Damask wedding cake

I was over at A Practical Wedding looking at Meg's Wedding Graduate post and check out their wedding cake:

How perfect would this cake be with the tween birthday party I detailed yesterday?  L-O-V-E it!!!

Tween Birthday Party

Recently it was decided that I would help throw my 11 year old sister's birthday party.  This may not seem like a big deal to most people but when your 11 year old sister (who thinks that you are the most awesome thing ever) starts telling her friends that she's having a 'professional party planner' do her birthday party, it becomes a big deal real fast.  My sister's name is Emma and she told me that she wanted to 1) have a sleepover 2) do a smiley face theme and 3) give out gift bags.  Armed with those requests I decided that 12 is the height of the 'tween' years.  This party needs to be fun, but not kiddish, and grown-up, but not boring. 

Here are the main bullets of the party:

• Black and Yellow with damask accents
• Smiley faces will be used as accents and in the gift bags
• Photo booth with a black backdrop and yellow props
• Nail station with yellow & black nail polish
• Candy buffet

And here is the mood board to give you a feel for what the party will be like:

The party will be announced with party invites very similar to the ones pictured below.  White boxes with yellow lemon heads (kids love candy, right?) and damask printed invites.  They will be wrapped with a printable damask label (pictured in the mood board, upper right corner) that I found online at The Fussy Designer Blog.

I think this is going to be super cute!

Thankful Edition

I really hate when I follow blogs and they don't keep up to date with posting.  I mean how else am I suppose to pass my time if others don't entertain me?  Apparently I have become one of the millions of bloggers who bore others by their lack of posting.  Please accept the following blog post as my apology.

--

Things I’m thankful for in 2009:

• I’m blessed with really wonderful people in my life, namely my husband Chris, who despite his many complaints about my housekeeping & laundry loves me unconditionally and without restraint. He also makes me look good in photographs.

• Other people I’m SO happy to be in my life:
• My new nephew Jay. He has the world’s best smile when he is being dressed up and photographed, and he is pretty good for snuggling too.

• My best friend, Sarah, who is so crazy and fun and unbelievably good.

• So many relatives and other friends that it seems unfair that I should be surrounded by such a large number of awesome people.
• I’m also thankful for my job. I talk with people every single day who are without jobs because of the economy and thankfully neither Chris nor I have been overly negatively impacted by the things going on in America.
• I’m thankful for my house and the fact that I’m able to live in such a nice home in a country where I have so many freedoms.
• I’m thankful for God and the fact that He lives with me each and every day and I have the opportunity to worship him with a community of awesome people who diligently strive to live life to the fullest with Him. I’m SO thankful that He meets me where I am daily and still loves me the same no matter how bad I mess things up.
• Lastly, I'm thankful for the many occassions that are coming up in 2010 where I will have reason to throw some pretty awesome parties!

Happy Thanksgiving blog-world!

Halloween Tabletop

As most of you know I like to keep my dining room table set according to the season/holiday. Recently I put together this Halloween inspired tabletop with black, red, and grey elements. (Sorry about the pictures - I had to take them myself!)

Eco Friendly Party Supplies

There are so many options when it comes to party goods and supplies that sometimes it is easy to forget the environmental impact that entertaining can potentially have, especially when it comes to disposable party goods. Many paper party plates (say that three times fast!) and cocktail napkins have inks or coatings that make them impossible or very difficult to recycle, thus adding more to our growing landfills. 

Personally I have tried to implement more 'real' products into my own entertaining.  Real napkins, plates, and cups not only are better for the earth but they also make a better impact on your events!  Do real items cost more?  Yes, but they last longer.  Do green products cost more?  Sometimes yes.  When I first began researching green party ware products I honestly thought I wasn't ever going to find anything budget friendly, but the more that I've dug and looked around I'vce found products that fit the budget and won't harm our planet. 

Without further adu, here is a list of green party product suppliers:

• Branch Home
• Plum Party (yep, they've got biodegradables too!)
• Let's Go Green
• Bamboo Bambu
• Green Planet Parties
• Eco My Party
• Happy Green Earth

If you're not someone that normally thinks about what you're buying before you buy it you don't have to go through a speciality store or site to go green.  Many disposable dinnerware companies are now producing eco friendly products that can be found at most discount stores.  I live very close to Target.  The last time I had to pick up plates and cups for a barbeque I bought these Bare products made by Solo.  They were exactly the same price as the other disposable items, except these are made with post consumer products and are recyclable/compostable.  (And did I say they were cheap?)

Lastly (sorry this is getting long!) there are lots of budget friendly options out there for non-disposable entertaining products.  One of my favorite buys that I've come across is from Mission Restuarant Supply.  For $1.75 you can get a dozen stainless steel forks.  $1.75!  That is super cheap for an item that you can reuse time and time again.  There are deals out there for real products if you look for them.  It might take you a little longer in the beginning finding reusable products in your price range, but in the end you'll save time by never having to shop for basics (like forks) again. 

I hope that some of you find this information helpful and that you all examine how green your events are. 

Happy entertaining!

You Tube Wedding Processional Dance Video

In honor of Jim & Pam's wedding last night on the office here is the dance processional video for all of you (who like me) hadn't seen the You Tube video.  It's quite the scene. 

Event Trends 2009

Just like everything else in life there are trends in special events.  Just think about how the event industry has changed over the last 30-50 years.  Once upon a time it was the trend to have photography that is now seen as boring and far out of touch because of the posed, standard shots.  I was doing some online reading and came across this article from Special Events.com where some of the industry experts talked about what was in and what is out in the world of special events.  Obviously click on the link for the full article (and to check out some of the other great features on their site) but below are some of the highlights.

What's in?

• Eco-theme events/natural themed events/using eco-friendly products and making them upscale/products with purpose
• Technology
• Total guest experiences (luxury resorts are out, events are being held in areas where the event is an extension of the location)

What's out?

• Frivolus events/opulence/wastefullness
• Submerged flowers
• Lucite

What do you think is in or out?  Especially here in the mid-west?  Thoughts?

New Look

Obviously I changed the background.  I don't hate it, but I hate that little thing over in the corner...ugh.  What do you think?

I found this picture hiding on my jump drive and remembered how adorable I thought it was when I came across it the first time.  Doesn't this look snuggly?

Hello blog!

Okay, I admit it, I've totally been slacking on the blogphere lately. I don't have much of a defense except to say that I've been working on some other projects, one of which you'll just have to wait around for the big unveil!

One of the projects that I hope to be able to post about very soon is my basement redo. I'm not finishing my basement, so I am lovingly referring to the project as my finished-unfinished basement. Once this is done it will be a true testament to the power of paint & a shoe string budget!

And since no post would be complete without photos I am going to leave you with a few photos of my sister's wedding from last year since she is celebrating her 1 year wedding anniversary this weekend. They had a simple courthouse wedding, but she was just about the cutest courthouse bride I've ever seen with her blue peep toe shoes. My curly hair husband photographed the wedding.

And in case you hadn't heard I now also have the cutest nephew ever....

Plum Party Sale!

Right now Plum Party is having their 48 hour Fall Sale! The sale is good for almost everything in the store so get over there now to score some great deals at 75% off! Make sure and use coupon code FALL48HR at the checkout!