Photography by: Keley Ogunmola
Candy: The Confectionary
Candy Labels: Free at Bird's Party !!
Decorations: Michaels & Party @ Display & CostumeFebruary 23, 2012
Love is in the....CANDY JAR!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of hosting my friend's 25th Birthday Party. The theme was "I Love Keley" with the theme colors being red, pink, and purple. The party had a great turnout and my favorite part of it was doing the candy buffet! Check it out below. xoxo
February 21, 2012
Photoshoot Fresh: Halloween Theme
Rather than saying what I (Party with a K) can design for the candy buffets that I do, I figured I would SHOW it! Last week I met with my photographer and got photo shoot fresh (well, not me, but the candy buffet table!).The first theme I will show you from the photo shoot was the Halloween themed photos....I know, Halloween is not for another 8 months, but now you have something to look forward to ;-) check it out!
Photography by: Keley Ogunmola
Candy: The Confectionary
February 11, 2012
Makeovers & Martinis
Girl's nights are always fun so why not make it a unique Girl's night with a little makeover and some martinis! Yesterday, I hosted my first Mary Kay Party and I decided to make the theme "Makeovers & Martinis". The event was so much fun because we got to experience all the amazing face products that Mary Kay has to offer from face cleansers, to foundations, to blush, to their amazing lip glosses. The great thing about this type of Girl's night is that there is no financial obligation - you can have fun experiencing all the products and if you want to buy something you can!
The girls had a great time experimenting with their skin and mixing and mingling with each other which made it a very successful night for the Mary Kay consultant and us. If you're looking for a new way to have fun with your girlfriends consider reaching out to a Mary Kay consultant and having a similar party!
Recipe of the Day: Mmm Martinis!
Last night I hosted my first Mary Kay party and themed it "Makeovers & Martinis"! As such, I had to have a signature martini to be served for the night so I made a concoction which I named "Mmm!" Read below to see how you can make this amazing martini - ENJOY!
Ingredients
- Triple Sec Orange Liqueur
- Gordon's Vodka (750mL bottle)
- Premium Grenadine syrup
- Orange Juice
- Granulated sugar
- Ice
*Makes one drink
Step 1: On a cutting board, pour out 2 cups of granulated sugar in a smooth, flat layer
Step 2: Get a small bowl and fill it with water.
Step 3: Take a martini glass upside down and dab the rim of the glass into the bowl of water.
Step 4: With the martini rim wet and upside down, dab it into the sugar proceeding to twist the glass to get as much sugar on the rim.
Step 5: In the cocktail shaker, proceed to pour in the following ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of ice
- 1/4 cup of orange juice
- 1/8 cup of Triple Sec Orange Liqueur
- 1/8 cup of Gordon's Vodka
- 1/8 cup of Premium Grenadine syrup
Step 6: Shake up the ingredients in the cocktail shaker and pour into sugar-rimmed martini glass.....drink complete!
Mmm!
February 6, 2012
How to Plan a Mixer
Mixers should serve it's purpose: allow guests to mix & mingle. When you're mixing and mingling, it's important that a couple of things are provided to allow you to really absorb the atmosphere: food, drinks, personalization, and entertainment!
Food
Food is a MUST at any function. As it pertains to a mixer the type of food to be offered should be finger foods; appetizers that can allow you to comfortably walk around the room without consuming your time scarfing it down. You don't want to spend your time sitting at a table eating a 3-course meal-save that for a more formal gathering. Below are some examples of appropriate finger foods:
If you're having an adult mixer it is wise to have a drink station with a hired bartender. Stick to beers and wines as refreshments as hard liquor doesn't always mix well with crowds. For a mixer in which no alcohol is to be offered or alcohol is to be offered as an option, have a table dedicated to self-serve refreshments like water, punch, or lemonade. Mini soda bottles and soda cans add a nice variety of drinks for the mixer but do encourage waste as people often place their can or bottle down, forget where they left it, and grab for another. In the end, it can create more to clean up so I prefer the self-serve refreshments where people can write their name on their cup/glass.
Personalization
If you are the host of a mixer, YOU are the face of the party. It is your responsibilitly to add personality to the mixer and encourage guests to mix and mingle. The first thing you need to do to personalize the guests' experience is to have a welcome table. The welcome table should include the following:
Entertainment
Lastly, but in fact one of the most important needs at a mixer, is the entertainment! Live performances such as dancers or bands are not usually the forms of entertainment appropriate for a mixer. Rather, a DJ playing Top 40s music or Pandora playing at a mid-volume so as not to overpower the mixing & mingling, are the best routes to go. Remember, people will be conversing so they will want to hear the person next to them. Moreover, the mixer is not a dance party so the music should be loud enough that it creates an inviting atmosphere and not loud enough that people are breaking it down in the middle of the event space!
I hope this gave you a better idea of how to plan a mixer! Have fun planning!
Food
Food is a MUST at any function. As it pertains to a mixer the type of food to be offered should be finger foods; appetizers that can allow you to comfortably walk around the room without consuming your time scarfing it down. You don't want to spend your time sitting at a table eating a 3-course meal-save that for a more formal gathering. Below are some examples of appropriate finger foods:
- Mozzarella sticks
- Chicken Wings
- Shrimp
- Potstickers
- Mini sandwiches
- Pita bread/chips
- Dips: ranch, hummus, salsa, spinach or artichoke
- Vegetable platter
- Fruit platter
- Cookies, brownie bites, small cake slices
If you're having an adult mixer it is wise to have a drink station with a hired bartender. Stick to beers and wines as refreshments as hard liquor doesn't always mix well with crowds. For a mixer in which no alcohol is to be offered or alcohol is to be offered as an option, have a table dedicated to self-serve refreshments like water, punch, or lemonade. Mini soda bottles and soda cans add a nice variety of drinks for the mixer but do encourage waste as people often place their can or bottle down, forget where they left it, and grab for another. In the end, it can create more to clean up so I prefer the self-serve refreshments where people can write their name on their cup/glass.
Personalization
If you are the host of a mixer, YOU are the face of the party. It is your responsibilitly to add personality to the mixer and encourage guests to mix and mingle. The first thing you need to do to personalize the guests' experience is to have a welcome table. The welcome table should include the following:
- A greeter at the table to greet the guests and provide them information on the mixer
- Pamphlets on the agenda for the mixer in the event that there is a guest speaker/s or sponsors who have booths
- Blank name tags and markers for the guest to write their name on
- Pens and mini notepads to encourage guests to make connections with other guests
- Business card jar for guests to submit their business card
- This is a nice addition to the welcome table because the jar will serve two purposes. The first purpose is to use it as a raffle! At the end of the mixer you can draw a business card from the jar and the winner can win a prize. The second purpose is to use the business cards as a means to keep in touch with your guest. You can add them to your email list serve and for business purposes reach out to them.
Entertainment
Lastly, but in fact one of the most important needs at a mixer, is the entertainment! Live performances such as dancers or bands are not usually the forms of entertainment appropriate for a mixer. Rather, a DJ playing Top 40s music or Pandora playing at a mid-volume so as not to overpower the mixing & mingling, are the best routes to go. Remember, people will be conversing so they will want to hear the person next to them. Moreover, the mixer is not a dance party so the music should be loud enough that it creates an inviting atmosphere and not loud enough that people are breaking it down in the middle of the event space!
I hope this gave you a better idea of how to plan a mixer! Have fun planning!
February 4, 2012
Favorite Superbowl Snack: Puppy Chow
The Superbowl usually brings out the animal in everyone, so why not snack on something fitting for the occasion: Puppy Chow!
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
9 cups original/plain ChexMix square cereal
2 cups powdered sugar
How to Make
Step 1 Measure the nine (9) cups of original/plain Chex Mix square cereal into a large bowl.
Step 2 Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter or margarine in either a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat OR in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as the chocolate chips are melted (remove the bowl from the microwave as soon as the chocolate chips are melted). Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 3 Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal in the large bowl. Make sure the cereal is thoroughly coated with the chocolate mixture.
Step 4 Obtain a 2-gallon resealable ziplock bag and pour the powdered sugar into it. Spoon in the coated cereal into the ziplock bag, seal the top and shake it to thoroughly coat the cereal mixture in powdered sugar.
YOU'RE DONE!!
For better taste, store the puppy chow in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag or an airtight container.
*All images were taken from: Savory Sweet Life
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4
5
Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
9 cups original/plain ChexMix square cereal
2 cups powdered sugar
How to Make
Step 1 Measure the nine (9) cups of original/plain Chex Mix square cereal into a large bowl.
Step 2 Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter or margarine in either a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat OR in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as the chocolate chips are melted (remove the bowl from the microwave as soon as the chocolate chips are melted). Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 4 Obtain a 2-gallon resealable ziplock bag and pour the powdered sugar into it. Spoon in the coated cereal into the ziplock bag, seal the top and shake it to thoroughly coat the cereal mixture in powdered sugar.
For better taste, store the puppy chow in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag or an airtight container.
*All images were taken from: Savory Sweet Life
Melt
the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter or margarine in a small
saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture with a
wooden spoon constantly to avoid burning. Remove the saucepan from the
heat as soon as the chocolate chips are melted. Stir in the vanilla
extract.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal in the large bowl. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to coat.
Pour
the powdered sugar into a large 2-gallon resealable food storage bag.
Spoon in the coated cereal into the storage bag, seal the top and shake
to thoroughly coat the cereal mixture in powdered sugar.
Spread
the coated cereal on a large cookie sheet and allow to cool thoroughly.
Or, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes for a cooler,
crunchier variation. Store the people puppy chow in the refrigerator in
an airtight container.
Cake of the Day!
It isn't summer yet, but it sure did feel like it today here in Seattle! Inspired by today's warm weather, the Cake of the Day is a SUNNY one!
Cake by: AnnaSaphiree
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