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Showing posts with label party people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label party people. Show all posts

SPRING PARTY ESSENTIALS

rope napkin rings striped straws sugar paper place cards jonathan adler positano glasses neon trim


I need to stop using a tiny apartment as an excuse not to entertain! I've lived in New York for four and a half months and I've yet to host any sort of housewarming. Now that I finally have all my furniture in place, I think it's time to bribe some friends up to the Upper East Side for cocktails and girl talk, don't you think? 

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#LOVEMYJACKS

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of co-hosting a party at the Jack Rogers store in New York with Carly and Fred. It was so much fun to meet several Design Darling readers (and customers!) as well as a couple blogger friends I'd been dying to meet forever!
Michael and I met up with Hannah, Stephanie, and Carly before the event to catch up and grab a drink before heading to the party. I hadn't met Hannah and Stephanie before and was so impressed they made the trip from D.C. and back for the party! How fun are everyone's dresses?
I gave the girls these bangles from the boutique and somehow everyone found one or two that worked with their outfit!
I wore this Emma Graham dress and a J.Crew pearl necklace that my mom gave me for graduation last year (similar here). And you can bet I was wearing my favorite pair of Jacks!
There was lots of shopping going on during the event and my biggest temptation (which I successfully resisted — for now!) was this pair from their collaboration with fabric house Quadrille. (They'll be available on the website in early June!)
Shoe shot! My monogrammed Jacks and Carly's platinum wedges.
I always have so much fun with this girl! Here's hoping we'll be invited back next year ;)

*all photos by Carly Heitlinger

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6 Gift Ideas for Spring

For some reason, I feel like half the people in my life celebrate their birthdays in the springtime. Between birthdays for my boyfriend, my brother, and my parents — not to mention Mother's Day and Father's Day around the corner! — my brain is definitely on finding the perfect gift for each person.

The other night I was dashing out the door to a friend's birthday dinner and decided to whip up a little something with items I have in stock for the boutique. It inspired me to share a few gift-giving ideas with all of you in the hopes you'll find that perfect something at Design Darling! 


FOR THE GIRLS: Earrings and a bangle in her favorite colors.

FOR YOUR MOM: A votive holder and a matchbox (or two!).

FOR THE BOYS: A kill-proof topiary for his place and a monogrammed key fob.

FOR YOUR COWORKERS: A budget-friendly monogrammed pencil cup or business card holder to brighten their cubicle (and your view).

FOR THE HOSTESS: A monogrammed tray for her bar cart.

FOR YOUR BFF: Pearl hoops and a colorblock clutch were made for girls' night out!

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What are your favorite gift ideas for spring?




Saturday Eye Candy

I'm sure lots of you are entertaining, planning parties, traveling for weddings, etc. this spring — plus it's almost peony season — so I thought I'd share this inspiring image...
Pink peonies and tulips in mercury glass vases, photographed at a wedding by Carla Ten Eyck. Gorgeous, don't you think?

Surprise Launch Party

Let me just start this post by saying that I am blessed to have the most wonderfully supportive family and friends in the world. I came home from a weekend trip to a friend's lake house to a room full of people yelling, "Surprise!" My cousin Emily and the rest of my family had planned a surprise launch party for the boutique — and somehow I really had no idea!
Emily gathered ideas from her Pinterest to plan the decor and food. Of course she thought of literally everything! The navy and pink palette was right up my alley and she divided the table with breakfast on one side and lunch on the other. I think I ate about 58 ten bruschetta. So good! 
The house was filled with flowers which is of course the most wonderful treat. My grandmother — who is quite possibly Design Darling's number one fan! — send this beautiful bouquet up from Florida.
Emily thought of every last detail right down to filling the candy bowls placed throughout the family room and kitchen. Did you know Party City now sells M&Ms by the color? This makes me endlessly happy.
Of course the biggest gift was everyone who came out to celebrate this new venture of mine. My aunt was visiting from Boston and my sister even drove down from Amherst for the occasion! Family, friends, flowers... I am the luckiest girl in the world!
And the pièce de résistance... The cake that my cousin and her friend made after my logo, illustrated by Gadabout. Apparently it took them three hours to get the colors just perfect. Aren't the bows just the sweetest touch?
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Thank you to everyone involved for the best surprise of my life! How they tricked my nosy nature is still beyond me ;) Now let's speed this week up to Thursday and let it be launch day already!!!

How do you decorate?

I have been sharing a few snaps of our Christmas decor on Twitter but I'm curious what the holiday looks like chez vous. We use traditional garland and a beloved array of collected ornaments but I love the idea of an all-out prepster Christmas à la Anna Spiro, complete with grosgrain bows and mix-and-match wrapping paper. What do the holidays look like in your home?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Wishing you all a happy day with your family and favorite foods. My family and I are off to Rhode Island to celebrate with extended family and I've been given the task of delivering the toast! I'm quite a bit nervous but looking forward to catching up with everyone and indulging in a little apple pie :) What are you all up to?

Glitter Guide Launch Party!

On Wednesday night I was thrilled to attend the launch party for my new friends at Glitter Guide. I'm so impressed with the content and design of their new site and was happy to have the chance to toast to their success! Of course my camera stayed resolutely in my clutch but thankfully Alicia posted these photos on the Glitter Guide Facebook page.
The Glitter Girls!
There was lots of style inspiration...
A healthy dose of leopard...
The requisite sparkle...
And plenty of new friends! {Amber and me.}
UPDATE: one salvageable shot from my camera! {Krista, Crystal, and me.}
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Congratulations to the Glitter Guide and happy weekend to all of you! What are your fun-filled plans for the long weekend?

Sunset Soirée

As a style blogger, I look at pretty things practically all day long. Beautiful clothes. Gorgeous interiors. (Hey, even perfectly edited Instagram pictures on Twitter.) But every once in a while I stumble upon something so pretty that it stops me in my tracks and makes it hard to look away. Case in point: the cover shoot from Rue's fifth issue, styled by Mindy Weiss and photographed by Elizabeth Messina.
The color palette is irresistible: pale blues, pretty pinks, and lush greens with splashes of bright white and sunny yellow. The flowers are insanely gorgeous and the atmosphere screams Palm Beach sunset soirée. In other words, to whom do I RSVP yes?
The invitations and menus hit the nail on the head, playing off the colors in the tablescape and introducing a happy orange hue in delightful geometric patterns that complement the console table that housed the dessert offerings.
I can only imagine how much fun the models were having at the shoot, dressed in darling ruffles and scallops. Why simply pose when you could instead blow bubbles?
Of course the delightful details don't stop there. A layered place setting — complete with flower bud and rock candy — brings in patterned polish while Mindy's adorable bicycle adds a delectable dash of whimsy.
Vintage swimwear was a brilliant choice for the imaginary occasion. I mean, did you ever covet a flowered swim cap before this moment?
I scream for ice cream! I'll bet that cheery raspberry-hued flavor tastes just as good as it looks.
I've returned to these pictures countless times since the issue came out and I'm happy to know that they can now be found on Rue's new Pinterest boards (which will take the place of the infuriatingly slow online gallery). I'll be repinning them for the next time I need an instant dose of take-my-breath-away prettiness. How about you?

Graduation Weekend

My family arrives tomorrow to see me graduate from Bucknell on Sunday. Where oh where oh where did the time go? 

{Louis Monteiro for Tatler}

Two Guest Posts!

I'm soaking up the last day of senior week in Hilton Head, South Carolina, but I planned ahead with a couple guest posts elsewhere! I'm sharing some of my favorite party ideas at College Prep (grosgrain and votives anyone?) and one of my favorite recent interiors over at Look Linger Love. Please stop by! 

Not Your Average Picnic

Is the beachy undertone driving you crazy yet? I hope you'll let me indulge in one more vacation reverie: the beach picnic. Ours on Nantucket usually consist of beach towels, sandwiches, and a cooler full of Arnold Palmers. In short, nothing like this...
Isn't it striking? These pictures were featured on Style Me Pretty as part of someone's wedding but I think it's a fun party idea no matter what the occasion. (With the obvious exception of senior week!) 
Drive out with a coffee table, a few floor pillows, and some fancy place settings for an unforgettable evening that's definitely a step up from your run-of-the-mill picnic. And don't forget a bouquet of fresh flowers and a lantern or two for when the sun goes down! 

The Darling Dani Notes

I'm beyond excited to introduce you to one of my new sponsors for March, the positively darling Dani Notes! If you like affordable, colorful, and custom, you'll love Dani Notes. This Etsy gem is your new go-to for dinner plates, hostess gifts, serving platters, and even monogrammed iPhone cases!
Can you believe these patterned platters are just $34? They're perfect for serving drinks at parties or corralling baubles on your vanity.
I'm imagining family dinners with your last initial monogrammed on every plate or — better yet — a personal monogram for each member of the family! At just $22, these pretty plates could have quite the impact.
Last but not least are Dani's adorable custom cases for iPhone 3G and 4. I can't wait for my turquoise chevron case with its pretty lime green monogram to come in the mail! It's sure to make life as an iPhone user even better.
In addition to offering different patterns and monograms, Dani allows customers to completely customize each design with colors of their choice. Custom colors, preppy products, and reasonable prices — does it get any better? Do stop in at Dani Notes and see for yourself!

Randi Brookman Harris.


Dear Randi,

When I grow up, I want to be a creative genius just like you.

Love,
Mackenzie

Rue Does NYC

Monday night was spent meeting my new friend Roxy for dinner and drinks at an adorable Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. This girl is a kindred spirit in every sense of the word — enviable style, delightful sense of humor, and shared excitement for wherever life takes us next!
Then we hailed a cab to meet up with the Rue crew at The New Traditionalists' showroom in Soho. I was so thrilled to meet Ashlina for the first time! Here we are with Anne, Rue's creative director.
It was so nice to catch up with Bri and Crystal, who with Anne are the brains behind the Rue operation.
Roxy and I had a hilarious conversation with Talis of V and M that included sharing pictures of his safari adventure (talk about a dream come true!).
At night's end, I met my boyfriend at Grand Central, only to discover this madness...
...because Russell Brand was filming a remake Arthur

It was such a special night and I feel so blessed to have met big-time bloggers and darling readers in person for the first time. I am incredibly fortunate to have Rue Magazine in my life; to know that I'm contributing in even the smallest way to such a wonderful publication is a blessing that words cannot do justice. To Anne, Bri, and Crystal: you girls are fun, inspiring, stylish, unique — and know how to throw a party like nobody's business!

{pictures 1 and 2 borrowed from My Cup of Te — thanks, Roxy!}

UPDATE: For those who asked, my dress is this sale number from J.Crew!