So yes, this shower is cute. SO stinking cute, filled with super chic ideas that are perfect for a bridal shower or a bridesmaids gathering. But we have an alterier motive…tt just happened to be THE PERFECT way to spread the news that Tait and I are officially adding to the SMP family with baby number 2! Yep, I’m good and knocked up and couldn’t be more thrilled!
So to celebrate, we’re sharing this absolutely darling baby shower held for one of my favorite people ever, the fabulous Viola of chewing the cud, hosted by some of her favorite people ever…Priska and Lisa of Atelier Joya, Stacy McCain who did the coordination, Lily Yeung at Wildflower Linens and the cute girls at Gertrude and Mabel who snapped the pics.
From the girls…When we heard that the amazing Viola Sutanto of chewing the cud had a little bun in the oven we were so thrilled. Not only is Viola super, super creative and talented, she is also one of the most down to earth, warm, wonderful women we know. We knew we wanted to create a baby shower for her to remember.
When Viola and her husband, Phillip, started their first design studio together, they used to joke that it was a 3-ring circus. Now they both run separate studios, his named Elephant and hers chewing the cud. We thought it would be fun to concept the shower according to animals, in a circus setting.
Knowing she was expecting a little girl, we selected a color palette of blush pink, bright pink, mint green and white. When we came across the geometric pink and white patterned linen from Wildflower Linens, we knew the modern twist was perfect for the shower. The pattern was an inspirational piece that was incorporated into the invitations and many of the graphic details at the shower. By the way, all of the graphics were created by Viola. She kept asking if she could help in anyway, and knowing she is so super talented we made a tiny request.
Viola absolutely loves elephants and there was no question that they were going to be the main circus animal for her shower. Custom-designed elephant cutouts were used as notecards for guests to write wishes and words of wisdom to Viola (later these would be made into a mobile for the baby’s room). Tiny elephant decals adorned the French water bottles, decorated the back of the Marais chairs, and added playful, whimsy to the custom game cards. Just a little fun side note about the elephant: he symbolizes luck, fortune, protection, and is a blessing on new projects (or shall we say new arrivals).
The elephant could also be found suspended overhead in the custom-designed canopy that served as the gathering point for tasty treats. The canopy was a play on vintage circus tents and was crafted using strands of white pom-pom flowers, geometric printed paper chains, streamers in shades of pinks and white, and handmade yarn pom-poms.
All of the tasty treats were color coordinated to the overall color palette.So guests enjoyed mini cream cheese/cucumber tea sandwiches, tiny white powdered donuts, bite size cheesecakes on a stick, petite strawberry shortbread cakes, and many other treats. Quilted mason jars with custom nametags served as darling glasses for the circus specialty drinks such s “jugglers juice” and “bearded lady’s brew”. Yarn- wrapped vases filled to the brim in shades of pink, peach and orange ranuculus added a pop of color to the table and completed the tablescape.
Yarn pom-poms dotted the back of white upholstered chairs, a gigantic yarn ball served not only as a footstool for Viola, but also as the focal point of a guessing game (how many feet of yarn are wrapped in that ball?) A yarn-wrapped chair with mini pom-pom accents served as the “mama to be” throne, and yarn was used to make a custom upholstered elephant wall art display that was a gift for baby’s room.
Viola’s baby shower was so much fun to design. We loved seeing the vision come to life, and more than anything we loved seeing how much love and joy filled the room. At one point we all went around the room sharing a trait we loved about Viola that we would love for the baby to inherit. Viola is a true treasure and everyone had such amazing things to say about her… there were wishes for the baby to have Viola’s humor, her smile, her perseverance, her basketball skills, her warmth, her creativity, and the list goes on. All of us are wishing her and her family lots of love, laughter, health and happiness.
Viola has since had a perfectly perfect little baby girl named Maika. She had a special note to share with the ladies who made this shower so, so lovely…
When the gals first told me they wanted to host a “little baby shower” for me, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such an over-the-top, fabulous display of creativity and talent. This shower was truly a labor of love, from the crazy, elaborate tent, the sweet treats, to the mini pompoms. The tiniest of details was created with so much care. Don’t even get me started on how the gals were up till 4am, climbing ladders to build the tent and wrapping the chairs with yarn. What an amazing way to welcome our little Maika into the world! Big big xoxo to Stacy, Lisa, Priska, Lily. Of course big kudos to Gertrude and Mabel for the lovely photography and Got Light for loaning their equipment. Thank you thank you. LOVE ya’ll!!!
Coordination & Planning: Stacy McCain Events / Conceptual Design, Flowers & Event décor details: Atelier Joya / Print Materials & fabric wraps: Chewing the Cud / Linens: Wildflower Linens / Photography: Gertrude & Mabel Photography / Piping & Lighting: Got Light / Paper Design: chewing the cud
*special thanks to Lily Yeung from Wildflower Linens who helped in all areas of the event from sending out save the dates, making tasty treats, creating flower pom poms and ringleading at the baby shower