{Invitation Showcase} Good Luck, Charlie Birthday

Some chidlren's birthday party themes are easy to bring to life!  The birthday girl loves Charms Blow Pops so you host a Candyland party or the birthday boy loves Tonka trucks so you host a construction party.  Simple and fun parties to plan.  But what happens when the birthday girl loves a favorite TV show because one of the actresses wears fashionable clothes, sings, dances, gets into lots of silly mayhem ... and documents it all in a video diary for her little sister?  Yeah, exactly  ... good luck, Charlie!  

This party is one of my latest party challenges.  We ultimately decided on a hip-hop dance party for a dozen fashionable little girls and the older sister will be responsible for the video diary!  Should be fun ... and simple!

To create the invitation for the birthday party, I worked with Paula of Frog Prince Paperie.  Fortunately, she's seen the TV show and with a little guidance, she designed this super cuter invitation that mails this week.

What's great about this invitation is that I have a color palette and defined look and feel for the party, which will make decor purchases a lot easier!

Have you been challenged to create a child's birthday party based on a TV show?  If so, please leave a comment to let me know what you did to bring the show to life!

{Snow in Love} DIY Fruit-Infused Spirits

Want to encourage fun at your next cocktail party?  Offer homemade fruit-infused spirits!  Not only will guests enjoy experimenting with flavors but the experience will inspire conversation ... and did I mention that the cocktails will be absolutely delicious?!

If you recall from a recent blog post on 2012 Party Trends, homemade fruity spirits are pretty popular.  Celebrity mixologists, and the upscale bars they manage, are having a blast making fun, delicious cocktails ... and you can, too! 

For this Snow in Love party, I served Absolut Crush Cocktails made with Tangerine Vodka; cocktail recipe below.  To make the fruit-flavored vodka, I put sliced tangerines in a jar filled with vodka and let it sit in a dark, cool cabinet for a week.  The result was fabulous!  I loved the smell of tangerines almost as much as the taste of my cocktail!  Other flavor variations include sliced pineapple, strawberries or blueberries, and even vanilla beans or cinnamon sticks.

Absolut Crush Cocktail

Ingredients

1 Part Tangerine Vodka (instructions above) (or Absolut Mandarin)

3 Parts Orange Juice

1 Part Triple Sec

1 Slice Orange

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with orange slice.

Has this article inspired you to make your own fruit-flavored spirits?  If so, please leave me a comment below and tell me which flavor you'll try first!

{Snow in Love} Snow Decor

Hosting a Winter ONEderland first birthday, Snow Sprinkle baby shower or Snow in Love engagement party this season?  Then, you'll need a little snow! Even if there is no snow outside, you can still create a snowy experience inside ... which is my preference anyways!  Below are a few ideas for snow decor.

Suggested snow materials include:

Swiss Dot white linens

White china

Clear  or milk glass serving dishes

White round votive candles

Bubble vase filled with baby's breath

Crystal or clear plastic and pearl garland

Clear gemstones

Snowflake ornaments

Clear ornaments

Granular sugar

Powdered sugar

Marshmallows

Coconut

Glitter

What other snow materials do you use or would think to use?  Please leave a comment to let me know.  As you can see in the photo above, I love a mixture of materials, which creates rich texture in your snow design!

For more "Snow in Love" design inspiration, including food and drink suggestions, as well as more photos, please read the January issue of party possibilities.

2012 Trends That Will Impact Your Parties & Celebrations

Happy New Year! I hope your winter holidays were fabulous and your New Year is off to a great start.

One thing that I enjoy most at the start of a new year is reading trend reports to learn what’s hip in food, entertainment, fashion, technology and more because, ultimately, these trends will impact our parties and celebrations … although I doubt anyone predicted the wild popularity of elaborate dessert tables, food trucks at wedding receptions and chevron prints last year … but it’s fun to read predictions and try to stay ahead, correct?! Below are a few trends I spotted for 2012:

Food

• Mini meals
• Continued and greater demand for locally-sourced, farm-fresh food
• Thai and Indian ethnic cuisine

Party Impact: smaller portions, eco-friendly and tastier food options = one delicious party!

Drinks
• Cocktails on tap (like kegs of beer)
• Homemade bitters and liquor infusions
• Juice bars

Party Impact: pre-made cocktails, DIY fruit-flavored spirits and healthy beverage alternatives = one easy (and affordable) bar!

Design
• Bold colors like Pantone’s Color of the Year, Tangerine Mango
• 1920’s fashion and jazz music inspired the upcoming release of The Great Gatsby

Party Impact: gorgeous décor from linens to lighting and lots of opportunity to accessorize!

Technology
• Greater use of mobile devices like smartphones and iPad
• Voice controlled apps like Siri
• Wallet apps

Party Impact: the preference for digital communications and content impacts invitations and marketing while apps make it easier to plan an event and purchase goods and services

Weddings
Note: Weddings are listed separately because they truly are unique events; however, weddings are trendsetters and therefore, influence many details found at other parties and celebrations

• Vintage inspired
• Colorful gowns
• Brooch bouquets
• Letterpress invitations

Party Impact: continued trend of very personalized weddings … including printed invitations! Please save electronic communications for Save the Dates, collecting responses and sharing event details like directions, transportation and hotel information.

What 2012 party trend intrigues you the most? Is there a trend (or 2) that you will incorporate into your next party or celebration? Please leave me a comment and let me know! I think the cocktail trends look most promising and I’m excited about making my own liquor infusions!

{New Year's Eve} Champagne Popsicles

New Year's Eve celebrations will be hosted around the world this Saturday night; are you ready?!  Whether you are hosting the party or offered to bring something to the party, I have a midnight treat that's truly posh in a pinch!  Champagne popsicles!

I spotted this clever idea on Pinterest this summer.  Originally featured on Southern Living for an outdoor pizza party, I think these fruit popsicles dipped in prosecco would be absolutely festive for a New Year's Eve dessert. 

Need a kid-friendly option?  Serve the fruit popsicle in a clear tumblier with sparkling apple cider!

Has this festive holiday treat inspired you?  If so, please leave me a comment and let me know!

{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} 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!

'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!

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?



{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!

{sneak peek} Calling all Party Animals!

I'm so excited!  I'm producing a sweet birthday party for a little boy!  As a mom of 3 little girls, I plan a lot of children's parties - princesses, dress up, build-a-bear and currently, pixies and pirates, which is almost a boy theme, kind of like the Star Wars Glam party back in March - but this is my first all-boy party and I'm excited!

The party will be held at our local zoo next month.  My client selected this adorable "Party Animals" invitation from Tiny Prints.

To enhance the party experience, I've been thinking about festive ideas like:

 Balloon animal table centerpieces from a sweet Barnyard-themed 1st birthday party I produced two years ago.

Zoo animal fondant cupcake toppers from Two Sugar Babies!

Animal Cracker recycled crayons as party favors from Ivy Lane Designs.

So, who's ready party?!  Do you have a party animal suggestion to share?  Please leave me a comment!

Let's Chill by the Grill

Hosting the company picnic or casual gathering of family and friends and need a theme?  Invite your guests to 'Chill by the Grill'!

This theme is so versatile!  You could:

• Fire up hamburgers and hot dogs while guests relax
• Grill chicken and veggie kabobs and serve refreshingly cold, flavored smoothies
• Sear 'surf and turf' while guests 'chill' with personal neck massages or ice sculpture competitions

Each option is increasingly more complex and accordingly, more expensive.  The best option depends on your guests, budget and reason for celebrating!

So, which option appeals to you?  Or do you have other suggestions to bring the 'Chill by the Grill" theme to life?!  Leave a comment and let me know; I love to exchange clever ideas!

{event showcase} 75th Birthday Party Fit for a Queen

Have you ever experienced the challenge of planning an adult birthday party that includes young children?  It's really difficult!  Selecting the right venue, food and beverage, and entertainment that satisfies guests on both ends of the age spectrum is challenging.

My sister and I experienced this challenge when planning our mom's 75th birthday party last month.  We wanted to host a small party that included my 3 little girls.  Knowing that entertainment is the key to the success of children's parties, we brainstormed entertainment options.  Within seconds, my sister suggested the Odyssey Sunday Brunch Cruise.  The cruise offers a wide variety of food plus a water tour of the Washington DC monuments, jazz music and dancing ... and we had never been before.

Below are the event highlights of our 'Party Fit for a Queen'.

Here ye, here ye ... the royal invitation.  Tiara hand-stamped on Paper Source stationary and embellished with pink gems and tiny pearls.

We are family

If the tiara fits, wear it!

Happy birthday to our mom, the 'Queen Mum'!  We enhanced the Sunday Brunch Cruise with a silver QUEEN tiara, bouquet of cupcake roses and corsage of roses.  Additionally, the Odyssey staff delivered birthday cake, announced my mom's birthday and everyone sang "Happy Birthday".  Needless to say, everyone enjoyed my mom's birthday, especially my mom and my girls!

Special thanks to Christy Humston of Entertainment Cruises and Chrissy Cunningham of We Take the Cupcake for making my mom's birthday special!

Has this event showcase helped you with planning your adult birthday party?  If so, please leave me a comment and let me know!

S'Mores: Yumminess Beyond the Campfire

Love s'mores?  Me, too!  It's a fun summer treat to roast marshmallows and make gooey s'mores.  In fact, my Girl Scout Daisy troop is hosting a family cook-out tomorrow night to introduce the girls to camping.  I'm positive that roasting s'mores will be the highlight of the evening!

But s'mores are not just for the campfire; they are suitable for many occasions - from casual birthday, housewarming and retirement parties to corporate retreats and formal weddings!  It's all in the presentation.

CLEVER DISPLAYS

Photo credits: Style Me Pretty, MyJeanM

MENU OPTIONS

 Photo credits: The Sweetest Occasion, MyBakingAddiction, Betty Crocker

I may have to quit this post; it's making me hungry!  Love the S'mores Mini Cake ... the S'mores Whoopie Pie and S'mores Martini, too!

PARTY FAVORS

 Photo credits: Twig and Thistle, HowSweetEats

 Who knew s'mores were so versatile ... and grown up!  So, for what occasion will you incorporate your love of s'mores?  I'm thinking of a Roast & Toast 50th Birthday or S'more Love Engagement Party.