The Big Event . . .

was a surprise 40th Birthday Party for a great gal named Kate and 100 of her closest friends.  I was asked to head up the decor by taking an already fabulous wrap around porch in a gorgeous natural setting, and turning up the wow factor to make the fantastic forty year old feel really special – all while maintaining the surprise factor by doing the install in a 5 hour time period on the day of the party.  YOWZA!!
Here’s how I {and by I, I totally mean WE because I had lots of help from some really dedicated family and friends} accomplished the goal {warning, long post}:
First, to give the beautiful tongue and groove plank ceilings some adornment, we made 150 of these tissue paper pom poms following the tutorial found here. 
This was the single biggest project for the party and included a bunch of crazy ladies staying up very late at night making inappropriate jokes and one devoted Hubby on a ladder for four hours hanging “fluff” from fishing wire.  I’m pretty sure everyone thought I was crazy to implement this particular idea.  I know I thought I was crazy! But the effect it had was breathtaking!  A slight breeze the night of the party made the ceiling come alive with texture and movement and the pom poms looked as if they were floating because you couldn’t see the fishing wire. It was really lovely!

Here’s another gratuitous pom pom shot.  I spy a Queen! Thanks for helping out momma.  You are the source of my skills.  Love ya!Next, I worked on some center pieces for the eight round tables where guests would be sitting.  Brian {Kate’s husband} had mentioned that her favorite flowers are roses.  I priced out fresh flowers and just could not bring myself to spend that much of my budget on something that would eventually die and get tossed in the trash.  Brian and Kate are in the process of putting in an amazing pool behind their house so  I suggested we use some ground cover rose bushes as centerpieces that he could plant by the pool for Kate afterwards, giving her a reminder of her surprise party for years to come.  I wrapped each plant in tulle and brown burlap, tied it off with some coordinating ribbon in the party’s colors and gave each centerpiece a metal butterfly and a skewered cardstock circle with a fun fact about Kate.   
Now that the table tops were covered {centerpiece, lime green cloths and votive candles} I wanted something to fill the space between the vaulted ceiling with all it’s pom poms and the table surface.  Enter the thousands of cardstock circles I’ve been cutting for weeks:

Each table had a  circle garland ‘chandelier’ hanging above it. I tied the garland to a wire wreath frame and the hubby used more clear fishing wire to hang these.  Some of the circles were embossed with a gold 40 for some added shimmer and shine, cuz that’s how I roll {read: crazy and more crazy}.
When I do a party, I am all about some personal touches.  For Kate’s party, the personal came in the form of two specific ideas:

A custom made memo board where guests could leave birthday wishes for Kate and a little take-away box for each guest filled with several varieties of Kate’s favorite candies.

The memo board was made from the fabric that was my inspiration for the party’s color palette.  The Queen helped me gussy up this area with candles, rocks from the yard, fresh flower arrangements {by me} and a large letter K that I found at JoAnn’s and improved with some paint and paper flowers. I hand stamped the cards for guests to leave messages on and placed them in a $1.00 tin from my beloved Target.
For the take-away boxes, I designed a fun label and my crazy family helped me stuff and tied each box with the coolest lime green/white twine from Divine Twine.  Wondering what was inside?  An assortment of White chocolate Reese’s cups, Twix bars, chocolate truffles and vanilla Tootsie Rolls. Uh, can you say YUM?
When guests first came up the stairs onto the porch, they were greeted by two buffet tables laden with food from three of Kate’s favorite restaurants.  And in the center of the tables sat a large urn with the tree branch I lovingly glued hundreds of silk flowers to in an effort to give it that just-bloomed spring look.  On the branches hung various pictures from Kate’s life.

The figurative {and literal} icing on the cake of this party was a custom made birthday cake.  While I can take absolutely zero credit for the making of the cake, I did consult with its creator on colors, textures and overall design.  And man, did Nancy ever rock my world with her finished product, which was topped by one last tissue flower of my making:
 
Nancy copied pieces of the cardstock I used for the garland onto edible paper which she used to wrap the cake.  And I should probably mention that the cake tasted even better than it looked.  If that’s even possible.
I had a really great time putting this party together for Kate and watching the ideas in my head come together in reality.  I learned a lot, and specifically that I am nowhere near ready to do this on a regular basis, despite receiving several requests for future work while at the party. It took a lot of time away from my family. I had a lot of help from friends and family to pull it off. Without them I would have sunk faster than a rock in water. You know who you are – thank you a million times over. I just know I couldn’t exist on this kind of stress constantly. So I am semi-retired for now.

Here’s a parting shot of the party as I was pulling away in my car to go home to my Hubby:
If you’re curious to see what happened at my house while I was at the party, head on over to my photo blog by clicking on that Dragonfly in the right hand sidebar - believe me, it's worth a click! 

Something Special...

I'm blogging a little bit later than normal today because I had a little appointment with a friend this morning.  Oops, I'm sorry, I meant to say I had an appointment with a little friend this morning.

My four and half year-old buddy Ella came to see me, much to Ollie's delight.  We've been planning this for months.  A few weeks ago Ella's mom had a new baby and Ella was dethroned as Queen of the House.  I feel her pain.  I've been dealing with it for 31 years {but really, my baby brother is awesome}.

Ella has me wrapped around her little finger.  She calls me 'Sammy' in her tiny elf voice and I suddenly want to buy her a puppy and balloons and a cone with three scoops of ice cream.  I cannot stand it, it's that cute.

So, in an effort to make her feel extra special while lots of attention is being paid to her new baby sis, I invited her over for a playdate today.  On the agenda:

Crafts.
We made a butterfly picture clip and a crazy mask to hide her identity when her siblings come home from school today.

American Girl Dolls.

We dressed and undressed them all while Ollie screamed happily. He's crazy for the American Girl scene.

Manicures.

We painted her nails a perfect shade of bubblegum pink.  Then I told her we would do Ollie's for laugh, but she reminded me that he's a boy.

Angelina Ballerina.

We watched two short episodes.  Man, I love a mouse with a British accent.

A Tea Party.

We munched on little heart shaped PB&J sandwich flowers with carrot and cucumber stems. 

We enjoyed finger trays of fruit snacks, goldfish and pretzels and drank lemonade.

And we called strawberries, blueberries and a Samoa the grand finale.

She enjoyed it all with this $1 lovely atop her head, making her feel like the Queen of the House once again and I sent her home with a little present for becoming something I have never been:  A Big Sister To A Little Sister.

 

Ollie and I both thought it was so fun to have a little princess in the house!

Don't forget to scroll down to yesterday's post and leave a comment for the March giveaway, which ends Monday at 5 pm EST.  The Spring banner is toying with my emotions.  It's really, really cute.  Cute enough that the Hubby asked, "Are you really going to give that away?"  I might have to make another one this weekend.

Have a Great Weekend

Oh! Canada!

{Image via Google Images}

Remember this beret from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City?  It was all the rage.  My sister-in-law and I stood in line in the freezing cold for over two hours to try to get one of these berets.  Alas, when we finally got into the Roots store, they were sold out.  Waaaaaa! I think I might have pouted just a little bit.

Until my mail came yesterday, where upon I became one of the coolest people ever.  At least for the next week until the Olympics are over.  Because I own these:

 

The IT item for the Vancouver Winter Games {or so Oprah says}. A gift from my friend Jennie Doezie, who was lucky enough to journey across the border for a real Olympic experience.  This girl knows how to make me happy - Olympic ring bedecked, tiny white maple leafed, fleece lined, finger-togetherness! Be still my heart!
 

They are AWESOME, I adore them will all my being and you will finding me wearing them each night from 8:00 til Midnight while watching my daily dose of Olympic coverage as the Hubby snores next to me - except for when I take them off to put another oreo in my mouth.  Crumbs, people, crumbs.

Go Team USA!  Go Apolo!  And thanks for the cute mittens Jennie and Canada!

ps.  Jennie, do you remember OUR famous trip to Canada?  Good times, my friend, good times!

Wall O' Fame . . .

This was definitely the year of the Christmas photocard! We decided that instead of having to thumb throught all of our cards this year, we'd tape them up through the holiday season. It's been so fun for the kids to look at all the smiling faces and ask questions about friends and family. I will be sad to take them down in a few days. Frankly, my lame-o pantry door has never looked so good! Look closely . . . you and yours might be on our wall of fame!

Simplified Gift Giving . . .

Although it is fun to shower others with gifts this time of year, for me it can often become an overwhelming frenzy of buying, wrapping and mailing with much of the joy missing due to chaos and lack of preparation on my part.

There are a few friends I exchange a small gift with each year. In years past I have felt pressure to out do my previous year's gift causing myself undue stress. These friends and I have all agreed to simplify our gifting to one another by choosing a set gift.

For my friend Scharman and I it is a book. I look forward to this tradition each year, knowing that come Christmastime, I will have a good read awaiting me under the tree. It is also comforting to look on the bookshelf in my bedroom and see the gifts she has given me over the years - words of wisdom and understanding that have blessed my life.

As a family we send a new {and difficult!} puzzle to close friends back in Utah each Christmas. This tradition started with my parents and our close family friends the Peters. I cannot remember a Christmas at home that did not involve the mass of us hunched over a puzzle at the dining room table. Now I have my children helping me with our own puzzle - and I still go help my parents with their puzzle too.

And with a few of my friends here in Virginia, I exchange an ornament each year. I like to keep my eye out year round for something special that reminds me of them or relates to what's happening in their life at the time. It doesn't have to be expensive - just meaningful.

These little set gifts make my Christmas shopping easier and more focused. What do you do to simplify your gift giving?


Ps. Speaking of gifts . . . you'll want to check back tomorrow for my December Giveaway! I heart brown paper packages tied up with strings!

It's All About The Giving . . .

Yesterday a friend randomly showed up on my doorstep with this delightful basket full of my favorite Honeycrisp apples. She just stopped by to tell me she was thinking about me and could relate to the things I'm going through as I adjust to life with four in tow. She did something I know I can do better at -- sensing another's need and then actually meeting that need. Thank you Tracy for your kind gesture. It means so much to me.

This visit, combined with a Christmas event I attended at my church on Wednesday, have really embedded in my mind my hopes for this Season. My desire this year is that my family {particularly my children} will come to find greater joy and fulfillment in the giving of gifts to others instead of merely in the anticipation and receiving of gifts from others. I want them to understand that helping others, giving to others and meeting the needs of others are the very best gifts we can give - not only to others, but to our Savior, whose birth we celebrate at this time of year.

This Christmas we'll be encouraging and teaching our children about this great lesson by doing the following to bring light and happiness into the lives of others:

Find some secret service to do for an elderly neighbor.
Anonymously help provide Christmas to a family in need.
Take cookies and poinsettias to our neighbors and friends.
Learn about a good cause and make a charitable contribution to it.
Earn money to buy gifts for siblings by doing extra jobs and chores.
Send gifts and cards to missionaries serving from our ward and Service men and women stationed abroad.

A quote by David O. McKay helps to sum up what I'm feeling today:

"True happiness comes only by making others happy. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts grow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to do kind deeds of service. It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring 'peace on earth', because it means goodwill toward all men."

What will you give to others this Christmas?

Handmade Monday (Part 3)

This darling banner {you know they're all the rage!} was made for Oliver by my talented friend Ronalin. It hung on a beautiful antique mantle at my baby shower, just waiting to come home with me and find a special place in the nursery. She knew the colors and general idea I had for the room and crafted a perfect fit for this old mirror from Germany.
RedDog has been spelling little Ollie's name for quite some time now thanks to this gift. Can anyone guess what we've got going on in this room for two boys? (Hint: I don't really do themes in rooms but there is definitely an undercurrent here . . .)
More room pictures to come tomorrow!

Fancy Schmancy . . .

Photo by the Dragonfly

This little pewter julep cup was a sweet gift from my friend Susan for Mr. Oliver on his blessing day. His name is delicately engraved on the front.

When I was born some of my dad's military comrades gave him two similar silver baby cups as congratulation. They sit on the bookshelf in my bedroom today. I will add Oliver's cup to that collection and send it with him someday when he embarks to have a family of his own.

I was delighted when I received this gift, so I've done a little legwork for you in case you ever consider doing the same - for a friend or your own children!

This site has a beautiful collection of cups - some very feminine with bow details, others with a nice bead detail.

Here's another site with reasonable prices and pretty inventory like this cup below:

Prices for the pewter cups seem to range from about $35.00 to $50.00, not including the cost of engraving. If you want silver, be prepared to pay a lot more!

Thanks Susan for thinking of Ollie!

You Were All Yellow . . .

Have you heard that song "Pocket Full of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield? It's a catchy tune that makes me tap my foot and bop my head every time I hear it.

That song, the song Yellow, by ColdPlay and this post here were the inspiration behind packages I just put together for two very important people in my life. Both gals really needed some surprise sunniness, and since I've been struggling with some blue days myself lately, I felt the need to do some shining on others to help me get out of my funk.

The kids and I hit our local Target in search of fun little gifts {inexpensive, of course} with a common theme: they had to be bright YELLOW! We all had a great time searching the aisles with the following guidelines - it must be yellow, it must fit into a small padded mailer and it must cost less than $2.00. Funny aside: Hannie & RedDog kept singing "this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine" while we shopped, thanks to an episode of Little Bill they'd seen that morning.

We ended up with crazy socks, a car air freshener {Vanillaroma, anyone?}, a pack of gum, a chocolate bar, some lip balm {the only item over $2.00}, a cute notebook, and some blank note cards. I whipped out some little sunshine tags on the computer and we packed it all up with bright yellow paper shred and a sunny note of encouragement.

This combination seems to work for me - Target, a theme, doing something for friends. Love it!

Winged Beauty . . .

A long lost friend from high school who stumbled upon my blog sent this gorgeous picture to me this morning. She snapped it while on a camping trip with her family. I'm obsessing over the amazing wings on this dragonfly, with their transparent skin and intricate veins. I know some people might think this "bug" is ugly, but I think it is a true beauty and an amazing gift from a loving Creator.

Thanks Leslie!

{and now back to cleaning the house like a mad woman along side the Queen . . . my in-laws arrive tonight to meet Ollie for the first time!}

Fruits and Veggies . . .

I jokingly told my mom and the Hubby that instead of flowers at the hospital, I wanted an edible fruit arrangement that I could devour all by myself to satisfy my fresh fruit craving. When I got home from the hospital, this was waiting on my table.

It didn't come from my family though. It came from my friend Susan and her daughter Christina. Isn't it just lovely?! Isn't it calling to you to dig right in? I put the baby in the Queen's arms, hugged my other little people, and immediately sat down to nibble on any and everything covered in chocolate. Before I knew it, all the chocolate covered goodness was gone {kids helped . . . a little} and I had to move on to the delicious melons. There were flowers waiting at my house too - and they were lovely - but this gift was so very appreciated. I will definitely be giving this to someone else sometime.

Two days ago we took a family walk over to our friends the Mecks house. We were the beneficiaries of their bounteous garden and came home with enough fresh summer veggies {I know tomatoes are fruits} to make a silly face! The kids had fun arranging each piece. Now if only they'd eat the veggies with such enthusiasm!

Delicious and beautiful fruits and veggies . . . one more reason I love summer!

Perks . . .

There are plenty of perks that come along with having a new baby - a free diaper bag full of coupons and formula, two days worth of hospital food {blech}, that nifty water bottle that will end up in a garage sale some day, and stitches in uncomfortable places, just to name a few.

But one perk that is truly a blessing to a new momma is the few days of dinners brought in by friends from church. Our first dinner home from the hospital was a feast provided by my friend Angela and her family. It was delicious and culminated with us gorging ourselves on the above dessert. I think I'll describe it as an individual sized jumble berry pie - and it was oh so fantastic with a heap of vanilla ice cream and a quick spin in the microwave.

So, I think now we should all beg Angela for the recipe . . . don't ya want some?

ps. A little challenge for you DEVOTED readers . . . the Hubby accused me of "smogging" last night. Any of you want to take a guess at what that means? I'll explain tomorrow.

Quick and Easy {Grown Up Girl} Gift . . .

A few weeks ago I posted about an easy and inexpensive gift that Hannie B. took to a birthday party for a nine year old. Last week it was my turn to celebrate a friend's birthday. Once again, I wanted to do something fun and a little different that reflected the personality of my friend Susan but wouldn't break the bank.

I immediately thought of this little paint can I had stashed in my gift wrapping supplies. Since Susan loves pink, I thought it would be fun to fill the can with little pink items that would help her "Paint The Town Pink" - {see the label I made for the top of the can}. I stuffed the can with bubblegum pink nail polish, some sassy pink nail files, pink polish remover, deliciously scented pink body wash, some great pink socks {on super clearance}, pink Choxie chocolate {also clearanced} and a pink iTunes gift card. I topped it all off with an obnoxiously large pink bow and met Susan for a yummy lunch at a local fire-grilled pizza joint.

Aside from the gift card, most of the items were dirt cheap! I can't post actual prices, since Susan reads my blog, but just wanted to illustrate once again that it is fun to think outside the box for birthday gifts and look for unusual items at discount prices.

So Funny . . . And So True!

Not to brag or anything, but one of my greatest strengths is surrounding myself with amazing and talented friends. This handmade gift just arrived from the ever inspiring Jennie Doezie and I can't wait to put it on my new boy and on myself. You'd better believe I'm wearing this IN THE HOSPITAL just in case people forget how hot I am! Thanks for putting a HUGE smile on my face Doezie. You know how to make a girl laugh!

{and yes, the girl screen prints in SILVER ink . . . how cool is that?}

Visit Me Tomorrow for the Dining Room Upheaval Reveal

For Angela & America

Due to copious amounts of rain this year, which delayed or ruined many of my usual Spring blooms, I missed taking my annual bouquet to my friend Angela on her birthday.

I was so excited when I learned that her entire family would be congregating at her house this weekend for their family reunion because I knew I could give her a belated birthday wish in the form of hydrangeas from my yard. They are the perfect shade of blue, and when pared with deep green hosta leaves, some patriotic ribbon and a flag, they make an ideal display to greet Angela's guests as they come in the front door.

Happy Belated Birthday Angela! I hope your reunion is a huge success and you know how much I value your friendship.

Happy Birthday America! Thanks for being the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Enchanting . . .

I went to the most enchanting baby shower last week!

From the fresh flowers so beautifully arranged,

to the vintage baby decor in pale blues, yellows and whites,

and the scrumptious food {including Magnolia Bakery's Coconut Cupcakes},

right down to the napkins, tied in blue and resembling a basket of freshly laundered cloth diapers,

and the opportunity to write a heart felt note to the mom and baby-to-be . . .

It was such a joy to be a part of and a very special night for this Dragonfly!

Thank you Susan, Marci, Ronalin and Melaney! A girl couldn't feel more loved.