Super Bowl Cocktails

At your Super Bowl Party serve up some fun cocktails - one for the Colts and one for the Saints!!

A Colt One

1 1/2 parts Malibu Rum
3/4 part Malibu Pineapple Rum
3/4 part blue curacao
1 3/4 parts pineapple juice

Mix contents in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Hurricane

1 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Dark Rum
1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
Garnish with a lime squeeze, cherry, pineapple spear, and a paper Umbrella, of course. Serve in a footed vessel.

How much Liquor?

Wedding Wine and Liquor Calculator - Great tool for figuring out how much wine or beer and alcohol to have at your next party. Use it for your next holiday party, backyard bash or if you can bring your own alcohol to your wedding.

Find out how much alcohol you should stock for your party. Click here Real Simple

It's an Airplane!

For my son's first birthday I decided to do an airplane themed party. Invitations were boarding passes for GJT Airlines.
I made tons of mini airplanes out of fun foam, they hung from the light fixtures and ceiling fan. Even on his own cake.
The adults devoured pumpkin or chocolate cupcakes with airplane / 1 toppers. I had airplane sugar cookies and along with a platter of Philly pretzel bites, a custom G pretzel.

I made a 'wall of Gavin' which included pictures from every month of his first year. I also made a Happy Birthday Gavin sign using scrapbook paper and grosgrain ribbon. Inspiration from Etsy.

When guests arrived they had to check in to get airplane stickers and when they left they picked up their favors at baggage claim. Favors were bubbles with labels that said 'Thank you for flying GJT Airlines' and personalized luggage tags.

I think I love planning kids birthday parties as much as weddings!!

Party Ideas

Pottery Barn is now offering PARTY PLANNER
Party ideas, recipes, tips and products for throwing a casual party.

Check out this Tequila Tasting Party
Margarita recipe:
1 1/2 parts tequila
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part blue curacao
simple syrup

Shake with ice in cocktail shaker, pour over ice into a chilled, salt rimmed margarita glass and then add a lime wedge.

They also have movie night, cocktail party, dinner party and bridal shower themes.
They have great recipes and ways to set up your table.

Family Reunion Fun!

Labor Day is next weekend and many families use this long weekend for a family reunion. Tie in Labor Day and Families for great decorations.

Think simple - Does your family have a crest? Make photo copies, laminate and use that as place mats.
Definitely do name tags and under the name list the next of kin. Make a large family tree, color code the different branches and then use those same colors on the name tags.

Get Conversation Starters from plumparty.com (pic)

How about a little recipe sharing. Encourage a pot luck of sorts for the menu. Aunt Sally's potato salad, Uncle Nicks BBQ marinade, Grandmas deviled eggs, Great Great Aunt Bea's lemon meringe pie, etc. Print out copies of all the recipes and have available for everyone to take.

Here are some more tips from ehow on to have the most successful reunion!

Birthday Parties

I really enjoy throwing a party - I love the prep, the menu planning, picking out the dishes and serving ware, thinking of creative add ons, decor and little favors. It doesn't matter how big or how small, offsite location or my own dining room - I love it.

So yesterday I threw my mom a surprise spa soiree for her 60th birthday. I had some of her girl friends over to my place and they enjoyed a chair massage and a satin hands treatment followed by lunch.

When thinking of details for any event think of the guest of honor. I pulled out my mom's mom's china and crystal, served her favorites like chicken salad and chocolate chip scones. I served her favorite white wine and hot tea. The centerpiece was pink sweetheart roses and tulips, her favorite because it reminds her of springtime.

I tried to make my living room 'spa like' with candles, music, and cucumber water. I also listed things that happened in 1949 on mini place cards and placed them around the room near the candles.

So don't underestimate what you can do, even for a small home party. Just remember who your guest of honor is, who will be attending and the reason for the celebration.

Party Decor

So you know I love Wonderful Graffiti but I recently found a similar product that you can remove and reuse.

"Décor-A-Peel. These removable, reusable, peel and stick design elements give you the freedom to decorate any smooth surface in seconds. With hundreds of designs—from florals to comic art—you’ll find exactly what you need to put your party theme over the top! Great on painted walls, glass, ceramic, tile, most furniture and much more. Removes effortlessly without any messy residue...and they’re completely reusable."

Check it out
Decor a Peel

Wouldn't this look cute in near your Guest Book or Escort Card Table?

Will You Lounge?

Having a lounge area at your wedding has become all the rage these days. Wouldn't it be great if you could extend your reception just a little. Think about your space - can you make a lounge area near the bar for guests to hang around during the reception, open up an adjoining room or pre function space as an after reception option to keep the party going for a few more hours.

You want to keep your guests wowed throughout the whole event, keep things changing; so opening up a lounge at the end of the reception really keeps the party moving. It can be a place to go a little wilder with decor, not totally different but a spiced up a little. Make it inviting with lots of cocktail tables, pillows and candles. Set up some cool furniture, add lighting, a DJ; serve some comfort late night food like mini burgers, bite size fried mac and cheese, flavored french fries or maybe set up a ice cream bar.

You don't have to spend a lot more money on this. Check to see if the hotel has some extra furniture you could use, throw around floor pillows. If you are outside use wicker or wrought iron furniture. Just add some color, a limited bar and some music - Voila - your guests will have a blast!

American Furniture Rental
American Furniture Rental
Cort Events

Fall Treats for Everyone

So what goes with cool weather, fall leaves and apple cider?
Yummy caramel covered apples!!

Here is a great blog post from Glam Dish about how to make these Carmel Apples

Halloween Party 101

Are you throwing a spooky Halloween Party this year?

Here are some ideas to pull off a fun party-

First impression is the invitation:

(check out tinyprints on the right for more ideas)

Then think about the front of your house or apt - you need to set the scary mood.
Candles hanging from trees, spooky music and maybe a fog machine.

Use these spider stands from Lillian Vernon either on your door stop or right in the foyer.

Offer guests a drink as they arrive-from the Vampire Punch Bowl (trick is to put a flat cab light underneath to illuminate)


A spider chip and dip container from Ballard Designs to hold

Another idea is to use mini pumpkins as a dip holder - just carve out the center and voila.

Don't forget the restroom decor - Fill a glass container with candy corn and top with a candle.


Carve out some pumpkins and set around your table or bar.

You should have a black and white candy bar set up. Don't forget little bags for guests to go Trick or Treating before they leave.



Keep reading throughout October for some more Halloween Fun.

VIP Rock and Roll Table Top

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile I was busy preparing for a Table Top Competition. It was held last night at the Villanova Conference Center and put on by the Society of Wedding Planners.

Here are some pictures of my table - I decided to do a Rock and Roll Theme - VIP Bar Mitzvah actually!

I used stanchions to separate off my table, my husbands guitar was the centerpiece with carnation balls and glitter candles. The table was lucite with a metal frame base uplit with red lights.

Silver snakeskin chargers with black plates, black silverware and soho glassware.
Menu cards were also Back Stage passes, complete with lanyards. The menu was appropriately named after rock songs. (Welcome to the Jungle - mixed green salad)

Place cards were cd's and Rock Stars were the guests. Every guest also received a rock candy treat.
Take home favors were custom made tshirts - just like a rock concert. The shirt said VIP Tour of a Lifetime - Sept 3, 2008.

Thanks to Irene at Party Rental for generously lending me the rental items for this display.

Evening with the Sharks

Last night I attended a great networking event with NACE at the NJ Camden Aquarium.
Have you ever thought about your next event there? You can dine with the sharks or use their Currents ballroom for your wedding and be surrounded by floor to ceiling 760,000 gallon tank of fish and sting rays. Outside is a patio overlooking the water and Philadelphia - Its amazing.

Check out Camden Adventure Aquarium for more information. This is such a unique setting I am sure your guests would enjoy.

7 Days of Love Bedazzled

Are you ready to Bedazzle Your Valentine? What better way to entice your loved one; or how about as favors for your next birthday party, wedding or bachelorette party! Bedazzle My Bonbons will dazzle your guests, each one individually hand-dipped and coated in a deliciously edible dusting of glitter and cocoa-powder.



YES you eat the whole thing. They are fabulously sinful, playful and sexy! Check out these glitter bon-bons -They are available in boxes of 4, 8 or 12 in any color imaginable!

Super Sunday!

Are you hosting a Super Bowl Party?

check out Hostess with the Mostess
for directions on how to make a Playing Field Tabletop.

Do you need a fun creative appetizer to take to a party?
Here is a picture of what I made last year - it is SOOO easy. I blended cream cheese and shredded pepper jack, formed it into a football shape, sprinkled pecans on top and used red pepper as laces!

Enjoy!

Open House/Party Gift Ideas

Are you going to lots of Holiday Parties this year?

Do you need a few simple gift ideas to take to the Hostess?

I put together some of my favorites:
Obviously wine is a good option - Crate and Barrel has these cute Bell or CHEERS! charms to add to the bottle.

Pepermint Bark from Williams Sonoma

Ornaments from Restoration Hardware


If you are a baker - how about making some chocolate bread and use Pampered Chef's mini loaf pan. That's an easy way to get 4 gifts.


Another great option - If you have a HomeGoods near you - pop in and get some nice Holiday hand towels or a cute Santa figure.

Happy Partying!

Lets Talk Invitations

I work with Carlson Craft stationary and invitations.
Starting the beginning of December my clients and anyone else will be able to view and order directly from my website. More info on that coming soon....

but in the meantime I am offering a deal:
Order any invitation (shower, baby, announcement, note cards, holiday etc) and I will give you 25% off retail price. If you order from the 'Blue' book you will receive 100 free personalized napkins. Stand by for a whole new 'Blue' book from Carlson Craft.

So contact me today to place your order.

-Don't forget your holiday cards, business or personal-

Illumination!

CB2 has these great clear taper candle holders.
Perfect for your mantle, sideboard table, holiday table, wedding ceremony, reception tables, birthday or cocktail party.

Imagine creating an alter of candles for your ceremony or creating a unique element to your cocktail hour.

Between $4 and $13 you can afford to add that little extra.

I think CB2 has a lot of unique items to spruce up your next event - check them out.