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{BIRTHDAY} Guest Post by Annie: A Top 10 Birthday Party

2012-02-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

My sister Annie threw a super cool party for her new 10 year old. I'll let Annie tell you the rest.

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A Top Ten Birthday Party for a 10 year old girl.

Elise could not decide what she wanted to do for her party this year. Too may favorite things, I guess. That was the inspiration behind a Top Ten party. We made a list of some of her favorite things and build a party around that. Because of time constraints we couldn't DO ten things, so we incorporated ten things throughout the night.

(invites designed by our sister Egan)

Elise's favorite color is blue and was used in the decor. Jane busted out the garland.

We started with a craft project. It was simple yet fun and flexible. The girls could use their own creativity. I bought canvas tote bags (Hobby Lobby had the best deal) and fabric paint (Tulip brand from JoAnns). Using this tutorial, I created freezer paper stencil for each girl's initial. Then the girls created their own stencils for the other side (most of them did hearts or chevron stripes). It is easy but it does take time for the paint to dry. So while the one side is drying, we got stencils ready for the other side (note - the girls had a harder time using the xacto knife then I expected). We also did a photoshoot with the girls and had Elise's favorite tunes playing in the background.

Elise LOVES soccer but most of her friends don't. So we knew they wouldn't want to actually play soccer. Instead we created a 'pin the soccer ball' game. I took a picture of Elise in all her soccer gear and had it enlarged on paper at Kinkos (about $4). Then I made small soccer balls. They tried to pin the soccer ball to Elise's head. It was silly and there was lots of giggling!

Elise doesn't really love cake but she LOVES ice cream sundaes. So that's what we did. The girls loved it and went crazy with toppings and treats. Blue sprinkles topped them off. We also had some cupcakes to go along with it.

To finish up the night we had a late night movie - The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan in her better days). The girls loved it and the movie and treats and popcorn (10 bags of popcorn! they gobbled it right up!)

Who doesn't love presents? Her friends brought darling gifts. I had each girl sit with Elise as she opened the gift. Perfect change to take some pictures and for Elise to be attentive to her friends.

When the girls left that night, I had put some fun party favors in their new canvas tote. A little blue stripped paper bag with some of Elise's favorite treats (gum and cookies and cream hershey bars). And a cute clipboard from the dollar spot at Target.

Elise's most favorite thing - being with friends. She has the greatest group of talented, smart, and cute friends. I loved being with them for the night.

(HOLIDAY) Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

I delivered red bubbly to my Valentine's.

Hope your day was filled with treats and hugs.

{PARTY} Superbowl!

2012-02-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

I'll take any excuse to party. Superbowl, sure! Especially if that means guacamole will be present. Food for a Superbowl party is so easy, all anyone is expecting is some chips and dip and maybe a treat. But you could extend your efforts a little further and make these mouth watering meatball sliders! For decor, I steer away from plates that look like grass turf and napkins in the shape of a football but you could pick up some streamers. Easy.

Did you make plans for the Superbowl? Who are you cheering for?

party decor / hats/ sweatshirt/ 7 layer dip/ meatball sliders/ couch

{HOLIDAY} Heart of Hearts

2012-01-30T22:06:00.000-08:00

Last year for Valentines Day my friend and roommate Cami decided we'd invite people over for homemade pizza. Our friends all bailed so we were left with a fridge full of ingredients and a bouquet of heart balloons. It maybe crushed us for a second but that didn't last long. We took pictures and went out for dinner. No big deal.

Goes to show not every party is a success :)

{HOLIDAY} Valentine's Day Breakfast

2012-01-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

My sister showed me this recipe for Double Chocolate Waffles in the Our Best Bites cookbook. Topped with a homemade berry sauce. In fact the recipe was created for a Valentine's Day breakfast, perfect!

Make the table special with flowers and a little love note on each plate. I used wrapping paper for a quick plate mat and you don't need much more decor then that, especially since we set up in the back yard. And turns out the kids don't really care they just want to inhale the waffles.

{HOLIDAY} Crazy in Love Party

2012-01-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

I dreamed up a little Valentine's day party. I saw this outfit in Zara kids lookbook and wanted to show up to a Valentines day party wearing that. Instead I just planned a party around it. This party is versatile, it could fit with any age group and be all girls or invite boys too. Make heart shaped pizzas and let your guest build their own and sip Strawberry Crush while they cook. If it was an all girls party you could learn to make paper flowers or make them as favors for the party tied to a little box of Chocolates.

Outfit/ Love Sign/ Heart Pizza/ Paper flowers

{BIRTHDAY} Brooklyn's Golden Birthday

2012-01-10T22:47:00.000-08:00

My niece Brooklyn just had a Golden birthday. She turned 6 on January 6th! When planning her birthday party we took inspiration from my niece Quinn's party because she too had her Golden birthday this year! I helped my sister Jen throw the party for Brooklyn. We had so much fun thinking for gold details, food, and games for the party. We decided to add pops of pink in the color scheme. The party was a major success!

The Decor:

Balloons: A was ballon tied to each chair that each guest got to take home.

They were Stoked about getting a balloon!

Giant Confetti: For the table we cute out giant confetti and scattered them on the table.

Votives: Gold votives found at Target.

Party Hats: Gold Crown party hats (my sister Annie mailed us the left overs from Quinn's party!)

Centerpiece: The dessert was the centerpiece. The cupcakes looked so pretty and had gold sprinkles and tall gold candles.

Garland: We used the same garland we made for my Mom's party but took out the silver tissue paper and added more gold!

When the party guests arrived we had them go to the craft table and decorated a crown that would be used later for 'Pin the Crown on Brooklyn.' There was glitter, gems, letter stickers, etc.

Dinner is served! Jen made homemade macaroni and cheese in ramekin dishes. She also had a platter of veggies and a platter of fruit. The macaroni was delicious!!! But the sad truth is, kids just don't eat that much at parties and we ended up throwing most of it away :(. But they did all want 2 cupcakes. haha.

After dinner we had them split into 2 groups. Older brothers Jackson and Tanner took one group to dance to Just Dance 3 on the Wii. The girls loooved it!! They took the dancing very seriously. ha!

Older sister Saylor took the other group to play 'Pin the Crown on Brooklyn.'

When girls were done pinning the crown they could get their nails painted glittery gold!

After each group was done with their activity, they swapped.

Cake time. While they ate cupcakes she opened presents.

The girls were soo excited about the pinata. (see the darling behind the pinata holding herself!) The sad part was that the pinata wasn't taped well enough at the bottom and with one hit, it opened. I think they were bummed they didn't get a swing, but that didn't last long because there was gold candy to pick up!

Brooklyn's Dad set up the photo booth. Always grateful to have a photographer at a party!!

Favors: gold and pink candy, bracelet, and gold mardi gras necklace.

I was so happy with how the party turned out. Jen is a wonderful host too, relaxed and so organized.

{BIRTHDAY} Guest Post by Egan: Courtney's 30th Birthday

2012-01-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

My sister Egan (with the help of Jane) threw a dance party for our friend Courtney that turned 30. They've been besties since they were kids and they knew exactly what kind of party Courntey would want. Egan is a designer at 3Form and one of the most talented and capable people I know. I knew with the powers of Egan and Jane they'd throw and incredible party.

Thanks for sharing Egan.

Courtney was turning 30! There was really no other option but to have a dance party for her 30th. All her favorite people in a big space together poppin off! Jane and I started brainstorming.

I happen to have a massive garage in my back yard so it was the obvious space for the party. Courtney's friends don't really need motivation to dance... it's a favorite past time. But since we were in a cold garage in December it was even more incentive to dance. (Eventually the garage got nice and toasty.)

We set up a photo booth. (a great way to document who was with you on your 30th!)

There is only so much you can do in a huge garage on a limited budget. So decorations were bright, fun and low key. We picked 4 head-shots of our birthday star, xerox copied at a high contrast in black and cut them out in circles. We hung them around the garage to give some color to the space. We also made a garland, unrestricted by a color scheme we used a rainbow of colors. It definitely felt like a party once that was hung. Turning a big plain space into a place that felt like a party!

Food was simple: We made things Courtney likes: a funfetti cake, slush made by a friend, and treats brought by other friends.

One of our friends helped set up the lighting and testing for the photo booth. We also made this pinata and a last minute decision was to let Courtney just have at it. Brillant!

see Jane's post Here

{BIRTHDAY} My Mom's 60th - Sparkly Dinner Party

2012-01-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

We spent the day celebrating! It was a really fun day. We went to Pho for lunch and saw the movie War Horse. For dinner we decided to make dinner at home, stir fry to be exact. It was a really fun night at home. We cooked dinner together, Jane whipped up her Oatmeal cake, and we played games around the dining room table. I think it's just the kind of day my Mom wanted for her birthday. I'm so happy I could be home to help celebrate!

My dad added googly eyes to an orange at set it at my moms plate. So awesome!

{BIRTHDAY} My Mom's 60th - Birthday Breakfast

2011-12-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

My Mom's birthday is Dec. 26th. We've always tried to make her feel special on her birthday but Christmas chaos can sometimes take over. This year was a big year so we planned to make it special. Two of my sisters and I were in Seattle for Christmas so it was just 5 of us for Christmas and birthday celebrations.

We started with breakfast - our favorite meal. Jane made her waffles, which are the best! Egan had everyone in the family make a card and she taped them to the wall in the dining room.

Going with our theme "You're Sparkly and Wise" we bought her something sparkly to wear all day: earrings from Anthropologie.

After breakfast we sat around while she opened presents. I think my dad wrapped 60 gifts, so sweet. My siblings and I gifted her a photo book with pictures from our family reunion at Bear Lake. We also got her the newest Kinfolk magazine.

We spent the rest of the morning on an "urban hike" in Seattle, going to Pho for lunch and a movie in the afternoon.

pictures from her birthday dinner to come..

{PARTY} New Years Eve!

2011-12-27T20:45:00.000-08:00

It sounds really appealing to have a low key New Years Eve (that's not happening for me this year). If I was throwing a NYE party I'd want a small group (8-12 people). We'd talk at table while eating fondue. Then play a rowdy game of Pictionary. And just to mix things up I'd use an unexpected New Years color scheme.

Outfit/ Tablecloth/ Game/ Fondue Set/ Chocolate/ Drink/ Party Favor

{HOLIDAY} Christmas Surprise Balls

2011-12-22T22:35:00.000-08:00

10 surprise balls completed! Just in time for Christmas. Every Christmas Eve my nieces and nephews unravel a surprise ball. It's such a fun tradition. The kids geek for them!

I love searching for the treasures to go inside. Watches (and a pair of sunglasses for one) for the boys and bracelets for the girls were put in the center. Other goods were fake mustaches, mini hello kitty cameras, stickers, candy, money, etc. And I couldn't resist that tiny water color set! I'll take anything in size mini.

For the outside I added a glittery tree gift tag from target and added googly eyes (they make everything cooler). Wish I could be there when they open the surprise balls this year, I may have to video chat them in.

{HOLIDAY} Girls Night/ Holiday Style

2011-12-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

My friend Shauna hosted a girls night last week. We arrived at her house to homemade tortilla soup, veggie dip (to die for!) with a lovely assortment of veggies, and homemade rolls. So dinner was delicious! After dinner we spent a couple hours decorating sugar cookies. They are the prettiest cookies I've ever decorated. It was fun to learn a new technique. Shauna's house was cozy and she didn't leave out a detail. I loved it!

After decorating cookies we piled in the car and went to see a Christmas light display in her neighborhood. This house means business. They have their own radio station and the lights are set to the music. Incredible.

See her post about the party here.

{HOLIDAY} Sunday Dinner with Friends

2011-12-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

My friend/roommate Cami and I hosted a Sunday dinner at our house. I like having my house full of good friends enjoying a tasty meal. And the Christmas season just adds to the coziness, which I love.

The Menu:

Flank Steak

Rotisseroe Chicken

Cornucopia Salad

Rolls

Asparagus

Steamed Green Beans and Carrots

Mashed Potatoes

Cami just busted out a floral arrangement like it was no big deal!

(thanks for iphone pics shauna)

{PARTY} Christmas Cruise

2011-12-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

I help with the Activities at my church. For our Christmas party this year we were invited by another ward to do a Christmas Cruise in Newport. It was a huge success. Over 200 people came! The catered food was delicious and there were 3 floors that people could spread out and find a place to sit and eat with friends. The 2nd floor there was a photo booth set up. And the bottom level turned into the dance party after dinner.

We also had a professional photographer come and take pictures of the party. It was so nice to have someone capture the event and all the people that came! He emailed us these images and even added a border! So festive :)

(look at me snooping over this girls shoulder. and i don't even know her!!)

{RECIPE} Gingerbread Men

2011-12-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

I made gingerbread men and delivered packages of them to friends last week. I wish I had had enough red gum drops for the pant buttons but most of them ended up with a snow flake sprinkle. These cookies are easy! And so soft and delicious.

Holly’s Gingerbread Boys with Chocolate Pants

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 egg

4 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Stir in molasses and egg. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover. Chill about an hour.

On a floured board roll ¼ inch thick and cut with small size gingerbread men cutters. Place on parchment on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 5-8 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Dip in melted chocolate chips (melt barely, and carefully in microwave—chocolate burns easily. Could also use dipping chocolate etc.)

{HOLIDAY} Christmas Favorites Party 2011

2011-12-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

One of many reasons I hate living far away from my girlfriends is missing out on our traditions, favorites party being one of them. Jane posted about the Christmas Favorites party that they had last week. Here are some pics:

{RECIPE} Christmas Braid

2011-12-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

Its been a tradition in our family sine 1975 (that's long before I was born) to make Christmas Braid. My mom would make it for all of our neighbors and for our family too. We enjoy it on Christmas morning as part of breakfast. Our neighbors love it and its since become part of their Christmas traditions too. I think most people that try it think the filling is apple pie filling but is actually pineapple! Delicious!

Christmas Braid

Mountain Fuel -- A Metcalf Christmas Tradition since 1975

Dissolve in a large mixing bowl:

2 Tbs. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Add:

1 cup warm milk

Stir in, beating until smooth:

2 cups flour

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cardamom

Mix in to make a moderately stiff dough:

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes (or knead in bread mixer). Place ini a buttered bowl, turning buttered side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. While dough is rising, make the filling and let it cool.

Punch dough down; divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion (one at a time) into 12x9 rectangle. Spoon lenghtwise down the center 1/4 of the pinapple filling (recipe follows).

Slash dough on each side of filling into twelve 1" wide strips--careful not to cut all the way to the filling--leave about 1/2 inch. Weave these strips across the filling in the following manner: starting at the top criss-cross the first two strips on either side. Press ends into the opposite sides of bread, and seal the ends so the filling doesn't ooze out. Repeat the criss-cross and pressing action until you reach the end. being careful to seal the end as you did the top.

Lift the braid carefully on the prepared cookie sheet, gently stretching a little to slightly expose the filling.

Brush each braid with a mixture of 1 egg yold and 2 Tbs. milk--try not to get it in the filling, just on the dough.

Cover and let rise until double, about 10-15 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle with Glaze (recipe follows)

Pineapple Filling:

Combine in a medium saucepan:

2 (20 ounce) cans of crushed pineapple, well drained

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cook ovr medium flame, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened and clear. Boil and stir an additional 2 minutes. Cool.

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

Combine in small mixing bowl and beat until well blended:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbs. Milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

May decoate with sprinkles. May be frozen and heated.

{PARTY} Black and Gold

2011-12-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

My high school colors were black and gold so maybe that's my draw to the color combo (go viks!). I really love these colors for this time of year especially! In an outfit or a party...or both.

This is an easy gathering to create. Invite some friends over for a favorite treat, maybe your favorite fudge and some individual servings of cider (hot or cold). Dress up your place with a garland and some candles.

And since your the host you might as well were a cute skirt to match!

zara girl/ star garland/ metallic tea tea light holders/ simple fudge

{HOLIDAY} Sugar Cookie Party

2011-12-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

For probably 30+ years my Aunt Becki has thrown a sugar cookie party. It's been a highlight of the Christmas season and something all the cousins look forward too. I loved sitting next to an Uncle or cousin that I hadn't talked to in a while and catching up while we decorate..and eat.

Last Christmas only part of our family was together so we threw our own sugar cookie party. And we had cookies for days.

Do you have a favorite sugar cookie recipe?

{HOLIDAY} White Christmas

2011-12-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

An all white Christmas sounds pretty nice.

A great list of Christmas tunes over at Kelsey's Kitchen.

{PARTY} Christmas Favorites Party

2011-12-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

For the past couple years my girl friends get together for a "Christmas Favorites Party." We usually serve breakfast for dinner (the best kind of dinner). Everyone contributes and brings favorite dish or side dish. For the gift portion of the party everyone brings 5 "favorite things." So the same gift x 5 and the gift costs $5 each. You'd be surprised how many favorite things you can find for $5!

When you get to the party you write down your name 5 times. Then you pull 5 names out of the jar. Each person presents their gift, describing why it's a favorite of theirs. Then they give to the 5 names they pulled, so each person brings home 5 gifts. bonus!

Gift ideas: nail polish, tights, lipgloss, lotion, journal, set of cards, movie, pretty bowl or mug, socks, bracelets. I love seeing what my friends come up with, and receiving something they love.

Here are pictures from 2010s Favorites Party:

{HOLIDAY} Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

My parents came to town for Thanksgiving this year. What a treat! My sister hosted and it was one of the tastiest Thanksgivings ever! And quite low key being just 9 of us and a baby. We started the morning off with a walk/bike ride in the canyon. Then the girls got cookin and the boys played football. Perfect. The table setting was really simple: fabric for the table runner, mini pumpkins painted gold, turkey place card holders, gold chargers, cloth napkins, and gold votives. We spent dinner saying things that we were grateful for. The kids got creative "China" "Braces" "Justin Bieber". But really, the things to be grateful for are endless.

How was your Thanksgiving?

{HOLIDAY} Thanksgiving : The Table

2011-11-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

I found these pictures from a Thanksgiving at my parents house in Seattle from 2009. I love going home for Thanksgiving. I've always loved being part of the process the shopping, menu planning, cooking, table setting. And my mom is a great teacher too!

I loved these cookies my mom made that year to use as the place cards. The back was dipped in chocolate and then white frosting added detail. The 2 cookies sat in a tiny dish of chocolate covered sunflower seeds.

Need a centerpiece? How about a collection of real fruit. Pretty colorful pears.

Looking forward to decorating this years table!

{RECIPE} Thanksgiving Pies

2011-11-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

Pie is arguably the best part of Thanksgiving. My mom likes to try new recipes but there have been a few stand out favorites. A couple of my sisters and I each help with a pie and maybe compete for prettiest and tastiest pie.

Thanksgiving circa 2009

Thanksgiving circa 2008

Our favorite Chocolate Cream Pie - recipe here

And here is a recipe for Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie The ginger crumble on top is to die for!

What is your favorite pie for Thanksgiving? Or do you prefer a different dessert? I tend to take a small slice of each cause I just can't decide which I want more of.

{BIRTHDAY} Guest Post by Annie: Quinn's Golden Birthday

2011-11-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

My sister Annie is a mother of 4 and a master of hosting parties and group events. She's an amazing cook and goes above and beyond in everything she does. It puts the rest of us sisters to shame. Her youngest daughter Quinn turned 3 this month and she put on a darling Golden birthday. Thanks for sharing Annie!

The Golden Birthday.
This birthday happens only once in a person's life. It is a GOLDEN birthday when the day of your birthday matches your age.

Our daughter turned 3 on November 3rd so it was pretty easy to come up with a theme this year. We went for all gold. I know she didn't really understand at all but she was thrilled with all the attention and love.
The invitation was created by my sister Egan:

The party was a really simple, little evening affair. Friends stopped by for dessert and a swing at the pinata.
Decorations: Gold balloons and a giant gold #3 balloon. I also made some gold and white tissue paper pom poms. I sewed a felt garland out of variations of gold and yellow felt. The childrens book Goldilicious is a favorite and served as a great centerpiece.

The Favors: Gold and sparkly star wands. I bought the wands at Hobby Lobby for $1.50 and spray painted them with gold metallic spray paint. Then tied a gold tulle ribbon around it. Gold necklaces - cheap mardi gras type necklaces (8 for $2 at the local craft store Roberts). Gold Crowns that were found at Zurchers.

The Food: I wanted a gold dessert and my kids aren't the biggest cake fans. Although I learned that they really want a cake they just don't really want to eat it. Go figure. But all the adults seemed to love the dessert.

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Frosting Whoopie Pies from the authors of Baked.

Chocolate Marshmellow Whoopie Pies from Annie's Eats.

Ice cream cones with Carmel Ice Cream

Party Game: A large #3 pinata. We made the pinata out of cardboard and tissue paper and filled it with gold chocolate coins and other gold wrapped candies. The kids loved it!

A perfect birthday for a 3 year old!

{RECIPE} Apple Galette

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Oh, you're looking for a really easy apple dessert? I've got one! Apple Galette from 3191 Miles Apart. And it's a breeze to make.

{HOLIDAY} Thanksgiving: Dress yourself and your table

2011-11-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

I'll be at my sisters house for Thanksgiving this year. We've been menu planning and trying to search for some new ideas for the table. Turns out shopping for clothes is inspiring a look for a Thanksgiving table.

Outfit/ Glasses/ Napkin/ Dinnerware/ Turkey

{RECIPE} Easy Pumpkin Bars

2011-11-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

This is a traditional Recipe--good old-fashioned goodness.

For best results use home-baked pumpkin puree rather than canned.

Easy Pumpkin Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour (I did 1 cup white, 1 cup whole wheat)

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 2/3 cup sugar

2 cups (or 1 15 oz. can) pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup cooking oil (or applesauce)

3/4 cups chopped pecans -- optional

1 recipe cream cheese frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat together sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer on medium spped. Beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. If desired stir in pecans.

Spread batter in an ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick isnserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Prepare cream cheese frosting. Spread over top of cooled bars. Cut into bars. Store in refridgerator. Makes 24 bars.

Cream Cheese Frosting: in a large mixing bowl combine two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; and 2 tsp. vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medum speed until fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Mystery Dinner 2011 Part 2

2011-11-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the final post in my Halloween Mystery Dinner series. I helped my sister Jen put together this dinner for her family the Sunday before Halloween. Last year my niece Brooklyn thought it was too scary so we tamed it town and didn't go for the scary feel.

Cheers!

A menu was on each plate and the kids took turn ordering. I found the printable for the front cover here.

Spider Fish Tacos. Idea from here.

Bat Fruit Skewers. Idea from this darling party.

Boston "Scream" Pie. Wasn't as delicious as hoped.

After dinner the kids opened their surprise balls!

photos: Dave

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Deadly Dinner Part 3

2011-11-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here are Shauna's detail shots of our Halloween Dinner party.

Appetizers

The Menu:
Ham and Mozzarella Panini Sandwiches
2 Soup Options:
Butternut Squash
Tomato Bisque
Apple Walnut Salad
Roasted Vegetables

Dessert:
Cinnamon Rolls
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie

We paired everyone off at the beginning of the party. You sat next to your 'coffin companion' and Cami handed out a Halloween trivia mid dinner to work on together. The winning couple got Skull Candy headphones as a prize.

The favors were incredible. Shauna is a master and made candied apples for each guest.

(all photos by Shauna)

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Deadly Dinner Part 2

2011-11-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

At our Halloween party we asked our friend Monti to set up a photo booth. A photo booth is good at a party for a couple reasons 1. It's so fun capturing everyone who attends the party. 2. people love getting their picture taken...even if they pretend they don't.

Here are some of the scary guests...

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Deadly Dinner Party Part 1

2011-10-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last week Cami, Shauna, and I put on a Halloween party for our friends. A dinner party to be exact. We invited 28 people, an even amount of guys and girls. Our friend Becki had the perfect house and backyard for such a party. We set up 3 long tables in the backyard and it fit perfectly. Maybe a slight squeeze for 28 people but it worked. We topped the table with muslin, 10 yards of burlap, and torn cheese cloth. Then covered the table with candles and knick knacks (thanks to Shauna and her collection!). I had my brother in law Dave come take some pictures of the set up. My friend Mike even took a few detail shots for me.

Set up:

Ghost Cami:

The table is set:

Shauna and I stained wood and traced names on the cut pieces for place holders.

Root beer for everyone!

The guests have arrived and dinner has begun!

Lumber Jacks, Grandmas, Nerds, Dead Brides all welcome.

It got a tad chilly so we went inside for games.

Latecomers eat alone apparently...

More to come. The dinner, the guests, the favors ...

{HOLIDAY} Witching Hour

2011-10-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

My sister Jen and I went to a witch party this week. I think the last time I dressed up as a witch was in elementary school, so it was a good excuse to dust of the ol witch hat (ie purchase one at the dollar store).

It was such a fun party! Go here for details.

And look who snuck into the back of our picture...

{HOLIDAY} Guest Post by Aleisha: The Witching Hour

2011-10-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

My friend Aleisha is a talented party thrower. I posted a Halloween party she did here. I love her attention to detail and her menu is always perfection. This last week I went to her annual 'Witching Hour' party and I asked her to write a post and share some pictures. It was such a great party! I loved everything from the lanterns hanging in the tree to the smores on a stick to the party favor of fake eyelashes.. perfect for a witch don't you think?!

Thanks for sharing Aleisha!

Autumn is my favorite season and October is my favorite month. The weather starts to cool, the crows keep watch from their perch on branches bare and white as bone, and the fog creeps in from the ocean. Why not celebrate this season with a spellbinding ghouls' night complete with striped stockings and black hats?

For the past few years I have thrown an annual Halloween party known as "The Witching Hour." Guests come clad in their most bewitching garb and enjoy a spellbinding night of food, firelight, and, if you're really lucky, a ghost story or two. All it takes is a little magic and you're sure to have a party that your friends look forward to each year.

The Invite
Leave your warlocks at home, don your most bewitching attire and come revel in an enchanting ghouls' night filled with a sinister supper and wicked company. Brooms and black cats will be checked at the door.

The Venue

The mild October evenings in California allow me to have the party outside, under the stars. Dinner is served inside and dessert is served on the patio.
Black oil lanterns are suspended from the large tree out back, lending just the right amount of light to our chairs encircling the fire.

A Sinister Supper
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Autumn Greens
Fresh Baked Rolls

Devilish Dainties
Spiced Raisin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
S'mores on a Stick
Individual Apple Crisp with Freshly Whipped Cream
Chocolate Chunk Molasses Cookies
Hot Spiced Cider

Warm apple crisp is served in half-pint jam jars with whipped cream and wooden spoons.

S'mores on a Stick
Marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate and crushed graham crackers.

The Favor
"Eye of Newt"
Guaranteed to increase the potency of your spells by causing your gaze to become more bewitching. Use with caution as it will affect both princes and toads.

False eyelashes packaged in flat, labeled white bags and stitched shut with black thread.

As the night draws to an end be sure to gather up your black cat and broom for your flight home under the harvest moon.

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Mystery Dinner 2011 Part 1

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

My sister Annie put on her Halloween Mystery Dinner last night. I just posted pictures from her Mystery Dinner last year here. Every year brings fun new surprises and a new spooky menu! If these dinners don't get you in the mood for Halloween I'm not sure how else to help you.

The Setting:

A menu on each plate:

The drink: Zombie Blood.
Do you spy the surprise balls? I've heard they were a major hit!

Mummy Heads:

Candy Corn:

Crunchy Bones:

Pumpkin Brains:

Forked Eyeballs:

Thanks for pictures Jane!

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Mystery Dinner 2010 Part 2

2011-10-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures from my sister Annie's Halloween Mystery Dinner last here. I love the cobwebs on each chair!

The Menu:

Do you spot the eyeballs in the drink!

Bones, Blood, and Cobweb:

Melted Witch:

Creepy Eyeballs:

Bat Heads:

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Mystery Dinner 2010 Part 1

2011-10-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

My sisters put on this Halloween Mystery Dinner every year for their kids. I've been a part of a couple of them and they are the coolest! And the kids love it so much they talk about it all year long. Not joking. My sisters come up with a menu and by the name of the dish you may not know what you'll be eating. The surprise is so exciting for the kids. ie. Frankenstein's Special - broccoli soup. Melted witch - green jello.

This was last year's menu:

Do you see the ghosts?

Swamp Juice:

Mummy Head:

Lady Fingers:

Graveyard Delight:

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Surprise Balls

2011-10-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is my first time making Halloween themed surprise ball and I like it. My nieces and nephews are already excited to unravel these on Halloween. I found all of these goods at Target. There were so many fun Halloween trinkets that are perfect for a surprise ball. Spider rings, silly bandz, tiny skeletons, parachute bats, etc.I bought Halloween play dough for the center of the surprise ball and the fillers included pumpkin erasers, stickers, candy, bats, a small game, and my favorite: chocolate eyeballs.

I wrapped the outside in orange crepe paper and for the stem I twisted green crepe paper and glued it on the top. And there you have it: Pumpkin Surprise Balls.

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Costumes Part 2

2011-10-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist posting more Halloween costumes from over the years of nieces and nephews and me and friends. I still need to figure out what I'm going to be this year. If only I could fit in the Sailor costume below...

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Costumes Part 1

2011-10-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

What to be for Halloween? I love dressing up so much that there is pressure to make it good! Last year my sister Jane documented our friends costumes before hitting up Halloween Parties. If you need some costume ideas look no further .....

Halloween 2010

{HOLIDAY} Halloween Backyard Movie

2011-10-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

Every Halloween my friend Aleisha throws a party for her nieces and nephews. In the backyard she lays out blankets in the grass and projects a Halloween movie. She serves corn dogs, tater totes and root beer to the kids and inside the adults eat delicious soup and hot sandwiches. It is a really fun night that the kids look forward to every year!

{PARTY} Egan's Hustlin

2011-10-05T20:40:00.001-07:00

My mom busted out an incredible meal for the party:

+grilled veggies

+roasted potatoes

+homemade wheat bread

+grilled steak and chicken

+fresh fruit salad

The cake: Zucchini Chocolate Cake with home made ice cream

The party was a success! So happy we could be together to help my sister ring in a new year.

{PARTY} Egan's 30th

2011-10-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

My sisters and I went home to Seattle to celebrate our sister's 3oth birthday. It was just us and our parents and we had such a great trip. One of the nights we had dinner party to celebrate the big birthday.

The birthday girl:

I had my sister Annie make the favors. She picked pictures of Egan over the years and printed them in black and white. The boxes were filled with a variety of candy from our favorite confectionery in Seattle.

The table setting... We used some of my parents dinnerware. Those goblets are always my favorite to use. For place cards I painted the initial of each person on a rock.
My sister Jane had these napkins embroidered with the phrase "Everyday I'm Hustlin." It is Egan's motto after all. She has a poster hanging in her house and it just perfectly describes her. She gets it done! Gives her best in everything she does...work, social, religion, hobbies. A fitting theme for such a gal.

There is something about a modern saying like that being embroidered on a napkin that gives the whole thing some humor.

We ate dinner in my parents backyard, one of my favorite places to be.
I made this little crown for the birthday girl to wear.

My sister Jen made up a questionnaire: Who knows Egan Best? I loved seeing what questions we answered the same and which we answered different. Dream male athlete or movie star? Federer duh!

more party goodness to come...

{PARTY} Everyday She's Hustlin

2011-10-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Who: my sister Egan

What: 30th Birthday

The Theme: Everyday I'm Hustlin Posts to come.

{PARTY} Welcome Fall

2011-10-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's Fall! Isn't a change in seasons so exciting?! There is still some time to throw an outdoor dinner party to welcome in the new season. I loved the dinner party posted on Hooray. The produce used as the centerpiece is so lovely. I especially love the strung lights and glass bottles.

Party found here.

Fall outfit found here.

October play list here.

{PARTY} Tanner turns 9. Beach Party

2011-09-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

My nephew Tanner wanted a beach party with s'mores. His wish was our command. All his friends met up at the beach and they roasted hot dogs for dinner and enjoyed a s'more bar for dessert. After the roasting we took the kids on a scavenger hunt with a box of treasures for them to find at the end. It was the perfect activity for a bunch hyper 9 year olds. Here is what made this party a success: Good and easy food, a fun activity, and a great location.

{RECIPE} Jcrew + Soup

2011-09-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Do you ever throw a party and want to dress for the food? Do you get inspired by the colors or feeling of the menu? I can't help but look at these soups and want to pair them with an outfit. So I did...J Crew Fall Lookbook + delicious soups.

Tortilla Soup

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

{PARTY} Nautical Games

2011-09-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

At my family reunion nautical party this year we played some games after dinner. We've got to keep these kids entertained!

+ Pin the anchor on the boat. There were no flat walls which was a bit of a challenge, but still worked:

+Gone fishing. We didn't have a pole so a hula hoop did the trick:

+ Boat Race! Earlier in the day the kids had painted wooden boats with their Grandpa.

+ My niece and my brother-in-law made this for a bean bag toss. How darling.
They were fun and easy games fitting to the theme.

{PARTY} Family Reunion gone Nautical

2011-09-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

This summer my family spent a week at Bear Lake (on the boarder of Utah and Idaho). It's safe to say it was my favorite week of the year. We stayed at a cabin big enough to fit 24 people and spent the days boating and playing. It was perfect. At the end of the week we had a nautical themed party which was fitting.

My sister made a nautical garland:
Water bottle favors for the kids:
Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner. That meal is a crowd pleaser and perfect for a big group.
Name tags on striped straws:

{BIRTHDAY} Signage and Ebleskivers

2011-09-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

My mom has this Happy Birthday sign that she would set in front of our plates on our birthdays. I loved it! I also loved picking a favorite breakfast. It was a tie between crepes or ebleskivers. Have you had an ebleskiver? They are a danish pancake and the yummiest thing. You can dip them in jam, powdered sugar, syrup, etc.

A birthday sign and a favorite breakfast is a good way to start your special day, don't you think?

{DIY} Bunting Tablecloth

2011-09-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

I have another project to add to my list. This DIY bunting tablecloth...

I spotted it at Creature Comforts. It was featured on The Sweetest Occasion and has a great tutorial form Hank and Hunt.

So there is no excuse, I must try it. I also really like this table scape. Super simple with such pretty details.

{GIFTS} Surprise Balls

2011-08-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

When we were kids my mom used to make surprise balls as party favors for our birthday parties. We've started a tradition of making them for the grand kids to open on Christmas Eve. They are a hit every time. Have you ever made or received a surprise ball? Essentially you put a bigger toy/object in the middle and have a few colors of crepe paper and start wrapping it around the gift. Then you add in other toys or money or candy until it is the size you want. The idea is that when they unravel the ball the toys and treats fall out until they reach the center.

This one I made for my older sister. It is more of a grown up version with the center of the surprise ball being some Bobbi Brown blush and some big dollar bills too. I also added gum, silly bandz (which were the rage last Summer if you remember), fruit snacks, etc. Would you be excited to get something like this in the mail for your birthday?

More Surprise Ball ideas coming soon...

{PARTY} Ice cream Social on BHG

2011-08-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Saw this party on Better Home and Gardens. An Ice cream social! I love it. Simple theme, easy decor, and a tasty treat. Jeni, is the party thrower and ice cream maker. She's an author too.

Doesn't this make you want to throw a party before Summer ends?

{GIFTS} Back to School

2011-08-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

Happy back to school time! I made these for my nieces and nephews last year before they started school. Treats from Trader Joes, a sweet pencil, and a silly band.

I love this idea on Giver's log. Wouldn't that be fun to get in the mail?!

{PARTY} BHLDN Tabletops

2011-08-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

Did you see these tabletops on BHLDN? I've been dying over them, studying each one to catch all the detail. They're just pretty. I think you could create a party with a similar feel by just collecting interesting and pretty things that you already own. Table cloths, vases, glassware, candle votives, etc.

They show 6 different tabletops. Which is your favorite?

{PARTY} Backyard Movie

2011-08-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

For my nephew Jackson's 11th Birthday I helped my sister throw a backyard party perfect for a group of pre-teen boys. They came over for tacos and nachos - Jackson's favorite. After dinner his dad took the group of boys to the park behind their house to play games while we set up for a movie in the backyard. They came back worn out from running around - success! They watched the movie and devoured the ice cream sundaes and movie treats.

The favor: a bag with a CD mix, some pop-its and candy.

{PARTY} You say Tomato. I say Party.

2011-08-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

Homegrown tomatoes, nothing better! Here is a tasty looking tomato recipe in case you were looking:
I've always wanted a set of chargers and thought this Crate and Barrel one was sleek but earthy:
How about this sale tablecloth at Anthropologie? Wouldn't the above chargers look good on that?
Summer is coming to an end quick. Any parties planned? Sometimes it just takes a good recipe to inspire something.

{SHOWER} Guest Post by Jane: Honey Baer Shower

2011-08-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Jane Metcalf stats:

5'11

1st grade teacher

SLC resident

Granola Maker : Nova Granola

my identical twin

Jane threw a Bridal Shower for one of our best friends Kimberly. I live out of state and couldn't attend. I love everything about this party so I had to have her share the details. It's a lot of work to make a party look 'effortless' but she definitely pulled it off.

Thanks for sharing Jane!

Invite/Favor:
My sister did the invites! She used the honey theme and incorporated Kimberly and Joel's wedding colors. For the favor I picked some flavored honey sticks and attached a tea bag. "Honey and Tea for our La-dy"!

Setting:
My sister has a really fantastic backyard and patio area, so it was a no-duh for having an outdoor dinner/shower. I love her collection of chairs too! We put up a strand of lights, lined up tables and covered with white butcher paper and down the center we used some material from my sisters work. I bought a variety of clear vases from DI and a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store to use.

Game:
I don't think games are necessary. But I just thought of pin-the-mustache-on-Joel and had my friend Missy help me put it together. The prize? Oh, just getting to be the first in line for dinner.

My sister and I came up with some questions and everyone took a turn asking between gifts. I loved learning some new things about her and Joel and their relationship + future. It was nice to have it a little structured that way.

Dinner:
Kimberly and I both love cooking and like the same foods so that made it easy to decide what to make. I took in to account budget for 20 people and gluten intolerance. I decided on a fresh tortilla salad with a cilantro lime dressing on the side. As you can see it was piled high with tomatoes, red peppers, jicama, avacado, homemade tortilla strips, and 3 kinds of beans. I had salsa, mexican cheese, and cilantro on the side. For fruit I kept it simple with green grapes (I always feel weird about doing a fruit salad when the main dish is a vegetable salad). I decided to not do corn chips and instead make my aunt's recipe for corn bread because I wanted to incorporate honey. My sister did the drinks and I think sparkling water and San Pellegrinos with citrus fruits always are delicious and definitely look nice.

Dessert:
I served greek plain yogurt with some options of toppings (keeping it simple here): fresh peaches, coconut, crushed graham crackers, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and of course honey to sweeten. The girls seemed to really like it. It's light and perfect for a summer dessert.

see more over here

{RECIPE} Summer Berry Desserts!

2011-08-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to bust out your favorite berry dessert recipes. Don't these images make your mouth water? Blueberries are in season July and August so get em now! I dream of being a really good pie maker, maybe I should start practicing.... Blueberry Slab Pie

Mini Pies
Peach Blueberry Pie
Vanilla Fruit Cake

{PARTY} Girls Only

2011-08-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

My sister's husband and boys were out of town so we took advantage of the girl time. We threw a little party for just us girls. I bought flowers for my nieces to practice making centerpieces. I let them set the table too. We made breakfast for dinner which included mini pancakes, sausage, eggs, and fruit smoothies. I think the girls really loved having a chance to be involved in everything from cutting the flowers to flipping pancakes to making the table pretty.

We also made homemade strawberry jam and they delivered it to a few neighbors. Ending the night with Sprinkles cupcakes was a good idea too!

{PARTY} Terrain

2011-08-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

I spotted this event on Creature Comforts. It was an event held atTerrain. What a beautiful site! Wouldn't you love to be invited to something like this? I love the fresh flowers in interesting arrangements going down the entire table. I also love the cloth napkins and name tags.

And I'm thinking that table runner will be my next DYI.

Now I just want to know what was served for lunch!

{BIRTHDAY} Guest Post: Kamryn's 2nd Birthday

2011-07-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

Katelyn Foutch is a mom of 3 darling girls, lives in Moscow, ID, and is a super talented photographer. She also happens to be a dear friend and my first college roommate! Lucky me!

I saw her blog post from her 2 year olds birthday party. I loved how simple it was, which is perfect for a 2 year old.

Thanks for sharing Katelyn!

Kamryn's 2nd Birthday

When I was trying to plan for Kamryn's party I was thinking, "What the heck do you even do for a 2 year old's birthday?", "Will she even remember?". I came to the conclusion, keep it simple.

1. Cake

I wanted to do a rainbow cake since they seem to be all the rage right now however, I didn't have any yellow food coloring so I just did whatever colors I had. I used 6" round cake pans and funfetti cake mix! See, I was keeping it simple! To frost the cake I used a tutorial found here! Then I topped it with dum dums and super cute candles I found at target! (of course!)

2. Party Hats!

A few months ago I actually photographed a super cute party, one that blows mine away! They had made home made party hats that were divine! Check them out here. I went with the easier party hat, ones that were already made!

3. Paper flowers

My mom and I have been on a paper flower kick! We dye coffee filters in all different colors then we make the flowers and spray them with glitter spray!

4. Aprons

This year I decided to do something for all the girls. I made each one their own apron with a box of crayons in the pocket. I bought a pattern from Jo Ann's which I ended up not liking and making up my own pattern.

5. Family
What's a party without your family. My husband was actually traveling home on the day of her party and got stuck in the Chicago airport. Luckily my dad video taped it for him!

{BIRTHDAY} Aleisha's Birthday

2011-07-17T23:37:00.000-07:00

For my friend Aleisha's birthday she just wanted to have her close girlfriends over and she requested a chocolate cake. Easy!

On the table:
+ Chocolate cake with strawberry butter cream frosting.
+Lemon cookies
+Strawberry lemonade
+Chocolate popcorn from Maw 'N Paw.

I count the party a success if no one goes home until after midnight :)

{RECIPE} Grilled Strawberry Shortcake

2011-07-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

You wanted to see what I made for dessert on the 4th of July?

We grilled dessert again this year, this time it was Grilled Strawberry Shortcake served with vanilla ice cream. Tasty and pretty. Try it at your next Summer BBQ.

Other Summer dessert ideas here

{BIRTHDAY} Throw your own Birthday Party!

2011-07-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of throwing your own birthday party. Invite some friends over to enjoy a couple of your favorite desserts and play a group game.

Invite

Cake

White dinnerware

Raspberry Fool

What are some of your favorite party games?

{HOLIDAY} 4th of July dessert ideas

2011-06-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Oh good, you like dessert too! Here are 2 ideas of your 4th menu...

Grilled pound cake topped with fresh berries and chocolate drizzled on top:

Rice crispie treats on a stick dipped in chocolate.

Do you have any 4th of July dessert ideas? I always love to try something new.

{HOLIDAY} It's a grand old flag!

2011-06-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

At our family reunion in '09 we took 'photo booth' pictures in front of the flag. I love a photo booth at a party, it's a great chance to capture everyone in attendance. Just look at these cute faces...

{HOLIDAY} 4th of July Family Reunion style

2011-06-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago my whole family got up to Seattle for a family reunion. It was so perfect to be all together in the house we grew up in and spending time in a city we really love. The reunion was over the 4th of July so we enjoyed a backyard bbq and watched some illegal firework shows from the back porch. Thanks neighbors:)
Feeding over 20 people can be challenging, though my mom makes it look like a breeze.

The Menu:

Steak

Bruschetta

Fruit and Veggie trays

Chips and Salsa
Bottled Drinks

My favorite part was dessert of course! Homemade star sugar cookies and homemade ice cream, and topped with fresh berries.
What is your favorite part of the 4th of July?

{PARTY} Don't Go! Going Away Party

2011-06-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

A year ago I moved from UT to CA. It was so sad to leave good friends and familiar surroundings but exciting to experience something new. My friend Jane was moving to Northern CA around the same time. Our friends threw us a combined Don't Go! Going away party. They had paper airplanes and cloud cookies which I thought was perfect for such a party.

There were a few things I really loved about this party.

- the backyard and outdoor lighting feel.

- big black and white posters of our faces greeting guests.

- paper airplanes where friends left us notes.

- cloud sugar cookies.

- buckets with drinks for guests to grab as they please.

- s'mores and a fire pit.

{PARTY} Get in the Backyard

2011-06-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Sunset Magazine is one of my faves. I saw this backyard party and noticed a few things I really love.

- simple table settings/decor.

- great color combo

- versatile chairs. indoor chairs working well outdoor.

- fresh centerpiece

- blankets for guests when it gets cold.

what do you love about a backyard party?

{PARTY} Lobsters, Crabs, and Shrimp Oh My!

2011-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this image in a Pottery Barn catalog. What a fun Summer party huh?! Do you like sea food? I do! I just had an Oyster for the first time recently. Yum.

I've never been a huge fan of labeling the food at a party, but I think these labels are really cool. And guess what? You can print the labels here! Invite your neighbors over for sea food!

{PARTY} Friday Night Inspiration Board

2011-06-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it just takes a new dress or a pretty plate to inspire a party. Invite a few friends over and make them dinner. Try a new recipe too.

plate

dress

chair

Birthday time

2011-06-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm celebrating my birthday! A Happy Birthday to my twin Jane too. Wish we could be together today.

{SHOWER} Fiesta

2011-06-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

My friends put together a lovely bridal shower, Fiesta style. Mexican food is such a crowd pleaser. This shower confirmed to me how a great party/shower does not have to be extravagant or expensive to be a good time. Good food, friends, and some pretty deco. Bam! Great party.

+Latte bowls for toppings

+Stripped fabric for table runners

+ Beverage Jar for lemon water

+ Cafe Rio style Salad. Recipe here

{BIRTHDAY} 35 candles

2011-06-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

For my sister's 35th birthday I brought over a Chocolate Coconut cake. I found the recipe at The Little Red House (great source for recipes! and pretty photography). Sometimes you just need a pretty (and tasty) dessert to make a party.

Hello! and Welcome

2011-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

An old song by Jimmy Durante ends with a phrase I love:

Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too.

Throwing parties and planning special events are some of the ways I have found to make people happy--and I am happy doing it. I love the creativity of event planning, it is amazing to me that the ideas seem endless. Thinking of every detail, thinking about it again, and then making it a reality that brings people together is a passion for me.

This blog will be my way of sharing my passion with you. Perhaps you, too, have found (or will find) joy in making people happy by throwing the perfect party.

I'd love to hear what you think about special events and parties. What delights you? What makes you want to attend an event? Attending is the crucial element between the planning and the happiness!