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 The flag banner was originally made just for birthdays, but is now a permanent feature in the playroom.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

08.08.08

I am so excited for the Olympics to start! I love watching all of the amazing athletes. And, in a time when we could all use a little happiness and something to hope for, what could be better than rooting for our country? My husband and I watched the trials this summer, so we have decided to have an Olympics Games kick off party at our house to watch the opening ceremonies. GO USA!!! Can’t wait! And, even if you don’t particularly enjoy the Olympics, it’s a great excuse to check out Michael Phelps in his swim trunks! Hot, hot, hot! We wish all of our Olympians luck in the next couple of weeks. I can’t even imagine the dedication and hard work it must take to get where they are.

-M.

p.s. here is our menu in case you need some ideas to have a party of your own!

-Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts
-Spiced edamame
-Spinach & artichoke dip
-Pizza bar (we provide lots of toppings and let everyone make their own)
-Caesar Salad
-Lots of beers from around the world
-Ice Cream bar (make your own creation)

Going Green!

I love the new push to ‘go green’. I am right on the band wagon! I’ve been worried about the effects of aerosol sprays since the 80’s when we were using two cans of Aqua Net a day to lift our hair 6 inches off our heads! And although I am not obsessed with it, I am trying to do my part… fluorescent light bulbs, recycling, and one of my favorite new ‘green’ ideas is bringing your own bags to the grocery store. I hate thinking of all the plastic sitting in our landfills…. FOREVER! Okay, I did say I’m not obsessed right? Anyhow, I have been happily bringing my own bags to the store, and have found that I am now using my tote bags on a daily basis. I use them as my carry-alls to work, stores, or wherever I am going. I have even used them to pack up dinner to take to our friend’s house! So in an effort to get everyone else on board with this new trend, we just got in these cute new shopping bags. They are sold in sets of 3 for $19.99! Look great and feel great by doing your part to help the environment!

M.

Blissful Children's Parties!

Hello everyone! Happy Monday to you! I hope you have been enjoying our much needed rain. It felt so great to ride bikes last night with the streets glistening wet and breathing fresh air!

I want to make sure all of you know of an upcoming class that Kristin, from Domestic Bliss, and I will be teaching at the Blissful Living Studio this Saturday, the 19th from 2 to 4 p.m. It is going to be so much fun! We will be discussing ideas for children's parties. You will learn fun, creative, budget conscious ideas starting with the invitation, all the way to the favors, and the thank you notes for after the party! Anyone who knows Kristin knows she is the guru of all party planning, so be sure to call the studio and sign up at 480.733.5558 or check out the website at http://blissfullivingstudio.com/.

I did a guest appearance on Sonoran Living this morning to give a brief overview on the upcoming class. (I swear, I think it took some years off my life, I was so nervous!) In honor of the show, we will be offering the class at half the regular price of $40. So now you can come get some sweet ideas on how to get a jump start on your next party, for only $20!
Hope to see you this Saturday!

-M.

We are very happy to announce that our store has been chosen to be included in the new eat.shop phoenix guide that just came out! The eat.shop guide is all about eating and shopping! How grand! The guide focuses on 90 carefully chosen stores and restaurants, all locally owned, in cities from Portland, Ore., to Paris. I am so excited about these books, not just because our store is in them, but because they make the perfect gift! Whether you are buying for someone who lives here in Arizona, or for a friend who is coming to visit, they will definitely want to check out this guide! There is beautiful photography and it’s size makes it perfect to tote around with you. Of course the best thing is that there are some seriously great businesses to check out. I have lived in Phoenix all of my life and I never knew of some of the stores and restaurants that are featured! My plan is to go through the book and visit every shop and eatery in it. If you are interested in getting one of these must have books, we have plenty in stock at the store. I guarantee you will love it!

-M

p.s. Did any of you try the onion rings? They were delicious!

Hooray for Independance Day!

I hope all of you have great plans for this 4th of July. How perfect that it lands on a Friday! At home we are having the usual all-American celebration with burgers, dogs and finger lickin' onion rings. Yummy! (all served on the above festive plates!) This year we are planning to actually see the fireworks as well. I can't wait! There is nothing that sparks your patriotism quite like watching the night light up to the sounds of our country's anthem.

Happy 4th!

-m.

Here is the onion ring recipe compliments of Martha Stewart:

Beer-Battered Onion Rings
(serves 6)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Cayenne pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
¾ cup beer, preferably lager or pilsner
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
2 large white onions, cut crosswise into
½-inch-thick slices, separated into rings
Sea salt, preferably melon
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

1. Combine flour, salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, beer, egg, and lemon zest, and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200°. Place a baking sheet on middle rack of oven. Heat oil to 380° in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Dip a few slices of onion in batter, turning to coat. Gently drop slices into oil. Cook, turning once with a wire-mesh skimmer, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer rings to paper towels, season with salt immediately, then transfer onions to the baking sheet to keep warm. Repeat with remaining onions. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Okay, so I have been a little M.I.A. I have been experiencing birthday week! And it’s been great! So, that, combined with the fact that since I last posted, the weather has taken a most disastrous turn. It is blasted hot! But the good news is that summer is now officially here and that means beach time!

At the store we are spending our time gearing up for fall, and ordering lots of fabulous paper products. I have also been picking out personalized stationery. I hardly ever take the time to pick something out for myself, but thought it was appropriate for a little birthday treat! We have the most darling cards from Jenny Sweeney Designs. (jennysweeneydesigns.com) You can choose the paper, the design motif, and the color of glitter you want to customize your stationery! I am so excited! It was so much fun to order!

So if you need a little mental break from the heat, come in and check out the many lines of personalized stationery that we carry, and treat yourself by getting some of your own. We promise it is much cooler in the store than it is outside!

-M.

p.s. I am also including a photo from the impromptu lunch I had at my sister’s house today. The reason I had to document this event is that she is in the middle of house redo right now. She recently purchased a historical home that needed a complete (and I do mean COMPLETE) overhaul. She and her husband are living in a tiny room attached to the garage for a year while the main house is being re-built. So I love it that she threw together this fabulous lunch and table setting. A little piece of heaven in the midst of complete chaos!