Author:Lori
Celebrate

Let’s Flamingle!

July 10
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So now that summer is in full swing there’s a tradition I love to do as often as I can…host an outdoor movie night!  Several years ago we invested in an outdoor projector and let me tell you that it’s one of the best purchases we’ve ever made!  Often times throughout the summer we’ll hook that thing up and camp outside with some popcorn, snacks, and my hubby and I might partake in an adult beverage or two!  It’s really a fun, family activity that’s still appealing to the boys…even though the quality of the projector can’t come close to what the digital TVs are like today!  But for me, that’s part of the nostalgic appeal, it reminds me of the drive-in theater days…back when that quality wasn’t comparable to today’s either!  So when I decided to host some girlfriends for one of our semi-regular movie-night gatherings I knew we needed to do it outside!  And with the collaborative help from a talented designer friend of mine, we chose a popular summertime theme and ran with it!  A “flamingle” outdoor movie party is such a fun and whimsical way to celebrate summer…whether it’s a grown-up girl’s night out or a teen or tween party, a flamingo-inspired celebration is the perfect way to create a festive event for a flock of your friends!  Let me share some pink party inspiration…

flocktails and friendship!

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Travel

Disney Magic

July 6
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Shortly after school got out for the summer, we were lucky enough to spend a little time in one of my most favorite places…Disney World!  We have been fortunate to travel there often as the boys were growing and it became a family tradition to go every couple years, many times with my parents joining in on the fun!  Our trips there have left me with wonderful memories…capturing forever the visions of the childlike excitement in the happiest place on earth!  And even as the boys have grown, there were always new and different experiences that were perfect for their ages…and let’s face it, if you’re a Disney fan you’re most likely to love the experience whether you’re 5 or 75!  For me, it’s a place full of sweetness and imagination, where you can dream and dare, and just feel like a kid again for a moment or two!  It really is a magical location filled with laughter and whimsy…but also lots of time to relax, unwind, and enjoy the views!  Let me share another side of Disney…

magical kick-off to summer!

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Celebrate

Pineapples on the Patio

June 26
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I was completely thrilled when I was asked earlier this spring if I would contribute a party idea for the summer issue of Everyday Party Magazine!  Summer parties give us many opportunities to use fun decor…sea shells or beaches, pool time & flip flops, nautical designs, drive in movies…the list goes on!  But another favorite of mine is a little tropical fruit we know and love…the pineapple!  Not only does it evoke thoughts of the tropics but the color of the fruit itself reminds me of sunshine, so it’s a perfect summertime theme!  It has been so busy around here that even though the publication came out some time ago, I haven’t yet shared the fun here…so today I’d like to give you some sunny inspiration for a simple gathering!

have a pineapple picnic!

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Celebrate, Holidays

Oh My Stars!

June 16
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So, I hate to mention this fact but it is now beyond the halfway point in June!  What?  It seems like school just got out yesterday and now it’s already time to gear up for all those Fourth of July festivities!  I hear that some people believe when the 4th arrives the summer is half over…and some believe that the holiday is the official celebration to the beginning of the summer season…I think I’d like to go with the latter!  It is true, as vacation standards go, the summer CAN be half over when you consider early start-dates or school activities that begin well before the first day of classes.  But I’m not going to concentrate on that fact…I’m here to share some inspiration for summer fun and celebrations that have really JUST begun!  So today I’m seeing stars…a fun theme for a patriotic or ANY type of party!

star-spangled snacks!

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Celebrate

Graduation, Moroccan Style!

June 12
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It’s been a fun conclusion to a long couple of weeks filled with all the normal end-of-school activities combined with graduation ceremonies, university orientation, and grad parties…including our own!  My son requested a smaller gathering for his graduation celebration, more like a large dinner party.  And the food request?  A traditional Moroccan meal…lucky my hubby just happened to live in Morocco as a child!  And though he didn’t know how to cook back then, he’s a wonderful at-home chef now and specializes in Moroccan delicacies!  We were lucky to have received a Moroccan cookbook as a wedding gift from my in-laws and what makes it extra special was what was written inside.  Within the pages of this book were the personal recipes of the cook who worked for my husband’s family  while they lived in Morocco.  My Father-in-law worked for the State Department and enjoyed the benefits of a staff while stationed in certain countries…they weren’t royalty or crazy rich, in case you’re wondering!  But we ultimately reaped those benefits too when we received all those wonderful and completely authentic recipes!  I do feel fortunate that my family has enjoyed these delicious and unique meals as the boys have grown throughout the years…and on special occasions they think nothing of eating without utensils, digging into a community pot, while seated on the floor!  So this very experience was my son’s request…to treat a small group of friends to a taste of something we hoped would be special!  Let me share with you our wonderful celebration for our son and some of his friends…

a sample of Morocco…

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Favorite Things

Monday’s Favorites

June 5
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It has been a really busy last couple of weeks around here!  School ending, baseball frenzy, parties galore…and my oldest graduating from High School!  I’m actually surprised that I was able to keep my head above water!  So needless to say today I’m keeping it short and sweet so that I can get caught up and wrap up some some things before we FINALLY get to enjoy summer vacation!  And speaking of summer, I’m sharing some favorite things today that are perfect for all your warm-weather gatherings!  With so much happening lately I realized I hadn’t done a “favorite things” in quite some time…and I will remedy that today!  So have a peek at some summertime goodies that I think will be your favorites too!

get ready for summer fun!

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Celebrate

Nautical Twist

May 30
2 Comments

Often times when I think about summertime parties I envision the crisp colors of red, white, and blue!  Perfect for patriotic celebrations and ALL summer long with clean stripes, polka dots, and nautical images that remind us of the sea!  Clam bakes, barbecues, ice cream and s’mores are just a few of the summer food favorites that also come to mind when I’m dreaming of outdoor entertaining and gatherings with my family and friends!  So today I’d like to share with you some nautical inspired party ideas that you can use at your next backyard celebration…and when I say nautical, I guess I use the term a little loosely because it might not be exactly what you think!  But that’s the fun of party styling…letting your creativity flow with no rules to follow!  When I come across decorating items that I love, I just have to share them…in hopes that you can find lots of inspiration for your festivities!  I also love sharing ways to use these items outside of what they were intended for…that’s what can make your event (big OR small) unique to you AND let you get lots of bang for your buck by having loads of options for your goodies!  Let’s get started on summer fun now that the unofficial beginning of the season has come and gone!  Check out this backyard gathering with understated nautical touches!

lobster-up your nautical!

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Celebrate

Eat Cake for Breakfast!

May 25
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Yesterday I co-hosted the final Breakfast Club gathering for the school year.  My sweet friend helped me to dish up some morning goodies to some of the ladies who make up this really fun and wonderful group!  I have to sing praises for this group which began several years ago when many of our littlest kiddos went to school full time.  It was such a wonderful way to stay connected to moms who no longer had little ones to take to playgroups anymore.  The only new “rule”…all grownup time!  I miss those playgroup days but I do have to admit that it’s so wonderful to have uninterrupted conversations with old and new friends…the group is open to all newcomers as long as they don’t have kids in tow!  And once in a while, a new mom with kids at home might actually have a second without her littles and pop in for a cup of joe and a “mommies only” moment!  I just love the way this group offers the opportunity to meet women we might not cross paths with due to the different stages of our kids or working schedules!  So since this is one of my favorite things and being the last gathering until fall comes around, I wanted to do something a little special on my buffet…without going crazy–this is supposed to be easy fun after all!  But with a little recycling, I could make a pretty food station with simple treats to celebrate friendships!

breakfast club season finale!

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Create, Holidays

Red, White, Blue…and Sip!

May 22
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After my patriotic project last week creating the cork firecrackers for my holiday table, I  stayed in the mood for red, white, and blue!  It’s such a fun, summertime color combo whether you’re celebrating a stars & stripes holiday or not!  Inspired by something I saw in a catalog, I decided to try my hand at another really easy project to sweeten up a favorite hot-weather drink…the milkshake!  In our house we seem to be making this favorite treat any time of the year but summer is the season my boys REALLY crave them!  And though the official start of summer hasn’t arrived quite yet…it sure felt like it for a few days making it the perfect time to try this treat out!  The great thing about this project is that you can use the idea for any drink or any time of year…but since patriotic celebrations are on the horizon, I’m sticking with the holiday color trio for my frosty beverages!  See how easy and fun it can be to add some sugar to your sipper…

candy coat your straws!

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Create, Holidays

Patriotic Project!

May 18
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It certainly has been feeling like summer around here lately!  I was complaining that it had been too chilly…and now all of the sudden it went from cool, spring showers directly into the sweltering dog days of summer!  The temperatures are feeling a lot more like July than May…so it got me a little inspired for some Red, White, and Blue.  And bonus, Memorial Day is just around the corner so this little DIY I have planned for today will be a fun addition to your May 29th celebrations AND the Fourth of July!  So we’ll get right to it today and work on a patriotic project to celebrate those red, white, and blue holidays!

create some “kaboom”!

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