Create My Event - Event & Party Ideas Blog

Looking Forward to Spring

With another month of winter to go, now is a good time to think about turnings the blahs into beautiful Spring table decor.

The Circle Grass Garden from Metaphys contains everything you need to grow a little indoor greenery. The aesthetically pleasing modern white planter measures 15.75" in diameter and would make an interesting centerpiece. Start now and you should have a decent indoor lawn by the first day of Spring. You could fill the inner circle with candles, or with Marshmallow bunnies or chicks for a fun Easter themed party.

The grass should last until Summer and is an eco-friendly alternative to a floral arrangement; when it dies back, simply sow some more seeds.
Available from A+R Store the Circle costs $105.00.

Wedding Cupcakes…Trendy or Tired?

A recent conversation with a fellow wedding planner got me thinking about trends in our industry and how jaded we wedding professionals sometimes get. What we may deem as “LY” (Last Year) is just beginning to catch on in most of Middle America. Because trends tend to begin on the East and West coasts, we are usually ready to move on to “the next big thing" much faster than the rest of the country. But could I be wrong?

Take the cupcake craze. While cupcakes have been around since children and birthdays, the phenomenon of waiting in line for thirty minutes for a $3 cupcake totally took off after those fab girls from Sex and the City raved about the Magnolia Bakery in NYC. But that was back in 1997! Six years later, Martha Stewart featured the coveted and oh-so-ingenious Wedding Cupcake Tower on the cover of her magazine. Bottom line: Martha said: "It’s a “good thing”, and the rest of the country agreed. Shocker.

All of a sudden this little frosted confection grabbed the attention of brides everywhere. But not just in the U.S. Gourmet cupcake shops started popping up everywhere including Glasgow and Tokyo, with brides paying upwards of $7 a pop to create this beautiful, unique alternative to what had become so commonplace. Sprinkles in LA and Magnolia in NYC and every little bakery in between upped the ante by turning the cupcake into a work of art, complete with fillings, curds, ganache, and frostings of every flavor imaginable. Who wanted to settle for some dumb wedding cake when guests could have their own little personalized desserts instead?

So here we are, ten years after Carrie Bradshaw reintroduced us to this nostalgic little sugary treat. One would think the idea of cupcakes at a wedding had gone the way of chocolate fountains and margarita machines. But have they? This cupcake train seems to have lost very little steam. Not that cupcakes will ever completely go away; just as the appletini and ABBA will always have a special place in our hearts, cupcakes will certainly always remind us of a simpler time, when Mom brought treats to school for the whole class to enjoy. But what in the world will replace Wedding Cupcakes as the Next Big Thing and are they really about to be replaced?  Could brownies be the new cupcake? We'll have to see what Martha has to say about that!

For more quips and daily insight from everything to event planning to fabulous gift ideas and everything in between, visit www.thepartygoddess.com/blog.

Easter Recipe Contest! It's Easy to Win!

Win this chic Pussy Willow Inhabit Stretched Wall Art from 2Modern.

Make a comment to this post with your favorite Easter recipe or entertaining idea to enter the sweepstakes. It can be simple - Be creative! Remember to use either your blogger login or first name and last name so that we can identify you if you win. We will post the winner's name with instructions for collecting your prize, please check back March 31st 2008 to see if you won!

Giveaway ends March 31st 2008 at midnight PST (and sorry, prizes can only be sent to locations in the US). Good Luck!

Happy Cooking, The Create My Event Blog Team

Tex-Mex Comfort Food

There's something about the middle of February that demands comfort food. Valentine's Day is over and there's nothing to look forward to until Spring comes a month or so from now. And when you crave comfort food, there's nothing better than meatloaf.
Not just any meatloaf, but a Tex-Mex version with chillies to keep out the winter chill.

Tex-Mex Meatloaf
1 lb ground buffalo
1 cup sour cream
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped chillies
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons salsa (I like Green Mountain Gringo)
Tabasco to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Pre-heat oven to 500 F

Mix together ground buffalo, sour cream, mustard, chillies and breadcrumbs. Place in a loaf pan. Reduce heat to 375 F and bake for 1 hour.
Mix together the ketchup, mustard, salsa, Tabasco and my secret ingredient, maple syrup.  You could use brown sugar but the maple syrup gives the sauce a more subtle sweetness.
When the meatloaf has baked for an hour, spread the sauce over the top and pop back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, French fries or mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.

The meatloaf will be spicy yet light and moist. Perfect for supper for 2-3 people or double the quantities and served sliced at a Tex-Mex themed party.

Recipe by modernemama

Lovers' Getaways

  This year I have been so entirely focused on my own wedding planning that I have nearly forgotten that Valentine's Day is quickly approaching.  I thought it would be lovely to just take a break with my honey, a long weekend or even a night away from home, away from work, away from family...just to truly relax together.  There are many options that include Bed & Breakfasts, hotels, spa days etc... but I thought it would be really special to rent an Executive Suite or Penthouse in one of the downtown boutique hotels and hire a chef to prepare a private, romantic dinner for two!  You could add a couples massage or spa treatment, plus breakfast in bed to make the experience ultra luxurious. 

Of course, this does not fit into every budget, but the idea can be transfered to your own home.  Ask a family member to cook a meal for you or order in from your favorite restaurant. Make a playlist on your ipod of fun, relaxing and sexy music for the evening. Open a really good bottle of wine and take turns giving each other massages...  The rest is up to your own imagination...

Have a very happy Valentine's Day!

Customized...everything!

As I was looking for ideas for my own wedding celebration, I came across a company called Zazzle which is a cool company making one-of-a-kind, on demand products for shipment across the country.  They have tons of cool ideas and are able to print your own personal graphics on everything from T-shirts to glasses, to buttons, to cards and stickers.  One thing that caught my eye was the customizable postage stamps they can make using any graphic or picture you send them.  This is a fun, whimsical way to add that extra personal touch to cards and invitations you send to people.  I love the Sealed With A Kiss stamps for Valentine's Day and the Save The Date stamps for a beach wedding, among others.  If you are looking for fun party favors, party props, theme gifts or if you just want something unique for you next celebration, check out this website for ideas galore!