party ideas Archives - Page 6 of 7

Posted on March 2, 2021March 2, 2021 by empadmin — Leave a comment

A Dr. Seuss Worthy Birthday

When I was a kid, when we got to read Dr. Seuss in class, it was really something special. Not to mention the absolute whimsy and wonderfulness that overtook the classroom any time we had a little Dr. Seuss celebration for the author’s birthday! Dr. Seuss still remains a big influence in children’s lives, giving them the opportunity to be whacky, creative, and gives a new perspective to everyday things. I love it, and with Dr. Seuss’s birthday upcoming, how about a little inspiration to do a Dr. Seuss party theme for your little one! There are so many classic books to choose from, but we’ll be taking the timeless tale, The Cat in the Hat, for the basis of our birthday bash decor.

The Cat in the Hat is probably the most famous work by Dr. Seuss. It is loveable, recognizable, and perfect for anyone and everyone! One of the greatest things about a classic party theme like this is that it can be easily recognizable simply through the color palette! The Cat in the Hat is simple enough with a lovely four-color palette of blue, red, white, and back! Decorations are easy peasy when you’ve got such a distinctive color palette! We’ve got lots of great options to get your whole house or party venue looking like it came out of a Dr. Seuss book!

Here are some of my favorite decorations:

You can never go wrong with streamers so we’ve got a whole slew of those to choose from. These are great because you can easily decorate an entire space with a few rolls of crepe streamers and a pack of tape. You can twist all the colors together to make a really fabulous and cohesive look as well as create so many interesting things! Oh the places you’ll go with a pack of streamers! (Yes, that was a Dr. Seuss pun, I couldn’t help it!)

Blue Streamers

Red Streamers

White Streamers

Oh, and just for fun, these shiny red ceiling streamers would totally just bring the whole streamer vibe together. You can find those here.

There are also plenty of Dr. Seuss themed plates, signs, cups, and so much more available on the website here for all the little details that truly matter!

Another good idea to add that whimsy and over-the-top whacky feel that is oh-so Dr. Seuss would be to add a huge variety of balloons, and perhaps even a balloon arch! Here is one of my fav balloon ideas that is just perfect for The Cat in the Hat vibe.

This balloon game is super cute, easy to play, and perfect for the kids! Pop the balloon and win a prize!

There is so much you can do with a Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat birthday! With a great color palette, it is super easy to get some supplies and really amp up the food to go with the theme! Think about things like a red punch and blue chocolate covered strawberries, pretzels, and any other goodies that can be dipped in chocolate (my ideal party food). Here are a few of my favorite pieces of party inspiration for a great Dr. Seuss birthday.

Cat in the hat candy bar — Courtesy of Catch My Party

Cat in the Hat dessert table — Courtesy of Amy Atlas Events

Posted on February 18, 2021February 18, 2021 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Will You Accept This Rose?

Well, the holiday of love has come and gone, and you’re either feeling lovey-dovey or sad because you’re single. This is not to bring your spirits down, I am simply just speaking the truth. Not gonna lie, I might be a tad bit of the second option at the moment. Anyhow, the point is that we’re all still thinking about love. Now, what better way to celebrate (or cry) about love than to throw a Bachelor watch party?

By now, we’ve gotten to know our guy, Matt James, a little bit better, as well as the women on the show this season, so this means it is the perfect time to throw a Bachelor watch party. It’s simple really… get a few rose petals sprinkled on the ground, some delicious snacks, and of course, some type of game to keep track of the oh-so-many times something dramatic happens. We’ll come back to the game in a second.

First and foremost, a watch party doesn’t need a lot to be great, you just need great company! However, to really add a little spice to your watch party to make it unforgettable, add little decorations that add to the corniness of the show. (trust me, your friends will think it is the cutest thing ever.) Rose petals are a surefire way to get that vibe of “looking for love on reality tv.” They are a great space filler without being too work-intensive, heck you could just throw them on a table or the ground, and they look great!

bachelor party image the blue eyed dove — Courtesy of The Blue-Eyed Dove

Next, we need the snacks. I suggest finger foods that people can munch on all night long. It could be as simple as chips and dip, pretzels, and something sweet like cookies. Again, think simple! This doesn’t need to be a big ordeal, people are always satisfied with a plate full of Oreos and chips, I mean… who isn’t. Anyways, the real fun is in the game you come up with to play during the show!

You can find tons of different game cards and rules on Pinterest, so I will be sharing one of my favorite ideas with you. The best one has to be a drinking game for every time a contestant does something. You don’t have to use alcohol if that’s not your thing, feel free to sub with a fun punch, sodas, or anything else you’d like! Nothing can’t be more fun than laughing and being with friends at tacky reality TV!

The Bachelor Drinking Game: Water Edition

Cheers, to love!

Posted on February 4, 2021February 4, 2021 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Mushy Gushy Valentine’s Day Fun

I don’t know about you guys, but I love Valentine’s Day, like, I really love it. You may be thinking to yourself, oh so she must be in a relationship or something. No. I am not, and in fact, I have never been in one on Valentine’s Day! It is a crazy thing to love a holiday about love and have never been in love. It’s ironic, but kind of iconic, don’t you think? Either way, I love a good Valentine’s Day party. I throw one every year! Even if my “party” consists of 5 people, we still have a really good time. I love my friends, and I make sure to show them that with my fab Valentine’s (or Palentine’s) Day fun. Anyways, let’s talk about how to throw a chill but super fun Valentine’s Day party for all your pals.

I love to do a simple party that consists of a drinks (you know I love a festive punch or cocktail, Pinterest is my go-to for recipes), lots of sweets, and of course, decorations!

I think my favorite part of Valentine’s Day decorations is simply the cheesy, mushy gushiness of them. Bright red and pink hearts with over the top fonts and cheesy love puns for days? Yes, that is perfect to me. Lucky for you, we have a wide variety of the cheesiest decorations you’ve ever seen! When decorating for a Valentine’s Day party, I always say more is more. Give me all the hearts! To save you the time and probably me from embarrassment, I will only show you my top three decorations I will be investing in this year.

These White Heart-Shaped Doilies

I love, love, love doilies. Yes, the three “loves” were completely necessary to convey my opinion on them. These are perfect for easy table decorations, hanging on the wall, or even for under cookies or other sweets. They are great for lining trays with treats for added Valentine’s Day fun.

White heart-shaped doilies Valentine's Day Party Supplies

Heart Garland

Honestly, give me any festive garland, and I will be all over it. It always adds the best little touch of fun. It can really bring a tablescape together, or honestly the whole room! It is super cute, cheap, and easy to use! A perfect option for anyone.

Heart Garland Valentine's Day Party Supplies

Red Heart-Shaped Balloons

Okay, who doesn’t love a good balloon? Festive, fun, and they get the point across. That is a good decoration. Plus, if you don’t have a ton of money to spend on decorations, balloons are great for filling up a space and adding lots of festive fun into the room. These balloons are perfect for Valentine’s Day, and they just scream “mushy gushy love day” to me. Again, I really love this holiday, sue me!

Red Heart Shaped Balloons Valentine's Day Party Supplies

I could absolutely go on, but I promise you I would keep it limited to three! My next word of advice would be to get some really fabulous Valentine’s Day plates, which we have many options of, and really just go to town on your food options!

Word of advice: keep it simple. You don’t have to feed these people dinner! Valentine’s Day is about the sweet indulgence so go for chocolate, cookies, brownies, you know the drill! My favorite way to make any dessert more festive is to add holiday-specific sprinkles (heart sprinkles I am looking at you!). Get some drinks for your guests, tack up those decorations, and wowza you’ve got one heck of a Valentine’s Day party! I’m excited just thinking about it.

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 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 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.

Posted on July 10, 2020July 10, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Vegas Staycation

Are you feeling lucky, but COVID-19 is keeping you from taking that trip to Vegas? Well, it is time to bring Vegas to your home with a fun Casino Night themed party! Keeping CDC guidelines in mind, invite some of your friends or family over for what could be a formula or casual get-together.

Aside from the obvious cards and chips needing for the night all you really need to bring your night together are a few simple accent decorations.

I personally love a patterned or themed napkin and plate — this way you are adding a pop to your food display and decorating at the same time.

The Party Place has everything you need including casino playing cards and some funny money to keep the gambling going without hurting everyone’s pocket books.

Unless you are serious about your casino card game playing, you probably don’t have a blackjack felt green table lying around.

Instead, you can pick up a standard dark green tablecloth from the Party Place, and with a little help from white painter’s tape or washi tape, you can make the perfect outline for your very own DIY Blackjack table.

If you are feeling fancy you can turn your whole night into an evening at the Monte Carlo or if you are wanting to keep it casual invite your guests to keep it comfy and focus on the cards. Either way, all you really need are a few classic casino night decorations, a few finger foods, some good drinks, and most importantly good company to bring Vegas to your very own living room or kitchen.

Posted on June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 by empadmin — Leave a comment

Summer Home Drive-In

It is finally June which means summer is in full swing and despite COVID-19 restrictions relaxing, the number of cases is still rising, and people are still using caution when it comes to certain outings. One thing I have really missed since all of this started is going to the movie theater — there is seriously nothing better than the smell of fresh buttered popcorn while cozying up into the big comfy chair. But why not take advantage of the fresh air by getting out of the house and having an at-home drive-in movie showing.

Creating your at-home drive-in is as easy as 1-2-3! There are a few key things you need: a large white sheet or table cloth, a small portable projector, and lots of blankets and pillows to get cozy.

I know what you’re thinking… a tiny projector?! But I am pleased to tell you that you can find them on Amazon for about $50 and you seriously won’t regret it. (Actually, my little sister used her mini projector as the main TV in her apartment.)

The key to setting the scene is finding a big blank space outside, perhaps your garage door, large blank side of your home, or if you wanted to get really crafty you can use PVC pipes and build your own frame to hold your screen and set it up practically anywhere you want.

I am all into making little things fancy — I seriously think it is the most fun way to make things special and make lasting little memories.

One way to set the scene for your sweet outdoor theater/drive-in is to hand bistro lights around to give it that fun little effect.

Another fun activity is to set up a popcorn bar.

You can grab some popcorn bags from The Party Place some fun movie night themed cups, and a few plastic dishes to set out your giant bowl of popcorn and fun toppings to add to your individual bags.

If you really want to add some extra pops of movie theater vibes to your night you can also grab some fun movie-themed streamers from The Party Place.

However you decide to spice it up, just remember to have fun and embrace the special memories that this crazy time we are in has given you the opportunity to create. Plus, The Party Place is always the perfect place to find all of the special finishing touches.