things are better with a parrott

Ice Cream Cone Piñata

Happy Monday!  Recently I had the opportunity to make a piñata.  It has been ages since I made anything with papier-mâché & it was messy, but so much fun.  My piñata, along with about a dozen others, will hang in the windows of Craftland in downtown Providence in honor of the Cinco de Mayo block party.  We could create any kind of piñata we liked & I immediately went to something food-related {because giant food is funny!}.  After debating between a taco or an ice cream cone, ice cream won.  I loooove ice cream {a lot!}.

I found this amazing tutorial of how to make the cone & ice cream scoop.  I followed it all the way until step 7. where I decided I wanted my cone to be a double scoop {yes!}. 

After letting the cone dry for a day, then the first scoop dry another day, I cut a hole at the top of the scoop & placed another smaller balloon inside.

I let that dry & actually did not work on it for another week. 

I used unbleached coffee filters for the cone, just as the original tutorial, however I have my "ruffles" facing down instead of up.  I found it was easier to work this way.

I had grand plans of using paint chips for the scoop colors, however they were not sticking to the round surface of the scoops {they just popped right off!}.  I remembered I had a ton of westminster bells left over from our wedding {I cut them up & made flowers out of them}.  You can check out this little tutorial on MSW, but when you cut the bells up, they do amazing things!

I added a little tag to my piñata...just in case there was any question about what it was!  The piñata took me about three hours to make, not counting any of the drying time.  Decorating the piñata with the coffee filters & westminster bells scraps took the longest because of the odd shape. 

Now I am just looking for another reason to make piñata...!

Parrott's Photo Booth Company Debuts!

When Rich & I first started planning our wedding we knew we had to have a photo booth.  When it came time to book one, there were none to be found.  Instead of being sad, I pitched an idea to my father along the idea of, "Hey!  We should build our own photo booth & make it a business of your own!"  Or something like that...& he was all about it.  Nearly a year in the making, & many sleepless nights, my sister's husband, Jason, an architectural engineer, designed, engineered, & built the whole thing with the help of my father, & many other family members.  On September 18, Parrott's Photo Booth Company made its spectacular debut.  It was, without a doubt, the hit of our wedding reception. 

The photo booth is an actual booth.  No poles with a fabric backdrop.  No camera with an automatic timer or remote control.  With Parrott's Photo Booth, you get in a vintage-inspired booth, sit down, smile & pose, preview your photo strip, & Voilà! An instant photo strip to take away.

Also...there are props!  My sister & I went nuts the week before my wedding, which happened to be a month before Halloween.  Perfect timing.  My parents have been collecting even more since.

My parents, the owners, enjoying the fun!

The booth rental comes with tons of fun things, including a keepsake scrapbook for the event hosts.

Below are a few of the actual photos taken at our wedding.  Another cool feature is a cd of images is sent to the event hosts after their event.  So in addition to the scrapbook, you also get all of the photos to print to your heart's content!

Me & Li

My sister, Jessica, & Jason, the photo booth creator.

A few of Rich's college friends.

My 95 & 96-year-old Pepere & Memere.

Me & Rich {he may die that I put this here...}

Parrott's Photo Booth is based out of Portland, Maine & will travel anywhere in Maine, sea coast New Hampshire, & parts of Massachusetts.  They are available outside of these areas on special request.  Contact them today to book them for your wedding, next special event, fundraiser, party, etc. etc... you will have so much fun!!

{All images by Fat Orange Cat Studio}

Roll & Tumble Press

{Images via Roll & Tumble Press} 

Every time Christie & Caleb of Roll & Tumble Press come out with a new letterpress poster, I want it!  Each of their posters feature original, hand-carved illustrations with hand-set type & are letterpress printed by hand.  I recently purchased the Smile &  Kissing Booth prints to hang at our wedding.  We are going to have a photo booth & both of those prints will work perfectly near the booth.  There are a few blank walls that will need some filling, so I got this idea of an art gallery {of sorts} in my head.  I have so many prints, many of which are up in our house, but some lie in wait in a folder in my studio.  Most of them have to do with birds & since that is the underlying theme of our wedding, it makes sense!  So of course I am going to need the Love Nest print, & the Gig-Love poster...just because it is awesome.  

Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog

{Images by Snapshots by Clare}

Even though it is tradition for the Best Man to give the toast, I like the idea of the Maid of Honor speaking as well {provided she wants to}.  The Best Man for our wedding is one of Rich's oldest friends from High School & my Maid of Honor is my sister, Jess.  Deb, Rich's sister, is essentially the "Best Woman" so we hope all three will want to give a toast at our wedding.  My sister & her husband, Jay, had two Best Men & I was the Maid of Honor.  Each of us spoke before dinner.  I read the poem, Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog, by Taylor Mali at their wedding.  I kept my introduction brief & on the silly side {I am not one for sap}. We are a family of dog-lovers, having three different golden retrievers growing up.  My sister now has two dogs, & my parents & I each have one.  I found this poem & knew it was perfect.

Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog, by Taylor Mali

First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York {note: I changed this to Portland}.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain't no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

A Wedding Candy Buffet

{Images by Snapshots By Clare}

Oh the sweetness that was Jess & Jay's candy buffet.  Jess spent months finding the perfect apothecary jars & glass vessels to hold all of the candy.  She found this article very helpful in creating her candy buffet & sourcing bulk candy.  She purchased all of the candy during the winter & early spring to avoid shipping candy in the warmer weather.  The chocolate lighthouses & chocolate covered pretzels were homemade by my sister, mom, & aunt.  Jess did the entire set-up herself the day before their wedding {like I have said before, the girl has a knack for working with all things sweet}. 

I design the candy labels to coordinate with their invitations & coasters.  We attached the labels with some cute pink & green grosgrain ribbon.  I also designed a little sign that invited people to enjoy the candy buffet.  I created a PDF template of each that is free for you to download!  Just click the links below.

- Candy Labels with Text
- Blank Candy Labels
- Candy Buffet Sign {this is 5 x 7 with crop marks to help you cut}

As you might imagine, the candy buffet was a huge hit!  By the end of the night everyone was carrying around their own pink or green takeout container filled to the brim with sweet treats.