The Sweet Sixteen Scene

My sweet friend Jill was telling me about her plans for a sweet 16 party she wanted to host for her daughter’s  big day. Jill is very talented and always entertains with a beautiful sense of style, so I knew this was going to be a fun party for  her daughter and 24 of her friends.  She had a few craft ideas she wanted to know what I thought about, so I asked her to come to my house and we talked about her plans…then raided my stocks and supplies and began to create what she had been toying with.  Jill had purchased invitations, papergoods and fabrics that she wanted the party to be coordinated with.  We got to work and here are the results…

Jill wanted to line her walkway with candles and she liked the idea of mason jars, so we wrapped the jars with strips of paper and added her daughter’s monogram in the middle.

Here’s the adorable chevron fabric that she based the color scheme for the party.  Love that gorgeous urn on the right…she filled it with ice and drinks.  Jill had a ball planting all of her pots and window boxes…look at this beauty! 

I love the rectangle dinner plates!  I took more of the paper stock and made food place cards and a pennant banner.

Behold Miss Berkeley, the family’s 6 month old Welsh terrier who loved having her family outside with her getting ready for the party! 

I painted the autograph below to coordinate with her daughter’s bedroom.  Her friends and family signed the banner at the party and now she can hang it up in her room and enjoy it.  I made a stuffed canvas birthday hat with burlap trim for Jill to hang up for all the birthdays in their family.

The dining area was set up in the carport because the weather report called for rain…Jill used boxwood bushes as centerpieces and put a big monogram on each pot.  

I made the party favor purses to hold custom cookies that Jill had ordered for the guests to take home. Using the fabric that Jill bought to decorate the party tables, I scanned the fabric and added the monogram.

 

Jill hung the party invitations to tree branches and later added pictures of her daughter. 

A close-up of the wonderful cookies…monogram and the black flower from the party invitation, and the paper party favor purses.   I’m so glad they had a great time at the party…and that the rain stayed away!  Great job, Jill!

Technorati Tags: Sweet 16 party decorations,monogram birthday,party favor purses

Flashback to the Past

I haven’t taken my boys to the doctor’s office together for years…not since they were little!  They both needed sports physicals completed so we scheduled them at the same time.  They will kill me for this post, but it just took me back about 10 years to when they were little guys!

Secret Snacks

 

I’ve been trying to eat a healthier diet for the past 10 months and have two favorite snacks that have really helped me get through the snack attacks.   Because I have chosen to eat a diet higher in protein and cutting out all processed sugar, I enjoy the heck out of my edamame/almond/dried cherries or cranberries mix…it is sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy and packed with protein to keep my tummy satisfied!

Blueberries, Cuties and grapes help with the sugar cravings…but I try to go for the blueberries when I can because of the lower sugar count.  It’s a super food and good for me!

Technorati Tags: Healthy snacks,edamame,blueberries

Mom’s 80th Birthday Party

My sweet Momma recently turned 80!  She has had several birthday celebrations and this was the one we held for her on Easter Sunday for family (her big day was the day before) at my sister’s house.

I usually hang pennant banners for parties, but wanted to do something special for Mom.  I cut out pictures of her throughout the years and made party hats this time…it was a hit!  Look at how adorable she is!

Mom and I seem to be color coordinated with each other and the banner…

   

I added some party color to the living room by adding paper lanterns on the armoire…

and hung more party hat pennants over the bar on the porch…

I made party hat cake pops and truffles and sent them home with family and friends in my ever handy party favor purses…

We all hold our glasses up high in your honor, Mom!  A very happy and healthy 80th birthday!

   

Technorati Tags: 80th birthday decorations,party favor purses,party hat pennant

Aengus

October 8, 1999 – March 20, 2013

We will miss you so much, dear sweet pup.  You were the best dog a family could ever hope for.  We love and miss you everyday. 

Pretty In Pink Baby Shower

  I just go goo goo for girly pink parties…and this one couldn’t get any cuter…or pinker!

  I just go goo goo for girly pink parties…and this one couldn’t get any cuter…or pinker!My client’s favorite color is pink and her home is complete with a pink and brown themed kitchen… it all leant perfectly for this cute party  

             

Technorati Tags: Pink baby shower,pink pennant banner,tutu cake stand,pink duck tape water bottles

Cotillion Mardi Gras

All dolled up to hang with his friends and made to dance with the lovely ladies!  Best buddy was crowned King of Mardi Gras!  Not a bad end to the night…and no cooties!

IC’s Geography Bee

Michael advanced to the final round for the school title of Geography Bee winner. 

He said he was not nervous and was glad he was seated next to his good buddy, Paul.

Until it was just the two of them left!  Paul won last year and got placed very high at the state competition last year.

As good fortune had it…Paul won again and no hard feelings!  Congrats to Paul and good luck from your number 2!

Young Entrepreneurs!

Michael and his two school buddies had to come up with a marketing campaign for a class project and submit it for a statewide competition promoting youth entrepreneurial ship.  They came up with a teen “survival” pack loaded with safety items.  Here’s their product and their booth.

College Tours Controversy

These will be the only pictures of the many college tours we plan to take for number one son…the reason being that the Dad couldn’t come with us on this quick trip to St. Louis and I used that excuse to take as many pictures “for Dad” as I could!  It’s interesting to see what he is interested in a college campus and course curriculum.  Patrick is attracted to a smaller school and the physical looks and feel of the campus are important to him.   So we drove to St. Louis right after his last exam to take a look at St. Louis University.

This was our view from the hotel window…spectacular! 

 

Inside St. Francis Xavier Church…magnificent!  Now, of course I am biased…John and I both have Jesuit educations under our belts and SLU has a lot to offer.  The students had already gone home for Christmas break and so we had it to ourselves.  Patrick was the youngest on tour…my 16 year old and the rest were transfer college students!

   

After the tour, I took him to St. Louis’ hot spot for BBQ…Pappy’s.  It happens to be on campus and was delish!  Then we headed to some little micro brewery for a tour…I wonder if this place will make it??

I’ve got to say that if you have never visited the Budweiser HQ, make a point of doing it!  It was a great tour and very interesting.  It would have make my husband weep it walk these hallowed halls…

The barns for the Clydesdales was incredible…we toured with a group of 10 fellows from Italy and it was interesting to see and hear what they thought of the place…pretty impressed!

Don’t let that lack of emotion fool you…he was pretty pumped to be here!