Tips to Finding Your Inspiration

The weather here in Savannah appears to have finally turned a corner. It’s gorgeous outside. I love the warm weather and the way the city comes alive on nice days. Everyone lingers outdoors and there’s a festive, with positive moods. However this type of day can wreck your work schedule: it’s almost impossible to stay inside and work when the sun is shining! Solution? Bring your work outside, at least sometimes, anyway. Remember, inspiration can come from anything, anyone and any place. It’s easy for me to say, “Go outside and get inspired!” But what do I really mean when I say that and how can you do it effectively? When you’re out and about, remember these strategies and you’ll start coming up with ideas faster than you can write them down:

1.  Always, always carry a notebook and a pen. Get a notebook with a pretty cover in a cheery color and a pen you really like using. It seems so obvious but I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve met other designers, event planners and other vendors who don’t have writing materials on them at all times. You never know when an idea might hit you!

2.  Leave your cell phone/blackberry/iPhone inside. Seriously. You won’t get inspired if you’re talking on the phone or your head is buried in an email or text message. If you do bring it with you just be sure it's on silence/vibrate and to NOT take it out!

3. Stroll... Take your time and enjoy the city!

4. Look up. We miss so much when we concentrate on the ground below us. Turn your attention up and you might discover a fabulous window treatment, a unique font on a sign, some intricate stone work on a building’s facade, a flowering window box draped with ivy, or just a tree with its branches tangled in a striking way. And bam! You’ve got a new idea for a wedding centerpiece.

5. See beyond nature. I love nature, and it’s a great source of inspiration. But it’s not the only source. 

6. TAKE PICTURES! 

Easter! Easter! Easter!

Easter is coming up... Are you having family over? Need something a the table to talk about?

How about a Easter Centerpiece?

I took a old worn woven jar cover and ribbon from my last years Christmas wreath and gave it some sprucing!

What do ya think?

EASTER IS APPROACHING! WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE?

Need Ideas?... Sure you do!

It's almost time, to bring in the Easter Bunny, stuff those baskets, and stash those eggs!

But! Besides all that fun, how else can we give Easter a twist?

A healthy party mix for the annual Easter hunt?

Eggs stuffed with your child's favorite fruits & veggies?

Fun stenciling egg activity for the adults?

A beautiful hand made centerpiece for the dinner table?

Or!!

Your newborns first portraits themed for Easter?

WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE? 

PLEASE COMMENT AND SHARE WITH ME!

Hosting a big event, and need a smooth and flawless Check-in process?

In my experience the best way to assure a flawless check-in is to eliminate the A-F line and provide a self-service experience; similar to that of an airline kiosk.

Walk up, provide the necessary information, get your badge and proceed to the next station which is likely badge assembly where you are greeted by a human, ribbons attached, questions answered, bag provided, etc...The WORST potential experience is making someone suffer through a line to be met with an automaton.

I'm also a big fan of having the materials pre-assembled into an easily distributed package, rather than having people running around collecting things from each 'pile' of materials...most of which get thrown away, anyway. 

Preparation & Organization before any event is Key!

I dislike checking lists it takes too much time! How will you be sure you can identify everything you need to know about someone quickly and easily as they are checking in. Are they a VIP? Do they have a balance due? Do they get a special gift or information package?

Use your registration process to get answers to questions needed a head of time. Giving out tee shirts? Ask their size during registration and hand them the appropriate size when they check in. This will eliminate the need to ask 3500 people the same question. Imagine - YOU: Can you tell me your tee shirt size? ATTENDEE: Can I see a large? No. Maybe an extra large? No that's too big. What about a medium? Oh just give me the large I'll give it to my husband. Yikes!
Swapping out a different size takes a lot less time then this conversation for 1000 attendees.

Make sure you have adequate staff so that if someone has a problem it does not hold up the rest of the attendees. Educate your staff so that they can answer questions without constantly checking with someone else. 

Let me know if there is a specific issue you are wrestling with.  I'll be sure to help you out.

Bring on the veggies!

We know it's very hard to get children to enjoy some very healthy fruits & veggies, especially when their at a party. Hmmmm !!! How can we get our children to have fun with their fruits and veggies?

!!!BRING THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTERS TO THE DISH!!!