Friday Guest Blog Interview: TomKat Studio!

I’m so excited for today’s feature!! Kim, of TomKat Studio, is a true ‘mom-preneur’: she runs a fabulous blog, an adorable Etsy shop and was recently the ‘Mama Power’ feature in one of Arizona’s top city magazines! Even TomKat is derived from her two little ones, Tommy + Kate. So when I asked if she wouldn’t mind sharing her favorite entertaining design & trend secrets… I was so excited for her ‘yes!’

If you haven’t heard of the DIY diva, you must check her amazing style out — I would include her among my favorite inspirations, especially in the paper genre (check out her Etsy site and you’ll know what I mean!). I asked Kim if she would share her recent Halloween projects from a custom dessert buffet (featured in the Houston news! Check out the clip!) as part of our {Halloween Feature Friday Guest Blog Interview!}

TomKat offers daily inspiration for creative entertaining, with a knack for truly adorable children’s parties. Read Kim’s answers to our four PDB questions… and be inspired!

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{PDB Interview with TomKat Studio!}

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What inspires your design style?

The TomKat Studio blog is “a place for all things pretty.” I often feel overwhelmed by the amount of “pretty” inspiration that is available via party and wedding blogs, magazines, really everywhere. My blog is a fabulous outlet for me to collect these ideas and share them with my readers. Whether it is a pink, frilly birthday party or a gorgeous cupcake, my readers know they can count on me for a daily dose of sweetness. The main focus of my Etsy shop right now is children’s party designs. As a mother of two little ones (Tommy & Kate = TomKat), I get inspiration from my kids and what they love. I am also inspired by clients who love throwing creative parties for their kids. I receive inquiries daily for new themes and products, many of which I would love to eventually explore!

What do you love most about what you do?

There are so many things that I love about being a party-planning, invitation-designing, blog-writing Etsy shop owner! My favorite part of the creative process is coming up with new designs and illustrations. I am an amateur designer, but I really have a passion for it. I am obsessed with fonts and love picking out the right one to create the appropriate feeling for a design. I also really enjoy the staging and photography for marketing my products. I am working on a new website for The TomKat Studio and have so many visions of how I want it to look and feel. I get so excited when I start thinking of the possibilities of the future!

What I love most about blogging is the amazing people I have “met” who share a passion for the same things that I do. Social networking through Facebook and Twitter have also been amazing tools for me to connect with peers and stay updated on the latest happenings in the party planning industry. I have connected with some of my favorite party girls through social networking and have been so lucky with the exposure my designs have gotten on blogs like Hostess with the Mostess and Amy Atlas Events!

What are your favorite design trends?

Since my specialty is children’s parties, I love the growing trend of parents going all out for their children’s birthday parties. I swoon over so many gorgeous parties featured on blogs and love finding new parties to showcase! Creative mommas everywhere are focusing on the details to make parties fun and fabulous for their children and guests.

My favorite party design trend would be dessert and candy buffets. While they have been popular at weddings, they are growing in popularity for baby showers, children’s parties and holiday events. The elements of dessert buffets top my happiness list: impressive styling, delicious desserts, gorgeous plates and cake stands, and beautiful graphic design of labels! Everytime the queen of dessert buffets, Amy Atlas posts a new table, I pour over the perfect details.

What are three design suggestions that you would like to offer our readers?

{1} Keep it simple! When planning a child’s party, have a consistent theme, but don’t go overboard with the theme. I think there is a fine line of incorporating an element but not overdoing it. Keep it tasteful. Regarding character parties, there are ways to throw a character party and keep it tasteful. For example, this amazing Sesame Street Party styled by Jenn at HWTM.

{2.} Get inspired! Study the best party and wedding websites for color, style and theme ideas for your upcoming event. Save everything to your computer that catches your eye. Once you’ve collected enough ideas, browse through your collection of photos and links, and you’ll be amazed and what you can come up with from your saved inspiration photos.

{3} Get crafty! With so many printable and DIY party ideas around the blogosphere, you can stay on budget by doing some of the printing, cutting and assembling yourself. Don’t think you are creative enough? Just give it a try. Most projects are way easier than you think! Go start googling! You’ll be amazed with what you find!

Thank you, Kim!
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