How To Make A Paper Party Ball

Ever seen those cute paper party balls hanging from the ceiling at an event? Paper party balls easily transform a space into a celebratory venue and aren't as standard as let's say balloons. If you purchase paper party balls at the store they will run about $5 each. Here's a way to make your own party balls and the materials should come out to about $1 each! You can make smaller ones to put on top of presents too!

What you will need:

- 1 tissue paper packet (the standard size that come folded).

- Scissors

- String

Steps:
1) Start by unfolding the the standard tissue paper pack. You will have about 5 to 10 rectangle sheets laying on top of one another. (If the pack only gives you five sheets you can always double up!)
2) Start folding the tissue paper (on the shorter width of the rectangle) about and inch wide like an accordion until you get to the end of the tissue paper. You should have long strip of tissue paper that fans out a bit!
3) Pinch the middle of the strip and tie a long piece of string around it.
4) Fan out your tissue paper and gently begin separating each pice of tissue paper from one another. Be careful not to rip the delicate tissue.
5) Hang your pretty party ball by the string and admire your work.

Not bad for $1 right? Have fun at the party!

The Easiest Diaper Cake

What could be sweeter than a diaper cake for a mom to be? Traditional diaper cakes are made using dozens of pins to hold the diapers in place, as if these moms don't have enough to do! Here is an easy way to create a beautiful and easy to disassemble diaper cake for that special mom to be!

 1) This may seem redundant but find out what diapers the mom to be prefers. Some ladies are picky these days so better to just ask!


2) Fold the diapers in half (do not roll them) and sandwich them together into a large circle around a clear plastic cup using your hands to hold the circle in place. I think it's easiest to build my circle on my lap. If you have an extra set of hands around for help that would be wonderful too!

3) Using masking tape to place a stripe or two of tape around the large circle. If enough diapers are packed into the circle it should stay in place! Place a pretty ribbon over the tape to conceal it. Secure the ribbon with clear tape where it meets its end.

4) Place the large circle of diapers on a flat surface and begin repeating the process to create a slightly smaller circles of diapers as you move up the cake.

5) There is no need to attach each circle together. That will happen at the end. You can create as many layers of diapers as you wish but make sure the circles get smaller as you go up.

6) Once all of your circle of diapers are sitting on top of one another, place the whole cake on top of two long ribbons (about 3 inches wide) in a cross shape.

7) Bring the ribbons up along the sides of the diaper cake and tie very tightly at the top. Use the excess ribbon to tie a pretty bow at the top of your cake.

8) Decorate your diaper cake as you wish! Perhaps try using faux flowers, other ribbons, tule or large buttons!

9) Your cake should be easy to transport and even easier to disassemble! What mom to be wouldn't love to receive the easiest diaper cake!

Footprints Of Santa

I am reposting my most popular post ffrom 2009 "Footprints of Santa" Enjoy!

For those of you lucky enough to have little believers around, I thought of some clever ideas to keep Santa's footprints alive!

-Most of you do this but bake cookies for Santa and leave carrots for the reindeer, if Santa comes, there should only be crumbs left on Christmas morning!
-Sprinkle some of the ashes from the fireplace onto the carpet. Whoops Santa made a mess as he came down the chimney!
-Get some red or white polyfil and leave a little on the edge of the fireplace screen. Santa got caught on his way into the living room!
-Take one of Dad's largest shoes and make footprint in either snow or mud. Santa was walking around outside for a little break in between houses!
-Cut a sponge in the shape of a reindeer hoof. Dip it in some muddy water and create a little trail along the driveway or sidewalk. The reindeer must have been frolicking around while Santa was inside!
-Cut some extra ribbon and leave it anywhere around the house or yard, any trace of Santa will excite the little ones!

There are just a few of my ideas to keep your little believers believing!

Cupcakes To Go!

No, I am NOT passing along my infamous cupcake recipies, hahaha! However I AM posting a picture of a porcelian cupcake stand that I own filled with my delicious vanilla cupcakes. How pretty is this piece for entertaining? Whenever I host a party, I make my cupcakes for dessert and display them as decoration on this delicate three tiered stand.

Behind the pretty cupcake display are little individual cupcake boxes. Each guest can take home a cupcake on their way out the door! Most people don't eat very much at cocktail parties and I always find that I have too much food at the end of the party. (It's always better to over estimate than under in my opinion) Giving guests the option to take home dessert is a great way to make your cupcake display serve another purpose!  Here is dessert, here is decoration and here is a cupcake to go!

Hostess Notes

You hosted a lovely party, you made delicious food and a guest has asked you for the recipe to that fabulous dip you served. Why not share your recipe by sending it in the mail? I created these darling (I must say so myself) recipe sharing cards.  They are personalized too, how cute are these!?! You can also use regular correspondence stationery to share your recipes. These notes make perfect hostess gifts or shower gifts and sharing recipes by mail is a stylish and unique way to continue being a "hostess with the mostess" even after your party has ended!

End Zone Brownies

It's Superbowl Sunday and naturally my roommate Kate and I are having a few friends over for football. We have chili, dips, chips and snacks galore and best of all... we have end zone brownies! They are easy to make and super cute to display. Just use a simple boxed brownie recipe, whip up some colored buttercream frosting and go to town decorating. Here's the frosting recipe and other things you'll need:

-Store bought brownie mix

-Rectangular pan

-Buttercream frosting (2 sticks unsalted butter, one teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt and 3 cups confectioner's sugar all whipped with a hand mixer)

-Food coloring to color the frosting

-Frosting piping bag and small piping tip

Bake the brownies as directed in a rectangular pan, let cool and make your colored frosting. Use the colored frosting to decorate your heart away! How cute are these? (Now please note that I ran out of space for the 20 and 50 yard lines haha, but hopefully no one will notice and they won't care once they take a bite because these are deeeelicious!) Go Saints!

Edible Appetizer Centerpiece

This idea is courtesy of my friend Julie. She found this idea online, created it herself, and it was the hit of the party. It's an edible Christmas tree centerpiece made from broccoli, a foam craft cone and other raw veggies. It serves as a classic appetizer staple and a festive work of art!

Here's what you'll need:

-4 lettuce leaves

-8 cups broccoli, & broccoflower heads blanched

-1 cup petite carrots

-4-8 cups mixed vegetables, grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, mixed olives, peppers

-Foam cone found at any craftstore (at least 8 inches tall)

-Platter

-Dip of choice

Here's what to do:
-Place foam on platter.

-Secure lettuce with toothpicks to cover foam.

-Starting with the largest broccoli and broccoflower heads. Place on foam starting at the base and work your way up securing with toothpicks.

-Push 1/2 the carrots randomly into the foam.

-Cut a handful of the veggies into small pieces and fill in the empty spots and brighten up the tree. Using toothpicks only if needed.

-Place the rest of the veggies around the base of the tree.

-Top the tree with a vegetable slice that has been cut into the shape of a star.

-Serve with a dip of choice.

Set your broccoli tree in the center of the other appetizer platters at your party. This festive centerpiece is sure to be a fantastic conversation piece!

Cookie Cutters and More...

Nope, not a baking post! But this post is still sweet (no pun intended). One of my dear friends Christine, AKA "Martha", threw a fabulous little holiday get together last weekend and luckily her cute ideas were documented. Check out some of these ideas! Thanks Martha, oops! I mean Christine:)

Christmas Party Ideas

Oh, it's just my favorite time of year. My planner is jammed packed with holiday get togethers. What a great time to catch up with friends and see everyone you care about just before Christmas! I have attended some fabulous gatherings already this season and I thought I'd share a list of some holiday party themes I've collected and a couple of my own ideas too!

1) Send a paper invitation if you can! Your party will be off to a great start and it will stand out. A little extra time and effort makes a big statement.

2) "White Elephant Party" Contemporary verson of a Secret Santa. The rules of the gift exchange are a follows: Each guest brings a gift valued at a set amount. Upon arrival each guest picks a number out of a hat between 1 and the number of people who attended. #1 picks a gift and shows the group what she got. #2 can either steal one of the opened gifts or pick one of the unwrapped gifts in the pile. The game continues on until each guest has a gift in hand. There are a few side rules, you can't take your own gift home, you can't steal back your gift if your gift is stolen from you. Each gift can only be stolen twice and then it stays with the lucky recipient.

3) "The Cookie Exchange" SUCH a cute idea. Here are the rules: The host lets each guest know how many bakers will be attending. Each guest then chooses a cookie flavor and okays it with the host and gives the host the recipe (this ensures variety) Then each guest bakes from scratch a half a dozen cookies for each party attendee and wraps each set up nicely in cute holiday packaging. Upon arrival at the party, the host will display all of the beautifully packaged treats. The cookie exchange then takes place. Each baker stands up and hands out her cookie pack and shares what flavor cookie is inside. After the party each guest will have the recipes emailed to her by the host so guests can bake the cookies at home after sampling them! It's so cute, even non bakers will enjoy!

4) "The Tacky Christmas Party" This one is fun for those with creativity and personality. It is similar to a tacky Christmas sweater party where each guest wears the most hideous Christmas sweater they own, BUT it takes it to the next extreme. You can wear glowing buttons, dress in costume, bring tacky cups for drinking, wear tacky hats and jewelry. Let's face it, sometimes it too hot inside to wear a tacky sweater!

5) "Around the World Christmas Party" Each guest brings a holiday dish representative of their culture. Bring a dish no one is already familiar with. The host should collect the recipes via email beforehand and send out the recipes after the party.

6) "White Christmas Party" Deck the halls (and yourself) white. Decorations include white lights, snow, snowflakes, snowmen, snow globes, white candles, white fur, sleds, white food, egg nog, white russians, white hot chocolate. This party is so fun and leaves a lot of room to be creative!

7) "Gingerbread Cookie Party" Everyone LOVES gingerbread, but hates to make it because there are over a dozen ingredients in the dough. At this party the host pre-makes tons of gingerbread dough and invites the girls over to roll up their sleeves, roll out the dough and cut out and decorate the cookies themselves. While the cookies are baking, ladies can mingle and snack and after the cookies are baking the host has prepared royale icing so ladies can further embellish the cookies. Each guest leaves with yummy cookies in hand. Such a fun and interactive afternoon gathering!

8) "Tree Trimming" Awh my school growing up did a tree trim every year right before school let out and it brings me the fondest memories as will your own tradition. This party is great for newlyweds so they can jumpstart their ornament collection. The host or hosts get a big fat Christmas tree and invite friends and family over to trim the tree. The host provides the beverage and food and the guests will each provide an ornament that will be reminscent of them for years to come!

9) If you are the guest, please RSVP. It is French for "respond please" so the host is asking you to do so. The host thought of you when choosing to invite you so please take a moment and return the favor:)

10) Send a thank you note. A thank you via mail conveys a most genuine sentiment. A phone call will do as well.

Thankgiving Day Activities

The Turkey is in the oven and the family has arrived. Here are some fun activities your family can do on Thanksgiving Day! (Besides watching football on TV!)

-Art and craft project for the kids: Have paper placecards out and instruct the kids to decorate their own placecards for the feast. Have them decorate the adults' placecards too.

-Have a bunch of fun dress up costume pieces out and ask the kids put together a Thankgiving Day skit complete with Pilgrims and Indians. Ask them to perform the skit for the adults during dessert and coffee!

-Buy a Jenja set at the store and write out questions on the wooden blocks. As adults and kids play, they have to answer the questions on the blocks. Write questions like: I am thankful for Grandpop because...

-Start a movie tradition. Pick a family friendly movie, one that your group will never outgrow or get tired of, and feature it every year.

-Touch football game in the backyard!

-Fill some glass jars with small items like candycorn or nuts. Keep track of how many pieces are in each jar and ask each guest estimate the amount sometime during the night. After dinner annouce the winners and hand out small prizes.

-Pumping carving, why not carve another pumpkin?! Set them up outside along the driveway and light them when your family guests are heading toward their cars.

"Dress Up" A Cocktail Party

The New York Junior League Homecoming theme this year is "Flappers and Dappers". Each party hosted by the Astor House Committee has a theme and it is one of the reasons why our parties are consistently a hit! Next time you throw a party, center it around a theme with the opportunity for guests to dress up if they want to. Last night at my committee meeting a bunch of us were discussing our themed accessories. What a fun way to "dress up" a cocktail party!

For those of you ladies in New York who wish to attend NYJL Homecoming on Friday, September 25th, please visit http://www.nyjl.org/ for more information!

Thoughtful Hostess

Last week I took the train to Boston to visit my dear friend Courtney. Always a hostess, Courtney put together some useful items that came in handy during my stay. She inspired me to share some ideas on being a fabulous hostess!

Assemble a little pile of items for your guest to use during her stay. Leave the pile on the guest bed or if your guest is sleeping on the couch (ah um New Yorkers) put the items in a basket next to the couch. Some or all of these ideas will make your guest feel most welcome!

-fresh towels and wash cloth

-travel size soap and other toiletries

-water bottle

-a few recent magazines

-candle

-city map or activity brochures

-a spare key

-metro or bus pass

-gym pass (most gyms will give you a freebie)

-extra hairdryer or cell phone charger

-welcome note

Your guest will love the simple assortment of useful items (many you already own, fantastic!). Fresh flowers bring warmth to your guest room too. Thank you Courtney, how thoughtful!

For Plates You Just Can't Live Without

Today, I was walking by a tableware boutique and saw a china pattern that reminded me of a Lenox pattern designed by Kate Spade called Larabee Road. I decided I wanted to buy the plates for a cocktail party I plan to host! I looked them up online when I got home and learned that Lenox had discontinued the design last year, oh shoot!! But to my delight, I came across a website that I wanted to share.

http://www.replacements.com/ carries literally every china manufacturer you've ever heard of and in the Lenox category alone they had hundreds of discontinued patterns. My hors d'oeuvre plates were there, yay! I ordered the plates and I couldn't be happier. I figure that this site is perfect for when you need to replace a broken piece of china or find a discontinued pattern that you just can't live without. Now, I definitely have to invite the girls over!