I’ve been a little light on the posting this week and just wanted to share the reason why… our new addition to the family arrived a little earlier than expected!

Sonny & I went to a routine doctor appointment on Monday and got sent straight across to labor & delivery due to some safety concerns. I have to admit that was a little nerve-wracking… but by Tuesday morning Macy arrived – completely healthy & happy!

We’re taking a few days to adjust to being new parents and all that entails – especially the fact that she seems to have her days and nights absolutely, completely switched :0 Sleep has been pretty much non-existent since Sunday night :0 – but I know all of that is to be expected at the beginning.

I’ll still be posting regularly again starting tomorrow though… there are some fabulous new Real Parties to share! =)

Another quick & easy St. Patrick’s Day centerpiece idea… and this one literally takes about 5 minutes to put together once you have the elements!

YOU’LL NEED:
1. Pillar candle holders in 2 different heights
2. Sparkly leprechaun hats – around $2.50 at most party supply stores
3. Bright yellow ribbon – 1.5″ wide
4. Something to use as a “buckle” – You can either make your own using cardstock, or use sparkly gold chipboard pieces like the ones I used here – which are part of K&Company’s Twinkle Type Letters and were purchased at Michaels.

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DIRECTIONS:
Simply wrap & fasten ribbon around the hats to form the bands, glue on the “buckles”, and hang the hats on the candle holders. Tilt the hats slightly in different directions. DONE!

As an option, you can also add a themed sticker like a shamrock or “L” for Lucky/Leprechaun inside the buckle… and the rest of the Twinkle Type Letters are also great for spelling out festive words in front of the centerpiece or elsewhere in the party!

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Continuing with St. Patty’s Day inspiration today, here’s a quick, easy, & affordable idea for a party centerpiece/decorative accent.

All you need are glass beer mugs, small green plants, chocolate coins, and wood skewers.

These plants were only $2 – $2.50 each at Home Depot, and you can also find similar sizes/prices at IKEA. For the beer mugs, check places like HomeGoods and Target… this set of 4 was only $8 at HomeGoods!

I also designed some themed labels/wraps to dress up the mugs, and if you’d like to use them too, you can download them for free using the links at the bottom of this post.

{More images + DIY details below.}

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DIY DETAILS:
1. Insert plants into beer mugs. You may need to use a little extra potting soil to help fill the mug, so it’s a good idea to have a bag of this on hand.
2. Wipe the glass clean & dry thoroughly, as step 1 can get a bit messy!
3. Add chocolate coins to the top of the wood skewers (using glue or transparent tape) and insert them into the plants. Trim the lengths of the skewers if necessary.
4. Print and trim the labels, then wrap them around the center of the mugs.

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PRINTABLE LUCKY MUG LABLES/WRAPS
These labels are set up at 5 per page on tabloid-sized* paper. Click one of the links below to download the file in either JPEG or PDF format:

• Download in High-Resolution JPEG format
• Download in High-Resolution PDF format

*Tabloid sized is necessary order to print the labels wide enough to wrap all the way around the mug, but if your guests will only be viewing them from the front, you can center the labels and print them on standard letter sized paper instead.

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P.S. Please enjoy these free printables for personal use only. I’ve come across too many instances lately where people are attempting to resell several of the free printables that I’ve made available at HWTM in their own etsy shops and on Ebay, which is very frustrating! (Use at large events is fine too, as long as the printables are not sold for profit.) Thanks for understanding.

Looking for some St. Patrick’s Day party inspiration? Here’s a fun DIY favor/treat idea for adult get-togethers: mini “beer pints” made from popcorn balls and punch-sized party cups!

The popcorn ball represents the “foamy head” of the beer. I used this Best Ever Popcorn Balls recipe from allrecipes.com, which yielded exactly 10 super-yummy-&-chewy popcorn balls in the perfect size for this project. (I did modify the recipe slightly by using 2 bags of light butter microwave popcorn in lieu of the 5 quarts of air-popped popcorn… gotta love shortcuts!)

I also designed some labels for the cups, which you can download for free at the bottom of this post.

These would be great as part of a St. Patty’s Day dessert buffet, or you could also wrap them up in clear cellophane and send them home with guests as party favors – or even gift them around the office as a festive treat for co-workers!

I also like the idea of displaying them on cocktail napkins to play up the “beverage” theme…

There will be some empty space between the popcorn ball and the bottom of the cup, so if you’re gifting these it would be great to fill that area with peanuts or party mix (just like you’d find at a pub).

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DIY DETAILS:
1. Make popcorn balls and let cool. (Tip: Don’t stress about making the popcorn balls perfectly round. In fact, an imperfect shape makes for a better representation of the foamy head!)
2. Print and cut out labels (using download links below).
3. Use a glue stick to affix the labels to the cups.
4. Fill the bottom half of the cups with peanuts or party mix (especially if gifting!), then top with a popcorn ball, making sure the fit is snug.

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PRINTABLE POPCORN BALL “BEER” LABELS
These labels are set up at 8 per page on standard 8.5×11″ paper. Click one of the links below to download the file in either JPEG or PDF format:

• Download in JPEG format
• Download in PDF format

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ENJOY! … and “Slàinte!” (Irish for “Cheers!”)

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P.S. Please enjoy these free printables for personal use only. I’ve come across too many instances lately where people are attempting to resell several of the free printables that I’ve made available at HWTM in their own etsy shops and on Ebay, which is very frustrating! (Use at large events is fine too, as long as the printables are not sold for profit.) Thanks for understanding.

Today’s Real Wedding feature is guaranteed to add a little sunshine to your day! This “Bright & Cheery Summer Wedding” was coordinated by Courtney of Joyful Weddings & Events, and the attention to detail is fantastic!

Prepare to be inspired by things like gorgeous, vibrant flower arrangements, a fabulous wheatgrass cake stand and dessert and candy buffets that are nothing short of amazing…

And even though this particular event is a wedding, remember that there are some wonderful ideas that can be incorporated into ANY spring or summer celebration (on a much smaller scale, of course!)… from bridal showers and cocktail parties to Mother’s Day brunch.

For example:
• the simpler flower arrangements pictured directly above (each of which focuses on just one type of flower and adorable ribbon embellishments)
• the paper lanterns and pictures of the guests of honor, both hung by fabric ribbon
• cake pops from the dessert table displayed in decorative baking cups
… and much more!

Read on for TONS of images and all the details, as told by Courtney…

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“Chelsy and Greg, along with Chelsy’s adorable mom, contacted me to help them plan their wedding in Orange County from out of state. The wedding was definitely one of the cutest we have designed – infused with Chelsy and Greg’s vibrant personalities and splashes of cheery hot pink and orange.

I loved the bridesmaid’s J Crew dresses and adorable bouquets, designed by Carissa of JL Designs:

Chelsy’s mom had the ruffled edge runners hand made and they looked darling against the white tablecloths, with Carissa’s fresh and cheery arrangements on top!

We hung paper lanterns from trees, picture frames from bushes, and flower pomanders from hooks leading up the walkway into the reception.

I love it when a client tells me that they want no detail overlooked. That’s right up our ally! Blonde Designs, (who also designed the wedding invitations), made custom water bottle labels, drink and food labels, and also cute labels for the favor boxes.

The candy bar we designed and set up was a hit! I don’t think that there was ever a time that it was not swarming with guests…

To create a unique display for the favor boxes, we covered a cork board in fabric (that matched the table runners) and pinned the boxes on with rhinestone-adorned pushpins.

The highlight of the wedding, though, was definitely the dessert table that we designed with Melody of Sweet & Saucy Shop. I could not have been happier with how it turned out! (see image #1 – at the top of the post – for the full view)

I crafted the fun backdrop and banner (both of which I can custom make for any event. Please contact me if you are interested).

Melody’s desserts are cute as can be on their own, but add in the wheatgrass cake stand that Carissa of JL Designs made, fun paper details like decorative baking cups, and an adorable cake… and you’ve got a masterpiece!

For the sweetheart table, we cut out Mr & Mrs letters (soon to be added to our etsy shop), adorned the couple’s chairs with ribbons, and gave the table some pop with mini pomanders, courtesy of JL Designs.”

If you meet Chelsy & Greg for even a few minutes, you would fall in love with them. I was so happy to be a part of their celebration and looking at these pictures just makes me happy.

A huge thank you to Melissa Kelsey for the beautiful photos. Melissa flew out from Utah to shoot their wedding- so if you are getting married in Utah, definitely check out her website!”

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The whole vendor line up:

*Venue: Mile Square Golf Course

*Florist: JL Designs

*Cake & Sweets: Sweet and Saucy Shop

*Photography: Melissa Kelsey

*Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

*Stationary: Blonde Designs

*Hair & Makeup: Lashes to Locks

*Lighting: Classic Party Rentals & South Coast Christmas Lighting

*Photobooth: FotoCabina

*DJ: Dahl Brothers

*Banners and Cake backdrop: JoyfulJoyful (Joyful Weddings & Events on Etsy)

Okay… so I’m TOTALLY in love with these new Cupcake Sets by Meri Meri! Such a genius idea, don’t you think?!

Each themed set includes 24 decorative cupcake cases (a.k.a. “baking cups”) and 24 assorted die-cut toppers. This is going to make dressing up homemade cupcakes for everything from kids birthdays to bridal showers super easy! ($11.95 each)

Check out all these fantastic designs… starting above with Tweet Tweet Birds and Oh Baby Baby, and continuing below with 12 more fabulous designs for everything from Pirate and Robot parties to Luaus!

Pirate Cupcake Set – $11.95 at Meri Meri

Robot / Space Cadets Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Animal Parade Cupcake Set – $11.95 at Meri Meri

Bridal and Groom Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Aloha Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Fire Truck Cupcake Set – $11.95 at Meri Meri

Mermaids Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Teddy Bear Fun Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Racing Car Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Groovy Cupcake Set – $11.95 at PlatesAndNapkins

Dinosaur Cupcake Set – $11.95 at Meri Meri

Woof Woof Cupcake Set – $11.95 at Meri Meri

Additional designs are also available, and – better yet – several of these cupcake kits are part of a larger overall party theme that includes coordinating centerpieces, plates, napkins, gift bags, and more.  Happy baking! =)

Looking for some creative party ideas for St. Patrick’s Day? Entertaining expert & cupcake guru Jeanne Benedict has some fabulous ideas in the dessert department… my favorite being the “Beer Cupcakes” pictured above – how fun are those?!

And don’t worry… these clever treats just LOOK like beer! This design is all about the presentation, so you can still stick with traditional cupcake flavors topped with a generous helping of vanilla or cream cheese frosting.

For the “beer” wrapper, look for scrapbook paper with a similar motif or purchase a beer background stock photo and print & cut them yourself.

(Side Note: This would also be a great dessert for an adult birthday or “big game“ party… or even a DVD viewing of The Hangover!)

For the little ones, how about Jeanne’s cute Leprechaun Hat cupcake idea (above), or a traditional cupcake topped with green frosting and mini chocolate chips:

And these next 2 are pretty for all ages:

Use food coloring to turn white or yellow cupcakes bright green…

… or use clover leaf images and shamrock fondant cutters to create fun wrappers and toppers for decadent chocolate cupcakes!

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For more fun ideas from Jeanne, visit her website: www.jeannebenedict.com

I have to admit that today’s Real Party feature makes me extra-happy… because it was inspired by a theme found right here at HWTM! Jennifer Gentry took our Bedtime Stories Baby Shower and spun it into a seriously fabulous birthday party for her son!

There are so many clever elements to this party… from the “story book” style invitations and ultra-creative thank you notes to a ridiculously adorable fondant bed – complete with pillows, books, teddy bear, and flashlight nonetheless!

Read on for lots more images & all the party details, as told by Jennifer…

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“I fell in LOVE when I saw the Bedtime Stories theme on HWTM! I knew right away that is what I wanted to do, and Connor’s favorite thing is reading books with us, so even he got excited!

Invitations
When I told my friend about the theme she gave me the idea to do “books” for invites. Since I am a photographer, the invites were my favorite part, and I had so much fun putting them together.  I made little “books” written from Connor’s point of view about turning 3 and his party. They were a huge hit!

Decorations
I LOVED the idea from HWTM about making the table a bed, so I knew that was a must.

Since we had all the main food on the island in the kitchen, I decided to make the dessert “bed” the prettiest one.  I got the duvet cover & pillowcase from Ikea for only $19.99, and found little blue pillows for only $2. I wrapped orange string around the blue pillows to make them a little prettier.

The bed canopies were from Ikea too (only 9.99 each!), as well as the throw blankets (just $7.99). I set everything up on the table, along with stacks of books that I’d covered with decorative paper so that they would match well.

I also covered glass cylinders with the same paper used on the books, embellished them with alphabet stickers, and filled them with orange flowers.

I decorated the ceiling of the kids play room with strings of tissue paper poms and hung paper lanterns all over the house.

For the food labels, I punched out moon and star shapes with a craft punch, then used toothpicks to stick them in little fondant books that I’d made.

I hung another bed canopy above the kids table, covered the table with matching fabrics, and added plastic buckets filled with party toys.

The Menu
Although I didn’t get many photos of the main food set-up, there was a lot of it! In addition to trays of trays of cheese, vegetables, crackers, and fruit, I made parfait cups, caprese skewers, ham & cheese skewers, turkey wraps, mini twice baked potatoes, lil smokies, and pigs in a blanket.

For dessert I made cream-filled strawberries, mini brownies, marshmallow pops, lemon cupcakes with fondant decorations, and these AMAZING Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes!

The cupcakes were a HUGE hit, and the only change I made was swapping out the cream cheese frosting from chocolate-flavored to regular so that I could dye it to match the party.

For the top of the desert stand I made a fondant bed with a little teddy bear, flashlight, and books. It looked so cute! We also had an ice cream bar set up on the counter top.

Activity
I had all the kids come in their pajamas to stick with the theme, and since they were too small for “real” activities, I just made the play room baby-friendly and set all of Connor’s toys out for play.

The kids played great together and the adults enjoyed lots of chatting time over great food. Since there were no set “projects” for the kids, it made it easy for the adults to just relax and socialize.

Party Favors
I found cute little book bags at the party store and made little hang tags for them that matched the food labels. In the favor bags for the babies I put in a little stuffed bear and an Elmo bedtime book.  Toddlers received glow bracelets, suckers, fairytale finger puppets, sticker books, a coloring book, and crayons.  They looked really cute!

Thank You Notes
Since there were so many people & kids that attended, we decided not to open presents at the party.  I had Connor open them the next day, and I took pictures of him opening each one, then I made storyboards for each guest with the photos of him opening the present that they gave him.

Everybody loved them, and it was great because they still got to see him open their present, but without the chaos of the party!”

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Thanks again to Jennifer for sharing this with us!

Have St. Patty’s Day, Easter, or another spring celebration on your mind? This “Green Theme” tablescape from Southern Living is fantastic inspiration for all of the above!

The fresh, chic vibe of this (completely flower-free) table design is created with clear glass dishes & cylinders, white linens & candles, and LOTS of green foliage – including wheatgrass, fronds, and magnolia leaves.

You can find inexpensive glass plates & dishes at places like IKEA or HomeGoods.

For the foliage, the best place to start is your own backyard… take a quick peek outside and see what shapes and styles of leaves and grass are available to you for free.

Wheatgrass is typically sold in flats and can be purchased from places like local florists, nurseries, some health food stores, and online. (If you’re feeling extra motivated, you can even buy the seeds and your grow your own!)

Blades of grass are perfect for embellishing candles and dressing up napkin rings… just remember to be gentle when tying the knots!

Leaves also make for fabulous place cards and food/drink labels! To add text to the leaves, use a white paint pen or acrylic white paint.

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Fore more details, visit SouthernLiving.com.

{Photos by: Van Chaplin}

Elizabeth from To Be Charmed sent over some fabulous DIY inspiration starring Japanese washi tape that she thought you guys would love – and I couldn’t agree more! In fact, I can’t wait to try this stuff out myself and just researched a bunch of different places to purchase washi tape (resources listed below).

If you’re not yet familiar with Japanese washi tape, it’s basically a multi-purpose adhesive tape (similar to masking tape) that’s used for things like gift-wrapping embellishments and arts & crafts projects.

Pictured above and below are some fantastic examples from Elizabeth that demonstrate how the tape looks applied to vases and paper cups.

These examples utilize bright colors and fillers that are perfect for Spring… she even uses simple white eggs as a filler in of the vases – great inspiration for Easter celebrations!

Click here for more tips and DIY details from Elizabeth over at her {absolutely adorable!} blog. She also includes some helpful hints that she learned along the way to help make things easier on you.

Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!

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Japanese Washi Tape – Where to Buy:
(The following shops have a GREAT selection of colors & patterns!)

• Happy Tape
• Washimatta
• Pretty Tape
• FindTape.com