Improvisation

Shea created her own invitations from our bulk paper.

Allison made the '12' signs for the cupcakes from bulk paper cut down to size.

This is the stationery we ordered for thank you notes!

I have to share with you this great party that my sister-in-law, Allison, hosted for her daughter, Shea. The party was originally planned to be held in the backyard with a garden theme in mind. However, just before the party was to start, the weather started turning stormy. Never fear! My clever sister-in-law can make any place or space festive in a moments notice! She simply moved the party indoors to the playroom. Umbrella and all! I love how the party turned out. It was fun to see outdoor elements such as the potted flowers and plants, brought inside. Sometimes we don’t tend to think outside of the box like that. Love it, love it, love it! (Did I say that already?) Anyhow, being a mother of three girls, she has collected certain party elements that she uses over and over again, always in new settings. The flag banner was originally made just for birthdays, but is now a permanent feature in the playroom. (If you are interested in making one yourself, there is a class coming up on September 24th at Blissful Living Studios. http://blissfullivingstudio.com/shop I have made several of these banners myself, for various holidays.) In lieu of outdoor games, the kids played ‘300 Wishes – An American Girl Game, and asked questions from the family TableTopics cube. (We always stock TableTopics at the store).

Here are a few of Allison’s tips and ideas she used to make this party a success:

“I used to spend hours worrying, and working to make everything perfect when planning a party. Then I realized that the best thing to do is:

- Plan a party based on what the child likes to do. For example: cooking, bouncy rental, Mexican fiesta, or picnics.
-Limit throwing ‘big parties’ for each child to every other year
-Have food! Everyone likes to eat, and it always helps to have food to talk over.
-Don’t think so hard about it. Parties are much more fun in a relaxed atmosphere.
-Let kids play and enjoy their time together. That’s what it’s really all about!

This is the menu Allison put together for the party:
-Lemonade with fresh raspberries
-Sparkling apple cider (use clear plastic glasses to get the benefit of seeing these pretty, bubbly drinks)
-Bowls of fresh berries
-Mixed nuts
-Assorted cookies such as butter, ginger and almond
-Homemade Strawberry Sorbet (recipe below)
-Cupcakes (Allison happens to be a wonderful baker and decorator, but you can order cupcakes from any grocery store)

I firmly believe that you can have a fabulous party without spending a fortune. It just looks like you did! And, even though things may not go as planned, keep a cool head. (And maybe have a plan B!)

-M.

Summer Strawberry Sorbet
-Simple Syrup: Dissolve ½ Cup Sugar in 1 Cup of water over low heat.
-Remove from heat and cool to room temperature
-Puree 1 Cup of Strawberries
-Mix strawberries with simple syrup
-Pour into metal baking pan and put in freezer for 1 hour
-Take mixture out of freezer and whip with hand mixture for 1 minute
- Freeze for 1 more hour
-Take mixture out of freezer and whip again with hand mixer or blender
-Put into pretty serving dishes and top with fresh whipping cream and sliced strawberries