Adding to the Beauty: Li'l Sis and Lemon Yellow, S+K

It's official, my sister is engaged!  [so so SO happy for the new family of V to be].  And she's already chosen a color scheme.  All of my blog-perusing and magazine reading have had a yellow/gray filter in preparation for the styling of her big day!  Her new initials will be SV [cool].  I knew I wanted to style the little lunch their parents had for them when they returned from their trip to the west coast, but I didn't know QUITE how it was going to come together.  Here's the BEFORE shot (disorganized, a plethora of gray/yellow+yellow/gray possibilities).

The details really came together, inspired by the cute summery flag-topped drink stirrers I made from trimmed kabob skewers (bamboo) and assorted card stock grade paper in grays and yellows that were on sale at Michael's (there's no shame in a sale!  My momma taught me right!).  I added a stirrer to each water glass, and then added extras to the mini-centerpieces I created.  I went big on fresh/natural/fun because that is my sister's style.  Her style is a bit more contemporary and geometric than my own, so it was good practice.  The triangle shape of the flags and the color scheme balance nicely.  I used all different V's on my acrylic stamp set and yellow and gray ink to create some nice monagrams.  I really love her new last name.  I used stick-on gold-hued gem stones and mini letter stamps to create the S+K.  I couldn't help but add a little of my feminine style by tying a bit of yellow tulle around the sticks.

I added fresh REAL lemons to a small pot glazed in a pretty gray and poked in some fresh sunshine-colored mums [event note: wait until you get to your location to add water to flowers if possible].  I put a little mum plant in a smaller bright yellow planter.  I mixed up the texture by nesting both with some silvery metalic tissue paper from Target.

My best "find" was this adorable reversable accordian ribbon picture holder.  It's meant to use as a display for pictures (you would just tuck in loose photos).  But I used it to create a little congratulations montage in the middle of the table.

I knew I wanted to make them a little lemon yellow scrappy photo album where they can add pictures as they walk through their engagement together [planning tends to take over the normal every day excitement of living in general, as opposed to being wedding-nazis who forget the point-- been there, done that].  So, I completed that with a sense of accomplishment because I really want them to feel loved by little touches.  Here are some of my favorite details from the photo album:

{styling tip: choose a few elements but repeat in a whimsical way.  Use a few stamps but alternate the parts of the stamp you use so it looks familiar but new on every page.  And don't be afraid to create more consistency by using the same papers but in new creative unexpected ways (no need to use high grade Archiver's paper for every page!).  The target paper napkins I used to make an easy table runner is the same stuff I used to crumple and pin here and there in the photo album.  (Oh yes, I did...)  I did the same with the silvery tissue paper.  I used it in the plants and as backgrounds to pages in the book.  I used the same font of stamps throughout, and I added the same little yellow gems throughout.  Now when they look at the book, they'll remember the little flag stirrers and centerpieces for years to come.}

It's always an honor to style a little surprising celebration, but it's even MORE joyful when it's for your sister, who you love, and want happiness for so so much.  Congratulations, S+K!