GIRLS NIGHT IN: HOST A DIY CENTERPIECE PARTY!

The nice folks at Seagram's Escapes asked me for some Spring party ideas... here's one I think you'll love!

With Easter just weeks away, I've got a fun (and productive) party idea for your next Girls Night In get-together. Why not host a DIY centerpiece party? Each year, a few weeks before Easter, I get lots of emails and questions about Easter decorations and tablesettings. Here's a party theme that will not only allow you to spend time with your friends, you can go home with a beautiful centerpiece... just in time for your Easter Sunday celebration. It's also a great party plan for that DIY bride or class reunion, too!

 

THE SET UP

This is a very simple party to host. You provides the drinks, the food, and a large workspace with plenty of room. Guests will bring what they need for her own centerpiece plus tools like floral wire, floral sheers, ribbon, etc. You can all share supplies. Ask guests to email a list of what they are bringing- you may need to make a trip to Michael's, Hobby Lobby or a local floral supply store to pick up the basics if you don't have them. If you are planning this party for the week of Easter, you might also set up a station to dye Easter eggs. That way, you can have eggs already dyed for the kids to decorate.

I've been so in love with the purple hues of Spring... inspired by Radiant Orchid, the Pantone color of the year. I used that as the foundation for my color scheme with pretty plates, napkins, straws and flowers in those purple tones to anchor the look. I added a special dessert cocktail in the same color palette to make it really special!

Get annuals or herbs from the garden center in addition to cut flowers. Later you can plant them in the yard and enjoy them all summer long.

In the Spring, I always like to use herbs or flowers from the garden center for my centerpieces... that way, after the party is over, I can plant them in the yard and enjoy them all summer long. I picked up a few bunches of tulips at the store, too. I got a twig wreath and some bird nests at the craft store and found floral foam, wire and twine there also. If you want a rustic look, use Mason jars in several sizes. If you are using metal containers, they tend to leak. To avoid this, fit a small jar or plastic container into the bottom and fill that with water. 

Cover your work space with a plastic backed drop cloth from the home improvement store or use brown craft paper... I used did both to make clean up easy. It is important to use layers of newspaper if you will be dying eggs; they make a mess and the stain is virtually impossible to remove.

Cover your work station with brown craft paper. Twig wreaths, bird nests, and floral supplies can be found craft stores like Michael's and Hobby Lobby.

FOOD & DRINKS

Girls Night is soooo about the cocktails and quality time catching up with friends but since this party is centered around an activity, I wanted to keep the menu very simple and did not want to have to fuss with the bar. Seagram's Escapes were not only the perfect colors for the party, the wide variety of flavors insured there would be something for everyone. Put them on ice and offer some fruit mix-ins; they come in 4-packs or you can find them at Sam's and the big stores in multi-flavor cases; perfect for a party.

Seagram's Escapes are light, fruity fun and the perfect colors for the party theme.

Keep the food simple as well. A cheese board with 3-4 cheeses plus crackers, fruit, honey, jam and other pairings is the perfect way to start the party. It is easy to assemble and there's no cooking required. Make one of your party favorites that is easy to eat standing up or while working. I made Puffy Party Squares because they are easy, fast and inexpensive but also because everyone loves them. Get the recipe... 

And because there has to be something sweet on the menu, I came up with these incredible Very Berry Ice Cream Floats for dessert... again, very simple, no cooking required and completely addictive.

Very Berry Grown Up Ice Cream Floats

Here's the how to:

VERY BERRY ICE CREAM FLOATS

1 small container fresh blackberries or raspberries

1 half gallon container vanilla ice cream

Chambord Liqueur

4 Seagram's Escapes, Black Cherry Fizz flavor, chilled

Chill the glasses in the freezer so they are cold.

Put 3 blackberries or raspberries in the bottom of a glass. Muddle slightly with a wooden spoon to break up the fruit. Add 2-3 scoops of vanilla ice cream. Pour over 1 tablespoon of Chambord liqueur. Fill each glass with the Seagram's Escapes... add a straw and enjoy!

THE ACTIVITY

Making centerpieces and decorating eggs can be as easy or as complex as your time and patience allow. If you look at Pinterest, you can see a million different ideas for every taste and every budget. I'm a big fan of cheap that looks expensive so that's what I was aiming for with my flower arrangement. I also like the idea of repurposing the flowers in the garden or container after the party is over.

My own style is very relaxed and easy so my centerpieces tend to be rustic and take about 6 minutes to create. When making a centerpiece for a dinner table, I want it to be low so guests can see each other across the table. Here's what I came up with using annuals and one bunch of tulips. After Easter is over, I'll plant the annuals in containers to brighten up my deck this summer. 

Use garden center annuals to create a lasting flower arrangement. Carefully remove the annuals from their plastic container, keeping the root ball intact. Put it into a plastic bag and secure with a rubber band. Use one plastic sandwich bag for each plant. Make sure the soil is damp- but not too wet. Arrange the flowers in a platter, basket, wreath or other short container. Add some fresh cut flowers also for a little height. Done!

This could even be a wonderful family get-together with the cousins or a fun annual neighborhood party. The adults can make flower arrangements and the kids can decorate eggs at a craft station set up with stickers, glitter, glue and other supplies.

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY AND TO NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE. 

Visit SEAGRAMSESCAPES.COM to find drink recipes, store locations and more. 

First Week of May Fun! Cinco de Mayo, Kentucky Derby, and Mother's Day!

Wow- this is a busy, busy week, even for an experienced party-thrower like me! Since I'm on the road most of the week and will be pitching in to help with food and cleanup around Alabama for the remainder of the week, I wanted to give you a cheat sheet of ideas and recipes for everything you might need for Cinco de Mayo, Derby Day, and Mother's Day festivities:

Martie's Pink PonyCINCO DE MAYO IDEAS AND RECIPES

Check out my ideas for a frugal but fabulous Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Tequila Lime Tuna

Slow Roasted Chipotle Pork

Pineapple Tomato Salsa

DIY Taco Bar

Classic Margarita Recipe

Pomegranate Margarita Recipe

Mocha Margaritas

Pink Pony Margarita

 KENTUCKY DERBY, SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011

Martie's Perfect Mint JulepHey, why not ask a few friends over Saturday to watch the Derby? All you need is a big hat, red roses, some snacks and my recipe for the Perfect Mint Julep.

Kentucky Derby Ideas

Martie's Perfect Mint Julep

MOTHER'S DAY, SUNDAY MAY 8, 2011

Make Over Mom's Garden this Mother's Day:)Show mom a lot of love this Sunday with these easy recipes and ideas for family style fun.

 Easy and Fun Ideas for Mother's Day

 Mothers Day Breakfast in Bed

 Mother's Day Afternoon Tea Party 

 Make Over Mom's Garden or Patio!

Mom and Me Afternoon Tea Slideshow

Happy Mother's Day to all and especially to my own sweet mom who I miss every day.

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Easy and Fun Ideas for Mom for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th. If you're looking for something special to do with or for your Mom, here are some ideas that will let your mother know how much you love her!

Make Mom Breakfast in Bed

What a treat it is for any woman to sleep in and wake up with zero to do for a few hours! It never happens, either. Or not nearly enough. A real present for mom would be the morning to herself with a delicious breakfast along with a good book, a movie she's wanted to see, or a stack her favorite magazines. Be sure to leave the kitchen clean:) During the afternoon, plan a picnic or some quality time with her. I've got some delicious recipes for you... but if you can't cook or don't want to, here's a no cook recipe that anyone would love.

Belle and the Bee French Toast with StrawberriesBelle and the Bee Bagel with Strawberries and Honey

Spilt open a bagel. Spread with Belle Chevre's Belle and the Bee goat cheese spread. Next, slice  strawberries over the top. Drizzle with a little honey and put it under the broiler until the cheese is melty and the bagel is toasty. Yummy!

If you don't mind doing a bit of cooking, make French Toast and stuff it with the goat cheese and strawberries. Serve with maple syrup. Double yum! Get more delicious goat cheese recipes from our friends at Belle Chevre.

Get more Recipes for Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed from Martie:

Belgian Waffle Kabobs with Orange Chantilly Cream

Fun for the kids to make with mom- don't hesitate to let them make these with Eggo Waffles if you don't want to fire up the stove. Half the waffles and skewer them with strawberries for a fun presentation. Dust with powdered sugar. The kids will really love this one!

Maple Orange Oven Bacon

Much easier than frying bacon, cook your bacon in the oven while you are assembling the waffle kabobs.

Smiling Grapefruit Brulee

Kids will really make mom smile with this cute and sweet grapefruit!

Blood Orange Double Bubble

A spin on the Mimosa, add a little Prosecco to sparkling orange juice and you've got twice the fun: a double bubble!

Garden-ing Party Fun

Plant some memories and have some fun when you make over your mom's outdoor space for summer. You can go all out and plant a garden or just freshen up her patio... either way, she's going to love the spot you take the time to make-over, just for her. You can do this as a surprise for mom or you can get her to sit with you while you work. Here are some ideas and photos from our big garden-ing party. You can make your party as big or small as you like.  Read the story...

Make a Memory: Bake a Cake Together

Today, I published my mom's pound cake recipe. Her pound cake was a standard for dessert on any special occasion when I was growing up. This Mother's Day, why not get the women (young and old) in your family together to make several special recipes that are important to your family? Your mom can teach the younger family members the tricks to perfecting the recipe. Write down all the recipes so everyone will have them for years to come. (Even better if mom writes them down in her handwriting, if at all possible, I cherish my mom's few handwritten recipes.) Hey, and don't let the girls have all of the fun... some of the guys like to cook and would love the quality time in the kitchen with mom!

  And of course, any mom will love a spa day, dinner at her favorite restaurant, flowers, or a gift from her favorite store. I know she'd love to spend time with you more than anything! Happy Mother's Day to everyone and especially to my sweet mom, who I miss every single day. 

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Recipes from our Friends: LynnBo's Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Lynn and her husband GaryMy favorite photo of Lynn from back in the day-- pep rally day!I've known Lynn about as long as I've known anyone, I think. We went to elementary school all the way through high school together. Lynn had the most amazing parties back in the day... she was a big time party-thrower, even as a kid! I cannot hear Sly & the Family Stone to this day without thinking about spend the night parties at her house. And while we lost touch for a lot of years, I am soooo happy to have reconnected with her. I've met her teriffic husband Gary and one of her beautiful daughters, Kara. (who are both pretty amazing musicians and singers, I might add) I saw a Facebook post where someone was asking Lynn to make this cake for them and they were raving about it... so I asked her to share it with us. Lynn, you are so inspirational! I'm so happy we are friends!

LynnBo's FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE with STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients

1 strawberry cake mix (plus eggs and oil as required by the package)

1 1/2 cups fresh chopped strawberries plus more strawberries for garnish

1/2 cup of unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
12 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk

1 small box strawberry Jello- add this to taste. (I used about half of the box)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 (or to package directions)

Prepare or spray your pans as directed on the package; I used Baker's Joy and sprayed mine.

First, chop up 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries and mash them so they resemble a puree.

Make the cake mix as directed except exchange the mashed strawberries for the water the package directions call for. Pour evenly into the prepared pan (s). Bake as directed or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Lynn recommends using a 9x13 pan but I used two 9" round pans for mine. Allow them to cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

Cream together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and Jello at medium speed of your mixer. Add the milk and vanilla and mix well.

Garnish with lots of strawberries. Lynn recommends adding them just before serving because there is so much moisture in the strawberries, they will slide all over the cake if you add them too soon. She also recommends to pat the strawberries dry before topping.

Hope you enjoy this one.... perfect for Spring and strawberry season!

Want more recipes for strawberry cake? Try this Strawberry Layer Cake recipe from our friends at myRecipes.com which calls for Grand Marnier in the frosting.  Yummy!

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Eco-Friendly Party Idea: Plant Some Fun by Hosting a Garden-ing Party!

Need a great party plan for SPRING? This one can be used for so many different occasions. A GARDEN-ing Party or Planting Party is one of my very favorite party ideas. It is not only fun- my number one criteria for a party- but it's also a great way to get kids and adults in touch with growing vegetables and eating healthier. No matter if you want to plant veggies, flowers, or trees; hosting a planting party is fun for all ages. And the benefits will grow and grow!

When my nephew turned seven, I wanted to do something "educational" for his birthday. I was completely shocked at his response from the garden tools and vegetable plants and seeds that were his present. He started screaming at the top of his little lungs. "Okra! I got okra! And tomatoes! I got tomatoes!" He jumped up and down and squealed with delight. After he planted them, he would call me almost daily with a progress report. As the years went by, that kid would always plant a garden and grow tomatoes, peppers, and of course, okra. I've never forgotten that birthday:))

When the weather starts to get warm, most of us are ready to dig in the dirt, plant something, or freshen up outdoor space after a long winter. Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (the last week of April in most states) are coming up. And don't forget Mother's Day is May 8th. Wouldn't it be wonderful to make-over your mom's patio or yard with some colorful new plants or a few vegetable plants?

Many schools, youth organizations, and neighborhoods are growing community gardens. But if you don't have that movement happening in your area, start one! You don't need a lot of people at first. You can start small. Ask a couple of neighbors to participate and split the cost and the responsibilities of maintenance. There are some great sites with information on community gardens including tips on everything from getting started to funding.

• American Community Garden Association
• Urban Harvest
• ABC News Article

Any occasion is right for a planting party: a best friend's birthday, wedding, bridal shower or wedding party at your house, your kid's birthday, neighborhood party, family reunion, or community garden day. You really don't need a reason to host a planting party. It's one of those do-good, feel good types of parties that I love! Here's the how-to:

INVITATIONS & GUESTS

Think old-timey barn raising-- remember when neighbors would help a family build a barn? Friends would show up with tools and the barn would go up. This is the same premise. Invite friends to come build a garden. If it is a community garden, you'll need to form a committee and divvy up the planting and chores. For the party above, the host provided lunch and the guests provided the plants for her birthday presents. After a few hours of planting, guests had a lovely lunch on the patio, completely freshened up and ready for spring!

THE MENU

Salad in a Jar: Make these ahead for an easy and healthy lunch for party guestsIf you are hosting the party at your house, you'll provide the food and drinks. If you are surprising someone with a garden or yard make-over, then you'll also provide the food... my salad in a jar is perfect for a quick lunch on work day. You can prep in advance and store in the fridge or a cooler until it's time to eat.

A big dispenser with chilled water, lemonade, and/or Sweet Tea (I'm from the South where Sweet Tea is essential) will keep everyone hydrated and happy. Plus, the serve-yourself option always makes bartending and hostessing duties easier. Or, if you don't have a large dispenser, fill up a tub, wheelbarrow, or large planter with ice and chill your favorite beverages. I personally like the wheelbarrow because you can move it around easier--- important if you are in the sun. As the sun shifts, you can move the drinks into the shade so the ice won't melt:)Planting party survival kit with Advil, band-aids, gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, etc

SUPPLIES

I always have a "survival kit" made up for any outdoor party. It includes everything we might need: bandaids, wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, bandanas, hats, visors, tools, etc. You get the idea. Keep it where guests can find it so they can stay cool, comfortable, and prepared to be out in the elements.

DECORATIONS

Look at the pretty decorations from our own Garden-ing Party! I used lots of garden supplies for the decorations that everyone was able to take home after the party including these colorful ceramic toadstools from JJ Potts. Find more more cute garden accessories and supplies from the great folks at Plow and Hearth and Gardener's Supply. I also found some adorable watch and grow planting pots at Oriental Trading Company. I think they make perfect party decorations and they are functional!

Burlap table overlay, paper and melamine plates, and plastic margarita glasses are cheap chic!Too cute toadstools made in the USA from JJPotts

ENTERTAINMENT

Everyone loves to work to music! Make a party playlist of your own favs; whether your gang likes old-school or pop, make a playlist of tunes to run the length of the party. Or skip the music and let the gossip and girl talk take center stage!

If you need more information or ideas for your own planting party, I've got tons! Just message me from my website and I'll respond!

Happy planting.... happy SPRING!

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