Posted by MaryBell on 2007-10-03 17:53:24
Post Subject: Scrabble Board Collage/Easel
I made this for the in-laws Christmas party for this Christmas. They have one of those gift game exchanges that they play.
It is pretty easy. Here is the tutorial http://scrapbooking-paper-crafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/scrabble_memory_collage_easel:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff54/mhoward36/02June20070034_RT161.jpg
Posted by toufutticuttie28 on 2005-11-16 11:05:32
Post Subject: Christmas party crafty favor help
I am part of a non-profit organization that is planning on having a Christmas party at a local restuarant. There are going to be 30 people invited and I was trying to come up with a favor that is crafty, cute, and not to expensive to make. Anyone have any suggestions?
Posted by Diana on 2005-11-19 11:40:21
Post Subject:
Try sewing little sachets from red and green netting and fill them with potpourii. I did some as table favours for a Christmas party and used cookie cutters as my patterns. Very inexpensive and can be decorated with bits and pieces of ribbon, lace, beads, etc that you have stashed away. Just don't pick a potpourii that is too strong so it overwhelms the food or causes anyone allergy problems. People can put these on their tree as an ornament or use in their closet or clothing drawers.
Posted by Diana on 2005-11-19 11:39:51
Post Subject:
Try sewing little sachets from red and green netting and fill them with potpourii. I did some as table favours for a Christmas party and used cookie cutters as my patterns. Very inexpensive and can be decorated with bits and pieces of ribbon, lace, beads, etc that you have stashed away. Just don't pick a potpourii that is too strong so it overwhelms the food or causes anyone allergy problems. People can put these on their tree as an ornament or use in their closet or clothing drawers.
Posted by toufutticuttie28 on 2005-11-16 11:06:16
Post Subject: Christmas party crafty favor help
I am part of a non-profit organization that is planning on having a Christmas party at a local restuarant. There are going to be 30 people invited and I was trying to come up with a favor that is crafty, cute, and not to expensive to make. Anyone have any suggestions?
Posted by jasmineT on 2004-12-06 17:19:22
Post Subject: critique my SUGAR PLUM FAIRY COCKTAIL?
I'm trying my hand at mixology for a Christmas party and would like some feedback on this cocktail. It's still a little too sweet for my taste and I think it needs some depth but I'm not sure what to do... so if you have the fixings and would like to try it and make suggestions please do...
the setting- Nutcracker themed Chrismas party at my house filmy with organza
the presentation- champagne glass rimmed with crystally sugar
the drink- 1 (or 2?) shots of vodka
splash of creme de casis
filled with Sierra Mist (or tonic? ginger ale? anything else?)
a twist of ginger
some crushed ice because it tastes better cold
I went with Sierra mist because I like the lemony flavor and the ginger because it looked pretty and gave it some pizzaz. Tonic seemed to dry but I'm willing to change if enough think it's better that way. Cassis because it's purple and not too many would be stuck on a plum flavor, it's the illusion of plum. I'm trying to do a few unique drinks to keep the budget down and the fun up. I'm open for suggestions-
Posted by SuperRetroChick on 2005-12-07 08:22:57
Post Subject: sugar cookies
I have to make snowflake cookies for a christmas party and I have decided to use a sugar cookie recipie and cut them with a snowflake cookie cutter. Any ideas on how to ecorate them to make them look impressive?
Posted by sun bear on 2004-04-26 11:26:48
Post Subject: don't you wish...
you had an excuse to buy a fancy dress? Once you graduate high school, unless you have a big christmas party at the office, there generally isn't a reason to play dress up, and even then I don't find myself going all out on one night...what do you wish you had an excuse to do?
Posted by Knits4Fun on 2005-12-19 13:40:08
Post Subject:
Try a Google search for Mexican cornbread recipes. I have one but it's not with me right now (I'm pretty sure it had corn and jalapenos in it as well as mexican cheese)--it was good for this Mexican-themed Christmas party we had one year.
Posted by jean on 2004-11-26 10:47:48
Post Subject: are you throwing a holiday party? what will you serve?
i'm thinking of throwing a very loose christmas party. the kind where you have open house all afternoon and people can come and go. in past years, we've just served pizza and beer, to keep is simple and kick-back. but this year, i'd like to make a few things, including some sort of rum -punch and perhaps some easy tapas.
Posted by theskythemoon on 2005-11-27 10:33:01
Post Subject:
I visited my best friend's family in Colorado once, and THEIR friend had this huge Christmas party. They invited all of their life-long friends, too. There were a bunch of college kids that had been friends for years who were back home for the holidays, and they got to hang out together. Some of the adults wore santa hats, and a little after dark we took off. They got a trailer on the back of their van, and put hay all over the trailer and we went around the neighborhood singing christmas carols on the hay. It was awesome.
I live in Florida, so I understand the not being cold for the holidays thing. But, it still feels like the holidays for me when you just decorate a little bit and start planning everything out.
Posted by culinarymartyr on 2004-11-29 01:31:27
Post Subject:
Last year I did a retro christmas party, and the pigs-in-blankets were a huge hit. I wrapped lil' smokies in canned croissant dough and served with ketchup & mustard and I blinked & they were gone. THe other big hit really surprised me. I made french onion dip - the kind with sour cream and soup mix. I put this out on a kitschy tray with plain potato chips. Everyone kept asking me what kind of fabulous dip this was - also disappeared quickly. No one touched the jello mold, but it was really for show anyway.
This year I found a new cookbook that I think will be the core of the snacks I serve. it's called *Party Nuts* and it's just a bunch of nut recipes - spiced, sweet, hot, candied - you name it. I'm doing the nuts, cheeses, mini roasted veggie skewers, & sweets. So far. I'm sure there will be more added later!
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-11-26 12:57:27
Post Subject:
I like rumrunners in a pitcher for parties, but Christmasy parties seem to call for a punch bowl. Spiced port or something with orange rings and cloves floating in it? Very oldfashioned, but one Christmas party an old friend always had brandy alexander in a punch bowl.
Keep your finger foods simple and plentiful. To not get bored with prep, do a bunch of several things and just bring out more when you need it. Crudite is always good and some kind of snack mix like the Chex mix or some other that you create. Did you ever have that oyster cracker with ranch dressing mix blend? That's good.
I love a variety of dips. I make hummus and tzatziki, maybe something more mundane for the unadventurous. Heck, even a store bought salsa that you zip up with fresh cilantro and lemon wedges or something.
The chocolate fondue is great, especially if you can delegate a friend to melt and blend a few additional batches as the day wears on.
I have gone all out with stuffing mushrooms and skewering rumaki and baking cheese puffs, and found that people don't remember the food as much as the party. It's usually too much work with too little return to make stuff like that for a large party. The dips I rationalize because they are easy, they store well in the fridge and I eat them as major parts of meals.
Posted by sun bear on 2004-06-21 19:40:43
Post Subject:
This isn't totally depressing me, my current job has a christmas party...oh and they give you free lunch for attending a meeting, but you can't 'charge' it so you have to attend meetings like that out of the personal goodness of your heart, yup, that means you have to work an extra hour at the end of the day to make up for the time you went to meetings...and they give you a slice of pizza...yipee...also any goals they want you to achieve have to be done on your own time, for example, getting certifications or learning about the company to become a certified employee...not so fun...
Anyway in the past i've gotten:
Lunch subsidized so that a lunch at the cafeteria was about 5 bucks (for easily 10 bucks worth of gourmet marriott food) the cafeteria was also on the 49th floor of the prudential center with a view of boston. I'm forever spoiled from eating at the work cafeteria b/c I believe a chicken sandwich with grilled onions and roasted red peppers on a baguette should be 3 bucks, served on a heavy plate with real flatware and served to you by a guy in a chef's hat...sigh.
Once at another job we got candy and snacks free for a week...apparently they were going to give us this many snacks once a month, but when they figured out that they were gone in a week they decided to forget about it. we also had a razor scooter, which was retired b/c the company we shared a hallway thought it was unprofessional, so we had a retirement party for the scooter and at it was introduced the new ping pong and foose ball tables :)
Oh and I got to travel alot for that job, to Dublin, Las Vegas, San Jose, NYC and New Orleans, I got a private car to take me to the airport and once I got picked up in a limo b/c I was an hour early!
At Surf Diva I got the best perks though, free lessons, the odd thing was that no one ever took advantage of them, but I took a weekend class and a week long class, one was about 100 dollars and the other was about 300 dollars so I made out like a bandit on that side, while earning a less than stellar salary.
Seeing google's offices on the news makes me wish I worked for them, they give you free breakfast lunch and dinner and you can bring your dog to work! :)
Posted by PamTheQueen on 2005-03-27 18:24:57
Post Subject:
If only you could have caught them in action -- you could have knocked them over the heads with your big granny bag and told them "Next time, bring your friggin' 40% coupons, you little turds!!!"
:)
Late at night after DJing a post-Christmas party for a large accounting firm, I was waiting for the elevator man to bring down my last load of heavy equipment (Fountain Square Building for all the Indy peeps). In addition to the private party I was doing, there was a rockabilly band playing on the main level and tons of people outside milling about, including some ragamuffin little kids I couldn't believe were out at the late hour.
I stupidly left my side door open to my van while I met the elevator guy at the door with my last load and it wasn't until I was almost home that I realized my big black gig bag full of CD folders, my wallet and my big check from the accounting firm was gone. *gulp*
First I was scared sick because this was my first experience where I realized how vulnerable I am working alone loading and unloading my van with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and music. Then I was pissed because I had to cancel all my cards AND call the firm I did the event for. Oh, and let's not forget the worst of it: replacing CDs I had collected forever and didn't have a proper accounting of.
As soon as the last card was cancelled and I gave up $25 of my pay so the firm could cancel the check and reissue me another, the police called and said they found my bag....right behind their precinct station that was nearby. Everything was still there except my bit of cash and the CD folders (save a few cheesy 80 CDs that were in the bottom..guess they didn't want those).
It wouldn't have done them much good to steal my check and try to use my cards...I cannot go anywhere with the name "Pamela Anderson" on my cards without getting attention and questions about my name. Ugh. Although, it would have been funny if they got caught that way.
Now I am A LOT more careful when loading and unloading and when I go into the city until late at night (even tame Indianapolis), my husband meets me to help keep an eye out.
Posted by Sabriel Olive on 2004-11-12 08:42:58
Post Subject:
What I hate about Christmas is the random gift shopping of relatives you don't see except on these holidays. I hate having to buy them stuff. I don't really even know them. So, this year I am just going to give them baked goods. No having to go shopping for someone and stressing over it. I am almost done with the shopping bit, so I am not so stressed out about that. This year I am not going to even decorate, my apartment is to small. I definitely hate the constant running, so what we are going to do this year is have a christmas party the week before christmas day, and then on christmas day have a quiet fest at my parents' house. (just the intermediate) which I love. So, maybe my year might not be to bad, but it is still before Thanksgiving.
Posted by culinarymartyr on 2005-01-03 23:55:02
Post Subject:
Definitely be careful about taking on too much. I did my brother's wedding a couple of years ago, and went completely over the edge. I hated the entire week because I was so busy! And I practically had a nervous breakdown on the actual wedding day.
So, some ideas - Keep the food simple. I really don't see anything wrong with super simple in the food arena. Definitely plan to have people serving/cleaning. I've used my teenage cousin and her friends for parties - they're cheap! Regardless of how much you prepare ahead of time, keeping up with food-related stuff will require more work than you think. I had four people working non-stop with a pretty full buffet and 200ish guests. And we could have used more. I usually have 2 "slaves" for my Christmas party - 30-50 people. It makes everything more enjoyable!
I love the cupcake idea. Several years ago, (I think on Lynnette Jennings' show) I saw a home-made tea stand that might be cute. She took a drill (I'm sure there's a specific bit you would use) and drilled holes in the center of mismatched old dinner plates. Then she got hardware that you use to add finials to lamps and screwed them together between the plates, with some kind of washer or something on the bottom, and a lamp finial with a loop at the top. I don't know how clear that is = they were really cute and I think would be nice to display the cupcakes on.
I'm with you on the bridesmaid issue, having a bazillion friends myself. I think people will get over it, if not be relieved they don't have to buy a dress.
We used a company called 2G roses: http://www.freshroses.com/volume.htm the flowers were beautiful and we arranged them ourselves & made boutiniers & corsages.
The one thing I was super-happy about with my brother's wedding was the favors. We had a stamp made with their names and the date (she wanted everything stamped) and stamped napkins with it. We also stamped small white paper bags from a craft store. We set them out on a table with lots of containers of candy. I used small metal buckets, and bulk candy from a discount store. Then we made notes up that said something along the lines of "A Sweet Treat for Our Guests." Everyone loved them!
The really important thing is to be happy and enjoy the day. If that means letting some little things slide, let them go! Just have fun, if at all possible.
