“Keep your heels, head & standards high”.
-Coco Chanel
I am new to blogging, yet I am certainly not new to events. Before my retirement, I managed some of the most exciting and challenging events over the past 30 years.
It has become apparent to me that some of us are blessed with the ability to play sports. Sadly for me, I am not one of those people. I would attempt to jump over the gym block at school and get stuck on top of the box; I have never been able to touch my toes (not quite sure what the point to that is anyway); I would prefer to stick pins in my eyes than watch a game of football (which I know makes me very un-Australian). I could never hang from the monkey bars upside down or, for that matter, even the right way up. At a very early age, I realised that I sucked at sport, and I have since spent the rest of my life looking for that one sport that we are all meant to be good at (in truth, I haven’t tried very hard).
My enthusiasm, however, is not dissimilar to that of my husband when watching a football game. I hear him making the same sounds when I eat a great dessert (a “When Harry Met Sally” kind of moment). I am not a complete loser because I have watched a couple of football games (from a fully catered private box with some ordinary cold pies which could never be labelled gourmet).
I am thankful that I realised that playing sport and getting injured was a pointless exercise and not a big deal! Fortunately, my creativity saved me. I have an abundance of creative energy. I can create beautiful images in my head, which has resulted in me focussing solely on the creative.
Let me not digress. This blog is intended to be a full-on creative dump. I have this kind of dump with my sister and girlfriends on many occasions when we want to share in the light and fabulous part of living. It is intended to include anything from plated dinner ideas, crockery, table accessories, tablescapes, flowers, table-styling, themed parties, and anything that allows us to put our heart and soul into something special.
My husband is the sporty kind of man, which makes him uncreative. Ying and Yang! Our son has always hated parties, and I still struggle to see how I could have given birth to an only child who hates a party. He grew up around all my events and threw a sickie too often so that I would take him with me to each event. I would often find him on the stage singing or drawing prizes (not understanding why drawing his ticket was not acceptable), enjoying the free children’s rides, or sitting in my hotel room ordering his fourth room service, learning how to play blackjack on the TV (further demonstrating why I deserved Mother of the Year). I suspect this might have spoilt him for what he viewed as more minor and less significant occasions.
Fortunately, he enjoys cooking, and the mess he now makes is made in his home, not ours). His father is another story! He once cooked spaghetti bolognese only to find that he had made it using dog mince (fortunately, we found the packet in the bin as he was about to plate up, and I now know the true meaning of a dog’s breakfast).
This blog is all about family and friends. There is no greater joy than spending time with people you love and honestly care about. It is all about the small things that genuinely matter, creating lasting impressions, memorable entertainment, and simply being your kind of incredible!
I am compulsive, impulsive and addicted to creativity and entertaining! Everything from ordinary to extraordinary and everything in between!
I hope that the stories I share will bring a little sunshine into your kitchen. Eating and sharing are pure joy and add something to our lives in ways that genuinely matter. I encourage you to open your home more often to the people around you who bring their sunshine and happiness. Opening up your home and your heart always leads to greater happiness, fulfilment and purpose!
My passion and creativity burn just as strong as the day I started in Event Management. Thank you for indulging me and sharing some of that passion!
I could talk entertaining all day and all night, so let’s get to it!
Debbie-Ann Scott
My Event Background
“You live but once; you might as well be amusing”.
-Coco Chanel
A Life of Events
For 30 years, I owned and ran a special event management business. Over those years, we staged hundreds of indoor and outdoor imaginable events, from bridal expos, pet expos, gala balls and dinners to cocktail parties, children’s carnivals, craft fairs, luxury car launches, and hotel openings, to a gold mine opening.
I compered fashion parades and bridal expos, and for a time, I was a feature writer for a weekend newspaper. I had a dedicated 2-page editorial dedicated to everything bridal.
For the past 15 years of my working career, my company specialised in managing business events, conferences and exhibitions. Like most Event Managers, I worked tirelessly and often ridiculous hours, yet I can honestly say that there was never a day when I did not look forward to working.
I sold my business in 2016 and now find myself enjoying cups of tea and coffee with girlfriends (let’s not forget the cake) and doing things I never had the time for before. My life has been enriched in ways I never expected. I have switched from major events to intimate at home events for the family and friends and love the change.
Painting in my art room is my time of great tranquillity, peace and calm.
Debbie-Ann
My family and friends are my world!
Debbie-Ann Scott 