Birthday Details!

On Easter weekend I helped plan a 40th birthday party. The event was held at the Sage Farmhouse in Media, PA - it was a beautiful location and a nice evening for a get-together.
The setting was intimate with seating for 40 and a courtyard in the back with a stage for live music and plenty of space for kids to run around.
My contributions to the night were general decorating (colors chosen by the host were purple and green), floral arrangements, a homemade 'photobooth' with props and taking some pictures of the party.
Surbeck Waterjet provided the custom cork coasters!

As a side note, all of the decor came in at under $100. I LOVE to shop thrifty and get creative.
That included:
- 10 custom painted mason jars
- 10 floral arrangements
- 10 table runners
- 10 LED candles
- 15 helium inflated balloons
- 3 DIY banners
- 1 DIY photobooth backdrop
- DIY photobooth props + 3 pair of $1 store sunglasses
- all plates, napkins & utensils
- 40 custom coasters!*

The jars and coasters were favors for guests to take home.

The mason jars were hand-painted with inexpensive glass paint from the craft store. It gave a neat effect and color combinations are almost unlimited. They were a nice country touch for the farmhouse and fun for a party.

The photobooth backdrop and banners for the dining room were all made using the same technique and rolls of streamers. The photo props were made with 3 sheets of .25 cent 8x11 card stock and a $2 bag of wooden craft sticks. All of it was super quick and easy...maybe I'll do a tutorial blog post on them next time. For now, here are some pictures:

PARTY ON! 

*the coasters were kindly donated free of charge by the brother-in-law of the birthday boy.

Party spoons!

I found this chocolate spoon idea on Pinterest and wanted to try it out for myself. The endless color combinations and designs captivated me and it looked simple to replicate. I picture them at weddings, birthday parties, baby showers...pretty much everywhere. I spent about $20 for my spur of the moment supplies but if the candy and spoons were bought in bulk many more could be made for a better price. As it was the cost wasn't too bad but it would be terrific fun to research the perfect supplies.

The original post included these adorable Japanese candies. Luckily there's an Asian market close to me and they had some of the very same ones.

How cute are those boxes?! 

The rest of what it took to complete the project came from AC Moore and the local dollar store. After I arranged all of it I was ready to get to work.  I bought a pack of vanilla melting chocolate and a pack of regular milk chocolate but there were so many other choices...salted caramel, mint, butterscotch...it was hard for me to stick to the basics.

All the candies.

Because I was only making a few I microwaved about 10 chocolate discs at a time to produce 4 finished spoons. It was important not to make too many at once since the chocolate needed to stay warm to transfer and it began to set within about 10 seconds, having all the toppings ready really helped. I made two batches and the first ones cooled completely before I could add all the candy I'd planned on. To make a large batch melting the chocolate on the stove top would be a better approach.

 A small book or object is needed to keep these whimsical spoons level.

Dessert in the morning light.

Even though food isn't a main part of what I do I'd happily make these for any event. The process is slightly messy and fast paced but worth it for an incredible looking treat. They're fun to eat too!

1999 Event Design

A Prince song is the inspiration for the name of my business and a nod back to a time when stuff was cheaper and life was a little more carefree. That's the mood I want to set, one that's stressless but won't break the bank.

I offer design planning and party set-up services to help you get through the work and right to the fun! These include: product research, design development, decorations, handcrafting, delivery & setup and industry recommendations.

Hand-lettered signs and decor I made for a traditional wedding.
Photos by Jenna Stamm

If you're having any kind of event and could use a helping hand, don't hesitate to get in touch and we'll come up with an affordable plan that saves you time and energy.

I look forward to working with you!