The Buzz of a new arrival

New additions to the family always set the family abuzz with excitement. Why not celebrate the arrival of your newest one with a buzz-worthy bee themed event?
I am absolutely in love with bees and everything yellow this season, so I couldn't think of a more exciting theme for a dear client's baby shower. I can just imagine the cute chocolate devil's food cake beehive atop an adorable hive like cupcake tower! Napoleon bee de lys table cloths and fantyastic bee soap favors and thank yous are sure to send the guest buzzing about your big day for weeks to come.

Check out these yummy bee recipes:
Williams-Sonoma Beehive cake

Recipe for adorable Bee Cupcakes

Invites From Louella Press Honeycomb edition would set the tone for a fantastic day- not just for weddings anymore RSVP cards can take the hassle out of planning your big celebration.

>>> SOURCING:
Handcrafted Pewter Bee Hive Bank: Engrave able Silver Impressions $60.50, Wallace silver smiths: Napoleon Bee 45 pc. Flatware set- Horchow $174.90, Honey House Bee Bar Gift St Coldwater Creek $10.99, Slane and Slane Pave Bee Ring, Nieman Marcus $2050.00; Sur Le Table Bee Glassware Dessert Dishes Set of 6 47.50.

Capturing Memories

Isn't it amazing how scent can trancend time and space and take you back to the beginning of a memory? Remeber the smell of cookies baking in grandma's kitchen or the musky cologne of your first love? Fragrance is the score, the melodic undertone to our memory and I have found a fantastic candle line that combines the powerful relationship of scent and memory with an elegant 100% natural, long burning, soy based candle. With each of it's 12 luxurious scents Gem Bebe's candles will bring you over 60 hours of memories from the cotton scented bath time to the violet, amber, & oak moss of sweet memories. Each scent will leave you captivated- just as they have captivated some of Hollywood's most famous.

haute mom tip: Give these fantastic candles as nursery room gifts. I have used the travel tins as luxe baby shower favors.

>>>sourcing:
You can buy Gem bebe online at: Gem Bebe.com
Boutiques:
Bella Carta In Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca
Out of the Bleu in Foothill Ranch, Ca

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to all of our Haute Moms!

Today we take the time to thank you for all your shuttling, loving, scheduling, caring and cleaning that you do for us! I hope you have a lovely breakfast in bed or- as I did, take the fam' for coffee, breakfast and a leisurely stroll around the lake. Isn't it convenient to have a Starbucks and your favorite bakery right next door to each other? The kids munched their way through an organic milk and a muffin while I sipped my venti soy skinny cinnamon dulce leche and nibbled an egg, feta & spinach wrap. Then, hand and hand with handsome-hubby-dearest, we walked around the lake. As a special bonus treat, my handsome co-parent was on keeping-kids-out-of-the-lake-patrol. He did a brilliant job. Not a single soggy child when the adventure was through.

My family gave me wonderful gifts- a lovely self-potted sunflower from my kindergardner, home made bracelets from my school agers and a beautifully scribbled self portrait from my preschooler- and an adorable designer apron from the hubby made by Heavenly Hostess... Side note to save hubby's hide: I requested this gift. ***Note of warning to other fabulous husbands out there: NEVER buy your haute mama an apron (no matter how sexy) unless she asks for it by name.*** But isn't it adorable?- Eva Longoria wore this exact print on Desperate housewives. Note the figure flattering a line shape, designer (and reversible fabrics), cute contrasting pockets and beautifully ruched bust. I can just imagine the entertaining I will do with this! Heavenly Hostess even makes petite versions to suit mom and daughter cooking. FABULOUS! You can stop by and check out the Heavenly Hostess boutique, located in old town Orange at the Orange Circle, yourself. Let Cynthia, the owner, know Over the Top Productions sent you! Happy Mother's day gals. Enjoy!

Celebration Inspiration: Ceremony Magazine

Ever struggled with creating the perfect "look" for your celebration? Want to stay in-the-know about trends, color schemes and upscale decor styles for events? Ceremony Magazine- an industry resource aimed for brides to be, is eye candy for anyone who loves to entertain. Inside their annual publication you'll find hundreds of images of real weddings taken by the industries best photographers. With the turn of each page you'll be dazzled by stunning decor, breath taking floral arrangements, the hottest tablescapes and reception design... perfect tinder for a brainstorming blaze! (And at $7.00 an issue- you might as well buy all 3) You can find ceremony magazine at your local bookstore- we bought ours at Borders- in the magazine rack or buy direct and pay only $4.00 shipping & handling)
haute mom's tip: Every look can be adapted to suit your own personal celebration. Look for the little touches- hanging crystals, textured cloth, vibrant color pallate, that make each celebration unique. Check out some of our tablescapes at http://www.overthetopproductions.com/ .

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The fifth of May, a regional holiday in Mexico, is a fun way to celebrate diversity and culture in an entertaining and creative way. Here at Over the Top Productions, we love any reason to celebrate and the fact that this celebration has tacos, enchiladas and chips makes it even better. (My family loves the make your own taco bar and festive paper flowers.) I have assembled some links for crafts, recipes, activities and more to make your cinco de mayo "muy bueno" (very good). So, kick off your shoes, & salsa in the living room with your wee ones!

crafts, history, easy dinner, how to salsa (dance), rockin santana play list (exercise caution- youtube may have content not suited for young listeners),

Haute Mom Says: 6 Days until Mother's day. Make sure your cards get in the mail.

Cupcakes: How about some Sprinkles?

Cupcake week Continues:
Sprinkles Bakery

Possibly the most famous of the cupcake world, with features on Oprah (one of her favorite things), Live with Regis and Kelly and numerous magazines- Sprinkles bakery, with California locations in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, serves a delectable variety of cupcakes with panache. From classics like red velvet (my personal favorite), dark chocolate and vanilla to trendy twists such as chai latte, lemon coconut and ginger lemon there are 20 flavors to suit any pallate. Stop by their quaint store and indulge in the modern design and ease of ordering. I even love their little cupcake knives and forks!

Haute Mom's tip: For select locations, they deliver.

Art you can eat? Yes, Please.

Cupcake week continues: Tuesday- Edible Art
Dainty flowers rest atop a fluffy butter cream frosting. Delectable delicacies almost to cute to eat. So charming and dainty, they could easily be confused for porcelain - it's sugar. Gum paste or royal icing to be exact and they are not just for wedding cakes any longer.

Gum paste flowers are an adorable way to bring whimsy and style to your events and they are popping up at all the trendiest kids events. Alone they are stunning, but arranged delicately in a beautiful tiered display and "voila," a confection fit for a princess ... or fairy.

You can find these confections at most any specialty bakery near you.

Happy Earthday 2008

Happy Earth day 2008...

Intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment, Earth day reminds us all there is a lot we can do to care for and preserve our precious planet - celebrations included.

In honor of Earth day, we feature Danny Seo- an environmental lifestyle expert & author who calls his eco-friendly way of living Simply Green. Through his bestselling books, television programs, magazine columns, and his how-to lifestyle lectures, Danny Seo continues to share his creative ideas that has made him America's leading lifestyle authority on modern, eco-friendly living.

His brand new books Simply Green Parties and Simply Green Giving showcases Danny's unique take and approach to stylish green living. Both books feature lush, colorful photography and clear, step-by-step instructions along with Danny's secret tips and how-to information on living the Simply Green way.

His "Fresh Thinking" column in Country Living magazine features clever and easy ideas to recycle anything into gorgeously chic home accessories with quick and easy tips that prove green living can be gorgeous living, too.

Haute Mom tip: Encourage your kids to help you transform old story books into chic birdhouses for your next fete.