Fall Centerpiece

Fall has always been my favorite season.

I love all of the beautiful colors, and decorating my house for fall has always been something that I look forward to.

This past Spring I did a small kitchen remodel.

When we built our house 9 years ago, we painted our kitchen red.

"Arresting Red" to be exact.

I loved having a red kitchen, but it was time for a change.

We changed it to a nice brown, it's amazing how paint changes a room!!

It's fun to decorate the rooms for seasons now, because even my old decorations seem new!!

I ran across this post by Shanty 2 Chic on Pinterest this past summer and knew I  wanted to make something like it for my kitchen this fall.

Here is the link to her post on her blog: 

Fall Pumpkin - Shanty2Chic

I picked up a fake pumpkin and letters to spell "fall" at Hobby Lobby, a can of cream colored spray paint and painters tape from the hardware store.

Tape off the stem with painters tape and spray your letters and pumpkin with a couple of coats of cream colored paint.

Adhere them with a hot glue gun once they are dry.

I liked the addition of the little burlap flower she added to hers, so I did the same.  

Only I used one instead of three.

I found this candle base and glass candle holder at Hobby Lobby, too.

I already had the pumpkins and acorns that I filled it up with.

I strung some orange accent "vine" through, and added a couple of real gourds to the mix.

and Ta-Da! Centerpiece!

I love buying pieces like this, because I know they can be filled with all kinds of things for other holidays, or even just a candle like it was intended! 

Graduation Party - Theme: Racing, Fishing and Mexican Food

When I started planning for my son's graduation party almost a year ago, the one thing I knew we would have was Mexican food. 

He is truly Mama's boy when it comes to his food tastes!

Maybe it's all of the extra spicy Mexican I ate when I was pregnant?

Our Menu:  Taco/Nacho Bar

taco meat

soft and crunchy taco shells

nacho cheese

Mexican rice

re-fried beans

chips and salsa

and all of the trimmings to top off your creation

(lettuce, tomatoes, olives, shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream)

Some of you may know that my husband drives a dirt late model race car.

My son, Spencer, is his right hand in our shop and at the races.

my husband and Spencer in front of his car

We decided that due to Mother Nature and her crazy cold front ways this Spring, that it would be cool to have his party in our building.

Then the rest of my ideas were born!

I played on his love of racing and his other love, fishing.

I wanted some sort of centerpiece, and I wanted it to be fit for a boy.

This is what I came up with:

Do you suppose they know they are about to become a centerpiece??

I bought small fish bowls and rocks in his school colors.

I found fishing lures also in their school colors, and red and white bobbers.

I dug out my stash of scrapbook numbers and added a 2013 to each bowl.

Hung the lure off the side, floated the bobbers on the top and added a gold fish to each bowl.

I also had many black picture frames that I filled with pictures of Spencer at different ages.

Added a few Hot Wheels, some graduation beads and confetti, and my tables were decorated!

Some of the picture frames has a metallic spray with "2013" attached to the back

each table looked slightly different.

I alternated red and black table clothes on the tables.

The head table had a white table cloth with an overlay of a clear one with 2013 in black.

We had a large framed and matted photo for guests to sign and his scrapbook filled with photos from each year of school, Pre-School through senior year.

sign in

his scrapbook

In order to keep guests from bunching up in the doorway, we had the gift/card table inside, close to the drinks and the food.

the gift table

You cannot tell from this photo above, but the gift table and the dessert table were both round.

Last but not least we had the table of desserts.

I decided to do all sorts of bars.  

I did a round table, so people could walk around it.

I used tiered plate holders with desserts, and had back up ones to put in their place.

Keeping with the Mexican theme, I added a large margarita glass filled with assorted M&Ms.

I used the rocks I made for card holders at a past party to show what each dessert was.

I made them for a Peanuts Themed Birthday Party.

They worked great with the fishing theme!

this is a close-up shot of the river rock swirled place card holder I made and re-used.

Here is a list of the desserts, you can click on each one to be taken to it's recipe blog page.

Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars

Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

(I made a box mix brownie and topped with this ganache, they were decadent and the first bar gone!

Nestles Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

(from the chocolate chip package)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Brownies

(box brownies with 1 bag of milk/peanut butter chips and 1/2 bag of peanut butter chips)

Iced Snickerdoodle Bars

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

(decorated with his school colors!)

My Mother-in-Law made Rice Krispy Treats, but here's a twist on those:

Cake Batter Rice Krispy Cupcakes with Marshmallow Butter Cream

A view from the front door of the race shop, you can get a better idea of the layout.

All of the food was set up along the work bench.

My son, Spencer, the guest of honor on his last day of High School.

Me and Spencer.  I am so proud of you, buddy!!

Love you SO MUCH!!

xxoo

How To: Make a PEEP Centerpiece

PEEP centerpieces

I made these for Easter last year.  

Link to Last Year's Post

I shared them and have gotten so many questions I figured I would type up a quick step by step so you could have one on your table this year!

I use a 6" square vase, and put a pint sized canning jar in the middle.

The canning jar works great for the size vase I have, and because you can put the lid on top and the jelly beans don't fall inside. If you don't use a jar, plan to fish them out!!

Pour the jelly beans around the vase, taking care to keep them evenly dispersed.

Once you start getting it full, check to see where the PEEP bunnies ear tips land.  You want them to land toward the top of the vase to conceal the stems and the jar.

My 6" square vase houses 16 bunnies perfectly.  Notice how I stagger them to fit in the corners?

Here is a top view of how they line up.

I didn't use the black jelly beans because they are "ugly." 

I didn't use them so we could EAT THEM!!

Yummy!!

Take the remaining beans and fill the void area to stabilize your jar.

Side view.

It's a little early to go buy blooms for in the vase, but my sweet son, Spencer, had cut me some fresh lilacs this morning, so I stuck them in there to show you the flowers inside.

You will most likely need to use a funnel to fill the jar with water.

If you get the beans wet, it makes a big 'ol mess!

Here's what you will need:

6" Square Vase

1 pint size canning jar

2 packages of PEEP bunnies

3 - 16 oz packages of jelly beans

mixed flowers of your choice

I have been contacted by Robyn from Mix Mingle Glow.  She informed me that this was her original idea. Upon researching ALL of the like centerpieces on the internet, I have found so many links that it's hard to tell where it came from first.  But I will give her credit if she made it first!

Sorry for any confusion. But in the day and age of Pinterest, it's just so darn hard to tell.

ORIGINAL IDEA from http://www.mixmingleglow.com

I hope you and your guests enjoy this FUN Easter centerpiece!!

Girl Friends "Spicy" Valentine Luncheon ~ 2012

I love to spoil my girlfriends.

They mean the world to me and every year around Valentine's Day I honor them with a party.

desserts & fruit

The last couple of years I have thrown a brunch.  If you want a peek at them you can find them here:

2010

2011

this year's invitation

I try to incorporate something that is a favorite of mine and build around it.  

This year it was Mexican food and Conversation(hearts)

a little look-see at the table

I typically do linen napkins when I have a meal like this, but my inner 13 year old got the best of me when I saw the conversation heart napkins and little treat cups!!

The treat boxes were filled with chocolates, and of course, candy hearts!!

My Mom always got my brother and I a box of conversation hearts for Valentine's Day.  

They have always been a favorite of mine.

I made this centerpiece for the table:

If you click HERE you can see how I did it!!

When I planned the menu I forgot that it was the first Friday of Lent.

So I mixed it up a little.

It worked out well.  

The Menu::

White Chicken Enchiladas

Bean Cheese and Onion Enchiladas and Chili Rellenos & Rice

Tortilla Soup

 Chips and Salsa, Guacamole and lots of toppings!

White Rose infused Sangria

Jarritos and Iced Tea with Lemon

Mexican Brownies

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

Fun was had by all....

But you will have to take my word for it, because I totally forgot to take pictures!!

OOPS!!

I was too busy eating!! ;)

How To: Make a Conversation Heart Centerpiece

Conversation Heart Centerpiece

When I found the napkins and treat containers with conversation hearts on them, 

I knew that was the ticket for my party this year.

It's no secret how much I <3 Conversation Hearts!!

I decided to run with the idea for my table and centerpiece.

Years ago I made a centerpiece for Halloween the same way using candy corn,

 it was super cute so I ran with it!!

Here is what it took:

Two vases, one that fits inside the other with some wiggle room

2 packages of conversation hearts or other candy

Color coordinated flowers

I love to buy flowers at Costco. They always have really unique bunches 

that you can have so much fun arranging.

I bought a bunch of flowers from Costco and in addition to that I purchased a 

dozen roses and eucalyptus to mix in!! 

(Needed the roses for the SANGRIA!! )

Place the smaller vase inside the larger vase and begin to fill the space between with your conversation hearts.

Fill to the top of the small vase.  

I was lucky enough to have a cylinder vase that was the same height, it worked perfectly.

You will have to use a funnel to fill the inside vase with water, being super careful not to get the candy wet!!

Arrange flowers inside water....

DONE!! and SO CUTE!!

Homecoming Dinner

This past weekend I had about 30 of my daughter's closest friends over for dinner before the

Homecoming dance. 

 She is a Freshman this year, and having them all together like this seemed SO much easier!

centerpieces on the tables

They came with their parents and we did group pictures, then they came in and ate and "hung out" before it was time to head to the dance. 

Thank you to all of the parents that helped drive!!

Dinner was pretty darn simple.  I had wanted to get a little more extravagant, but the thought of someone ruining their ensemble with pasta sauce or something had me too nervous!

The Menu:

Deli meat and cheese trays

Tuscan rolls

Chips and dip

Mini cupcakes

Chocolate chip cookies

Our school colors are red, black and white. So it matched my kitchen perfectly! Not to mention, it was Husker Game night! So I decorated with fall florals, gourds, pumpkins and black red, and white.

deli trays with meat and cheese

Tuscan rolls

sandwich fixin's

chips and French onion dip...LOVE my football pottery!

desserts... chocolate chip cookies

mini cupcakes, some with chocolate and some with vanilla frosting

pretty red and clear sprinkles, and what's a fall party without candy corn and peanut mix?

I "canned" fall blooms for the centerpieces and tied them with black and white ribbon

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids.

my kids before the night began

My son is a Junior, he headed out to celebrate with "kids his own age" at another party.

looking so nice. (looks like they get along ...right?!?!)

most of the group

pretty girls and their shoes

Can you believe we had to TELL them to "add some sass" to their pose?!?! 

That's something I never thought I would say to MY DAUGHTER! "Get sassy!"

I think it went well, all in all.

Thanks for looking.