BMW Lisbon Menu Project
Hello, friends! I’ve been wanting to share this project with you for quite some time. Some of you know, I do freelance designing to support my “habit.” I create special cards, journals, altered art, framed pieces, and all manner of paper art for my clients. One of my favorite jobs each year is creating menu cards and place cards for the BMW Galas. These events are always held in exotic locales…and the most amazing venues. This year’s gala was held in Lisbon, Portugal in Queluz Palace. (pronounced kay-LOOSH). Here’s a photo of the palace:
It’s a magnificent example of Rococo architecture and style. The awards dinner was held in this ballroom:
Quite the venue, wouldn’t you agree? I spent hours online searching photos and images of the palace. I spent days and days searching for just the right paper and sketching out designs. I wanted the menu cards and place cards to flow with the style of the venue. I was looking for an elegant and understated finished product. After all, when there is this much going on in a venue, your smartest choice is to go for simple and elegant. This is the design I came up with:
I didn’t go to the event, sad to say…this is just the sample that I keep in my portfolio. It measures 6″ x 8″ and opens from the bottom.
The inner page contains a medallion with the event name, location and date. I chose this shape to mirror the ornate recessed ceiling in the venue.
The menu opens out in a tri-fold design. The courses are listed on the first two pages and a brief history and description of the palace are on the far right. I had to piece together this paper to make it look like one sheet…not easy…but I was so proud and excited when my daughter-in-law (who is a very talented and precise designer in her own right…) couldn’t tell that the third page had been pieced in. Yay!
Here are some photos from the event.
The Palace
The decorated ballroom.
The table settings.
Another view of the tables.
My menu card. It’s always so exciting to see the big picture after having worked from bits and pieces of information for months on end. I was thrilled at the way this paper picked up on the candlelight. The event planner told me it was just stunning in person.
I never would have imagined that after a lifetime of having babies, changing diapers, home schooling our kids, cleaning house and cooking meals that I would ever be creating designs for events such as this. Life truly is filled with wonderful surprises. Thanks for letting me share this adventure with you! And if I can help you with designs for your special events, I’d be more than happy to help. I’d love to hear from you….your comments make me happy right down to the tips of my crafty little fingers.
Until next time…
Cheerio,
kathy
Amazing palace, amazing photos, amazing work! Kathy you are just AMAZING!
What an honor!! Congrats on a beautiful job! hugs, JW
Kathy this is stunning, thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures . I have just found your blog through the Heartfelt Creations site. Your work is amazing
Wow Kathy, I’m speechless! Having just recently meeting you, I had no idea of the talented individual who has come into my life! What a gift God has blessed you with! Exquisite is what comes to my mind. Thanks for sharing something that most of us will never see!
Just FAB! You should be proud! Thank you so much for sharing. I am very proud of your accomplishments! Go Girl!
I always look forward to your BMW work. This is absolutely stunning! Breath-taking! You never cease to amaze me with your designs.
Well…..I’m impressed! Just think, a little lady from the hills of NC sending a design to a palace! Now believe me when I tell you how talented you really are!
Wow! All your reasearch paid off, it fits the venue perfect.
OH MY STARS!! The venue is GORGEOUS and your place card/menus are equally GORGEOUS! What a wonderful creation you came up with … JUST PERFECT for the event! So elegant and regal!! Well done my friend … well done!
Happy Holidays … are you ready yet? Me either! LOL!
Hubby has been such a wonderful help this year with extensive cleaning (needed done since he was sick) and decorating for our neighborhood open house on the 22nd. And he has all the cooking to do yet … boy he’d better get hopping!! LOL!
HUGS and Happiness to you & Dale!
How wonderful to finally get a glimpse of this particular part of your freelance life, Kathy! Color me stunned!
So impressive! You are absolutely inspirational!
I love seeing your work in the venue it was made for! Beautiful!
Kathy, stunning is indeed an accurate description of your menu/placecard end design. It’s fabulous, my friend. What an honor to be able to contribute to such an elegant event and how incredibly amazed they must have been at your perfect design!!
Opulent. Decadent. Perfect belonging in a palace.