The Long Weekend

Well we did our very best to fight the semi-gloomy weather and celebrate every last ounce of summer this long Labor Day weekend.  Friday kicked off just right with Mexican food with the fam.  I don't know what happened, but Dear Hubs and I looked at each other around 5 and proclaimed a hankering for all things cheese dip and taco! 

Saturday brought a day full of projects and the usual errands.  With a huge (and I do mean HUGE) organization project underway and nearing completion in the garage, we sorted, trashed and stuffed for what felt like hours.  Try doing all of that with a little that wants to hold power tools ... it 'aint that easy!  That evening, we joined friends for an end of summer fish fry.  The men folk had caught more than a ton of fish deep sea fishing and now, we all gathered to dine on the delicious fruits of the sea.  I was responsible for my signature hush puppies at the "bring a dish" event.  Oh, if only they all knew how simple that really was! 

Anywho, we dined until our bellies could hold no more and then we sat around like a bunch of beach whales watching the celebratory start of college football on tv.  Perfecto.

Sunday brought another day of projects along with a stop down to see Grand Nana (my Nana) for the fam.  We wrapped up the projects and called it a day early so we wouldn't dare be late for the big wedding event for C and B.  They were married in a beautiful Jewish ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead.  Bestie M served as the Matron of Honor and she made a lovely speach that just melted hearts.  The cake was a beauty and the white tree decor was really elaborate (and may need to be recreated in a some fashion for the holidays!).   Pardon the terrible pics with the iphone, did the best I could with the crazy lighting and minimal equipment! :)

Monday was D-day, that's delivery day around these parts.  We finished up every bit of the garage and I turned my attention to my new found craft storage in the basement.  It was shocking to try and organize my crafty wares only to realize I could (a) open my very own Hobby Lobby with all the junk I have saved up or (b) should go on a special crafting edition of that trainwreck show Hoarders!

After tossing a bunch of odds and ends, gathering a pile for charity and pronouncing myself organized; I turned my attenion to my inexpensive dresser and new Annie Sloan chalk paint.  Assuming this little thing turns out peachy, I will be painting a matching one soon for a very low cost night stand solution for our master.  Stay tuned.

On Sunday, Dear Hubs pronounced himself "a very useful engine" and I couldn't help but chuckle.  What on Earth did we do before having a little that is obsessed with Thomas the Train?  But yes, Dear Hubs ... I'd definitely agree!  We finished the day with homemade fish tacos and Georgia Tech football.  Besides the tight game ending in a loss, the weekend was proclaimed a success!



   

60ish

Happy Birthday to the her royal fabulousness, grand supreme Zsa Zsa today!  She's celebrating the (cough, cough) something anniversary of her timelessness and all things spectacular today. 

My dear, sweet mama is one of those few wonderful people that remembers to make all a fuss when it's our day each year.  In return, we try to do things right by the queen and make sure we make a special effort to celebrate her day with her! 

 

Yesterday, we celebrated with the family.  It was a laid back afternoon affair complete with tons of gab, golf cart rides and giggles for all.  Oh, yes... and equally notable, Lala and I introduced Zsa Zsa and Dear Ole' Dad to the great treat that is Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.  If you haven't seen this gem on TLC, you are missing a little piece of trash tv heaven.  It's fab.

We dined on the fabulous food of Giorgio's (that's right ladies, the same restaurant that Constantine from the Bachelorette owns with his fam), gorged ourselves on pizza and kabobs, ate cake like it was our jobs and ended the day with presents for her fairest.  I must confess, the food at big G's is pretty darn tasty.  We have tried most everything and it's all a big hit.  Note, this diva HATES eating actually at the restaurant because the wine list leaves a lot to be desired.  But, food for food ... this place is pretty great (thanks bestie A for the intro years ago!).

Now, the cake.  Well, that was supposed to be a homemade caramel, chocolate cake but ... that just didn't work out.  You see, we were up half the night with a teething little and this morning I rushed the cake just a tad bit too much due to oversleeping and necessary amounts of coffee as we headed out to see the Lord at church.  I'm sure there is a lesson in there somewhere, but the simple explanation that the cake flopped in part to Jesus time was just fine for Zsa Zsa.  Not to mention, the backup cake we secured was d-lish!

 

And yes y'all.  That big ole bag with the "Kors" readable is a lovely fall bag for the diva's mama from Mr. Michael Kors himself.  I went in the store and tried to describe her fabulousness only to spot a great bag that just fit for her. 

 

Happy Birthday, Zsa Zsa.  You are a one of a kind, loving, caring, soulful, tender woman.  If I am half as good of a role model and loving mother as you are ...well, then Baby B will turn out just fine.  Thank you for all you do to support us each and every day.  You are loved beyond words. 

 

xoxo,

~b

A Sesame First

Our sweet friends, the R family have a little, W, that is the same age as Baby B.  Recently, we loaded up the golf cart and headed over to the R household for a fun afternoon on Sesame Street celebrating little W's first birthday.  Mama T did a fab job styling the party and she seriously thought of so many cute details my head was spinning. 

 

Cookie Monster was the guest star of all things cake, cupcake and yes, of course ... cookie!  T outsourced the most darling cake and she did the cupcakes herself.  This diva was uber impressed, especially after seeing pictures of the epic failed Cookie Monster cupcakes pinned all over pinterest (y'all know you know the ones I'm talking about!).  Everyone took home a little jar of ... what else but ... cookies! 

 

While the littles enjoyed the bounce house out back (Santa may just need to bring baby B one of those this year!), the bigs were able to relax in the shade and enjoy a splendid afternoon.  Here's a few cute snaps of the affair!  Happy Birthday little W, you are a favorite buddy!

 

 

First Fete: Balloon Topiaries

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We took a short break from first fete "how to" postings, but scroll on back with me and check out the fun party dish on this post here and here.  One of the perfectly functional and festive details of the party were the balloon topiaries. 

After picking up a few balloons for the photo shoot with Baby B, I realized helium balloons weren't going to cut it for this fete.  Not only do the stores near me charge OVER A DOLLAR per balloon for helium filled balloons but those pricey party makers don't last too long in the Georgia heat and humidity.  The balloons were only perky for a few hours; I knew there had to be a better way.

The answer required some dollar store balloons and a few supplies from my fave Home Depot.  With a little Maguiver style skills, the balloon topiary was born!
These balloon topiaries outlined the lawn and were placed in a few decorative spots to add a punch of color and fun.  I also made smaller topiaries and used them on the sweets tablescape.  They really did round out the space well.
Here's how I did it.
First, you need a few simple supplies:

• Balloons
• Twine
• Long dowels - available at craft stores or home improvement stores
• Painters tape

To assemble:
1.  You will need a bunch of balloons, so start puffing!  Luckily, I enlisted the help of the fam and we zipped right through this step.  For each large topiary, you need about 6-8 balloons depending on size.  Be sure to make a few extras just in case you have a pop!  The shadowy figure in the pic below is Baby B apparently flexing his little muscles as he played in the balloon patch!

2.  Start by tying a piece of twine (about 1-2 feet long) around the base of a fully blown up balloon.  A simple knot will do.  Then, grab a second balloon and tie it to the first.  Keep attaching and knotting.  I tried wire, pipe cleaners and a series of other supplies.  All were too rough for the delicate balloons.  Note, if you have an extra set of hands this step is a breeze.  For my topiaries, Dear Hub's dad; Pop Pop, was my assistant and we flew! 
3.  To attach the dowel, it works best to again have a helper.  For this step, tie the two tails of the twine to the dowel.  This attaches the balloon bundle to the stick.  Then, we used painters tape to run around the knot area to secure it in place.  Painters tape worked perfect because our balloos were mostly blue. 
4.  We finished them off with some paper streamers as ribbons and voila, complete!
Tips and Tricks:
For the table top version, I used very thin dowels and placed them in floral foam that filled my old paint cans.  For the yard version, we used thicker dowels that were a few feet tall.  To actually get these in the ground, we used a hammer and an extra dowel to make a hole in the ground and then simply added our cute topiary to the existing hole.  Yes, Dear Hubs almost had a fit when I announced I was putting holes in his yard.  But, in the spirit of the fete, he went along with the idea!

So y'all remember this trick next time your party calls for balloon overload!  xoxo

First Fete: Smashcake, Cupcakes & Snacks

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As promised on the first party post here, I thought I'd give y'all a good look at the sweet treats from Baby B's first fete.  The treats were so tasty and enjoyed by all.  Baby B thought his own smashcake was just tops! 

While the Varsity truck fed hungry bellies around the corner on the drive, the sweets were displayed on a big table on the back deck. 

Here's a few of the tips and tricks of this sweets production: 

Tablescape
The large chalkboard behind the table is a last minute crafty.  I have been on the hunt for a big ole' chalkboard for some time.  Trouble was, I didn't want to pay the hefty price for a big one that was decorative and I really don't have a need for yet another plain Jane chalkboard.  (as I've explained here ... I have a chalky addiction).   I found a very large scrap of press board in the basement that Dear Hubs had hid away (for who knows what purpose) and simply covered it with a few coats of my handy chalkboard paint.  Seriously ... do I use that stuff on everything?  Topped with some large paper pennants, it was the perfect backdrop for the sweets table. 

Table clothes were loaded up in white, blue and topped with burlap.  Since it was outside and thunderous clouds were looming, I actually opted for disposable tableclothes and topped with a burlap runner.  The garland across the front is comprised of various red, white and tons of blue fabric scraps.  I LOVE this garland and have plans to make another one.  A box covered in craft paper served as the perfect tier for the back of the table to give dimension.  Tiny paper pennants that matched the invitation hang across the front of the box and the plate stand.

The balloon topiaries are in silver paint buckets that I had on hand.  You can find yours at a local Home Depot for just a few bucks.  These have served me well through the years!
 

Treats

Since we had such a crowd to feed, I opted for cupcakes. I had originally envisioned a monster sweet sensation for Baby B's first fete, but when reality set in that it would be 100 degrees, melt and look like a hot mess ... well, cupcakes it is! To save my sanity, I actually outsourced the cupcake baking. (gasp, I know).  I always bake my own treats, but this time, with gentle coaxing from Zsa Zsa, Dear Hubs and every bestie known to man, I decided best to save my sanity! The cupcakes were topped by moi, partial credit right? I made large fondant ones and a polka dot in blue, then added a cute sour cherry candy.

They were super cute when all was done.

All that said, I couldn't bear the thought of Baby B's first cake being from someone other than me.  So, I DID bake that giant cute cupcake that Baby B would be smashing shortly after this pic below.  Using my oversized cupcake pan, I simply baked a yellow cake and topped with white icing using a wide Wilton tip.  I hung a pennant banner from two grilling skewers.  It matched perfectly with the individual cakes and was a great focal addition.  Certainly, my critic was a fan!

As if tummies weren't full enough, in addition to the sweets; we had yummy roasted peanuts and popcorn for snacks.  Dear Hubs helped out and rolled our large movie style popcorn machine around from our media and game room on the terrace level.  With the music cranked up and attendees firmly seated for the mainstay, these treats came in handy!

 

Favors

As the night went on, the kids negotiated opening their favors early.  Going along with our theme, I opted for oversized carnival style lollipops.  I found these cuties on Amazon (they were better in size, style and price than any other site I checked!).  Only trick, there was a large label on the pops already.  I used the same old school typewritter font as the invites, labels and all other notes to whip up some large labels for these favors.  To display, I filled a vintage Coca-Cola crate with floral foam, topped with paper shreds and presented the pops in this tray.  They were just darling!        

They were a hit with all!

Hope y'all enjoyed the sugar rush! xoxo

The First Fete

Weeks of brainstorming, hours on pinterest and countless "wouldn't that be grand" sort of moments came together this past Saturday as we celebrated the dear sweet Baby B's first birthday.  Hard to believe that tot is a year old. 

His big day started with a celebratory donut for the special occassion.  Fear not, I didn't let him eat the entire thing, there was plenty more sugar where this came from!

We spent the afternoon playing on the new slide fort, a birthday gift from the grands and prepping the lawn for the extraordinary party to come!

Shortly before party time, we had a little thunder shower scare, so we set up for the party not once but twice!  Lordy me, we had good practice after the first setup / dry run and the second time was a snap. 

I'll share all the many cute details and the how to's over the coming days, for now ... enjoy these fun pics. 

For a party of about 60 guests celebrating Baby B's big first birthday, I planned a vintage lawn party with a Southern twist.  We wanted it fun for littles and bigs of all ages.  Dinner was catered by the Varsity food truck.  A band was on hand to sing silly songs and hits we all know.  Treats and cold beverages kept everyone full.  And games were played along the lawn to keep everyone busy. 

The invite set the tone for the event

Posing with our friend from the Varsity

Sweet Bestie M and Family

Buddy T and her boys enjoying Varsity treats

The truck arrives and we are ready for fun!

The line forming

Musical entertainment on the lawn

Cupcakes for guests and smash cake for B

It was a hit!

The sweets table

Dear Hubs and the Grand Dads

Bestie A and her fab fam from Charleston

Zsa Zsa

Enjoying the fun

Lollipop Time!

Wagon Pushing - who is doing the work here?

Happy Birthday, Baby B!

I promise more close ups but I'm beginning to feel like a proud grandma tossing books and books of pictures out here.  More to come!  Happy Birthday, my precious baby B!  xoxo