Easy Halloween Ideas

This "scaretini" would be easy to do. Buy some scary teeth from the party favors section and use red gel icing to rim the glass with "blood."

I'm batty for this easy Halloween invitation. Just loop black ribbon thorugh to make a bow, then glue googly eyes to the center. Very cute and very simple!

Conversation Starters for Every Party (Real Simple)

Ever had that moment during a party where the friendly chatter seems to hit a lull? Aside from lively music, interesting friends, and plenty of cocktails, here are some tricks to keep the conversation flowing at any party.

Table Topics are decks of cards containing a variety of humorous, thoughtful, and intriguing questions for guests to ask each other at any kind of party, from a backyard bbq to a family reunion. Check out their website to see the plethora of party themes they've got covered.

Bachelorette Party Table Topics to Go (a smaller version - more portable) at the Bachelorette Bash could be a a huge hit. You can get them at Pottery Barn.

If you're a hostess, leave the Table Topics out somewhere guests will find them. It's less forced than walking into the room and announcing, "Okay girls, now we're going to play this game!" (lame), and your guests are more likely to have fun with it if they just discover them sitting on the side table while everyone is gathered for cocktails.

If you're attending a party, these make a great little hostess gift, perhaps paired with a bottle of wine. The packaging is so cute you really don't even need to wrap them.
For those who are curious, here's a little background on how they got started (from the company's website):

In December 2002, Cristy Clarke was on her way to a Christmas cocktail party, trying to think of interesting conversation starters because she couldn't face another evening of small talk that went nowhere. Her experiment was a complete success, and by morning she was writing questions to test on her three daughters at their family dinner. The successful result is TableTopics, a collection of conversation starters meant to spark fun, interesting, and meaningful discussions around the dinner table, at parties, on dates, on road trips-wherever!
Who hasn't been there? A brilliant idea, Christy. And a good reminder that at-home entertaining is about having fun with your friends. These little conversation starters are a great way to keep the joyful, lighthearted spirit alive at any gathering.

Shop online at the company's website, or - if you don't want to wait for shipping - stop by your local Pottery Barn store and pick up a deck (they carry several different party themes at most locations).

Thanks to Real Simple magazine for these great tips!

Beverage/Drink Displays

Real Wedding- Messina Hof Winery

This wedding at Messina Hof winery was so much fun to plan!

We kep the winery theme by using green grapes in our centerpieces. The cylinder candle arrangement in the window sill made a big impact and was very easy/inexpensive to create.

The green up lighting helped set the mood. Guests enjoyed a fruit buffet and chocolate fountain while waiting for the bride and groom to arrive.

Real Wedding: Jillian and Bryan: Brazos Cotton Exchange

Jillian and Bryan got married at the Brazos Cotton
Exchange. Photos by R. A. Brewer

They placed petals down the aisle and used
standing aisle candle holders.









Love this Aggie/Wedding ring photo shot. Cylinders
and floating candles were used to decorate the mantle.
Hanging votives decorate the window behind the altar.









Pearls made a great accent to these centerpieces.
Mirrors and glass cylinders reflect the candle light.

The Aggie groom's cake is awesome. Love the photo
cake topper as well.

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Wedding/Bridal Shower Themes

Pottery Barn has some great bridal shower tips that I wanted to share.











Shower Essentials
A 3-tier stand makes a sophisticated statement and is perfect for displaying finger sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres or your favorite cookies and dessert items.

Serving boards, trays and glass domes help to display foods and keep them fresh.

Large and small cake stands are perfect to display cakes and desserts. They can also serve as a pedestal for cheeses, crackers and fruit. Stacks of large and small plates, mugs and bowls will encourage your guests to help themselves to the buffet.

Stemless glasses are perfect for wine, champagne, mimosas and bellinis and are best for parties since they are more stable and easier to hold than traditional stemware.

White tablecloths are an essential at a bridal shower. Have plenty of cloth napkins on hand for guests, and for a special touch, monogram the bride’s wedding date on the linens. After the party, you can have them laundered and give them to her as a gift.

Bridal Shower Themes
• Around the Clock – Assign each guest a specific time of day and ask them to tailor their gift to this time. For example, if you are assigned 9:00 am, your gift should reflect early morning activities and could include such items as a tray, teapot, table linens and a set of mugs.
• Linen Shower – A perfect way to add luxury to the couple’s home. Have guests give sheets, towels, fluffy pillows, bathrobes, table linens and other textiles.
• Holiday Shower – Ask each guest to base their gift choice on a different holiday – ornaments or decorations for Christmas, champagne flutes for New Year’s Eve or a serving platter for Thanksgiving. These gifts are sure to become the couple’s heirlooms.
• A Room of the House Shower – Each guest is encouraged to give gifts tailored to a particular room of the house. For example, if a guest is assigned The Bathroom their gift could include guest towels, bath canisters, a soap dish and a fine hand milled soap.

Special Touches
• Match your food selection, decorations and prizes to the chosen theme of the shower.
• Have a selection of chilled beverages like sparkling water, soda, champagne and wine available for your guests.
• Create a music playlist ahead of time that will help set the mood of the party – or, borrow from ours!
• Party favors are always a great way to thank guests for coming. Some great ideas include monogrammed frames, champagne splits in mini ice buckets or miniature potted herbs. Refer to our guide to create great party favors

To learn more, visit http://www.potterybarn.com/pbimgs/rk/images/bld-20090717-011/shop/pp_pdfs/Bridal/bridalhowto.pdf.