Marc Jacobs Mood Board

top row: place cards from Rebecca Thus, green & madras invitation idea from Zazzle, striped napkins from the Yves Delorme Outlet. second row: pitcher of lemonade photographed by Alexandra Grablewski, orange striped napkins from Jackie the Homemaker, party decorations styled by Rebecca Thuss. third row: the ultimate - a Marc jacobs bag CAKE! by Art of Dessert, a swet floral arrangement via Snippet & Ink, and of course the inspiration for the inspiration board by Marc Jacobs!

I have a young friend who is starting to think about hosting her graduation party... and she's a Marc Jacobs fanatic (who isn't?). So here's a mood board to inspire Marc-Jacobs-ish festivities with lots of stipes and a retro-funky twist.

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Sprucing up a Table

There is no better way to spruce up a table than by starting with a foundation of white and adding colorful, unique pieces to add interest without adding huge costs...

tablescape from House Beautiful

It doesn't take much to go from blah to beautiful, and we'd love to show you how. So, what does your table need? Got a theme or color scheme you want us to do a Before & After on? We're taking requests!

tablescape on a foundation of white from House Beautiful

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Lavender and Toile Party Tablescape

cupcake wrappers

Lavender & Toile...what could be better for a precious baby shower or baby's 1st birthday? This elegant collection is the latest and sweetest (pun intended) addition to the ever expanding Paper & Cake printable partyware repertoire...and for only $10...babies (and mommies) will coo with delight!

napkin rings (do double duty as candle and/or vase wraps), wine glass tags, placecards, favor basket

"Welcome" sign, Thank You notes, Matching Envelope, Invitations

Mini Guest Book Notes with Envelopes

The Lavender & Toile Baby Shower includes:
Birth announcement + Envelope
Invitation + Envelope
Envelope Seals
Front Door Sign
Dessert Recipe Card
Place cards
Napkin Rings / Vase Wraps / Candle Wraps
Party Food labels
Cupcake wrappers
Cupcake toppers
Favor Handbag
Gift Card Pillow box
Gift log
Games sheet
Guest book mini-note cards
Guest book mini-envelopes
Wine glass tags
Thank you card + Envelope
Pennant Banner “Welcome”
Patterned paper

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New Year's Party Etiquette

Sometimes we get questions about throwing parties that fall into that sticky-wicket of entertaining etiquette, so we decided to start posting the occasional Etiquette Q&A...


Q: Is it appropriate to stay and help clean after the party?

A: As a general rule, I always offer to stay and help; but if the host or hostess declines the offer I don't press it. Ask only once...more than that is just plain annoying.


And when I'm hosting, I certainly don't expect help with the clean-up. In fact, I prefer that guests leave with memories of a wonderful night of fun, rather than memories of soapy dishwasher hands.

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We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas...we'll be back on Monday the 28th

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An Unusual Holiday Greeting Card

For the past few years, I have made it my personal goal to think up and produce a slightly more humorous Holiday Card. I think it's fun and unusual - my family? not so much. So, this year was a take on my idea of the "Ideal Family Portrait"... something you might have taken at Sears or JC Penney, with the backdrop of a fireplace or a snowy landscape.

Step 1: Started with a giant piece of green felt. Add the family with a self timing camera.




Step 2: Take your Photoshop, make everything green disappear and try out some different "cheesy" backgrounds.




Step 3: Make the family stand around in the front yard acting like crazy people in front of the neighbors.




And last: Upload your finished masterpiece to be printed and mail out to unsuspecting family and friends!



Merry Christmas everyone! Want to see more cards of my Christmas past? Take a look here and here.

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Kids New Year's Party Craft

Before Kids (BK), New Year's was a night of disco bowling or dancing the night away to Maxi Priest, now its Wii bowling and watching my daughter dance to Miranda Cosgrove...sigh...

But I have to say, New Year's Post Kids (PK) is a lot more fun when you include the little ones in the planning and decorating ...

This year I asked for help making noisemakers...

The first is simply a paper plate folded in half, then filled with a teeny-tiny handful of dried beans. I closed the plate with several staples (making sure that no sharp staple points stuck out). We then tucked strips of tissue paper along the edges (affixing with tape) and decorated the outside with sparkly poms and butterfly sequins.

The second is a great craft borrowed from preschool; we just filled small waterbottles with rice, beads, and lots of other cool stuff (sequins, glitter, tiny poms, etc...) pretty and noisy!

So come midnight December 31, 2009 we'll all get our shake, rattle and roll on... ok...more like 7:45pm, but at least it'll be LOUD!

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Funky Finds

twig swizzle sticks from CB2

In know its not even Christmas yet, but I'm starting to get a few things prepped for our Stay-at-Home New Year's Festivites. And as I was rummaging through my swizzle stick collection (yes, I have a swizzle stick collection), I found it to be lacking...

So I found these incredibly whimsical and funky stem & twig swizzle sticks and they've inspired the possibilty of a Bright New Year's Woodland Party...

rose stem porcelain swzzile sticks by Laura Walls Taylor

And I might add tissue poms to make trees... what do you think?

tisue poms from Orange Kisses

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Friday's Free Download

To help make those last minute holiday gifts just a little bit easier for you, we're offering a free gift tag and recipe card set to adorn your cocoa jars (or any gift) ... Click here for the front labels (you can use these alone if you just need plain gift tags), click here to download the back side of the label if you're making Cocoa in a Jar Gifts...and finally, click here for the recipe!

Now go deck those halls! Oh, and don't forget we have an easy hostess set for giving a bottle of wine over at the Paper&Cake etsy store!

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Holiday Hostess Gift Idea

Every year I create a simple but sweet gift as a favor for our annual holiday open house; it's also great to have on hand for neighbors and friends stopping by during the holiday season.

The trick is always to make something useful, beautiful and inexpensive (we have lots of neighbors!)

This year it's Peppermint-Hot-Cocoa in a Jar. I bought the jars at Cost Plus for around $3 each. With all the ingredients and ribbon, each jar of cocoa costs $5...that's pretty fabulous dontcha think?

Here's the recipe and check back tomorrow to download the FREE LABELS (on the reverse they include directions to recipients on how to use their cocoa mix.)

In each jar layer one cup powdered milk, one cup unsweetened cocoa, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 3/4 cup round peppermint candies (or crushed peppermint candy canes). To enjoy, mix cocoa in a large bowl and add 1/3 cup mix to a mug, fill mug with hot water.

Variations: try cinnamon sticks instead of peppermint, mint choclate chips, fancy flavored candy canes, marshmallows, espresso powder (add more sugar)...etc...

Come back often...for entertaining tips, party recipes, holiday and party crafts, party etiquette and more!

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Finally! on Facebook

You name the social media, we are on it! Well, not quite, but we are on
Facebook.
So, why not become a fan by December 10th? We will give you a free cupcake wrapper just to say "thanks"!

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