Planning A Party

Planning a party? Don't know where to start? Have I got a blog for you!!

http://katelandersevents.blogspot.com/

They can help you plan your even from start to finnish! They are also having an amazing contest right now. Check it out. While you are there look at all the different party ideas /themes they have. You will be addicted too!

I love Pink and Green together so I snagged this picture from their blog just to give you a hint of what you will see whan you visit them.

It's All In The Details!

If you know me at all you know I love a good party. I love to attend them and I love to have them. I am all about the theme. I got to have a theme!!! I just don't know how to do it any other way. Sometimes I choose the theme by the holiday, like 4th of July, Birthday, or  Halloween. Sometimes it's by the weather, like Winter wonderland,Spring Fling, or Fall-ing leaves. Maybe it's a baby shower, or retirement party, or just a simple dinner party or pot-luck with friends. It doesn't matter I have to have some kind of theme!! Ok...I guess by now you get the point...LOL.

Since I am such a blog stalker I have found sooo many wonderful blogs and websites that are all about entertaining, party themes, food, etc. I can't even begin to compare with these ladies. I am not even in their league. But maybe someday with a lot more stalking and a lot more practice I can make it up the party ladder one step at a time.

That being said....my sister was here for a visit and I gave a luncheon in her honor and invited some of her friends that she has made here over the years. My theme was "Spring" and I thought of pinks and greens and baby birds.  The menu was light and we all had such a good time.

I wish I would have thought to take pictures as I did each step but I'm new to this and will have to remember that next time.

I started with a borrowed vintage style birdcage I got from my boss...that was where I got my inspiration for the theme. Then I added a light green moss table cloth and a runner in the same color a few shades darker. I had the table cloth and just happen to find the runner at Ross for $1.50

I have this cute bunny that I have used many times for Easter and other occasions. I just change the color of the ribbon around his neck. I then stopped at the dollar store where I picked up the flowers all in beautiful colrs of  white, pinks and yellows.

I added the beautiful glass jars with the robins eggs and bird nest. They were birthday gifts from friends at work. As a party favor each lady received one of the little rosebud vases.

I used my own white dinner plates and put a smaller pink plate on top. I got the pink plates on sale a year ago at Anastasia's Attic and knew I would use them some how. The the beautiful napkin rings where made by my "Go To Girl" and very good friend Tammy Hanney at http://www.showandtelldesign.org/

This is a side view of the centerpiece. I tried to make sure no matter which side or end of the table you were at you had something pretty to look at.

Here is another view of the table with everything in place and just waiting for our guest to arrive.

                                                                     



















The menu was a light green salad topped with grilled chicken that had been soaking in a hawaiian merinade. I added grapes,blueberries, cucumbers, dried crandberries and your choice of poppyseed or raspberry dresing. Hot buttered crossiants and lemon water rounded it off with of course.....dessert!

I used the center island in my kitchen to set up my two tierd dessert plate. I served cute little brownie bites I found at my local grocery store. They were topped with daisys. I also ordered miniture coconut raspberry filled cakes and mini eclairs from my favorite bakery.

Here is a picture of me and the guest of hoor my older sister Nita. As I said I am no even in the same league as the talented ladie in the blogs I have been finding. But it was cute and we all had a great time.

So the next time you ahve a party, don't just put out paper plates and food. Look around your house at the things you already have. Then make a budget for the things you would lilke to buy. Ask friends if you can borrow a few things and before you know it you got a party!!

If you look at the right side of my blog you will see just a few buttons and names of blogs I ahve been to. Just click on them to see all the wonderful things I ahve found. And each one of their blogs as a list of their favorite sites. BEWARE...It's addicting!

I am linking this back to "Between Naps On The Porch"

Setting A Beautiful Table

There is or at least should be more to having a great meal than just the food right? Good friends and family to share it with you and then there is the table......I love to have a pretty tablescape to balance the aromas coming from the kitchen and the laughter coming from around the table. I found this great new blog http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/ and today they went straight to my heart. I have lived her in Utah for almost 18 years but I was born and raised in Florida. The Style Sisters captured what a warm sunny day around the pool or beachside should look like. They are also giving away a set of beautiful napkin rings and I would love to win them.

Here are a few pictures of what can hapen when you buy a few beautiful napkins and then an idea starts to form. I'm sure you will agree with me when I say it's beautiful!!

It all started with these beautiful napkins!

Add a beautiful napkin ring, a plate, and utensils...

A beautiful lanten, some shells and a few candles!

And look at the transformation! I told you it was beautiful.

You can hear the waves crashing and smell the cool ocen

breeze!!

Here is a picture of the napkin rings. You can

also buy them on the Style Sisters blog.

I LOVE COCONUT!!

I love coconut.....anything with coconut in it or on it and I am all over it. Today I found this yummy recipe on one of my favorite sites. http://www.ourbestbites.com/  I just had to have it. You should all check it out. The recipes are amazing!!!

First the moputh watering pictures and then the recipe...LOL

I'm drooling......








Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze


adapted by Our Best Bites from Cooking Light



2 C flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C sugar

1/4 C (4 Tbs) real butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 C mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)

1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt

3 Tbs apple juice or milk*

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C coconut



Topping: 2 Tbs additional coconut

Glaze: 1/2 C powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice



*as in: don't go buy apple juice just for this recipe. If you don't already have some, just use milk!



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.



In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla. Beat until blended.

Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 C coconut.



Pour batter into a 9x5" loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle additional 2 Tbs coconut on top.



Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes. If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil. Continue baking until done.



When done, remove pan from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan. Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top. Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.