HEY BABY! Nicole Dewez of Toasted Parties threw herself a super fun & funky baby shower because, as she smartly said in her party details [below], “I wanted to celebrate the arrival of my daughter Sunny, but I also wanted to enjoy some quality time with my girlfriends; pre-mom style!” Inspired by her nursery colors and love of donuts, Nicole created a Modern Girls Night Baby Shower that’s loaded up on cool DIY ideas, sassy sayings, movie night snacks and bold assorted desserts from Sweets Co.

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– “HEY BABY” gold mylar balloon garland photo booth backdrop and mini honeycomb accents
– Rad diaper cake with baby-size pink converse, skull & bones ribbon and a white sheep topper
– Playful baby onesie outfit mantle garland + black and white accessorized popcorn bar
– “Holy shit we’re having a baby!” cocktail napkins + silver and gold ombre glittered champagne bottles
– jumbo gold fringe heart dessert table backdrop, pink and gold glitter “S” marquee letter & DIY triangle riser

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Nicole…

This was a unique baby shower that I designed for…myself! I wanted to celebrate the arrival of my daughter Sunny, but I also wanted to enjoy some quality time with my girlfriends; pre-mom style! I loved the theme “Hey Baby!” because you could make it whatever you want. I used the nursery colors and my love for donuts to tie everything together and give it a personalized touch. Instead of playing the traditional games I wanted more of a “girl’s night out” so I decided on a movie night. The room we rented had a beautiful home theater in it and it was perfect for the idea. We had flavored popcorn, donuts, pizza, cocktails and…Magic Mike! There is no better movie for a party with than that! We also had a Photobooth, which I loved because I was able to take so many photos of my beautiful friends and I! I will never forget this event. I can’t wait to share it with Sunny someday. ♥

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– All party decor, party supplies, styling and DIY projects: Toasted Parties
– Heart cake, heart cookies, mini cupcakes and glitter donuts: Sweets Co.

Hostess with the Mostess®

I just love seeing baby showers like the one Christina Christian of Something Chic dreamed up… you know, the ones all pretty in PINK! Christina and her fabulous team of vendors created a Tickled PINK Baby Shower for Baby Gaston and mommy-to-be with a cookie bar, “Wishes for Baby” station, and a charming dessert table. From top to bottom this sweet celebration is literally dipped (and drizzled!) in various shades of pink: from the linens and dessert stands to the actual sweets and party drink! If you need me, I’ll be procrastinating at my desk and *eating up* all these pretty pink party ideas. ;)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Pink custom “Baby Girl Gaston” cocktail napkins + gold glittered bamboo forks with pink bows
– Gold “Hello little one” and heart balloons, “Baby Shower” banner & pink ribbon topiaries
– Cookie decorating bar, vibrant food & drink tables and “Tickled Pink Wishes” station
– Playful streamer door decor, honeycomb and tissue poms, and pink tissue tassel garlands
– Whimsical pink frosted mini cakes, watercolor printable wrapped chocolate bars & heart topped petite fours

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Christina…

I had the “best day ever” at our T I C K L E D | P I N K baby shower for an amazing mother-to-be. Inspired by the beautiful inspiration board Nellie Design created from my favorite Instagram pins, I worked with Tiny Prints to create custom decor for Sweet Baby Gaston. Shower details include: personalized pillows, blankets, coffee mugs, dinner plates + napkins, oversized signs, balloons, and it doesn’t stop there!

It was a pleasure working with the numerous vendors on this project. First, the main paper design by Nellie set the tone for the event. When the guests arrived they were greeted at the door with a fun “Welcome” sign, handmade by Paper Acorn and an overflowing amount of paper poms, accordion lanterns and honeycombs provided by Parties and Glitter. Inside, the Welcome stand immediately provided ey- candy with fabulous white/blush/gold balloons and pink flutter heart pencils by Shop Betsy White in pink/white stripped rugby cups from Soiree by Ria. Of course you can’t help but notice the oversized sign and Tickled Pink notes for Baby Gaston which Jen T by Design created.

I must say that a very special part of the design was the dessert bar. The linen from All Occasions matched the theme perfectly + paired with the ribbon toppiaries I ordered from Sweet Georgia Sweet. I couldn’t be more excited to add the desserts and decor. The desserts included a cake and petit fours from Cincinnati’s Bonbonerie, chocolate dipped rice krispy treats, chocolate dipped oreos, and mini vanilla cakes by Lydia Gray. The Sweet Baby Gaston chocolate bars I handmade using printable candy bar wraps by Nellie Design. Next, the lovely tissue tassel garland was provided by Christi of Glitter Girlz Events and the chic white/gold “hello little one” balloons from Shop Betsy White. The final touch of the bar was the dessert labels Jen T made that I styled with clothes pin and I added pink rhinestone to the tips.

A big party of the party space was filled with pillows, blankets, and coffee mugs wrapped in personalized paper for the guests from Tiny Prints. In addition to those gifts, the mother-to-be loves baking cookies so it was important to have a Thank You cookie station garnished with paper toppers from Shandra Ward hanging on an all gold metal tree and with fabulous sugar cookie mix in glass vintage milk bottles from Parties and Glitter, fun signage made by Paper Acorn. I combined printables from Just a little Sparkle with Jen T’s cut out labels. Not only did the table include take home gifts, but each lady was able to decorate cookies while at shower and later make more using instructions in mini paper diapers handmade by Paper Acorn.

What’s a shower without fabulous food and drinks? I am in awe at how well the glass plates with personalized plate clings looked next to the custom Tiny Prints napkins, glitter gold flatware, and fiesta fruit cups in polka dot pink baking cups from Soiree by Ria. The mini sandwiches were super yummy topped with custom toppers by Shandra Ward.

Sweet Baby Gaston was surly shower with love and I am T I C K L E D | P I N K that this is event was so perfect. What I joy it was for our mother-to-be. I know that she had the “best day ever”!

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Styling & design: Christina Christian of Something Chic
– Photography: Jessica Wolf
– Pillows, blankets, mugs, thank you notes, stamps, wrapping paper, napkins: Tiny Prints
– Cake, petit fours: The Bonbonerie
– Desserts: Lydia Gray
– Inspiration board, banner, chocolate bar wraps, bottle wraps, circle tags: Nellie Design
– Balloons in white/gold/blush, “hello little one”, “best day ever” & pink flutter heart pencils: Betsy White
– Gold glitter flatware, accordion lanterns, glass milk bottles, pink tissue paper poms: Parties and Glitter
– Glass dinner plates, custom clings: Create UR Plate
– Invitations: M. Hopple
– Oversized signs, dessert bar signs & “wishes for baby” note cards: Jen T by Design
– Tissue paper garland: Glitter Girlz Events and Designs
– Rugby cups, berry pink baking cups, mini tissue paper poms, outside venue balloons: Soiree by Ria
– Welcome sign, “cookie station” sign and mini pink paper diapers: Paper Acorn
– Cookie station labels: Just a little Sparkle
– Ribbon topiaries: Sweet Georgia Sweet
– Sandwich toppers, gold tree tags: Shandra Ward of Party Elements
– Linen: All Occasions
– Venue: Timber Ridge Clubhouse

Hostess with the Mostess®

Mommy, Whitney Beachy, celebrated her little Beau turning one with a creative (and SUPER cute!) “Beau the Brave” First Birthday Party. Inspired by a print from his nursery, she whipped up a wonderful afternoon of outdoor fun for Beau and his “mighty warrior” friends + adorable tribal inspired party decorations in vibrant orange and blue.

I’m especially loving the orange ombre smash cake with its playful paper silhouette topper (and that sweet & messy birthday boy face!), Native American naming “ceremony” and the “Treats for the Tribe” dessert table.

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Galvanized potted plant with a printable sign, orange arrow & framed birthday boy picture centerpieces
– Ombre arrow cupcake toppers, orange stripe painted macarons, tee pee cookies & “Chippewa Chips”
– Birch straws, big bright orange balloons, wood slice risers and geometric pattern printable party signs
– Black and white stripe tee pee with jumbo “1” mylar balloon and yarn pom garland
– “Little Chief” Table with bubbles, paper feather headdresses and framed baby pictures

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Whitney…

We had so much fun celebrating Beau’s First Birthday! We hesitated on going outdoors because of the weather, but at the LAST minute the weather cleared up with enough time to set up!

I was most inspired by a “Beau the Brave” print I bought for Beau’s nursery before he was born. I knew then that I would go with a pow wow theme for his first birthday. I was also inspired by lots of things on the internet along with some of my own ideas to make something extra special for my little guy. It was a wonderful celebration complete with a larger than life picture of “Beau the Brave”, a yummy taco bar, lots of sweet treats for the tribe and lots of bubble fun. It was truly a wonderful evening.

A few favorites were the cake and cake topper. It was so perfect and the Birthday Boy LOVED eating it with his hands and then his face. I loved putting together the photo boards and reminiscing of Beau’s first year. Another favorite was each guest was asked to learn their “Native American Name” by drawing two different rocks, which had different words written on them. We had fun reading each other’s name tags. Finally, I loved watching all the little ones run around with their bubbles and paper feather headdress.

*****

VENDOR CREDITS & RESOURCES:

– Photography: Eleven 28 Photography (The Birthday Boy’s Aunts!)
– Smash Cake, Macarons & Cupcakes: Made by a family friend
– Invitation, most printables, cupcake toppers, etc.: Belva June
– Cake Topper & Paper Feather Headdresses: GoldenStateKids
– Cookies: Hannah Banana Cookies
– Beau’s Shirt: Purple Possom
– Beau’s Shorts: LuckLagoon
– Beau’s Moccasins: SweetnSwag
– Teepee: BElittleyouandme
– Large 36in Balloons: Amazon
– Large 40in “1” Balloon: Amazon / Your Party Delivered
– “Beau the Brave” Print: StarandArrowDesigns
– Milestone Cards (black chalkboard): Amazon
– Wooden Arrows: Jane.com (painted orange)
– Large Picture Print: Staples
– Garland: DIY, paper from Joann Fabrics
– Bubbles: Target
– Birthday Poster: DIY, printed at SAMs Club

Hostess with the Mostess®

For her husband’s (route) 33rd birthday, Virginia Barrera of Amador de Parties created this super awesome Vintage Garage Birthday Party in – where else?! – their garage! I just love all of the creativity used to keep this party budget-friendly… like the Dollar Tree pizza pan signs & free tires collected throughout her neighborhood for starters! And since Alfonso loves old Chevy trucks, you’ll find miniature versions sprinkled throughout… even a few hauling Chex party mix in the back! ;)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Tire welcome sign, dessert table stand, tire style chocolate cake & miniature tire centerpieces
– Make your own specialty hot dog bar & Frito Pie on the go + Sweet Tea Motor Oil & Antifreeze Lemonade
– Red & blue macarons, cake pops & vintage truck printables + snack filled tool boxes
– Route 33 cake topper, retro gas station logo decor & filled paper wrench party favors

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Virginia…
:

I wanted something clean and classy using my husbands love for Chevy trucks. I created printables using Red, White and Navy Blue color schemes.

As you walked into our house, you were greeted with 2 tires and a dollar tree license plate that I purchased and created a welcome sign to tie in the center, along with some pennant flags that I used on our front door.

The entire party was hosted out of our garage — YES! After all, it was a vintage garage party right? However, I made it extra special by adding 2 large 72” round tables with poly linens and beautiful white garden chairs. I used a little bit of burlap around 2 small tires, added the custom “Alfonso 33” logo I created on both sides and placed in the center of each table. To provide a classy place setting, I used red plate chargers under these fabulous custom plates I ordered with my husbands theme. Everyone loved these! I am recently obsessed with the “silver” plastic ware, they look like the real deal. No disposable cups were used, I simply purchased several mason jars and added navy blue and white paper straws. I also created and placed a scratch-off with one winner from each table!

Sweets Table: I posted several requests for FREE tires to our neighborhood community page and believe me, you’d be amazed at how many neighbors will love you for taking old tires off their hands! My fabulous husband did the dirty work and cleaned the lights out of all these old tires to leave them super shiny for me. I found a white Ikea table top to add over the tires. Again, I wanted that clean look with that garage feel, so that’s why I just HAD to have the real thing like tires. I also wrapped cans of corn with these super cute oil/gas labels I purchased. I added our delicious cake pops to 2 small red metal tool boxes.

Decor: I was inspired by a fabulous party posted on Kara’s, where this fabulous mom used Dollar Tree pizza pans to add her garage signs rather than buying the real thing that usually costs about $15-$30 each! I created quite a few for the fireplace, photo booth backdrop, coat closet, etc.! These were pretty fun to make — I glued them with Mod Podge to the pizza pan, then added another layer of Mod Podge on top to give it that shiny coat! Tip: If you use a damp napkin, you can make these look a bit more torn up and not so perfect so it gives it that vintage look! I also bought a large cardboard letter “A” and hot glued several dollar tree wrenches to add a little bit of decor in our living room, after all, the party was mainly hosted in the garage!

I had so much fun creating this party for my husband to celebrate with a few of our closest friends!

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Styling & Design: Amador de Parties
– Photography: Snapberry Photographs
– Cake Pops: Jaya Jolie’s Confections
– Sugar Cookies: Bellaria Bakery
– Macarons: DD’s Macarons

Hostess with the Mostess®

When it comes to birthday parties, this Preppy Golf Themed Birthday Party is definitely a hole in one! Kameela Lewis of Tutus & Bowties Events always knocks it out of the park, or should I say, right onto the green. ;) To soak up some of the last rays of summer with her boys, she styled all of the details of this swingin’ par-tee for her oldest son’s birthday. With custom argyle stationery, trophy cup centerpieces & plenty of golf, I know lots of people who would love to spend their day having this kind of fun… and that goes for kids and adults alike!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look for:

– Golf themed sugar cookies & cupcakes + coordinating blue & green macarons & jello cups
– Mini golf carts, blue trophy centerpieces & framed inspirational quotes throughout the tablescape
– Ice cream station with argyle embellished ice-cream cups + golf ball filled vases
– Custom embroidered golf hats & towels as party favors + silver mylar ‘GOLF’ balloons

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Kameela…
:

Today, I am excited to share the golf par-tee I styled for my son Jeremiah last month. If you remember the Happy Trails Camp Party I styled for him last year, then you know how much we love outdoor themes. The weather is typically a challenge during this time of the year. However, the skies were clear and the sun was bright. With summer right around the corner, we try to get outdoors as much as the Houston temperatures will allow us. This year, we hit the course for a game of golf!

As I brainstormed details for Jeremiah’s birthday celebration, I decided hosting the party at a golf course was a must. We love visiting our local putt-putt facility, but I wanted to take a different route for this party. Luckily, a good friend recommended Faith Bridge Ranch Golf Club located in Hempstead, Texas. From my first site visit, I knew this was the perfect location for our golf par-tee! The course rests on over 130 acres of greenery in a quiet country atmosphere. The team was friendly and extremely helpful throughout the planning process. If you are local to the area and looking for a haven away from the hustle and bustle, you should definitely check out their course. It’s a perfect place to play golf or host your next event.

Now for par-tay details! My sweet friend Kara of Lillian Hope Designs revamped a set that she had in her shop for our golf theme. The putt-fect set of argyle adorned printables helped set the tone of our clean yet playful celebration. The traditional pattern added a touch of preppy and the bright colors added cheerfulness.

THE TABLESCAPE

The focal point of the table was our centerpiece. I filled two glass vases with authentic golf balls and surrounded them by real trophies. I added a DIY touch by adding spray paint and chose colors that complimented our palette. I displayed several mini golf cart props. I topped off our tablescape with mini white pails of golf balls scattered across the table.

Each place setting included an activity sheet, coordinating plates, themed water bottles, custom disposable drinking cup, and gable box that I embellished with our custom vinyl stickers.

We love playing sports because it promotes empowerment and teaches determination and diligence. So I snuck in a few inspiring quotes for the golfers to read as they enjoyed their lunch.

THE FAVORS

Upon arrival, golfers received a special VIP tournament badge, a towel and golf hat. Great Stitch embroidered them with an adorable set of clubs and stitching that read, “Happy Birthday.” Brenda sends me over the moon every time with the level of detail that she includes in every embroidery project we work on together! Each guest “geared up” before hitting the course. Our favors were perfect because it was something our party guests could immediately begin using!

THE ACTIVITIES

The owner of the golf course was nice enough to provide a mini lesson in golf. The junior golfers learned the proper way to hold a golf club, where to position your feet, and how to swing! Once the lesson was over, they set out to test their new skills at the driving range and putting course.

The golfers used custom scorecards to tally scores during the “tournament.” The printable was super easy and simple to use and perfect for our golfers!

THE SWEETS

Petite Sweets handcrafted the perfect batch of succulent macarons to match our color palette along with cake balls that resembled golf balls! They looked so real!

I ordered a set of golf themed cookies from Shauna over at Cara Bella Creations. She designed a set of cookies that included a golf cart, clubs, tees, and golf balls. They were simply perfect and delicious too! She even pulled in elements from our printables by recreating the argyle pattern on several of the cookies!

4 Kids Cake designed a gorgeous set of toppers for our cupcakes and even incorporated the chevron pattern made out of fondant, which was another pattern layered into our printable design!

I designed a tee shaped appliqué to embellish the candy tubes from Hoopla Events and created an ombre effect with the shimmer gumballs. The tubes are so versatile and easy to dress up!

We also used ceramic candy dishes and filled them with delicious jelly belly beans. I love the pop of color it added to the table.

Did I mention that I love confetti and the extra layer of fun that it adds to any celebration. Super duper excited to be adding this to our shop!

The golfers cooled off with ice cream sundaes. Toppings included my son’s favorites: marshmallows, sprinkles, and gummies! I whipped up a set of cups with coordinating wooden spoons.

I hope that you enjoyed your trip to the golf course as I recapped my son’s birthday celebration! Stay connected by following us on Instagram and signing up for our newsletter!

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Styling, Drinking Cups, Vinyl Appliques , Confetti, Ice Cream Cups: Tutus & Bowties Events
– Photography: Anetrius Wallace Photography
– Printables: Lillian Hope Designs
– Embroidered Shirts, Hats, and Towels: Great Stitch
– Macarons & Cake Balls: Petite Sweets
– Sugar Cookies: CaraBella Creations
– Candy Tubes & Ceramic Dishes: Hoopla Events
– Cupcake Toppers: 4 Kids Cakes

Hostess with the Mostess®

A little dream is on the way, so… Christiane Lehman of Truly You Events created a gorgeous (and *dreamy*!) Sedona Style & Tribal Inspired Baby Shower in honor of mommy-to-be Vanessa. The perfect garden-party venue was dotted with painted feathers, whimsical florals from Papertini and crocheted dream catchers of course! See all the earthy decor and happy fun in the pictures from Love Me Do Photography… and just know that I’m literally *daydreaming* about the beautiful watercolor invitations and signs from Hand Painted Weddings!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Gemstone necklace favor/escort card and favor-filled dreamcatcher stamped kraft bags
– Dreamcatcher thumbprint sign and “Join the Tribe” flash tattoo station
– Black and white stripe teepee gift area & wooden board baby picture display
– “Colors of the Wind” station with feather and wooden bow painting
– Babies breath halo for mommy-to-be & floral wreaths with gold-dipped feathers for each guest!

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Vanessa…

INSPIRATION

The inspiration for the shower came from a trip my husband and I took when I was five months pregnant to celebrate our first wedding anniversary together. We traveled to Sedona, Arizona where I immediately fell in love with the natural beauty and spirituality of the setting. We also ventured off and took a tour of the Grand Canyon where we got to learn a lot about the history of the Navajo Indians and their culture which I found fascinating so you definitely see influences of that sprinkled throughout the shower as well. From the Red Rocks to the Vortexes, Sedona had an amazingly positive and serene energy that heavily inspired my shower.

FAVORITE PARTS OF THE DAY

Honestly, I loved it all! The florals created by Tanti from Papertini were gorgeous- from the eucalyptus runner at the head table to the floral crowns she made for me and all of my guests. I really appreciated how she even incorporated feather details on the back of the crown ties and in the arrangements to go along with the tribal concept. Our planner, Christiane from Truly You Events, came up with the idea to have a feather and arrow painting station. I thought that was a really creative touch, and can’t wait to incorporate the keepsake feathers and bows in our nursery. Guests seemed to really enjoy the Flash Tattoo station!

VENUE

I’ve always loved the whimsical, garden-party-like vibe of Talula’s Garden. In addition to the beautiful setting, Talula’s also serves one of the best brunches in Philadelphia so it was a pretty easy decision. Brunch is hands down my favorite meal!

PARTY DETAILS, as told byChristiane…

Planning Vanessa & Ken’s wedding was an absolute dream, so we literally jumped for joy when she called to loop us in for her baby shower. Vanessa was fresh off of her trip out West when we began the planning process and so the tribal concept for her shower came together very quickly. Having family in Texas and Arizona, I knew exactly the type of vibe she was looking to create- peaceful, earthy, colorful and fun!

To bring her vision to life, we looped in a few of our favorite creative pros in Philadelphia. Allison from Hand Painted Weddings crafted the custom dream catcher invitations, along with signage for the shower day.Tanti from Papertini hand made fern floral wreaths accented with gold dipped feathers and strings for guests. For the guest of honor, Vanessa, Tanti created a delicate halo of babies breath. We set each dining table with clear glass jars filled with colorful spring blooms and Vanessa’s head table received a eucalyptus runner than spilled over to the floor.

DIY PROJECTS

– Join the Tribe: Guests were invited to join the tribe by donning flash tattoos for the day! For this project, we provided the individually cut flash tattoos, a spray bottle, baby blue & green wash cloths, instructional signage and a cute glass receptacle for trash. As you can see in Love Me Do’s photos, even the Pop Pops-to-be got involved!

– Colors of the Wind: This station featured paints, brushes, water cups, feathers, bows and a desert sand bucket for drying. We began by covering Talula’s table with kraft paper, taped down with the cutest tribal tape you’ve ever seen from Paper Source. Guests chose between white feathers or wooden bows and then got creative with the acrylic paints. For drying, we provided a galvanized bucket with desert sand (aka- aquarium sand!)

– Dreamcatcher Thumb Print Sign In: As a surprise for Vanessa and Ken, I worked with Allison on a dream catcher thumbprint guest sign in print. We provided colorful ink pads and guests were invited to “leave an impression” on the print. The finger prints acted as the feathers on the dream catcher and the final product came out even more beautifully than I had hoped! Allison thoughtfully left an open string for each one of the 40 shower guests.

– Escort Card Necklaces: To make seating easy for guests, we decided to assign tables for brunch. Allison from Hand Painted Weddings created circular hole punched escort cards that we strung on raw gemstone necklaces sourced from the Bauble Bar. Each of the four gemstone designs were mixed throughout the display that we presented on a custom tribal cork board. I just love when escort cards can double as party favors! Guests donned their necklaces and name tags throughout the event, which enhanced the connectedness of the day.

MORE DETAILS

– Tribal advice cards for the new mommy + colorful pencils at each setting.

– A custom teepee that will live in the baby’s nursery was set to house gifts as they arrived.

– As a final treat, guests were gifted with dreamcatcher printed kraft paper bags with delicious lemon blueberry muffins to go.

– Baby Pictures of Vanessa and Ken were clothes pinned to wooden boards and set in the garden for guests to enjoy throughout the event. Ken is a twin, so it was particularly fun for everyone to try to guess who is who in his baby pictures!

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Planner/Styling: Truly You Events / @trulyyouevents
– Venue: Talula’s Garden / @talulas.garden
– Photography: Love Me Do Photography / @lovemedophoto
– Florist: Papertini / @papertinifloral
– Paper: Hand Painted Weddings / @handpaintedweddings

Hostess with the Mostess®

A giant color-blocked popsicle piñata, rainbow popsicle pool rafts, adorable sweet treats galore… take one quick peek at the images below and I think you’ll understand why “Happy” (by Pharrel Williams) was stuck in my head while working on this post! ;)

This bright & modern Popsicle Pool Party was styled by Courtney Adams Design for her daughter Parker’s 2nd birthday celebration and features tons of awesome popsicle party printables (including the birthday girl’s iron-on shirt design) created by Heather Dalton of Chickabug. I love the overall “contemporary meets crafty” vibe and clever use of budget-friendly items like pool noodles, which played a big role at this party in more than one way… check out the fun DIY dessert table backdrop and ring toss game!

P.S. For more party goodness from Courtney and Heather, check out Parker’s Glam Nautical 1st Birthday too!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Colorful DIY popsicle garland table backdrop make from pool noodles
– Tub of “Grab & Play” beach balls, popsicle pool floats, & Pool Noodle Ring Toss game
– Color-blocked popsicle cookies (by Flourish Sweet Shop) + color-blocked popsicle pinata
– Super cute homemade popsicle brownies with colored candy melt “drips”
– Tiny popsicle cupcake toppers (made from Mike & Ike candy & toothpicks!)

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Heather…

This bright and happy popsicle pool party is the beautiful work of my friend and customer, Courtney Adams of Courtney Adams Design. Courtney used her interior design talents and eye for style to create this birthday party for her two-year-old daughter, Parker.

With great finds from various vendors and stores (those popsicle cookies! The popsicle pool rafts!) and some seriously cute DIY decor, Courtney packed the party full of unique touches and lots of themed goodies. Guests enjoyed a nacho bar, cupcakes, and custom gourmet popsicles, and adult guests helped themselves to piña coladas.

Birthday girl Parker was absolutely adorable in her custom shirt, tutu and crown headband – until it was time to join her party guests in the pool!

DIY PROJECTS:

– Popsicle Backdrop: DIY via Oh Happy Day
– Popsicle Pinata: DIY via Oh Happy Day
– Popsicle Cupcake Toppers: DIY via Party Pinching
– Popsicle Brownies: Homemade

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Party Styling: Courtney Adams Design
– Photography: Monica Torres Photography
– Invitations, water bottle labels, stickers, and iron-on shirt design: Chickabug
– DIY printable party favor tags, signs, and buffet cards: Chickabug
– Cookies: Flourish Sweet Shop
– Party favors: Party City
– Popsicle crafts: Oriental Trading (no longer available)
– “Birthday Girl” bloomers: A one-of-a-kind find at a consignment event
– Bow and crown headband & tutu: Mud Pie
– Beach Balls & Mini Beach Balls: Oriental Trading
– Mini Beach Balls: Oriental Trading
– Mini Pinatas: Target
– Custom (real, edible) popsicles: Pop Star
– Pineapple and cherry toothpicks (in the skewers): Party City
– Pool noodle ring toss: DIY Project via SheKnows
– Popsicle pool rafts: Five Below

Hostess with the Mostess®

From the skyscrapers and fresh pretzels to the taxi cabs and liberty chips, Bingham’s party screams “I Heart NY”! Brandy Rammel of Pretty Plain Janes captured the lively city for her son’s New York City First Birthday Bash with playfully inspired graphic invitations and one of the cutest photo booths around – complete with a DIY Empire State Building prop/picture display. There are so many creative, bustling, bold city “sites” and street fare eats that I’m suddenly craving an NYC style slice (of pizza!) right about now!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– “Welcome To NYC” chalkboard sign + Empire State building with window square pictures
– Giant photo booth pizza prop, broadway sign, hot dog and taxi cab cutouts
– Fondant skyscraper cake and taxi cab topped smash cake + rad bright red dresser dessert table
– DIY cardboard box skyscraper buildings & First Avenue Tattoo Shop with “I Heart NY” tats
– Fresh pretzels, “Bingy’s Weenie” hot dogs & “Liberty Snack” potato chips

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Brandy…
:

New York City has  always been on the radar when it comes to party themes. Not only is it  my all time favorite city, but there are many elements to draw  inspiration from to make a celebration extra special. When it was time  for our little guy to turn the big ONE I knew there would never be a better opportunity for a NYC bash.

Early on I decided we need some buildings. All it took were some large cardboard boxes in various sizes, primer, paint, paint roller and  sponge brush. The building details were simple to do with black paint  and a sponge brush. We used hot glue to keep the buildings together  and stuck heavy objects in the bottom boxes to avoid any falling  buildings. Our guests were welcomed by the “Empire State Building” which had square images of Bingham in place of “windows”. The entire  project was a fairly simple DIY that provided a huge impact to the  overall party. I was thrilled with the way it turned out.

As for food we wanted to go the street fare route with large soft  pretzels and hot dogs. Everyone loved the play on words we did with  “Skettzel’s Pretzels” (his sister’s nickname is “Sketts”) and “Bingy’s  Weenies”. The pretzels I made in advance and froze so that all they  needed were to be reheated right before party time. The hot dogs we  cooked together in a crockpot and then placed in buns and wrapped for  the guests to easily grab.

The dessert table was filled with some of our favorite sweets as well  as a gorgeous NYC skyline cake (adorned with an adorable taxi cab). I  wanted something to fill the space above the desserts and between the  buildings flanking the buffet table – which is where the giant letter  balloons came in to play.

For the kids we had custom “I Heart NY” tattoos made and some fun  giant cutouts of typical NYC items. They both were a huge hit,  especially the tats.

It’s hard to say what I loved most about the party – the colors, the  food, the decor, our guests – it all turned out even better than I had  imagined. But at the end of the day it’s Bingham with cake on his face  that makes my heart sing. A party I will forever cherish and one that  would have never happened without the help of our friends and family!

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Invitations, Signage, Party Toppers, Photo Props & Graphics: PPJ Shop
– Photography: Pretty Plain Janes & 180 Photography
– Cake: CakeCrazy
– Cookies: Flour Loves Sugar
– Pretzel Recipe: Pretty Plain Janes
– Giant Letter Balloons: Bargain Balloons
– Tattoos: Tattoo Fun

Hostess with the Mostess®

Can you believe it’s September today?! That means fall is right around the corner already, and the warm and rustic details in this super stylish Camping First Birthday Party definitely have me excited for the new season!

Inspired by a mix of modern and boho chic styles, Zoe Namey (the birthday boy’s mom) collaborated with The Social Studio (a boutique event planning & interior design company owned by her sister in law) on this creative and DIY-filled birthday celebration. From a make-your-own trail mix bar to the faux campfire, teepee play tents, tin foil fishing game, and more, “Camp Doni” sure looks like an awesome place to get together! ;)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Fishing-inspired centerpieces with wooden fish & poles + a tin foil fish game
– Cute faux fire set for play time + wooden instruments, board books, and teepees
– Chocolate chip layer cake with custom wooden topper displayed in a pretty tabletop teepee
– Stylish black & white tassel garlands made from patterned tissue paper
– Beautifully styled Trail Mix Bar embellished guinea feathers & rustic risers

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Zoe…

For my son’s 1st birthday, we put together a boho/modern camp theme that pleased young and old! It was full of DIY details including tents, fishing and lantern decorations, a fishing game, feathers, hobo favor bags and a yummy trail mix bar!

The custom tents were made by my sister in law (owner of The Social Studio) and they were the perfect statement pieces to set up a campsite! We used blankets, a faux fire set, wooden instruments and plenty of books to keep the kids entertained.

A S’more flavored naked cake housed in its own teepee was the perfect centerpiece for the trail mix bar. Lots of black and white tassels that I made hung from giant clear balloons filled with feathers. Burlap bunting and large camp signs hung from the ceiling of the cabin we rented.

Various centerpieces lined the tables which included natural elements like faux pine trees, birch logs and rocks. We used a large teepee to house gifts for the birthday boy and served fried chicken and hot dogs as main dishes.

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Theme & Overall Concept: Zoe Namey and The Social Studio
– Event Design and Rentals: The Social Studio
– Photography: My Wild Children’s Photography
– Cake: Lil’ Baby Cakes

Hostess with the Mostess®

Ann Hong *dreamed up* a Whimsical Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower for Cindy and Brett that is a sweet bundle of absolute perfection. Nichanh Petersen of Nichanh Nicole Photography captured all the “Dream Big” details like that beautiful cake (+ ENTIRE dessert table spread) by The French Confection Co, sweet baby shower games and dainty mommy-to-be crown. There are so many girly & gorgeous details, but I have to say my favorite are the amazing DIY hot air balloons strung above the party space. Each one is unique and carries a basketful of flowers!

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Pretty gold confetti favor bags, illustrated welcome sign & DIY  hanging hot air balloons
– “Where will baby go?” map + “Dream Big” dessert table backdrop & framed map poster
– Playful “baby” cupcakes with kraft paper hot air balloon and cloud toppers
– Crepe paper flowers with sweet “Oh Baby” accents by Laura Hooper Calligraphy
– Pink linens with tulle underlays, gold Chivari chairs & dreamy peony floral centerpieces by Twig & Twine

*****

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Nichanh…
:

THEME

Ann Hong the talented Hostess wanted to throw Cindy and her family a memorable baby shower that was whimsical and sweet. Her vision was to capture the feeling of the lightness through the hot air balloons, tulle and sweet florals. The hot air balloons were intended to convey the theme that all dreams are possible. Ann mentioned that the biggest challenge and joy came with making the hot air balloons themselves – there was a bit of trial and error but they were so much fun to make.

FLORALS

The florals were also important to the theme. For the decor it was a combination of real flowers and rice crepe paper florals that was ordered from The Lovely Ave. To prevent the overpower of the hot air balloons – the smaller flower arrangements was added to compliment it. Heather at Twig and Twine did a beautiful job pulling together sweet florals of peonies, ranunculus, roses, lambs ears. Ann gave the vase to the florist and after the shower Ann wanted the guest to take the floral arrangement home as part of their favor.

CAKE

Ann worked with Mallory at French Confection Co to design the cakes in the same design scheme as the invitation and for the smaller cakes to compliment the main cake.

Cindy (The guest of Honor) and her husband Brett are expect their first baby girl. They both were so surprised when they arrive and saw all the beautiful details. The shower was a success and all the details that Ann pulled together was a huge success.

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Crown: Ever After Props
– Photography: Nichanh Nicole Photography
– Hair & Make-up: Grace Lin Makeup
– Cindy’s Maxi Dress: Lulu’s
– All Desserts (Cakes, Cupcakes & Macaroons): The French Confection Co
– Cake Stand: Minted and Vintage
– Gold Sequin Tablecloth: La Tavola Fine Linen
– OH BABY wood stick in flower arrangement: Laura Hooper Calligraphy
– Floral design: Twig & Twine
– Crepe paper flower: The Lovely Ave
– Invitation: Marisa June Designs
– Gold Chiavari chairs: InLight Lighting
– Hot Air Balloon, Flower Garland, Styling: Ann Hong

Hostess with the Mostess®