The Wonders of Tissue Paper

Above: Underfunded Heiress

All photos, unless noted, are from Martha Stewart

Diaper Cake via Lucky Baby

When it comes to decorating your event, it's fairly safe to say that you are limited for options. You can go the decorator route and opt for complete and utter amazingness with wall drapings and fancy shmancy everything, or you can go to a local dollar or party store and stock up on all kinds of tacky cheesiness that even a 10 year old would frown at. The lack of pleasing event decor that is somewhere in the middle in terms of budget and accessibility is down right disturbing!

That is why when I came across these pictures of tissue paper pom poms from Martha Stewart I jumped for joy! These are not a new idea, and I must admit I thought they were rather childish when I first saw them a few years ago. However, after giving them a go and making them on my own for the Barbie shower I threw earlier this year, I can't say enough good things about these Martha Stewart "good things". Tissue poms are fun, pretty, unpretentious and generally low maintenance (so in other words pretty much any guy's dream date!).

They are so ridiculously easy to make (don't bother buying the kits, just use tissue paper, floral wire and you're set!) and since you can make them in a variety of colours and sizes, they are perfect decor for pretty much any event (think: baby shower, bridal shower, birthday, engagement party, rehearsal dinner, bridesmaid brunch etc etc). They definitely add a finishing touch to your party, and since you can make them in all sizes they can be used pretty much anywhere. I used pink pom poms in different sizes to fill out the dessert table at the Barbie bridal shower, and another blogger used them to pretty up a diaper cake. Your options are endless and are only limited by your creative prowess. They are a bit time consuming to make, so if you want a bunch of them either start early or round up the ladies for a good ole wine and Martha night! Happy crafting!

For pictorial instructions, check out Imperfectly Beautiful

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