Pepper Design Blog

A Spring Bridal Shower for Knitting Lovers

I came across this beautiful photoshoot and I had to share. It’s absolutely stunning! I love the creativity that went into the beautiful tablescapes, floral displays and vignettes surrounding an unusual medium – yarn! As a knitter myself, I think it’s especially cool. For non-knitters, you have to love where this vintage, desert-setting, Spring-time party leads you.

This would be beautiful inspiration for a bridal shower – though it would be equally stunning as a baby shower, chic birthday or vintage wedding.

Those giant spools of thread! The browns, peaches, mustards, pinks and sage greens of the florals…

The entire shoot evokes a rustic, natural, organic feel in the styling:

Look at those colors together.

The knitting needle plate setting (above) is adorable, and the embroidery hoops wrapped in yarn (below) is a wonderfully creative backdrop for the party.

Other creative uses for incorporating knitting and yarn: wrapping the placemats, lining the lowest level of the tiered cake, adding buttons to the floral arrangements and wrapping the silverware.

Have a lovely Spring weekend!

Featured on: Style Me Pretty, photography: Megan Hartley Photography, styling: Whitney Mittmann of Whit Mitt Design and Events, floral design: Art with Nature Floral Design

Easter Brunch Inspiration

Easter is just a week away! It is a favorite holiday of mine for so many reasons… one of those being the significance of new life, the passage of winter to bright, fresh spring. It’s also a holiday that we celebrate with extended family. This year my aunt is pulling my Dad’s side together to spend time with my Grandma who is turning 85 and I’m really looking forward to it.

Speaking of fresh, spring colors, these tablescape ideas are right up my Easter brunch alley. Perhaps I’ll see if I can’t call dibs on hosting the egg hunt next year.

I love the muted coral, pinks and whites of this traditional table setting, and the sweet burlap, vintage jar and striped straw accents add thoughtful detail, as do the handwritten food labels.

An alternative and brighter Easter palette to play with includes pops of fuchsia, burgundy and pink. Love the hanging floral spheres below (craft your own inexpensively from foam balls covered in hot glued plastic hydrangea flowers and hung from thick ribbon – we used white for our wedding five years ago and the floral spheres were hung high enough that guests were none the wiser of the faux decor).

A tablescape featuring a long fabric runner in a solid color and a hodge podge of silver vases full of wild flowers is the perfect centerpiece – pull brightly colored accents (such as throw pillows, a mirror or candles) into an outdoor space to tie the theme together.

Both parties found right here at Style Me Pretty.

Here’s a nifty idea from Decor8′s contributing writer Leslie for incorporating pastel ribbons into an Easter tablescape. She suggests rummaging through your current supply to find unique ways to show off bits and pieces left over from other projects, including tying around vase stems or rolled napkins for breakfast.

And a grown-up Easter basket idea?

A box of trinkets, a favorite book or a boxed chocolate rabbit wrapped up in butcher block paper and tied in twine.

Happy Monday, and happy Easter preparations!

Whimsical Summer-Meets-Fall Outdoor Party

Yay! WordPress, the computer and internet connection are all playing friendly again. Turns out a plugin through wp was acting up, deactivating it set everything right.

But back to today’s post… it was just the other day that I was thinking about the coming of fall… the warm, cable-knit sweaters – the butternut squash and hearty chicken noodle soups that Kevin’s sure to ‘throw together’ – visiting pumpkin patches with friends, and then soon after the best holiday of all, Christmas.

But I’ll be the first to admit that I’m hesitant to let summer go. Oh the warm days! The beach trips (did I get in as many as I should have?) and the sundresses that will have to be stored away. And so, here’s to throwing a Summer-Meets-Fall party that marries the best of two great seasons.

The inspiration? Why this absolutely amazing soiree by Melanie Duerkopp and Stephanie Godfrey featured over at Hostess with the Mostess.

What this party does soooo right is the melding of bright summer pastels with the rich jewel tones of fall.

Love the burlap table cloth and LOVE the wooden ‘nests’ hanging in the trees. Looks a bit like the lanterns that I featured in my own bohemian picnic for San Diego Magazine (check it out here).

A closer look at the details:

Mmm! Delicious. Great job, ladies!