Party like it’s 1969!

Remember this groovy 60th birthday party invitation? Well, here’s all the super fun details from the party! Is there a better way to celebrate turning 60 than throwing a big, 1960’s themed party? This party (in honor of a “reformed hippie”) was at the beautiful Bridgeview Boathouse in Knoxville, TN. Stunning river views surround the gorgeous event space. It was a blast working with Kevin Clark of UT Catering to create an authentic 1960’s themed menu with a modern twist. We included all the things you’d expect to see from that era –  shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, Waldorf salad, pot roast sandwiches, ham skewers on a pineapple tree, mini casseroles, fondue, hostess cupcakes, etc. We even had a porcupine cheese ball and jello salad just for fun! This party screamed 1960’s fun from the menu to the music to the decor, which included custom posters, tie-dyed paper flowers, and garden gnomes!!! These ladies kept the dance floor rockin’ all night! They even had a special choreographed dance to “She Works Hard for the Money” in honor of the birthday girl. We added so many personal touches to this shindig to make it extra special. Guests were greeted coming off the

Continue readingParty like it’s 1969!

Viva, Las Vegas!

Last month I had the pleasure of producing a three day industrial real estate conference for Cushman & Wakefield. That may not sound very exciting, but this conference was in beautiful Las Vegas and attended by nearly 450 of the happiest industrial real estate professionals I’ve ever met. Seriously, I have never encountered so many people who love what they do in one place. Cushman & Wakefield is doing something right. The conference consisted of seminars, break-out sessions, round tables, exhibits, and networking opportunities. We were very lucky to partner with the amazing folks at Nice Meeting to bring some cutting edge technology to this year’s conference. You can read more about Nice Meeting here. The conference culminated with a fire and ice themed cocktail party complete with an ice bar and luge, themed signature drinks, and fire dancers. Because it is Vegas, after all. Surrender Nightclub at the Encore Resort took such good care of us! We wanted to get the theme across as soon as our guests came through the door. We had waitresses welcoming them serving our signature drinks, the Fireball and the Blue Icicle. These massive, 4ftX8ft lit signs also helped. It’s a little hard to make out in the

Continue readingViva, Las Vegas!

Groovy, 1960's Inspired Birthday Invitation

Sixties Inspired 60th Birthday Invitation

The guest of honor for this super fun 1960’s themed bash is a reformed hippie who is into quilting, batik fabric, reptiles, tree species, and dog training. She also happens to be my mom. I searched high and low for the perfect 1960’s inspired invitation. I tried to design it myself, but my self-taught graphic design skills just didn’t cut it. After all, this lady has been amazing for 60 years. It had to be perfect. Luckily, I stumbled across Nadia Ink. (And lucky for you, Nadia will customize this design for your next party by clicking here.) A huge thank you to Nadia, who was able to take my ambiguous ideas and return a first draft that was nearly perfect. She was kind enough to work within my tight timeline even though she was working on another party simultaneously. What a pro! If you live in the Toronto area, Nadia will even custom style a candy/sweets tables at your next event. Check out her facebook page for more info! And check back soon for all the groovy details on this swinging party!

30th Birthday Barn Party

Andy’s 30th Birthday Wisconsin Barn Party

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the pictures of this soirée from Über-talented photographer, James Holveck of White Night Photography. Andy’s 30th birthday party was so much fun and James did a wonderful job capturing the beauty of a great fall day, amazing friends and family, and a festive birthday celebration. There are so many fantastic pictures that I had trouble deciding which to highlight. I love all the signs we did around the property. They really added a splash of the family’s fun-loving personality. Since it was late October in Wisconsin, we were prepared with a basket of hats, scarves, and gloves (pictured below) for guests who were feeling the chill of the fall air. See the Sneak Peek post from this party for a tutorial on the hanging tinsel covered thirty below. It created a stunning focal point above the bar. Added bonus: it was super easy & inexpensive! To bring some softness into the eclectic barn, we brought the ceiling down with tulle and twinkle lights. We found a pile of twigs from the apple trees on the property and worked those into the centerpieces then placed them on some log pieces for added rustic charm. Special thanks to Andy and his family for letting

Continue readingAndy’s 30th Birthday Wisconsin Barn Party

Ribbon Centerpiece

Make way for turkey! Hanging Centerpiece Ribbon Chandelier

Every Thanksgiving I run into the same problem. I’ve painstakingly made (or purchased) an elaborate and beautiful centerpiece. Yet, when I go to put the main attraction (ie- the plethora of fat, butter, carbs, and turkey) on the table it starts to look like Walmart on black Friday – way too crowded. In turn, I begrudgingly remove the centerpiece and resent it the entire dinner. (Thank you, Grandma, for ingraining in me feelings of shame and self-loathing when serving guests a meal without a centerpiece. The horror!) So, when I went to write about the awesome ribbon chandelier I made for this shower, it hit me. What a PERFECT solution for a crowded Thanksgiving table! Hanging Ribbon Chandelier/Centerpiece What I love most about this project is its versatility. Obviously, your ribbon can be any color, shape, size, and length. You can choose to add cardstock pieces like I did, or not. Basically, if you can affix an item to a piece of monofilament, you can use it to create a hanging centerpiece. Wouldn’t it be great to add pinecones & fall leaves to one for Thanksgiving. Or candy canes for your Christmas table. Fresh or silk flowers would be beautiful for a

Continue readingMake way for turkey! Hanging Centerpiece Ribbon Chandelier