Ornament Exchange Holiday Party

 We received a lot of great feedback from this post last year so wanted to share again for 2010 Ornament Exchange parties!

Ornament Exchange Holiday PartyOrnament Exchange Holiday Party

An Ornament Exchange is a wonderful way to entertain during the holiday season. Planning is simple and guests leave with a special ornament received from friends. Here are a few tips for the perfect party:

Start with a fun invitation! There are many invitations available for this fun event. On the invitation ask each guest to bring a wrapped ornament to exchange. I recommend including a maximum dollar value for the ornament such as $15.  If everyone brings an ornament in the same price range everyone will leave happy with their ornament.

If you are planning an evening party, serve a fun cocktail. The following recipe for Amaretto-Cranberry Kiss cocktail was a huge hit last year at our party.

Amaretto-Cranberry Kiss Cocktail
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup amaretto
3 T Orange Juice

Mix cranberry juice, vodka, amaretto and orange juice in pitcher. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Can be prepared 1 day ahead so perfect for entertaining!

Fill cocktail shaker with ice and fill with one cup of mixture. Cover and shake. Serve in martini glass. Enjoy!

As guests arrive place all wrapped ornaments under the tree. Serve cocktails and appetizers.

To do the exchange:

~On a small piece of paper write numbers for the number of guest. Example, for 15 guests have 15 slips numbered 1 -15.
~Have each guest pull from a number from a Santa hat. The number they pull is the order they will unwrap an ornament.
~Guest who pulled #1 goes first. They unwrap an ornament and show the group. No one should tell which ornament they brought yet.
~Guest who pulled #2 has the option to unwrap an ornament or steal the ornament from Guest #1. We play that any ornament can be stolen only once per round and a new round starts every time a new Guest pull choose.  
~Continue until everyone has an ornament. Encourage stealing others ornaments. It adds a lot of fun to the exchange! Plan on an hour or so for about 15 guests.
~Have everyone go around the room and tell which ornament they brought and where it was purchased. Guests may want to purchase a similar ornament or they may have a fun story of how and where the ornament was purchased.

An Ornament Exchange is a guaranteed fun holiday party! If you host an ornament exchange party let us know your ideas!

Sweet 16 Party Invitations

Planning a Sweet 16 party? Check out these gorgeous invites for a Sweet 16 birthday!

Sweet 16 Damask

Sweet 16 Party Dress

Save 10% on Bridal Shower Invitations at Paper Celebration

Planning a Fall Bridal Shower? We have added many new invitations and also have a nice selection of sale invitations.

We appreciate your business! Paper Celebration includes the printing in all pricing and we email a proof so you can see exactly how the invitation will look when printed. We only offer invitations from designers who are as passionate about quality as we are. Quality card stock and the latest designs can be found at papercelebration.com.

Save 10% on orders over $50! Enter Brides at Checkout.

Margaritas on the Patio

The weather forecast for the next week is HOT! I like hot but not being stuck inside with the AC cranked all day! Around 7pm or so the weather cools off a little and everyone emerges from inside. Try this recipe for Margaritas for a refreshing cocktail and friends will be on your patio right away!
Margarita
(I love this recipe because the result is not too sweet)
1/2 can frozen limeade
1 beer
triple sec
lime juice
tequila

Scoop 1/2 of a can of frozen limeade into a blender. Add 1/2 cup beer, splash of triple sec, 3/4 cup tequila and a splash of lime juice. Add ice and blend. Serve.

Custom Birth Announcements from Paper Celebration - Welcome Baby Mitchell

Friend, neighbor and facebook fan, Nora, had a clear vision for the design of the birth announcement for her second son, Mitchell. Photo with a clean and elegant design. The result is perfect; small tri-fold announcement with photo and monogram/text printed on ivory linen card stock. Tri-fold is metallic stardream card stock. Announcement was complete with matching ink and ivory linen envelope. Beautiful baby and beautiful announcement!

Paper Celebration can create a custom card with your choice of card stocks, colors, etc. Send us an email @ customerservice@papercelebration.com

Photo by Chrissy K-G Photography

http://chrissyk-gphotography.blogspot.com/

Progressive Dinner Party was a Perfect Evening!

The progressive dinner was a lot of fun. An advantage of so many houses in one block - instant large party.
So our party had about 24 and some came for appetizers or just dessert which was great. The weather was ok. No rain but chilly. Appetizers at my house. The amount of alcohol was good but would add more beer next time. I served vodka & lemonade too.  We changed the dinner format from my last post - everyone dined together in one backyard. That was my favorite part. It was great to stay together and easier to keep food all in one spot. The food was great and we had just the right amount. No leftovers at all. Margaret Marshall tried a citrus tarragon marinade for the kabobs and it was awesome! She also included small red potatoes on the kabobs and they were really good. Nice way to add starch to the meal. The parmesan rice was well liked (recipe in last post) and easy to bake and serve. On to the Strye's for dessert and cocktails - a great end to a fun evening.
If I could change anything for next time I would:

• Push the party back one weekend. A lot of conflicts with graduations/sports/etc.
• Try a new menu. Loved the kabobs but fun to try a different cocktail/dinner theme.
• Send a Save the Date months in advance.

It was a really fun party and I hope a new annual event for our block. If your block has a great party idea, Please share!

Just a few invitation ideas for your summer progressive dinner party. Find all of these on www.papercelebration.com

 

Summer Party Invitations from Paper Celebration

Summer Entertaining - Progressive Dinner Party!

Summer Progressive Dinner
 Today is a beautiful day and Summer is near.  Summer is my favorite season by far and our patio becomes our new family room. We love to have friends over and our block of neighbors is the best. This year our neighborhood is going to host a progressive dinner party. Will keep you posted on the success but here are the details so far:

Set the mood with a great invitation. We have a great selection of summer party invitations at Paper Celebration. Everyone meets at our house for cocktails and appetizers at 6:30. At 7:30 we will draw names to determine who goes where for dinner. Each dinner house will host 6-8 people and serve the same menu to keep it simple. After dinner we will move on to the next house for dessert and cocktails. Drawing names for dinner is a good way to mix up the group and encourages everyone to get to know someone new. Providing a menu and recipes also makes it easy for everyone. Each guest is asked to bring a bottle of wine, dinner item or a dessert. Looking forward to the party and keeping fingers crossed for a beautiful summer night!

Neighborhood Progressive Dinner Party Menu

Salad w/ vinaigrette

Parmesan Rice (recipe below)

Shish kabobs (make ahead or have dinner guests assemble their own)

Parmesan Rice

adapted from An Occasion to Gather - Junior League of Milwaukee

2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups long grain white rice
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup oil-pack sun-dried tomatoes cut into 3/4 inch pieces

Saute the onions in the butter in a large saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the broth, rice, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the rice mixture into a 2-quart baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, tightly covered with foil, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes; remove the foil. Bake for 10 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown.

Serves 6 to 8

National Stationery Show is here!

Next week I am travelling to New York for the National Stationery Show at the Javits Center. The show is amazing and attracts stationery designers from all over the country. I love going to see all of the new items and ideas. This will be my 5th or 6th show and I think this show will be very different from previous years. The economy definitely affected the party and stationery industry - if you were looking to cut back that was an easy place to start. Technology has also taken a bite out of the business. Evites are easy to send and economical. The economy and technology have forced the industry to analyze the trends and work hard to create new items that will encourage consumers to spend and encourage consumers to entertain again.

How do you send party invitations? Printed invitations in the mail? evites? phone? Do you feel invitations are a important piece of the event? Has your buying patterns changed over the past few years? Will you entertain this year more than last year? Would love to hear your feedback and hope everyone is gearing up for Summer entertaining! Next post will be a Summer Progressive Dinner!

Looking for a WOW Wedding or Bridal Shower Gift?

I am very excited about a new line of personalized gifts we are now carrying at Paper Celebration. The line offers personalized tempered glass cutting boards, melamine personalized serving trays and much more! I ordered a large black damask cutting board with lime green monogram and I can't wait to entertain! I am going to use for cheese/crackers or as place for bottles of red wine to sit. It is gorgeous! Choose from stylish patterns such as zebra or damask and personalized with a monogram or name. Very unique and Made in the USA! Be sure to allow 3 weeks for delivery. The large cutting board is $48 and the small cutting board is $36.

Perfect gifts for bridal shower, wedding, new home, Mother's Day, birthday, etc., etc. A definite WOW gift!

Visit Paper Celebration to order and email customer service with any questions.

Kentucky Derby is May 1 - Perfect time for a party!

One of the most fun events you could ever attend is the Kentucky Derby. The combination of the warm weather, people watching, crowds, beautiful horses and the 136 years of tradition make the day exciting and memorable. I have gone to Derby 5 or so times, in the infield (very, very casual) and to the bleachers (casual). I have yet to make it to the grandstand and wear a hat, but will someday.

I asked some of my college friends who live in Kentucky for some Derby Party ideas and received great tips. My AOPi roommate,  Amy, gave me these ideas for a fun in-home Derby Party:

Décor – The Derby is the “Run for the Roses” so incorporate roses into décor. For a formal party combine roses and silver, for a casual barbecue party,  pair roses and red checked linens.

Attire – Hats are a must. If children are attending set up an area where they can decorate their hats.

Food – All of the these menu suggestions can be made ahead (perfect):

Kentucky Hot Brown

Country Ham w/ bourbon glaze sandwiches

Beer Cheese w/veggies

Kentucky Bread Pudding

Derby Pie

Mint Juleps – must have and easy to make (recipe below)

Derby Racing – This is a great idea because it is easy to execute and requires no knowledge of the Derby horses. Throw all of the Derby horses names into a Derby hat and each family/guest draws a name. Have everyone contribute $5-$20 for the prize. Have 3 prizes Win-Place-Show.

The Derby and all of the prior races are televised throughout the day beginning at 11am on ESPN and the Derby will be televised from 5-6pm on NBC.

Recipes:

Mint Juleps 
recipe courtesy of Kentucky Derby

2 Cups sugar
2 Cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups

No Derby Party is complete without the Mint Julep which has been the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century. Each year, almost 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. This is a feat that requires over 10,000 bottles of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 1,000 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 60,000 pounds of ice.
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
The official mint julep glass is the most popular souvenir for Derby guests and will become a collector's items.  They make great gifts for your guests and look even better with the drink inside!
For more information on the Kentucky Derby including recipes and party supplies visit www.kentuckyderby.com

Celebrate Friendship at the American Cancer Society Ladies Spring Luncheon

The Wisconsin chapter of the American Cancer Society will hold its 35th Annual Spring Benefit Ladies’ Luncheon on Tuesday, May 4^th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Milwaukee Country Club.  This benefit, one of the Milwaukee area’s premier charitable events, has been a successful fundraiser for the American Cancer Society for many years, and all proceeds from the event go toward research, education, advocacy and services for all forms of cancer.

2010 Committee Chair Jennifer Anderson explains  "This year’s theme is “Friends for Life” and I can think of no better way to support this terrific cause than to surround ourselves with wonderful, loving, supportive friends for a lovely spring luncheon!"

This annual spring event includes a silent auction, raffle, cash bar and luncheon, as well as a speaker.  This year, the featured speaker will be Joyce Garbaciak from WISN 12 News. 

I love this event and was happy to serve on the committee working on centerpieces, publicity and the program. The committee is always dedicated to hosting a wonderful event and each year brings together over 350 guests and supporters of ACS. 

The cost per ticket is $75 per person.  Preferred seating tables of 10 may also be purchased for $1,000.  A percentage of the ticket price is tax deductible Tickets can be purchased through the American Cancer Society office by contacting Jessica Zeisse at (262) 523-5573 013 or Jessie.zeisse@cancer.org.  The Milwaukee Country Club is located at 8000 N. Range Line Road in River Hills.

Celebrate Friends for Life on May 4th.

An Entertaining Spring Brunch

Time to pack away the black boots and unpack the pink & green and start the spring cleaning. To motivate yourself to start the spring cleaning, set a date on the calendar and host a spring brunch. A brunch is a perfect way to kick off the season and bring friends out of hibernation. A brunch is also stress-free entertaining because all of the food can be prepared one day ahead.

Let's get started:

Start with an invitation full of bright colors and decorate the table with the same color palette.

For the menu, serve eggs, meat, non-meat option, bread and fruit. Seems like a lot but try this:

• Quiche - meat and veggie varieties
• Baked French Toast with Berry Syrup
• Fruit Kabobs or a Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola
• Coffee
• Amaretto Mimosa (Recipe below)

Prepare all of the food one day ahead. If you do not want to make coffee for a crowd, purchase a traveler at Starbuck's for around $12.00 which includes all of the cream and sugar.

Set the table one day ahead. Use colors from the invite and potted plants as centerpieces and as a party favor. If you prefer cut flowers, tulips and daffodils are a great value this time of year.

When guests arrive, offer coffee and the Amaretto Mimosa. As guests chat you will have time to plate the food. Serve the food plated. Much less stressful.

Have food come out of the oven at the same time, about 30 minutes after guests arrive.

Voila! You have just treated your friends to an enjoyable morning, your house is clean and you were able to enjoy the party too. Gotta love Spring!

Amaretto Mimosa
recipe from www.epicurious.com
3 cups Orange Juice
1/4 cup Amaretto or other almond flavored liqueur
1 bottle sparkling wine

In a pitcher stir together OJ and Amaretto. Fill 6 champagne flutes halfway with mixture and top with sparkling wine.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wishing you a fun and festive St. Patrick's Day! Enjoy this easy and delicious appetizer!

New Baby Shower Invitations!

A friend of mine is preparing for baby #2. She has the room ready and just had a weekend away with the girls. Shower the mom-to-be if it is the first or the fifth baby. A mom of 5 would love an afternoon with the ladies. Here are a few new invites for a perfect baby shower:

 

 

Check out all of the baby shower invitations at PaperCelebration.com

Spring is in the air (not really)

The 2010 Spring Releases are full of bright colors that will drive away the winter blues from anyone. Modern with a classic twist is the new norm with bold patterns and colors. We have a new line of luxurious towels embroidered with monograms and fabrics. Fabric covered pails and buckets complete a great gift for a bride or Mother's Day. 

We donated one of the pails to the St. Monica Raffle and another one will be donated to the American Cancer Society Ladies Luncheon. I know the lucky winners will be happy!

Look for our next post on more items for Spring!

Happy Valentine's Day!

15% of sales will be donated to the American Cancer Society thru 2/22/10.

Entertaining on Valentine's Day

       

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays for a few reasons:

1. My Birthday is the next day.

2. I love the color red and hearts.

3. It is a perfect reason for a party.

I love to entertain on Valentine’s day. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of those we love so just about any party works well. Whether it be couples over for dinner, girls over for coffee or a little girl's American Girl party, it is a fun time. 

Couples Dinner

Set a romantic table with reds, silver, candles and something glittery. Serve a nice red wine with a rich dinner and end with a chocolate molten cake and Amaretto coffee. For lively dinner conversation, try a variation of the Newlywed game. Write down a few questions on red card stock such as “Where were you the first time one of you said I Love You?” We played this during dinner a few years ago and there were a few surprises! It is a fun way to get to know your friends better.  

Girls’ Night Out

Pink cocktails of course and again chocolates! Invite everyone to wear red or pink.

Ladies Coffee or Tea

Brunch is the easiest meal to prepare when entertaining. Use lots of strawberries!

Little Girls Valentine Party

This was a fun one! I found heart shaped marshmallows for the hot chocolate, decorated cookies and my mom made each girl a pink dress for their American Girl Dolls. They loved it!

There are endless ways to celebrate the day so just do it! We have great invitations in packs of 10 that can ship immediately. We can even create a custom invite for you. Just send us an email. What a great time to get together it’s cold and dreary so bring some warmth to a loved one!  

Happy Valentine's Day to you!!

Back to School for me!

It's official! I am going to back to school! I have enrolled at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in the Graphic Design program. My first classes are Photoshop and Graphic Design principles. I am really excited for the new learning and know it will benefit Paper Celebration a ton! I will be able to design my own invites, enhance the web site and create better marketing materials. I know my printer (Amerisign and Graphics) will be happy too. They are very helpful to the pre-press challenged. I will be sure to share my projects!

New Items Coming Soon for Spring 2010

I love this time of year. Why you ask? Even though it is snowy and cold outside here in Wisconsin, the Spring releases with all of the bright colors and beautiful patterns bring much warmth and happiness. We will be adding new items over the next few weeks and also cleaning out older designs (check out the sale section). Here is just a glimpse of what is to come!

Going to the Chapel on 2010?

I would love to be planning my wedding in 2010. (I have been happily married for 17 years so not an option for me) I love to party plan and all of the details that make the event special. I used to make chocolate place cards with names of the bridal party on them. They were awesome and a unique addition to the table. Now I am sticking to the invitations for all of the wedding celebrations. In 2010 there are SO many options for weddings and the internet makes all of the options easy to find and purchase. Blogs let everyone share ideas and photos. Check out stylemepretty.com One of the new invitation lines that I love is the Mindy Weiss collection from Inviting Company. The designs are elegant but still fun. The price is one to love too! A box of 10 invites is only $14.00 which includes printing. If you are planning a bridal shower or engagement party in 2010 be sure to visit www.papercelebration.com and check out the Mindy Weiss collection.

If you are heading to the chapel in 2010 Congratulations and have Fun planning the big day!

Happy New Year! Looking forward to 2010!

I have to say that I am really looking forward to 2010. I feel it is going to be a great year with a lot of new opportunities.As the economy begins to turn around we can all look ahead to new adventures and possibilities. Here are a few of mine:

First, I am looking forward to returning to college! I am going to take a few graphic design classes at the local college. It will be fun to go back and I am really looking forward to the typography class! A whole class on fonts - How fun!

Second, I am looking for new partners and vendors to work with in 2010. First trip will be to the Chicago Gift Show at the end of January. I would like to add letterpress cards and invites to the mix. If you are a designer or vendor send us your samples. You can email us at customerservice@papercelebration.com.

I hope you have a great year also and I look forward to working with you soon!