When I host a party, I GO BIG!!!  I have a ridiculous amount of fun planning and decorating for a party.  It is like a drug for me!!!  My husband gets into the fun also.  For our daughters LUAU birthday party, he parked his jeep in our front yard and decorated it with surf boards, boogie board, beach chairs, buckets, umbrella, tiki torches, and more.  This is the first thing that the guests saw as they arrived to the party.  Talk about a grand entrance!!!

As the guests arrived, they were greeted with raffia table skirts hanging from the ceiling with colorful lanterns and palm trees, as well as flowers.  All guests received a grass skirt, lei, and flower clip as they entered the “Tiki Hut”.

On the table, I scattered hibiscus flowers and shells.  I also added table top tiki torches.

The food table had buckets filled with clean cat litter and bright spiral candle sticks.  I also scattered hibiscus flowers.

To keep with the theme, we had Hawaiian King rolls with lunchmeat and cheese.  I made fruit skewers and stuck them into half of a watermelon.  I made smoothies for the kids and my husband made blue Hawaiian drinks for the adults.

I created a photo booth area in front of the fireplace.  The kids had props and sunglasses they could put on for the pictures.  they had a blast posing for the pictures!

I stacked coconut cups on the mantle and hung beads from a mirror for added decor.

As the guests departed, they received a goody bag filled with treats, including a gift card to Jamba Juice and a fish straw.  I created name tags by cutting out hibiscus flowers from scrapbook paper and glued them onto yellow tags.  I then stapled the tags to the bags.  Very festive!

As Hawaiian music played in the background, the guests ate, played and had fun.

Happy birthday planning…

“Wonder what I will come up with next”…

My daughter wanted to have a Luau for her birthday.  Oh what fun!!!  I think that I had more fun and was more excited than she was as I planned this party!

I wanted to create fun invitations.  I bought these Hula Girl centerpieces at Party City and cut off the skirt.

I then made color copies onto white cardstock and cut out each Hula Girl.

I used green streamers to make each girl a skirt and taped it to the cardstock cut out.  I cut strips vertically into the streamers to add to the skirt effect.  I then attached the Hula Girl to the invitation with double sided thick tape for a 3-D effect.

I typed and printed the party details on a coordinating purple paper and glued it next to the Hula Girl.

So simple and easy, yet so fun and festive!

Happy Inviting…

“Wonder what I will come up with next”…

50 years of marriage is quite an accomplishment!  After a Google inquiry, I learned that only 6% of marriages last 50 years!  We recently celebrated my In-Laws 50th wedding anniversary by hosting an afternoon open house gathering.  I created a festive environment filled with framed pictures from their wedding.  I purchased the frames at The Dollar Tree!!!

I used glass blocks as risers and white tulle to fancy up the “shrine” of pictures on the counter.  I used their original wedding book for guests to sign in and framed a poem about “A Golden Anniversary” that was found in my Grandmother’s poem book.

I placed green tulle down the center of the tables, with vases full of fresh flowers.

Using boxes that I covered with a white table cloth, I created risers on the food table.  I covered the lifted area with silver tulle, and put a vase full of flowers and pictures on top.

Lastly, I hung white tissue paper balls over the dessert counter.  Simple, yet elegant.

I hope you get the chance to celebrate a loved ones 50th wedding anniversary!  Be sure to impress upon them how special the accomplishment is!!!

Happy celebrating…

“Wonder what I will come up with next”…