Today’s Real Party feature is a Charming Backyard Birthday theme that Kay created for her adorable daughter – Raffaella – to celebrate her first birthday. This party has so many pretty details… from makeshift dessert platters embellished with moss to artificial butterflies and colorful tissue poms.

The party details are very appropriate for a first birthday party, but they’d actually also translate well to adult occasions & holidays like bridal showers, Easter or Mother’s Day too!

Read on for all the pretty details, as told by Kay…

*****

“We were so happy at how great the party turned out. Everything went according to plan. Her birthday party was one of the best days, we were surrounded by the people we love most and we have a little girl who is happy, beautiful, and healthy. Nothing could be better than that.

Centerpieces:
I bought lots of glass jars and vases from discount stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. They ranged from $10-20. I didn’t want to use cut flowers; I wanted them to last in the house for a while after the party, therefore, I went with plants like ferns and Orchids. I added mosses and artificial butterflies to make it more cutesy. Artificial butterflies were purchased online from Barnard Ltd.

Poms Poms:
Poms poms are all the rage these days, so I definitely had to incorporate them into her party! I bought tissue paper in various shades from Paper-Source. I made a total of 17! We literally were making them up until the very first guest arrived.

Dessert Bar:
For the dessert bar, I went with French pastries made by a local bakery, Patisserie Chantilly. We had Macarons in 7 different flavors, Eclairs and Madelienes. We used different plates/platters and propped them up with bowls and mugs for some whimsy. The canopies that draped over the table were from IKEA.

I also didn’t want to do the traditional cake or the ever-so-popular cupcakes and opted instead for cream puffs. I purchased moss from The Home Depot for the makeshift cake stand (pictured at top) that held the cream puffs.

Drinks:
We also served pitchers of Fuzzless Navel (Orange Juice & Peach Nectar) which is the non-alcoholic version of the Fuzzy Navel. Both the kids and adults loved it!

Present Table:
I made the birthday pennants myself (see banner pictured at top), using paper from Joann Fabrics that was on sale. It was a great deal at 5 sheets for $1! I stapled them to strands of green ribbon and attached printed letters with double sided tape.

I also had two types of party favors, one for the adults and one for the kids. For the kid favors, I used Chinese take-out boxes (purchased from Uline) and added some ribbon and a sticker that I stamped the word “merci”. The adult favor were Meringues purchased from Trader Joes, wrapped up and tied off with cute brown faux bois ribbon from Joann.

Cheese Platter:
The cheese platter is actually something I am the most proud of!

I picked out all French cheese, except for the chedder =), Brie, St. Agur Blue, Comte, and Bucheron. They looked beautiful set again a dark slate platter. I used broken pieces of terracotta and alphabet stamps to write out the names of the cheeses on them. (I picked this idea up from a Danny Seo book. It’s a great way to reuse broken terracotta pots!)

Sitting Area:
We created a sitting area for the kids and their parents under green and white stripe hammocks-turned-canopies, that I picked up on sale from IKEA. I put a large blanket in the center and added some square end tables to complete the area.

And of course, thanks to my friend and photographer Brian Khang for taking such awesome pictures and allowing for me to share with everyone!”

*****

Such a pretty party, Kay! Thanks for sharing! =)

You might remember the B is for Baby Shower party that the girls from Lollipop Events & Designs created earlier this year. I’m a huge fan of their modern-meets-whimsical style, and they’re back with another fabulous party theme to share!

This colorful “Alice in Wonderlandia” design is like your own personal fairy tale… charming, stylish, and perfect for everything from baby & bridal showers to birthday parties or a ladies lunch.

I’m especially loving the clever tea cup centerpiece and eclectic mix of vintage patterns & textiles! Read on for all the DIY tips for this setting, as told by the Lollipop girls…

*****

Table:
“Start by draping the table with a bold and bright floral table linen. For multiple tables, use the same patterned linen on each table or feel free to mix in other patterned linens to create an eclectic garden feel. Next, use colorful patterned kitchen aprons and tie them around each chair to create customized chair covers!

Centerpieces:
For the main centerpiece, take vintage teacups in any size, shape or pattern and simply glue them on top each other using a glue gun. You can make the centerpiece as tall or short as you would like, just make sure it’s sturdy, so that it does not topple over! To top off the teacup centerpiece add a ball of pretty pink or white garden roses and an artificial butterfly.

On each side of the teacup centerpiece add small glass bud vases with seasonal garden flowers. To add an extra eclectic flair, find ceramic pots with a floral design and top them off with basic moss balls, which can be reused for future parties. Moss balls will save you time since you won’t to arrange flowers! The moss balls can also serve as décor in your home after the event!

Table Settings:
Any vintage patterned dinnerware will suffice! It does not need to match the table linens or the aprons perfectly. Look at our table! We used over four different patterns but opted to keep the colors of the dinnerware and centerpieces in the same pink palette. Feel free to use anything from your grandmother’s old china, patterned melamine plates or even floral paper plates. It all depends on the time and the mood of the event.

Each guest received their own hot pink galvanized watering can at their place setting, filled with ice and small bright blue bottles of champagne. This allowed guests to keep their champagne chilled on the hot summer day and also served as a party favor!

Paper Candy:
Personalized monogrammed tea bags with each guest’s initials on them were strategically placed at each setting in the teacups. This is a creative way to add a customized touch to the event while doubling as a place card.

We also added a whimsical “Alice in Wonderland” flair to the table by placing playful blue and white menus to the side of each plate. Please see the paper candy section on our website to purchase semi-custom menus and monograms similar to these.”

*****

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…

*****

“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!”

*****

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

Here’s a peek at the inspiration board for a baby shower I’m styling in November. As you can probably guess, mom-to-be is having a girl! Chocolate-dipped strawberries and a pink & red palette were requested for the event, so I’m tentatively calling this theme “Berry Sweet“.

Pictured at top: Camellia Tissue Paper Pom Set; Boughs of Whimsy gift wrap (the “inspiration piece” for the theme / will be used throughout the party); Rectangle Mod Pink/Red & Red Disc beaded curtains (for table runners &  decorative accents), pink drinks with YUM! Stirrers; cupcakes by Whitney Burke; and sparkling Pomegranate Champagne Cocktails.

Pictured above: Digital mockups of concepts for the accent table arrangements – utilizing oversize red blooms, metallic fuschia vases embellished with gift wrap, pink swirl lollipops, and white mitsumata branches adorned with small red blooms and paper “leaves”. {Ruby dahlias in white vase pic by Floral Art} 

Pictured above: Red and White acrylic drop ornaments; a digital mockup of the table centerpieces (a grapewood branch adorned with oversize flower blooms – real & faux – and paper leaves… might add some crystal ornaments too); Boughs of Whimsy gift wrap; and a few sample elements for the Treat Bar… pink and red candies and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Last but not least, here’s a peek at the venue – Catch restaurant at the Casa del Mar hotel in Santa Monica. Pretty sweet, right?! (pun intented)

P.S. This theme would work great for a bridal shower or birthday party too! (Just swap out the word “BABY” in the signage with “BRIDE” or the the birthday girl’s name.)

P.S.S. The font used for “BERRY SWEET” and “BABY” is called “JFFerrule“.

Creative place cards are always a great way to play up your party or wedding theme, and Etsy shop Timeless Paper offers countless – and extremely stylish! – ways to do just that.

These intricate place card designs cost about $1 each and range from peacocks and butterflies to nautical, flora, and more. You can even have a completely custom shape created for a $30 fee.

Pictured above: Peacock, Suitcase, and Airplane place cards.  More favorites are pictured below, starting with the lovely Butterfly, Butterfly (tent-style), and Love Bird (tent style) designs…

Pictured below: whimsical Dragonfly and nautically-themed Anchor designs…

And last but not least, these Autumn Mix Leaves and pretty Pumpkin Place Cards would be an elegant addition to fall-themed weddings or Thanksgiving tables!

(Note: The pumpkin set is listed as 280 pieces, but you can message the seller if you need more or less.)

This gorgeous butterfly-themed first birthday party was created by Patricia, Christina, and Shacia of Charm Event Design and is chock full of adorable & “enchanting” details like butterfly-adorned centerpieces and party favors, a butterfly activity table, butterfly-shaped PB&J, and more! (This theme would translate beautifully for a baby or bridal shower too!)

Here are all the fun details, as told by Charm…

*****

“Our latest Butterfly Enchantment Party was a first birthday celebration themed with a fall inspired color pallete of rich oranges, deep plums and reds.

Kids Butterfly Table
We found an eye-catching corduroy fabric (Joann’s Fabric) with colorful butterflies that we custom trimmed to make a vibrant table runner, and we also attached beautiful butterfly cutouts to the back of each kiddie chair for an added enchantment.

The tablescape was embellished with butterfly party favors consisting of mason jars with green moss & a silk butterfly inside. We also included a few fun butterfly facts inside the jars. These delightful jars also doubled as butterfly catchers!

In addition to favors, we also provided a fun butterfly activity. We made butterfly cutouts out of chipboard and spray painted them a cream color and attached hand painted orange dowels to create a buttefly mask. We provided feathers, markers, stickers and jewels for the kids to decorate their custom butterfly mask.

Butterfly Vase Centerpieces
Our butterfly centerpieces were a combination of beautiful fall inspired leaves, gold branches, and silk butterflies which were all purchased at Michaels. We added bands of orange ribbon and attached small white butterflies cutouts from Etsy. We placed the butterfly vases in square white bowls and adorned them with clear mauve toned rocks purchased at a local craft store. (see top image)

Butterfly Garden Dessert Station
We created a butterfly garden to take center stage on our dessert table. We started with a rectangular styrofoam sheet and added green tule and Eucalyptus flower bunches all found at Michaels, then accented the garden with silk butterflies and a misting of gold glitter spray to give it a magical feel!

Desserts consisted of: delicious mini cherry cheesecakes, chocolate drizzled rice crispy treats and chocolated dipped marshallow pops which we found on HWTM Pink Ribbon Party.  As a special treat for the kids, we also made butterfly shaped PB&J snacks. The desserts were all displayed on pretty white platters from Marshalls and round tins from Michaels.

*****

Thanks so much the girls at Charm Event Design for all the great party inspiration!

If you’re hosting a Pink Party in October (or any time of year), chances are good that you’ll be serving up some pink drinks, so here are a few ideas for adding an extra splash of your signature color to the outside of your drink!

Adorning stemware & glasses with fun details like ribbon & rhinestones only takes a few extra minutes, but it really elevates signature drinks to the next level and adds such a fun element to the party.

The DIY Details:

• Decorate cocktail glasses with festive embellishments like pink marabou boa, pink ribbon, and sparkly, hot pink pipe cleaners. Collins glasses also look great with a band of fabric ribbon around the base and a pretty pink straw.

• Adhesive-backed craft rhinestones are great for adding a small dose of sparkle, or you can also use a more intricate rhinestone motif to make the guest of honor’s glass extra-special!

Ready-made stickers like the flower rhinestone pictured here are available at most craft and scrapbooking stores, and they have a clear backing that enables you to peel-and-stick them in one easy motion.

• Pink chipboard letters are another quick & easy way to dress up stemware, and they come with the added bonus of doubling as a drink marker so that guests can keep track of their glass. Use a small jump ring or piece of wire to attach the letter to the stem. These letters look extra-fun when paired with pink marabou boa!

Stay tuned for Pink Your Drink Part 2… what to put INSIDE the glass!

Guest editor Sayeh Pezeshki from The Office Stylist is here with her top tips for planning a bridal shower, and doing it right!

*****

“As an office stylist and online boutique owner, life can get pretty hectic. I have to keep track of everything both with my styling projects as well as with the running of the store. Without checklists and organization, my life would be a complete mess!

So, when my friend announced she was getting married, I knew that my detailed & organized approach towards my business would definitely help with throwing her a fabulous Bridal Shower, and thought that my approach could also help others when they are introduced to the very same task.” keep reading… {full article in Entertaining 101}

Sometimes when you’re browsing the web for ideas, that magic moment happens when you stumble on something that you just absolutely LOVE. I experienced such moment when a recent search for something completely unrelated landed me on this stunning, almost “magical” East Meets Guest reception theme from Brides. Honestly don’t you just want to jump right into the party?

This look would be also be gorgeous for a bridal shower or milestone birthday…

The eclectic mix of textiles – boasting Indian, Indonesian, AND Japanese- inspired prints – give such a rich, artistic feel to the tabletop. I also love paper fans cinched with button mums… and the use of thin tubular vases for the tall portion of the centerpieces – a great way to add height & drama to the design without discouraging cross-table conversation!

Chic red bamboo chairs definitely enhance the tabletop design – especially when draped with garlands of button mums!

The 3-tier cake dons a playful, unique design too… I’m loving the fun, contemporary-looking topper! And lucky bamboo bundled with ribbon doubles as a thoughtful, long-lasting favor for guests, as well as a pretty – and quite appropriate – decorative accent for the party!

For complete details, visit Brides.com.

{Photography by Richard Jung}

Winner update: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone that entered! And the 2 lucky winners are… Commenters #100 – Stephanie – and #88 – Allison. Congrats, ladies!

*****

This week’s Surprise Giveaway is one for the ladies… especially if you’ve got a bachelorette party, bridal shower, or girls night out on the calendar!

Bachelorette Superstore has tons of fun partyware, wearables, decorations, and accessories for all of these occasions, and they’re offering up $100 shopping sprees to 2 lucky ladies to spend as they like at BacheloretteSuperstore.com. So if you – or someone you know – is on the market for some glittery party tiaras, hot pink wigs, feather boas, “Pinkalicious” partyware, or the like… this one’s for you!

There’s some really cute stuff for bridal showers in the Baking Essentials category too… mixed in amidst all the MUCH MORE bachelorette-oriented “essentials” guaranteed to make Martha Stewart blush, of course! I really like these umbrella and diamond ring cookie cutter shapes though… and the cute champagne and pink & red lips cupcake toppers (great for Valentine’s Day too).

Bride-to-be not really into pink & black? Try the Something Blue for the Bride party kit instead (pictured above). This would even be fun to dress her up in at a playful bridal shower!

And if your planning a bridal shower, be sure to check out the adorable Love Birds (below) and Pink Dress designs – both would make for a super cute, (PG-rated!) celebration…

*****

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

• Post a comment here telling us which product(s) from Bachelorette Superstore look especially fun to you!

• Giveaway ends Friday, August 21st at midnight PST. Winner is chosen randomly and will be notified Saturday, August 22nd and announced here as soon as they accept the prize. Good luck!!