Easy DIY Champagne Cork Wedding Party Figures

Easy DIY Champagne Cork Wedding Party Figures

Hello friends, I’m back from my eldest son’s destination wedding in Highlands, NC! Although I’m still regrouping, I wanted to share a quick post on how I made champagne cork wedding party figures.

champagne-cork-bridesmaid-figure

In lieu of a reception dinner for the immediate family and wedding attendants, hubby and I hosted all ninety guests at a welcome party. After all, they had all traveled for the three-day, Labor Day weekend event. Most of the bride’s family and bridesmaids flew from CA. And one of my son’s high school friends came all the way from South Korea!

To kickoff the wedding weekend, we invited everyone to Flat Mountain Farm, a 28-acre luxury micro-resort and historic rhododendron farm. It was a magnificent setting! See a recap of the set-up, DIY decorations, food and beverages in, Unique Rustic Barn Wedding Welcome Party Decor.

The welcome party was held in Flat Mountain’s antique, Scandinavian-style black barn. It had been relocated all the way from Pennsylvania and renovated with a long back porch, restrooms, commercial kitchen, and stone fireplace.

To compliment the setting, I wanted a rustic but sophisticated style for the party decor. So I choose a theme that incorporated wine bottles, corks and wood slices into the centerpieces and other decorations. And, to personalize each place setting for members of the wedding party, I hand-painted and embellished a champagne cork.

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DIY Spooky Dollar Tree Painted Halloween Glasses

DIY Spooky Dollar Tree Painted Halloween Glasses

To welcome the spooky season, I’m sharing how I made a set of painted Halloween glasses over the weekend. They’ll serve as guest favors for an upcoming dinner party on the Gone Batty: Black, White & Purple Halloween Table.

spooky-black-tree-hand-painted-Halloween-glass

And, they’ll be featured in the annual Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop. It’s my fifth year participating. So, styling a table that wasn’t repetitive of what I’ve already done was challenging.

Usually, I alternate between two different sets of Halloween theme plates. Last year, however, my wedding china, and heirloom crystal and sterling were used for the Halloween Gothic Glam Table & Skeleton Napkin Fold. It’s one of my all-time favorite tablescapes!

This year, I’ll be pulling the Wiccan Lace plates once again. But, to mix things up a bit, I’ve decided to incorporate purple into a Halloween table setting and created a marbled pumpkin centerpiece.

Since I don’t own any Halloween specific stemware, I’ve also transformed smoky black, Dollar Tree stems into painted Halloween glasses. Come see how!

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Paint Thanksgiving Turkey Glasses as Table Favors

Paint Thanksgiving Turkey Glasses as Table Favors

To decorate this year’s Thanksgiving table, I’ve hand painted some fun turkey glasses.

Thanksgiving-turkey-painted-glass-stem

Dear hubby and I had been hoping to spend Thanksgiving with our adult sons in Philadelphia. Because of the horrible-no-good-very-bad-awful virus, our small gathering of seven is now five down to four in Pittsburgh.

Regardless of the size, I think it’s still important to count our blessings, eat a fairly traditional meal (even if scaled back), and set a festive table. So, I decided to do a little craft therapy, by painting glasses with a pilgrim hat topped gobbler.

If you’re hopping over from Rebecca’s of Zucchini Sisters and her adorable DIY gnome garland, welcome! Seventeen talented bloggers are sharing their creative endeavors this month.

Here, I’ll show how to paint Thanksgiving turkey glasses in five easy steps, using my template method.

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Host an Extraordinary Favorite Things Party (Part 2)

Host an Extraordinary Favorite Things Party (Part 2)

Follow the basic game plan outlined in How to Host a My Favorite Things Party (Part 1), for a wonderful afternoon or evening with friends and family. In this second post, I share six additional suggestions to take your party from fun to extraordinary.

Starting with my very first gathering, I sorta put the basic concept on steroids! So far, I’ve held four parties over six years. Many of the party ideas and suggestions can easily be applied to a birthday celebration, shower, fundraiser, or other gathering.

I love party planning, entertaining and making stuff! The event is a creative and artistic outlet for me. But, don’t worry, you needn’t be artistic or even crafty to bee an extraordinary party hostess.

There’s Pinterest, the Internet and magazines as sources for ideas, recipes, party supplies, services and vendors. In fact, I’ve found some of my own creative inspiration in all those places. And, I’ve shared lots of posts and pictures on my theme parties to borrow from.

Each gathering has been a labor of love. They are a thank you gift to friends and family for putting up with my idiosyncrasies, foibles, quirks and periodic neuroses. For being there through thick and thin. For being part of my history. Mostly, my parties are a celebration of affection and friendship.

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12 Alice in Wonderland Party Favor Ideas & Crafts

12 Alice in Wonderland Party Favor Ideas & Crafts

Coming around to another birthday, with found memories of my milestone Unbirthday Party. Today, I’m sharing each Wonderland party favor the Queen of Hearts bestowed on her guests.

Queen-of-Hearts-sign-take-one

While reviewing vacations photos to create last week’s, Galapagos Islands Cruise, I was surprised to discover unpublished pictures from the theme My Favorite Things Party. Just shows how badly I’ve needed to get my pictures organized, lol!

In my defense, there were probably upwards of a thousand photographs from the party crafts, decorations, food, tables, games, and gift exchange. Many were taken by family and friends who shared them months later.

At some point, I also figured you might be “overdosing” on Wonderland? I moved on to holiday and seasonal posts, forgetting all about the three remaining Unbirthday party topics.

So, back down the rabbit hole we go! With the world beginning to open up, and larger groups allowed to congregate, people will host celebrations like birthdays and showers again. I’m hoping you’ll find some inspiration from these Wonderland party favors, even for gatherings with tea or gardening themes.

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Craft Fun to Fabulous Floral Fascinator

Craft Fun to Fabulous Floral Fascinator

For a little whimsy, I’m sharing a floral fascinator that’s easy to make, with inexpensive materials you may already have at home.

sunflower-fascinator-outfit

It’s the third in a trio of tutorials on how to create unique and fun headpieces or party toppers.

All three millinery designs were made to stock the Mad Hatter’s Trunk Show, where 16 guests chose a fascinator to compliment their fashionable attire. Each then posed for posterity in the party photo booth.

It was in celebration of my milestone Alice in Wonderland, Unbirthday Party.

Today’s floral fascinator project is part of a huge craft blog hop organized by Chloe of Celebrate and Decorate. If you’re looking for some creative ideas and inspiration, you’re bound to find it here! Twenty-five bloggers from all over the country are participating in this crafting celebration.

Thanks to all for stopping by! And, a special welcome to those coming from Create with Cynthia and her cute stenciled handkerchief.

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