Brilliant Bash: Vibrant Bat Mitzvah July 5, 2011

And we’re back!

Well, the move from Toronto to St. John’s is still in progress, but I’m finally settled in enough to start the blog up again.  And this is a lovely event to help me kick off the summer party season.

Event planner Angela Zaltsman and event stylist (owner of Hazlitt Vintage Rentals) Selena Hazlitt sent along the details of this fabulous bat mitzvah that took place just a few weeks ago in Toronto.  This event is stylish, creative and inviting – what more could you ask for?

Welcome to the party!

 

Vibrant Table Settings

Gorgeous Spring Flowers

Candy Bar

Sweet Sweets

Pretty Pink Cupcakes

Stylish Refreshments (Straws from Brilliant Bash)

Marley’s family wanted to host her Bat Mitzvah somewhere unique and memorable, so they selected their very own backyard.  Inspired by Martha Stewart’s creativity, the team designed a fun, chic outdoor luncheon for 140 friends and family. 

A few notes from Angela and Selena on the bash:

A custom-built barn board directional sign greeted guests and welcomed them into the home. Hot pink and white balloons filled the front yard.

Touches of vintage decor set the relaxed, casual tone.   Clear vintage canning jars were used for the flower arrangements of Festivus Maximus peony blooms and table numbers.  More than 85 jars were over-flowing with peony blooms scattered throughout the tables. 

Place cards were attached to small jars of homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam for guest favours.  The jam, from a local farm, was homemade and fabulous.  The place cards were displayed on a pine harvest table stacked with wood soda crates and wicker picnic baskets. 

Guests were treated to signature drinks of lemonade from the “ol’ fashioned lemonade stand.”  The lemonade stand featured a custom sign with Marley’s name on it, a soda case for serving drinks and galvanized tubs for holding ice and wine.

White tents with white floors and linens looked crisp while gorgeous magenta table cloths brought the tent to life.  Marley’s Aunt Paula and mother pulled together a fabulous array of candy that was presented to guests.  There were line-ups to fill their magenta polka dot bags with goodies! 

All in all, the party was the talk of the neighbourhood!

 
Bash Location-  Backyard of Family Home in Toronto
Bash Planner – A to Z Event Management
Caterer- Encore
Decor Sources- Hazlitt Vintage Rental, Balloon Boutique and Brilliant Bash
Flower Sources – Lilium
Photographer – Hudson Taylor
Videographer – Redstone
Rentals – Advanced,  Exclusive  and Around The Table
Cupcakes – Short and Sweet
Entertainment – Mysterion
DJ – Magen Boys Entertainment
Gardens and Planters – Josh Martin

Brilliant Bash: Night Owl Pajama Party February 27, 2011

Anj Snow of the Snowy Bliss blog recently designed an out-of-this-world birthday for her daughter.  The theme of the bash was “Night Owl Pajama Party” and the amount of creativity and detail in this party is outstanding.

Check out this fabulous, functional table setting, the remarkable cake and decor, and the warm and fuzzy guest favours that Anj made all by herself.  She even created “adoption” cards for each of the pet owls she made for the guests – adorable!

Dream Birthday Table

Dreamy Details

Handmade Chandelier Ornaments

Vibrant, Personalized Table Settings

Owl Theme Cake

Fabulous Favours

Owl Adoption Cards

Movie Time with New Friends!

What Anj says about her party planning process:

I start with an idea about three or four months ahead.  I don’t make any specific plans at first; I just stick the theme in my brain and let it marinate for awhile.  Eventually, I work through the problems and new ideas start to come. I keep a folder in my car, in case inspiration suddenly strikes and I can jot it down.  When there are about two months to go before the party, I write down a party plan.  I give myself deadlines, etc.  I started the owls for this pajama party about three weeks before the celebration.  A big portion of the time was spent just coming up with the 13 different owls, their designs and what to write on the adoption cards.  I was even picky about the felt color combinations.  But that is the fun part of the creative process for me.

Way to go, Anj!  Your daughter and her friends are very lucky girls.

For Anj’s full blog post about this bash, including a link to a tutorial for the felt owls, please visit her blog here.

Photos Courtesy of Snowy Bliss

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique.

Brilliant Bash: Honey Bee Birthday January 25, 2011

Our latest bash submission comes from Magdalena, owner and creative director of Oh So Chic Celebrations, a boutique event styling and planning company based in Toronto, Ontario.  Magdalena created a honey bee theme for her daughter Maya’s first birthday.  When Magdalena was growing up, she loved the cartoon Maya the Bee, so she decided that a honey bee theme would be perfect for her daughter’s birthday bash.

Lovely Treats Table

The photos were taken by Magdalena’s husband Joseph, who happens to be a professional photographer.  You can visit his site here.

Adorable Cake

Sweet Bees

Love this colour combination

 

Beautifully done

Up close

The cupcakes and the cake were created by Cake Decors in Oakville, Ontario, and cookies for both the dessert table and guest favours were created by Artistic Cakes.

Marshmallow Pops

Fab Table Layout

Sweet Treats

Fabulous Packaging

 

What's the buzz?

All other confections were created by Magdalena, as well as the invitations and the packaging for the cookie favours, the goodie labels, all using papers and cutters from Michael’s.

 

Parting is such sweet sorrow

For me?

Great ribbon and labels

The bags, tissue and ribbon were from Creative Bag.  Inside the goodie bags were bee-themed colouring books, a poem, crayons, honeycomb cereal, and lemon jelly beans.

The polka dot balloons were from Polka Dot Market.

Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous party, Magdalena!

Photos courtesy of Oh So Chic Celebrations and Joseph Muscat Photography.

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

2011 Party Trends January 16, 2011

I loved all of the party trends of 2010: Lavish dessert spreads, huge round balloons, striped paper straws, paper cones, printed labels for refreshments, custom photo backdrops, mini milk bottles and mason jars as beverage containers, custom printed cookies, whoopie pies, feathers in decor, attire, and floral arrangements, and DIY everything.  And let’s not forget the most popular themes: Circus and carnival bashes, tea parties, dessert parties, cocktail parties, black and white weddings, and craft/cake/cupcake decorating parties.

I think that most of these 2010 trends will persist throughout 2011, but what will be new for this year?

Well, I think we’ll see more “homey” trends throughout 2011, meaning that the DIY craze will continue and that a home cooking element will shine through, as well as the incorporation of family heirlooms and treasures.  Grandma’s crystal punch bowl and Aunt Edith’s silver candlesticks may find their way out of storage and into the dining room.

Comfort food will remain a big entertaining trend this year, and I foresee a lot of breakfast and brunch parties on the horizon.  Biscuit-based breakfast sandwiches, freshly squeezed juices, and stacks of personalized pancakes/waffles/french toast are easy to prepare and make a great impact.

Breakfast Biscuit

Personalized Pancakes

For desserts, I think sweet and salty will be the desired 2011 combination, as well as chocolate dipped everything.  Chocolate dipped potato chips and pretzels are tasty and very easy to prepare at home.  They also allow for colour coordination when using white chocolate and the food colouring of your choice.

Chocolate Dipped Potato Chips

Easy to make at home

Doughnuts, macarons, cupcakes and whoopie pies will all remain popular this year, and we’ll see a rise in the favour of pies, tarts and individually plated desserts for 2011.

Adorable Mini Pies

Just for you!

Table runners and mismatched or complementary plates will dominate in 2011, in lieu of the tablecloths and matching tableware we saw in 2010.  And linen napkins are back in full force, available in a wide variety of colours and patterns.

DIY Table Runner

Complementary Tableware

As for party themes – who really knows what will catch on this year?  I personally think we’ll see a lot of “make-your-own” parties, meaning that guests will be invited to assemble their own pizzas, grilled sandwiches, ice cream sundaes and the like.  I also think that games and activities will play a larger role in 2011 entertaining, especially with XBox’s new dance game – though the old board games and trivia games wouldn’t go astray either.  Of course guests love to mix, mingle and eat, but it’s always fun to get them up and moving and interacting in an unexpected way.

Garden parties and picnics began a slow resurgence last year, and I see them becoming more popular in 2011.  Evening cocktail party, afternoon tea, and Sunday brunch weddings gained favour this past year, and I imagine we will see a lot more of these modern takes on the traditional wedding format in this coming year.  Little boys will love space, spy, and superhero parties (but when have they not loved these?), and little girls will love unicorn, fairy, and animal-themed parties more than ever.  2011 movies will certainly have an impact on the party themes for the year, so we should stay tuned for new films in the Spiderman, Captain America, King Fu Panda, The Avengers, Transformers, Get Smart, and Harry Potter franchises.

Unicorn Party!

What are your thoughts on the pending trends for 2011?  I’d love to hear your ideas and opinions!

Photos courtesy of Food and Wine, Design Sponge, Etsy, Make and Takes, Kids Cooking Activities, Twirl Boutique, Martha Stewart Weddings, West Elm.

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the Boutique.

Bash Planning: Candy Cane Christmas December 12, 2010

I have finally accepted the fact that I will not be hosting a holiday celebration this year.  Between friends’ Christmas parties and then flying home to spend the holidays with my family and friends, there just isn’t a free night to host a bash.

If I were to host a party during the yule this year, I would opt for a candy cane motif.  To start off the theme, I would order the “Christmas Candyland” printables created by Bird Crafts Shop.

Candyland Christmas by Bird Crafts Shop

Treats would consist of classic chocolate whoopie pies with candy cane sprinkles (recipe here), striped and polka dotted bags of chips and popcorn, skewers of tomato and bocconcini, and a red and white striped ruffle cake.  These are fairly easy to make, and tie in the red and white theme.

Candy Cane Whoopie

Tasty Treats

Tomato & Bocconcini Skewers

For refreshments, I would set-up a milk, eggnog, and spiked eggnog station for guests, using small milk jugs and stripey red paper straws as well as red polka dot paper straws.

Red Stripey Paper Straws

Red Polka Dot Paper Straws

Guest favours would be large, swirly red and white lollipops – fun!  You can find these in-store at Indigo and Chapters.

Guest Favours

I may not host a Christmas party this time around, but there’s always next year.  Have a lovely holiday!

Photos Courtesy of Bird Crafts Shop, Crave Indulge Satisfy, Furey and the Feast, Brilliant Bash.

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

The Latest: Cath Kidston December 8, 2010

I opened my mailbox this evening to find a lovely gift from a fabulous friend of mine.  It was a beautiful set of Cath Kidston labels and greeting cards.  Just gorgeous.

I hadn’t heard of this Cath Kidston character before, so I immediately visited the website and fell head-over-heels in love.  Kidston’s marriage of sweet country patterns with bold, modern flair is near and dear to my heart.  Love it!

The shop carries a wide range of fabric, clothing and home accessories, including fun, unique dinnerware.  I especially love their cake stands, and isn’t this fondue set just the cutest one you’ve ever seen?

Provence Rose Cake Stand

Dotty Fondue Set

The Cath Kidston brand is UK-based, but there is also a US website: cathkidstonusa.com.  They don’t appear to ship to Canada *sniff*, but perhaps if we nudge them enough, they may consider doing so.

Thank you, sweet friend, for introducing me to this fantastic new world of Cath Kidston!

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

The Latest: Shoe Clips December 2, 2010

What fashion trend am I loving lately?  Shoe clips. Yip.

Shoe clips are a stylish and inexpensive way to dress up your tootsies.  They’re all over Etsy, come in a wide variety of fabrics, colours, shapes and sizes, and there are even some online retailers, such as Ban.do, that specialize specifically in these jazzy little clip-ons.  Who would have thought?

Ban.do's Sequined Heart Clips

Pom Pom Clips from Ban.do

Red Flower Clips by No144 (Etsy)

Polka Dot Shoe Clips by Dainty Button (Etsy)

Clips by LoveOwlEyes (Etsy)

A lovely stocking stuffer idea, methinks?

Photos courtesy of Ban.do, No144, Dainty Button and LoveOwlEyes

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

Host/Hostess Gifts: ‘Tis the Season November 28, 2010

‘Tis the season for holiday parties, and along with those fun times comes the responsibility of finding suitable host/hostess gifts.  A nice bottle of wine or box of chocolates (or cookies or cupcakes or macarons) are always a nice touch, but if you would like to try something different for a few of the very special hosts/hostesses in your life, there are a lot of options available to you.

Many retail websites now include a “hostess gift” page on their site, including West Elm, Crate & Barrel and Modern Karibou.

My picks for 2010 holiday parties are:

Bamboo cheese board & dome from West Elm: $24.99

Lovely Gift from West Elm

Winter dot canape plates from West Elm: $22.00 for a set of four

Modern Holiday Tableware

Customized chef’s hat from For Friends: $12.00 + embroidery

Adorable Custom Gift

Set of six cheese markers from Crate & Barrel: $9.95

Porcelian Lovelies

Package of six sweet stands from Brilliant Bash: $10.50

So Cute

Glass pedestal with dome from Pottery Barn: $14.00

Pretty and Multi-functional

For a very special host/hostess, try this snazzy dip bowl set from Modern Karibou: $99.50

Deluxe Dipping

Tip: If you opt for tableware or goods for the home, ensure the gift is fairly neutral in colour, and is fairly small in size.  Most people don’t have a lot of room for extra knick knacks and serving ware in their cupboards, so it’s best not to infringe upon your host/hostess with a large gift.

Of course, the best gifts are the ones that really “suit” the person they are being given to.  If you have any suggestions for great host/hostess gifts, please do post them here or on our Facebook page.  Happy holiday partying!

Photos courtesy of West Elm, For Friends, Crate & Barrel, Brilliant Bash, Pottery Barn and Modern Karibou

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

Brilliant Bash: Bubblegum & Soda Pop Birthday November 22, 2010

The Australian party stylists at Scissors.Paper.Cake have done it again.  Their parties are fresh and fun, and this Bubblegum and Soda Pop party is no exception.  With paper goods created by Imprintables, and lots of sweet treats for the kiddies (cupcakes by Hello Naomi), this bash looks like such a blast.

Cute Invitations

Tasty Theme

Love the colours

Cupcakes by Hello Naomi

Cake Bunting

Fab Table

Fizzy Favours

Well done, Scissors.Paper.Cake. I especially love the gumball machine motif used throughout, and the red and aqua colour palette is bright and fabulous.  Love it!

Photos Courtesy of Imprintables

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies November 14, 2010

I love gingerbread men.  These iconic holiday treats are cute, crispy, and oh so delicious.  And, allowing great latitude for creativity and gluttony, you can decorate them however you wish (i.e. lots of icing and jujubes).

Sweet Gingies

Since finding out a few years ago that I have a gluten intolerance (grrmph!), finding gluten-free gingies has been close to impossible – that is, until last December when I joyously came upon gluten-free gingerbread men and sugar cookies at The Sweet Escape in Toronto’s Distillery District.  Sweet Escape’s cookies are tasty and are sweetly decorated.  No complaints here!

If you would like to create your own gingerbread creatures at home, Canadian Living has crafted a great recipe for us gluten-free goddesses.

Recipe from Canadian Living (makes about 32 cookies):

Ingredients

½ cup (125 mL) shortening, softened

½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup (75 mL) fancy molasses

¼ cup (50 mL) cooking molasses or blackstrap molasses

3-1/4 cups (800 mL) gluten-free all-purpose baking flour, (such as Bob

1 tsp  (5 mL) ground ginger

½ tsp (2 mL) baking soda

½ tsp (2 mL) salt

½ tsp (2 mL) ground clovecloves

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon

1 batch decorator icing

Preparation:

In large bowl, beat shortening with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and fancy molasses and cooking molasses. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cloves and cinnamon; stir into molasses mixture in two additions, mixing well and blending with hands if necessary.

Divide dough in half; shape into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up 24 hours.)

Between waxed paper, roll out each half of dough to 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Peel off top paper. Using 3-inch (8 cm) cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Slide dough and paper onto rimless baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until firm to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool. Decorate with Decorator Icing. (Make-ahead: Store layered between waxed paper in airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Decorator Icing:

1 tbsp meringue powder (15 mL)

1-1/4 cups icing sugar (300 mL)

In bowl, beat meringue powder with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water until foamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in icing sugar until stiff, about 4 minutes. Cover with damp cloth to prevent drying out.  Makes about 1/2 cup (125 mL).

Yum!

If this is far too time-consuming for you (as it is for me), you can always opt for a gluten-free gingerbread mix like this one.  Or, you can just support your local bakery (like The Sweet Escape) and skip the baking process altogether.  *crunch*

Happy Holidays!

Return to Brilliant Bash or visit the boutique