The Invitation

Grande Fête

About a decade ago my Uncle Pat & Aunt Arlette had the idea of gathering family and few friends to celebrate Bastille Day. And by celebrate I mean eat platefuls of French food and drink lots of wine. This tradition is now 10 years in existence and the guest list has greatly expanded, reaching almost 80 people this past year. What better reason to celebrate than for the love of French food and culture-- it sure makes Bonne-Maman proud!

Mommy in Waiting

Due to a number of circumstances, my mom and I had to plan Rachel's Surprise Baby Shower within just few weeks from her due date... dangerously close! We were hoping she wouldn't have to bring her own baby to the shower. After waiting so long, we figured Rachel would be on to our ploy to get her to Long Valley this past Saturday afternoon. But alas, she was surprised! Apparently we're both very good liars.

Since the party was fairly small I was able to hand-print the invitations, line the envelopes and spend time on all the minute details (though I don't think I could resist doing the same for an even larger event). I like orange as a cheerful and fun alternative to the usual gender-neutral yellow. When I saw cupcake papers & toppers by Meri Meri, I fell in love with them and adopted the vintage circus theme on the spot.

Rachel lives for surprises... so much so that she and Fabien have opted not to find out the sex of the baby or give away the names they have in mind. We are all waiting in anticipation to meet Baby Janus, it's been long enough!

Here Comes the Sun

Sunny springtime yellows were the theme for Kari's shower which ironically fell on a blustery, stormy day. Despite the incessant rain and drenched boots, everyone was glowing, especially the bride-to-be.

Tick...Tock...

...the countdown is officially on! Kari and I finished assembling the last of the Save the Dates today and dropped them in the nearest mailbox. Just a mere 6 months now before the Big Day...

A June Shower

Josephine and I were thrilled to collaborate on throwing Jenny & Erik a baby shower in preparation for the arrival of their baby girl. We decided to nix the traditional pink "It's a Girl!" motif and instead made invitations, decorations and favors that reflect Jenny & Erik's personal aesthetic: bold colors mixed with pastel, polka dots, bicycles (a nod to their bike-riding days in Amsterdam), and a charming combination of old & new.