inspiration boards
Easter Brunch Inspiration
I am having a little trouble believing that Easter is already right around the corner…..wasn’t it just Christmas? But all denial aside, this year my 35th birthday just happens to fall on Easter AND my one and only sister will be visiting with her family, which to me seems like the perfect two excuses to host a lovely little Easter/Birthday/Spring brunch. A brunch is, after all, my very favorite kind of party! I’m not really into the super-cutesy or bright and plastic-y Easter decorations, but I do love fresh tulips and birds and all things green, yellow, & burlap, so I’m thinking that is the direction I will go. And ... read more
Let Them Eat Cake! {Birthday Party Inspiration}
It’s been a while since I’ve thrown a party and now suddenly I have TWO of them coming up next month! Yay! This year Trouble picked her own theme for her 3rd birthday party: CAKE! I found it only fitting since the girl is currently obsessed with all things baking-related & spends hours building cakes and cupcakes out of Legos. My only concern was that it might be too similar to last year’s Sweet Shop Party theme, but Husband ever so kindly pointed out that no one would remember last year’s theme anyway, least of all Trouble. The man has got a point. Maybe I’ve just been going through party ... read more
10 fun & easy activities to do with kids {& kid activity link-up}
Happy Presidents Day! I’ve got both girls home for the 5th day in a row and I realized this morning that if I didn’t come up a plan fast it was going to be a very rough day. So I poked around on Pinterest as well as some of my favorite blogs and even on some of my own past posts and came up with 10 great ideas for fun and easy activities. I’m sure we won’t get to most of them today, but I can’t WAIT to try them! 1. Painted Alphabet Rocks from Mama Tita 2. Everything Cookies from Living Well Spending Less 3. Kids Questionnaire from Daffodil ... read more
Crafty Inspiration {Cleanliness is Next to Craftiness}
One of my goals for the year is to spend more time doing crafts and other creative things (like finding things to fill my very empty walls and adding a little color to my oh-so-vanilla home decor!) I was hoping to do a project this week, but my plans were thwarted by annoyingly practical husband. Ever had a conversation like this? Me: I think I’ll stop by the craft store today to look for a new project [translation: I'm feeling restless & want to avoid all the things I should be doing at home] Husband: [looking like his head might explode] No. Way. Have you SEEN your craft closet? Me: ... read more
Party Inspiration: Princess Tea Party
***UPDATE: See the actual Princess Tea Party photos here*** Princess is a girl who knows what she wants. She has been asking for a princess-themed birthday party pretty much since the moment her Crafty Pool Party ended last year. I have to admit, I have had a hard time mustering up a lot of enthusiasm for this theme. I’m. Just. Sooooooooo. Sick. Of. Princesses. Here in GirlWorld, otherwise known as the Soukup household, we are glued to the the APATT (All Princesses All The Time) network 24 hours a day, with the occasional commercial interruption for fairies and mermaids (though rest assured, they are usually fairy and mermaid princesses.) If ... read more
Sweet Soda Shop Party Inspiration
Trouble is almost 2. Can you believe it? No, I can’t either. My baby is not a baby anymore! But while I am feeling a little sad that she’s growing up so fast, I can’t help but get excited about the prospect of planning a birthday party. It is, after all, my very favorite thing to do! A few weeks ago I ordered a few things for the girls from my favorite kid’s store, Gymboree. Everything–including sale items–was an additional 30% off AND I had a coupon for 20% off my entire order. It made me a little giddy & I couldn’t resist taking a peek at the birthday ... read more
Party Inspiration: Candy Canes, Cocktails, & Christmas Classics
It’s party time! Husband and I are throwing our annual holiday bash this weekend, so at the risk of spoiling the surprise (for my friends who read this blog), I thought I’d share some of my party preparation this week, starting today with my inspiration for this year’s shindig: candy canes, cocktails, & christmas classics. Today I am guest posting over at Frugality is Free about my favorite tips for throwing a fabulous party on a budget. So after you check out my inspiration for this weekend’s party, be sure to head on over to check it out! Here is my inspiration: Stay tuned for party progress! Did you vote ... read more
Thanksgiving Inspiration
Halloween is only days away, which means Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love Thanksgiving! I love to cook and I love to bake, but most of the time I just don’t have time to do it right. Thanksgiving is my excuse to go hog-wild and make everything from scratch, the way I would if I had unlimited hours in the day. I literally spend three days straight in my kitchen cooking up a storm. For most people, Thanksgiving is all about the Turkey. As a vegetarian, for me Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes. My husband takes care of the turkey and homemade gravy (both of which, ... read more
Halloween Decorating Inspiration
I just love holidays. Luckily for me, my 4 year-old has inherited my enthusiasm for all things holiday, and between the two of us, we could spend hours planning all the fun we will have on all our special days. She literally has been talking about Halloween for months now, since before the Fourth of July. So while it may still seem a little early to most sane people, M. and I are chomping at the bits to make this house festive from top to bottom. On a budget, of course. People sometimes think I have a lot of ideas, but I honestly don’t think I’m very original. I’m not ... read more
Fall Wedding Inspiration
I had the friend of a friend contact me this week for some wedding planning advice. She is getting married on 10/10/10 (as in, a month from yesterday!) and was hoping I could send her some ideas for a fun & stylish wedding on a budget. She told me it is a second wedding for both of them, and they wanted a small at-home ceremony with just their children and close family members, followed by an at-home reception a little later in the day. I had to work quickly, since she is on such a time crunch, but this was the inspiration board I created for her (Photo Credits: marthastewartliving.com, ... read more
