Mystery Party: Part One

Hello!!!  We have made it to the other side of Sophia's Chocolate Mystery Party. We had so much fun. A little confession, I don't always love going to kids parties, so when I was dreaming up Sophia's birthday party I began to think of a setting both moms and kids would love. With that in mind, I drew inspiration from the film, Chocolate.  I dream of attending a dinner party in the garden with chocolate as our main course. 

So, I knew the setting had to be killer and a quick draw for everyone.  Let me tell you, I had so much fun dreaming up the party and all the small details. A few of my favorite details to any birthday is excess.  I say go over the top in balloons, candles, and get the details just right. 

Smalls Buds, Big Impact #2

Last Friday we had a lovely dinner party with just a few new friends. So, while I was in the flower market on Friday I picked up one bunch of rananculas and one bunch of wild white flowers, with lots of green. I thought, this 30 dollars worth of flowers would get me just a few bunches, but I ended up with 9 small arrangements throughout the house. Flowers always keep my place feeling fresh, even though our apartment is over 100 years old. 

Easter Decor

With Easter just around the corner, it was time to make our holiday sign. Each time a holiday comes around our dear friend Anna V decorates our door (here & here) with S, and I just buy the supplies. Luckily we had plenty of glitter and just needed some inspiring paper to get us going. 

Annual Tea Party

Last week we celebrated Valentine's Day. One tradition we have created as a family is to have a fancy tea party on Valentine's Day; this was last year's post. We had so much fun. Sophia requested sushi rolls instead of tea sandwiches and plenty of chocolates. I think we did well and covered it all. Here is how it all turned out!

One thing I always keep in mind when I set a table to remember to add layers and textures. I found these birch placemats at a wholesale shop. I LOVE them. I also found the stump in the same shop. Remember my post on V-Day a couple weeks ago? This is the tissue paper I bought at Target, for 58 cents. I love what the design added to our settings. 

There is no secret that I LOVE colored candles, especially when you find them attached at 2 for 3.99, you can not beat that. 

I also love mixing blues, reds, and pinks together. I just love how well they come together. P.S. we included chocolate covered cheerios from Jacque Torres, and they were a hit!

In the end we had cupcakes, played Valentine's day Bingo, and everyone one was happy. 

Happy Celebrating,

Mel

Sewing Quick Pillow Covers

Up until last week, the guest room was looking pretty bare and needed something to tie together the floral headboard and the rest of the neutral room.  Since my linens are all white, I decided a throw pillow for the bed would be the perfect place for a new pattern.  I wanted a rectangular pillow form on the larger side and picked up this soft, very affordable one at Hobby Lobby (SO conveniently located right next to my home away from home, Home Depot:)).  

I chose this fabric for its fun, whimsical feel and its perfect combination of pinks and reds (to tie in the headboard) with blues and creamy beiges (for the rug). I love how it has both scrolly floral patterns plus fun animals-- it's just the kind of thing I would have loved as a child (and apparently still do!).  Plus the name is great: Uzbek Jewel.

My pillow form was 14" x 28", so I measured my fabric and cut two rectangles leaving 1" extra on each edge-- so in this case 16" x 30".  To create the piping around the edges I cut 2 1/2" strips of fabric at a 45 degree angle, which gives it flexibility for rounding the corners, even if you are using a stiff material.  Then I wrapped the strip around some cotton upholstery cording and stitched all the way down, keeping the needle as close to the cording as possible.  

With the welting all stitched and ready to go, I turned the two front sides of my rectangles to face each other and positioned the cording-- rounded side inwards-- around the edges, pinning to hold it all together.  Then I just used a simple straight stitch, again keeping close to the bump of cording, to sew about 3/4 of the way around, leaving a hole to turn it inside out.

 To allow the cording to wrap around the corners without buckling, I snipped several cuts into the extra fabric before pinning into place. 

I am usually too impatient to bother with sewing in zippers to my pillows, and I'm afraid this case was no different.  Instead I crammed the pillow form into the hole left open in the case, pinned the opening together and stitched it closed as close to the edge as possible.  And done!  It's such a quick, satisfying project, and you can change up the look of a room so easily with new pillows.

xo

Liza

Valentines Day Ideas

Hi All, with Valentine's Day just one week away we are in full swing prepping for our annual tea part. Remember this post. Each year Jake and I host a little tea party for our sweeties.  Thankfully Liza is kind enough to gift Sophia beautiful tea cups throughout the year and we are able to have a very fancy teatime.  

A week ago I was visiting Liza in KY and while I was there I made two, well three trips to Target. I could honestly go there everyday and find some I NEED. I actually think I save money by living in NYC because there are no Targets within walking distance. 

MY FINDS

BINGO
S & H love playing games and as soon as I say this 5.00 BINGO I knew it was for them.

I also found this lovely patterned tissue paper. I just love all the bark patterns out there and hey you can not beat the price, 58 cents is a steal.

SIPS
One drink we will not do without is pink lemonade. There is nothing more fun then pink lemonade in a fancy pink glass. I picked up these dainty glasses at Anthropologie.

Each year I have so much fun dressing up the table for Valentine's Day. Last summer I picked up these oil cloth table covers. I love the patterns and they are so easy to clean, you just wipe them down, they truly are NO fuss.

Come back next week for our table setting reveal.

Besos in Pink!


Mel

Tea Time Traditions

The temperatures here in Louisville have begun dipping down below freezing, and the days are starting to feel like winter, just in time to make Thanksgiving and Christmas as cozy as they should be.  This type of weather inspires even non coffee drinkers to fill a mug with something steamy, and lately it has put me in the mood for teatime.  When my sister and I were little, my mother would share this ritual with us occasionally, which was always such a special treat.  We would gather around the tray with a pretty teapot and a plate of goodies and fill our dainty cups with milk and sugar and, yes, a little tea.  

Teatime provides a wonderful excuse for an intimate get together that can be as simple or elaborate an affair as you'd like, so it's completely flexible in terms of your preparation level.  You can either use it to kick back and relax or to create a more special, ladylike atmosphere.  And, unlike an invitation for a full meal, teatime can be the perfect quick get together for accommodating our busy schedules. 

And it's just so civilized. :)

xo 

Liza

For the love of pink

The 411 on Tea
Color and texture can change an ordinary invent into something extra special. I often host little tea parties. Most recently Sophia invited her girlfriends from school to a Valentine's Tea.  

My RULEs of THUMB

Uno: Texture

I say mix it up and use the materials you have right in your home, placemates, remnants, table clothes etc.... Add texture and you are sure to have more depth. Can you see how many different types of patterns I mixed together?

Dos: Color

I say focus in on a color then use variations of it. In this case I went for PINK and all its varieties. As an accent I incorporated green, which I think only enhances all shades of pink. 

Tres: Shapes

Lucky for me the girls were celebrating Valentine's Day, so we focused on hearts and kept all the china round as a perfect compliment.

Throwing together a tea for your adult friends or your daughters, nieces, grandchildren, is as simple as that. You will love it, and your guests will, too.


P.S. I just purchased $3.99 two bite cupcakes and added the $3.99 candy hearts on top.  What a great deal and effect!!!

Happy Party Planning!!!

M

Valentine's Tea

Last year Jake and I hosted a private little tea party for Sophia on Valentine's Day.  It was such a surprise for her and full of chocolate delights.  I purchased some beautiful extras for Mama y Papa from Mitchelle & London, 

(located on 65th & Madison Ave).  

We had such a lovely afternoon together.  We read through Sophia's Valentines, & Jake shared a few gifts with his ladies. If you live in NYC I strongly suggest Michelle & London for any tea party. 


This year, I thinking up some new fun ideas for our Valentines Day Tea. 
Something along these lines.....

images by Jennifer Dery 
via The Sweetest Occasion.com

Sophia loves to be a little silly, so this is just the Valentine's Day book for her!

Last year Jake and I met Jaques Torres at The Toast Event. It was amazing-- I had never experienced so many lovely truffles, and there was not one I did not LOVE. I think I will pop in his West Side shop for a decadent treat. BTW you can order his chocolate online.

His chocolate chip cookies are to DIE for!!!

(Although I will say, check out Sarah Copeland on Edibleliving.com, toot  Her recipe is amazing, if you are the baking type.)

What fun ideas do you have up your sleeve for the ones you love? 


Besos,


M