Coastal Christmas Holiday Party

I don’t want to alarm you, but there’s roughly 165 days till Christmas!

I know, I know. We JUST had the Fourth of July. How could I possibly be thinking about Christmas?

And you know WHY I’m thinking of Christmas? Because I absolutely love the idea of hosting a Christmas in July party. Being a native Floridian, it’s hard to really wrap your head around the “white Christmas” where everyone is snuggled up by the fire. We’re usually happy if 85 is the high for the day. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a spectacular Christmas with beautiful decor!

This week I’ve taken on a challenge: to improve on my original tropical Christmas from ages ago. Back in 2012 when I was just starting to put together these party idea boards, I shared this Tropical Christmas Dinner Party. At the time, I of course thought it was great, and everything went together. Now, I look at it and see many ways to improve.

My 2016 take on this theme is create an elegant and beautiful coastal Christmas holiday party. Soft hues of blue with creamy whites, textures of shells, and strategically chic accents. What a clarified version of the same thought!

Here’s what I had in mind for the seaside beach Christmas party:

Coastal Christmas Holiday Party

Coastal Christmas Holiday Party

Be sure to stop by and see where I found each of this week’s ideas:

Coastal Chic Designer Christmas Tree –shared by Seahorse and Stripes

Christmas Coastal Scene – shared by Sorted with Style

Beach Inspired Christmas Stockings – shared in a round up post by Indeed Décor

Shell Christmas Trees Décor – shared in a round up post by Designer Décor

Seaside Coastal Beach Santa – spotted on Ebay

Coastal Beach Tablescape – shared by Williams Sonoma

How would you celebrate Christmas by the sea?

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Rockets and Ribbons – Patriotic 4th of July Party Ideas

Can you believe that the 4th of July is less than a month away?

With all of the tragic events that have occurred in our country in the last week, especially in Orlando, I felt as if it was necessary to create an inspired, red white and blue themed party. As our country mourns the deaths of countless individuals from the Orlando shootings, I think it’s important to highlight our ability to come together as a community, and as a nation.

This week I have created a party idea board for Fourth of July celebrations, with an emphasis for family friendly festivities. It’s so important for our country to come together and rejoice in the many freedoms we are fortunate to have, especially in times like these. This family-centered patriotic party idea board has two elements I’m quite fond of: rocket fireworks and free flowing ribbons!

I loved seeing so many great takes on fireworks as party décor, that I just knew I had to incorporate them in this week’s party idea board. To balance out their straight, rigid lines, I’ve brought in free flowing ribbons in red, white, and blue to soften the design.

Here’s what I had in mind:

Rockets and Ribbons – Patriotic 4th of July Party Ideas

Rockets and Ribbons – Patriotic 4th of July Party Ideas

Be sure to stop by and see where I found each of these elements in this week’s patriotic party idea board in red, white, and blue:

Fabric Rockets for the Garden – shared by HGTV

Patriotic Tissue Paper Tassel Garland – tutorial shared by Landeelu

Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Centerpiece with Fireworks and Rockets – found on Pinterest (no link working)

4th of July Candy Rockets – tutorial shared by All Things G&D

Firework Photo Outdoor Stand Photo backdrop – available on Lemondrop Backdrops

4th of July Bike Parade Décor – spotted on Pinterest (link not working)

Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Ribbon Garlands with Market Lights – shared in a roundup post on Babble

If you need more ideas for Independence Day, or any red, white, and blue patriotic party, check out my board on Pinterest lots of inspiration.

How do you like to celebrate Independence Day?

Eclectic and Colorful Mother’s Day Party Ideas

Bright and bold, full of sunny colors and vibrant accents, this week’s party idea board is the perfect eclectic mix to celebrate mother’s day this year. Mixed florals and textures combine to create this color heavy summery party inspiration board while still looking cohesive and put together.

The balance is in the black and white accents you see here and there. The white table highlights the bright floral centerpieces, while a black and white background helps amplify the fresh flowers in their summer shades. The flat black and white elements really work well together to help make the mix of textures and colors stand out.

Here’s what I had in mind:

Eclectic and Colorful Mother’s Day Party Ideas

Eclectic and Colorful Mother’s Day Party Ideas

Be sure to see where I found each of this week’s inspirational party pictures:

Dessert Macaroon Display in Colorful Shades of Chartreuse, Hot Pink, Lemon and Lime – shared on Bridal Musings

Vibrant Flowers “MOM” Food Buffet with Black and White Stripes – spotted on Pinterest

Eclectic and Colorful Photo Booth Back Drop – shared by Rock N Roll Bride

Bold Tropical Inspired Flower Centerpieces – shared by Alchemy: Fine Events and Invitations

Tall, Eclectic Focal Centerpiece Décor with Colorful Bud Vases – shared on Ruffled

Of course I think this week’s party idea board is fantastic for any mother’s day celebration, but why stop there? I could easily see this design translated into a birthday party, a fun summer wedding theme, or even a women’s luncheon.

What other type of celebration could you see a colorful design like this featured?

 

 

Moss and Bunnies Inspired Easter Morning Brunch

What age does Easter stop being fun? Is it when you too old to be invited to the egg hunts? Or when you realize that you can get Reese’s year round, they just aren’t shaped like eggs?

Living in Florida, we have a very short month or two (January and February, MAAAYYYBE a little of March) where we don’t need to run the air condition, and it’s actually pleasant to go outside. I consider that both winter and spring for us. Kind of like a two for one season! You can imagine the number of Easter egg hunts I grew up with where there were mosquitoes out in full force, or the sun had already melted the chocolate, even early in the morning. Sure, as a kid it was fun and what did we care there was chocolate; but in retrospect I find myself wondering what an Easter up north would be like.

I expect there would be lots of fresh, colorful flowers that would be welcomed after a proper winter. And, of course, somehow everyone would have cute, moss covered bunnies around, because what else would you decorate for spring with, right? Mostly I just really want to decorate my home with them, but they always seem so out of place. So I thought it would be a great combination for this week’s party idea board to mix the softly textured moss bunnies, with vibrant yellow elements, found in the daffodil table décor and napkins. The moss covered rabbits are adorable, aren’t they?

Here’s what I had in mind:

Moss and Bunnies Inspired Easter Morning Brunch

Moss and Bunnies Inspired Easter Morning Brunch

Be sure to check out where I found each of these images:

Moss Covered Spring Bunnies – shared in the Style Me Pretty Vault

Spring Easter Bunny Wreath Moss Wreath – made by donnahubbard on Etsy

Topiary Bunny Yard – shared on POPSUGAR

Spring Party Food Buffet – shared by StoneGable

Yellow Bunny Napkin Folding Material – tutorial shared by Tortelina

Spring Daffodil and Moss Easter Table Setting – shared by Between Naps on the Porch

Digital Easter Brunch Invitation – created and sold by SugarSpiceInvitation on Etsy

Rustic Realistic Moss Bunny Cookies – tutorial and recipe shared by Semi Sweet Designs

Bunny Rabbit Party Favors – shared on Kara’s Party Ideas

 

Do you still have fun at Easter as an adult? Or do you just enjoy visiting with family and friends?

Sweets for Your Sweetie – Valentine’s Day Dessert Soiree Ideas

What is it about Valentine’s Day that makes everything have to be sugar coated? Fruit? Muffins? Exchanged words? EVERYTHING just has a sweetness to it, which –don’t get me wrong- it’s welcomed, but it can sometimes borderline on TOO much. And I’m sure for some people, at some point, it is too much. But sometimes, everything is just perfect and that extra sweetness just works perfectly and is welcomed with open arms.

Enough about sweets……yeah who am I kidding. That should have read: SO BRING ON THE SWEETS!

Sweets are the hero of this week party idea board for Valentine’s Day. This soiree can be scaled up or down in size for all sorts of events, though my favorite would be a stay at home bake-a-thon with your sweetie, whipping up one scrumptious dessert after the other, and enjoying the creations that you made together. But hearts are universal, and are easily included in themed baby showers, bridal parties, girl’s night, or even a festive family and friends gathering.

Here’s what I had in mind:

Sweets for Your Sweetie - Valentine's Day Dessert Soiree Ideas

Sweets for Your Sweetie – Valentine’s Day Dessert Soiree Ideas

If you find yourself in need of some clever Valentine’s Day inspired breakfast ideas, check out my post covering what I believe to be the perfect Valentine’s Day breakfast.

Be sure to stop by and say hi to all these great sources of inspiration and tutorials for this week’s idea board:

Strawberry Hearts Valentine Snacks – tutorial shared by Modern Parents Messy Kids

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Heart Cake Surprise Cake – tutorial and recipe shared on Mom Loves Baking

Red Sugar Rimmed Cocktails – shared on Bird’s Party

Sweet Cherry Pie Pastry Envelope – recipe and tutorial shared by Liz Bushong

Valentine Gourmet Chocolate Caramel Apples – created and sold by BigBearChocolates on Etsy

Candy Hearts Table Décorspotted on Pinterest

Valentine’s Popcorn White Chocolate Popcorn – recipe shared by Gimme Some Oven

Red Hearts Valentine’s Day Décor – shared on Advice from a Twenty Something

Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting – recipe shared by Life, Love and Sugar

DIY Valentine’s Day Table Candy Décor – tutorial shared by The DIY Dish

Valentine’s Day Balloon Heart –tutorial shared by The House That Lars Built

Red and White Valentine’s Day Place Setting – shared by Pier 1 Imports on Pinterest

Candy and Tulips Table Centerpiece – shared in a roundup post by Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body

Valentine’s Day: do you love it or hate it?

Ideas for National Chocolate Cake Day for Two….with wine.

What are the odds, that not only is today both Wine Wednesday AND National Chocolate Cake Day? As if we needed a reason to consume either! This year they both line up perfectly into one glorious day. Maybe it’s because it’s getting close to Valentine’s Day, or maybe I’m a fan of date nights that involve a good red wine and a luscious cake, but I feel like this week’s idea board should be an ever-so-lightly romantic evening for two. And you guessed it: chocolate cake and wine are on the menu. Here’s what I had in mind:

Ideas for National Chocolate Cake Day for Two….with wine.

Don’t you think that card is adorable? How cute would it be to write a little love note and ask if your other half will join you for a little wine and chocolate and mail it to them? I would be thrilled to get that in the mail! Here’s where I found all of these great images for this week’s inspiration:

National Chocolate Cake Day Greeting Card – created and sold by NeedAHolidayCalendar on Etsy

Swarovski Crystalline Red Wine Glasses – available on Swarovski

Wine Decanter – featured in a post by Food & Wine

Darkest Chocolate Cake with Red Wine Glaze – Recipe shared by Bon Appetit

Double Chocolate Cake Truffle Cake Balls – baked and sold by SugarpopBakeshop on Etsy

What would you do if we created a National Wine and Chocolate Cake Day holiday?

I’d insist I had to take the day off.

Modern Gold and White Holiday Dinner Party

Are you a fan of modern Christmas decorations? Or do you prefer the more traditional look?

When I saw this beautiful dining room the other day, I just KNEW this week’s inspiration board would be centered on it. It’s beautiful, modern, elegant and simple. All the characteristics I like in a design. I was envisioning a modern holiday dinner party. Here’s what I had in mind:

Modern Gold and White Holiday Dinner Party

Be sure to check out where I found each of the photos in this week’s inspiration board:

Gold Christmas Ornament Hanging Sphere Sculptures – spotted on Pinterest

Gold and White Christmas Ornament Modern Tablescape – shared by Cuckoo4Design

Modern White and Gold Winter Ornament Display – spotted on Pinterest

Mini Dessert Shot Glass Station Display – shared by Brooklyn Bride

DIY Gilded Glass Tutorial – shared by Heels and Sunkissed Curls

Gold Snowflake Holiday Party Printable Invitation – created and sold by pinkdahliaprintable on Etsy

Festive Christmas Table Place Settings – shared on Better Homes and Gardens

Are you a fan of modern Christmas decorations? Or do you prefer the more traditional look?

Frozen Icicle Holiday Party Ideas

It’s SNOWING!

Hah, I wish! Here in Florida we can only dream of snow. There is no snow in sight for us, but there is PLENTY of sun to go around. I’ve never even seen snow, but that’s part of the deal of being born and raised in Florida. I hope to see it someday. I have heard it can be absolutely magical when it is lightly drifting down from the sky.

Until I get to see snow, I will continue to dream about snowy, winter wonderland party scenes. This week, I’m imagining a snowy icicle inspired holiday party. Here’s what I’m dreaming of:

Frozen Icicle Holiday Party Ideas

The fiery sculptures really add an element of surprise to it, don’t you think?

 

Check out where these images were found:

Glitter Icicle Candle Holders – shared in a roundup post on Candle Making

Giant Icicle – tutorial shared on Better Homes and Gardens

DIY Garden Party Wedding Lights – shared on Studio DIY

Icicle Ornament Cookies – shared by kimsmom76 on Flickr

DIY Dip-Dyed Coffee Filter Backdrop – tutorial shared on Style Me Pretty

Glitter Ice Printable Holiday Party Invitation – created and sold by SunshinePrintables on Etsy

Let It Snow Cupcakes – tutorial and recipe shared on Not Your Momma’s Cookie

Fire Displays in Ice Sculpture Columns – spotted on Pinterest

How cold out do you think it would have to be to pull off a party like this?

My Favorite Harry Potter Party Ideas

Each week I try and share my latest inspired party or wedding idea board with you. This week, however, I’m sharing something I can’t get enough of. I’m sharing with you my all-time, favorite Harry Potter party ideas. If you follow either of my accounts on Pinterest you are most likely familiar with this board, this one, or maybe even this one. I’m a huge fan, to say the least. This week is all of my favorite Harry Potter party ideas combined into one magical party.

Someday I hope to be able to throw a party in my own home as themed out as this:

My Favorite Harry Potter Party Ideas by Unique Pastiche Events

Be sure to find all of the details for each image on the links below the pictures:

Marauder’s Map Harry Potter Birthday Invitation Printable – created and sold by PrintyMuch on Etsy

Harry Potter Caramel Sorting Hat – tutorial shared on Candy Bar Cupcakes

Galaxy Night Sky and Floating Candles Décor – shared on Eating Bender

3 Tier Harry Potter Cake – shared by Oakleaf Cakes on Flickr

“Have You Seen This Wizard?” Harry Potter Photo Booth – shared on Fun-Filled Flicks

Harry Potter Personalized House Ribbon – created and sold by didgeandstitch on Etsy

Harry Potter House Banner Décor – shared on Home Stories A to Z

Mandrake Cupcakes – spotted on Pinterest

In Case of Dementor Attack Eat Me Candies – shared on See Suzy Spin

Printable Halloween Book Covers – shared on Little House on the Corner

Hogwarts Cookies – shared by Lucy Samuels on Flickr

Hogwarts House Colors Checkered Cake – recipe and tutorial shared by Bakingdom

Glitter Potion Bottle – tutorial shared on Scrapbook.com

Fold Your Own Harry Potter Chocolate Frog Box with Wizard Cards Printable – created and sold by RockYourWalls on Etsy

 

Who is your favorite Harry Potter Character?

 

Beach-side 4th of July Party Ideas

Is there a better way to celebrate Independence Day then on the beach with sparklers, cold drinks and evening fireworks? I don’t think there could be!

Here’s how I’d like to celebrate:

Beach-side 4th of July Party Ideas

Beach-side 4th of July Party Ideas

See where I found all of these fantastic ideas:

Red, White and Blue Starfish Tablescape – shared by Starfish Cottage

Red, White and Blue Starfish Tablescape – shared by Starfish Cottage

Red, White and Blue Starfish Tablescape – shared by Starfish Cottage

Nautical Starfish Beach Sign – made by MeetMeByeTheSea on Etsy

Nautical Starfish Beach Sign – made by MeetMeByeTheSea on Etsy

Nautical Starfish Beach Sign – made by MeetMeByeTheSea on Etsy

Let the Sparks Fly! Sparkler Holder – shared on Raenovate

Let the Sparks Fly! Sparkler Holder – shared on Raenovate

Let the Sparks Fly! Sparkler Holder – shared on Raenovate

Beach Chair Set Up – shared by Cape Cod Beach Chair Company

Beach Chair Set Up – shared by Cape Cod Beach Chair Company

Beach Chair Set Up – shared by Cape Cod Beach Chair Company

I Dig the USA Shovels – made by HappyLittleArt on Etsy

I Dig the USA Shovels – made by HappyLittleArt on Etsy

I Dig the USA Shovels – made by HappyLittleArt on Etsy

Patriotic Drink Cart – spotted on Pinterest

Patriotic Drink Cart – spotted on Pinterest

Patriotic Drink Cart – spotted on Pinterest

 

How do you celebrate Independence Day?