Pepper Design Blog

Inspiration for a Valentine’s Dinner at Home

It’s almost time {two week countdown} for your LBD and that sweet *little date night* called Valentine’s Day. If you’re anything like my husband and me, this day often comes and goes without much ado. Life is too busy, after all, to buy roses and make dinner reservations! But this year I’m changing that. How sweet – sigh – would a romantic dinner at home be? Here’s a little inspiration to lead you in that direction:

{Shabby Chic & Sweet} Tea party-esque Valentine’s Day decor would make for a lovely evening. Wild roses from the garden, vintage plates and a tiered cake stand filled with morsels to share.

{For the Heartfelt Romantics} For those of us who love a little whimsical, dress up your dinner table in layers of fabric, a touch of vintage lace and sweet mini bouquets.

{Contemporary & Bright} Coral pink, blue and yellow make this modern Valentine’s Day table setting special. Incorporate patterned and geometric prints in a homemade menu, table cloth or napkin – white ceramic vases create a clean finish.

And if you still cannot  be persuaded that a dinner in may just be the way to go, check back soon for a Romantic Dinner Giveaway to make prep for February 14 easy and pretty!

{Images: design*sponge, Style Me Pretty & Green Wedding Shoes}

Friday Guest Blog Interview: Maddycakes Muse

Today’s Friday guest blog interview brings us over to the darling site, Maddycakes Muse. Have you had a chance to check out this neat party inspiration blog yet? If not, you’ll love her frugalista approach to all things entertaining. Michelle recently showcased her Dr. Suess Thing One, Thing Two party for an event industry convention, Parties for Pennies, and planned the entire party for just $213!! (more on that after the jump…)

She “muses” about all things creative and beautiful: coffee filter roses & mailed diaper invitations (for a baby shower) being two of my recent favorites on the creative side (would that not make you smile to get one in the mail?) and beautiful damask dinner parties and elaborate tablescapes being on the beautiful end. On that note, how lovely is this Asian-themed dinner party?

I love all of the brilliant colors! and the bamboo name cards double as a clever favor. The tablecloth is actually an Ikea duvet cover found in the As-Is section at a steal of a price (note to self: search through sheets at Ikea asap).

When Michelle is not sharing her latest finds online, she designs & plans childrens parties through her business (by the same name) in Pheonix, Arizona.

If you didn’t think entertaining on a budget was possible – check out two more delicious tablescapes after the jump! and Michelle takes a moment to answer PDB’s four interview questions. Read more »

Shabby Chic {Handmade Paper Rosettes}

I love when you find inspiration in the most unexpected of places… the other day I was thinking about those little accordion paper fans I used to make as a little girl by folding up 8 1/2×11 sheets of white printer paper. They might turn into turkey tails for Thanksgiving or maybe even folded hearts for Valentine’s Day.

I found this lovely inspiration board (below) at Paper Crave and it brought me right back to the 2nd grade. The grown-up version of paper accordions comes in the form of folded maps, book pages or antique wallpaper.

I really love the simple way these accordion paper poms fit into every type of party decor. I can imagine them delicately hung above a wedding reception dance floor, lined neatly over a bridal shower dessert buffet or in bright & bold hues for a child’s birthday party.

The rosette ‘table confetti’ is my favorite. And how pretty are the button and brooch centerpieces? A little pearl bead would be perfect.

Once Wed designed an entire grey, green & pink dinner party around this theme (see top top photo), and design*sponge shares it here. To make your own paper accordion rosette, Paper Source provides a free downloadable pdf. And finally, a super easy DIY awaits after the jump! Read more »