12.20.2009

Cupcakes!


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates

Cupcakes were decorated with these cute toppers from bndesigns. One side announced "It's A Boy!", and the other side featured a favorite circus animal. Cupcakes made by yours truly were iced in the yellow and red color scheme.

PS - huge thank you to my graphic designer for doubling as a photographer and providing these great shots for my website which is launching this month - stay tuned!

Popcorn, Peanuts & Cracker Jacks


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates
Left (Guest Book) -
I love non-traditional guest books. Norajane made this cute keepsake pillow for Mom and baby to cherish. One side has a circus animal design and the other is plain blue. Guests were asked to sign with a fabric marker purchased from Michael's. Sign by bndesigns. Looking closely in the right hand corner, you can see the cardboard popcorn boxes filled with yellow and white carnations. It really looked like boxes filled with popcorn. I wish I had a better shot of these because they were a big hit!

Right (Desert/Candy Bar) -
Popcorn, Peanuts & Cracker Jacks! Guests filled popcorn boxes with sweet treats to take home. Homemade candy apples and sweet lion cookies done by yours truly.

Adorable Packaging


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates
These Popcorn boxes on the left were filled with prizes for the game winners. The boxes were left open with yellow tissue paper popping out of the top to look like popcorn.

Sticking to budget without sacrificing design


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates
I picked up these cute popcorn tubs in the dollar aisle! I was able to use them for three purposes: flower vase, silverware holder and a container for the candy bar/desert table.

A Sugary Sweet Circus Concoction


circus1
Originally uploaded by jesscreates
What screams circus more than cotton candy? Sweet goodies double as centerpiece. Vases stuffed with cotton candy and adorned with whimsical Whirly Pops.

Step Right Up...


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates
Get your ticket!

Entry table to the Main Event. Clowns purchased on EBay. Vase in background is filled with peanuts holding a "TICKETS" sign. Tickets designed by bndesigns.

The Main Event


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Originally uploaded by jesscreates

Welcome to the Main Event!

All Buttoned-Up hosted a circus themed baby shower for a special guest of honor. Invitations, tickets (shown above), signs, favor tags and cupcake favors were made by bndesigns

12.19.2009

Etsy Love

We're nestled in for a really snowy DC weekend. Hopefully I will get things finalized with AllButtoned-Up and get ahead on packing our house for the big move!
My good friend just opened up her Etsy Shop. Be sure to check out her art @ http://www.etsy.com/shop/blissfulbeauty

12.06.2009

It Must Be the Mirror


It's official - we received a contract on our home. It must be the mirror! Fingers crossed all goes smoothly over the next 30 days and I will be one step closer to my rustic white desk. Couldn't you see me planning the perfect event behind a beauty like this?

12.05.2009

Mirror Mirror On the Wall, You're the Fairest of Them All




First, Let me apologize for slacking on my blog!! Things have been pretty busy, both personally and professionally. In the matter of a few short weeks, we have listed our home for sale, planned the "Main Event Of The Year" baby shower for my expecting sister-in-law, celebrated the Holidays with friends and family and to top it all off are finalizing my website launch!

I promise to not be so neglectful once we settle in our new home and I finally have my long dreamed of personal office space with a little white rustic desk! My husband may disagree, but I plan on it being one of my first new furniture purchases. It may be my cheapest - I am talking a restored goodwill piece here. I will know it when I see it!

I can't wait to find our new home and have my new office, but I know I will miss our first place that we lived together as a dating couple and a married couple, having a small home to clean, and most of all my newly remodeled bathroom with the mirror I designed.

This could be my next entrepreneurship - I can just see my graphic designer laughing in vain and thinking let's get All Buttoned-Up off the ground and then talk to me in 2 - maybe 5 years ha! Seriously though, budget of $10 made this beauty! I am lucky enough to be in a family of contractors and found/"borrowed" :) the mirror and wood from my dad's shop. But, even if you purchased it you are only talking small costs for the mirror and wood. I have seen similar mirrors selling at high-end stores for $300+. It was the cheapest and easiest part of our bathroom renovation and the piece that gets the most comments!

Materials: Mirror, Wood, Nails, Glue (strong mirror glue to hold to the wall), paint, chain or other "damage" materials

Step One - Cut mirror and glue to the wall
Step Two - Make the wooden frame. Simply nail the pieces of wood together to border the mirror like a picture frame. This doesn't have to be neat - if the nails show it will complete the look in the end.
Step Three - Destruction. Using whatever you can think of ruff this baby up! I took a chain and beat the wood over and over and hammered it.
Step Four - Paint! I used two colors. First, I painted green for the base color real thin and spotty not covering in some parts. Before the green dried, I started painting brown on top smearing the green some, letting it show through in some parts and covering it in others. After it dried, I took sandpaper to parts of it for an extra weathered look.
Step Five - Tack the frame on the mirror & enjoy!


11.11.2009

Happy Anniversary!


Jason & I celebrated our two year anniversary yesterday! I am in love with the Stargazer Lilies bouquet on my desk - they smell soooo good! My colleague said he can smell them down the hall. I wish my blog had a scratch and sniff button to share the best part with you!

11.06.2009

Popcorn, Peanuts, Cracker Jack's


I have circus on the brain - Compiling my laundry list of circus ideas for my client's baby shower. Daydream a bit and take yourself back to the circus. I would love to hear what your circus can't live without!

These Boots Were Made For Walking


Happy Friday!

It's going to be a beautiful fall weekend in DC & best of all my college roommate and her husband are visiting! What better reason to test out my new fall boots in the city!

Top 5 things I love about fall:

College football - very partial to WVU :)
My wedding anniversary
Changing of the leaves
The crisp air
Fall wardrobe

Speaking of wardrobe - check out my latest purchase! I am so excited about these boots. I searched and searched for the perfect brown boot with a small heel and all sources kept leading me to these new Steve's. In love!

11.04.2009

Circus Circus

Here is a sneak peek at my inspiration board that I created @ StyleMePretty.com for a circus themed Baby Shower I am planning in December. I found the great circus invites and paper goods below on Etsy by bndesigns.



Circus Circus

Credits: Caplan Miller Events, Kristin Vining Photography (2), Calluna Events, Recherche Photography, Calluna Events, LLC

Grand Debut



Hello! I'm Natalie, owner of All Buttoned-Up Event Planning & Design Boutique located in Washington, DC. I'm a PR professional by day and manage All Buttoned-Up on the side. I have over 5 years event planning experience and after falling head-over-heels planning my dream wedding, I decided to open All Buttoned-Up.

All Buttoned-Up website, http://www.allbuttoned-up.com/, will go live in December thanks to my wonderful designer, Jess with Sublime Design. Check out her work @ http://sublimedesign.wordpress.com/

In the meantime, if you have an event and need a planner - give me a shout! All Buttoned-Up will offer a special discount for our first "official" customers!