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Baby Girl’s Annual Valentine “Tea” Party

February 27, 2013
Remember, I am all about party door decor!

Remember,
I am all about party door decor!

In honor of Valentine’s Day this Friday, I thought I would share with you again Baby Girl’s Valentine Party from 2013.  I am busy preparing for this year’s party which we are having tomorrow.  Enjoy!

As I wrote in last years blog about Baby Girl’s traditional party, I started the party to help foster a fondness of the holiday by showering her friends with love.  We see it as a day to celebrate her friendships with these fabulous girls!  We believe this day should not be just about couples and kissing and holding hands… Can’t you hear the ‘tweens screaming “EEEWWWWW!” But about celebrating our friendships too.

Even though we call it a “Tea” Party, there is no tea.  We have found hot chocolate to be much more popular as a hot beverage with this ‘tween group.  We also served pink lemonade, with a choice of egg salad or peanut butter & grape jelly on heart-shaped bread (made using a cookie cutter), mini donut skewers (very popular!), strawberries (brought by Lilly and her Mama Shannon) and delicious red velvet cupcakes made by our sweet friend Kanani and her Mama Kim.

My photographer friend Tracy (Photograph’s by Tracy) took some beautiful pictures for me.  My iTouch was all I used to take pictures.  I know, I know, WHAT was I thinking?!?!?  Well, I was thinking I have about 1 hour to pull off this shin dig and I was rushing around trying to have it all set up for Baby Girl’s guests (read my blog post “My Kinda Perfect“).  Sooo, you will probably see a difference in the quality of the pictures (plus, I am not a professional like Tracy!).  I am saving for an SLR camera that will help with the quality of  my pictures and therefore, hopefully your enjoyment of my blog!

So without further adieu,

Welcome to Baby Girl’s Valentine party!

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A cut piece of gingham fabric is is perfect for an inexpensive table cloth. I have used this piece over and over for tables and table scapes. I have left the edges raw and it still looks great!

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Lanterns helped to bring the color up to the ceiling and created a focal point for above the table.

Lanterns helped to bring the color up to the ceiling and created a focal point for above the table.

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The girls LOVED the mini donuts on the skewers.

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Shredded, crinkle paper adds a little pizzaz to the glasses with the cupcakes at each place setting.

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How cute are these mini donuts on wood skewers? Another hit with the girls!

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I just adore paper straws and use them every chance I get! Mr. Cabana and I found these perfect red and white stripped straws at Target in their Christmas section. If you happened to come after us, sorry!
We bought ALL that they had!

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Close up our Valentine garland we made by embellishing a chocolate garland found at Shinoda. We used wrapping paper, fabric tape, card board, paper tags and flowers.

Die cuts from Staple's taped onto wood skewers with questions for the girls to ask one another. A BIG HIT!

Die cuts from Staple’s taped onto wood skewers with questions for the girls to ask one another.
A BIG HIT!

Ikea frames (2 pack), wrapping paper from Paper Source, card board and fabric tape. "Instant" table art!

Ikea frames (2 pack), wrapping paper from Paper Source, card board and fabric tape. “Instant” table art!

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This is what I have said to my children every night when they are off to bed. I love that Buddy (15) still says it back to me!

This is what I have said to my children every night when they are off to bed. I love that Buddy (15) still says it back to me!

A little bottle of bubble bath soap in a "champagne" bottle. $1 each @ Target

A little bottle of bubble bath soap in a “champagne” bottle. $1 each @ Target

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{Playhouse mural painted by Timree Gold.}

{ Paintings in the bay window were painted by Baby Girl and me and an art class at Timree’s Newport Beach studio. Stop by her website to sign up for a class.  Also visit her Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/timreeinc}

{Please don’t forget to LIKE my Facebook page and follow me on Pinterest.  Feel free to pin my pictures!

Not on Pinterest yet?  Leave a comment and I will invite to the site.}

Total cost of party $35 (for food).  Conversation sticks were made using supplies we already had.

So new decor items were to be purchased for this party. That made Mr. Cabana VERY happy!

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~Baby Girl and her Gal Pals~

~Baby Girl and her Gal Pals~

We hope you enjoyed coming to the party and perhaps picked up a few ideas for your next shin dig!

Until next time,

Butterscotch Lady

Filed Under: Lets Party!, The Playhouse, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Oscar’s is our Superbowl

February 24, 2013

My family and I love to watch movies both at home and in the theater.  I like just about most genre’s of movies from classics  to scary and all that is in between.  Some of my earliest memories are of watching movies with my parents at the local drive-in (long gone) “Blazing Saddles“, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind“, “The Goodbye Girl“… For me, movies and music are often like date stamps; “E.T’,  I saw it when I was 12 years old as a double feature with “Poltergist” during the summer.  I could tell you who I was with and what we were in to that summer.

Every year, I try to see many, if not all, of the movies that are nominated for an Oscar.  Instead of following a football of baseball team, I watch movies.  Buddy, The Actor, and I like to try to guess which of our favorite movies will be nominated and then watch to see if we were right.  Baby Girl and I LOVED “Life of  Pi” and “Les Miserables”; Buddy was disappointed “Moonlight Kingdom” was not nominated for Best Picture, just Best Screenplay; Mr. Cabana and I liked “Lincoln” and “Django Unchained”; I also liked “Silver Lining Playbook”.  Not sure how I am voting tonight!

My point in all of this?  Tonight is the Oscar’s.  That elusive night for us mere mortals where we can watch through a “looking-glass” as the “cool kids” go to the fancy dance that we will never (ok, more than likely never) be invited to.  The women will be wearing a beautiful (or “what were they thinking”) gowns that are probably worth more than my car, ahem, or house!

So what do I like to do when I am watching the “glamorous” congratulate themselves and peers on yet another year of movie making?

More often than not, I am in my jammies with the family in the living room.  I have prepared a meal that can be finished just in time before the The Host starts their opening number.  We will have filled out our ballots thinking that we will have won the prize for the most correct answers.

Tonight’s  festivities will be just a little different for us.  Baby Girl and I just returned from a visit to Phoenix, Arizona to visit my best friend Kari and her family so I was not home to prepare for the Big Night.  We will still be in our jammies and have our ballots filled out but we are doing take out tonight.

But I do have some Big Plans for next years!  Perhaps it will be the year I finally throw an Oscar Party!  I better go now and put on my jammies so I can watch the Stars walk the Red Carpet.  Oh and I need to gold dip some mason jars too!

Until Next Time,

Butterscotch Lady

Filed Under: Lets Party!, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Organizing My Party Pantry

February 12, 2013

I have been busy organizing cupboards and closets (ok, really it is just one closet so far!) the last couple of weeks.  I feel like I am slowly making some progress.  I say slowly because we are on a budget and I can not justify going a one big spending spree at The Container Store, Home Goods or Burlington Coat Factory to purchase everything on my “wish list”. I really feel that having the right products do make getting (and staying) organized is important.  Plus, if I am going to do the work, I want it to function and look great too!

Last week, at The Container Store I purchased one of my favorite organization tools~ Their Shoe Box.  I buy their bulk box (20 boxes for $33).  At the Costa Mesa, CA store the boxes are located at the front left of the store when you walk in.

I have found them to be the best boxes for organizing everything from kids toys, craft supplies, party items and of course

shoes!   Over the next couple of posts you will see these boxes used.  In this family of four, I often find myself fighting a lone battle of organization.  I mean really, isn’t life easier when we can all find our stuff  in neatly labeled boxes?  How many minutes a day do we (I really mean THEM) spend looking for stuff?  I have resorted to telling Mr. Cabana, “I would like everything to have a specific place (preferably labeled) in case something were to happen to me.”  Fatalistic?  Perhaps, but I see it as being “prepared”.  

My theory was put into action last week when a friend stopped by to pick up some party supplies.  I was on the phone and unable to help her.  I sent her and Mr. Cabana to my (newly!) organized Party Pantry and guess what?  They were able to find exactly what they were looking for WITHOUT ME!!!!  That is something to be proud of, right?  I can actually feel my hour-glass gaining a few sands of time…

Now I am under illusions of grandeur regarding my Party Pantry or closets.  I drool just like the rest of you over the AMAZING pictures on Pinterest of pantries that frankly, I just will never (ok, maybe not NEVER, but seriously not likely!) have.  Seriously?!?  Can you believe this pantry below?  Sadly, I think it is about the size of my master bathroom…

                                                                                                        Source: zillow.com via Butterscotch Lady on Pinterest

But my inexpensive OSH garage cupboards have done their job for us for 10 years so far. Do the shelves sag in the middle a tad? Yes, but Mr. Cabana can fix that! So I choose to be proud of my pantry just as it is (imagine my fist in the air)!

BEFORE~

BEFORE~

This was organized at one point. These baskets just did not work out.

This was organized at one point. These baskets just did not work out.

The napkins were out of control!!!

The napkins were out of control!!!

Great size without wasting space with a lid that overhangs the box too much.

Great size without wasting space with a lid that overhangs the box too much.

I buy a box of 20 for about $33

I buy a box of 20 for about $33

~AFTER~

~AFTER~

Now I can finally keep track of the right sized lids to buy!

Now I can finally keep track of the right sized lids to buy!

~AFTER~

~AFTER~

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HomeGoods cake stands.

HomeGoods cake stands.

Metal buckets that I seem to use for everything!

Metal buckets that I seem to use for everything!

This is an ongoing project as I will probably tweak it over time.   To keep it organized this time, I have labeled each box and the shelf location with my Dynamo Label maker from Target(I LOVE THIS TOOL!!!).

So I hope if you ever need anything from my Party Pantry, I know you (and Mr. Cabana)  will be able to find it without my help!

Until next time,

Butterscotch Lady

Filed Under: Organization, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

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