July 14, 2012

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



July 13, 2012

Show Home Slow Motion: Living Area

Every chance I get, my big camera and I show up at a charity show home.  Typically with bestie M in tow, but unfortunately not this time due to a fracture in her foot (still not real clear on what happened to cause a diva to go down!).  So, I recruited bestie P and new friend A to fill in for decorating genius M.  With Baby B in tow (thanks to failed babysitter plans), we made a great afternoon of touring the Roswell Women's Show Home.  Such a wonderful event full of inspiration and supporting a good cause of local charity.  Take a slow motion look at the tour with me now and prepare to be inspired!

This year's show home is a lovely, warm and family friendly space in Alpharetta, GA.  Each year, the club selects a home and recruits local, talented designers to participate by sponsoring the design, theme and decor for a room.  The result is always just perfection!

Here's a few worthy snaps from the main living area; which includes a spacious kitchen, keeping room and family room.  It's warm, clean and every so comfortable with the natural touches and spacious design.  Love.










Next stop ... the many bedrooms and kids areas!  Too many snaps for one post!  xoxo

July 12, 2012

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




July 07, 2012

7-7

Well, Lordy be… today is a magical day and a day that will forever bring a smile to my face.  One year ago this very morning. The sweet lil’ Baby B FINALLY made his way into the world.  It was a tough process to say the least and he was two weeks done and 40ish hours in labor PLUS an emergency C-Section but it is all so worth it every time he giggles, smiles or shows us one of his adorable tricks.  Today, the culmination of my hard work to make his first birthday ever so special will come to be and I’ll be sure to blog it your way soon!  Cheers to the 7-7… the best day ever and a very most perfect happy birthday to my sweet Baby B!  I love you more than I ever thought possible and more than the stars, moon and sun combined. 

Here’s to being kind, doing your best, serving God and loving others…the rest just works out.  These are the most important lessons I can ever teach you. 




Love you with everything possible.



Xoxo

Mom


July 06, 2012

The Missing Link

This necklace was a gift from Zsa Zsa.  I love it.  It's beads are wooden and hand carved.  She paid a prime price at an auction for this gem and I'm pleased to call it my own.  Except ... well, if I'm honest it's just a tad too tight around the neck for my liking.  And thus I invented my own little tippy tricky thing that is so organization Real Simple, pinterest worthy awesome idea!  I thought my eyes might pop out the other day at work and thus I took matters into my own hands and took my hair elastic and did a quick slip knot and thus my trick was born!  Voila!  A hair tie extender for my prized necklace! 

Try this tip whenever you must.  It work!



Sure, it's shameless and a little tacky ...  but desperate times and good necklace mean desperate measures!

xoxo ~ charmed, b
 




July 03, 2012

Golden Look

It all started with a hankering to overhaul the mirror in the main floor bathroom.  I didn't hate, nor did I love this room ... overall, it just felt in need of a redo.  That mirror has been my personal Everest for years now.  I've tried just about everything.  You see ... when we built the house, the builder was insistent on putting those mirrors up and claimed building city code required it. What.ever.  Gasp, I know.

For a time now, I had a cool mirror on mirror solution for my flat drab situation.  I liked it, but didn't love the cluttered look it gave.  So, my initial plan for a redo here was to simply to trick out the existing horrid flat wall mount mirror with a cute frame.   When Dear Hubs was less than supportive of my plan, I waiting until he left the area for a short while and I swooped into action! Yes, I realize that sounds super sneaky ... and it totally was!

The trouble was, first, I wasn't sure exactly what to do, where to start and how on earth I would craft this dity.  After snooping for ideas high and low and even considering one of those dreadfully expensive Mirror Mate solutions, I opted for a creative but functional solution from my very have Home Depot. Here's the trick ... I had to learn to operate a saw to pull this off. Yes.  True story.  And I did. Bam! This diva knows how to saw and I'm proudly adding that to my resume!

With a plan in progress, the creative juices were flowing.  I identified the must have paint for the frame and just kept going like wild!  Miss Martha Stewart saved the day.  Darn her time.  Her style crisp and classic.  Her decor divine.  Her paint ... well, her paint is tops and gets two thumbs up after this delicious redo!



Once I finished the mirror and coated it in Martha's lovely metallic in a neutral, gold tone it is picture perfect and totally fitting with the already loved bath curtain treatment. 



From here, I just couldn't stop.  That paint was going on a wall... hell or high water.  After the purchase of an oversized stencil on Amazon, I was in business.  I stenciled the accent wall as you walk in and I'm just pleased as punch with the result.





To round out the look, I gathered the pair of neutral paisley curtains (made by yours truly a while ago) that previously surrounded the bath like panel curtains and instead brushed them onto one side.  Next, I created a pull back from burlap ribbon.  My house is a lovely perplexed confusion of burlap and fancy touches and so this is just perfect for moi!  The mirror frame was hung (details later) and I just L-O-V-E the result.  The framed series of oil paintings over the toilet are a grouping I actually commissioned, designed and painted a few years ago.  They are simple, elegant and I really like them.  Plus, they look fancy and no one knows I actually made them!

Couldn't be happier with the finished product!  xoxo

July 02, 2012

The Years

Well, if another birthday just didn't sneak up on me... I don't know what did.  It's a shame to look this good at 29 (again) ... (cough, cough). 

One day this will all be published in an epic best seller ... just you wait :).  Until then, each year, I pause for a moment on my big day and reflect on the lesson I have learned from this year in life. What's shocking, something ALWAYS stands out as the big life lesson I was intended to learn. 

So. as I partake in my 5th anniversary of my 29th anniversary ... join me for a look back:


33 - there are only 168 hours in a week. Sleep is optional.
Commentary at 34:  Baby B on the scene, small side business, demanding full time job and a boatload of pent up crafty decorating mojo ... yep ... never enough hours.  I'm hoping cloning is on deck for 34. 

32 - patience is indeed a virtue and a skill worth mastering, or at least trying
Commentary at 34:  Yep... still working on this.  Wow, I actually show progress here! 

31- it takes 10,000 hrs to be good at something
Commentary at 34:  There is no such thing as a free lunch.  Success happens at the intersection of luck, hard work and GRIT. 

30-make a decision and don't look back
Commentary at 34:  I wish I knew this forever ago.  Baby B will get this lesson right away if I have anything to do with it!  A decision gets you most of the way there.  Right or wrong.

29 - life is much more complex than a self help book could tell you
Commentary at 34:  damn if that aint true.  If we could all be textbooks life would be full of masters.

28 - life is too short to be unhappy
Commentary at 34:  Amen.


27 - there's something to learn from everyone, some are things you want to emulate for personal development...others teach us things we never want to be or do
Commentary at 34:  see above.

26 - don't settle or accept no if you ae capable and believe
Commentary at 34:  I was so genius at 26.  Never settle.

25 - age is all relative
Commentary at 34:  I agree.  29 and feelin' fine!

Here's to the 5th anniversary of my 29th fete! May the years be kind and the laughter be plentiful!

xoxo