All this talk about my upcoming half birthday (and housewarming) has got me thinking about my actual birthday. No, not forward to 29, but backwards to 28. I was looking at the photos and realized that while I shared the party plan and recipes with you, I never showed you the final product! Thus, here's a behind-the-scenes look at my 28th birthday party.
Last Saturday night was my sister's birthday. To celebrate, she invited a group of people to her house at 8 p.m. At 8:30, we turned off the lights to observe Earth Hour. I catered the informal event. To find out what was on the menu and check out my sister's fabulous party favor idea, start clicking.
Frequent readers of YumSugar are no doubt familiar with PartySugar. She really is the hostess with the mostest, and not only does she throw the best bashes, she always looks enviably polished while doing so. Read on to find out what's in her makeup bag.
Which beauty products are your must-haves?
Spanish Dove spray can deodorant. Yes, I purchase my deodorant in bulk while traveling in Spain. It never leaves any white residue and is simply my fave. St. Ives Oatmeal scented body wash, Dove tanning lotion, MAC and Nars eye shadows, Dior mascara, Lancome lip glosses. The Venus Vibrance razor in pink; I use two to make my shaving super fast.
What’s your favorite beauty ritual?
Painting my nails. I paint them once a week, almost always on Wednesday nights. I have been doing this for the past 10 years. Painting my nails is like therapy. The color I choose affects the outlook on the upcoming week.
To see what product PartySugar calls a "huge waste of money," read more
You probably already know this, but I love the act of planning a party as much as the party itself! While Yum had 52 weeks of baking adventures this year, I planned 52 virtual parties! From the look to the drinks, I supplied you with inspiring ideas, tantalizing recipes, and crafty invitations. The invite sets the tone, atmosphere, and mood of an event so I always send handmade invitations. It also makes a lovely keepsake of the party. I've browsed all of the invites and picked out my top five. Pictured clockwise from the top right, they are:
How about you? What was your favorite invitation?
Last week I told you step-by-step how I was planning my Halloween party. I showed you the invitations, the menu, the drinks and the decor. The party took place this past Saturday and although it was a fabulous success and the majority of my guests had a glorious time, there are a few things to make note of for the next time.
Here are my after party reflections:
DIY Bloody Halloween Candles PartySugar is throwing a huge Halloween bash this weekend, and has come up with a spooky candle DIY project to deck out the venue. Along with orange Christmas lights, she has decorated long white taper candles to appear as if they are dripping with blood! This DIY project is incredibly easy, and the final product is super fun for a Halloween bash.
Flesh and Bones Candle: Love It or Hate It? Usually I stay away from over-the-top and cheesy decorations, but I make an exception for Halloween. I love all crazy and haunting decorations, from hanging witches to smiling pumpkins to spooky skeletons. When I found these Flesh and Bones Candles ($7.99), I was extremely ecstatic and disturbed at the same time.
Calling all you crazy partyers, hostesses with the mostess, and anyone else who loves to party as much as I do! Join my Super Special Occasions group on TeamSugar and share pictures of the parties you planned, hosted, or attended. There are tons of members but few are showing us their pictures, what's up with that? I started this group so we could all get inspiration from the parties we've been to. I love looking at party pics for new ideas on centerpieces, tablecloths, and food spreads. For example how chic is this for an invitation?? It's the invite that illogicaldee sent out for her sweet 16 birthday party! Browse the images of her bash in the Super Special Occasions group and share photos of your fabulous fetes.
Following my repeated ploys for you all to share your favorite gadgets with me, PartySugar has come through, once again by sharing photos of her family's walk down memory lane with some Sega action. "This Easter my siblings decided it was time to bring Sega back," says Party. "My brother busted his old Sega out and was super stoked to see it still worked! PartySister proceeded to spend the next three hours glued to Aladdin her childhood favorite game."
To learn how to post photos of your favorite gadgets in the group, read more
A little while ago as I was browsing through the groups on TeamSugar I was surprised to see that there was no group devoted to highlighting images of your fabulous parties. Sure there are groups that discuss wedding party plans, recipes, and wines but what about one devoted to all things party? That's why I started the Super Special Occasions group! When I host a party I love to take tons of pictures of everything from the decorations to the food spreads to the floral centerpieces and beautifully lit candles. Now we can share our pictures with each other and get inspirations and ideas from parties that you've hosted in the past. If you're anything like me and have tons of photos of events you've hosted, attended, or seen, please share them with us in the Super Special Occasions. How adorable is this table setting for lickety split's daughter's 8th birthday? To check out more images of her party (and mine!) and to share your events with us, join the Super Special Occasions group.
