DIY Valentine's Day Ideas by Beth Romanik 02/07/2012
DIY Valentine’s Day ideas Submitted by Beth Romanik on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 5:04pm When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I feel like I’m pretty middle-of-the-road about it. I’m not quite one of the people who crabs about it being an overly commercialized holiday designed to make single people feel bad, but I’m also not one to dress in all pink and red and hand out those chalk-tasting conversation hearts to everybody. I’ve always just enjoyed Valentine’s Day as an excuse to make something cute to show I care. Anyone can go buy roses or chocolates — why not give something you made yourself? However, there is a problem: I am not creative. I can follow instructions, but I do not come up with craft ideas on my own. I can color inside the lines, but you’ll never catch me using a sewing machine or decoupaging (did I even spell that right?). And I can stick to a recipe, but I can not — CAN NOT — improvise a meal. Luckily, people who are much better at this stuff than I am are kind enough to post their creative ideas, complete with photos and explicit directions, all over the Internet. I’ve assembled a few of my favorites here in case you’re looking for Valentine’s Day inspiration, too. 1. Pop-up card I love paper products, and this is an interesting twist on a normal card. When you open it, any word you choose will stand out inside. It seems like this craft is a little more time-consuming, but it doesn’t look difficult, and I already have all the supplies at home. For the tutorial, click here. 2. Love message board This one’s kind of sappy, but I think I’m going to make it. Being that my husband and I work opposite schedules and only see each other awake about 16 hours a week, we’ve become experts at leaving notes. Usually the notes are of the more practical type — “Get milk,” “Pay bills,” “For the last time, pick up your shoes, GOOD GOD.” That’s why I like the idea of this craft: a wipe-off message board that reads, “I love you because…” With this prompt already built in, I think it would encourage more sweet notes day to day. (“I love you because you finally picked up your shoes, GOOD GOD.”) For a list of supplies and instructions, click here. 3. Valentine’s Day breakfast Who wouldn’t like to wake up to a fresh, yummy breakfast being cooked just for them? But because this is Valentine’s Day, everything’s gotta be heart-shaped. We’ve got bacon, cinnamon rolls, even hard-boiled eggs, all shaped like hearts. Tasty and cute. 4. Everything else Nothing strike your fancy yet? Here are 101 handmade Valentine’s Day ideas. There are craft tutorials, templates, cards and designs you can print for free, and more. There’s bound to be something you (and your loved one) will like. By the way, I found all of these ideas and links on Pinterest. If you haven’t ever checked out this site, go take a bathroom break and grab a snack before clicking — you will probably be there awhile. Have a great Valentine’s Day! Add Comment CORT's Top Event Design Trends of 2012 By Matt Alderton January 24, 2012 Share| View Comments http://www.successfulmeetings.com/Conference-News/Research-White-Papers/Articles/CORT-s-Top-Event-Design-Trends-of-2012/?cid=eltrMtgNews In partnership with designer Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings, a Miami-based event design company, CORT Event Furnishings has developed a list of the top event design trends for 2012, it announced today. "Event planners are challenged to design unique event experiences that speak to brand personalities and create a 'wow' experience, particularly in unusual spaces," said CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings Director of Marketing Kevin Dana. Added Carbotti, "Everyone is looking for the next great event venue and that requires an extra effort in planning logistics and furnishings that can go wherever the event is held; on a ship, rooftop or even on a mountain." According to Carbotti and CORT, this year's biggest event design trends are: • Color Everywhere: Clients are increasingly comfortable using color to set their designs apart, according Carbotti. I see warm colors playing a key role in this year's designs when mixed with energetic and exciting tones," he said. "Tangerine oranges and sunflower yellows, for example, mix beautifully with fuchsias, purples or last year's Pantone Color of the Year, Honeysuckle. Designers should also never rule out cobalt blue, a lively shade of blue that always provides a bold color balance and a cooler temperature if need be." • Indoor/Outdoor Furnishings: Events are no longer confined to hotel ballrooms, according to CORT, which said clients are increasingly challenging event planners to create "visually appealing and comfortable seating at increasingly exotic outdoor locales." Because these events require furniture that is weatherproof, durable and portable, indoor/outdoor furnishings — including, for example, inflatable furniture, indoor/outdoor ottomans and indoor/outdoor modular sectionals — are becoming increasingly popular. • Luxury is Back: As the economy improves, many corporate clients have larger budgets to spend on designing and outfitting events, particularly luxury brands that need to differentiate themselves. Demand is therefore strong for high-end furnishings and designer pieces, according to Dana. "Clients aim to make a tasteful statement with understated elegance and sophisticated modern furniture design," he said. • Mixing Styles, Patterns and Textures: According to Carbotti, mixing different styles creates surprising and one-of-a-kind accents. "There are two precepts foundational to event design: First, knowledge and respect for space and how it affects people, and second, a working knowledge of artistic or cultural styles and periods as they are developed throughout history," he said. "Design is not simply in 'the things' themselves; it is in how those things are used and arranged in ways that get people to feel something." • Creative Modular Seating: Every client wants to design seating tailored to their particular event, but the Millennial generation is reinventing traditional event expectations and demanding more casual meeting and networking environments, according to CORT. "Large serpentine or linear seating that wraps around dance floors or doubles as dining areas are all the rage," Carbotti said. "Blurring the lines between lounge seating and traditional meeting setups will continue in 2012." • Social Media: In 2012, most events will have a social component to generate interest before, during and after the event, according to CORT. "Whether it's live tweeting at the event or blogging before and after, planners have to incorporate social media engagement into the overall strategy and budget to ensure attendees stay informed and those who cannot attend are still able to participate," it concluded. First Post on Website! 01/10/2012
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