"We're Thankful For Our Friends" Dinner Party

As transplants to this city we have made some amazing friends so it only seems natural to host a pre-Thanksgiving dinner party to show how thankful we are to have met. This is pretty easy to do in that each couple brings a dish to add to the meal.

I wanted to set the table in something other than pumpkins and harvest colors, so I chose peacock feathers as inspiration. The natural element of the feathers and the blue and green color combination creates a great Autumn table top.

A welcoming cocktail of green apple martini is served!

The kid's table was set up to be more rustic with craft paper as the topper to draw on, twigs from the yard, and "cornucopias" to hold treats.

See more in our Facebook Album.

Bright Idea To Coordinate A Table

This gorgeous tabletop from Bliss Events, not only gives us great inspiration, but also can teach us a lesson. The centerpiece vases are a perfectly coordinated mixture of patterns in the same color scheme. A great reminder of how you can bring together a look when you think you have nothing that matches. Just gather several containers, from glass cylanders to soup cans, and wrap them in 2 or 3 coordinating patterns of scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or even fabric. Fill the containers with flowers and you have an elegant look that is beautifully coordinated and suitable for any event.

FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!

I'm so excited for you guys because you have 2 chances to win a super gift from the super-cool Hostess Jo just in time for Thanksgiving!
Here's how it's going down: Hostess Jo is giving away the Chip & Dip below, as well as the Platter. To enter, leave a comment telling us which of the 2 you'd like to win ("a"=chip & dip; "b"=platter). At the end, I'll pick a random person to win the Chip & Dip, and another to win the Platter. YES, you can enter for both!!! Winners will be announced next Friday the 13th. Good Luck!

And dont' forget to check out all the other cute items Hostess Jo has ON SALE for harvest decor.

Pilgram Hat Cookies

Hat Cookies are not just for Witches! These fabulous Pilgram Hat cookies are so perfect for Thanksgiving! Also great is that there is no cooking involved, just assembly of 3 ingredients: chocolate wafer cookies, mini peanut butter cups, and orange frosting.

Thanksgiving In Black & White

Who says Thanksgiving has to be done in orange, gold, green, and brown? With the beautiful white pumpkins readily available, get inspired to dress a table in black and white. Spray paint some small goards in metallic silver and copper, add white candles, dishes, and black accents and you have an elegant Autumn table.

Don't forget about the dessert and drinks table. Just a few white and black elements help tie in the color scheme perfectly.

Tabletop: HGTV

Bar: Pottery Barn

Autumn "Place Cards"

Time to start planning your Thanksgiving Tablescape! Here's one element of the table top that you can cross off your list. Use fresh produce of the season and fashion them into place cards! Apples, pears, mini pumpkins are all great choices but don't forget about lemons, apricots, and oranges. Use a paint pen or sharpie marker to write guest's names directly onto the produce of choice. Or head to the sticker isle of the craft store and spell out the names with adhesive letters.

Cut out some paper leaves and attach them with ribbon or pretty tacks or pins. Write the name on the leaf.

Also simple but clever are these ideas using ribbon (write the name on the hanging ribbon), hang tags, scrolled paper, and little flag (they're not just for cupcakes!).

Any of these ideas would add such an interesting element to your Thanksgiving table, and they are Eco Chic!

Links:
1. pear, pumpkin, lemon

2. pear, orange(elle decor), apple

3. pear(pottery barn), pear(the fun times guide), pumpkin, apricot

Candyland Birthday Party

Feast your eyes upon this perfectly executed Candyland Birthday Party by Andrea Swenson of Bon Bon Bebe. As you can imagine, Andrea was inspired by the Candyland party styled by Jenn at HWTM, and she certainly hit it out of the park when she put together this party for her 3 year old daughter and 28 of her little friends.

The centerpiece of the party is of course the candy table flanked by 2 smaller tables. Andrea used fabric from IKEA to top the candy table and even cut "ribbons" from that fabric to help decorate a candy serving stand. She made the cute cupcake toppers and cotton candy toppers herself.

The round tables were set up to hold the take-home favors: a Candland game, and a clear bucket to be filled with all of the candy. The pretty decorative stickers on the buckets were from Paper Peddler.

A party cannot rely on candy alone, so Andrea set up some carnival-style games (from Oriental Trading & Party City) in the back yard, as well as a craft table to keep the young ones busy. Andrea found the fun candy pillows on Ebay, and made 'lollipops' out of round foam discs, paint, and cellophane.

Below, is a picture of the birthday girl and her sister. The Adorable little tanks are from Andrea's Etsy shop, Bon Bon Bebe.

Thank you for letting me share this fabulous party Andrea! You have surely inspired many!

For more photos go here.

Mini Pumpkin Cakes

This time of year there are so many great food ideas. It starts with all the Halloween fun treats and continues through Christmas with lots of Holiday goodies. For your Thanksgiving dessert table, give these cute little Mini Pumpkin Cakes a staring role. Made with mini bundt pans, your choice of cake mix (orange spice cake would be perfect!), glaze, and marzipan, these single serving treats are sure to satisfy.

Blogging With A Purpose

I'd like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to our Military Personel and their families for the sacrifices they make and all that they do. Also a big THANK YOU to Operation Shower for doing their part in making the lives a little easier for the pregnant wives whose husbands are serving and deployed.

On behalf of Amy at Stem (also Chief Event Planner for OS), I'd like to direct your attention to this blog post to raise awareness of their great cause. Please take a moment to read and do what you feel in your heart, wheather it is saying a prayer or making a donation.

Thank you all for reading. XOXO

Last Call For Halloween Ideas

With a little more than 24 hours to conjur up some spells, here are some last minute ideas to help you host a goulish gathering before or after Trick-or-Treating. For the adults, try some 'spirited' concoctions with creepy details. Floating eyeballs, blood rimmed glasses, test tube shots, and mad science experiments can get any party started! And for something healthy to nosh on, how about some veggies displayed as a skeleton. Maybe even the kids will eat their vegetables when they look this fun!
Set up the room decor so it is pleasing to both adults and kids alike.

Speaking of kids, how about any of these pleasing treat presentations? Wrap lollipops to look like ghosts and insert into foam covered with grass. Serve up some yummy mummies with mummy-wrapped treat containers, and mummy pizzas!

I also love the idea of using simple store bought cookies(oreos, and nutter butters) and insert a lollipop stick into the cream filling part, then dip into melted chocolate and decorated with gels and candies to look like all sorts of goblins. Float a hand in the punch by filling a non-powdered rubber glove with water. Tie off the end tightly and freeze tonight. When ready to serve, remove the glove from the ice form and float. Add a drop or two of food coloring to add to the look.

Finally, grab those orange lanterns and turn them into pumpkins with some felt leaves, and pipe cleaner vines.

I hope you will try some of these last minute ideas, and have a Safe and Happy Halloween!!!

Free Halloween Printables

Just in time for Saturday (or Friday)! You can print out these circles for cupcake toppers or labels, and the coordinating band which can be used as napkin rings, or to wrap anything else. These are free from Accent the Party. Find the circle downloads here, and the wrappers downloads here.

An Autumn Entryway

Say "Welcome" with this pumpkin topiary from Southern Living. This has beauty, and function with the string lights added. Another bonus is that you can use faux pumpkins and use this year after year. Perfect for Halloween night all the way to Thanksgiving. Find the instructions here.

Vintage Is The New Modern?

Have you noticed? There is something about Vintage that is just so.......Modern! I've been noticing this for a while now, on many of the wedding blogs. Designers are taking vintage items and placing them or styling them so the look is very current, and not at all dated.

With details like floral or vintage linens, lace, milk glass, depression glass, china, and simple flower arrangements, you can easily create a beautiful dining table perfect for bridesmaids luncheons or any ladies luncheon, bridal showers and baby showers, engagement parties, and even birthday tea parties for little and big girls alike. Shop thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, and grandma's attic for fabulous finds.

Adding 'everyday' items like a vintage table fan, train cases, old typewriters and books, bird cages, and tea storage canisters filled with flowers, adds charm and authenticity to the setting. Use antique bookshelves to hold food, dessert, extra plates and napkins, and old photos or portrait silhuettes in boroque style frames.

Don't forget the finishing touch: any homemade or home baked item is perfect for your party favors and looks great in packaging reminescent of a bygone era. Jams with a fabric lid topper, cookies wrapped up in lace hankies, a small box wrapped up in old news paper print, old fashioned candy shoppe candies,or salt water taffy placed in handmade fabric sacks. These are all simple ideas that help carry your look through to the end.
So, as we all want to be a modern hostess, remember this: ...Sometimes Vintage IS Modern!

Credits:

Collage 1: JL Designs, LaLaLaurie, Lolliblog,

Once Wed, Green Wedding Shoes

Collage 2: Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart,

Once Wed, Green Wedding Shoes, Ritzy Bee

Collage 3: Style Me Pretty, Duet Weddings, Tec Petaja Photography,

Once Wed, Once Wed, Ritzy Bee

Creepy Cookies & Cool Candy Wrappers

I love all the creative ways with food for Halloween! Seems there is an endless supply of ideas out there for cookies, cupcakes, dips, and more. These 'Spider' cookies from Betty Crocker are another super simple and super cute idea. To make it more convenient, use slice & bake cookie dough. With some Rolos, m & m's, licorice, and black decorator gel, you can make these Creepy Cookies for any Halloween party.


For take-home favors, school parties, or trick-or-treat bags, try these adorable candy wrappers from Skip to my Lou (found via Be Different...Act Normal). These are so unique and fun!

Halloween Eats & Treats

Do you have any Halloween parties planned for this weekend? Here are some fun foods to make for the festivities!

1. One of my personal favorites is this simple mix of candy corn and dry roasted peanuts. In fact it is the only way I even like to eat candy corn! The mixture tastes just like a PayDay candy bar. (photo from Southern Plate)
2. For something savory try these "Snake" pinwheels. Just fill tortillas with cold cuts and cheese of your choice, roll up, and slice. Display in a curvy snake shape adding a red pepper slice for the tongue. (from Pillsbury)
3. Create some Sweet Skeleton Bones with cinnamon twists dough. For the recipe and yummy dipping sauce go here.
4. Make peanut butter "Pumpkin" cookies. Start with refrigerated dough, shape into a small pumpkin shape and add orange sugar crystals. Bake and add a small pretzel curl for the stem. See full instructions here.