This is the blog home for Barb Baron and www.partyoriginals.com. Barb has been a successful event planner and now through her site offers Party Ideas, How-To Guides, and a fully stocked e-commerce site with all her favorite picks for party supplies. And if you're on a deadline for an upcoming event and need some help, Barb is ready with her easy and affordable online event consulting.
I like being artsy/craftsy - I've already admitted to being an artist-wanna-be - so adding special handmade touches to a party is something I really enjoy. With so many books and magazines and television shows touting all different kinds of craft ideas, I've really learned to choose projects that meet a few goals: 1. Making something that I can't go out and easily buy 2. Making something that would otherwise cost quite a bit 3. Making something that I can fit into my busy life from a time perspective 4. Making something that brings me joy
Recently I designed a centerpiece runner for a party that meets all of those criteria:
1. I definitely could not easily buy it. 2. The materials I bought for it were very inexpensive. 3. It took me about 45 minutes which included time for the paint layers to dry. 4. And it was working with paint sponging and feathered yarn - how fabulous! Best of all, I love how it looks on the table with clear votives alternately filled with roses and tealights sitting on top. Quite a glow!
Well the economy has taken a little hit in recent weeks/months - but it's definitely not the time to panic or stop the small things that give you pleasure.
Entertaining can provide a welcome relief from the stress. Gather those around you that you care about and spend time talking and laughing.
With just 6 items (some you may already have around your home) you can create a variety of centerpieces that will work for many different kinds of events, such as Valentine's Day, Wedding Shower, Birthday Celebration, Baby Shower, etc.
6 Inexpensive Items You Can Do So Much With! Small Square Glass Vases (Approx. $2.99) Round Glass Votives ($1 - $2/piece) Roses (Around $15 a bunch at your local grocer) Feathers (Under $2 a packet) Craft Jewels (Approx. $3.99 a packet) Inexpensive Organza Fabric
Here are a couple of ways to put these items together:
Stacked square vases with 1 rose bud take centerstage.
Scattered feathers, gems and clear votives surround the vases.
Stringing rose petals make for a stunning napkin ring.
All of this is set atop an iridescent organza fabric.
While I've chosen all pink, the colors can all be changed to fit the look you want.
Use yellow roses with white feathers and yellow and gold gems. Or White roses with peacock feathers and pick up a gem color from the feather - blue perhaps.
Have fun with this. I hope it encourages you to realize that you CAN entertain affordably. Have other ideas - send me a comment.
Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I LOVE celebrating this holiday!
You see it involves all the "junky-junk" I love — handmade cards with overlapping specialty papers garnished with lacey ribbon and glitter or easy, inexpensive table centerpieces mixing beautiful, classic items like roses with childish stuff - like pink crinkled paper strips and an array of ceramic hearts and cherubs!
I also usually get very sentimental and want to make sure those I love know it. When the kids were little I always gave them a sappy Valentine's book with a handwritten message. Or one year I beautifully arranged 1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7: Love is patient, love is kind. . . on a piece of handmade paper.
At my house, another tradition is our Valentine's dinner that my kids love: chicken broccoli casserole, salad, rice and easy, easy cheesecake with cherries. It makes me smile just thinking of it. This is a very kid-friendly meal! If it is adults only. . . no way! I say go classy!
Well, if you are interested in starting a new, classy "romantic" tradition checkout my new Valentine's Party at PartyOriginals.com. Here's a sneak preview! Bye for now - Take Care, Barb
Hi Everyone - Got an email from my friend Kathy, who told me about a really fun party idea! She had a group of friends over for a cocktail party and they played Wii tennis all night! She said it was a ball and they all laughed a lot and had a great time. Finally, a good reason to buy an electronic game system! My son got a Playstation - but I really don't enjoy the car-racing, soccer-playing games,etc. (although he and his Dad do!) But a Wii sounds like it would be fun for the whole family, and now as a fun activity for - AN ADULTS ONLY PARTY!
I'm going to try to work on a partyscape to go along with the activity. I'm thinking yellows and greens. . . hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Keep checking in at Partyoriginals.com.
The other party idea I'm currently excited about is a Girl's Poker Night. I know lots of men have been doing this, but I haven't run across any women's groups. My friend Diane hosts one and said I'm on the list for the next one! That made me very excited. I am a Midwest girl at heart. Put a deck of cards in my hand and I'm happy!
Any other new ideas you've come across? I'd love to hear about them. Send me a comment!
OK - I must admit I am a frustrated artist wanna-be. But after numerous watercolor, clay, pastel, funky feel-the-movement-of-the-object-as-you-draw, (you get the idea) art classes, I realized being an artist just wasn't going to happen for me.
Then I had children! And we would sit together and do millions of art/craft projects and I absolutely loved working with their things - especially Glitter Glue (you know that fanciful glittery multi-colored in a tube stuff)! And I dare to say that was the impetus for my party planning.
I love playing with what I call "junky-junk." It's the feathers, glitter, ribbon, tulle, shredded paper - OH - I could go on and on! I literally get an excited feeling walking through Michael's!
I started with Children's Birthday Parties and then people began hiring me to work on more adult parties and I had to get a tad bit more serious - a little less glitter and paper!!! Which was still a load of fun.
I definitely have to take field trips into the world for inspiration. A walk through Border's Books, a visit to Hobby Lobby, wandering through my favorite wholesale florist, flipping through a myriad of catalogs I get or perusing inspiring magazines. I really look for things that give me that little - OOOOOOOOOO neat feeling and then my brain takes off.
Where/how do you get "inspired" ideas for parties???? I'd love to hear from you! Try a few of mine and I would love to try a few of yours!
Alas - after working today on more organizational aspects of "The Site" I'll have to count on the Grocery and Ski Shop to give me some inspiration. A Swiss Alps/Hot Cocoa Party Anyone??? Wait - I am working on a winter Book Club with just that feel!!! Hmmmm... life is interesting isn't it?
Hi Everyone! Greetings for the New Year. My high hopes for the year include the real estate market picking up and the price of gas going down! (Not to mention the normal - weight loss goal!)
Has anybody been watching the show "The Big Party Plan Off" on the Style Network? I'm not sure if it is a new show - but it is new to me! Being an event planner and wanting to stay in touch with the industry and what other planners are doing - I've also occasionally checked in on the Discovery Home Channel's party offerings: David Tutera's Party Planner and "Party Girl."
These types of shows are great for ideas, but I always come away wanting more information - like "How did you do that?" "Where did you buy that?" "How much did that cost?!!!"
Alas - I am a Party Girl with a practical side! Hopefully on my website (PartyOriginals.com) - I stay true to my desire to provide people with fun, creative, inspiring ideas while still being affordable, practical, and offering the resources to pull it off!!! Let me know what YOU think!
Have a Great Day! I'm off to finish off up a Romantic Valentine's Day Party for the site and work with my developers on cleaning up the "Shop" section of the site. Hope your day is filled with exciting and challenging activities as well!
This is the blog home for Barb Baron's www.PartyOriginals.com. Barb has been a successful event planner and now through her site offers Party Ideas, How-To Guides, and a fully stocked E-Commerce site with all her favorite picks for party supplies. And if you're on a deadline for an upcoming event and need some help, Barb is ready with her easy and affordable online event consulting.
