Throwing the Perfect Party-It's All in the Details

I wanted to share a few small details from Queen Bee's graduation party.  To me, it's always the little details that make a party special. Above, is the table we had sitting at the entry to our backyard.  I used my grandpa's old vintage suitcase and glammed it up a little for people to leave their cards. Instead of the traditional guest book we wanted to do something unique and meaningful for Queen Bee.  I decided to have guests each write their favorite memory of Queen Bee on a little square of paper and then place them in the glass jar.  It was so fun for us to read all of the memories of people she loves!  Some of our cute younger guests wrote many notes to her, it was so sweet!  They turned out to be a great keepsake from the party.  

I love thinking of things I already have around the house that I can repurpose for the party.  This red metal picnic basket was the perfect thing to corral all of the plates, napkins and silverware.  One of favorite party planning tips is to just look around your house for inspiration.  Base some of your party decor around things that you already have.  

On the inside lid of the picnic basket I taped one of Queen Bee's graduation pictures.  I used Queen Bee's graduation pictures to decorate throughout the party and added some fun travel and adventure themed quotes to some of them.  I love this one from Lady and the Tramp!  This was Queen Bee's very first Disney movie, she was obsessed with it!

Need and inexpensive, simple and meaningful graduation gift that is under $2.00?  Click below.

Graduation Party- Kids Buffet

Graduation Party-Kids Buffet

My favorite thing at the graduation party was that we had  an area in our yard designated as the kids zone with the kids tables, a teepee, crayons, paper, and a clothes line to hang the pictures they drew and best of all-A KIDS BUFFET!  What little kid would choose to have a pulled pork sandwich over dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets?  The kids buffet also had assorted juice boxes, veggie cups with ranch in the bottom, and of course any kids buffet wouldn't be complete without ketchup.  When decorating the kids buffet table I kept with our retro travel and adventure theme with a small globe, retro toy camera, and tiny wagon.  

Why are kids more likely to eat their veggies when they are displayed in a darling red wagon, in their own little yellow cup, with a spoonful of ranch?  I can't explain it, but it's a fact.

To see what the biggest hit of our graduation party was click on the link below.   Here's a hint...How can you go wrong when your guests can roast their very own marshmallows? 

Graduation Party

Graduation Party

I'm so excited to share the pictures of Queen Bee's graduation party.  It was a wonderful event, filled with people who love her and have been a support and inspiration to her.  It was a time for her dad and me to celebrate the amazing girl she is and all of her accomplishments.  Can you tell we are super proud of her?  The quote pictured above on her graduation announcement was the inspiration for the theme of the party.  Queen Bee has an adventurous spirit and a enormous heart.  She has already traveled quite a bit, including participating in a humanitarian program to build a kindergarten classroom last summer in Fiji.  And she plans on continuing to travel abroad and help those less fortunate while pursuing her college education.  I wanted her party to reflect her and the hopes and dreams she has for the future.  She also has her mother's love for anything vintage and retro, so I wanted to have a playful retro vibe to the decor.  

Here are all the details for where I found the things I used to create the party. For the items I found on Amazon, you can click on the link in the sidebar for more information.  On our buffet tables I used a retro globe from Dot and Bo.  I fell in love with these darling bright retro suitcases I found on Amazon.  I also used some vintage cameras and cake plates from my collections.  The globe and suitcases were the jumping off point for the color scheme of the party so I was thrilled to find  these darling Meri Meri Charms and Stripes Hanging Pinwheels that I mixed with these Meri Meri Toot Sweet Pinwheels, they were the perfect combo of colors. The tiered chip server was from Target and I lined it with gingham printed waxed paper from World Market.  Finally, throughout the party, I used scrabble letters to spell out words related to travel.

For more graduation party details, including the amazing kids buffet, click the link below.

Hive 5-The Best of Washington D.C.

Hive 5-The Best of Washington D.C.

The first time I went to Washington D.C. I was in Jr. High.  Even at my young age, I fell in love with this city.  Fortunately for me, I've been able to go back several times over the last few years with my Worker Bee and I've fallen in love all over again.  We've been in D.C. this past week and I wanted to share with my readers some of our favorite D.C. traditions.  I've tried to think outside of the box and choose things that aren't normally mentioned.  You've all heard about places to visit like the Smithsonian, The White House, The Capitol, etc.  We've been to all of those amazing places and loved them, but you can find them in any old guide book.  This is the Hive 5 for Washington D.C.

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1.  The Hay Adams Hotel:  I love this hotel.  The decor is so beautiful and classic and the rooms are comfortable and inviting.  The bed here is heavenly!  The best part is that they leave you a little gift on your pillow each night.  Not just chocolates, but cute little bottles of foot scrub or eye cream.  It was like getting a little present each night.  Things like that make me happy.:)  It is in the perfect central location for sightseeing, located right across the street from the White House.  Your hotel room could even have a White House view.  This is the quintessential Washington D.C. hotel.  

2.  Filomena:  This restaurant has the best Italian food we've ever eaten.  Words cannot describe the deliciousness.  It is a favorite among celebrities and politicians too, the menu is filled with names of famous patrons.  You can try a favorite dish from U2's Bono or a former U.S. President.  You won't leave disappointed.

3. Nationals Baseball Park: If you're a baseball fan like we are, catching a DC Nationals' game is a must.

4.  Segway Tour:  We've done the Segway tour several times and continue to love it.  It's a great way to see all of the monuments.  If you're visiting DC with a teenager, trust me, this is a must.  If the idea of driving a Segway overwhelms you, don't worry.  If I can drive a Segway, anyone can drive a Segway.  No athleticism or coordination is required.

5. Ben's Chili Bowl:  This has been a DC Institution for over 50 years.  Yummy burgers, chili dogs, cheese fries, you know, all that healthy stuff. :)  Lot's of history here and such a friendly staff and unique atmosphere.  Whenever we've been here the daughter-in-law of Ben himself is here mingling among the tables and taking pictures with diners.  It's not only delicious, but a fun experience.