making a pretty picture spot [for any gathering]

lately, I've been having fun creating a little space

at a party, holiday, or shower

that is perfect for taking some close-ups of friends and family

turns out, that group shot with a lamp coming out of your friend's head

isn't really going to become a "framer" any time soon

when planning Jaymee's bridal shower
I knew that I wanted to incorporate some patterned folded pinwheels

but instead of hanging them, I wanted to use them as a little picture place

folded paper pinwheels are really easy to make

see how here

and I think they make a great addition to some close up shots

for our outdoor location, I just used some poster putty to adhere

and even though it was crazy hot that day, all but one agreed throughout the entire day

see our new year's eve home made photo booth here

and the rest of Jaymee's bridal shower here & here & here

it's all in the details [jaymee's shower part III]

one of my favorite parts of party planning

is paying attention to all of the little details

and thankfully, I worked with one of the most detail

oriented bridesmaid on the planet

so here are some of the details that just can't be forgotten

from Jaymee's beautiful shower

details not to be forgotten:

*the succulent garden was actually an amazing shower gift*

[yes, that is a heart shaped cake pan found at a garage sale]

*many of the poms were made by several of the groom's relatives, including grandpa*

*even the mini clothespins were painted gold with a touch of glitter*

*some cheating may have occurred during bridal BINGO*

[the bride's aunts are hilariously competitive]

*the circular streamers were not only impossible to hang, 

they were quite tough on the sewing machine that made them*

*the bride & groom initials were made out of brown coffee filters spray painted with a hint of gold*

*I was the only one in the bridal party, including the bride, that knew to make her rehearsal bouquet from her gift ribbons - it helps being the old lady in the group*

*and according to the old wives tradition, Jaymee will be having many children*

[don't worry Jaymee, we will let you have two!]

love is sweet [Jaymee's bridal shower part II]

You get together a bunch of women celebrating an upcoming wedding, and yes, many sweets and yummy dishes were consumed.  Thankfully, everyone pitched in to create this amazing spread, and the groom's sister made this amazing dessert bar for all of us to enjoy!

^^^the bride with her dessert of choice^^^

and yes, this dessert bar could have fed an entire wedding!

[see part I here]

time to get crafty

so I've decided that Pinterest is the best & worst thing to happen when party planning

there are so many amazing ideas out there

and it is all about figuring out which ones to tackle

so today jessica and I started some projects for the upcoming baby shower

we made some streamers to hang around the tables

and they were super easy and we LOVE how they turned out

and because they are too cute to put away in a drawer for the next month

I decided to hang them in the windows behind E's crib until the shower

(with a little help from Jessica's height)

now I can't wait to keep getting crafty

and see how everything comes together

coming together

well after today's success at the local fabric store

I'm starting to feel like I can see where our upcoming party is headed

however,

today in my classroom I felt more together and overly panicked all at the same time

tomorrow we begin staff development

which isn't too exciting

but getting to see old friends and co-workers will help the situation

I just need to remind myself that I don't need everything planned the first day

but I still can't stop hyperventilating a bit

but it will be ok

today my former kiddos found out their teacher assignment

now of course they already knew who they were getting

but for some reason knowing they have now seen their names

next to another teacher's name

just makes it seem final 

and reminds everyone that we aren't getting to loop together like we had planned

 I'm just staying positive for them -

I think their adjustments may be harder than my own
now if you are a newer reader to this little blog & are totally confused by what I'm talking about -
this pretty much sums it all up

planning is progressing

and I'm not just talking about in the classroom!

well, as I had said earlier, the husband is turning thirty soon

and we are going to be celebrating with a mid century themed party

so thankfully I found this golden fondue pot while thrifting the other day

and it was never even used!

the rest of the dinner menu is coming together

thanks to a little inspiration from the photo below

I can't wait to pull out the pyrex & have some good birthday fun!

image & inspiration from the arugula files

tomorrow = more thrifting for party planning

 after some good hours spent in the classroom!