at the shore...

I'm so lucky to only live less than 30 minutes from the ocean! Life gets busy, though, and the little mountain between me and the ocean always seems so daunting (like I said, it's only a 20 minute drive, but some how it seems much farther.) So, I was so happy when a dear friend of mine (from nursery school!) decided to have a birthday gathering over at the beach.


It was a breezy, somewhat chilly afternoon - typical for spring time in Northern California... but it was so beautiful. The smells, the sounds, the sights... oh, I just love the beach! I also had fun snapping pictures with my new camera.


The outing also reminded me of my trip a little less than a year ago to Nantucket, and inspired me to start creating some "At the Shore" items- with that nautical/beach-ey type feel. I started with some note cards, but have also created a banner, and am planning on a full Party Kit.

Summer will be here before you know it... and I definitely will be looking forward to any clambake, lobster boil, crab feed, or beach party around to attend!!

Mad Hatter Party

This past week, I hosted a crazy, mixed-up Mad Hatter Party
at my daughter's school for their annual Founder's Day celebration. It's an event that is meant to celebrate all the many, many extraordinary volunteers - past and present at our school. We are very fortunate to have so many great folks who give so much of their time... I thought the Mad Hatter theme was perfect for this crowd... I mean we all must be a little mad and crazy to volunteer so much, but we all know it's worth it!


There were some challenges for me with the event...
how on earth was I going to fill a huge space like the school auditorium...
especially on a PTA budget!?

Of course I made banners...
I just love banners, and I love how this one turned out!
I found great old-time engravings of different items
that are perfect for a the Mad Hatter theme....
Then I sprinkled in some festive lanterns, crepe papers and a bit more...
and voila!

I must admit, the space was by no means filled... but once the 100 or so people showed up, all the food was brought in, and the kids came to do some performances, the space was more than filled with crazy, mixed-up festivities!

In upcoming posts, I'll share more ideas from this party... and soon, I hope to have it prepped and ready as part of my Party Kit selection! If you're in a hurray, and can't wait to have your Mad Hatter Tea Party sooner-- just give me a hollar, I'd love to hear from you!

A Little Romance

Everyone needs a little romance in their life! Here are some images of one of my latest party kits, A Little Romance Party... Although Valentines may seem like the perfect night for this party, it may be just as good on your anniversary, or just a night when you feel like being romantic!

"Roses are red, violets are blue..." a lovely invitation for you!

Invitations and Thank You Cards

The full kit- invitations, thank yous, banner, frame and planning guide.

Up, up and away... Have a Happy Valentines Day!

Grand Prix Monaco

No, we did not just return from the Cote d’Azur to watch Monaco’s famous Grand Prix race... I wish. We did, though, try to create a little of the Mediterranean in our own backyard, though, when we threw a birthday party for my son (who just LOVES race cars) and my husband (who just loves French wines!).

The party was a perfect theme for both-- I could satisfy the french wine desire, since Monaco borders up to those lovely southern vineyards, and I pleased the car lover with vintage race cars!

We even added a little gambling, to add to the Monte Carlo mood. I was a bit concerned that our make shift blackjack and roulette tables would be ignored, but what a little wine and a gorgeous day will do for party goers... Many guests jumped right in to act as dealer while I made sure food was ready and folks were mingling!

I had such a great time creating this theme, that I couldn’t help myself but to make it one of bnute productions Party Kits as well. Check out the Grand Prix Race Car Party Kit page for details... and if you want any more ideas, feel free to send me an email!

The Summer of Love

A psychedelic Summer of Love party... I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate than to bring back the late 60’s to celebrate my “big” birthday!

Growing up, my birthday always fell on the last day of school, or during finals. Well, this year was no exception, my birthday was on the last day of school for my daughter. I must say, though, it couldn’t have worked out better... who doesn’t want to celebrate the last day of school with a party... even if it is a weeknight? There’s no school the next day, so let it rip.

The Dead, Led Zeppelin, the Doors and more... they all played loudly as the kids made god’s eyes and the adults relaxed with cool beverages and granola mix to munch on! (Yes, the food was in theme as well!) It was a great “mellow” way to start the summer!

I have yet to make this party theme into a bnute productions Party Kit, but have plans in the future to add it to my collection. I really enjoyed researching the imagery for the party. I’m very familiar with the rock posters of the late 60’s (I’m sure half the guys in my dorm in college had at least one or two hanging in their room), but didn’t really put it together the Nouveau Art/Art Deco influence. If you’re interested, a great book to look at is called, “High Art: A History of the Psychedelic Poster.”

It's Fiesta Day!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! I love this “holiday”... I know it’s a heavily Americanized holiday-- and possibly in Mexico they don’t celebrate it nearly as much as our Budweiser inspired society, but I still like the day. In fact, I think a Fiesta at any time of year is just a GOOD IDEA! Why, you ask?

First, I love Mexican food. I could live on chips and salsa (this is not necessarily a good thing...). Tostadas, tacos, tamales, you name it, I love it. I particularly love a good taco salad. My mom always made it growing up, and I’m keeping that tradition by making it for my family too.

Second, I love the folk art of Mexican paper cutting called papel picado. You know what it is... those festive paper flags, cut in all types of shapes. I definitely don’t think those have to be reserved for a fiesta... any time of year they look great!

Lastly, who stays away from a good pinata contest? I know, I know, it’s a bit creepy when someone picks out the head of their favorite character (say, a princess, or Barbie, or animal), and starts WHACKING at it. I say, stick with the symbols... a star, a number, or something that’s brightly colored, fill it with all sorts of goodies and have fun! At your next adult fiesta, try filling the pinata with adult-only trinkets... how ‘bout airline sized plastic liquor bottles, some starbucks gift cards, a little bottle of lotion (plastic, again)-- anything small is great!

Hope you had a great cinco de mayo... filled with chips, salsa and a pinata!

I Want a Dooooora Party!

I must tell you, I’m a little bit of a character-birthday snob. I’ve gone back and forth in my head, “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” I guess it’s my own desire to create something more unique for my kids birthdays that steers me away from picking up a package of [Your Child’s Favorite Character Here] invites and just going with it.

There’s nothing wrong with a character birthday. I must admit, I do think some of the shows my kids have watched or are currently watching are quite creative... I love how the Backyardigans invent adventures, dress up and have a great time, all in their own backyard... this is what childhood is all about!

So, your child wants a [Your Child’s Favorite Character Here] party. What should you do? I read this GREAT article several years ago, and it really stuck with me.... here’s the gist of it:

Go with the STYLE of the character and/or character’s show...
What do I mean by this... well it’s simple, look beyond the character and tell me what you see. The article I read took Sponge Bob Square Pants as an example. Can you imagine, a Sponge Bob party... could get pretty obnoxious, right? Not at all. Beyond Sponge Bob and Squidward is Bikini Bottom where they live... a tiki inspired underwater land. Great hawaiian motifs, oranges and turquoise, and of course a pineapple. Now think of a party-- colors, decorations, music, food, etc... How could you have a Sponge Bob party and make it more than just something commercial.... Think of Hawaiian music, tiki inspired fabrics to hang, drape on the table, fishing nets, a centerpiece of pineapples stuck in sand, bright turquoise cups and orange paper plates... and of course, maybe one Sponge Bob pillow.

You did it! A Sponge Bob party that doesn’t SCREAM Sponge Bob... he’s there of course, but so are we, immersed in the style of his world... Bikini Bottom

Themes Aren’t for Everyone... or Are They?

So, I have to tell a story... I love this story, it makes me smile in satisfaction every time I think of it!

For my wedding, I did the theme-thing... I know, you’re thinking, “eeeeghads, she’s one of those types of people...” I think I could get away with the theme-thing for a wedding in my family because a) I’m the youngest of 4, so our family had experienced many traditional weddings, and a theme would be a good change... and b) I’m the “artist-one”, so I could get away with it!!

We had our wedding weekend up in Lake Tahoe, California. A place that holds so many memories for me, from the time I was a baby, to even living up there a couple years right after college. I decided on going with an “old time Tahoe”/summer camp theme. Think of the rustic lodge-look, mixed with that Tatum O’Neill/Kristy McNickel movie about coming of age in summer camp. I wanted that. Sophistication, fun and maybe a little wild behavior too! :)

As I dove into creating the theme; grouping the guests into “cabins”, coming up with camp activities like knot tying, lanyards, learning guitar, and creating boy scout inspired badge books for each guest, I got a little feedback from my father, one who’s opinion I always take to heart.

He said, “I think your ideas are great, this will be so much fun, but when I think of many of our friends that we’ve invited, I just don’t know how many will really participate, Sweetie. I’d expect only 20-30% or so. Will that be OK with you?”

“Yes.” I said... I heard him, I’d be OK with that, but I thought, maybe he’s wrong with this one??

Sure enough, the participation was AMAZING... 100% if not even more. We ran out of boy scout badges! My husband’s elderly grandfather and my grandmother were giving it their all learning guitar chords... one of my mom’s friends artistically created a nature-inspired frame that hangs in her home even today, and many folks put on their bi-focals to figure out how on earth you make a lanyard! And, yes, the bar badge (received by drinking a good amount of beverages), was a hit too!

At toast time, I had the counselors add up all the badges per cabin, and announce the winning cabin. It was quite a scene... no matter the age, everyone loves a little competition. The winning cabin all got camp t-shirts, and wore them with pride!

I know, there are still many theme-nay-sayers out there.... I saw a t-shirt on a woman at a Halloween party. It read, “I don’t do costumes.” Well she doesn’t know what she’s missing! She needs to come to a bnute party-- that will change her mind!

Making a Party an Experience

I knew my Master’s thesis would come in handy one day! I remember the semester before I worked on my thesis, I spent a day in the New York Public Library researching ideas on what I’d like to explore. There I was in in the library-- an incredible old open space in the middle of Manhattan-- wooden tables, old fashioned lamps, and miles and miles of bookcases. I had a stack of books in front of me, and picked up one called, “Art as Experience.” I was enthralled. This is what I WANTED!! I wanted my thesis to be an experience. I wanted people to see/experience my thesis and remember it. Not for the colors, or an image, but as anyone would remember a memory... I wanted them to walk away, and a year or 2 later remember what they had experienced -- the feelings the images evoked, the people they met, the conversations they had...

Enough about my thesis, that’s a whole separate discussion and I’m sure a lengthy one... but here it is -- SEVERAL (yes, several) years later, and I’m thinking the same thing. I want bnute productions’ Party Kits to evoke an experience for the party attendees. I want party goers to remember your event and not be just one of the same of the many, many parties that they go to each year... I want your party to stand out. I want to make it an experience.

So, how shall we do that, you ask?
1.Give Context - Set a tone, Give a Story, Get Artifacts, Turn on the Music
When the atmosphere is in the theme, it will make the event much more memorable... and even folks who just “don’t like themes” might get into it! I remember a Halloween party I went to over 10 years ago. The hostess went all out in a true haunted house style... tattered curtains, cobwebs, old trinkets on display. She even swapped out all of her everday photos in frames with haunting images. It was great! I didn’t even stay too long at the party, it was one of many that night-- back before kids, before marriage, but to this day, I definitely remember the details, I felt like I was in a haunted house out on some spooky property, not in a victorian apartment in Cole Valley, San Francisco.

2.Use their Senses - Sights, Sounds, Smells, Taste, and Touch
Don’t forget the little things-- and the senses we forget about (say, touch, or sounds, even smells...) it’s these senses that really stick in our head, and make us remember an event more than another. Take for example a certain smell... whenever I first walk into my parent’s house, after I haven’t been there in awhile, I take a deep breath.... it’s the smell... their beautiful 1930’s home definitely has a distinct stately smell that reminds me of home. After I’ve been in it for awhile... a night, a day, whatever the visit, the smell diminshes as I get involved in the activites, conversations, and festivities. It’s that initial smell... One I’ll never forget!
3.Let Loose and Let Their Imaginations Run Wild
Dress ups, talking in the lingo of the theme, games or a little competition set in the theme is always fun, and will definitely make the event stand out from the rest. I love to dress up... even now! There have been few dress up events where I haven’t participated... whatever the reason that day/evening when I was getting ready-- too tired, “just not into it...” I just didn’t get into it, and didn’t dress up... and how I regretted it. The party wasn’t nearly as fun as the parties where I get “into it!” I think it’s that little extra commitment that you make to the event-- like I’m GOING to dress up, I’m going to talk only in an English accent... whatever the effort, it pays off in the end for a great experience, and fun, even funny memories! So, set out extra dress ups for those who don’t think they need it... set out a “lingo” dictionary... and get everyone into it!

4.Have fun!
No explanation needed here!