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The Perfect Thing's 10th Anniversary Celebration

Guess who turned ten! The Perfect Thing’s Anniversary Celebration

I was so excited when the wonderful ladies at Wheaton’s The Perfect Thing asked me to help plan their tenth anniversary celebration. There couldn’t be two ladies whose hard work is more deserving of a celebration. To add to the fun, they completely trusted my ideas for the weekend’s events. Even the ones I thought may be a bit more outlandish. (Hiding 10th anniversary coins all over the store good for 50% off your purchase!?!? Proud to say this turned out to be a HUGE hit.) The wonderfully talented Elizabeth Tornabene designed all the advertisements and graphics for the weekend. They really spoke to the celebration and the refined pieces for which the Perfect Thing is known. The weekend’s celebration kicked off with a book signing by the incredible Judith Miller. Judith is not only one of the world’s foremost experts on antiques (having written over 100 books on the subject), but she is also an absolute doll to work with. I was thrilled that we were able to get her and The Perfect Thing on WGN Morning News! Click here to see the clip and get her tips on what to avoid when antiquing. The Perfect Thing also hosted

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Fore!!! Charity Golf Outing!

I had a blast working with the good folks at Cushman & Wakefield again on a charity golf outing to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. I wish I had better pictures, but suffice it to say the weather was beautiful, everyone had a great time, and we raised a whopping $50,000 for Wounded Warrior Project! It was such a great day, I only got pictures of the first half of things. (DOH!) You’ll just have to imagine a wonderful cocktail hour, dinners, and awards that concluded the day. Oh, and I must give a special shout out to the wonderful SMT Events. They helped us reach our donation goal by setting us up with a great silent auction, exciting scratch off cards, and fabulous on-course games with prizes worth more than $60,000! If you’re looking to host a charity event of any kind, I highly recommend you reach out to SMT Events. Vendors Venue: Harborside International Golf Course Caterer: Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants Fundraising Games & Silent Auction: SMT Events Transportation: Windy City Limo Hotel: The Langham Chicago

Martha Stewart Paper Strip Garland

Copycat Martha Stewart Paper Strip Garland

While trying to get through my perpetually growing magazine pile, I ran across this picture of Martha Stewart’s Paper Strip Garland: And thought to myself, I can totally make that! Well, you know what? This time I was right! I happened to be getting really into paint chip crafts for our housewarming party and I just knew they were the perfect medium for this knock-off. Not only are these so simple, but there are so many uses for them. Hang them off your chandelier or over your table for a unique and colorful hanging centerpiece. Try them on your front porch to welcome guests to your party. They’re a great decorative element to define a space (think gift table, bar area, etc.). I even think they could make a super cute mobile for a baby’s room! And don’t feel like you have to stick to rectangles. Get creative with your scissors or use hole punches to try a variety of shapes. DIY PAPER GARLAND KNOCK-OFF Supplies: Paint Chips Filament Wire Scissors Double-Stick Tape Instructions: Step One: Cut paint chips down to size and line up matching chips back to back. Step Two: Open the paint chips and run filament wire down the

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Paint Chip Party Favors

Paint Chip Housewarming Decor & Party Favors

You may remember that we moved into our new house last November. Well, after six months, two floods, four weeks of construction, sixteen paint samples, three HVAC problems, and one secret room we were finally able to invite our families over to celebrate! I decided to incorporate some DIY paint chip projects into the party. (I figured we hard earned the right to some extra paint chips after buying sixteen samples of paint and enough gallons to paint every room in the house!) I made some adorable, simple menu cards, of which I naturally didn’t get a single picture! Forgive me, it was a very busy morning preparing to host fifty of our friends and family. I simply cut the paint chips down to size, wrote the menu item on the front, and used some washi tape to affix them to long toothpicks. Throw some decorative sand in a shot glass and stick the suckers in. Voila! Next, I made these awesome paint chip fans following this tutorial. They did double duty as centerpieces and party favors. They were certainly appreciated seeing as it was mid-July and our backyard gets direct afternoon sun. A special note about printing on paint chips: I used an ink-jet printer

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Redneck Wedding Shower

Not Your Average Wedding Shower: Redneck Love

I may be a midwest girl at heart, but I spent my high school days in central Florida. So, when I saw an old friend’s pictures of her “Redneck Love” Stock the Bar Wedding Shower I just had to share! Sure, traditional wedding showers have a time and a place. (Grandma Maude may not be down for shower games of beer pong and battle shots.) But if you’re throwing a shower mainly for the bride and groom’s friends, it’s a good idea to think outside the box. And I don’t mean afternoon tea… This shower featured so much redneck love… Guests dined on the finest pigs in a blanket and tater tots around. Little Debbie Cakes were served for dessert. Drinking games and a special mug shot photo booth provided for plenty of fun. (Don’t forget redneck props!) And, of course they encouraged guests on Instagram to use the #rednecklove tag. What an awesome, fun way to celebrate a southern couple! A great bonus to throwing a redneck themed shower- no one expects too much. Encourage guests to get into the theme by dressing the part. Heck, guests can even wrap their gifts in toilet paper or grocery bags if

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