When it’s your turn to be the guest. The most important thing you can do as a guest to show your gratitude is to be fully present and take time to enjoy and appreciate the gifts your host(ess) has bestowed on you.  Make note of her/his special touches and send a personal note of thanks after the party. 

You can also express your gratitude to your host by selecting a special token of appreciation. Send flowers the day before Thanksgiving. In the midst of preparations for the big day, it’s a treat to receive a beautiful arrangement that says, “We’re excited and grateful to be with you tomorrow.” The Fall Centerpiece from Martha Stewart at 1800 Flowers is perfect and can be used on the Thanksgiving table! You can also call ahead to say thank you in advance and that you’ll bring dessert for the kids. Better yet, have dessert sent directly to the host so they can plate it in advance of guests’ arrival—one less thing to deal with that day.  The Fall Treats from Cheryl and Co.’s  are wonderful and I highly recommend the cookies.

If you’re looking for a meaningful keepsake, consider gifting this special and unique treasure to your host. Dogeared.com has a silver bronze wishbone that is reminiscent of Thanksgiving and comes with a beautiful message for a “Kitchen Blessing.” This is a unique and special way to give thanks to your hostess!  Or add to the fun of the day by bringing the Thanksgiving Box of Questions from The Box Girls.  It’s lots of laughs and also makes a great hostess gift.

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some delicious treats!  Caramel apples are a staple at Halloween but aren’t very healthy to make for an everyday snack.  We found a fantastic recipe at The Little Foodie that puts a healthier spin on caramel apples.  Instead of caramel, you cover the apple in peanut butter.  To add extra crunch, you roll the peanut butter covered apple in granola and your favorite sprinkles.  We love this idea! It’s a great snack for kids and can be served at fall parties all season long.  Find recipe details at thelittlefoodie.com.  Enjoy!!

Find more Thanksgiving and Fall inspiration!
Celebrations are what life is about – Design Your Celebration.

image from thelittlefoodie.com

Halloween is here! While you are making plans for trick or treating with the kids this year we wanted to pass on some great saftey tips.  Halloween night can be a little dark and scary.  We looked to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and to find great tips on making sure kids have a safe holiday.

ALL DRESSED UP:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to  prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater visibility.
• Avoid compromising your child’s visibilty.  Use non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives.  Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Make sure you have flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost.

CARVING A NICHE:

• Since young children should not carve pumpkins, have them draw the face with markers.  Then parents can do the cutting.
• Votive candles are safest for candle-lit pumpkins.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.

HOME SAFE HOME:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you.
• Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
• Tell your children then can only approach homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or Treaters:
  Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
• Carry a cell phone for quick communication.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will!
• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

 
HEALTHY HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• Ask your kids to wait until they are home before eating any candy.  Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween – cavities are the fastest way to ruin any holiday fun!
  © 10/09 American Academy of Pediatrics

Have a safe and happy Halloween!  Find more Halloween and holiday inspiration! 

Celebrations are what life is about – Design Your Celebration

If you are trying to turn Halloween green, it can be pretty scary!  So many of the traditional products and practices are not good for our little people or our planet. Here are a few ways to compromise with kids without taking the fun out of Halloween. Be green not mean!  For many more tips and ideas visit Green Halloween.com 

What Treats To Eat 

 Bats and Cats Cookies 

1. Dancing Deer has found a way to keep treats delicious and fun and no need to be scared they are all natural and every effort is made to use environmentally friendly packaging. For more>

What To Carry 

1. Don’t use paper or plastic. This limited edition reusable Green Halloween ChicoBag is eek-o-fabulous. Perfect for trick-or-treaters or for small shopping loads.  For More>

2.The old fashion pillow case is also a great option, get some markers and let kids decorate with their own person style.

How To Decorate

1. Bee-Natural Jack-o-lantern Carved Honeypot Luminary Mini. Image above: For More> 

2. Don’t waste electricity! Don’t be tempted to use the giant blow up Halloween figures that grace many a yard on Halloween and the Holidays. It is a real waste of energy.

3. Use the whole pumpkin. If you carve pumpkins for Halloween make sure to try and use all the parts – toast the seeds for a healthy snack and when the holiday has past use your old pumpkin for compost to fertilize your soil. Try to buy organic when possible.

4. Halloween Lights are great, but make sure to use energy efficient, long lastiing, LED Lights  For more>

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

This Halloween is the perfect party fright night!  It falls on a Saturday and we  get to “fall-back” by getting an extra hour due to Day Light Savings Time.  So celebrate big by hosting a Hallo-Wine Party!  Why should kids have all the fun? With that in mind, serve up the red, white and boo and feature some really wicked wines!  Here are a few ideas to get you on your way.

For details on this tablescape pictured above see: Country Living

The Wine: Here are some suggestions for Halloween inspired Wines.  These are fun but your favorites are just fine!  They may not be for the faint of heart!

Available at  WickedWines.com

Trueblood Napa Valley Syrah: The inky black and blue color of the 2004 Trueblood Napa Valley Syrah is an indication of its power. This wine will bruise your soul with its palate crushing cherry, plum smoke and spice. Rich toasty oak and silky smooth tannins soften the blow enough for you take another sip.

Chateau Du Vampire Bordeaux Style Cabernet Blend (Vampire vineyards – Paso Robles, California): This is our first release of the Château du Vampire, and it is our favorite cabernet based Vampire Wine we have ever made. We made it by blending cabernet sauvignon (60%) with cabernet franc (30%), and then we added 10% malbec to finish it off. The result is a rich and well balanced wine, full bodied with aromas of black cherries, spices and chocolate. This is a complex wine that is focused, and yet displays brilliant fruit and soft tannins that lead to a lingering finish.

Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon (Vampire vineyards – Paso Robles, California): Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from several small-berry clones of this traditional Bordeaux varietal, grown in the Paso Robles region of California’s Central Coast. 

Hallo-wine Decor from WineEnthusiast.com

Favors from Zazzle.com

The Food: Vampires don’t eat but your guests will want to.   Cheese and Crackers are an obvious and good choice for a wine themed party. Here are some more ideas for your menu I selected from Good Housekeeping. 

Paula’s Cheese Straws > recipe

Thai Chicken Saté > recipe

Pimiento-Studded Deviled Eggs > recipe

Double-Roasted Spiced Nuts> recipe

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

Make your own spooky spinners for Halloween!  These would be perfect for a Halloween party craft, decorations or as party favors.   We found this spooky Halloween inspired craft at owlsorts.com

They have broken it down by Materials Needed, Construction and Assembly

Materials needed:

White, red, purple and black card stock
White vellum for ghost
3/8″ Wood dowels
Black pony beads – 4 per spinner
Craft paints in yellow, orange and black
Spray gloss varnish
Drill with a small bit
4D X 1 1/2″ Box nails 
Hammer, scissors, paintbrushes
Construction:

Print face disks on heavy white card stock and cut out. Spray with two light coats of gloss.
Punch or poke a hole in center of nose.
Print patterns onto white card stock to use as templates. Cut out on lines.
Trace around template on color card stock, making sure to mark dots.
Using a small hole punch or sharp nail, make holes at dots, making sure they are slightly larger than the shaft of the nail. This will allow your spinner to turn freely.
Paint wood dowels yellow, add orange stripes, coat with gloss varnish.
Paint heads of four nails gloss black.
Drill a small pilot hole 3/4″ from end of dowel.

Assembly:

Slide disk onto nail.
Slide bead onto nail behind disk.
One by one gently curve in the wings of the spinner and slide onto the nail.
Slide two beads onto the nail, then insert nail through hole in center of spinner.
Slide one more bead onto nail.
Position nail in pilot hole in dowel and carefully tap with hammer until nail is securely attached to dowel.
They fit perfectly into some wood spools I had, so now they can stand nicely at attention.

Check out owlsorts.com for complete details and some great photos.

Find more Halloween ideas and tips. 

Celebrations are what life is about – Design your celebration.

Is your child a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series by Jeff Kinney?  The fourth book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, recently hit book stores.
If your child is a fan, find inspiration for celebrating with your child and his friends.  Check out these ideas:
• Read the books together.
• Play Wimpy Kid Trivia based on all 4 books or take it to the next level and have a Trivia Challenge where teams must answer the questions together.
• Create your own Cartoon Books.  Hand out small notebooks and pencils for the kids to create their own Wimpy Kid stories.

• Who looks most like the Wimpy Kid? See what your own group thinks.
• Did you know there are talks of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie? What would your guests like to see in the upcoming show?  Get the discussion going.
• Play a game of Cheese Touch.
• What do you think is Greg’s latest scam?  Have the group think one or two up and go into action.
• Serve jellybeans in honor of Fregley.
• Serve up Grandma’s favorite junk food … whatever your kids like!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is hugely popular.   Have a Wimpy good time!

Submitted by Lisa Kothari

Lisa Kothari is the Founder and President of Peppers and Pollywogs, a kids’ party planning company.  Visit our experts page to read more about Lisa Kothari and our party planning experts.

Throwing a Halloween bash?  Add in this dramatic Halloween Centerpiece.  You can easily make this Black Dahlia Centerpiece and it will be the perfect addition to your creepy decor.  We found this creepy craft at allyou.com

Here is a list of what you’ll need for the flowers and the vase. 

Flowers: • Rubber gloves • Assorted silk flowers • Black spray paint • Glue stick • Paper plate • Silver glitter • Fake rhinestones and jewels • Glue gun

Vase• Clear glass vase • Masking tape • Newspaper • Krylon Looking Glass Mirror-Like Paint

Directions for flowers and vase from allyou.com

1. Find a well-ventilated space (backyard or garage), put on a pair of rubber gloves and spray flowers with paint. Let dry standing up or on newspaper.

2. Dab sections of each flower with a glue stick, then dip them into a plate of glitter.

3. Attach rhinestones or fake jewels with a glue gun, if desired.

Vase Directions:

1. Clean vase inside and out; let dry completely. Tape off outside surface of vase with masking tape and newspapers to protect it.

2. Spray interior of vase following label instructions; let dry. Remove tape and paper from outside of vase. (Inside of vase will look dull, but exterior will be reflective.) Let vase dry for 1 hour before using.

Happy Halloween!

Find more great Halloween ideas.  Celebrations are what life is about – Design Your Celebration

image from allyou.com

Prettying those naked pumpkins at your front door is quick, simple and truly fun. The following are notes from Elizabeth my partner at Partybluprints.com, who completed this project, with her daughter, in less than 1 hour, including clean up time!

Dress your pumpkins for their big day!

Here’s how: remove dirt, dust and any debris from your pumpkins – you can give them a quick wash with water. While they’re thoroughly drying, collect a few materials from your home: (1) Tape that will adhere well to the pumpkins, (2) spray paint – whatever colors you have on hand will work (3) stickers or interesting shaped adhesives, (4) newspaper, (5) gloves.

This is what we had to work with: (1) electrical tape and painters’ blue tape, (2) black and gold spray paint, (3) Large and mini round stickers (4) newspapers, and (5) dishwashing gloves.

Once your materials are collected and your pumpkins are thoroughly dry, you’re ready to go. As always, preparation is the key. In a well ventilated area, prepare 2 distinct workspaces with newspapers. On your first set of newspapers, lay out your pumpkins. The second set of newspapers is the drying area (you don’t want to get “overspray” on your finished pumpkins). Now it’s time to have some fun. Using your tape, stickers or adhesives cover the portion of the pumpkin that you want to remain orange.

We used tape to create vertical stripes on our pumpkin. Follow the directions on the spray paint and spray your pumpkins just like any other object. Let dry slightly and then move painted pumpkins out of the way to dry completely. When your pumpkins are dry, gently remove the tape/stickers.

I recommend rubber gloves – after an explosion with the glitter spray paint and some “messiness” with the paint, we donned the gloves to protect the hands and nails. The thinner latex gloves would have been easier to work with, but our motto of the hour was “let’s work with what we have on hand”, and that we did ( see big yellow rubber gloves in photo above).

We liked the contrast of the black against the natural orange of the pumpkin. We also liked “glamour” of the gold and used it not only as the primary contrast, but as a “dusting” on the black paint (we even painted the stems gold), and we couldn’t resist making a solid gold pumpkin (it’s our Cinderella Pumpkin).

Just let loose and have some fun with your pumpkins.

One last note: In honor of my childhood tradition of carving pumpkins with my father, I had to make my own faux Jack O’ Lantern. I had to realign the tape a few times to get the angles right, but I was very pleased with the personality of my Jack O’ Lantern (featured in photo above).

I’m happy for the memories this brought back from my childhood – thanks Dad for all those seasons of carving with us! I’m also happy for the new memories I created with my daughter on our “Less than an Hour and Less than a Dime” mission to dress our pumpkins for Halloween.

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

1. LET THEM EAT CAKE Make  with Mini Eight Pumpkin Patch Muffin Pan.  They’re easy to make when you use the Pumpkin Patch Pan by Nordic Ware® - it’s a fun and festive treat that will get the kids excited. You can use a healthy recipe so it’s more nutritious than hitting the Halloween candy.

2. THE WAY TO A KID’S HEART ISN’T ALWAYS THROUGH THEIR STOMACH Give a Webkinz as a trade-in for some Halloween Candy. The company is offering a Bat and Cat for Halloween. This is a cuddly pet that kids can play with on and off line and you don’t have to feed or walk it! 

3. KEEP LITTLE HANDS BUSY Make a craft together for Halloween that will double as a spooky decoration or centerpiece for your Halloween table. Hearth Song has a light up Witches Hat House for ages 8 and up.

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

Dare to bite into a delicious witches finger and cackle in delight. We found the recipe of for these edible witch fingers and The Idea Room, a wonderful site full of well, great ideas!  This great Halloween treat is easy to make and packs a big wow factor.  Serve it at your child’s school function or at your Halloween party.  It’s a simple treat to make with your kids. You’ll need an inexpensive mold that can be found and your local craft store or from an online retailer like Amazon.com, as well as two delicious ingredients; pretzel rods and chocolate.  How could you go wrong?  You’ll also need a little food coloring for dramatic effect.  Check out The Idea Room for complete recipe details as well as some other great Halloween tips and ideas. Happy Halloween!

Find more Halloween recipes and tips at PurpleTrail.com. 

Celebrations are what life is about – Design Your Celebration. 

These cupcakes are spooky and delicious. They are easy to bake, yet look like lots of work! If you are making these for a Halloween Party and are concerned about nut allergies, you can leave out the candy in the batter and swap theGoobers for Whoppers (always check the ingredients on the back for yourself!) .

Cobweb Cupcakes Recipe and Image from Nestle: Very Best Baking.com

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) devil’s food or yellow cake mix
• 2 (2.1 oz. each) NESTLÉ BUTTERFINGER Candy Bar, chopped
• 1 container (16 oz.) prepared vanilla frosting
• 1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 small tube white decorator icing or gel
• 1 pkg. (1.38 oz.) NESTLÉ GOOBERS Milk Chocolate-Covered Peanuts

Directions

• PREPARE cake mix batter according to package directions; add chopped Butterfinger to batter. Bake according to directions for 24 cupcakes. Cool completely. Frost cupcakes.
• PLACE morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut small corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles on top of frosting. Using wooden pick or tip of knife, pull tip through chocolate from center to last circle to create a cobweb effect.
• MAKE 2 dots using decorator icing on each of 24 Goobers to resemble spider eyes. Place in center of each cobweb.
• VARIATION: Substitute vanilla frosting with chocolate frosting. Substitute melted chocolate morsels with 2 small tubes white decorator icing or gel.

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

 Looking for something a little less scary but oh so fun this Halloween?  Take at look at these Halloween jokes we found.  They are frightfully funny for the whole family.   Get ready for some belly laughs boys and ghouls…wahaahaahahhh!

Q: What do you call a fat Jack-O-Lantern?
A: A plumpkin

Q: What’s a vampire’s favorite fast food?
A: A guy with very high blood pressure

Q: What do you use to mend a Jack-O-Lantern?
A: A pumpkin patch.

Q: Why didn’t the skeleton go to the ball?
A: Because he had no body to go with!

Q: If you peel my skin off, I won’t cry, but you will. What am I?
A: An onion.

Q: Why was 6 afraid of 7?
A: Because 7 8 9!

Q: Why won`t cannibals eat clowns?
A: Because they taste funny!

 Q: What was the favorite game at the ghosts’ birthday party?
A: Hide and shriek

Q: What do ghosts serve for dessert?
A: Ice scream

Jokes courtesy of  americanfolklore.net

 ***********************

Q. What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost?

A: Bamboo.

Q. What kind of mistakes do spooks make?
A: Boo boos.

Q: What does a ghost eat for lunch?

A: A BOO-logna sandwich.

Q: Where do ghosts go on vacation?
A: The Eerie canal, Lake Eerie ! or Mali-Boo

Q. What’s a ghosts favorite ride at the carnival?
A: The roller ghoster.
 

Q: Where do ghosts buy their food?
A: At the ghost-ery store.

Jokes courtesy of  ghostwatchers.org

 **********************

Q: What did one ghost say to the other ghost?
A: “Do you believe in people?”

Q: What do you call someone who puts poison in a person’s corn flakes?
A: A cereal killer…

Q: Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends?
A: They’re so wrapped up in themselves…

Q: What kind of streets do zombies like the best?
A: Dead ends…

Jokes courtesy of theholidayspot.com

********************

 Q: Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?
 A: No, they eat the fingers separately…

 Q: Why don’t skeletons ever go out on the town? 
 A: Because they don’t have any body to go out with…

 Q: What do ghosts add to their morning cereal?
 A: Booberries…

 Q:  What do zombies like to eat at a cook out?
 A: Halloweenies…

 Q: Why do witches use brooms to fly on?
 A:  Because vacuum cleaners are too heavy…

 Q: What is Dracula’s favorite kind of coffee?
 A: Decoffinated…

 Q: What is a baby ghost’s favorite game?
 A: Peekaboo…

Jokes courtesy of carvernsofblood.com

*********************

Happy Halloween!! Check out more great Halloween ideas and Halloween stories. Celebrations are what life is all about – Design Your Celebration.

Halloween is creeping up…you’ll need some scary snacks and Halloween treats for all your hungry ghosts and goblins. We found a fantastic sweet and scary snack at Taste of Home.  These Ghost Strawberries are sure to be gobbled up at your Halloween party or school event.  Here is the recipe per tasteofhome.com:

Ingredients:
30 fresh strawberries
8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon shortening
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth.
• Stir in extract.
  Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts’ tails.
• Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes.
• Freeze for 5 minutes.
  In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth.
• Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face.
• Makes about  2-1/2 dozen

Enjoy these ghoulish strawberries!  For more Halloween ideas check out PurpleTrail.com. Celebrations are what life is about – Design Your Celebration.

Party planning is all about managing the details.  If one of the details on your list are to make the wine selections, we have a few tips for you.  When entertaining with wine, you want to be make sure the wine choices fit the type of party and the foods being served. 

White, Red or Both?

If you are planning on hosting a party with mostly finger foods and appetizers, you’ll want to have a selection of both red and white.  It’s hard to go wrong with and oaky Chardonny or a drier Savingnon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.  They will compliment just about any dish.  For the reds, you don’t want to offer anything to heavy.  A nice Pinot Nior or Zinfandel will work well.  For a sit down dinner, it’s really best to match the wine to what you are serving.  You can serve different wines for different courses. Champagnes and Sparkling wines are also great to offer. For a breakdown of what to serve with meats, fish, chicken and veggies, check out drinksareonme.net.

A Bottle Serves How Many?

A bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses.  For a dinner party you’ll want to make sure each person gets a glass for each course.  If you are primarily serving wine, a good rule is to plan on one bottle for every 3 to 4 people.  If serving other drinks, one bottle will serve about 4-5 people. 

Variety is the spice of life, so give some variety to your wine selections! Having red and white or multiple bottles to accompany each course will only make the food more enjoyable.  Keep your wine tasting great all year; check out our great tips on how to store your wine.

Celebrations are what life is about. Take a look at PurpleTrail online invitations and Design Your Celebration.

Halloween is a great opportunity to have some inexpensive fun with family, friends, neighbors, schoolmates.  Everyone is in a “spirited” mood and ready to party.  With some easy planning, it’s simple to celebrate on a shoestring. Halloween is a great holiday for Back to Basic DIY projects.  All you need is some time and ingenuity to work with the smallest of budgets.

Here are three things you can do right now:

• Candy Co-op : Get a few family members and friends to go in on a candy co-op.  Have each participating family/group buy bulk of one candy type.  Then get together and split up the candy so everyone gets a variety.  You’ll save a lot and the trick-or-treaters in you neighborhood will be happy!

• Costume Swap:  Get together with friends and family at the beginning of October to swap costumes and props.  Everyone saves costumes year to year and yet most kids are never the same thing year after year.  This means we all have goods to trade.  This is a great way to clear out your closet a bit and get a free costume!

• Progressive/Potluck Party:  Share the expense and stress of hosting a party with friends and family, then it won’t be a burden for anyone and everyone can enjoy the day.  Since Halloween is on a Saturday this year, capitalize!  Make Halloween more fun. Entertain inexpensively by planning a progressive, potluck or viewing party (desserts already taken care of!) Outline details of party and decide what type of party works best with your crowd and means (expense, space, time, etc.)  Send free electronic invitations the beginning of October. 

Replace the “Fear Factor” with the “Fun Factor” – make a plan you can afford, stick to it and have a truly Happy Halloween with these rules :

• Advance planning is key.  Time is your friend, last minute desperation your enemy.  Wait until last minute and, you’ll pay premium for costumes, décor, baked goods and candy.

• Make a budget and stick to it.  Be thorough in your planning and account for the smallest details (candy, costumes, outdoor/indoor decorations, parties (including school parties).  If your plans exceed your budget, a little ingenuity and effort goes a long way in reducing your expenses and chances are you’ll be happier with the end result. 

• Bake homemade treats in lieu of store bought Halloween cupcakes, cookies, cakes. 

• Forgo expensive costumes and props and create your own. Consider it a fun project you and your child can work on together.  Bag the store bought costumes and bring back the “old school” costumes (ghost – all you need is a white sheet, wizard & vampire (black underclothes and a cape – fangs or wizards hat and wand), animals such as cats, rabbits, mice, etc. – monochromatic pants and top a homemade tail and headband with ears!  If your child’s a dancer, bring out the recital outfit and “retrofit” it for Halloween.  Check with your child’s teacher and see if there are any upcoming projects involving costumes. Save yourself 2x the headache, time and expense and plan ahead – let your costume do double duty!

• Forget the costly trick or treat bags and have your child pick out a pillow case for their loot (they fit much more candy than the cute containers).

• Decorate – again think double duty recycling.   When decorating the front of your entrance, plan ahead and get a variety of small-medium size pumpkins instead of the standard extra large one.   You can then use them inside on a table for your party.

• Décor – black fabric (search your closets and collect black scarves or get a cheap piece of black fabric) to cover tabletop(s), top with an assortment of candles (candelabras set a dramatic mood, a multitude of votives deliver a little “less serious” mood.  Pull out your tiny white holiday lights and add some more ambience (the more candles and low lights you have, the more you can dim or eliminate the light).  For more drama, drape your black scarves, skirts, etc. over your mirrors (remember vampires are anti-mirror).  Change the light bulbs and try colored ones, you will need less in terms of decorations with this dramatic light.

Visit the Partybluprints Blog: Ideas and Inspirations for Celebrating Life - in real life!  Dawn Sandomeno writes the Partybluprints Blog and is co-founder of Partybluprints.com

This week brings the beginning of a new season Change is in the air – be inspired and take the upper hand by getting an early start on preparing your home for the festive season of fall. Pack away the remnants of summer and prep your home for guests of all kinds -whether it’s an upcoming party or an impromptu coffee with a friend. Since your home is an extension of you, as you change your wardrobe for the new season take the opportunity to give your home a little TLC.  The Looks below from Pottery Barn.

Here are some simple tips to dress up your home . Remember the key to saving time, stress and money is to go with items and a look that will take you from September to November. Stay away from purchases that scream “Halloween” or “Thanksgiving” and go with one that says “Harvest”. This will work as your foundation, then if you like, you can make small changes and add little touches to tweak for each holiday.

1. First impressions are important – address your front door and entrance. Bring life to your entrance by planting flowers in the same vibrant hues as the changing landscape. Be selective in your plantings and they should last you through Thanksgiving. If needed, give your door a fresh coat of paint and accessorize with “door decor” (flowers, wreaths, plaques,etc.). Finally, provide an attractive welcome mat – stylish and functional what a winning combo.

This Fall Beaded Fruit Wreath, from Pier 1 Imports will take you from “Back To School” to Thanksgiving.

2. A new season can inspire a fresh vibe in your home. Freshen up your interior by simply tweaking a few existing elements. Change the color of your candles and make sure you have plenty of them throughout the house – there’s nothing like candlelight to warm up a space (it also hides a multitude of sins). Given the “coziness” of the next two seasons, if you have a fireplace, make sure it’s ready to go (have it cleaned annually). Accessorize your hearth & mantle which are focal points

.

This look from Pier 1 Imports.

These Harvest Spice Cake Candles from Pier 1 Imports Imports are perfect – they have the aroma of pumpkin, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, ginger, clove leaf, nutmeg, pimento loaf, petitgrain, and coriander. They will take you from September to November.

3. Bring out cozy throws, we love faux fur blankets in chocolate and camel.

4. Swap your summer tablecloth and/or placemats for ones in a richer fabric and palette.

The color pumpkin is perfect for fall and will work well for Halloween, Harvest and Thanksgiving entertaining. This a a great example from Williams-Sonoma.

5. Spruce up your powder room by changing the color/pattern of your hand towels. Keep this “private room” smelling sweet with a scented candle in pumpkin or fall spice.

6. If you don’t have them already a “big bang for your buck” purchase is a variety of glass jars/urns. You can fill then with candles or seasonal items like, flowers, produce, candy, etc. and arrange them as a focal point. Small apples from the local orchard will be featured in ours. In a few weeks, the apples will be turned into homemade applesauce and fun candy will fill the containers for Halloween, just remember, the smaller the candy, the more you need to buy! As the season or your mood changes, it’s easy to swap out the contents for an instantly fresh look. These foundational “accessories” are extremely versatile and will serve your home well throughout the seasons and the years.

This jar from Pottery Barn is a great example and comes in a variety of sizes.

Now that you and your home are “prepared” and inspired to welcome guests, you can be spontaneous and phone a friend to come over for coffee or do some planning and host a festive fall party. You will be surprised at your desire to entertain once your home is ready for whatever or whoever may come your way this season!

By Dawn Sandomeno

The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home! 

Celebrations are what life is about - Design Your Celebration

A wine tasting is a stimulating way to share an evening with friends and is lots of fun.  It’s a perfect social activity whether you are hosting a tight knit group of friends or a group of soon to be friends. When the focus is exploring and sharing wine in a relaxed setting, easy conversation flows as easily as the wine. To make the most of your tasting experience and that of your guests, here are 6 tips for tasting like pro!

1. Seeing is Believing

2. The Nose Knows

3. Taste not Waste

4. Make it to the Finish Line

Kirk Sprenger, wine expert details tips 1 through 4 below:

 CHAPPAQUA WINE & SPIRITS
56 KING STREET, CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
914-238-3114 (phone)/ 914-238-4397 (fax)

The proper way to assess a wine is essentially by:

1. Sight:  Hold the wine in your glass at about a 45 degree angle against a light surface.  Check not only its color, but its clarity.  For a young wine especially, you want to make sure that it has a more brilliant clarity.  By swirling the wine in the glass and allowing it to drift down the sides you can see the appearance of “legs”.  This is the glycerin in the wine and indicates its depth of body.

2. Smell:  Again, swirl the wine in the glass, and as it is still swirling get your nose into the glass and smell its fragrances.  This is known as the “Nose” or the bouquet.  Take your time doing this.  The more you swirl, the more air you will draw into the glass to release the essences of the wine.  As the air mixes with the wine a chemical reaction occurs, this allows the scents and flavors to emerge.  Close your eyes, if necessary, and mentally identify the components that you smell.  These are the components that you then want to look for when you taste the wine.

3. Taste:  Take in a moderate amount of wine into your mouth and start by gently swishing the wine around to all parts of your mouth.  It is important for the wine to come into contact with all areas, because each part of the mouth picks up different characteristics; such as acidity, sweetness, tannins (the drying acids in the wine), oak and fruit.  Another method of tasting is to hold the wine in your mouth, while slightly tilting your head forward and gently drawing in the air through the wine, somewhat like sucking through a straw.  This allows for more air contact, and, thus, a further release of wine’ essence.  (Admittedly, this procedure does take practice).

4. Aftertaste:  Yes, the sign of a good wine IS the aftertaste.  A wine that falls flat after it has been swallowed shows a lack of fruit.  Fruity (the flavor in a wine) should NOT be confused with sweet (the residual sugar left in the wine).  After all, wine is made from fruit and we DO want to taste the fruit.  A good aftertaste is known as “a long finish”.

5. The Glass does matter
The glass you taste wine with, does matter. If a glass is engineered correctly, it will allow you to fully enjoy all of the taste a particular wine has to offer. Riedel is our pick for wine glasses that are perfectly engineered to guide wine over the palate. Each glass is designed so that the wine you sip will hit select spots in your mouth and tongue. Certain wines need to hit the sides of your tongue, others the tip. This impacts how you taste the wine and ultimately your enjoyment.

6. Do your homework
Every bottle of wine has a story. The main elements of the story can be found right on the bottle: the name of the winery, the type of grape(s), where the grapes where grown (on the estate or by a farmer up the road) and the year the grapes were harvested. When you take the time to learn “the story” behind the bottle, you recognize and appreciate all the time, work and passion that went into making your bottle of wine. This extra bit of “leg work” personalizes your tasting experience by allowing you to connect with the roots of your wine.

Visit the Partybluprints Blog: Ideas and Inspirations for Celebrating Life - in real life!  Dawn Sandomeno writes the Partybluprints Blog and is co-founder of Partybluprints.com

Looking for some great Fall or Halloween party ideas?  The folks at FamilyCorner.com have some great ideas and tips.  some of these ideas are particularly great if you are looking for an alternative to trick-or-treating.  One of the games listed is a “Popcorn Relay Race”.  It’s messy but fun.  The goal is to carry the popcorn from one bowl to another (a fair distance apart) with a measuring cup.  Another fun idea is to have a costume parade. Play some great Halloween inspired music and let the kids prance around the house sharing their festive costumes. Check out FamilyCorner.com for more great Halloween and Fall party ideas.  Happy Haunting!

Find more Halloween inspiration and free printable games at PurpleTrail.com.  Design your celebration.

I went to a beautiful wedding last weekend.  It was clean, fresh and modern.  It was a minimal fuss wedding that delivered a feeling of elegance and style.  Of all the decor, the thing that stood out the most to me was their guestbook.  It was truly something I have never seen before. They had 6 giant white latte style coffee mugs set out with silver paint pens. I thought this was so clever! Instead of having your guests write in a book you many never read again, why not enjoy their well wishes as you pour yourself a cup of coffee each morning?  This unique guestbook idea could be used for all types of occasions; new home, new baby, birthday, or bridal shower.  Happy celebrating!

Find more party planning inspiration at PurpleTrail.com.  Design Your Celebration.

We are always looking for great party theme ideas so when we came across this Carnival Party Theme at Parties by Hardie we had to pass it along!   What little kiddo wouldn’t enjoy a party that centers around circus animals, delicious food and fun!  With popcorn cupcakes and lollipop cookies, this theme is great for a summer birthday or back to school party. Hang up traditional multicolor triangle garland for a real carnival feel. Serve foods like hotdogs, carmel apples and roasted peanuts. The best part is setting up the carnival games.  Games like ring toss, fishing pond can be great for kids of all ages. Take a look at Parties by Hardie for complete details on how to put together your own carnival party.

Find more kids birthday party inspiration at PurpleTrail.com.  Design Your Celebration.

If you are looking for a way to throw a hip baby shower for your favorite Mom-to-be, why not add a Preggatini to the menu?  Preggatinis.com features non-alcoholic drink recipes that are just as impressive as the real thing.  Creator, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen has given mom’s to be more options than lemonade, punch or water.  Incorporating one of these fun  Preggatini drinks into your baby shower menu will create and elegant and upscale event.  Here is the Preggatini recipe of the month featured on Preggatinis.com.  Be sure to check out the site for great recipes and tips.

Ingredients:
1 ounce agave nectar
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce orange juice
3 ounces organic limeaid
1 lime wheel
rimming salt
 
Mixing Instructions:  Rim a margarita glass and set aside.  Stir agave nectar and lemon juice in the bottom of a mixing glass until nectar dissolves. Add orange juice, limeaid, and ice, then shake vigorously.  Strain into the margarita glass, and serve with a lime wheel on the rim.

Find more baby shower inspiration at PurpleTrail.com.  Design Your Celebration.

 Summer is filled with lots of reason to celebrate.  But what about those impromptu gatherings? A spontaneous summer afternoon filled with friends and family or unexpected out of town guests.  Don’t panic.  We found 3 easy, delicious appetizer recipes at realsimple.com to serve your hungry guests.  Throw some meat on the grill and serve these bite sized snacks. They all share a common ingredient: cup shaped tortilla chips.  Not only are they easy to make, they are easy to eat!  Enjoy these great appetizers at your next gathering.

Spicy Black Beans and Avocado Canapes 

Corn, Cucumber, and Goat Cheese Canapes

Asian Shrimp Canapes

Need more great party food ideas?  Find inspiration at PurpleTrail.com.  Design Your Celebration.

We found a great site for all things related to baking.  Bake It Pretty helps make all your baking creations even more lovely.  A recent addition to their site are these great cupcake liners that add an element of sophistication to your cupcake presentation.  The popular patterns are available in Vintage Damask, Polka Dot, and Hounds Tooth.  What a great and easy way to bring decor to your dessert table at your next event.  Turn ordinary cupcakes into designer cupcakes.  Perfect for a birthday party, baby shower, bridal shower or anniversary celebration.  Check out Bake It Pretty for this fabulous find and all their baking ideas and products.

Find more party inspiration and PurpleTrail.com.  Design Your Celebration.

This may be the cutest idea I’ve seen to date.  Everyone loves pie right?  Everyone loves lollipops too, right?  Who would have ever thought to combine them!  The people at Luxirare did and they look delicious.  Pie Pops could easily become the world’s best and simplest dessert offering.  They would be perfect for just about any type of gathering.  They are also the perfect dessert (and size) for all seasons. You can make them with any of your favorite pie fillings.  Check out Luxirare.com for complete instructions and get to baking these tasty treats!

 
Need more dessert ideas?  Check out PurpleTrail’s party desserts for more inspiration.

Think of yourself an author but just can’t get published?  Bookemon.com is a site where you can create your own books!  You make things like a recipe book, a yearbook, a story book, and so on.  The possibilities are endless.  These books would make great keepsakes for family reunions, weddings, bridal showers, milestone birthdays, or anniversaries.  The site is easy to use.  You simply choose a book template, upload your photos and/or graphics, add in the content and publish it. You can even upload a Word, PowerPoint or PDF. You will have an opportunity to approve and edit your book and then purchase a book store quality print of it. What a wonderful, personal keepsake for the important stories in your life.  Check out www.bookemon.com for more details.

 
Look for some great party planning tips?  Find your inspiration at PurpleTrail.com

All the old cartoons seem to have made a resurgence in popularity.  Strawberry Shortcake has definitely become a fast favorite among young girls.  At Kara’s Party Ideas, she put together an amazing Strawberry Shortcake themed birthday party that will blow you away.  From the strawberry cupcakes to the party decor, she created a fantastic theme party and no detail was left out.  She even found great, inexpensive pots for the kids to plant their own strawberry plant to take home.  If your little girl loves Strawberry Shortcake, take a tip from Kara and plan her a birthday or summertime bash she and her friends won’t soon forget! Check out all the details at karaspartyideas.blogspot.com

Need more kids bithday party ideas? Find inspiration at PurpleTrail.com.  Design your celebration.

The heat of summer is in full force and it’s time for some cool refreshment.  Nothing says cool like a crisp and fresh cucumber.  Toss in a little tangy lime and you have a delicious cucumber limeade to help you cool off.  We found this delicious recipe at marthastewart.com.  Even the kids will enjoy this drink!

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
1 English cucumber, (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup ice cubes
Directions
1.Peel English cucumber; remove any seeds. Coarsely chop and combine in a blender with water, sugar, lime juice, coarse salt, and ice cubes; blend until smooth. Serve over ice, garnished with cucumber spears, if desired.

Enjoy this refreshing summer drink.  Check out more summertime drinks!

We are always looking for new and creative ways to use simple things to create elegance.  Chris Nease from Celebrations at Home has done just that.  She features how to create beautiful decorations with ribbon. Everything from a banner (perfect for a baby shower), a cake stand (for a wedding or anniversary celebrations, chair decor, to outdoor or indoor lighting embellishments; it’s all things ribbon.  My favorite is using ribbon to display pictures.  Hang as a single string and clip pictures to it.  This is great for a guest book signing table.  Check out the Celebrations at Home blog for more ribbon decor inspiration!

Looking for more party decor inspiration? Check out what PurpleTrail.com has to offer!