Saturday, April 28, 2012

Sweet 16 Party Ideas

Sweet 16 party things can be so fun!

Here's a beach themed CANDLE LIGHTING CENTERPIECE.

We also make table centerpieces, sign in boards, gift card boxes and more!

Let us make something special for you
...or...
we offer Do-It-Yourself Instructional Videos 
for folks on a tight budget or like to make things.

4 VIDEOS


Here's a Mardi Gras Gift Card Box.


Here's a few with an actual number 16 that
were boxed in for gift cards to drop into the top.
This neon florescent pink one below 
glows under black light but is pretty
bright and sparkly in daylight.

"Elegant and glitzy with rhinestone bling." 
That's how I would describe this gold and white 
Gift Card Money Box for a Sweet Sixteen party.
 Or how about blue?
Often we can work in themed elements like we did with these lollipops.



Cut-out names of ANY size are something we
can always make and ship anywhere.

30" sizes work well for Sign In's or Candlelighting tables.

Larger sizes (like Haley's name) can be 4ft. to 8ft. long and
be made to stand on a table top or hang from a drop
ceiling, dj truss or pipe and draping poles. 
We can provide the hangers for the reverse side.

We did do a play on words from
"My Super Sweet 16" and 
changed it to 13.
So that was almost one.

Most of things we've done have 
been Sign In Boards.


Here's a centerpiece we did with
a Green Day Rock guitar Rock theme.
I always thought this makeup
centerpiece would be a good
Sweet 16 centerpiece but it was
actually for a 50's theme party.
I guess no one does curlers any more.
It's all about blow dryers and straight hair now.
But the lipstick and nail polish still applies!

"Fashion" is a good Sweet 16 theme.
Here's a designer foamcore oversized purse for
a Gift Card Box for those cards and checks. 

Also, here's some foamcore designer shoes as 
Table Numbers for a Sweet Sixteen party along 
with a sign that went on the Sweet Table.


If you need something unique and customized
just for you, email us at:
marlyss@mac.com

Or VISIT OUR TWO WEBSITES for more ideas!




Friday, April 27, 2012

TV Party Centerpieces...who doesn't love television!

TV's make fun centerpieces.
This one was for a candle lighting ceremony.

They also make great 
GIFT CARD MONEY BOXES to collect
those envelopes with cards and checks or cash.
They can be personalized with your own
photo and name.

Here's some TV's we made for an SNL themed party.

Also, known as Sammy Night LIve.


Or, how about vintage Television?
Something from the 50's with I Love Lucy in the screen?
By the way, this princess phone 
wasn't real. It was just a picture of 
one and we used some curly foam
wire for the cord.

We've also done TV's for little
kids parties. Lime green and orange
are kinda fun colors, I'd say.

Although most of our foam core TV's are 
3D, we can make them single thickness and more simple
when the budget calls for it. 
They're still cute, I think.

Can't wait for our next TV party. 

Personally, I love TV....especially reality shows like
Amazing Race and Survivor. But I draw the line
at those "Housewives of...whatever" shows. The few
I have watched made me wonder why I wasn't playing
on my iPad instead and I never could finish the show.
I think I would even have preferred to vacuum instead
and I hate to vacuum.  LOL. 

But I like to make TV Party Centerpieces! So if we do 
more, I'll add them to this picture list.





Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Dance/Theater Costumes for DIY Party Centerpieces

Real dance or some theater costumes can be
recycled into cute party centerpieces.

We have 2 white foam core body shapes
that work for most all costumes and
their matching head pieces.

The costume size that works best is Size 8-10.
But just about ANY size will work with
some stretching or pinning in on 
larger ones.
We've even made centerpieces that
make use of the dancing shoes.
We can make a little shelf for the
heavier shoes to sit on OR you can
hang light ones like ballet shoes 
with ribbons.  The design can even be 
customized with your party title and in 
your party colors.

We can send this party decoration above completely
finished to you or we can send the white foam core
forms for you to dress. 

Here's the instructions
that show how easy it is to do.
Or, here's another idea to display
those beautiful costumes that may have
been used in a theater play production.  
Put the name of the play, 
the year and a photo from the play along
with the original costume on a big piece of foam core.

What a fun memory to display at the party.

Dance themes are so fun!
Email us if we can help with
any of your Do It Yourself projects.
Or, if you want us to Do It For You.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Smaller Candle Lighting Centerpieces

There's a trend going on to make Candle Lighting
Ceremonies quicker and shorter. 
This one had only 10 candles to light.

I don't think Candle lighting ceremonies will
 ever stop though because they are fun and heart-warming.

So I think they'll stick around.
But smaller can be good also.

Here's some with 3 candles.
 This one had seven assorted kinds.


Things are evolving. Let's move with it.   
We can do cut out names like the top one
on the black base that was made to free stand.
It can stand on a table with as 
few candles as you need surrounding it.

Then we can make a matching name for
the Sign In Board....and viola!...simple 
yet coordinated. Sometimes that's
all you need.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Healthy fluffy egg white omelet

OMG....my breakfast this weekend.

I eat this and I dance out the door I 
feel so healthy.

I feel like my body should be singing my
praises and thanking me all day long for
giving it such a delicious and healthy treat.
(Actually, it's just the opposite of the feeling I get
whenever I indulge in White Castles or
spareribs.....which I do....I'll admit to it.
I slink out the door.)

 It's a fluffy egg white veggie omelet.
No hashbrowns.....carrots instead.
Dry toast...but with strawberry jelly.

It was from Sunny's Cafe in
West Bloomfield, MI.

I had to drop some party
decorations off early this weekend
about 2 miles away
and I headed right over afterwards to
Sunny's and had me some fluffy omelet right after! 

 It makes me wonder why I don't eat one
of these EVERY morning!


 

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Photo Placecards and Table Numbers

I was drinking a cup of coffee and
scrolling thru my iphotos and I came
across these really cute placecards we did
awhile ago and I didn't post a picture of them.
 
Murray Goldenberg, a great local Michigan
photographer, did the photo shoot of the
Bat Mitzvah girl in various poses holding
a white card. She changed clothing as 
well as poses so this made for some interesting
and fun photos to work with. It was hard to
pick a favorite because they were ALL good.
 
We made the placecards for each guest and
a matching table number for each table that
stood on the table with beautiful flowers and
silver candles in assorted styles of clear
glass candle sticks.
 
This was elegant and cool all
at the same time and featured lots of
purple....one of my most favorite colors.
Did I ever tell you I have a purple leather jacket
and once owned a purple car? 
That proves I'm tell 'ya the truth.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Inexpensive Memory Books for Parties

We make these 'easy-on-the-budget'
MEMORY BOOKS
for parties such as
birthdays, sweet 16's, graduations,
bar/bat mitzvahs or weddings. 
                                                       
They are big (12" x 16") and
glossy and have just enough (20)
pages for party goers and only $65.

Here's some fun ones we've also 
done to give you some ideas.


Send us an email and we'll design
one up for you.

marlyss@mac.com

Saturday, April 14, 2012

My kind of Smoothie...3 hours of power!

I LOVE Smoothies.
 
These are my favorite ingredients that 
I use over and over.
 
1. FROZEN STRAWBERRIES
Sometimes with mixed berries but I'm not
fond of the seeds in the raspberries.

2. ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE
I always use it undiluted and straight
from the box from Gordon's or can from
the supermarket.

3. MILK 
Often soy milk but regular skim 
milk works for me too...never
ice cream. Although I think it 
would be good but defeat the
healthy factor.
 
4. YOGURT
Always fat free or low fat and
often Vanilla flavored. I always try for
Greek yogurt because I think it's better for you.
 
5. CARROTS
Baby carrots are sweeter. If they add some
crunch, so what. I love that.
 
6. FROZEN BROCCOLI
I put 2 or 3 florets in. It doesn't turn the
smoothie green and you can't taste it. I call
it my secret ingredient. My granddaughter knows
that "secret ingredient" means broccoli and often asks if I've put
in the secret ingredient and smiles at me. Hey, broccoli
is good for you.
 
7. ALMONDS
Any kind of almonds work but the sliced ones really
blend up nice.
 
8. ALMOND FLAVORING
Gordon's Food Service has a nice big bottle for
a reasonable price. I use it so much I need a big 
bottle. I love almond flavoring and really notice
the difference if I forget it.
 
9. BANANAS
A must!!  I can't believe I forgot to put that
in the picture. But I'm telling you. A banana
is a must-have ingredient. I love bananas.
I keep some peeled frozen bananas in my 
freezer and if I'm out of fresh ones, I always
have a stock in the freezer to pop one or 
two into the smoothie.

10. OPTIONAL INGREDIENT 1
Powdered protein powder. Sometimes I
have it...sometimes not. It's not a must but
something I use sometimes.
 
11. OPTIONAL INGREDIENT 2
Ginger root. I love the taste of fresh ginger.
I just have trouble keeping a fresh piece
hanging around in my refrigerator or remembering
to buy a new piece. But when I
do, I'll grate some up or put in a few slices.
Slices don't blend up well and you end up having
to chew a few pieces so getting out the grater is
really the best option. But it's just another thing to
have to clean. Sometimes I get too lazy.

12. A PRETTY GLASS
It tastes so much better in a pretty glass.
I often use my Mom's crystal glass for my 
smoothie and put the extra in another glass and
keep refilling my crystal glass. EVERYTHING tastes
better in a pretty glass but especially smoothies.
I just use a regular blender but I'm thinking of
getting a Ninja blender that holds 72 ounces or that one 
from Costco that costs an arm and a leg. If I ever do bite
the bullet and pop for an upgrade,
 I'll post an update on it.

I'm also thinking of getting some kale to add on a regular
basis but I've added spinach in the past and it 
 turns the smoothie a St. Patrick's 
Day Shamrock green and the kids around here 
really are turned off by green smoothies.

I think I need to branch out and try new ingredients 
but these are the ingredients I really love and this 
smoothie gives me 3 hours of a 
powerfully full feeling of healthy happiness.