Oh my! The summer solstice party is a growing. I sat down with an initial list and had about 150 people on the list. Now, I’ve had parties this big in the past and although I’ve enjoyed them, I just didn’t know if I wanted this party to be one of those. So, I got it down to about 60 people and was feeling very pretty good until I started running into people and realized I’d forgotten a BUNCH of folks. So then I went back to the drawing board and we’re up to around 174 and I need to pare down AGAIN!
So, today I’m going to talk about whom do you cut and who do you leave on your invitation list! If I were to put it out there to all the people I know casually, professionally, family, and friends the numbers could hit astronomical numbers. But I can’t afford to have a party for that many people – at least not until my daughter gets married. So, where do you begin when you’ve got too many names and not enough dough?
First I write down all my dearest of friends. The ones who I enjoy being around and can’t live without. In all honesty – this number is only around 15. Then you add the friends you don’t see very often, but when you do see them you remember how much you enjoy them. Then you add in the friends that are a little more on the fringe, not because you don’t like them, but because life, work, things get in the way. Forget about all the “shoulds” you know, the ones who you work with, are in organizations together and are friends of friends. This is your party and it should reflect the kind of energy you want. So, with all of that – I’m at around 75. Good number. Not everyone will attend, but I bet I have around 50 who are there. And that’s a nice size party for my backyard and my budget.
Next week – I get to budget for my 50 friends I think will attend and I’ll talk invitations and themes.
Deb
April 30, 2010
April 19, 2010
Summer Solstice Party
Hi Everyone and welcome back to the blog. Here in Flagstaff, the sun was shining all weekend and the weather was nothing short of fantastic. I got to spend all day Saturday making my front yard presentable, clearing away the leaves and cleaning up trash that obviously came in on a wind gust and was trapped for months under our 12 feet of snow. Now that the snow is melting, and the front yard is fixed up, I can concentrate all my evenings and weekends on the backyard and getting everything ready for the Summer Solstice party.
The Annual Summer Solstice Party is by far my favorite party of the year. There is nothing that brings me greater joy than bringing together all my friends and family to enjoy perfect weather, great food and a good time.
This year’s Summer Solstice Party is going to be the best one to date. (okay, I say that every year – and every year I’m right!!!) It’s only April, so I do have some time and time is one thing a planner will consider a gift. I’ve got a few months to continue with the backyard and more than likely I’ll be “redecorating” right up to the moment people arrive. So, what am I doing a few months out? Here’s my list for this week:
1. Make guest list and design invitations. I haven’t decided if I want to mail them out, use facebook, use email or a combination. My first choice is to go to About Memories and More and let Kirstin help me design the perfect invite, spend a few evenings putting them together and then mailing them out. While this is my first pick, I don’t have everyone’s address and I don’t want them to think I’m only inviting them “after the fact”. So, I either have to get everyone’s addresses and thankfully there is enough time, or email everyone.
2. I’m trying to envision how I want the party to look. Now, I’d love to have fresh cut flowers everywhere, but my gardens won’t be producing “cut” flowers until August, and I’d rather invest in perennials than flower arrangements. Last year I had a total garden theme even using terra cotta planters to hold food. BTW – if you soak the terra cotta in ice cold water for an hour before serving it will help keep your food cold. But the lining of the pots was time consuming.
3. Next I’m thinking about the menu. I’ve already gotten requests for some of the appetizers and I know Satchmos BBQ is always a hit, so food I can wait until June to work on.
4. Seating – This is always a challenge with a party. If you make sure everyone can sit and enjoy their food, then you run the risk of everyone clumping into groups. I try to have seating vignettes throughout the yard and that way people can still mingle. I’ll have to visit the budget for this one.
5. Entertainment – do we all mingle which is always fun, and I try to have some great outdoor games available and set up, but do I want to go DJ and possibly have dancing? Again, I must check the budget and make sure it’s the feel for the event.
Well, these are just a few of the things I’m working on for the party – next time I’ll bring in more things to consider.
Take care and MAKE YOUR LIFE AN EVENT!!
Debbi
The Annual Summer Solstice Party is by far my favorite party of the year. There is nothing that brings me greater joy than bringing together all my friends and family to enjoy perfect weather, great food and a good time.
This year’s Summer Solstice Party is going to be the best one to date. (okay, I say that every year – and every year I’m right!!!) It’s only April, so I do have some time and time is one thing a planner will consider a gift. I’ve got a few months to continue with the backyard and more than likely I’ll be “redecorating” right up to the moment people arrive. So, what am I doing a few months out? Here’s my list for this week:
1. Make guest list and design invitations. I haven’t decided if I want to mail them out, use facebook, use email or a combination. My first choice is to go to About Memories and More and let Kirstin help me design the perfect invite, spend a few evenings putting them together and then mailing them out. While this is my first pick, I don’t have everyone’s address and I don’t want them to think I’m only inviting them “after the fact”. So, I either have to get everyone’s addresses and thankfully there is enough time, or email everyone.
2. I’m trying to envision how I want the party to look. Now, I’d love to have fresh cut flowers everywhere, but my gardens won’t be producing “cut” flowers until August, and I’d rather invest in perennials than flower arrangements. Last year I had a total garden theme even using terra cotta planters to hold food. BTW – if you soak the terra cotta in ice cold water for an hour before serving it will help keep your food cold. But the lining of the pots was time consuming.
3. Next I’m thinking about the menu. I’ve already gotten requests for some of the appetizers and I know Satchmos BBQ is always a hit, so food I can wait until June to work on.
4. Seating – This is always a challenge with a party. If you make sure everyone can sit and enjoy their food, then you run the risk of everyone clumping into groups. I try to have seating vignettes throughout the yard and that way people can still mingle. I’ll have to visit the budget for this one.
5. Entertainment – do we all mingle which is always fun, and I try to have some great outdoor games available and set up, but do I want to go DJ and possibly have dancing? Again, I must check the budget and make sure it’s the feel for the event.
Well, these are just a few of the things I’m working on for the party – next time I’ll bring in more things to consider.
Take care and MAKE YOUR LIFE AN EVENT!!
Debbi
April 7, 2010
Spring in Flagstaff is Here
Happy Spring! The winds are howling, the temps are hovering in the 50s and the last thing anyone wants to do is go outside. However, I’ve been stuck inside for so long I’m willing to brave the 60 MPH winds and get back to life in the yard.
While writing this blog, I thought it might be fun to kick off the outdoor entertaining season. There is no place I’d rather entertain guests than in my backyard in the summer. The beautiful flowers, the green grass and all the trees seem to form the perfect outdoor room and I only have to add a few perks at the beginning of the summer and it’s ready at a moment’s notice.
Here I am talking about summer entertaining and it’s only April. In Flagstaff, we’ve had over 140 inches of snow and my backyard isn’t up to snuff, and so April is the month I spend getting it all put back together. I stepped out on the back deck this morning and began the making a list of what I need to do to get everything ready for May.
First up…. The decks need to be power washed and if needed stained. Now my lower deck will be fine with a good scrub, but my upper deck needs to be stained. It’s been a hard winter and last year’s stain didn’t hold up as well as I’d have liked. Once the decks are cleaned and polished, I can start pulling out the furniture. I always like to take hot soapy water and a sponge and wipe down all the tables and chairs – that way if a guest shows up and wants to sit down, a family of spider webs along the bottom of your chairs won’t be a worry. I also do a good scrub to the fabric cushions. They should all be outdoor fabrics and they can handle and usually need to be cleaned.
Once your deck and furniture is cleaned – it’s time to decorate! I like to start with lighting. I’ve done everything from tiki torches to outside twinkle lights to paper lanterns to candles. Try and look at your yard as a room and throw in some up lighting by the trees, hang lights from the tree branches and then treat your actual entertaining spaces as a living room. I’ve added overhead lighting, candlelight and mood lighting where appropriate. If you’ve got outdoor outlets plug in a lamp or two.
Now that the furniture and lighting is dialed in, it’s time for the accessories. I’m a huge fan of fabric. I’ve taken something as simple as a canvas drop cloth, painted it and then used it as swags on my upper deck, then gone in the opposite direction and swaged fabric from my pergola. The effect is dramatic and also defining. When people step outside, I like to set it up as an outdoor living space – I’ve got a dining space, a conversational area and then off the master bedroom, I usually place a chaise, complete with eyelet pillows and a throw for warmth. I like to move my indoor plants outside for the muted sunlight and suddenly the upper deck goes from blah to a warm and inviting place, ready for my girlfriends to come over for an afternoon of wine and relaxation.
Get your backyard in shape and then you can entertain at the drop of a dime. Always keep a nice bottle of wine on hand a few entertaining staples and if Mother’s day finds the celebration at your house, you can smile and welcome the celebration.
While writing this blog, I thought it might be fun to kick off the outdoor entertaining season. There is no place I’d rather entertain guests than in my backyard in the summer. The beautiful flowers, the green grass and all the trees seem to form the perfect outdoor room and I only have to add a few perks at the beginning of the summer and it’s ready at a moment’s notice.
Here I am talking about summer entertaining and it’s only April. In Flagstaff, we’ve had over 140 inches of snow and my backyard isn’t up to snuff, and so April is the month I spend getting it all put back together. I stepped out on the back deck this morning and began the making a list of what I need to do to get everything ready for May.
First up…. The decks need to be power washed and if needed stained. Now my lower deck will be fine with a good scrub, but my upper deck needs to be stained. It’s been a hard winter and last year’s stain didn’t hold up as well as I’d have liked. Once the decks are cleaned and polished, I can start pulling out the furniture. I always like to take hot soapy water and a sponge and wipe down all the tables and chairs – that way if a guest shows up and wants to sit down, a family of spider webs along the bottom of your chairs won’t be a worry. I also do a good scrub to the fabric cushions. They should all be outdoor fabrics and they can handle and usually need to be cleaned.
Once your deck and furniture is cleaned – it’s time to decorate! I like to start with lighting. I’ve done everything from tiki torches to outside twinkle lights to paper lanterns to candles. Try and look at your yard as a room and throw in some up lighting by the trees, hang lights from the tree branches and then treat your actual entertaining spaces as a living room. I’ve added overhead lighting, candlelight and mood lighting where appropriate. If you’ve got outdoor outlets plug in a lamp or two.
Now that the furniture and lighting is dialed in, it’s time for the accessories. I’m a huge fan of fabric. I’ve taken something as simple as a canvas drop cloth, painted it and then used it as swags on my upper deck, then gone in the opposite direction and swaged fabric from my pergola. The effect is dramatic and also defining. When people step outside, I like to set it up as an outdoor living space – I’ve got a dining space, a conversational area and then off the master bedroom, I usually place a chaise, complete with eyelet pillows and a throw for warmth. I like to move my indoor plants outside for the muted sunlight and suddenly the upper deck goes from blah to a warm and inviting place, ready for my girlfriends to come over for an afternoon of wine and relaxation.
Get your backyard in shape and then you can entertain at the drop of a dime. Always keep a nice bottle of wine on hand a few entertaining staples and if Mother’s day finds the celebration at your house, you can smile and welcome the celebration.
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