Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts

Thursday, November 17, 2016

16th Annual Girlfriend Party ~ Invitations


My favorite tradition to ring in the holidays is my annual Favorite Things party
with 10 of my girlfriends. This is our 16th year, most of us met when our kiddos
were in preschool and this year several of them are college freshman!  
(Thankfully, mine is still home for another year!)
I love delivering a fun invitation to their mailboxes to set the tone, and get everyone
 anticipating the upcoming season. 

"Time for my FLOCK to get FESTIVE"
   

These sweet gold sequined bird ornaments were the inspiration for my theme:
"Time for my FLOCK to get FESTIVE."
I embellished them a few extra feathers. The gold polka dot envelopes and enclosure
cards were perfect tied on the package as the invitation. The party details are printed
 on the back of the card. I found everything at Hobby Lobby.

  


I used cellophane bags tied with gold cord and tucked in a sprig of boxwood
from our yard.


Here are previous years' invitations if you'd like to check them out and read
 more about the format of our party:

12th Annual Party ~ A Few of my Favorite Things
 15th Annual Party ~ Spread Cheer 


I'll be sure to share all the details after our party on December 6th.



Sunday, July 24, 2016

Fabulous Do Ahead Al Fresco Dinner Menu


Hope you had an awesome weekend and are savoring these summer days.
One of my favorite things about summer is having friends over
 to dine Al fresco on our deck. A simple do ahead menu is a must! Don't get me
wrong, I love a simple juicy burger on the grill, but I wanted to serve something
 more unique. It's no fun having to slave in the kitchen once your guests arrive so I
 always look for recipes that can be prepped ahead of time, I think these are winners!
 I'm sharing a yummy summer menu I served recently, along with my tips and
 timeline for having it all together ahead of time, so you're free to enjoy your guests.
I've noted where I deviated from the recipes, and how I prepped everything prior to
our get-together for a smooth stress-free dinner.  

~ menu ~    


Mexican Shrimp Cocktail w/ Tortilla Chips

Chili Lime Chicken

Mandarin Orange Salad w/Sugared Almonds

Grilled Corn with Spicy Cilantro Lime Butter

Key Lime Pie


Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Recipe from Elise @ Simply Recipes

Served as an appetizer with drinks before dinner. 
I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned and pre-cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp. 
I didn't chop the shrimp, but instead put a few on top of each individual serving.


Chili Lime Chicken
Recipe from Bee @ Rasa Malaysia

I grill the chicken a couple hours before our guests arrived, let sit for 15 min before slicing,
pile on large platter and serve at room temp.
I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.


Mandarin Orange Salad with Sugared Almonds
Recipe from Food.com

I use organic mixed greens from Costco.


Grilled Corn with Spicy Cilantro Lime Butter
Recipe from Megan @ Pip & Ebby

I use 1/4 cup butter in place of the mayo. 
I like to serve smaller pieces of corn, so I cut the cobs in half. 
Boil corn for 2 minutes then transfer to hot grill for a short time to get char marks,
 turning once or twice. 
Pile on large platter and serve with lime wedges.   


Key Lime Pie
Recipe from Leigh Anne @ Your Home Based Mom

Use homemade graham cracker crust! 
Delete sour cream, decrease Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice to 1/2 cup.
Add whipped cream (I used Reddi Wip) to individual slices at time of serving. 

EARLIER IN WEEK

Salad - Prepare Sugared Almonds, store in plastic container.
Corn - Prepare Cilantro Lime Butter, refrigerate in plastic container.
Pie - Crush graham crackers and mix in sugar, store in plastic container. 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING
Salad - chop celery, slice onion & prepare dressing - refrigerate. 
Husk corn & cut in half - refrigerate.
Make Key Lime Pie & refrigerate.
Shrimp Cocktail - Thaw shrimp in refrigerator if frozen.

SATURDAY MORNING

Chicken - Prepare Marinade
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail - Prepare and refrigerate (Do not add shrimp or avocado)
Salad - drain mandarin oranges and refreigerate.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Grill chicken
Put salad together, except dressing
Chop avocado and add to shrimp cocktail.
Cut Pie

AFTER GUESTS ARRIVE 
Dish Mexican Shrimp Cocktail into individual ramekins and top with a few shrimp,
serve on plates with forks and tortilla chips.

When you're ready for dinner:
Grill corn over high heat just till charred, heat prepared lime butter in microwave,
transfer corn to platter and slather with butter.

Dress salad and sprinkle with sugared almonds.

That's it friends, it really is a fresh, easy to put together menu that appears much
more time consuming. I always a happy hostess if our guests ask for recipes,
and they did! :)

Here's to Al fresco dining with friends!


Sunday, November 16, 2014

unique christmas party invitations

If you've been reading for awhile you know one of my favorite traditions to
 kick off the Christmas season is my annual girlfriend party with ten friends, most of
 us met when our kiddos were in pre-school and this is our 14th Annual Party! As part
 of the tradition I come up with a creative invitation that I leave in their mailbox, and
 today I'll be dropping off these...

~ It's beginning to look a lot like cocktails... ~



This is the front, I included the pertinent details on the back. 
I loved that the back of the notecards look the same as the front with no text. 


They were super easy to put together, and if you're not able to drop off invites,
a flat paper martini glass would be fun. 

Martini Glass - Dollar Tree - $1ea.
8 Gold & White Notecards - Target - $1
Gold Berry Branches - Michaels - $2
Green & Leopard Ribbon - Michaels
 (last year after Christmas sale, but I saw it this year)

I punched two holes in the notecard for the ribbon, wound the berries around the stem
 of the glass and tucked in an evergreen sprig from our yard. The berries came in a longer
piece, I just took it apart to create 6" pieces. I added a drop of hot glue to the edge of the 
glass to keep the invite upright.  

You can check out the details of my previous invites and our gift giving game 
here and here.

AND

I'm so excited to announce that I'll be joining these lovely ladies again this year
for The 12 Days of Christmas Tour of Homes starting in two short weeks!!
We  hope you'll join in the fun and link up your holiday home on December 16th!
  




Wednesday, June 18, 2014

a pretty peach wedding...

Hey everyone, I'm sorry for the sporadic posting lately, life has been extra busy.
If you remember I helped with the decor for my nephew's wedding this past Sunday,
 and I have a few wedding photos for you, although not as many as  I was hoping for. :( 
When I wasn't busy decorating and taking care of inevitable little details, I was eating,
 drinking, dancing, crying at the toasts, waving sparklers and enjoying the special day
 with our families...getting caught up in all the fun and not focusing on taking blog photos.
 I'm so sorry, but I promise to share some of the pretty professional photos with you.
Until then...

It was beautiful setting with an open pasture just beyond this gazebo
where the ceremony took place.



The bride chose varying colors of peach and coral, with black and white.


I did lots of simple diy decor to help them keep it budget friendly. I used black
Ikea lanterns I had at the end of the rows. The baby's breath was ordered in bulk from
 Costco. (They offer several varieties of flowers). Down the center aisle we did bundles 
tied onto the chairs with long peach ribbons. Here is a close up of the lanterns when I
 was putting them together.
 


If you're a long time reader you may recognize those columns and urns from my dining
 room a few years ago. More recently they were outside in our garden.  

The waterworks are about to begin...again. :)


 The reception....we had a florist do the large spheres of baby's breath on the
oversized gold and silver candlesticks and I did the black and white stripe runners
 with Ikea fabric. We borrowed several of the glass hurricanes from a friend of mine. 


 The bride liked the watercolor table numbers, a super easy diy. I used watercolor
paper and watered down acrylic craft paint. 
     

We kept the theme and used the watercolors for a few other signs as well.
A large canvas on an easel directed guests when they arrived. 


This framed sign at the Memory table, along with a collection of 
special photos. 


And, outside on a table with sparklers.


I found these cute patterned boxes a year ago on a clearance rack at Michael's 
and thought they'd be perfect for favors, but we didn't decide what to put in them
until about a week before the wedding. It ended up being a pretty addition to the
table setting and so cost effective, around .65 for each favor. I bought the flowers
 in four packs from Home Depot and planted them in the boxes the day before. We
also painted the white plastic handles gold to make them look more high end. 



The photographer was taking a fun shot of the wedding party and I was watching
from behind.  


They were blessed with a gorgeous day, and an intimate group of family
and friends who love them and the opportunity to share in such a special day!

Congratulations Dustin & Megan! 

  

Sunday, February 2, 2014

kate spade inspired valentine table...

We are a sad, stunned bunch in Denver today, but still love our Broncos!
Congrats to the Seattle Seahawks, their fans and all my Pacific Northwest blogging pals!
It was a well deserved win, and who couldn't be happy for Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson?
Moving on...

  
These Kate Spade salt and paper shakers were a favorite birthday gift from a couple
 months ago, and inspired my Valentine table setting.
 I love Kate's signature style, it's sophisticated, playful and she has a way with
 stripes and polka dots.


I was a little giddy when it dawned on me I had a couple gift wrap patterns that would tie
 in perfectly to use as a table runner and place mats. The pink and gold stripe is from
 TJ Maxx, and black and white polka dot from Hobby Lobby.


 I've had the antiqued gold letters for a year or so, they were in the Hobby Lobby clearance
 section, guess X and O aren't popular initials. I used some of my leopard ribbon from
Christmas to tie around the napkins for another bit of pattern.


 Mr. Simple always inquires about our table decor so he can coordinate gift wrap on
 presents for me! :)  Ha Ha!


If you're looking for a fun girlfriend birthday or hostess gift I highly
recommend the fun salt and pepper shakers!
Are they something you'd like?  

Thursday, December 5, 2013

ramblings and my party...

Hey everyone, thank you all so much for your camera recommendations,
 50% of you LOVE your Nikon and 50% of you LOVE your Canon ~ perfect! :)

Also, thanks for the fun comments on our mantel and bookcases,
if you haven't decorated yours yet and are stumped for ideas the Merry Mantel Party
is your go to source for inspiration!

 I'm so sorry, I was such a bad blogger at my Annual Girlfriend party, the photos are basic,
 nothing pretty about them. :(  I didn't want to give away too much of our Christmas
 decor because of the upcoming 12 Days of Christmas Home Tour and some parties. 
Despite the bad pics, it's one of my favorite events of the season and I'm fortunate to
have these wonderful women as my friends.  

what I found in my closet to wear...
black ribbed turtleneck, statement necklace,
sheer leopard print maxi skirt, black boots

what we merrily ate and drank...
poinsettia cocktails, stilton stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, asian meatballs,
shrimp ceviche, antipasto kabobs, individual baked mac 'n cheese
warm molten chocolate cake & coffee with baileys


what the creative girls brought...
favorite enchilada sauce and tortillas, variety of dried fruits, scarves, picture frames with bling,
two buck chuck, collection of handmade christmas cards, lemon hand soap, traditional frames,
 hand cream and I brought meyers dish soap and dish towel.

 

 


 

what we watched come in...
a blustery snowstorm out the dining room window


If you'd like to see prettier photos you can check out last year's party here.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!!
Stop by on Monday, I'll be sharing a little holiday diy project. 






Monday, November 18, 2013

13th annual christmas party invites...

Today I delivered the invitations to my 13th Annual Christmas Party, it's long been one
of my favorite traditions, ringing in the month of December with ten special girlfriends.
We get dressed up, hug, chat, have cocktails, chat, eat, chat, drink, chat, eat more,
 chat, exchange gifts, chat, after dinner drinks, chat, hug... :)   


Details on the back...


Each year I come up with a different theme, last year's was...
A few of my Favorite Things
It was a hit, and everyone loved getting 'five' favorite gifts to take home rather 
than the usual one. I tried to come up with something clever to incorporate the
 five gifts again, but time was getting away from me, and this simple idea won out... 

a few MORE of my favorite things
 

I used these 7" x 3" wood slats from Hobby Lobby
6 per package - $1.50 (with coupon)
Painted them with chalkboard paint, and wrote my invite with a chalk marker.
Use a hot glue gun to attach a bow and sprig of evergreen to the front. 


If you missed last year's party you can check out the fun invitations,
 the way it works, and the clever gifts these creative girls came up with here and here.


These girls are crazy creative and raise the bar higher every year!
But, we're always soliciting ideas....what would you bring?
5 items (all the same) for $5 or less  

Menu and more details to come...

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