May 01, 2018

MOTHER'S DAY COCKTAILS & CRAFTING PARTY

May 01, 2018/ Laurén

I co-hosted a (pre) Mother's Day Cocktails & Crafting Party with my friends and fellow nursery school moms Chase Beckerman & Stephanie Nortman, as a fundraiser for our school. Twink + Sis designed it, Chase supplied a flight of delish spring cocktails from Stillhouse Moonshine and Stephanie provided her stunning home as the venue. We had such a fun night and were honored to have the party featured on ELLE Decor last week. Now I get to share even more images and details with you on the blog today! All images by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography.

Since the party was in honor of our fellow moms, we wanted to make the decor really feminine, with touches of pinks, peach and gold. The vintage runner and gold candlesticks had a glamorous 1960’s feel that contrasted really well with the bare wood tables and marble serving platters.

The original plan was to have the party outside but it ended up pouring rain that day! Luckily the modern farm tables and wooden bistro chairs (from Circa Vintage Rentals) worked just as well inside Stephanie's home. It was an indoor garden party!

Our friends at Makers Mess brought in the craft and all of its elements -- including an instructor who helped guide us through through the whole process. Each guest was greeted at their place setting with materials for seed bracelet making, including a gold or silver charm they could hammer with special letters or numbers of their choosing. A lot of us did our kids' initials!

Iris & Daughter created stunning floral arrangements in a palette of pinks, white, coral and yellow — using anemones, ranunculus, peonies and wax flowers. The modern white hexagonal vases were the perfect offset to the feminine flowers.

Pretty Rosaline goblets from Borrowed Blu.

Loved these gold and white hexagonal runners paired with the fuchsia-bordered napkins -- both from Hostess Haven.

The goal was to create a comfortable and intimate table where our guests could enjoy their drinks and conversation, while still being able to focus on their bracelet-making. Keeping that in mind, Whisk and Whittle created four delicious sweet & savory bites that we served right there on the table.

Asparagus crostini with fresh ricotta, lemon zest & pink pepper.

Tomato & zucchini polenta cakes with roasted corn salsa.

Fig Crostini with goat cheese, truffle honey and fig jam.

Lemon tartlets with raspberry drizzle and fresh berries.

Stillhouse Moonshine created an amazing flight of spring cocktails for the evening. I loved the way the bar looked!

“A Sip of Spring” - A blend of Stillhouse Peach Tea Whiskey, organic fresh peach agave lemonade and fresh organic raspberries.

I obviously couldn't wait to get my paws on it.

"Pineapple Express" - Stillhouse Coconut Whiskey, fresh pineapple juice, lavender and fresh blueberries.

"Mint Condition” - Stillhouse Mint Chip Whiskey mixed with soda, chocolate shavings and fresh mint.

After the instructor got us acquainted with what we were doing, we got rolling with our bracelet-making!

If you are looking to host a similar party at home, you can! Makers Mess actually created a seed bead bracelet party kit with everything you need for your next crafting party. I included it here in my May Favorites!

We did it! (iPhone pic by me)

From left to right: Chase Beckerman, Laurén LaRocca, Stephanie Nortman.

Thank you to my beautiful co-hosts and all of the lovely ladies who attended!!

Happy Mother's Day!! xoxoxo!!

CREDITS:

Party Design: Twink + Sis

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Cocktails: Stillhouse Moonshine

Craft: Makers Mess

Flowers: Iris & Daughter

Food/Dessert: Whisk and Whittle

Rentals: Circa Vintage Rentals

Glassware: Borrowed Blu

Linens: Hostess Haven

Candles: Yummi Candles

Candlesticks: Anthropologie

Platters: CB2

Laurén's Dress: For Love & Lemons

Laurén's Braid: 901too

December 11, 2017

HOLIDAY SIP AND SHOP + PHARMACIE HOLIDAY COCKTAIL RECIPE

December 11, 2017/ Laurén

Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

We co-hosted a Holiday Sip & Shop with our BFF's Beth Riesgraf and Marissa Ribisi, to benefit the local women's shelter in Downtown LA. I am so excited to share images of the event with you today! We teamed up with so many amazing artists and vendors for this event. It was truly a magical day.

Sis & I created a girly & whimsical holiday wonderland table filled with delicious treats by our fave, Whisk & Whittle. And we are truly still gasping from the beauty of the garland MV Florals created for us.

Our guests enjoyed their bite-sized treats and handcrafted holiday cocktails from Pharmacie, while shopping from so many incredible artisans and companies including Bare Collection, Beautycounter, Entertaining Elephants, Jen’s Pirate Booty, Lovelybird, Makers Mess, MB Surplus, Mariah O’Brien interiors, Michele Miskovich Photography, Odd Bird Company, Pade Vavra, Red Car Wine, SKJ Sunkissed by Jenni, Sweet Mary’s, Tracee Nichols, Tysa Designs and 901too.

Pharmacie served three gorgeous seasonal cocktails and I was particularly obsessed with their "St. Nick's Tonic" -- which I have lovingly renamed "THE MOST DELICIOUS HOLIDAY COCKTAIL. EVER." Founder, Talmadge Lowe, was kind enough to share his recipe for the drink with us today! Read on for all of the details...

We went super feminine with the copper, pinks, red and white palette. The fresh greens brought in that Christmas tree vibe that we all love. We went crazy with bottle brush trees, in a mix of metal colors, and glittery birds to amp up the "glamorous wonderland" feel.

PHARMACIE'S ST. NICK'S TONIC

Gin - 2 oz

Cinnamon Syrup** - 1.5 oz

Lime - 3/4 oz

Cranberries

Muddle a handful of cranberries in the cinnamon syrup. Add this mixture with the gin and lime and ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously. Pour the entire mixture into a hi ball glass. No garnish. Let the muddled cranberries float in the gorgeous pink drink. OR, maybe put a tiny branch of fir in it!

**Combine equal parts water and sugar (I cup of each) in a small pot and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 8-10 cinnamon sticks to the syrup while hot and let steep for 2-3 hours. Always let it cool to room temperature before using. Refrigerating over night is preferred.

Tracee Nichols Jewelry. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Tracee Nichols Jewelry. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Odd Bird Company. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Odd Bird Company. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Beauty Counter. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Beauty Counter. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Bare Collection. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — Bare Collection. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

MAKERS MESS. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — MAKERS MESS. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

MB Surplus. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography — MB Surplus. Photo by Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Credits:

Photography: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Florals: MV Florals

Linens: Classic Party Rentals

Cake Platters: Borrowed Blu

Drinks: Pharmacie

Desserts: Whisk & Whittle

Christmas Decor: Anthropologie

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!! xx

June 01, 2017

VINTAGE CAMPING BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR BRIXTON'S 3RD BIRTHDAY

June 01, 2017/ Laurén

We love going all-out for our kiddos' birthdays. Since Brixton is such a huge Beatles and 1960’s classic rock fanatic, I was really inspired to create a celebration really tailored to his personality and interests, despite the fact that we had decided to have the party at a farm! With summer just around the corner I thought it would be really fun to create a vintage-inspired camping party.

We served a camping breakfast of breakfast burritos, banana-blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, yogurt and granola. Campers sipped on fresh-squeezed orange juice and organic lemonade, as well as cold brew coffee for the grown-ups. Camping wouldn’t be complete without s’mores, so we added a “breakfast twist” by serving S’mores donuts, along with banana birthday cake -- topped with woodland animals, a mini canoe and fresh greens.

I had a lot of fun scouring flea markets and eBay for the vintage camping and summer camp items. We made our own table linens and napkins from various plaid and army green material purchased at the fabric store. I wanted to add a fresh element as well, so we added greens in tin cans, as well as leather-wrapped bunches, to the tables.

Underwood Family Farms is so beautiful and well maintained. There is so much for kids to do there. It completely takes care of the entertainment and activity aspect of the party, which is why we chose to have it there.

Credits:

Concept, Design & Drinks: Twink + Sis

Photographer: Jenna Elliott of One Eleven Photography

Food: Hungry Bear Catering

Cake & S’mores Donuts: Whisk & Whittle

Signage (“Camp Brixton”): A Dapper Line

Greens: Iris & Daughter

Location: Underwood Family Farms

Vintage Camping Gear/Decor: Local Flea Market + Ebay

Plates, Bowls, Forks & Spoons: Leafware

Cups: Susty Party

Cake Stands: Aheirloom

Cake Toppers: Animals - Shleich - Mini Canoe - Ebay

Wooden Trays: West Elm

Stainless Steel Drink Dispensers: CB2

Glass OJ Bottles: Sur La Table

Binocular Favors: Shindigz

Table Linens/Napkins: DIY from Joann

Brixton’s Tank Top: Oeuf

Brixton’s Pants: Zara Kids

Brixton’s Shoes: Converse

June 01, 2017

PICNIC BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JUSTJARED.COM FOUNDER, JARED ENG

June 01, 2017/ Laurén

Left to right: Laurén LaRocca (Twink + Sis), Jared Eng (JustJared), Marlan Willardson (Twink + Sis)

We designed a picnic birthday party for JustJared founder, Jared Eng. Jared wanted a masculine and refined picnic party and we were all for it! Our goal was to make his guests feel like they were at a real, park-like picnic, with fun games and activities, but with elevated food and decor. Brace yourself for tons of photos (we had a hard time narrowing down on this one -- too many details!!!) and endless summer party inspiration!!

All photos by Sarina Cass of Red Anchor Photo.

Doing a birthday party for a man is something that we don’t get to do very often! We wanted to make it really festive and celebratory, yet sophisticated. So we really played up woods and fresh greens as our main focus. The food table was covered in wood crates, boxes and trays — the continuity of all that wood helped to set the tone. Then we sprinkled in a bit of white (serving pieces and pots) for a touch of modern contrast.

The Iris + Daughter hanging greens installation was one of the main focal points of the party — it was so fresh and alive — really stunning. The splash of copper in the custom signage (from A Dapper Line) added a fun, modern feel to the table.

Jared Eng with actress, Jaime King and her son, James Knight.

Jared wanted classic picnic food, so we went with Heirloom’s yummy sandwiches, a crostini station (filled with cheeses, breads and flatbread pizzas), a green salad, pesto quinoa salad and fresh fruit. We topped Aheirloom’s gorgeous handmade cake stands with eye-popping donuts from Donut Friend and the pièce de ré·sis·tance — an over-the-top, mega delicious caramel drip cake from Whisk and Whittle.

We love using sustainable palm leaf tableware from Leafware and it looked perfect paired with the pretty blue marbled napkins from Meri Meri.

Sometimes the smallest details make us completely giddy. This time is was all about the brass ants from Arteriors Home. Many guests (and our amazing vendors) were equally smitten. They were definitely a conversation piece!

We loved seeing Jared and his godson, James Knight, playing and having a great time together at the party. So so sweet.

The other main focal point of the was the large wooden boat filled with ice and drinks! We had so much fun with that. We made an organic mint lemonade, spiked with vodka and pre-poured them into mason jars. We sealed the jars and tossed them in with the ice (ready for guests to grab), along with a variety of other drinks. We parked a vintage bike behind it and added a cluster of Geronimo fringed balloons. It turned out quite handsome, and festive!

We had a variety of potted plants, succulents and cactus to place around the main food table and at various seating areas at the party. This is a great way to incorporate fresh elements without having to do floral arrangements, especially if your party decor is on the masculine side. You can either give them away as party favors when your guests leave or keep for yourself as home decor.

Weaving in some green into lounge chairs is a simple way to add a summery and festive twist to your outdoor furniture.

Jared really wanted to have blankets on the grass to make it like a real "picnic in the park." We are obsessed with the hand-woven Turkish towels from Odd Bird Company. We layered different prints in blues and greys, and added a mix of pillows on top for cozy lounging. We placed extra blankets in a wire basket where guests could grab one and make a “picnic” wherever they liked. He also wanted polaroid cameras so his guests could take pictures for him to have as keepsakes, so we put together some trays with the cameras and added other fun items like dominos, chips, popcorn and a pretty plant.

A staple for almost all of our outdoor parties -- mini kraft paper bags filled with kettle chips and organic popcorn (or whatever your favorite snack may be!) and place in a tray for guests to help themselves to. It's always a hit with adults and kids.

For your upcoming summer party, try placing some games around, in various locations, that your friends can partake in at their leisure.

Actress, Georgie Flores, presents Jared with his birthday cake, as his friends sang "Happy Birthday."

How about those blue ombré birthday candles from Knot & Bow? Too good!

Happy Birthday Jared!!! Thank you for having us be a part of this fabulous occasion!!

xoxo!!!

CREDITS:

Birthday Boy: Jared Eng

Party Design & Drinks: Twink + Sis

Photos: Sarina Cass of Red Anchor Photo

Location: Airbnb

Greens Installation/Potted Greens: Iris & Daughter

Copper signage (“Jared’s Picnic”): A Dapper Line

Turkish Towels (used as picnic blankets): Odd Bird Company

Food Table, Aculpulco Chairs, Ottoman, Cornhole, Giant Jenga - YEAH! Rentals

Wooden Boat, Vintage Bicycle, Bench, Tree Trunk Tables, Various pillows: Found Rentals

Balloons: Geronimo Balloons

Food: HeirloomLA

Cake: Whisk & Whittle

Donuts: Donut Friend

Cake Stands: Aheirloom

Plates & Forks: Leafware

Napkins: Meri Meri

Brass Ants: Arteriors Home

Ombré birthday candles: Knot & Bow

Mini Paper Bags (Popcorn/Chips Bags): Amazon

Ring Toss: Sunny Life

Trays, Bowls, Hexagonal Objects, Various Pillows: West Elm

Various Pillows: Target

Laurén's Hair: 901too

Laurén's Outfit: Sunglasses - 3.1 Phillip Lim via ShopBop, Top - SEA, Skirt - Current Elliott

Marlan's Outfit: Sunglasses - Tom Ford via Neiman Marcus, Tunic - Marina Rinaldi

January 17, 2017

BOHO CHIC BACHELORETTE PARTY

January 17, 2017/ Laurén

One of our very favorite events EVER EVER EVER, in the history of Twink + Sis, was this boho chic bachelorette party, for my lovely friend Veronica. We were beside ourselves to have the soirée featured on Martha Stewart Weddings a few months back. I'm so excited to share even more photos and details here on T+S!

All images by Alissa Noelle Photography.

We had the party at the bride-to-be's house because her backyard is gorgeous and I have actually always wanted to do an event there. I am in love with her drought-resistant landscaping and fruit and vegetable gardens. It was the perfect backdrop for a ladies' night to celebrate her upcoming wedding. The idea was to have the bride's closest girlfriends for an evening of drinks, desserts and games -- an elevated bachelorette party.

Veronica's favorite color is purple, so we used that as the jumping off point for the color palette. We also had gems as a running theme throughout -- the piñata, cookies, hexagonal platters -- a nod to her diamond engagement ring.

I had this idea to create really unexpected floral arrangements that were not only visible from all sides, but also "spilling out," making for a super dreamy, romantic scene. Iris & Daughter did an incredible job bringing that vision to life -- absolutely blew it out of the park! It really looked like a fairytale! The acrylic boxes did triple duty by creating height and also providing a shelf for drinking glasses and party decor.

We wanted to party to have luxe layers of boho, as well as modern. We mixed gold and copper which added a glamorous touch. Our custom rope and tassels installation framed the single diamond-shaped piñata, and was draped throughout the dessert table.

The bride-to-be wore a fresh flower crown while relaxing in her peacock "throne." We served several desserts and Veronica's favorite drinks -- rosé and prosecco.

Whisk and Whittle made beautiful and delicious treats, including a marbled berry cake, topped with brightly-colored bohemian flowers, mini blackberry donuts and chocolate hazelnut tarts. We added in some gem cookies by Holly Fox to keep the diamond theme rolling.

A small, intimate party is such a treat. You can create so many lovely details when you don't have to feed and seat 100 people. We braided tassels from natural cotton twine for each person's goblet as an added touch.

The bride is Italian and her wedding was in Italy so we paid homage to that with this custom sign by A Dapper Line that read "un brindisi all bella Veronica" ("A toast to the beautiful Veronica").

We love some good games to get the party going. Our favorites are Scattergories, tailored to the theme of the event, and everyone's favorite -- THE QUIZ. (To learn more about our favorite bachelorette and baby/bridal shower games CLICK HERE).

We braided some of the leftover yarn from the rope installation to decorate the beautiful Compartés chocolate bars, that served as gifts for the game winners.

We made the seating area festive by added giant balloons with fresh greens and flowers. It made it feel girly and fun -- just like a bachelorette should be!

All of the guests participated in creating a beautiful woven wall hanging that was gifted to the bride at the end of the evening. Makers Mess (an art studio that comes to you!) provided an instructor and all of the materials needed to create the piece. We loved this because it was something that everyone could take part in (no matter their skill level) while still being able to chat and enjoy the party.