This small sentiment would be sweet for any day, but especially to honor a loved one for Mother’s Day. A simple collection of flowers and a yarn wrapped pin will work wonders in making a lady feel celebrated. Photo by 3191 Miles Apart.
PS. Morse Code treat bags filled with her fave chocolates will also make her smile.
A gorgeous handmade party crown to start the week. Gold and flowers are definitely prettier than cardboard for a good friend’s birthday. Made by Fay Andrada.
Happy Friday! I hope you enjoyed this week’s posts all about styling pretty BBQ’s. It seems perfect as the weather is really starting to turn here and I look forward to enjoying more time hanging on our deck this weekend. I hope you get a chance to celebrate the season shift as well. This rainbow confetti garland, by Kristina Marie is such an easy way to brighten up the deck for summer.
Merry links from around the web this week…
A sweet alternative to cupcakes.
These confetti filled photos are amazing.
Chocolate and churros… Oh my Heaven!
Stick horse DIY for the kids party.
Beautifully painted photos.
The most adorable party theme for a little girl, those hoods!
How to make a kid’s crown from a cereal box.
PS. The May Day giveaway has been moved back a couple weeks to May 30th. I cannot wait to show you all the party/wedding/awesome products we’ve had streaming in.
Wanting to serve up a summer dessert worthy of festive party style? Stick to tradition and make folded apple pies, but mix the idea up and serve them each with a bright pretty bow! The miniature fold-over pies made with the simple recipe below are a dessert that anyone can manage and when served up in summer party style they will make even the most humble of BBQ’s seem like an evening very well designed.
To make these miniature fold over apple pies I used a can of buttermilk biscuits, cinnamon, nutmeg and apple pie mix. If you’d like a more homemade recipe here is a good one. Roll out a single biscuit for each pie and top with the apple pie mixture, a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold over each pie. Use a fork to secure the ends together and to give the pie a pretty edge. Top with a dash of cinnamon and bake according to the biscuit package time and temp.
To design the pies a la bow; Stick a small skewer in the center of each fold for the entire baking time. This allows for the hole to be baked into the biscuit so the crust will not crack. As soon as you pull the pies out, be sure to lift them off the pan quickly and wiggle the skewer a little. Be sure the hole has poked all the way through the crust (you need to do this while the pies are still hot). Let completely cool and tie up with your bow of choice!
PS. The title pie a la mode has a funny history. It was just made up and then it spread because of one demanding man (HA!).
Hosting a BBQ is the quintessential way to celebrate with friends this summer. Doing it with great style and thoughtful details can be challenging amidst a sea of red checker tablecloth ideas. I wanted to think a bit more creatively about this great summer tradition and came up with stylish tips for hosting your own backyard BBQ.
1. Swirl with color: A string of hanging lights is a must for any stylish summer night. To bring that classic look into the afternoon try unscrewing the bulbs and swirling with a tiny amount of rust colored paint at the bottom of each bulb. Your guests will look up and see the same pretty look they would see at night, even while the sun is out. The paint also casts an extra pretty glow once the lights are turned on.
2. Package it well: Burger patties are a must at BBQ’s, but for some the look of all that meat can be distressing. Instead, make your patties in advance and package them in white butcher paper. Stamp the type of meat on top so guests can easily decide which meal they’d like. Beef, veggie, turkey and deer are four great options to have on hand. Finish each package with a simple threaded bow.
3. Tag it all: Basic office tags are an affordable and festive way to ensure your guests can always find their drinks. Look for small labels with string attached in the office section of your local box store (I scored a package of 100 of these for 80 cents). Punch a small hole near the top of each cup and string through. Top each label with an initial or two.
4. Write it out: If you want friends to feel at home, be sure to post the drink menu somewhere visible. An oversize chalkboard is a great way to do this, and (a plus!) it provides sweet kid distraction later in the day. Worth the design effort, installing one permanently will make the yard feel much more loved and lived in. If permanent is not your thing, make a large leaning board that can easily be moved indoors after the party.
5. Hang it up: Bring your decor up onto the walls for an easy way to draw guests eyes outdoors. These folder looking flower pots, called woolly pockets are in the running as my favorite new summer decor essential. A potted garden on the wall, that is just awesome!
All photos by Victoria Hudgins (me), taken at my favorite Reno restaurant, Old Granite Street Eatery. Also, do you have any easy and stylish BBQ tips to share?
Inspired by this product that was out of my summer entertaining price range, I set out to cut my own glass, only to find that unless you are a glass professional or have a contact on the black market you cannot actually buy a small circular glass cutter (booo!).
Instead, I found a couple small washers, and a bag of leather strips at my local craft store. They worked out perfectly. The result is a pretty and very affordable summer glass lantern. I just love how it came out:) You can hardly tell the glass isn’t cut!
To make the faux cut glass lantern I glued one small strip of leather around two washers (pick these up for about ten cents each at a hardware store). Then used a small ring of hot glue to attach the washers to my glass vase. Any glass vase will do (be sure the top opening is wide enough to fit your candle in. I dropped a small votive in and watched it brighten the space right up.
The lanterns are perfect for brightening up our deck for the coming season of BBQ’s and they look just as nice in a windowsill or on a coffee table indoors. I’m even thinking they would make great hostess, teacher, or Mother’s Day gifts. Whatever your reason for making one, enjoy!
Be a good (and stylish) guest this summer and bring your BBQ drinks in a reusable fabric drink carrier. Then leave it for your host to enjoy!
To make the carriers use a rectangular piece of fabric about a yard long. Fold it up, cut to size and glue into place. At each end use the excess fabric to tie into a big knot and glue down. Use a thin strip to cover the top handle of the carrier and fill with your favorite drinks.
Speaking of hosting outdoors… If you live in California you can now take advantage of the new Shelter Co. and make any camping or BBQ event a glamorous outdoor adventure. With canvas tents, pretty details and lots of charm the whole set up can be rented and recreated anywhere you desire. Hello perfect summer party!
Via The Brides Guide.
This week I am excited to talk about ideas for outdoor entertaining and BBQ’s. First, a festive tip for outdoor lighting… If you are in need of outdoor lights for a party; wrap a rubber band around the top of a couple glasses, thread a string through each one and drop a votive inside. In two minutes, you will have a pretty line of hanging candles to light the deck or yard at night.
