hello old friend.....

Wow my poor blog....its certainly been a little neglected the last few months.....But hopefully you have all been able to check out Whimsy Petites event {sneak peeks} on the facebook page.

2011 has been an amazing year for Whimsy Petite!  What started out as me putting feelers out for a possible hobby business venture...rolled into me jumping in leaps and bounds into what is becoming a wonderful business journey!

Certainly one of my highlights was being approached by Brisbane business Possom and Banjo to style an editorial shoot for the summer edition of Tickle the Imagination e Magazine.  It was a pleasure to work with other women who had made a sea change in their careers and followed their creative passion to do something they enjoyed!

Well today has finally arrived and the Summer Edition of Tickle the Imagination is out....Time to grab a cuppa, relax and get inspired by some talented and creative businesses!  You wont be disappointed!

Looking forward to catching up on some blogging over the coming break and sharing more on some grogeous events I had the pleasure of styling this year....including more on the behind the scenes of this fun Retro Beach Cafe shoot.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement and support in setting up Whimsy Petite, helping me to follow my heart!

Think Greener - recycling & reusing

Miss Oprah Winfrey always said is was good to "vent"

....so here I go.....

Just last weekend I styled a sweet Wizard of Oz party on the Gold Coast.  Held at a local council park it was the perfect location for a 6 year olds birthday celebration....lovely surrounds, great facilities & an awesome playground!

With 3 parties in the small park that day, it was nice to spend the afternoon surrounded by giggling children, families & friends all celebrating a little person in their lives.  Unfortunately amidst the joy, something that really disappointed me was the amount of garbage left behind by other party goers. I was actually quite disgusted to be honest & I have found myself reflecting on this subject it a bit this week.

The party in the gazebo beside ours, left their site in a horrid mess....paper decorations  were left waving in the wind, still taped to posts long after their owners had gone, bins overflowed with paper products, cans & bottles; bits of broken balloon could be found on the ground & bags of rubbish were left for council to take care of.  Not only did I feel they had disrespected the environment, but also the council & their use of public facilities.


I'll be honest that, when I saw their site, then looked at ours, it gave me a sense of pride to note that we had taken our one small bag of rubbish to the car & left our party site in the same clean & tidy condition we had found it in....
the only footprints we had left behind were those of the guests in the playground sand.

This got me thinking over the next few days about the amount of waste from a few hours of celebrating.  What a huge environmental impact parties must make each weekend.    As it happened, during the week, I was reading a recent blog by my lovely friend & fellow party gal, Daneve of Ah Tissue, which made me realise I wasn't alone in my thinking about reducing consumables at parties. {Daneves beautiful products are a great example of reusing decorations in the home after they have graced a party - my daughters have a beautiful bunch of them in their room....still looking fabulous a year after the party we used them in}

I had decided early on I would make a conscious decision to be as environmentally "savvy" as possible with my Whimsy Petite events.  When shopping for supplies I always keep in the back of my mind whether its an item that can be reused; is made from or can be recycled etc

Lets be realistic.....I style parties, therefore there are going to be consumables, I get that....& I love the variety of beautiful products available to add the sweet touches to soirees these days. 

All I am saying is there can be a balance. Beautiful parties don't need to mean bags & bags of rubbish a few hours later. It may mean a little more time preparing, or having to do a few dishes after the event, but I figure its time worth the effort.

So you might be wondering how DO I seek to keep my businesses environmental impact down?

Reuse of fabric table linens

Thoughtful use of reusable jars

Use of timber products {such as cutlery as an alternative to plastics}

Resuable decorations for example -

Fabric Bunting has endless opportunity for reuse

Ah tissue poms - the ideal reusable paper decoration
Fabric decorations add a sweet touch to bedrooms or living areas post party

Reusable melemine ware
Recycled drink bottles
Paper Straws breakdown & wont harm the environment
Don't use disposable plastic ware
Use biodegradable products

Supply quality take home gifts rather than cheap breakable varieties

Cretive packaging that guests can reuse at home

Source, reuse & revamp old props & junkyard finds

Borrow items from family or friends

& the list is continually growing.

So here it is, my little rant ....and the point?  When you are next planning a soiree of your own, I challenge you to think outside the square of commercially produced plastic party products...do you really need to use plastic plates, cup & cutlery - can you incorporate decorations which are reusable, or that you can pass on to someone else?  Do the thank you gifts you bestow on guests need to be in throw away packaging?  Can you provide a general garbage & recycling bin for your guests to use during the event - or are you willing to sort through this yourself?  What about using cloth table linen rather than the disposable paper or plastic kind?  Will you remove your rubbish from a public area and leave it in a clean and tidy condition for the next park goer to enjoy?

I'd love to share any other creative ideas for environmentally friendly party ideas you might have - please leave your suggestion in the comments below

 I hope that my little rant has given some food for thought. Remember together we can make a difference! xx

If you would like inspiration or help in creating a fabulous {environmentally friendly}

soiree of your own, you can contact me about Whimsy Petites event styling services,

party packs or inspiration boards.

Have a fun & happy week everyone!


Tash

Birthday Girl: real parties: let's go fly a kite

What a wonderfully perfect surprise to wake up to this morning!!

The adorable {Autumn Breezes Kite Party} Whimsy Petite styled in May in collaboration with  Polkadot Prints,  has been featured on the Birthday Girl Blog - click here to pop over to the feature { Birthday Girl: real parties: let's go fly a kite }

Thanks again to my talented friend Luke from Voice Photography for capturing the day so perfectly.

Thank you so much for sharing Birthday Girl...Have a magical day!

Tash

Dreams really do come true....

I had the absolute pleasure of styling a {Somewhere over the rainbow} party this week.  With classic blue gingham, splashes of yellow, tins and flowers the young guests felt like they had landed in Oz..... 

Miss C, now 6, just loves the classic tale, Wizard of Oz.  Her busy working mum had already sent out adorable invitations when she approached me to help her bring her ideas together. 

Beautiful fresh Sunflowers, baby daisies & wheat stems completed the feel of the theme

The Munchkins {aka guests} lined the sides of the yellow brick road, enjoying a scrumptious roadside picnic, to catch a glimpse of the Emerald Cities travellers in their hot air balloon -   {I will be honest, this balloon concept almost did my head in!  I had no idea how it was going to work...but after a few tantrums, releasing a scream or two & many hours of playing around I have to say it didn't turn out too bad after all}

Aren't the Barbie Character dolls the client provided adorable!

Children had a lovely homemade lunchtime meal consisting of a chicken salad wrap,  raspberry jam heart sandwich  & a tub of freshly prepared fruit salad.   {Need I say,  it all went down a treat!!}

Pails of sweets lined the table centre for them to sneak in a few treats as well

I was able to use the clients purchased clip art to make cute fruit picks for the table setting

The yellow brick road led down to a delectable table of refreshments for the adults attending the soiree.  A lovely assortment of foods {Finger sandwiches, Cheese platters, Fresh fruit, & these scrumptious jars with layers of yogurt, compote & topped with a sweet pastry puff} prepared by the client & her sister kept everyone more than satisfied & heading back for seconds! 

A self help beverage bar with drink dispensers offered refreshing iced water, homemade punch & the yummiest old fashioned lemonade I have ever had!

As the afternoon drew to an end the buffet was reset with thank you gifts, deserts & a very sweet birthday cake made by the GOHs clever mum....Dorothy's house atop the Witch of the East with little munchkins looking on.

Guests were thanked for their attendance of the celebration with little tin pails containing a rainbow of colour pencils, a rainbow paper pad, sweet treats, a custom made bookmark & much to their delight a crunchy homemade mini toffee apple.

Famous Lyrics from  the song written by E Y Harburg featured on the table - {I loved how so many people at the park stopped to read the words as they passed by  & went on their way humming to themselves!}

Another perfect Queensland winters day + a dreamy party at the park + gorgeous little guests = Success, because most importantly everyone had a great day!

If you would like inspiration or help in creating a fabulous soiree of your own,

you can  contact me about Whimsy Petites event styling services,

party packs or inspiration boards.

Til next time, have fun!!

Tash

Vintage Tea Dress

You might remember my post raving about Naughty Shorts,  the fabulous little {& quickly becoming very popular} business of Perth clothing designer Bec {you can read it here if you missed it}

I was so excited this week when my beautiful vintage inspired dress finally arrived...It was a very looooong 8 weeks of patient waiting...YES 8 Weeks....I told you she was becoming very popular!!

I'll be honest...I did let out a little squeal of delight when I saw the senders details on the parcel the postman had just delivered. 

Without a moment to loose I ripped into the postpack...& there, was one of the most creative, lovingly presented parcels I think I ever recieved.  Carefully wrapped in a recycled vintage sewing pattern; completed by a tag hand stamped with my name & adorned with a heart in the same fabric as my dress sewn on it, was my 50's inspired tea dress. I almost didn't want to ruin the wrapping...but that lasted only a second, I needed to see "the dress"...... and I assure you it was everything I had hoped it would be.  The cut is stunning & the vintage fabric just beautiful.

And....to top it off..... my fossiking through vintage stores & second hand op shops paid off when I married the dress up with the accessories I had purchased during that loooooong wait!  The perfect vintage inspired outfit....now I have to wait, again, until the chill of winter subsides so I can enjoy my new favourite dress...perhaps a High Tea will be the perfect way to make her debut!

A super big THANK YOU to Bec for her talented work!  I can't wait to order another! xx


'til next time
Take care....but have fun doing it

Tash

Autumn Breezes - Kite Party

Afternoon delights, Autumn breezes, & Kites....I just ♥ how this Whimsy Petite Picnic Party came together

Miss Kyla, 6, was so excited about her first ever birthday party,  so we really wanted to make it a very special celebration for her & her friends

Kyla loves kites so there began the theme for the soiree

Despite forecasts for rain we had the perfect autumn afternoon.  Nestled under the shade of beautiful big trees at a local park, the sun was shining, the skies blue & most importantly, there was a breeze in the air

The beautiful & very excited guest of honor

The picnic setting of crisp white furniture, pretty lemons & pinks made a beautiful contrast against the vibrant green grass in the park

As guests arrived they set to creating beautiful artwork on kites - the client sourced these kits online -  The girls had so much fun making them & the autumn breeze at the seaside park was ideal for flying them.  The kites were the main activity of the party but also acted as a memento and thank you gift from Kyla to her friends

Co-ordinated printables by Polkadot Prints

When I found this adorable buffet & old tea trolley at a local junk yard I just knew they would be perfect for this party....although they certainly didn't look this good until my handy husband spent hours stripping & repainting ...But I am so glad he did, they looked gorgeous!

Refreshments for both the children and their parents were

displayed until it was time to eat

Kyla & a number of her guests have food allergies.  Her mum & I are also very "sugar high" conscious & decided against a range of sweet treats on this occasion.  With this in mind we created a very simple but yummy afternoon tea for the girls to enjoy as they took a rest from flying kites, playing ring toss & having fun with hula hoops 

A light snack of banana cupcakes, sweet homemade popcorn,

slinky apples & cool refreshing water

served under the shady trees topped off a perfect afternoon

Scrumptious low allergen banana cupcakes

topped with colourful pinwheels by Whimsy Petite

Slinky apples are a great way to have fun with fruit!

{Fun, yummy, economical & healthy - perfect!}

Before long the girls were back out in the sun enjoying their perfect autumn afternoon

...and best of all....Kyla had a fantastic time with her friends celebrating her special day just the way she wanted to!

 

{A huge thank you to Jordan of Polkadot Prints for collaborating with me & designing the gorgeous printables for this event, & the ever talented Luke of Voice Photography for capturing such stunning images of the day}

'Til next time

Take care...but have fun doing it!!

Tash

And the Winner is...

Firstly a heart felt thank you to everyone who entered, promoted and supported the giveaway celebrating our first 250 Facebook likers!  It still excites me everyday how quickly my little venture is taking off...infact did you hear the news, I am now booked out for events for the next 6 months!  WOW! 

I am however, still available to design custom party packs or to assist in inspiring your creativity for an upcoming event with an inspiration board, so feel free to email me @ whimsypetite@hotmail.com regarding either....or of course to enquire about event date availablility in 2012.

So....the news you are all waiting for.....

Random.org generated a random number of 13...

 Louise-Anne Pilsbury you are our lucky winner.

Louise will recieve an inspiration board (PDF) plus custom designed party package in her choice of colours or theme to the value of $120.

Congratulations Louise-Anne!!

250 Likers Giveaway

We have had a very successful first 3 months....
and what better way to celebrate than with a GIVEAWAY!!

I am giving one lucky person a prize worth over $100!

The winner will recieve a {Custom Styled Mini Party Pack}
OR $100 discount off a full party package. 
PLUS you'll also receive a free inspiration board to get your creativity flowing for your upcoming event, valued at $25!

The mini pack will contain the following items in winners choice of colour/theme concept:

:  3m Custom made bunting

:  10 Pack of party cups

:  10 Party plates

:  10 Custom made Cupcake toppers

:  10 Cupcake wrappers

:  10 Retro paper straws

:  3 Paper lanterns

:  2m Co-ordinating ribbon and twine

Entering is really easy!

Main Entry

 Just leave a comment below this blog,
finishing the sentence


"If I could have ANY themed event it would be........"


or "My favourite party theme is....."


That's all you have to do to be in the draw for this great prize


(Don't forget to leave your email address in the comment so you can be contacted you if you win).

Want more chances to win?

After you have completed the main entry

you can submit up to two additional chances to win by....

* subscribing to our blog

(or let me know that you already do)!

* tell your online friends or share on your own blog

about our giveaway, including a link to this blog post,

so your friends can join in the fun.

** You MUST come back here to this blog post to enter**

{Oh and as a little bonus giveaway.....if your friends mention your name in their blog comment you get a small referral prize if they win the major draw!!}

 

* already a Whimsy facebook follower?

that counts too - just let me know in the comments below!

There, It's that easy!

NOTE: Giveaway open to residents of Australia & Internationally/USA over 18 years of age.  International followers :  Postage not included for international delivery.

Valid entries and draw conditions

The giveaway ends midnight July 2nd, 2011(Brisbane, Australian time)

the winner will be announced the same day
with a post on this blog and an email to their noted account
Winner will be selected via random draw using random.org

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

{Don't forget our June/July special - 2x custom styled inspiration boards (PDF FILE), usually $50....ONLY $35  email us to order yours today} 

Please note no Facebook comments will be considered valid entries, become a page liker then pop here and answer the question to enter....include the name of the person who referred you

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and support over the past 3 months. I have been humbled, blessed and super excited about the business and the feedback we have been getting from satisfied customers already! 

So much happening more quickly than I had imagined! 

So, again, I say Thank you!!

Winter warmer

Winter is definately starting to show itself here.  Its getting harder to brave getting out of bed in the mornings and the evening chill starts to set in around 4pm.

With the cooler weather upon us, its a good excuse, well for me anyway, to fix some good old family favourites in the kitchen.  Wholesome, filling, tummy warming recipes that are just too much to eat in the Queensland summer and have a special place in our home in the cooler months.

I've been super busy, and perhaps getting a little carried away, in the kitchen this afternoon after picking up some very well priced vegetables at the fruit shoppe today.....how could I not stock up on pumpkin at only 29 cents a kilo!!

The kitchen has been a buzz with 5 recipes underway all at once.....and let me tell you the house smells delightful!  A traditional lasagne, vegetable lasagne, pumpkin soup, banana cake, caramel cakes....mmmmm yum!

What I am most looking forward to though is a slice of that fresh banana cake with my cuppa tonight when I snuggle under the douvet to watch my favourite shows, Greys and DHW.

Banana cake was a childhood favourite in our home.  I always remember looking at the bananas starting to get a little past their best and excitedly thinking...oh shame, now mum will have to make a banana cake!  I look forward to sharing our favourite recipe with you tomorrow!

Until then enjoy your evening and keep warm!

Tash

....I'm just a girl

Is it any wonder vintage fashion is yet again doing the rounds?  The styling of bygone years was so good at flattering female curves and, lets be honest, we are not all slender size 6 models who can make a potato sack look good, curves are something most women have!
For lovers of womanly curves, the nipped-in waists and figure-hugging shapes of the 40's and 50's styles, offer a wake-up call to the female form – reason enough for curvy girls to celebrate and head for their nearest boutique!


Not only to they look great, but vintage dresses draw me in on another level.  They seem to capture a time lost in the busyness of today's society; A time when life appeared so much simpler; where families and communities were stronger and more united; of days at the beach and picnics on a Sunday afternoon....yes you guessed it, I AM a hopeless romantic.....but do you know what I mean?  I think vintage, I think simple, fun and romantic.

Although some high-street stores have vintage departments and vintage inspired pieces, Second-hand chic is truly for the hunter gatherers of fashion - those who love the thrill of the chase… On their mission to seek out the perfect outfit, these creative shoppers get a kick out of the challenge that carries its own reward – a stylish ensemble with flair, quirky appeal and a unique personality.

Sure you may pick up a rare bargain on the off occasion; But seriously, who does have time, or the money, to drive all over town looking for that one off, perfect dress?

While on the search for a vintage Tea Dress I stumbled across the fabulous works of Western Australian designer Rebecca Williams.  Her recently established boutique business creates stunning, whimsical 50's inspired dresses using vintage fabrics....and the great thing is that at prices between $80 and $110, your one off original won't break the bank!

Rebecca's designs are perfect for running around town, , enjoying a sunny picnic, a romantic summer's night, High Tea or sophisticated soirees.  Alternatively, just as beautiful teamed with leggings and a cardi to take you through the cooler months.



Accessorise with vintage pieces such as jewelery, scarves and belts to add the final flourish to an otherwise contemporary outfit. Mix and match your high-street staples with one-off finds and make your own statement.