Author: empadmin

Balloons are a perfect addition to any party. Balloons can help fill a space both vertically and horizontally. They are a good cost-effective choice for decorating. Balloons have become more than just the standard balloon bouquet; they can be a beautiful work of art and set your event apart from all the rest. For example, the beautiful balloon garland cover photo by One Stylish Party just makes you want to be a part of that party.

A few years ago, I was in charge of decorating for the ballet studio’s open house. You know how it is when doing things for a non-profit; the budget for things like decorations is low. I decided to try my hand at making balloon art for the table. Mind you, I have never attempted anything like this before, but Google and Pinterest got me through it. I learned a few lessons along the way and thought I would share them with you.

1. Use the air mattress air pump to blow up the balloons beforehand.  Fortunately, I knew I was going to be short on time, so I blew up all the balloons the night before and stored them in a giant garbage bag.
2. For the first attempt, allow yourself twice as much time as you think it will take you to design the piece.
3. No matter how meticulous you are in counting the number of balloons you need, add at least a third more to that count. You WILL NEED more balloons that you think. Repeat…you will need more balloons than you think. For my project, I had 110 balloons and felt that was more than I needed…before I started putting the garland together…I could have used at least 40 more.
4. The balloons need to be complimenting shades and various sizes. This definitely makes for a much better arrangement….more interest, more variation.
5. Chicken wire is your friend. It allows you to shape the design any way you want. Watch out for the sharp edges, to avoid popping the balloons.
6. Clear packing tape and glue dots are also necessities. Use these items to attach the balloons to the wire and to one another to fill spaces.
7. Add something else in besides balloons for interest. I added a few flower stems and greenery in mine to soften the look and make it something unique and special.

Don’t limit balloons to birthday parties or other similar occasions. You can many beautiful things for weddings as well. Like this gorgeous piece from Floating Designs.

or this beautiful balloon garland from Lillian Hope Designs.

If you’re not feeling adventurous and don’t want to try your hand at making balloon art, contact The Party Place today. They can help you design something spectacular for your next event. Halloween will be here soon and there are all sorts of great balloons and balloon art forms that can be created for your Halloween party.

It’s almost time to move my youngest daughter to college and I am already counting down the days to football season (I am not, however, counting down the days to her moving).  When we tailgate, we really love to be a little extra. Throughout the years, I have found that it is easier to have a tailgate wagon ready to go from the beginning of the season. Put all of your basic needs in the wagon and then all you have to worry about is the food theme for each game. I have found it is easier to do food themes. For example, the first game is typically the traditional hamburgers, hot dogs, etc., but after that, we choose the theme based on the time of the game. Morning games are breakfast with things like breakfast casserole, an assortment of bagels and spread, a fruit tray, and, of course, mimosas. Afternoon games have a lot more flexibility and we like to mix it up and do food themes like Mexican with walking tacos or this nacho bar by www.momendeavors.com.

To get you started, here is your basic tailgate wagon checklist:

• Portable grill
• Grill utensils
• Coolers x 2 (one for perishable items and the other for drinks)
• Bottled water
• Crackers, chips (things that store well without refrigeration and have a long expiration date)
• Condiments
• Bottle openers
• Paper towels
• Brown paper lunch bags. The sky is the limit! Set up a popcorn bar or use them to hold chips. Cut the tops off for easy serving.

• Disinfecting wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Team themed/colored napkins
• Disposable plates, cups, utensils – both football theme and clear
• Pop-up tent
• Chairs and folding tables
• Trash bags
• Plastic tablecloths and cloth tablecloths (I like white and burlap) and table clips to hold down the tablecloth
• Plastic trays for serving – both football theme and clear
• Team and football themed decorations, such as pennants, banners, etc.

Now for the “extra” elements:

• First, start with a basic tablecloth of burlap as a blank canvas, so you can change with each game.
• Themed napkins – I splurge a bit on my napkins allowing them to give me a pop of color and reflect the theme.
• Get another pop of color from themed serving bowls and platters.
• Tie together bandanas in your school colors to make a bunting for the front of your table.
• Add in a few fun game related items like a foam finger and megaphone to add personality and fun.

• To change up your table, add a piece of green AstroTurf as a table runner.
• Change the bunting to a pennant banner on the front of the table.
• Dress up your cupcakes with spirited toppers, like mini footballs, mini #1 picks, anything that reflects the spirit of the season.

• Dress up the hand sanitizer with a school colored ribbon.
• Have fun stickers and face tattoos on hand.

The possibilities are endless and the best part is you can do this whether or not you are actually going to the game. You can have a fun tailgate party in your own backyard and invite all your friends over to watch the game. It is fun, relaxing and a great way to kick off the fall fun!