Behind the Scenes - Magazine Shoot Prep

It is another photo shoot day for us at Amy Atlas. We are putting together three dessert tables for an upcoming magazine spread. Above is a picture of my staff crafting away in preparation for the shoot. I'm off to the studio and can't post about much right now, but I will be back to fill you in with some behind-the-scenes photographs!

Behind the Scenes - Getting Ready for TV Segment and Magazine Shoot

We are super busy getting ready for a three day magazine shoot and a tv segment this week. We're putting together four dessert bars this week and by the end of day yesterday, my head was spinning out of control with all the details that go into planning our tables. We did some of the prep work in my home and my kids were so excited to see candy everywhere in my home and be around my staff. My boys couldn't go to sleep (can I really blame them?) with all of the excitement. They were still up at 9pm when Jerome of Macaron de Paris popped by our home with a delivery of his delicious confections. In pj's and with with teary eyes and all, my older son fought to stay up so he could be a part of the fun. Jerome was so kind to include my guy and together they built a special macaron treat. Here are some behind the scenes sneak peeks of us getting ready for the first shoot.

My staff getting the linens ready...



Bins packed to send to a studio for the shoot...


Jerome and my guy making a special treat...Jerome was so amazing to not only come by after a long day, but also to include my son in the activities. I am so blessed to work with such great vendors!

La Maison du Chocolat

Last week, I mentioned in my post that I would reveal my fave macarons in New York. Well, here it is... La Maison du Chocolat. I've tried my share of macarons and La Maison's are simply irresistible. I stopped in their Upper East side location this weekend and met with my friend Michael, who manages the La Maison cafe. Not only did I get to nibble on their amazing macaron, florentin, and nougat bouchee, but Michael also sent me out with the most delicious dark hot chocolate. It was the perfect treat on a bitterly cold day in NYC. If you have not yet been to La Maison du Chocolat, it is definitely worth the trip!

Inspiration for Upcoming Project with Wiley Valentine

Okay, we're off to a better start today than yesterday , and one of the reasons is that luckily we are FINALLY working with the amazingly talented ladies at Wiley Valentine. Wiley Valentine has mastered the art of creating beautiful designs on letterpress stationery. Their designs are fresh and fun, yet still romantic and effortlessly chic. I am always inspired by their great use of colors and unexpected patterns. They create custom stationery as well as boxed notes, coasters, and much more. See for yourself here.

We are working with the Wiley Valentine gals on something special for an upcoming tv segment and this is an inspiration board that they quickly put together for the project. Isn't it darling? More to come, but I just wanted to share with you a sneak peek of the inspiration behind our project.

Umbrella Prints

We're working with Kate Sullivan on a big project next week {more on that to come, she's amazing!} and she introduced me to Umbrella Prints. I had seen their fabric before, but had never been to their site. On a day where everything seems to be going wrong {and it is one of those days}, this picture just make me happy! Check out their site filled with "eye candy" fabrics, which you can cleverly use for covering vases, making table runners, creating backdrops, or really anything. Here's to a better rest of the day!

Macarons!

I'm slightly obsessed with macarons right now. What am I saying...I am ALWAYS obsessed with macarons. This traditional french pastry is light, fruity, chewy, and one of my favorite confections. I'm working on a tv segment next week and am incorporating a fun diy project with macarons. There are lots of things you can do with macarons. I'll share the behind-the-scenes diy tips on what I will be making as we get closer to the segment airing. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you what is inspiring me today for this fun project.

First, macarons from Laduree in Paris. Can you believe I have not yet had these? Need to plan trip to Paris for these NOW!


A peek inside the Laduree shop and a glimpse of their famous macaron towers.


Macarons in many vibrant colors...true eye candy!


Wendy Kromer, a friend and one of my favorite cake designers, made this macaron cake for Martha Stewart. GORGEOUS!


Want to find out my fave macarons in New York? Come back this week for a sneak peek into one of my fave stores where I get macarons.

2010 Parties are Here!

Welcome 2010! It is my first blog post for 2010 and I am excited about lots of parties that are coming up in 2010. We are meeting with one of our clients this week for a girl's Bat Mitzvah. I can't give away too many of the details we are working on, but I will tell you that we are coordinating a zebra pattern with a citrus color palette - FUN! I found a fun zebra pattern in grass green from the Macbeth Collection, a company that takes gorgeous designs and puts them on trays, vases, buckets, pitchers, window boxes, and much more. This green zebra pattern could be perfect for trays for a few special things I am working on for the party.





The designs for the Macbeth Collection home/accessory line are pretty vast, with patterns such as houndstooth, cane, and even a Goyard-inspired pattern for fashion lovers. I'm personally loving the Chain link, Milly, Rococo and Bambucci patterns below, but there are many other great ones. Their line is versatile and can be used for table decor, office supplies, or really anything. I may even have to use these for my own office! Check out all of their patterns here.