Factory Direct Party- FAN FAVORITE!

DIRECT- verb. di·rect·ed, di·rect·ing, di·rects To have or take charge of; control.

After working with the Sales Department at Factory Direct Party I can say in full confidence that they live up to their name as defined above. I am BEYOND impressed with the impeccable custom service with this company. A particular employee, in the Sales Department, went over and above his job description to guarantee delivery of the "honeycomb balls" I ordered in time for my New Years design (pictures soon to come).

Factory Direct Party has so many great party supplies which have been featured in Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine! Did I forget to mention that their prices are very reasonable. In fact I challenge you to find a more affordable party supplier (without compromising quality). Shop now and save 10% with entering this All Set discount code at the point of sale SBF10FDP

HAPPY SHOPPING!

'Tis the Season- To Be Busy

You know it is problematic when the checker at Safeway asks you "what's that on your hands?!" Response "oh this... spray paint!" 'tis the season for crafting, creating, and customizing for clients.

This evening marks the completion of another holiday design from All Set. I had the opportunity to design two tablescapes and three additional pieces for a new client. The theme- winter wonderland (green, gold, & silver)...

MAIN DINING ROOM

KIDS' TABLE

POWDER ROOM

ADDITIONAL DESIGN

Looks like it is going to be a white Christmas! Hey- a little spray paint never hurt anyone. All worth it in the end!

All Set In The Press... Part II

SWANK Events and Weddings is a full service event planning company specializing in weddings, corporate events and parties. Located in San Francisco, SWANK is always up on all the latest and greatest industry trends. They expose tips and tricks on their blog- "Are you looking for some helpful and swanky ideas for your next dinner party, business mixer, wedding or event? Our blog, Swank Sundays, features new and unique local ideas, vendors, food, and just plain interesting event concepts!"

Great news... Owner Nichole contacted me and asked if All Set could be the featured "industry trend" for this week. My response- ABSOLUTELY! Check it out

A Successful Fairytale Continued

The client was very pleased with the pumpkin centerpieces and tree-like buffet piece. I believe that designs are only truly appreciated when seen in the context of the event space. Hence the photos...

I was lucky enough to deliver this order myself and have the opportunity to capture some photos. Again- this BEAUTIFUL event space is available to rent through the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Just Call Me Cinderella

I am well aware that the story of Cinderella involves pumpkins and midnight; however, at 4am this morning- I felt like Cinderella!

I was hired by the Walt Disney Family Museum to put together a few centerpieces and a buffet piece for an up coming luncheon. My design involved pumpkins doubling as vases.

So, this morning I found myself listening to Frank Sinatra while gutting pumpkins. When the clock stuck 5am, I hopped in my carriage (aka. my Jetta) and headed to the SF Flower Mart. As the saying goes "the early bird gets the worm". I searched and searched until I found exactly what I was looking for.

before

after

bippidy boppidy boo!

It's My Party

November 2nd 2009 marks my 24th birthday- and what a day it was. My family and friends showered me with love, attention, and of course cake!

My darling mother ordered my most favorite treat- a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake! As if this gesture wasn't enough, she went the extra step to make sure that the cake was decorated in "All Set Colors".

And people wonder where I get it from...Thanks Mom!

3, 2, 1.... LAUNCH

Today the All Set website launched! Creating this website has been my labor of love for the past 4 months-- I am forever thankful to Vf:design for executing my every want. I worked directly with Vinny Frye (the owner of the company) who continually impressed me. I would highly recommend utilizing Vf: design for any graphic or website needs.

Checkout her work and MY WEBSITE at www.allset-online.com let me know what you think!

The Perfect Morning

My San Francisco concierge (Sara) recently introduced me to Farley's - a darling coffee shop located in Potrero Hill. As a cappuccino lover I can say with full confidence that this was the best caffeinated drink I have ever had!
Thanks Sara for feeding my addiction and introducing me to my newest obsession!

In The Press

When creating a table it is important to me that the table is unique, one-of-a-kind, has that je ne sais quoi. Having a design element custom made guarantees a special table. Enter Letter Block Shop -- handmade wooden letter blocks & more.

Letter Block Shop was responsible for creating the "oh boy!" blocks used in the most recent All Set photo shoot. Working with Lara, the owner and designer was a dream. I was 100% satisfied with the product and the customer service.

Letter Block Shop's blocks serve as decor for kid rooms, nurseries, family rooms, holidays and more. Check out the designs available for the up and coming holiday.

Did I forget to mention that All Set is now featured on the Letter Block Shop website?-- very cool! Thanks Lara

Website Coming Soon

Is it October yet?! I am so excited for the launch of the official All Set website in early October.

In the meantime, please enjoy a preview of the 5 tables constructed by All Set for my photo shoot. Greg Piche, of Greg Piche Photography did a fantastic job capturing the small details of each table during the 8 hour shoot! More photos soon to come on the website...

Clownin' Around

Lions, tigers, and bears... oh my! This weekend I put my baking skills to the test as I crafted clown cupcakes for a circus themed birthday party. I had found a recipe online that seemed easy enough to execute; however, it was a total flop.

That was my cue to head to Safeway and buy out the entire candy isle: Red Hots, Mini M&Ms, Skittles, Twizzlers, and JuJuBes, just to name a few.

$47 later I was back in the kitchen with ingredients and clown pictures spread all around me. I think I tried every combination possible which eventually lead to the creation of my very own BoBo The Clown.

My client and I were both very pleased with my take on BoBo in pastry form. Man, what a circus!

Welcome Home

Coming home from a vacation is never an easy thing; however, receiving flowers upon your return makes it a little easier.

My new favorite trend in the world of floral design is using unconventional vases. Recyclable cans, mason jars, and or a water pitcher from the silver cabinet.

ps. Thank you Ryan

Gone Fishing

My mother called me in a panic this morning speaking gibberish about a last minute dinner party and "throwing flowers in a vase". Yeah, I don't think so. So at a quarter to nine I found myself perusing my parents linen closet and garage searching for an inspiration... shells. Not sure why my parents have them, or where they came from, but they were perfect! Come to find out, the decor was very fitting as the guests will be bringing fresh abalone for the main course tonight.

Decor as if it was planned in advance. Mom, you're All Set! Have a great dinner party.

Dessert Anyone?

Dessert and decor.. two of my favorite things! So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to design four dessert lounges for a 600 person conference.

The colors, themes, and budget were already set when I was hired. This provided me with great direction and challenged me as a designer. I did plenty of bargain hunting to stay within the allocated budget. But in the end, I designed four tables for under $50 each.

Happy client, happy designer.

A Quick Trip To The SF Flower Mart

There is no better way to spend a Friday morning then at the San Francisco Flower Mart. I could get lost in that place! It is truly a place of inspiration for me.

Here is an arrangement that I created for my mom as a way to say "Happy Weekend!"

Neons..The New Black

This past weekend I had a last minute request from one of my regular clients to set an "elegant & inexpensive" table for an intimate dinner party of six.

After a brief meeting with my client, I spent a few short hours zipping around to all my favorite stores of inspiration and I came up with this design.

The best part was that I spent significantly UNDER my allocated budget... the entire table was designed for just $22.48!The design was inexpensive, and it still felt complete. I like to call it being resourceful... creativity doesn't cost a thing.

coasters and place setting all in one