Tropical Inspired Bridal Shower

I LOVE a good party! Hosting parties, celebrating loved ones, all the crafting, and decorating are definitely a few of my favourite things! I just love all the details and of course, the food. 

This past month I had the honour of celebrating my future sister-to-be! 
It was a special day filled with friends, family and well wishes! The bride and groom will be getting married in Mexico - with not everyone able to attend, I wanted to bring a little tropical heat into the theme to really get inspired and excited about the upcoming nuptials. Here is a little peek....

DIY Banners, tropical details, lots of yummy food, Fruity Punch & Luggage tags for favours to continue with the destination feel...

My favourite DIY was definitely the easily spray painted pineapple also i used one and turned it into a vase for these fresh tropical flowers my mother-in-law brought! (seen above) It really was as easy as you would expect... 

Fresh Pineapple- check! 

Gold metallic spray paint-check! (2 coats to be exact)

Outdoors & Newspaper-check! 

 

We also played an updated version of the traditional 'whats in your purse?' game, with a 'what's in your cell phone?' Here it is for some inspiration and ideas- it was a great way to incorporate things specific to the bride! Turns out we had a winner with close to 100 points!

For a surprise for the bride, Guests wrote ideas for date nights on popsicle sticks and placed them in a box for the bride to take home and share with her groom. Its really funny to read the inpiration and where it came from for years to come! 

Hope you enjoyed a peek at this Tropical Themed bridal shower- It was full of love and memories that we will be talking about for years... 

mini poutine cups

these sweet, messy bites of yum were a treat to my hubby on his birthday. 

they have all the amazing bits of poutine and are as satisfying as they are stupidly portion sized. Germaphobes - your welcome. 

these babies were a great hit at the party and so of course, they are making the blog. 

easy, dirty, greasy and delish.

mini poutine cups 

- tater tots for the fries 

-pizza mozzarella or curds 

-gravy package 

-seasoning salt 

-muffin tin 

Order of Assembly 

-preheat oven to tater tot instructions 

-place 4 or 5 tater tots in each muffin tin and place them in the oven for the preheat 

(this will soften them to allow them to 'smoosh' into the muffin mould) 

-once softened , take a spoon or some blunt tool and create a cup shape out of the tot. make sure you make edges to allow to hold the 'goods'

-sprinkle with seasoning salt and bake till edges are crispy 

- mix gravy per instructions 

- remove tots from oven and sprinkle with cheese while they cool a touch 

- place on plate to serve and drizzle with gravy and sprinkle with additional seasoning salt 

SEE-DIRTY. 

Serve with side of gravy if you want to allow dipping and any other fancy-ness you prefer

ENJOY! 

Firsts!!!

Hello!!!! I'm back! a little break never hurt anyone, I'm refreshed to start blogging again - just realizing the amazing ability to connect with people around the globe is inspiring and leaving me awestruck! 

So for this first post back- I'm proud to say, I have a 3 year old!!! we have survived the (not-so terrible) twos and have moved on to 'three-anger' territory! This one ain't for the faint of heart- life is now full of opinions, boundary pushing and 'why's .... say a little prayer for me! 

This left me reminiscing, as most mothers do, where has the time gone? Life really does flash by when your cleaning pee and trying to sleep... 

This is an exciting season of life, a celebratory season - not only is it almost spring, but its the beginning of new lives, my best friend is expecting her first bundle of joy- other friends are welcoming new little's to the world too and to top it off I'm gaining a sister in law!!! There is just something about firsts...
So in honour - this is a flash back to my Little's first Birthday!!!! 

I will be doing lots of celebrating in this next season of the year and am feeling blessed!!!
Thank GOD for Pinterest and all the unachievable ideas ... Because I love to throw a good party, here are a few very achievable party ideas from my littles first 'circus' bash!! Because well- life with wee ones is a Circus... 

Tickets, clown noses, snowcone inspired cupcakes, lemonade and a photo booth really added to the circus vibe. We also had a make your own cotton candy and hot dog station. The big gift was this Circus tent from IKEA which has been well loved and still standing strong.. 

 Those polka dot balloons made for great photo pop for my little the next day for pictures! 
It was a great time celebrating with family and friends!!!!  Im so happy i took so many pictures to remember upon- 1 is a really big deal, not only is your little growing, but you have survived the parenting pains of year 1 too!!! 

Toddler Trick or Treating essentials! boo....

Happy Halloween week! 

This is one of the most wonderful times of they year- i really love halloween and the festivities that come along with it, now that i have a little, its even more magical. 

I thought i would make a quick post about trick-or-treating with toddlers! 

This halloween my little is 2 1/2 so probably our first year of 'real' trick or treating besides grandma and grandpas house. We are really excited and he is definitely in the mood! 
In preparation we have been doing lots of practise yelling 'TRICK OR TREAT' and of course reading halloween books and watching the holiday specials on TV. 

For this post i thought i would share some things we have been loving this time of year swell as our Trick or Treat survival pack for Halloween night! 

The goods 

Of course we will be taking a bucket to collect all the candy, but not just any bucket- this year I am going to attempt to make a Light Up Halloween Bucket  for my little using this great tutorial from Cute as a fox blog. Isn't it adorable, and things that light up are always a hit with the kiddos, maybe they will even be distracted and put on that ridiculous costume you bought... 

***When trick or treating with your little, don't forget a bigger and more sturdy bag for yourself so they can dump the candy and you can do the hauling and the snacking (you earned it right?!) 
Those little buckets don't hold much and can get heavy for little hands..***

Mittens, here its cold for halloween so we tend to bundle up to the point of questionable costumes, so of course we will be wearing mittens, toques and ill have extras in my pocket. 

A cute flashlight may help ease the fears of some anxious toddlers, plus- its safe!!! this one can be used by both parent and child - remember that bigger halloween bag YOUR carrying? well, store it there!

Lastly Trick or treating is hard work! So don't forget a drink for you and your little goul. These little halloween edition waters from Nestle are just the right size for little hands are won't be overly heavy in your bag. A festive to go mug is also essential for mom or dad- filled with 'cheer' of your choice! 

Have a safe and festive halloween!!! 

PARTY PLANNING 101: hostessing with honours

With all this back-to-school chatter i thought i would do my own 'educational' post as my little is thankfully too little to be starting school but all the tears are welling up for others as they embark on this big day!!! 
This blogpost takes place for my favourite subject, 

Hostessing- Party Planning 101! 

From the littlest get together to the grandest i am passionate about all things parties, from planning and designing to crafting and decor- this is my niche and i love every tiny detail!!! I believe that is evident from my 'CELEBRATE' Pinterest Board. If i have a super power in this life its the rate in which i can throw together a party with my whole heart (and help from pinterest) 

Heres the run down of how i like to get things started...

first of all what is it your planning for? Birthday, Girls Night, Thanksgiving, Baby shower or backyard BBQ.. for instance- I'm currently in the process of planning my own 'little boo bash' for a family friendly halloween party.

So now you have the WHAT? Get real and have a budget in mind for the event. I have strayed too far off course with this one (my husband can attest) Be real, there are lots of ways to cut costs but have a number in your mind and start there! 

A cohesive idea for your party is here you are going to want to go next and my favourite part. get creative, have fun and by all means- head to PINTEREST. It doesn't always have to have a theme but speaking from experience that makes these celebrations so much more fun! Make sure you set a colour scheme/theme and stick to it- this will make your party stand out and feel 'professional'

Next step is to plan your guestlist- this will have an effect on the rest of the party planning process. You might find you need to cut the gestalts or find an alternate venue. So the people attending are the most important part- it wouldn't be a party without them right?

Venues can range from play places for birthdays, to picnic sites for family get togethers, hosting in my home is my favourite as i enjoy close gatherings and i enjoy crafting and all the little details i have control over in my own home. But this is going to be dependent on what kind of party you are having, what would be most appropriate and of course budget. 

Once you have these straightened out - time if figure out your dates, for each party this will differ- for a small holiday party, it may matter most about dates but less about other things. However for bridal showers and birthday parties, dates can be set first. Venues of course have a serious impact here - so have a few you prefer beforehand. Once set - confirm dates with important guests (i.e.:guest of honour and any other important peeps) 

...Now onto the FUN stuff!!!! Food, Decor & Drinks, Oh my 
Thinking realistically about your budget will lead to the rise and fall of these next details. Its all wonderful to have a champagne bar but if all you have to serve with it is chips- people might be thrown off.. (not me though, that just sounds like a party for 1) 

There is no formula for the food/drink category. Each party is its own in regard to nibbles, just plan appropriately, think of your gues tlist first- who is the party for and be wise. 
Don't plan on having crepes at a play place or lasagne in the park.. although there are no fast rules, i love finger foods at ALL events, dips and meatballs, thats a selfish thing, but true. 
Same rules go for drinks, think of your guests firsts, have options for alcoholic and non- alcoholic. 

Decor can be as simple or elaborate as you like, remember that pesky budget and your venue for this category. Venues may dictate what is appropriate decor and don't be afraid to get crafty- there are some wonderful DIY projects that are easy on the wallet that can add personalization and enhance the 'feel' evening. 
In this category i almost always like to have a special door hanger/wreath for the occasion - don't forget the outside of your venue, it is the first thing your guest will see so spread a little cheer there too. Don't think you have to buy everything new- have a boo around your home for some items that can be repurposed for the event. My personal favourites are lanterns & linens- they can be so versatile and really help out with that party decor! 

Have Fun! It is a party after all - so incorporate some games, activities or entertainment based upon your individual party and guest list. Activities are a must for children's parties wether it be crafts or games. Tye your theme into this one as swell.. its easy enough to do. Entertainment could simply be the music you have, an icebreaker game or a special guest such as a magician. 

Finally, remind them what a wonderful time they had and that you appreciated celebrating together. (As if we all didn't love those fun loot bags we used to get at birthday parties when we were children) If your hosting a childs party- I'm sure you have some great ideas but that doesn't have to end just because we are adults! There are so many wonderful give-aways for bridal showers & weddings, holiday parties and bachelorettes. Have fun with this but for goodness sake- make sure its something you would like receiving yourself. None needs any more crap for the junk drawer.

Shake, Rattle & Roll Baby Shower

one of the things i love SOOO much is hosting, being a hostess- throwing parties and celebrating the big (and little) moments with friends and family. I love all the details and of course planning, crafting and eating too... 
one of my most favourite celebrations was for my dear friend and her expectant bundle of joy! 
Baby showers are so much fun- the air is filled with hope and anticipation and the community of women is there to support offering love and advice (which momma will soon learn to dismiss 70% of) its a right of passage and a great way to score favourite items and practical necessities. 

heres a peek into my 'SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL' baby shower details 

I created this fun wreath from crafting supplies, the roses on the bottom are baby socks! 

Mommy-to-be is a graphic designer so she created the 'Shake, Rattle & Roll' graphic framed prints above the mantle 

Teal, light yellow & white were the colors so i used these fun vintage mason jars in just the right hue to accent the flowers. 

Whats a party without a little bubbly! so i added some fresh fruit puree's to the champagne bar for a twist. 

mommy wanted some wishes for baby, so we had a small station where attendees filled out wishes on tags and self addressed envelopes for thank you cards! (time saver!!!)

homemade heart and raindrop garland was hung above my eating bar for some height, i always feel it adds a nice touch to have decor somewhere unexpected

A little outside table was decorated in the colours with the month 11, when baby was to be expected! 

This baby shower cake was amazeballs! its from 

Roya's Sweets in Calgary, AB 

The cake pops were similar in an accent design and are as delicious as they are beautiful. 

The food was a wonderful array of finger foods and i created a cute baby carriage fruit basket (without melon-request from mommy to be) out of a hollowed watermelon and decorated with oh-so-cute dingle-ball trim 

Basil Lemonade was a nice refreshment for preggos & kids! served with paper straws and accent colour flags. 

It all came together so well for a really fun day and wonderful memories were made!