Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Color Me Tuesday: Lavender Loveliness

Hey All,
I was just poking around pinterest and I found these 2 great photos, and thus, this post was born:
1. Lavender Woodland Tea Party; 2. Ombre Wedding Cake
First, of all, who doesn't want to have a lavender woodland tea party? No one, that's who.  Second, that is just a beautiful cake, the flower on top is glorious, the ombre'd inner layers are fantastic, and the matching ombre'd frosting/fondant on the outside is equally glorious.  Have I convinced you to throw a Lavender party yet? Ok, here's what you'll need:
  1. Oh, were you worried you wouldn't find lavender party-ware. Well, that's no excuse since Party City has an entire set of lavender cups, plates, napkins, and flatware. BOOM.
  2. Lavender up any room or outdoor space with this adorable purple bunting - available from Little Free Radical
  3. Use these pinwheels from Halos Heaven as favors, place settings, or general decorations.
  4. Set the mood with some lavender lighting from World Market - you could get these glass candle lanterns in any color and use any candles to instantly set a color scape
One major problem with purple/lavender food is that it often looks...gross...and just super unnatural, but I think each of these treats goes with the lavender and doesn't make you look like you were making out with grapes:
  1. Beautiful lavender-iced cupcakes with delicate sugared flowers - Martha, who else?
  2. Lavender-infused mint juleps - recipe from Pizzazzerie
  3. Lavender macarons from Plant Food Fabulous - delicious and impressive

Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday Favorites: Bar Essentials

Hey everyone!  This week's post is all about everything you need to set up an awesome bar/drink station.

 Here are some vessels for drinks.  FYI, I skipped showing you guys just a table set up as a bar, you know that's an option. 



1. Instead here is a Green Glass Bottle, perfect for putting water out onto individual tables/place settings, or just to have clustered together in a designated bar area.  It's just prettier than bottled water sitting out.

2. I have probably 8 of these plastic bins sitting in my laundry room, not holding anything, but they are an awesome item that you probably have around your house to use as a beverage bin.  Just fill with ice and drinks, and you're ready to go! (Also try a blow up kid's pool)

3. Chalkboard paint has gotten incredibly popular lately, so it might as well be involved in your bar.  Here is a carafe and cups from Pier 1; keep a cup of multi-colored chalk out so guests can label their cups, or fill the carafe with wine or a mixed drink and label it!  Best thing is, you know the label won't fall of or fall down if it's written right on the glass!

4. These dispensers are pretty awesome, they're from Target and I just think a perfect way to serve anything!  I love lemonade and I have a lot of friends who love mixing iced tea and lemonade; or put in any punch recipe you have!

Now for things to actually drink out of!

1. Orange tumbler glasses, found at One Kings Lane.  A tumbler (short and wide) glass is great for classic mixed drinks like Jack and Coke.

2. Highball glasses.  I went with a classic highball glass from World Market.  These are also great for mixed drinks, but perfect for a tall glass of soda or lemonade too.

3. Purple wineglasses.  I like that these are short and sturdy wine glasses, no skinny stems that can be awkward to hold.  Since these aren't traditional wine glasses either, they're a perfect multi-tasking bar glass.  They'd be perfect for frozen/blended drinks, like margaritas or daiquiris, and still work for wine!

Finally drink accessories!!



1. Fancy Ice Cubes!  Just stick lemon slices, herbs, fruit into your ice cube trays, add the water, and freeze.  Also, you could make the ice cubes out of any beverage, like lemonade or ice tea.

2. To really have a complete bar, you need actual tools to make drinks.  This is a complete set (that comes in an ice bucket!) from Crate & Barrel that has measures, a strainer, bottle opener, just everything.

3. Finally, Wine charms!  I like these little wine monsters that stick onto the stem of the wine glass.  There are tons of wine charm options out there; I saw bowties, mustaches, flowers, holiday-specific ones, etc.  If you don't want to buy a specific set, you could use pipe cleaners or Silly Bands.

You don't have to have every liquor/drink option to have a complete bar, just make sure you have a couple options, alcoholic and non, and whatever tools people might need...no need for a shaker if you have a couple pitchers of sangria out!



Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Color Me Tuesday: Red, White, and Blue-tiful!

My goal for this post was to find some awesome red, white, and blue party accessories that weren't limited to your 4th of July party, but that you can keep using/wearing/drinking/eating throughout the year...and I think I was mostly successful!
  • Kitchen Treaty's Strawberry Lime Rose Sangria already has my mouth watering - perfect for a 4th of July party but when doesn't sangria work? You could also get super creative and whip up a blue/dark purple sangria with blueberries and blackberries and/or a white sangria with white wine, green applies, and pears!
  • Etsy seller, The White Pepper, is selling these gorgeous mid-century pans - perfect for serving hot food or snacks at your party and a welcome addition to your kitchen anytime...actually, I might have to get these for myself
  • Hot dog/Burger baskets from World Market! These just scream summer and make piling on the bbq goodness onto your plate that much easier
  • Get this adorable seersucker outfit for your little one (they're celebrating too!) from Baby Tweeds
  • Impress everyone with this magical flag cake (directions from Secret Life of a Chef's Wife)
  • I can't believe that these combo cooler/speaker tote bags even exist...it's the unicorn of any outdoor party - Pottery Barn
  • These dip-dye placemats from West Elm are definitely classy enough for your table all year long - I've seen DIY instructions for this sort of technique too, so you could get super crafty and make them yourself....more of a dip-diy if you know what I mean!!
  • Looking to spice up your cake bunting? Get the DIY on this sweet korker curl banner from Sweeter than Sweets 
  • Don't forget about yourself! Even though these j.crew shorts are more pink than red, I don't think anyone will notice because you'll look so awesome at the party

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Friday Favorites: Stars and Stripes

Stars and Stripes are classic Americana, and yes, essential for a 4th of July/any summer party.  So here are some ideas on how to incorporates stars and/or stripes into your next party!


These are all called "barn stars" and I love them.  I like how they're more muted and vintage-y.
I found these ones at: Amazon, Amazon (again), and Etsy.


If you're having a party you better be serving some food, so you need stuff to put all the delicious stuff in.

These were all found at One Kings Lane. Red Striped Bowl; Star Bowls; and Stars & Stripes Bowl.

Now for a few things (all right, more than a few) I just liked and thought y'all would enjoy too!


Since there are a few things here, I'll go ahead and list them out.
1. Stars and Stripes Fabric, perfect for a tablecloth, and like the barn stars above, I love how its a softer red/white/blue.
2. Burlap Ribbon would be perfect for a more rustic party; tie it around chairs or mason jars.
3. Pinwheel Party Picks, just a dressed up toothpick plus who doesn't like pinwheels?
4. American Flag Pillow, the living room can be patriotic too.
5. Blue Fabric with White Stars, another great idea for a tablecloth--still patriotic and on theme but a little more subtle.
6. Striped Serving Set, because red and white stripes also remind me of candy canes, this set could serve double duty at 4th of July and Christmas.
7. Picnic Basket.  What's better than a picnic on the 4th of July?  Having a red, white, & blue striped picnic basket, that's what.
8. Red striped straws, straws are just fun, even if people don't use them, a big cluster of them in a mason jar would be a cute table decoration.
9. Wine Charms!  Lets be honest, wine charms are essential, and you can stick them on any glass with a stem (like say a margarita glass?).

Hope you all liked all these Stars and Stripes inspired items!

And sorry for the delay in posting!  Don't forget to check back next Tuesday for Mal's Red, White, and Blue-tiful post

Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday Favorites: Buzzworthy Events!

We've been bad...we know it. But maybe some of these Bee-utiful bee-themed party ideas will make up for our absences?

Oh, and just bee-cause we couldn't resist, some bee-themed party lines:
Bee Happy!
Bee Spectacular!
Hap-bee Birthday!
A Ba-Bee Shower!
  1. These awesome stamps instantly bee-up your invites, favors, and basically anything that can be stamped.  I saw them on Design Sponge and I believe their made by Lush Prints.
  2. Use these elegant bee cut-out boxes for small gifts or favors (from Etsy seller Somerset Market)
  3. Want to get a more subtle bee-idea across? Make an awesome honeycomb photo mosaic following these directions from Minted Strawberry.
  4. Get a whole honey-tasting party kit from Williams-Sonoma!
  5. Learn how to etch your own glass jars with fun bee prints from Mallory Paige.
  6. Get kids in on the action with this adorable bee pinata (from pinterest, but I think the original is from country living)
  7. These adorable cupcakes by Lisa Storms are instantly bee-d up with some honeycombs cereal - brilliant!
  8. Of course Martha has this amazing cake - the recipe is for the marzipan bees, and I think I've seen a honeycomb (or honeycomb-esque) pan from Williams-Sonoma
  9. Chocolate Beehive Cupcakes from Sweetopia...amazing. adorable. adjective-tacular

Friday, May 24, 2013

Friday Favorites: Dots!

Ok this is about polka dots, all sorts of polka dots, but I couldn't really think of a particularly witty title.  Also, sorry for the delay in posting, Malerie and I had finals but back to posting!

I love dots.  So here are some of my favorite dotty things.



Polka dot envelopes.  Yes.  You can make the liner any colors and any sized dots for whatever occasion/party you're having. 

Confetti Bags.  These are serving up double dot duty.  The bags are dotted and they hold dot confetti.  It's perfect.  Martha Stewart has them in a wedding slideshow but I think it works for any occassion, especially a kids party.  Or you could just use the bag for favors and sprinkle dot confetti over a table.

Take out boxes.   If you're giving out food as favors or having a candy buffet, these would be perfect.  Go to World Market's website, search "dots" and there are tons of results.  These take out boxes also come in lots of different colors.

More polka dot bags.  Ok, maybe three options for polka dot favor boxes/bags is a little much for one post, or should be its own post all together, but I love these.  They're kind of muted but still fun; kind of a more grown up dot.

Polka Dot Straws! Don't underestimate the little things; plus they're just cute, why wouldn't you have them at your party. 

Polka dot cake!!!  Obviously I'm excited by this.  It's dots on the inside and out, what more could you want?

Really, any dot, any color, or any sphere would work perfectly for a dot inspired party.  For a candy buffet just get M & Ms, Sixlets, gumballs, even chocolate truffles would work!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Friday Favorites: Papel Picado

In the spirit of Cinco De Mayo, I thought I'd look into some Papel Picado!  If you've never heard of it before, it's a type of Mexican folk art where paper (often tissue paper) is cut into intricate designs (using scissors or even a specialty chisel) and then strung up into lovely banners. I've picked out a few of my favorite papel picado designs, products, and DIY so get ready for one heck of a fiesta!
  1. Just an example of some beautiful, intricately cut papel picado - it's used a lot during dia de los muertos so if you google images, you'll see lots of skull motifs (pic from this blog)
  2. Supercute invitations from Etsy seller Carta Modello 
  3. An awesome wedding cake from A Sweet Design - this would also be cute on cupcakes and I love the pop of color from those flowers!
  4. DIY some cute mini papel picado with this Studio DIY craft and instantly brighten up any celebration
  5. So I couldn't find directions, but here's a great pic of a papel picado chandelier (from the examiner.com - make your own papel picado (or buy some) and then just wire it into a chandelier - so chic
  6. Tie in the theme to every aspect of your fiesta with these papel picado decorated straws - get the DIY from Cupcakes and Cutlery
Have fun!