I have always loved blackboards as wedding decor.  They make a rustic and fun way of presenting a menu, seating chart, directional sign, candy table decoration and table sign.  Maybe its the fact that I come from a family of teachers or that I spent hours making chalk drawings on blackboards to make some extra money.  Whatever the reason for my adoration, blackboards are a wonderful addition for any party, wedding or celebration.  They get the message across in a fun way.

Blackboard images above via Primadonna Bride.

The new miniature blackboard decorations at Pink Frosting make me very happy indeed!  I love how versatile they are – especially for presenting a candy buffet, lolly table, selection of desserts, wedding favours and so much more. 

Just don’t run your nails down them!  That could really kill the party mood.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Pink Frosting welcomes a whole new range of retro chic decorations this week – from pinwheel garlands and rice paper sunbursts, to fabulous honeycomb hearts and wedding bells.  And, these beautiful decorations are the latest sensations in the leading wedding magazines such as Martha Stewart Weddings and Bride to Be.  Go on, style your wedding with retro chic decorations from Australia’s number one online wedding shop, Pink Frosting.

Paper Honeycomb Decorations

Appearing weightless, paper honeycomb decorations are such a beautiful way to style the ceiling at your party, wedding or event.  In so many shapes, colours, styles and sizes, you can mix and match them to create a beautiful tablescape, ceiling scape and more!  The beautiful image here is from the great team over at Creative Party Place.

The Pink Frosting team has brought a huge range of gorgeous retro style honeycombs to Australia and we simply adore the white wedding bells, retro style heart honeycombs in light pink, white, hot pink and red, as well as the classic globe honeycombs.

These alternatives to simple balloons pack a real decorating punch, and they are reusable too.  We all love that!

You can see the whole range of fabulous honeycomb decorations here. 

Sunny Sunbursts, Dainty Daisies & Sparkling Snowflakes

Like their honeycomb counterparts, the new range of rice paper Sunbursts, Daisies and Snowflakes at Pink Frosting are wonderful decorations to enhance your party or wedding style as well as keep you well under budget.  In lots of great styles, colours and designs, there will be one for your beach party, winter themed event, wedding reception and more.  You simply hang them from a wire or string, from your ceiling, trees or a marquee and when you’re done, simply fold them up to use them again next time.  Stunning!

Fun & Festive Paper Garlands

Just when you thought we couldn’t do any more with rice paper, the amazing team at Pink Frosting brings you these stunning festive paper garlands, in designs perfect for parties, weddings, showers and other special events.  Hang them from your mantle, ceiling, the front of your party table, or across the entrance way between paper ball lanterns and honeycombs.  We adore them so much, we might even use them at the office!

So, if you’re feeling a little bit retro, a little bit renaissance, a little bit like reliving your prom days, these gorgeous rice paper decorations are the ultimate in chic!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

One of the most versatile and stunning wedding and special occasion decorations available now is the glass hanging votive candle holder.  They make a stylish wedding and event decoration for both inside and outdoors.  Simply place a tea light candle into the holder and string from the ceiling, a marquee or a tree for a stunning effect.  Alternatively, you could fill the bottom of the vases with sand or coloured water and arrange miniature flowers inside for a stunning decoration.  Stringing them couldn’t be easier!  Simply loop fishing line or ribbon through the top of the holder and voila!  You’re ready to decorate.

I just adore the way the globe votive holders are used at this stylish wedding featured on Brides.com.  They work so well in this contemporary setting, but equally look beautiful used in an oriental or vintage style theme.

The clear glass hanging candle holders are in a globe shape and can be strung from just about anywhere.  Available in two sizes – 10cm and 8cm diameter, so you can mix and match and hang the spheres in clusters to draw your guest’s eyes to focal points around your wedding or event venue.

These glass vases and candle holders also make a beautiful bomboniere favour for your wedding guests.  Fill the vase with a bulb, a small flower, a scented candle or personalised candy for a unique and spectacular gift for guests.

Sold in sets of six.  Choose from two sizes:  10cm and 8cm diam.  Both sets are $35.00 each at Australia’s number one online wedding shop, Pink Frosting.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Your table decorations and centrepieces are the most important decorative element you need to decide on when organising your wedding, party or other celebration. Whether your party is a full-scale formal affair, a children’s party or an intimate candlelit dinner, the centrepiece table decorations will add drama, personality and scale to your event.

The Pink Frosting team are expert table decoration and centrepiece stylists, and the Pink Frosting online wedding and party shop is brimming with gorgeous and inexpensive table decorations, wedding centrepieces and more to help you create a stylish table setting.  Take inspiration from some of the newest ideas in table centrepieces from the Pink Frosting team.

Eclectic tables

Create a ‘one of a kind’ feel for your event, by dressing each table differently. Use different flowers, different candles, different elements from the one theme to create a real sense of personality. For example, this design works wonderfully with a vintage theme; combine mismatched crockery, jugs and candles with plenty of vintage-style blossoms to fill tables. Visit an antiques fair, your local flea market or (with permission!) your grandma’s cupboards to pick up plenty of vases and trinkets to add personality to your tables.

Monochromatic tables

The classic, crisp design of the monochromatic look is still the most modern tablepiece theme you can choose.  If the mod look appeals to you, choose a black and white backdrop and add splashes of colour for contrast, such as buttercup yellow or flashy pink.  Think about height, drama, the whitest of white blooms and plenty of black crockery on crisp white linen.  This look is never out of style.

Centrepieces from your own backyard

Take inspiration from your own backyard!  Do you have twigs, greens, flowers and bark that could be used in a creative centrepiece? Take come gorgeous gumnuts and wattle and lay them on the tables in a very natural display with a few ivory and chocolate candles.

Casting a glow

The warm glow of candlelight has always added romance to a room.  Floral artists take this a step further by incorporating candles into centrepiece decorations themselves.  Think tall, full arrangements of cherry blossom branches, hung with votives on ribbon or wire-like hangers. Or imagine tall cylinders filled with coloured water to match the party colour palette, and small floating candles flickering in each. 

Christmas decorations all year round

Forgetting Santa, his reindeer, sleds and sleighbells, many gorgeous Christmas decorations are very appropriate out of season for parties. Christmas baubles, wreaths and sprays make fabulous table and room decorations.  And the traditional Christmas colours of red, green and gold needn’t limit you.  Contemporary Christmas colours of teal, peacock, pearl and diamonds are instant winners out of the Christmas season. And you can pick them up cheaply at the after-Christmas sales!

Paper lanterns – budget with big impact

The simple rice paper lantern packs an enormous decorating punch.  Whether you’re decorating a dinner table or a dance floor, the rice paper lantern will dazzle and delight your guests. Rice paper lanterns come in so many sizes, colours and styles, and all are great value for money.  Big ball lanterns start from as low as $6 a piece, so they won’t break the bank, even if you purchase them in bulk.  And the best part?  Paper lanterns can be packed down, stored and re-used for your next big shindig.

Eco-chic tables

If you’re really serious about going green, choose beautiful little wheatgrass pots (which can also be used as placecard holders), packets of seeds, or spring-time bulbs to decorate your table.  You’ll be offering your guests a living and breathing reminder of the party without hurting the planet.

Back to your childhood

Lolly buffets aren’t just for children’s parties!  The oh-so-divine lolly table is becoming a huge hit for the young-at-heart too.  Guests can fill up their own container with a selection of themed sweets, little gumball machines for each guest, or grandma’s favourite recipe cookies.

Balloons – the new chic

The hippest party planners from around the world are taking the humble balloon and making it the chicest decorating accessory of the moment.  Take giant bulbous balloons (at least 60cm) filled with helium and use them to decorate your room and each table.  Secure with your floral centrepiece or in a vase of lollies for a truly whimsical look.  Cheap, beautiful and fun!

See more beautiful table centrepiece and wedding decoration ideas at Australia’s number one online wedding and party shop, Pink Frosting.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

To celebrate, here are some of my favourite uses for beautiful luminaria.

Luminarias may be most well-known at Christmastime. Often communities work together to decorate their yards in festive manners, and luminarias are often part of those decorations. These little lights along a pathway or to mark a street are the perfect finishing touch. They give off a glow that will make your guests feel like they’ve found shelter in a storm.  Image:  The Lope.

I love using Luminaria at Christmas as well, but inside the home.  These stunning luminaries light the fireplace so dramatically.

Weddings and luminaries are the perfect match.  They can link two venues, line your ceremony aisle, create a pathway to your reception centre, be a dramatic table decoration or line your wedding dance floor.

And for parties, they are spectacular leading a path to your home, around your pool or at a beach or garden themed party.  Superb.

The new Lumabase Luminarias from can be used for many occasions. The die-cut LumaSleeves are created in-house and we pride ourselves on their unique and decorative look. The LumaSleeves support the bags in such a way that a gust of wind won’t blow over the luminarias or extinguish the candles. Our unique designs are stylish and fun, so party guests for every age group will enjoy the effects of the gentle lights.

Pink Frosting is proud to carry the Lumabase brand exclusively in Australia and New Zealand.  Everybody loves a party! Weddings, birthdays, Halloween, or just for fun, our luminarias will light the way to your party and lend an added touch of whimsy to any occasion.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

 

A beach Christmas is a given in Australia, with most of us needing to escape the intense heat of an end of December day at the closest shoreline possible.  Whether it’s Bondi or Bells Beach, your local creek, or at home dreaming of the cool waves, I think I’ve found the ultimate beach themed Christmas table for you, by interior design goddess, Tara Dennis. 

The secret to this relaxed look is to use simple items and not overcrowd the table.  This keep things looking clean and fresh, ready for the food.  Everything Tara has used here is relatively affordable and easy to find, and the best part is, apart from the baubles, all other items can be used year ‘round. 

1. Start with a pure white cotton table cloth and napkins, plain and simple dinnerware, cutlery and glasses. Small glass baubles in silver and shell pink are perfect for adding colour, shine and a beautiful Christmas touch  

2. For a fabulous centerpiece, fill a white dish or plate to the brim with sea shells and starfish – these can be purchased from Pink Frosting’s online beach wedding decoration shop.  Scatter through a few of the baubles, leaving some aside to decorate the table
 

3. A small gift for each of your guests is a nice alternative to crackers.  For wrapping, choose plain coloured paper like this soft brown and instead of ribbon try string or cotton cord .

Simply stylish for Christmas in Australia.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

It’s been a challenging year for many of us.  And while budgets are still tight, an office Christmas party is the perfect opportunity to boost morale, reward staff for their hard work over the year, and allow people to socialise outside the boardroom.So how can you create a Christmas party with maximum impact at minimum cost?  Our favourite catering company, Cinnamon Catering released these tips to hosting a seasonal shindig on a shoestring budget:

• Hold a party in the office, eliminating venue hire costs, expensive bar tabs, tiresome queues for the toilet, oppressive bouncers and transport.
• Deck the halls with handmade decorations – you’ll create a look that is cheap, cheerful and quirky.
• While three-course sit-down dinners are a popular option for Christmas parties, cocktails and canapés provide more bang for your buck.
• Visit venues offering all-inclusive packages that include extras such as lighting, theming and furniture.
• Look out for specials on alcohol now – a number of great deals are available in the lead-up to Christmas, so stock up early for that festive toast!  Or consider having a cash bar instead of an unlimited drinks package.
• Limit lavish extras – a great Christmas party doesn’t need to have a live band or magician. Remember, staff want to have fun and celebrate the festive season with their colleagues. 
• Australia has the ideal climate to enjoy a Christmas party outdoors, so host a barbecue by the lake or at a nearby park.

I’d like to add one more tip – there’s a real trend for staff Christmas parties to have a non-traditional theme right now.  Instead of expensive Christmas decorations, why not host a fun Vegas style party, a casual Christmas Luau or a fun sports themed day.  All of these fun party ideas are so much less expensive for you to host and no doubt will be just as fun for your team!  The Pink Frosting party shop has a huge range of themes for all through the year – maybe these will spark some ideas for you.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

When it comes to Christmas entertaining, there are so many decisions to make, it can be daunting for the average Aussie entertainer.  You need to choose your style of celebration, decorations, menus, gifts for your neighbours, table centrepieces, cake recipe… and that’s just for home, let alone the office!

Coming to the rescue is a collaboration between Australia’s top food blogger and Australia’s number one online celebration shop, at the brand new Pink Frosting Experts Boutique.

The Pink Frosting entertaining expert is Lorraine Elliott, Australia’s own top food blogger and self-confessed “Bree van der Kamp” whose blog Not Quite Nigella has an enormous following worldwide.  Lorraine has chosen her favourite Christmas products from the Pink Frosting online store to help Australian entertainers find their inner Nigella this Christmas.

Some of the products Lorraine has selected include A Winter Holiday personalised lollipops which are just perfect to give to colleagues and school friends as small gifts, crystal diamond shaped tealight candle holders which add sparkle to any Christmas table, and snowflakes laser-cut cake wrappers which take a Christmas fruit cake from ordinary to extraordinary in one easy wrap!

“Christmas is a time that I absolutely look forward to with much gusto and enthusiasm every year as I adore entertaining,” said Lorraine.

“For me, I love to colour theme Christmas and although Australian Christmasses are sunny and gorgeous, I liked the idea of theming it white to reflect a Northern Hemisphere Christmas. I loved the breadth of the selection at Pink Frosting!”, she continued.

I think the collaboration is the perfect opportunity for the everyday entertainer to see what the experts would use at their own parties.  The Expert Picks Boutique combines Pink Frosting’s exceptional selection of quality products with our expert’s unique perspective on event styling. Pink Frosting’s experts have hand picked the products that are showcased to help you plan your perfect event.

The boutique will be updated with new recommendations for other seasonal events, weddings and other celebrations.  Coming soon is our picks from Australia’s leading wedding blogger, Polka Dot Bride.  I can’t wait!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Every Christmas, I always love giving a small token of my appreciation to my colleagues, neighbours, mailman… and when I was younger, my school friends as well.  Unless you’re a Trump, you probably don’t have the cash to splash on big pressies for these important people in your life, so coming up with a favour or little gift with punch for a small amount of cash outlay is the best bet.  Here are my favourite cool Christmas favours that will leave your guests decking the halls well into the New Year—and make the most wonderful time of the year that much more wonderful.

• My favourite personalised gift for friends right now are the new personalised lollipops in Christmas designs.   Soooooo sweet and soooo cute!
• Fun favor boxes are adorable, easy and budget conscious.  Just fill with Christmas candy and off you go! 
• Cast a glow with Christmas candles.  Snowflake candles or frosted glass snowflake candle holders are the perfect complement to a snow and ice inspired Christmas bash.
• Give each guest a beautiful Christmas decoration to take home.  For a glamorous finale to a Christmas soiree, Pink Frosting’s rhinestone-encrusted Blingle bells in silver, red or gold take the cake!
• Burn CDs of your Christmas songs.  No one can resist a little bit of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra at Christmas time! 
• Sweet treats are always a hit.  Guests appreciate the personal touch of homemade Christmas chutney presented with ribbons or raffia; or present handmade shortbreads cookies, gingerbread men or mini plum puddings tied up with muslin and ribbon.
• Make your favourite Christmas chutney, cookies or cakes and complete each beautifully wrapped gift with a copy of the recipe.
• Try a Christmas cracker that packs a real punch.  Pink Frosting’s Christmas crackers, will wow your guests with their beautiful presentation and first class gifts inside. Fantastic to add some fun to your party or as a take-home gift for your guests!
• Talk about a great way to drink and be merry! Give your guests a bit of holiday cheer with a festive holiday wine stopper.  Keep the vino fresh for days with our gorgeous snowflake design.
• For a blast from the past, fill a personalised Christmas candy jar with your favourite sweets and give to your guests with love!
• Bake some Christmas themed cupcakes and give them to your guests in a cupcake favour box, wrapped with coordinating holiday coloured personalised ribbon.

Whatever you decide to give, give with heart!  Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Treat your guests to a favour as picture perfect and sweet as your special day with Pink Frosting’s amazing new personalised lollipops!  Yummy!  We are all so excited about these favours – they double as both a sweet, childhood evocing favour as well as a gorgeous table decoration – they even come in their very own display box!

These polka dot treats are my personal favourite (I wonder how our friend Ms Polka Dot Bride feels about them – I bet she’s swooning right now!), but there are so many options to choose from aside from sweet dots including a classic illustration of a bride and groom, a wedding cake, plam trees for an island wedding theme, the sweet touch of a butterfly or some contemporary stripes.  Worth a thousand licks, a gazillion oohs and aahs, they’re sure to be savoured by all of your guests – young and old.

The gorgeous girls over at Pink Frosting even decorate the personalised lollipops with a white satin bow, a clear cellophane wrap and a beautiful display box to help you arrange them on your tables – your wedding table centrepieces, for a lolly bar or even for your kitchen bench.

There are Christmas designs for corporate gifts, gifts for your neighbours or school friends; wedding designs for wedding bomboniere, and party designs for a birthday or kids party; and baby designs perfect for christenings and baby showers.

We hope you are sweetly wooed by these, as we all have been!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn