As Autumn approaches, be sure to check in with the Creative Concepts NYC team to keep you updated on new DIY’s for the holidays, recipes, decor, and more! Don’t miss a beat by following us on Facebook, Instagram, Google +, Linked In, Twitter, Pinterest, and of course our Blog!
Happy Autumn!
Photo Courtesy of runninginthesky.tumblr.com
This week at the Creative Concepts NYC studio, our Creative Director Benjamin created mini terrariums. We were enlisted by one of our favorite clients to create arrangements for a “Grow” themed event. Terrariums are a beautiful representation of nature’s ability to evolve. They can also be completely self-sustainable.
On first glance, creating terrariums can seem difficult, but Benjamin is making very simple ones that right up the DIY alley!
Step 1 – Supplies
You will need:
– Moss or Grasses
- Orchids (or any starter plant such as, mini ferns, violets, begonias, clover, etc)
– Succulents
– Rocks (or any other decorative item such as, driftwood, bark, air plants etc.)
-Terrarium
– Scissors
– Spray Bottle
– Clean Paintbrush
Helpful Hint: Make sure your hands are clean! When you are touching the glass it can get very smudgy, your clean up at the end will be a lot easier with clean hands.
Step 2 – Create the Bed
After cleaning your terrarium, add in your Moss or Grasses to the base of the terrarium. Be sure to mist your moss thoroughly with water before
placing in the terrarium, this will make the moss more playable and prevent it from drying out quickly once the other items are on top .
Step 3 – Envision the Terrarium
Before placing the other items inside, try to decide how you want your terrarium to look. Most commonly, the starter plant, in this case th
e Orchid, is built around mound. When you begin placing the succulents, rocks, and other items inside the terrarium, they should support the starter plant. This creates visual dynamics that will add depth and contrast to your terrarium.
Helpful Hint: Less is more! You don’t want to overcrowd your terrarium.
Step 4 – Adding Succulents
Start by embedding the succulents into the moss on a little mound. Keep clear of the area in the middle for the Orchids.
Step 5 – Place in Starter Plant
Add your Orchids by leaning it into the mound of the succulent, and support it with the rocks and decorative items. Orchids are air plants, so they do not need to be actually planted
in the bed. It will support to stand though, which is where the moss or grass, rocks, and other items come in to play.
Step 6 – Enjoy!
Use the clean paintbrush to clean off the leaves of the plants and general maintenance of your new terrarium
Terrariums are charming and simple arrangements. They are perfect for a unique centerpiece or an unconventional gift. Add them to your list of DIY musts!
Quick notes:
As the terrariums Benjamin is making are for a specific event, these terrariums are not made to last a long time. These require more maintenance to survive.
But the maintenance is very easy! The door to the terrarium needs to stay open because the Orchids need air to survive. Also, you will need to spray the terrarium lightly once a week.
Self-Watering Terrariums:
These are sealed when completed so that the water is retained and is self-sustainable. For this you would use a different starter plant as Orchids need air to survive.
Spring is here and boy are we ready! It’s been a long winter, but it is finally time for us to shed our winter coats and gradually slide into our short shorts. This month Creative Concepts NYC will focus on Going Local! Be on the lookout for recipes, DIY’s, articles, and much more surrounding the theme of using our natural resources to create amazing events and tasty seasonal nourishment. Don’t miss a beat by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Cheers!
Join Allison Bottomley as she explores summer trends and reveals some of CCNYC’s favorite dishes, décor, and tricks of the trade.
Summer is a great time to spend time with friends and family celebrating the lighter things in life. At Creative Concepts NYC, we plan events all year long, but we can’t help being inspired by the elements of summer.
To get the ideas flowing, here are some of our favorite takes on summer get togethers.
The Americana Barbecue Summer is the season of barbecue and purposefully playing up the inherent kitsch this American tradition is quite fun. Bite-size burgers, pigs in a blanket, and a faux-lemonade stand are some of the ways we love to play with this theme.
Slider
lemonaid Stand (AOL Event)
French Picnic Get out the gingham! Picnics are a relaxed way to get your family and friends together and outside. We like the idea of a French-themed picnic with quiche, galettes, and clafoutis—all items that that can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature. So, check out these recipes, throw on the gypsy jazz, and head in the park. check out How to plan a picnic !
Mini Quiche
Galettes
Movies Under the Stars-There is nothing more cozy than cuddling up with a loved one in front of a movie, but when the weather is so nice who wants to spend two hours inside? We suggest moving the view outdoors mixing the feel of a rooftop party with the excitement and comfort of watching a movie. At CCNYC, we love the movie theater theme. Popcorn and candy displays keep your party simple and fun. We also recommend making these cute popcorn floral containers for a festive décor.
Candy Station
Popcorn Floral
Fiesta Brunch- Piñatas and mojitos anyone? Ole’! A Latin twist to a traditional barbecue is a great way to add flavor to your summer. We love to change up traditional barbecue for tacos, mini quesadillas, and arepas. Check out this recipe for a great take on Chile-Braised Pork Shoulder Tacos.
Piñata Scape
Mini Fish Taco
One way we recently dolled up a seemingly straight forward corporate sales meeting was with summer drive-in themed food and decor. Think root beer floats and a popcorn cart with branded boxes. The perfect addition to the candy striped table was a popcorn floral. Here is how you can make you very own at home.
This fun floral could work for all sorts of themes including a child’s party. You could also take this concept and decorate each box to represent something vintage or even an Andy Warhol Brillo motif. Regardless of direction, this is a great way to bring in some fun summer colors to your table and setting!
Many of Creative Concepts NYC‘s clients like the idea of a tablescape, and miniature everything! One of the many creative ways CCNYC accomplishes this is by making custom donut hole towers. They are super easy to make and fun, while adding much needed hight to a breakfast spread or themed event. Here is how all you DIY enthusiasts can get in on the action!
left to right: The supplies- foam cone, tissue paper, toothpicks, & stapler. lay out paper and wrap while stapling along the way. cut off excess and staple to bottom.
stick in toothpicks and attach donut holes.....it's that easy!
Creative Concepts NYC‘s creative director, Benjamin Lester, was looking for a cheap alternative for some side tables for an event to be added to a small lounge area. He came across these amazing garbage cans at CB2 and the light bulb came on, BINGO side tables. Not so far off form the famous Knoll Platner Table. Just a quick trip to Target and presto gorgeous side tables, so gorgeous they now live in his very own living room and they only cost $26.00 a piece!
Very simple to do, all you need is the garbage can and glass topper. Don’t forget to get some Self-Stick Rubber Pads to keep the glass balanced and safe! You can also switch up the surface to give the table an entirely different look, try a round tray! Happy table making!!
Often times, place card holders are an after thought at events and become a last minute item. The team at Creative Concepts NYC was in one of these last minute situations and figured out a crafty and frugal way to make DIY place card holders. The simple solution was to use stainless silver binder clips! The result was perfect for our clients need of a modern, sleek, and industrial looking style. The CCNYC team liked the place card holders so much, that it has become a permanent item in the many crafty tricks they have up their sleeve!
Here is how you can make your own place card holders!
1) You will need Binder clips: Binder clips come in a variety of colors, sizes, and patterns. Pick clips that represent your style and or the theme of the event. It is important to get at least a medium- large sized binder clip so that they can hold the weight of the paper while standing upright.
2) Print cards: CCNYC uses card stock, but the options are endless! Be sure to leave space at the bottom to attach the clip.
3) Cut out: When CCNYC is doing signs rather then seating they laminate the cards this way they can be used multiple times.
4) Attach clip: Be sure the clip is centered.
5) Remove clip handels: Simply squeeze to release the clip handles. Be sure to save the handles, so that you can adjust, remove, and re-use the clip.
This is a huge money saver, looks great, and is a simple solution for all you ‘DIY enthusiasts’ out there. Happy place card making!
Often times clients are looking for small customized details to give their event something special, without breaking the bank. One solution we offer is coasters. Professionally printed coasters can get pricey, but one can make them for cents if not for free! All you need is card stock paper. If you were doing a holiday party and you wanted to give it a vintage feel, you might consider using old holiday cards. For a wedding, you could print out your monogramed initials on colored card stock. The themes and options for card stock coasters are endless.
As an example, the theme in our mind is a girls sweet sixteen party. We used postcards and invites from a show at a local gallery here in NYC.
Materials you’ll need: Scissors , postcards, something to trace (we used a roll of tape), and a pen
The chosen post cards
Trace
Cut out
Fun and easy!
Adds a nice layer of color to your decor
If you would like something a bit more substantial check out your local flooring store for samples. They make great coasters too!