{Party Tip} Invest in a Handful of White Vases

We all know the standard glass vases that typically accompany arrangements ordered from your local florist? Nothing is wrong with them, of course, but my new favorite thing to do is bring in my own vases so the flowers look more custom. The next time you are out shopping or feel like perusing online stores, invest in a set of white vases. They don't have to be expensive. I have two sets and they are so inexpensive!

The first set I own are the KARDEMUMMA vases from IKEA. The line offers several great sizes and they are all under $10!

My second favorite set are the square white ceramic vases from Crate & Barrel. These give floral arrangements a modern touch and look grand along a dining room table.

I hope your summer is off to a great start! Can't wait to hear all about your summer parties!

{Party Tips} Seating Chart

I know that most of us are not planning weddings, but that does not mean you will never have the need to put together a seating chart. Even when we are having 2 or 3 couples over for dinner, I still stress about who is going to sit where and I'm often changing my mind up until the last minute.

While reading one of the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine recently, I came across this example of how to organize a seating chart using these Muji sticker sheets. I really like the idea of using detachable strips on paper instead of constantly erasing with a pencil or continuously starting fresh on new paper!

{Party Tip} Invest in Sturdy Containers

{Some of the party tips I write about might sound like I am stating the obvious. But you never know who might not have thought of it or who needs a little nudge in the right direction. So many times I read simple ideas and think "ah-hah! I can't believe I never thought of that before!"}

I consider myself an organized person and clutter control freak, but with kids, I have definitely had to learn to let some of that go. I don't know about you, but the week or two before a party, my dining room becomes the control center and everything gets stacked on the table and the surrounding areas. This drives me crazy, because it is one of the first rooms you see when you walk into our house. The unorganized piles of party goods were driving me crazy and a few months ago, I vented on Facebook. A reader wrote back and said she likes to store everything in categorized bins. Umm, of course...why in the world had I not thought of that before?!

So, last week, while I was prepping for the cutest Little Blue Car party, I went to The Container Store and stocked up on 5 of these heavy duty storage containers in various sizes. I could not be more happy with my purchases! I was able to sort through everything in my dining room and place it in a coordinating bin. This felt sooo good! PLUS, everything was packed away and I wasn't panicking that my two young and very active boys were grabbing things off the dining room table!

I bought one, 33 gallon clear storage tote , 3, 22.75 gallon clear storage totes and one other size that I do not see listed online. On a side note, The Container Store is currently having a storage sale and these large totes are included!

Here is a quick picture I took of some of the totes packed and ready to go. I can't tell you how much easier this made my life on the morning of the party! I packed all of the transportable desserts in one bin, the containers for the dessert table in another and so on.

Thank you dear reader for turning on a light bulb in my head!

How to Save a Cupcake

image via Flickr

I love icing!! I always go for the piece of cake or cupcake that has the most. I'm not one to turn down sweets, so whenever a friend sends me home with a leftover cupcake...or two, or three...I'm excited. But I'm always so sad when I get home and most of the icing has come off due to the plastic wrap.

I just read a great tip from Celebrations that will help with this saga. Place the cupcake(s) on a sturdy paper plate and stick a candle in the center. Then, cover with plastic wrap. The candle holds up the plastic wrap to prevent smearing. When I read that, it was a "why did I not think of that" moment! This may be old news to you, but it was a revelation for me.

Party Tip: Post-it Notes

photo credit: samtherocker on flickr

I may be stating the obvious, but I have always found it very helpful to label serving pieces with post-it notes the day before a party.  Even though I am usually very organized, the day of is always hectic.  The post-it notes help me to not have to think about what food is going where when I am pressed for time.  Better yet, if I have someone helping me out before a party, they can look at the post-its to see where the food goes without having to ask!