STELLAme: A Look Back on 2011

Everyone is blogging about their New Year's resolution for 2012. Well, like most things—dinner dates, doctor's appointments, puberty—I'm a tad late. But there's a really good reason for that. I'm still basking in the glory of hitting many of my 2011 resolutions.

As the clock struck midnight last year, I felt defeated. Without going into a rant about how exhausting I thought my life was (negative rants in the blogosphere really annoy me), the best word to describe it was unbalanced. Ok, ok, life was not really that bad. My boys were growing like weeds and absorbing the world right on schedule according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, The Mister's career was taking off, my floral business was doing okay despite decreased spending on weddings, and we were surrounded by the most loving and giving community of friends and family.

So, duh, what was there to complain about? It was quite simple. I felt like I was living behind a veil of to-do lists and chores. So much so, I didn't have time to enjoy this snazzy life. Last year I resolved to live a more balanced life. I wanted time with The Mister and, more importantly, I wanted time to myself. This wasn't just more time, folks, I needed any time. I craved order and predictability. Lastly, spending hours a day with my toddlers/"lunatics"/"the littles"/"Thing 1 & Thing 2" was driving me to seek out intellectual stimulation beyond Thomas the Tank Engine.

Fast forward to now, I'm coming to terms with the fact that life is NOT predictable and tied up with a pretty little bow. I can't control everything. Life is chaotic...especially with kids.

When I did weddings, I'd always have a bucket (or several, if I over-ordered) of extra flowers just in case I needed them at the last minute. I referred to it with my staff as the "Oh Shit Bucket". Oh shit, the bride wants a last minute corsage for her ex-sister-in-law who didn't RSVP. Oh shit, that hydrangea is wilting. Oh shit, the intimidating eastern-European pastry chef needs more flowers for his precious cake. The "Oh Shit Bucket" came in handy every.single.time.

The impossibility to obtain perfection leads me to conclude that life needs an "Oh Shit Bucket". Whether that includes money set aside for a rainy day, wipes and the extra diaper in the car in case of an emergency blow-out, or the energy to get through mile 23 at the end of the day that includes bath, clean-up, reading stories, and stall tactics of being thirsty, having to go the potty, or one more back/tummy rub. The ability to laugh at mistakes, instead of dwelling on how imperfect you are, is a nice reserve to have in the "Oh Shit Bucket." So is that one hug left at the end of a bad day to offer up to a deserving spouse.

Back to balance. I'd like to think in the passage of family life, I rounded a big corner this year. My baby is 2, which means I'm giving away baby items, I'm sleeping through the night (well, mostly), and I can leave my kids for a date with my hubby without hearing blood-curdling screams of "Moooommmyyy!" as I walk out the door. Alone time for me now is being able to confidently drop the kids into day care to work-out or reading a great book before I go to bed every night. It's not much, but I'll take it.

Oh, I also said, "No," to a number of things last year, which has helped tremendously in the free time category. And with great restraint, the hubs and I took two measly trips this year to save some dough.

With just a teeny, tiny, eensy-weensy bit of freedom, I had more date nights, more nights to myself, read more books, and went after a job I am crazy about. Mission accomplished.

What's to come this year? Well, I'm still thinking. Like getting my driver's license at 16 1/2, I'm taking my time. For now, here are some noteworthy events from 2011:

Our holiday card this year. Traveling with toddlers is really only fun if you end up here.

I crush on this photo of my man on the beach.

Thing 1, just before his 3rd birthday. First chair lift ride at Solitude.

Worth it's weight in gold: the Double Bob. I suppose the 2 kids + a friend is one too many passengers, but oh well.

Thing 2 just before getting tubes put in his ears. In retrospect, it wasn't that big of a deal. At the time, it was heart-wrenching and overwhelming to see all the little kids in the waiting room at Primary Children's Hospital. He was such a chunky monkey.

Thing 1 and Thing 2 in the floral cooler.

Yea, we go out. Sometimes. Ok, really not that much.

Behind the scenes of my new job as editor for Utah Bride & Groom magazine. Imagine shopping for wedding gowns without a budget. So.much.fun.

The first true interactions between the boys began this summer joking with each other beside the pool.

Ten-year-old Bailey Belle, our "first child", passed away this July. To this point, the decision to put her down was one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make as a couple. Hands down, the worst day of the 2011.

We let Bailey eat Banbury Cross donuts the morning we put her down.

Hiking around Park City 4th of July weekend.

Another somber moment. Grandma Cece, age 98, passed away this year. Her flowers were cheerful in all her favorite colors.

I love to dance. Spearhead at Red Butte Garden did not disappoint.

View of the Grand Tetons from Driggs, ID.

Love this shot. Boys wrestle like puppies. You think they are going to kill each other, but they somehow know their boundaries.

Just because.

My main squeeze at a friend's wedding at St. Regis Deer Valley.

Behind the scenes of another photo shoot for the magazine.

My last wedding at Empire Canyon Lodge was beautiful.

Enjoying lunch on a fall hike to Secret Lake, Alta.

First costume change.

Second costume change.

Said goodbye to the baby books. Yippee!

Oh yea, I'm 2 (with a sweet booger in my nose).

T takes to the lanes at Jupiter Bowl in Park City.

Our first Thanksgiving at our house.

Booyah. Turkey's done.

We called this The Great Toddler Christmas Adventure. Dinner and treasure hunt at The Grand America with a train ride to see the lights at Temple Square. By golly, a three-hour tour with two happy toddlers was a Christmas miracle.

Baby, this cupcakes is dewishous. Uh-huh.

Thing 2 gets up on skis for the first time at PCMR. After all my years of teaching other parents' kids, I finally get to teach mine to ski. A very proud mama moment, indeed.

Ta-da! My first issue is out on newsstands now. Cover photo by the lovely Sparkle Photography.

Royal Wedding Wow: What does all this hoopla mean for Utah brides?

As I watched the Royal Wedding I was transported to a younger freckled-face version of me getting goose bumps while watching a Disney fairy tale. Today, I had butterflies seeing the future Queen of England with her cool-as-a-cucumber face walk down the aisle to the sound of the glorious church bells clanging in the background.

First off, the dress. I LOVED it! It was classic, yet modern and modest, yet fitted and a bit sexy with the see-through lace and the plunging neckline. Tailored, yet feminine as well. We will be seeing versions of Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen's gown for years. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see it this year walking down the aisles of some our Utah venues. Unlike Princess Diana's over-the-top (some might throw in the word "cream puff" here) gown, the style of Kate's dress is gracefully understated and thus, less-expensive versions of this dress will be very accessible to the average wedding gown consumer (or "commoner" if you would like to practice your British accent here). Bridal boutiques, stock up on this one.

The flowers....thumbs up! Hollywoodlife.com reports, "Shane Connolly, the florist responsible for decorating Westminster Abbey with eight maple trees, also designed Kate Middleton's gorgeous bouquet. Kate requested the wedding theme to be 'unpretentious, simple and natural,' which is also reflected in her flower arrangement."

Royal Wedding Flower Trends? Number one: smaller is better. Number two: all-white bouquets are here to stay. The mix of the lily of the valley and the hyacinth in her bouquet must have smelled like an English country garden in the spring.

Debonaire. 007. End of story.

Now, for the evening gown. Sorry to say this, but I was anticipating something a little more mermaid shape and less 'cute'. I think she could have gone for a little more pizzaz, however Kate can wear a paper sack and still look amazing, so I'll give her this one.
On the other hand, the evening gown on sister Pippa is GORGEOUS! (Here's a piece of advice to anyone getting a spray tan for their wedding. Try it a few times BEFORE you actually need the tan.)

If there was any question before about Kate Middleton being a style icon, then after this Royal Wedding she has sealed the deal. The best part of her display of simple modernity with classic regal touches is that, like photos of Grace Kelly's wedding, this wedding style is truly timeless.

Beyond the aesthetics of any wedding, the most valuable lesson Kate has given future brides-to-be is this. Your wedding style should interpret who YOU are above all else. Obviously I don't know Kate personally, but what I could interpret from her wedding style is that she did not give in to the pomp-and-circumstance of the crown she's wearing. And while she's not a rogue among the army of royals, her unpretentious bouquet and modern dress leads me to think she's a little bit of a rebel to tradition. Kate has left her style stamp on history, so if your a bride-to-be reading this, what's your style stamp going to be?

Eat your heart out Lady Gaga

I wallowed this weekend because I was not dancing my derrière off at the Lady Gaga concert. I'm not a die hard fan (thus not willing to commit $250+ per seat for tix) just a lover of her catchy tunes and iconoclastic theatrics (and in dire need of a dance party), so I just had my own little pity party in my studio.

But look what came of this wallowing! I had a destination bride getting married on skis at the Park City Mountain Resort (love it!) and I had a special delivery to a friend from her book club to congratulate her on the arrival of her second baby girl.

Dear Lady Gaga,

You may be making millions in a Bad Romance not answering your Telephone with your Poker Face being followed by the Paparazzi, but here I am making The Little People smile on their special days.

Love, Val

Bridal bouquet

Junior Bridesmaids Bouquet

Bout.

For baby girl. I wasn't thrilled by any of the traditional baby girl pinks at the wholesaler, so I went with this coral/pink color (in the double French tulips and the snapdragons), which coincidentally is Pantone's Color of the Year: Honeysuckle.

This may look a little boring now, but just wait until the ori lilies and double tulips open!

StellaPosy in Utah Style & Design magazine!

While it continues to snow outside, pick up a copy of the Winter issue of 2011 Utah Style & Design (before the Spring issue comes out April 1st). We helped Angie Parrish of D'Lish Personal Chef Services with her table decor for a hearty pizza dinner with her girlfriends. Take a look at the photos done by Heidi Larsen, Utah Style's Art Director.

Darling Angie. Behind the scenes, she made this meal look like a piece of cake.

Angie requested the florals to be natural and rustic. She provided a simple sheet of kraft paper as a runner and with her Ikea candles, I just added some birch logs, the floral centerpieces, and some fragrant seeded eucalyptus to the tablescape. Of course, the pizza is the star of this display!

We threw one of the boxes of flowers behind the espresso panna cotta, but again the food is the definitely the focal point...as it should be.

OK, Worst-Photo-Ever Alert! It was a Sunday afternoon and I was not prepared to be photographed. Yucky, yuck. But let's get back to the flowers. In the sidebar of the article, we provide 11 tips for using florals and non-floral items for your at-home entertaining.

SPOILER ALERT: StellaPosy will make an appearance in the Summer issue of Utah Style & Design magazine (here's praying I'm a little more photogenic in the next photo!).

Thanks Utah Style & Design, Heidi and Angie for a wonderful collaboration!

Decorating for the corporate event

Upon first glance of our website one would think, "Of course, they do weddings." While most of our business relies on weddings, we definitely have our share of corporate events. They range in function from 3-day destination corporate retreats to intimate, casual luncheons.

The main concerns from the client when getting hired to design a corporate event are:

#1. "I need to stay within a very tight budget."

#2. "I don't want it to look like a wedding."

#3. "I want it too look really nice."

Here are some ideas....

This was an event for an international financial company at Silver Lake Lodge in Deer Valley just a few weeks ago. From working with the event producer previously, I knew he prefers a more masculine looking, so I suggested using a dark espresso bengaline linen (not shimmery or shiny like a lamour would be) accompanied by these florals using white kale, thistle, safari sunset, and daylilies. I was a little hesitant about using those purple hydrangeas, but I needed that color and something to soften this apres-ski dinner against the more textural blooms.

I cannot say enough about this little number. Simple, modern, and chic.

These inexpensive ($40-ish) centerpieces are perfect for a casual luncheon. (These were for a springtime lunch at The Governor's Mansion)

Up at Stein Eriksen Lodge, we worked with the pastry chef to help display these mini cupcakes as the centerpiece. We sat the dish atop a twig bundle, then sprinkled green cymbidium orchids beneath and at each place setting.

StellaPosy provided the linens, the tables, the seagrass chairs & barstools, the flowers and the candles for this tented winter cocktail hour. (This was before the Great Recession hit and thus, the clients had a bit more of a budget to spend on JUST the cocktail hour!)

If you need to hire an event designer for your corporate event, give StellaPosy a call!! 801-959-5728.

Utah Bride & Groom Magazine Photo Shoot: Behind the Scenes

Tennis anyone? The "Love Match" spread in the new 2011 issue of Utah Bride & Groom magazine came about last year during my first meeting with photographer Rebekah Westover. (We had worked together on a previous wedding, but like all weddings, we were so wrapped up in getting our jobs done, our paths never crossed the day of). We became instant buddies over coffee that day at Cafe Niche in downtown Salt Lake. Not only were we both passionate about our jobs, but we had both just had our second child. I was just so relieved to commiserate with someone who was balancing a busy work life with an infant who was up every 2 hours like mine.

After all the sleep deprivation chit chat, we finally got to wedding business. I expressed to Rebekah that after all my vintage and/or rustic weddings (which of course, I LOVE), I was really craving a bride that was looking to design a preppy and contemporary wedding. What I had in mind was a cross between Kate Spade prepster and a contemporary contrast the evokes images of Kelly Wearstler's interior design at The Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica (ever been? it is SoCal and so cool).

That's when Rebekah's wheels started turning and she came up with the idea after a phone call with Tessa Wolf at Utah Bride to do an "Inspiration to Reality" article where wedding pros come together to create our own "wedding" based upon this design concept.

What about location? Well, let's just say I had a connection at this oh-la-la private residence.

Here are some of my favorite flower shots from the photo shoot. Enjoy!

Table #1

Close up of table 1. Not just one main centerpiece here. Ever heard of a "tablescape"? Well, here's an example.

Rebekah brought along those yellow chairs and I love what they did for many of the shots. I also dig the reflection in the pool.

The green trellis pillows (and the navy ones on the couch) came from Willa Skye Home at Etsy.com. As a side note, the service was superb considering I was begging them to ship just a few days before the shoot. And now I'm enjoying these pillows on MY couch at home.

With the mountain and the reflection of the table in the pool, this is my FAVORITE shot.

I have 3 words for you here: ALPINE EVENT RENTALS. These guys brought out one of their brand new white leather sofas and outomans for the shoot. I've used them for several events, so let me just say, they are hands-down the BEST company for the job. Thanks Shane & Wyatt!

The centerpiece below was so simple and architectural using football mums, mini calla posies, phalaenopsis orchids and steel grass.

The pearls + the pockets + the bow tie = PREPPY love.

Notice on table #2, I stacked a few of the centerpieces on top of empty black vases to give some dimension to the table decor. If I could use phalaenopsis orchid plants (from The Orchid Dynasty) for every wedding, I would.

Funny story about the place settings! I purchased the plates and chargers from World Market. Before the shot started, neighbors were rushing over to check it out. Being interior designers and entertainers (of the food variety, not the other kind of entertainer), they graciously offered up their collections of goblets and silverware. Talk about some snazzy neighbors!

I loved these yellow "tennis balls" on the crystal candlesticks.

My hubby and I have had these darn tennis racquets through several moves between Utah and California and back again. I am so pleased I was finally able to put them to good use.

Game. Set. Match.