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Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:37:59 -0700

One of the Sugar girls is pregnant for the first time and this week I'm planning her baby shower. When hosting a shower for a friend or family member always sit down with the mom-to-be and ask her what kind of party she envisions. Denise requested a small, intimate brunch. Her little girl's room is being decorated in khaki, pale pink, and light yellow, so I've used these colors to create the invite. A pretty butterfly motif runs throughout. To see how I made these easy invitations, read more.

To make a similar invitation you will need the following supplies:

Colored cardstock
decorative two-sided paper
satin ribbon
scissors
glue
computer and printer
tape
inspiring image (I used this image of a butterfly nightlife, the new mother-to-be recently purchased)

To assemble the invite:

Create a new document in Microsoft word. Insert the butterfly image. Shrink down to a small size and copy and paste it several times to create a border.
In between the butterfly border, write the details of the shower. I used the font Curlz MT in size 14 to write the following:

Please join us for a baby shower in honor of
Denise Stirk
On Saturday, October 11, 2008
At half past eleven in the morning.

PartySugar’s House
San Francisco, CA

R.S.V.P to PartySugar 415.555.5555

Denise is registered at Giggle and Pottery Barn Kids
Insert a border around the entire message.
Print out on plain paper. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Once satisfied with the look, print out on the cardstock.
Cut down to size. Glue to one side of the printed cardstock.

Cut the cardtsock down to size.
Cut a small piece of the decorative paper to fit over the invite information. Cut this in half.

Carefully tape each piece of decorative paper to the side of the invite, centering it so it covers the text. You are creating a door.

Glue a small piece of ribbon to the middle of one side of the door. Repeat with the other side.
Tie the ribbon into a pretty bow.
Slide into an envelope and send.

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Come Party With Me: Bridal Shower - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:30:36 -0700

Since most bridal showers are afternoon affairs, a heavy cocktail menu is not necessary. At Elena's bridal shower we'll set up a fruit spritzer buffet. Guests can have their choice of fruit purees and either mix them with sparkling water, club soda, or sparkling wine. A do-it-yourself bar is essential to this type of party where some will want to drink and others will not. Arrange ice, glasses, fruit purees, and mixers neatly on a side table.

For more wedding coverage go to IDoSugar. To take a look at the fruit spritzer recipe, read more.

Fruit Spritzers
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
Fresh seasonal fruit, such as 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon, 6 cups cubed honeydew melon, 6 cups cubed cantaloupe, 6 cups cubed mango, or 4 1/4 cups raspberries
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of coarse salt
Sparkling water, or club soda, or sparking wine

Directions

Put sugar and 1 cup water into a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
Puree fruit, syrup, lemon juice, and salt in a blender. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days).
To serve, fill 8 medium glasses with ice; pour 1/2 cup puree into each glass, and top off with sparkling water or wine, or club soda. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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Good Things Come in Small Packages: Favors

babysugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:00:45 -0700

One of the toughest parts of throwing a shower is picking out cute and practical party favors. I always feel guilty when I get a basket of trinkets I'll never use that cost the host a pretty penny. To see my suggestions read more.

Customize M&M's in the decor color and have them stamped with the baby–to–be's name, "It's a Boy!" or "Baby Smith." You can order them in bulk and wrap in colored tulle fabric and cute ribbon. Cut the netted material up into squares and the ribbon into five inch pieces. Place the M&M's in the middle of the tulle square and gather the fabric up top. Use a ribbon to tie a bow around the bunch sealing off the candy and perfecting the mini package.

Party guests can pucker up with personalized lip balm. Order two dozen tiny pods with a specialized label from Daisy Days for $20.

Another small but sweet party favor is a wrapped up cookie. If you enjoy baking, you're in luck. Whip up a batch of shortbread cookies in baby shapes and frost them in pastel colors. Once the frosting is set, pop them into cellophane bags and tie them off with ribbon. For a pricey short–cut, you can buy professional and tasty cookies from Eleni's in NYC.

Tell us if you have some other favor ideas!

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:58:32 -0700

I've been getting lots of requests for help in planning a baby shower, so this week I'm planning a baby shower for Naomi Watts. I don't know anyone who is pregnant, so I thought, hey I'll plan one for the beautiful actress. A baby shower is a time when mothers are bestowed with blankets, bottles, bibs, and advice on how to handle the little one once he or she arrives. Generally they are held by a friend, family member or co-worker, but never by the mother to be. Baby showers can also be celebrated after the baby is born, as they are in the Jewish culture, where tradition states that bestowing gifts upon an unborn baby is considered bad luck. My party for Naomi will be a lunch with the classic baby colors pale pink and light blue as the theme. Naomi is elegantly chic and I can't imagine her wanting a cheesy baby shower, so I'll do everything I can to make things stylish, lovely, and sophisticated - starting with the invitations. To see how the simple color combination can inspire an entire party, read more

No boys are allowed at this all female fashionable luncheon so I want the invite to be appropriately girlie.

To make the invitation you will need:

light blue cardstock to fit with the theme
ribbon
a computer and printer
scissors

one whole punch

To assemble this invitation:

on your computer create two new documents in either word or photoshop. Cover them both in the color of your choice (I used light blue) and scatter with pink polka dots. On one write You're Invited....

On the second write the details of your party. For Naomi's invite I wrote, in the font Curlz, size 14 Bold:

To an afternoon lunch to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Naomi Watt’s baby
Saturday April 12, 2007
1:00 pm
PartySugar’s House, San Francisco
rsvp 415.555.5555
please wrap presents in either pink or baby blue paper
Print out a test sheet, and if satisfied with the results, print out on the cardstock.

Cut each one down to size.

Punch a whole in the upper left hand corner of each sheet, the first page and the second page.

With the pink ribbon tie a pretty bow to keep the two pages together and form the complete invitation.

View 25 Photos ›

Naomi Source

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:00:09 -0700

When hosting a baby shower, be sure to consult the mother-to-be before selecting a menu. Her appetite may have changed, so ask her what she wants to enjoy at the party. My pal Denise has requested a delicious spread of savory brunch dishes. Thus the menu will consist of a crisp breakfast pizza made with hash browns and two types of cheese, home fries with peppers and onions, and crunchy slices of fried bacon. The pizza recipe calls for sausage, but I'll make a couple pork-less pies for the vegetarians in attendance.

Supplement the homemade items with easy, grocery store additions. Fresh fruit, plain yogurt, and an assortment of breads are delightful finishing touches. To experiment with these mouth-watering breakfast recipes, read more.

Breakfast Pizza
From Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 tube (4 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 pound bulk pork sausage or 4 pork sausage links, sliced
1/2 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 tablespoons diced sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons diced green pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Separate crescent dough into four triangles; arrange on a ungreased 7-1/2-in. round pizza pan with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom of pan, building up edges slightly; seal perforations.
In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Sprinkle over crust. Top with potatoes, peppers and cheddar cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper.
Pour over pizza; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are completely set and top is golden brown. Cut into slices.

Serves 2.

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Home Fries with Peppers and Onions
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds red skinned potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Coarsely chop potatoes and transfer to a nonstick cookie sheet.
Toss with oil, peppers, onions and seasonings and place in the oven 25 minutes, turning twice with spatula.M/li>
Serve hot.

Serves 4.

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Fried Bacon
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 pound bacon

Directions

Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat.
When hot, add bacon strips in a single layer. Cook until browned on bottom, 3 to 4 minutes.
Flip bacon, using tongs, and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes.
Drain and reserve fat for another use, and repeat with remaining bacon. Drain bacon on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 pound.

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Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:59:51 -0700

While a baby shower is generally held to celebrate the upcoming birth of an unborn child, they are also thrown to shower gifts on the baby. I consider a baby shower to be the child's "first" birthday. Much like a wedding, guests are asked to bring essential gifts that will aid the parents in their new life with baby. Diapers, bottles, blankets, clothes, and toys can all be incorporated into the look of the baby shower. The theme colors, pale pink and sky blue in my case, should be used as inspiration for the party decor. Although I included the colors in the invitations, I did not work them into the food or drinks, so I definitely want to use lots of pretty pinks and soft blues in the decorations. To see how I'll do it, and to get some cute baby shower ideas, read more

The baby shower I am planning for Naomi Watts is a sit down luncheon, so tables and chairs are a must. Usually you can rent them for the day cheaply at a local party supply store. I like round tables rather than square tables because you get to sit really close together. Make sure you have seating for all of your guests. For example if you have 25 girls coming get 5 five person round tables.
Dress the tables in blue table cloths or simple white ones with pink and blue details. Make centerpieces with vases filled with an arrangement of fresh pink flowers.

Make a diaper cake and place it festively on a table next to the hors d'oeurves. Or make several and use them as the centerpieces on the tables. Likewise make several baby sock bouquetsusing pink and blue socks and place on small tables around the party space.
Instead of using votive holders, place small candles in baby food jars.
Give a baby bath tub as a gift for the mommy-to-be and fill with the punch or with water and floating candles or blown up balloons.

Hang long strands of pink and blue ribbons, or streamers to curtains, mantles, banquets, or trees (if the party is outdoors).
Hang a clothesline across the room and with the pink/blue clothespins, pin baby clothes along the line.

Use pacifiers as napkin rings.
Use inexpensive baby bottles instead of glasses. Cut the tip off of the nipple and place a pink straw inside. Tape a piece of blue paper to the bottom of one bottle and give the guest who chooses this bottle a prize (Starbuck's card, Mac eye shadows, etc).

Tie pretty pink and blue bows using satin ribbon around the space.
Since you asked guests to wrap presents in either pink or blue paper, arrange them in a visible location decoratively to add to the look.
Fill bowls with pink and blue candies, m&m's, and jelly beans.
Don't forget a special throne/rocking chair for the pregnant guest of honor.

How would you decorate a baby shower for Naomi Watts? Share your awesome ideas below!

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Menu (Appetizers)

partysugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 05:59:31 -0700

Guess what? This week I'm planning Naomi Watts' baby shower! As much as I wish I was a celebrity event planner, this is a virtual party plan that I'm creating per your requests! So many readers have asked for help with baby showers they're planning for girlfriends, sisters, and mothers, but since I don't know anyone who is pregnant, I thought it would be fabulous to design a luncheon for one of Hollywood's most chic starlets. The event has a light pink and baby blue theme that was established with the polka-dot invitations sent yesterday. The menu for the sit down lunch will be light, fresh, springy, vegetarian, and absolutely delicious. To see what simple appetizer will meet the all female crowd as they arrive, read more

Bowls of Curried Vegetable Dip with Homemade Potato Chips will be ready and waiting for the girls to snack on until the lunch is served.

Curried Vegetable Dip
From Gourmet magazine

1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped peeled and seeded cucumber
1 scallion, trimmed and finely chopped
Garnish: scallion greens, sliced diagonally

Whisk together all ingredients except celery, cucumber, and scallion until smooth, then stir in vegetables.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Make ahead: dip can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

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Homemade Potato Chips
From Food & Wine magazine

5 Idaho baking potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes 1/16 inch thick. Rinse the slices under cold water and put them in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of salt. Add cold water to cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the bowl. Add water to cover and let soak for 1 more hour. Drain and pat dry.
In a large pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350° over moderately high heat.
Working in small batches, fry the potato chips, stirring a few times, until golden, about 4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potato chips to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Serves 8.

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Curious about how I round out the menu? Well check back later today for the main course and dessert recipes.

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Music

partysugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:51:19 -0700

Babies are on my mind this week and while KatieSugar is growing up right before our eyes, Naomi Watts still has a bun in the oven... which means she totally needs a baby shower! All week I've been giving you my best ideas and tips to host a cute, yet sophisticated baby shower by planning a virtual shower for Naomi Watts. I covered every element of the party from the invitations to the luncheon menu to the drinks (non alcoholic and alcoholic) to the decor. Pink and blue have become the underlying theme of this event, so the pastel colors run throughout all aspects of the party. I always end up creating my playlists last because they can be thrown together at the last minute (especially with the help of the iTunes music store). To see my playlist suggestions, read more

My shower is a girls only event, so smooth female vocals will make up the bulk of my musical selection. BuzzSugar suggested choosing "nice, lite singer songwriters who are also fun and interesting." A few of her picks are Edith Frost, Jenny Toomey, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, and Madeleine Peyroux. She also considers the music of CocoRosie similar to that of nursery rhymes, so I'll be sure to download a few of their songs too. Mainstream classics like Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan (none of the depressing songs), and Michael Buble will also work nicely.

What music do you suggest Naomi play at her baby shower? Share your songs with us below!

Kiddie Soirée: Displaying That Baby Face

babysugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:00:26 -0800

One of the best ways to add some flair to a baby shower or a baby's birthday party is to print out some pictures of the guest of honor and display them. For a baby shower, take baby pictures of the expectant couple and make photo copies of the originals. For a kid's birthday party, find the tot's best shots and do the same.

Use a corner cutter ($9) to soften the edges. If you want to make them a little fancier, double–stick tape to the photos to scalloped circle note cards ($7 for 20 cards).

Then decide how you want to show off the pretty pics. If you have a chandelier, you can punch holes near the top of the pictures and dangle them from the light fixture using ribbons. Or, you can use an Umbra fotofalls ($20) photo holder. Clip the snapshots to it and use it as a centerpiece for your party.

Your guests will ohhh and ahhh at the lil Martha Stewart you've become.

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Menu (Main)

partysugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:51:47 -0700

At most baby showers, it's customary to open the gifts during the celebration - providing the perfect reason to host an elegant sit down luncheon. Girlfriends can enjoy wine and a light meal, while the mommy-to-be opens her gifts. I'm supplying you with all of my best baby shower party planning ideas this week. The invitations can be pretty and polka dotted and the menu can be healthy, vegetarian, and delicious. Curried vegetable dip with homemade potato chips is just the start of a meal that is sure to have your female friends begging you for the recipes. To check out the classic soup, salad, and sandwich lunch menu, read more

Guests can choose from (or have some of all three!) a trio of make ahead dishes: Creamy Celery Soup, Tuscan Salad, and Roasted Red Pepper Spread Sandwiches.

Creamy Celery Soup
From Martha Stewart

2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 Pounds (12 to 15 large stalks) celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise (about 6 cups), leaves reserved for garnish
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 baking potato, (8 to 10 ounces),peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
Coarse salt
1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and potato; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add 6 cups water to saucepan; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, purée soup until smooth. (To prevent splattering, fill blender only halfway, and allow the heat to escape: Remove cap from hole in lid; cover lid with a dish towel, holding down firmly while blending.) Return soup to pan; stir in lemon juice, and season with salt.
Serve, garnished with celery leaves.

Serves 4.

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Tuscan Salad
From Giada De Laurentiis

8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1/2 red onion, cut into slivers
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce shaved Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until beans are slightly tender. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans.
In a large bowl, combine the green beans with the lettuce, cannellini beans, olives, and red onion. Toss to combine.
Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4-6.

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Roasted Red Pepper Spread Sandwiches
From Cooking Light magazine

1/2 cup finely chopped seeded cucumber
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and finely chopped
3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (about 3 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices whole-grain bread
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Spread cucumber and bell peppers onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; let stand 5 minutes to drain excess moisture. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula.
Add the cheeses, onion, salt, and garlic; stir with a fork until well blended.
Spread about 1/2 cup cheese mixture over 4 bread slices; top each serving with 2 lettuce leaves and 1 bread slice.

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 sandwich).

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 356(30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 6.4g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 14.9g; CHOLESTEROL 36mg; CALCIUM 173mg; SODIUM 875mg; FIBER 4.1g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.6g

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What were you craving on the afternoon of your baby shower? Share it with us below!