Friday, February 20, 2015

Host An Oscar Party At Home!

The 87th Academy Awards are Sunday night -- a good excuse to dress up, have a party and celebrate! 

Rather than bothering with h'ors d'oeuvres or a fancy dinner, why not host an easy and elegant drinks and dessert party instead.

Here are some tips to make your soiree an award-winning event:

Keep with a classic black/white/gold color palette. Find gold stars at a party store and hang them from the ceiling, accented with gold serpentine and black balloons. Red accents and desserts to pay tribute to the “red carpet.” 
Make easy desserts or buy some from your favorite bakery. 

Here's what is on our dessert table:


Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Double Chocolate, Chocolate Brownies
Red Velvet Mini Stacked Cakes
Strawberries Dipped in White Candy Melts 





For trophy cups: Malt balls, dark chocolate covered almonds, and white chocolate dipped pretzels.

Fresh flowers are a party staple - colorful and pretty!


Cute cupcake toppers & themed-colored straws can make it extra festive!



Oscar Ballots are perfect for guessing who you think will win. Make your choices before the show starts and grade your Ballot as the show goes on. When the Oscars are over, just count to see who had the most right for the win! Award a small prize for the person who gets the most answers right, or collect a small donation from each guest and give away the pot!

These fun, free printable Oscar Ballots are from Sugar and CharmDownload 2015 Oscar Ballots HERE.


And since you'll need to toast the victors, get some prosecco, champagne or your favorite spritzer.

Warmly,


Monday, February 2, 2015

How To Host A Galentine's Day Party!

 


Made famous by Leslie Knope of Parks And Recreation, celebrate Galentine's Day with your bestest lady friends on February 13. Since it falls on Friday this year, host a special evening with your girlfriends.

Whether you are married ladies or single and loving it, your gal pals are your support system so get together and celebrate girl power at its best.  Here are a few ways to celebrate a girls' night in.



Get the party started with lovely invitations; Ephemera's featured on 100 Layer Cake are a great way to start.



Set the party space by making this lovely and super simple XOXO painted tablecloth from Walk In Love.



Another lovely DIY, Hank &  Hunt's floating heart backdrop is perfect for group shots or hanging over a table.



I always have a craft at my parties, even for my grown-ups! Being creative is a perfect way to break the ice, especially if you have a mixed group who don't know each other.   I love this card-making table from The Glitter Guide...set out paper, markers, tape and stickers and let the creativity flow.


Have a few laughs and flirty fun with Rosanna's Vice Dice.


Sweets are a must...this lovely set up from 3 Little Picks showcases how to use Rosanna's Large Decor Bon Bon Footed Round Pedestals for pretty treats.


Another fabulous idea, serve gorgeous and homemade Fruity Dessert Pizzas from Peaches, Please.


Don't forget the libations...check out my 10 Ways To Style A Bar Cart for great tips for setting up a cocktails area.  For the non-drinkers, dress up drink bottles with easy-to-make origami hearts and paper straws.


A sweet good-bye...free printables from The TomKat Studio tied to nail polish bottles.

How do you celebrate with your girlfriends?

Dawn Smith
Creative Director
Not Just A Mommy (Guest Blogger)