Sunday Blues

In college we called it the "Sunday Blues"... you know, coming down after a super crazy fun-filled weekend, feeling blue about ugh, MONDAY. We savored every last minute of free time, trying to gear up for a jam packed week of classes, study groups and meetings. 

Today I rather enjoy my Sundays... church, sometimes a breakfast out and time to play outside with my hubby and son. BUT... this weekend, in a typically sunny Phoenix, it's been VERY rainy. Stuck inside, having "the blues," I thought I'd put together a little collection full of blue & grey hues. To keep it cheery, I added a bright punch of color. It's like the sun peaking through the rain filled sky. 

Beautiful beaded necklaces from Miss CoCo Designs & Mudpies & Pigtails... both based in AZ!

I stumbled upon this look on the Anthro website... thought it was perfect for this post! You'll see how I added different shoes & accessories to change it up a bit, both from Anthropologie. By zipping up the sweater & adding this collar necklace (which I own and wear A LOT!), and adding a metallic heel, the look is complete.  Isn't the back of the top darling? If you're thinking the heart jeans might be a little too juvenile, a pair of dark wash jeans would look great.

Get this look here. The peplum top is also sold in red, ivory & black. A great staple piece at $68!

The LBD - "Little BLUE Dress!"

This simple, classic J. Crew dress can be paired so many different ways! Here are some looks I put together with shoes & accessories also from J. Crew & J. Crew Factory. Add a fun pop of color, animal print or layer lots of necklaces or bracelets to make an impression.

Find these pieces here.

Here' a little something I pulled together using a bright blue tone. 

Perfectly paired with an orange pop, I wanted to tone it down with this grey stripe jacket, nude shoe and bag so it wasn't too loud. It's a nice ensemble as we look ahead toward springtime.

All clothing, shoes & accessories are from Gap & Piperlime.

Yes, of course I had to put a rainy day ensemble together. I used Polyvore to look for the exact pieces I wanted to include. I own these gray polka dot pants - the comfiest - and love the idea of a bright yellow rain coat, like this one from Burberry. I was seriously giddy when I came across the umbrella... one of my favorite combos (and on trend for spring) of black & white... AND striped! I've been eyeing some Hunter rain boots for months & months now... pinned them in several colors, just not sure which ones to get. I also had to justify the cost with how many days out of the year I'll really wear them in AZ. But, I figure they are a great quality boot and will last me years. My favorite color is red, but black are so versatile. Blue could be unique (for me) and green IS the color of the year. What's a girl to do when they literally make them in every color of the rainbow?! Last week would have been the time to purchase them with the rainy days we've been having! I'll keep you posted...

Fashionably Yours, 

Angela

For your little Valentines...

Here I chose to go with a red & blue color palette. Shades of blue & red, accessories, ruffled leggings, bedazzled shoes and layering clothes add interest. 

These are the perfect options for school, a date with mom & dad or a photo session!

XOXOXO

Winter Wear 2013

I love a soft color palette for winter! 

Here you'll find ivory, blues & pinks as well as a few patterned pieces for boys & girls. Great for winter portraits! Remember layering, accessorizing and keeping the palette to three or four colors, depending on the number of children or family members photographed is key. Don't overdue patterns and layer pieces like sweaters, tops & button downs. Find unique hair accessories like these from London Raquel . 

Ahoy!

In party planning a theme and color scheme are always the first to check off the list. In this case, mom wanted to go with the birthday girl's favorite colors... red & blue. Is there any better way to celebrate those, than with a NAUTICAL theme?!

The invitation by Ellison Reed, set the tone for the party. After sending my client numerous choices, we  agreed this simple, classic, design would be perfect! Love it! 

I made the frame that hung on the front door to welcome guests & she found the darling anchor door mat!

The entry way...

It's always nice, if you have the space, to set up a small table near an entry way. Here I included touches of decor items that were displayed in other areas of the home and backyard to tie it all in.

The Dessert Table...

Many party planners and hosts/hostesses like to have a designated table for treats & desserts for guests. Here we wanted to show off the fabulous cake and darling cupcakes. I love to tier and with these three rustic pieces, I was able to create a nice set up for the goodies. I added a little netting & made the large pinwheels for another variation of texture & element with the sand. The large boat was the perfect touch, as it drew your eyes up and added more dimension to the overall look.

The Cake & Cupcakes...

The Cake Baketress

The cake was an absolute masterpiece! Everyone raved about the flavor... beautiful & tasty! 

How darling are the mini cupcakes? Mini cupcakes are a such a great idea when serving little people. 

The Birthday Girl's Table...

I wanted to give the birthday girl her own special seat and did so with balloons and this sign I made for the back of her chair. The centerpiece was a red geranium plant in a painted can, with a scrapbook sailboat design I created.

Table Touches...

The light blue table cloths made the stripe plates pop! The napkin rings with a little life saver (preserver) turned out great. I made sure to secure the mint tight to the rope... didn't want any littles choking on a hard mint. Water bottle labels and stripe straws are very popular. I like using the mini waters for child parties. Other centerpieces consisted of smaller painted cans filled with sand to "anchor" the pinwheels and flags I created.

Boat Races...

Mom found this idea and ran with it! It was the perfect activity for this age group and they enjoyed the whole process. Each child made a boat and raced it in these water filled rain gutters. Many had fun just playing with their boats in the water too. 

More Decor...

Mom wanted a large banner for the large patio out back. This nearly 25 foot banner was pretty from both sides. I used a thin rope & several different ribbon colors & textures to fill in gaps between flags. 

The life preserver was one of the first items I created. White and red ribbon and a large pinwheel are the details you can see below. There are two strands of rope with tiny flags that hang within the preserver as well. This hung on the main door to the party area outside.

The beverage counter outside with nautical touches like the "Sail Away" sign that mom had purchased, along with my buoys, a sand filled glass jar with flags and the painted can with pinwheels were the perfect nautical touches for this area. Not pictured, a large blue waterproof mat with anchor.

Party Pinata...

My client purchased this pinata from Karola's Kreations.

Beautifully crafted, this pinata was a wonderful decor piece during the party. When it was time to break it open each child lined up quickly for his/her turn at helping. What fun! 

Thank You...

The birthday girl sent her guests off with a special sailboat cookie, also made by The Cake Baketress. These were placed on the entry table for her friends to take as they left the party. All party printables (invitation, water labels and thank you tags) were created by Ellison Reed.

The birthday girl & her siblings...

Mom coordinated the kiddos in the party theme colors. They looked absolutely darling!

Ahoy! What a joy it was to style this party for one special little lady! Happy 5th Birthday, Miss A!

Food (sandwiches, salads, wraps & delicious deviled eggs) provided by Bertha's Cafe in Phoenix, AZ.

Valentine Prepster

Here's a little inspiration for the little men in your life.

I took a walk on the preppy side for these three ensembles. Bow ties are one of my most favorite accessories for boys right now... especially for when it comes to photos!

From Left to Right:

#1 - I really wanted to use a color palette of red, pink & gray for one of the ensembles, and this one turned out perfect! The cute bow tie "ties" it all in with the small red & pink hearts. If your little one likes to wear hats, it's always a great accessory for photos! Yes, real boys DO wear pink!

#2 - I am still in LOVE with the mint green color. The tiny check mint button down is a fabulous piece that will translate well in photos. I was elated when I found this sweater vest of cool colors (from a different store)! The pink and mint green bow tie isn't necessary, but I couldn't resist!

#3 - I styled this look entirely around the pink, red & navy plaid tie! A color palette of red, pink & navy is one of my faves. These faded red pants are a must for spring, being a cross between red, coral & pink. 

For styling info please contact me at:

aeisacksen22@gmail.com

Fashionably Yours,

Angela

Valentine Fashion... Little Gals!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and many photographers are getting ready for mini sessions. 

The little ladies in your life will be festive & fabulous in an ensemble like one of these...

I strayed a bit from the typical pink & red combo (which is always great), & went for three different looks sort of inspired by the sweets you see pictured. 

From left to right:

#1 - I loved pairing the bright blue (unexpected) jeans with this top sprinkled with hearts. I added a skinny belt & shoes to match as well as the tiny heart purse. 

#2 - These sweet pastels look yummy and will transition well for spring. I added a darling heart felt pin to this look for a Valentine touch.  A little sparkle on her wrist, in her hair and on her feet & she's picture perfect!

#3 - My favorite of the looks is this little number that's feminine & sporty all in one. How cozy does this sweatshirt look? A small gold "love" necklace & coin purse are the perfect pieces for a little Valentine. How about those converse for one who's not a true girly girl? Of course this look would be just as cute with a pair of gold or navy flats! Loving this color combo of oatmeal, denim, navy & gold.

Talk with your photographer about the photo session setting and any props he/she has planned for your session. This will be helpful as you begin to put color palettes & styles together. If you need assistance with styling, please contact me at least two weeks prior to your session. 

For styling information please contact me at:

aeisacksen22@gmail.com

Thanks!

Christmas Decor Details

In addition to styling families for professional photographs, helping people with their wardrobes and "themeing out" (aka styling) parties, I love to craft and decorate for holidays... especially Christmas!

I thought I'd show you a little of what was in my home this holiday season...

BULBS

I recently saw a pin with glittered bulbs and HAD to try it! It just so happened that I had a handful of  burnt out light bulbs this year from the strands we use on our home. Not quite sure why I kept them... I must have known I'd be recycling them for something fabulous! Then, while at Hobby Lobby after Christmas I noticed 4pks of red light bulb replacements were under $1, so I bought a bunch. I liked that they were a bit larger than the ones I already had. Having two different sizes made the end result more interesting.

This is a simple & easy way to dress up an area of your home for the holiday season. Keep them in a little dish set out on a coffee table, an entry table or wet bar. Here you'll need glitter glue (I like to use the Martha Stewart brand) and your favorite glitter colors. I love to mix gold and silver in my home, so I went with these. Coat the bulbs with glue and sprinkle the glitter, set on a piece of wax paper & spray with a little aerosol hair spray to set (you won't want glitter everywhere).

VOTIVES

More glitter! Another idea I took from Pinterest were glittered mason jars. I had only seen the drink size  on Pinterest, but also had small ones from an event I styled last year. Yes, yet one more simple way to dress up an inexpensive mason jar and you'll have a spectacular votive! 

First, I took painters tape and taped off the section I wanted glitter. I used the glitter glue on the bottom half, then glittered & sprayed with a little aerosol hair spray. Let it dry for about an hour & remove the tape. I chose to wrap a little raffia around the top as it complimented my little boys manger with baby Jesus he made at school. A festive ribbon or just as is would be beautiful as well. The smaller jars were even easier. No need to tape off, I just glued up to the ridge of the jar. The smaller jars would be gorgeous lined up on a mantel!

Here's my dining room table. I've had the tree candles for years & this year decided to incorporate them in a table scape with the wooden deer & trees. I like the mix of wood, wax & glass here. I think it worked well. Clean & simple.

VASES
Have you ever re-purposed tin cans? Soup cans or vegetable cans? Here I cleaned out a soup can, peeled off the label, glued with my Martha Stewart glitter glue and glittered by mixing my silver & gold glitter. I let it dry & added a check bow. My home has A LOT of black & white check accents because I just love MacKenzie Childs goodies!

For these vases below I used mason jars wrapped with burlap & ribbon. My bolt of burlap is very wide so I cut a long strand, then cut that in half, then cut again to get the frayed edges. I have geraniums in my front yard so I just snipped a few for these vases. Pretty romantic looking, right? I'll be keeping this  through February! I placed the vases & votive candles in a way that's not symmetrical here to add more interest.

UNIQUE "ORNAMENT"

I picked up a few cute Christmas decor items at a craft & vintage market here in November. I fell in love with adorable little cards & clothes pins that when strung together read "SANTA," "CHRISTMAS" & "CHEERS." I thought they'd make cute additions to packages. "SANTA" looked great on the tree...

FAVORS

I have been making these wrappers for a few years for many holidays and special occasions and people always rave about them. It's a great way to dress up a little chocolate for a party favor, a treat on a dessert buffet, or just to have out in a special dish for family and friends who stop by.

Just pick out your favorite holiday or special occasion scrapbook paper. Cut a rectangle & make sure the paper is cut so the candy bar wrapper peeks through on both ends. I like to buy the Hershey's chocolate bar with almonds. Use a little double sided tape or a glue stick to secure the paper around the candy bar. Embellishing is key! I like to use ribbon, stickers, "Stickles" (glitter in a bottle found at the craft store), small punch out shapes & rhinestones. 

Hopefully you'll find something that inspires you for next year!
Happy New Year from my little family to yours,
Angela