empadmin, Author at The Party Place

Posted on January 18, 2021January 14, 2021 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Mardi Gras Madness

A holiday that is basically a month-long feast and party? Sign. Me. Up. I mean, seriously, what more could you ask for? Based on my previous statement, it will come as no surprise that the holiday I am referring to is Mardi Gras aka one of my favorite holidays of the entire year. Of course, most people only truly celebrate it on Fat Tuesday, but you can totally start decorating now since the Epiphany has come! Slightly off-topic, but I have a dream to one day spend Fat Tuesday in New Orleans for one heck of an experience, but given the fact that is *slightly* impossible right now… my home will have to do. Honestly, fine by me, because I can throw myself one heck of a party, even if it is only with three other people!

So, let’s get down to the dirty details. Just kidding, the only thing dirty about this Mardi Gras celebration is the dirty rice. My ideal Mardi Gras party would be decorated with the borderline gaudy decorations (I love them), and filled with real, good Cajun cooking. We’d have a blast just feasting and sharing laughs together, and let us not forget the most important part! I MUST have a king cake at this Mardi Gras party. Above anything else, I am trying to find that baby Jesus hidden inside. I need the good luck! Today, I present you with the greatest Mardi Gras feast you’ll ever see. Picture this: a big dinner party… everyone decked in beads, masks, and boujee outfits. That is the perfect Mardi Gras ambiance. Let’s talk about how you can make it happen yourself.

Let’s start by decorating the table. Think BIG. The more beads, feathers, confetti, masks, and coins you can pile on… the better! However, don’t just let it all go. There needs to be a little bit of sophistication a plan as to how in the world we’ll make it a boujee Mardi Gras feast. I suggest using candle holders or vases of different heights and sizes to add some depth and dimension. Secondly, try to put out a festive runner to differentiate the decoration space of the table and the actual dinnerware space. Adding placemats can also help this, but they are not necessary. The images below are a good example of how I would set the dinner table. You can buy all of these decorations and more at Party Place. Look here for online options or in store for more.

Mardi Gras Centerpiece — *Photos courtesy of Celebrations at Home*

For the menu, I suggest something truly Cajun. Go with some great staples like dirty rice, jambalaya, gumbo, or red rice and beans! You can authentic recipes all over the internet, but I suggest scanning through Pinterest to see which one you like best. Don’t forget the cornbread on the side! The same thing can be said for making the king cake, but if you would rather skip the baking process, check local bakeries like Harvest Moon to see what they offer for this cool holiday. Many bakeries offer king cakes to provide a more authentic Mardi Gras feel for your holiday.

Well, seems like we have it all planned out. Just throw on a fun outfit with some pizazz, a mask, and some beads! You’ll be golden!

If this is for some reason unable to happen for you because of health circumstances or perhaps your kid or anyone else you would celebrate with can’t be there with you this year, think about mailing the party to them! My mom has mailed me a king cake with beads and masks every year I have been unable to celebrate at home. It truly makes my whole holiday even better to know she wants me to have a great Mardi Gras even far away!

Mardi Gras King Cake — *Photo courtesy of OnMilwaukee.com*

Posted on January 5, 2021January 5, 2021 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Club Quarantine: How to Throw a 21st in a Pandemic

One of my best friends just turned 21, and we all know the excitement of turning such an important age. We also all know just as to why it is so important! Anyways, turning 21 is just not quite as thrilling since the pandemic began. We can’t really go out to all the bars and party as we would like, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun! I know we have been trying to figure something out to safely celebrate my friend’s birthday. So now, I present to you: Club Quarantine. Even if you just get to celebrate your 21st with your family, this can be tons of fun! Let’s go over how to make your own club for those 21 years old at home.

The Club Space

If you’re going to turn your home into a “club,” you have to have a pretty good space to create the club atmosphere. A good idea would be to use one’s garage or basement so that your rearranging of furniture or boxes would be minimal. If you’ve got a mini bar in your basement or whatnot, well you’ve definitely got an advantage (aka less work to create the space!). Once you have a space cleared out and finalized, you can start planning out everything you need. First, you’ll need a bar, a dance floor, and maybe even a with a “bodyguard” and rope entrance for extra fun. Now, let’s get to the decorations now that the logistics are out of the way.

Club Ambience

Party Place has an abundance of balloons and decorations for 21st birthday celebrations that would be perfect for Club Quarantine. It would be a great idea to add some of the balloons to the entrance of the club to signify the birthday aspect. They also have plenty of red-carpet-worthy decorations such as a literal red carpet or rope to add that club vibe. They also have plenty of catering supplies like margarita glasses, pint glasses, and other alcoholic drink cups for an authentic feel for the bartender! Another essential element to making it really feel like a club for your 21-year-old is the lights. Clubs and bars are always dimly lit with the fun colored lights and sometimes even a disco ball if you’re in one of those retro clubs (my personal favorite). Getting a few strands of the LED lights and get that garage-basement-club popping! Adding some sheer curtains and some fun furniture from the home can also really add to that ambiance as pictured below.

The Big Shabang

Now that we have gotten the decorations under control, let’s talk about the final touches. You might even consider doing a theme for your club, whether it has caution tape or medical signs for “Club Quarantine” or if you decide to do a retro or modern club, there are plenty of options to give you the best 21st birthday experience possible in the midst of COVID-19. Just remember to have fun with it, and your 21-year-old will be thrilled with even the effort to give them somewhat of a club experience for this special year!

Posted on December 24, 2020December 24, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

New Year’s Eve at Home

It is time to pop the bubbly and raise a glass because it is almost time to say farewell 2020 and hello 2021! Despite current social distancing guidelines and rising COVID-19 cases there is still time to plan an at-home celebration for you and your family to ring in the new year. The best part of an at-home celebration is that the dress code is entirely up to you — want to keep it casual? Perfect! Break out the PJs and relax. Maybe you still want to get fancy? Even better! Bring out the diamonds and pearls and let’s stroll to the living room. Regardless of the dress code the party can all be the same and there is plenty to choose from at The Party Place right now.

Okay, let’s jump right in and give you some fun activities to keep you and your little ones (don’t worry – they are just as fun even if you don’t have kiddos) busy until the clock strikes midnight. One of my favorite countdown activities is the balloon pop countdown — the blog Toddler Approved has the perfect example of how to display this in your home. You will need to pick up some uninflated balloons from The Party Place and some balloon confetti for this one. In this example, colorful balloons were used but I think one solid color or clear with multicolor balloon confetti would look absolutely perfect as well.

All you need to do is fill your balloons with confetti, inflate, write your times on them, and hang them up in a circle like a clock. The purpose of this activity is to help you be aware of each final hour of 2020 ticking away by popping a balloon for each hour marked.

In order to keep major decorating to a minimum I suggest leaving your Christmas tree up and trading out the ribbon and ornaments for extra New Year party hats, party blowers, and headbands.

Blogger Domestic Fashionista gives us the perfect example of her newly redone tree to add some extra sparkle to your evening at home. In all honesty, since you will be just celebrating at home your value pack of headbands and hats will need to be put to good use anyways, so why not give yourself a little bit more of an excuse to keep the Christmas tree up a little longer without your spouse/partner giving you too much of a hard time.

Another great idea using balloons comes from blogger It’s Always Autumn uses air blown balloons and a plastic tablecloth, all readily available at The Party Place, to create your own balloon drop. This particular activity is pretty much DIY as you please when it comes to color and contents — the most important thing to do is ensure you have a way to pull it down and secure the balloons and other contents with tape to the ceiling.

I would highly recommend this one and use it when the ball drops on tv! Fun fact for all you parents out there, Netflix offers a New Year’s Eve countdown that can be used at any time that way your kids aren’t up all night and you can have at least a few alone hours before 2021.

If you are afraid of missing out on the big New York City ball drop, don’t worry that event is also completely virtual this year, so everyone is going to be enjoying it from their couches. No matter how fancy your party is, be sure to tag us on social media so we can see how you choose to ring in 2021.

Posted on December 3, 2020December 3, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Ornament Exchange Party

It’s the holiday season so hoop-de-do and hickory dock… and well you know the rest to the Andy WIlliams classic. It is officially the time of year to start hosting those holiday parties, social distanced and safe of course. If you are looking for something on the smaller scale I would recommend an ornament exchange party — this way you can keep the crowd small but still have the ability to gather with friends and family to celebrate the holiday season while getting and giving a little something for the tree. Also, if you are not comfortable with an in-person celebration this particular kind of party could easily be turned virtual and you can just mail your guests their ornament and they can send theirs to the other guest invited, just as they would have exchanged in person. Regardless of how you choose to host the party, make my heart happy and send your guests a paper invitation, Zazzle has some fabulous ones to choose from.

ornament exchange invitation — Photo Credit: ZAZZLE.COM

So, where do you need to start now that you have decided between virtual and in-person and your guest list? Figure out the price cap for the ornaments that your guests will be purchasing, or making, in order to ensure the party is fun and affordable for everyone. After you have done that, create a virtual name draw that way everyone knows who they need to be exchanging with especially if the event is going to be virtual. If you are choosing to do the in-person version of the event it could be fun to also make a few ornaments during the party. The blog Made In a Day has a fabulous but easy boho evergreen ornament that would look amazing on everyone’s tree one their creation is complete.

boho ornament — Photo Cred: MADEINADAY.COM

Now that we have the big stuff lined out it is time to focus on all of the little details that are going to make your party pop! Even if you choose to host virtually I promise these little details are still important, for example everything you would have bought to source up the party for your guests mail in a care package or the invitation rather for your guests. The blog A Subtle Revelery has some super fun holiday party hacks that really highlight the holidays. When it comes to drinks choose a classic cocktail, hot chocolate, or special punch to serve, but instead of cups head out to your local craft store and pick up some large clear craft ornaments to serve the drink of your choice in.

clear ornament drink — Photo Cred: ASUBTLEREVELRY.COM

These darling little “drinks” are the perfect addition to your decorations and to add an extra splash of fun for your guests.

One final step is to head on out to The Party Place to pick up some festive napkins, paper straws, plates, cups, and any other fun seasonal decor you think will give your ornament exchange all of the festive vibes you are looking for. Don’t forget to tag us in all of your social media posts!

Posted on November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Hot Cocoa Social

The air is starting to stay cool and the holiday season is upon us, and what better way to warm up during the cozy season than hot cocoa? You may have noticed that the latest viral Facebook trend is “Hot Cocoa Bombs” which is basically a bath bomb for your coffee mug filled with different blends of hot chocolate. The more I have seen these videos the more I have thought that hosting a hot cocoa social sounds like the perfect idea! Not only is this party great for the kiddos but is just as fun for adults too!

So, where do we begin? First it is always good to get your guest list in mind before doing too much planning, but from experience when hosting a “social” event keep the numbers smaller than larger that way everyone has time to catch up with one another. Once you have your guests figured out, do it old school and send everyone a snail mail invitation – in my opinion this makes things much more exciting for your guest. You can snag these on the minted website!

Now, when it comes to the actual party, I think the best way to really make the hot cocoa part stand out is by having a hot cocoa bar! When it comes to what your bar is going to feature, I would definitely include the classics like: peppermint sticks, white and dark chocolate chips, marshmallows, and cinnamon! If you are really wanting to get creative you could try putting out some raspberry syrup, crushed toffee, sprinkles cake pops, cookies, etc. – you get the idea.

When I have done a hot cocoa bar in years past on Christmas Eve I have always made a large pot of hot cocoa on the stove and then kept it warm either in a pumping thermos or the crockpot, careful with the crockpot though it will be boiling hot!

Another fun idea to have a little hands-on project for your social gathering would be to make hot cocoa bombs with your guests – this activity is probably better with a smaller crowd and older kiddos or adults.

I have not yet attempted this project, so I am enlisting the help of some Pinterest bloggers for the best tips and tricks on how to make them. You can check out “I am a food blog” and “Taste of Home” for their instructions for the best hot cocoa bombs! Much like the hot cocoa bar for drinking you can display fun treats to place on top of your bombs like assorted sprinkles, tiny peppermints, maybe some tiny gingerbread crumbs or men, etc. it is really up to you and what you think your guests might like.

As far as decorations go if your home is already decked out for the holidays the hard part of decorating is over with and even if your tree is not up, yet a few fun winter decorations are all you really need. In my opinion, those cute plastic bulb ornaments that come in the 100-pack make great sit around decorations in bowls and other containers to give a little festive vibe. I am always a big fan of fresh flowers and right now some deep red roses or other flowers and wintery greens make the perfect addition to any setup.

This particular arrangement is silk and can be purchased online, not only is it great for your party but it would make a great addition to your standard holiday decorations. While you are out at The Party Place picking up your small containers for your toppings, boxes to take home your chocolate bombs in, and heat resistant disposable cups for cocoa check out the buffalo plaid paper plates and napkins!

Nothing says winter like buffalo plaid, and they would make a nice and sweet addition to your already perfect party. If you decide to try out the chocolate bombs be sure to tag us on social media and let us know how it goes!

Posted on October 29, 2020October 15, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Friendsgiving

Can you believe it – we are so close to the holiday season of a year that has felt like it might not ever end. I personally love the holiday season and begin planning my Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving dinners in early October, this way you can be sure to snag everything you need to make your table look perfect! Have you thought about what your Thanksgiving plans are this year yet? If you are anything like me you have probably been missing your friends and family a little extra this year, so why not throw a Friendsgiving Feast?

Posted on September 15, 2020September 15, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Spooky Season

For some September first is the “official” start to the spooky season or as I like to call it Falloween — which means it is time to pack up the summer decorations and break out the pumpkins. However, maybe you aren’t ready to give up summer just yet you can still use the month of September to plan the perfect Halloween party. My little sister was known for her annual Halloween parties up until she went off to college! So, whether it is an old tradition for your family or maybe a spur of the moment decision The Party Place is going to have everything you need to make it spook-tac-ular!

Posted on September 2, 2020September 2, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

You Can’t Stop the Tailgate

It feels like we have been waiting forever for football season to get here – and not only that but waiting to see if we even get to watch our beloved fall sport this year. Now for many of us football season is going to look a little different with limited fans, no cheerleaders or band, plus many skills are banning the usual tailgating. However, just because your standby tailgate spot isn’t in use this year it doesn’t mean you have to forgo it altogether, maybe use this time to get a little more creative but keeping it at home, a little further outside the stadium, or maybe even load up the camper and take it outdoors somewhere.

If you know me you know that I live and breathe football, literally it is my life, and with that comes tailgating. I went to the University of Oklahoma and tailgating is some serious stuff there. We used to camp out all night long in our favorite tailgating spots and want for the “gun” to sound for the 12:00 pm Friday land rush to begin.

So, even though I can’t do things the way I have been for the last 8-10 years, it doesn’t mean I won’t be participating.

My mom instilled a love for party planning in me, and tailgates are no different. When it comes to planning take into account what time kick-off is going to be, if an 11:00 am kick-off is in store for you plan your menu accordingly with mimosas, breakfast or brunch items, and if the weather is cool, some coffee or hot chocolate.

If you are having an afternoon or evening kick-off don’t feel limited to the traditional tailgate foods feel free to spice it up with fancier grab and go side options, fun themed desserts, or build-your-own meal bars to create an easy way for guests to serve themselves.

Also, take the decorating up a notch whether this is in your house, your garage, backyard, tent, RV, you name it! My mom and I like to incorporate fun streamers, flags, and even little bistro lights into the décor. I really like working in all of the fun different serving dishes that The Party Place offers to have a “fancy” looking table while still using plastic and disposable items. We would love to see how you tailgate at home or from afar this year so be sure to tag us in all of your pictures on social media! Oh and remember… BOOMER SOONER! Or I guess Woo Pig for all of you Hog fans out there too.

Posted on August 13, 2020August 17, 2022 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Back-to-School Bash

Can you believe it — summer has already come and gone and now the kiddos are back to school or will be soon if they aren’t already. I know for many families this may look a little different in years past whether it be by the states choice or personal choice, so much like the kick-off to summer party, I suggested you might want to have a Back-to-School Bash with your kiddos to help them get excited about this new and different school year.