I just love each and every aspect of this board. I tried to bring you a little of everything you'd need: a cake, invitations, an outfit, food and decor. Let's dive in...!
From the top:
Paper Lanterns - Paper Lanterns are a very current must have for any party! You can decorate the inside of a large tent, the inside of your living room, your patio... any area benefits from these gorgeous lanterns. Todays lanterns are light by small lights and can be battery operated. They are very affordable and come in an unbelievable array of colors, textures and sizes.
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The Yuppie FilesFloral Monogram - This took my breath away! I only used half of the picture, wait until you see the rest! Floral monograms are so popular right now, and with due cause - they are gorg! I hadn't really seen these until just before Reagan's 3rd party and you can bet there will be a floral monogram at a party of mine very soon! They are so beautiful and a great DIY for anybody from an experienced crafter to a crafting newbie. And the possibilities are endless... any letter, any flower, and color... I even saw some done in rosemary - can you imagine the smell?! Ahhh... oh, what about lavender... yeah, gotta keep moving now! Envisioning a lavender "S" and wishing I were at the spa!
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Ashleigh Taylor BlogYou can also find a DIY Tutorial at:
Bridal BudsMacarons - If you've not seen these lovely confections popping up in every color of the rainbow and beyond, then you've been under a rock! Macarons are a sweet confectionery cookie made similarly to a meringue. They are usually filled with buttercream icing or jam. They are simply gorgeous, understated and while I've never personally made them... I've seen recipes that make them seem a lot less intimidating!
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I Do InspirationFlowers - Pink and green are lovely colors and very plentiful in the flower world. You can do anything from roses to peonies to carnations... even hydrangea come in both colors. What struck me most about this particular arrangement was the use of paper. The vase is covered by a pink subtly striped paper and they used tissue paper to surround the plants. From a cost perspective, these flowers are easy to find and inexpensive. You can get everything from the stargazer lily to the bush roses at your local supermarket and if you've never learned how to properly arrange flowers, take some time learn it! It is soooooooo worth it! I have no idea until a great friend of mine who had the knowledge took the time to give me tips and tell me how to make an arrangement look great. I still can't make them look like the pros did it, but it's so much better than what it used to be!! And ribbon is a must have for any arrangement, but do yourself a favor, and skip the traditional florist ribbon, it's just not that cute! Get creative with the ribbon ladies!
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All Things Tickled PinkStraws - Paper straws are a retro fit for every party - from elegant to rockin' - it's a must have for your next event. They were such a huge trend in 2010 and they have continued to show their presence in 2011. You can find MANY great retailers, but some of the best are from Etsy.com. You can leave your straws as they are, tie a pretty ribbon on them, give them a flag or a tag. You can use straws for drinks (who would have thought that?!), you can use them for cake pops or marshmallow pops and they are such a neat trend, you can even package them as favors. Obviously, paper is biodegradable and healthy for the planet - but a word to the wise... if you've not used a paper straw before... don't expect your lips to know what you're doing to them! It's an odd feeling, that's for sure!
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Dandy You Etsy ShopWater Bottle Labels - Where have these been my whole life?! Custom water bottle labels are the easiest addition to your party and TOTALLY DIY! Sure you can send them off and have them printed (by companies such as
Bottle Your Brand) but you can totally make these at home, all by your awesome self! For Reagan's birthday party, I made bottle labels with purchased labels from
Online Labels and then created the image and printed them right here at home. A friend of mine, whose little girl had her super cool 1st birthday party the same weekend, made her labels by printing them onto regular paper, then using contact paper to basically laminate them. Attach and viola! Your very own custom labels. I would suggest using some type of lamination though as the ink did begin to fade throughout the day.
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Party Box DesignParty Stationary & Stickers - Circle labels are the cutest way to spruce up anything for your party from your invitation envelopes to your goodie bags. You can use them to bind napkins around your utensils, on the bottom of your cupcake liners for an added touch and did I mention they are GREAT for you invites?! Just getting that in there again...!
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SweetThingsCookies - The next best thing in cookie decorating is disco dust! Have you seen this?! Heard about it?! It is amazing... I actually just bought some today.... It really is glitter... but totally edible and it has no caloric content, so don't worry about your thighs! Disco Dust is made in every color imaginable and retails pretty inexpensively. I'm about to do a project with it myself, so I will post pictures! Cookies are a great treat for any occasion and they are truly not hard to do. My sugar cookie recipe is so easy and you can decorate them days in advance. The recipe stays fresh for over a MONTH! Now, we usually eat them the day of, because they are just THAT good, but you can keep them a long time. Cookies also make lovely party favors.
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Sparkling Event DesignPink Sorbet - I think the most amazing thing about this item is the sheer beauty through simplicity. It is one scoop of pink sorbet with a spring of mint served in a martini glass. Obviously, if you're planning a child's party you won't want to use glass especially not a martini glass, ha! You may also not want the mint leaves, depending on the age, but you could easily make this appropriate for your party. Small plastic punch cups would be a perfect substitute and you could use any flavor of sorbet, ice cream or gelato.
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Cake Picture GalleryBalloons - OK, wow! This is such a simple and amazing idea!! I've NEVER seen this done before but it is absolutely stunning. And for all my photog friends, can you imagine the gloriousness of this and a child running around?! I have to say I'm not sure how they anchored them, but I am willing to try anything to do this! I love balloons and while they are a fading trend, sometimes they get a good boost - this is one of those times!
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Princess Laura LisCake - Obviously, cake is a must have for any party - but have you noticed the trend of cakes going to "above and beyond" status?! When Reagan turned 1, I wanted a 2 tier cake. Hello money tree!! Once you add a second tier, you go to by the slice pricing and it's NOT cheap! I invested in a few tools and decided I'd make it myself! It wasn't perfect, but for it being the first cake I EVER decorated... it was awesome! So, you can attempt to make the cake yourself, you can hire a pro bakery or you can find a baker that works out of their home. If you want THIS cake... you probably want to hire, LOL. So about this particular cake... how gorgeous is this?! The minute I saw this cake, I knew where I was headed with the entire board. I shaped this board around this cake and it deserves every second of its fame! It is definitely fit for a princess.
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Studio Cake DesignTutu - What princess can have a Princess Birthday Party without a Princess Tutu?! Etsy has brought all kinds of lovely clothing to us and this is no exception. Paired with a pink leotard or cami or even a shirt with an initial or age - this tutu is perfect for your little one.
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Kennedy's KornerCupcakes - Mini Cupcakes are so easy to pop in your mouth, so delicious and let's face it... ADORABLE!! You need a mini muffin pan, some mini muffin liners and the will to sit and frost all of them!! How is that not a win/win?! :0) Plus, cupcakes on a stand = cute, but mini cupcakes on a stand = OVER THE TOP CUTE!!! And you can please everybody with tons of cake flavors.
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BlisstreeTableware - Paper vs. plastic vs. real is a common struggle during party planning, but again - it all goes toward your target audience. You don't want to break out your fine china for your sons 2nd birthday... but you don't really want to bring on the Chinet for a black tie wedding. Sometimes it's easy to know what to use, others it's a more difficult decision. I believe in paper. When Kyle and I married, I REFUSED - to much criticism - to register for China. I was told that it was not advisable to leave China off the registry and that I'd eventually regret it. Nope. Five years later, I still don't regret it. Kyle and I didn't start out with a lot, so the gifts we got for our wedding were what we had! If I'd registered for expensive China, we wouldn't have received many of the everyday, practical use items that we were gifted. It's not for every couple, but I highly recommend to couples like us that you just go ahead and leave it off the list. Plus, when are you going to REALLY use it?! When you're older, right? Why not ask for it from you hubby and kids when you hit a major milestone anniversary - give it a different sentiment. So... moving on from that - how PERFECT are these plates for this party theme?! LOVE them!!
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Rosemary CompanyInvitation - The invitations for any event sets the tone for the entire party. It gives your guests an idea of what to expect for the party - how fancy the party will be, if they need to break out the beach towels, wear heels or flippies, etc. You don't even have to say all of that or any of that for people to determine many things about your event. If you're planning a whimsical party, you don't want to send a dull invitation. Make sure your invites match your theme, your style and embodies your vision for the party.
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My ExpressionLike I said... first of many!! What would you like to see next?! Boy, Wedding, Dinner Party, Themed party??? You tell me on my
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Please ignore any misspelled words... I'm SO tired tonight and reading through propped up eyes! I'll fix them all in the morning! :0)
