All Things For All Parties

IT'S A BOY!

Well, as most of you loyal followers know, our very own Lisa has been expecting a baby and he has arrived!  And less than half a day shy of being a Leap Year baby.

It was a little unexpected at 6 weeks early, but I am happy to report that Mom and Baby are doing fantastic!

Last week, I blogged on the adorable Baby Shower Invitations that I designed for Lisa's Shower, so as they say in show biz, "The Show Must Go On!"  So now we will be having a Sip N See instead.  Pictures from the Sip 'N See will be up on the blog in about 3 weeks.

Happy Leap Year!

Booties by BabyBellaMaya

IDEA OF THE WEEK

The other day, I spoke to one of our customers who is designing and planning a wonderful event for Administrative Professionals Day (formerly Secretaries Day), which is April 23rd.  We were brainstorming some ideas and came up with this adorable twist on the traditional napkin ring.

A color scheme of pink, black and silver was the inspiration, so the Krystal Silver and Pink Napkins that we carry were the perfect fit.

We wrapped our Krystal Silver and Pink Paper Cocktail Napkins (which you can find under the Girls Night Out Party), around a black napkin and then tied it all up with a bright pink 3/4 inch satin ribbon.

Simply Perfect!

Remember, that your ideas need to be just that...an idea that comes to you.  Inspiration comes in the forms of color, shape and sound, and it is always surrounding you.

At Social Couture we do it all for you, but we also aspire to inspire.

So get your creative juices flowing and be resourceful.  And when you do, send us your pictures so that we can make you famous...even if it's just for a day.  :)  Cheers! 

It's My Party: Mexican Fiesta Birthday Party

Annette Warnick from Washougal, Washington sent over these pictures of a party she recently hosted for her 2 year old twins birthday.  Since she was going to be hosting both adults and children she wanted to put something together that was both adult and kid friendly.  All I can say is Ole!  Annette...You really did a great job.  Everything was co-ordinated so perfectly. 

I love how she layered the table with such bright & festive colors.  I really like how she used the chili peppers as place cards and combined it with the lime green hemstitched napkins and the chocolate brown napkins atop the lime green placemats. The red table runner acts a great base paired with the red candelabra which serves as a great centerpiece.  The red candelabra is than flanked by the 2 square vases filled with daisies and tied with a very simple yellow grosgrain ribbon.  She didn't skip a beat...the red favor boxes filled with candy for her guests are a great added touch and shows her guests that she really did think of every detail.  This party belongs on a magazine cover.

And, let's face it...No kids Fiesta themed party would be complete without a pinata and an Elmo pinata at that!!!  Hola, Elmo!!!   

 

Thanks again, Annette for sending in these wonderful pictures. I always love to see how people use the items they purchase to create their own unique table settings.

A NEW FIND THAT I LOVE

I have been on a constant and ongoing search for what seems like the last decade, to find the perfect organizational tool.  Every year that goes by and every big change that occurs in my life, seems to throw me another curve, and just when I finally think I have a system, something life changing...like having kids, happens.

Well I am super jazzed about a company called WhoMi, that I recently discovered.  I am not sure how long they've been around, but new to me, I am excited to receive my newly purchased calendar and start using it. 

The family calendar offers you the ability to track up to 4 different family members.   Even a space on each day to track who is taking care of the children, albeit you, the babysitter or grandma.  In addition to their great little color-coded calendars they offer notepads for things to buy, to do, people to call or contact, and these can all be put into their clarity agenda so you have it with you always.

I have been using a combination of electronic and paper for over a decade and I can tell you that no electronic system I have seen can cover it all.  There is just something familiar and easy about a sticky note.  And they are cute to boot, with absolutely mod, and adorable prints so that you actually want to pull it out of your purse while your sipping a latte in the middle of a meeting.   

A simple solution for our complicated lives!    

Red & Black Themed Bridal Shower

   

When ever I get the chance to talk with our customers I always ask them to send me pictures of their events.  These pictures were sent to me by Tara Hooper from San Diego who recently hosted a "Betty Boop" inspired Bridal Shower.  I definitely think the party turned out really cute.  The bride absolutely loves Betty Boop so she really wanted to honor her love for Betty Boop by sticking with the traditional Betty Boop colors of Red & Black. She used the Ritz Martini Vases along with the White Plume Feather Collars and Silver Mirrored Balls to create that old school Hollywood Glamour look.

Her place settings were done with a Red Charger, standard white plate and our Black Vine Inspired Salad/Side Plates. She used simple white napkins and a combination of black & silver mirrored napkin rings to give the place setting an extra bit of star quality.

I love that she served Pick Me Up's in Champagne glasses in keeping with her theme.  For that extra added enchantment she sprinkled the table with small glass stones and little rhinestones. She spread a handful of the mirrored balls on the tables just to add depth and interest. 

She also decorated each of the tables with these simple red fishbowl vases and red roses for that extra hint of love and romance in the day.

Great Party, Tara!  I hope the Bride enjoyed it as much as we have enjoyed the pictures you sent us.

Pick Me Up Drink Recipe

30 ml cognac or brandy
20 ml orange juice
10 ml grenadine
champagne

Use a champagne flute. Stir the drink before filling up with champagne or other sparkling wine.

Top with a red cherry.

EASTER COLORS, SPRINGTIME SPIRIT

Easter is just a month away and this year it is all about fresh colors and fresh foliage!

Our Easter Party, which will be launching this week at Social Couture, is all about spring.  We chose bright colors and complimented them with clean wheat-grass accent centerpieces along with our Azar Planter, filled with bunches of colored tulips.

New this year, we are offering moss that is a fresh twist on the traditional dried hay, raffia or crinkle paper.  This moss is soft and lush and the perfect cushion for all the chocolate bunnies, eggs and jellybeans that you'll be filling your baskets with.  We also have lots of fun containers like our mini terracotta vases, colored metal buckets and mint tins that will help you contain small candies or create yummy take-home favors for your Easter guests.

Mosaic plates from French Bull are bright and fun and will be the prefect addition to our fabulous linens in Easter colors like azalea pink, lemon yellow and chartreuse green.

Be sure to check out Social Couture this week and start ordering your Easter entertaining essentials now!  Make your Easter this year, your bold and brightest ever! 

Bright Ideas for Bright Blooms

Better Homes & Garden recently did an article on these beautiful bright blooms and I just had to share it with you.  They are made of frosted plastic chinese take-out boxes.  What a great idea to turn something so simple into such pretty and festive centerpieces.  I love these bright colors and even brighter blooms.  All you need to do is place your favorite spring blooms inside a short, water-filled vase or glass and than set it into the box. 

Voila...Great Centerpiece!!!

Another simple idea Better Homes and Gardens had was to take any plain vase and wrap a piece of grosgrain ribbon around it and than add your favorite flowers.  The peonies shown here are one of my favorite flowers and very beautiful.  I just love this idea and I absolutely love to use grosgrain ribbon in the spring and summer (I have to confess...we actually sell grosgrain napkin rings that are absolutely adorable).

Always remember to look around the house and take inventory of what you have...You may be surprised at the various items that you are able to use for decorating your table or your house.  These ideas are fun and easy.  I love it when I can put something together that is not fussy.   

AN ASIAN PARTY WITH A LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL

Well it may be too cold in many parts of the United States to throw an outdoor soiree, but in many parts like California or Arizona it is not, and it is of course never too early to start planning. 

One of the first Entertaining Sets that we ever designed was our Asian Affair Dinner Party.  This party is perfect for backyard or patio and could quite easily also be pulled off in your living room.  I love the zen feeling that it evokes and I especially love the simplicity of it.  We even provide fun instructions to help you create a centerpiece that will have your guests thinking that you have been moonlighting as a florist!  

It just occured to me the other day, that last year I worked on a project where I designed and made custom fortune cookies out of paper.  I think they would make the perfect guest favors or the perfect invite, so I had to share it with you!  I have to admit that I think I got the idea from an old Martha Stewart Living magazine, so I of course have to give credit where credit is due.  Martha Stewart has always been a favorite of mine, even during her jail-bait days.  Maybe it is because she has shared so much of herself and her upbringing with us over the years that I feel like I personally know her, or maybe it is because I grew up in such a similar manner that I feel like she is a kindred spirit.  My mother (who finally launched her own kids clothing line) made every one of my formals from my 7th grade annual ball, all the way to my wedding dress!  I think I have been sewing since I was 3 or 4, so long I can't remember not knowing how to do it!  Anyway, back to the blog...

These invites are super easy to make and just require a few items:

1. Scrap-booking paper that has a print on both sides.  Card-stock thickness is best.
2. A coordinating paper that you can easily read the fortune that you will write out.
3. Small Chinese take-out boxes
4. Moss, shredded tissue paper or any other fun filler to nestle your fortune cookie in.
5. a soup can or circle template
6. Glue Dots or other permanent adhesive stickers

Instructions:

1. Start by using your soup can or circle template and trace circles on your chosen scrap-booking paper.  Cut these out.
2. Roll the circle into a tube and using a Glue Dot, adhere the inside of one edge of the circle to the outside of the other edge of the circle.
3. Cut strips to make the fortunes.  You can make these as long or short as you'd like, depending on whether or not you want them to hang out the edges of the cookie.  Make the strips wide enough to write on.  An alternative to this would be to print them and then cut them out.  Once completed, insert them into the tubes that you've created.
4. To make each fortune Cookie, hold the tube by the open ends, with the glued edges facing toward the ground.  Gently fold the open edges of the tube up and towards each other until they touch.  This should have created the perfect crescent shape for your fortune cookie.
5. place a small amount of filler into your take-out boxes and then place the cookies inside.
6. Voila, you have a great little conversation piece!

A Modern Version of a Black Tie Party

I thought I would share some pictures with you of some great ideas for a new take on the same old tired black tie party.  This modern version  of a black & white party can be used for so many different occasions although it really just depends on the guest of honor's taste.  As we enter into Spring and Summer think BOLD colors with fun modern patterns!!!  That is what is going to be HOT this year.

Such great centerpieces and very easy to make.  Just wrap satin ribbon in whatever color you choose around a simple square vase or if you are throwing a bridal shower or bachelorette party wrap some black lace or other lace around a square vase and just add a colored candle to make a sexy centerpiece.  Using candles as a centerpiece in lieu of a lot of flowers really helps to keep your costs down and best of all...Looks Great!

 

SAILBOAT INVITES

 

As you've probably figured out, our very own Lisa will soon be embarking on a new journey...motherhood!  As the proud business partner, I am excited, anxious and fully confident that she will embrace her new role with grace and ease.  With already two children of my own, I am so happy that we'll now be able to add a third to the next generation of party-throwers!  This will probably be the first of many more blogs on baby stuff, so without further ado, I thought I would share with you the invitations that I designed for one of Lisa's upcoming showers.

I took my cues from Lisa's nursery design concept that will incorporate sailboats and surfing and created little boats out of whimsical yet sophisticated papers.  I started by coordinating several different designs that vary in texture and style, yet work together because of their cohesive color scheme.

I chose to use both an avocado green and a white color for the cardstock, because quite honestly, I couldn't decide which I liked better.  For the boats, I used a scrapbooking paper that was printed on two sides and had the thickness of regular printer paper.  A thin paper is more ideal for folding the little boats.  I used a piece of paper that was 4 inches by 5 inches.    The flags I cut from a thicker cardstock and then used a hot glue gun to secure appetizer picks to act as the sail mast.  I affixed a pre-made "its a boy" sticker to the front of the flag.  **You can check out myownlabels.com where you can make your own, or you can find them at scrapbooking stores.  I used a dot more glue to secure the mast to the boat.      **A great tip is to squeeze a dime-sized amount on a paper plate and then dip the toothpicks into the glue.  Once the boats were assembled, I used mounting tabs to glue them to the front of the invitation and to give them a bit more dimension.  For a cute tutorial on making the paper boat (although, you'll need to size it down to a smaller size), check out this video.

I am pretty sure that Lisa approved, and I can't wait to share with you all the other wonderful ideas that I am creating for the shower, although you'll have to be patient because the shower is a month away and I don't want to spoil the surprise for Lisa!