All Things For All Parties

Working Out the Wedding Budget

DIY Egg Vase

 
Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way!  I am getting very excited about Easter and all the fun crafts that go along with this holidays so with that in mind I was thumbing through the pages of magazines (All You) looking for new Easter craft ideas when I came across these adorable Easter vases.  Pretty & Easy...the perfect combo for me. 

YOU'LL NEED (makes 1 egg vase):

Blown eggPaint or spray paint
Finely milled glitter (various colors)
Small scissors or tweezers
Hot-glue gun
1 daisy (or any other flower you prefer)
Eggcup
 

1.Paint a blown egg using paint or spray paint, then roll it in a bowl of finely milled glitter while paint is still slightly wet. Let dry completely.
2.Working from one of the holes you made for blowing, use tiny scissors or tweezers to gently break away bits of eggshell until the hole is big enough to fit a flower stem. Place a glue dot over other hole; let dry fully.
3.Fill egg with a small amount of water. Insert a flower. Place in an eggcup to display.

Craft and Photo by All You Magazine

Scrumptious Risotto Balls

 
Photo by Saveur.com

Are you wondering what to do with last night's Risotta left-overs?  I have just the thing for you...Cheesy Risotto Balls!  These delicious little treats are also perfect for entertaining...they are the ideal bite size snack and served best with a glass of wine. Yum!

T.G.I.F. Wine Spritzers

 
Recipe by Paula Deen and Photo by Food.com

How about something exhilarating this Friday?  Spring is in the air and I am in the mood for something light and breezy like these refreshing wine spritzers; they are perfect for this weekend's entertaining enjoyment. 

Ingredients:
Ice
1/4 to 1/2 cup wine
1/4 to 1/2 cup sparkling water
Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:
Pour wine into ice filled glass, top off with sparkling water and garnish with lemon slice.

 

Perfectly Preppy

 
photos by Preppy Plates

I have always had a secret love (or maybe not so secret) for all things preppy which is why it is no surprise that I have fallen in love with this absolutely adorable personalized melamine tableware by Preppy Plates. 

These cute melamine plates completely make the look of this perfectly preppy bridal shower. Although I think this tablescape could be used for your easter brunch/mother's day/rehearsal dinner/shower/fill-in-the-party-blank. From the color palette to the sweet centerpieces to the fun little accents…every part of this shower is totally steal worthy.

Check out Preppy Plates website for more great tablescaping ideas.

What's Your Design Scheme?

 
photo by Elizabeth Anne Designs 

You’re not designing a theme for an amusement park you are designing a space, hopefully an inviting space that you and your guests will enjoy. So finding a design scheme is imperative in creating a unique look for your wedding. You probably know what you want your wedding to feel like but you might not know how to achieve it. Do you want a classic feel? Bold with lots of color, or contemporary and monochromatic? Choosing a style can be tough but there are a lot of factors that go into putting together a cohesive look. Here are some pointers to make your do-it-yourself wedding look like a professional event.

Good Time Gumball Party

 

By Kara Allen, Kara's Party Ideas; Photography by Lyndsey Fagerlund Imagery

I saw this party on HGTV and thought it was the perfect party for any boy or girl - what kid wouldn't love like this vintage-inspired gumball party?!?! It is so colorful and fun! 

The big gumball machine is actually a cake (made by Dippidee) and it is the focal point of this 1950s-inspired table. This nostalgic table with all the old-fashioned elements really make guests feel as if they're in a 1950s soda shop. Kara dressed up the walls by hanging a themed banner, like this print-at-home banner by Gwynn Wasson Designs.

To create this old-fashioned look Coca-Cola brand crates previously used to carry glass coke bottles were used to display vintage objects and small glass jars were filled with gumballs. Believe it or not but they were able to find these these great crates in the local classifieds - I guess you just never know what you can find if you look! This simple addition allows guests to feel as if they've gone back in time.

 
In lieu of real flowers, Kara opted to make a flower bouquet out of real gumballs. She used a hot glue gun to adhere large and small gumballs together in a flower shape and than glued them to balloon sticks.

Cake pops are all the rage these days and these gumball cake pops go perfectly with the theme plus they are easy to make. 

Kara used Mason jars with stamped lids as drinking glasses for a classic look than made "gumball" ice cubes by filling a ball-shaped ice cube tray with red punch.

 
A birthday party wouldn't be complete without cupcakes. Even the cupcakes complement the party theme; the gumballs on top resemble cherries.

As take home gifts, Kara made guests theme-friendly party favors by giving them small gumball machines (she actually made these herself out of plant pots).

 
 
As guests are leaving, set-up a table with treat bags and a gumball jar so on the way out so guests can takes these yummy little treats home with them.

For younger guests, playing with ribbon wands is an exciting activity. These go with the theme and are easy to make — simply attach colorful polka dot ribbons to the top of painted wooden dowels 

Kara took a simple yet creative approach for the snack table. She used old-fashioned tables to continue her vintage theme, and the felt polka dot garland that hung on the wall was an easy, inexpensive DIY decoration that added colorful detail.
 

I love a guessing game although I will admit I have never guessed it!  This is the perfect party activity any kid (or parent) would enjoy, fill a large Mason jar with several gumballs. Have each guest guess how many gumballs are inside, and...TA DA, give a prize to the child who guesses the closest.

Thank you to Kara Allen for the great inspiration!

Create Your Own Dazzling Centerpiece

 
I spotted this dazzling DIY wedding favor and was instantly struck by how easy and chic this project is. All you need are some tin cans and beads.

Wrap tin cans with gold, black and copper bronze bead strands than fill with cut flowers.  How much easier could a DIY project be.

Use them as centerpieces for your tables or as vases around the house. The cans will look stunning lined up on the table.
 

T.G.I.F. Red Chile Guava Margarita

 
 
Photo by Public Restaurant, NYC

This tropical, spicy margarita was created at Public in New York City and since it's Friday and the construction on our house is almost complete....I am ready to kick my heels off and celebrate with a spicy Margie!!!  Aye Carumba!

What to buy: Guava nectar is available in health food stores and Latin groceries. You can also get it online.

Game plan: The “Red Chile” in this drink’s name comes from homemade Chile-Infused Tequila. Be sure you make it a couple of days in advance to get that spicy kick this cocktail deserves.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups Chile-Infused Tequila
1 1/2 cups Triple Sec
1 1/2 cups guava nectar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
10 lime wedges
Salt, for rimming the glasses
Ice
10 small red chiles, for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine tequila, Triple Sec, guava nectar, orange juice, and lime juice in a pitcher and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To serve, rim a rocks glass with salt by rubbing a lime wedge around the outside and then dipping the glass in salt. Fill the glass with ice, add the margarita mixture, and garnish with a skewered chile pepper (if using).

 

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