{event showcase} Let the Ghoul Times Roll Halloween Party

Halloween came early for the Dorfman ghouls ... err, girls and their friends!  Last Saturday afternoon, which was a great day to play outside, 35 kids and half as many adults joined us for our annual Boo Bash.  This year's theme was Let the Ghoul Times Roll, a Mardi-Gras inspired Halloween party for little ghouls (princesses, zombies, wizards, witches and superheros, too) complete with beads, masks, donuts (in lieu of beignets) and live jazz music.  It was like a spooktacular New Orleans festival!

Below are the details. You may want to bookmark this party for next year!

I don't like to brag ... but isn't this the cutest party invitation?!!!  I love the ghouls!  Once again, the talented ladies of Frog Prince Paperie designed the invitation and adorable coordinating printables.

While the party was held outdoors, I did decorate the front door with this fantastic fabric from Joanns.  It is decorated with little ghosts wearing masks, including some Mardi Gras masks.  The hanging plastic ghost is a perrenial favorite decoration; I just added beads from my girls dress-up box.

No surprise, the snack table was a big hit with these hungry ghouls!  Ghoulishly Good Treats included:

Assorted donut holes

Cheese-flavored popcorn

Red Delicious apples

Candy corn

M&Ms

Half Pint Bottled Water

Assorted Little Hugs Juice

Starbucks Coffee

Hot Apple Cider

In addition to the colorful food, I used existing Halloween decorations, including old fabric remnents, to create my display.  I hand-stamped lime green paper sacks for popcorn bags.  Served drinks in a witches cauldron.  Used glitter cardstock to create a simple "banner" backdrop.

Guests' favorite decoration - the Boo Cups!  They are easy to make.  Just attach googly eyes to the white cups and serve! 

There were two craft stations to keep children busy and creative.  They could decorate a mask with feathers and glitter glue and string candy necklaces. 

Both activities were well received.

I also had plenty of orange, green and purple beaded necklaces for the children (and adults) to wear!

The highlight of our Mardi Gras-inspired Boo Bash was the musical entertainment!  Pablo Grabiel and his friends from DC Music Entertainment filled the air with lively jazz music ... and some familiar Halloween songs, too.  In particular, they encouraged the children to sing Ghostbusters and dance the Monster Mash.  Other Halloween hits included:

Witchcraft
Thriller
Adams Family
People are Strange
You Put a Spell on Me
Let the Goul Times Roll
Purple People Eater

Additionally, they showed the kids how to make spooky sounds on the instruments!

The music definitely appealed to kids and adults of all ages!  I received many positive compliments.

Each year, we conclude the Boo Bash with tractor rides!  It is the most antcipated portion of the party; guests line up to take a ride ... over and over!  This year, my husband got a new ... and bigger ... cart and faster tractor ... so the rides were more thrilling for the kids.  He zips them around the property and when the ride is over, they hop back in line for another turn.  It's like being at Kings Dominion (or other amusement park with rides)!!

So that's the scoop on this year's Boo Bash!  The Ghoul Times definitely Rolled; we had a great time and I hope that I inspired you to shake up your traditional holidays with a few creative twists!!  If so, please leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

{event showcase} Bucket List 60th Birthday

I produce a lot of milestone birthday celebrations and love the challenge of coming up with just the right theme to fit the guest of honor ... but on this occasion, I produced a 60th birthday party based on my client's idea; she wanted a Bucket List themed party for her husband.  At first I was hesitant because there seemed to be a disconnect between celebrating life and preparing for death but I think, together, we pulled the Bucket List theme off in a humorous, light-hearted manner!  Below are the details.  I'd love to read your opinions on this theme - is it a yah or nay?

Bucket List invitation was custom designed by the talented ladies at Frog Prince Paperie.  The design incorporates the brown and blue furnishings at the party venue with a pop of orange for a touch of whimsy.

To keep guests busy until the guest of honor arrived (to be surprised), they were encouraged to fill Mike's bucket ... a shiny silver champagne bucket from Pottery Barn that was engraved locally.  This display was set up near the entrance.  Guests submitted humorous suggestions like 'sail around the world' and 'buy your baby brother a boat'.  Poster and suggestion sheets of paper were also designed by Frog Prince Paperie.

A milestone party isn't complete without a baby photo! 

Every party has delicious food, correct?!  This party was no exception ... the food was exceptional (I had to do quality control so I know)! Fusions Cuisine prepared this ourstanding menu:

Passed Hors d'oeuvres

Vietnamese Vegetable Rolls with Hoisin Lime Sauce

Miniature Crabcakes with Smoked Onion Remoulade and Celery Apple Relish

Lemoncello Shrimp Cocktail (YUM!)

Dinner Buffet

Tarragon Chicken served on a bed of Rattatouille

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Early Fall Vegetable Salad

Baby Arugula Salad

Assorted Breads and Butter

To round out this culinary experience, I ordered homemade pies - apple, chocolate and the birthday boy's favorite, coconut cream - in lieu of a traditional birthday cake.  It was the perfect fall treat!

It turned out to be a gorgeous fall evening, just the right temperature to extend the party (and the bar) outside, which gave guests more room to dance!  For music, I secured custom playlists for their iPod and a sound system.  As the evening progressed, the music evolved from Southern Rock to Popular Top 40 Dance music.  According to my client, the party wrapped up an hour later so everyone could keep dancing.  I think that's a good sign of party success!

So, what do you think?  Is a Bucket List party on your List?!  Please leave me a comment to let me know.

{in season} Pumpkins!

Like many of you, I've discovered Pinterest (and spend way too much time exploring sooo many creative and inspiring ideas)!  For instance, a quick search on "pumpkin decor" revealed thousands of fabulous ideas for embellishing a gorgeous gourd or making your own, not to mention a ton of yummy recipes.  Below are two ideas for posh pumpkin decor in a pinch ... plus an easy cheese pumpkin recipe from Betty Crocker!  Let's begin ...

Thank you Martha Stewart for inspiring another use for my orange paper lanterns!  Just add a stem and green paper leaves for 'lil pumpkin cuteness.

I can't wait to make this paper pumpkin centerpiece with my girls!  Creative and crafty blogger, Aly Dosdall, made these pumpkins from circles of scrapbooking paper!

This photo just looks too festive ... and according to the Betty Crocker recipe, these Cheese Pumpkins are really easy to make - rolled cheddar cheese, chopped peanuts, pretzel stick and parsley! 

Do you have a favorite pumpkin idea?  If so, please leave a comment to let us know!

{event showcase} Pixies & Pirates 5th Birthday

Does your little girl love wings, wands and tutus ... and perhaps a certain water fairy?  Mine, too!  Like a butterfly, she seems to flit from place to place and like Tinkerbell's friend, Silvermist, she has a talent for water ... the amazing talent for jumping in puddles, splashing in the bathtub and more!  She also loves watching Jake and the Neverland Pirates on Disney.  So when she insisted on a Silvermist birthday party, I knew just what to plan ... a Pixies and Pirates theme!

Below is my interpretation of this theme.  I hope you are inspired to create your own [Water] Pixies and Pirates birthday party!

The invitation designed by Little Pig Press

 

The birthday girl in her Silvermist blue tutu and not-so-matching pink/purple wings, headband and wand!  Each girl received a fairy costume (from Once Upon a Tutu)... and they thought it was great fun to mix and match the colors!

A splash of elegance for the adults table!

Saphhire blue and turquoise linens on a white tablecloth (from BBJ Linens) quickly created the water element for this party.  I embellished the table with seashells, fish netting, coastal driftwood ... and Pixie Hollow dolls!  I completed the look with my personal collection of fish silverware and glasses !

Ahoy Matey!  This pirate's ship table was set for kids!

I purchased a pirate's ship kit online (from Wants and Wishes) and added a black linen.  It was the masterpiece of the party; the kids loved their ship!  To complete the look, I added red napkins, a treasure chest of Pirate's Booty snacks (bottom left photo), a bottle of seashells and scattered plastic gold coins.

Other pirate elements included cookies for dessert (from my local bakery, Patisserie Lille) and a repurposed treasure chest to hold the scavenger hunt loot bags.

After lunch, the kids were invited outside for a scavenger hunt to find the treasure chest of loot.  Each child was given a map (seen in the photo above, from Your Little Cupcake) with these instructions on the back (inspired by this fairy party):

Pixies and Pirate put on your boots;

You’ll be traveling far for some old pirate’s loot.

Follow these clues to an old wooden chest,

Full of the things that you all like the best.

The first clue, if the chest is to be found, is waiting on the playground.

[Encouraged by a sign that read 'Faith and trust, and a little bit of pixie dust ... that is all you need to fly' and some Pixie Stixs, the children flew around the trampoline]

If you want the next clue, you must do as I say;

Gather round in a circle and sing “Happy Birthday!”

Now look for a stump, where a tree used to be,

You’ll find some tattoos waiting from me.

[The children applied an assortment of fairy and pirate tattoos to their arms]

Next, look for some water, to cool off from the heat;

You’re getting closer to finding a wonderful treat.

[It turned out to be a chilly afternoon so the children pretended to launch water balloons at the opposing ship of pirates ... instead of each other.  Plan B was perfect!]

When you find my sweet treasure, you will have me to thank,

But before you can find it, you must each walk the plank!

[The children walked the plank - a piece of wood on two stacks of bricks - with a plastic alligator below]

Then onto the ship deck, near the grill, you will find a small box that will give you a thrill.

Inside the treasure chest were pirate loot bags (goodie bags) filled with Hershey's Nuggets (chocolates wrapped in gold foil), Gold Mine bubble gum, ring pops and rock candy.

A (homemade) sandcastle cake embellished with seaglass, brown sugar for beach sand and Silvermist!

The birthday girl with some of her 'loot'! 

Did this article inspire you to create your own water fairy (and pirates) birthday party?  If so, please leave me a comment to let me know!

Welcome Guests with Inviting Front Door Decor

Photo credit Pottery Barn via Pinterest

One of the basic tenets of successful event management is to create an environment ... to offer guests a positive impression and, depending on the event, to establish the theme of your party.  The environment might be your living room, private dining room or ballroom.  Regardless of venue, the room should incorporate the look and feel of the party.  One tactic, especially, if you have to stretch your budget, is to focus on the entrance or reception area.  For example, front door decorations like the photo above would be so inviting for a fall gathering!

 I'd love to hear from you about your front door/party entrance decorations.  If you have an idea to share or opinion on the topic, please leave me a comment.

'Ritas and Ribs

Have you ever been stuck, creatively challenged to come up with a birthday party theme?  Sometimes, I am, too.  My go-to strategy is to evaluate the guest of honor's interests and hobbies but another option is to consider their favorite food and drinks!  That's what my client did when she hosted a birthday party for her husband.  She invited guests to a BBQ and Margaritas party, which I finessed into a 'Ritas and Ribs party!

Other festive food and drink pairings include:

Wine and Cheese ...classic!

Beer and Brats ...Oktoberfest?

Mimosas & Muffins ...Sunday Brunch?

Scotch & Chocolate ...fit for a man!

Champagne & Cupcakes ...sophisticated celebration!

Mistletoe & Martinis ...office holiday party!

When in doubt, how about Sips and Dips?!!

So back to 'Ritas and Ribs ... if you want to host your own, then please read my September newsletter, party possibilities!  I've included all the details plus lots of photos.

Was this article helpful to you?  If so, please leave me a comment and let me know.

{sneak peek} Let the Ghoul Times Roll!

I'm so excited!!  Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn, which means I can comfortably talk about holiday parties ... including the cutest little Boo Bash I'm hosting next month!!!

Every year since my oldest daughter could barely walk, I've hosted a Boo Bash!  Held outdoors with fun activities, delicious treats and fantastic entertainment, it's our family's annual celebration.  This year's theme is Let the Ghoul Times Roll, a Halloween party with a twist of Mardi Gras.  Children will enjoy beading Halloween necklaces and decorating frightful masks, as well as eating mini beignets with apple cider.  The highlight of the party will be an Jazz Trio, who will interact with the children, play our favorite Halloween songs and make spooky sounds on the instruments.  Interesting idea?  I think so, too!

To make this theme really work, I needed a strong graphic image for my invitation and eventually, party decorations.  With a little bit of guidance, the talented ladies of Frog Prince Paperie, Paula and her colleague Renee, designed the invitation pictured above.  Isn't it fabulous?!!! 

Have I inspired you to host a Let the Ghoul Times Roll Halloween party?  If yes, you'll want to order these invitations, now available on the Frog Prince Paperie etsy store ... and leave a comment to share your party ideas!

{in season} Pumpkin Spice Yumminess!

Love Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte?  Me, too!  After a quick coffee fix last week, on a rather chilly Friday afternoon, I started thinking about fall, pumpkins and parties (not necessarily in that order!).  I envisioned sipping hot lattes with friends around an outdoor fire pit or perhaps sharing them with out-of-town guests at a post-wedding Sunday Brunch. 

Whatever you envision, if you want Pumpking Spice Lattes at your next fall party, below is a yummy beverage recipe, plus a few dessert recipes, to inspire a tasteful celebration!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Recipe from Cook Like a Champion

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons pumpkin purée

Directions

Combine water and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil. Strain syrup through cheesecloth into a large glass measuring cup. Transfer to bottle of your choice and store in the refrigerator.

To make a pumpkin spice latte, simply add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of syrup for each shot of espresso. For an iced latte, stir together syrup and espresso before adding desired amount of cold milk. For a hot latte, add frothed milk and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Spice Truffles

Recipe on Annie's Eats

Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

Recipe on Better Homes and Gardens

Pumpkin Granola

Recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod

{event showcase} Party Animals! Birthday at the Zoo

Last month, I produced a party for a sweet little boy's 2nd birthday at the Reston Zoo!  The result was colorful and playful and so much fun.  Here are the details in case you need a little birthday inspiration:

The Reston Zoo is an attractive park with clean pavilions, super staff and great entertainment like wagon rides and animal shows, as well as petting and visiting the animals ... but my client wanted a little more - like festive decorations, catered picnic lunch and nicer goodie bags.  So this is what I created ...

We leveraged the colors and animals from the invitation (top collage, middle photo) and incorporated them into decorations, birthday cake, even the disposables.

To bring the Zoo-fari experience to life, I covered the picnic tables in natural burlap and placed plush animals in red square boxes embellished with fresh tropical greens on top.  I added pops of color with clusters of paper lanterns and a large welcome sign.

As children arrived, they received a safari hat, toy binoculars and animal crackers, as well as feed for the animals which I placed in a colorful striped handle bag from Target and embellished with a "Don't Feed the Animals" tag.

Children were invited to visit and feed the animals before a private wagon ride through the park and then, an animal show at the pavilion.  The Zookeepers brought a baby lama, an iguana and little chick for the children to explore.

After the animal show and much hand sanitizer, guests were invited to a picnic lunch that included assorted sandwiches, sliced fruit and bags of kettle chips. 

  

My camera died before lunch so I didn't get photos of the picnic buffet or desserts but these adorable fondant animals topped the 8" smash cake and cupcakes; you should have seen the piggy's squiggly tail!  Assorted cookies and bars were also offered.

As children were leaving the party, they received a goodie bag filled with an animal coloring book with animal shaped recycled crayons, an animal paperback book and trinkets from the Zoo.  The goodie bag is a gift tote (again, from Target) embellished with a strip of burlap, red curly ribbon and a  yellow notecard.  Super easy!

Contributing vendors included:

Reston Zoo

Windows Catering

Two Sugar Babies

So what did you think of my client's enhanced Zoo party?  Did it inspire you to celebrate at the Zoo?  Please leave me a comment to let me know!

{fall cocktail parties} Verrines

Have you ever heard of a verrine?  I discovered verrines last night when I was flipping through my new Viva Terra catalog and was intrigued by the photo above.  Nice presentation, yes?  A quick Internet search revealed that verrines - not be confused with terrines - are sweet or savory dishes made by artfully layering the ingredients in a clear glass container.  Kind of like a parfait but the ingredient combinations, not to mention color, texture and flavors possibilities are endless!

According to my research, verrines are very popular in France; in fact, most of the recipes I found were in French.  I guess this trend has been slow to reach the United States (or maybe we're calling it something else?), but I think the presentation would be great for a fall dinner party - a layered colorful salad for the first course or a deconstructed apple pie for dessert, either served in a stemless wine or martini glass.  Other serving containers might include shot glasses or cylinder votive holders. 

For more information about verrines and inspiring ideas for your fall party, please read this NPR article, Verrines: A Glass Act.

So what do you think about verrines - fun presentation or too much effort?  Please leave me a comment to let me know!

Real Simple Ideas for Labor Day Celebrations

I came across this online article by Real Simple magazine titled "Summertime New Uses for Old Things".  So many of their ideas are genius, especially for hosting parties and celebrations.  Here are a few of my favorites, perfect for a work-free Labor Day get-together!

DECOR

Everyday drinking glasses make great candle holders!

Who doesn't need an extra side table when entertaining?!

FOOD

Clever way to organize your condiments and disposables!

As a mom to three messy little girls, I love this idea - and I've seen it with watermelon slices, too (just add a popsicle stick through the rind)!

Paper plates + frisbee = happy (mess-free) guests!

Neat trick for preparing ice cream in advance.  Perfect for children's birthday parties, too!

DRINKS

Hot temps, melting ice?  No worries with a rubber band grip!

Perhaps my favorite idea of all.  I love the practical application ... and bright pop of color.

Protect your wine bottle with your child's floatie!  Great for picnics, too - like my picnic dinner at Wolf Trap on Sunday evening!  My family is going to see Peter Pan on our work-free holiday.

So, what summertime new uses for old things idea do you like best?  Please leave a comment!

Back-to-School Bash

Been back-to-school supply shopping yet?  It's an overwhelming experience, especially if you bring your child(ren) along!  If only I had seen this charming back-to-school dessert table beforehand, I would have been amused ... and seen the endless cartons of supplies from a whole different [party] perspective!

If you're hosting a back-to-school bash, then click here for more clever inspiration, including a tutorial for making the pencil cake.  My favorite detail is the pink eraser candy; what is yours?



{sneak peek} Pixies and Pirates Invitation

I can't contain my happiness!  I received these invitations for my daughter's "Pixies & Pirates" 5th birthday party! They are super adorable, especially the touches of glitter, which the scanned image does not do justice.  These invitations were designed and embellished by Jane at Little Pig Press. 

A sprinkle of fairy dust,

Lots of swashbuckling fun;

Kyra can't wait for her

 5th birthday to come!

The party is next month, just after the girls go back to school!  Until then, I'm busy ordering wings and wands, as well eye patches and swords ... and talking my husband into making a cardboard pirate ship ... so the kids can walk the plank!  More inspiring details to come!

{event showcase} cool outdoor movie birthday party

We're half way through summer so before you send the kids back to school or close up your pool, host a cool outdoor movie party!  It's so much fun - and I've got the game plan to get you started ... just read on for inspiration.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I hosted a party to celebrate our birthdays.  We wanted a casual, family-friendly party to allow many friends to attend.  We decided on an outdoor movie, which would entertain the children while the adults mingled.

After all these years, we're still cool!

The invitation was really simple.  I hand-stamped the fan on poppy PS circle labels, printed the rest from a Word document and tucked the invitation into a navy blue #10 envelope.

This fan is an antique treasure found on etsy!  Not only is it a retro fan but it's orange and blue, which complemented my party colors!  It became the centerpiece of my cool concession stand.

We're movie fans!

Door sign sent guests around to the back of the house, where they voted for their favorite movie - Ice Age and Happy Feet (cold movies) or Shrek Forever After (new release).

The movie screen was set up on the pool deck so we placed chairs in front as well as on the upper deck.  I used existing seating (orange!) and enhanced the space with twill cotton linens, navy blue runners, orange lanterns with fresh blue purim and delphinium, candles and fun pillows.

Other pops of color came from food, drinks and decor!

Since the movie started at 8:30, food was light and simple.  Concessions included boxed movie candy, popcorn and two-bite vanilla cupcakes embellished with sugared orange slices.  I also served cantelope balls and blueberries (which complemented my color scheme); crab artichoke dip with pita chips (yum!); and baked raviolis.

The cocktails were my favorite part of the party!  Once again, thinking about my color scheme, I selected orange and blue cocktails - Orange Iced Tea and Blueberry Sangria Lemonade.  The latter is my new favorite summer cocktail!  Also, I offered bottled water (embellished with strips of fabric and ribbon) and assorted soda, including fanta (get it, fan-ta!!).  Drinks were served in blue plastic cups and garnished with orange slices.

fan-tastic fun!!  I know - enough already, but I was having fun!

Aside from the movie, there were glass firefly jars (topped with orange and blue fabric) and bubble wands (to wave!) to keep children busy and entertained.

Happy Feet was the most voted movie.  Many children and adults enjoyed it; however, the lesson learned is to select the movie that your children want to watch.  When they sit and watch, other children will too!

We used our own movie equipment but many rental options exist; just Google it.

Did this party inspire you to host a cool outdoor movie party?  If so, please leave a comment and let me know!