Blogger Picnic at Hermann Park - Image Post

This past Sunday a few of the Blogger groups here in Houston had a picnic gathering at Hermann Park, just outside of Miller Outdoor Theatre. It was a great time, we got to introduce ourselves and our blogs, chat, eat yummy food, and have an all around good time. The parking at Hermann Park was awful, but in the end it was a great day! 

After the picnic, I got to hang out with Shasie of Live Life in Style for a bit and had a great time just walking, talking, and taking pictures of our Outfits of the Day. Spending time with friends always makes up for less-than-perfect situations like the parking fiasco! 

Below are some of the snapshots I managed to catch of the event, and an OOTD pictures taken by Shasie. The top, jeans, and sandals are all from Torrid, and the hat is from Wet Seal. 

Until next time!

Kit and Ace Boutique Opening Event

Last week I had the pleasure to attend a boutique opening in Rice Village for Kit and Ace, a specialty boutique for a unique fabric - Technical Cashmere. It's a special kind of cashmere that's machine washable, and in person is buttery soft. You can learn all about what they do and why they do it on their website at www.kitandace.com.  

The event itself was lots of fun, I was able to chat with a few of the workers there and it seems the environment is cool, relaxed, and everything about Kit and Ace had a wonderfully eclectic feel to it. The store was a bright and open space, filled with minimalist decor. The art and installations are apparently from local artists, and the chandelier seen below is the first thing that catches your eye when you walk in. 

Another piece of art in the store is a piece called Willow - Where the Wild Things Are by Anita Varadaraju. It's a beautiful contemporary piece that fits the clean style that is consistent within the boutique. You can learn more about Anita here.

The decorations for the event itself were simple and elegant, and the champagne served was very good! I feel the event was a great hit, and it was a huge crowd that was lively, energetic, and friendly. 

Along with the decor, there was a paper crafter there who had beautiful paper flowers on display and being made as favors for the event!  Blome's Paperie is an adorable and eclectic business based out of Houston who provides beautiful paper flowers for decor at weddings and events like this one. Sarah creates gorgeous stuff, so check her out at her website here.

The apparel for Kit and Ace features mostly basics and sportswear, with comfortable tees, shirts, and a few staples like blouses, wraps and polos for men! I really look forward to seeing how this company expands, and perhaps one day they'll even include Plus Sizes!

One of the best things about the apparel was the fact that each type of garment has a story behind it. Some are encouraging while others are outright hilarious! It was worth perusing the store just reading all of them! Below I've listed just a few of them. 

Like I love to do, I did a few sketches of the things I saw. A trench coat, a dress, and a wrap - all things that are comfortable, versatile, and essential for the everyday wardrobe. If you want a basic that's also a luxury item, Kit and Ace is for you!

This event was definitely a good one, and I hope that there will be plenty of others like it. It was fun, laid back, full of lots of smiles and laughter and a sense of camaraderie. I even got to take home a paper flower and an etched drinking glass! 

Here's to another great event here in Houston!

I Know Somebody Hot Fashion Mixer

This past Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending a fun networking mixer hosted by I Know Somebody Houston! I went mainly to support my good friend Shalanda of Live Life In Style who was a panelist there along with Suzanne Wall Joffrion of  eSBe Designs and Mariam Mua Ahmed-Guerrero from The Fairest One.

There were so many wonderful ladies who attended, and I got to meet so many of them! Networking is usually a bit difficult for me, simply because I have a tendency to be shy. However, the ladies here were all really kind and sweet, and it didn't feel quite so overwhelming. I can't wait for the next networking event! 

I got to meet realtors, publicists, stylists, and many others! One of them who stood out most was Ms. Natalie Weakly, an Image Consultant at Signature Style. My sketchbook was also a great networking tool for me, and lots of ladies enjoyed flipping through it - hopefully this will help my business as an illustrator!

Below are some fun images of the event, including pamphlets from the panelists.

Shasie with her Hot Fashion Trends. 

Great handout from Shasie, highlighting the best trends for this summer! 

Ms. Suzanne also had a pamphlet, including a discount for her designs! 

Never can resist sketching, even while networking!

The JW Marriot Downtown is a really beautifully decorated hotel, great venue place!

Outfit of the Day! A fun and quirky wrap dress from Torrid! 

Essential Energy Networking Reception with guest speaker Steve Kemble

Tonight I had the wonderful experience of going out to a networking reception with Essential Energy! They're an amazing group of women from various professional backgrounds, and they have a meeting every month! I was invited by my friend Eneida Hatch, who's the store manager at Lublu KP here in Dallas. 

It was great meeting so many women, and some whom I may hear from in the future for paintings or other illustration services! How cool is that? 

They had a guest speaker there as well, Steve Kemble from A Daily Dose of Sass. I'm definitely checking out his social media and blog, because he was a hoot! He is hilarious to listen to and had some wonderful pointers about throwing your next party. 

After his speech, there was a brief Q&A, and then some ladies came up and introduced him to some adorable baby skunks (they're too young to stink yet)! They were rescued after their mama was hit by a car, and were the hit of the night! Everyone was taking pictures with Steve and the skunks, and I got a picture with one, and so did Eneida! 

It was a great time, and I hope to attend the next networking event with Essential Energy next month! 

Here's a few pictures from the evening: 

Eneida looked fabulous in her Lublu dress! And the skunk was adorable, too!

I got a picture with one of the little guys as well!

I'm hoping there will be more events in the future! And they'll all be covered right here at Eva Duplan Illustrations.