{Decor} Tuesday - Fabric Banner

How sweet is this fabric garland? I love this idea for your little ones' birthday parties. It's a  simple tear and tie project that replaces your typical banner. Mix different fabrics with different styles of ribbons for a bigger pop.


 With a stylish banner like this behind your cake table, you can keep everything else simple and let your banner shine. 

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/fabric-garland-tutorial.jpg

{Stationary} Monday - Ice Pop Paper

It's almost August and I can feel the summer almost coming to an end. Almost. Before summer winds down, it has to heat up. Ice pops are a daily part of my kids diet when the weather gets too hot to bare. Here is a great ice pop paper idea for any summer event. 


For any summer wedding, I love these unexpected ice pop program. This can easily be changed around and be a great summer birthday party or barbecue invite. Print your own, add a popsicle stick, and you're all set!



http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5519456924_61c2a8070e.jpg



http://jesseeubanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Lauren-and-Jeremiah-Wedding-Program-Mockup.jpg

It's National Cheesecake Day!

It's National Cheesecake Day! Enjoy some yummy cheesecake or make these no bake cheesecake pops! 



http://cleverpinkpirate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/cheesecakepops3-1024x685.jpg

It's National Lasagna Day!

Today is National Lasagna Day, so I thought I would share my favorite way to serve up lasagna - mini style!

The mini food trend for events is still going strong and doesn't appear to be going anywhere. If you're looking to serve lasagna because you love it or because you can make it yourself, why not try serving mini sizes. These are easy to bake in cupcake trays, easy to eat with your fingers, and easy to impress your guests with their adorable presentation. 

image from www.kevinandamanda.com


Check out one great recipe at Kevin and Amanda here.

{Foodie} Wednesday - Fruit Ice

Earlier this month Rachel Ray had what has to be one of the best and simple summer ideas I've seen. Prepping for the Fourth of July, she cubed some watermelon and stuck them in the freezer. A little while later she had watermelon ice cubes. Using the frozen fruit instead of ice cubes keeps your drinks from being diluted and adds a little flavor.


If you're serving up water this summer, this is an easy way to add a little kick to it. Cut and freeze the fruit beforehand, and you won't spend time the morning of your party worrying about it. The dose of color turns a plain pitcher of water into table decor. Stuff your pitcher and watch your guests drink and eat it all up.

What am I going to do with this? I plan on making some fresh sangria and adding frozen fruit to chill it. I'm betting there won't be much left!

http://bestfamilytraditions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/fruit-in-water.jpg

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/recipe/ss_R068372.jpg

{Decor} Tuesday - Paper Fans

You may not think of a paper fan as being quality decor for an event. You made them in grade school and tossed them as quickly as they were made. Who would think that these inexpensive paper fans could make a big style impact when done right - in clusters!


If you are looking for a super easy, inexpensive, and eye-catching decor project, give these a try. You don't need massive amounts of these fans to make a statement. A large size frame filled with these can take a simple sweets table from "how nice" to "damn!". Smaller frames with 3-5 smaller fans can be used again to unify the decor on a buffet style food table or your guest tables.


You can find an array of colors and styles at your local craft shop. Have fun, and mix it up when your picking your paper. If you stick with your colors, mixing patterns will make it look like you spent hours planning it out. If you're as indecisive as I am, give yourself 5-10 minutes to pick out the paper styles to keep from over thinking it.


Here is a great paper fan tutorial from Blue Cricket Designs here.


Image from party.tipjunkie.com.

{Stationary} Mondays - Summer Placecards

I love this beach chair and umbrella seating card (from marthastewartweddings.com) for any summer event, but especially for those beach events. This is an easy way to make a statement with your cards and the materials are fairly inexpenive. Print your cards up, bend slightly, attach a drink parasol to each with some glue, and your cards are set for a great display. A shallow tray with a small layer of sand is a great setting for these cards, or you can use a sand colored tablecloth to keep the beach feel. 

{Foodie} Wednesday

When you're planning your own event, food and drinks can be a little overwhelming to think about. From picking what to server, figuring out how you'll make it, finding the time to make it, and then finding a way to serve it up can be enough to make you shut down mentally (I did a few times thinking about my own wedding!) But choosing to do your own food and drink doesn't have to be an overwhelming task. 

Every Wednesday we'll have a new idea to inspire you on your food and drink DIY projects.

Today's inspiration is this colorful drink bar set up. I love pour your own drink bars, especially if you're planning an event or wedding on a budget. You can premake the drink mixes - which means you won't have to do that one the day of, you can buy your own alcohol and don't need to pay for a bartender - which means you will save, and the set up is beautiful - which means you'll wow your guests. Because really, when was that last time you saw a bar that had as much character as this set up here? 

Casual or formal, this idea can modified easily to fit for any occasion, season, or budget.

 

http://photos.weddingbycolor-nocookie.com/p000011266-m111087-p-photo-297500/wedding-lemonade.jpg

Enjoy your hump day!

{Decor} Tuesday

It's Decor Tuesday! Let's make a day for DIY event decor. I hope that Tuesday's will give you some inspiration for your own event and help you take DIY up a notch.

I took this image from an old Victoria's magazine of my mother's. When I first saw it, I instantly thought these tiny jars with single flower stems would make a great centerpiece gathered together, then a great favor to take home at the end of the night. 

If you are going for a lower centerpiece, a fuller style will keep it from looking sparce. Adding a couple stems of a fuller flower to a grouping of smaller jars should do the trick. It's quick to do if you're doing other aspects of your big day yourself, which means you won't spend hours cursing out your flowers before you've gotten to enjoy them. The smaller size makes them easier to store and transport. 

image from theknot.com

If you have the time, painting your jars in your color or even in white can add a glamorous touch to the simple jars. If you are sticking with white or ivory linens, the pop of color from these glass jars centerpieces is a great visual addition to the table. 

image from bridesmaid.com

Keep it simple and beautiful!

{Stationary Monday}

Welcome to stationary Mondays! I have always loved DIY projects, and today starts a new focus on the blog: DIY events. Every Monday, we'll feature a DIY stationary idea for you to use for your wedding, birthday party, or special event. 


To kick off Stationary Monday (lets hope I find a better name for this day soon!), I am starting with an old Martha Stewart idea I just used for my daughters' birthday invitation. 


If you're printing your own invitations, which is becoming more and more popular - even for weddings - adding an extra touch will quickly elevate your invitation status. Lining your envelopes with a great pattern or colored paper is a quick, easy to assemble, and high style way of presenting your event. 


Using craft paper is always great, but it can get costly once you get into cutting to the size of your envelope and the number of sheets you need. A great alternative to a lining paper is wrapping paper. You can find any style of paper in just about any color at local stores like Target, or your can order online for an even bigger selection. The roll will take your farther than craft paper, and if you grab extra, you can use it on other accents to pull everything together.


Here is a picture of the Mermaid and Pirate invitation I just did. This lining was scrapbook paper purchased on clearance for 15 cents for a 12" x 12" page.

I love this image from marthastewart.com where she mixes similar patterns for different style envelopes. Using different patterns in similar color will give you the freedom to get creative and not worry about getting enough of one style. It's a great DIY saver, has great design, but most people will think you're super creative!

A Little Rockstar for a Little Cousin

A couple of weeks ago, we did an impromptu party for my little cousin. I love how now I can pop a custom banner and toppers out of thin air!

I would have loves to do a full blown party from this theme- a party rock birthday.

These Rockstar cupcake toppers were. stuck in the frosting without any toothpicks. Simple and fun!

My Little Fourth

This Fourh of July, we kept it very simple in our house. A lot of late night hours and early days made the fourth a day of relaxing, swimming, and some fireworks to close out the night. It was exactly what we needed mid week.

To keep things simple, but have little fun, I baked some cupcakes in jars. My sister sent me the link below, which was one of my favorite links she's sent me (from thousands, probably!). While this first try didn't come out as I planned, it was a great first attempt. I can't wait to try more of these.

Cupcakes in a jar a great for smaller events where each guest can have their own jar. It's easy to prep before hand, set up ahead of time, and looks stunning from a simple glass container.

Traveling on a birthday? Pack one of these and a candle, and you're ready for an impromptu "Happy Birthday"!

http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/cakes-baking/desserts-recipes-in-a-jar-cake/strawberry-shortcake/#_slide