H&M Home Blows My Mind

I wouldn't say I'm a die hard fan of H&M clothing, but I have definitely fallen head over heels for their home collection! Plus, their price point can't be beat. Almost everything is under $25. You will be shocked to find the cups below are on sale for $1... yes, 10 for $1! The plates are coming in hot at only $2 for 10. Talk about a deal!

I've been eyeing their floral pattern that mixes with the teal line below.

I'm thinking this is going to the be inspiration for our housewarming party. What do you think? Teal, pink, black, white and gold!

Floral Plates | Pitcher | Floral Cake Stand | Teal Cake Stand

Teal Cups | Teal Cushion | Checkered Tablecloth

Cheers to pretty parties, my friends!

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Calling All Pretty Parties

Do you love to throw pretty parties? Submit your favorite party to Simply Sarah Style! 

I'm looking to feature baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties and any other celebration that inspires others, includes DIY components and showcases strong attention to detail. If you're interested in being featured, contact me at sarah@simplysarahstyle.com.

Cheers!

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Baseball Birthday Party Inspiration

"Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out to the crowd..." Yup, it's that time of the year again! Baseball season is in full swing. 

I'm currently in the process of helping a friend plan a baseball-themed birthday party for her adorable son who will be turning one this June. This birthday boy is the little brother to the twins who had the super hero birthday party I helped style back in January. You may remember seeing the inspiration boards here.

This baseball party will be so much fun to execute. The colors are classics. Plus, you can get away with a quick and easy grill out menu. 

Based on my friend's original ideas, here's what I suggest...

Invitations

Ellison Reed Invitation | Red Envelopes | Baseball Return Address Label

Blue Sharpie | Zazzle Baseball Stamps

Decor and Party Favors

Baseball Bat Guest Book | Personalized Mitt and Baseballs by Erynn's Blog

Party Like Paula Printable Baseball Birthday Banner | Paper Baseball Lanterns 

Free "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" Print by A Mouse in My Kitchen | Kraft Gift Tags 

Personalized Baseball Stickers | Red Ribbon | Cincinnati Reds Baseball Cards | Cello Favor Bags

Refreshments

Wax Food Papers | White Food Tray | Hot Dog | Baseball Place Cards by Allison Kriser Designs

Striped Treat Bags | Peanuts | Food Display Tower by Cupcake Kisses & Crumbs

Cracker Jack Boxes | Case of Coca-Cola Bottles

Desserts

Personalized Bucket by Lime Tree Gifts | Baseball Strawberries | Cupcake Liners

Big League Chew | Chocolate Baseballs | Candy Scoop | Baby Ruth Chocolates

Candy Canister | Green Crinkle Paper | Navy Ribbon

Want more ideas? Be sure to check out my full collection of baseball party pins here.

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Kentucky Derby Party Planning

It's almost time for the Run for the Roses! This is a call for celebration, especially if you live in the great state of Kentucky. You may remember my Kentucky Derby outfit planning post from a couple weeks ago. Now that your outfit is set, it's time to make your party plans. If you're entertaining, you still have time kick in some southern charm.

Here are my top picks that will make you the Derby darling:

Invitations by Tiny Prints | Four Roses Bourbon | Mint Julep Print by The Tenant

Miniature Trophies | Mint Julep Cup by Mark and Graham | Striped Straws

Striped Napkins | Race Horse Cookies by One Tough Cookie | Roses

Listing of Free Kentucky Derby Printables 

Want to get started? Here's a list of sites providing free printable party supplies: 

• Hostess with the Mostess - Garden Party
• Hostess with the Mostess - Preppy Paddock 
• Sweet Designs
• Bakin' It
• Lilly Pulitzer

Happy planning! 

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Q&A with Melissa from Sweet Lucy's Cakery

When I stumbled across cake pops from Sweet Lucy's Cakery, located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, I fell in love. You might even remember seeing my little "research" teaser here. 

Melissa, the owner, has the magical ability to turn any concept into a cake pop masterpiece. Each pop I see is better than the next! I mean how cute and clever are these Easter bunny cakes? 

Since I'm often ordering specialty desserts to serve at my personal parties as well as providing recommendations to clients, I asked Melissa if she would be interested in participating in a Q&A. She was sweet enough to allow us to peer inside her enchanted world of art and icing.

Without further ado…

Q. What are your best selling designs?

Melissa: The Classic Cake Pop is my best seller (this is cake and icing rolled into a ball, placed on a stick and dipped in chocolate), but I can make Cake Pops in just about any theme. Recently, the biggest selling shaped Cake Pop has been The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which has been surprisingly ordered for 40-something year old men. I guess we all hold a special place in our heart for our favorite childhood characters.

Q. What flavors do you offer? 

Melissa: Sweet Lucy's offers certain flavors year-round, such as French Vanilla, Triple Chocolate Fudge, Red Velvet, Strawberries and Cream, Cookies and Cream, Confetti and Wedding Cake. I also offer seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Carrot, Gingerbread and Hot Cocoa. My favorite Spring flavors are Summertime Lemonade and Orange Dreamsicle. Although, the choices are almost endless!

French Vanilla is the most popular flavor, followed by Red Velvet. Lemon is a huge draw during Spring and Summer months.

Q. What designs will be popular for spring? 

Melissa: Easter will bring some darling designs (lots of flowers, eggs, ducks and bunnies), but I feel that most popular designs will be for graduations and weddings. There really are so many things that you can do with cake and chocolate. Your imagination is really the only limitation.

Q. What’s the most interesting project you have completed? 

Melissa: I have a lot of favorite projects that I have completed... I made Cake Pops for Jimmy Buffet when he was in town. That was pretty special!

Melissa: Honestly, I think that my  favorite project was a cake ball cake that I made for a wedding at Devou Park. It was five-tiers of fondant-covered cake forms, holding over 550 cake pops. When I completed the project, I found myself just gazing at it in awe. I could not believe that I had created something so beautifully grand and unique! 


Q. What made you want to start offering cake pops on a large scale? 

Melissa: I kind of stumbled into it. I had my first "large" order back in 2011 when I landed the GE Holiday party. The company happened to order 600 cake pops based on a friend's recommendation. It was mind boggling to me that I had to make six hundred! The whole family chipped in and it took us four days. Now, I can do at least 400 cake pops per day. 

Since then, I have partnered with Procter & Gamble, Core Resources and LensCrafters, among others. To date, my largest order has been 2,300 Cake Pops that I completed in a six-day period. Now that was a busy week! 


Q. What's your favorite cake pop (if you're allowed to have a favorite as the owner)?

Melissa: Of course, I have a favorite (whether I'm allowed to or not). My favorite flavors are the Carrot or the Lemon. My favorite character that I have ever made has to be Eeyore. I have a lot of fun with character pops like Mickey and Minnie Mouse or even Hello Kitty. Halloween Cake Pops are the most fun for me, because it's my favorite holiday! 

If you can dream it up, then I can probably turn it into edible art... pretty, yummy and so unique!

Want to see more of Sweet Lucy's Cake Pops, be sure to browse the photo gallery here.

A special thanks to Melissa for sitting down to share some insights with Simply Sarah Style readers! 

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Baby Boy Sprinkle Shower Planning

One of my dearest friends is expecting her second child in April. To celebrate, my oldest friends are getting together for baby boy brunch. We'll be meeting at a local hometown favorite, the Greyhound Tavern, to sprinkle our friend and her baby boy with precious gifts.

As part of the planning, I pulled together this concept. To be honest, I have been crushing on this Tiny Prints baby shower invitation since I saw it on their homepage slider. Between the bow tie and polka dots, it's perfection. I also adore that bow tie cake!

Since we will be in a restaurant, I think a little activity will be fun, so I tied in a "wishes for baby" concept.

I also thought the mini "POP" champagne bottles would work well as a festive party favor. Even a favor, the mom-to-be can "pop" in a month or so to celebrate the arrival of baby #2.

Tiny Prints Baby Shower Invitation | Wishes for Baby Concept via Ducklings in a Row

Mini Pommery Pop Champagne Bottles | Polka Dot Straws | Chevron Ribbon | Tiny Prints Gift Tags

Bow Tie Cake

What do you think?

Have you thrown a "sprinkle" shower for baby #2?

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Party Planning Packages

I've received several requests lately for pricing on party planning services. I typically give this out via email, but here it is…

Please see the Super Hero Party Inspiration post for example of inspiration boards.

Also, please note that "Sarah to the Rescue" and "Wave the Magic Wand" packages do not include cost of goods. 

Now, are you ready to plan a party and celebrate the good life?

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Candy Land Birthday Party Inspiration

I'm currently working on a Candy Land birthday party for a special little girl who is turning one soon. This precious little girl was actually born only a couple hours after my wedding day. Her mom, who was one of my bridesmaids, went into labor right after our wedding ceremony.

Since I have a very special bond with this little one, I wanted to make her first birthday party extra special!

Here's what I put together...

Invitations 

Tiny Prints Candy Invitation | Teal Envelope | Tiny Prints Address Label

Zazzle Custom Stamps | Silver Sharpie 

Candy Bar

Lollipops | Rock Candy 

Personalized Pizzazzerie Candy Land Banner

Amy Atlas Candy Bar Inspiration 

Bulk Jelly Beans | Ribbon | Apothecary Jar | Canister | Candy Bar Labels

Refreshments

The Pastry Studio Candy Dot Cupcakes | Candy Bracelet Utensil Bundles

Plates | Polka Dot Napkins | Solid Napkins

Drink Dispenser | Cups | Pink Straws | kojodesigns Sprinkle-Rimmed Milk

Party Favors 

Personalized Lollipops | Candy Bracelets

Striped Favor Bags | Tiny Prints Gift Tags | Teal Washi Tape

Personalized Toothbrushes (to send an educational message to the kiddos)

Bubbles | Candy-Themed Slap Bracelets

Candy Land Board Game (If you're ready to invest in one favor per family)

I could easily get carried away. There are so many things you can do with this theme. I hope you enjoyed the inspiration! For additional Candy Land ideas, visit my Pinterest board.

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Why Great Wrapping Paper Can Rock Your World

I am a lover of pretty paper, especially a roll of nice, thick, beautifully-designed wrapping paper. When I find a great brand, I find myself buying in bulk. Here's my guide to rocking it with the best when it comes to pretty paper.

Top Places to Buy Stunning Wrapping Paper

1. Hobby Lobby - A great variety of patterns. Super thick quality. Nice cutting guidelines. Always shop the seasonal section first, because this section will be discounted. For example, during the holidays, they offer chevron print, polka dots, houndstooth, plaid, etc. in holiday colors, so scoop up some red, silver, gold, green and black and white patterns because these can be used all year round. If you must purchase paper not on sale, at least pull up a Hobby Lobby coupon on your phone.
2. TJ Maxx, Home Goods and Marshall's - I group these stores together, because they are owned by the same parent company and carry pretty much the same merchandise. These stores have been killing it lately with their wrapping paper selection. You can typically find their rolls in stand-up boxes by the checkout lanes. Each and every time I visit one of these stores, I get sucked into the wrapping paper patterns. I have to remind myself I already have ten rolls. The best part of their paper… the rolls range from $2.99 to $3.99. Super score!

Other "Uses" for Wrapping Paper

Aside from using wrapping paper to package a gorgeous gift, there are so many others things you can do!

1. Use it as a table runner to add color and a festive pattern at your next party. I included this in my "14 Last Minute Tips for Holiday Entertaining" post here. I honestly think it's one of the easiest and most savvy tips on that list.
2. Use an eye-catching pattern in a picture frame to create affordable artwork. Find inspiration here.
3. Add a color background to your current cork board. Just measure, cut and pin.
4. Place a piece on your desk, coffee table or side table and cover with custom cut glass for an instant design upgrade. Double plus - You can switch up your decor easily, quickly and cheaply. 
5. Cut a piece to fit a center of a serving tray and then cover with an acrylic sheet. See a tutorial from the blog View Along the Way here.
6. Decoupage strips of paper to the front for clothespins for extra pizazz. You can even add a magnet to the back of the pins to use them as fridge art holders. Inspiration can be found here.
7. Wrap Styrofoam blocks to create a festive cake pop stand. We used this trick a couple years ago for a Curious George party I styled. See it in action here. 

So the real question is… "How many is too many when it comes to rolls in the reserve?" 

I'm currently at 10. What about you?

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An Inside Look at Ben Fest

I'm excited to finally share photos from "Ben Fest," my husband's 30th birthday party. I had a blast planning this! I hosted the party at the Red Tree Gallery, an art gallery/coffeehouse. I thought it would be the perfect setting for "Ben Fest" since my husband absolutely loves coffee.

Invitation

I worked with a local designer - Christina Reinersman - to create the invitation as well as other print materials for the party. I was so excited with the final product. She took the caricature of Ben that I purchased for $5 from Fiverr (yes - only $5!) and crafted the "Ben Fest" logo. We used this logo on numerous things for the party.

Christina handled all the printing too, which made things so easy!

Here's an upclose photo:

Ben Eats

The art gallery setup made the perfect back drop for the food table.

Christina also created buffet signage.

I love putting food on skewers. It makes eating at a party more fun. My quick tip: wrap sparkly pipe cleaners on the end of each skewer for extra pizzazz.

Ben Drinks

Since this was an adult party, I chose to serve beer, wine and bottled water. People were able to purchase their own gourmet coffee drinks from the bar though.

To take the drink selection to the next level, I added a little "Ben Fest" to everything. I added stickers to the stemless wine glasses, ordered custom koozies for the beer cans and personalized the cocktail napkins using a "B" stamp.

I lucked out and found Redtree wine, which was a perfect fit for our venue, the Red Tree Gallery.

I added a couple additional signs in this area. You'll see "30 is cool." I also had "Thirsty Thirty."

Ben Sweets

Instead of doing a big cake, I opted for gourmet minis from Cupcakes with a Fork. We decorated them "30" candles from Party City and firework-style toppers from Hobby Lobby. 

Other Details

"10,950 days old, but who's counting?" I came across the language on Pinterest and loved it! 

We also had "Ben Fest" stickers. I used them as confetti on the tables as well as additional party favors for our guests.

The "Ben" head photo props and the "30 Things You May Not Know About Ben" fact sheet were two of my favorite additions. They served as party favors too. 

And here's Ben himself with my mom and I posing as "Ben." 

Source List

Venue: 

Red Tree Gallery

Caricature Illustrator: 

Glesmarie via Fiverr

Stationery Designer:

Christina Reinersman

Koozies:

Custom Trophy & Apparel

Cupcakes:

Cupcakes with a Fork

"Ben Fest" Poster
Walgreens

Large "30" and "BEN" Balloons
Bargain Ballons

Decor Items:
Party City, Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, Target, Shindigz, Michael's

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Big Blue Baby Boy Bash

This past year, four of my coworkers welcomed four baby boys into the world. To celebrate, my boss asked me to head up the plans for a surprise baby shower. The new parents thought they were attending a lunch-n-learn when in reality it was a Big Blue Baby Boy Bash in their honor. We held the shower in the creative meeting space we rent out to clients (tour the space here). 

You'll see this shower capitalizes on everything blue, but celebrates fox accents. We mixed in foxes here and there because we work at Copperfox Marketing and have a fox as our logo.

Below you will find a recap of the shower with a source list for the materials. Enjoy the inspiration!

Refreshments

Each place setting included...

IBC Root Beer | Party Favor | Cookie by Servatii's Bakery

Catered lunch from The Echo

Decor Elements

Free Fox Printable from Seven Thirty Three

Games & Prizes

the Price is Right (baby version)

Printable Fox Tags from Elated Memories

Gifts

Each baby received...

Fox Bib and Hat from Gymboree | Fox Wash Cloth Mitt from Target 

Fox Onesie from Carter's | Personalized Nursery Sign from On to Baby

(We really lucked out finding so many baby fox items.)

Party Favors

Printable Fox Tags from Elated Memories

Inside, we included mini Hershey bars with the "HE" highlighted in blue. (I forgot to take a picture of these.) We used a blue Sharpie paint pen to highlight the letters.

Shopping/Source List

Grocery Store

• Root Beer Bottles
• Price is Right Items
• Ghiradelli Chocolate Bars
• Mini Hershey Bars

Dollar Store

• Napkins
• Plastic Buckets for Gift Baskets

Local Bakery

• Custom Cookies 

Craft Store or Website (e.g., Hobby Lobby, Michael's, GroopDealz, Etsy, etc.)  

• Baker's Twine
• Double-Sided Tape (for bow ties and party favor tags)
• Striped Bags
• Striped Straws

Printables

• Free "What does the fox say?" Printable from Seven Thirty Three
• Free Personalized Nursery Sign from On to Baby
• Printable Fox Tags from Elated Memories
• Bow Tie Printables from Hues Studio

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