How to Plan a Truly Hassle-Free Party

One of the things about throwing an event is that you never really know what can happen. But you can make it easier with a hassle-free party that wows guests and makes your life easier.

Read more

Entertaining Guests At Your Home

If you are keen to start entertaining guests at your home, or you already do so but you want to improve the way you do it, there are a lot of things that you might want to focus on in order to make sure that you can do that. The truth is that anyone can learn to properly look after their guests, and doing so is the kind of experience that you are going to find particularly enjoyable once you learn how to do it. You will probably find your own style for it too. But here are some of the main things to bear in mind on this front.

Read more

How To Plan Those Big Birthday Parties In 12 Steps

It’s that time of year again! The time to start planning a birthday party. Whether it’s a sweet sixteen, twenty-first, thirty, forty, or fiftieth birthday celebration, there’s a lot of pressure to make sure the event is perfect. After all, it’s only once a year that this special day comes around.

Here are twelve helpful tips to make sure your birthday party planning goes as smooth as possible and that you end up with an event to remember:

Read more

A Harvest Birthday Bash!! You won’t believe what brought me to tears!

A special little lady turned 5 back in August, yes, I said August. Haha! Funny, I always thought it would be awesome having a birthday in August mostly because mine is in freezing cold winter, January! Well, it turns out that the week before school starts is a bad time to have a birthday. Our budget was blown on back-to-school clothes and supplies and to be honest I didn’t have it in me to plan a party during that hectic time of year. We seemed to add an afterschool activity as each week progressed. Thus 8 weeks later and we are finally having that party and that is the story of how an August baby celebrated her birthday in October. I suppose it is better late than never!

Total confession, I have always wanted to have a Fall Harvest gathering, it always looks so romantic in the magazines, the colors, the activities, etc. so my wish came true! And let me tell you, it was everything I thought it would be and more!! I could not have asked for a more beautiful day, it was sunny, temps in the mid-70s, and just a nice light breeze, it was perfect!! It should be noted that I was a bit concerned when I was literally wearing my winter coat and gloves while we prepared for the party the week before.

I had inquired what our little Gracie girl would like to do as the craft for her party. Her response was one that while exciting and fun would require some thinking on my part. She requested that we make pumpkins into Cinderella carriages. Let me tell you, those pumpkin carriages were a challenge, one I graciously accepted. 5 trips to Hobby Lobby, 3 returns, 2 trips to the Dollar Store, a lot of trial & error, and 1 quick stop at Jo-Ann Fabrics later and we had all the supplies we needed to make the pumpkin carriages!!

 

 

pumpkincarriage 009

 

pumpkincarriage 012

 

I ended up locating the Styrofoam pumpkins at the Dollar Store, SCORE!!! It was a good thing they were only a dollar because I ended up eating away at the Styrofoam of the first few with spray-paint. FYI, when spray-painting Styrofoam do make certain that the can is at least 8 inches away, it will require you purchase more paint because you will have to apply more coats/layers but at least your project will not be destroyed. The doll rods, wheels, and most everything else was purchased at Hobby Lobby, I did have to make a stop in at Jo-Ann Fabrics on a Sunday to get more spray paint after my little mishaps. But it all turned out well in the end, challenge accepted, completed, and I gained some knowledge along the way, total a win-win!

 

maddyhalloweenbday 001

 

maddyhalloweenbday 022

 

 

maddyhalloweenbday 010

maddyhalloweenbday 029

As I stated the day of the party was gorgeous!!! All her friends arrived, we chatted, kids played, and then the festivities began!

The children assembled and decorated their Cinderella carriages……

 

maddyhalloweenbday 037

 

maddyspumpkincarriage 003

 

pumpkincarriage 034

 

maddyhalloweenbday 044

 

We played fun games….

 

maddyhalloweenbday 048

 

maddyhalloweenbday 055

 

maddyhalloweenbday 067

 

maddyhalloweenbday 072

 

And then it was time for the cake!! The birthday girl requested that each child make their own cupcake. I have to admit my first reaction when I heard this was one of disappointment, how could we not have a beautiful cake? I had this glorious image in my head of her in front of a perfectly adorned cake and all her friends gathered around singing. I suggested to her that we have cupcakes to decorate and a cake to blow out the candles. And her response literally brought me to tears!!! She looked up at me with those big baby blue eyes and exclaimed “Mom, it goes God, others, then yourself. God would want me to give everyone their own special cupcake. And can we please get everyone a candle because I am excited for the day they were born too!!” And that sealed the deal, plain cupcakes decorated by a bunch of 4 & 5 year olds it would be!! There isn’t a cake fancy enough in this world that would have meant more to me than those words that came out of her little five year old mouth. So everyone decorated their cupcakes and received a birthday candle!

 

maddyhalloweenbday 087

 

maddyhalloweenbday 091

 

Then it was time for gifts. I have noticed that gifts have become a sensitive topic. There are those who request a donation instead, and I think that is a wonderful option, and we might do that one day too.

maddyhalloweenbday 101

The reason why I allow gifts now is because I believe it helps the children learn how to politely accept a gift, to truly value the thought behind the gift, and to learn how to graciously respond to receiving a gift they may already own or perhaps do not favor. It is my hope that they learn these qualities when they are young so as adults they can appreciate every person’s gift, no matter the monetary value, because let’s be honest some of the best gifts are the ones that hold no monetary value!! Speaking of gifts, it would be amiss if I did not mention the amazing moms who attended, they helped out so much, taking pics, cleaning, being on piñata duty, etc. they allowed me to enjoy the party too, I am so blessed to have them in my life.

 

 

 

I have to admit, I was a little sad to see the day end. It wasn’t like one of those romantic Fall Harvest gatherings you see in the magazines, with the colors, the activities, etc. it was better!!

 

5 Trends that’ll make your Kiddos Summer Party Sizzle!!!!

1.  BIG SUMMER BASH in lieu of birthday parties: There seems to be a big trend forming, parents are opting to spend more on one HUGE summer bash for their kiddos as opposed to hosting big birthday parties for each child. I must admit, I am 100% onboard!! Don’t get me wrong we will still do something small for each child on their birthday but we won’t be doing the ridiculously complicated Pinterest worthy celebrations like we did in the past. We just hosted our BIG Schools out for SUMMER Bash yesterday & it was an absolute blast!! We will totally do it again next summer! In fact some of the kiddos were begging us to have another one next week! Yep, it was that much fun! LOL!

lastday_waterslide 079BLOG

2. Bounce House: When I think back to my own childhood, and the parties my kiddos have attended all the really awesome ones always had a bounce house/ inflatables.  Those were the parties we would talk about for weeks, months, even years to come! The Bounce House/ Inflatable is still ALL the rage! The kids love the bounce houses! And it is nice on the parents, it gives us a break, we can literally just sit and watch instead of having to occupy their attention with a ½ dozen other activities. And I will be the first to tell you there is no competing with the bounce house; it is in a class of its own! Yes, I speak from experience. During our Summer bash I made an attempt at getting the kiddos off the giant inflatable waterslide to participate in water balloon & water gun activities and they could care less…the only way they were getting off that waterslide was if GOD told them to, via lightning. LOL! IT WAS A BLAST!! The kiddos loved it! Huge thank you to FUN FACTORY for bringing the FUN!!

lastday_waterslide 121BLOG

3. Decorate Your Own (DYO): No need to purchase that already decorated cake or cookies, the latest trend is having the kiddos decorate their own!! WHAT!?! You heard right. Bake your cupcakes, cakes, and/ or cookies and then set up a frosting and decoration station/table. Or better yet, do what I did and outsource, have someone do it for you. Sweet Cheeks Treats made/baked all the cookies and supplied the frosting in these awesome easy to use frosting bottles.

lastday_waterslide 044BLOG

It was the coolest! The kiddos had fun coming up with their own designs for their fish, ball, and dolphin cookies! Not only did Sweet Cheeks Treats supply the cookies she also saved me time, energy, and patience, huge thank you!!! Tip of the day: Whenever possible, outsource, save your sanity!

lastday_waterslide 028BLOG

lastday_waterslide 038BLOG

4. Photo-booth:  How often do you get to wear a sombrero and fake mustache? And then be a beautiful princess two minutes later? Not often enough, right!?! The photo-booth is the perfect opportunity for the kiddos to use their imaginations and mix & match various props in order to produce the silliest photo. Most party stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby) often stock a small photo-booth kit. Simply set up the backdrop (a shower curtain and/or tablecloth works well), layout the props, and have an adult designated as the photo-booth photographer…to add to the fun you could upload photos  to the computer and have everyone vote on their favorite and then give the winners a prize!

 

lastday_waterslide 076BLOG

 

lastday_waterslide 059BLOG

 

lastday_waterslide 056BLOG

5. Piñata- I know what you’re thinking, really, that is so old-school, right!?! Well, old school is cool now days. We picked out this beauty at Wal-Mart but practically all stores seem to have them these days. But I will advise that you take into consideration how many kiddos you have and purchase one that will hold enough goodies for everyone. This guy offered slim pickings for our guests so we will have to go for a larger size next time. Also, get creative with what you stuff your piñata with, it doesn’t need to be candy…Chuck-e-cheese tokens, coupons, tattoos, stickers, etc.

 

lastday_waterslide 087BLOG

 

lastday_waterslide 094BLOG

 

lastday_waterslide 113BLOG

 

 

Summer Parties are the BEST! Whether you have yours in the beginning, mid, or late summer, there is nothing better than getting together with family and friends. Remember, it is the people in your life that matter most! So, in the midst of all the chaos and fun be sure to pull up a towel, chair, cooler, etc.. just grab a seat and make time for those that matter most. Cheers!! BRING ON SUMMER!!

lastday_waterslide 075BLOG

So, what are your thoughts on having a big party in lieu of a birthday party for each child?

 

Simple & Jazzy Mason jar Vases

 

I adore a simple, yet elegant, table-scape and the Mason jar vase with a burlap wrap is the perfect inclusion!

easterflowers 036

 

It is so simply to make these! All you need is:

  • Mason Jars (I like varying heights; it adds more depth and dimension to the table-scape)
  • Glue Dots
  • Ribbon and/or Burlap (I like to add some layers to a few)

 

When deciding on the mason jars I recommend varying the heights and always have an odd number…thus, 3, 5, or 7 jars…depends on the size of table.

 

easterflowers 024

 

Simply wrap burlap around jar, allow overlapping slightly, just under ½ an inch so there is space for the glue dot. Cut the burlap. Place glue dot on jar. Wrap cut burlap piece around jar and add a second glue dot to adhere the burlap.

 

easterflowers 031

 

Repeat step with ribbon and overlap ribbon on burlap. I only overlap half the jars to allow for a bit of color, pattern, and texture. 

 

easterflowers 033

 

And then add water, plant food, and flowers to jars.  If you are adding roses like I am you might want to prepare them a day or two before the event so they are open and gorgeous the day of your gathering.

 

easterflowers 040

 

 

Also feel free to add fun beads, fake pearls, etc. to the jar, jazz it up as you please. Have fun with it!