More Halloween Party Inspiration

Always love thinking about Halloween! Here are a few more ways to Frost your Halloween party this year!  p.s. did you check out everyone's party links?

I love this setup! Sometimes you forget to think about lanterns for holiday decorating, but look at the "boo!" so cute! And the spiders on the drink bowl - so clever! Source

Bats on finials would be a great decorations and you could let your guests take one home! I think they would be easy to make - trip to the hardware store, glue and some bats - you could pull this off! Source

I love fun new approaches to decorating pumpkins - this might be one of my favs! Almost 200 bucks! But you could do the same with some some supplies from the craft store! Source

Awesome dessert for your party! Never go wrong with cheesecake, right?!? Super simple to create the bats and impress your guests! Source and recipe

Apple party ideas!

I love including fruit and veggies into any party decor - inexpensive, colorful and yummy! Why not do an apple themed party? Would be fun to have everyone go to an orchard and pick apples, come back to a fun setup with some of these dabs of frosting...

Think of unique ways to incorporate! I love how they just set them under glass! You could find the round glass at stores like Wal-mart & Target by the table linens.  Source found via barefootbird blog

Cut them up and use them in an apple martini or apple cider mix - use a few whole apples around as decoration.  Source and recipe (slide 15)

I found this apple and flower centerpiece to be gorgeous! You could have to use skewers into styrofoam to hold them in, but wow! Source

Totally on my list to buy now... apple candle carver! hello?!? fantastic! Such an inexpensive way to add such character! Source

I HAVE to put a candied apples on this post! I think these are EXTRA fab! The packaging totally makes this great! - how fantastic are those little flags? - Just craft paper with stickers - any one can do it! Source

Tree inspired...

So we started ring shopping yesterday (BIG GRIN!) so my mind is on a wedding of course! We know that it will be nature inspired theme so bear with all the nature postings ;o) Here are some Tree inspired ideas...they would translate well into garden parties too.

The table setting is so simple, but yet so elegant! Instead of a fabric runner, it's a beautiful piece of distressed wood.  Anyone who has prepared for a party has enough energy and frustration (heehee) while preparing to distress a new piece of wood and then stain it to look like it's reclaimed.  Beautiful and stress relieving! Source

Again, another simple idea - wood coasters.  You could even do these as favors wrapped up with twine and have some kind of tag about the event/wedding.  I want to make these for my house! If you don't have a miter saw, I think you can find them on Etsy, but I tried my hardest but couldn't locate them.  Picture Source

This is such a clever idea! Just punch initials into leaves! This would even be great at Thanksgiving with fall leaves! Don't stop there! Think of other things you could punch a simple initial into for great impact!  I purchased a alphabet punch set at my local crafting store.  Source

Last Thanksgiving Post

Here's a few last minute ideas for the Thanksgiving table.  I don't know about anyone else, but I am shutting off new ideas today for I have WAY too much to do by the party!

These adorable turkey cutout bags would be great for use as a "doggy" bag for all the goodies you couldn't stuff in at one seating! I was also thinking, you could make these bags for any occasion - just stick a bag into your sizzix (or related cutter) and some clear paper inside and voila! Instant treat bags for any party!Pic is from AmyAtlas

These turkey cookies make me smile every time I have seen their picture around the internet! This is another snapshot from AmyAtlas fantastic dessert bars she does.  Not sure if you could eat these though, they are too adorable!

Lastly, I will leave you with a cute idea for place cards - simple, yet fantastic! I am going to try and make these using my cricut design studio.  If you don't have a machine, then just cut out two identical hat shapes and tape on the inside to connect them, add ribbon and a tag and complete! Source: papercraftsconnection.com

Autumn Placecards

As we prepare for our family events or the big Thanksgiving dinner, here are Autumn inspired placecards that would be perfect for table assignments or as buffet markers to let everyone know what's inside that fantastic pie!

These are simple, yet so elegant - these could even be beautiful for an Autumn wedding.

These are a great homemade project that can serve as placecards, as well as a take-home favor! From one of my new obsessions:  www.amuseartstamps.com

These little adorable turkeys are from wrapables.com.

More Thanksgiving!

I am in hyper-planning mode for our special after Thanksgiving party.  We have everyone over the Saturday following Thanksgiving to have a night of fun gingerbread house building and stuffing our faces (again!).  Here are some more ideas I have collected.

Hello! you don't have to ask me twice to find a way to incorporate donuts into a party lol.  These are 2/3 of a donut hole, dipped in peanut butter, rolled in toffee bits with a piece of pretzel for the stem - how insanely cute are these!?!  They put them on leaves cut from fall colored napkins... me, I think I will cheat and cut out some leaves with my cricut ;o)  Source:  familyfun.go.com

Ok, if the ones above are too many steps, then ta-da! These should fit the bill... chocolate kisses with mini nilla wafers attached with frosting and a little dab on top for the stem.  Fantastically cute and super easy! (no excuses not to make these!!)  Source: littlenummies.net

I must be hungry this morning, here's another great idea for the Thanksgiving dessert table.  These owls are made from all things you can buy at the store and assemble, super easy and a great way to justify eating 2 cookies and not just one ;o)  Source:  brightideas.com

Thanksgiving Ideas

It seems like there are only hours before Thanksgiving but thank goodness we have a little more time than that to put together a memorable day!  The menu and cooking takes up so much time, but make sure you add in a few unique items to really set the mood.  Hope these help inspire!

The best of both worlds - decorating with pumpkins AND flowers! This would make a dramatic centerpiece on it's own, but pair with smaller ones with different colors flowers - now the wow factor would be turned way up! Source

What a crazy adorable way to serve us cheese and grapes! This turkey would make the perfect addition to any buffet table! Source: parenting magazine

These layered cakes shaped like pumpkins are so beautiful! you can buy them (though very pricey) at www.deandeluca.com.  I think you could make this with a little patience... stack cake to make the initial shape, ice coat, then fondant, then press in the pumpkin "lines" and finish with a stem... we'll see if they can fit in my baking schedule!

More Nature!

A few more things found along the way to make any NATURE inspired event beautiful! I need to ask a friend that lives near woods to "gift" me some branches and stumps to cut down for cake stands and coasters - they are so expensive to buy on-line! I have a miter saw, bring it on!

This beautiful tablescape simply uses twigs tied together to create a fall-tastic look! I am sure you can get these at any local craft store, but I know (because I have some!) you can get these very cheap if you have an Ikea close by.  Source:  thepartydress.net

These inexpensive placecard holders would be perfect for any outdoor party! I love the stamp work on each card and the use of copper wire to accent.  I could get making these this weekend if I get those free branches ;o)  Source

Most of the time it's not about how much it cost, it's about how you present it... another inexpensive, yet elegant display! Simple tin bucket with a little natural twine bow, filled with pistachios and a elegant scripted note that proclaims "nuts for each other" - how adorable! Source

Ugh, now on to Thanksgiving!

Now that Halloween is over and all the candy clearance has been snatched, time to think about THANKSGIVING! Here are a few ideas to get us started planning!

These cornucopia's come in a set of three and would be fantastic to keep out all throughout the fall with fresh flowers, fruit or gourds.  Set of three can be purchased for only $19 bucks at PlumParty

 
Another great fall idea that can carry you through to Christmas is filling vases you currently have around the house with acorns and a freshly cut mum! These would look great in sets of different heights or just by themselves.  Source

Another inexpensive way to dress your buffet or kitchen table is with these "goose neck" squash with cloves as "eyes" and a folded napkin.  How simple, but beautiful! Source

Autumn Centerpieces

I am not much on decorating for holidays, but just a few touches around put a little fall "icing" on the house for the season. Here are some great AUTUMN CENTERPIECES that would look great throughout the fall without going overboard with bats and pilgrims hanging on the walls ;o)

A beautiful white pumpkin stuffed full of flowers in shades of fall would look lovely on the table, but also on an entry table, fireplace or even on a bookshelf - you could do smaller pumpkins to get a less expensive option or treat yourself! Source:  Martha Stewart (of course!)

This is an arrangement I did myself many Thanksgivings ago to give as a hostess gift.  I started with a wire pumpkin frame that many use for a candle, put in some floral foam and started filling up! The hostess could then use the pumpkin frame after the arrangement had died off.

This one from Country Living will last all through the fall with minimal cost (maybe replace the apples every few weeks)... so simple, but a HUGE impact!

Autumn Party

The perfect thing to go with the trees turning beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow is an AUTUMN PARTY!  The following ideas would be the perfect "icing" to dinner party on a brisk night with hot cider and good friends...

These placecards are fantastic - I love the fall tones of gold and rust.  If you have horrible handwriting like I do, consider printing out the names out on the printer.  A craft punch can save you the painstaking time of cutting out leaf shapes.  You could modify this with any shape to suit any event.  These are from Martha Stewart (link)

This is an adorable and almost FREE! fall place card holder.   From Martha Stewart (source), these would be great in any tablescape... and best thing is it doesn't take any crafting skills or tools to complete!

I had this clipping of these fantastic pears from so long ago I don't know the source :o(  I am trying to figure out what was used to make these because how beautiful these would be on a table!

Pumpkin pops are adorable and a great way to keep portion sizes under control during the holiday season approaching! These are from Beau-Coup but with a little imagination, these would be easy to make.  Either use brownie pop molds or just use a round piece of cake you cut, dip in chocolate and do some finishing touches.