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!

{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!

{in season} Blueberry Sangria Lemonade

I have a new summer cocktail that I must share!  It's Blueberry Sangria Lemonade.  It tastes so good, is very easy to make and is really refreshing (3 very important criteria for any recipe, correct?)!

I made a batch over the weekend for a "cool" themed birthday party ... and then I made another batch because I knew guests were going to love this drink (and I was right)!

Below is the recipe ... and a sneak peek of the party!

Blueberry Sangria Lemonade

via Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Makes: 8 drinks

1 bottle (750-milliliter) white wine, Sterling Vineyards® Chardonnay

3 cups lemon-lime soda®

11⁄2 cups frozen blueberries

1 can (12-ounce) pink lemonade frozen concentrate, thawed

1⁄2 cup cognac, Hennessey®

Ice cubes

In a large pitcher, combine wine, soda, blueberries, lemonade concentrate, and cognac. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Pour into tall glasses. Add ice.

So, did this post make you thirsty?! 

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!

Fun Company Picnics

Last week, my family attended a client appreciation party at the Dulles Golf Center and Sports Park.  As we walked through the park and eventually, played a round of mini-golf, I kept thinking about the summer employee parties I coordinated when I worked for Network Solutions (and subsequently, VeriSign).  We hosted a few fun picnics at Dulles Golf Center, as well as pool parties at SplashDown WaterPark, relay races and carnivals at JRs Festival Lakes and even, a summer fiesta at Nisson Pavilion for the Santana concert.  The challenge was always finding the right venue ... and the right entertainment, both of which had to compliment the growing company, its culture and our employees' needs. 

If you're planning your company's picnic this summer, you're probably faced with the same challenges.  Here are a few of my favorite entertainment options that have universal appeal:

Scavenger Hunts

Worried about the heat and or rain?  Host a museum hunt!

Giant Board Games

Think larger-than-life Checkers, Connect Four and Twister!

Culinary Competitions

Who can build the best burger?!

Arctic Challenge

Chill out with land ski races and more!

Need an adrenaline rush?

Consider a regatta (sailing), rock climbing, zipline course or trapeze school!  The website for the Trapeze School in Washington DC says "Forget Fear.  Worry about the Addiction".  Love that!

Is this information helpful?  Do you have additional entertainment options to share?  Let's talk about it! Please leave me a comment.

5 Drink Cover Ideas for Outdoor Summer Entertaining

Mojito on a hot summer afternoon?  Yes, please!  Frozen daiquiri by the pool?  Absolutely!  Bug in my Vodka-Lemonade?  No, thank you!

As much as I love summer cocktail parties, I can't stand bugs, especially pesky gnats swarming around my drink.  How can we keep them out?  A drink cover!  Check out these 5 clever ideas ...

Baking cups ... this is genius!

A square napkin embellished with beads or tassels ... looks sophisticated!

Fabric atop a mason jar ... it's like Family Reunion chic!

 
One of my favorites ... easy-to-make, with so many color options!

And the original drink cover ... tapas! 

I like this option for corporate or networking events.  It not only looks great but the concept helps guests juggle glasses and plates when seating is limited.

Do you have a favorite drink cover idea?  Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Photo credits: Martha Stewart (1&2), Sweets Indeed via Celebrations at Home, Paper Source and SIP@Riverside.