The Party Muse ™

Girly Safari Birthday Party - PART 2

2011-09-06T08:58:00.001-04:00

Okay, I didn't want any of the pictures to get lost on one long post so I had to break them up. The dessert tables and all the beautiful signage really need their own shine :) You can go to my facbook page to view the entire album from this party tomorrow.

I was so fortunate to find Alison of The English Pea. She designed all of the signage and custom made a few signs for me. Her work is super amazing!

18x24s at the dessert table sums up the event pretty well : )

Signs for the treat table and also the food room which was dubbed the Watering Hole

I picked tropical/exotic cookie flavors to play off of the safari theme for my milk and cookies bar. The GREEN TEA SHORTBREAD was fabulous and made by Crumbles Cookie Factory. The Cinnamon Guava Sandwich cookies were so delicious and made by Zugar Haus.

Orange Chocolate Blossoms by Butter Blossoms. If I told you how good these little cookies were you would think I was exaggerating so I'll simply say, TRY THEM : )

THE MILK, needs no introduction lol

My client had already commissioned the cake from a fabulous cake designer that I was happy to be introduced to. Elegantly Iced Cakes is AMAZING!!!

Just over the treat table hung the perfect burlap banner also from Haley Davis, such beautiful work.

The treat table was so fun to design. I included some nature elements with the tree stump cake riser, and the moss ball trees atop the tree stump vases. I spray painted some tine tin planters and they became the perfect vessels for my milk. The signage ties in all of the safari prints perfectly.

The guests walked away with a delicious cookie from Fun Favors which was an amazing iced shortbread cookie. SO YUM!

Vendor List for Part 1 and 2:

Graphic Designs: The English Pea
Burlap banners: Haley Davis
Vinyl Cling: Bubba & Doodle
Clear tubes for animal crackers: Quaintly Amazing
Cookies: Crumbles Cookie Factory, Zugar Haus, Butter Blossoms, and Fun Favors
Event planning and design: DUH lol, The Party Muse

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY (for the pics I'm posting) BY MY FRIEND FRED OF CAPTIVE MEMOIRS!!! I was so lucky to have him on board for this day.

Hope you enjoyed :)

Girly Safari First Birthday Party - PART 1

2011-09-06T01:06:00.001-04:00

Hi all! Here's the first look at the Safari themed first birthday party I did in NYC yesterday. I'm so excited to share a few of my favorite photos with you and also links to some extraordinary vendors I had the pleasure of working with. The full album will be posted on my facebook page later this week but I wanted to show here first. Hope you enjoy :)

The welcomer :) This little guy (actually 5ft. long so not so little!) was the first thing you saw as you entered the event space. Cute right?! Lots more to choose from in the Bubba & Doodle Esty Shop.

I worked hard on making what I thought were the perfect centerpieces. These were on all the low cocktail tables. I had a smaller version of these with green hydrangea that I had on the high cocktail tables.

In any event that I design, the kids tables and favors are my main focus. I love to make sure to provide them with multiple favors if possible and a fun atmosphere. Here are a few pics of the kids tables.

Each place setting had a stuffed animal, bubbles, a puzzle, and animal crackers. The beautiful chair banners were made by a super talented, Haley Davis. They were burlap and hand painted.

I hope you enjoyed the first look at this super fun party! I'll be back with PART 2 which centers around the goodies of the dessert table tomorrow. Let me know what you think so far!

Busy Summer!!

2011-08-21T21:17:00.003-04:00

Hi all!

I can't believe I've been away from my blog for as long as I have, it's totally criminal! Since I haven't spoken to you guys all summer, I figured I'd just dip my toe back into the blog world before I get in fully with a new post :) My summer has been really awesome and I just can't believe it's almost over. I've been spending so much time with my family which is always great. The weekends have been hours at the park, beach, bounce U, boardwalks, and festivals! My little one is already going to be 3 next month and even though he's still small, I can't even believe how big he is. It's been a great summer getting to watch him do things for the first time and really enjoying himself. He says to me all the time "I'm happy mom" lol, he totally knows how to get me!

Anyway in the party world I'm so happy to be apart of a $100 party designers challenge which is all about my favorite thing....pretty party on a budget! Definitely more about that later. I revamped my whole website and also the party planning options that I offer. I can't wait to share with you all the fun party package themes I have. One of which I'm giving my son next month, Vintage Train, for his 3rd birthday. Also, I'm working on a fabulous safari party for early September and even though it's not here yet I'm looking forward to sharing the pics with you :)

So that's all I've got going on. I hope you guys have been having a great summer! I promise, another blog post THIS WEEK!

Networking Event with AMY ATLAS!

2011-05-09T19:49:00.009-04:00

Happy Monday!! I'm so happy to blog about this event. It all began on Martha Stewart's Dreamers Into Doers on a chat board where regional groups were forming to meet up. I love networking and meeting area business women so when the opportunity to

came up for someone to plan the NJ event I JUMPED at it!

Dawn of Bee*s Knees Parties offered to help and I was happy to have a partner.

Dawn and I had so much fun planning this event and became fast friends. We now call each other "partners in fabulousness" lol. Within days of deciding to plan this event Dawn had fearlessly emailed Amy Atlas and started working with her assistant Lisa to be a speaker at our event. We decided that it would be one HUGE surprise if we could pull it off....and we did....and it was!

Decor elements: Paper invitations, and all paper decor and logo design by the fabulous

Two Pooch Paperie. The Swag bags were donated by Martha Stewart Living and contained Martha mags along with items from each of the group members and a few honorary members!

Here's the girls all having a good time, we gathered at Alice's Tea Cup, Chapter 2.

It was such an adorable place and get this, we got to meet the owners who

are a pair of woman business owners! I highly recommend this place :)

Amy along with her assistant Lisa, made a grand entrance and were met with screams, cheers, and OMG's! It was the most exciting moment. Amy didn't stand at the podium, she wanted to sit and have more of a conversation which was just amazing. With 9 of us there, it was amazing to have all of our questions answered so thoughtfully by Amy. Lisa added in some details of her career path which was so inspiring. They were both delightful! Amy even mentioned that she had visited all of our websites, AAHHHHHHHHH, I was dying lol.

The group! Crista of Creations by Crista Marie, Sarah of Dreamers Joy Events, Jennifer of The Hudson Cakery, Dawn of Bee*s Knees Parties, Vanessa of Vanessa Grant Events, Lisa of Polkadot Pound Cake Co., Dawn of Hydrandrea Home, and Gemma of Brainfry Concepts

I had the most spectacular time and I'm so excited to have met these ladies. You are all talented, special, and my new friends ☺There will be MANY more events in the future! Thank you so much to Amy Atlas, Two Pooch Paperie, and Martha Stewart Living.

Got hard boiled eggs? Make these!

2011-04-23T10:00:00.005-04:00

HOPPY EASTER everyone! Tis' the season for chocolate, jelly beans, bunnies, and hard boiled eggs! In my family we dye eggs and have an Easter Egg Hunt. I grew up with cousins and later on around age 13 my sisters (I have three) started to come. It made for festive times for sure. I'll be dying eggs today with my son and husband but with only 3 of us there will be A LOT left over. If you're like me you'll be happy to see that there are tons of cools things you can do with your left over hard boiled eggs :)

First up - Instead of stuffing the egg, why now leave the stuffing in a little bowl and make this cute FLOWER with the halved egg whites! I thought this was so CLEVER, and so SPRINGY. Just pick up a petal and stuff to your liking :)

How cute it this?! Totally giving DEVILED EGG a new meaning! I bet the kids would love to try to make this :)

Now I LOVE the entire egg, but believe it or not, all people don't eat the whites...go figure ; ) Even though this DEVILED EGG SPREAD has chopped whites in it, you could leave them out and it would still be yummy with the crackers. Use the left over whites to thin out your breakfast or add to salad!

What goes better with an EGG than BACON?! Bacon and Cheddar deviled eggs...YES please :)

How perfect is this for an Easter Dinner appetizer! No eggs going to waste here, and the presentation is PERFECT for a fancy meal at home :)

If you try one of these, let me know, I would LOVE to see!

Package Your Favor

2011-04-05T21:13:00.006-04:00

I can't tell you how busy it's been lately, I sure have missed blogging these past few weeks. I should be back to normal now :) I've been thinking lately about the elements of a good party, more than good really, I guess a stylish party! One of the things that stood out to me that all stylish parties have are pretty favors. Favors, gifts, giveaways, take aways, good bags, loot whatever you call them they're all the same, a nice little token of your appreciation for each guest. I really have a BIG problem with those little bags of junk toys you normally get at the "birthday factory" type places, most times it's stuff you wont let your kid have or play with. I lean more towards edible, at least that way you can bet that they didn't go to waste.

To ensure that your party favor is stylish and lending to the décor of the party if you decide to leave them out, is to make sure the packaging is pretty. Here are some ideas and examples of some of the prettiest favor packaging I've seen.

Waxed bag with top stitching, LOVE!

Cookies in a great jar

Sweet treat in a box with ribbon, tag, and fork

Could be anything in here right?! But it doesn't even matter because this is a great reusable bag with nice modern tag. THE cutest little "Stash Bag"

Hope you're inspired for these ideas!

Share with me some pretty favor packaging you've done or seen.

Lemony Goodness

2011-03-10T19:04:00.004-05:00

So I've been enjoying the warm and snow free weather we've been having in my area. Looks like that ground hog knew what he was talking about, which freaks me out lol! Anyway, spring is on it's way and while this is not a direct connection, spring made me think of the sun, which is yellow, which reminded me of my love of lemon desserts.

Funny how everything comes back to food : )

My all time favorite flavor for dessert is LEMON! There used to be an ice cream shop by my house growing up that made the best homemade lemon ice cream, it was really one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life. It was so good that even people who turned up their nose and didn't want to try is were converted to lovers of this ice cream, it was pure magic. I think that's where my love of lemon began. I picked some lemony goodness to share with you.

What's your favorite dessert flavor? Does it tie to a specific fond memory?

YUMMY Lemon Mousse! I of course love this presentation too : )

Lemon Chiffon Marshmallow

I need to make these NOW, lemon and blueberry pancakes

Who could resist a macaron, lemon or not, but lemon is the best : )

Spa Party Inspiration Board

2011-02-17T19:32:00.004-05:00

I can't tell you how many inspiration boards I've made, it's quite the hobby of mine. There's so many thoughts in my head about different party themes that I like to write down all my ideas but I also like to have a visial idea so the boards help with that. I also sell them in my Etsy Shop which comes with refereneces, other ideas for your party.

So you can imagine my happiness when one of my Facebook fans asked me for ideas for her 10 year olds next birthday party! I LOVE when I get those questions on facebook, it's a great oppurtunity to connect with the readers and to give out some advice that hopefully is useful.

Anyway, I came up with this Spa Party Inspiration board, I hope you like it :)

Invitation: Etsy Seller - Lissylee77, Cupcakes: TomKat Studio, Bubble Bath Bar: Sparkling Events, Drinks in cosmetic containers: Jamee Lee, Spa Table: NonPareil Mag, Face Mask cookies: Thoughtfully Simple, Flip flops: The Party Dress

Whimsical Love Birds Valentine's Day Photoshoot

2011-01-26T10:55:00.007-05:00

Hi guys! Myself and Corrin of Dahlia Galas co-styled a Love Birds Valentine's Day lunch. Corrin styles weddings and large events and she was a DREAM to work with. So talented, I hope you all will check her out. We were lucky enough to work with a few VERY talented vendors that I think you all should know :) These girs are super and their work is a MUST SEE.

Lunch table: The entire theme was inspired by this amazing fabric Corrin found online. You'll see a close picture of it as you move on but it has the cutest little birds on it, and the colors are to die for! Corrin's kids hooked us up with the cute Valentine's cards for the middle of each setting.

Placecards with nest and "eggs" :) Is this cute or what?!

Dessert Table: ALL Valentine's Day printables by Ann-Margaret's SpeacialTea Shoppe. The colors and the designs Ann-Margaret created for us were so dreamy and beautiful! Her printables complimented our vision for the table perfectly :)

Yup, those are mini cupcakes in that birdcage :) Sweet potato to be exact, they were super cute and yummy by Lic-a-riche. If you're in/near the tri-state area you MUST check her out, amazing and a pleasure to work with!

Chocolate dipped marshmallow pops! Are these just stunning or what?! By the one and only Stix N Pop's. Really if you haven't heard or seen her stuff, RUN don't walk over to her website! She makes the most beautiful and stunning themed marshmallow pops I've ever seen. She also did the Hot Diggity Dogs for my Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party...crazy talent!

When I saw the picture of these cookies before they were shipped I almost fell off my chair! Sara of Dandy Delights is a cookie making wonder! She saw the inspiration board and just whipped these right up, no quesitons needed. I got an email from her before she shipped and could have died. Then she says "they're mojito shortbread" and I think I drooled...they were amazing, and Sara is AMAZING!

Heart shapped cake pops and Strawberry Sparkle cake pops by Dreamin N Details Design. Ok, NO WORDS! Really these cakes pops were so super moist, and so super tasty I almost forgot what I was eating. I took one bite and was like "is this cake?", that's how moist is crazy yummy these were! Needless to say after the shoot they were completely MIA : )

Ok, these are just topiaries but I had to show them because I love them so much that they're still on my dining room table :) Corrin and I found these and just wanted to make them special and I love how they turned out. The boxes, the hanging garland, the birds, they were just perfect and looked great on the table.

You can find more pics on Facebook. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!

Vintage Circus Party

2011-01-22T22:59:00.005-05:00

Laura of Cupcakes and Lemonade shared the most DARLING Vintage Circus Party with me, I'm so excited to share it all with you! Pink, turquoise, XL ruffled cupcakes, popcorn cupcakes, wax lips, and games galore, she really hit a HOME RUN with this one! Take a look and visit Laura's blog for the rest of this TO DIE FOR party :)

XL Ruffled cupcakes for each of the girls!

Totally lucky, totally ADORABLE birthday girls!

Homemade "POPCORN" cupcakes : )

Let's show Laura some party love by visiting her blog and commenting on this party : ) The rest of the pictures are amazing, you have to see the sweets table!

Cherry Blossom Party Inspiration

2011-01-18T19:42:00.004-05:00

I don't know how the weather is where you live but here in NJ, it's cold, icy, and rainy :( I have a case of the winter blues today, all the darkness and cold temps are really making me looong for warmer weather. One of the great things about warmer weather is that the parties all have bright and shiny color palettes, the colors are awesome, and the best color to me is PINK! In NJ cherry blossoms bloom in the spring and they are so pink and beautiful, I've always wanted to do a party outdoors around that time. Who knows maybe I'll get that chance. In the meantime, I'm sharing my Cherry Blossom Party inspiration for you and of course it's for a children's party but there is a ton of nice stuff for adults especially weddings in this theme.

Kawaii party pack from Paper Glitter, Cherry blossom tissue pom by Party Poms, Cherry blossom invitation by Lora Lang Designs, Tissue pom cupcake toppers by My Silly Bear, Princess Jello by Terri's Treasures.

Hope it warms you up and makes you smile : )

Real Parties, Real Budget!

2011-01-17T08:32:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday!!! I know we're way past the new year but I've been having so much thought since the year began (yup, a whole 2 weeks, lol!) about what I really truly want for The Party Muse, especially the blog. What I set out to do over a year ago was to definitely plan children's parties locally but, my second goal was to INSPIRE (hence "Muse") mothers. Everyday moms like me who don't have a ton of $, but want to do something special for their kids birthdays. I feel like while I'm chasing my dream of being Queen Mother of NJ children's parties, I've lost sight of what I really truly want to do, and that's being a source of inspiration to other moms so that they can throw REAL PARTIES on a REAL BUDGET for their children!

So, I'm introducing my first blog series. The name is of course REAL PARTIES, REAL BUDGET. I will be showing you a finished product party for 8 kids, all on a $100 budget! It totally can be done, and I'm happy to be able to be the one to show you. I think $100 is low enough to where if you wanted to spring for something extra that's not in my plan, you're still not breaking the bank. I'm not sure how often it will run right now but I'm shooting for monthly.

In this time in our country, with the economy being what it is, with so much job loss, with the message to our kids on TV is that more is better, I really think it would be irresponsible of me to somehow be part of that by showing you some huge production $$$ photo shoot that you can't translate into your everyday life's parties. When I do a real clients party chances are it's WAY over $100 and I'll still show it but, I just want to make sure you're getting the full picture. Can you do a huge $3K party, YES but you don't have to, that's the point I want everyone to hear.

**Boys theme Robot party up first. Will show first week of February.**

What are your thoughts on this topic?

A Sweet Strawberry Shortcake 1st Birthday

2011-01-04T18:38:00.004-05:00

This is my first post of the year, and I'm glad that it's going to show a great party feature! Elizabeth of the AMAZING Stix N Pops gave her daughter the cutest strawberry shortcake 1st birthday party, I had to share. The colors remind me of a Valentine's Day party. Elizabeth has a pretty cool business, she makes the best marshmallow treats on sticks that are styled into characters! They're the perfect favor for any party, I'm a big fan of her work.

HELLOOO strawberry chocolate fountain!! So clever!

Of course there would be Strawberry Shortcake Stix N Pops there!

The beautiful cake!

How great is this table?! Treats, favors, cake, all perfect!

Hope you enjoyed!

Thank You 2010, HELLO 2011!!!

2010-12-30T18:55:00.009-05:00

2011 HERE WE COME! I love the beginning of a new year, everyone is so positive, so charged, and so excited. There's nothing like a fresh start right?! Even though I'm not into the whole resolution deal I do wish for continued growth in the new year for The Party Muse and continued health and happiness for my family and I.

2010 was my first full calendar year of business and it has certainly been a HUGE learning experience for me. I entered thinking I was going to take this industry by storm and by the end of the year I would be on Oprah, lol. What I learned was a lot of great lessons and I've met some really great people who I am honestly and truly grateful for.

~THANK YOU SO MUCH'S~

I started out with a tribe of ONE a very good friend of mine who wanted to start her own business too, Beth of Changing Spaces Design. Outside of my husband, she was the only support I had and my only real cheerleader and sounding board. Later another friend started their business Sandy of Marley Simone and she joined Beth and I in our quest to take over our respective worlds. They commented on all my posts, they were the only FB fans that ever spoke to me, lol and the only comments I had on my blog. To the both of you girls

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

One day I posted something on Facebook, I don't even know what it was but out of no where Kim of Party Frosting spoke to me : ) She was the first fan that I had that wasn't a friend or family member trying to give me support to comment on something I would love to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to her. I was a fan of hers already and I knew who she was and I respected her work so to have her comment really meant a lot to me.

I joined Martha Stewart's Dreamers Into Doers and it was the best thing at the time. I started talking to people, interacting trying to meet like minded people, sharing my work which at that point was like 3 parties. One day out of the clear blue sky I get a message in my inbox from Kristy of The Purple Pug! She doesn't know this but I jumped up and down like 10 times before I even finished reading the whole thing. She said she was looking forward to seeing my products on Etsy! I almost fell on the floor knowing that she looked at my stuff, new enough about me to know that I was opening an Etsy shop, and thought enough to send me a message. It really meant the world to me, that was the first time anyone (especially in the industry) ever reached out to me like that. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Also on Dreamers Into Doers, I had the pleasure of meeting Ann-Margaret of Ann-Margaret's SpeacialTea Shoppe. She was so sugary sweet, we said hello and then never stopped talking to one another. She began commenting on my FB and I would comment on hers because honestly she has some wonderful products. We were fast friends and we get closer with each lengthy email that we pass. I'm happy so happy to have met her this year,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I met Geneveive of Celebrate Today The Superchick Way at Bloggy Bootcamp, I was already a Superchick and a super fan of hers. I knew who she was the second she walked in the room. As soon as the first break came I ran up to her and was like "are you superchick", lol so lame! I was totally stalking her! But she was so nice to me, we talked more during breaks and even sat next to each other at lunch :) She gave me some valuable insight into how she approaches her parties, business wise and it really helped me out a lot. I was still a little foggy on what my personal party planning process would be. She helped me to clear the fog and I changed things for the better after meeting and talking with her. THANKS SO MUCH GEN!

My parties, website, blog, facebook pages would be nothing short of a hot mess without my good friend Fred of Captive Memiors. Fred takes all of my pictures for my parties, and for my shoots for Etsy as well. I thank him all the time but I owe him so much more. My year wouldn't have been the same without him because I wouldn't have been able to show my work the way it should be shown. Fred, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I've met a ton of people this year, I love talking to everyone, I love sharing the works of others look forward to good times with old friends and new friends this year. THANK YOU SO MUCH for being a follower on blogger, twitter, and/or facebook, it means a lot. Blessings in the new year to each of you!!!

2010 Party Trends!!

2010-12-26T17:34:00.004-05:00

Ok so Christmas is over and once again just like every year, it dawns on me that it's the end of the year! I swear it's very well hidden in all the hustle and bustle that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays bring. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this small glimpse of the 2010 Party Trends this year as told my me ; ) There were so many more, all of my party brethren are so super creative I had to just narrow it down a bit.

First up, MINI DONUTS made a giant splash this year! Showing up at all the dessert and candy buffets and making head Donut Diva herself Nicole of Dough-A-Deer every one's go to person for these tasty little treats.

BLACK AND WHITE was the color of the year. These are just a few of the fab black and white displays. Top Left: Bird's Party, Top Right: Celebrations At Home, Bottom Left: East Coast West Coast Tablescape Challenge at Children's Party Network theme BLACK AND WHITE!

Mini cake buntings were making appearances all over the place this year. They are so adorable and this glittery shimmery little one is one of the cutest I've seen. Check it out here

Last but not least, KANDY KONES!! If you've seen only a few party displays this year I'm willing to bet that at least one of them had these little beauties on the table. They really were just created this year by Superchick herself Genevieve of Celebrate Today The Superchick Way. You can purchase them right on her Etsy Shop!

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOUR FAVS WERE!

VOTE: East Coast vs. West Coast Tablescape Challenge

2010-12-16T18:28:00.004-05:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a fabulous contest created by Children's Party Network. The founder and VP had the awesome idea have a table scape challenge with teams from the East Coast and West Coast....brilliant idea!! The only rules were the the tables had to be for a children's NYE party and the theme was Black & White. How classic it that?! The contest helped the team members to get to know each other on a personal level and also professional and creative level since the team members all had duties.

I really had a ball doing this and I'm happy to see the different skill level and talent of everyone. Even though I'm team EAST COAST, I was impressed and blown away by everything that was made on both sides of the competition.

Here's a sample of my team's (EAST COAST) finished set up. Thanks so much to our fearless stylist Kristy of The Purple Pug! She did an awesome job of putting everything together!

Here's my contribution, treat cones! I sewed on some ruffled comics and blinged them out a little ; )

You can go and see for yourselves how great everything turned out and while you're browsing the galleries, write down some ideas for your children this NYE!

See the rest of the FABULOUS East Coast display

Now what kinda girl would I be if I didn't show at least one pic of the West Coast teams display : )

See the West Coast display

After you browse please...

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!

In the Meantime Cube Design!

2010-12-12T20:27:00.005-05:00

I think I've shared before what Sunday's are in my house, family, cooking, relaxing and playing with my little one. But, I left something out....preparing for work the next day. I have a day job that has been great, I work with wonderful people whom over the years have become my friends. However, The Party Muse is my dream, and in my heart of hearts I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing; enriching lives through creating beautiful memories for families through party design. I work everyday on pushing this "little engine that could" a little further.

It's difficult sometimes knowing that while I'm at work focusing on work stuff other party designers are networking, gaining readership, and promoting their businesses. While I'm happy to say that I have a job when there are so many people who are without, I long for the day when The Party Muse will be able to support itself and become my "day job".

Until that day arrives, I'm going to be making my cube a lot more comfortable, and inspiring with a little updating : )

I'll start my adding some color! Pink would be perfect, and these leather accessories are gorgeous.

Magnetic decorative memo board by Ekohdesign.

An urgent message written on this could soften the blow!

With the exception of the magnetic memo board, all items can be found at See Jane Work.

GIVEAWAY WINNER....

2010-12-05T17:28:00.004-05:00

Thanks so much to all that participated in my and Ann-Margaret's SpeacialTea Shoppe's giveaway, it was so much fun! I'm happy to announce that the winner is....

****REGINA TOLISON****

The prize you selected is all yours, contact me or Ann-Margaret to get your winnings : )

Easy Chocolate Bark

2010-12-05T09:46:00.005-05:00

Chocolate bark for the holidays, YUM!!! A mix n' match recipe from Food Network Magazine too easy not to share!

Step 1: Prepare the panLine a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up; smooth out the creases.

Step 2: Pick Your Ingredients

Chocolate: 1 pound
Bittersweet chocolate
Semisweet chocolate
White chocolate
Half bittersweet and half white chocolate (for swirled bark)

Crunchy Toppings: 1/2 cup, chopped
Almonds
Walnuts
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Peanuts
Pistachios
Cashews
Pine nuts

Chewy Toppings: 1/2 cup, chopped

Dried figs
Dried apricots
Dried cherries
Dried cranberries
Dried mangoes
Raisins
Mini marshmallows
Candied orange peel
Crystallized ginger
Spices (optional)
Red pepper flakes
Flaky sea salt
Crushed cardamom seeds
Toasted fennel seeds
Crushed pink peppercorns
Hazelnuts
Peppermints
Toffee
Nut brittle
Toasted coconut flakes
Peanut butter chips
Banana chips

Melt the chocolate

A. Make sure all your tools are dry. Chop the chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces with a large knife. Place all but 1 cup of the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. (For swirled bark, put all but 1/2 cup of each chocolate in 2 separate bowls.)

B. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula. Continue microwaving and stirring at 30-second intervals until melted, 3 to 5 minutes total. (For swirled bark, microwave each chocolate separately at 15-second intervals.)

C. Immediately add the reserved chopped chocolate to the bowl(s); stir vigorously until melted and shiny. Don’t worry if there are a few small unmelted pieces.
Spread it outPour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet; use the rubber spatula to spread it into a 10-to-12-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
(For swirled bark, pour the 2 chocolates side by side on the baking sheet; use the spatula to swirl them together.)

Add your toppingsPress your crunchy and chewy toppings into the chocolate, arranging them so each bite has a mix of flavorsand textures. Sprinkle with spices, if desired. Let the bark harden completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.(If the room is warm, you may need to freeze the bark for a few minutes.) Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.

JEWLERY GIVEAWAY with Ann-Margarets SpeacialTea Shoppe

2010-11-28T09:04:00.006-05:00

Time to get one of those Christmas gifts FOR FREE!!!

Go to Ann-Margaret’s SpecialTea Shoppe and come back and tell me what your favorite design is. If you’re the winner, you win that design on a SILVER PENDANT or BELT BUCKLE (excludes photo designs)! Also if that wasn’t enough, you also get a set of Christmas thank you notes!

ARE YOU IN? HERE'S HOW TO ENTER...

1) Become a fan of The Party Muse and Ann-Margarets SpecialTea Shoppe on Facebook.
2) Leave a comment saying what your favorite design is on BOTH PAGES

3) OPTIONAL: For an extra entry, you can follow Ann-Margaret and/or The Party Muse on Twitter (AMSTS; TPM) and Blogger (AMSTS; TPM).

*If you’re already a fan of either or both, just leave the comment on both pages.

The winner will be chosen at random on 12/5.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party Vendors

2010-11-19T18:13:00.005-05:00

Something I want to do more of is working with handmade vendors of unique products for my parties. I want them to have faces and names, and to be able to create a relationship with them. It's important to me to know where things come from and who they were made by. I supplement with some well known items that kids are familiar with but I'm always looking for something special, unique, and definitely handmade. I was lucky enough that I got to do that four times over with this party so I thought I'd share their talents with everyone. Which I will be doing for every party. Not everything is a secret ; )

Stix N Pops - Where to start. Ok, Stix N Pops makes AMAZING handmade marshmallow favors. But that doesn't begin to tell you the visual treat you're in for when you order these. They are gorgeous! The entire stick measures about a foot, and about half of that is the marshmallow with decorative icing and sugars, so it's some really visually substantial. They have some great designs but you can also get custom made pops which I did for this party with the hot diggity dogs. And of course they are super yummy too, you can't go wrong with marshmallow! Start shopping on her Etsy Shop

Allyson Jane - Seriously, Allyson makes the best cookies I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I've been lucky enough to use her for a few parties so far AND her cookies are shown in the photo shoots for my Etsy shop. They are that good! Not only that but she makes everything from scratch which I love. She was nice enough to make the mickey cookie cupcake toppers I used for this party. She's so awesome to work with and her cookies are amazing!

Doughadeer - Ok so doughnuts are all the rage in party planning right now...and I'm sure for the forseeable future. What makes these doughnuts so special is that they are cute as a button! They are handmade, baked, and about the size of a half dollar, SO cute! They have other sizes too like their new Dough mamas...love that name. They were beautiful, I used them on the candy table and also as favors. The adults and the kids both LOVED them! I got colored sugar topping but there are even candy bar flavors with candy bar topping, those are the ones I want to try...YUM! Doughadeer Etsy shop

Post Party Pretties - Kandy Kones as they're called by their creator Genevieve of Celebration TODAY...The superchick way are the cutest and let me tell you, they can hold more than just candy. I used gummy bears but you can do anything small that would need to be separated, raisins, peanuts, popcorn, they're just great. They're so unique, everyone was asking "what are these ". They had fun grabbing one and having their own little cute paper cone to nibble from. I'm a total fan of these guys, trust me, they would be a big hit at your next party. And again, they are a visual treat as well. They're tall with cool paper, great ribbon, and since you style them standing up they make your table look pretty and different. Check out the Etsy Shop to purchase them.

If you try one of these definitely let them know that The Party Muse sent you ; )

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Candy Buffet

2010-11-14T22:35:00.006-05:00

OMG, ok, this party was an absolute dream to design. I had a ball! My client was so sweet, and she let me do whatever I wanted which is always fun! It was huge, she was expecting 125 adults and 32 kids so I knew I had to bring my "A" game. I had to channel my inner Jamie Bryant on this one and I'm so pleased with how it turned out : ) I worked with some really fabulous vendors whom I will spotlight in a separate post tomorrow so that their information get's the proper shine so make sure you come back for more Mickey party talk.

This is the full table. I chose a lot of chewy candies because there were going to be small kids who couldn't have hard candy. Marshmallow hot diggity dogs, gummi bears, twizzlers, soft chewy gum, fruit chews, lolli pops, and swedish fish. The kids were thrilled!

Cupcake tower cake. The head, foot, and hand was made from rice krispie treats!

Personalized favor tags that I designed.

Cupcake Tower.

See more pics over at my Facebook page!

Lazy Sunday....

2010-11-14T10:22:00.006-05:00

Hi All!

I know I've been kinda MIA for a few days, so sorry about that. I had a pretty cute party to plan along with my two year old, work, and designing some new stuff for the Etsy shop. The party yesterday was a big hit and I couldn't be happier. I love seeing my work progress and evolve into something bigger than I ever thought it could be. I only did the favors and the candy buffet for yesterday's event so it wasn't a full party but the table was crazy and I got a lot of interest about some future parties so I'm keeping my figers crossed that those pan out.

Sorry blabbing. Party pictures along with full party post, and VENDOR INFO to come in the next couple days. This is the first party that I've used multiple items from some party peeps we all know and love so stay tunned!

Happy Sunday! Cooking, cleaning, and some quality time with my boys spells a nice lazy day :)

Party Treats, UPGRADED!

2010-11-04T19:43:00.004-04:00

Ok, so you're having a great party and you've spent countless hours styling the event. Don't waste all of that time planning a pretty party and then serve last years chips and some cake! Take some quick tips from this post about some great party treats, UPGRADED ;)

Instead of a bowl of party mix, serve Circus Popcorn! You can get multiple colors or just the colors that coordinate with your event. (Photo/link: Etsy seller - worthafortune)

Instead of a tired bowl of candy, serve some beautiful and super tasty marshmallows! These Neapolitan marshmallows make my mouth water...YUM! You can get handmade marshmallows in every flavor you can think of these days. (Photo/link: Etsy Seller - Fusion sweets)

Instead of cupcakes, serve cake pops or have both! You just can't go wrong with cake on a stick. If you haven't had a cake pop yet, find some and have it, you will be hooked! They are so super yummy you may never go back to cupcakes again. This beauty is from Terri of Terri's Treasures. (Photo/link: Face Book - Terri's Treasures)

Instead of a boxed pastry, try these great baked mini doughnuts. Some would say that the doughnut is the new cupcakes for parties. They absolutely could be that but if you just can't put the cupcake down, these doughnuts are also a great addition! (Photo/link: Etsy seller - Doughadeer)

Instead of plain old Rice Krispie treats, try Rice Krispie treat and candy sushi! This has got to be super fun to make with the kids. This could be something cool be have the kids make at the party and take home as the favor too! I'm dying to make this now : ) (Photo/link: Food Network)

THE PURPLE PUG Interviewed Me!!!!

2010-10-23T19:38:00.003-04:00

Whoa, can you tell I'm a little excited!!! The super fabulous, wonderfully nice, Purple Pug is doing an awesome "expeirement in nice" as she would call it. She's introuducing us to a new business that she crushes on everyday. The purple one is quite the giver indeed : ) I'm proud to say, I some how made the list :) Enjoy reading all of the great businesses she shares and also take a tour of her past party posts (Donuts and Dragons is one of my favs!), website, etsy shop, and visit her on Face Book....for real, she's so amazing!!!

Decorative Balloon Ideas

2010-10-16T08:34:00.008-04:00

This post is all about new...ok maybe not totally new but, different ways to dress up your parties with balloons. Balloons are totally classic, they are so pretty, inexpensive and they take up room which sometimes helps a lot at parties. But, they can be done so many different ways that I wanted to share my favorites. Also prompted by my friend Beth of Changing Spaces design when she sent me the most original balloon idea I've see in a long time (pic #3). Thanks Beth!

Vinyl Balloon Cling. This one I found from Etsy Seller: The Binary Box. I can see it behind a dessert or candy display perhaps with a vintage theme. You can get them in different colors also. If you have a lot of decor and maybe latex balloons aren't your thing, I think this is a nice option.

How many times does your child start screaming because their balloon popped?! I thought this was soooo clever, it's a fabric cover for your balloon that is supposed to prevent it from popping. Even though that's the thought, I can't help but think about these hanging upside down from the ceiling by some lovely ribbon...maybe over a gift table so you don't need as many. There's a ton of different fabric choices you can get also which is so fun. From Etsy seller: SDK Designs

This is the wonderful product my friend introduced to me! Don't these just make you say "why didn't I think of that"?! I so love these "Balloon Outfits" and I like them just the way they're displayed in the picture. They would be some great favors, something different for kids to take home, keep, love, and display. I'm totally in love! Find them at Tanya Aguiniga Studio

Using traditional balloons? No problem! I found some cute little DIY faces for you to stick on to your balloons to make them a little more festive and fun for the kids. There were a lot for cartoon themes like Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba but I like these little monster decals. Perfect for a kids Halloween party! Etsy seller: A Million Ideas

Last but definitely not least is this wonderful balloon wreath! I just love this, it's used in such a great way in this picture. How many times do you hang balloons outside and they blow away, pop, or get all tangled up...so annoying. I think the balloon wreath is a wonderful way to "party up" the outside and let people know the party is in here without having to be afraid that all your balloons outside popped. Etsy seller: Hometown Hearts

Jamee Bryant Interview: A look into her style

2010-10-12T19:20:00.008-04:00

I'm so excited to have had the oppurtunity to virtually meet such an inspirational party designer as Jamee Bryant of Setting the Mood! To say that I admire her style, her designs, her parties would be a huge understatement. I think since I've been introduced to her work through the fabulous CPN, I've become one of her biggest fans. Her designs are beyond words, and sometimes gravity defying :) Even though she so graciously answered all of my questions, I'm still not quite sure how she does it. I'm definitely going to approach my parties a lot differently since having the pleasure of being introduced to her work....I think she will make us all think a little bigger....literally! Here's a look into her BIG party style.

In one of our conversations you let out a past career of yours. What did you do before you were a party planner? What inspired that transition?
Believe it or not I was a police officer (for two years). I was in college and finishing my degree in Criminal Justice when I took my first art class (oil painting) and from there, I knew I wanted to do something creative for a career. I had built my portfolio up to a whopping 3 pieces and had the nerve to take them to an interview for an art restoration job at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. They hired me! To this day, I can't believe I got the job. It was a contract job where we restored murals, stained glass, and woodwork. That was a contract job that lasted a year so when that was over I began begging my way into the event planning field. I snapped several shots of table settings that I set up around my house and put them in a portfolio and called on some event planners. To this day, I have that portfolio and get it out for some laughs. It was really really bad and I can't believe I was hired once again. I guess it was in God's plan for me to do this because I certainly shouldn't have been hired from my portfolio.

What was the first party you ever styled and how did you get that job?
The first paying party I ever styled was for a wedding for 100 people that was a referral from a friend. This was way before I even had business cards or a registered business name. I charged $150.00 for my services!! Crazy to think of that now! It was a HUGE learning experience and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to see if I could do it.

I’m sure you get a lot of BIG reactions to your events! What is the funniest or most memorable reaction you’ve ever gotten when a client has walked into a party that you designed?
Oh, the one I think I will always remember was the Wonder Woman party that I did about a month ago. The little girl's eyes and mouth were wide open when she walked in. She ran right over to her dad who was filming the whole entrance and hugged him and thanked him. The mom and dad were both crying at her reaction.You’re props are awesome.

Do you do all of the design work yourself?
Yes, we create and design all of our stuff. Props, centerpieces, signs, party favors etc. My husband builds the larger props and does the graphic design and I'm the idea and detail girl.

Do you have a studio at home where you create these works of art?
Yes, I have a studio in my basement and recently started renting a warehouse to store everything in one place. I would love to get my studio out of the house and into one space someday soon.

Are all of your props handmade?
I would say 95% of our props are handmade and the rest is bought or elements of them are purchased.

Did your style evolve with your career or did you start out making these huge masterpieces of décor?
Oh, I think it has definitely evolved. Trial and error has enabled me to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes what seems to be a mistake has turned into the best idea ever. I love just going for it and seeing what comes out.

Having the style that you do with your parties, what would you say was the most difficult part of bringing your vision for your business come to life?
Well, for me...I have a hard time with the business aspect of the business. I just don't like doing the paperwork, contracts, and accounting stuff. I would rather just make stuff and let someone else handle the office stuff. I'm really bad about it and procrastinate that part all of the time.

What advice would you give to someone out there that sees your parties and wants to style events on a grand scale such as you?
It can be overwhelming at times but it ALWAYS works out. Don't be afraid to try. If you are anything like me, you just have to jump in and do it and your confidence will build from there.

Kids Storage Ideas via Changing Spaces Design

2010-10-10T19:35:00.004-04:00

My good friend Beth D. Smith of Changing Spaces Design is a fabulous professional organizer and interior designer (I know I'm a lucky girl!). I can't tell you how many times she's come to help me untangle the web of party clutter I have in my house....and did I mention, we're still not done yet :/ Anywho, when I asked her for some ideas to organze my sons's room, she of course delivered and did not disappoint! These are just a few of her amazing ideas that make me say "DUH, why didn't I think of that"! Click on the header to be taken to the facebook album she set up for this project and get all of the information on the products shown. Also, "like" her page so you don't miss out on all of the great tips and awesome products she features.

Halloween Giveaway!!!

2010-10-04T19:58:00.008-04:00

If you're having a Halloween party, gathering, playdate, or just setting up something nice at home, this one is for you!

Here’s your chance to win a dozen decorated Halloween themed cookies! The cookies will come in four assorted flavors of shortbread: almond, chocolate, lemon, and pumpkin spice with frosting. Let me tell you they are all so YUMMY! They will be the perfect addition to our Halloween party this year.

Are you in? Here’s how to enter

1) Become a fan of The Party Muse and Dandy Delights on Facebook.
2) Leave a comment saying “Show me the cookies”

*If you’re already a fan of either or both, just leave the comment. But remember you have to leave a comment on both pages. Just one wont get the job done ; )

The winner will be chosen at random on 10/15.

My 1st Craft Show

2010-10-04T08:27:00.004-04:00

I had the best time yesterday participating in my first craft show! I felt like a real artist :) I got off to kind of a rocky start when I got there and the tables I ordered weren't there but, I had a neighbor that was nice enough to let me borrow one of theirs. Since I plan to do more of these, I'm so getting my own tables! When the show first opened I was a little discouraged because people were just walking by not really noticing all of my fabulousness, SHOCKING ; ) But, once the show got into full swing my booth was packed with families taking cards and asking questions, kids pulling their parents to my eye catching booth, and fellow entrepreneurs asking advice. I had a great time! I can't tell you how many people commented on my branding, banner, and business cards. I of course have always loved them but this is a shout out to my graphic designers Bears Graphics because all of that stuff is their genius! My logo, my shiny cards, and the fabulous banner was all done by them.

All in all, it was a great day, and I'm proud to say that I did break down and give in to the smell of the funnel cake : )

Curious Avery's 2nd Birthday

2010-09-30T19:48:00.003-04:00

Here are the pictures for Avery's 2nd birthday party this past weekend. It was so hard setting up, being the host, and making sure I got good pics so the latter suffered unfortunately. I wish I had a shot of the full table but no luck :(( Avery had a ton of fun with all the kids there and even though it was a "curious avery" party, I had Elmo come because Avery loves him so much. The cupcakes were awesome from Dulce & Petite and the cookies were from Allyson Jane which I've used over and over again for my cookies because she's so AMAZING. I need to do a whole post just on the cookies I've gotten from her. We all did face painting, tattoos, and feasted on pizza, cookies, and other snacks. Even though it threatened to rain, it didn't so I was a happy camper.

I'm just a proud mama when it comes to my boy :) I'm so glad I was able to give him a fun party!

The Party Muse Feartures...Wonder Woman!!!

2010-09-28T19:11:00.006-04:00

OMG I can't even tell you how excited I am about this! I've never before featured a party on my blog from another party designer but, I want to do it a lot more. So much more that it's a new blog series of mine that I'm calling "The Party Muse Features..."

I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Jamee Bryant of Setting the Mood for Wee Ones today. Her parties are JAW DROPPING, so much so that I had to show this today! If these photos make you so very interested in knowing the woman behind their magic, you'll want to read our interview with Ms. Bryant later this week. I'm still in awe of her immense talent. Check out her blog and see photos from her other fabulous parties. ENJOY!!!

Setting trends with your party?

2010-09-21T22:23:00.004-04:00

I realized today after talking to a client today that most people when it comes to their child's party, want the same thing. No it's not glitter, or nice weather, or an awesome cake although all those things are great. It's to stand out. To be remembered, to be liked, to possibly be that one lucky person who sets a trend. It's one of the first things I think about when I'm planning a party for a client, as soon as they tell me the theme I'm thinking, "how can I make it stand out", "how can I make it special". I wonder where that comes from??? Is it our undying desire to be complimented or is it something very basic that I've always felt but never connected to a party, and that's just to be seen.

Of course it's not a bad thing, just something to think about. I love different and new ideas no matter who has them, although I would like for that person to be me, if it's not I'm happy just to be enlightened.

What are some of the things you've done or created for a party to be different or stand out? I would love for you to share. Don't be shy, let me know if it landed too, hahahaha.

In the photo are cupcake tissue poms from Etsy Seller My Silly Bear. I'm sharing because I think they are different, and special : )

Up lifted but weighed down!

2010-09-19T14:57:00.004-04:00

Today's post has absolutely nothing to do with parties or kids, this one is all about me! I realize that I've never really spoken about myself or my life much and if you're interested here are the stats: Married, mother of 1 (2 year old boy), 31, Jersey girl (not the kind you see on TV), and life long dieter! Ok, that last stat is what the deal is today : / It's so crazy, I wanted to take a photo for the 1 year anniversary of The Party Muse because it became apparent to me that I didn't have one. Simple enough right? However, as I shopped endlessly for the right outfit it dawned on me that the last thing I wanted to do was take a picture of myself for all to see. My weight has pretty much been up and down since high school. I was at a great weight for about 5 years during which time I met my now hubby. Insert wedding and baby and now it's just off the charts and even with the success of The Party Muse, and how happy my everyday life is, it's like a black cloud that follows me. I really want to be as healthy as I can be and of course have a great photo for The Party Muse so, I think it's time to try to tackle this weight loss thing AGAIN.

I'm posting a pic of me at what I feel is my ideal weight, at my bridal shower, and another picture is at a recent Party Muse event. I'll post a picture regularly as a count down to my pro-picture for the website which I think I want to take in January, 2011. If there are any of you that are reading this and are in the dreaded weight struggle too, comment, we can try to encourage and uplift each other :)

I'm not trying to turn this into a weight loss blog but I think it's an important issue that so many people are dealing with. And, when do you think about it the most?....right before a great event where you want to you look your best!

UPDATE!: JOIN ME OVER ON MY NEW HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BLOG- http://me-transformed.blogspot.com/

Lunch Box Wishes and Sandwich Dreams....

2010-09-14T20:48:00.004-04:00

Always around this time of year I start to remember going to elementry school and carrying my Strawberry Shortcake metal lunch box. It was my favorite! My son is only 2 but I just can't wait to pack him a lunch and send him to school with a cool box and little lunch box notes : ) That must be so much fun! In the mean time, I'm enjoying the now and keeping a log of all the cute things I find along the way. Here's one of them, Lunch Punch sandwich cutters! You've probably seen the puzzle cutters sold on various sites but they have a whole line of yet to be released shapes like princesses, frogs, flowers, continents, you've got to check these out! I imagine me packing Avery a little car shaped turkey sammy : )

Bloggy Bootcamp and things to come...

2010-09-12T20:01:00.005-04:00

Happy Sunday all! I know it's almost over but I hope you enjoyed! Today started out great, I made one of my favorite breakfasts, french toast, YUM. It reminded me of my mom cooking breakfast on some Sunday's and being happy to wake up and smell bacon in the air : ) No bacon today but even the smell of the french toast made me smile. Anywho, I went to the SITS Girls Bloggy Bootcamp this weekend and I can't say enough good things about it. Needless to say it made me think about my blog and changes I could make to make it better and I think I know what I want to do. As I post things and different content definitely be honest with me and let me know what you like and don't like. Comments are always appreciated.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THE PARTY MUSE!!!

2010-09-08T08:40:00.004-04:00

Today The Party Muse is 1 years old :) I've had a surprisingly exciting year. From the start of my business I've just wanted to give someone...anyone, a pretty party designed and styled by me. And I was able to do that this year 14 times over which is so amazing to me! Not only that, I've now launched my Etsy shop which is so weird to me because this time last year I could not have even imagined that I would be selling my handmade party decor online...it wasn't even a thought. It's crazy how your story unfolds all on it's own almost without you knowing.

I certainly have big plans for The Party Muse but more than that, I want to continue to grown, develop, and improve myself through my parties.

The Muse To Go is here!!!!!

2010-09-07T18:19:00.003-04:00

Here ya go guys! A photo for each theme in my shop available for sale on Etsy tomorrow!!! Let me know which is your fav : )

What is Etsy?!

2010-09-06T20:30:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten this question since I've started to market my Etsy shop, opening 9/8 ; ) It's funny because each time I hear it I just can't believe it! It makes me think of that scene in You've Got Mail where Tom Hanks can't believe Meg Ryan never saw The Godfather. I'm internally screaming, "Etsy is your answer to any question!"

Anywho, my short answer is Etsy is an online market place for all things handmade. You will truly be shocked at all the talented people that are gathered in one place online. You can buy cloths, food, printing services, graphic designers, washing powder, party goods, paper, fabric, jewelry, literally EVERYTHING! But the best part is that you know where it came from. All the sellers that I've encountered are so forth coming with the ingredients in the things they have made. Most things are not only homemade but free of chemicals and/or organic. Everything I've received has been beautifully packaged with thank you notes and extra goodies. If you're looking for quality products and great personalized customer service, do yourself a favor and check out Etsy. I challenge you to try it and not love it!

Last Muse To Go Sneak Peek: Pretty Critter

2010-09-02T23:50:00.004-04:00

Ok so I just finished this invitation and normally I would run it past a friend of mine first whom I like to bounce ideas off of and get feedback from. But, I just couldn't wait to post this, I think it came out great. This is the last theme that I'm starting my Etsy Shop with. The name is Pretty Critter, let me know what you think!

I'm also posting the cupcake toppers for this theme as well.

Much to do....

2010-08-31T08:57:00.005-04:00

As you know my Etsy shop opens next Wednesday, September 8th. I can't tell you, and some of you may know, it's hard work! I have gotten so much done and there's still stuff to do. That along with getting ready for Avery's 2nd birthday, a dessert buffet for a client, and a Muse To Go to get mailed, and I'm DONE. Needless to say there wont be many posts this week but I'll see what I can do :)

I'm also working on my first blog series, I want to get some tips out there and some fun started on the blog too. Take care!

Sign photo from Etsy seller: fromyou2me

Martha Stewart Dreamers Invitation Feature!!!

2010-08-27T12:43:00.003-04:00

I'm so over the moon right now! My Monsters! party invitation that I just posted last night was featured on the home page of Martha Stewart's Dreamers Into Doers website!!!! It's not like I'm the doer of the week or anything and there are other photos featured as well but for something that I created to be chosen as a feature is crazy! That to me means that it's really good, and sometimes you just need to hear that so THANKS! to Martha Stewart's Dreamers : ) It's an awesome site, if you've never heard of it and you like decorating or entertaining certainly click the link above and join.

Do you just hate me for the screen shot, hahahahaha!!!

Sneak Peek #5: Monsters!

2010-08-26T21:15:00.003-04:00

This theme I love so much! The colors alone are so vivid and I like that its a happy twist on something that's not supposed to be happy or cute at all. That to me makes it unique. I can see this for a little boys party ages 3 to 7. Hope you like it! Etsy shop opens September 8th!

Avery's 2nd Birthday! 1 month and counting!

2010-08-22T21:05:00.004-04:00

I thought I'd re-post the inspiration board for my little guys 2nd birthday party. It's now only a month away and it's coming together nicely. Here's a little reminder of the up-coming Curious Avery party : )

Images, L to R: Banana fabric, cupcake pics, plates, # Cookies, monkey waste basket is from Target (I own this however the photo is from HWTM), rainbow cake, monkey cookies, and monkey party circles

2010-08-22T11:28:00.000-04:00

So, what's in the Muse To Go?

Party for 12 will include:

12 custom invitations with envelopes
12 Favor bags
24 cupcake toppers
12 Table settings (lunch plates, dessert plates, and napkin wrapped utensils)
1 Custom Happy Birthday banner
2 Party Signs: "Welcome" door sign, and "Thank you" for favor table
1 Fabric table runner

*All items are customized in the theme of your choice. There will be an a la carte menu available for quantities smaller or larger than 12. ETSY SHOP WILL BE OPEN SEPTEMBER 8TH!

Sneak Peek #4: Diva Tea Party

2010-08-17T22:48:00.001-04:00

Ok, I'm actually a little nervous about posting this one. I originally planned for it to be my last sneak peek because it's my favorite but, I'm too nervous to wait! I worked really hard on this one, the plan for the style of party I envision for this theme is all mine. I even got the clip art custom made so that I could have the style and colors I was looking for. I really hope you guys like it! I'm posting this, covering my eyes, and waiting to here from you : ) Of course I have to remind all that this is for my Muse To Go party boxes that will be sold on Etsy starting September 8th. Also one more thing, this one comes with an RSVP enclosure card.

The Muse To Go - Sneak Peek #3: Construction

2010-08-14T11:17:00.007-04:00

Hi guys! I know I'm a little late with this one but here it is, sneak peek #3 and it's another boys party! I know people sometime have a hard time picturing the boys parties and making them nice but trust me, there's a TON of ideas! I'm so happy that I have a little boy so that I can show through the parties I'll be throwing for him that boys parties can be cute and still very "boyish". Anywho, hope you like this one. Etsy shop will be open September 8th, just a little reminder ; )

Muse To Go - Sneak Peek #2 Trains

2010-08-12T19:33:00.005-04:00

What little boy doesn't love trains? I'm totally excited to style this party and set-up for photos for Etsy because I just have so many ideas! For this theme there will be a choice of 2 invitations. I hope you like them both : )

The Muse To Go - Sneak Peek #1 Owl

2010-08-11T19:31:00.004-04:00

Ok, so by now you know that I'm totally excited about opening my Etsy Shop on September 8th! If you're just now joining me I'll recap : ) As a party planner, I wanted to be able to offer my services nationally. I have a service called The Muse To Go which are party essentials that I design, find, make, etc. in the theme of your choice. It's basically what some would call a "party in a box". Now I'll be selling those on Etsy along with some other handmade items and supplies. I will start my shop with 7 party themes and add from there. You also have the choice of a custom box if you have a theme you like but is not offered in my shop yet.

Tonight's sneak peek is of my Owl girls party theme invitations. You'll have your choice of 3 invitations customized with your party information of course. These will be printed (in multiples of 10 or you can purchase singles from my a la carte section if you need extra) and mailed with the Muse To Go box along with the envelopes. In the interest of time, there's also the option to purchase the digital file to print yourself. PLEASE let me know what you think!

Next blog post: What's in the box, and a boys party theme! Stay tuned : )

xoxo, Khaliah

THE PARTY MUSE IS COMING TO ETSY.COM!!!

2010-08-06T23:37:00.004-04:00

OMG, I've been waiting forever to share with you my big news about The Muse 2 Go! Are you ready?? I'm opening a shop on Etsy.com (your place for all things handmade) and selling The Muse 2 Go in set themes! I'm so excited! I want to give you everything you need in order to through a fabulously cute party for your event in one box. The shop will be open on the 1st anniversary of The Party Muse, September 8th. From now until then I'll be sharing more and more with you as I progress with opening the shop. I'm starting out with 6 themes, 3 for boys and 3 for girls. I will also have a theme that's neutral and a christening theme so 8 all together.

You will still be able to get custom boxes done, the only difference is now you will be placing your order through my shop on Etsy.

Stay tuned because over the next couple weeks I will be letting you in on what will be included in The Muse 2 Go, my party themes, and photos of the first package : )

As always, I would love to hear what you think. You can post a comment here, on face book, or email me anytime at thepartymuse@yahoo.com.

xoxo, Khaliah

Sweet Inspiration!!!

2010-07-20T20:26:00.004-04:00

These marshmallows give me thoughts of rainbows, clouds, sugary crunch, bright fabric, and deliciousness! They're giving me some great party ideas, it's so funny the things you find inspiration in. I'm so happy to have stumbled upon these today : )

xoxo, Khaliah

Father's Day Inspiration

2010-05-30T17:27:00.004-04:00

Father's Day will be here before you know it and for a lot of families that means, BBQ! Here's a little inspiration for how you can show Dad how special he is this Father's Day. Also, get the kids involved by making a banner to hang during the celebration. The one I show is a tie banner and it's pretty easy to make just using string, ties, and clothes pins! Also, do something different like using a table cloth in Dad's favorite color. The one I chose looks just like a men's shirt!

Happy Planning : )

Images: condiment holders (hamburger and 3 grills) and blue table cloth - Pier1; grill shaped mylar balloon, plate, and father's day banner - Shindigz.com; tie shaped sugar cookies - Etsy seller: sugarcookiecouture

Yes, I'm Still Blogging!!!

2010-05-29T22:42:00.003-04:00

So I've been away from the blog for some time now. I'm really just trying to figure out how to fit the blogs into my daily activity. I would love for it to be at least a weekly thing. I'm working on it so I just ask to my 3 followers that you keep following : ) I have some pictures of recent parties I need to post and I'm really behind so it will be like a new post every other day! That should be fun. And once I'm caught up with that I have some wonderful new content that I'm working on just for the blog that's sure to bring you guys some company, hahahahaha.

Enjoy this virtual cupcake as a token of my appreciation : ) Happy Memorial Day!

XOXO, Khaliah

Avery's 2nd Birthday Party!

2010-05-29T22:11:00.004-04:00

I love planning parties of course but it's even a bigger joy to plan one for my only baby : ) It's exciting watching him grow and discover things and a birthday party just helps celebrate another year that we're thankful he's in our lives. Boy I love birthdays! Enjoy my inspiration board for Avery's party. We're looking forward to going bananas ;)

Images, L to R: Banana fabric, cupcake pics, plates, # cookies, monkey waste basket is from Target (I own this however the photo is from HWTM), rainbow cake, monkey cookies, and monkey party circles

Serving Beautifully!

2010-03-14T20:23:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I've told you all about my love of paper and now is time to continue my list of things I love. Fighting for the #1 spot with paper is serving ware. I absolutely love trays and pedestals. Cake stands and food pedestals are so versatile. They really make a statement. I believe that what the food is served on is actually MORE important than the food it's self. As long as the food is tasty it's fine but, serve it on something beautiful and it's now that sandwich is FANTASTIC! I provide all of the serving pieces for all my parties if they're going to be in a home/outdoors setting. It definitely makes a difference. The pieces shown are from Rosanna this site is one of my favorites, check it out!

Whoo's Birthday is it? Owl Inspiration Board

2010-03-08T22:35:00.005-05:00

I have so many party ideas that I figured aren't really typical but, are SO adorable it would be a shame not to use them! This is one of them, it's an Owl Birthday Party! To convince you of it's total cuteness, I designed a custom inspiration board. Great idea for a 1st birthday party, boy or girl, and even for a baby shower! All the things shown on my board can be purchased on Etsy (my addiction!) using the links below to each seller's Etsy shop. I hope to be able to do an Owl themed party but if I never do, looking at this board will be enough : )

xoxo, Khaliah

Photos (left to right, center last: owl door hang, party hats, owl cookies, pink birthday invite, felt flowers, fondant cupcake topper, centerpiece pick, owl shower invite, owl favor box, pink tree vinyl cling, flower fabric, pink owl envelope, owl garland)

Favor Prop Boxes

2010-02-15T19:33:00.005-05:00

I made this today as a stand for the favors for the Princess and the Frog party. I really love how it turned out! The favors are sugar cookie lollipops and I'll set them up by pushing each pop down into the top of this box...I made 2 of them to hold 8 favors each. Cute huh?!? I used styrofoam cubes, wrapping paper, high quality ribbon, and lots of straight pins. I'm also making the centerpieces for this party, I'll post pics of those too sometime this week.

xoxo, Khaliah

The Princess and the Frog Inspiration

2010-02-07T09:46:00.003-05:00

It's one of those lazy weekends, no parties, LOTS of snow (about 12 in), and some very relaxed party planning for April's parties....all makes for a nice and slow kinda weekend. Don't you just love having nothing in particular to do?? Anyway, while I finish lounging around and "party browsing" check out my inspiration board for this party which is on February 27th. Should be a great time! Hope you enjoy.

xoxo, Khaliah

Safari 2nd Birthday Party

2010-02-02T19:44:00.004-05:00

This party was so cute, I really couldn't wait to show all the pics. From the pin the nose on the lion, so the animal shaped party masks, to the animal beach balls, the party was a ball for the kids. Let's be honest, at 2 anything is a party, but this was really fun to look at too : ) Hope you enjoy the pics!

More pics of the Waverly Place Party

2010-01-27T07:53:00.006-05:00

Here's a few more....sorry for the piece mail. Just click to enlarge the photos.

A Magical Beauty Collection Quick Shop - Carol's Daughter

2010-01-22T14:06:00.002-05:00

A Magical Beauty Collection Quick Shop - Carol's Daughter

Preparing for my "The Princess and The Frog" birthday party next month and happened upon this! Carol's Daughter is one of my favorites so I had to share. If you have a little girl or even a little boy, I'm sure bath time would be a little sweeter with these products.

Wizards of Waverly Place Party

2010-01-20T21:01:00.004-05:00

Tootsie Pop and blow pop bouquets

Star Cookie Wands

I'm so pleased with how this party turned out, I couldn't wait to share the photos! All shots that I show are of the decor, nothing else but trust me you wont see it here but the kids had a blast! There was wizard hat making, face painting, tatoos, and goody boxes to assemble. Pretty is great but if the kids aren't having a good time, it's not a party!

Frog Prince Cookies

2010-01-11T20:31:00.006-05:00

Aren't these just the cutest cookies you've ever seen! Give them to your little one for Valentine's Day or use them for a princess themed party....can't wait to use these for one of my events. I'll be sharing more V-Day post in the days to come. The loveliest holiday will be here before we know it!

xoxo Khaliah

My Paper Love!

2010-01-06T22:12:00.004-05:00

I decided to take a few days and talk about the things I love THE MOST! I know it sounds strange but paper is my #1 love (we're talking inanimate objects of course). I love stationary, card stock (especially linen), and even note book paper. I have more spiral bound notebooks than I can count. I can't help it, I'm a born list maker! But it doesn't stop there, gift wrap is my fav of all the papers. And why wouldn't it be, it's so versatile! You can wrap just about anything, and as a party planner it's one of those tricks that make people go "hhhmmm" in a good way. Anything you have that doesn't fit the theme, find a great paper and wrap it! Here are a few gift wraps I've had my eye on lately from Luxe Paperie.

More paper talk soon...

xoxo Khaliah

Sneak Peak - Wizard's of Waverly Place Party

2010-01-04T22:40:00.004-05:00

Here's just a couple shots of some inspiration I had for the upcoming "Wizards of Waverly Place" birthday party....should be cute. I can't wait to be able to show the pictures after that party...2 more weeks : D Can you tell it's going to be festive???

A Few Halloween Pics

2010-01-02T09:05:00.003-05:00

Here's a few pics of a Halloween party I did recently....2009. Enjoy!

THE PARTY MUSE IS HERE!

2009-12-31T17:15:00.002-05:00

Party planning is what I LOVE to do! After the birth of my son in 2008 I almost immediately thought about his first birthday and all the things we could do. That's when I realized children's party planning is where I need to be. Once I got into the swing of motherhood, I started The Party Muse LLC and since then, I've been nothing but super busy and super happy!

Hope you enjoy this blog!

xoxo Khaliah