DIY Table Numbers and Drink Tags

I'm back from a great weekend in Dallas where I experienced my first taste of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and did some much needed shopping, snatching up some great new pieces for my fall wardrobe. A good time was had by all, but now it's back to reality...which, for me, means back to creativity! And boy have I found some things to share with you.

While skimming through one of my favorite wedding blogs, I stumbled upon some delightful finds.

Yes, even though I've been married for almost 5 months now, I still stalk many a wedding blog, and I think you should too. The truth is, I am greatly obsessed with weddings and all of the beauty and love shown at them. But I also think they are a GREAT resource for ideas when it comes to entertaining. Think about it. Weddings and dinner parties are very similar:

They both have guests they wish to impress.

They both serve food and drinks.

They both have decorations.

They both are an expression on you.

So why not make them BOTH great?

Okay, now that I have convinced you to start reading wedding blogs, let's talk about what I have found for you today.

100 Layer Cake is showcasing a beautiful DIY wedding that demonstrates some adorable, creative and most importantly inexpensive ways to personalize your wedding (or party).

Created by punching out a number on a piece of paper that is then wrapped around a glass cylinder with a candle glowing inside, these charming table numbers are sure to light up any party. And what a unique way to let people know where to sit. Although I've seen this idea done before with tin cans (also very cute), I love that these are even more simple to make and can be drastically different depending on the color and pattern of paper you use. If you aren't having more than one table at your event, don't fret; you can still have this look by using your last initial or fun images in place of a table number.

These drinks also caught my eye and not just because they look so delicious.

**Side note - I highly suggest placing all of your beverages in one area to start with (as shown here) to create a larger impact. Repetition is so often the name of the game when it comes to great design and drinks are no different.**

The bottles shown above are cute, but what I really love are the striped straws (Can you think of a cheaper way to make such a bold statement?) and personalized name tags showing the guest's name and table number. I don't care if you're 5 or 50; everyone loves to see their name on something. So why not honor your guests with a personalized drink tag? And if you're unsure of what everyone will be drinking, you can still create some personalization by sandwiching a straw between two printed labels (round or rectangle) with each guest's name for them to place in their own beverage. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they'll also help people keep track of their drinks!

Canopy Stripes

As I mentioned in a previous post, black and white canopy striped fabric is one of my current obsessions. It's classic, clean and oh so elegant. Not to mention that it can make a bold statement in a room without being too flashy. I normally favor a very neutral color palette with accents of greens and robin's egg blues, and this pattern could be put in any such setting and be beautiful. Here a few of my favorite examples: Is this room spectacular or what? It's modern, classic and sophisticated! There is a large amount of stripes in this room, yet it's not overbearing. And the symmetry and clean lines displayed throughout give the room great balance. I could just plop this room right into my house! This is another example (as shown in a previous entry). If you don't have the money to invest in a rug, buy a few pillows and get the same look in your room for a fraction of the price. Whoever said black and brown don't go together was seriously mistaken. Lo...

Guest Room Before and After-Healing Aloe

Here is a shot of the room in all of its coral glory. Great for a teenager, not for a soothing guest room. And here is the Healing Aloe after. Healing Aloe is a color by Benjamin Moore. It was hard to get a good shot of the true color, but it is more of a seafoam than gray. Aside from painting the walls and buying a new white quilt for the bed, everything else in the space we already had--most of which are hand-me-downs (bed and dresser) or thrift store finds (lamp and side table). It will all be sufficient for now, and hopefully a space that our guests will love. I'm very happy with the outcome and the progress of one more room in the house coming closer to completion. One down, three to go (at least in the painting department!)

Table Decorating Contest

Jon and I are leaving to spend a long weekend in San Antonio with his parents and his brother (who will be town from Arizona). But before we go, I wanted to leave you with some pictures from the Officer Spouses Club Table Decorating Contest that was held last night. I called Jon on my way home from base, and he immediately asked "How was the contest?" to which I responded "Victorious." The 32nd FTS, our squadron, took first place! The theme was Silver Screen so we decided to focus on famous quotes from each movie genre. Each place setting featured a different movie. We had a "drive-in" for our center piece where clips of the famous quotes were shown. Welcome to the Jayhawk Drive-In! Wizard of Oz place setting. The glass had a button you could turn on to make the water swirl and look like a tornado inside. Also notice the witch's feet sticking out from under the plate :) A close-up of the yellow brick road I painted. Silence of the Lambs pl...

House of Hydrangeas

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