So without further ado... Create My Party by Pampers, Play Dates & Parties. Leslie broke her entry up into three parts on her blog, because she put so much detail into her plans. I am going to go ahead and post it all, so be prepared to read and be awed!
Here is Leslie's "Create My Party" proposal in her own words:
I’m so excited today, because I’m finally getting to share some of my party planning ideas with everybody! For the last month and a half I have been coming up with ideas and plans for so many different events - most of which are too far away to be of any worth at this point. So I was thrilled when Pam, at Party Starters posted her Create My Party Challenge. She has challenged all of her readers to plan a cupcakes and cocktails party based on her chosen color scheme of gray, cream and leafy green. A DIY cupcake buffet and cocktail buffet were emphasized, and she even provided a picture for some inspiration:
Before getting started with the actual planning, I searched through her blog to get a better idea of her style. I know what I might do for myself, but event planning is all about taking your customer into consideration, so I had to do my research! Let me tell you, this “mompreneur” - as she calls herself-has a definite affinity toward vintage design of all kind. I could also tell based on her recent posts that she has been very in to gray, so I’ll have to make that the primary color choice for the party and use the other colors as accents. Here’s a quick inspiration board I threw together before actually getting started with the plan itself:
Photo Credits:
Ruffle Cardigan - Party Starters, Create My Party Challenge
Lace Necklace & Book - Lucia Lace Garden Necklace from WhiteOwl on Etsy
Invitation with Gray Envelope - Simply Stationary
Invitation with Green Leaf - Savannah design by Decadent Designs on Etsy
Green & Cream Runway Looks - Burberry Runway on MillionLooks
Green & Black Stenciled Damask Table - Sandy A La Mode
Before getting started with the actual planning, I searched through her blog to get a better idea of her style. I know what I might do for myself, but event planning is all about taking your customer into consideration, so I had to do my research! Let me tell you, this “mompreneur” - as she calls herself-has a definite affinity toward vintage design of all kind. I could also tell based on her recent posts that she has been very in to gray, so I’ll have to make that the primary color choice for the party and use the other colors as accents. Here’s a quick inspiration board I threw together before actually getting started with the plan itself:
Photo Credits:
Ruffle Cardigan - Party Starters, Create My Party Challenge
Lace Necklace & Book - Lucia Lace Garden Necklace from WhiteOwl on Etsy
Invitation with Gray Envelope - Simply Stationary
Invitation with Green Leaf - Savannah design by Decadent Designs on Etsy
Green & Cream Runway Looks - Burberry Runway on MillionLooks
Green & Black Stenciled Damask Table - Sandy A La Mode
As I’ve mentioned about a million times, I have a massive sweet tooth...so I’m loving this theme!
The Cupcake Buffet:
The Cupcake Buffet:
Photo/Image Credits (Left to Right):
1. Brownie Batter Cupcake: Allrecipes.com
2. Cookie Dough Cupcake: Allrecipes.com
3. Gray Paper Flowers: McFunk90 (Etsy)
4. Parfait Glasses: Unknown Etsy Vendor
5. Sheet Music Paper Flowers: PetalPaper (Etsy)
6. Green Sherbet Glass: Party Starters
7. Giant Martini Glass: Party Starters
8. Gray Damask: Carousel Designs
9. Candy Olives: CandyWarehouse.com
10. White Chocolate Cupcakes: Cookies and Candids: Vegan Baking
11. Candied Citrus: Elra
12. Cupcake Liners: Cupcake Confessional (Etsy)
1. Brownie Batter Cupcake: Allrecipes.com
2. Cookie Dough Cupcake: Allrecipes.com
3. Gray Paper Flowers: McFunk90 (Etsy)
4. Parfait Glasses: Unknown Etsy Vendor
5. Sheet Music Paper Flowers: PetalPaper (Etsy)
6. Green Sherbet Glass: Party Starters
7. Giant Martini Glass: Party Starters
8. Gray Damask: Carousel Designs
9. Candy Olives: CandyWarehouse.com
10. White Chocolate Cupcakes: Cookies and Candids: Vegan Baking
11. Candied Citrus: Elra
12. Cupcake Liners: Cupcake Confessional (Etsy)
For this fabulous party, I’m picturing a rectangular table covered in a soft gray damask with a cream runner going across the table to break up the pattern. Three cake stands will be the primary focus of the table, holding all of the unadorned cupcakes (baked in green liners so they are pretty, but also easy to manage). Pam requested that chocolate be incorporated into the menu, so I’m recommending these three flavors:
- Vanilla cupcakes with Brownie batter
- Chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Centers
- White Chocolate Champagne Cupcakes
The cake stands on the left and the right will be made with highball cocktail glasses filled with lime curls, and wrapped halfway up in the same damask fabric as the table cloth. A cream ribbon placed around the top of the fabric will ease the transition between the damask and the citrus, as well as reinforce the total color theme. A clear, glass plate placed on top holds the undecorated cupcakes.
In the center of the display is the giant martini glass Pam’s mother got her; acting as the center cupcake stand. The ribbon from the highball glasses will be wrapped and knotted around the stem for texture. Inside the glass will be green cocktail olives, topped with a glass plate holding more undecorated cupcakes.
In front of the cupcake stands will be vintage style parfait glasses; each filled with the various cupcake toppings. Taller glasses will hold all the frostings, including these gems::
- Nutella Buttercream Frosting
- Frangelico spiked whipped cream (I’ve made this before; and trust me, it’s amazing!)
- Champagne Frosting
Pam’s own beautiful green depression glass would be perfect for holding the toppings. I think that it would be fun to play up the cocktails theme with fruits and candies that mimic cocktail garnishes:
- maraschino cherries;
- candy olives;
- candied citrus peel (lemon, lime and orange);
- Shaved chocolate (both white & dark);
- Fresh strawberries; and
- Although not a cocktail garnish, you just have to include sprinkles!
Behind the cupcake buffet will be a cream backdrop dotted with handmade gray paper flowers and sheet music paper roses in varying sizes. These flowers will also be scattered sparingly around the table.
- Vanilla cupcakes with Brownie batter
- Chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Centers
- White Chocolate Champagne Cupcakes
The cake stands on the left and the right will be made with highball cocktail glasses filled with lime curls, and wrapped halfway up in the same damask fabric as the table cloth. A cream ribbon placed around the top of the fabric will ease the transition between the damask and the citrus, as well as reinforce the total color theme. A clear, glass plate placed on top holds the undecorated cupcakes.
In the center of the display is the giant martini glass Pam’s mother got her; acting as the center cupcake stand. The ribbon from the highball glasses will be wrapped and knotted around the stem for texture. Inside the glass will be green cocktail olives, topped with a glass plate holding more undecorated cupcakes.
In front of the cupcake stands will be vintage style parfait glasses; each filled with the various cupcake toppings. Taller glasses will hold all the frostings, including these gems::
- Nutella Buttercream Frosting
- Frangelico spiked whipped cream (I’ve made this before; and trust me, it’s amazing!)
- Champagne Frosting
Pam’s own beautiful green depression glass would be perfect for holding the toppings. I think that it would be fun to play up the cocktails theme with fruits and candies that mimic cocktail garnishes:
- maraschino cherries;
- candy olives;
- candied citrus peel (lemon, lime and orange);
- Shaved chocolate (both white & dark);
- Fresh strawberries; and
- Although not a cocktail garnish, you just have to include sprinkles!
Behind the cupcake buffet will be a cream backdrop dotted with handmade gray paper flowers and sheet music paper roses in varying sizes. These flowers will also be scattered sparingly around the table.
Photo Credits (Left to Right)
1. Champagne Cocktail: Martha Stewart
2. Silver Garland: I Do Wedding Wares (Etsy)
3. Agave Kiss: About.com
4. Green Shooters: Liquorious
5. Vintage Bottles: Apartment Therapy
6. Cupcake Favors: Party Starters (Etsy)
7. Gray Damask: Carousel Designs
8. Paper Flags: Belletristics Blog
9. Lucky Charm: WashingtonPost.com
10. Sheet Music Paper Rose: Petal Paper (Etsy)
1. Champagne Cocktail: Martha Stewart
2. Silver Garland: I Do Wedding Wares (Etsy)
3. Agave Kiss: About.com
4. Green Shooters: Liquorious
5. Vintage Bottles: Apartment Therapy
6. Cupcake Favors: Party Starters (Etsy)
7. Gray Damask: Carousel Designs
8. Paper Flags: Belletristics Blog
9. Lucky Charm: WashingtonPost.com
10. Sheet Music Paper Rose: Petal Paper (Etsy)
...now it’s time for the cocktails!
There are so many ways to make cocktails that fit your color scheme and that are tasty. Of course I recommend having an ice bucket filled with champagne, wine, water and a few bottles of beer (for those inevitable naysayers who refuse anything else). However, with the temperatures starting to drop rapidly for the fall, I also wanted to showcase cocktails that would help warm everyone up from the inside out. That said, the signature drinks I chose for this event are the:
- Agave Kiss: A creamy cocktail that will blend nicely with the tones of the party, while adding surprising hint of chocolate.
- Lucky Charm: The cinnamon schnapps in this drink should warm anyone up on a toasty night. Add that it’s green and you’ve got a perfect marriage of style and flavor!
- Classic Champagne Cocktail: A touch of vintage in the form of a classic cocktail that’s due for a comeback!
For the actual display, I see the same grey damask from the cupcake table, with a green backdrop and gray flower garland draped in front. A small bouquet of sheet music paper roses (think nosegay) is on one side of the table. A narrow riser in the same shade of green as the backdrop runs across the back of the table holding champagne flutes in a single row. Every other flute will have a pre-soaked sugar cube in the bottom for DIY champagne cocktails. A small, vintage-style liquor bottle filled with Cognac will sit on one side of the table next to a vintage oval picture frame with instructions on how to create a Champagne Cocktail.
All remaining drinks will be served in pre-poured lowball glasses-just to keep things simple for Pam. They will be displayed in rows of two or three; each row creating a small arc toward the front of the table. The Agave Kiss glasses will be rimmed with white chocolate (go ahead and use a thin layer of chocolate melts - they will look really pretty, and will stand up to sitting on a buffet for a while). If Pam so chooses, she can place a single raspberry or strawberry atop the glasses. The Lucky Charm glasses will have ‘stirrers’ created from halved wooden skewers (or extra long toothpicks if they can be found). At the bottom of these stirrers will be a small slice of green apple. At the top will be a solid gray paper flag with Pam’s choice of motto.
As guests leave, they can take with them one of Pam’s beautiful mini cupcake boxes filled with miniature versions of Pam’s favorites from the options featured at her party (all dressed up, of course!). I think a green base with a damask top and a single gray paper flower would be a very pretty picture!
Whew! I hope you lasted through that with me. I got (more than) a little carried away, but it was such a blast putting this together. Take a few moments to hop on over to Party Starters to see some of the other incredible ideas already posted. It’s amazing how some simple instructions can be interpreted into so many fantastic options! Happy Birthday to you Pam, I can’t wait to see what you actually put together!
There are so many ways to make cocktails that fit your color scheme and that are tasty. Of course I recommend having an ice bucket filled with champagne, wine, water and a few bottles of beer (for those inevitable naysayers who refuse anything else). However, with the temperatures starting to drop rapidly for the fall, I also wanted to showcase cocktails that would help warm everyone up from the inside out. That said, the signature drinks I chose for this event are the:
- Agave Kiss: A creamy cocktail that will blend nicely with the tones of the party, while adding surprising hint of chocolate.
- Lucky Charm: The cinnamon schnapps in this drink should warm anyone up on a toasty night. Add that it’s green and you’ve got a perfect marriage of style and flavor!
- Classic Champagne Cocktail: A touch of vintage in the form of a classic cocktail that’s due for a comeback!
For the actual display, I see the same grey damask from the cupcake table, with a green backdrop and gray flower garland draped in front. A small bouquet of sheet music paper roses (think nosegay) is on one side of the table. A narrow riser in the same shade of green as the backdrop runs across the back of the table holding champagne flutes in a single row. Every other flute will have a pre-soaked sugar cube in the bottom for DIY champagne cocktails. A small, vintage-style liquor bottle filled with Cognac will sit on one side of the table next to a vintage oval picture frame with instructions on how to create a Champagne Cocktail.
All remaining drinks will be served in pre-poured lowball glasses-just to keep things simple for Pam. They will be displayed in rows of two or three; each row creating a small arc toward the front of the table. The Agave Kiss glasses will be rimmed with white chocolate (go ahead and use a thin layer of chocolate melts - they will look really pretty, and will stand up to sitting on a buffet for a while). If Pam so chooses, she can place a single raspberry or strawberry atop the glasses. The Lucky Charm glasses will have ‘stirrers’ created from halved wooden skewers (or extra long toothpicks if they can be found). At the bottom of these stirrers will be a small slice of green apple. At the top will be a solid gray paper flag with Pam’s choice of motto.
As guests leave, they can take with them one of Pam’s beautiful mini cupcake boxes filled with miniature versions of Pam’s favorites from the options featured at her party (all dressed up, of course!). I think a green base with a damask top and a single gray paper flower would be a very pretty picture!
Whew! I hope you lasted through that with me. I got (more than) a little carried away, but it was such a blast putting this together. Take a few moments to hop on over to Party Starters to see some of the other incredible ideas already posted. It’s amazing how some simple instructions can be interpreted into so many fantastic options! Happy Birthday to you Pam, I can’t wait to see what you actually put together!
Thank you SO much Leslie for all of the amazing details! How will I ever choose just one winner?? Again, I will be choosing a winner and announcing who they are on my actual birthday which is this Saturday, Nov 6th. Stay tuned, because I have lots more entries to share this week!!
Hugs,
UH-mazing!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the MARTINI cupcake stand idea! GREAT! :)
ReplyDelete