A Charming Affair

Game Day

2011-08-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

If you're a Southern girl like us, you LOVE Football! And what we love more than Football is planning the party every weekend! Here are some tips and ideas for planning the perfect game day party!

Chocolate covered strawberries gone Football! These are the perfect dessert your guests can nibble on in between plays. After you dip your strawberries, let them sit for a few hours in the fridge, then grab your ziplock back of melted white chocolate, cut a TINY hole in the bottom corner and make your footballs. This is so easy, and SO cute!

The SNACKSTADIUM!! What more could you need? Chips, bread, cheese, dips and meat. What a great idea! Fix this up and everyone is sure to love it!

Turn your favorite cheese ball that you planned on making anyway into a football shape, cut up some red peppers for the laces and you're done. So much cuter than eating it out of a regular old bowl!

Cupcakes are an easy way to serve dessert. You can either make them yourself or send this picture to your local bakery and get them made!

These two banners are adorable! You can get them customized to your team on Etsy. You can even get your local High School team on a banner for your Homecoming parties! These are just too cute to pass up!

You can find these adorable runners on Etsy. Any team you want, you can get! This table runner would just set the table and the mood for Game Day no matter what your team!

Invitations are a must! Especially when they are this cute! Click here to order yours today!

GO VOLS, ROLL TIDE, WAR EAGLE!! Whatever your team is, be sure to enjoy your game and the time with the ones you love most!

Greenlee Kate turns 1!!

2011-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! This is Allison and I wanted to share with you some of the details of Greenlee's First Birthday Breakfast Brunch coming up in a few weeks! I am so excited for her to turn 1! I can't wait to see her dig into her first cake - this girl already loves sweets! This party is going to be so much fun and I am so excited to see it all come together!

I have ordered this banner to go behind the food table customized for Greenlee with a matching high chair banner that reads "I am ONE".

Every Birthday girl has to have the perfect outfit, and to me, this is it! There were so many to choose from, but I just thought this one was too sweet to pass up! There will be plenty of time later for pillowcase dresses!

Cake bunting is the new thing, so of course I have already ordered a three tier bunt that reads "Happy Birthday Greenlee". This is going to be just precious atop her pink ruffle cake :)

I love, love, love ruffle cakes! And what a perfect opportunity to use one! We're going to have a matching smash cake just for Greenlee Kate!

This will be on the food table. A Pom tree! I love poms - they are so cheap and fun to use!

And then we will have more poms suspended from the chandelier above the table. Pretty sure we'll be using a few more than this to make it more full.

This cereal bar display is adorable. We will certainly be using this! As well as these display ideas below. Those donut kabobs are precious!

The menu is a little extensive, but good! We're going to have my husband's famous Texas Mess, Hashbrown Casserole, Milk, Chocolate Milk, Orange Juice and coffee. Not to mention all of these other goodies...

Biscuits

Mini cinnamon rolls with icing.

A powdered donut cake.

Mini fruit pizzas.

And mini blueberry muffins too!

And I know these are totally unecessary, but I just had to have them! They are adorable and add so much color! These are going to be paired with Ball mason jars for the drinks. The drinks will be served from oversized milk bottles that I picked up at Hobby Lobby.

So, here's the overall look we're going for! This party is going to be over-the-top as usual, but adorable! I am so excited about it!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY SWEET LITTLE GREENLEE KATE!!

She has stolen our hearts :)

Cheers! - A Beer Tasting

2011-07-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

I adore a good wine tasting, a "bottle and brush" session with good friends, or an after-work wine and cheese "wine down" party with co-workers. These parties are a clever twist on the traditional wine tasting - a Beer Tasting party! Ever since I first came accross these, I have been talking it up to everyone I can think of...we need to do this party! It's a great idea for any adult birthday, an engagement party, stock-the-bar shower, or after-work party. My awesome brother-in-law Justin, Allison's husband, has a birthday coming up in October, so maybe we can throw him a beer bash!

How cool is this setup?! I love all of the beers on display with the framed "brew" picture and the glass jars filled with bottlecaps...

Table centerpieces...love the peanuts! It has such a pub-like feel!

Bottlecap topiaries - genius!

Hang framed bar or beer themed pictures to create the ultimate beer bash atmosphere!

Use galvanized tin pails with ice to serve different brews.

So many beers...

Love the barley! Tie with a ribbon and place in planters with moss.

Beer bottles used as decor and a bottle-opening tray

Use these cute beer cards for reviews!

Guinness-themed description cards.

Use ribbon and bottlecaps to tie together your serving pieces and decor.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Love the little beer can picks!

An upgrade from the standard pretzels and nuts...including Tabasco Popcorn. Yum! Really, the possibilities for bar-inspired food are endless, but here are just a few more ideas...

Loaded Potato Soup "Shots"...

Shrimp Cocktail "Shots"...

Cheeseburger Sliders...

Chipotle Mac & Cheese Shooters...

and, of course, Cake Shots!

Happy tasting!

Photos courtesy of www.hostessblog.com, www.pizzazzerie.com, and www.shabbyblogs.com.

Through the Looking Glass...A Mad Hatter Tea Party

2011-07-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" - Alice, Alice in Wonderland

We love the idea of an Alice in Wonderland themed Mad Hatter Tea Party. It can be adapted to just about any occasion - baby showers, engagement parties and, of course, children's birthday parties! Everything about this party theme says, no screams, crazy, quirky and oh so fun! So, let's step through the looking glass...

The herald of the party, the White Rabbit...he's late, he's late, for a very important date!

What an entrance!!

What a perfect setting for an "Un-Birthday Party," or any other kind of party for that matter!

I love this tablescape...look at the cheshire cat cups and the "eat me" tags...too cute!

These multicolored candelabras and chandeliers are on our "must, must have" list.

What a cute way to create a special place for each of your tea party guests...

and don't forget the guest of honor!

Love, love, LOVE this - especially the cookies!!

These cupcakes are so sweet, and I love the cake!

This cake is absolutely adorable, too...

But this one is a showstopper!! Definite winner!

Nevermind, it's a tie. :)

Royal Croquet Court with Wonderland character cut-outs...party genius!!

Don't forget your mallets!!

A fun way to get everyone dressed for the occasion? Set up a Mad Hat Station, where guests create their own crazy couture!

The poms, lanterns, butterflies and colored chandeliers combine for an absolutely gorgeous setting! And how cute are those signs?!

"Who's been painting my roses red? WHO'S BEEN PAINTING MY ROSES RED? Who dares to taint wiith vulgar paint the royal flower bed? For painting my roses red, someone will lose his head!" - Queen of Hearts, Alice in Wonderland

Photos courtesy of www.jessicaclaire.net, www.hostessblog.com, www.cakecentral.com, and www.cakelava.blogspot.com

Greenlee Kate's First Birthday Plans!!

2011-07-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I jump the gun a lot! I'm a HUGE planner! But in this case I have to be - my hubby's birthday is October 3rd, Greenlee Kate turns one October 11th, I am designing a wedding for October 14th and then Carter turns 5 October 24th! Busy month! I always plan way ahead anyway, but especially this time.

I have decided to do a Saturday morning brunch so not to interfere with Saturday football. In the South, we plan our lives around Saturday college football (Go Vols!). Here are my plans so far - we'll see later how it all comes together :)

My darling Greenlee Kate is just too darn cute to not include her on the invitation! Can you tell? I'm head over heels in love with this little girl! She has stolen my heart!

Who doesn't love an old-fashioned powdered donut? I know I do! It's a bond I share with my dad that can never be broken - haha!

This is just too precious! I think it will look fabulous on her dark pink high-chair!

Mudpie - adorable!!

I LOVE ruffle cakes! Have I mentioned that before? Probably only a few times ;) I've already got a quote e-mail into my cake lady and my eye on a personalized bunting from Etsy!

I think poms are great no matter where or how you use them! We have some in Greenlee's room that will be taken down and used with my favorite vases for the tablescape (I know I'm not Sandra Lee, but I love her word "tablescape").

These will be adorable in our milk jars (or mason jars) with orange juice and milk.

This is the overall look we are going for! There will be donuts, muffins, quiches, bacon wrapped hotdogs and of course a fruit pizza - get excited!!

Waffles! If "Donkey" were coming, he'd be in heaven :)

Stay tuned for more ideas as I come up with them, and then for the real party photos in October!

Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-07-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Wedding cakes are some of the most beautiful works of art in my opinion ~ such intricate detail! A wedding cake is also one of the hardest decisions for a bride to make. She will most likely have a date, venue, dress, table centerpieces and menu chosen before she finally decides on a cake! It has to be perfect ~ after all she has dreamt about this day her whole life!

Over the years I have spent countless hours looking at wedding cakes - it's a fetish of mine! I've also spent hours upon hours watching cake shows on The Food Network! So I decided to share with you a few of my favorites...

If you know me, you know that I am NOT a fan of pink - at all! But I love, love, love this cake! The details of the ruffles and the rough edges on the flowers just get me! It is beautiful!

Simple, white elegance with this one!

This cake and the display of it are right up my alley! Vintage painted furniture and a breathtaking cake! You could use this display for a wedding, birthday party or a baby shower. Honestly, you could use it pretty much anywhere and I'm sure it would be the talk of the event!

Simple ruffles for a small, family wedding.

Love the details of this cake! The layers of the icing are just beautiful!

Lace and brooches ~ need I say more?!?

This cake would be perfect for an outdoor Fall wedding. The leaves and the branches are gorgeous!

The detail of the piping and roses is beautiful on this one! Also love the chocolate ribbon on each layer.

Whoever said "Diamonds are a girl's best friend!" may have been wrong. I LOVE these pearls! This would be perfect for an outdoor summer Vintage Garden wedding.

If you know me, you also know that I am not a fan of lavender ~ pretty much anything pastel I run from! But I might could learn to like lavender with this cake. After all, it has ruffles! I love ruffled cakes!!

This one is a little outside the box for me, but I do love it! I found this one while planning our next wedding which is gray and yellow. I love the topsy, turvy angles of this cake. Also using a different design on each layer is a great touch!

Fourth of July Fun

2011-07-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Summer celebrations are always so much fun and, for us, the Fourth of July is the perfect time for the ultimate summer party! Whether you're having a small family cookout in the backyard or throwing an extravagant block party for the whole neighborhood, we've put together some great ideas in this post to help you get started...

How precious would this bike be set up by the front porch to welcome guests, or with a sign directing them to the backyard? The adorable 4th of July wreath, above right, is made using red, white and blue drink umbrellas and a small chalkboard. We LOVE the bright tablescape shown above-left - doesn't it make you want to have a party!?

This fabulous table-scape is so simple to do - use a simple white table cloth draped with a red and white striped table runner or even a towel of the same pattern, pull out your party ware, grab a few vases from around the house and stock them full of sunflowers or even wildflowers from the yard and you're set!

This table-scape is just perfect - attention paid to every single detail. So simple to create, even using hand towels as the place mats. What a great idea!

These corn on the cob cupcakes are adorable and easy to make with Jelly Belly pieces! Let the kids help too!

A simple treat for your guests. Pretzel rods dipped in milk or white chocolate and rolled in sprinkles. This would also make a fun activity for the kids to do!

Hope all of you have a safe & happy Fourth of July!!

A Seussical Birthday!

2011-07-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

If you are anything like us "Davis Girls" (we will always, I think, consider ourselves Davis girls, even though we've both been married for several years now and are, technically, a Posey and a Young), you grew up with Dr. Seuss. Green Eggs & Ham, Are You My Mother, The Cat in the Hat, Oh the Places You Will Go...the list goes on and on. Dr. Seuss's magical world of whimsy has entertained and enchanted children for years, so what better theme for a first birthday party?! Starting with Dr. Seuss's "Happy Birthday to You!" book, this birthday party uses several table vignettes, with each mini-themed table showcasing different Dr. Seuss books. I am in love with all of the clever terms using "Seuss-ese" - a universal language for fun-loving children and adults alike! (This would also be adorable for a twin birthday party...Thing One & Thing Two!)

This Seuss-tastic dessert table is just too much fun! A framed puzzle and printable Happy Birthday banner make a clever backdrop for this fanciful table, which features a "Cat in the Hat" smashcake! "WooFoo Fluff On A Stick" bouquets (DIY marshmallow pops made with candy melts, sanding suger and marshmallows) are displayed in vases, along with "ABC's of Seuss Cookies" and "Who Cakes" (cupcakes).

Who Cakes, ABC's of Seuss Cookies, and Cat in the Hat Smashcake. Oh, my!!

This precious wreath would be so cute on the front door to welcome guests!

Bright colored pens provided for guests to sign Dr. Seuss's "Happy Birthday to You" book...what a neat idea and awesome keepsake!

A DIY Photo Booth, Complete with Dr. Seuss Themed Props!

"Guess How Many?" game for guests & mason jar filled with "Bird Egg" Whoppers - There's even a One Fish, Two Fish bowl to put guesses in!

This food table is absolute genius! Each snack has a Dr. Seuss theme - "Three-Decker Sauerkraut and Toadstool Sandwiches" (ham, turkey & cheese), "Yertle's Caramel Turtles", "Oodles of Noodles" (pasta salad), and "A Crumb That Was Even Too Small For a Mouse" (an empty plate!).

Kids will go crazy for these zany drinks -

"Beezlenut Splash", made of Sprite and colored Jello.

Personalized sippy cups for little friends and swirly cups for big kids, complete with a crazy straw!

Feather birthday hats ensure lot of silly fun! Also here are favors for kids to take home - Dr. Seuss colored popcorn and mini Dr. Seuss board books...too, too cute!!

Thank you favors...how sweet are these little Dr. Seuss books, packaged with a lollipop and thank-you note from the birthday boy?!

Take home toothbrushes - the poem is inspired by Dr. Seuss's "Tooth Book"!!

Green Eggs & Ham Cupcakes!

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

Love this idea!! Thing 1 & Thing 2 Cotton Candy Cups!

More Green Eggs & Ham, this time on cookies...Sam-I-Am would be proud!

Cat in the Hat Cake - look at the details!!

Thing 1 & Thing 2 Cake. I love this one, but...

THIS is my favorite!!

If you love these ideas as much as we do, contact us and we'll get started planning your Seussical party!

Photos courtesy of http://www.hostessblog.com/,http://www.cakestudent.com/, http://www.servingpinklemonade.blogspot.com/, http://www.karaspartyideas.blogspot.com/, http://www.pbs.org/, and http://www.cakecentral.com/.

An Enchanted Forest Birthday

2011-06-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

All little girls love to play dress up! Why not throw your little girl an Enchanted Forest Birthday party complete with fairy wings and wands?!

I love this owl cake! The details are spectacular and the owl is perfect for an Enchanted Forest Birthday!

This 3 tier cake is over the top, but fabulous! Great color choices for a vibrant centerpiece.

A chair for the "Fairy of Honor"

I love these print outs available on Etsy by TomKat Studio. These print outs are detailed, colorful and an inexpensive way to add color to your table-scape.

Flowers, butterflies and mushrooms. This table-scape is perfect!

Grass placemats are a perfect touch for the Enchanted Forest Birthday party!

A great way to display fairy wands as favors for all the fairies!!

This Enchanted Forest cake is perfect in every way from PinkCakeBox.com.

This is so easy to make! Pull some old branches from any tree, put them in a galvanized vase, fill the branches with mini poms and use a tutu from your little girl's closet to finish it off! What a great centerpiece idea!

These poms are a MUST!! Make them yourself or order them from Etsy. The good thing about these is that if the colors are right they won't go to waste - hang them in a corner in your fairy's room after the party :)

Photos courtesy of wedding-cakes-for-you, snowybliss.blogspot, hostessblog, cheescakecupcakes.blogspot and thetondrefamily.blogspot.

A Posh Baby Shower

2011-06-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more fun than throwing your girlfriend a baby shower to celebrate her precious bundle of joy! Women love throwing baby showers and I have some great tips and ideas to share with you all to make it simple, yet spectacular!!

I love all of these ideas. The table-scape resembles that of a posh, uptown bakery. The bird cage filled with baby's breath is such a beautiful focal point and the mini desserts are appropriately "baby" sized!

The only thing that could make this dainty set up look any better would be to add a clothes line of all of her new, tiny little outfits - a perfect gift from the hostesses to the new mom-to-be!

This cake is precious. You could use this at a wedding shower as well.

This blue bow tie ruffle cake is the perfect addition to a posh, bakery style table-scape to make it fit for a prince!

Pink ruffles on a cake are simple, yet breath taking!

I love the idea of having a dessert buffet on an old vintage dresser. This is a great color combination as well! This same idea could be incorporated for a little girl's birthday party or even a wedding!

A donut tree! Who doesn't love donuts? And what a beautiful, elegant way to display them!

Poms and lanterns make anyone "oooh" and "aaah"! You can order the lanterns and then cut out some costs and make the poms yourself if you wish. Or if you're like me, always tight on time, you can order the poms from etsy.com.

Another beautiful way to display mini sized desserts with the BABY bunting hung above the table.

This door wreath is adorable and could be used again in the baby's room or even on the hospital door!

Photos courtesy of hostessblog, designspongeonline, thesweetestoccasion, mysweetandsaucy, celebrationsathomeblog, craigandwhitney.blogspot and ontobaby.

A Mason Jar Wedding

2011-06-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

Mason jars are the biggest thing going for weddings right now! There are so many uses and they create such a down-home, comfortable feeling for your special day. They can be used as table centerpieces, isle runners, favors for your guests and even as the drink dispenser itself. They can be used in all styles of weddings - vintage style, barn style, an eclectic flea market style, country or classic. They are so popular and versatile for any special event.

An antique teal Ball mason jar used with simple baby's breath.

This is a great centerpiece created with a dark rattan charger, mason jars filled with wild flowers and an old book adorned with a table number. This is so simple to create and feels just like home.

Great outdoor lighting solution for those fall and summer night receptions. Simple mason jars with tea lights hung with ribbon or twine.

I love this idea for an entry table - antique mason jars filled with your old family photos. This is a great way to showcase your parents and grandparents on your special day.

What a great way to line to isle, or even the entry way to the ceremony. Garden hooks are inexpensive and can be used again in your own back yard to hang lanterns. One way to justify all the money you spend on decorations, is try to get things to use on your wedding day that you can use again one day.

I love the simplicity of this idea. An oversized mason jar filled with roses and wrapped in twine.

This is just precious! Sometimes it is hard to find a low lying centerpiece for a table and this is a perfect solution. Mini sized mason jars wrapped together to make one single statement complete with simple wildflowers.

"Your glass for the night for whatever tastes right!" This is a great favor for your guests. Just be sure to tie on a Thank You tag and have a pen out for them to write their names!

I LOVE this mason jar drink dispenser from World Market!

Photos courtesy of stylemepretty, worldmarket, ruffledblog, sdweddinginsider, aglimpseofviolethills, blog.fiftyflowers, thriftyfun, tinywhitedaisies, blogs.dexknows, and oh-lovely-day.blogspot.

A Barn Wedding

2011-06-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

A barn wedding is perfect for summer or fall! There are so many ideas to run with. A barn wedding is so warm and inviting - your guests will want to stay all night. From burlap to white linens, from hydrangeas to baby's breath, from mason jars to taper candles, it's all perfect!

This cake is stunning!

These centerpieces are so simple to do and make such a beautiful statement.

What a perfect Bride & Groom table. We love burlap!! The letters are a perfect touch.

What an entrance! This would make the most perfect photo backdrop.

Lace wrapped bouquets. Enough said!

Photos courtesy of brickiebowl, snippetandink, greenweddingshoes and heygorg.

Baby Girl First Birthday

2011-06-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

When you have a little girl, you just want to spoil her!! What better way than to spoil her with a fabulous Birthday party?

This is the perfect table scape for her Birthday, or a really cute baby shower! Complete with cake pops, tarts, candy straws and pink willow branches cascading from a glass vase.

Cute as a button cupcakes!

Vintage Birthday. I love the idea of using the clothes line with her favorite dresses as the main focal point! This whole table is just perfect, all the way down to the vintage suitcases. You could even throw in another one for the guests to put a wish card in for your precious one!

The ribbon backdrop is simple, yet gorgeous. Love the addition of hydrangeas as well.

Perfect as a dessert, or a favor!

Love this invitation! What a great way to brag :)

Yet another great way to brag, only in pink this time!

This is the most precious photo! On the lookout for a pink chair now!

Photos courtesy of thetomkatstudio, hostessblog, drewbphotography, frostmeblog, and tinyprints.

A New Adventure

2011-06-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let all of you know that I've partnered up with my sister on a new adventure - A Charming Affair! No need to worry, Vintage Charm & Restoration will carry on as usual :)

We are two sisters who love all things related to Weddings and Birthday parties! We have created this blog to be able to share with all of you our wedding and party ideas! We also offer full service wedding and party planning!

We also have a Facebook page. Come and "Like" us today!

Baby Girl First Birthday

Superhero

Spooktacular Carnival

Vintage Sock Monkey

Down on the Farm

Circus Carnival

The Cat in the Hat

Enchanted Fairy

WEDDINGS

Gray and Yellow