Palm Beach Parties {An Etsy Feature} + Giveaway

I’m excited to introduce the next shop in our Etsy feature series, Palm Beach Parties!

Are you ready to party? I’m sure the title of this post got your attention! I bet those of you who live in the North (including me) could use a bit of Palm Beach right now to offset the cold weather and ongoing snow shovelling. It’s probably not what you think, but I promise it doesn’t disappoint.

I came across Palm Beach Parties a few months ago when I was thinking about starting my Etsy Feature series. I was drawn to the cheery vibe, sensational use of color and modern graphics. And to tell you the truth, there always seemed to be something yummy showcased on the Palm Beach Parties Blog. That will get me every time!

Who’s Behind Palm Beach Parties?

Carla was born and raised in Ohio in a small little farm town outside of Cincinnati. We’re talking in the sticks…high school was across the street from a pig farm and next door to a corn field. She never realized how peaceful and beautiful it was at the time and now she often misses the beauty of the mountains and changing seasons. After graduating from high school, Carla moved to Florida to attend college at Florida Atlantic University, where she majored in business.

At a young age, Carla developed a passion for graphic design and party styling. In fact, she hired a coordinator to help with her wedding, but ended up designing mostly everything herself. Carla has always loved colour and her home and wardrobe are proof of it. She’s a huge fan of Lilly Pulitzer and it shows in her style.

Carla lives in Palm Beach, Florida (as one would probably guess) with her husband and two wonderful little girls (Ava 6 and Ella 3). Caring for them has always been her biggest priority. After having Ava, she returned to work in the medical field part time, but found it too difficult and eventually became full-time mom. Like many women, she desired some sort of creative outlet.

In 2008, when Ella was only 7 weeks old, the entire family was involved in a rear-end vehicle collision that left Carla injured. Luckily she and her husband had taken the time to learn proper car seat safety, and her girls were protected because of it. While recovering from a cervical spinal fusion to repair the damage this summer, and needing something to take her mind off of the 6-week recovery, Carla decided to start Palm Beach Parties so that she could share her love for design. What started purely as a form of therapy, turned out to be the start of a small business that’s fulfilling her dream and really getting noticed!

Palm Beach Parties Etsy Shop

Carla’s adventure started with the design of her Pretty Kitty Collection. It’s very girly and seems to appeal to any age. Most of her design vision comes from her love of pattern, textures and living by the ocean. As a result, a great deal of her collections are either nautical or modern-prep. You can definitely tell that she has kids, as a great deal of her inspiration comes from them and it shines through.

Carla’s favourite design at the moment is her Nutcracker Ballet collection. She designed it for her daughter’s 6th birthday and the party was even featured on Pizzazzerie.

Palm Beach Parties is a shop that offers assemble your own party printables, but also the option to have it completely done for you instead. Carla will print, cut punch and ship an order for those not-so-crafty customers, or for those who simply do not have the time. She also offers the option of a “press printed” product for all her invitation designs via a professional photography printing company for a more “high end” feel.

Although Carla started her business just a short time ago, she is so happy with the progress she’s making. She is working on adding new designs and recently added the service to style decadent dessert tables.

What does Carla love most about starting Palm Beach Parties?

“I LOVE having my own business. From the beginning it started as something to take my mind off of a recovery, but to do what I love and be home with my girls is amazing. I am so happy that I can share my designs with others…everyone deserves something pretty!”

Giveaway Details

Carla is generously giving away one set (25) of personalized stationery in a 5×7 size with matching envelopes. These cards will be press printed onto an art watercolor cardstock.

Special Offer

Carla is also offering a 20% discount with code SATORI until January 14, 2012. I think her designs would be perfect for new year’s party invitations or stylish thank you cards for holiday gifts.

If you’re interested in becoming a Featured Etsy Shop, please Contact us for more information.

I truly admire Carla for taking a difficult situation and turning it in to something amazing. She’s passionate about what she does and absolutely adores making parties and events remarkable. Inspirational, wouldn’t you say!

One other thing before you head off… If you’re looking for more useful and pretty ideas in your life, make sure you’re on the email list! You can subscribe here.