family reunion

Ahhh...nothing says summer like an ol' fashioned outdoor family reunion. Thanks to Emily for passing along this special family event- complete with fried chicken and deviled eggs- yum! All the dets here.

boat party

Super stylish boat-themed 4th birthday party for Wyatt, from creative mom Liza. So many great details you won't want to miss: make-your-own boat for the guests and a mock marina, for starters. Check it out right here. (Thanks for the heads up, B).

nashville spotlight...new in town (kind of)

Melodie first spotted this cupcake place in February...I'm anxious to try them out. Sounds like they've got the best deal going in town ($1.50/cupcake)! Great write-up here.

blast off!

Head over to Inchmark for another beautiful party by Brooke. The 'rocket ship' theme translates wonderfully to star cupcakes and fun favors.

will you be my fan?

Hicks Paper Goods in now on Facebook. Will you be my fan, pretty please? 

...link right here

clever table numbers

We went to a lovely wedding this weekend outside the Philadelphia area. So much thought had been put into every detail, there were even some beautiful flowers in the bathroom (bottom photo)! The best takeaway idea were the table numbers- each numbered table (it was a seated dinner) had framed photos that coordinated to the age of the bride and groom. Table 22, for example, had a picture of the bride graduating from college and the groom on a family trip with his siblings (at age 22). I only wish they had opened the seating area earlier so I could go around and look at all the other tables! I hadn't seen this done before, and thought it could be done stylishly in so many ways. 

saltwater taffy

There's something about this time of year that makes me crave saltwater taffy!  The classic stuff is right here. Yum.

top photo: martha stewart weddings

oldies but goodies

Lots of fun party books on etsy- here, here, here, here and here!

'mr. man' 2-year old party (for triplets!)

Funny how the timing of things works out. I just had dinner with a friend who is carrying triplets...and is 90% positive they are all boys (based on the ultrasounds). Just now I received a link to an all-boy triplet 'mr. man' 2nd birthday party. 

There are lots of fun, smart ideas from this mom who manages to throw a great party even with a full house! I love all of the little 'mr. man' touches...tie cookies, chocolate mustache lollipops, a tie and photo garland...lots more treasure right here.

another pretty

We received another beautiful wedding invitation the other day that I had to share. So beautiful, but I have to admit- the (tacky) thought crossed my mind...I wonder how much this one cost?! It's so pretty- the weight of the paper is so heavy and luxurious (with gold trim), the engraved type is quite lovely, and all of the details- including what I am assuming is the family crest- are so very, very pretty. Topped off with a customized flower stamp from Zazzle and this invitation quickly became a keeper.

anna beckman

Sorry for my MIA-ness the past couple of days. Lots of things going on around here- friend in accident (luckily, okay), other friend's dad died, toddler sick while husband was out of town, baby issues, etcetera, etcetera. Life definitely gets in the way of blogging some days!

On to more important party business...these amazing inspiration boards from Anna Beckman! If I had my way, this is how the conceptual process would start for every party. Wonderful Brooke gave me the heads up on these beauties a bit back, but it looks like some other bloggers beat me to the punch (that's what I get for sitting on them!). In case you missed them, however, they are divine so I felt compelled to share. Anna was a very talented stylist at Martha Stewart, and it looks like her talent has carried her on to various creative freelance projects since then. Check out her whole portfolio here! 

gen says...(father's day)

From Gen:

"As I am preparing for Father's Day '09....thought I would pass along an easy and inexpensive gift idea from our celebration last year.

Pictured are sweet little ceramic vessels from Crate and Barrel- that Oden and I filled with herbs (purchased at Home Depot). This was a simple and fun project- very easy for the children to help with, solved frequent last minute trips to Whole Foods, and the finished project looks lovely sitting on the countertop.

We paired the potted herbs with cooking accessories- also from Crate and Barrel (I love their simple packaging) and a little treat from J. Crew (one of dad's favorite stores!). I love the simple masculine color palette of all the gifts piled up together.

Thought this might come in handy for those beginning their Father's Day treats!"

balloon round-up

Since we are still in a celebratory mood around here, I thought it would be appropriate for a long-overdue balloon roundup! Thank you for all of the well wishes...they meant so much.

photos from...tim walker; a cup of joe; martha stewart; black eiffel; amy atlas; creature comforts