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Sunshine and Smiles and all things eco

July 6, 2022 Leave a Comment

So when I started Sunshine and Smiles it was to make sure I didn’t give up on my dream of planning and throwing parties as an actual job, but I didn’t really do anything with it. Then, during the first lockdown of 2020, I had the idea of a party in a box and discovered the amazing Party Kit Network and so the party kit hire side of things came in to being. It was also at this time that I really started looking in to all things environment, sustainability and climate crisis, in fact I’ve become pretty passionate about it and want to share all the amazing things I’ve come across with everyone!

I’ve come across loads of fab small business which offer great eco-swaps, fantastic inspirational people with loads of great info and eco-tips and some amazing books.

To that end I’m working on Sunshine and Smiles – Easy Eco Steps. Subscription or starter boxes (still trying to figure that bit out) aimed at parents who already have a million and one things on the go but are concerned about the environment and the world we’re leaving for our children and grandchildren, but don’t know where to start.

I’ll be including products from some of the small businesses I’ve discovered on my never ending eco journey (not sure I like that word!) and will be scouring all corners of Bishop’s Stortford and the internet for lots more fab businesses.

Ideas for boxes so far are kitchen, bathroom, cleaning, personal care, parties, stationary, arts and crafts, gifts and travel but would love to know what boxes you’d be interested in receiving.

The ~~dream~~ plan is still a party barn with an eco shop next door but in the meantime I thought this could be a good place to start. And of course I can always look at stocking some products and turning part of my already jammed packed party store (aka the garage) in to a little eco shop 🙂

Would love to know what you think, thanks lovelies x

Choosing a party theme

May 2, 2021 Leave a Comment

So before you panic, I don’t believe all parties need a full on theme (although if you know me you might not believe that!). You can just go with your favourite colour and then pick a complementary colour and an accent colour. I’m no expert on the colour wheel and colour theory, I just Google it! That was how our wedding colours came about – bright pink for me, yellow is complementary and also happens to be my husband’s favourite colour and then bright orange was our accent colour, I loved it. If, like me, your not keen on odd numbers I’m afraid you just have to go with it. When it comes to design and decor, odd numbers really are the magic numbers.

Children’s Parties

If your children are anything like mine, they’ve usually told you about 8 months in advance what kind of party they want and then you just hope they don’t change their mind the day before.

In the world of party kit hire, character decor is not easy due to licencing laws. However, you can hire decor in the colours that match your choosen character theme and then add in a few character pieces.

For example a couple of years ago my youngest wanted a Blaze and the Monster Machines party. So I brought mini toys of his favourite characters for the cake and then went crazy with red, yellow and chequered flag table coverings and bunting, small traffic cones and mini monster truck tyres!

I’ve built up collection of character decor from previous parties and I also collect party decor from anyone who doesn’t want it to save it going to landfill. Although I can’t advertise it and hire it separately, I’m happy to include it with any other hire package, so if there is a particular character you’re after let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

If you child has a slightly more unusual theme in mind it can be a bit harder to figure out what to do and where to get anything that will work. I can help. I love to repurpose all kinds of things to make party decor. Towards the end of last year I had a request for help with a Titanic themed birthday. It was a first for me. Having thought about it I came up with light blue, light grey and white and got some beautiful bunting and happy birthday banner made up in fabrics with those colours. I then set about creating two icebergs out of cardboard and paper from the recycling along with a few other craft supplies to keep it all together along with, of course, a sinking Titanic, it was a big hit!

A first for me but I love how it turned out

Even grown ups love a party theme

Birthdays and celebrations don’t need to be boring just because your a grown up! Themes can be anything, a decade, an event, a country, just think like a child and let your imagination run wild. I’ve thrown parties based on the roaring 20’s, the Oscars, afternoon tea, the 50’s and I’m planning a fabulous flamingo, pineapple and palm leaves party for my 40th birthday in the summer.

So whatever comes to mind for the party your planning, however crazy it seems, post a comment or drop me a message and I’m sure I can come up with some ideas to make your party fabulous.

So where did my party obsession begin your ask…?

April 24, 2021 Leave a Comment

Well, I’ve always loved a good party! From paddling pools in the back garden on hot July weekend’s in the 80’s to celebrate my childhood birthdays or a street party to celebrate my Nan & Grandad’s Ruby Wedding Anniversary to getting friends over for BBQs with vodka jelly in mum’s back garden. Any excuse to get people together, laugh, eat and of course decorate!

UK shops are full of party decorations, and I wasn’t as eco-conscious back then, so too much thought didn’t have to go in to it.

Fast forward to 2008 when I moved to a beautiful tiny island in the Caribbean.

Corporate team parties always needed a little something extra and that’s where the DIY decor habit really took off, culminating awards show team Christmas party for my big finale in 2016 – red carpet, host scripts, awards, swag bags, a VIP after party, we had it all (and I couldn’t have done it without my amazing party planning partner in crime Jayne).

Although that wasn’t the first party I’d put together with a red carpet. I think it was 2010 when myself and the other fabulous ladies of 25PP , Nancy and Alethea, hosted an Oscar’s viewing party at our apartment. The red carpet was essential along with beautiful flower arrangements and gold bottles of champagne (no fancy ice buckets for us, we just filled the kitchen sink with ice).

Anyway, my diy decor really came into its own at my wedding (there’s a whole post about that here) – Eat, Drink, Be Married bunting for our reception, a ring cushion incorporating a beautiful brooch which has belonged to my Nan, flower girl baskets, palm fans (it’s hot in Cayman, even at 6pm in February), welcome baskets for our overseas guests, colouring books for our smaller guests, food cards and anything else that came to mind.

The next big event was Sebastian’s 1st birthday a year later. He actually got two parties, a Cat in the Hat (think Three Cheese Trees, Truffalo Trees, Green Eggs & Ham and masses of red, white and blue) party in the UK on his first visit when he was 10 months old, then his actual 1st birthday in Cayman. You can read about the under the sea explosion that took over the downstairs of our house here.

After that we had an Elmo party (the cake tin came back to the UK with us), a Spiderman party (complete with a visit from Spiderman himself). Lucas only got one party in Cayman so for his first birthday we brought Dr Seuss and the Cat in the Hat to Rosemary Street. The joy of living in the Caribbean is that even though your birthday is in October you can have a pool party and celebrate in the sunshine.

When we moved back to the UK there were no parties in our first year but I went all out on decorating the house for every occasion.

The next couple of years brought parties at a local leisure center (bouncy castle, soft play, plenty of space but limited decorating options) and by this time I was concerned about the amount of single use paper and plastic I’d seen at parties. So rather than buy more paper plates, I brought 40 plastic reusable kid size plates and some plastic reusable serving bowls from Sainsburys.

In 2019 we went glamping in Wales, staying at the beautiful Henfryn Farm which had a massive old barn which they used for events sometimes. I was hooked. The dream of becoming a party planner evolved into owning a complete events space.

You know the kind of place where you could just call me up and say, I’d love a flamingo/monster truck/insert your theme here party on Saturday 19th July, 2pm for 30 children and parents, to which I would be reply sure no problem leave it with me, don’t worry about anything just turn up on the 19th and have an amazing time.

I was realistic enough to know that was a long way off. So during lockdown #1 in 2020 I start researching parties in a box and eco friendly party supplies. This was how I came across the amazing Party Kit Network and I signed up straight away!

Sunshine & Smiles – Events by Rachel had been in existence for about 12 months at this point. I’m a great believer in taking the first step so there is no going back even if you can’t move forward too fast. A big shout out to the amazing Vicky of Lexis Place Design for my absolutely amazing and fantastic logo.

I knew lockdown would mean no parties for who knew how long but I also knew I needed to get on with it. So I set out ordering supplies and discovered some amazing bunting markets on Etsy and before long the party kits were born.

There is still a long way to go. My confidence took a knock many many years ago and, although I’m working on it, marketing my business is one of the things I find most difficult. But I need to get over myself and shout from the rooftops about the massive environmental benefits of hiring reusable party supplies and also my love for creating custom DIY party decor out of things which usually be bound for landfill or the recycling bin.

Would love to hear about all your favourite parties so please comment away.

An Under The Sea 1st Birthday

August 4, 2020 Leave a Comment

I know a lot of people don’t throw big 1st birthday parties, after all your little angel has no idea that it’s their birthday and are only every interested in the wrapping paper and empty boxes! However, if you’ve got this far you’ve realised that any excuse is a good excuse to decorate in my world.

After some Pinterest searching I settled on an Under The Sea theme for Sebastian’s proper 1st birthday party (he also had a Dr Seuss inspired party in the UK when he was 10 months old, post to follow….).

We were very lucky that our house in Cayman had direct access to the complex pool and even though the boys are both October babies, in the sunny Caribbean outside parties were still a go.

I roped in my party side kick Jayne to help me with the decorating and sent my husband out with this friends so the under the sea transformation could begin.

I ordered some DIY printable decorations off of Etsy and there were a lot of streamers involved, as you’ll see below we went all out including jelly fish made out of paper lanterns and curling ribbon.

It was a lot of work but most definitely worth it.

The jelly fish are super easy to make, get a round paper lantern and cut it diagonally through the middle so you can still hang it up. Stick some crepe paper streamer to the cut edge and the attach curling ribbon in a variety of colours and at various lengths to the inside.

If I’d known I was going to get so carried away with all things parties and DIY decor I would have taken step my step pictures at the time!

Our Wedding

August 4, 2020 Leave a Comment

This is where my real obsession with party planning and DIY decor began. I moved to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands back in August 2008. In May 2010 I met my husband and the proposal came out of left field in October 2012. By November 2012 my wedding dress (a gorgeous Vera Wang for David’s Bridal gown which I will never part with) had arrived in a giant box from the US, colours had been picked and planning had begun!

*My gorgeous dress that hung on the back of the bedroom door both in Cayman and when we moved back to the UK!*

The Cayman Islands are beyond beautiful, a real piece of paradise but when it comes to party supplies, choices are a lot more limited and a lot more expensive than they are here in the UK. This lead to many a late night of Pinterest searching, fabric cutting and hot glue gun injuries along with lots of shopping on Etsy and Not On The High Street, with endless parcels arriving a my mum’s house back in Cornwall with strict instructions not to open.

*As a little girl this wasn’t the wedding venue I imagine, but I can’t think of anything better now*

I’d always loved to decorate for any kind of event (ask anyone in the office and they’ll tell you my birthday desk decorating is the thing of legend), but planing our wedding took my love for decorating and DIY to another level.

With the help of my very good friend Jayne we created a mass of pink, orange and yellow Eat, Drink and Be Married Bunting, but one of my favourite creations was the ring cushion which has in the center a brooch from my late nan which I will always treasure. Another fun project was putting together the welcome baskets for our family and friends who flew in from the UK. Individually I knew all the little projects were fab, but to see them all come together, especially at the reception, was a game changer.

And I cannot thank the amazing Janet Jarchow enough for all of the gorgeous photos which you see this post. If you’re thinking of getting married in Cayman or fancy some portrait photos while visiting the beautiful islands, you must speak to JJ.

Safe to say that after our wonderful wedding event/party planning and decorating became my dream, or some might say obssession, and it really took hold when Sebastian’s 1st birthday came around the following year.