Party Time: Fall Harvest

Fall, fall, fall… after what felt like a bit of a slow start, we’re finally full swing into the most wonderful season of the year. We’ve been apple picking, we’ve visited the pumpkin patch, we’ve picked out Halloween costumes, and now it’s time to get outside with our friends to celebrate the bounty that fall has to offer. There’s no need to buy expensive party decorations because mother nature has provided more than enough for you to get the party started. So get out there and enjoy the great outdoors because you know that polar vortex will be here before you know it!

1. A grouping of pumpkins always look festive. Simply write a welcome message on one of the larger ones and you will instantly make your guests feel welcome.
2. This simple yet stunning garland is made out of real leaves! I love it!
3. Apples and floating candles make a beautiful centerpiece and harken back to the old bobbing for apples game.
4. Some bundles of hay with some simple fall colored garland makes a fantastic photo backdrop wall.
5. A punch is one of the easiest ways to serve a big crowd. And, this beautiful apple harvest punch looks amazing!
6. Looking to unload some of those apples you picked at the orchard? Set up a DIY caramel apple bar and let your guests pick their own toppings.
7. Doesn’t this stuffed pumpkin look amazing?! Not only does it look impressive, it is filled with everything that is delicious.
8. Send you guests home with something delicious, like these delicious pumpkin pie parfaits.

 

 

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Entryway Rugs

We’ve been in our “new” house three years now and things are starting to feel not-so-new anymore. Top of that list is our entryway rug. We’ve had it since we moved in and it is starting to get really worn and grungy looking. So, I’ve been shopping around for a new rug and there are so many great options out there right now. Here are some of my favorites. I’m leaning towards #3 because I think it will hold up the best but which is your fave?

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Dia de los Muertos Party Inspiration

I mentioned way, way back in our first Fete Favorites my love of Dia de los Muertos. I still haven’t convinced anyone to have an actual party celebrating the holiday, which I really cannot understand. It’s much more upbeat, colorful, and well styled than Halloween. So, I’m obviously going to have to throw myself my own party on November 1st. Here’s what’s topping my list of inspiration.

1. These gorgeous wedding invitations are obviously slightly more upscale than I need for my own party, but I love the idea of combining the bold colors with geometric prints.

2. I love the idea of a large communal table for dinner and that table runner is ahhmaazing.

3. Sugar skulls + edible confetti = party happiness.

4. Mini tissue paper flowers for striped straws!? That’s a new one (to me) and a must make.

5. Pan de Muerto is a traditional Day of the Dead pastry and looks delicious.

6. Obviously our Almond Milk Horchata Cocktail will be in circulation (and probably our Blood Orange Tequila + Lime Spritzers, too).

7. Decorated candles look like a simple enough DIY to help keep things festive.

8. Papel picado!

9. I’ve really been waiting for a good time to try a honeycombed wall and this seems like the perfect opportunity.

8 Amazing DIY Plastic Animal Transformations

As I’ve mentioned here and here, I love transforming items with the help of spray paint. It’s so inexpensive, it’s so easy, there are so many color options, and it gives new life to something that would otherwise be discarded. And, these adorable animal transformations are no exception. I love all of them so much and want to try all of them.. right now!

The pig as a place card for a rustic wedding, the elephant bookends, the gilded magnets… they are all so amazing and inspiring. Now I just need to decide which one I’m going to try first. I think it’s going to have to be the magnets! They are just too fabulous.

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Date Night In: Sushi

Before having kids, I was obsessed with sushi and we ate it at least once a week. Then I got pregnant with our first child and I was totally repulsed by the thought of it, which was fine because I couldn’t really eat it anyway. But, the feel lasted, and lasted, and lasted. It has only be in the last year (almost 6 years later) that I’ve gotten the sushi bug back. Phew. So, now that I’m back on the sushi wagon, I’ve been wanting to start making some at home and I think it would be a perfect date night in. Jim’s not one to help out in the kitchen but I can totally imagine him getting his precise engineer self on while rolling up some yummy new rolls. Here’s what I’m thinking…

1. I’m not a huge fan of sake but I do love me some Japanese beer.

2. Sushi – duh, you need sushi for a sushi date night. Salmon rolls are my faves.

3. Since I’ve never made sushi before, this beautifully photographed and basic sushi cookbook will be perfect to help guide us through the process.

4. Aren’t these chopsticks and stands awesome? I love the little fish and the colors. Perfection.

5. I love this marble serving tray from CB2. Our sushi rolls will look beautiful on it!

6. A bamboo rolling mat is so inexpensive and easy to find at your grocery store or kitchen supply store. It doesn’t need to be fancy.

 

I Want it Now: An Organized Refrigerator

I have a dream, a dream that I will someday have an organized refrigerator. I feel like I’m a fairly organized person with most of my life but my fridge always seems to get the best of me. But, then this week I got the new Crate & Barrel catalog and I saw a picture of this beautifully organized fridge. I love it and I want it now!

I want it now: Nail Wraps

 

Over the weekend I was in New York to help celebrate the engagement of a good friend (hooray!) and while I was there, I was admiring her sister’s fun nail art. Turns out they were nail stickers! What? Such a cool selection and lasts like a gel manicure! I want some now!

DIY Kids Party Favors

I know some people are anti kids party favors, but I have to say that I am firmly in favor of them. I think it is important for my kids to understand that having friends attend a party, whether or not a present is involved, is something they should be thankful for and show their appreciation. And I feel like they get that and truly want to show their thanks to friends and family for helping us celebrate. That said, I always try to have my kids help me make party favors for their party and generally provide something either consumable, educational, and/or not just more plastic toys. I happened to LOVE the DIY rock candy party favor we had at our science club last month, which got me thinking about what favors I might get together for upcoming kids parties. Here are some of my favorites!

1 / What kiddo doesn’t love making art? Lovely Design put together these adorable collage packets to send a little art project home with each child. Perfect for post-party-sugar-rush winding down at home.

2 / I’ve wanted to make story stones for my kids for some time now and I think a little muslin bag with a few stones would be the perfect thing to help keep a kiddo occupied on the ride home.

3 / OK, so this one is candy, which I try not to do since I’ve inevitably just filled up kiddos on sweets at the party. BUT sending this bubblegum necklace home in a little kit for each child would be a great consumable activity.

4 / It looks like tasty salt water taffy, but this one is ingeniously disguised sidewalk chalk. What a perfect favor for a summertime party!

5 / Another win for Lovely Design with these personalized pennant flags. I like to try make party decorations last by using them in my childrens’ rooms. I love that Lovely Design took this concept to favors and I can imagine all the littles so excited to find their own initialed flag.

Weekly and Monthly Planners

With the kids heading back to school and after school activities and work stuff heating up again, I’m in need of a new daily planner. While keeping track of things in my iPhone works, there’s nothing quite like putting pen to paper to make me remember what’s happening in my life. Plus, I’m not really a fan of the updated iCalendar app because it is impossible to get a long-range view of upcoming events.

I’m in love with these beautiful planners that have both weekly and monthly calendar pages so I can get my long-range planning view along while being able to focus on the details in the weekly section. Which is your favorite?

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DIY Picnic Printables

One of my most favorite things about this summer thus far has been the vast number of picnics we’ve been having. From front porch lunches, to outdoor music concert dinners, we’ve been eating outside a whole lot. It means less cleanup for me and an ability to stay out and about for longer periods of time. And my whole family’s been loving it. But just because it makes things more simple, doesn’t mean it has to be plain. So I had in mind to put together a printable set of fun labels to dress our picnics up a bit. Then, in fortuitous timing, party supplier PartyPail asked us if we’d like to test out some of their plain party goods. Perfect!

In keeping with my current love of the black + white combo, I designed a set of labels and straw flags that I used on a variety of PartyPail’s great picnic goods (plain white cups, chevron dessert cups, large clear cello bags, and striped straws). And I loved the printables so much that I decided to share them with you for free. Just click on the link at the end of the post to download them. Print the circle labels on plain white label sheets and punch out with a 2″ circle punch. Print the straw flags on white paper or cardstock, cut out, and glue on a striped straw. Always simple, never plain!

p.s. my easy picnic menu? salted watermelon + chèvre + mint; prosciutto + mozzarella + basil baguettes; dark chocolate almond bark with sea salt

CLICK RIGHT HERE FOR PICNIC PRINTABLES!

Disclosure: PartyPail provided AFL with paper party goods in exchange for this post. No other compensation was provided and all opinions herein are our own.