Plan, Organize, Decorate

Website Wednesday: See Jane Work

2008-01-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

You all know by now that I love office supplies. Of any kind. That's why I love this site. It's got some fun graphics and some really neat products. Check out the desk of the month photo, too. So fun to see all those supplies put together and in a real life setting (of course none of us have office spaces like that, but it's nice to dream, right?).

Check it out: See Jane Work

Theme Time Thursday: Calendaring

2008-01-17T15:38:00.001-08:00

I love beginnings. I love the beginning of school (even though I am no longer in school) because I love all the new notebooks and pens and markers and paper and....oh, the list could go on. I love the beginning of a new year because I get to buy new planners and calendars. By December, my planner and calendars are looking ratty, full of lines through things that never happened or events that changed dates. The newness of a planner with all these open dates to just fill with information is one of the best feelings of January.

Every January, I go through my perpetual calendar (these are very nice - you always have a backup of all those important dates in one easy to find place) that lists all anniversaries and birthdays. I then add those dates to my planner. I also add a note about 2 or 3 weeks before to remind me that a birthday is coming up, so that I can have enough time to find something and mail it (no more belated cards!).

I also use a calendar on the fridge. We're always in the kitchen, so I put the calendar where we see it everyday. This calendar lists all the important events that either involve me, my spouse, or both of us - that way, no more questions about: "oh, we have that?" "what time is that thing happening again?" I also plan my meals for the week and write them on there. That way, we both know what the plan is for the week in terms of meals - no more standing in the pantry dumbfounded and then giving in to pizza. Again. The Container Store has this great magnetic calendar that would be perfect for this use. Should have gotten it when I saw it :o)

Finally, and probably most importantly, take the time in January to go through all your documents and see if you have anything that needs to be renewed in the coming year. Write down if and when you need to renew your driver's license or your passport. You won't have to do it right then, but at least you won't get caught by surprise.

Website Wednesday: The Ribbon Jar

2008-01-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

My friend, Karyn, is always finding these great sites and knowing that I do Website Wednesdays, she always sends some great sites for the post. So here is yet another Karyn Find: http://www.ribbonjar.com/ Besides the really cool graphics - see the jar drawings on the header, they have really cool products.

As the name implies, they sell ribbon, and sometimes it comes in jars.

They sell ribbons of all types: many vintage but all really fun (and they say high-quality - many of which are from France and Japan). The other thing that is neat is how they package the ribbons and this is where the jars come in. If you buy 15 yards you can upgrade your order to make a custom jar. But every month, they come out with these special collection jars. Every month has a theme and from what I can tell, 2008 is going to be all nature-themed. January is a snow inspired jar. The January Jar just went on sale on Monday and they're already almost out (I think they only make 50) so go here to check it out.

Sites like these just make me want to go play with ribbon!

Tabletop Tuesday: Vinyl Record Bowls

2008-01-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

My friend at work made these as a Christmas Gift. I've seen them before and she said they were super easy to make. I thought they would make a great tabletop decoration, but you could easily hang it on the wall as decoration as well.

Vinyl Record Bowl
(as seen on http://www.thriftyfun.com/)

This is an easy recycled craft that you can make in 20 minutes or less. It makes a hip container for that small potted plant that you are planning to give someone as a gift this Christmas.

Ingredients:

Record that you no longer care about
Oven safe bowl (approx. 9" across the top)
Cookie sheet

Directions:

Preheat oven 200 degrees F. Place Bowl upside down on the cookie sheet place record on top of the bowl. Once oven is preheated place in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Now the record should be soft enough to mold, and cool enough to touch but use pot holders at first, just to be safe. The bowl and cookie sheet will be much hotter than the vinyl. Turn the bowl right side up and place the record in side it, and mold until you got the shape you want. You only have about a minute to work with it, so work fast. If it is not just right put it back in the oven for a few more minutes and try again.

Once it has completely cooled it is ready to use. It took less than five minutes for mine to cook completely. What for you may ask?

Fruit bowl
Flower pot (already has the drainage hole)
A place to put your keys
A decoration
A gift
Nail it to your wall has art
Paint it

* Beware to pet owners hair sticks to this very easy . Simply just wipe it down with a wet cloth.

Festive Friday - Christmas Events

2008-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Sorry these are coming so late; too late for inspiration for Christmas that is already long gone, but maybe you can catalog it for next year!

Cranberries
All these pictures have floating fresh cranberries with either a bouquet of white flowers or one single flowers (I used poms and spider mums).

Christmas Trees
I used black, white, and silver to compliment my miniature christmas trees. The christmas trees were placed in white pots (to cover the "ugly" plastic bases) and all decorated with miniature ornaments. I also used glass blocks topped with a candle.

To view all the photos from this event, go here:

Website Wednesday - Uncommon Goods

2007-12-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

I love giving gifts. The challenge of trying to find the perfect gift for a person is a thrill to me. So, I'm always on the lookout for fun, interesting, and new ideas for gifts. This website has never disappointed me. I always find great ideas. In fact, one of my relatives is getting a gift from there this year. If you're related to me, you're wondering if you were the lucky chosen one. You'll have to wait til the 25th.

Check it out and have fun shopping! - www.uncommongoods.com

Edit: I just checked to see if the link was working on the post once I made this entry live and I noticed that the big image at the top of the page spell out my name - I knew I liked that website, but looks like they like me back! :o)

Website Wednesday - Peppers and Pollywogs

2007-11-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been a whole week - I'm deep in planning mode in my personal life. My husband's birthday is this weekend...

So, here's the website for this week - Peppers and Pollwogs.

Don't ask me about the name, I just know that there is some really good information on this site. They have great ideas on a variety of topics, excellent tips, and lots of good references to other websites out there. I've found several other neat websites just from reading their articles.

You'll want to bookmark this one!

Website Wednesday - Paper Source

2007-10-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

I find a lot of my ideas online and am constantly on the look-out for new and fun websites, so I thought I would dedicate Wednesdays to some fun websites I find out there. If you have any stored in your favorites, send them my way, and I'll post them on a future Wednesday.

I l.o.v.e. paper products, office supplies, pens...anything like that. One of my friend's showed me this website and I have a fun time just browsing. Their free catalogs are great, too. Part of the reason I like this website so much is because their motto is: "Do Something Creative Every Day." Couldn't agree more. I actually cut out that phrase from their catalog and put it where I can see it everyday.

So without further ado - Paper Source - www.paper-source.com

Happy Browsing!

Menu Monday - Stroganoff

2007-10-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

Made this last night. It really was fast and had great flavor. Beef Stroganoff is one of my husband's favorite meals, so I try to find some good recipes.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 pounds New York or sirloin steak, thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup sour cream

2 cups cooked white rice

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the steak with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook the steak until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe out skillet. Add the remaining oil and place over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until their juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and broth. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid reduces to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the sour cream, and heat until the mixture thickens. Transfer the steak and any juices that have collected on the plate to the skillet, and add the remaining salt and pepper. Heat until warmed through.

Spoon the steak strips and mushroom sauce over the rice and sprinkle with the parsley.

Tip: If you don't have a stash of sherry, you can substitute another fortified wine, such as Madeira, Marsala, or port.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Recipe taken from Real Simple.

Welcome Fall, Welcome Back

2007-10-14T10:45:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the new look of Fall and to a whole post dedicated to images of centerpieces I created for Homecoming. Most centerpieces had to be fast to assemble and easy on the budget. Several things were recycled either from people's homes or from an event earlier in the weekend.

For more pictures, click here.

The Welcome Back Reception - a casual gathering for people to reconnect. I covered the tables with butcher paper and added crayons for people to be creative. The color scheme was browns and oranges and I used a lot of corn - popcorn kernels and candy corn.

The Scholarship Dinner - an elegant dinner where I also used shades of orange as my color scheme. I was trying really hard to avoid using pumpkins and gourds this year. All tables were covered with a rust orange shimmery overlay; half the tables had carnations in water with floating beads and the other half had pillar candles with the same beads.

The Lunch on the Lawn - a casual lunch outdoors under white tents. Prior to the event, I asked colleagues and friends to bring in tin cans. We then tied raffia on them and filled them with fall flowers. Black rocks helped fill out the centerpieces on the large tables.

The Sound Generation Brunch - a gathering to celebrate the reunion of a musical group from the 70s. I followed a black and white scheme and did half the tables with records (found at a garage sale) and the other half with musical scrapbook paper. The baby's breath in white pots sitting on these "bases" was fast and inexpensive.

The Showcase Dinner - the final dinner of the weekend. I wanted a "rustic elegance" so I used slate tiles (found in a home improvement store) sitting on a sheer brown organza overlay with either a lantern or a cylinder with a floating candle. Simple, yet pretty when all the lights were down in the dining room. Iron trees and willow branches continued the theme throughout the room.

The After the Show Coffee & Dessert Reception - the final event of the weekend! I used the name of the event as the theme and incorporated coffee beans into the centerpieces. The color scheme was brown and white. I used glass shower cubes (also found at a home improvement store) on the tables and on the stage, glass cylinders with floating candles, and carnations ("recycled" from an earlier event) sitting in coffee beans.

Menu Monday - Julia and Tyler's Blog

2007-05-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

My friend Julia and her husband Tyler have a great food blog where they post a bunch of recipes (complete with pictures, which I love). I'm continually impressed with the amount of food that comes out of their kitchen - they are defnitely foodies!

I've tried a few recipes and keep printing off new ones to try. Enjoy!

http://juliatylerfoodblog.blogspot.com/

Tabletop Tuesday - Apple Centerpieces

2007-05-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the latest event I did (for all the pictures, click here). Color Scheme - Chocolate Brown, Green Apple, and White.

I made 3 large arrangements to be placed around the room. I just filled a vase with green apples, filled the vase with water, and arranged Calla Lilies, Stock, and Snapdragons.

Because I had to make around almost 140 centerpieces, I had to make 4 different versions ( I don't have 140 of one thing...) : a cylinder vase with stacked apples, two types of bubble vases with some river rocks and an apple, and a hurricane with a little potted asparagus fern (I bunched some brown fabric around the pot since it was an ugly black plastic pot).

Here is a picture of the room from above and one of the buffet tables. I thought the little tables around the balcony with alternating brown and white tablecloths turned out really nice.

Because I had so many centerpieces to make and because I have another reception on Saturday (for another graduation ceremony) and need to use the same centerpieces (it's a budget issue), I had to find something that was quick, easy, cheap, and that would last a whole week. I'm watering the little ferns and will need to redo the 3 large flower arrangements, but other than that, these centerpieces fit the bill of fast, affordable, long-lasting centerpieces.

Tabletop Tuesday - Tablecloth Alternatives

2007-04-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

I thought today I would post some ideas on what to put underneath your beautiful centerpieces and table settings, because what covers your table can add just as much drama as what you put on top.

Most of us have tables that need to be covered because a) they're too ugly to show or b) we *finally* just bought new furniture and don't want it to get ruined. So, this is where tablecloths come in. Unfortunately, fine linens are expensive (and don't you know that somebody is going to spill something on it the first time you use it) so I'm listing some tablecloth alternatives - creative, more affordable options for covering your tables.

Look in your bed linen stash - Use quilts, blankets, and sheets as fast and easy options. They're already hemmed and are a nice option if you have a longer dining table. Quilts bring a punch of color and blankets can turn your table into an upscale picnic (no more ants and sore bottoms...)

Write on it - One of my favorite dinner entertainment ideas (especially if you have little ones who may get bored with the adult conversation) is to let guests write on the table coverings. You can use a cheap cotton one and provide fabric markers or use butcher paper (any color would work, but I like white, brown packing paper, or even black) and use crayons or neon gel pens if you're using black paper. You can write people's names above their plate as place cards and enjoy seeing what your guests doodled when you're cleaning up. If you use a fabric cloth, it would be great to bring it out the following year for the same occasion so people can walk down memory lane.

Fancy it up - Using either a simple bed sheet or a cheap cotton tablecloth may not seem special enough, but why not add a scarf as a topper or a runner? This will add a punch of color and instant pizzaz.

So next time you serve lasagna and you're afraid to use that special tablecloth you got from your grandma as a wedding gift, shake things up and try something new.

Mm-Mm Monday

2007-04-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

I plan the meals out for the whole week before I go shopping on the weekend. It really helps me to know what's for dinner and we avoid overspending by eating out when I'm too tired to think of something to make (or don't have all the ingredients).

Sometimes, it's a challenge to think of new and exciting recipes. I like the staple meals but I'm a big fan of trying new foods. I think others struggle with the same thing. So, I decided I would start Mm-Mm Mondays - something to look forward to on that unusually hard day, and maybe something that you can cook this week or the next. If you have one you would like to share, let me know.

Here's a great, easy recipe I just tried - Balsamic Poached Chicken. The chicken turned out so tender and the Balsamic Sauce was a nice change. It's really a complete meal because it calls for roasted potatoes and asparagus which also turned out really tasty.

Their tip at the end of the recipe is a good one: just remember to open some windows before you start cooking 'cause that Balsamic Vinegar will linger :o)

Balsamic Poached Chicken
From Real Simple

1 pound new potatoes, halved or quartered

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 400° F.

Place the potatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with the oil. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and toss. Roast for 30 minutes, shaking the pan once.

Add the asparagus to the pan with the potatoes, season with the remaining salt, and toss. Roast until the asparagus is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the broth and vinegar to a boil. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Pound the chicken to an even thinness. Add the chicken and, if necessary, enough water (up to 1/2 cup) to cover it. Simmer for 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat, and set aside until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.

Return the liquid to medium-high heat and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Thickly slice the chicken. Divide the ingredients among individual plates. Drizzle with the balsamic mixture.

Tip: The pungent smell of simmering vinegar can linger long after you remove the pan from the stove. To reduce the odor, open the windows or turn on a fan early in the cooking process.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Festive Friday - Gift Wrapping

2007-03-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Parties often mean presents, so for today's Festive Friday tip I thought I would throw out some ideas for you to arrive at your party armed with the greatest looking gift in the bunch (even if you didn't get the most expensive thing on the bride's registry).

I love giving gifts.

Part of me really enjoys the challenge of the hunt for the perfect gift, but it's really the look on the recipient's face that gets me going. The other part of the gift giving experience that excites me is the wrapping. This is the person's first impression of the gift and granted, half of them will just rip into it and not even appreciate it, but most people will see the time and attention to detail that you put into the wrapping and will get that much more excited about what's inside.

Now, there are a lot of cute paper gift bags out there, and they're perfectly fine to use (I have a drawer full of them) but sometimes, it's fun to just experiment and think outside the box (or bag, in this case).

Get Inspired: Use your gift as the inspiration for the wrapping. Sometimes what you wrap stuff in is part of the gift itself, like wrapping beach themed gifts in a beach towel and tying it with a bow or giving someone all the ingredients and tools for a recipe and putting it in the casserole dish or giving an avid gardener some new supplies in a pretty clay pot.

Recycle: Look around your house and recycle. Wrap a coffee can, put the lid on it, and put a bow on top. Take pages out of your atlas and use those as gift wrap. Show off your kids' artwork by wrapping Grandma's gift in some "custom made gift wrap." Use the crossword section or the comics section in the newspaper to either wrap the whole gift or to accent solid color paper like this:

Box it: Take-out boxes, hat boxes, jewelry boxes, or even clear storage boxes are easy to wrap (or just put a ribbon around) and are a quick and easy way to present a gift. Even old boxes decoupaged with old magazine cut-outs make a great personal touch. Baskets are also great (think about picnic baskets, too).

"Wrap" it: Use any type of fabric, towel or throw blanket to wrap around your gift for a quick solution. Just put your gift in the middle, gather the sides and tie with a ribbon.

Tie it: Don't underestimate ribbon. :o) Sometimes, all you need is a pretty ribbon to tie around something and you're ready to go. Satin ribbon, wire ribbon, curly ribbon, and raffia will add instant pizazz to any of your wrapping. How about taking the cords out of your gift bags and threading some satin ribbon for handles?

Label it: Use your imagination with gift tags, too. At Christmas, tie an ornament to the bow and write on it with a permanent marker. Recycle (again) and cut out old greeting cards and use them as your gift tag. Use a luggage tag for your travel-crazed friend or write on a leaf or a pine cone for a nature-loving pal.

Stock up: Keep a supply of solid color paper that you can "customize" with ribbon. Brown packing paper is also a great alternative and can be decorated by stamping or decoupaging.

Remember, it doesn't take a ton of time (or money) to put a personal touch on the wrapping of a gift. With that much effort put into it, they'll know for sure that you think they're special.

Tabletop Tuesday - Easter Centerpieces

2007-03-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

I was looking for Spring Centerpiece ideas for some receptions I have coming up and I ran across a couple of ideas for Easter. Since Easter will be here soon, I thought I would post them for you.

I love wheatgrass. It's fresh, bright, and by changing out the flowers or "props" you can give it a whole new look.
The tablecloth is gingham fabric -- an inexpensive option for your table.
The egg nestled in the grass doubles as a placecard.

These peonies serve as decorative nests, but any open flower would work. Cut the stems short and float in water in a footed glass or dish.
I think even omitting the twigs and butterflies would make this a simple, elegant, and fast centerpiece.

I thought this was a cute idea for an individual centerpiece. It's a blown out raw egg serving as a vase and propped up by a silver napkin ring. Doesn't that take you back to those days of putting your mouth around eggs and blowing until you were red in the face? Gross process, but pretty results. :o)

All photos courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.

Festive Friday - The Very Hungry Caterpillar Party

2007-03-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post (once upon a time) I proposed daily theme for posts. Today is Festive Friday when entries will cover party-related ideas (anything from invitations to decorations to food).

Here is an invitation that Mark and I made with Caroline and Jay, the birthday girl's mommy and daddy. We're pretty proud of the caterpillars and are looking forward to putting the rest of the party together along the same theme.

Front

Back (partial view)

Steps for creating your very own caterpillar:

Caterpillar Body

Find a caterpillar image and print it out on white cardstock (Mark recreated the caterpillar in Illustrator and it is COOL). You will also need to print the backside of your invitation.
Line the two sheets of paper back to back and cut along the caterpillar.
Spread glue (we used Elmer's) on the inside of the caterpillar's back (Do not completely glue down the caterpillar front yet).

Legs

Cut brown pipe cleaners into small pieces.
Bend pipe cleaners into legs and feet and glue to inside of caterpillar's back, using the front as a placement guide.

Ears

Cut ears out of purple felt and glue to inside of caterpillar's back.

Final Stages

Press down front of caterpillar to secure the two pieces together.
Place between heavy books just for a few minutes to help caterpillars dry flat.
Remove caterpillars and place on a flat surface to finish drying (do not wait too long or caterpillars will stick to books).

This was a fun project, if nothing else for the memory of 4 adults sitting around a table playing with scissors, pipe cleaners, felt, and glue.

Theme Time Thursday - Veggies

2006-07-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

Your mom always said "Eat your vegetables."

Well...I think you can decorate with them, too (which for some vegetables - *cough*brussel sprouts*cough* turnip*cough* is more enjoyable).

I chose this theme because I received my very first submission for P.O.D (sorry...this blog name is too long to say all the time).

Karyn mailed a great idea to me because she thought they were cute - she was right - and to share with all of you on here. This is really what it's all about: finding stuff and sharing it, all (4) of us together (I have no idea who reads this, but a big shout-out to the 3 I know about =o)...)

OK...here are some ideas of how to decorate with your veggies:

Artichoke Votive Holders
Submitted by Karyn

Instructions:
I've never done this, so I'm going to guess what I would do

* Cut the top off the artichoke.

* Hollow out a hole.

* Place your votive inside (finding a green votive candle close to the color of the artichoke would be perfect).

Vegetable Candles
Better Homes & Gardens

Instructions:

* Put a rubber band around candle.

* Insert asparagus stems or green beans behind rubber band.

* Cover up rubber band with a ribbon.

Personal note: I like the asparagus votive holders above more than these in this picture (more realistic looking)

Pumpkin Vases
As seen at Homecoming 2005

Instructions:
You've seen this before, but it matches the theme...=o)

* Cut the top off the pumpkin (if you have several pumpkins, cut out a paper template for the hole).

* Use a spoon or an ice cream scoop to get all the meat of the pumpkin out (save the seeds and roast them).

* Take a potted plant (we used mums) and take it out of the pot (save your pot for later).

* Place plant in pumpkin.

* Tie ribbon around pumpkin (wired ribbon is easier to make bows that aren't floppy).

* Mist your plant every other day or water just a bit. Don't water too much or your pumpkin will rot out the bottom from retaining too much water.

* Take the mum out and put it back in the original pot you saved once the pumpkin goes bad (about a week).

Vegetable Candles
Better Homes & Gardens

Instructions:

* Same as above, but once pumpkin is hollowed out, place a vase filled with florist's foam inside the pumpkin.

* Place branches and stems into the florist's foam.

Tabletop Tuesday

2006-07-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

A fast and easy centerpiece for your coffee table (this is a simple touch that can either be made permanent with artificial fruit or - for those surprise guests - put together in a pinch from stuff in your kitchen).

Things to remember:

Keep your items simple and in odd numbers - designing centerpieces (flower arrangements, candlescapes...) in odd numbers provides more visual interest.
Identical items make your centerpiece less fussy.
You can do this with anything: candles, fruit, bud vases with a single flower. In the fruit category, apples, pears, and lemons work very well.
Your base can be anything from a candle base to a serving platter. Just keep it simple (no extra patterns) and narrow (you want room for that cup of coffee and plate of dessert on your coffee table).
Use contrasting colors to make your centerpiece stand out (since its design is simple, color will provide interest).

The Plan

2006-07-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm an organizer, but I couldn't get myself organized enough to figure out a structure for this blog. Motivated by my friend, Becky, here is what you will find from now on (hopefully...):

Makeover Mondays
Ideas on how to transform a space - make it new, make it pretty, make it functional.

Tabletop Tuesdays
Centerpiece ideas for coffee tables, kitchen tables, and dining tables - casual, elegant, simple.

Weed out Wednesdays
De-cluttering strategies for all those catch-all spaces.

Theme Time Thursdays
Thematic ideas for anything - parties, rooms, gifts...

Festive Fridays
Party ideas for anything from "Hey, it's a Monday Party" to "Thanksgiving Dinner with the Fam" - invitations, menu, decorations, games, and more.

Spruce Up Saturdays
Simple, inexpensive ways to take what you have and make it better.

There will be no promises made about posting every day. However, when something is posted, it will follow that day's "theme."

As always, if you want specific ideas on something, let me know and I'll do some research...

Catching Up: Part 3

2006-05-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

These are the only pictures from the Spring that I can track down for now...

Family Weekend 2005 - I took terra cotta pots and dropped some baby's breath in them. Easy.

I filled cylinder vases with lemons and limes and dropped some daisies in.

Just some purple flowers in a globe vase with some glass marbles in the bottom.

Catching Up: Part 2

2006-05-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas! Oh, wait...it's May...
Here are some pictures of events that happened during the Christmas Season.

Candlelight Dinner - we host dinners before the Cathedral Choir performances at Christmas.

Another Candlelight Dinner picture - detail on the garland around hurricane.

Commencement Reception - I put a bud vase with an arrangement in a larger cylinder vase and then filled the gap with unwrapped peppermint candies, creating the illusion that the arrangement was in the peppermints.

A better view of the vase itself.

Catching Up: Part 1

2006-04-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going to attempt to catch up and put pictures of events that have happened this past year. I'll try to do it chronologically, Fall - Winter - Spring.

Here are some pictures of Homecoming in the Fall.

Mums inserted in Pumpkins for Dedication Luncheon.

Organza and Candles with Beads for After the Show Coffee and Dessert.

Food Table at After the Show Coffee and Dessert.

Dinner during Homecoming.

Welcome to Plan, Organize, Decorate

2006-04-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

As an event planner and obsessed organizer, I thought it would be fun to post things I see, read, or do that make things easier or more exciting in the areas of planning (mainly events), organizing, and decorating.

I was going to name this blog "Daily Tips from Joy" but then thought, "Who am I kidding? Daily...yeah right..." So, with all expectations for this being posted daily thrown out the window, come back ever so often for some ideas. Feel free to leave some of your own ideas in the comment section.

I'm thinking of coming up with a clever schedule for posting ideas, such as Flower Fridays where every Friday you'll find some new idea about flower arranging, planting, or even killing (I'm probably really good at that last one). No guarantees, but it sounds like something fun. I'll have to plan that one out a little more =o)