After having a fun and eventful birthday weekend, Kate from Sugar Therapy and I are both back in action in the kitchen and on our blogs. However, the party hasn’t ended for Event Blossom — we had two more July birthdays to celebrate! How do we celebrate here at Event Blossom?? By ordering a big pizza (or two) from our favorite local pizzeria! And by big, I mean massive. I believe the proper term that the pizza place uses for the size we ordered is “King Kong.” Take a look for yourself:
Not only was this pizza huge, but it was DELICIOUS! Notice the added emphasis on “Delicious.” And that wasn’t even the best part. The best part was that we all got to sit down to a nice meal and enjoy some quality team bonding time. We talked about the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, and I was almost banished from the table when I confessed that I hadn’t seen any of the Batman movies. We had a few laughs when Christina asked, “is pizza fattening?” We even talked about prescription eyeglasses — complete with the a comparative study of each others’ eyesight by swapping glasses.
Yes, we are that close here. All in all, it was a great lunch break. A special thanks to the boss, Asim, for lunch and a very Happy Birthday to the lucky team members who share the same birthday month as me: Drew and Tom. And I also have a special treat for you loyal blog readers: for the first time, although probably not the last, you get to see what we look like!
ONE more!
Happy Birthday Drew and Tom!
And a VERY Happy Birthday to all the Summer Babies out there from the Event Blossom Team!
Weddings are all about the bride and groom. Baby showers are all about baby. Every celebration has a celebrant, but every party also has one big centerpiece. Sometimes that centerpiece involves some intricate decorative design and sometimes it’s the food or dessert. Well, this week’s party kit can help make an even bigger showcase of the best kind of centerpiece: the cake.
When I see this kit, the first thing I notice is all the pink. Pink is the ultimate girl power color and there’s just a perfect amount of green to help make those pinks pop! This kit can work for almost any occasion, but I focused on having it for a girl’s birthday party. I don’t know about you, but this kit just screams “girl’s birthday bash.” Maybe because it’s my birthday this weekend, and I’m making a big deal out of it. Usually, I’m perfectly content with having a fun night out with my closest friends or not even really doing anything at all, but this year I’m going on a little birthday getaway. Why? I have a better question: why not?
Before we start talking girly parties, I have a confession to make. I’m not that big of a girly-girl. I prefer blue and green over pink and purple, and I’m more likely to splurge on a pair of flip flops over heels. Okay, that’s not entirely true, I love high heels. But just as with most things in life, I just have to be in the right mood. However, big party or not, my birthday usually gets me pumped up — and when I’m in the mood for a big party, I go all out.
So in the spirit of going “all out,” I decided to deck out a table that helps showcase the fabulous, over-the-top cake I imagine having at this sort of shindig. With the help of a hefty amount of pink tulle and the pennant banner that comes in the party kit, I created a cake table worthy of the Princess(es) in your life.
This table reminds me of two things: 1. a ballerina and 2. ball gowns. On a scale from one to girl power, both of those things are off the charts. And as an added bonus, it’s actually really easy to do. If you’re handy with a needle and thread (I, sadly, am not) you can sew the tulle before putting it on the table. Since I really, really fail at sewing, I just draped layers and layers of tulle over the table until I got the the full skirt I was looking for and then bunched some around the edges to get a cloud-like effect at the top of the table . Like I said, really easy! Add in an extravagant cake (or whimsical piece of decor) and voilà!
Your table doesn’t have to be round; I think that a rectangular or square shaped table could pull off this look rather nicely as well.
Try out using a different color, mix and match colors, or you can even use different types of fabric. It’s your day and your party — do what makes you happy. I know that’s what I’ll be doing for mine! You know who else has a birthday coming up? Kate from Sugar Therapy. When? The day after mine! We’ll be embarking on this little birthday adventure together and, needless to say, we’ll be sharing a cake at midnight. Or maybe a cupcake — a very delicious cupcake. Just like these Pink Lemonade Cupcakes:
The best part? The frosting matches the party kit perfectly!
Happy Birthday to all the Summer babies out there!
A major part of planning a wedding is making decisions. A Fall or Spring wedding? Destination or local venue? Should Sally or Sarah be my Maid of Honor? Should we serve chicken or beef? And that’s only a sampling of the questions you’ll have to answer. Not to mention that it’s highly unlikely that every decision will only have two options to choose from. The last thing you need to worry about is planning a wedding shower. Even though the bride doesn’t typically plan her own shower, our Wedding Shower Mod Party Kit makes it simple for whomever may be throwing the party.
I’m loving the colors pink and gray together. The neutrality of gray balances out the girly shades of pink — so having a co-ed bridal shower is definitely not out of the question. After enjoying a stress-free bridal shower, you can move on to other important questions that need answering like: “should we write our own vows?”
Some feel very strongly towards one or the other. So strongly, in fact, that it isn’t even a question. Personally, I’m pretty torn between the two. Traditional vows are timeless and meaningful no matter how often they’re used. Self-authored vows are unique to you and your husband or wife-to-be. It’s also very courageous if you ask me; it’s nerve wracking enough just getting up in front of everyone and speaking (even if you’re not speaking directly to them) let alone getting in front of everyone and saying something you wrote yourself. As someone who enjoys writing, I get my fair share of anxiety when I give someone a copy of my work for review. I can only imagine how nervous I’ll be if I have to actually read what I’ve written out loud to my future husband…at my wedding…in front of everyone. It makes me nervous just thinking about it and I don’t even know who my future husband is yet! On the other hand, I would thoroughly enjoy writing my own vows and being able to express myself in my own words. I would also really like to hear what my hubby comes up with as well. Like I said, torn. Luckily, I think I still have plenty of time before I have to make that decision.
I’m also pretty fortunate to have a dependable support group to help me with those decisions when the time comes. I also know that there are plenty of people in my life I can go to when I’m in search of some much needed advice. What can I say? I’m a lucky girl. The problem arises when I have to recall these tidbits of tips from memory. I drew inspiration from a bridal shower I attended a few years ago for a solution. One of the activities we did, after we made toilet paper bridal gowns of course, was write down some words of wisdom for the bride. Obviously, many of them were regarding love and marriage. I’ve been seeing a lot of specialized wedding keepsakes that come with designer cards and holders for just this purpose. Always a fan of things hand/homemade, I decided that I would create a custom little memory book that put the Mod Party Kit’s address labels to use in a different way.
Extra supplies (found at a craft store):
Small album (called a “brag book” where I found this one)
decorative stickers, paper, etc. (choose things you like, I kept it simple with pink, grey, and a light tan cardstock)
scissors (to cut down the cardstock to 4″ x 6″ blocks)
Sharpie Marker (these come in a bunch of cool colors, I suggest silver)
Have your friends and relatives write their words of wisdom on the address labels. You can pre-cut the cardstock and stick the labels on ahead of time or save that part of the project for another day. Don’t worry about not having enough cards to fill the album; just add your favorite pictures to fill in the empty slots!
Place these at the entrance to your shower where guests will see them. It’ll be fun to read and share with everyone when the party’s winding down or to enjoy quietly to yourself after everyone’s gone home.
Days, months, and years later, you and hubby can take a walk down memory lane with this special keepsake. Another way to savor some good ‘ol memories is by whipping up the same treats you shared on that day. And if you make these cupcakes by Sugar Therapy for your wedding shower, you’ll definitely want to make them again.
Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes. Yes, they’re just as delicious as they sound.
When you and your hubby are sharing some quality time on the couch looking through your memory book, these cupcakes are the perfect size to snack on and they go great with coffee. How do I know that? I had one for breakfast with my morning cup of coffee and I don’t regret it one bit!
It also happens to be a true statement; I really enjoy the heat that comes with Summer. I also enjoy wearing flip flops, reading at the beach, and drinking iced coffee. Yes, I’ll admit that I do all of those things all year round. However, one warm weather activity I don’t participate in all year long is using a handheld fan to keep myself cool. “Wow, I really wish I had a fan right now,” would sound pretty ridiculous during a snowstorm, don’t you think? At an outdoor event during a summer heatwave would be a more appropriate time to wish for such things. For all those sporting events and casual outdoor festivals that take place during the warmest of seasons, a nifty battery operated fan that mists you with water at the same time works wonders. However, no one wants to be that person at a wedding or a fancy outdoor event buzzing about with an electrical fan or accidentally spritzing a stranger with water. Or maybe they do… As for myself, I’m more inclined to reach for one of these for those formal outdoor affairs:
Colorful, practical, and a lifesaver for your guests who may be a little less than comfortable out in the summer heat instead of an air-conditioned room. Take it a step further by choosing our Sandalwood Fans (which have a wonderful aroma) and you’ll have an event that indulges all the senses! Here’s a list of a few creative ways to include fans at your next event:
As pictured, you can personalize pieces of paper for your special day and set them on chairs for your guests (a strip of paper no longer than 5″ and no wider than 1″ will do the trick)
Or, instead of having your name(s) on there, put your guests’ names on them and use them as place cards
Arrange them on baskets and have them handed out while guests are mingling
For a wedding, brides and bridesmaids can use these as accessories and/or use them as a great prop for photos
I myself am a fan (pun intended…again) of using these as fashion accessories. I think it adds mystery and intrigue to any ensemble and if I recall my childhood correctly, I had a blast fanning myself with paper fans and attempting to open them in one graceful swoosh. It’s a work in progress but definitely a skill I still intend on perfecting — if you were wondering. Our Silk Fans are better suited for this task than the paper ones, but I still love the fact that the color paper fans come in so many colors.
So order some for yourself, for your friends, and for your guests. If you experience heat in your part of the world similar (or worse) than ours, I promise that they will be appreciated.
“Sugar, and spice, and everything nice…” You’ve heard all the stories. You’ve digested all the well intentioned advice. You’ve read all the books. You’re as prepared as you’re ever going to get. But since you discovered that your little bump is a baby girl things seem to have gotten even more hectic. Between getting the nursery set up and buying an almost unreasonable amount of those adorable little dresses, it’s pretty easy to forget that you’ve got a baby shower to plan. Now, your baby girl is weeks away from arrival and you have no idea how to pull together a party worthy of your Little Princess to be. Don’t worry! Style is in the little things, and our Pink Baby Mod Party Kit has all the details covered:
It probably comes as no surprise that pink is the classic go-to color for a girl’s baby shower. The great thing about classics? They never go out of style. Just like the classic little nursery rhyme I mentioned at the start of this post. For this party kit, I decided to keep it simple; add a dash of creativity to something simple and the stylish possibilities are endless. If you haven’t checked out some of the personalized favors we offer to match these party kits, you should go do that right now! Okay, finish reading this post and then go check them out… I decided to go with the personalized candy jars. They’re one of our most popular items and the list of things you can do with them is a pretty long one. While most will put in their favorite candies, I chose a more theme-fitting blend: cinnamon sugar mixed with a bit of nutmeg. Just to “spice up” this simple little favor, I used only two added supplies: pink ribbon and the favor tags included in the party kit.
Being one of our most popular items, we also get a lot of questions about these jars. There have been quite a few that I can think of, but I’d like to mention a couple of the immediate tips that come to mind.
You don’t have to fill them to the top, but as a reference: these jars can fit approximately 75 jelly-bean-sized candies or four liquid ounces.
Put the labels on after you’ve already filled and sealed the jars. Otherwise, you might end up with upside down labels.
I also added a message at the back of the tag and a note of the jar’s contents, which I highly suggest for any edible gift if you aren’t sure about your guests’ food allergies:
You can keep these off to the side or set them up right in the middle of the action for a little added decor. Since we’re going with the classics for this one, don’t forget to play some of those favorite baby shower games; guess how big mom’s belly is, what flavor is the baby food, and baby bingo to list a few. When all the games are done and prizes won, move on to my personal favorite part of the festivities: dessert! We’re all about pink for this mod party kit, and Kate over at Sugar Therapy made some great cupcakes to match.
Share some of your favorite baby shower stories in the comments!
It seems to me that weddings steal the spotlight in the special event industry. Granted, they are a pretty big deal — even I have gotten caught up in the hype that is wedding season. As much as I love weddings though, I would like to turn the attention to a different milestone.
GRADUATION!
Rows filled with people, flowing gowns, a familiar song. Sounds almost like a wedding, right? Also similar to a wedding, it marks the ending of one era and beginning of another. Whether it’s from grade school, college, anything in between or beyond, graduation is the ultimate celebration of your efforts and hard work. And that is a fabulous reason to throw a party. As a matter of fact, Event Blossom’s very own Ashlee just graduated from college with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and she’s throwing a graduation party of her own. “Graduation” is a party theme within itself, and a flexible one at that. Ashlee is going with a simple theme featuring her school colors, but virtually any other theme could also work for a graduation party. My personal favorite is a travel theme.
Graduations are usually celebrated in the Spring or Summer seasons. I don’t know about anyone else, but these seasons make me think of great places I would love to travel to. Places like tropical islands… Hawaii, anyone?? Aside from actual locations around the globe, travel can also refer to this journey we call life. The completion of an education (of any kind) widens your horizons and can lead you to many exciting destinations.
So invite your closest relatives and friends to celebrate these exciting openings and opportunities to come. A great way to thank your guests for their support? Packing a suitcase for them!
Going for a simpler theme for your grad party? Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of other graduation favors for you to choose from. Find one that suits your style, and make it all your own — another thing graduation has in common with a wedding: it’s all about the celebrant, as in you.
So let’s hear it one more time for Ashlee and all new graduates…
Sound familiar? Well, that’s probably because I’ve already mentioned it in a previous post…Or, maybe it’s because this is a pretty popular phrase around weddings. Who knows? Either way, this phrase inspired the name for this week’s featured mod party kit. As for this week’s project, I was inspired by Pinterest. I could go on for days about Pinterest, so I’ll save all of that for another post. Long story short: it’s addicting fun, has the potential to be a very good business tool, and it’s a great place to find/share creative ideas. I also watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s during the brainstorming period of this project to try and spark some ideas. It’s one of my favorite movies and favorite theme idea for everything from special events to home decor. How could I not watch it? It wouldn’t be fair to say that I didn’t get any ideas at all, but oddly enough that lightbulb over my head never went on while immersed in the world of Holly Golightly.
The funny thing about that little lightbulb is that no matter how hard you try, it just won’t turn on until it’s good and ready. That time came at 6:30 am one sunshine-y morning while I was relaxing before I got out of my PJ’s. Recently, “me-time” has become my morning ritual. Sometimes I read, sometimes I write, and sometimes I’ll even clean or do laundry. On this particular morning, I decided to spend my coveted completely-alone-time on Pinterest. Believe it or not, this precious little poster that a friend had pinned was the switch to my lightbulb:
After I saw this, the image I had in my mind became clearer and clearer and all of the ideas I had gathered came together.
The diamond ring in the party kit. The ending scene from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I won’t ruin it for those who haven’t seen it, but I will tell you that in this particular scene it’s raining. Rain falls from sky. Sun is in the sky. Sky is blue. Party kit is blue. Sun is yellow. Yellow would go great with blue. So on and so forth…
Now, the moment you have been waiting for. The final result of all my brainstorming:
Here’s how I incorporated all of those elements I mentioned into these bright, yet simple centerpieces perfect for your upcoming engagement party or bridal shower:
I wanted the yellow to stand out (easy) but not overwhelm (not always very easy), so I picked out about five full yellow flowers to create a sun-shaped bundle at the top. I am not a florist and have no idea what I’m doing as far as real flowers go, so forgive me for not knowing the names of these fake flowers. I added in the smaller white blooms to accent the bouquet and to make it look a little fuller. Also, don’t forget the party icon from the mod party kit!
Using florist tape, I taped the stems and the party icon together then wrapped it in a strand of fake pearls allowing the excess to hang freely. Before putting the bouquet in the vase, I put in a couple of our medium sized diamond paperweights and added water for effect.
The paperweights aren’t as visible as I would have liked them to be, so I would suggest either a lightly tinted vase or having some colored linen underneath the centerpiece. The final touch was the aqua blue bow around the vase and placing some extra white blossoms at the base. *Note: tie the bow before you put anything in the vase. All supplies not Event Blossom brand were purchased at the local craft store, except for the vase. The vase was borrowed from my home.
This sky, rain, and sunshine combo also comes to mind when I think about weddings and marriage. At the risk of sounding totally cheesy, allow me to express one little tidbit I have on the people we choose to marry. I’ll sum it up in this one question: Shouldn’t this person be there for you through all the stormy weather and be the sunshine that comes after? The short version of my complicated answer is absolutely, yes. Call me a hopeless romantic, that’s just me. But the people who are the sunshine in your life aren’t limited to spouses or significant others. Family, friends, pets, that stranger who smiled at you, the neighbor who wished you a good morning — any of these folks can bring those warm, fuzzy rays into your life that make it just a little brighter even if only for a few seconds. You know what else can brighten up your day? A cupcake. Especially this cupcake:
You know where to find the recipe for these little blue and yellow presents…Sugar Therapy!
Who or what brings sunshine into your life?? Don’t be shy!
I’m back in action at the Event Blossom offices after a very lovely Memorial Day weekend. There was a lot of delicious food, great conversations, and perfect weather. It’s true, the Southern California weather is tough to beat. To the Event Blossom staff, 50 degrees is freezing and we can probably count the number of rainy days we experience per year on our hands and feet. So when the weather begins to heat up from our freezing winters, we know it…Especially in our offices, because it gets hot — really hot.
Yet, despite the rise in temperature, this little hint that Summer’s coming makes me so happy!
If you’re like me, Summer is your season. To me, Summer means beach, bonfires, and my birthday! It’s tough to beat that combo in my book. To Event Blossom, Summer means Wedding Season! It also means that we’re processing and shipping orders like crazy. In order to stay on top of all the great (and, at times, pretty witty and original) personalized orders, we make sure that we’ve got a proper stock of labels. Nothing makes our processing team happier than having shelves filled to the top with labels:
I remember this one trip that I took as a kid…I was on a raft in the middle of a crocodile infested river. Either side of the banks was a dark, dense jungle teeming with dangers I couldn’t wait to face. I was on a mission to get a picture of an elusive jungle cat found only in the darkest cave right in the heart of the jungle. As my partner and I made our way down the river, I scanned the banks ahead for a good place to go ashore while he kept a lookout for danger that may lurk beneath. Out of nowhere, there was a big BOOM! Before I knew it, I was scrambling beneath a layer of bubbles trying to reach for the surface of the water that would be my sanctuary! My partner, a dashing fellow who (if my childhood memory serves) had an uncanny resemblance to Harrison Ford, was grappling with a monstrous croc looking to turn us into a meal. After making a narrow escape, the grueling hours that followed were spent swinging from vines, running from wild animals, and scaling treacherous cliffs…
Sorry, I got a little lost in my memories.
If you didn’t already guess, that wasn’t a real memory. The reality of the situation was that I filled a backpack with the necessities (plastic binoculars, a hand drawn map, and a pb&j sandwich), piled other “supplies” on my raft made from couch cushions, and began my journey down the river at the faraway town called “My Living Room Floor.” As for my “dashing fellow” of a partner, now that I’m thinking about it, he had more of the teddy-bear-look than the Indiana Jones one. What can I say? I was a very imaginative child, just as I would expect every child to be if you let them. Which brings me to this week’s featured Mod Party Kit: Jungle Safari!
A safari themed party is cool at any age. What adult wouldn’t be ecstatic to transform their home into a jungle and invite all of their friends over to dance the night away to songs like “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “Jungle Boogie?” I would totally do something like that! But since kids are so great at making an adventure out of anything, I wanted to focus on using these kits for a child’s birthday party. As soon as I realized my focus, I realized that I was totally stumped; with the entire contents of the mod party kit in front of me, I spent a good minute racking my brain for an idea of what to do with it. After I spent a couple of frustrating moments writing down ideas only to cross them out, I settled on a plan of action: I would take a trip to a couple of stores and walk the aisles until inspiration showed its face. It did! Even better — I felt like a kid again, outfitting myself for my next big adventure into the great unknown.
Here’s some of the loot that I picked up on my own shopping safari:
It probably looks like another pile of random stuff. Well, that’s because it is a pile of random stuff! However, with a little creativity and some handy Mod Party Kit supplies, your future jungle guides will have all the necessary supplies to navigate their way through the deepest parts of any jungle:
Safari Pack Supplies:
Drawstring Style Bag – they’re festive, practical, and durable
Spyglasses for spotting those faraway creatures
Jungle Animals because no safari would be complete without them
Event Blossom Notebook to record all your findings in
Candy. Even the most seasoned explorers need sustenance
You can find all of these supplies at the craft store, party supply store, and of course, Event Blossom. The spyglasses came with a different label on them so I just wrapped them in wet paper towels and peeled the labels off. Then I used the mini decor stickers from the Mod Party Kit to re-decorate them.
Hand these out at the next kid’s party you throw, let them loose in the yard, and watch their adventures unfold right before your eyes. I even encourage you to join in on the fun! When your little explorers are ready for a snack break, give them some of these awesome Banana chocolate chip cupcakes.
Yes, Kate over at Sugar Therapy has done it again, click the pics for the recipe!
Don’t forget to save a cupcake for yourself. If you forget to eat it, don’t worry — being an adult means you can have cupcakes for breakfast, and these are perfect for breakfast.
Yes, I ate one for breakfast. I won’t tell if you don’t!
Having a fun Girl’s Night with your closest girlfriends is a great way to accomplish this. And sometimes, that involves making a spontaneous trip to Paris!
Unrealistic? Yes, but I can dream…
A mere four hour drive away, Las Vegas will just have to do — Paris Hotel and Casino is close enough, right? So, buckle up and let’s get this party started!
Now when I say “girl’s night,” I’m thinking about the ultimate Girl’s Night Out: a Bachelorette Party. I have to admit, I have always imagined my future Bachelorette Party being celebrated in Las Vegas. Don’t get me wrong, Paris would be amazing; but like I said, unrealistic. So instead, I will settle for a replica over the real Eiffel Tower. And with the help of one of these kits, I’ll be able to imagine the real thing no matter where I choose to throw a party:
I love the look of this Parisian theme. It’s classy and feminine: everything a girl could want for her bachelorette party, birthday party, or just another girl’s night. Decorate your hotel room (or wherever you are), put on your party dress, and what classy affair would be complete without cupcakes? Are you surprised that on of my party necessities would be cupcakes? No? You know me so well! And as you also know, our Mod Party Kits come with cupcake wrappers and toppers so that even your sweet treats can get dressed up for a fun night too.
Another great thing these party kits can help you dress up? Water bottles! I know what you’re thinking, water bottle labels for water bottles…very creative, Kimi, very creative. Don’t worry, I haven’t run out of new ideas to share. As a matter of fact, I went into my little workshop and managed to dress up even the dullest of party supplies: plain white, plastic cups! See for yourself:
A couple of notes to keep in mind when putting the labels on cups:
The shape of the label is not meant to accommodate the shape of a cup. You have to apply the labels at a slight angle for them to stick flat. I found that the best technique for this was to take an unpeeled label, stick the center flat onto the middle of the cup (sticking down the icon part of the label worked perfectly), and then guide the label down on each side individually, following the natural curve of the cup.
These labels will only cover a certain circumference, therefore I used small cups — they were about 4 inches tall.
Another result of the label shape is that there will be a little triangle shaped gap in the back, but I just put one of our satin bows to cover it up a little bit
Fill these cups with your favorite drinks and enjoy with these scrumptious Fruit Tart Cupcakes straight from the Sugar Therapy kitchen:
Now please excuse me while I enjoy the start of a great weekend with yet another cupcake. Follow my lead: grab a party kit, whip up some refreshments, and tell the girls to come spend an evening with you in Paris!
How do you celebrate your “Joie de Vivre,” Event Blossomers? Inquiring minds (aka, yours truly) want to know!