Party Crashing: Cassie's Patio Birthday Soiree!

When your cousin comes in town on her birthday weekend, you go all out to make it special! My beautiful and fun-loving cousin, Cassie, with my aunt and uncle, came to town this weekend. Yesterday was her 24th birthday and you know I love any excuse to throw a fun party! Since Dustin and I put in our fun patio last year, we volunteered to host. It worked out great and the weather was perfect out (well, we could have done without the wind, but can't be too picky!).

Shout out to Dustin for an amazing yard!

For the table, I wanted bright colors with a touch of sparkle. I used the ombre plates, napkins, ruffle gold bowls, gold stripe plates and gold flatware from my shop. The gold and rainbow ombre was a perfect combo, especially for a girly girl outdoor party. Since it was windy out, I put mini water bottles on each place setting to keep the plates down. Unfortunately, I couldn't have a lot out on the table with the wind, but I loved the simplicity of white with pops of color. Of course I had to wrap up her presents using my signature pink boxes and they were great for filling table space. The flowers in the center, I put together using pink flowers and green trick - my favorite filler when putting together an arrangement.

Cassie showed up and was ready to party! I topped her off with one of the new mini party hats from my shop and the Plaid Giraffe girls made her a gorgeous corsage (after spending the day making 100+ for high school proms - power house over there!). She was in Heaven and it was all about her. I poured her a fancy glass of sparkling lemonade and we got the party started. Of course the minute little Leni showed up, things really kicked off. She instantly became Cassie's favorite party guest.

Those two were party buddies all night! After some delicious Ziggy's pizza and mom's salad for dinner, we let Cassie open her gifts. With her party buddy next to her, she ripped right through them and loved them all. I love watching the excitement of someone when they open up gifts and truly enjoy them. Throughout dinner and presents, we of course made the girls do photo shoots and honestly, they are too cute not to share:

Told you they were best party buds! So fun. Presents were followed by a delicious cake made by Grandma Lacy. She, per usual, out did herself and made one in the shape of a rose. I added some "Fancy Pants" sprinkles - coming to the shop soon - for some color. We then topped it off with a heart sparkler, which brought some excitement to the table!

After dinner, we pulled out the giant Jenga for some entertainment. We received the Jenga as a gift from my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. He and my father-in-law made it! Great patio game and kept us entertained all night. The first game we went for a long time and kept thinking it would knock over. Finally came down after my turn thanks to the wind. Leni constantly chanted "KNOCK IT DOWN!" with high enthusiasm and fist pumps. She also would chant people's names to add an extra level of pressure.

"UNCLE PAT, UNCLE PAT!"

Overall, the night was a success and I think the birthday girl had a great time. We enjoyed each other's company and laughed all night. I love my family and was happy to host them at our casa.

Need to throw together a quick party table for an upcoming event? Shop our store for paper products that really pop! Shop this post:

Rainbow Ombre Dinner Plates | Ombre Salad Plates | Ombre Napkins | Gold Striped Plates | Gold Ruffle Bowls | Gold Plastic Flatware | Mini Party Hats | Heart Sparkler Candle

Lots of Love,

LOC & Caddy Corner Calligraphy Workshop

Last weekend, Caddy and I hosted two Calligraphy Workshops and we loved every minute of it! Caddy and I met a couple years a go through a mutual friend and when she reached out about starting a new calligraphy business, Caddy Corner Designs, my mind started racing with workshop ideas. We had two great groups of students that signed up for afternoon and evening classes. They received a Caddy Corner workbook and starter supplies needed to get their new writing style going.

For the space, I wanted it to feel bright, welcoming and cheerful. We hosted the workshops in my living room, which is a large rectangle, perfect for setting up rows of tables. The first class was a little tighter because we had a couple people switch from the evening session, but everyone sits during the class, so it seemed to work. I purchased simple white tables and slated folding chairs for the stations. For the placemats, I decided to make my own and cut my favorite Lark + Raven wrapping paper sheets in half. Loved the pop of color they added!

To complete the table look, I had the wonderful Plaid Giraffe put together small bouquets in my favorite Oh Joy! for Target cups. They used bright, colorful carnations with greenery for an affordable pop of color. Just the right size.

Food and drink were a must to keep the students happy and relaxed! We served cheese, crackers, fruit and delicious, homemade scones from College Hill Creamery. Another new neighborhood favorite, Monroe Coffee Roasters, served coffee for our guests and we also had wine and fun lemonades. Monroe Coffee is available in our Little Boxes of Coffee Character! For tableware, I pulled some new favorites from the shop. I love how the marble plates coordinate with the gold stripes. The gold ruffle paper bowls look great with my Annie Glass pieces (Annie Glass is available at The Plaid Giraffe). The pink and gold napkins have been a shop favorite and are currently sold out, but more are on the way! They are a gorgeous pop of pink.

I joined in on the evening class and had so much fun! My advice, have some wine! Definitely helped me relax and go for it. You can't over think too much or you'll get shaky or forget the letter you're doing - trust me, that happened! Caddy was a fabulous instructor and took the time to walk around to help people out one on one. Her workbook was the perfect guide to getting started. I love that she has an example of every letter, slant lines and project pages. Plus, she put lots of great tips and supply lists in there for people to reference after the class.

Overall, I thought it was a fun way to spend a Saturday and I'm so glad Caddy and I were able to pull off our vision! She was a great partner in crime for the event and being our first one, I think it was a pretty good success. Sad you missed out? We will figure out a way to offer up the workshop again in the future, so make sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on our latest news!

Shop this post:

Marble Plates | Gold Striped Plates | Gold Flatware | Pink & Gold Napkins | Pink & Gold Cups | White & Gold Scallop Cups | Lark+Raven Wrapping Paper | Gold Ruffle Bowls | Floral Straws

Thank you to one of my favorite photographers, Ali Moore, for taking such wonderful photos! She is amazing if you are looking for a local family photographer! Check out her website: http://alisonmoorephotography.com/

Lots of Love,