Christmas Trends 2014: Black, White & Mixed Metals!

When I was contacted by Tiny Prints to collaborate on their social media holiday campaign #tinyprintsholiday, I was truly thrilled. In my opinion MPM and Tiny Prints are an absolute perfect match! Having just received their Holiday Catalog days earlier I was drooling over their Christmas card line- SO many designs I was in love with!

When the opportunity arose for me to choose my families Christmas cards and other holiday decor- I was seriously in heaven! I decided to go with a "theme"... as any good party planner would. Because I love black, white and gold in our home decor- mixing it in to this year's holiday decor was a no brainer! (I also love that this color palette makes the perfect transition from Christmas to New Years Eve!)

While creating my Tiny Prints order I came up with the idea for an edgy-yet-classic Black, White and Mixed Metals Christmas Mantel. We have a fabulous mantel in our little Santa Barbara bungalow and I could see this mantel played out in my head and I was pumped to create it!

In front of the mantel I styled a "Christmas card and gift wrap station" (I mean, every woman has one of these, right??) which included an area for addressing all of my Tiny Prints Christmas cards- complete with coffee and treats... Hello... Necessities!! The other end of the table was devoted to wrapping presents with style and flair, my two favorite words.

I'm really pleased to show you all of my Tiny Prints picks, including two versions of the 2014 O'Brien Christmas card, our new personalized pillow, a family pic photo block and SO. MUCH. MORE. Also note that today and tomorrow (December 1st & 2nd) Tiny Prints is having some crazy Cyber Chic Sales... 40% off Christmas cards... Don't miss out!

As well as working with Tiny Prints, I have included some AMAZING Miss Party Mom approved items from some of my favorite vendors in the biz which collaborated with me to bring this little in-home photo shoot to life.

Get ready to swoon and drool... All at once. I promise I won't judge.

Here are a couple photos from my Instagram to start us off, search the hashtag #tinyprintsholiday on IG & Twitter for more!

Below I have called out all of the Christmas trends I used in the shoot. I'm seeing these trends in everything from Christmas cards, to stockings to ornaments and more. Thank you to Elena from World Wide Party for this awesome Christmas Trends 2014 graphic below... Show it some love and Pin it, will ya?!

HOLIDAY 2014

• Mixed Metals
• Black & White
• Faux Fur
• Sequins
• Deer, Buck & Antlers
• Polka Dots/Gold Dots
• Subway Art
• Personalized everything! 
• Glitter & Foil accents
• Words: "Gold", "Golden", "Happy", "Merry Merry"
• Bracket Shaped Christmas Cards

Look for these simple DIY touches I used as well... Perfect for you to try this season... In all that spare time of yours!

• Framed wrapping aper
• Fringed tissue tree
• Gold dots on fireplace
• Christmas cards tucked inside of sweet bags instead of envelopes (see IG photo above!)

ENJOY! 

Vendor Info:

Styling & Photography: Miss Party Mom Event Planning

Christmas Cards & Envelopes, O'Brien Family Pillow, Acrylic Photo Block, Photo Postage Stamps, Wrap Around Address Labels, Gift Labels: Tiny Prints
Mixed Metals Christmas Bulb Garland: Party a la Mo
Gold Glitter "Merry Merry" Banner: Pink Elephant & Co.
Black & White Pom Pom Garland: Cupcake Wishes and Birthday Dreams
"The O'Briens" Felt Name Banner: String Dearie
Subway Art: "Have a Golden Xmas" & B/W "Christmas" print: World Wide Party by Elena
Gold Glitter Votive Candles and Mini Gold Glitter and Gold Polka Dot Gift Boxes: Kate Aspen
Gold Dot Stickers on fireplace: Polka Dot Wall Stickers
Black & White Gold Glitter Deer Plate & Coffee Cup: The Pink Poppy Party Shoppe
Custom Name Cookies: Creating Awesomenessity
Mini Gold Glittered Donuts and Biscotti: Autumn Lynn's Chocolate Sins
"The O'Brien Family" Gold Glitter Ornament & Black/White Striped Sweets Bags (with Christmas cards slid inside): Celebration Lane

 

How great is my O'Brien felt banner?! This would be perfect for Christmas photos!

Loving my Tiny Prints Favorite Memory Acrylic Photo Block... Such a perfect gift! 

This super fun tissue fringe tree was handmade by ME! 

Start out by making a cone out of poster board. Get a few different colors of tissue and cut 2" strips. Then fringe them and layer about 1/4" apart starting at the bottom and moving to the top... It takes time and dedication... But boy is it cute!

These garlands hanging from the buck's antlers are just amazing! I love the glitter and the glam in both of them!

My new Tiny Prints Bold Crossing Pillow... I LOVE the personalization with our last name! 

I adore my striped and polka dot envelope liners that perfectly match my Christmas cards- they really add that extra bit of detail I love. 

{Please note that I have TWO Christmas cards... The one shown above is a purely CANDID shot of me and the husband arguing during photos... I thought "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" was a fitting greeting for this shot... Can I get an amen?!}

Who can address 100 cards without some adorable mini-donuts and custom sugar cookies to keep them fueled... Well obviously not me! Personalized sweets are SO Christmas 2014!

My Tiny Prints Personalized Postage Stamps with Cormac & Birdie on them looking adorable topped off my Christmas card envelopes perfectly!

Check out my personalized Tiny Prints Gift Tag Stickers... How easy is that!

And seriously... This personalized gold glitter ornament by Celebration Lane... I'm in love! What a perfect gift! 

And lastly... A polka dot fireplace- well why the heck not?! I may keep it all year.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...
Thank you for your support this year!

xo Party or Die xo
kenna

This was a paid post and I did receive product and compensation from Tiny Prints... DUH! 

Kenna's "Favorite Things" 33rd Birthday Party

Well hello! It's been a while- I missed you! For now, I will only tell you that our vacation to Cabo San Lucas was amazing. I plan to blog about it thoroughly later this week or next, as soon as I can fully wrap my head around everything that went on- the good and the bad (Tropical Storm Juliette!) Coming home has been a sobering reality for sure... I worked my waitress job Monday (Labor Day)- one of the busiest restaurant days of the year... and then I came home from that only to remember that a couple days before we left for Cabo, our dishwasher AND dryer both broke. So one day I was being incredibly pampered (gotta love the all-inclusive resorts!) and the next I was doing all the pampering! Let's just say it's been a rude wake-up call!

To put myself in a better mood I am sharing with you the pics from my birthday party this past July! It was just featured in the first issue of Carousel Magazine and now I'm going to be showing off all of the photos from the fantastic night we had... celebrating- ME!

As usual Christina of Moments Captured Photography nailed the photography and came through with some stunning photos of the night, there is nothing like professional photos to help you appreciate all of your hard work.

I gave my intern Kristin a crazy amount of new responsibility- she even got to have fun and design some of the mannequins! Another friend Devyn co-glittered the big canvas crown by hand along with Hannah. We had many late nights and a lot of fun together prepping for this party.

Background: 

I decided to throw myself a party this year because that is exactly what I wanted for my birthday. I hadn't done anything since my 30th and I felt I was overdue for a celebration! I spend so much time on my kids/clients parties- I figured it was about time I have a little (as in big- duh!) party for myself...

I came up with the idea for a Favorite Things Party because as I started gathering ideas for decor I noticed it was indeed- all of my favorite things! Fashion mannequins, crowns, lots of black and white stripes, hints of gold and all shades of pink... I thought a Favorite Things theme would be a perfect fit- as in I'd show off all of mine! 

Amber from Party On! Designs helped me create a package that was PERFECT! I was really happy with how it pulled the entire look together with crowns, pink and black and white- all of the inspiration I sent her for the party.

I invited about 25 girlfriends to come and celebrate the night with me. I asked them to dress in either pink, gold, black & white OR black and white stripes and every guest came through and looked amazing! We had a blast as we posed for photos with our awesome props by Dweedle Dee Designs, sipped (pink!) champagne in custom made wine glasses by Vinyl Eloquence, dined on amazing desserts by Hannah's Cookies and Treats (including her own "Pink Confetti Popcorn" recipe) and danced the night away to all my favorite jams!

I asked a few amazing vendors to collaborate on my party with me and I received some WOW-factor items that helped me take the party to the next level... I was definitely working with the Dream Team who got my vision 100%. 

It was a birthday to remember and I'm so happy I did it. Enjoy the photos.

xo Party or Die xo

kenna

Vendor Credits:

Photography: Moments Captured Photography

Party Printables/Graphics, Gold Popcorn Boxes, Black & White Striped Donut Bags, &  Paper Straws: Party On! Designs 

Desserts: Hannah's Cookies and Treats

Custom made "Happy 33rd Birthday" banner, "Kenna" banner (on black trunk), "33" in pink frame and "K" napkin weight: Table Top Treats

My Fascinator, Pom Pom Wand (photo prop) and Pom Pom Garland (on black trunk): Cupcake Wishes and Birthday Dreams 

Cotton Candy Favors with "K" Graphics: Soiree Event Design

Custom "Kenna's 33" Wine Glasses: Vinyl Eloquence 

Photo Booth Props (sequin glasses, lips, Popsicles) : Dweedle Dee Designs

Glittery Gold Crown Cupcake/Popcorn Toppers: Hues Studio 

Black and White Striped Lantern: Z Gallerie

Striped Plates/ Beverage Napkins: Oriental Trading Company

Jumbo Gold Gumballs: Oriental Trading Company

Striped Favor Boxes: Michael's Crafts

Bistro String Lights: Target (garden section)

Black/White Ruffled Curtain Panels: Target

Pink Glitter Crown Favors: Target (kid's party isle)

Rug: Ikea