A Day in the Life...Chris Nease of Celebrations at Home!

I am so excited to be featuring Chris Nease of Celebrations at Home today! Chris was one of my first blogging friends and we still continue to e-mail back and forth about this and that. She is such a sweetheart and an inspiration to me! I'm sure you wonder, like I do, how she balances it all!

A Day in the Life of Chris Nease of Celebrations at Home...

I’m very flattered that Christi asked me to share a day in the life with you, however my first response to her was, “but I’m so boring!” Not that my job is boring, in fact quite the opposite. But to look at it hour by hour on any given day can be deceiving since every day is literally something different. I decided to take a “compilation” approach to give you a better idea of what my job entails.

First of all I’d like to explain that I began my blog (way back when) as a supporting role to my party styling business. Since then it has grown so much that I’ve shifted my main focus onto the site while I still do a limited number of client parties. My real passion is growing Celebrations At Home into a go-to site for inspiration for stylish entertaining!

7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

My mornings begin with coffee and The Today Show, and getting my 2 young kids ready and off to school - typical mom stuff.

9:00 a.m. - Noon

The mornings fly by as I’m on the computer checking emails, reviewing submissions, working on blog posts, and networking on Twitter and Facebook.

A lot of my time in the morning is devoted to email correspondence. Currently I‘m working on my new site design with my designer and can‘t wait for the relaunch!

In addition to emails, I'm reviewing contracts, writing articles for freelance jobs, brainstorming ideas for upcoming photo shoots, talking with a client about her party, and conversing with vendors that I‘m working with. Now that I’m a leader at the Savvy Living community on Blog Frog, I spend a fair amount of time checking in with the forum and spreading the word about the conversations we’re having there.

In between all of this, I’m prop shopping online & researching ideas for projects.

By the time 11:00 or 12:00 rolls around I’m hungry. I don’t really eat breakfast (unless you consider creamer in my coffee, breakfast) so I’m usually hungry for a lean cuisine.

12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Afternoons are good for me to run errands, do some prop shopping or craft supply shopping, editing photos, and writing. If I have something to craft for a design project, this is when I’ll do it. This week I’ve been consumed with a client’s bar mitzvah that is this Saturday. I’ve been painting, gluing, making banners & bunting, cupcakes in a jar, and more!

At 4:00 it’s time to get the kids from the bus stop and take a short break. By now there’s a whole new batch of emails to sift through and respond to and maybe another blog post to edit. This is no 9-5 job that’s for sure - there are things to do all day every day and I love it! Somehow I manage to sneak in dinner and time with the family before going to bed.

Aside from some of the basic every day activities listed above, there are also things like photo shoots, occasional meetings, doing regular site maintenance, and creating a tutorial, recipe, or editorial party design for my site. Some days I may be out all day shopping for a project, and some days I may not even get dressed since I work at home. But I’m so thankful and fortunate to be able to do this with a supportive husband and encouraging readers!

Thank you Chris for giving us a peek into your day!

{Real Parties} A Singing Party to Celebrate a First Birthday

My good friend, Kristen White of Frills Consulting, styled an adorable Sing-a-Long Party for a little boy who recently turned one. Kristen was inspired by my son's sing-a-long party last year and Kovidh's mommy thought it was fitting for the birthday boy since he loves his music class and their last name is "Singh"!

Stacy Gray Music was hired to entertain the children in songs. She brought small handmade instruments made of white mailing tubes which were filled with dry beans and rice. For the first half of the party, the children decorated their instruments and then they gathered around and sand with Stacy using their new instruments.

Kristen is extremely talented and crafty and made the invitation, paper goods and party hat!

The menu was prepared by Pink Avocado and was perfect for both adults and kids. The group feasted on tomato bisque shooters with grilled cheese squares, french fries with parmesan truffle oil, spinach and feta spanokopita, veggie cups, chicken fingers, mini ham and cheese sandwiches and mini mac n' cheese balls. They chose to serve cake balls instead of the traditional cake to give guests a variety of flavor options. I love that idea!

The music note cookies were the perfect favor as well as the personalized chalkboards that Kristen created!

The birthday boy, Kovidh, looking as happy as ever!

Thank you Kristen for sharing this perfectly planned party with us!

Sources

Photography - Cat Hornberger of Peacock Photography

Children's Entertainment - Stacy Gray Music

Catering - Pink Avocado

Invitations, party hats & paper goods - Frills

Chalk Mats - Kathryn Saeger

Smash Cake - Hill Country Cakes

Cake Balls - Austin Cake Ball

How to Cut & Create an Arrangement Using Hydrangeas

{image via Nancy Lui Chin}

I think it is safe to say that hydrangeas are a favorite of many. This beautiful flower can often be found year round from a florist, but they typically bloom from late spring to summer...so right now! And I bet that many of you mommies will receive some of these beauties this weekend for Mother's Day!

In the current issue of Southern Living magazine, there is a small article on how to cut and create a stunning arrangement at home. Here is the step-by-step guide as told by Southern Living...

Choose

Look for flowers that have fully opened and feel slightly papery to the touch. They will last longer when cut. Use one bloom color or mix varying shades.

Clip

This pertains to the lucky ons who have hydrangea bushes at home! But if you buy the flowers from a florist, the same technique applies.

Snip stems early in the morning. Cut at an angle, above a leaf bud. Place your stems in a bucket of cool water immediately after cutting.

Condition

Heat a pot of water until almost boiling; remove from heat and wait five minutes. Dip stem emds in hot water for 30 seconds before arranging in cool water.

Create

Show off your display with a rounded container to echo the shape of the blooms. Use moist floral foam to keep the stems in place if needed.

Four Sweet and Unique Party Themes for Your Little Ones

I just love all of the parties that are popping up that are based on a favorite saying or song. Here are four of my favorites lately...

Cute as a Button

Lili of Swanky::Chic::Fete recently showed the most adorable Cute as a Button birthday party in a gray and pink color scheme. We all know I am a fan of gray, so I was smitten with this party from the beginning. This is a perfect theme for a first birthday or baby shower! Joy of Cobblestone Rue did a wonderful job with this sweet party.

Sweet as Pie

This is another favorite theme of mine and the versatile theme can be used for little boys or girls as well as a baby shower. Courtney of Pizzazerie delighted us all when she recently debuted this precious first birthday on her site.

You are My Sunshine

Who doesn't love the old song, "You are My Sunshine"?! I have sung this sweet song to my boys ever since they arrived. Using a song as your theme is a unique idea and this is one of the best songs for a child's birthday. This chic party was shown on Hostess with the Mostess and was styled by Aimee of Lulu Pink Parties.

Let's Have a Ball

Do you remember the Let's Have a Ball party in the Martha Stewart Kids Magazine years ago?? I have saved several copies of that treasured magazine and I have always loved the sports party the Martha Stewart team dreamed up.

Recently, two amazing party stylists have used similar themes and transformed party spaces into amazing settings which were shown on Hostess with the Mostess. Amy Nichols of Amy Nichols Special Events designed a colorful Bouncy Ball party for a friend's son and Jessica Kirkland of Pen n' Paper Flowers styled the most creative Classic Red Ball party for her daughter.

I have just shown you a snippet of these adorable parties. Be sure to click on each party link to see the full details!

Where I Have Been....

Hello friends!

I just can't apologize enough for my absence this week and previous weeks. I have debated on whether or not I should share a little about what has been going on lately. I certainly do not want to sound like I am complaining or whining and I want this to be a happy place; and most importantly, a place for parties and fun! But I also do not want people to wonder why I have not posted often and even worse, lost my passion for this blog. That is not the case at all!

First of all, there is nothing life threatening going on, thank heavens. I just have been battling some health issues lately, mainly terrible headaches. I have suffered from mild to severe headaches for about 10 years. I seem to always find a way to control them, but this year, I have been to the ER 3 times for treatment and I realized that I can't keep going on this way and that I need to get to the bottom of the problem. I visited with a neurologist this week and we have a few things scheduled for the upcoming weeks. I will have a MRI on Tuesday. I am definitely anxious about that, but I am not worried because no one thinks this is a severe issue...just an issue we need to figure out.

So, my sincere apologies for not blogging much these last few weeks. I really miss you and diving into party posts! I just have had several appointments that have taken a toll on my daily life (emotionally, physically and a lot of time and effort). On top of that, my rambunctious boys are 4 and 2 and that right there does not lend time to much else.

My sweet husband realized that I needed some complete me time. He took the boys AND new puppy to our farm for the ENTIRE weekend. People...I have not had a weekend ALONE in years! Of course, we as a couple have left the boys, but it has always been on a trip where we are going, going, going. Or I have been on girls' weekends with full schedules. But this weekend I am alone and have zero obligations. I can't tell you how excited I am (although I woke up with another splitting headache; finally under control now). I have been on the couch ALL morning watching reality TV (thank you Bethenny ever After for lots of laughs!) and countless royal wedding documentaries off of Apple TV (I can't shake the royal wedding fever). Although I miss the boys (all 3) tremendously, I am loving and appreciating my weekend of no obligations. Even sitting here writing this post, at this time of the day, in peace, is unusual. I'm off to get a deep tissue massage in a bit and can't wait. The feeling of not having to rush home afterwards to the kids is a relaxing feeling. And tonight, I think I'm going to go to dinner and a movie with a friend and just chill. I'll be waking up whenever I want tomorrow as well. Then, I'm off to the West U Home Tour and can't wait. Ahhh...I'm just going to enjoy these hours and I know I will be a better mom when everyone comes home tomorrow.

Thank you all for your loyalty and patience. I am truly blessed to be in touch with so many of you and I can't wait to feel normal (my normal) again! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

XOXO,

Christi