in your pocket than you anticipated. A cookie buffet, however, is friendly on the budget, and best of all you can utilize your wedding party in the kitchen. Have each member, or family member at that, make a batch of their favourite cookie recipe. This way you'll have plenty of selection, and you'll have spread out your wedding work load a bit.

Want ways to really make your "Cookie Buffet" your own?:

~Attach favourite recipe cards to the treat bags for a unique guest favour

~Name your cookies after your favourite things (movies, books, vacation spots etc) and use creative and pretty labels that match your wedding theme. What would I name my cookies? Well, "Gone with the Mint", and "Titanic Chunks of Chocolate"...and (don't laugh) but I'd probably throw a "Legally Blonde Brownie" in there ;)

~Artistic? Paint something fun on brown paper bags (or have a little one finger paint as seen at Buzz Bishop's wedding in the last picture)

~Have the grandmas, aunts or other important figures in your life do the baking. Chances are they are more than happy to help out, and baking for your wedding is the perfect (and not too tedious) task to give them

~Display your cookies in fabulous fashion: build multi-tiered, paper covered boxes like the first picture, use a lovely display of glass jars and pedestals, display them in tin flower troughs, or even antique vases and dishes borrowed from family members. Whatever you decide to use, be original and personalize, personalize, personalize!

~Mix your displays of homemade cookies in with some expert custom designed cookies like the ones from the Steveston Cookie Company. You will still get the visual impact of these gorgeous designer treats without having to buy one for each and every guest.

Lastly, remember this trend isn't just for weddings! Cookie buffets can easily be incorporated into your next cocktail party, shower, or birthday. I think I'm going to go have a cookie now...

Barbie Bridal Shower "Barbie-Que"

It all started with a bride with an extreme fascination with Barbie. So extreme, in fact, that she had an entire room in her house dedicated to the iconic Mattel doll. The amazing "Barbie Room", complete with a pink chandelier, pink walls, black and white damask accent wall, framed Robert Best Barbie sketches, and a white bookcase full of Barbies, served as the inspiration for a bridal shower for an equally amazing bride-to-be.

The thirty-ish female guests were welcomed with a "wishing tree" sign in with vintage-style Barbie note cards. After jotting down some well wishes to hang from the tree, the girls were welcomed by a "Ken doll" server and offered an assortment of pink refreshments. Among the signature drinks were: Barbie-tini, Pink Sangria, Barbie Bubbly (Pink Champagne), Barbie Blush Wine, and for the non-drinkers Pink Lemonade and Pink Cream Soda. Drinks were served in either a pink martini glass or a wine glass accessorized with custom made pink Barbie shoe wine charms.

The barbeque-style dinner served up mini-burgers, mini-paninis and sushi with plenty of salads and appetizers to nibble on throughout the evening. The true indulgence of the night, however, belonged to the signature Barbie dessert table: a pink-fondant covered Barbie cake, a display of cupcakes topped with three flavors of buttercream icing in different shades of pink (french vanilla, banana and mint), pink cake pops (recipe courtesy of Bakerella), a pink chocolate fountain, and finally a pink candy buffet.

Decor for the event consisted of pink tablecloths (obviously!), Barbie busts, pink and white peony arrangements, strategically placed Barbie dolls in pink convertibles, and pink damask accent pillows for the lounge area. After opening many Barbie-esque shower gifts, along with some more traditional ones, guests made their exit and were thanked with a of set of four hand-made wine charms in Barbie gift bags.

If you'd like to view more photos from the event, check out the "Events" section of my portfolio at www.hellobella.com

For the sweet tooth...Candy Buffets!

I was first introduced to the “Candy Bar” or “Candy Buffet” while planning my own wedding. It seemed like such a fun and cute way to incorporate our wedding colours, and it gave guests something to do while they waited for us to get our photos taken. Since it was a late addition to the wedding, we didn’t have very much time to source candy, and thus shelled out quite a lot of money at the Sweet Factory. There are more affordable ways to track down candy for your event, though. Bulk sections in grocery stores usually have everything from jelly beans to m&ms, and buying candy after holidays ( think Valentines & Easter) will always get you a good deal!

Doing the candy buffet was so much fun that our jar selection  grew from 5 jars to 13! The more jars I bought, the more candy I needed to fill them! I also wanted to dress up the scoops a bit, so I wrapped the handle in ribbon and used a few feathers as a fun accent. The matching cello bags were purchased on ebay, and then adorned with a custom sticker bought from etsy.com. The great thing about candy buffets is that they are so versatile. For a more laid back, old fashioned feel, why not try wooden scoops with small kraft lunch bags accented with a monogram. I’ve also seen small sand shovels used as scoops, and small pails to hold the candy for a kids function.  Candy buffets are a great alternative to goody bags at a birthday, or cake/desserts at a shower. The options are many, and only limited to your imagination!