Themed Party Ideas from Cheers all Year.com

Bridal Shower Ideas

2012-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

Gathering bridal shower ideas is on many agendas these days!

Did you recently get engaged? Or, do you know someone who recently said, "Yes" to a marriage proposal? The holiday season is the #1 most popular time for women to become engaged. The month of February (Valentine's Day) is a close second!

Not surprisingly, I know three people who've recently become engaged. That's right, I said three! So engagement parties, bridal showers, and even bachelorette parties are on my mind.

When I think of bridal showers, I think of having beautiful decorations, meeting all the ladies in the bride's family, and the food of course. But, the main thing I think about as a party host, is creating a warm and fun-filled environment.

It's always a wonderful gesture to create activities and games that make it easy for people who don't know each other to meet and strike up a conversation. The best part of a successful party is when a game you've chosen makes your guests smile and laugh; your unique activities are what creates memories.

For a bridal shower, a mix of sentimental games or activities and funny games is a great bet. It's important that the games appeal to a wide audience, because bridal showers will include people of all ages and backgrounds from aunts and grandmothers to friends' friends, sisters, and cousins. But just because your games need to appeal to different people doesn't mean they need to be dull! Quite the contrary!

Creating that balance can be a challenge, but it can be done. You'll find dozens of bridal shower games on our website. And, I want to introduce you to our newest bridal shower game, the LEFT-RIGHT bridal shower game.

Many of you have played the Left-Right game. It's a gift exchange game (also used for party favors) where each guest brings an inexpensive wrapped gift. When it's time to play the game, guests either sit or stand in a circle with their gift in hand. The host reads a prepared story aloud. The story (or poem in our case) has many instances of the words "Left" and "Right". Each time the guests hear these words they pass the gift in the indicated direction.

Another version of the game is for players to pass the gifts continuously in one direction until they hear the prompt to change the direction that gifts are passed.

We've taken great care to make our Printable Left Right Bridal Shower game fun & funny! It's a poem full of marital advice to make both friends and grandmothers chuckle! This game is also customizable with the bride's and groom's name, so it makes a sweet keepsake.

Here are a few lines from the beginning of the poem, to give you an idea of how it reads:

Martha’s getting married; few single days are LEFT,
And her marriage to Preston will leave all bachelors bereft!

So RIGHT-ly forgive us for preparing this marital advice,
As friends we’re LEFT with this duty, and we feel it’s only RIGHT.

Learn to cook the RIGHT kind of meal: not too tasty, slightly bland,
Lest he’ll never take you out the eat; you’ll be LEFT with the frying pan.

...and so the story continues with fun advice for a happy marriage.

Left Right Bridal Shower Game
$1.99
For Gift or Favor Exchanges at
Bridal Shower Parties

Should you decide to go with our version of the bridal shower Left Right game, you can just click on the button to purchase, download, and print and play!

Happy Holidays! See The Party Photos

2011-12-29T09:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from CheersAllYear.com and Themed-Party-Ideas.com. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas & Happy Chanukah. Cynthia and I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

I wanted to share just a few photos of our annual Christmas party. This years theme was "Merry Mid-Century". Many guests came in costume, including me. We featured an aluminum Christmas tree, and framed advertisements from the 50s and 60s. For our live tree, large colored light bulbs added a touch of nostalgia.

Party Food

Vintage cocktails were probably the most popular item I've ever served at a party. The printable cocktail recipes are available on the Themed-Party-Ideas.com cocktail party ideas page.

A lot of people ask, "What's a vintage cocktail?" Vintage cocktails are all made from scratch (no mixers), giving them an unbelievably fresh and delicious taste. If you enjoy cocktail parties, a vintage cocktail party is a MUST! Your guests will be quite impressed with the uniqueness of these party drinks. Serving Tip: A lemon/lime squeezer will make these drinks much easier to produce.

If you have more than 15 guests, I highly recommend hiring a bartender for this! The drinks are easy to make, but overwhelming with a crowd. Most bartenders aren't familiar with vintage cocktails, so provide the recipe poster card from the link above for him or her. I displayed the recipe poster card in a frame on the bar to make it easy on the bartender.

Vintage Recipe Poster Available on The Themed-Party-Ideas.com Website

The party food also had a vintage theme. I served stuffed clams in the half shell, casseroles, and spiral ham. Of course, I threw in a few favorites like shish kabobs and meatballs because they're so popular.

Start with great party food

Party Details Make It Special

One other party detail: guest menus. I created menus as party favors for the guests. One the front of the menu I featured my neighborhood name. Inside the menu was a list of cocktails with the ingredients of each. That way, guests can take home the menu and recreate the drinks for themselves.

Vintage Cocktail Party Menus - Front Cover

On the backside, I featured vintage restaurant and club reviews. The reviews mentioned many movie stars of the day and which restaurants they frequented. I incorporated the names of many of my guests along with those of famous movie stars into the reviews.

The restaurant and club reviews came from vintage newspaper articles which you can get from library books or online. For a personal touch, I made up a review for the "Riverview Club", a fictitious club named after my neighborhood.

A portion of the review read as follows (the names are changed to protect to somewhat innocent):

Perhaps the most sought after place to be seen is the Riverview Club. Socialites, musicians, and artists all flock to this alternative night spot, where a cornucopia of cocktails and a generous display of hospitality can always be found.

The club is hosted by the Scheffels, Lenny Schwartz, Mary Jones, and Robert Kaufman to name only a few. Movie stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Margret Smith, and Allison Faulkner often grace the club.

Vintage Cocktail Party Menus - Back Cover

Party Games Rule!

The White Elephant Game, is one of the best Christmas party games out there. That's why we play it every year.

That pig I'm holding has made its way under the tree on a few different occasions. I'm proud to say, it's now on my dining room table! Maybe it will return as a white elephant gift in the future...we'll see!

Attention Please: it's time to play the White Elephant Game!

Each guest selected a printed number with a lucky numbered fortune for the White Elephant Game

No fighting over your white elephant gifts!

This guest drew a numbered fortune card (from the printable white elephant game) that read: "You will come into some money"...what do you know...She DID!

My turn to open the gifts

Surprise! The pig is back from Christmas gift exchanges past years! I'm so happy!

The White Elephant Game has Happy Returns

Party Nametags: A Guest Favorite! Here's Why.

This year's nametags were a favorite. I used the nametags available in the printable adult Christmas party book because at the bottom of each nametag is printed: "I Like ___________". Guests filled in anything they liked. Among the clever things people like: Wine, Chocolate, Tennis, Movies, You, Snow, Santa, My Husband, Helpers (that was mine), and several other clever ideas. The nametags turned out to be a great conversation starter.

But even funnier is that I'm still finding nametags. The day after the party I found a nametag in a carton of eggs within my fridge, in a bowl on my mantel and in a drawer in my bathroom, and in various other places. Guests decided it would be funny to hide them at the end of the night. I laugh every time I find one! Next year, I'm giving a prize for the most cleverly hidden!

Add pins to party nametags with hot glue gun

Unique Party Favor Ideas - The Vintage Jewelry Tree

A black velvet jewelry tree adorned with vintage jewelry was the centerpiece of one room. Each guest could select the piece of jewelry she wanted as her party favor. It was a HUGE hit! I've received tons of notes and letters from guests who loved this party detail.

The vintage jewelry was collected for a few months before the party. I found it everywhere; antique shops, vintage stores, thrift stores, and on Ebay. As an added detail, I took a photo of the tree once I created it and Photoshopped the image into a photo from the TV show "Madmen", since "Madmen" is a popular show that takes place in the 50s and 60s.

New Years Party Ideas: The Next Big Event!

Whether you party with a crowd or just celebrate with a few people, the New Year is a time for living it up and being thankful for all that you have.

Make a New Years resolution to have your best year ever. Find ways to celebrate even the small things with friends. It the small things that make a big year and we'll be here to celebrate them all with you!

Happy New Year!

Party Logistics: Making Room for Guests

2011-12-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

Party Logistics: 101

You've planned a home party, now you need to make room for everyone to attend! Usually when you send out invitation to 50 guests, you expect 25 or 35 to attend. Many people have multiple parties to attend during the season, they're traveling, or they have family obligations. This means that not everyone that you invite can attend.

What happens if everyone sends a positive RSVP? Make room!

I love home parties, even when it's a small office event. But, this often creates some logistical issues that have to be worked out?

In the wintertime, when it's cold outside, opening up the backyard or porch may not be an option. That is, unless you rent tents and heaters.

Say you have 30 to 50 guests in your home:

Where will you place 30 to 50 coats? Most coat closets can't accommodate this!
How will the party flow? 50 people gathering in the kitchen (even a large kitchen) won't work!
Will there be enough seating? Even at a cocktail party, guests may want to sit part of the time.

These are the types of logistics I work through each year at my annual Christmas party. I image many of you have dealt with these issue too.

Here are some ideas to help ease the planning and party logistics. Feel free to comment and add your own ideas.

Dealing with Coats
Create a "coat closet" in an bedroom or other room not in use for the party. You can purchase, rent, or borrow clothing racks. I purchased mine used from a retail fixture outlet for about $25 each. I store them in the garage and pull them out for parties.

Hire a coat check girl. Hire a friend's teenage daughter or a college student for and hour or two to take coats from guests. Guests can usually pick up their own coats when they leave. But when a crowd arrives at the same time, a coat check girl can come in quite handy!

Managing the Flow: Combating the Bottle Neck Effect
No matter what type of home party I host, the most popular place is always the kitchen. For some reason, people just love being in a kitchen! This creates a bottle neck effect, meaning a crowd that's hard to pass through.

My home is over 100 years old. For an old home the kitchen is very large, but NOT large enough for an entire party! If you have this issue, there are some strategies to help.

To combat the bottle neck effect, place food in different areas of the home. A desert station can go in the dining room, A champagne and drink station in the parlor, and dips and easy edibles in the living area.

It's not just about food placement though. Other ways to get your crowd to mingle include placing interesting icebreaker games, conversation starter cards, and activities throughout the party location.

For example, each room can feature something interesting for guests to either "do" or "admire".

For my home mid-century Christmas party I'm placing a special menu in one room. The enlarged menu features the cocktails I'm serving on the right side and famous restaurant reviews of the 50s and 60s on the left.

The restaurant reviews feature celebrities of the time. I've sprinkled in as many of my guests names as possible. By the menu there will be a pen and note asking each guests to sign the menu. Smaller menus will be provided as mementos for guests.

In a different room, I'll place printable CheersAllYear.com Party Talk cards. These are always a hit and an easy icebreaker. Christmas trivia cards can also make a fun icebreaker.

Since my theme is retro and vintage, I'm placing vintage advertisements, magazines, and books throughout the party rooms to draw interest and help strike fun conversation. You can do something similar with any theme: Texas Christmas, 80s Christmas, Focus on Christ Christmas, Very Virginia Christmas, Christmas Around the World, Winter Wonderland, Christmas in New York, Naughty or Nice, or whatever your Christmas party theme.

How Much Seating Do I Need?

The truth is, you don't want all your guests to sit (unless it's a dinner party). If there's too much seating, guests won't mingle and that's a recipe for party death!

However, you do want guests to be able to sit for a while, rest their feet, and be able to enjoy a bit to eat.

My formula is seating for half the guests. So, for 50 guests, 25 seats would be ideal. If you don't have enough seating, party rental supply stores are an easy solution.

Depending on the types of chairs you rent, they can range from $1 to $5 in most U.S. areas. You can rent 30 inch round tables that seat 2 or 3 people, 36 inch rounds that seat 4 to 5 or 48 inch rounds that seat 6 to 8. These tables are generally very inexpensive. In my area, rental tables are less than $10 each.

If you rent tables, don't forget the linens (rental tables are ugly!). The rental store will help you decide which linens you need. For example, for a 30" table, you'll need 90" linens to hit floor. Make certain that your linen size is appropriate for the tables you rent.

More party planning tips coming your way. Stay tuned and happy holidays!

Christmas Trees: Live or Artificial?

2011-11-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Tree Decorations

When it comes to Christmas trees, everyone has an opinion on what's better: live or artificial. I've done both.

This year, I purchased a 1958 aluminum tree (photo coming soon, still decorating) for my retro themed party. I also purchased a live tree for my living area and posted the photo above.

The aluminum tree has stood the test of time, 60+ years and it still looks great. I purchased it online from a vintage store. When it arrived I was astounded that it weighed about 3 pounds and came in a box so small that I was sure a 6 foot tree would NOT be inside.

Christmas Party Decorations

However, there was indeed a 6 foot tree that took me about 20 minutes to assemble. The sparkle of the aluminum tree is astounding. But, it smells a bit like aluminum...go figure?

The live tree took both my friend and I all day to purchase, lug home, set in the tree stand, fluff the branches, add lights (lots of lights) and finally hang the ornaments. Let the pine needles begin!

Again, sticking with the 1960s theme, I purchased very large colored bulbs for the tree. The bulbs are just like the ones in a 1963 GE advertisement I purchased as party decoration.

A nice addition to a retro style live tree is to add real lead tinsel. I skipped this option because I have an aluminum tree in the next room.

The fragrance of the live tree fills the house, and when we lit it, I felt like a kid again. My friend and I stood back and admired it, "Isn't it beautiful?!" we said.

No other time of year could you create something so gaudy, so outlandish, and call it beautiful. Can you imagine getting a dozen anniversary roses with glitter and colored light bulbs attached? That's grounds for divorce! Christmas trees and Christmas party decorations are the exception! Go big or go home!

Whether you're on the side of the artificial tree with all it's ease, or live tree with it's majesty and scent, I'm here to say, it's o.k. to play both sides of the Christmas tree fence!

I hope you're following all the happening of my Christmas party plans. Each day I'm adding a post of what I'm doing to prepare. There are very few days left, and LOTS to do. More than 50 people will fill my small home...see how (if) I pull it off!

Vintage Cocktail Recipes: Party Perfect!

2011-11-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hot off the press: vintage cocktail recipes poster!

Printable Vintage Recipes

The countdown to my December 9th Mad Men Mid-Century themed Christmas party is on. To help me get ready, my sister, the Themed-Party-Ideas.com graphic artist, created a fantastic vintage cocktail recipes poster.

I plan to display this poster on the bar at my party and to print menus on nice card stock as party souvenirs.

To keep cocktail parties easy, a fixed menu is in order. Because I only wanted to use four primary liquors to keep costs at check, the vintage cocktails on this poster are designed to use vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey.

All of the recipes are authentic vintage cocktails from the 1950s and 1960s. You'll notice there are no cocktail mixers; they're all made from scratch.

You too can use this same vintage cocktail recipes poster. Visit the cocktail party ideas page, click on the picture of the cocktail poster and it will automatically pop up. Just print!

Three weeks before the party, I hired a bartender from a mobile bartender service. I reviewed the menu to make sure the bartender was comfortable making the drinks.

It's now just under two weeks before the party and there's tons to do. Many things like food and flowers must wait until just before the party, but there are several things you can do well in advance. Getting your bar ready is one of them.

Here's what's on my party "to do" list for early this week:

Take an inventory of the liquor I already have
Purchase the ingredients for the vintage cocktails
Take an inventory of all my glassware
Purchase (or rent) additional glassware
Wash all glassware and store in dust free environment for the party
Print off cocktail menus on keepsake card-stock

Follow along over the next few days as I post all the party preparations.

Unsure what all the hype is about Madmen? Madmen is a T.V. show that centers around a 1950s and 1960s advertising agency in Manhattan. The nostalgia of the time has become very popular in 2011. Shows like Madmen highlight why vintage parties will be the trend for the next few years!

Christmas Party Themes: Naughty or Nice?

2011-11-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

When it comes to Christmas party themes, I say YES! A theme makes it so much more special. I've had several favorites throughout the years.

While party themes make your Christmas party so much more special...they can be a little work to pull off. (But it's ALWAYS worth it!)

My sister and I have developed some printable Christmas party kits featuring some of our favorite party themes so that a lot of the work is done for you.

The printable kits are for adult Christmas parties and could be used at your office parties too! They all include a game, invitations, instructions, and other fun printable items to make your theme pop.

Our newest Printable Party Kit is so much fun. It features a gift exchange game, similar to the white elephant or Yankee gift exchange game. The difference is that guests may bring a gift that either fits into the "naughty" or "nice" category.

Naughty & Nice Christmas Party Invitations

Naughty or Nice Party Kit

The Printable Naughty or Nice Party Kit Includes:

Printable Naughty and Nice Themed Invitations
20 Different Amazing Naughty and Nice Gift Tags
60 Witty and Funny Fortunes (Numbered for Game Play)
An Official Rules Naughty and Nice Poem Poster

For easy printing, the 60 fortune cards are designed for Avery 8371 perforated business card stock, available online, at Walmart, Office Stores, etc. But you can also print them on card stock or plain paper and cut them apart.

Get Your Naughty or Nice Party Kit &Christmas Gift Exchange Game

Hatching the Naughty or Nice Christmas Party Theme

The naughty and nice theme was hatched one day last summer when my sister and I were thinking of unique ideas for Christmas parties. We were interested in doing something fun for adults and we wanted a whimsical theme.

Everyone knows Santa keeps a Naughty and Nice list, so we decided that we'd create a party theme for adults around this "fact".

We both love the 1950s and 1960s claymation Christmas films. It seems that claymation and Christmas just "go" together.

So, we created a claymation video featuring a "Naughty" and "Nice" character and the "White Elephant" (a nod to my other favorite Christmas party game).

"Naughty" and "Nice" became our little pet project. Their claymation figures are featured in this party kit.

Now, we're not professional claymation artists...we're just two sisters who will try anything once! Enjoy our Christmas Claymation video. And Happy Holidays!

Cheers!

Christmas Party Ideas: The Countdown is On!

2011-11-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

The Christmas party ideas countdown is on!

Just 27 days until my annual Christmas party December 9th and I'm planning like crazy! Not just planning my Christmas party, but pulling things together.

You may think, "Your party isn't for four weeks" and you're right. But now's the time to get to work. I'll be keep you up to date as new party developments occur.

Three days ago I announced my Christmas party theme: Merry Mid-Century Mad Men Theme which I wrote all about on the Squidoo website ("like" it if you get a chance)! And, I unveiled the invitation a few days ago. You can see it on the Christmas party themes blog post from November 13th.

This week, I'm giving you the first look at a unique idea for Mad Men Mid-Century Christmas party favors.

Christmas Party Ideas: Favors

Wondering what's in the photo? Those are vintage pins, brooches, and necklaces form the 1950s and 1960s. What a fun party favor for the Mad Men Theme Party. I've been searching my local thrift stores, antique stores, and junk shops to find these discarded treasures.

I'm setting up a "Breakfast of Tiffanys" (the classic movie) area. Ladies can select the piece of jewelry they like. Of course, these little bobbles are costume jewelry. And you can pick them up for $1 to $5 a piece, depending on the detail and quality of the piece. I will warn you that this takes some time and searching. So, if you plan to do it, start now.

The men get a slightly less sparkly party favor. For men, I'll be providing aspirin and alkazelser with a Christmas gift tag that reads, "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning". (The typical 1950's / 1960s expression).

More Christmas party details are coming soon and you'll hear about them BEFORE any of my guests! So, stay tuned!

Merry Mid-Century Christmas Party Theme

2011-11-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

You're Invited!

This year I'm hosting a Merry Mid-Century Christmas Party Theme for my annual Christmas party.


Mid-Century Christmas Party

You're invited to see all the details because I'm posting them here on the blog! And you'll get more details on Squidoo and CheersAllYear.com too.

The photo above is my Christmas party invite (which I'm mailing out tomorrow). The people on the invite are characters from the T.V. Show "Mad Men". The show is set in the 1950s - 1960s era and it's the inspiration for my Christmas party this year.

I'm really excited about all the details that will make the Merry Mid-Century theme so much fun. A real life Evergleam 1958 aluminum Christmas tree complete with color wheel will be the focal point. And, do you remember the over-sized colored Christmas lights of the past? They're back in stores, and they'll be at my party.

The cocktails will be vintage too: Gimlets, Snowballs and Manhattans are the drinks of the day.

Christmas Party Games

For entertainment, we'll be playing the white elephant game. This year's game will be better than ever because I have the printable white elephant game available at CheersAllYear.com (available to you on November 15th, 2011).

This game comes with 60 numbered white elephant fortune cards. So every guest will get a funny fortune with their number. It also comes with the most beautiful white elephant gift tags, party invitations, and white elephant poem (that explains the white elephant rules).

To play the game, every guest brings a wrapped gag-gift, re-gift, or a nice gift (it's up to the guest). The host provides numbers in a hat. Guests randomly draw a number from a hat to determine in which order they will open gifts.

The first person selects a gift and opens it. Then the person who drew number 2 selects the next gift or steals the first person's gift. This continues with lucky number 3 who may steal any opened gift or select a wrapped one under the tree. The number 4 goes, and so on.

There are two rules that every one must follow when playing the white elephant game at my party. Any gift can only be stolen 3 times. After that it's safe which whomever stole it. The last rule: Everyone must take their gifts home with them...no leaving those crazy gag-gifts or re-gifts at my house!

Halloween Costume Contest

2011-10-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Halloween Costume Contest runs until the day after Halloween! Your costume could win $100!

Whether you've been planning your Halloween costume for months, or you have great last minute costume ideas, all are eligible in the CheersAllYear Halloween costume contest.

AND, it's not too late to enter. Many will be going to Halloween parties tonight. It's the perfect time to capture a shot of your costume and submit it to the contest!

2011 Halloween Costume Contest

Here are some of the entries from this year to inspire you (all of the costumes that have been entered are great!) Judging will be tough! Luckily we have some great judges. To see all the entries visit the Halloween costume ideas page.

Who is judging the 2011 CheersAllYear Halloween Costume Contest? We have several partners who've joined in the fun!
They all have wonderful websites, take a look!

Chris, owner of HalloweenAlliance.com and Themeaparty.com. Chris is author of the e-book Party Halloween.
Dr. Michael Dickerson of Wellness Professionals Chiropractic.
Dawn, of Just Married with Coupons. Get tips on saving money! Find out more about Dawn and Raphael here.
Hilary, who is the owner of www.inspiring-birthdays.com, and has Free Printable Halloween Invitations.
Debbie, who's running two contests this month: a cooking recipe contest for kids and a cake contest.
Nicole of www.kids-partycabin.com.
Brian, magician and entertainer. Find out about Brian at his site: www.hijinx.tv.
Screaming Scarecrow, who has tons of cool and useful Halloween and home haunting content at screamingscarecrow.com.
Brenda, owner of The Best Homemade Gift Ideas.com.
Jane of www.Savor-the-Rubarb.com and Carbon-Footprint-Defined.com, who has a page on lessening your Halloween Carbon Footprint.
Lisa, owner of www.easy-party-ideas-and-games.com/ where you can find more Halloween Costume Party Pictures.

What NOT to Bring to a Party

2011-10-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

What NOT to bring to a party isn't usually tops on a guest's list of questions. Most people want to know what they should bring to a party. BUT...

I was having a great time at a wedding last weekend when I mentioned to a friend the date of my annual Christmas party. His first response was, "Wonderful, what can I bring?". This is a very thoughtful question and displays my friend's generosity, but it sent chills down my spine.

"Don't bring a thing...except your smile" I replied. Why did this seemingly polite question ruffle my feathers?

Many people reading this already know the answer...and they're probably giggling. A dinner host or party host has planned the menu, the flowers, cleaned the house, and put together every last detail.

The day of my Christmas party is frantic. I've planned for months, cooked and cleaned for days. The Christmas party games, menu, party favors, and flowers are woven together in an Christmas party theme that just can't be undone by a cog in the wheel.

Up until 15 minutes before the party I'm a wreck. If you saw me on the street you'd swear I'd been sleeping outdoors, fell into a vat of chocolate, stumbled thorough a pine forest, only to be mugged by Santa Claus!

15 minutes and counting... My party dress is laid out on the bed. I race to through the shower, powder and puff, spray perfume, dye the lips, slip on my best party frock and fly downstairs with no time to spare.

Hopefully, I look fresh and carefree. All this to give the appearance of an effortless party. Why? Inexplicably, I love every minute of it.

But what's this? Someone has come to my door with a 3 layer, hot molten-fudge-caramel-drizzled 24 inch cake?! "O.K...that's not on the menu...and where am I going to put it? And, you need a platter for it?...uh, let me dig around for one..." Yikes!

What NOT to Bring to a Party

Bringing food to a party is a no-no! (unless it's a potluck). Anything that might interfere with the planned menu, needs a platter, or needs to be prepared will be work for your hostess. Unless the host or hostess has requested a dish, food can be perceived as an insult to the chef.

Flowers. It seems that flowers would be a lovely gesture, but if it's a cocktail party, dinner party, or upscale affair, the flowers you bring (no matter how lovely) may not go with the host's floral arrangements. And if the flowers have to be cut down and put into a vase, that's extra work that your hostess doesn't need.

What to Bring to a Party

A hostess gift (to be opened after the party) is always appreciated. Gifts could be wine, liquor or beer, games such as conversation cards, personal items such as bath salts or hand lotion, or holiday themed items such as dish towels, linen napkins, drink charms, soaps, or mulling spices.

Keep your gesture small and well thought out and you'll be on the favorite guest list for parties to come!

Free Printable Halloween Invitations

2011-10-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Get free printable Halloween invitations and send them out now!

Just a friendly heads up: If you haven't done so, today is the day to send out your Halloween invitations. No need to run out to the store, you can simply print them off with a few easy steps.

Our friends at Free Printable Halloween Invitations make it easy. As a matter of fact, they have all sorts of free printable invitations, so it's a good site to keep on your party planning list!

And if you love free Halloween printables, we'd love to give you another! The Themed-Party-Ideas.com Free Halloween Certificates are really cute. They perfect for your Halloween costume contest. There are 5 different "Best Costume" certificates including Scariest Costumes, Funniest Costume, and more!

Enjoy this freebie, and Happy Halloween!

Fall Party Ideas

2011-10-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

October kicks off the fall party ideas!

Now you may be wondering why I haven't written on the blog for a while. My sister (who helps me run our 5 different websites) moved her office and home. I flew to 1500 miles to attend her Painting Party.

What's a painting party? It's just like a themed party, but without the fun. You get dressed in your grungiest clothes and instead of beer you get paint fumes...but there was pizza. :-)

However, I did squeeze in some parties in the last few weeks.

My friends and neighbors held their 5th annual chili cook off which was a blast. And, my husband won 1st place!!! (I voted for someone else's chili...shhhh, don't tell). But I was really proud and happy for him.

I wrote all about it along with lots of other great fall party ideas on the website.

You'll see more photos and my neighbor's clever prizes for the chili cook off winners. Plus if hosting a chili cook off is part of your fall party ideas, you'll get great tips from my friends who have had lots of success with their annual party.

Coming up on the blog, expect lots of Halloween party ideas including ideas for kids and adult Halloween party ideas. The Halloween Costume Contest is underway, so be sure to check that out on the Themed-Party-Ideas website as well.

Cheers to Fall!

Cheers All Year Costume Contest Underway!

2011-09-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! The CheersAllYear.com and Themed-Party-Ideas.com Halloween Costume Contest is underway. The contest runs until the midnight the day after Halloween (November 1st)...just in time for a little holiday spending money!

Enter Your Costume Today

Win $100 (And Tons of Glory)

I've created a video so you can see who entered last year. Judging was tough! ...and you can see why. The costumes were very creative!

This year, we've got tons of great judges. All the judges, their wonderful websites, and all the contest details are on the contest entry link above.

You can enter a costume from a previous year or this year. We accept photos (and written details) about your purchased costumes, homemade costumes, and costumes that have some purchase and some homemade elements. Anything is eligible. The best costume will win!

If you entered the contest last year and you want to enter again, please do! Just send us a different costume to judge.

We have the most creative, most party perfect readers on the planet. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Planning a Bridal Shower

2011-08-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

Planning a Bridal Shower? Get the "do s and don't s" of bridal shower planning.

Bridal showers are on my mind because I've attended so many this season. So, I thought what better time to share tips of bridal shower planning.

The most important thing to consider when planning any party (whether it's a bridal shower or birthday party) are the guests.

Bridal showers and weddings are unlike any other party because the age range of the guests can be anywhere from 20 to 80-something. Unlike weddings however, bridal showers are usually small and intimate. Often, guests don't know each other.

Planning a party where everyone is comfortable and has a good time is the challenge for any bridal shower planner.

Bridal showers are designed to shower the bridal with gifts. So opening gifts is a major activity.

But, plan other bridal shower games and activities to help guests mingle. There's nothing more awkward than guests having to do all the work of introducing themselves and coming up with engaging conversation. At the same time, anything you plan must appeal to a wide range of guests.

The "Do s And Don't s" of Planning a Bridal Shower

Plan to play bridal shower games or at least plan bridal shower activities. Activities can be as simple as displaying photos of the bridal and groom from childhood to present. Number the photos. Print out sheets of paper with different dates that correspond with when each photo was taken.

Then have guests fill in the number of the photo next to the date they think is correct. Whomever has the most correct dates, wins a prize.

Simple party activities act as icebreakers. Guests look at the photos and can turn to one another and say, "Oh what a funny photo! I didn't know he took ballet as a child!"

Nametags are also a great icebreaker. Provide tags and pens. Guests can write their name and a one word description of how they know the bride on their name tags. For example: grandmother, MOH, work friend, or neighbor. When guests see how someone is connected to the bride, conversation usually ensues.

Party favors are appealing to many brides. Again, because the age range is usually vast consider what women would enjoy at any age when purchasing favors. Party favors, should you go with them, should be provided for all guests.

A few items that almost every woman enjoys are: hand lotion, manicure sets, chocolates, pens or stationary, refrigerator magnets, and calendars. Save shot glasses and pink furry trinkets for the bachelorette party!

Visit our bridal shower ideas and party pages for dozens of free bridal shower games, party printables, tips, party ideas, decorating ideas and more.

Cheap Adult Halloween Costumes in Summer?

2011-07-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

Cheap Adult Halloween Costumes in the middle of summer?

You may not be thinking about cheap Halloween costumes in the heat of summer, but retailers are!

Right now, you can get Halloween costumes that sold for up to $100 for just $20 and sometimes even less. I love a bargain, so I had to put these amazing deals on the Themed-Party-Ideas.com website.

Take me to Cheap Adult Halloween Costumes Right Now!

Halloween retailers make all their money in the fall when people are scrambling for costumes and Halloween party supplies. The summer is a time for retailers to clean out last years inventory and make way for more costumes.

We've updated all of our Cheap Adult Halloween Costumes and Cheap Childrens Costumes with literally hundreds of choices for under 10, 15 and 20 dollars. You won't believe what you can get right now for $20!

By the time Halloween season rolls around, I believe most of the deep discounts will be gone. So, if you're thinking ahead and curious about getting an amazing bargain, you should take a look!

The Women's Adult Costumes under $20 is one of our most impressive selections.

The childrens costumes are also better than ever. If you have wee ones that like to play dress up, the childrens costumes under $20 page has several high quality costumes at the best prices you'll ever see. Visit the Cheap Halloween Costumes for Kids page.

Clean up on great Halloween Clearance Costumes

Easy Party Ideas

2011-07-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Looking for really easy party ideas? Host a brunch. No other party is easier!

There are several benefits to hosting a brunch for your engagement or bridal shower or just for the girls. There's no need to be a gourmet cook and it's a very economical party idea. Plus, if time is an issue, brunch usually lasts only two hours.

Brunch has become a popular trend when it comes to economical and easy party ideas.

Brunch Themes: Easy Party Ideas!

This past Sunday I went to brunch at my neighbor Lexi's house. It was terrific. The theme: chicken and waffles!

Chicken and waffles sounded like a funny brunch theme to me. But, she's from Texas. In Texas, a unique way of doing things is par for the course! She raves about a restaurant in Fort Worth that specializes in chicken and waffles.

8 guests were invited. We all showed up in our "kitschy" dresses. You know the ones...those cute little retro dresses you discover in second hand shops.

Lexi answered the door in her beautiful little apron with a dishtowel neatly attached to the front. The smell of fried chicken invited us all from the porch.

A brunch menu can be very simple. In this case, she added a special touch that she reminisced about having at the Texas restaurant. It was blackberry butter. She simply mashed blackberries into soften butter. But, if you don't have fresh blackberries, preserves would work nicely too. The concoction looked something like a delicious bowl of ice cream.

A simple touch like this can make a huge difference in your brunch. Top off your waffles with real maple syrup and you have a winner.

How do they serve chicken and waffles in Texas? Apparently you start with a waffle base and put a dollop of blackberry butter on it. Then place the chicken leg on the buttered waffle and pour maple syrup over the entire thing!

Lexi, sensing that we Virginians are more conservative, opted to allow her guests to put the chicken on the side. :)

Traditional Anniversary Gifts

2011-06-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

I've had traditional anniversary gifts on the brain. Why? I've been developing a new website called traditional-anniversary-gifts-by-year. The site offers anniversary gifts based on the historic symbol of the anniversary. For example, the first anniversary is the "Paper Anniversary" and ninth anniversary is the "Earthenware Anniversary".

Well, not many people think paper and earthenware make great anniversary gifts. That's where I come in. I want to show husbands and wives how a little creativity can make a wonderful traditional anniversary gift!

So the new website not only has traditional gifts, but lots of creative ideas for romance, gift giving, and of course anniversary party ideas and anniversary party games!

All this work has me reminiscing about special anniversaries I've had, or had the privilege of witnessing.


Traditional Anniversary Gifts

In particular, I'll never forget my parents 40th wedding anniversary party. It was a small family affair. We had a big dinner and champagne toast.

My sisters and I planned the gift of a lifetime; we didn't want to wait for the 50 year anniversary because our ideas included travel and we were sure that the time was right.

40 years ago, my mother had a pin pal from Australia. Her brother, Tom, was stationed there on military duty and fell in love with a girl named Shelley. While Tom and Shelley didn't marry, that girl became close friends with my mother. They wrote faithfully for 40 plus years but had never met face to face. Shelley always asked my mother and father to visit.

We daughters had a plan. We purchased a suit case and two round trip tickets to Australia. We filled the suitcase with items such as underwater cameras (so they could take photos when they snorkeled at the great barrier reef), travel books, leather luggage tags, and the like.

The look on my mother's face was priceless as she opened her luggage. She didn't know why we would be giving her a piece of luggage; they never went anywhere!

Then when she realized what was going on the water works were on! It was a gift that they loved receiving and we loved giving.

Don't wait to celebrate, the time is now. Enjoy every anniversary year and celebrate the anniversaries of others!

Wonder what the traditional anniversary gifts are for your upcoming anniversaries? Check out the site.

80s Themed Prom Party Was a Blast!

2011-06-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

If I could go to an 80s themed prom party every weekend, I would! What a blast! If you read my previous post entitled 80s Prom Party: Help Me Pick My Dress! You know this party has been highly anticipated by me and my friends!


80s Themed Prom Party (I'm in the Pink Dress!)

Armed with tons of Aqua-net and green eyeshadow, the girls and I meet 1 hour before prom to back comb and tease our hair. We helped each other apply makeup and laughed at how silly we all looked in our 80s costumes!

True Story: When my lovely balding husband (guy in photo with fake mullet) arrived at the prom, people didn't recognize us. I ran into a my doctor whom I'd just seen last week and she was blown away at the 80s transformation. I didn't recognize her either!

That's the great thing about an 80s costume party. You get to be someone else for a night. And our alter egos showed on the dance floor as we rocked the night away and let it all hang out! It was like a scene from Footloose.

And, if you need inspiration for an 80s Theme Prom Party, I highly recommend watching this video! Plus you can post it on your Facebook wall to get everyone excited about the 80s theme party!

The 80s Prom Party was held at a high school gym, complete with an 80s DJ, a huge movie screen playing "Pretty in Pink", "Just Say Anything" and "Breakfast Club". Oh, and there were wonderful food and drinks, of course.

80s theme party corsage

But this time we're all grown up. So, we were drinking spiked "Pretty-in-Pink-Lemonade" and "Breakfast-Club-Soda-and-Whiskey"!

Everyone who attended the prom received a balloon corsage. These were made of the same sort of balloons that balloon animals are made of, only the corsages were in the shape of flowers.

The trees lining the side walk entrance were glittering with white lights. The dance floor was lighted by colored spotlights and the reflections of a huge disco ball. The disco ball is really a must for an 80s themed party.

Many people wore neon glow-in-the-dark bracelets, which made for great effect while dancing.

At first, several people at the 80s party said they didn't dance ... that is until Micheal Jackson, Madonna, The Cure and all the rest of the fabulous 80s hits began to play. All seats were empty; we were all on the dance floor!

Conversation Starters: Wall Flower to Party Hopper

2011-05-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

Fact: a few prepared conversation starters makes party hopping a lot more fun!

Kentucky Derby Party

This month, I've been a real party hopper. Armed with good conversation starters, I've been meeting new friends along the way.

One Saturday this month, I made it to three parties in one day: a college graduation party, Cinco de Mayo celebration, and Kentucky Derby party. This was followed by a forth party on Sunday!

Graduation Party

So can you guess what this post is about? It's not about hosting parties, it's about attending them!

Since we're all friends here, I'll tell you that even when I travel for reasons completely unrelated to work, parties find me (or maybe I find them). I sit right now in a new city planning to attend a party on Saturday night hosted by a friend I just met two days ago!

Cinco de Mayo Party

Parties are the best way to meet new friends, interesting people and connect with others that have similar interests.

Ready for a Party Confession?

I used to be wall flower at parties. So how do you turn from a wall flower into a party hopper?

Kentucky Derby Party Hats

I've learned that just a few conversation starters can open up a fun topics and create great party talk. What conversations starters are best? Questions.

Here's my "not so secret" formula to good conversation questions.

Questions that require answers other than "yes" or no". Example: How are you connected with the (host, party group, etc.)?
Questions that lead to more questions. Example: "So, what hobbies keep you busy?" "Oh, you like to rock climb? Where do you like to climb?"
Questions followed by observations. Example: "This coconut cake is the best I've ever had. Who made it?"

You never know what conversation will spring up from a sincere question. But if you want to strike up conversation with little effort at all, Party Talk Funny Conversation Starters are a great way to inject a little laughter into any party.

Pink Themed Party Game Ideas

2011-05-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

Homemade Pink Tissue Paper Balls From My Last Pink Party!

I recently got a request for pink party theme ideas. Well, I love pink! And selecting a color as a party theme is a great idea.

The visitor already has several pink decorations, but she wanted a few ideas on party games that would match well with this "girl's night in" party theme.

Let the game begin!

What's in Your Purse Game
A great game for a pink party theme is the "what's in your purse game". I have a free printable what's in your purse game on the themed-party-ideas.com website. Plus you'll find instruction and ideas for creating your own game if you prefer.

Basically, there's a list of items the ladies may or may not have in their purse. The items are called off and the ladies must produce the item. Points are given for items produced. It's really funny and a great icebreaker. Of course, whoever has the most points by the end of the game wins!

Really Inexpensive Pink Gift Exchange
An inexpensive way to add excitement to the evening is a gift exchange game. For the pink party theme, ask guests to bring something pink...it doesn't have to be store purchased. But if it is purchased keep the price limit between $1 and $5. A low price limit promotes creativity!

Most guests could probably find something pink in their "re-gift" exchange drawer and not have to spend a dime. Have each girl conceal her gift by wrapping it or putting it securely in a bag.

There are several games created to exchange gifts in a lightly competitive and fun way.

You can play the "left right game" where all the ladies sit in a circle and pass the gifts continuously to either the right or left depending on the direction given in a left right story.

For more information on this party game, visit the left right game page. You'll find detailed instructions on how to create your own left right story or for $1.99 you can get one of our left right stories.

You could also exchange the gifts by playing the white elephant gift exchange game. While this is common at holiday parties, I've done it for birthday parties and girl's night in with great success!

Hope you enjoy these fun pink party theme games. Cheers!

80s Prom Theme Party: Help Me Pick My Dress!

2011-05-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

I'm totally psyched! I'm going to an 80s prom (again!). This time, I'm all grown up but willing to act like a kid again. I think most people love an 80 theme party, but the 80s prom theme takes it up a notch!

1980s Party Dress Option 1

The 80s prom is a fundraiser to benefit the local children's hospital. It will be held at a high school gym, complete with an awesome DJ, lots of appetizers and drinks, a balloon arch, and everything 80s! Oh, and the best part: my husband is searching for a 1980s trans-am for the full experience!

This prom will be even better than the one I attended 20 years ago!

But I really need help. I found a fantastic 80s dream dress, but only minutes too late on ebay. I couldn't bid fast enough and I did not get the dress!

Now I'm on the hunt for the perfect 80s prom dress. I've posted some pictures and I would love your thoughts. Which ones scream 1980s prom?

Here what I was thinking when I picked these dresses:

I need an xs size
I want to wear something very colorful (I would love pink)
I want it to be a "prom dress" versus "cocktail dress"
I want to spend under $50 (although many of these are more...)
I want to look good (but authentic)

I'm excited to hear what you think!

80s Prom Party Dress Option 2

80s Party Theme Dress Option 3

1980s Prom Party Theme Option 4

Party Dress Option 5

Prom Party Dress Option 6 (would need slight alteration)

House Party Ideas

2011-05-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

No, this video isn't a themed party, it's a simple house party. But it was one of the most fantastic house parties that I've attended. Everyone who was invited, invited someone unknown to the party. This made for lots of new friendship opportunities!

When I arrived at the party, I only knew one person. I left feeling as if everyone was a new friend.

The food was incredible. What made it so incredible was the obvious passion the cooks (hosts) had for food. They planned the menu well ahead of time and went together to purchase the ingredients. I could taste their passion for cooking with every bite!

Normal "party food fare" wasn't on the menu, these guys were interested in trying new recipes and perfecting old ones. They were also interested in sharing unique experiences with guests. Their love food and their friends made everyone feel important.

I will say that I'm glad I had my handy iphone. It was such a fun event that I was surprised there wasn't a camera in site. Although a few people did shy away from the camera, those same people were later glad to have a memento of the evening. I hope this will be a reminder to you (and me) to take just a moment to capture the memory.

Enjoy the video.

40th Birthday Party Bucket List

2011-05-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I'm celebrating my 40th birthday this year...yikes! 40 is big, at least that's what I'm told, so I asked you all to help me plan my party in one of my previous posts.

I've received some emails asking for the big reveal: "what are you going to do for your 40th birthday party?" I thought about an 80s party, but I'm going to an "80s prom" in June. I also thought about doing a "favorite things" party theme where I feature several of my favorite foods, games, etc.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized why turning 40 is a big deal. For me, it's the point where you start to realize that life is really short so you better live it up!

So here's the big reveal: For my 40th birthday party I'll be having a Bucket List Party. I've created a big bucket list but some of the things can't be done by the party so I'll be celebrating all year. The video at the top of the page is me marking off one of the items on my bucket list: get Botox.

My friend and neighbor, Lexi, will be helping me with the party preparations. She's a natural party hostess with tons of great ideas! We'll be serving up lots of ways for guests to mark items off their bucket list. Among some of our thoughts for the party: you could win a beauty contest (via random drawing) or eat a chocolate covered ant (that's on everyone's bucket list, right?).

Want to know what's on my 40th year bucket list?
Run in a 10K or 1/2 Marathon (just took up running 2 weeks ago...)
Hike in Costa Rica.
Get Botox and Laser Rejuvenation! (see the video above)
Go to a Spa for an entire day of beauty treatment (without feeling guilty about it!)
Give a house concert (I play classical piano).
Have a fun and memorable 40th birthday party.
Finally install Rosetta Stone Spanish on my computer.

So, what's on your bucket list? I want to know. And, if you have any thoughts about bucket list food, games, and the like, you can send those comments my way as well.

Cheers!

Island Themed Party

2011-04-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

Jamaican Me Crazy for an island themed party! That's right, I'm crazy for a Jamaican theme party!

Island Themed Party Cake

After months of winter here in Virginia, the islands are looking so good. But, I can't fly off just yet. So a little taste of the beach in my own home will just have to do.

Jamaican Party Decorations

For my 13th wedding anniversary, I thought it would be fun to do an island themed party. Thirteen years flies by and it's easy to let "small" anniversaries pass without much fan fair, but happy memories are just a celebration away. So a small island dinner party was going to be perfect.

It was easy to settle on Jamaica for a party theme because I'm crazy for Jamaican food, especially Jamaican jerk chicken.

Other things that I'm crazy for: my hubby. To be more specific, I'm crazy about him AND made crazy by him.

A light hearted title for my party theme, "Jamaican Me Crazy", pokes fun at all the funny and exciting quirks you learn about your partner after 13 years of marriage!

Anniversary Card

Everything, including the card I created for sweetheart, centered around this title.

Want to know what the card read?

Jamaican Me Crazy for 13 Year
Jamaican Me Laugh
Jamaican Me Smile
Jamaican Me Happy
Jamaican Me Want More!

The decorations were a combination of homemade items and online purchases. The homemade items really gave a personal touch. I created keepsake dinner menus and decorative flags for the top of the creamy coconut cake (yum!). These tiny details where simply made on the computer and printed onto colorful card stock.

I also decorated with shells we had gathered on our last island vacation. I thought I'd never find a use for those shells!

Originally, I thought orchids would be a nice touch but I couldn't find them anywhere. So a quick improvisation was to fill jars with water and float pansies from my yard. The jars were further dressed up with a few Caribbean colored ribbons.

Improvise!

Island Party Decorations

Because it was a small dinner party, I didn't need to purchase a lot of decorations. But, I really wanted paper lanterns because they add so much to a beach themed party.

Paper lanterns are so beautiful and go with both elegant and casual island parties.

I highly recommend you visit the Jamaican theme party page on my website for lots of very inexpensive options for paper lanterns the next time you're in the market. I found that purchasing them online saves money and lots of time!

Jamaican Party Food Menu

Jamaican Party Menu

There are so many island inspired dishes that it's hard to choose, but I kept my menu very simple.

Here's what's for dinner:
Grilled Avocado Halves with Mango Salsa
Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Slices Served Atop Island Grilled Veggies (spiced with tarragon and curry powder)
Coconut Rice
Creamy Coconut Cake

My husband, whose a terrific cook, created his own recipe for Jamaican Jerk Seasoning:

6 to 8 Cloves of Garlic
2 Tablespoons of Paprika
2 Tablespoons of Dried Chopped Onions
1 Tablespoon of Allspice
1 Tablespoon of Thyme
1 Tablespoon of Salt
1-1/2 Teaspoons of Nutmeg
3/4 Teaspoons of Black Pepper
3/4 Teaspoons of Cayenne

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend. It's truly delicious. Try it!

You've been making me crazy for 13 years and I've loved every moment of it!

Help me with 40th Birthday Party Ideas!

2011-04-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

40th Birthday Party Ideas:

I was 5, I blinked...and now I'm 40?! No, it wasn't a pair of ruby slippers that got me here, it was my old friend, Father Time! And his brother, Gravity, is wanting an invite to my birthday party too! The Nerve!

Neither are on my guest list!

Creating 40th Birthday Party Ideas is part of my job, but I'm passing the buck when it comes to planning my own 40th birthday party.

So, I've posted this video to introduce myself to you and to invite YOU to help me celebrate!

Table Setting Diagram

2011-04-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Formal Dinner Questions? This table setting diagram is an easy reference to help you figure out just what goes where at your next formal dinner party.

We designed the diagram to include everything right down to the oyster fork and menu, but of course if you're not having oysters or you're not printing menus simply omit those items. Your formal place setting should only include utensils and dishes for the food and drinks you are serving at your dinner.

Utensils are arranged in the order that they are used. For instance the salad fork is to the outside of the dinner fork. After each course, the dish and utensil for that course is removed. If you need even more details visit our formal place settings page.

Need a few hints on pulling together a formal dinner when you'll be the one cooking, serving and cleaning? Check out my Tips For Hosting a Formal Dinner Party At Home.

Tips For Hosting a Formal Dinner Party At Home

2011-04-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

Host a Formal Dinner Party at Home

Hosting a formal dinner party yourself with no one to help serve or clear dishes? Sure!

I just love hosting a formal dinner in my home. Perhaps it's a dying art form...I don't know. But, there's something romantic about candle light, conversation, and fine china.

Years ago, I suppose if you had the money, you'd have servants to cook, deliver and clean everything. Wow, how things have changed. But I don't mind the change because I enjoy planning, cooking and serving something that I can be proud.

A friend once asked, "How do you throw formal dinners where everything comes out hot and is timed so well? It just seems you pop into the kitchen between courses and magically a new dish appears." I just shrug my shoulders at this comment and keep my mouth shut so I can relish in a little flattery.

Flattery is great! But I don't really deserve it because the truth is, I have tricks.

These simple tips for hosting a formal dinner party make it much more fun for me and I hope you'll get good use of them!

Trick #1: The main trick is in the planning...very careful planning. I never serve a dessert that can't be made well ahead of time for example (unless it's bananas foster which creates quite a show). And for an entre, you can count on a dish that can stay in a warming oven with no loss of flavor, like coq a vin. Anything that has to be cooked and served immediately won't be on the menu at my formal dinner.

Trick #2: Have plenty of dishes. Have a specific serving dish for each course (borrow dishes if needed). Plate items (such as salad and dessert) ahead of time and store the plates in the refrigerator provided there is room.

Trick #3: Seat yourself nearest the kitchen, so that when you get up in between courses it's not disruptive. Drop the dirty dishes in the sink and move on to the next course. Clean up later!

Hint: if your kitchen is visible to the dining area, a sink full of dirty dishes is kind of distracting. This may sound a bit uptight, but in this case I put plastic dish pans in my laundry room (which is adjacent to the kitchen) to hold the dirty dishes until guests have left.

Those are my little tricks that help things run smoothly. Do you have a trick I've missed? I'd love to hear all about your formal dinner parties (or any dinner parties). Just make a comment!

Also, if you're a stickler for detail (or just curious) see the table setting diagram we posted. It's a great reference.

Easy Desserts Make Easy Entertaining

2011-03-30T07:58:00.000-07:00


Easy Desserts For Easy Entertaining

Sometimes I just need to throw a party together fast. A few easy desserts and other quick recipes means I can host a crowd with just about an hours preparation.

Tempering Chocolate

Sure, I love fancy parties where everything is planned and posh, but the reality is that my husband and I entertain almost on a weekly basis and sometimes it's just not practical.

I want to share this easy breezy dessert that looks a little more labor intensive than it really is.

You can make this tasty looking treat in just a few easy steps.

Purchase donut holes from the grocery store.
Temper chocolate (or melt already tempered chocolate) in a double boiler. Tempering chocolate is easy, just follow the link for specific directions.
Dip the donut holes in the chocolate and lay them out on a sheet of wax paper that's sprinkled with slivered almonds or any other type of nuts.

Of course, you'll want to display your chocolate covered donut holes nicely. I used to like to put my homemade candies on paper doilies because this adds a nice little detail to the tray of desserts.

But, I've found an even better (and super cheap) alternative using something that I always have in my kitchen.

Use pinking sheers or decorative edged scissors to cut a square or round piece of wax paper or parchment paper to line your dessert tray for a finishing touch.

Do you have quick tips for hosting parties? Share them with the world by leaving your comments!

Casual Culture Night - You Know You Need Some!

2011-03-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

100 years ago, it wouldn't have been unusual to have friends over for drinks, party food, and a night of piano performance or a small play or poetry reading.

Today, this seems like an archaic idea. When I presented the idea to my husband he said one word: "boring". This one word spoke volumes:

I could see the pain of texting withdraws at the mere thought of "unplugging" for a night.
He doesn't do the party planning around here so - tough bananas!

Sure, it's expected to "unplug" at the symphony, but "Turn off my iphone at a party? Sit still and listen in my own home?!" These concepts are so foreign today. But that's just what we all did for one fabulous night!

Cultural Creative Party Idea

The idea all started with my friend Meghan, a piano performance student. She needed a small audience to listen as she performed a rehearsal recital to prepare for a "real" graduation performance at the University. Having the facilities to accommodate her, I was delighted when she asked if we'd have the practice recital at my house.

I wanted to keep things really casual because I wasn't sure how my neighbors would feel about peeling themselves from their otherwise hectic (possibly more exciting) Saturday night plans for an hour of classical piano. I only invited a handful of people and simply sent out evites entitled: "Casual Culture Night - You Know You Need Some!"

To my surprise, almost everyone I invited RSVP-ed and asked to bring guests! Hum, could it be that people actually like "unplugging" for the night? And, are people looking for something different, something "meaningful" to do on a Saturday night?

Enjoying performance

It turns out the answer is "yes"! Everyone gathered on time (a novel concept for for a party) in order to see the performance. We started with wine, cheese and very light snacks and 30 minutes later we were reveling in the delights of Beethoven, Liszt, and Rzewski.

Guests were thrilled. "What a wonderful idea. We should start a monthly performance of neighbors" was one of many similar comments that evening. The performance opened up an array of conversation about music, painting, how everyone is an artist in some way, and a plethora of other topics. My friends felt engaged and motivated for their own artistic discoveries.

Oh, for those of you wondering what my husband thought of the party after is was all said and done. He L-O-V-E-D it! He said he couldn't have been more wrong about saying that classical music was "boring" and recanted his statement that she should throw in a few "pop" songs to keep people interested.

Conversation is Inspired

Now, this brings me to an idea you can use for a similar event of your own. There's no need to conjure up a professional performer or a college student.

Casual culture night does not have to be classic music. And, performances need not be perfect to be enjoyed by others.

Your friends and neighbors have talent. Invite the folk guitarists, steel drum players, poets, and show-tune singers that are in your circle of friends. And, if you only know one or two of these people, pass the word that you want to start a culture night. New friends will come!

Once you have 4 or 5 performers, have them take turns presenting one or two things they've been working on. I hope you'll be as pleasantly surprised at how many of your friends and neighbors would love to share a little culture!

So have a Casual Culture Night; you know you need some!

Irish Coffee -- the Most Famous Irish Drink Recipe

2011-03-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Sure, you could take any old beer and dye it green for this St. Patrick's Day party, but if you want your celebration to be a little more fancy, why not serve some traditional mixed Irish drink recipes? Bailey's® Irish Creme, Irish Whiskey, Irish Mist®, Guinness® are all superb choices for a chilly night around the fire.

One of our guests, Sonja, submitted a video about how her favorite Irish drink, Irish coffee, is made. She uses an Irish coffee set that's made for the process. You could replicate it with a candle and (well tempered; that is, designed for hot beverages) glass stemware. We'd tell you where to buy the set, but haven't found one like it (at least in the US). Contact us if you happen to know who sells them!

Probably our funniest submission was from David of Norfolk, Virginia on making a traditional Irish Car Bomb.

So if you're planning a St. Patty's Day celebration that's far from amateur, you'll want to check out these great Irish drink ideas!

Oh, and don't forget to wear the green; you don't want to get pinched!

Easter Basket Ideas Contest!

2011-03-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, the monthly contests are back! It'll be so much fun to see all the great Easter basket ideas out there. Our visitors are some of the most creative and inspiring around. So we just had to start up the contests again.

Play Our Contest

Win a $50 Cash Visa Card if your Easter Basket Idea is judged the best. The contest runs the entire month of March. On April 1st, all the entries will be reviewed and the winner will be announced that same day.

Please share this page on your facebook account, we hope to have lots and lots of great entries. (The share button is located at the very top of this page.)

Submit Your Entry for Easter Basket Ideas Now.

What sort of ideas are eligible? Well, anything having to do with Easter or Easter baskets. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Homemade Easter basket ideas
Photos and the stories behind them
Any "How To" instructions that have to do with Easter
Handmade Easter candy recipes (with instructions)
What to put in an Easter basket
How to make Easter egg dye
Decorating eggs
Themed Easter baskets for adults or children
Christian themed baskets, Romantic themed baskets, etc.
Easter egg games
Unique items to fill a basket
Easter gift ideas
Easter egg hunt ideas
Any creative Easter idea you can think of

For details about the contest visit the Themed-Party-Ideas.com Contest page.

Beer Tasting Menu - Celebrating Craft Beers

2011-02-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

Menu Recipes Below

With so many quality craft beers available, having a beer tasting party is a great way experience the growing (and well deserved) popularity of micro brews and craft beers.

The old saying, "Life is too short for bad wine" is true of quality beers too. I've discovered some of the most tasty and exciting beers I've ever tasted, and I have to share them with you.

Last night, for our weekly Wednesday night dinner party, I set out to pair 4 different beers (from the same manufacturer) with a four-course meal. I was surprised, dare I say shocked, at the outcome because I was completely unfamiliar with these beers before last night. We had a fantastic meal.

The idea began, as many great food ideas do, at the grocery store. My husband spotted a 4 beer sampler of Unibroue brand beer, a high quality Belgium beer now created in Canada.

The sampler packaging made it easy because there was a description of each beer, a suggestion of the types of food that enhanced each beer, and the story behind the beers. This sampler pack was crying out for a party!

Of course, if you recreate this dinner party for yourself, you can research beers on the internet, buy a pre-packaged sampler set, or use the beers I describe here.

If you follow this blog, you already know my motto, "Everyday is perfect for a party." Don't wait for a special occasion; make today special. With that in mind, I created this beer tasting dinner menu and planned the party over breakfast, went to work, hit the grocery store that afternoon and began cooking at 5:30. Dinner was at 7:30.

This beer tasting dinner menu will convert any non beer-drinker into a fan. My friend Meghan, who dined with us last night confessed she doesn't like beer. Oh, but she changed her mind! When dessert rolled around she admitted it, "I like beer, it makes everything here taste so much better."

Beer Tasting Dinner Menu:

1st Course:

Brochette & Maudite

Brochette. To make, dice tomatoes, fresh basil, roasted red pepper, and a hint of fresh minced garlic. Mix in one tablespoon of olive oil at time until you reach a desired consistency that meets your taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Served atop toasted French bread.

Maudite Beer (translation: Damned) - A strong amber-red ale. This ale was malty and spicy and best served with brick oven pizza, pasta, spiced rubbed pork, or spicy stew.

2nd Course:

Triple Cream Cheese Fondue. (This is my last minute to use cheese already in my refrigerator. This is the best fondue I've ever had!)

Triple Cream Cheese Fondue Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup dry white wine (left over from a party)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of grated gruyere cheese
1 cup of French triple cream cheese such as Boursault (not to be confused with cream cheese!)
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch diluted with 1 tablespoon of white wine or water
black pepper to taste

Over very low heat, warm the white wine, lemon juice, and butter in a heat proof fondue pot on the stove. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. The fondue will be a little thin. Add the cornstarch to thicken, stir well. Add pepper to taste and place pot over fondue flame to keep it warm.

La Fin Du Monde Beer (translation: The End of the World) - A beer for a chorus of fruit, spice and hops. It pairs well with aged cheeses, filet mignon, duck confit, and succulent cuisine such as scallops. When you taste this beer you will feel like you've found the end of the world; it's that good!

3rd Course:

Mussels and Chorizo in Spice Potato Broth

Beer Tasting At Its Best

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 shallot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, cut in half
2 large russet potatoes, cut in half
2 slices of thick bacon, chopped
1 stalk of baby bok choy (or small cabbage head)
1 or 2 jalapenos
1 bay leaf
3 pints of chicken stock
1/4 pound of chorizo, crumbled
2 tablespoons of olive oil
20 to 24 mussels, scrubbed thoroughly (clams may be substituted)
1/4 pound of Swiss chard, chopped
black pepper to taste

Cook the bacon, shallots, and garlic in a large soup pot. Once the bacon renders fat add the chicken stock, potatoes, bok choy, jalapeno and bay leaf. Cook for 3 minutes, until the potatoes are done. Remove the potatoes and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve it in a bowl. Discard the solids.

Use the same pot to saute the chorizo in the olive oil. Add the broth and reduce it by a third. Add the mussels, cover and stem until the shells open. Discard unopened mussels. Remove the mussels and keep warm.

Mash the potatoes and add whisk them into the broth. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mussels into serving bowls and pour the broth over the mussels.

Don de Dieu Beer (translation: Gift of God). This strong triple wheat ale is malty, nutty and yeasty. Serve a dish that can stand up to these flavors such as grilled game, spiced Asian or Latin food, and ripened cheeses.

4th Course:

Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups of heavy whipping cream, well chilled
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 tablespoon of Frangelico Liquor
4 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of plain, flavorless, granulated gelatin

In a double boiler over very low heat, melt together semi-sweet chocolate morsels, butter, espresso, and Frangelico. Set aside and allow the mixer to cool to just above body temperature.

Place 1/4 cup of whipping cream in a 1 cup metal measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Allow it to stand for 10 minutes, then gently warm the cup by swirling it over a low gas flame or even a candle. Stir it, and when it's just barely warm, it will be well combined. Add it to the chocolate and combine thoroughly. Move the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl.

With an electric beater, whip 1 and 1/2 cups of chilled heavy cream on high speed until solid peaks form. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and stir. The rest of the cream should be gently folded in so that the mousse doesn't become too dense.

Trois Pistoles Beer (translation: Three Coins). This bold beer has notes of cocoa and ripe fruits, and exotic spices. While you could pair it with fruit, chocolate is by far the best pairing.

I truly hope you enjoy your beer tasting party as much as I did mine. It was a real treat and a great reminder to celebrate, even on a Wednesday!

Return to Dinner Party Ideas

Engagement Party Gift Ideas

2011-02-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

Great Engagement Gifts

It's wedding season. No need to mark it on my calendar, a trip to my mailbox reveals it all. My first engagement party invitation of the year just arrived and I'm now brimming with engagement party gift ideas.

So, the first question on everyone's minds when they get an engagement party or an engagement shower invitation is: "Is there any engagement party gift etiquette I should follow?"

Well, yes. First answer the following question:

Are you attending an engagement shower or an engagement party? When the word 'shower' is attached to any party, whether it's a bridal shower, wedding shower, or engagement shower, gifts are always appropriate because the idea of the party is to "shower" the bride or couple with gifts.

Engagement parties, differ in that they simply celebrate the couple and give everyone on both the groom's and bride's side a chance to mingle and get to know one another. Engagement parties are formal announcements of the wedding to come.

Many people bring gifts to an engagement party. Here's are a few tips to help you decide what gifts to bring to an engagement party.

Engagement Gift Ideas

Engagement party gifts are not in place of wedding gifts. If you attend the wedding you should send or bring a wedding gift.
While wedding gifts are often chosen from a registry and are intended to set up household, engagement party gifts are not. Leave the toasters and place settings for the wedding or bridal shower and select something more fun or casual.
Engagement gifts need not be expensive, reserve more expensive gifts for the wedding.
Select gifts that celebrate the engagement, or could be used on the honeymoon or the wedding day itself. For example, engraved toasting glasses, a restaurant gift certificate, a cake server for the cake cutting, leather luggage tags and the like are inexpensive gifts that are more whimsical than household gifts.

My favorite tip of all: If you know the couple well, get them something personal.

Personalized Engagement Gifts

Let's face it, the bride and groom will register for place settings, mixing bowls, and silverware. They want them and we should get it for them (as wedding gifts). The engagement gift is your chance to give something meaningful, even if it's just very small gift. These small tokens of friendship and affection may be the gift they remember most.

Now, as I said earlier, I've just been invited to an engagement party. I know the couple well, so what am I bringing? Well, I can't post it on the blog (because they might see it).

Here's a BIG hint: I've created a shop of the best engagement party gifts on the themed-party-ideas website. I'm bringing one of the gifts located on this page: engagement party gift ideas to my friends engagement party.

Can you guess which one it is? Add your comments if you like.

Can't get enough engagement stuff? We've got engagement party themes, ideas, romantic gifts, planning tips and more. Visit the engagement party ideas page.

Taking the Party on the Road: Vacationing With Friends

2011-02-18T11:39:00.000-08:00

On Top of the Mountain

Taking the party on the road is twice as fun (and twice the work). But don't let the work discourage you because the memories you make are well worth it!

As promised in the last blog, I'm spilling the beans on our group vacation ski trip with neighbors, friends, and kids...lots of kids!

The honest truth is that I've vacationed with different friends on a number of occasions, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you really get to know your friends while vacationing together! So plan ahead for this: be generous, forgiving, flexible and fun to vacation with and select friends who adopt the same philosophy!

These are my 3 essential tips for booking a vacation with a large group of friends: plan the vacation with a "planning party", be flexible if some plans fall through, and remember it's a vacation.

Plan the Vacation:

Ok, this one is obvious, you have to plan.

Some people like to be in on the planning process and others don't. However, include everyone (at least the adults I mean) in a pre-vacation planning party. At this point, the vacation is simply an idea, nothing is set in stone, and no one has agreed that they are definitely going.

Everyone brings their ideas, brochures, experience, internet research, etc. to the vacation planning party before things are booked. Get friends together for drinks and appetizers and simply share ideas about where you'd like to go and where you'll stay, what the sleeping and eating arrangements will be, and how the payment of vacation will be divided. Each person should feel that the arrangements are fair, fun, and inclusive.

You may not know your friends' vacation budgets, work schedules, or childcare plans at this point, so the more ideas and options available, the more included everyone will feel.

For our ski vacation, we rented a five bedroom cabin to house 3 adult couples and I think 10 kids (but the kids were never in one place long enough to take count!)

Be Flexible:

I'm a bit of an orderly person. I get up every morning at the crack of dawn, make breakfast and eat with my husband while chatting and half-haphazardly reading the newspaper. I imagined that on our ski vacation with friends (and their kids) that we'd all get up around the same time and have big breakfast together complete with huge pancakes, hot coco with marshmallows, juice, the works. Everyone would gab about which ski runs they'd be conquering and we'd head out together as a group. NOT!

It turns out the teenagers sleep late! Who would have thought!? Breakfast was chaos with cheerios flying through the air, spilled milk, wet socks on chairs left from the day before, missing ski gloves, even a missing snowboard (yikes) and well...let's just say not what I expected. "Jennifer, be flexible." I said to myself.

So, I left my preconceptions behind quickly and headed to Starbucks (every town has one) with my hubby to fuel up and get excited for the day. No worries, we were back to the cabin each morning before anyone noticed we were gone!

Being flexible is pretty self explanatory. But, remembering to be flexible can be a challenge when you've envisioned something in a certain way and put a lot of work into your plans. Vacations aren't about work, they're about fun. So, leave the planning behind when you go on vacation, the plans are set but things might change. If they do, be flexible and say, "It's not how I imagined, but it's going to be fun".

Remember It's a Vacation:

A group vacation is a vacation for each person on the trip, so you may have to give into what might be best for others once in a while. This means that if your friend's kid just learned to ski, all the adults take turns going down the bunny slope with him. The bunny slope might not be your thing, but spending time with friends (and their kids) is what really makes lasting memories. Speaking from experience, going down the bunny slope with a kid who's just learned to ski is a lot more entertaining than you might think!

I guess my friend "Alli" said it best during the ski trip. (She's mastered the fine art of listening, conversation, and making others feel at home).

As all the "girls" sat in the hot tub after a long day on the slopes, she said, "It's really nice to have girl friends...friends you can do things like this with, share your thoughts with and just hang out together. We're all so blessed." We all raised our glasses and exclaimed "Cheers!", giggled and smiled that we are the lucky ones to have each other.

It doesn't matter if you're traveling together or just getting together for a night of Bunco, wine tasting, shopping, or baking. When it comes down to it, it's not always the things you do but rather who you do them with.

Plan something fun today. Take time to enjoy your friends.

365 Love Notes

2011-02-11T05:50:00.000-08:00

365 Love Notes In A Jar

Everyone knows Valentines Day is just around the corner. Before the holiday is even here St. Patrick's Day stuff is everywhere!

In spite of the fact that retailers put Valentines Day item on the shelf before Christmas is over and now replace it with St. Patrick's Day goods before the Valentines Day has even hit, I have "love" on the brain.

I've been married for some time now, but I must admit I still get butterflies when he walks through the door at the end of the day. He tells me he feels the same way about me. How can this be, how did I get so lucky?

Well, here's a little secret that I happened upon quite by accident and I would love to share it with you. If you do it, please write in because I'm sure others would love to hear your stories.

A few years ago I decided to write out 365 love notes (reasons why I love my husband). The truth is the first 50 are a cinch, the next 50 are a bit harder and the next 265 are a downright challenge!

This simple (yet not so simple) act was heart opening. I really thought about the little things that my husband does that endear me to him.

It happens that writing 365 love notes was as much a gift for myself as it was for him, though I didn't realize it at the time. I began to reminisce about fun times, romance, our first dates, our wedding, the homes we'd lived in, the places we'd seen together.

With each note I grew more endeared and even happier in our relationship.

Honestly, it took a long time to write the notes. I printed them out on paper, cut them into strips and placed them in a jar.

I wrapped the gift and gave it to him not knowing what he might think. My husband, like most men, likes gifts having to do with his hobbies, electronics, or fun gadgets. So, receiving a jar of love notes wasn't "on his list". In short, he loved the gift.

He placed the jar of love notes on his desk where it remains today. He tells me that he takes the notes out randomly, reads them, and places them back in the jar (he doesn't want to throw any away). No other gift that I've given has remained in his possession as long.

Again, it's been a few years since I wrote the 365 love notes, but what I learned remains. I remind myself of the things I love about him daily. Doing so really does make my love for him grow.

You can read all 365 love notes that I wrote. Get a cup of coffee and a comfortable chair, 'cause 365 sentences is actually longer than you might think.

If you're looking for a Valentine's gift, anniversary gift or just a romantic gesture for your sweetheart this year consider doing this. I think you'll be surprise at what you discover.

Feel free to read my 365 Love Notes maybe you'll get some ideas to inspire you in writing your own.

Next week, I'll be taking themed-party-ideas on the road with a large group of friends as we hit the slops to ski, party, and relax in a mountain cabin. So, be on the look out for ideas on how to ramp up the fun when you travel with friends.

Happy Valentines Day! -Jennifer

How to Make Paper Flowers

2011-01-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

This tutorial on how to make paper flowers is so easy, you're sure to fall in love with making paper flowers. As you can see, paper flowers can be very elegant and dramatic.

For only a few cents, you could create arrangements for your bridal shower, dinner party, or even a wedding! Making paper flowers for these events rather than buying expensive arrangements is a great way to cut costs and your friends will be very impressed at your creativity!

When I saw these, my mind was churning with all the different ways to use paper flowers. Of course, they can be hot glued to branches as shown above (which is absolutely lovely). Or, you can scatter different sized paper flower down the runner of a table, string them as garland, or create a bouquet. You could even create a hairpiece from this terrific craft project. The possibilities are practically endless!

This ingenious idea was generously given to us by Wendy of Dozi Designs. What an innovative lady! You can find out more about her by following her link and reading her blog. It's full of great stuff.

And, we've got even more great printable flower projects at themed-party-ideas.com, so check it out. Enjoy!

How to Make Paper Flowers

See more decorating ideas like this on the Loved Themed Party Decorations Blog.

Love Themed Party

2011-01-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

Love Themed Party Printables

Be still my heart, the Love Themed Party is an absolute heart stopper! If you love a beautiful party theme, then you're going to love these ideas. And, it's not just party ideas, but free printable decorations to create everything you see here.

As a matter of fact, I wanted to create the decor without spending anything. I almost succeeded, but I spent about 5 dollars on ribbon because I was in a "hot pink" mood!

I wanted to show you how to create a "love" themed dinner party using a variety of party printables: Some are printables we created and some were sent to use from our friends at Magnolia Creative Co. and Persona Gift Pails. These are some of our most creative friends and you can learn more about their unique projects and ideas by visiting their sites. Thanks to their generosity, you can get all of the printables to create this look for yourself in one place: on the Free Printables page.

Let's start with the love themed table decorations:

Love Themed Table Setting

Print the love themed party printables you find on the free printables page at themed-party-ideas.
Cut everything out. Some of the printables are round. You can cut them with scissors or use a round cutter like the one shown in the photo. These, and similar cutters, are available at most crafts and scrap booking store.
Start with a simple white table cloth. Iron it for a crisp, polished look.
Layer your look. Add a runner, or second smaller cloth. Here you'll see a black and white damask runner simply made from a few yards of fabric. This is a staple in my home because everything goes with black and white.
Create a row of greenery for the center of the table. You can purchase your greenery from a florist. Or, you can keep it simple with greenery from your own yard. Simply arrange the greenery, in a row down the center of the table. You can wire it together in a garland first if desired. There's no need to put it in floral foam, just lay it on the table. If you use greenery from your yard remember two important things:

Select evergreens with waxy leaves because they will last the night without wilting (no water needed). English Laural, Boxwood, Wax Myrtle, Pittosporum and the like are good choices.
Wash and dry the leaves thoroughly before decorating your table.

Set the table with versatile dinnerware. White works great.
Add an accent color. In this case I chose hot pink ribbon because it was one of the colors in the printables. I used the printables within the garland and one printable as a place card on each plate. Napkins are further highlighted with the pink ribbon.
The pink ribbon also decorates the chandelier at the top of this article. Notice that the same party printables are used on both the chandelier and table which help to highlight the theme further.

The love themed party printables are in every detail of the table.

Love Themed Embellishments

Now, to create a dramatic chandelier (like the very top photo and the one below):

Cut out two copies of the love themed party printables.
Hot glue the printable decorations onto ribbon leaving about one inch of room between each letter. On the back side hot glue the same letter so that the ribbon looks attractive from both sides.
Tie the ribbons into the chandelier and drape extra ribbon around the arms of the light fixture to further embellish it.

Love Themed Decorated Chandelier

Printable Love Notes

Finally, if your love themed party is for your sweetheart give a very special gift, love notes of course.

You can find printable love notes on the website. 60 of them come pre-written and you can customize your own with the matching template. You can also look at the 365 love notes I wrote for my own husband to get ideas that I hope will inspire you.

If your love themed party happens to be a bridal shower or engagement party, why not play a party game? It's the final touch to your themed party and we've got the perfect printable game: bridal shower charades!

Bridal Charades Cards

It's fun for everyone and easy to print (because it's designed for perforated Avery 8371 business card stock - so there's no cutting charades cards.)

Plus, the phrases are well thought out to be challenging, funny to act out, and perfectly themed for your bridal shower or engagement party.

Take a look on the bridal shower charades page.

Return to themed-party-ideas.com home

Free Printables

2011-01-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Printable Flowers

My mind is fluttering with creative ideas for free printables. I'm just amazed at the versatility of our newest Valentine Printables and Party Printables; you can create practically anything out of them! The Valentine Printables also perfect for a "love themed" engagement party dinner.

Recently a friend asked, "what's a printable"? In case you're not familiar with these, "printables" are simply anything that you can print on cardstock or paper. Practically anything that can be made with paper can be made into a printable.

Printables are perfect for birthday parties, holiday parties, and dinners because so many of the products we use for these events are made from paper.

The best thing about party printables is that they help carry a theme through the party with ease. For example, with the same printables you can create several different items to decorate your table, party favors, door entrance, mantel, and anything else in a matching decor.

Printables also allow you to use the things you already own (such as a plain white table cloth, or white dishes) and embellish them with a theme that is cohesive.

At www.themed-party-ideas.com we spend a lot of time creating free printables: printable decorations, coloring pages, cards, e-books, games, gift tags, invitations, and much more...you name it, we make it.

Valentine Printables

Occasionally, someone sends us a great printable to pass onto our visitors. We are very grateful for this and we always let you know who provided the printables on the page where you download them so you can visit their site as well.

You can get the free printables you see here (and hundreds more) at www.themed-party-ideas.com and if you create something great, take a photo and send it in. We love to see the beautiful things others come up with!

Football Party Decorations

2011-01-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Gather round! The biggest football party of the year is about the kick off and we're celebrating super large!

Free Printable Football Party Decorations

I love football parties. I have to admit, I don't watch much football. But, when it comes to the big game, I get in the spirit. Bring on the beer and hot dogs, the chocolate chip cookies and oversized soft pretzels...I'm all in!

I'm stuffing a $5 bill into my pocket so I can play all the fun Super Bowl party games like football squares, and Superbowl Bingo.

Free Printable Decorations

Let's brush up on my football trivia and go all out with the the football party decorations. And yes, people really do notice the decorations. That's why I'm so excited about this year's free printable football decorating kit that provides you with everything you need to create an awesome looking party.

This fabulous kit was created by our friends at Persona Gift Pail. These creative people have really clever ideas for party decorations and gift giving that create a personal touch like we've never seen before.

Use these free printable party decorations just as they are. Or, to create a centerpiece like the one shown below with chips in pails, visit the Persona Gift Pail site, where you can get kits to create gift pails that resemble your friends, family, and party guests. What a way to blow your friends away with the decorations! All the details and photos are on their Personal Gift Pail Blog. (I got a real kick out of their photos!)

Customize Your Own Gift Pails!

January Surprise: Humble Sweet Potato Pie

2011-01-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

After a month of parties and fun, the New Year can seem a bit dull. Most of us have made New Year's resolutions to get healthy or save more money, which makes the month of January seems to drag by.

So, make January special with a few surprises. Bake a fun dessert, buy flowers, light candles often, have neighbors to dinner - you get the point.

In comes humble sweet potato pie. I call it "humble" because there are only a few ingredients, and this pie is so easy! It's nothing fancy, but it's tasty.

Sweet potato pie is my husband's favorite, and it makes a rather boring Friday night just a little more fun. Better yet, I'm not breaking any New Year's resolutions. After all, it's made of sweet potatoes and what could be healthier?

I start by making a butter pie crust. There's a trick to making perfect pie crust (also called pate brisee). Follow the directions on the link carefully. Make sure everything you use is cold (water, butter, and even flour). Stick it in the freezer if necessary. This pie crust only takes three ingredients not including water. It's easy and you'll never go back to pre-made crusts again.

Humble Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:
One pie crust shell
1 3/4 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1 15 ounce can of organic sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1/2 cup hot water
1 to 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (if you have it)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and bake 4 or 5 medium whole sweet potatoes with the skins on. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow to cool to the touch. Remove the skins - they will slip right off!

Mash 1 3/4 cups of the cooked sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl and mix together all of the ingredients for about one minute.

Place foil around the edges of your prepared pie crust so that it does not over brown. Cook the pie crust for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, open the oven a pull the rack with the pie forward. Carefully pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust. There's no need to take the pie crust all the way out of the oven. (You may risk spilling the pie filling when you replace it back into the oven.)

Push the rack back and allow to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick through the center of the pie to ensure that pie is done. When it comes out clean, it's done.

New Years Traditions

2010-12-30T20:20:00.000-08:00

Do you have a special New Years tradition that you enjoy every year? Mine is simple: I clean the house.

Last night, at 9pm, I looked at the Christmas tree with dread. The limbs drooped and the needles were parched. I couldn't take it! I had to get that thing out of my house!

So I removed the ornaments, untangled the lights, and drug the thing out of the living room pulling with all my force. Through the back door I tugged the over sized tree through the narrow opening until it sprung to the other side leaving almost every last needle on my wooden floor.

Yes, most people like to keep their tree until after New Years. But, my New Years tradition includes a clean house with no left over projects from the previous year. So, the dreaded removal of the Christmas tree must be done.

Tomorrow, New Years Eve, I'll wake early to finish any last tasks. My reward: the New Years party! We gather at a neighbor's house and toast in the New Year with several friends. I'll wake the next morning with no tasks but to enjoy looking forward to keeping (and breaking) New Years resolutions.

Feel a little blue about taking down the Christmas tree? Sometimes, the house may seem a little empty without it. I purchase fresh flowers, and make arrangements of greenery (from my yard) to cheer my rooms. Candles are kept handy and lit often for a joyful glow and refreshing scent that makes the cold month of January a little more warm.

Return to New Years Party Ideas

Fruitcake Time!

2010-12-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Fruitcake has gotten a really bad rap. There are almost as many jokes about fruitcake as there are jokes about mother-in-laws. Who gives these things at Christmas time anyway?

Well, it's time to admit it, I love fruitcake (and not just the one I'm married to!) But I didn't always like fruitcake. Until a few years ago, I had not even tasted fruitcake. But I knew from common knowledge to stay clear of it.

Then, one day my friend Alli showed up at my door with a Christmas gift: a fruitcake. What's this I thought? Alli is young, stylish, and has great taste...yet she makes fruitcakes for Christmas? There must be something to this. So - I tasted the fruitcake and was hooked. I couldn't wait to eat it again and was thrilled when she asked me to cook Christmas cakes with her this year.

We baked 12 fruitcakes yesterday and plan to make even more. She was kind enough to share the recipe. If you've never had fruitcake, try this recipe. It's out of the world and could convert anyone to a fruitcake eater!

When the cakes have cooled, wrap them tightly in foil and present them in a cake box, bread bag, or simply tie a bow around the foil wrapped cake.

Fruitcake Recipe (makes three bread size fruitcakes):
4 cups of sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Wrap Fruitcake for Gifts

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 to 1 1/2 pound of pecans (whole)
3/4 pounds of chopped candied pinnapple
3/4 pounds of chopped candied cherries (reserve a few for decorating the top)
1 pound of golden raisins

For the batter:
1 cup of butter
2 1/4 cups of sugar
6 eggs
3 tablespoon of brandy extract, apricot brandy or spiced rum

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees farenheit.

Begin by mixing the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, fruit and nuts in a large bowl. Mix well so that all the candied fruit is coated with flour.

Next, make the cream. In an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the brandy extract.

Pour the cream mixture over the dried fruit and flour mixture and combine completely by hand. It may be difficult to mix because it is a dense batter, but make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Spray three foil bread pans with oil and coat with a thin dusting of flour. Distribute the batter between the three pans. Bake for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. About 30 minutes before the fruitcake is done, brush the top with honey to produce a glossy shine.

Let the cake to cool completely and pour apricot brandy over the fruitcake allowing it to soak in. (This step is optional - I don't always do it.)

Wrap the cake tightly in foil and give it as a Christmas gift, or eat it immediately (like I do!)

Hope you enjoy this fruitcake recipes and all of the fun Christmas party ideas, games, and gift ideas on the site. Happy Holidays!

Ladies Gift Wrap Party

2010-12-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Do you stay up until midnight the night before Christmas frantically trying to get all the gifts wrapped, food prepared, extra surprises done just in time? Lots of us do!

A few years ago, I decided to make a change with a ladies get-together just for wrapping gifts. The idea was simple: take a chore and make it fun.

We morning of the party, we enjoy hot cider, coffee, and treats. I turn on the holiday music and light the fire. We all gather with bags of gifts, wrapping paper and scissors in hand.

I like to create a little party favor for each friend. It's the same thing every year: gift tags, tape, scissors, and ribbon. I provide a lot of paper and ribbon that I usually by the day after Christmas when it goes on sale.

I print the gift tags off of the themed-party-ideas.com website. To make them especially pretty, I pre-cut all the tags with pinking shears or fancy edge scissors and punch holes in the tops of the tags. I put them in a cellophane bag for an attractive presentation. You can even find tags on the Christmas printables page. There are both free and very inexpensive versions to choose from.

My friends also bring paper, extra boxes, and anything else that they think may make for pretty gifts.

Gift wrapping always takes longer than expected, so I leave the day open just in case a few girls bring several gifts and need help finishing all their work.

It has turned into an annual party that I've done for the past four years. Everyone looks forward to it. The ladies gift wrap morning takes a task and turns it into a treat!

So invite your friends over and make a morning of it. It's a Holiday gathering you'll treasure!

Left Right Game

2010-12-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

New surprise! Print the Left Right story for your Christmas or New Years party!

We've got two versions. One's perfect for before Christmas and one is especially designed for a re-gift party after Christmas - (very funny!)

To play the left right game, everyone brings a gift. You can bring a funny gift, gag gift, or whatever you like. If you play the game for a New Years party, most people enjoy bringing a re-gift.

Everyone sits or stands in a circle and holds the gift they brought. Guests begin continuously passing their gifts to the right. A special story is read that contains the words "left" and "right". Guests change directions and pass the gifts to either the left or right after hearing the words in the story.

It's a really fun gift exchange game and you can learn more about it and download the version of the story that best suits you at.

Nametags for your Christmas Party

2010-12-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

If you haven't downloaded the free name tags for your Christmas party do it now. It's easy and they are FREE! They're part of our fabulous free Christmas e-book that you find on the Christmas printables page.

I used these name tags at my party and I thought they were really convenient. When all the guests don't know each other it's a great way to help them out!

Enjoy all of our free printables - we've got tons! And we're adding new ones every week.

New Christmas E-book - 85 Pages of Christmas Printables!

2010-12-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

Gift tags and cards - just some of the Christmas printables now available

Having a ladies gift wrap party? Want some fun ice breaker games for your holiday neighborhood party? Or, maybe you need a letter from Santa to send to you good little girl or boy.

Convenient Cocktail Rings

Then you'll want to check out our newest Christmas printables e-book. You'll find gift tags (oh so cute), wine glass charms, cupcake wrappers, coloring pages, letters from Santa, Stationary, Ice breaker games, Christmas trivia cards and tons more.

We're really proud of this printable book and I've already used the printable Christmas cards, cocktail glass charms, trivia cards, and cupcake wrappers at my own party.

Next week I'll be using the gift tags at my annual ladies gift wrap party to create a party favor for each girl who attends. I'll print a sheet for each girl, cut them out and place them in a clear cellophane bag with scissors, tape and bobbles. And, of course, I'll be posting it on the blog, so stay tuned!

Free Christmas Printables for Your Christmas Party!

2010-12-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

Free Christmas Printable Cards

We've got free Christmas printables for your Christmas party!

I used several of the printables available on this site at my party including invitations, Christmas themed name tags, and cocktail glass rings that guests can write their names on (oh, so convenient!)

Visit the Free Christmas Printables page at Themed Party Ideas.com and download the free Christmas e-book which includes all of the following printable items.

Christmas Cards
Christmas Stationary
Printable Christmas Party Games
Christmas Themed Cupcake Wrappers & Toothpick Charms
Naughty and Nice Buttons
More Christmas Printables!

Easy Christmas Party Menu

2010-12-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's my easy Christmas party menu for this year's annual neighborhood and friends gathering.

Preparing the Christmas Party Buffet

Feeding 45 to 50 people (without a catering service) is a challenge! How do you make sure everything is ready and set up at the same time?

Here are 5 Helpful Hints:

Serve lots of "cold" items with only a few things that need to be served warm.
Make as much as possible the day before.
Serve no cook items such as cheese/olives/spiral ham/fruit/etc.
For the warm items, select something that can simmer in a chaffing dish or crock pot for hours and still taste delicious.
Select naturally attractive ingredients to create a beautiful buffet table. For example, line trays with leafy lettuce and place veggie or fruit on top. Select a nice pineapple as a centerpiece or dramatic flowers. Brussel spouts on the stem (see below) are natural decor for a buffet table.

Dramatic Flowers, Leaf Lined Tray

At this year's party we served just under 50 people. Here's my easy Christmas menu that can be done by one person in 8 hours. (not including shopping.)

Crock pots make serving warm food easy!

6 quarts of Clam Chowder served with French bread (cooked and kept warm in a crock pot)
Spiral Cut Honey Baked Ham (Smithfield or Trader Joe's Brand are both amazing) with 50 dinner rolls and 3 types of spreads - no cooking involved
6 different types of French cheeses served with olives, grapes, and fruit spreads. If possible, go to a cheese shop (fromagerie) and have an expert select the cheese for you - more on this later)
4 cups of Hummus with Bread (easy substitute recipe - see below) (made the day before)
Salmon Pate (quick style - see below) served on top of sliced French bread (made the day before)
Veggie Plate with store bought dressing (made the day before)
Fruit Plate with papaya, pineapple, strawberries, and blackberries (made the day before)
75 dinner size meatballs in hot and sweet sauce kept warm in chaffing dish (recipe below).
60 large asparagus tips wrapped in Serrano ham (broiled for five minutes)
4 cups of snow peas - lightly steamed to remain crisp, salted and mildly seasoned, served cold
2 dozen chocolate cupcakes (made the day before)
1 pumpkin cheesecake (store purchased)
3 dozen assorted chocolates (mine where handmade at a candy making class - you could simply buy yours)
2 dozens chocolate covered donut holes (handmade - recipe below)
3 bowls of mixed nuts

Guests Enjoying the Buffet

Drinks:

2 pitchers of punch (find easy punch recipes).
2 cases of various wines
3 cases of beer (could have gotten by with only one)
A variety of popular liquors for mixed drinks
40 cups of coffee

Guests Enjoying Cocktails

Creating a Cheese Platter

Don't have a local cheese shop? No problem, many stores have a nice variety around the holidays. Depending on how large your party, select anywhere from 3 cheeses to 7 or 8.

Select one cheese that everyone is familiar with (a nice cheddar perhaps). Next go for a soft cheese such as a triple cream, brie, or goat cheese. Serve this whole with a spreading knife along side a cranberry sauce if desired. Finally, serve a hard cheese with a bit of bite such as a Cheshire or Gloucester.

Easy Hummus Recipe

2 Cans of Garbanzo Beans
3 Cloves of Crush Garlic
3 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Tahini (roasted, crushed sesame seeds) see below for easy substitute
Salt to Taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. You may need more Olive oil or Lemon Juice depending on your taste.

Opps! I'm ready to make the Hummus and I'm out of Tahini! Well, I was to busy to run to the store for one item. So, I substituted peanut butter. Believe it or not, it tasted great! I'm making it this way more often.

Quick Salmon Pate Recipe

4-6 ounces of smoked salmon for pate
4-6 ounces of smoked salmon for topping
1 large red onion (minced)
2 (8 ounce) bricks of cream cheese
1 (6 ounce) jar of capers, plus 2 tables spoons of caper juice

Place all ingredients in a food processor and plus until creamy. Spread over slices of French bread and top with an addition slice of smoked salmon.

Meatballs in Spicy and Sweet Sauce

2 bags (approximately 75) meatballs from the freezer section of your grocery store
1 jar of grape jelly
2 jars of bbq sauce (your favorite variety)
2 tablespoons of Rooster sauce (hot sauce)

Put all ingredients in a crock pot or on the stove top and cook until warm throughout. Keep warm in chaffing dish.

Return to Christmas Party Ideas at Themed Party Ideas.

Christmas Party Countdown (Continued)

2010-12-01T04:44:00.000-08:00

Just four days until the Christmas party! It hardly seems like it's December, but we're bustling around getting things up to snuff.

I've selected my Christmas party games and printed the Christmas trivia game and Conversation starters at www.themed-party-ideas.com to put out on the coffee tables.

The invitations were sent two weeks ago and the house was decorated a few days ago.

So, what's on today's agenda in the big Christmas countdown? House cleaning day! Yeah, it's time to polish the copper pots and make the house shine.

I actually love this part. A party is a good excuse to get things done. Will it all be noticed...probably not. But, the time line helps me stay on track.

Also on today's party planning agenda is planning a party menu - stay tuned.

Christmas Trivia Games

2010-11-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

We're so excited about our newest Printable party game - the Christmas trivia game. It can be played as a fun card game called "Christmas Trivia Deal-n-Steal" or you can simply set the cards out at your Christmas party and use them as conversation starter cards. There are 110 trivia cards in all.

Of course, we have conversation starter cards on the site - but the Christmas trivia cards are really unique. They include all sorts of fun facts that we never knew until we researched them.

If you're following my 'Countdown until the Christmas party', the Christmas trivia cards are idea #2. I'm printing them off today for my own Christmas party so it'll be one less thing I have to do the day of the party. You too can get a set, just visit the Christmas party games page for lots of great ideas for your Christmas party.

Annual Christmas Party Countdown

2010-11-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

Jennifer, your host here.

It's just under two weeks until my annual Christmas party. This year I'll be hosting about 40 people in my home. I'm gathering my Christmas party ideas and making my menu. Follow me on the blog as I post updates on the party plan. I'll post my menu, party games, and decorating ideas.

I must admit that because my ankle is still in a cast, I'm "running" a little slow. But I'm a DIY girl so I'll have to pull it together! But thanks to my friend Meg who is doubling as "Santa's Helper"!

Idea #1: Here's a fun Christmas party idea that's also really practical. Not everyone at the party will know each other so I'll be printing name name tags for each guest.

To make it more interesting, the name tags will also serve as an icebreaker. Underneath each name I'll print the words, "I Like _________". Guests will fill in the blank with something they like. It could be anything: chocolate, Christmas, cars, games, movies, etc. Of course, I'll print a few examples.

When guests meet, they'll automatically have an icebreaker - they'll see one thing that the other person enjoys. And, bonus: when their conversation is over, they'll walk away remembering each others names.

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

2010-11-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

Our friend at Moonlight and Whimsy have delighted us with an "Alice and Wonderland" theme that's truly a fairy tale. Every detail is simply delightful, including chandeliers made of ribbon and paper lanterns and butterflies that adorn chairs, flowers, and food.

Visit her lovely blog at http://moonlight-whimsy.blogspot.com/2010/11/lauras-11th-unbirthday-party.html for a real treat. You'll see lots of photos of this party and she gives details about where to find all the treasures she used.

What a great party! You may also visit themed-party-ideas.com for more on hosting a tea party including recipes, printable cupcake wrappers and more great party ideas.

Conversation Starters - A Great Christmas Party Activity

2010-11-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Conversation starters are a great Christmas party idea for adults. It's funny how you can just set out a set of conversation cards and guests find them without being prompted.

They're great for stirring party conversation and getting guests to relax and mingle. Themed-party-ideas has a set of 120 funny and interesting printable conversation cards. Just print them out and you could be enjoying them at your party tonight! What's even better is that if you need more than one set for a large party, it's no problem, just print two sets.

Nothing could be easier for a hostess. In an ideal world you'd like to greet each guest and introduce them to other guests with common interests. But this takes work, and you want to enjoy your Christmas party, wedding reception, or bridal shower.

Providing icebreaker games is a great solution. Conversation starter cards are everyone's favorite icebreaker. They're understated, yet appreciated.

Christmas Party Games and Ideas Contest! $100 Prize.

2010-11-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

There's a new Themed-Party-Ideas Contest!

I've already started planning my annual home Christmas party and girl's gift wrap party. It's never too early to start, after all Holiday parties usually start up the week after Thanksgiving.

We're looking for your great party ideas. Submit your Christmas party photos, party decoration ideas, themes, and Christmas party games to the contest. Any family, friends, neighborhood, or office Christmas party ideas or games are eligible.

The more details the better. For example, if your describing a game, tell how to play it so others can do it at their party. You don't have to submit a photo, but if you have a photo, visitor's love to see what others create and they really help tell a story.

The contest ends December 15th - just in time to spend the winnings!

Themed Party Ideas Halloween Contest Winners

2010-11-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you've been to the Halloween Costume Ideas page on the Themed-Party-Ideas site, you know that the 2010 Costume Contest had some VERY stiff competition.

Never before has the staff been so passionate about their opinions. We had to call in extra judges at the last moment because there were so many ties.

Because this years contest was such a success, next years contest will be even bigger with larger cash prizes. It was so much fun!

The grand prize winner for the 2010 Halloween Costume Contest was Mary of Chantilly, VA for Life is a Roller Coaster.

They submitted several photos - it's definitely worth taking a look! All I can say is Wow!

Runner's up also receive prizes and those include:
The Cast of Reno 911 by Mike of Vista, CA
BeeBot Transformer by Johnny of San Pedro, CA
Big Bug on a Small Budget by Mike of Ohio
Life Size Barbie by Melissa of Rochester, NY

Of course, there were others that really stood out, though they weren't picked by all the judges. Here are two of my personal favorite that are must sees:
Rock Paper Scissors: This group costume is incredibly original and these girls have a seriously fun sense of humor!
Spicy Ryan Sushi Geisha Holly: This costume was so well done and they had great reviews on the site.

Thanks to everyone who entered...Your ideas were inspiring, creative and made for a great contest!

Halloween Costume Contest Heats Up!

2010-10-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Wow! The Themed-Party-Ideas.com Halloween Costume Contest is heating up.

If you're dressing up for your Halloween party, send in a picture. We have received the most creative costume ideas ever! From really inexpensive costume ideas, to the most elaborate costume ideas.

This contest will be a tough one! See why on the Halloween Costume Ideas page. Just scroll to the bottom of the page for all of the visitor's submissions. And, submit your photo to the Themed-Party-Ideas contest page - it's still anyone's game!

Tailgating Ideas

2010-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Tailgating Ideas are so much more bigger than hotdog and hamburgers. Tailgates are parties where thousands gather and bring out the very best in food, games, drinks and fun!

If I'm not at a party on Saturday, my husband and I are tailgating and supporting our local college football team.

Both Alumni and students alike enjoy the magnitude of tailgating. Join use for fun tailgating ideas and football party ideas this fall!

Find out where to get the best tailgating games, and great ideas for football food from super easy to spectacular!

Costume Contest Ends The Day After Halloween!

2010-10-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Themed-Party-Ideas Halloween Costume Contest 2010 is underway and we're having ball.

Our visitors are going to make this a tough competition! We've already received several entries. Of course, most people will wait until the day after Halloween to send in their photos and Halloween costume ideas, but remember you can submit a photo from last year as well.

We've gotten some great costume ideas for kids and adults and I'm posting only a few here because there are too many to post on the blog.

Creativity is in big supply! See how one visitor made a 9 foot 11 pound bug costume for his daughter on the Big Bug Little Budget page (it's incredible!)

Or, learn how to create elaborate costumes out of cardboard for just a few bucks. Visitors like you have great ideas, and we love sharing them!

See all of the entries on the Halloween Costume Ideas Page - it's well worth the trip.

The Halloween costume contest ends Monday, November 1st at midnight. So take photos at your Halloween party and send them in. You could be this year's winner of the cash and bragging rights!

Bridal Shower Ideas

2010-10-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Bridal Shower Ideas that inspire are being blogged by visitors just like you. We just received the most beautiful posting from a California visitor with elegant bridal shower ideas and photos that made me wish I was attending her bridal shower! (Oh, did I mention the bridal shower was held in Sonoma Wine Country.)

I posted a "peek" photo here. Visit her blog: Black and White Themed Bridal Shower Ideas for full details, pictures and great ideas! You can also submit your own bridal shower ideas or any creative party ideas on the creative party ideas page (just scroll down to where it says: "Share your creative party theme". Or join this blog and submit your ideas!

How to Carve a Pumpkin

2010-10-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

Want to know how to carve a pumpkin in just a few fun and easy steps? Create beautiful pumpkins with pumpkin stencils! It's easy and we show you how.

It's pumpkin carving season and here in Virginia, everyone's homes are adorned with pumpkins. From scary pumpkin faces to funny and down right adorable, pumpkins are everywhere!

So, here in the Themed-Party-Ideas.com kitchen, were cooking up some fall fun.

We choose one of the easy pumpkin stencils you can get off the website for demonstration purposes. Of course, if you're a seasoned pumpkin carver, go for the advanced versions.

You'll find 20 high quality pumpkin stencils on the site and downloading pumpkin stencils make creating your favorite pumpkins time and again so easy!

Visit the Pumpkin Carving Tips page to find detailed instructions, a photo tutorial, and pumpkin stencils.

Oh, we're not wasting anything in our kitchen. Stay tuned for how to cook pumpkin seeds and homemade pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Stencils

2010-10-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Get printable Pumpkin Stencils just in time for Halloween.

Learn How To Carve A Pumpkin that looks like a masterpiece. It's easier than you think. We give you complete instructions, plus all the pumpkin carving tips that will make your pumpkin the talk of the block!

Hollywood Theme Party

2010-10-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

The traditional Hollywood theme party is changing!

I used to think Hollywood Theme Parties were for those who enjoy dressing up, rolling out a red carpet, and watching the Oscars.

But in fact there are many different party ideas that have emerged from Hollywood theme parties. You don't have to get dressed up of even roll out a red carpet for this party theme to be great fun.

Take the "Movie Casting Call" theme party for instance. This theme works well for an adult birthday party. The host creates a movie title that includes the guest of honor's name and asks guests to come as a character in the movie. There's no costume required, only that the guest make up a character for the suggestive movie title. For full details and games that go along with this Hollywood theme visit the Movie Theme Party page.

Another great Hollywood party idea is the Reality Star Party. This party polks fun a world gone mad for reality entertainment. It's probably one of the funniest Hollywood themes out there.

Of course, these are only a few examples of the many different ways you can make your Hollywood Theme party unique. Visit the Hollywood Theme Party page for the entire scoop!

Printable Halloween Game - Find Your Fortune

2010-10-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

"Find Your Fortune" is a printable Halloween game developed by the Themed-Party-Ideas crew. What's so great about it is that it's interactive. Guests must mingle with one another to find what their future holds.

The game creator at Themed-Party-Ideas.com loves interactive printable party games and develops games that are fun for adults to play at parties. The focus of these games is to bring something new and innovative to printable party games. You won't find their games anywhere else, they are themed-party-ideas exclusives!

Find this game plus more printable party games at the place where the party starts - Themed-Party-Ideas.com

$10, $15, $20 Dollar Costumes!

2010-10-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Inexpensive costumes don't have to be cheap costumes!

We've scoped out the deals to find $10, $15, and $20 costumes for women, men, kids, and even tots. Twice a day, we search for the latest markdowns from costume retailers. So when a $50 costume goes on clearance for $10, you're the first to know! And these retailers have fast shipping so you'll be sure to have what you need by Halloween. Find the deals on the Cheap Adult Halloween Costumes page.

Halloween Costume Contest!

2010-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Submit your best Halloween costume for a chance at a $50 prize. The contest runs from October 8th, 2010 to November 1st, 2010. The best costume takes to prize. See the themed-party-ideas.com contest page for full details.

What type of costumes are eligible? Past or present costumes, handmade or purchased costumes, funny or scary costumes, they're all eligible. Creativity is a big plus! So, take that snap shot and send it in!

Best Halloween Party Ideas Contest Winner

2010-10-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Meg of Charlottesville, Virginia for her very funny costume party theme: Reality Star Party. This over the top party idea is so funny, you could do it any time of year. It really doesn't require that guests purchase costumes, though a few accessories could go along way. Her ideas for decorations and games were very clever. Meg will receive a $50 Visa for her entry.

Runners up include: Eulala of Centreville, Virginia for Cereal Killers, Michelle of Tampa, Florida for Dead Rock Star Party, Dana of Jackson, Mississippi for Halloween Decorating Ideas. Each will receive a $5 Gift Card to Starbucks for their excellent efforts.

Wednesday Night Dinner Parties!

2010-10-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

(making mushroom stuffed ravioli is labor of love, made even more delicious by doing it with friends.)

Wednesdays Rock! Not a statement you hear often, but in my house it's the one day we really look forward to!

We've instituted a weekly "hump-day dinner party". That's right, every week we celebrate by taking off work one hour early to cook a meal that's worthy of a Saturday night special occasion party.

Our guests are the same every week, with a few occasional additions. To quote one of our regular guests, "I woke up this morning and said, Thank God it's Wednesday! This is the thing I look forward to all week!"

I never thought Wednesday would be my favorite day of the week, but I had to agree with him.

Every week has a different theme which we plan a week in advance (usually while we're dining together). Last night's theme was, "Italy in my Kitchen" with homemade ravioli.

Everyone helps in the preparation. We all gather in the kitchen, open a bottle of wine and get to "work". No, not everyone is an experienced cook, but we all have fun.

I purchase a different bottle of wine every week so that we can all try something new. I attempt to keep the wine in line with the region of food. So, last night we sampled a few bottles Chianti in the spirit of the Italian meal.

Life is short, so celebrate Wednesdays! Next week, it's Indian food. Oh, just six more days! :)

Want to make mushroom ravioli for yourself?

Filling ingredients:
2 cups of mushrooms
1/4 cup onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 slices of bacon or 3 tablespoon of butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
An ounce (or so) of Port Wine is optional
1/4 cup cooked sausage is optional

The filling is easy. Saute 2 cups of mixed shitake, cremini, and button mushrooms with 1/4 cup onion, and 2 cloves of garlic in butter or bacon fat. Add a splash or port wine if you wish. Saute until most of the liquid has evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste. (Add a small amount of cooked sausage if you like). Place mushroom mixture in a food processor and add 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Process into small pieces.

Make the pasta dough according to the pasta dough directions on the website located on the dinner recipes page. Roll out several very thin sheet of pasta using a pasta machine. Dust your work surface with flour and lay out one sheet of dough onto the work surface. Brush the dough with an egg wash made of one beaten egg mixed with a tablespoon of water.

Place a spoonful of the mushroom mixture every few inches apart onto the dough. Cover with another sheet of pasta dough so that the filling is sandwiched between the two sheets of dough. Use the rim of a glass or a knife to cut the individual raviolis and press the edges of each ravioli with a fork.

Drop the raviolis into salted boiling water and cook for approximately 3 minutes.

Dinner Party Themes

2010-10-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

When fall rolls around, I think of dinner parties. Dinner parties are a great way to celebrate holidays, birthday, and any event.

But why wait until a special event occurs to host a great dinner party? If you wait you might be missing out on creating great memories and enjoying the everyday experiences that make life just a little more beautiful!

The new dinner party themes I just published come from personal experiences. I hope you will consider hosting the "make new friends" or "everyday special occasion" dinner party. If you do, we'd love to hear all about it! You can always write us and tell us all about it.

Halloween Party Ideas Contest Is Underway!

2010-09-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Halloween Party Ideas contest is underway! It may be the beginning of September but Halloween is right around the corner.

Just last night I was a friend's 40th birthday party and everyone was bubbling about what they'll be for Halloween. It's never too early to start planning those fun costumes!

So - the big question...What Halloween party idea should you submit to this month's Themed-Party-Ideas.com contest? Any type of party idea from Halloween recipes to party ideas for children and teens.

We've even received some very scary Halloween party ideas that were just submitted today. These can be found on our Scary Halloween party decorations page and our Scary Halloween Games page. These ideas aren't for the little ones, but teens and grown-ups will find these knee-knocking ideas are to die for!

So what are you waiting for? Write in your party idea to our cash prize contest - your submission might be just the idea someone else is looking for. And, if it's a winner, you'll get a little extra cash for all those Halloween "treats"!

Facebook Frenzy Contest Winner

2010-09-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

"Facebook Frenzy", themed-party-ideas August contest, has a winner!

Pati F. of Mississippi submitted a party idea and it was shared on Facebook 46 times! That's 46 tickets with Pati's name just waiting to be pulled from the "hat".

Several people shared ideas. Every idea that was shared, along with the name of the person who shared it was printed onto a sheet of paper. Some ideas were shared anonymously, and in that case, the word anonymous was entered on the ticket next to the party idea.

The ideas were cut into individual slips of paper and placed in a jar.

The lucky winner's name was drawn at random by an impartial party (my sweety...)

The winning ticket was for the "Outdoor Laser Tag" party idea. It was submitted by an anonymous visitor. Pati, the person who submitted the idea, wins $50 cash. But because the party idea was submitted anonymously no prize can be awarded to the person who shared it.

We had fun with this contest and now it's time for a new one.

This month's contest is all about Halloween party ideas! Submit your favorite party idea. If yours is judged to be the best, you'll be our next winner. Visit the Themed-Party-Ideas contest page for full details.

Pirate Games, Pirate Party Ideas, and Pirate's Booty!

2010-09-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Pirate Games, Pirate Party Ideas, and Pirate’s Booty! – We’ve got a treasure trove of pirate themed party ideas!

Why all this pirate madness?

September 19th is “Talk Like a Pirate Day”. Never fear! We’ve got tips to create an authentic sounding pirate accent in 5 easy steps - just visit the talk like a pirate page. Of course, “Talk Like a Pirate Day” isn’t really a nationally sanctioned holiday, but it’s such a funny idea that we thought we’d do our part to spread the word.

As fun ideas often do, one thing leads to another and what started as a small article on how to talk like a pirate blossomed into ideas on how to create a realistic pirate costume and new ideas for kids birthday games like a twist on an old fashioned treasure hunt.

Next thing you know, we’re creating printable party favors for a pirate themed party. You can get this printable play money entitled, “Pirates Booty” at www.themed-party-ideas.com along with lots of other printables. You can count on even more pirate themed ideas, printables, and games sailing your direction…the pirate party theme ideas are just to fun to keep buried away!

Party Printables Now Available!

2010-09-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Party printables add so much flair! What can you create with party printables? The big question is what can't you create? Decorate for your party, spruce up gifts, and add pizazz with printable games. We supply the printables, you supply the creativity!

The other day a friend asked, "What is a party printable?" Printables are any item that you print off your computer. They include games, cupcake wrappers, awards or certificates, play money, gift tags, and party decorations. Almost anything that is made of paper can be a printable. And Themed-Party-Ideas has tons of printables!

My friend was then concerned about how printables look when they're printed at home. They look great! But there are a few things that affect the quality and look of the items you print. Color printers work best, but several of our printables look very nice in black and white too.

Next, choose a paper that works well with the printable you've selected. Many printers will take card stock (heavy weight) paper. Card stock is perfect when the item needs to have a little weight, such as printable party favors, birthday cards, place cards, gift tags, etc. Some printables are best printed on light weight paper. Scavenger hunt lists or cupcake wrappers are good examples of printables that don't require card stock.

Themed-Party-Ideas has printables for every occasion and we add new ones all the time. Currently, we've just added several Halloween printables.

With our free printable Halloween decorations, we show you how to make Halloween garland that you can hang on a fireplace mantel or above a door. We also created a very interesting shadow lampshade and show you spectacularly spooky ways to decorate your chandelier. We invite you to read all about it on the Halloween printables page.

We know the possibilities for party printables are practically endless. Share your ideas and photos on this blog. If you're a creative blogger, you can also contribute your Halloween ideas to our site. There are many benefits to doing this! Visit the "Become a Contributor" page for details.

Surprise Party Ideas For An Adult Birthday

2010-09-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Surprise party ideas are being revealed and we're happy to bring you the scoop!

I had the fortune of going to not one but two surprise parties last weekend: one on Friday night and the other on Saturday. Both were adult birthday parties, and both were a great success.

What makes a great surprise party? Pulling off a hilarious surprise, of course! We've learned a few secret tricks and we're spilling the beans.

One of the things that makes a surprise really fun is the quality of the white lie that leads to the grand surprise party.

Here's why: Last Wednesday I knocked on my friend Becky's door to ask a question about a party she was having for her husband's birthday on Saturday. I didn't receive the invitation, my husband did, so I didn't know it was a surprise party.

But, having been to my share of parties, I approached my party questions with caution.

Her husband answered the door. "Is Becky here?" I asked. "Sure, let me get her." He called for Becky and stayed on the porch when she arrived at the door. "May I speak to Becky privately?" I asked. He looked at me with a grin and a raised eyebrow and left us to chat.

I told Becky I didn't know if it was a surprise party so I wanted to speak with her alone. She thanked me for my discretion. I said, "I hope I didn't give away the surprise since I asked to speak to you in private and he gave me a funny look."

She donned a cunning smile and said, "He doesn't suspect a thing. I told him I was hosting a naughty lingerie party." My checks definitely flushed, knowing what her husband must have thought!

Her surprise party ideas were perfectly planned. He truly didn't suspect a thing and even complained to his friend (her accomplice) that she was having a house full of girls on a night that should have been "his night"!

Need the perfect white lie for your surprise party victim? Want to know how to stop a known blabber mouth from spoiling your big surprise? These questions and many more are answered on our Surprise Party Ideas page.

Themed-Party-Ideas.com has More Printable Party Games, Favors and Decorations!

2010-08-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Fall's coming! It's time for Halloween party games, carving pumpkins and the like! Decorate with free Halloween Printables we've just posted on our site!

Check out these Halloween Printables:

Halloween Cupcake Wrappers
Printable Halloween Awards Certificates
Printable Halloween Decorations
Halloween Bingo
Find Your Fortune Icebreaker
"It's Your Line" Scavenger Story Hunt
Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Halloween Garland
Printable Pumpkin Stencils
Printable Bat Stencils for Decorating and Food Projects

To see all the free party games and favors available, visit Themed-Party-Ideas.com.

We welcome your posts on items you're looking for or other great party printables you've found.