Author: Lauren Smith

My main goal is to make my table and home a welcoming place for guests to linger as well as enjoy great food.  This can be accomplished whether you are having a formal sit-down gathering or a help yourself buffet-style party.  Your table really does set the tone for the entire event.  Your guests will know instantly if it is somewhere they want to spend time and have fun.

Getting that magical feeling is much simpler than you might think.  Start with one key element.  A beautiful vase, an antique table linen, elegant china, you get the idea.  Start with it and go for it.  Let your creative self go.  Cut a bundle of evergreens and place them in a vase.  Scatter ornaments along the table.  To give an extra special touch personalize ornaments with guests’ names so they can have a memento of the night.

You can also grab a package of favor boxes at the Party Place, fill them with homemade treats and tie with a pretty ribbon to send home with your guests. They also some fabulous to-go containers to send your guests home with leftovers.

Setting the table and cooking the scrumptious food is really only half of the “magical table” equation.  The next part is where the magic is.  You can spend thousands of dollars on the most fantastic tablescape you’ve ever seen and the party can still be a bust if you don’t get everyone talking and laughing.  Successful and memorable parties are always full of laughter and fun.  No one is left out of the conversation or feels excluded.  This can be a bit tricky if you have generation gaps in the guests.  You can accomplish this a few different ways.  As soon as guests arrive, have appetizers ready for them and offer them a drink. Try doing the mini appetizer theme. Party Place has all the mini appetizer tools you need from the mini forks to the mini plates. You can also grab an icebreaker game while you are there. Choose from various card games to creating your own to help guests start their conversations. Choose something that is sort of quirky and unusual. Here is a fun game you can create yourself:

Message Plates

On a place card, write a different phrase or simple statement on each one.  Place one below each guest’s plate.  It needs to be an unusual statement.  Such as, “I was abducted a week back…”  When your guests arrive at the table, ask them to read the note that is placed below their plate.  They must keep it a secret and it should not read it aloud.  It’s best if they memorize it.  The game is actually ongoing throughout the regular conversation.  They just need to slip the phrase somewhere in a normal conversation.  If someone states their phrase and another guest realizes it, the person who realized must point out and tell the phrase.

You as the hostess also need to enjoy yourself and have a good time, because it’s sort of like the phrase, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”  Even if you do not say anything, your guests will know that you’re not happy and it will set the mood for the entire party.  Just relax and if everything doesn’t go as planned, so what?  I can tell you for sure without a doubt I have NEVER hosted a party or event that everything went as planned.  The key is to roll with it, whatever has or has not happened is what it is, and you can’t change it.  The key is to have a sort of plan B, nothing too crazy.  For example, let’s say a planned appetizer didn’t go well. You know, like it burned up in the oven or just tastes really bad.  A normal plan B for me in that case is to always,  always have a brick of cream cheese, a jar of salsa, and tortilla chips on hand for emergencies.  You simply need to place the brick of cream cheese on a serving plate (like the one below from Party Place), pour the salsa on top, place the chips around and voila you have an appetizer.

Remember, it’s not about the cost of the party; it’s about getting creative and creating a magical night.

Don’t forget Party Place has many holiday-themed napkins, plates and more to make your party extra special! Happy Holidays!

Have you ever thought about hosting a Friendsgiving? Last year was our first year to host and we had the best time. Of course, I still love traditional Thanksgiving with all my family, but Friendsgiving was just fun, lighthearted and a great day spent with friends. I read somewhere that Friendsgiving was like Thanksgiving’s cool, causal cousin. That is probably the best description I can think of, because Friendsgiving is fun, laid-back and full of great food and company. Consider hosting a Friendsgiving this year, even if it is after Thanksgiving, you won’t regret it. Think you don’t have enough time or money to host another event? Yes, those two elements help… a lot, but they don’t have to dominate what you do. Remember the two most important elements of any gathering are making guests feel at home and setting a welcoming and gracious tone.  Here are some of my favorite tips for Friendsgiving gatherings:

Keep your tables, casual and cool. Cover the tables with white linens and make a runner from brown Kraft paper or use brown paper placemats. Add a few Sharpies to each table and encourage your guests to write what they are thankful for.

There is no room for host chairs at a Friendsgiving table. Sit back and make your friends the star for the day.

Forget about all the matching china and stemware. Who wants to be in the kitchen doing all those dishes, especially when you could be enjoying the company of your friends? There are some beautiful disposable options out there and they are meant for you to use them.

Choose something festive and fuss-free.

Same for your silverware. All the fabulous new disposable ware is hard to tell if it is the real deal or not. Remember, these are your friends—not the royal family.

Make buffet tables fabulous and fun. Although this is a casual party, I still like to label food for a couple of reasons: 1) I love all the fabulous little signs and I think they really amp up a great buffet; and 2) my daughter has a shellfish allergy, so I want to be mindful of people with allergies. An allergic reaction is not how we want to end a great party.

I also like to use fun signs like our “pie bar” sign or something that says “Welcome Friends”. You can make your own or buy pre-made. I always have this great thought that I will make my own, but ultimately run out of time and purchase something already made.

There are also some great options on the market for disposable serving trays. Take a look at this one from Party Place. It’s great because it’s elevated allowing more room on the buffet table.

Now is the time to buck the system. I am a very traditional person at heart, but on occasion, I like to break away from tradition. Friendsgiving is the perfect way to try some things you have always wanted to try. Add a splash of the unexpected. For example, add a touch of pink and purple to your table. In small doses, these colors actually complement the traditional red and orange color scheme quite nicely. Plus, it makes the vibe even cooler. I mean it can’t get much cooler than this fabulous Friendsgiving party from www.girlslife.com. Throwing in the light turquoise really makes the other colors popl

Photo Credit: GirlsLife

 

Create a Friendsgiving cocktail.  Stocking a bar can get quite expensive, so why not create a special cocktail just for your Friendsgiving gathering. Serve in a great cocktail glass (disposable, of course) and add a cool stir stick.

My last words of advice:  Enjoy the day and be in the present with your friends. That’s a joy that simply cannot be bought.

Visit Party Place today to pick up all your Friendsgiving necessities.

Halloween will be here before we know it. No time to plan a big party? No worries, you don’t have to spend hours planning a get-together for your little ghosts and goblins. If your kids already have a lot of activities planned, why not host an adult’s only party to relax before the big night of trick or treating?

• Haunted House Party – If you are not much of an activity planner, this is probably the best option for you.  It’s all about the atmosphere.  Kids and adults will often entertain themselves and have lots of spooky fun!  One sure-fire way to set the tone for the party is lighting.  Keep things dark, but not so dark that people can’t see.  Use colored lights, black lights, and strobe lights to create the right mood.  There are plenty of options available in all price ranges. You can’t have a haunted house without surprises!  Hang fake bats from the ceiling, seat a skeleton at the dining table to greet your guests, spiderwebs and black cat silhouettes on walls and windows add extra fun.  Drape white sheets over the furniture to replicate an old haunted house.  Tie plastic spiders to the ends of ribbon attached to helium balloons and let them float above your guests.

• Fall Fest Barn Dance – Use bales of hay covered with quilts for seating, pumpkins and corn stalks for decorations, and country music for getting your guests going.  Serve cider and chili for an easy and fun night.  Finish the night off with hayride.

• Pumpkin Carving Party – Invite friends and family to a BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) carving party. Make sure the party is well equipped with everything your guests will need—pumpkin cleaning gear, carving tools, stencils, etcetera. Cover sturdy tables with disposable tablecloths for easy clean-up and a bucket for the seeds (to save for roasting later). If it is a cold day, serve up hot chocolate and lots of Halloween goodies.

Add these details for an extra special touch:

• Witch cauldrons, skulls, and other Halloween props work well as serving containers and help to really bring the party décor together.

• Freeze fake bugs in ice cubes for party drinks.
• Use Halloween cookie cutters, such as bats, cats, or witches to cut out sandwiches and cookies.

• Choose Halloween or fall themed paper dinnerware and napkins to add an extra special touch. If you are short on cash, use sold black paper plates and cups and then splurge on fun, Halloween-themed napkins.

• What is a Halloween party without costumes? Emphasize costumes on your invitations. Give prizes for the scariest, funniest, best couple and best overall or make up your own fun prize categories.
• Candles always give that extra spooky feeling, but keep in mind the ages of your guests. If it is an all-kid party, I would probably omit the candles from the décor or keep them out of reach.

Halloween and fall parties are great ways to bring all your friends together for a fun, laid-back night before all the holiday festivities begin. Stop by any of the Party Place’s three locations and get your Halloween spirit on with us! You can even order online at www.PartyPlaceAR.com.

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!