DIY Decorative Votives

The secret to the black damask votive holders we used for Christine's baby shower? Packing tape. Keep reading for the details...

Choose your votive (or vase, or table cloth, or glass-- the possibilities are endless) and cut a length of decorative packing tape to fit. For these we wrapped the packing tape from top to bottom on all four sides. Depending on the pattern you choose you could cut out certain sections and apply the design or just wrap the tape around the votive.

(Votive image from Wholesale Flowers and Supplies and packing tape from the Paper Source.)

I bet you didn't know packing tape came in so many varieties!Shop Kate's Paperie for the styles above or search "decorative packing tape" on Google. You will be amazed at how many there are to choose from! Using decorative packing tape to coordinate elements of your party is cost-effective and makes use of items you already have (read: environmentally friendly).

DIY Votive Embellishment

Happy Friday! This week we've been posting more than usual because there has been so much going on, but next week we'll be back to our Feature Friday with a *sweet* feature (hint, hint). For now we'll leave you to your weekend with this EASY way to add some personalization to plain votives.

All you need is paper and double-sided tape. For Hunter's 18th Birthday we used origami paper with the colors of the party to decorate plain glass votives using this Martha Stewart tutorial. Origami paper is ideal because it is so thin and easy to work with. We also filled the votives with sand before placing the candles inside to add one more little beachy touch.

The results? A quick, simple punch of color and detail. Remember, it's all about the details.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hunter's 18th Birthday

This past weekend Pear Tree Events helped celebrate Hunter's 18th birthday in Bodega Bay, California. There isn't much preparation needed with a location like Bodega Bay! Above is the view from the golf course overlooking the ocean.

We couldn't help but take pictures of the stunning scenery.Aren't the green grass, blue sky, and purple flowers absolutely inspiring? That color palette would make a gorgeous wedding or baby shower.
Even the street signs were stylish. And "Gull Drive"? Too cute.

To help set the mood, decor included these fabric flags (which we'll feature as a DIY project in the coming weeks) and sand-filled votives on the tables.

These origami votives are a Martha Stewart DIY. Origami paper is thin and can be adhered to the glass votives with just a little bit of double-sided tape. This is a great way to get a lot of mileage out of your typical glass votives and dress up an ordinarily plain tablescape!Mini fabric flags were secured in vases filled with sand and flanked the entrances and jazzed up the outside deck.

The weather cooperated wonderfully as the warm, breezy Bodega afternoon turned into a cool, crisp coastal evening. The light breeze was just enough to get some movement into the fabric flags.

Guests were invited to "Have a Ball" in the large grassy area off the rear deck of the home. The basket below was filled to the brim with volleyballs, frisbees and several different sized footballs-- all in the party's red/light blue/navy color scheme of course.We think it's fun for parties to have a "signature drink" so for Hunter's birthday we chose a Bodega Bay Brew, which (since he is 18 and not 21) was a non-alcoholic sun tea with lots of fresh lemons and limes.

The beach house where the event took place had a stash of commemorative glasses from the local Sandpiper Restaurant and annual Bodega Seafood, Art and Wine festival which were a perfect addition to the decor.
Hunter is a "meat and potatoes" guy but given that we were in such close proximity to the freshest seafood you can get, the menu included grilled tuna steaks and marinated yellow-tail sashimi as well as grilled tri-tip, bruschetta and a summer salad.

By the end of the night everyone was sprawled out on the living room floor watching movies from the 80's (interjecting their own commentary) and chatting well into the morning.

Happy Birthday Hunter! We are honored to have participated in this milestone in your life.