Decorating Your Way to a Great Party

I recently had my engagement party and wanted to share the decor with my readers. I always like to keep decorations simple but fun and this was a surely a great example of that. For any party, it is good to have sections for people to go to. I created a gathering area where people can talk and chill out and munch on some snacks. The food area was where I presented all the yummy eats for the day and a small section was dedicated to our engagement story.

I focused on pastels, lace and whimsy decor, all handmade by yours truly. From flower pinwheels and cute little tags to white flowers and herbs, the look and feel was a tiny introduction to our wedding next May. Nature inspired, Spring's beautiful colors shined bright without blinding everyone! I also have to give a shout out to my cousin Diana and Aunt Deb for giving me a number of paper poofs they used for Diana's engagement party the weekend before. Recycling is always a bonus! I am happy to say the party was a huge success :)

Food Styling

I love when I get to host a dinner party or gathering. Putting smiles on people's faces makes it all worth it but I find a lot of fun in decorating the space and styling the food. Everything you serve should look good. In terms of baked goods, pretty is what you should always shoot for. No one wants to eat food that reminds them of something gross. If you're like me, you won't go near something if it smells bad or looks unappealing. It just ain't gonna happen!

I recently had my fiance's cousin and her boyfriend over for dinner. Even though I was in the kitchen cooking and baking all afternoon, it was worth it. They loved everything and we all had a great time catching up. For dinner I made Veggie Quesadillas with Spiced Corn on the Cob and Salad. Then for dessert I whipped up Vanilla Cupcakes and Whoopie Pies (which was a first). I was glad to know they were a hit.

A thing to remember when you are serving food of any kind - it's all in the presentation. If you just throw stuff in a bowl and lay it out, it will look that way. It's nice to show you care and want everything to be special for your guests so jazzin it up a bit is the way to go. You don't have to crazy, simple always comes out of top, but just a few little additions and your table will be beautiful and picture perfect!

Here I used pretty white decorative plates and flowers to brighten up my dessert table. The cupcakes stood on a cake stand and I placed a bud vase in the middle with smaller flowers. All the colors came together and made a gorgeous spring presentation. Yummo!

{Due to the dreary day, the area lacked a lot of light. So if you can get past the shadows, enjoy the photos}

Garden Sanctuary

Now that summer has arrived get out your green thumb and show the Earth you care. Displaying plants and flowers in your home is a great way to liven up any space. This year I wanted to create something unique so I put together a garden sanctuary by the brightest window in my home. Instead of using traditional materials I chose vintage crates, birdcages and old jars. I included some branches and other accessories that matched my theme.

For the plants I chose some succulents and moss I purchased on Etsy, lemon verbana from a local garden center and some rocks. I LOVE how it came out!