Event Decor Designer - Newbie or A Patriotic Christmas

I had the opportunity to decorate for our USO Christmas party with Amy, another volunteer. The whole event was Pinterest inspired, with our own interpretation of course!

We started in November and after a few shopping trips and a few craft nights we were ready to transform the Base Club into a magical space.

We started by making 7,  24" wreaths to hang in the dining area. 

We wanted a patriotic theme yet still Christmasy.

We even made our own bows. 

We followed a Pinterest tutorial for the Perfect Christmas Bow.

We were proud!

The centerpieces started with a Pinterest fail. 

We tried watered down glue with glitter and ended up with a cloudy clumpy creation. 

Fortunately, we bought some spray that looks like ice 

so we tried that, with the glitter and the mason jars were captivating. 

We just added a votive, some fresh greens, a few berry picks, 

a few sprayed pine cones and a few small gold stars.

All set upon a cardboard cake tray (Amy bakes) 

We made two pots for the fireplace hearth. 

Amy had lighted silver twigs and berries from her wedding a few years ago, 

I sprayed a bunch of pinecones with snow, that I had collected for Kate's babyshower. (recycle) 

So we filled these two jars (that I got on clearance at the ChristmasTree shop for $6.50 each), 

with pine boughs and all the above. 

They were really gorgeous, the pictures don't really do them justice.

We wanted some glitz for the horse devours table and totally got this idea from Pinterest.

We used battery tealights because the candles were exposed.

Amy put this last part together- it looked amazing.

And An honorable mention, 

these snowmen made their fourth appearance at a winter holiday party.

I made them last Christmas for the Children's Christmas party.

They just needed a little primping and some new noses.

By the way, they are about 6 ft tall! 

Amy and I had a lot of fun!

Shower Power!

Kate had two showers this past weekend, one given by her mom and family and 

the second by Shelley, myself & our girls. 

Obviously, she received many much needed baby items. Thanks to all who attended.

We had our shower at Donna Eicke's on Charles St in Lockport. 

After much cyber-planning between: Chicopee, MA, Lyndonville, NY, Victor, NY, Worcester, MA, and Lockport NY, we ended up with an event that we were all pleased with!

Enjoy the pictures, Danielle and Gabby did a phenomenal job with the decor and favors- 

you girls are the best!

Along with sugar scrub favors, gold painted feather name tags, and 

various unique shower decor items were fall items foraged from the woods, by yours truly! 

Good thing I walk the dog twice a day. 

Hoping to see Danielle do a blog on all the creative decorations!

Hoping to see Heather blog on the shower as well. The pictures will be excellent as always.

Look at these adorable cupcakes made by Denise Salmons. 

They tasted just as good as they looked!

Shelley and I appreciate all the effort these ladies put forth to make this a great shower for Kate.

We can't wait to meet Brielle!!!

Just in Jersey

Had a great time visiting Bud & Chris in NJ a few weeks ago. 

Thanks to some days off for Jewish holidays we set off for a fun four day weekend.

The first night Chris served a delicious dinner 

& we took a walk on the Ocean City Boardwalk.

The next day Chris took us on a 5 mile walk through a preserve. 

It was overcast & pretty cool. We got attacked by gnats for a good bit! 

But all and all it was great fun. 

Good exercise & great company!

We went to the old fashion Village of Smithville for a little shopping.

I guess Ken was trying to keep me from buying too much!

The next day we met up with Amber, Ted, Emily, and Audriana at Rehoboth Delaware.

We took the ferry over and had lunch. It was rainy so, what else? 

Shopping!

The get together proved too much for the little sweetie!

If some of these pictures look familiar, it's because, 

my pirate sister Amber stole them off my camera, that I left in the back seat of her car!

Arrr!

Seeing The Cape

I have lived here almost three years now and we finally took a trip to Cape Cod. 

The tip is only 3 hours and 15 minutes from here, 

but there are so many great places to visit near-by, that we just hadn't gotten around to it.

We started in Provincetown, 

It was pet appreciation weekend so there were dogs everywhere. 

Had a little lunch, walked the pier, and the quaint narrow streets filled with shops.

This was very cool. This is the structure on the picture above. 

 They Also Faced the Sea is an outdoor art installation of five large portraits of local Portuguese-American women photographed by Norma Holt hanging since 2003 on one side and one end of the old fish-packing plant on Cabral Pier.

Provincetown boasts being the first place the Pilgrims landed and created the Mayflower Compact. 

I think they are a little bitter that Plymouth gets all the press ;)

We headed for Race Point beach hoping to see the light house, but is was a few mile walk across a sandy beach & we weren't prepared for that (lazy)

The area is famous for sand dunes being right at the very tip of the Cape.

Here's a few from the top of an observation platform.

That night after a delicious dinner, 

we caught the sunset at a beach in Orleans, where we stayed.

I think this was my favorite part of the whole trip.

On day two we visited Hyannis to ride the Cape Cod Central Railroad. 

We were really early so scoped out the near-by harbor & Country Club.

It was a 2 hour ride along the northern coast and the Cape Cod Canal at the base of Cape Cod. 

The canal looked a lot like Erie, but 10 times bigger! 

They don't need locks because the tide rises at different times at each end of the canal.

And, who knew Cape Cod had so many cranberry bogs!

Sat with a nice couple from the Cape who gave us some of the local skinny.

We ended our visit driving East to Chatham, a few people recommended it.

The weather was phenomenal so Saturday there were a lot of people around.

 Ken had to drop me off in the road to get a picture of the lighthouse and beach because it was so crowded. We couldn't get near the harbor but caught some views at a local boat launch site.

We topped off a beautiful trip by stopping in Worcester to have dinner with Danielle.