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How to Decorate a Baby Shower on a Budget

Casa Community — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:00:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member SimplySofie from the Su Casa group about how she decorated her friend's baby shower:

It didn't take a lot of money, just a little ingenuity and a lot of help from everyone to throw this baby shower for a friend. We used what we had in our closets, gardens, and garages. Check it out . . . It started with the theme "Let's Feather their Nest."

The handmade invitations were adorned with twigs. Hydrangeas and succulents from our gardens made up the bouquets. After the shower, everyone took some home to replant. Mismatched china from mine and Keri's stash and mismatched silverware were used to set the tables. Bundled up twigs and succulents were placed on the napkins. The vintage linens didn't fit the tables so we layered them and even used a chenille bed coverlet on one table.

Continue reading to see how she decorated the walls!

Creative Tips to Make Food the Centerpiece of a Great Party!

PopSugar LivingTV — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:00:20 PST

Pro party planner Rachel Hollis of Chic Events shows us how food plays a starring role in every successful party. In her own wedding anniversary party, Rachel teaches us how to make symbolic and memorable menu selections and how the right presentation will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

10 Video Games to Play at Your Wedding Shower

GeekSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:00:37 PDT

If you're like me, you like a little virtual gaming action when you have a party, and your wedding shower is no exception. Get a bunch of geeky peeps together, and you're bound to break out the controllers sooner or later. Check out my ten favorite video games to play with a group, and get your game on at your wedding shower!

A Chic Coffee Break With Colin Cowie

partysugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:01:31 PST

Recently, I was lucky enough to sit down with one of my idols: the extraordinary event planner Colin Cowie. We met for coffee on a sunny California afternoon and discussed his new book Chic, the dos and don'ts of being a fabulous hostess, and the formula for a successful and memorable party. Colin oozes chicness in everything he does, whether it's working as creative director of a yet-to-be-opened hotel in Hong Kong, planning a wedding for Middle Eastern royalty, or simply making dinner for a few friends in his stylish home.

To see what Colin had to say when we sat down together and to watch a video of our conversation,

Colin is of Zambian descent and began his career in party planning as a caterer when he moved to the States over 20 years ago. He's created events for celebrities and magazines, and makes regular appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He's authored over five lifestyle and entertaining books and his company, Colin Cowie Lifestyle is a leading force in the world of premier events. He spends his time traveling the globe and has homes in New York and Florida. He collects tableware - candles, napkin holders, placemats, etc. - and is incredibly organized. Here is what he had to say:

PartySugar: What trends are emerging in party planning?
Colin Cowie: The uncatered and unproduced look. A seamless elegance. Anything that's expected is boring. You should tell a story, have an element of surprise. Even if it's just a residential party, change things around. Add a sculpture, rearrange furniture, etc.
PS: What was your most memorable party?
CC: The last one is always the most memorable. The one I am most excited about is always the next one. Certainly planning Oprah's Legends Ball was a 72-hour legendary moment. She is amazing, she really gets it. She and I speak the same language because she is the ultimate producer.

PS: What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
CC: The most important thing - when planning any event - is simplicity. Keep it easy and the spirit casual. Design menus that allow you to be with your guests. Make everything in advance and always remember, maintain a level of elegance and chicness.

PS: In your book, you discuss the do's/don'ts of being a proper host/guest. What was the worst host gift you ever received?
CC: The worst host gift is when the fourth person of the party arrives with a huge bouquet of flowers. I have to take time away from the party to find a vase and arrange them. At my parties I already have color coordinated floral arrangements and often times the gifted flowers don't match my color scheme. If you want to give flowers, send them the next day, after the party. The best gifts are always music and cookbooks. I love compilation CDs that my friends make specifically for me.

PS: What did you have for lunch today?
CC: I had the most fabulous lunch. It was a piece of fish cooked in a miso-ginger broth with Japanese mushrooms, baby white asparagus all wrapped in cedarwood. For dessert, I had a hollowed out Clementine filled with Clementine-orange sorbet. My friend made me this lunch and it was absolutely wonderful.

Photos Courtesy of Colin Miller

Chatting with Governors Ball Planner Cheryl Cecchetto

YumSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:18:31 PST

Last week we got to take a peek at what this year's Governors Ball is going to look like. As you can tell, it's going to be an extravagant affair with lush red velvet, shiny gold accents, red roses and gold orchids. Such an extravagant affair can only be pulled off by someone really spectacular, and that someone is special events producer Cheryl Cecchetto. For the 19th consecutive year, Cheryl will be overseeing every tiny detail from the 1,675 floating transparent globes to the 15 shades of red roses.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Cheryl, to find out what she has to say about the event, as well as hear her advice on how to host your own fabulous party,

Source

PartySugar Behind The Bash: Gen Arts @ SF Fashion Week

partysugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:08:31 PDT

During San Francisco Fashion Week, I was lucky enough to attend Gen Art's premiere show Fresh Faces In Fashion. Gen Art is all about supporting and promoting upcoming talents in the fashion, film, music, and art worlds, and their fashion show is always a hot ticket. The room was packed, the decor was lush, and the drinks were flowing at both the pre and post show parties.

Two days before the show, I was lucky enough to speak with event producer Dana Castro. Despite having been up since 3 am, she was friendly, fresh faced, and focused.

PartySugar: What is your outlook when you plan a party?
Dana Castro: It depends. The first thing I always do is book the venue right away. I started planning this show at the beginning of June. I outline the show, outline the party and think of the elements of the party. I find the people to sponsor and the designers for the lounges. This year I've contracted SillaPere, who I've worked with in the past, to create a lounge and do the flowers. It's all about Spring 08 fashion with an all white background.

PS: What trends are emerging in event planning?
DS: Going green. Eco-events. For example, in weddings people are doing invites on seed paper. It may put them over their budget, but people are doing it.

To see what else she had to say about planning a party this size, plus pictures of the event,

PS: What do you like about event planning?
DS: I used to be a film producer, so I really like the immediate outcome of event planning. I have a template formula that I follow for most of my events and after two and a half months of planning, the final product is there.

PS: What's the most important part of an event?
DS: The flow is very important. You have to make sure everyone checks in and gets to their seats. You have to figure out how to get 1000 people all to their seats at the same time. You ask yourself, how long will this take? How many seats? And plan accordingly.

PS: How do you set up for an event?
DS: We set up the day before. We build the runway and back drops. The lounges for the parties are installed the day of. Everything is built and we roll it in on wheels. I have the entire day scheduled out minute by minute, so I know where everyone and everything should be going.

PS: What was your most memorable party?
DS: An Ignite event I threw a few years ago. It was an multi-media art exhibit and the Fire Marshall came in and told me I couldn't have the party inside, so I had to take the entire event and set it up in an parking lot next to the original venue. It was Burning Man style - I worked with what I had and made it work.

PS:What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
DS: Keep it simple, less is more. You need to be able to socialize with guests. Make everything the day before or get it catered.

PS: What is your favorite flower?
DS: Big fluffy French roses. I can't remember their name right now. Those and dahlias.

PS: What is your guilty pleasure food?
DS: Potato chips.

PS: A successful party is…
DS: Where everyone has fun.

PS: What are you inspired by?
DS: People's reactions to what you do.

View 38 Photos ›

Website of the Day: eventful

GeekSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 13:03:08 PDT

Want to know what's going on in your city? Check out eventful.com, a website that has the world's largest collection of events. From festivals, to concerts, to sporting events, this site covers it all in one place.

Now you can keep track of all the events you're interested in and any events your friends are watching or attending. Receive event reminders and track your favorite performers or venues events. You can also personalize your events page and tailor your experiences by choosing your favorite performers and venues. It's simple to use and jammed packed with fun events. So much to see and do, oh me oh my!

To learn how to post your favorite sites to the Website of the Day group,

I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group
Click "Create and Share!" on the left hand side
Choose "Blog"
Give your photo a Title
Leave the category as "general"
Change the channel to "technology and gadgets"
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day")
Click on the "Add Image" link below the "body" box
A popup window will happen - click on "Browse" to find your image on your computer
Once you have the image chosen, click "Submit"
The popup will show you your image, choose size: "normal" - if you want, you can give it a title (which will show up as a caption)
Click "Insert" and the popup will go away
Your "body" box will now have some text in it. Leave it as is. If you want to add some text before the picture telling me why you love the website, do it before the code that has appeared.
Click Submit

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all of your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

10 Tips to Save on Memorial Day Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:15:10 PDT

It's fun to host people for a barbecue, but it can also get quite pricey when everyone isn't chipping in. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch provides suggestions to cut your grocery bill when shopping for your Memorial Day meal:

Prepare most of your meal. Woroch says, "The general rule for prepared foods is that they are more expensive, and it's cheaper to buy the ingredients to prepare yourself." For example, prepared veggie platters and fruit salads "are never a good deal" and aren't exactly the freshest produce. However, prepared potato salad at a regular supermarket is less expensive and will save you time in the kitchen.

Get chicken from the butcher. Buy chicken breasts from the butcher counter instead of the prepared packets. They tend to be cheaper and are generally more fresh.

Consider boxed wine. Save money by skipping the bottled wine and going for the box. "Boxed wine is an affordable option for large parties, and the quality has greatly improved in recent years," she says.

Buy liquor at a superstore. If you're insistent on a specific bottle, then check out warehouse clubs like Costco. There are better deals on wine, liquor, and beer at a superstore, according to Woroch. While you're there, pick the store's generic version of vodka for an even cheaper deal.

Make your own salad dressing and marinade. Check out recipes online - here's a list of over 60 different marinades to make. "Most people will already have the basic ingredients like olive oil, some type of vinegar, and herbs at home," she says. "Other ingredients like lemon or lime, soy sauce, or honey won't cost much extra."

Read on for more.

3 (Nearly) Effortless Ways to Get Gorgeous Hair When It's Hot

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:32:00 PDT

Summer is about to begin, and the thermometer has already reached new highs, so why spend hours fussing with your hair? There are easy ways to keep your mane in check when it's hot out, so we turned to celebrity hairstylist Marcus Francis to find out how. Read on to see his tips.

Gael Garcia Bernal Brings No to Cannes and Talks "Quality Time" With the Kids

Allie Merriam — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:58:03 PDT

Gael Garcia Bernal is one of the celebrities at Cannes this year, and he's been busy talking up and celebrating his new film No. The picture is set in 1988, the year the Chilean people ousted dictator General Pinochet through a democratic vote. Gael plays René Saavedra, an ad man who accepts the potentially dangerous job of spearheading the TV campaign for the people against Pinochet, those who will vote "no" in the election.

Reviews of Gael's No have been quite good, and both he and director Pablo Larraín confessed to being really excited about the response. Pablo told us he cast the "wonderful" Gael as the leading man in the film because Gael has the mysteriousness to play René, a job that had to carry the whole production. Gael spoke about the challenges of creating a movie based on real events, his plans for a break, and how his career decisions are affected by his two kids, 1-year-old daughter Libertad and 3-year-old son Lázaro. Gael said:

On the challenges of making a movie based on a true story: "Any film is an interpretation of what happened, whether or not you're doing a true story. And in this film, we're doing a bio-film but a complete free interpretation where my character didn't exist. He's an amalgam of two characters, Garcia and Salcedo, who actually were the main publicists in the 'No' campaign."
On going full '80s in the film: "It's funny because now we laugh a lot. Always in retrospective, things that we took so seriously look so funny. The fashion, the microwave oven fascination - I remember when the microwave oven came out. I remember my mother talking about it . . . and it was like, 'What is that?' Nobody understood it. Invisible heat?!"
On how his life is way different now from the '80s: "We were fascinated by the TV as well. Because TV was such a big part of our lives back then. Now it's not so. For me it's not a big part at all, not for the last fifteen years. Only for football games and maybe the news. I don't watch TV at all. Before it used to be everybody. It was the only way you'd get the news, apart from newspapers."
On family time: "Last year I only did No, this film. I do produce stuff in my company in Mexico, and help out with a documentary film festival that we have. And that takes a lot of time. But I fortunately have the time to take it easy and spend the quality time that one should spend with their kids."
On if being a parent affects his career choices: "For the first time, yeah. There is one project that is there, maybe, and I think about it because I know that my kids are going to like it."