Party On

Well it’s Sunday again, which means I’m about to bombard you with pictures. This weekend we got a chance to take a cheese, wine, and jazz class at Standing Stone Farm and I’ve got to say, it was really fun. I had no idea you could whip up two cheeses and some homemade butter in under 3 hours. I’ve been planning to have a few people over for a wine, beer, cheese, fruit, and chocolate pairing party sometime next month so you can bet we’ll be making fresh cheese and butter for that. In the meantime, I’ll have to come up with a shorter name. Other than that our weekend has been pretty chore-oriented. We did work in our weekly walk. Nature is looking a little less dead, but I can’t wait for spring. Here’s some pictures for your viewing pleasure (Josh even got in on the action). After that I worked on expanding my light & Lightroom skills. Optimus was a pretty good sport. Mmmm we also made de-licious pretzel bread with cheese sauce. I’ve made a few pretzel recipes in my time, bu...

There are so many well done Ariel parties I don’t even know where to begin with the inspiration! Of course there would need to be seashells and bubbles , balloons , or pom-poms to give you the underwater feel. These sequined seaweed fabric streamers (so cool) or sequined table cloth would do the trick too. Let’s talk food. This drink adds just the right feel and I just love this ice-cream cone cake . I could see Kali loving this jello too! So cool. The sand-effect on these cupcakes is awesome too. I’m thinking crushed graham cracker? The Workman Family had goldfish in a fish bowl for their party. Such a smart idea! And their party was super cute too. As far as activities go, these clothespin mermaids are a must! I’d love to get her one of these very cute outfits. You think I like tutus? Designs by Arabesque                          ...

First of all….Can you name the seven dwarfs? Just try it. Kills me every time.Okay moving on. Of course today’s party I’m working on a Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs themed party. I think I would start by setting up a little “forest” for the kids to walk through on the way in- complete with either stuffed or cardboard cut-out animal bunnies, chipmunks and deer. Little birds (most likely paper) would be hanging from the door frame. I’d be going for this kind of feeling (but with the princess not so sad let’s hope!) I would love to have a dress up station with a nod to “Mirror Mirror on the Wall”. Maybe something like this but more down to earth like this . Of course there would need to be apples galore. Candied apples? Carmel apples with a carmel apple decorating station? Rice crispy treat apples ? Donut hole mini apples ? Oh the options. (I also looove the Snow White cut-out in the mirror- adorable). Some sort of poison potion (with dry ice) would be super cute too. Maybe...

This week’s focus is…         MENU Oh how I love food. After you’ve come up with your theme and your décor, it seems (at least to me) for the menu to come along naturally. I do have a few rules I try stick to. When I throw a party I generally like to have something crunchy you can snack on, something healthy(ish), something you could consider to be what I call “real food” aka something you would eat as part of a main meal, at least 2 drink options, and something deliciously sweet. Although I try to have some of the food options be theme-specific, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. People might remember if your food was theme specific, but they’re definitely going to remember if your food was delicious. Don’t feel like you can’t make some of your favorite staples for a party! Make food you would like to eat- especially if you’re hosting. You might just have leftovers. If you’re staple food is steak, or something equally expensive or equally larg...

Last week I covered theme so this week let’s cover…décor. *Heartfelt Sigh*I love decorating. I especially like decorating for parties. You can be outrageous or classy or crafty and fun for just a day. Always wanted to dip dye your world pink but didn’t want to live with a constant headache? Have a Pretty in Pink party and go for it. Once you have your theme worked out- shop around, pin, and Google until you’re ready to put your thoughts into action. I personally like to have at least one thing hanging from the ceiling (or tree if you’re outdoors) to add some visual height. I also like to use general decorations in specific colors to supplement the theme. Flowers, lanterns, balloons, wreaths, ribbon, streamers, and even food can be made in whatever color you’d like. If you’re feeling crafty there’s a plethora of ideas out there. Plus side- handmade crafts are generally cost-effective and more personal. If you’re looking to buy materials, my two go-to stores are Party City and Orie...