Talk about holiday spirit! I just had to share Imagination UK’s stunning office lighting display. If that doesn’t get you humming a holiday tune, I don’t know what will!

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: christmas, Design Inspiration, event planner, holiday, uk

This is a very simple yet powerful interview with graphic designer Elike Konig of Hort. I really do believe that every person in a creative industry {and beyond} can learn from his perspective. Take a few minutes and watch this video…

Some key lessons:

• It’s OK to play in business.
• Experimentation is paramount. Don’t do something you’ve done before.
• Understand your weaknesses and accept them…everyone has them.
• Build a team that compliments you.
• Don’t create drones and clones, let your team bring their individuality to their work.
• Ask to be surprised. <-- One of my favorite points.
• Share your ideas. It’s easy to close off from sharing for fear of someone stealing your idea.
• Ideas build. Collaboration is king.
• Think before you design.
• If someone criticizes you, take it as a positive. Someone has taken their time to provide feedback because they want to see you become better and stronger.

I was inspired by Better Taste Than Sorry. Thank you for sharing this video.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Small Business Management, video

I was out shopping for holiday decorations for the front of my house and came across some absolutely beautiful Christmas tree ideas. One of my favorites was this unique alternative to a Christmas tree.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Holiday Events

I la, la, love these gorgeous fire extinguishers by Fire Design. Next time you do a tented event, bring these babies in!

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Products

Get inspired by the art of Yayoi Kusama. One word: “awe inspiring”. Yes, yes, that was 2 words…

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration

THE coolest new tool for the event designer…myPANTONE, for the iPhone or iPod Touch, lets you take your Pantone colors with you. But the best part, in my opinion, is the matching system. Let’s say you walk by a Saks Fifth Avenue shop window and see a stunning display of haute colors. Take a picture and let myPANTONE tell you what the closest Pantone matches are. Oh, and if you like a specific color myPANTONE will automatically generate harmonious color combinations. Gasp. Get me an iPhone!

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Products

I subscribe to a wonderful design magazine called AZURE. I read it strictly for the pictures :) It’s brimming with the latest ideas from the design and architecture worlds…and this month’s issue didn’t disappoint. It featured ‘10 designers who are shaping the future‘ and 2 of them are certain to touch our world of meetings and events.

1. Ibrahim Elhayawan & Jim Dodson – Mobile Performance Venue, Norway

David Edwards’ creation was actually a space in France called Le Laboratoire. His idea was to match creative artists with prominent scientists – a merging of form and function. Many ideas have come out of those four walls. One of which, Le Whif, I blogged about some time back. The idea behind this product is to use gastronomic scent to leave the taste of chocolate in the taster’s mouth…without the guilt (I could have used that tonight before I polished off a bag of Maltesers). Although the jury is out as to whether this product has any type of longevity, there’s no denying that the concept behind the product is a winner. Hopefully this will spawn many successful, new ideas.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
Past-President – ISES Toronto
. Follow me on Twitter
. Connect with me on LinkedIn
. Become my Peep at EventPeeps
. Befriend me at Events Network

Hire Lara to Build Your Business
Hire Lara to Speak
Subscribe to our Newsletter
The best way to get in touch with me is hello@ready2spark.com

Tags: Design Inspiration, Products, Venue & Hospitality