My kids used to walk around clutching their favorite toy animals, reluctant to let them go. Even for a bath or bedtime, I'd have to practically pry them out of their hands!
One birthday for my younger son, I decided his animals (including one special lemur in particular, named Lemur Demur, naturally) should have a seat at the table. His party table, that is! So they got dressed up in miniature party hats. The rest is history!
I believe little details, like mini party hats, make a party special. I love to create unique and cute items to make that happen. Anyone can go to the local big box party store and get the pre-printed cupcake toppers, but there's something so much more charming about hand-made, hand-crafted ones.
I have a background in Fine Arts (undergraduate degree in Fine Art from Skidmore College and a Masters in Painting and Drawing from the School of Visual Arts), and spent several years of working in art galleries and for private art dealers. I have always had an eye for beauty and a love of creating, crafting and displaying. Four years of working at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia as a prop stylist inspired and strengthened my desire to create beautiful things (as well as allowing me to perfect my technique of folding fitted sheets).
I work out of my home in Brooklyn, NY, where I share my workspace with my two little boys. Which means I'm stepping on Lego pieces as I work.
You can follow me on Instagram: @chiarabelleshop
Check out my website for some styling stuff I've done:
chiarabelle.com
And some of my contributing posts at Oh Happy Day (scroll down to see projects):
http://ohhappyday.com/author/chiara/
and some of my contributing posts at Mint:
http://www.mintdesignblog.com/?s=chiara
And thanks for visiting!
xoxo,
Chiara