LilSugar

Come Party With Me: Half-Birthday Housewarming - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:15:07 -0700

The decorations for my half-birthday housewarming will be kept to a minimum because it's a time for friends to check out my new living space. I don't want to clutter it with gaudy balloons and flowing streamers. Instead, I'll create a party atmosphere with glowing lights, lots of candles, and fresh Spring flowers arranged in low vases. I'll serve the feast of Italian appetizers on different-shaped white plates and wooden boards.

The cupcakes will go in my cupcake tower and the cocktail will be poured in my collection of Champagne coupes. The walls are bare, but I've made an inspiration board. To encourage guests to add their ideas, I'll cover a large portion of an accessible wall with butcher paper. A bowl full of good markers will sit next to the paper and I'll ask everyone to tell me how I should decorate!

Have you recently hosted a housewarming? What special touches made your party memorable?

Off to Market Recap: Everyday Tablecloth

partysugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:50:42 -0700

For the past two years I lived without a kitchen table. But, I've recently moved and I'm very excited because my new kitchen is big enough for a small table and four chairs! I found an amazing deal on Craigslist, and I'm the proud owner of a kitchen table. Now that I have a table, I want a pretty tablecloth. Thus, I've rounded up the best cheerful and Spring tablecloths the Internet has to offer. To share them with you, I bookmarked them in the Off to Market group in the YumSugar Community. My favorite tablecloth is this light-colored ikat-printed one by Horchow. It fits in with the Moroccan-inspired look of my studio apartment. For more tablecloths, browse the collection below.

Interested in learning more about bookmarking? Read the the complete instructions here.

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:50:28 -0800

Even though I'm hosting my St. Patrick's Day get-together at a local Irish pub, I still plan on decorating. Green and white are the colors that will bring the leprechauns to life.

The food will be served on white and green recyclable paper platters. Instead of using regular toothpicks, slices of frittata will be stabbed with shamrock flag picks. Balloons allow guests to know where I've set up the party. Paper napkins and paper plates ensure a quick and easy clean up.

Beaded necklaces with clover pendants make a fun party gift. I won't forget to fill a flask with Irish whiskey - we'll enjoy this later at the parade! How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

Get Jeff Leatham's Look For the Ultimate Oscar Party

partysugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:50:52 -0800

If you're hosting an Oscars viewing party this Sunday, chances are you've already thought about the food and drinks. Thus, it's time to figure out the decorations! With a few simple steps you can transform your everyday living room into a set worthy of the stars. I asked celebrity floral designer Jeff Leatham for his tips on creating the ultimate Oscars look. Jeff is the artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and stars on TLC's Flowers Uncut. He's arranged flowers for everyone from Eva Longoria to Kylie Minogue, and now I've got his secrets to share with you, after the break.

Come Party With Me: Greek Dinner - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:50:01 -0800

Use blue, gold, and white to decorate the dining room for a Greek dinner. Cover the table with a white cloth and set plates with an exotic, Greek-print on top. Serve the food on printed or gold platters and pour the cocktail into gold-trimmed goblets. White napkins look festive and elegant rolled into branch-shaped napkin rings. Light tealights and place in gold candle holders. Arrange white flowers in a metallic vase and have plenty of wine on ice. When guests arrive, greet each with a golden hair wreath to sport at the party.

Come Party With Me: Chinese New Year - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:50:43 -0800

There's just one thing to remember when designing the look for a Chinese New Year party: don't use any white. In the Chinese culture, white symbolizes death, while red represents good luck. I'll use lots of red to transform my dining area from everyday to celebration day. You should do the same!

Here's how: start by covering the table with a red cloth. Serve the food on glossy black or silver platters and pour the ginger cocktails into classic old-fashioned glasses. Bring the rice to the table and scoop out portions from a bamboo steamer. In front of each chair, place a small tiger figurine and chopsticks. A bowl of tangerines or oranges is the perfect centerpiece. They signify luck and wealth.

Come Party With Me: Romantic Dinner - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:50:14 -0800

When planning a romantic dinner, it's important to make it different from the everyday meals you have together. The easiest way to do this is to set up a small table in an area you wouldn't normally eat, like by the fireplace or overlooking the window. Use placemats, cloth napkins, good china, and fine flatware. Place wine and water glasses on the table. Dim the lights and light lots of candles. Fill a vase with beautiful red flowers and position them in the background.

How are you celebrating Valentine's Day this year?

Come Party With Me: Super Bowl - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:50:59 -0800

Meet Ryan and Alex. They are hosting a Super Bowl party and I'm teaching them how to make it the most fabulous bash ever. When decorating for the Super Bowl you have several options. You can select your team's colors, or like I did here, use brown and green - the colors of a football and field - to dictate the design scheme.

Keep things simple with paper plates, paper napkins, and classic keg cups. Serve the tacos in paper food trays and place the appetizers and dessert on white platters. Throw in some football confetti and call it a day! Since Alex and Ryan are cooking and supplying the beer, I'll surprise them with a host gift: The Book of Beer Pong. It's the perfect coffee table book for 20-something bachelors.

Come Party With Me: Apples to Apples - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:00:46 -0800

FabSugar and I are hosting an Apples to Apples game night. We'll eat apple snacks, sip on apple cocktails, and naturally, decorate with apples! Instead of filling vases with flowers, I'll simply pile in a bunch of apples. The soup will be served in mugs, the dessert in classic sundae bowls, and the cocktail in martini glasses. Festive apple-printed napkins and dynamic apple pillows finish the look.

Come Party With Me: Winter Weekend - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:50:38 -0800

I'm off - with 12 of my close friends - to spend the weekend at my vacation house in the mountains. Since it's a birthday celebration, I hope to make the house feel festive. There will be a fire in the fireplace and the boys are in charge of making sure there's plenty of firewood. I'll throw cozy blankets across the couches and turn on the white Christmas lights that we leave up all year round. As for the food, I'll serve the chili at the table, display the cake on a cake stand, and pour the warming tippler in Irish coffee glasses.