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Guest Blogger
Friday, September 30, 2011 3:28 PM EDT
Did you think we weren't going to have a gorgeous September Party Idea of the Month? I've been saving this little tidbit for closer to Thanksgiving because, well, you'll see. It's harvest-y goodness courtesy of event designer Marla Brown; a veritable cornucopia of creativity! So let's cut the small talk and get to it -- here's Marla!
--- Alicia
Find Inspiration Everywhere: Utility Blankets turn into Fabulous Table Linens
All images by Christine Kufske
The other day I was in a big box store and out of the corner of my eye I saw the perfect slate grey, in what looked like some sort of blanket. When I checked out the display, I realized they were fabulous, super-inexpensive utility blankets ($3.99 a piece!). We used them as table linens to re-use later as extra blankets for the house.
Remember, inspiration is truly everywhere, especially when you least expect it. So before you jump into planning your party, make sure you have your colour scheme figured out and the rest will start to flow. You may just find that perfect decor item while shopping for paper towels!
Rustic Charger Plates Meet Elegant Cutlery
Chargers, Exclusive Affair Rentals
OK, so how great are these charger plates made from trees that were being cut down already? Pairing these eco-friendly chargers with elegant cutlery take the rustic chic look to an entirely new level and give your table some serious personality. These charger plates can stay on the table all the way through to dessert.
Tip: When you have a casual affair, you can go against the proper etiquette of where to place your cutlery. We did a total no-no and placed our soup spoon with our dessert spoon at the top of the charger plate, as opposed to at the right side of the charger plate with the knife. It adds an extra element of uniqueness to your table. Have fun and break the rules!
Cupcake Pies -- Dessert Inspiration
We flipped over a clear plexi box to display our “cupcake pies”. If you look closely you can see that our in-house baker -- Ashley -- baked cupcakes in mini silver containers to look like pie containers, then added brown or orange candies on top and iced the "pie piping" on. This is an easy and fun way to not bake apple pie if you are short on time and they look super cute.
Giving Back
A great idea for any party is to have your guests bring a donation based on your theme instead of a hostess gift. We checked with the local Food Bank, our charity for this shoot, and they are in huge need of diapers, baby food and formula. Email guests beforehand, or include it on your invitations, and ask them to bring one item for whatever charity you choose.
Have a nice place to display the items with a little "Give" sign (get the download.) This will empower your guests and create a amazing energy at your party. We used a big rustic basket, filled with stuffing so just the top portion of the basket is used for the donations.