Eco-Chic: Greening Your Special Event

Recycle & Reuse Creatively 

Did you know that each attendee at a special event can generate up to three pounds of waste? While many recycle and use green products in their private homes, the lifestyle does not often translate to special events and parties.  Here are a few things that can help you stay “green” while throwing a memorable event.

At Mosaic we specialize in providing you with top of the line linens, fabrics and accessories. Linen rental is eco-friendly! Most linen and fabrics are re-used from event to event. We also re-use hangers, recycle plastic, ship in duffle bags, and use eco friendly detergents. Instead of using coverings that end up in the garbage, linen rental allows you to cut back on waste, while providing a polished setting for your special event.

Want to take your eco-friendly tables settings to another level? We love dinnerware made by VerTerra. This beautiful, award-winning dinnerware is made from fallen leaves an are 100% free of chemicals, lacquers, glues, bonding agents or anything toxic.

VerTerra Eco-Dinnerware

The way in which you invite your guests can also have an environmental impact! Digital invites, such as Paperless Post provide a way to create no waste at all, but if you must have a mailed invite, make sure you are using invitations printed on recycled paper.  Use eco friendly companies like Green FieldPaper Company, which offers stationary and invitations made from the junk mail of it’s employees!

Another way to cut back on your carbon footprint while planning your event is to use green energy. Companies like Zero Fossil offer solar powered generators (called “juiceboxes”) that can run your entire event without using any fossil fuels! The solar power generators are also a great replacement for noisy, large, gas guzzling standard generators. Zero Fossil has powered everything from fashion shows to large-scale festivals using their innovative generators.

Are you ever confused by how to recycle waste from events and parties? Zero Waste Pittsburgh will send ambassadors to your special event to assist you and your guests with recycling. Zero Waste has been known to assist planners in having zero landfill waste for their special events! This organization will also consult with you prior to your special event to help you identify compostable options to make your event as waste-free as possible.

To make an event memorable, it’s all about the details, and planning an eco-friendly event is no exception! Encourage your guests in a creative way to re-use their glassware for drinks, use décor that you have recycled or repurposed, like finds from Construction Junction, and ticket your event with paperless digital ticketing with a company like Showclix. For more tips and info on greening your event, visit the Natural Resources Defense Council’s website and remember to recycle and re-use!

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Taste the Flavors of the City during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week

Longing to dine somewhere new, taste an ethnic specialty, or tempt your taste buds with the season’s freshest flavors? Then treat yourself to Pittsburgh Restaurant Week kicking off this Monday, August 13^th, and relish the colorful tastes of the Burgh.

Restaurant week events across the country have been growing in popularity since their inception in New York City in 1992. Enticing new customers to taste the flavors of local chefs during their slowest seasons supports the foodie culture of the region, and brings visitors to the city from the suburbs and beyond to enjoy metro dining at a discounted price.

Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, a project of PUMP, has established a bi-annual restaurant week in January and August of each year focusing on highlighting Pittsburgh food through fine dining, local and fresh ingredients, and celebrating the best outdoor seating. Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Summer 2012 has 45 local establishments participating!

At Mosaic, we enjoy the atmosphere of fine dining as much as the food! Sipping a fine wine surrounded by the ambiance of a perfectly lit room, stylish table settings, and plush décor proves for a flawless dining experience. Try one of our favorites, Braddock’s American Brasserie located in the fabulous Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel in Downtown, Pittsburgh. During Restaurant Week, Braddock’s is offering a Three-Course Meal for the low fixed-price of $30! Be sure to make your reservations early as the best restaurants get booked quickly.

Click HERE to connect with the participating restaurant list for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week and learn which places are best to bring your own wine, savor fresh organic foods, and enjoy outdoor dining. Discover your next favorite restaurant from August 13-19th for Pittsburgh’s Summer Restaurant Week 2012. 

Live outside of the Pittsburgh region? Click HERE to find the closest restaurant week near you.

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What’s Your Labor Day Picnic Style?

Send the summer off in your signature style! With Labor Day fast approaching, it’s time to plan your final summer party. If you’re anything like us, you like to inject elements of your own personal style into everything you do, so here are some suggestions for the ultimate end-of-summer bash!

Use Mosaic Linens as the perfect backdrop to your Labor Day Celebration.

Sophisticated Soiree

Is your style simple, understated elegance with a splash of decadence? Would you rather have a glass of champagne and exotic cheese assortments at your party than cold beer and cheese curls? If you answered yes, here are some tips to help you plan a Sophisticated Soirée to send off summer.

Set the Stage with Mosaic:

To dress your tables, we suggest using modern clean prints or for your table linen, just like our Penrose Burnout in Slate. Use a pop of festive holiday color with our Burgundy Hemstitch Napkin. Another on-trend and sophisticated option is mixing materials like our Natural Burlap linen accented with a crisp denim napkin. To complete your elegant table setting, use lots of candlelight and lanterns of all sizes as your
centerpieces, like these gorgeous wood & metal lanterns from West Elm.

Wood & Metal Lanterns

Add the Accents:

We recommend delighting your guests’ taste buds with the perfect charcuterie platter followed by delectable and exotic foods on the grill like grilled baby artichokes and grilled lobster. Offer your guests specialty summer cocktails like celebrity Chef Mario Batalli’s refreshing Peach Bellini and refreshing gourmet white iced tea. Close the evening with adorable and festive cheesecakes in mason jars topped with red and blue berries.

White Iced Tea 

Your Sophisticated Soirée is sure to be a hit for those with the most discerning palates!

Patriotic Party

Do you live for a theme? Are you red white and blue, through and through? Than this Patriotic Party is perfect for you! Wow your guests with creative touches and themed food for this festive take on a traditional Labor Day Picnic.

Set the Stage with Mosaic:

To set the mood, set your table! We recommend traditional patriotic stripes in navy blue and white, accented with our red linen with white Swiss dot napkins. For a centerpiece that will capture the spirit of the day, a flag centerpiece as seen on One Charming Party is the perfect choice.

The American Beauty

Add the Accents:

Impress your guests on the grill with a twist on traditional picnic fare by serving a Red White & Blue Burger topped with roasted red peppers and bleu cheese. Be sure to bring that element of tradition with your side dishes, like Martha Stewart's famous All-American Potato Salad. End your meal with another Martha classic, the American Flag Tart. Guests will wash down this amazing meal with a fun non-alcoholic Patriotic Drink with fizzy layers of red white and blue, or a specialty cocktail The American Beauty, a ruby red festive punch made with grenadine, brandy, crème de menthe and ruby port.

Martha Stewart's America Flag Tart

The Patriotic Party is the perfect way to end an All- American summer!



Kid-Friendly Frolic

Do you have sense of adventure and whimsy? Have you always been a kid at heart? Bring your playful personality to the table for a Kid-Friendly Frolic! Kids of all ages will love these special touches, and will help them forget that school days are right around the corner.

Set the Stage with Mosaic:

The best part about throwing a kid-friendly frolic, in our opinion, are the decorations! Set your table with selections from our Western Collection, like the Red Star Western Linen. To bring even more fun to your table, use napkins from our Dots Collection in either red or blue with whimsical white dots. And what kid’s table would be complete without a sweet edible centerpiece? Use any size glassware and fill with red white and blue gum balls and top with American Flags.



Add the Accents:

Candy Skewers

Treat your guests to a menu that delights kids of all ages! Try mini-foods for your pint-sized guests like mini corn dogs and red white & blue sliders. Offer festive and fun snacks like pretty pretzel sparklers and red, white & blue candy skewers. End the meal with vanilla cupcakes topped with red, white and blue berries in the shape of a flag. Don’t forget kid-friendly drinks to keep your kiddos hydrated during all the fun! We love creative drink recipes for kids like iced fruit punch and refreshing watermelon coolers.

The Kid-Friendly Frolic will have all of your guests feeling positively playful for your Labor Day picnic!

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Creativity Through Pinspiration

If you are planning a special event, wedding or themed party, chances are you have discovered Pinterest. Pinterest is a great way to share ideas and gain creativity or Pinsipration. Mosaic's Pinterest boards include things that inspire our designs, from boards showcasing flowers to fashion. We pull event design ideas from everything that surrounds us and we encourage you to do the same! Click HERE to  connect with us.  

We invite you to get some Pinspiration from some of our favorites on Pinterest! 

Paloma Contreras: "Founder and Editor of La Dolce Vita Blog | Lover of All Things Fabulous."  Paloma's boards feature everything from art to her personal style. We especially love her "Parties and Tabletops" boards.

The Pioneer Woman- Ree Drummond: Ree became famous for her blog, The Pioneer Woman, and now has her very own show on The Food Network and has been featured on HGTV. Loyal followers love her recipes and her tips for rustic beautiful living- and so do we! Check out her adorable "Desserts in Jars" board- what a great idea for your next dinner party! 

Nina Garcia: Fashion Director of Marie Claire Magazine and Project Runway Judge. Nina's fashion and trend boards are second to none. If you are searching for the hottest color palates, patterns and styles of the day- look no further! Her fashion pins can be easily translated into ideas for event design.

Style Me Pretty: "Bringing chic, stylish weddings to the masses. Real Weddings are the heart and soul and inspiration of SMP". Style Me Pretty's website has become a staple for many brides searching for ideas for the big day. Their Pinterest boards feature every possible idea, from Bridesmaid style to selecting the perfect cake. We are currently loving their "It's All in the Decor" board.

Michael Wurm: "A freelance lifestyle, craft, food, and DIY blogger at inspiredbycharm.com". Michael Wurm's boards offer fantastic ideas for DIY projects and design ideas. His "I Go Glamping" (Glamping= Glamorous Camping) board offers chic and whimsical outdoor ideas that can be easily translated into outdoor event design. We can't wait to see how he develops his new wedding inspired "I do" board!

The Perfect Palate: "A wedding blog dedicated to exploring color palette possibilities + a place to find fun + creative color ideas!"The Perfect Palate is arguably one of the most popular wedding-specific accounts on Pinterest. You will find wedding ideas in every color, patterns, shape and size here! The board that currently caught our eye is their on-trend "Mint Weddings."

Be sure to follow the Party Mosaic boards for shared ideas and the latest trends in event design. When you visit, feel free to show us what Pinspires you! At Mosaic, we can turn your Pinspirations into reality.

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Winning Event Decor: Gold Silver & Bronze

The most exciting part of the Olympics is when the winning Olympian is crowned in victory and draped with Gold, Silver and Bronze metals! This winning trend continues into fall with metallics scoring big on the Fall Runways. 

As many of you trendsetters know, fashion transcends mere clothing and encompasses all we do here at Mosaic. Taking this fall trend and adding it to your event decor is sure to elevate your wedding, special event or party to "Gold Medal" status.

A few winning tips:

• Choose fluid fabrics in silvers, golds and bronzes, like our Lamour and Iridescent Crush fabrics.

• Use gold plate chargers with crystal glassware and crystal accents for a sparkling effect.

• Don't be afraid to mix metallics- select contracting textures and fabrics for a luxurious look, like our Fortuny Crush napkins that add a touch of texture to solid tables.

• Matte finishes can add a modern twist to metallics and work well with pops of color

• Use plenty of candlelight to make your event glow!

Click HERE to learn more about the Fall Metallic trend from one of our favorite style-casters, Olivia Palermo.

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Rustic Meets Luxury: 6 Events That Did It Right

Barns and other rustic locales have recently been gaining popularity for special event venues. Many brides, however, assume that the venue has to perfectly match the decor. Exposed beam rafters? Tractor serving as an eyesore out front? Take advantage of your surroundings and make it work. Utilize mason jars and wildflowers as trending, DIY centerpieces. Incorporate vintage linens and simple chairs. But don’t stop there! There's no need for this restrictive style matching. We've seen some breathtaking set-ups that bring wonder and whimsy (and more than a little class) to the barest of spaces. In fact, pairing luxurious colors and textures with a rustic location can create a powerful ambiance that will completely wow your guests!

Bottom line: It's your day; make it spectacular. Don’t assume that the style of your venue is locking you into a specific type of decor.

Here are some fabulous "rustic meets luxury" layouts to get your creative juices flowing!

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Barn walls can make the perfect backdrop for a shabby chic event! This reception matched lovely pink table cloths (Mosaic’s lace over light pink lamour) with wildflowers, antique picture frames, selections from a personal china collection…and best of all, a floral chandelier! This marriage of unexpected décor elements kept the event feeling fresh and unique.

We love the way the lights create dramatic shadows in the rafters! The theatrical flair up high is perfectly paired with the towering 6-layer cake down low. Everything in the room draws the eye upwards. 

These designers overcame the “down home” feel of the barn by working in some elaborate, crystal laden chandeliers. A perfect example of style balancing!

We love the elaborate curtains draping the entrance to this rustic reception. Smooth floors, ample lighting, and a more formal dress code also add to the high-class feel of the event.

Taper candles, soft lighting, delicate curtains, sparkling chandeliers, and baby’s breath pomanders…oh my!

This layout adds an element of the exotic to the mix with the oddly shaped basket lanterns and modern square plates. 

Have you been to a "rustic meets luxury" wedding or event recently? Tell us about it in the comments!

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Wedding Trends for 2013: Mint Green

Green has always been a popular choice for new beginnings, symbolizing growth, harmony, and freshness...all perfect ingredients for a wedding or baby shower!

For 2013, however, one specific shade of green is set to make waves on the wedding scene: Mint. Soft and feminine, but with a cool crispness, mint also has the slightest tinge of nostalgia, making it the perfect choice for an entrance into a life full of happy memories.

The color mint is gaining attention on Pinterest, with pinners gushing over mint in everything from soft green wedding dresses to crisp table linens. Here are a few of our top picks!

Dresses + Baubles

We love this soft, flowing, yet angular dress by Vera Wang! The vertical bow in the back adds the perfect touch.

The Contessa Jade necklace by Stella & Dot adds a dose of elegance to any ensemble.  

Linens + Tablescapes

Use the color mint in a pattern form as a backdrop. This lets the lets flowers shine and radiate, like in the set-up below.

Don’t want mint to dominate the table? You can also opt for a simple runner. 

To go for an even subtler approach, keep mint out of the linens altogether and select chairs or chair covers to incorporate the color that way.

Tasty Cakes

These sweet macaroons are just asking for a nibble. 

This cake is very reminiscent of Wedgwood china. We love the ceramic sugar bowl cup on top.

It’s all in the details

Succulents add a textural flourish to this minty fresh bouquet. 

This sweet custom embroidered pillow makes a wonderful keepsake. It matches the party decor, but afterwards the newlyweds can take it home as a personalized reminder of their happy day.

Bottles of green lemonade stand at the ready to help dancing guests cool off. 

Where have you seen the color mint used especially well? 

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