Create My Event - Event & Party Ideas Blog

Winter Pool Party

Its flu season, and my whole family just recovered from it.  It got me thinking of a great party idea for flu season--- a pool party.  Some of the indoor facilities available in winter for kids parties seem like germ haven to me, but a pool party seems like it wouldn't harbor as many contagions.  There are several indoor pool facilities in my area that offer pool party times and they keep their pools at 90 degrees!  Doesn't that sound like a nice way to spend a winter day? 

You could have a surfin' theme or a Hawaiian theme complete with flowery invitations.    Serve tropical drinks and coconut shrimp skewers.  Play reggae or Hawaiian music.  You could also hand out water toys for the kids favors (at home, they can use them in the tub until the weather gets warm).  The idea warming you up?  Look in your yellow pages and give some of the local pools a call...

I bet your guests will feel like they were on vacation after your party.

Go Green on St. Patty's Day!

You know, St. Patty's day ain't all about the beer...ok maybe for some it is but why not go "Eco" on your friends this day for green and really go green? I propose that each and everyone of you reading this blog figure a way to make St. Patrick's day about giving back to our environment and feel good about yourself. You know, this is actually a good alternative to waking up on the 18th with a tremendous headache!
Here are a few simple ways to go green this March 17th:

1. Plant a tree... Did you know that planting a tree can not only reduce sound and produce oxygen, but it also cleans the air, reduces wind and increases property values?

2. Host a St. Patty's day party in the dark... Use candles instead of watts to supply the light to your next party. Not only is this a mood setter, it's a trend setter. Tell your friends that this is THE next thing and 'everyone' is doing it! As a party favor send everyone home with a compact fluorescent light bulb. Remind your friends that if every household replaced one bulb in their home with an energy efficient bulb such as an Energy Star light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year. Holy Moses people. That is so easy to do if we all ban together!

3. Consume less and buy eco-friendly products. Try for one day to abstain from purchasing unnecessary products and if you must, choose products that are good for our Mother Earth such as organic foods and environmentally friendly household and outdoor products. It's easy to do. The labels will tell you so...

4. When shopping, BYOB... Not what you are thinking... remember, we are moving away from the traditional St. Patty's day pastime... I am talking about Bringing Your Own Bag! Did you know that big chains like IKEA are currently in discussions on ways to implement a program that will charge the consumer for the use of a plastic bag??? I love this..Way to go IKEA!!! Don't be mad at them! They are taking charge and making a difference. They are educating consumers and trying to contribute. It's really all we can ask of big name chains. The more they try, the more people are aware of how our consumption effects the environment.

5. Try mass transit for a day! Come on, look at it as an adventure! St Patrick's day lands on a Saturday this year, so why not use the old muscles and ride your bike everywhere you go that day... Even if it is to the local pub...

These are just a few ways to get you started on going green this St. Patrick's Day. There are plenty more. Try googling "Going Green" and see what you come up with. Tree Hugger is one of my favorite sites dedicated to being eco friendly. The writers are enormously educated in this field and the site offers lots of ideas, articles and links to others who are just as passionate about the cause.

Red Egg & Ginger Party

I just recently heard about an interesting Chinese tradition called a "Red Egg and Ginger Party" which is thrown for a baby who is about one month old.  What a great way to celebrate the blessed occasion of a new baby!  I did some research to learn more about this tradition so I can host one of these fascinating parties one day...

This party is a way for parents to introduce their new baby to friends and relatives.  In ancient Chinese culture, it also was the time when the baby was given a name and formally accepted into the family.  This celebration is accompanied by dinner and can be held at home or in a restaurant. Today, children's magicians or performers are sometimes present for entertainment.

The significance of the color red is that it represents happiness and good luck.  Eggs symbolize fertility and the renewal of life.  An egg's shape is associated with harmony and unity.  Ginger adds a touch of 'hotness' to food and therefore can balance the yin (cold) and yang (warm) of Chinese food. New mothers are often tired and weak (too yin) after given birth, so ginger is good for her.

Apparently, guests receive red-dyed eggs and ginger at this party. More traditional parents will also give thank you gifts of small biscuits with pork in them instead of thank you notes.

If attending a Red Egg and Ginger Party, you can bring gifts of clothing or lucky money.  Apparently, tigers are the king of beasts and have special powers for protecting children so babies are given tiger hats, shoes and bibs.  Lucky money is usually given in red envelopes to baby boys, while girls receive expensive jewelry from close relatives.

If you are planning a Red Egg and Ginger Party, a good book to get is Good Luck Life: The Essential Guide to Chinese American Celebrations and Culture. It is packed with tons of information to make your party authentic and successful.

Fully Fondue'd

It's one of those "lull" seasons where the holidays are long gone and we are left wondering "when is the next day off". Sure, some of you lucky ones will get to sleep in on President's day but most of us don't get to participate and are only left looking for the next excuse to celebrate with our friends. OR... maybe it's just me...
I have a great idea! Let's Fondue! Who doesn't love to eat? Who doesn't love to get together with friends? Who doesn't love to get together with friends and eat?
Why not throw your friends an impromptu Fondue party? It's easy...
Check out Crate and Barrel or Bed Bath and Beyond for an easy to buy, not so expensive, Fondue set.
Once you have the gear, it's time to head to the market and pick up a few items. Silly people, you can't fondue without the grub...

Here is a quick list of some things to buy:
-breads, i.e. french baguette or 7 grain loaf
-fruits, i.e. strawberries, melons or apples
-meats, i.e. cubed beef or chicken
-cheeses, anything cubed, goes in this category.
-Chocolate... dark is best.

oh wait. insert history lesson....Did you know that the concept of Fondue comes from the Swiss? It was their way to use up the spare rations as the winter season was winding down... i.e.... some Swiss wife looked in the pantry and pondered... "what do I cook tonight"....Fondue is a French word which means, to blend or melt. So some Swiss wife looks in the pantry, or similar, and says "ok, I have this, this and this. Hungry husband due home in 1/2 hour... what do I blend or melt together to make a hearty and filling meal for my man"...

ok back to preparations... Keep in mind that each guest will eat approximately 1-to 1 1/2 lbs of food. Everything should be bite size and you will want to prepare everything on the stove ahead of time. Use the "just purchased", fondue pot for looks only. It really is easier this way. Keep the Fondue pots on a low temperature. No more than 120 degrees, using tea lights or sternos. There are some great Fondue recipes on GoFondue.com

Provide lots of fondue forks or disposable skewers. Good Fondue etiquette is to keep the lips and tongues away... This is a dipping party and the dips are shared by others. I think you get the drift.

Other than providing the basic Fondue fun, be sure to keep the libations rolling. A nice selection of red or white wine will do the trick and have a few brews on hand for the manly men...

This party is really just an excuse to get the friends together. If you think about it, what else do you have to do between now and St. Patrick's day? Is St. Patty's day really an American holiday or are we just borrowing another excuse to celebrate?

Either way, have fun and enjoy this Swiss excuse on me.

Last Minute Valentine

Did you drag your feet too long on making dinner reservations for your significant other and the only dinner reservations left are 4pm or 11pm?  Well, have no fear...all is not lost.  Just plan to have Valentine's Day at home.  Here are some tips to make your night special.

Set the Mood.   Tidy up the dining room.   Lower the lights.  Light some nice smelling candles.  Pull out your good china/crystal.  Set a beautiful table.  Put on some nice music.

Present yourself.  Freshen up with all your fancy products.  Take the time to do your hair. Wear something different (a classy dress, lingerie, etc.).

Let your date have time to freshen up when he/she gets home from work.  This puts both in a place to feel clean and refreshed.

Prepare a menu.  Mention in the small print that this "restaurant" has a No Interruption Policy (that means no phones, cell phones, etc.).  You can also put other caveats in there, such as "no talk about the kids/money/work".  Don't forget to allude to the "dessert" or "after dinner aperitif". 

The meal itself is not important.  You could make a salad and a frozen pizza and it will be wonderful presented in the above fashion.  Don't spend a lot of time worrying or preparing the meal, it may ruin your goal of a RELAXED, STRESS-FREE Valentine's Day.

Be sure to do something romantic after dinner like a evening walk around the block, watching a romantic movie, or looking through wedding pictures. 

You will be surprised how wonderful an "at home" Valentine's Day can be.  Enjoy!

Easy Party Banners

Custom party banners are easy to make, and quick, too! You'll need card stock, ribbon (enough for the length of your banner + 5") hot glue gun, oh, and your computer, or markers or paint.

Using your favorite computer program, print the letters for your banner from your computer onto cardstock. For the "Let's Party" banner above, we placed 2 letters on a horizontal sheet of letter size cardstock and then cut the page in half. You can also hand write or paint the letters directly onto the cardstock.

Arrange the letters in order, and turn over so that the back side of the cards are facing you and the phrase reads backwards (as seen above). Hot glue a continuous strip of ribbon to the back of each letter near the top of the cardstock and also a 2nd strip at the bottom, leaving at least 5" extra at the end of each side. The extra ribbon will be used for hanging the banner. 5/8" or wider ribbon works best. The longer the banner, the wider your ribbon should be.

Hang the banner by the extra ribbon by tacks, tape or knots, add some balloons, streamers, and you've got an instant personalized party!

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Info and images provided by the paper-peeps at Anna Bella Stationery.

From The Heart

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that can either be wonderfully magic or dreadfully tragic. If you are hoping for a day filled with love and happiness here are some sure fire ways to get the flame going without spending a lot of money.

1. Create a "Pill Bottle" filled with Love Pills. Start by using an empty pain reliever bottle and soak it in water to strip the original label off. Create your own label with the words "LOVE PILLS, take one a day when needed".. and adhere your label to the bottle using glue or tape. Next, cut small strips of paper and write messages that your love can redeem whenever they want. You can write tame messages like "1/2 hour foot massage" or you can get really romantic and create messages such as "redeem for a long and passionate kiss" or how about "good for love making in any location of your choice"...You get the idea...This is a fun way to put the playful spark back into your love life.

2. Another idea that my mother used when we were little as a Valentine's day gift to my dad is a Love Tree. Search your local area for a decent size branch, (maybe 2' or so). Find a branch with lots of little twigs still attached. Next plant the branch in a small pot with soil. The soil does not have to be great since the goal is not to keep anything alive...Once your branch is planted, create small heart shaped notes out of red, pink and white construction paper. Write messages of love on each heart and tie them on the tree with a red ribbon. Our tree always had messages about what we loved about Dad, like "I love the way you play Candyland with me..." or "I love the way you tuck me in at night..." My mother's notes were more intimate like "I love the way you kiss my temple each day..." This is a great way to show your Valentine what you love about them. There is something so romantic and so simple about this gift.

3. One more idea for your Valentine is to take the same theory from either of the above gifts and bring your messages to the balloon shop. Ask the sales clerk to insert the messages into the balloons before she blows up the balloons. This is a great idea for a romantic proposal on Valentines Day. Be sure that one Balloon is a different color than all of the others and include your marriage proposal in this balloon. While you stand with your "honey" and give them the balloon bouquet, you choose a balloon out of the bunch (not the special balloon), and have your love pop them one at a time to read the messages. If you do this long enough, the receiver will never suspect that the special balloon is the "SPECIAL" balloon. Try not to save it for the last balloon so that she does not suspect the significance of this balloon's message. She will be so surprised to read the final message of love and proposal.

Valentine's Day does not have to break the bank. I think that gifts from the heart are the most romantic way to share your love. Your Valentine will not hesitate to share your thoughtfulness to everyone and you will look like the Valentine hero.

A Valentine's Party for Two

There's no rule on how many people constitute a "party", so have yourself a party for two on Valentine's Day.

Give your valentine something to look forward to by sending him or her a Sendomatic.com invitation to your party for two.  Although there are many to choose from, my three favorites are: True Love because of it's funky tune and graphic, Be Mine for its uniqueness, and Love for its classy, relaxing music.

Unless you love to cook and are in the mood to create your own romantic evening at home, taking your sweetie out to dinner is always a great option.  Nobody has to cook, the atmosphere is created for you, and it provides for a couple hours of good conversation time.  If your date is adventuresome, take her/him to somewhere they've never been.  MSN City Guides took a vote and posted The Best Romantic Dining for many major cities in the US.  If your date has a "distinguished" palate and you really want to impress your date, it is recommended that you stick to a tried and true favorite that you know of.   Keep in mind that you don't have to break the bank.  Some of my favorite restaurants are casual (Thai, Sushi, the local Italian joint).  The perks to casual dining is also that you don't have to know which fork to use or know how much to tip the valet....it puts you at ease to be yourself, and ENJOY your company.

Wherever you decide to eat, show up with a flower(s).  It can be hand picked from your yard, purchased at the local 7-11, or could be a whole bouquet from a fancy flower mart, but show your date that you are excited to be with them from the start.

Valentines gifts are too individual for a "one gift fits all" list, so here are some suggestions to get your mind working....   For women, a gift certificate at a local spa is always appreciated, a simple necklace or small pair of earrings, or a homemade gift certificate for a night away with you at a later date.  For men, a gift certificate to a local spa (yes, they really like them!), homemade heart shaped cookies, anything at Sharper Image, or a magazine subscription.

Valentine's Day is a weekday this year, so you can't spend lots of time doing anything much but a nice dinner.   If that is the case, at least try to fit one other activity in before or after dinner.   If the weather is nice, take a walk in a scenic location or drive to a scenic bluff.  If the weather isn't cooperating, grab an pre- or after- dinner drink or snack at a cozy lounge (bring a deck of cards or a travel game), ride on a carousel at the mall, or try to catch a short IMAX movie.

Whatever you decide to do on Valentine's Day, enjoy yourself and your company.  Laugh a lot and be proud of yourself for making this party happen!

Get the party started with paper tubes

There are two key elements to successful party decorating:
1. Coordinating pieces
2. A lot of them

But you don't have to break the bank to achieve maximum decorating bliss, so go on, put your wallet away. All you need is a ream of paper, double sided tape, some string, and a bit of time - the perfect ingredients for the perfect party decorating diva, the paper tube! Uh, huh. Paper tube. It can solve any decorating dilemma.

Let's start with coordinating pieces.
You've got a color scheme (if you don't have one yet, I'll wait a moment while you get one)...OK, so you've got a color scheme. Transfer this to a sheet of translucent vellum via your ink jet or with markers or whatever you're handy with. Then, measure the height and the circumference of a votive candle holder, cut the vellum to size, wrap around your votive, secure with double sided tape and you're done! Instant ambiance!

Decorate an entire sheet of paper, roll up and attach string in 3 places, forming a triangle. Gather the strings in the middle and you've got an instant paper lantern. Carry the tube theme throughout your party - even your napkins. Cut short strips of paper, long enough to wrap around a rolled napkin and secure with double sided tape. Go through every detail of your party in your mind and ask yourself, "What can I wrap a paper tube around?" You can wrap vases, silverware, invitations, bowls, plates, cups - it's infinite. And you don't have to decorate your own paper. Save time buy purchasing some funky wrapping paper or scrapbook paper.

Let's focus on the "a lot of them" part of decorating.
Multiples of anything in coordinating colors makes an impact and give parties the "wow" factor you're looking for. Don't just add one small pot of flowers in the center of the table (with your paper tube around the base of the pot). Add 5 or 6 or more - add one to each place setting. Don't just hang a few paper lanterns here and there, hang tons of them. Fill the sky (or your living room ceiling) with paper lanterns, all at different lengths to create interest and drama.

What's neat about paper tubes is they're inexpensive to make, easy to make, and make you look like the hostess with the mostest. You'd better get started...you've got about 50 more paper lanterns to make!

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Info and images provided by the paper-peeps at Anna Bella Stationery.

Creating Memorable Party Favors

My sister is turning 40 this Spring. What a milestone. While our concerns may be different, I think our stress levels are about the same as this event creeps up. While she worries about the wrinkles that are beginning to appear, I worry about whether chocolate or guava will be a better choice for her birthday cake. I have never thrown a birthday party of this magnitude before and since this is such a memorable birthday for her, I want it to be special from the moment she arrives.

I am sure that many of you have been introduced to Shutterfly by now as a resource for printing your treasured digital photos. This online site also offers a ton of different ideas for party favors such as mugs, playing cards and apparel which can all be customized with your choice of personal pictures.
What I really want to touch on is the Photo Books.

The Shutterfly site allows you to easily download digital pictures into a pre-made template using a drag and drop method. In addition, you can customize your book with titles, backgrounds and page layouts. This is a great way to create something a little extra special for your guest of honor. Shutterfly offers various size books ranging from 12x12 to 8x8.

Since my sister's birthday is such a milestone, I have many pictures that I would like to include in her book. I am going to be using images which were taken looooong before the invention of a digital camera. For the pictures taken some time ago, I will take my prints to my local digital photo shop and have the images scanned onto a disc. Most photo shops today are familiar with this process and make it both easy and affordable. Once I have my disc, I can download my digital images onto my home computer and use them to drag and drop into the Shutterfly website. This way, I can be sure to include some of the classic black and white images that will make this Photo Book truly memorable.

Another gift idea that I will be using for the 40th birthday bash is an 8x8 Recipe book that can also be created on the Shutterfly website. Since this party is all about creating memories for the birthday girl, I thought it would be fun to rediscover some classic dishes which always make my sister feel at home. I have asked her to think back to the days of mom's cooking and recall her favorite home cooked meals. With this information, I will create a fun recipe book for her to take home to her family so that she can carry on the kitchen traditions that we grew up with. What I really love about this idea is that not only will this book be filled with her favorite recipes from Mom, it will also have pictures that she can gaze at while she prepares her meals for her children.

I have used Shutterfly for a few of my photo needs. The prices are always reasonable and the time that it takes for me to create my memories is very reasonable with my busy schedule. I can't wait to get started on the upcoming birthday gifts for my sisters special day. Look for future entries as the plans get underway...