As you may have noticed yesterday, I have some big love for Heidi at Marmalime and her simple yet sophisticated products. Full disclosure: I love this lady. She's a good friend of mine and I'm incredibly proud  of it. Her creativity rocks my world! Just to show you all how awesome she is, check this out:



Can you imagine getting a gift wrapped up in this cute little packaging? it's so chic.

What I love most about the Marmalime shop is that, regardless of the fact that I've shared Pina Coladas with the woman behind it all, I'm truly inspired by everything I see. If I had stumbled upon this shop, I'd love it just as much as I do as a friend of Heidi's. She's just that good.




Imagine how happy you could make someone by wrapping up something special in this packaging! Endless possibilities. Gotta love it!

Part of the reason I've been giving Heidi so much blog love this week is...she's coming to visit! I'm very excited. Giddy little school girl excited. So I hope you all love her as much as I do, or will try to, because you're going to be sick of hearing about her otherwise.

If you haven't been to Marmalime's shop, go now. Stop wasting time reading my rambling... trust me. She's so much cooler than me.




Love Clementine

Summer is the busiest time of year in family land for me. With so many birthdays and anniversaries it's tough to think of gifts that mean something for each one of them. Theme gifts are an easy and thoughtful way to show people you thought of them, without killing yourself over getting your hands on that wishlist or breaking down and getting them a giftcard. Here's a quick tip that constitutes neither as cheating nor insincere if you read it and adopt the formula.




Easy formula: Book on a topic + stuff that goes well with that topic. Easy peasy.


Think of something your recipient enjoys. Reading? Cooking? Travel? Video games? Sports? Think back to a conversation where they may have mentioned in passing that they'd like to get into a new hobby like gardening, or learn how to do DIY house fixups. Anything that will legitimately warrant you saying "I remembered you were interested in this..."

Take that thought with you to the bookstore. Browse through the bargain book section for something to the effect of "[Big number] [interest-related nouns] to [verb] before you die". Something to keep in mind is that almost every interest/hobby/pastime/thing has a book of "need-to-knows" devoted to it.

Once you have your book picked out, choose a few things to go with it. Did you pick a book on travel? Why not pick out some luggage tags, a travel journal and a passport case to go with it? A book on music, books, or movies? Go through the book and pick a few titles to include as a little bundle. Whatever the subject matter, there's stuff (big or small) to complement it. Even funny stuff works. Complement a golf book with chocolate golf balls. Or a cookbook with all the ingredients for one of the recipes. Almost anything goes, and as long as you pick something the recipient likes or has an interest in, you're golden.


Here's an example, using just one book and one lovely eco-friendly Etsy shop:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

How could anyone not love getting this gift? Love that Marmalime swag.

Consider this an eye-opener for those out there who needed that little extra push, just to get away from the giftcard section at the drugstore twenty minutes before every birthday dinner... ;)

Happy gift-giving.


Love Clementine

Something you might not know about me is that I'm a little matchmaker. A sneaky and clever little matchmaker. At the young and stubborn age of fourteen I met the man I decided was going to be my stepfather. My manager at my first job, he wore a suit and looked like the Godfather. Then, six years later, he was family.

My stepfather, Jack, just turned fifty. Knowing how much he loves his Italian side, and loves his set of "Fat Tony" knives, my mother set me to the task of putting together a surprise party with an Italian theme and amusing mafia undertones. And oh boy did I have fun with this one!






The party was held poolside at a friends, which was perfect. Plenty of seating made for a cozy afternoon in what felt like a resort. Of course, the problem with being in the midst of things meant there were a couple of things missing on my camera when all was said, done, and packed back up. The most regrettable of which was a shot of the adorable tiki-hut turned Italian-cafe, complete with menu board advertising the day's specials of Italian sodas, gelato and flavoured coffees. The pasta and salad bar are also missing from photo-memory. Oh well, c'est la vie! Sometimes you've just gotta be part of the party instead of taking pictures all the time.




This party was the perfect balance between hilarious and cheap (bonus!) party items and classy deliciousness. Guests were "packin" water guns and gangster shades, and we found great $100 bill napkins at the dollar store to add that extra funny touch. The meal was strictly business, however, and consisted of three types of pasta, two types of salad, and a dozen or so toppings to choose from for both. At the end of the day, I counted four full heads of garlic incorporated into the menu. Good thing we didn't have a kissing booth! Hehe...


Appetizers included baby bruschetta, "cake olives", pizza on sticks, chocolate wafer "cigars", fresh gouda from Thunder Oaks, a fine herb cheeseball, and the standard fresh fruit and (real) olives, pickles, etc. This experience allowed me to fully appreciate the effect of sunshine on cheese.... gooey and delicious!





I changed up the pre-existent tiki hut to serve as the Boss' cafe & dessert shop, Fat Tony's Caffe Dolce. Cups, straw flags, and a menu board were all branded to suit, and Jack loved it.



Italian sodas, gelato, sorbetto, and coffee were all on the menu. The gelato was served in cones or cups with wooden spoons. Delizioso!


Guests went home with adorable (and vegan!) lemon cupcakes baked in square paper bowls from Think Garnish.



My favourite part of the day was when Jack put together a little memorabilia kit to remember his special day by. He gathered a piece of everything and put it all together in one of the little baskets (also from Garnish) we served the buns in for the buffet. Watching him do this as discretely as possible made all the incognito running around for the two weeks prior to the party completely worth it. I'm so glad we went through all the extra effort to let him know he's loved!



I'll try to hunt down some of the family's pictures to see if anyone caught the caffe window (adorable stripey awning!) or the full buffet spread. I promised myself I'd never forget another photo again... Whoops! I'll remember for next time.


Love Clementine

Sorry to have ducked under the radar for most of this week. The more inspiring life gets, the further away from the computer I am...

I hope you've all got big plans for the weekend! Here's a sneak peak of what I'm up to:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Super cute, right? These kind of thoughts are what keep me from blogging! Stay tuned for the details on the real deal, coming your way soon...

Happy Friday!


Love Clementine

There's a sad, unfortunate pandemic affecting too many men (and some women) out there. It's called buzzkill-itis. You know the symptoms... rolling eyes, inattention to detail, repeated use of the word "why"...

Some guys think detail-oriented parties are fabulous, as they should. They see cake in a jar and think it's just as cute and adorable and as 'ohmygoshawesome' as I would. They see cake on a stick and think "best idea ever" and gobble them up. They see custom water bottle labels and suddenly don't think water is such a lame party drink. They appreciate the details.

But buzzkill-itis has reared its ugly head and caused some people to think it's not worth all the fuss that goes into a custom event. And some of those people suffering from buzzkill-itis are very close to us, and are more than likely under the same roof.



Who is "us"? "Us" is the success-by-design party world. The crafty folks, the detail-oriented folks, the love-my-partner-enough-to-slave-over-a-three-tier-cake-for-his/her-birthday folks.

So, how do you give the gift of a personalized, heartwarming party to someone you don't think will appreciate it? I'm going to make a series of posts on how to tackle the Buzzkill-itis.




Bacon is a big deal to your average dude... and it's kind of a hilarious thing to be a fan of. How about feeding into the bacon craze and making a bacon party for your anti-frills guest of honour?

This is a pretty universally delicious (sorry vegetarians) theme to play on, and the comedic potential is endless. Not to encourage the crude guys at Epic Meal Time, but they've struck a real chord with the "manly man" demographic. If it might make your guy finally crack a party-related smile... why fight it?




If you're a stickler for an appetizer or dessert table, consider making it a bacon table. Bacon wrapped marshmallow pops (---serious potential, am I right?!). Bacon wrapped pretzel rods. Bacon infused martinis. Maybe even try out some maple bacon chocolate chip cookies for an even more intense "wow, that's awesome" response.

Hip Hostess Blog

 

HashDelectableEdible [Etsy]

How Sweet It Is

 

Brown Eyed Baker

Even the worst party pooper will have to love a bacon affair. And there's no attention to detail lost in the process!


What ideas can you think of for a bacon-wrapped tablescape?

I'm a little slow on the uptake.... but the fabulous Tracey at We Love Crafty Tracey made a shout out to me on her blog! Gotta love this close-knit Ontario bonding. Keep it coming!


Check her out!

Since I'm new to blogland, we have some catching up to do. Once in a while I'll be posting a "flashback" inspiration board or image representing a long-lost party I've held/designed but have limited pictures of.

For my nephew E's first birthday, my sister threw a jungle party. I hadn't quite answered my party design calling at this point, but oh boy did I have ideas about the cake!

Keep in mind (please!) that this is the second cake I had made... ever. I present to you, the jungle watering hole.





As you can tell, I was pretty ambitious for a second timer. I found a great fondant recipe and ran with it! I also ran a little too far with the watering hole concept, as you can see by the blue jello pond and chocolate rock accents...






Now that I've gained experience making one whole additional cake since then, I'm a little proud of my cake-making learning pace. Especially considering how bad the first one was! (No, you can't see it! It's really really bad.)


Have you had any ambitious party plans that were easier dreamed than done? Drop me a line, if it's a good enough story I may just have to spread it around ;)

As promised, here are the pictures of the Purple Picnic eco-friendly affair for the darling Miss Cassie's eleventh birthday.
















The girls enjoyed funky thrift store props for the photo booth. I've never seen such silly poses!






In case you're wondering, there was "real" food too! Always. I promise... Whether the kiddies ate more of one than the other is a whole different story! Luckily this beautiful yard came equipped with a pool for the girls to work off all their sugar.

Such a great day! I'm so grateful to Cassie and her family for letting me be a part of it.

As a gal with a lot of guy friends, I am extra thankful for all those bloggers out there who prove that a well-designed party doesn't need to be a feminine forte. Today's double feature link love is a pair of parties that seem--to me at least--to appeal to boys and man-boys and men alike...



Portal Party

This party by Party Starters looks like a fun, not-too-dorky way of using a theme anyone with exposure to the game can appreciate... which means just about everyone!  Portal was a perfect party idea for a growing teen, and Pam at Party Starters must be a pretty cool mom to pull this off without going too far! And how awesome is it that she even made the game's signature cake? Actually, if you explore, Party Starter's is somewhat of a hotspot for "dudely" parties (alas, a mother with sons). Take a look!




Mario Kart Party

Not to exhaust my appreciation of game-related themes for boys, but.... let's face it, guys like their video games. This party by Paisley Petal Events was done for a boy, but appeals to grown ups too! There's some serious Mario nostalgia for anyone gaming during the eighties, and this party definitely calls out to gamers old and new and screams "YOU WANT TO DO THIS!"

Love love love the cake. Also, those marshmallow pops almost broke my heart. I want this party now, in my twenties, and I don't care who knows it!


What are your favourite manly affairs?? I'd love to know!


Love Clementine

In keeping with my "what-I-made-for-vegan-guests" tradition, here's a simple and delicious recipe for what I'm calling a "Sassy Summer Salad". Hopefully the cheesy name police don't nab me for that one.

This salad recipe feels gourmet without the stress. It's an easy and elegant way to add a touch of class to any small (or not so small) gathering. The fact that it's vegan will go unnoticed as people realize how tasty it is!



1 large bowl of your choice of romaine, spring mix, or spinach greens
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, chilled
1/2 cup natural almonds, sliced
1 green onion, sliced on an angle
 
For dressing:
zest and juice of one lime
1tbsp creamed natural honey
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tsp fresh dill


Melt the honey in a small bowl using the microwave or other tactics. Whisk in the olive oil, lime, and dill. 
Sprinkle strawberries, almonds, and green onions over greens. Drizzle the honey lime dressing over everything just prior to serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill or a few whole almonds for a more dramatic effect.

After dreaming big for Canada Day this year, Mother Nature decided to give Thunder Bay high chances of rain and 20m visibility, making for an invisible fireworks show and a worried lil' me in hostess mode. I decided to brave the outdoor party, and things worked out just fine...





As my Twitter followers know, I recently discovered Broken Glass Jello, despite the rest of the world knowing about it "for like ever". 100% awesome. 100% addictive. On 100% too many of the menus I'm brainstorming for upcoming events. I feel like I should have made this for every event. Ever. Anyways, as you can see, I incorporated that into my menu rather quickly. Also included were cookie truffle pops, marshmallow pops, snazzy red and white Jones sodas adorned with Garnish's red paper straws, and super fluffy cupcakes in adorable polka dots. Of course, I also made a massive amount of vegan rice pudding for my brother. My proudest detail: no kitsch, just cute--with some wiggle room reserved for the festive chalkboard...








What did YOU do this Canada Day?