This gorgeous party that Linda Roos created for her 35th birthday is so colorful, chic… and versatile! Her tiered centerpieces – and this overall look – would also be great for wedding showers and anniversary celebrations. And how great is this homemade birthday banner:

Read on for lots of photos and all the details, as told by Linda herself…

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“I pictured this party being colorful, cheery, and sassy…

Tabletop:
I totally lucked out in finding the striped fabric on the clearance table at a fabric store. It matched the colors of the invite perfectly. With the fabric having so many different colors, I decided to use it as a table runner along with white china. I alternated hot pink and white napkins at each setting.

I used big plates so that the guests could load up on different cakes and desserts from the buffet. I also put glasses and then altered espresso cups, larger coffee cups, and tea mugs on the table to give the guests a choice of what to drink.

Centerpieces:
I saw a post on HWTM a while back about a tablescape from Brides that I have been wanting to do for the longest time. It had a tiered cake stand full of flowers. So I got the stands from IKEA (which were ideal for flowers as the plates are deep enough to hold water), a bunch of fresh flowers and different colors of polka dot ribbon. I am so happy with how this turned out. Thanks for the tip Jen!

I also also hung pink glass ornaments from the chandelier over the table to add some bling (gotta have bling!), and spent three nights cutting and stringing scrapbook paper into flags that I hung across our dining area and over to the kitchen island where I had the buffet.

On the Menu:

The buffet was filled with different kinds of homemade cakes and desserts. I am so not a baker and it took me all night Friday, huge chunks of Saturday, and all morning Sunday to make everything. But thanks to delish recipes from one fabulous sweetheart – Swedish celebrity cook Leila Lindholm – it all turned out amazing! I made two times too much and had to send some of it home with the guests as they left. But it’s all good, LOL. I think it made them happy.

I served New York blueberry cheesecake, torta della nonna (which I think is my favorite cake ever!), chocolate chip walnut brownies, creme brulée, raspberry mousse, fruit salad, and a cupcake tower (inspired by Martha Stewart).

I also had glass jars with some sweets (marshmallows, M&Ms, and Toblerone chocolate) and made little labels for each item by using a digital scrapbooking label by Jessica Sprague (from her Thank Ya Kindly kit).

For drinks I served: espresso, freshly brewed coffee, blackcurrant juice, pineapple juice, and soda.

It was a lot of hard work but all worth it I think!”

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Thanks for all the great inspiration, Linda! We think your hard work was worth it too!