Hawaiian Luau Guest Dessert Table

Lindi of Love the Day recently sent over these beautiful pictures of a farewell Luau she created for her friends who are moving to Hawaii. This setting is so refreshing it makes me want to jump into the screen to be at the party. I love the bright color palette, the use of the net as a backdrop, and the bold patterns. I also love the concept of farewell notes for the departing couple. This could work well for a honeymoon send-off party as well. Check out Lindi's Etsy shop here. Great job, Lindi!

Behind the Scenes at Amy Atlas Events - The Design Phase

Today we're working on the design for a special client. I thought I'd share some behind-the-scenes with you on how we start our process. When we start designing, our first step is to speak with the client about general aesthetic. Then we start our design process by studying our pantone books to nail the colors right for the design. We then build an inspiration board for the event and then we start to build the table with props. This is the fun part of the project, unless we get hit with a "creative block." If that happens, we'll take a brief break from the project and then regroup with a fresh perspective. What is your process for designing? We would love to hear!

Pea in the Pod Guest Dessert Table + Ask Amy

How cute is this pea-in-the-pod guest dessert table feature from Whitney of Sweet Celebrations by Whitney? Whitney is a baker based in Las Vegas and was inspired to do a dessert table after seeing our work. This table is perfect for a kid-themed event (showers, birthday parties, brises/christenings). All of the sweet pea details on the table are adorable and I love the fresh green color palette. I also love how Whitney used the paper lanterns on the table instead of hanging them. I haven't seen them used that way, but it works for this table.

A little before the event was supposed to start, Whitney heard a loud crash. It turns out a kid at the event was tempted by all of the goodies, jumped on the table, and broke a few of Whitney's vessels. Whitney was paralyzed with panic. I know exactly what she was feeling. When I first started my business, I did a lot of birthday parties and this happened often. What kid wouldn't be tempted to jump on a table filled with goodies? Believe it or not, I've had adults do this as well at parties! I even had a gorgeous table set up for a very important client and she didn't see it until after all of her guests bombarded it {at least they liked the desserts and she saw pictures!} In Whitney's case, after a brief moment of panic, Whitney quickly called on friends for other vessels and pulled the table together very nicely. Well done, Whitney.

Whitney asked about how I have dealt with last minute emergencies so I will give you a few tips below...

(1) Make a list before your event of everything that is being packed. This will help you keep track of your items and will remind you if you forgot anything. I am very meticulous about this and while it may drive everyone around me crazy, it keeps me sane.

(2) Bring a little bit extra candy, desserts, icing, etc. It is a little tricky because you don't want to over bake/order, but you should give yourself a little room for error. In Whitney's case, the glass bowls broke and she had to throw away the candy that was in that bowl. Luckily, she had extra and none of her guests noticed anything missing.

(3)Bring a few extra vessels to your event. No matter how well we pack our items, there is usually one casualty. I always pack a few extra vessels to ensure that we have options in case a vessel breaks. I usually bring extra of the items that can't be easily purchased the day of.

(4) Give yourself time to set up. If there is an emergency, then you'll have time to make the adjustments. I'm a stickler about getting things ready early for this reason.

(5) If need be, have someone guard the table until your client sees the table. Yes, sounds crazy, but your client should see your work of art before it gets touched.

(6) Try not to panic. Okay, maybe you can panic for a minute, but that's it. If you are prepared, you will be able to make adjustments that will look just as good as your initial vision. Even though you will notice the difference, you will be the only one that does.

Thanks for sharing, Whitney!

Father's Day Cookies

When it comes to Father's Day cookies, there are few people who do it better than Eleni's New York. I love all of the designs above, but since my husband loves to golf, he'd really appreciate the golf cookies. These would be a sweet ending to a Father's Day Brunch. Check out Eleni's full collection here. I'll be back next week with behind-the-scenes, guest features, and lots of other fun stuff! Have a wonderful Father's Day!

Ask Amy: Working Out Of Home

My older son picking up flowers with me at the flower market for a party.

I'm working on a magazine article about the balance of work/owning a business and it made me think that it would be good to share a little advice about that here. As most of you know, my husband and I have two kids and our third kid is my business (my husband also happens to have his own successful gig). I get a lot of emails from moms about how to balance work and family, especially if moms are starting their business out of their own home. I wanted a work studio next to my home because it's important for me to be close to my kids during the day. However, because my kids know well how to pop in and out of my work space, it can sometimes be a struggle. For moms out there who are contemplating or doing it, you already know what I'm talking about.

It is great for a few reasons...
(1) It allows you to be around/available for your kids while you are at work;
(2) It keeps overhead low (I'm a big fan of that) and then you can pass off savings to your clients;
(3) Your kids can see you as a working parent;
(4)You can enlist your kids as extra help (just kidding), but they certainly may gain an interest in what you do (see picture above);
(4) The commute isn't so bad:-)

BUT, there are some hard parts about it as well..most importantly, # (1) above. Overall, it works for my situation, but there are times when I am tempted to run faaarrr away! My staff jokes with me that I am sometimes like the cartoon "Where's Waldo." They'll find me in bizarre places on important calls. Lisa, who also happens to live in the same building {yes, it is like a reality show}, has found me on calls in the stairwell, in our prop closet, on the floor behind my desk. I amaze them all of the time with my hiding spots!

Overall, starting your business out of your home (or close to your home) is smart if you can follow these guidelines:
(1) Set very strict deadlines for your day. If your kids are coming home in the afternoon, be very efficient in the morning. Alternatively, if your baby is napping in the afternoon, be efficient at that time.
(2) Set specific times that you can meet with clients or make calls. Of course, try to be flexible for your clients, but try to work within your set times. Most clients will not be understanding about screaming kids in the background:-)
(3) Take breaks at points throughout your day so you can get away from your neighborhood and space. You would be amazed at how much this helps!
(These tips can apply even if you don't have kids, but are working out of your home)

I'll talk about the overall balance of family and business in another post since I get lots of those questions as well. I hope this is helpful for all of you starting your own business!

Chicago Inspired Guest Dessert Table Feature

We've been getting SO many amazing guest dessert table submissions. Keep them coming and we'll get them up here. This one comes from Rama of Whimzicalparties in Omaha, Nebraska. Rama created a chic navy and silver Chicago-inspired dessert table for a high school graduate who is moving to Chicago for college. Rama asked for constructive criticism, but I really think she did a great job with this table. Here's what she did that made it successful...

(1) Rama enlisted an artist (who happened to be the client's mom) to create that FABULOUS Chicago backdrop. The backdrop pulls the whole table together and Rama balanced the height of her vessels and florals well so the items on her table didn't compete with the art.
(2) Rama was working with very tough colors, yet she still managed to execute the table in a sophisticated way (In particular, blues are not easy to execute with desserts)
(3) I also really love how Rama creatively tied the ribbon around her vessels. Some vessels don't allow for a smooth ribbon trim and the vessels she used are a perfect example. Instead of forcing the ribbon around the side, Rama layered ribbon on top.
(4) I also love those floral arrangements and the spray painted vases.

A few dessert table designer tips for everyone...
(1) If you are working with a color palette that doesn't lend itself to baking, then limit those colors to paper, ribbon, linens, etc. and make your desserts simple by just using white. {Rama pulled it off with this palette, but I've seen many blue dessert tables that are hard on the eyes because there are so many competing shades of blue.}
(2) Be careful when using darker colors for desserts because you don't want anything too saturated that will rub off on your guest's teeth/lips at the party.

Excellent job, Rama! I look forward to seeing more from you!

Our Ice Cream Story for InStyle Magazine

I hope you were all here this morning to see the behind-the-scenes with InStyle Magazine. If you didn't, you should definitely check it out here now! I worked with the editors to develop an ice cream story (including color story, recipe and flavor ideas, tips, products, concepts) and then propped and styled the whole story for the shoot. Be sure to check out our template for the ice cream shoot below. Here is the amazing story...













Here is the ice cream cone template. I hope you enjoy it!

*I'd like to dedicate this post to my dad, who would have been 72 today. A little over three years ago, he lost his battle with prostate cancer. My dad was my biggest "cheerleader" as he liked to call himself. Anyone who knew him, knew how proud he was of both myself and my brother. I like to think that he is still cheering us on from wherever he is. Somehow I know he is still watching over us and being a cheerleader today. Happy Birthday Dad. Love you and miss you. xoxo