event styling: my other dream job

My dream job as an event stylist for my daughter's school auction "Passport to the World"

Whew! The school auction season is over and I can finally catch my breath. You may recall I wrote about this year's other auction project, Burkland's Cartographers, at my younger daughter's school. It was a true labor of love that allowed me to get to know the students better (we are new to the school this year) and I'm so proud to say that our work paid off big at the auction in March. 

And while our sleeves were rolled up at that school, I had already begun work leading the charge on event decorations and aesthetics for my other daughter's auction. This was my 7th consecutive year! volunteering with the auction team -- I was quite shocked when I added up the years. Well, it's always a treat to work alongside the lovely and incredibly talented folks of the auction team. I look forward to two more years -- thank you B, S + L! 

This year's auction theme was "Passport to the World". I wanted to capture the era of travel once defined by steamer trunks and telegrams. We scoured antiques shops and Goodwill stores in search of globes, vintage suitcases, Kodak slide carriages, apothecary bottles, binoculars, aged atlases and other hardcover travel-related books. 

Travel-themed hardcover books, rolled up maps, and candlight helped set the theme.

       

Binoculars + handcrafted airmail envelopes rounded out the scenery. 

Like I said, all this event styling is volunteer work but I love it so because of the creative process that goes along with it. It's really pretty effortless and highly rewarding....now if only I could find a way to do this for a living and get paid for it - ha! ;-)

Me (on the right -- yes, I do occasionally clean up) with my husband Patrick and my dear friend
Sarah (fellow parent + Auction Co-Chair guru). 

I'd love to share more of the details if you'd like. Just leave me a comment. The photographs were taken by fellow parent and photographer extraordinaire, Andrew Carr. I think he did an amazing job capturing the mood of the night. Cheers!