Party Preparations

I bought this painting from my super talented friend and co-worker, Ben Woodstrup. The colors tie in perfectly to the cake lettering on the other wall! 

Yesterday, I stopped by Bhldn and American Apparel to stock up on some Marie-worthy accessories...as if my dress wasn't girly enough already!

I put together this hair piece using floral arrangement items from Joann Fabrics. I can't wait to wear it, but I hope it holds up through the frenzied dancing that is sure to occur.

I've been neglecting the blog, among many other things, as I dealt with a few insane weeks at work. Everything has died down, and now I can finally focus on my birthday party! With only a week before the shindig, I did some serious decorating today.

Here is a sneak peek at the Marie Antoinette inspired decor.

Treat table number one

Petticoat installation behind the bar

Treat table number two

The deer is ready, too!

birthday invites

Birthday party invitations, complete with sequins in every envelope!

my dream dress arrives!

The second I decided on a Marie Antoinette inspired birthday party, I knew exactly what I would wear. This dress, designed by Katie Louise for Audrey Grace, has been on my mind since I saw it back in December. The sheer organza, the full skirt, and that enormous bow...it was the birthday dress of my dreams! 

When the dress arrived today, I got so excited for my party that I drove straight to the craft store for supplies. I picked up a ton of bright feathers and birds for my hair, and some sparkly materials to make party invitations this weekend.

I also picked up a ton of 3D cardboard letters for a cake-themed display behind the bar. I can't wait until April, when I can finally start decorating!

lemon meringue tarts

This is a pretty busy time of year for me at work, so I haven't been doing much in my free time other than baking to unwind when I get home. Even though winter was pretty mild this year, I'm ready to transition into motorcycling, biking, and general outdoor playing season. There aren't even any holidays coming up, so I have no parties to plan! 

 These lemon meringue tarts were my Wednesday night post-work baking project. A slightly sweet and tangy lemon cream is probably my favorite filling of all time, and when its combined with a sugar cookie crust and a stiff meringue, I can't get enough. I brought these into work so I didn't have to personally eat them all, which I certainly would have.

heart party!

I've spent the last couple night preparing the decorations for our Valentine's Day brunch. Last night I was sitting at the table surrounded by scraps of paper and a hundred glittery hearts when Adam finally declared I had made too many decorations. I pointed out that they were mostly just paper hearts, and one can never have too many of those. Argument over: Angela = 1, Adam = 0. 

This streamer curtain is made from materials recycled from all my parties over the past year. I made the tissue garland and the floral fabric streamers for my birthday party, the hot pink ribbon and lace was from Serra's engagement brunch, the neon yarn was for Christmas wrapping, and the metallic tinsel is cut from a curtain I used for the New Year's party. 

My breakfast / pastry table will be on the credenza, but I still had to decorate it for the time being!

Heart balloons! I looked ridiculous driving my pickup truck while the back was completely jammed with these fantastic shiny hearts.

The food is practically part of the decorations, so I kept the table simple with a lace runner and... (of course) paper hearts.

New Years Dinner

We typically throw a pretty large theme party for New Year's Eve, but this year, we wanted to host a low key dinner for our closest friends. Instead of spending weeks working on homemade decorations as I usually do, I acquired everything I needed during a whirlwind shopping spree at Party City. Cheap silver tinsel garland looked much fancier when lit by our christmas light canopy and a couple small spotlights!

The deer was decked out in some festive New Years attire.
The simple table setup- we were excited to use our new Laguiole steak knives!
Most people use tiny culinary torches for meringue- I go right for the big guns and use our outdoor blow torch!
AJ looked quite dapper while fixing himself a champagne cocktail.
For dinner, we had a rosemary and garlic leg of lamb, roasted root vegetables, and macaroni with truffles, bacon, and gruyere.
Dessert was a four layer lemon chiffon cake with a lemon creme and caramel filling, topped with a fluffy Italian meringue.


After dinner, we spent the night dancing and (unfortunately) singing.
We always close out the night with scotch and cigars on the back porch.

a very cabin christmas

Of all the parties we throw each year, the holiday party is my absolute favorite. It has the biggest turn out, everyone is always dressed to the nines, and the decorations can stay up for an entire month. This year I went for a cozy cabin theme- I picked up tons of discounted flannel from the fabric store, raided my parents' basement for old winter sport gear, and stocked up on taxidermy and animal pelts.

Pillows were covered with flannel, and every animal in the house got a little plaid scarf.

I switched out some artwork for vintage ice skates, badminton rackets, and (of course) deer.
My concrete deer got his own little Christmas tree.

I made this house for last year's winter wonderland themed holiday party, and I was shocked to find it survived a year hanging out in our scary basement.
My grandmother's punch bowl was used for Adam's incredible eggnog punch, which is always a party favorite.

The dining room lighting is the best part of our Christmas decorations. Last year, Adam and AJ installed tiny hooks around the ceiling for evenly spaced rows of lights, and the hooks are perfect for hanging decorations all year round.