10 October

7

PETALS & POPCORN Bridal Shower
by Jennifer Sbranti / HWTM

Theme & Inspiration
I had so much fun putting this theme together! When I heard about the $100 budget element, I immediately knew that it was going to require “borrowing” a few accessories that I already owned from around the house and stretching the things that I did buy as far as they could possibly go (which in the case of the 2 silk hydrangea stems I purchased was pretty darn far!). I also immediately knew what the first thing I wanted to “borrow” was… the bold graphic floral duvet cover from our extra bedroom. I’d secretly been wanting to find an excuse to repurpose it as a tablecloth since the day I first bought it at Target (only $24.99 for the full-sized duvet + 2 shams!)… and it ended up serving as the main source of inspiration for the entire “Petals & Popcorn” theme.

The “Petals” portion of the theme coordinated well with the floral design of the duvet, and I introduced the “Popcorn” element for a few reasons:
1) I needed a SUPER cheap filler for the centerpiece – and a lot of it!; 2) to add a bit of whimsy & playfulness, and 3) it gave me a great excuse to incorporate one of my favorite treats – buttery English Toffee Popcorn– into the party favors and then eat all the leftovers. =)

Going Green
You might have noticed that my color palette for this party doesn’t exactly fall within the green-hued family. I took a different approach to the “Go Green” theme by focusing on being more “eco-aware” with the decor and recycling, repurposing, and reusing wherever possible… which are all things you can do in any color palette! Almost all of the decorative elements seen here can be used over & over again for future celebrations. Less obvious details were also taken into consideration too… for example: utilizing Eco-Fi Felt (made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles), swapping out my usual fast & convenient spray paint method with less toxic (but much more time consuming) bottle-and-brush paint, repurposing empty Frappucino bottles and edible gift packaging as favor containers and dessert stands, and being extra-mindful about the amount of paper elements I printed (which is typically a lot more than what you see here!).

Tablescape
As I mentioned earlier the “tablecloth” is actually a duvet cover that was originally purchased at Target (along with 2 pillow shams) for only $24.99. Inexpensive acrylic silver chargers coordinated well with up the gray accents in the “tablecloth” and the DIY napkin rings.
I purchased quarter-yard swatches of 4 different styles of fabric for $1.99 each and created “napkins” from half of each swatch (1/8 yard) – which left me with two 1/8 yard pieces of patterned fabric to use elsewhere in the party since there were only 6 place settings. The napkins were embellished with a wide band of lace and DIY flower accent made from silk hydrangea petals + rhinestones.
“Flower Pot Placecards” were created from tiny terra cotta pots that I painted white with “patio paint” + a DIY fabric & felt flower. I stuffed a little square of floral foam into the bottom of each pot to insert the flower into and covered the foam with popcorn. The names of the guests were displayed on the flower’s paper “leaves”, which also featured a very subtle lacy pattern similar to the one on the centerpiece’s label.
Mason jars (which were purchased long ago and have been utilized in a gazillion different parties!) were repurposed as the water/drinking glasses and embellished with white felt and lace. (Side note – you’ll need to provide a straw for guest to sip these with, since the lacy embellishment hits the rim of the jars… something like these adorable purple & white stripey straws <http://shopsweetlulu.com/item/Striped-Paper-Straws-Purple/272/c1>  would be perfect!) DIY drink stirrers made from bamboo skewers and double-sided paper drink flags added another touch of whimsy to the place settings.

Centerpiece
The idea for the table centerpiece started with the wooden girl cut-out, which was purchased at Michaels for $1.29. I traced her silhouette onto fabric to figure out the shape of the dress, then “dolled her up” with a ruffled lace overlay and some rhinestone “jewelry”. For the finishing fashionista touch, an “oversize” felt flower was placed on the shoulder of the dress (Carrie Bradshaw style!). Small wooden dowels were hot glued to the back of her legs so that she could be inserted into floral foam that lined the inside of the wood box and was covered with popcorn. DIY flowers made from silk petals, fabric, and rhinestones were hot glued to bamboo skewers and inserted into the foam as well, all around the girl. The rectangular wooden container is repurposed packaging that I saved from an edible gift shipped to me a while back. I dressed up the box with rick rack ribbon and a custom label. (You can find a similar wooden container at JamaliGarden.com <http://www.jamaligarden.com/productdetail/22296/50/natural-pots/wood-boxes.php>  for about $7.)

Petal Chandelier & Chair Garlands
Directly above the table hung a DIY “petal chandelier”, made by threading silk petals onto fishing wire then hot gluing them in place. I used transparent tape to hang 6 strands of them from the ceiling in a random cluster above the centerpiece and trimmed the ends to different lengths. This was one of my favorite details of all because it’s SO pretty and striking in person (it was really hard to capture the full effect on camera though) AND was sooo budget-friendly when you compare the decorative impact vs. the cost. I only used a small amount of the boxed silk petals to create 6 strands, so you could really make enough to cover the entire ceiling if you wanted too! How pretty would that be?!

Shorter “petal and popcorn garlands” were used to add a pop of color and playful vibe to the back of each dining room chair.

Homemade Desserts
Since the budget was tight, there wasn’t any money for specialty desserts. I searched for the least expensive box of cake mix & frosting I could possibly find – $1.27 for the mix and $1.57 for the frosting! At $3.99 for a pack of 12, the Pink Ruffled Baking Cups by Wilton <http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=8F4DCE86-1E0B-C910-EAD200BA6A3841F9>  (purchased in-store at Mic

Decor & Embellishments
– 1/4 Yard Fabric – $1.99 x 4 styles = $7.96
– Gray Lace – $2.79
– Pink Lace – $1.99
– White Rick Rack – $1.99
– Pink Rick Rack – $1.99
– Silk Hydrangea (purple)  – $3.99
– Silk Hydrangea (white) – $3.49
– Precious Petals in Eggplant (Box of 300) – $3.59
– Precious Petals in Fuschia (Box of 300) – $3.59
– Rhinestones by Recollections  – $1.24 x 3 packs = $3.72
– Diamond Diamante Pins (pack of 100) – $2.99
– Mini Terra Cotta Pots – .41 ea x 6 = $2.46
– Patio Paint for Terra Cotta pots – $1.25
– Small Grey Felt Flowers (set of 2) – $1.99
– Eco-Fi Felt: 8 Sheets x .20 = $1.60
– Unfinished Wood Guy & Girl Cutouts – $1.29 each
– Unfinished 5″ Square Wood Boxes: $5 each x 2 = $10
– 3 Floral Foam Bricks – $3.69
– Tolsby IKEA Frames – $1 each x 5 = $5
– Fedex Office Printing (6 sheets): $7.42
– Bare Metal Hair Clips  – $2.33 / pack of 6 (on clearance at Target)
    $71.53
Dessert/Food Items
– Butter Toffee Popcorn – $3.99
– Boxed Cake Mix – $1.27
– Pillsbury Frosting: $1.52 x 2 tubs = $3.04
– Wilton Ruffle Baking Cups – $3.99
– Bamboo Skewers (pack of 100) – $2
– Microwave Popcorn: $1.84
    $13.13

If you include the value of the Acrylic Silver Chargers that I already owned – those are $12.60 for 6 – so it would bring the total to $97.26. I’ve owned these for years but am not sure if they count as one of the “free” items or not.

Previously Owned / Recycled / Reused Items:
– “Tablecloth” = Extra Bedroom Duvet Cover (Originally purchased in early 2011 at Target / $24.99 total for a Full-sized Duvet + 2 Shams)
– Everyday white plates, repurposed mason jar “glasses”, champagne flutes, silverware, acrylic chargers
– Favor Containers – Recycled Starbucks Frappuccino Bottles (saved & repurposed)
– Unfinished Rectangle Wood Boxes – repurposed shipping packaging that I saved from past gifts (You can a similar size/style at Jamali Garden $7 each)
– Throw Pillows and Pink & White background vases with faux leaves – regular home accessories “borrowed” from around our house– Small White Cake Stand
For the party details:

The bottom of the champagne flutes were given a “pressed petal” look by embellishing them with a felt circle and silk hydrangea petal. The petal was glued to the felt first, then a pop-up glue dot was used to secure the flower/felt combo to the glass. (Putting the glue dot directly under the stem portion of the base helps to hide the adhesive.)

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10 October

8

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10 October

12

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10 October

3

For my Green Theme, I decided on setting up a luncheon that would be green in color, green as in “greenery” of plants, and living green by growing healthy organic treats for the kitchen! The idea was to have a nice luncheon for four friends to help us each start a kitchen garden that would be pretty to look at and provide healthy organic herbs for our homes. My main goal was to have a luncheon that was organic feeling, warm, and homey combined with a crisp clean elements. Here are the details -

INVITATIONI believe an invitation sets the tone and gets everyone excited for an event! I designed the invitation with custom mod patterns along the sides and custom illustrated plant designs to combine the warm and organic style with the crisp mod design. 

DESSERT TABLE & TREATSSeeing as the party budget was to stay under $100, I knew one of the easiest ways to keep in line was to provide homemade treats in a really cute way! To keep a clean look, I decided to use white frosting, and to give the treats a “custom” feeling, I went straight to Two Sugar Babies for inexpensive fondant treats to decorate the cake and cupcakes. I also used printable cupcake toppers that matched the invitation to tie in the designs! I think these two items can take an ordinary dessert and make it truly special! The last dessert I added was a box of wonderful little pecan pie bites to which I added small flags made with coordinating pattern paper.

The desserts were set on a little chest of drawers to bring a little of the “homey” feeling to the outdoor patio where the luncheon was set up. Like most parties I went around the house looking for ways to decorate without spending money. I used my daughter’s picnic set basket to place the cake plate on, and added 3 mini topiaries to balance height on the opposite side and add in more greenery. Above the chest of drawers I hung a banner made from the same patterned printable paper.

DINING TABLE
To keep the table with a clean and mod feeling, I went with white tablecloths….This was also the most obvious choice to save money, as most people have either a white tablecloth or a large white sheet which will do in a pinch. I have a burlap table runner that I use every fall on the dining table (although any brown runner would work) which I brought outside, along with four of my formal dining chairs. I felt like the ornate dining chairs brought more of rich and organic feel to the table, as well as a relaxing comfortable place guests could stay and talk for hours. One of my favorite finds for this table were the moss mats that had been woven with copper which were used as placements and under the tables centerpiece. They were found in the local Hardware stores “home designs” section and I can see so many ways they can be used in the future!

I wanted the centerpiece was tall to make sure you could see the person seated across the table. To tie it in with the theme, I stacked small plant pots (use hot glue to secure them) and filled the top with clipping from plants around the patio. On either side was another pot turned over and a small vase atop also filled with clippings. I wanted to keep all of the colors greens and yellows, so I chose not to add any floral cuttings to the vases.

Each place setting had a simple white plate, silverware wrapped in a napkin tied with a ribbon and herb clippings, an amber colored glass, and an herb plant in a pot I painted and decorated before the event to be taken home as a favor! The plant pots had small plant stakes covered in the matching pattern paper to write the herbs name.

ACTIVITIESThis is one of my favorite parts!!! I knew my guests wouldn’t want to play in dirt right before lunch, so instead of planting new plants, I gave each a planted herb to take home as a favor, and had drawers in the chest full of random craft supplies I had around, as well as plant pots for the guests to decorate! I had fabric, modge podge, spray paint, fabric rosettes, hot glue, glitter and more so each guest could design a pot for their second plant! Around the craft drawers, I placed a chair, pillows, and a quilt so guests could sit to work on their designs!

The breakdown of the $100 was as follows –
12 small plant pots @ .89 a piece – $10.68
4 medium pots @ .99 a piece – $3.96
4 medium coasters @ .50 a piece – $2
5 moss squares @ $2 a piece – $10
Printable Invite – $15
Printable Party Circles – $10
Printable Pattern Paper – included on request
Plant Markers – $1 for a pack of 5
12 fondant leaves – $16
1 box pecan pie bites – $2.99
1 box cake mix – $2.58
1 container icing – $1.89
4 herb plants @ $1.88 each – $7.52
new green cake plate – $8

Not Shown Lunch Option
Chicken Salad Sandwiches –
Deli Chicken Salad for 4 – $6
Pack of 8 sandwich buns – $2 Grand Total – $99.62
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