A Very Confetti Birthday

February 21, 2019February 21, 2019Leave a comment

I have a 4 year old. Repeat. I have a 4 year old! There is a child in my house who is potty trained, can speak in full sentences, knows how to operate light machinery and can recite the planets to me in order. 4 years old!

Hitting this milestone was a cause for celebration. With August sharing his birthday with an epic holiday (cough Valentine’s Day cough) we knew we’d have to plan early. So way back in December I asked August, “What kind of birthday would you like?” I was expecting an answer along the lines of dinosaurs, legos, robots, animals or space. But not August. He’s always thinking a bit outside the box and of that I’m always proud. “Confetti” he replied. Really? I had to ask him a second time to make sure I understood. “Confetti?” He nodded yes. Alright then! Confetti it would be!

As soon as he confirmed his vision I started collecting goodies for the party. There were tons of New Year’s Eve decorations on store shelves and lots of sparkly colorful knick knacks that would lend themselves to our little celebration. I already have an arsenal of party decor that I reuse from event to event – so that was on the docket too. My kitchen cabinets are loaded with colorful cake stands, bright plates, customizable message banners, fun paper straws and colorful napkins. Perfect! I also knew I had a sizable stack of construction paper that I could tap for a homemade element. I ended up cutting out hundreds of confetti circles and sewing through them with my machine. Voila! Instant party decor.

When planning food for kid parties handhelds are always best. The goal is to keep things nice and simple so the kids can self serve, leaving the adults to have a chance to connect. Trader Joe’s is always my go-to for party food. The prices are great, the products are delicious AND there are no creepy chemicals lurking about. That’s right! No synthetic additives, gmos or high fructose nonsense.Even the color additives are natural. I’ll take beet and carrot derived hues over red 40 any day! The final party spread included organic low-sugar juice for the kids, coffee, sparkling water and hard cider for the adults, fresh jumbo pretzels, cheese sticks and wheels, cheddar popcorn, peanut butter banana shish kabobs (thanks Pinterest!), grapes, a vegan veggie platter, and of course, cake. The best part? The cake, also from Trader Joes, was covered in confetti sprinkles. Love!

So there you have it. Our take on a very confetti birthday. Happy birthday little August!

The Big T-W-O!

March 18, 2017March 18, 2017Leave a comment

Oh my goodness – when did it happen?! When was I suddenly the mother of a full-fledged toddler?!

This past Valentine’s Day we crossed the milestone. August turned the big T-W-O! My little bundle, my baby boy, is now a floor stomping, bug poking, soil slinging mini man. He’s independent, fiery, curious, and addicted to routines. Thankfully, his tantrums are few, and his appetite is still big, so I’m clinging on to those two baby hold overs for as long as possible. His vocabulary is expanding in an exponential rate as are his physical capabilities. I’m telling you – mini man. Mini man.

To celebrate his passage into this new phase of life I hosted a small shin dig in his honor. As I’m quickly learning with this stage, less is more. Instead of busting out all stops for a big hoopla of a party, I planned an intimate breakfast bash with family, friends, and some of his toddler buddies. “Keep it simple sweetie” – definitely the way to go.

For the decorations I stayed away from a true theme and instead pulled together some basics in a variety of colors and textures. I also fell in love with a gold “Yay” Mylar balloon I found at Target – so threw in a few more metallic elements to bring it all together. Add a few bright floral bouquets and a smattering of wooden animal figurines and wallah! My apartment was birthday party ready!

For the food spread I, again, kept things simple. I filled up a cutting board with a variety of cheeses, including the standard brie and blue, both of which August promptly took whopping bites from. See my Instagram for video proof. I filled several bowls with berries, yogurts and granola, and set out jams and other condiments for spicing things up. Putting my collection of cake stands to work, I piled up mini omelettes, freshly baked mini croissants as well as towers of silver dollar pancakes skewered with berry kabobs. Do you see a pattern yet? Mini, mini, mini. One thing that was full sized was August’s birthday cake: A delightful chocolate ganache that we purchased from Whole Foods which I then topped with fresh cut flowers, a wooden animal figurine, a sparkler, and of course, two candles. For drinks I also kept things minimal and served orange juice, french pressed coffee, and organic milk boxes for the kiddos. The food was definitely a huge hit!

As seems customary at kid parties, I had an activity planned, but in the hub-bub of guests, food, and toddler antics, there was no opportunity to introduce it. Aka, I totally forgot. Oops! I had bought the supplies to have the kids make their very own seed bombs which they could “plant” somewhere in their neighborhood. Since I have the wildflower seeds and peat rarin to go – I may host a spring themed play date to give the littles a chance to get their hands dirty while teaching them some horticulture basics. But I digress.

730 days old. Quite the milestone and so glad we had a chance to properly celebrate. Now to start plans for Easter!

DIY: Newspaper Party Streamers

March 12, 2014January 19, 2016Leave a comment

This past month I found myself in a dilemma. David’s birthday was suddenly at hand, we had a party planned, and I totally forgot to consider decorations! With just an hour before the first guests’ arrival, I devised a quick and resourceful way to get my apartment into the party spirit: Upcycled paper streamers!

Sneaking a few sheets of newspaper away from my bunny’s stash, I concocted a simple banner design that only required a few strategic cuts and less than 10 minutes of sewing. The result? A transformed festive space that’s eco-friendly and ready for fun!

Should you be on the lookout for a simple and design-savvy way to deck out your place for an upcoming get-together, give this easy four step tutorial a try!

1) Cut your newspaper into one inch slices.

2) Gather a stack of your sliced paper and cut each strip in half.

3) Align your strips to ensure they’re all the same length. Don’t worry about the width of each being exact.

4) Use a simple stitch and same plain thread to connect the strips together, sewing about a half inch from the tops. Sew approximately 30-40 slips per streamer.

And that’s it! To hang your streamers all you need to do is grab some washi or marking tape and affix them to your ceiling at varying lengths and spaces. You’ll find that the more streamers you hang, the fuller the installation’s look, so don’t be afraid to go nuts and make ten or more pieces!

Do you have a secret last-minute party decor idea that’s easy to make and eco-friendly? Share your tips with us!

Party Planning

December 28, 2012January 19, 2016Leave a comment

New Year’s Eve is just around the bend – which means it’s the perfect time to do some party planning!

With the help of my handy dandy Pinterest collections I’ve compiled some sweet and festive ‘looks’ for all your merry-making needs. From handmade crafts and DIY garlands to ‘just because’ embellishments, I hope this list gives you some great ideas on how to throw the perfect soiree to ring in the New Year.

DIY Photo Booth from Free People
Gold Garland from A Beautiful Mess
Stunning Paper Pom Poms from Project Nursery
Clock Countdown Mantel from Martha Stewart
Confetti Balloons from Kojo Designs
Paper Bunting from EMMAS DESIGNBLOGG
Sparkly Star Headband from Sippy Cup Mom
DIY Festive Party Hat from Pinterest
NY Resolutions Coaster Set from Lucky Bee Press

Press: Etsy Blog “Dressing Up…”

December 21, 2012December 21, 2012Leave a comment

Imagine my surprise when a friend sent me this link via Facebook Wednesday. “Wow!” Was all I could say! It’s always fun when a feature like this pops up out of nowhere!

A lovely curated list of snazzy outfits and accessories, the “Dressing Up for a Night Out” couldn’t come at a better time. With people choosing and picking outfits for Christmas, holiday parties and New Year’s Eve, the extra press is much appreciated.

View the full Etsy blog post here – and start planning your fancy shmancy get-up today!

Item of the Week: Season’s Greetings

December 19, 2012December 19, 2012Leave a comment

A month or so ago I was thinking to myself, “Hmmmm – the holidays are at hand and I want to make a fun festive dress that’s practical and affordable.” Like all of you, I knew my budget would be stretched with holiday shopping, tree dressing and other expenses. So my goal was to create a simple design that would result in a lower price tag and the “Season’s Greetings” dress is just that!

Making it’s debut at the Renegade Holiday Craft Fair – this fun and flattering frock is made using vintage linens and pre-loved women’s shirts and carries a reasonable price tag of only $36. The long-sleeved tops keep the wearer nice and toasty without compromising on style. Plus – the elastic high waist gives each dress a fancy shmancy finish that creates a beautiful bell-like shape when worn. I only have a handful of these cute pieces left, ranging from green and black to gold and grey. Great for wearing to your upcoming holiday parties, check out the remaining pieces here.

DIY: New Years Eve Party Crackers

December 28, 2011December 28, 2011Leave a comment

I absolutely adore this tutorial from Kate Petty, care of Design Sponge, which shows you how to make your own party crackers. Create these using upcycled paper, sparkly confetti, and sweet treats for a rustic eco-friendly way to ring in the New Year!