Party Invitations, Party Planning & Event Ideas

Lemon Curd....Not as difficult as it sounds!

Hello Everyone!  I know I normally post on Tuesdays, but unfortunately I was unable to make it happen.  So, I come to you a day late, but with an amazing recipe.  My little Catiebug and I made lemon cupcakes for easter.  I wanted to add a filling to the cupcakes to make them a little extra special and that is when it came to me....Lemon Curd!!  Now, I thought this was going to be pretty difficult...With a name like curd, it has to be. Right?  Not the case at all.  I rummaged through recipe after recipe until I came across one that seemed easy enough for me to tackle.  Boy was I right!  This was super easy, and it turned out AMAZINGLY yummy!  We used it as a filling for cupcakes, but it can be used for all sorts of things.  Spread it between two layers of a cake, put it on toast or sugar cookies, jar it up and give them away as shower favors! 

*I do have to say, the recipe calls for 1 stick of butter and I ended up having 2 or 3 pats leftover. The curd had cooled completely and the butter would not melt anymore.  It was fine, it still turned out perfect!  And if you are like me and don't like to waste anything, just take the 5 leftover egg whites and scramble them up the next day, add feta cheese and spinach for a great, and healthy, breakfast!

I hope you try this recipe, it really is very simple and delicious.

Lemon Curd-Alton Brown(Good Eats)

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 lemons, zest-ed and juiced
• 1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Directions

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

A Budget-Friendly Baby Sprinkle

Our Baby Sprinkle for my sister-in-law this past Saturday was a success!  Even though there was some initial confusion about what exactly a sprinkle is, all the guests had a great time.  From the word "Go" we wanted to keep this event very budget friendly, so many of the ideas that we used were DIY or items that we purchased for very little.

(Check out last week’s post for more about Baby Shower v. Baby Sprinkle.)

For the invitation, I took my own advice and took the middle road, time and budget-wise.  I wanted something custom, but I didn’t want to take the time to design it myself.  Instead, I hired April at April Showers Blog Design to design a one-of-a-kind digital invitation which cost me only $25.  Then I printed out the invites myself.

 
I did end up creating a separate card with a little blurb about what a baby sprinkle is.  I used the background from the invite, as well as the watering can.

The decorations for the Sprinkle were fairly simple.  We bought a blue tissue paper pom-pom set(7 poms) and then attached capiz shells with fish wire to create “clouds and sprinkles” which we hung from the ceiling.  We also made a “Sprinkled With Love” sign that echoed the polka dot theme from the invitations.  We kept the blue and green color scheme going with blue and green trays that I found in the $1 section at Target. We created a table runner from three blue and green polka dotted place mats.  We also sat copper watering cans filled with blue flowers around the room which also doubled as the game prizes.  

Budget Friendly Tip:Rather than buying a pom-pom set which includes pre-cut tissue paper with score marks to make folding easy along with wire to tie up the folded paper, you can buy packets of tissue paper at the Dollar Store and DIY.  CasaSugar has very simple DIY instruction.  I bought our watering cans at Lowes for about $7 each, but you can find cheaper ones on eBay. 

 

Like always, the food can be a direct reflection of the theme of the party.  Guests were asked to create their own mini pizzas by “sprinkling” on the toppings to their liking.  Caesar salad “sprinkled” with pine nuts was also served.  For dessert, I made cake balls or “Cake Sprinkles” as I called them.  They were dipped in green and blue chocolate and then topped with sugar sprinkles.   

Budget Friendly Tip:Try out your recipes ahead of time or else you could end up spending more money on the day of to fix a mistake. We had planned on serving Blue Sky Mocktails which I had found a recipe for a few days before the event. On the day of the Sprinkle we made the drink and it was awful!  At the last minute my sister ran to the store to buy fruit punch and lemon-lime soda.  It ended up costing us more money than we originally planned and the drink was red instead of blue.

We only planned two games to keep costs on prizes down and also to keep the Sprinkle itself to a two hour time limit.  For the first game guests were asked to guess ten baby names based on picture clues. For example, a picture of Tom the Cat (from Tom and Jerry) plus a picture of a woman’s butt equals the name “Thomas” (Tom-ass) or a picture of a park and a picture of an Emergency room equals the name “Parker” (Park-ER).

After we tested our guests’ baby name knowledge, we asked them to try their skills at guessing songs that have the word “Baby” in the title.  Before the Sprinkle I made a CD with fifteen songs.  Guests had to guess the song and artist after I played a short clip of the song.

Budget-Friendly Tip: I downloaded all the songs from Amazon.com for $0.99 each.  If you already have a nice collection of music already on your computer, use songs that you already “own.”

As favors for each guest we made copies of the Baby Song game CD and packaged it in a vellum envelope.  We also handed out “Baby Sprinkles” (also known as Baby Blue Eyes flower seeds) which we also packaged in vellum envelopes and sealed with personalized stickers.

 
Budget-Friendly Tip:I specifically wanted Baby Blue Eyes flower seeds, so I had to special order them online.  However, garden stores or Lowes sell bags of wildflower seeds for about $5.  Also, keep in mind that anything you order from online should be ordered at least two weeks ahead of time, so you don’t get stuck paying expensive rush delivery charges.

As always I hope this ideas help keep your next Baby Sprinkle or Shower budget (and time) friendly!

Brought to you by A Yummy  Mummy on a Pink Park Bench

Easy Easter Entertaining

Well, Easter is a little less than two weeks away.  So, I thought I would share some super easy brunch ideas this week.  I have actually tried these recipes, so they come well recommended.  I used this menu last year and it was excellent!!  If I could only choose one of the items below to make again, it would definitely be the ham and potato bake.  It can be made hours in advance, and served at room temperature.  Honestly, I think it tasted even better after sitting a few hours!  Second place would be the mimosa punch.  Very YUMMY!!

Recipe Links:

French Toast/Fruit Kebabs

Ham and Potato Bake

Brown Sugar Bacon

Birds Nest Cookies

Corn Bacon Muffins

Spring Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette

Mimosa Punch

Baby Sprinkle

We’re throwing a Baby Sprinkle for my sister-in-law on Saturday and I am psyched!

Yep, you read that right. A baby sprinkle, NOT a baby shower.

And what is a baby sprinkle?

A baby sprinkle is a smaller version of a baby shower.  Traditionally, we celebrate the upcoming birth of the mommy-to-be’s first child with a baby shower.  The shower is a chance to help the first time mom properly prepare for her baby.  Guests “shower” the mommy with everything from clothes and pacifiers to a high chair and crib. 

What about the second, third, fourth, etc., baby?  All babies are gifts and deserve their own celebration.  A baby sprinkle allows guests to “sprinkle” the veteran mom with items for her newest little sunshine.  Gifts include items that aren’t usually saved from baby to baby like diapers, formula and clothes in the right size for the right season.

Should you throw a baby sprinkle for a mom who already had a baby shower for her first baby?

I’ll admit, when I first read about the baby sprinkle, I was skeptical.  I had an amazing baby shower for my first baby with so many awesome gifts, so would I want to ask those same family members and friends to give me more gifts when I have my second baby?  When my sister gets pregnant and I have a shower for her that includes all the same family members, would I really have the nerve to ask for more for her during baby two or three?

In a nutshell: No.

If you’re talking the same family and friends for each shower/sprinkle, I think one is enough.  If they chose to send you gifts for each child, on their own terms, that’s up to them.  However, to have more than one gift-giving event involving the same guests is, in my opinion, greedy.

That being said, if the guests are going to be an entirely new crowd, go for it.  A baby sprinkle is perfect for family and/or friends that were not a part of the baby shower.

Long story short, my family was not a part of my sister’s-in-law life when she had her first child, so, obviously, we were not present at her baby shower.  We’re a part of her life now and we want to celebrate the newest member of our family.  A baby sprinkle is the perfect way to do so.

Stay tuned and next Thursday I’ll share with you pictures and ideas from our Baby Sprinkle!

Elegant Elephant Baby Shower Ideas

I thought I would share a baby shower theme this week.  I have a friend who lives in Seattle and a few months back she and some friends hosted a baby shower brunch.  She asked me to come up with an invitation and some cute ideas for her.  I wanted to design something personal, and a little different from the usual baby shower invite. So I thought it would be nice to incorporate a theme I knew the Mommy-to-be would like.(Since, of course, she picked it out!) I had Amy email me a picture of the bedding for the nursery. Below is a picture of the gorgeous linens found at Babies R Us. The bedding is an adorable elephant theme called Emory, by CoCaLo. And of course, here is the invitation I designed around the bedding...To go along with the invite, I sent her some decoration and food ideas also. Below is an inspiration board I put together with different ideas found on the world wide web! Starting at the top left moving clockwise:
*These great outdoor decorating ideas are from an article in Country Living
*I thought the cute drink labels were festive and easy to make. I found these on a great blog called Accent The Party.
*The tissue pom poms are super easy to make. There are instructions and photos on MarthaStewart.com
*You can find these great elephant wall sticker ideas at WordsWithMelissa
*Simple, and cheap, paper lanterns are available at LunaBazaar.com
*Easy and elegant blue and green food ideas are at ThePartyDress.com
*And last but not least, the light green polka dotted favor boxes tied with adorable coordinating ribbons found at Tastefully Entertaining.[via flickr user Northern Transplant]

Real Party - Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

It started when I spied these plates at Michael's a few weeks ago....Valentine's Day stuff was on clearance, and that's when the wheels started turning...since both Easter and April Fool's is during our Spring Break, we had to have a 'Kiss Me, I'm Irish!' St. Paddy's Day playdate. I could get some sweet deals on anything 'kissy'! Plus, I have this great rainbow material that I knew would make a perfect tablecloth. I did a post on rainbow pasta and pom-poms and this is how my versions turned out... We made rainbow clings! The kids had so much fun, and everyone really focused on making them very pretty. In fact, even those who are notorious for not doing crafts were completely engrossed. Oh yes, rainbow kabobs! I always try to somehow balance out the sugar rush. I got a bargain deal for the lip cookie cutter and candy mold. I couldn't wait to make the cookies and the candy lip cupcake toppers. Some of the kids couldn't believe the toppers were edible abd thought they were plastic, until they bit into them! Another Valentine's Day score...gummy lips and green M&Ms along with extra cookies went home with our friends! I made the stickers from both TomKat Studios and Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dream downloads. Thanks to all our friends who came and the poor moms who had to take home very sugared up kids!  Not Just A Mommy!

Going Green For St. Patrick's Day

Everyone feels a little Irish on St. Patrick's Day. If not, these pretty green entertaining ideas will get you in the mood. Even when St. Patrick's Day is over, some of these green ideas will be lovely for any spring event. Green - the color of life!

1. & 4. Simple green ribbons can transform a basic white table into simply stunning. Martha Stewart Weddings

2. Love the horseshoe stamp on these party favors - for luck! Martha Stewart Weddings

3. A Shamrock Tea - as lovely as can be. The Par Tea Planner

  1. St. Patrick's Day crafty decorations. Martha Stewart

2. Use twine or raffia to make a rustic napkin ring. Embellish with a live or artificial shamrock. BHG

3. For a more elegant green table...skip the shamrocks and use rich fabrics and ribbon to create a beautiful spring table. BHG

4. St. Patrick's Day cupcake toppers. cupcakesdragonflies - etsy

Posted by Entertain Exchange

Does the Bride Have To Open Gifts At the Shower?

Here’s the scenario: You rented a perfectly gorgeous venue for the bridal shower you’re throwing.  It wasn’t over the top expensive, but you shelled out a pretty penny for it.  That doesn’t matter though because the bride will L-O-V-E it!  You now have three hours to host the shower of the century.

Here’s the problem: You now have THREE hours to host the shower of the century.  Three hours to set up, greet guests, mingle, eat, play a few games, open gifts, serve the cake and tear down.  Oh, and by the way, did the manager of the venue mention that any time over the three hours will cost you an extra couple hundred dollars?

Sound familiar to anyone?

We ran into this situation with my sister’s Chocolat(e) Bridal Shower.  We had three hours to make it all happen.  Luckily, we were able to beg an extra half hour for set up, but that still didn’t leave us much time.  How many times have you gone to a shower that began at noon and next thing you know, it’s almost 4:00?

Exactly.  Time flies when you’re having fun.

So, as the host, how do you fit everything into your time limit and NOT get stuck having to pay for an extra hour or more?

My budget friendly tip: skip the gift opening.

“GASP! The horror!” cry the Emily Post’s and Martha Stewart’s of party planning.

I realize that the purpose of a bridal shower is to “shower” the bride with gifts.  However, how many of us have attended a shower and groaned silently through the entire gift opening process?  Be honest. No one can see you nod your head as you sit on your couch reading this.

 Even without the gift opening at the shower, the bride is still being “showered” with gifts.  The only difference is now she gets to spend more time mingling with her family and friends.  Plus, no one has to feel like they went the inexpensive (read: cheap) route by being compared to the gift that would have cost an entire month’s paycheck. 

Another plus, the bride isn’t faced with this situation, “A crock pot! I love it! Just what I’ve always wanted…even though it’s the third one I opened today…”  Being the duplicate gift giver (even if you did buy your gift three months ago) always feels awkward.

Here’s the way I see it: It’s now considered okay to send out evites rather than handwritten invitations.  Showers were once for women only, but now it’s commonplace to have a “Jack and Jill.”  Mothers and sisters of the bride were NOT to host the shower, but very rarely do I attend a shower that is NOT hosted by a mother or sister. Why do we have to stick to the rule of opening gifts at the shower?

My sister did not open her gifts at her shower and we were able to get everything done within the three hour time limit.  We did let the guests know that gifts were not going be opened during the shower with a note on the menu card that read,

“So that we have more time to enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company, win fantastic prizes, and eat more chocolate, Megan will not be opening gifts during the Choco-Soiree.  She wants to thank you in advance and she wants you to know that she appreciates every item that you so thoughtfully picked out for her and Dru to begin their life together as husband and wife.”

That evening her and her husband-to-be took turns opening gifts.  No one knows if they were a duplicate.  None of the guests had to feel as if their gift wasn’t as expensive as someone else’s gift.  Megan and Dru loved every gift they received and each guest received a Thank You note.

To open gifts or to not open gifts?  It’s a personal choice.  However, I don’t think you need to feel as if you’re breaking a cardinal etiquette rule if you chose to save the gift opening until after the shower.

Posted by A Yummy Mummy On A Pink Park Bench

DIY Shower Favors

As promised here is another thrifty do-it-yourself idea from the bridal shower I hosted a couple of weeks ago.  

These are made out of card stock, heart candies and adhesive labels.  They are very simple to do. 

Start off by taking any coordinating style of 12x12 card stock paper and using a paper cutter, cut them into 4x12 inch strips.  You should be able to get 3 favors from each piece of paper. 

Next, I took an Avery package label, and using Microsoft Word, created the custom thank you message.  I cut the labels using my paper cutter so that they would have a crisp square edge, but you could leave them rounded if you like.

Then, starting at one end of the paper fold down about an inch and a half. This will be your top flap to close the favor.  Take the other end and fold the paper in half, right sides together.  This is what will give your favor a little more stability when standing it up.  Now, fold the paper in the opposite direction(almost like an accordion) about an inch from that fold on both sides. (refer to picture for a better understanding)  

After the favor is folded, take a small cellophane bag and fill it with any type of candies or mints that you like.  The bags can be found at any craft store or Wal Mart.  I paid about $1.50 for 100 bags. Fold the top of the bag over 2 or three times and place the folded edge up to the top of your favor.  Fold over the top flap and staple it closed.

Finally, place your thank you label on the favor and you are done!  These cost us around .50-.60 each to make.   

 

Alice In Wonderland Party Inspiration

With the release of the Alice in Wonderland Movie it is a perfect time to share these Tea Party Inspirations. This movie is sure to bring out the desire to plan many Mad Hatter Tea Parties! With the use of vibrant colors, a mix of textures and patterns and an eclectic mix of teacups, you can create a wonderful whimsical event.

Here is a collection of amazing Alice inspiration. Click on the links to see many additional photos with great ideas!

1. & 5. A vintage party not to be missed - from Sarah at the Middleton Family Blog.

2. This lovely Alice in Wonderland Party was created by Lollipop Events.  See more photos and details at HWTM.

3. Mad Hatter magic from A Fanciful Twist. You won't want to miss this one!

4. This party was done by In Good Company. Visit the blog of Amy Atlas Events for additional photos and a entertaining tips.

6. This Mad Hatter Tea Party was created by Party Wishes. See all the details here.

Posted by Entertain Exchange