40th My Favorite Things Party

Happy Friday!! Been meaning to share my birthday party so here I am!

This year was a milestone for me...the big 40! And I'm still having a hard time believing that's my age!  I wanted to celebrate how I wanted to and gave myself a party.  Since I'm a big girl now that is most definitely allowed!! I'd been wanting to have a My Favorite Things party and this was the perfect time for the maiden voyage! And let me just tell ya....it was so much fun!

Decorations

I went gold!!

I made an invitation that I just texted out, some signs, and a tag and coordinated them all.  I then found a Printable Gold Banner by Somewhat Simple and printed out the letters to spell FORTY for my mantle. I found the "40 can kiss it" with Hershey's kisses idea on Pinterest.

Invite

8x10 Sign

4x6 Sign

Gift Tag

The sequin graphic I found on Canva. And then I used PicMonkey to add text, etc. 

Feel free to use the signs and tag but for personal use only please. 

Food

I made all of my favorite party foods! Even the cake!

Savory

Fav Veggie Dip & veggies

Herbed Tomato & Mozzarella with Crackers

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Red Onion Chutney with Goat Cheese Crostini

Sweet

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Carrot Cake

Drink

Cranberry and Ginger Ale Punch

I found some gold chipboard letters at Hobby Lobby to use as a cake topper. My friend frosted the cake and added gold icing dots for me! Used only gold and white dishes and sprinkled the table with gold and silver big confetti. Oh and fresh hydrangeas! 

My Favorite Things

I took inspiration from a few parties....one by Java Cupcake and one by Shannon Finds Joy.

After eating we played a 'my favorite.....' game (printable here).

I guess it's like Scattergories ( I've never played!), you have everyone answer what their fav food, fav vacation spot, fav websites, etc and then go over answers and the person with the most unique answers is the winner.  I prepared 2 prizes and had 2 winners!  Then it was time to exchange our favorite things! I had everyone bring 5 of one item no more than $5 of value.  I had everyone write their name 5 times and put them in a bowl. Then each lady chose 5 different names, making sure not to get their own name or duplicate any name. We had a total of 9 ladies so at the end of drawing names we had to do some rearranging of names to get it just right.  Next, one by one we told why our item was our favorite and then gave them to the ladies who we had drawn names. Prior to the party I asked everyone to give my their favorite nickname.  I then made everyone a tote with that name in glitter so they'd have something to tote their goodies home in!

I gave a $3 gold striped plastic tumbler perfect for iced coffee! 

The items above are what I got...makeup brush, lip gloss, frame & seashell, makeup wipes, and a visor scent clip.  Others items were post it notes, chap stick, & orange slices.

Everyone loved their bags and what they got! And it was so much fun hearing why the item was a favorite!

I attached the tag that said 'you are my favorite' to every bag....I wanted my friends to know they were my favorites too!

I really think this is the way to celebrate a birthday!! I mean yes, you can totally do this any time but for someone who talks the love language of giving, I loved seeing my friends receive! That was the best gift ever!!

So if you've been thinking about having a My Favorite Things party then just

doooo it!!!

Have a Happy Day!

Soiree Day-Vintage Nurse Hat RN Party

You know completing nurse school is quite the accomplishment! And one to be, for sure, without a doubt, celebrated. Come snow or high water! Yep that's right, we had my sister's nurse party in the snow! Unfortunately, we couldn't reschedule it and had to carry on and I'm so pleased with how everything turned out!  I went with a vintagey, vintage nurse hat theme.  The first thing I did was create a logo (in PicMonkey of course!) and went from there!

It is actually a circle, below is the Facebook event photo I made and also made an invitation similar to this. I found the nurse hat on Google and then did the rest in PicMonkey.  I also used the logo to customize a tumbler from Starbucks so my sister would have it for her new job!

I used a local baker for the cake, cookies, and cupcakes and absolutely love how all three turned out! I made the thermometer pretzels and then found some licorice candy in red and blue that looked like 'happy pills'. We also had finger foods for our come and go guests. 

For the logo centerpiece, I simply uploaded the logo to Walmart and made a poster! I did have to trim it as it wasn't centered but that was ok since I was having to mount it to a red foam board from Hobby Lobby. Great, easy, inexpensive way to enhance a sweet table!

For table decor, I used the infamous Ikea Tolsby frame and framed the logo, added my sister's favorite flowers and some more happy pills and done! 

I recreated this congrats eye chart I saw on Pinterest in PicMonkey and used it near our snacks. 

Finally, instead of gifts we asked guests to use the Johnson & Johnson Donate A Photo app and upload a photo and choose the Help A Student Start A Healthcare Career cause in honor of my sister's accomplishment. Johnson and Johnson then donated a $1 to the cause. I created a 'photo op' display using some of my sister's school books, our mom's nurse hat, and some Polaroids of when my sister (and cousin) candy-striped.  

I won't lie...I was pretty excited coming up with this idea! And you can use the app once a day and choose from several causes.  So if you can remember to do it daily, you can give $365 to causes in a year without spending a dime! (I do believe you can set a reminder in the app! How about that?)

We're so proud of Erica! She's already started a new job and is loving it!

Happy Tuesday lovelies!

Soiree Day-Valentine's Day Tea Party Round Up

I have something really fun to share on Thursday and it has to do with tea. 

 So I thought I'd round up some pretty Valentine's Day Tea parties!

Vintage & Feminine Valentine's Day Tea Party 

at Domestic Fashionista 

image found on Pinterest, courtesy of Domestic Fashionista

Old Fashioned Love-Valentine's Day Tea Party at 

In Awe Of Your Grace

image found on Pinterest, courtesy of In Awe Of Your Grace

Valentine Tea Party at The Frosted Petticoat

image found on Pinterest, courtesy of The Frosted Petticoat

And there's two things that are tea party staples...sugar cubes and scones, right?

Found some dressed up for Valentine's day!

DIY Sugar Hearts at JoJo and Deloise

image found on Pinterest, courtesy of JoJo and Deloise

White Chocolate, Raspberry & Macadamia Scones 

at Redpath Sugar

image found on Pinterest, courtesy of Redpath Sugar

Man those scones look so yummy! 

Make sure and check back on Thursday!

Happy Tuesday!

Soiree Day-Pancake Party Roundup

About 3 weeks ago I came across the cutest little girl birthday party with the theme of Pancakes & Pearls. How fun to have a pancake themed party! And with pearls! So it got me curious to see how popular this theme may or may not be. Much to my delight there were other parties and they must be shared!  Since I don't have a little girl I may just have to throw one of these for myself!! Ha!!

(To pin, please click on title and pin from original source, thanks!)

Pancakes & Pearls by Sweeter Than Cupcakes

1

Pajamas + Pancakes First Birthday Party by Kojo Designs

Pancakes & PJs 3rd Party via Kara's Party Ideas

Hot Pink Pancakes & Pajamas Party via Project Nursery

Preppy Pancakes & Pajamas Party via Hosetess with the Mostess

House of Pancakes Birthday Party by Beautiful Mess

Loving the pancake stand, so fun!! Weren't they all fun actual?

Hmmmm...Lil' Hunkie likes pancakes....... 

Happy Tuesday!!

PS. check out my latest giveaway HERE!

{DIY} Easy Sucker Stand

Don't know about you but sometimes I find displaying suckers for a party a challenge.  When helping my friend with her son's graduation party she asked for ideas on how to display suckers.  I simply said in a glass jar or use a covered styrofoam form/block. And when I said that I was thinking  covered in wrapping paper like a wrapped box.  Well my friend had seen an idea she kept in her head using tulle squares and straight pins.  I was extremely pleased with the outcome and see more sucker stands in my future! Ha!

Easy Sucker Stand
Supplies:
styrofoam block
tulle
scrapbook paper (1 12x12 piece)
thumb tacks
straight pins

scissors

Make it:

I started out covering all sides of the block except the top with scrapbook paper.  The paper was the exact length of the block. I then trimmed the excess and used it to cut rectangles to fit the ends (the smaller pieces). I simply secured the paper to the block with thumb tacks.

Next I cut small rectangles of tulle( I eyeballed it!) and folded it up like you do a piece of tissue paper for a gift sack. Then I put a straight pin down the center of the tulle and into the styrofoam block. Wallah!  I do think I could have done it a bit 'looser', it was pretty full! When I pushed in the suckers basically they were in between rows of tulle. Hope that makes sense!! 

It really was very easy just a little time consuming!

But totally worth it, don't you think?

Happy Thursday lovelies!!

{See my Link Parties page for the shares!}

Soiree Day-ORU Graduation Party

I was so honored to help with a college graduation party over this past weekend.  I was recruited by one of my best friends who happens to also be my pastor! Her son proudly graduated from Oral Roberts University  which totally deserved a shindig!  My friend had found a cake on Pinterest that she wanted done in ORU's colors of blue and gold and we used that as our inspiration.  This wasn't anything to elaborate....it was just right in my opinion!

Pretty awesome, right?  The cake just made the whole thing! It was made by a local gal who is quickly becoming the girl to use! 

Tie cookies made by my awesome sister!! 

And probably the easiest treat you could make for a graduation party....pretzel diplomas!! I simply dipped pretzel twists in white chocolate  and then tied on a gummy sour strip. We found the gummy strips at a candy store which had other flavors/colors so wouldn't be hard to match your school!

Got the letters from Hobby Lobby and sprayed them with gold glitter paint....the easiest table decoration!

My friend had the idea for the sucker stand in her head....so glad I was able to translate it! Tutorial coming on Thursday!! It's easy too!

Other treats were gumballs and mints.

Yes the glasses and tie were for guests to take fun photos!

The weather turned out to be yucky....cooler than normal and kinda rainy so the party was moved indoors which made for some coziness but all in all it was a great day celebrating one awesome young man!

Happy Tuesday!!

Credits:

Cake by Ashley Williamson

Cookies by Erica Caputo

{See my Link Parties Page for the shares!}