Want to create the cutest Easter table that will connect your guests too? You can make your own paper table runner that will stun your guests! It's so easy! (And you can really do this for any holiday!)
- Length of craft paper or wrapping paper
- Solo cup (or other paper cup or cereal bowl)
- Pencil
- Scissors
Follow these instructions below and be sure to check out the video tutorial at the bottom to see these steps in action!
We love this scallop runner with a simple Easter centerpiece set with Easter grass and Easter eggs. Add a set of candlesticks for height! Want to try this darling bunny Napkin fold too? You can find it HERE on our Instagram.
Want to make it even better? Add Easter Conversation Starters inside your Easter eggs! We have a FREE set for you in our Shop! Click HERE to grab them. Just add to your cart and checkout. You won't be charged for them. Be sure to Check out our great Easter table pieces why you are there!
Hope you make this! Be sure to come back and comment or tag us on Instagram @LemonDropsNLilies if you try this! We can't wait to see!
Luvs, Candace
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We loved getting to be a guest on Utah's own KSL Studio 5 and share ideas for a simple Easter table! We've linked all the good stuff here for you!
Click HERE to check out the segment live on KSL Studio 5!
I will be honest, I hate to cook, but my holiday dinner table is my favorite place! There is something special about gathering your family round a beautiful inviting table and laughing, sharing and making memories together!
I have so many friends who tell me they get intimidated by setting a holiday table… but it’s easier than you think!
This is your starting point for your table… your base will be the inspiration for the colors you use and will help decide how playful or elegant your table is.
A base can be as simple as a tablecloth that covers the full table.
My personal favorite though is using a table runner. There are so many beautiful cloth options available, but today I'm sharing one of my favorite table base hacks... a paper runner! Paper runners are a favorite of mine!
Our Kidz' Table Collection in our shop has lots of holiday coloring runner options... We have two available for Easter! Check them out HERE.
Look at this elegant non traditional Easter table I created using a black and white striped wrapping paper! I'm kind of a black and white lover, but you can stick to the traditional Easter colors if that's more you!
Love these Lamb of God toppers? Grab them in the shop HERE!
These polka dot placemats on this kids' table were cut out of wrapping paper too!
Kraft paper is also a great option! — Look at this scallop edge paper table runner! It's such a neutral fun base you can do so much with. Watch the tutorial to see how I created it... you won't believe how easy it is. All you need is paper, a pencil, a Solo cup and scissors! See a tutorial to make this HERE.
This is what sets apart a great table from just an ordinary table… layers! Don't just use a single plate… Layer placemats, chargers, plates and napkins! Have fun with it! It’s all good to mix patterns and colors and even mix a fun paper plate with your ceramic plates.
Extras are the "fluff" on your Easter table setting. This the time to personalize and your surprise your loved ones with fun touches like a favor. It's also the perfect chance to add more connection points.
Here are some great ideas for extras that you can add without all the fuss:
We had fun adding names to little Easter baskets that held crayons at the kids' table. We made this crayon cups with a paper ice cream cup and a strip of colored cardstock!
Another great idea for personalizing your place setting with a name... Write their name on an Easter egg!
One of our Easter favorites are our Names of Christ that remind everyone what Easter really is all about. The large set is perfect as a plate topper and the smaller ornament set is a darling tie onto the napkins. Click HERE to check them out!
We have a FREE set of Easter Conversation Starters & Dares you can download! Family approved! Just click HERE, add it to your cart (It's FREE!) and check out. You will get an email with the download after you checkout.
There you go! Just think about these three things (base, layers and extras) and you will create a table your family will be excited to gather round!
Happy Easter Friends!
♥️ Candace
- Easter is About Jesus: You can enjoy the Easter Bunny and Teach Jesus too!
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Top o' the mornin' to you! 🍀 Are you ready to sprinkle some Irish cheer and leprechaun magic into your St. Patrick's Day celebration? Whether you're planning a festive gathering or simply looking to add a touch of whimsy to your family's day, we've got you covered with these 10 playful ideas that are sure to sham-rock your world!
☘️ Family Coloring Fun: Unroll our St. Patrick's Day Coloring Table Runner onto your table for some family coloring fun! Let the little ones unleash their creativity with coloring activities, St. Patty Day jokes, and adorable illustrations – it's the perfect way to keep them entertained all day while you enjoy your St. Patrick's Day festivities. Not to mention, the perfect table decor! Click HERE to check this Coloring Runner out in our Shop!
☘️ Tasty Treats Galore: Whip up some St. Patrick's Day treats that'll have everyone's taste buds dancing! We're sharing three of our favorite easy ideas... Lucky Charm treats to pots of gold and pretzel shamrocks, there's no shortage of delicious delights to indulge in.
☘️ Deck the Halls in Green: Start the day by decking out your home with all things green – from shamrock garlands to leprechaun hats, let the green take over and fill your space with St. Patrick's Day spirit! -- Want to keep it simple? Just add some green shamrocks in surprising places!
☘️ Get Crafty: Gather the kiddos for some St. Patrick's Day crafts! Create your own leprechaun hats, pot of gold art, or even a rainbow mobile to brighten up your home.
☘️ Leprechaun Treasure Hunt: Plan a leprechaun treasure hunt around the house or yard! Hide gold coins, chocolate coins, and other goodies for the little ones to find – they'll love searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
☘️ Irish Dance Party: Turn up the music and have an Irish dance party! Put on some traditional Irish tunes and show off your best jig moves – bonus points for wearing green attire and silly hats!
☘️ Irish Storytime: Gather the family for a cozy Irish-themed storytime session... don't forget your Irish accent! Choose classic tales like "The Legend of the Shamrock" or "Finn McCool and the Giant's Causeway" to get everyone in the St. Patrick's Day spirit.
☘️ St. Paddy's Day Movie Marathon: Settle in for a St. Patrick's Day movie marathon featuring family-friendly favorites like "The Luck of the Irish,"or "Darby O'Gill and the Little People."
☘️ Green Cuisine: Get creative in the kitchen and whip up some St. Patty Day dishes! From rainbow pancakes and green milk for breakfast to something spinach for lunch to traditional Corned Beef and cabbage for dinner! Go green with your culinary creations.
☘️ Outdoor Adventures: If weather permits, head outdoors for some St. Patrick's Day fun! Go for a nature walk to spot signs of spring, have a picnic with green-themed snacks, or even plant some shamrocks in the garden.
So there you have it mommas simple and playful ways to sham-rock your St. Patrick's Day celebrations! From tasty treats to family fun with our coloring table runner, there's something for everyone to enjoy on this magical day. May the luck of the Irish be with you as you celebrate in style!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
♥️ Candace
P.S. Don't miss ordering your St. Patrick's Day Coloring Runner so you have it in time for your holiday fun!
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Yup, I know how it goes! You're a busy momma with a busy family! How did Halloween creep up so fast?!! (Guess that's what Halloween does... CREEP... get it?).
Do not stress, I've got some fun last minute ideas that you can totally pull off in now time!
Like a Halloween breakfast? We love our mini waffle spider web waffle iron, but if you're looking at this the night before, running out to the store probably isn't going to work. No Sweat! We found a great idea to make your own spider web pancakes! Click the photo to see how to easily make them! Bet you have pancake batter in your cupboard!
This is one of our favorite simple traditions! When our kids were young it was about making sure they ate something before going trick or treating. Now, it's just a special celebration at home before the trick-or-treaters come.
Chili or stew is always a fun option and you can even use canned if you aren't up for making it. We love using bread dough to shape into spiders, but even an ordinary breadstick is good. Just call it witch's brew!
Our favorite though is making Mummies! You can grab a free printable recipe here on our site! All you need is hotdogs and crescent dough!
Sometimes we enjoy a spooky colored drink too... Koolaid works well (We call it monster punch), but even if it's water, you can add food coloring to make it fun!
If you are reading this before Halloween, you will totally want to grab our darling Spider Web Placemat set while in the shop! They are a piece you will use year after year, every Halloween to make a spooky cute Halloween Table!
Even if your minutes before Halloween meal, you can grab our Halloween Conversation Starters to add! Although our Wood Bat Conversation Starters are our ultimate favorite, these printables are a super fun last minute option that will bring just as much conversation fun! Just download, print and cut. Grab them HERE.
Another fun way to make Halloween morning, day and night fun is to simply play Halloween music. Cue Spotify! Just search "Halloween" and you'll have choices.
There's always the Halloween goto of watching a movie, but what about some Halloween games?
Bet you can think of a few ideas of your own now that you're warmed up! What other simple Halloween games or ideas do you have? Be sure to your ideas in the comments for all to gain from!
Hope your Halloween is super fun friends!
Candace
PS - Don't forget to check out our shop while you are here! We love the holidays and bet you will find something you love too!
]]>Do you love decorating a Halloween table as much as I do? It's honestly probably my favorite table to create! I don't go out and buy all new pieces every year though, I like using what I have and just adding small touches or maybe 1-2 new things each year. I buy pieces I can reuse over and over and create new looks... I don't feel guilty buying them that way!
My favorite Halloween table piece is definitely our Spider Web Placemats from the shop! Now hold on, that's not just because I have them in the shop... I have them in the shop because I love them that much! I love the way the thick felt adds depth to the table. I love how they are a perfect anchor piece to almost any spooky table look. I love how they just add so much, even if you're just using them! They are a Halloween staple piece for sure! Whatever your theme, spider webs go if it's Halloween!
You've heard of a capsule wardrobe right? It's a collection of a few great pieces that mix and match with each other to create a variety of looks. Table decor works the same way. Versatile pieces are the best.
Looking to start or add to your Halloween "capsule" collection so you have pieces you love year after year? Here are my Top suggestions for a versatile Halloween table collection:
Now, are you ready to see what I created this year? I've made so many fun tables over the years, some simple, some more fancy. This year's is one of my favorite though. When I found these "Trick-or-Treat" mugs in TJMaxx, they were a no brainer... into the cart they went! They inspired everything from there...
So, here's my trick-or-treat themed table!
I started with a base of black and white striped wrapping paper! Yup, you heard that right, it's one of my favorite things to use on tables because it's so wide. I added a bat runner I got last year on top. (You can use the code LEMONDROPS for a discount.)
I love layers on a table, so I started the place settings with a woven mat placemat. On top of it I put my favorite thick Spider Web Placemats from our site. Then I layered a large plate, an orange napkin and a smaller plate. Side note, the large black and white plates were a Dollar Tree find! I don't honestly usually find much there, but I do find they can get some fun dishes and you can't beat the price!
To fill in the center of the table I used a variety of glass goblets and dishes I already had and filled them with primarily orange Halloween candies. I tried to find candies with variety in sizes and textures (ie: licorice, candy corns and wrapped candies). I really wanted some Halloween Pixie Stix, but didn't find any. (Maybe you can if you decide to recreate this look!) Mix in a few small pumpkins and a Halloween berry garland strand and it's just so stinking cute.
Then came the new piece, the trick-or-treat ceramic mugs, my TJ Maxx find and my something new this year. I love how they tie into the black of the spider webs, the stripes of the paper and the orange of the candies. And let's not forget the cute little spider hiding on the rim.. it's like he crawled off his spider web below the plate. I accented with a wood cut-out bat (from the shop last year) on the white plate to bring out the black of the Spider Web Placemats again and connect everything even more.
The final touch was to add a personalized candy witch's broom favor at each plate as a "place card" of sorts. Checkout the tutorial below to see how I made it. It's so easy and you probably already have the supplies!
Hope you have fun setting your Halloween table this year! Grab your Spider Web placemats before they're gone!
❤️ Candace -Your Tablescape Friend
Want to see some of the creative ways our creator friends have used our Spider Web Placemats? (They're not just holiday tables!) Click HERE to see a fun blogpost filled with ideas!
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Want more Halloween inspiration? Checkout these posts:
- Family fun: Halloween Kick-off!
- Three tips for your Halloween decorating
- Halloween Tiered Tray Styling
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Unless you are new around here, you probably know we love celebrating birthdays! In our family a birthday means you choose what we eat for breakfast and dinner and you get to skip chores... that alone is worth celebrating! That's not all though, we have lots of fun ways we celebrate!
One of the most beloved traditions is setting a birthday table with a special birthday place setting for the birthday person! First thing in the morning, the birthday person wakes to balloons and a special birthday place set with the big Happy Birthday plate, birthday table runner and birthday goblet with a fun straw! It's tradition!
That's why our ESSENTIAL BIRTHDAY TABLE BOX was one of the first things we added in the shoppe... we wanted to share our favorite birthday tradition with you! It's such a simple way to do something they will always remember and so easy too!
Click HERE to check out our Essential Birthday Table Box. If you love celebrating your family and having your own fun traditions, this is one I promise they'll treasure!
Check out our full BIRTHDAY COLLECTION to see all the fun pieces we have!
Want a fun napkin fold to add to your birthday table? We're sharing one of the easiest birthday napkin folds... a birthday candle napkin fold! Click the video to see our Instagram Reel showing how we did it. I promise it's so easy and will add a super fun touch to your table! Be sure to turn on the sound!
Want more birthday celebration ideas? Check out our Birthday blog series using the links below!
Here are some other great birthday posts you will love!
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Have you ever spent all the time decorating and prepping for a special birthday, just to find you forgot the birthday candles? How about having to run to the store for supplies after a long day, because you need balloons and streamers? Ever felt like you wish your birthday look went together easier?
Prepping for birthdays can sometimes feel like a lot when life is so busy. We have the answer...
A Birthday Box is everything birthday in one box, ready to go! Just add cake and presents! -- We suggest creating one in a medium sized, sturdy, clear plastic tote. We like clear because you can see what's inside easily.
A birthday box is a game changer! imagine having all the perfectly curated birthday pieces ready to go. No more scrambling last minute, no more having to shop for the next theme. keep everything together in one box, ready to go. Birthday prep becomes a cinch!
Be ready to create the decor and traditions your family loves in just minutes. so You have more time to make memories.
Anything you love to use for birthdays goes inside, but here is our list of our favorite pieces...
Tradition Pieces
These are high quality coordinated reusable birthday pieces you will use year after year (not paper disposables). They are the tradition pieces your family looks forward to birthday after birthday. We consider these the celebration must-haves!
We have a curated Birthday Box in the Shoppe with add on pieces that will give you the full decoration and celebration tradition pieces, all coordinated and ready to go! We've made it easy! Click HERE to check it all out!
Birthday Consumables
Anything that is consumed each birthday falls into this category. There's a suggested list to add to your box below to get you started.
We like to restock with consumables on the next shopping trip after each birthday. Then you're set to go for the next birthday! Game changer! No more forgotten birthday candles!
Decorating Tools
We have found keeping essential decorating tools right in our birthday box makes it so much easier! Just start decorating!
Once you have your Birthday Box created, you'll be ready to decorate and celebrate with tradition your family loves in just minutes... so then you'll have more time to make memories! Create your box today!
Want a peek inside our family's Birthday Box? Click the video to see!
Be sure to check out all our BIRTHDAY CONTENT! We love birthdays around here!
--- Your Tablescape friend!
If you didn't know, I'm a former school teacher, so back to school time holds a special place in my heart. Getting kids excited for school is especially important for creating a positive school vibe, so this tradition is a favorite... a Back-to-School meal (usually dinner the night before, breakfast the morning of or dinner the first day of school).
We're here to help you set your Back-to-School table so you are ready! You know we love a cute and inviting table around here!
Here are 5 reasons you should set a Back to School table for your special breakfast or dinner every new school year...
And here is a 6th reason... cuz it's really easy!
We're sharing a super simple but darling table that will get your kids excited. We're featuring our Back-to-School Coloring Table Runner, the key piece that is entertainment and an opportunity for family connection as well! It has lots of coloring fun, places for kids to write or draw and chances to think and dream about the upcoming school year! (Click any of the blue links to check it out.)
This table won't break the bank either... we grabbed most of our supplies at Dollar Tree!
Step One: The base
When setting a table with a blank coloring runner, we love adding a simple colored plastic table runner. This one is very thin so the color is mild (Dollar Store runners are very translucent but super affordable. Walmart or Target have higher quality and are thicker but cost 2-3x more). We decided on pale yellow for this traditional Back to School look. Now, just add your Back-to-School Coloring Table Runner on top!
Our Back-to-School Coloring Runner is sized to fit a 6-7 foot table, but it works great on smaller tables too, just hang it down the sides. It's filled with fun items to color and even places your child can fill in about friends, things they are excited for and things they want to learn. Take a closer look HERE.
Step Two: Plates, napkins and more
Now, we had to control ourselves to not get carried away here... there are so many fun paper plate options (like pencils!) but we really wanted to keep this table affordable, so we went for a classic red plate (like an apple!). (You could always use glass plates too!)
We added a green napkin (like the leaves). We just did a half fold, but you could always get creative and fan it more like a leaf and tuck it under the plate.
We just did a simple clear plastic cup and gold utensils. We really loved the gold because it ties back to the yellow tones in the plastic cover and the brassy color on school pencils (back in the day people used old fashioned pencils!).
Step Three: The Fun Touches -- Accents
We added two simple, but fun touches... the first was to add a place card in a elementary school paper style. We wrote the names in green marker to tie with the green napkin. You could always make these extra special with a personalized back-to-school note to your child on the back. --- Get a FREE printable name card download when you buy a Back-to-School Coloring Table Runner!
The second touch was so easy, Smarties candy! Yes, if we're gearing up for going to school, Smarties are definitely a perfect treat! It doesn't hurt that the wrapper has red, tying into our plate.
Lastly, don't forget to add crayons so the kiddos can color! We used a simple bucket to hold crayons in the center.
Remember, the intention behind setting a fun back-to-school table is to create a joyous tradition that will get the kids talking, excited and build anticipation for the upcoming school year... Get those kiddos excited with this new tradition!
Hope you have a great Back-to-School season! Want more inspiration? See below!
Luvs,
Candace
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Making someone feel especially loved is what the best birthdays are all about.
Join us at KSL Studio 5 Lifestyle TV show as we share some of our favorite simple birthday ideas that add tradition to bring the magic and make them feel special and loved!
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Making someone feel especially loved is what the best birthdays are all about.
As Moms, we bring the magic to birthdays and that can feel overwhelming. Especially because we love the little details that can really make a day special and make them feel loved.
A few years back I found myself totally overwhelmed getting ready for my son and husband's birthday (Yes, they share a birthday!). It was a month after Christmas and I felt I was still recovering from Christmas! I was up late decorating, making desserts, wrapping gifts and more getting ready for their birthdays. Here I was doing "all the things" to get ready for this special day and instead of feeling excited, I was feeling exhausted and just wanting to get to the day after. (I love my boys, but I was so tired!) I realized there had to be a better way than what I was doing! This exhausted mom wanted to show up ready to celebrate, not ready for a nap and wanting to skip out.
What came of that was the building of better birthday traditions... a tradition can be simple and still pack a punch! Ultimately creating a better, more memorable birthday experience for everyone, without having to reinvent the wheel with the next over the top party theme! It's ultimately what began our Birthday Collection in the Shoppe too... I was so thrilled with how birthdays weren't overwhelming and loved the traditions we had created that I wanted every mom to experience it!
I started creating tradition in three ways, the decor, the food and the celebrating. I've broken each of these into separate blog posts to keep things organized and simple. I have collected ideas from other moms in our Lemon Drops & Lilies community as well as shared things we are doing in our family.
Check out the full blog series by clicking the links below and be sure to get your FREE Busy Mom's Birthday Planner I put together! It will be your best friend for helping simplify all the birthday prep and make your celebrations even more meaningful with traditions! You can grab your copy HERE.
You'll get a great an introduction to many of the birthday tradition ideas by watching below the TV segment I was invited to do for KSL Studio 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had so much chatting with Brooke Walker and sharing some of our favorite birthday tradition ideas! (To get all the ideas you will definitely want to check out the blog posts above for the full details!
Remember, DO NOT try to do it all! The mom who tries to do everything is the stressed out mom! Just pick a few key things that resonate with your family and repeat those year after year. You will find that your family comes to crave those traditions and wouldn't think of letting you skip them!
What birthday traditions do you have at your house? I would love to hear! Drop us a comment below!
Don't forget to check out our Birthday Collection in the Shop to make your birthday celebrating easier! We got you Momma!
Watch my segment with KSL Studio 5 below.
Want the freebie mentioned in the Studio5 Segment? Click HERE!
Want great content like this in your inbox plus be the first to know of new releases, deals and get some freebies? Of course you do! Click HERE and get on our email list today!
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We've been talking to our Instagram Community and collecting some of our favorite birthday celebration ideas! Need some inspiration? You will love these ideas!
Here are some other great birthday posts you will love!
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I was the mom who did all the big Pinterest worthy themed parties. I built the pirate ship, I decorated the outside of my house as a castle and I created the great hall from the Harry Potter films. It was loads of fun! (And loads of work!)
I don't regret those days. They created many treasured memories, but they weren't what mattered most to my kids... the simple traditions were.
I was so busy and so tired... after staying up late one night trying to decorate for the next day's birthdays, it hit me there had to be a better way to decorate and still keep it detailed and darling so my kids felt special, but not feel exhausted.
That's when the decor traditions really started. This is what I figured out, instead of reinventing the wheel every single birthday, have high quality coordinated pieces that can be used every birthday! Keep them gender neutral so they work for everyone, but you can still add to them, if you want too. When those pieces come out, everyone knows it's birthday time.
Your family actually will look forward to those same pieces because they become part of the tradition. This whole idea was the basis for our Birthday Box here at Lemon Drops & Lilies... coordinated birthday pieces that create tradition, beauty and simplify birthday prep for Mom and still look amazing!
It's actually double sided with a stripe side and a birthday confetti side with the words "Happy Birthday". Just throw that on your table and everything already looks festive!
Want to jazz things up a little more or maybe make it more personalized for your gal or guy? We love wrapping paper under it too! It's a simple way to go "all girly", "all boy" or customize it for your family member's favorite colors!
When my daughter celebrated her "golden birthday" (how many years they're turning matches the date) she was so excited! She was also turning 18 (one of our "Milestone" birthdays) so we went a little grander. She kept telling me in the days before her birthday that since it was her "golden" birthday we had to have some gold. So I did! The classic birthday colors still fit in perfectly and other than a balloon garland, it was already coordinated!
No need to spend time creating a handmade sign. Just pull it out every birthday and your family will get excited!
We also love adding the coordinated birthday plate and birthday glass! Just like that you've got the whole birthday table set to make your birthday someone feel special!
We do love to add some balloons cuz balloons are a birthday must, but you really don't have to add anything else!
Our favorite thing is to keep all these coordinated pieces and the balloons and crepe paper in what we call our BIRTHDAY BOX! Everything is just right there, ready to go at any time! I've even borrowed it to friends to make their birthday special because it's just a breeze... pull out the box and everything is there.
Of course you can curate your own birthday box, but we've already created one for you with everything you need! Think of all the time you will save on curating and can spend making memories! You can check it out HERE!
I absolutely LOVE the Birthday Plate we have in the Birthday Box. Again, it coordinates with the double sided runner, so we can use it every single birthday! It's a huge part of our birthday traditions! I won't get into all the details here because it's all in our Birthday Food Blog Post (coming soon!) but this oversized birthday plate doubles as the birthday person's breakfast plate and then by evening is the cake plate! It's amazing!
Okay. So you can see this momma loves to decorate for birthdays. It's actually one of my kids' favorite parts of their birthdays and this way, it doesn't stress me out. Everything is ready to go. All I do is make sure to restock the Birthday Box with the consumables (like birthday balloons and crepe paper) and decorating is so easy!
One of the fun traditions we have is to decorate our kids doorways. So when they open their door to come out in the morning, they have a surprise! Sometimes it's a balloon avalanche (Blog post coming soon!) but it might be just streamers and balloons adorning their doorway. They are always so excited and it's usually the decoration they won't let me take down for days after their birthdays!
I think it's because it's the first thing they see when they wake up... in the first few minutes or few seconds of their day they know mom and dad remembered and people care.
Another fun decorating tradition we like and is super simple is to write a message on their bathroom (or bedroom if you can sneak in while they're sleeping) mirror.
I use window markers, but dry erase markers work too! What you write doesn't have to be fancy. You don't have to be an artist. Just a little message to be like, Hey, I noticed it's your birthday and you're special. (I keep my window markers in the Birthday Box too!)
Okay, one more decor tradition that is so precious! Not only will your family love it, but it will even make them want to help you take down the birthday decor! No kidding!
So when you're decorating, we always use balloons, right? So grab some strips of paper and a Sharpie Marker. Have family member write a one sentence note, fold them up really tight and put into your balloons before you blow them up.
Do your decorating. At the end of the birthday, the birthday boy or girl can pop their balloons and guess what? Another little special opportunity to be like, "Ah, they love me!" What a great way to end their birthday.
Do you love these birthday decor traditions? We hope so! Comment below and tell us your favorite or share one of your own birthday decor traditions!
I've created a FREE Busy Mom's Birthday Planner to help you organize all your Birthday Prep and traditions into one spot. No more stressful birthdays, just tradition and meaning! Grab the FREE Planner HERE! (coming soon!)
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Bringing everyone together to connect, have fun and make memories is the lifeblood of being a mom. That’s why we love the holidays so much!
We love sending the kids on our traditional egg hunt and seeing who finds the coveted golden egg. We love watching them get excited waking to a filled Easter basket with special surprises. We also love gathering around a beautifully set table for a yummy Easter family dinner.
As a mom, it’s always been important to not only enjoy these fun Easter Bunny traditions, but to be sure our family knows most that Easter isn’t about the Easter Bunny, but about our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am a firm believer that with a little bit of intention, you can do both!
I am so excited to share with you what I have been working on! I hope it will add to the fun and sweetness of your family Easter, but help you also remind your family the most important part of Easter, our Savior.
This is our “Jesus Is Easter” Coloring Table Runner. I have been so giddy to share it with you because it’s just what I wish I had when my kids were younger and just what I would want for my grandbabies (but I don’t have any yet!). I know it can add real meaning to your Easter!
I designed it with the kids’ Easter table in mind, (But it certainly could be used for a combined adult and child table or even just as a teaching tool). Not only is it beautiful, filled with fun details like Easter eggs, chicks, bunnies, lambs and flowers, but most importantly, it is filled with JESUS, because JESUS IS EASTER.
For example, “Jesus was resurrected after 3 days,” is next to the empty tomb and a big word, “tomb,” and "resurrected."
Small children who aren’t reading yet will likely recognize these moments if you have already taught them about them. If not, an older sibling, mom and dad or grandparents can enjoy a special minute to sit with them and read to them and take the opportunity to teach them the real hero of Easter.
Create an extra special Easter experience!
Don't forget the special treats! If you have made Resurrection Rolls before, you know they can be the perfect yummy Easter treat that teaches. If you haven't, don't worry, we've got all the details for you! We're including a downloadable full color recipe and instructions for Resurrection Rolls.
This super tasty bread treat is a fun way to tell the story of Christ's resurrection. You bake them with a white marshmallow inside (symbolizing Jesus and his sinless life) and when you open them to eat them, the marshmallow (Jesus) is gone and all that's left is an "empty tomb."
We love the idea of baking them together as you talk about how each step symbolizes a part in Jesus's story of death and resurrection. Even if you only make them for your family, there is great symbolism to discuss as you eat them.
There's also a great gifting option if you want to send it to "Some Bunny" special. Click to the product listing to see more.
We sure hope you love this bundle as much as we do! Now you see why I've been so excited to share you! It's a whole Easter experience!
Luvs,
Candace
PS -
Be sure to also check out our Names of Christ for your Easter table! They are the perfect reminder for all those grown ups and will add a beautiful touch everyone will love! Want great products like this and faith, family & holiday ideas? Of course you do! Join our email list today!
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Do you remember your 16th birthday? I know I do cuz it's the only birthday my mom threw me a surprise party! Chances are your 16th felt a bit more special than previous birthdays... there is a reason society calls it the "sweet 16." For most of us, it's a milestone, a tad more special than your everyday birthday because it marks new territory, new opportunities, new privileges that come with age!
Of course we start all birthdays with our treasured traditions of birthday breakfast with the special Birthday Plate and birthday goblet. These are special traditions our family looks forward to every year and we wouldn't miss them.
However, there are a few birthdays, like 16, that come with even more significance because the age brings a "rite of passage" of sorts. At our house those birthdays are 13, 16 and 18. We like to mark these birthdays with a few special traditions of their own.
13 , you are no longer a kid, not a tween, but a teen! You can full on claim being older and more mature now! It's generally (as long as they are ready for it) when we allow them to get a cell phone too... one of the rites of passage into the teen years (at least at our house).
We also like to mark this birthday with a 13 or official teen t-shirt as one of the birthday gifts to shout out to the world that this kid is a teen now! Small traditions, but something that gets the kids excited and reminds them they are special and noticed.
Here are some fun finds from Etsy makers...
16, of course comes with the privileges of getting a driver's license! At our house it means they can start dating too! That's a huge event in itself. We like to mark this birthday with a little more pizazz!
When the kids were young, we did friend parties every other year. 16 was meant to be the biggest and best friend party yet, but as my kids have become teens, they tend to like smaller, simpler parties.
When I started talking big parties to my oldest (who is quite an introvert), she wanted nothing of the sort. So, we did something else. Instead of a big party, I took her and her best friend on a fun overnight trip. Thus a 16th birthday tradition was born... big party or an out of town overnight with your best friend (and mom or dad of course!)!
Another fun idea is if it is the year you let your child start dating, why not have their first date kicked off with mom or dad! It's a great way to practice etiquette and a whole lot of birthday fun!
18. Well, I've only had one 18 year old so far... two more coming up before I know it though! I'll be honest, due to circumstances at the time, my oldest daughter's 18th milestone wasn't as grand as I hoped, but she seemed content. I've got some fun ideas in mind for my younger two as they reach this one though...
A lot of our friends take their 18 year old on a special trip to somewhere of their choosing with just the parents. I love this idea! What a fun milestone and memory just as your child is getting ready to leave the nest!
If that's too much, how about just doing something special like having a new adventure together? Maybe this is the time to try indoor skydiving or ride that crazy roller coaster! I'm sure your 18 year old will have plenty of ideas of fun (and maybe crazy) things they would like to do!
Love,
Candace
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]]>(Part 3 in a three part Blog Series... see bottom for links to the series.)
Do you want to help your family stay focused on the Savior this Christmas? It's totally possible, even while enjoying fun with Santa! Have a few intentional ways to celebrate will help your family stay focused on the Real Reason for the Season and you will feel the difference in the season.
If you've been following along with our Keeping Christ in Your Family Christmas blog posts, you know we've already shared ideas that could become part of your family's Christmas traditions through how you decorate and through service. In the final part of our series, we are sharing other celebrating ideas that will help your family keep Christ in your Christmas.
- Attend a Live Nativity or Create One
When the kids were younger we would act out the nativity with all the cousins, it was a fun tradition. Using bathrobes, towels for turbans and a myriad of other everyday pieces of clothing, we created costumes. Usually one of the adults would read from the scriptures as the kids (and usually a few adults) portrayed the roles in the story.
Our friend Melodie at Mm-Hmm Shop added her family nativity script to our "Christ Centered Christmas" printable. Click here to have it emailed to you!
As the young kids in our family are growing older, we don't have many young kids for our Christmas Eve nativity anymore. Attending a live nativity has helped us keep that special experience as part of our Christmas celebration.
We our blessed with an outdoor amphitheater in our area. It houses amazing theater with professional actors all year, but at Christmas, community members portray the story of Christ's birth on the same stage, with lighting and scenery like seasoned actors get.
We have been attending this nativity for a few years now and it’s always a special experience to focus on the true meaning of christmas. Last year some of our family even had the experience to be in the show itself… It was such a neat experience to share with each other and some neighbor friends. My daughter and I were angels that haroled the Savior's birth, trumpets and all ... what a joy to remember that unique experience!
If you don't want to act it out yourself or don't have access to a Live Nativity, you can always watch a film of the Christmas Story. I'm sure there are many available. This one is our family's favorite.
- Share your testimony of the Savior
You may not think of it, but every time you share your personal testimony of the Savior, it's strengthened. Encourage your family to find a way to share their testimony this Christmas season. They may choose to share it on social media, share it with a friend in person, or gift a reminder of the Savior and include a note with the testimony, but sharing is strengthening.
One way to share your family's testimony is to include Christ in your cards and neighbor gifts. Don't be afraid to be purposeful in always saying, "Merry Christmas" instead of, "Happy Holidays." When you choose your Christmas cards, think about if there is a spiritual message or scripture you can share.
Our Names of Christ Ornaments are a great tie on to your homemade Christmas cookies to remind everyone of the true reason for the season. They even come with a printable tag!
- Christmas Advent
Count down the days to Christmas with Christ. When my kids were younger we had a Christmas stocking with a candy cane pocket for each day of December, until Christmas. I printed scriptures to go along with each day that referenced the story of Christ's birth or Christ himself. It was a great daily reminder.
My friend Melanie has a Christ Centered Christmas Coloring Advent Poster in her Shoppe that includes read a long verses... color a piece every day upto Christmas. You can click the photo to jump over to her site and take a better look.
- Christmas Stories
The school teacher in me loves sharing books with my kids! When my kids were little, it was so much fun to find picture books that fit the season and read them with my kids.
For Christmas, one of the fun things that we have done is wrap up a picture books in wrapping paper as presents. The idea is to open a picture book each day (or maybe a new one each week, etc.). It's a fun way to add to the holiday and get your kids reading. Even if it's the same books you had last year, it adds excitement to unwrap them... they feel almost new again.
Books are also a perfect way to bring Christ into the season. Of course, add some of those well known fun Christmas books like, "The Grinch" but also add books that help your children see Christ as a part of Christmas.
One of my favorite books is the "The Tale of Three Trees." It's not really just a Christmas story, but a story of Christ and how God's love transforms us. it's the story of three trees and their dreams of what they want to become. Each one ends up playing a beautiful part in the story of Christ's life.
There are books that tie Santa Claus and Christ together like "I believe in Santa Claus"
Here are a few other Christmas book recommendations that I gathered from my Instagram community. This list is included in our "Christ Centered Christmas" printable.
Have a book that you would recommend? Please comment below and share it! I would love to add it to our list!
Candace
(Part 2 in a three part Blog Series... see bottom for links to the series.)
As a parent, I always want to make sure my children understand the true meaning of Christmas. About the time my oldest was in 3rd or 4th grade, it really hit me I wanted to make a significant connection between Christ and Christmas.
That focused desire turned into one of our most meaningful Christmas traditions. We call it our Gifts for Jesus. It was our effort to shift the focus from getting wrapped up in what we want to get for Christmas and focus back on our Savior and what GIFTS we could GIVE to Him. Afterall, HE IS THE REAL REASON FOR THE SEASON. We decided the best gift was serving others.
What we did:
I took a simple Christmas box that had a removable lid, wrapped it up in Christmas paper, tied a bow on top and put it under our Christmas Tree. I also took glass Mason jars and put each child's name on a jar. I put the jars on a shelf in our family room cabinet.
I typed up a list of simple service ideas, thinking specifically about each child and what types of service were age appropriate. I cut the ideas into individual strips and put them into that child’s jar. (Grab the "Christ Centered Christmas" printable with 27 ideas ready to go (just cut out) + more Keeping Christ in Christmas helps! - bottom of post)
The service ideas were quite simple. I wanted our kids to recognize how simple service is impactful too and I didn't want to expect so much that we couldn't keep up with it. The ideas included things like, “Smile at everyone today,” or “Open the door for everyone you see today. as well as bigger things like, "Do a chore for someone.”
Each morning when we had family prayers, the kids would go to their jar, pull out a slip of paper and read it. That day, they could use that service idea and try to do it or come up with one of their own. We talked about recognizing ways to serve too. As parents, we did it with them as well. — As our kids got older, we went to just having one jar of ideas and we would pull it out and read it to everyone in the morning.
In the evening, before the kids went to bed, as we gathered for family prayers again, everyone would put into the gift box the "gift" they gave to Jesus. If they used the idea on the slip from the morning, they would just sign the paper and put it in the box. If they did something else, they would write what they did on a blank slip of paper, sign it and put it in the box. We did this all December.
Make it Part of Your Christmas Eve Tradition
On Christmas Eve night (or some years Christmas morning), came my favorite part. We gather as a family and open our “gifts to Jesus”. We take turns pulling out a service and reading what gift /service was done for Jesus. Sometimes this even prompted individuals telling a neat story of their experience, which was always special. Most of all it was just so fun to see the creative service that has been done, feel in our hearts the confirmation it was good and remember what the season is really all about.
Now, if this seems overwhelming to keep up with, you can do it the 12 days leading up to Christmas or even the week of Christmas. We’ve done it differently in different years, but it’s always one of my favorite things. The years we haven’t been as diligent with it, I noticed a part of the sweetness of the holiday wasn’t as much (and the mom guilt was there that I could have helped them feel more this season.)
You don’t have to do the gift box either, one year we did it with a paper chain so we could watch it grow throughout the month. Each night we would just write what we did on the paper and add it to the paper chain. Personalize the idea however fits your family.
Other holiday service ideas:
If you don't like the idea of daily service, it's always wonderful to plan with your family a way you can all serve together.
Before my husband and I had kids, it was our favorite Christmas experience to help a family in need. I still remember the year we pulled a few friends together and created an amazing Christmas for a family that had very little.
I have a friend whose family would serve Christmas Eve dinner at the local shelter. She always said it was a memorable experience and even the teens wanted to go again. There are sometimes restrictions on ages allowed to do this, but what an eye opening experience it can be.
One of my wonderful friend's siblings and their families save their coins (you know, the leftover change) all year and then at Christmas they take that money and use it to serve someone or an organization… what a wonderful small family or extended family tradition this would be thinking about serving at Christmas, all year long and then carrying it out as a family.
Here are a few other service ideas to get you thinking! (Get a copy of this in the "Christ Centered Christmas" printable!)
I hope these ideas got you thinking how your family can give a gift to Jesus this Christmas, through service. I promise you it will make your holiday more meaningful!
Love,
Candace
** This post is part of a 3 part series on Keeping Christ in Your Family Christmas. Check out these blog posts for more ideas on how to Keep Christ in Christmas this year.
Be sure to grab the "Christ Centered Christmas" Printable too! It includes the printable SERVICE IDEAS and more! Sign up below and it will be in your inbox in minutes!
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The Christmas season is a favorite time at our house! It’s a special season filled with so much tradition, simple fun and excitement that sometimes we can lose track of what the season is really all about. I find when I intentionally plan, we stay more focused on the true meaning of Christmas. So today, I'm sharing some ideas with you of how to keep Christ as the focus of your holiday, while still enjoying all the fun of the season... I think you can enjoy Santa, elves and hot chocolate while still celebrating our Savior!
We hope you enjoy this three part Blog Series focused on helping you bring Christ into your family Christmas!
So, if you've been around long, you know I love to decorate for the holidays and Christmas is definitely no exception! It's actually my favorite season to decorate for! (It's the season where my husband is even okay with me buying about any decor I want because he loves the season so much! I have to hold myself back!) I try to keep it from getting out of control, but our family does love a beautiful holiday house...
Finding ways to add reminders of the Savior in your decorating is a great way to Keep Christ in Christmas and there are so many ways to do it…
Add a picture of Christ. This is probably the simplest ways to add Him to your decor. I suggest having a picture of Christ up in your home all year, but if you don't already, it's a great time to add one. It's also a wonderful time to feature a print of the nativity scene. Use a picture on your wall, mantle, a shelf, or you could even nestle it in your Christmas tree!
Any picture of Christ will be perfect, but I do especially love this one by Greg Olsen. I love his portrayal of Santa Claus holding the figurine of the baby Jesus. His poem ties Christ and Jesus together so beautifully as well; I just love it! (Click the photo to see how to get one. This is NOT an affiliate link... I just love his artwork!)
Adding a nativity is a wonderful way to add Christ to your holiday decor. There are so many unique styles of nativities that you can find one that fits your home and style… they often become family heirlooms that are passed down.
Our family nativity is one that my mom made many years ago and it’s my favorite piece to get out each year and I hope someday that I will pass it onto one of my kids to be in their home.
If you don't have a nativity, consider having your kids color a Nativity mural or banner for your decorating! (Link to one in the download!)
Another beautiful way is to add ornaments and more that remind you of the real Reason for the Season. Our Names of Christ are a favorite for doing just that. I personally have felt the true peace having such a piece added to your decor can bring.
6" Names of Christ Ornaments - from our Shoppe.
Last year was a hard Christmas for me... My mom passed away in early December so everything just felt off. One sweet Christmas memory stands out though...
We love ornaments on your tree, but you use these pieces to accent your home more than just on your tree… weave them into wreaths, garlands, or create groupings in different places in your home. You can even add special reminder touches to your dinner table!
12" Names of Christ Set from our Shoppe.
So, as you decorate this holiday season, look for ways you can include the Savior in your decorating. What reminders of HIM can you add to bring a beautiful peace and focus to your holiday?
Love,
Candace
** This post is part of a 3 part series on Keeping Christ in Your Family Christmas. Check out these blog posts for more ideas on how to Keep Christ in Christmas this year!
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Let's be honest, sometimes Thanksgiving gets the small end of the stick most of the time...
The kids usually make sure we don't forget to make Halloween extra fun, with costumes, parties, spook alleys and all, it's a holiday many families love. Then as soon as Halloween is over it feels like you just have to start preparing for Christmas, or you're going to be a stress case! So, sometimes Thanksgiving is almost glossed over and just becomes a family dinner, not getting the attention it deserves. Does that ever happened at your house too?
#1- Conversation
Yes, when we gather we talk, it's the best part isn't it? But sometimes it can be a challenge to get some family member talking... you know the shy cousin that you have the awkward conversations with every year. We love conversation starters as a way to get meaningful conversation going and get everyone talking. The right conversation prompts can get you sharing, laughing, reminiscing and maybe even sharing some tears of gratitude.
Grab some slips of paper and have everyone write one question on it, then pass them out and get talking.
Want something already made? We are so excited about our Thanksgiving Wood Conversation Leaves Set cuz they not only add a pretty accent to your table and double as a Name Card, but each one has a Thanksgiving themed question to get your table talking. Grab them HERE.
Photo: @theglitzypear
As part of your dinner, have everyone read and respond to the question on their leaf or if you have a small enough group, go around the table and have each person at the table respond to everyone's leaf. They will give the whole family some fun moments to reflect on what you are grateful for and share!
#2 - Name Cards / Place Cards
Personalizing your Thanksgiving table makes everyone feel noticed. Place cards are a super fun way to do it… let’s be honest, we all like seeing our name… it makes us feel special and that we belong there, even in our families!
Thanksgiving Conversation Leaves - personalize the plain side with vinyl lettering
These turkey place cards are the original place cards I made with my kids when they were little (look at the size of the hands) and we have kept using them for years! In fact when new members joined our family, Grandma would just request I make more! The best part is the kids got involved and helped me make them!
Just trace your child’s or grandchild's hand onto cardstock and turn it into a turkey. (add googly eyes, gobbler etc). Glue onto a cardstock folded tent. These are super cute and the kids love seeing their hands as part of the table.
One fun thing you can do to make them even more special is to take the time to write a note to each person inside the cardstock tent, telling them what you are thankful for about them!
#3- A Fun Napkin Fold
Okay, I love a pretty table… it’s one of my favorite things! A beautiful table invites everyone in and keeps them wanting to stay… which is what we want! We want more than just an everyday table for Thanksgiving though…
Adding a fun napkin will really dress your table up for the occasion. But doing something fun with your napkin will really stand out! This pumpkin napkin fold is super easy and looks adorable!
All you need is
Watch how we did it!
#4 - Favors
Favors are a special trinket for each person. It’s another way to make them feel special! We are probably all familiar with the cornucopia as a symbol of plenty; we see it in lots of Thanksgiving decor. So, let’s turn that symbol of plenty into a favor for our family members!
This favor is a cornucopia treat made from an ice cream cone and then filled with a few Fall candies. They are super easy to make! Check out our Instagram Reel below on how to make them or see a full length tutorial HERE from Daily DIY Life.
These are perfect on or next to each person's plate. Add a special touch by taking a slip of paper and hiding a note to each person inside of their cornucopia! Everyone loves a surprise like that!
#5- Gratitude Lists
Another fun way to dress up your table setting is to add a Gratitude List to each place setting. It’s a thoughtful favor and makes great conversation as people start sharing with each other. Take just a few minutes before or after dinner and have family members fill in their lists with things they are grateful for. Grab this printable and more at the bottom of this blog post!
I have a friend whose family does this every year, but a fun twist they add is that after family members have filled out their lists, they keep them in an envelope until the next year. So, the tradition is that every year they create a new list, but they also get to look back on their list from the year before and see what they were thankful for compared to this year.
Another gratitude idea is to accent each place setting with a note telling the person what you are grateful for about them. You could also pass out blank cards and a slip of paper with a family member's name to each family member as they arrive. Before dinner, collect all the cards and place them at each persons seat. This way everyone writes a card and everyone receives a card. What a fun tradition this could be. - Grab this printable card & more at the bottom of this blog post!
#6- Kids table
The kids table is the place to be, right?! These are a couple fun touches that are perfect for the kids table…. This is a Thanksgiving coloring Runner in the LemonDropsNLilies.com shop- Add it to your Thanksgiving table to keep the kids entertained before dinner, then it becomes their table cover for dinner.
If you don’t want to use it as your actual table cover, it’s still a fun option to bring out before or after dinner and just have for family members to color and chat! You might find the whole family enjoys sitting and coloring, not just the kids… I had the chance a few weeks ago to sit and color while I was listening to quite a few hours of speakers and I was surprised how much I really enjoyed it and my teens even jumped in and colored with me a little! It’s a great way to just relax and enjoy being together!
Alright, it's time to get those tables ready! Add just one or two special touches that will resonate with their families to make Thanksgiving dinner extra special! Happy Thanksgiving!
Love, Candace
Want access to the Thanksgiving printables and a discount on our Thanksgiving Collection? Fill out the form below and it will be sent straight to your inbox!
The summer itch has started! You and your kids are tired and dragging through the last few days of school, eagerly awaiting Summer Break! A SUMMER CELEBRATION is definitely in need!
I have a simple summer celebration idea with you so you and your family can celebrate a wonderful school year and a memory waiting to happen summer break starting too!! Greet your kids with this POP INTO SUMMER TREAT BAR in a dough bowl and create a sweet memory! It's great for a full end of the school year party or just partying with your own family fun! We've got all the details right here included a free printable banner and Summer Bucket List for you!
]]>The summer itch has started and we are tired and drudging through the last few days of school, eagerly awaiting Summer Break! (Are you feeling it too?) So I decided a SUMMER CELEBRATION was definitely in need! I'm sharing this simple idea with you so you and your family can celebrate a wonderful school year and a memory waiting to happen summer break starting too!!
When my kids arrive home on the last day of school, this is what will welcome them, this POP INTO SUMMER TREAT BAR! Isn't it so fun?!
It's the perfect way to start celebrating summer break and create another sweet memory! It's great for a full end of the school year party or just partying with your own family fun!
I used:
- Twin popsicles
- Cosmos Creations Coconut Crunch & Salted Caramel Puffed Corn
- PopArt Sweet & Salty " w/ Sparkles" Kettle Corn
- sodas
- salt water taffy
We've collaborated with some of our friends to bring some FREEBIES to finish your summer party!
Hope you enjoy kicking this summer off to a fun start with this idea! Be sure to join our email list with the link below to get inspo and fun like this to your email box all year long!
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Decor pieces that are versatile and can be used in a variety of ways all year long are my favorite pieces! Investing in decor staples that you can use for everyday looks, but dress up seasonally to refresh your space, is so much fun as well as good on your budget! I'm bringing you my top 10 recommended pieces...
Not sure what a Home Decorating Capsule is? Think of it as the building blocks of your home decorating that support the foundation of your home decor style. By investing in quality anchor pieces like these suggested, you have a base to decorate from in every season. Then it becomes simple to add trendy seasonal pieces around them. Holiday and everyday decorating becomes a cinch! ...
]]>Decor pieces that are versatile and can be used in a variety of ways all year long are my favorite pieces! Investing in decor staples that you can use for everyday looks, but dress up seasonally to refresh your space, is so much fun as well as good on your budget! I'm bringing you my top 10 recommended pieces...
Not sure what a Home Decorating Capsule is? Think of it as the building blocks of your home decorating that support the foundation of your home decor style. By investing in quality anchor pieces like these suggested, you have a base to decorate from in every season. Then it becomes simple to add trendy seasonal pieces around them. Holiday and everyday decorating becomes a cinch!
Here is my list of Recommended items for your Modern Farmhouse Home Decorating Capsule… working from #10 to my #1 most recommended decor staple...
Rather you choose a wicker basket or a wire one, baskets are a wonderful way to add the farmhouse touch. Big baskets look great on the bottom of a console table, on your fireplace hearth and even next to the sofa. They are great for holding color and texture accent pieces like throws, pillows and even organics like greenery or flowers.
Don’t forget the added bonus that they are a decorative way to keep the clutter and mess out of the way! (aka loose blankets you like to cuddle with on the sofa or all those random things on your kiddo’s bedroom floor!)
A blanket ladder adds a bit of the rustic feel to a room. Wood is my favorite, but you can also find iron options if that’s more your style. Not only are these nice for adding throws to add texture and style, but they are also fun ways to display garlands or even a seasonal wreath during the holidays.
In my home, I have a plain whitewashed wood sign that I use as a background on my mantel and more. (I was spoiled and my handy husband built it for me, but you can find similar things out there.) In some seasons I swap it out for a wood window frame.
Having a piece with size and height really helps to take your decor to the next level. A mirror can also work as this piece, you just want something with a neutral background that will give substance and height to your mantel or console table. A large neutral sign or even a painted wood board can serve as this also. Base pieces are perfect for anchoring medium sized signs and hanging wreaths from.
This item is probably no surprise, the tiered tray is seen in practically all modern farmhouse decor. They are the perfect foundation for adding seasonal and everyday touches with some height, particularly to a kitchen counter, table or even an entryway.
Another nice option is risers. You can find small shorter ones or some with a lot of style and height.
Some riser sets can even be stacked for a tiered tray effect, but offer the versatility of using separately as well. Risers are so handy when you need to just add a little height to your vignette or centerpiece.
If you’ve been around her long, you know I am a lover of dough bowls. They are so fun to style for every day and seasonally! There are so many sizes available too that the possibilities are endless with what you can fill them with inside! They can be styled low and more flat or add tall pieces for the ultimate look.
I suggest a mid size and large option as a must! I think they give you the most versatility, but it’s fun to have a little one around for tiny accents too! Mid sized bowls are great coffee table or shelf or mantel accents and even look great on a smaller dining table. Large dough bowls make a gorgeous centerpiece on a dining table, large console or an oversized mantel.
Wood lanterns are simply a gorgeous stand out farmhouse decor item. They create an eye-catching look for everyday and in every season… if you wan’t to awe the neighbors, this is your piece! Large ones are the perfect centerpiece and they can accent all over your home.
It's easy to see why this large lantern set is a favorite for me! Smaller styles are great for shelves and trays. You can find lanterns with glass walls, doors and my favorite, open lanterns (no glass). They can be hung or styled on a table or shelf. They even add a beautiful touch outdoors.
Kitchens can be a bit tricky to add color and accents to without getting your countertops overcrowded. (Do you hate a lot of clutter too?) I find a towel ladder is the perfect way to add personality (fun colors and statements on a towel) to your countertops. Creating a little vignette with just a couple pieces makes a big statement in your kitchen. It can even be a simple way to add meaning and inspiration to your kitchen with the right towel.
If you haven’t added a towel ladder yet, now's a great time too. We no longer carry them in the shop, but Etsy is a great place to find them.
Want more inspiration on using towel ladders in your decorating, be sure to check out our blog post, “8 Ways to Use a Mini Ladder in Decorating.”
No home should be without greenery, no matter the season. Use greenery in pots or vases, as accents in your trays and vignettes and on your shelves. Greenery pieces that can be used year round are worth investing in. Some of my favorite greens to use all year include eucalyptus and boxwood, they fit in for every season and are perfect as stems, orbs, garland or even a wreath. Finding some good leafy stems like lemon leaf or ruscus is always a good choice as well.
Middle: Names of Christ Set (8 in all); Right
Trays come in round, square and rectangular shapes. I would even include flat boards like wood cutting boards or charcuteries into this category. Whichever you choose, these are a must for decorating. They can be used everywhere from your dining table, side table or even a kitchen countertop. They make the perfect base for decorating and help your decor to look finished and collected rather than cluttered. They can even be great to turn on their side and use as a backdrop in your decorating.
The number one home decor accent is a beautiful candlestick set. Candles add a level of cozy to a space, atop a beautiful candlestick, you also add height and style to any setting. Candlesticks look perfect as part of that dining room centerpiece, on a side table, on the console in your entry or even on a tray on your ottoman. The best part? A good set of candlesticks might be a bigger investment, but they are a piece you will use for years and years to come.
I hope this has helped you start thinking about what you want to have in your HOME DECORATING CAPSULE. You are sure to find these decor staples as anchors to your decorating all year long as well as in the holidays. Did we miss anything you think is a Farmhouse decor staple? Was there something you hadn’t thought of? Tell us your favorites in the comments!
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Halloween is one of our favorite holiday times because it's filled with traditions! This first Friday in October is a great time to start some of your own Halloween family traditions. Choose one or more of the ideas on this list and do it every year. Your family will look forward to not just the candy on Halloween, but the closeness it brings between all of you as you have fun together.
A Halloween house will absolutely kick off the season with style and fun! You probably already have decorations your family loves! My kids have grown very attached to a few specific decorations. In fact, I personally am still attached to a ceramic pumpkin my mom made that was part of the decorations growing up. It's my favorite thing to get out every Halloween and always makes my heart warm and brings a smile!
Adding paper cut out bats is a fun way to add spooky decor that's practically free! Just use painters tape to hang them and enjoy!
I started collecting a few Halloween picture books when my kids were very small. They weren't scary stories, but fun books. Most nights in October we read one or more Halloween books at bedtime. I have fond memories of it. I tried to add a new book each year to keep it fun. Now we have a small collection and even though my kids are teenagers, I still get them out. And yes, I do even find them rereading them.
I am not a huge fan of carving because it's so messy and the pumpkins rot faster, but the kids love it. Sometimes we carve, but some years we just paint on the pumpkins. Get creative with it... decorate a pumpkin like each member of your family or like a favorite character! The time together doing it is what matters. It's also a great way to dress up your porch!
We have always had a tradition to dress up as a family. However, last year we had lots of schedule complications and decided not to spend the money on family costumes because we wouldn't be able to attend any parties etc. Instead we decided to all get Halloween socks. Surprisingly, it was still super fun! The kids seemed to really enjoy getting to pick out a pair that fit their likes and personality and they definitely wore them more than they would have a costume.
There has to be some bonus good to that mess when carving pumpkins! Pumpkin seeds are it! We think this last year we found the BEST recipe. Click HERE to grab the printable recipe for FREE in our shop!
Meal time as a family is important time and having somewhere festive to eat in October, just really makes it more fun! There are some fun table decor pieces like our Spider Web Chargers and Wood Bat Cut Outs/ Plate Toppers in the Shoppe to help you set up your table all month long or just for Halloween night.
Include your family in planning out accents like spiders, pumpkins, skeletons or our Halloween Bat Set or folding a fun Halloween napkin shape to use.
After you have your Halloween table set, make your Halloween meal special. If you are like me, Halloween night is so busy that you need to keep it simple. Our family has made a tradition out of having the same meal every Halloween. We typically serve Shells and Cheese with Crescent Mummy Dogs, but some years we shake it up with a crock pot of our favorite homemade chili and Spider Breadsticks. Serve one for Halloween and one in the days before! I also love what my friend does, arranging food in Halloween shapes. Food is always a fun tradition.
Talking is one of the best ways to connect as a family. It builds bonds as you share and laugh together. Gather your family and our Halloween Conversation Bats or our Halloween Talking Cards in the Shoppe. These fun conversation starters are themed for Halloween! They are perfect for sharing around the dinner table or adding a fun touch to your family room! We especially love the bats if you love unique items and a detailed touch. The printable version is great for starting up some laughter on car rides!
Get the connecting going when everyone is gathered! Both sets have enough for one every day in October or break them up into chat sessions! And don't worry friends, I've tested them on my teens and they even approve!
I am not often the one to start this yearly tradition, but our family loves the sweet surprise when we get, "Spooked." Maybe this year your family can get it going in your neighborhood. Make or buy a treat. Package it up fun. Add a note to spread the fun along, then leave it on a neighbor's doorstep, knock and run. Warm your heart and have an awful good time! There are lots of printables available on the Internet if your family wants to do this one.
Check out these cute printable boxes by Anne Maie Printables on Etsy that would be perfect for doorbell ditch treat!
I also absolutely love these Halloween Neighborhood Boo Basket printables and ideas by coffeeandconfettimom.com. Definitely take a look if you are thinking of starting this tradition.
Many common games can be given a Halloween twist. Here are 7 ideas to get you thinking!
I've come together with two of my Biz Besties to bring you even more Halloween fun! Click HERE to grab our SPOOKTACULAR FAMILY HALLOWEEN GUIDE!
It includes:
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Have you started your Fall decorating? Changing up your decor with the seasons is a great way to make your home stand out and add excitement in your family for the memories and experiences Fall will bring. Rather you like to keep holiday decor to a minimum or go all in, these tips will help you get going on your Fall decor...
You likely thought of this, but here's a twist... I really like to start with a neutral palette of creamy whites, pale yellows, browns and grays and add deeper orange, red, brown and mustard yellow as we get further into the season. I love the warmth the colors add as the weather gets cooler. This helps keep my Thanksgiving decor just a little different from my “just moving into Fall decor” without a whole lot more effort on my part; I'm instantly the Fall decor queen! Take a look at the transition of one spot in our home.
wreaths, dried grasses and flowers like mums and sunflowers are great ways to do this. Warm wood textures and tones are also a great addition.
See our Rustic Wood Ladder.
See our 19" Wood Dough Bowl & Wood Bead Garland
You can choose one larger sign, like our welcome Fall sign on the site, as a focal point in your Fall decorating or use smaller seasonal signs as accents around the room.
See our Double Sided “Welcome Fall” Sign.
Take a look at our "Count Your Blessings" wood sign
I think this is a must have for Fall decorating! Add pumpkins, real or faux. Larger ones are perfect focal points and little ones can be added as accents all over. You can even add pumpkins to your normal centerpieces and trays as a simple way to add a fall look!
Take a look at our 19" Wood Dough Bowl.
Cozy is essential to Fall. Adding throws and pillows on sofas, chairs, baskets and benches will make everyone want to cuddle up. Add candles, particularly in inviting Fall scents to make pumpkin spice season it's fullest. A yummy fall scent with a cozy atmosphere will make the perfect setting for Fall memories and make everyone, even the neighbors feel at home.
Check out these Wood Beads on the site.
Black Stripe Throw with Tassels / "As For Me and My House" pillow cover
Are you ready to get your home cozied up for Fall? I hope this helps you get excited about making your home a special place to gather with your family this season.
Candace
Other blog post you may be interested in:
- 5+ Ways to Style Throws to add Cozy to Your Space
- 3 Tips for Halloween Decorating
- Family Friday: Halloween Kick-off!
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I love the start of a new school year... maybe it's the former school teacher in me, but I find it such a "restart". It's the perfect time to spruce up your study spaces and organize those spots that are critical for keeping your family organized.
For us, having a family command center is critical. It’s a family organization must have! If you aren’t sure what I’m referring to, a family command center is a space to hold all your family's important information (and I will add STUFF) so that everyone can find it. The busier your family, the more you need one!
Want to know what to put in your family command center? For me, it’s not only a place for a calendar and reminders. It's a place for the dance bag, backpack and a place to have a chance to keep them inspired. I really love to add spiritual reminders, motivational quotes etc. Anyway I can put good into my kiddos' brains, I want to! I love inspiration and organization bundled into one!
I hope this gets your thinking on how to incorporate or refresh your family command center. I think a key is creating what works for your family and changing it as your family changes. I would love to hear how your Family Command Center turns out! Please comment and tell me what piece you are most excited for!
Candace
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Celebrate with some of these fun ideas. Be sure to read on to get some links for even more resources!
This is one of my favorite family activities we have done. You've probably heard of them before and hopefully you've even been happily surprised by them. We have an entire trail here where I live that has them all along it. What a great way to bring joy and encouragement to the world! My teenagers even enjoyed this! Grab your family and share some kindness!
The Summer Olympics begin this Friday! This is a fun opportunity to gather your family and enjoy and appreciate these amazing athletes and all their hard work! While you are watching why not make homemade ice cream? I've included our favorite recipe below. We are big fans of using Cookies and Cream or Chocolate pudding flavors!
Want to have some olympics of your own? I loved some of these family Olympic ideas shared by The Creative Bite. Click here to check out these ideas!
This game was something I first did when I was teaching school. Just recently I was driving my quietest child somewhere and wanted to get her talking. I decided to try asking her a few questions and it worked! Pretty soon she was sharing all sorts of stuff with me, all prompted by a options and wanting to explain her choices. Give it a try! Be sure to grab the idea list link at the bottom!
Check out this list of 100 Would you Rather Questions that I found shared on Sign Up Genius. Click here to see it! You could make a family night out of it or do what I did... I printed it out and put it in my car to pull out on drives and get the family talking! Enjoy!
Week 1 - National Donut Day
There were so many good ideas for this one, that I had to give it it's own blog post! Click here to see the full post and all the resources and ideas. If you only want the simple, see the graphic below. This was planned for celebrating National Donut Day, but the ideas could be used almost any day. And let's be honest, who doesn't love donuts any day? Right?!!
Week 2 - Gargle A Song
This is a fun game that will have your whole family laughing and can be pulled off in seconds. It's great for when you don't have a lot of time, but want to do something fun.
Week 3 - Volleyball Kill Game
If you have teenagers, you have to try this game! We spent the first week of this month at a Youth Conference with 20 teenagers. This game was probably one of the favorite things! One of the cute teens there was a Volleyball player and taught everyone to play. Don't worry, no real volleyball skills have to be used, but it is loads of fun! You may have a hard time getting your family to ever stop playing! All you need is a volleyball and I recommend 4+ players. Hope you love it!
Week 4 - Up Chickens, Down Chickens
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Since my parents moved away from there, I’ll be honest, the last few years have been a bit of a bore because we let those traditions fall away and didn’t add new ones in their place. So, I've put together this post with simple ideas to put tradition into your 4th of July celebration and make some special memories with your family!
Ever since we had our first child, 4th of July attire was a tradition. It is just a simple way to make the day special and help your family feel connected. Of course, there are lots of ways to do this, but here are a couple ideas to get your going…
Decorating your home for the 4th of July will create even more holiday anticipation! You don’t have to get super fancy here.
Your porch is your welcome to your neighbors and family. Adding a touch of the patriotic season will certainly help everyone get a little more excited.
A BBQ always says America! Think of ways to make this BBQ a tradition.
Drink up! No, I’m not referring to alcohol, but adding a family friendly festive drink will again make the day feel special.
Pictured from Shoppe: Navy Stripe Runner, Wood Lantern Set, Liberty Bead Strand, 3 Star Set and Herb Sage Candle Ring.
6- Catch a parade!
This one small tradition has a way to get your holiday morning started! Going to an Independence Day parade is just fun! Take your family out to watch and maybe even catch a few candies that are thrown! The smaller the town, I've found the better the parade, so don't shy away from small town parades!
July tends to be a hot month almost everywhere, so cool off with some water.
Check out our July Family Fun ideas Blog Post for a few water games your family will love!
You don’t have to even leave home to enjoy this!
There are lots of wonderful 4th of July desserts out there in red, white & blue. One of my favorites is a Patriotic berry trifle. If you want to keep it simple, try one of these all American treats that are perfect for July 4th! Do it every year and it becomes tradition!
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without fireworks!
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It's Friday and that means it's FAMILY FRIDAY here at Lemon Drops & Lilies! This Friday is extra special because it's National Donut Day! That's right, the first Friday in June is the day to celebrate with donuts! What family member won't love that? So, grab the family and make some special memories together!
So, how did National Donut Day come to be? Well, it all started back during in 1917 during World War. Helen Purviance and Margaret Sheldon were Salvation Army volunteers stationed along the soldiers. They wanted to boost the spirits of the soldiers with comfort food, so they made donuts and gave them!
Years later, in 1938, National Donut Day was began as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army, also honoring those first, "Doughnut Lassies" that made donuts for the soldiers of World War I.
So, to start this Family Friday, why not learn a little bit about National Donut Day and it's beginning. The Salvation Army has a simple video that teaches a little of the background. It would be a perfect intro to teach your family before getting into all the fun.
Now let's DONUT forget to get into the FAMILY FUN! Choose from these ideas or think of some of your own to use with your family...
- Eat donuts! Okay, this is a given, right! There are so many fun ways to do this though...
- For younger children, try this Donut Printable Activity book by aboutamom.com. Some of the activities are even educational. You could have a coloring contest with the coloring page, or just listen to music, eat donuts and complete some of the pages.
- Share Donuts: Rather you make them or buy them, this is a perfect opportunity to encourage your family to show some love and share! As a family, buy or make donuts and package them up for a neighbor, a widow or widower, first responders or just whomever you think needs some love or appreciation.
- Read Donut Books: This is another great idea if you have little ones, read some donut books. You all know the classic story of If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, well did you know there is a donut version too? Yep, If you Give a Dog a Donut might be your child's new goto book and it's certainly fun on National Donut Day. Want some more donut book ideas? Click here to check out this list of donut books compiled by Collin County Mom's Collective.
Want to learn more about Family Friday and get more ideas? Check out these posts...
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Pictured: Our Rustic Hand Towel Ladder in Black stain.
One of our best sellers in our shoppe is our Rustic Hand Towel Ladder. Do you think a mini ladder is just for your kitchen towels? There are so many fun things you can do with a kitchen/tea towel ladder! They are a great decor piece not only for your kitchen counter, but they can be an accent for your bath, shelves, mantels and more. They are versatile and can be used all year long in many unique ways. Having a hard time seeing past using it on your kitchen counter with tea towels? Here’s some inspiration for how to use a tea towel / kitchen towel ladder all over your home…
8 ways to use your Kitchen Towel Ladder in your decor:
1- BATHROOM: Towel ladders aren’t just for kitchens, use them to hold a hand towel in your bathroom. They look great on your countertop, on a shelf, or even on the back of your toilet. You can also add a sawtooth hanger and hang it directly on the wall and then add your hand towels.
2- WREATH HOLDER: Have you tried a mini wreath on your ladder? This honestly is probably my favorite way to use my ladder, even more than hand towels! Just tie the wreath on with a ribbon or stick a straight pin in the ladder itself and hang the wreath on it. You can even just loop the wreath over one side of the ladder. It’s a fun look you can switch out throughout all the seasons by switching your ribbon or type of wreath!
.Pictured: Rustic Hand Towel Ladder
3- SHELF/MANTEL: A wood ladder is an accent piece, so use it as a layer (with or without anything on it) as you decorate your shelves or mantel. Large signs or shutters will look great behind it. Small accents like plants and signs will look good in front of it. When decorating, it’s always good to have a touch of rustic somewhere in your decor, this is a simple way to do it.
Pictured: Rustic Hand Towel Ladder
4- HANG IT: Have you tried this one? Hang your hand towel ladder from a shelf or hook using a rung of the ladder. Another option is to use an S hook or tie a ribbon or rope to hang it. You can even add a sawtooth hanger on the back and hang it directly on the wall. Use it as part of a wall display or hang it from a rod to create a fun look in your kitchen, bath, mud room or wherever!
5- ADD A GARLAND: A bead garland, berry garland or greenery garland on your ladder is super trendy and fun. You can wrap it around a side, lay it over a ladder rung or tie it around your towel. Switching out your garland with the season is a great way to create new looks.
Pictured: Rustic Hand Towel Ladder
6- FLAT TRAYS:
Mini ladders can be a fun piece for flat trays! You will likely want your tray to be near a wall so you can lean the ladder, but you can have lots of fun here! Get creative… lean that decorative gnome against it, wrap a flower stem to climb it or simply use it as a layer.
Pictured: Dipped Hand Towel Ladder; Turkish Fringe Kitchen Towel Set; Bamboo Bead Garland with Tassels
7- BASKET or BUCKET: Inside small to medium sized baskets or tin buckets can be a fun place to display your ladder. Add in a throw for larger baskets or a hand towel and some flowers or greenery for smaller baskets. This little collection will look darling perched on a mantel, hearth, or on a low sitting shelf.
8 - SHOW OFF SMALL ACCENTS: Sit a small sign or miniature item in front (or if small enough on a rung) of your ladder. Wooden tags look great tied on a rung or on a ladder side. Small decorative pieces like a bird or shape cutouts can also be fun displayed on a ladder rung, just use a piece of double side tape on the bottom of it to make sure it doesn’t fall off.
Pictured: Rustic Hand Towel Ladder
Pictured: Rustic Hand Towel Ladder
I hope this has started your creative juices flowing and you see all the possibilities of using a mini wood ladder in your decorating! Expert tip for you... If you ever have trouble with your ladder sliding where you are using it, you can always add a glue dot or rubber foot pad to the bottom of the leg.
If you haven’t added a ladder to your decor yet, be sure to check out our Rustic Hand Towel Ladder and our Dipped Hand Towel Ladder in the Lemon Drops & Lilies Shoppe! Need some kitchen towels for your ladder? Be sure to check out our our collection.
Want more decorating tips? Check out these blog posts...
Happy Decorating!
♥️ Candace
How is your family connection? If your family is anything like ours, you run in all sorts of directions all the time. Even when everyone is home, there are always things to get done, so time with everyone together to connect is precious. Every Friday we share a family idea for you to have fun together. Hope you enjoy this week's idea! Have an idea to add to it? Comment below and share.
It’s graduation time! Are you ready to celebrate your favorite grad! This was my first time having a grad at home as my oldest daughter just graduated high school! It has been such a wonderful and joyous occasion celebrating this milestone! So, today I’m sharing with you some ideas from our at home celebration, the decor, the dinner, a simple grad game & even a graduation photo backdrop that I repurposed at home as part of the decor! Although our at home celebration was only a couple hours, we made precious memories that warmed this mama’s heart and I hope my daughter I will treasure and always fondly remember. That’s what it’s all about, right?
Check out these other great blog posts for more on celebrating your grad…
It's not just about the party...
Now, the majority of this post focuses on the celebration details, but celebrating at home isn't just about a party. It's the little touches, the things your do to make the day or event meaningful that set the stage for your celebrating to touch hearts, be memorable and create connection.
Long before the party, make efforts to start the day with intention. Something I like to do on the day of a significant happening is find a way to make the first waking moments of the day start off with the child recognizing I know how special today is. Sometimes it's beginning the day with a fancy or fun breakfast. On birthdays, it might be balloons and streamers across the entrance to their room.
Today, for celebrating a grad, I got a, "Let the Adventure Begin" helium balloon, tied it to a personal note telling my daughter (the graduate) how proud of her I was and that I was excited for this day. I put it at the bottom of the stairway coming from her room. When she awoke on grad day, it was the first thing she saw, even before any of the family members. These kind of small touches matter in making home a place our children remember fondly with love and joy.
Deciding What Kind of Party...
Now, onto the party... Graduating high school is one of those once in a lifetime moments, a milestone, so I really wanted to make it special. It’s a chance to show your child how proud you are of all they’ve accomplished in high school and how excited your are for the bright future you see for them.
We talked about the big friend grad party, but in the end, we elected for a small pre-graduation at home dinner party for three reasons… 1- the graduating class already had a grad night party for everyone planned. 2- My daughter is really an introvert, so a small family event was just perfect… she could save her social energy for the school celebration later that night! 3- We wanted a special moment as a family to celebrate and not be competing with friends.
So, ideas were simplified and it became what I would call an an Elegant Homebody Grad Celebration! If you want to celebrate with something that feels really personal, or have a child that isn’t into big social gatherings, this small gathering with special moments might be just the right blend! You can create a meaningful and memorable special moment that they will fondly remember.
Planning the party...
Anytime I start party planning, I start with a theme. It makes planning simpler and increases the overall quality of the event. I think about the feeling I’m trying to create and what theme will help me get there. For graduation, I wanted it to be a peaceful, joyous, but a bit grand evening. Yes, graduation itself is obviously the overall theme, but I chose to make our at home celebration really feel elegant. So, an elegant graduation party was my focus.
There were three key parts to the night, decor, festivities (games/entertainment) and food.
THE DECOR...
When planning the decor, start with a color scheme. I chose her school colors of navy and gold and added in white. These colors were not only perfect because they are her school colors, but they are also colors that have a rich, elegant feel to them, perfect for my theme. I chose a mix of materials with sheen and matte to also give the elegant feel.
When I decorate for something special like this, think about how you can spread the look throughout. I wanted something outside to tell the whole neighborhood what special day it was and welcome guests in a fun way.
Outside:
I wanted to create a grand entrance for my daughter when she got home from her grad rehearsal that day as well as to welcome family for the celebration that night. These “Congrats Grad” hanging signs from Amazon were perfect. I liked that they were blue (even if a slightly different blue) so they were similar to her school colors and the size was perfect for shouting (quietly of course) to the neighborhood that cool things were happening today. If you get much wind, like we do here, be sure to anchor the bottom of them to keep them from flying away. The grommets at the bottom are perfect for tying too and adding a heavy rock or balloon weights. To accent the doors, I added a simple balloon garland just to top the doors (I split the balloon kit).
Inside:
Inside I focused on the dining area and spread a bit of the look into our connected family room. I created one simple decor focal area in the family room. As you enter our home, the wall most in front of you is our fireplace/mantel wall. So it was perfect for creating a photo display of pictures from Kindergarten through graduation. This was so simple to create. I already had the framed wood background. You could use a wood piece, large picture frame with fabric or paper, or even a foam board. I added thick cotton cording to hang the photos from (just fastened with packing tape on the back) and a mix of regular and mini clothespins to hang the photos. I liked the variety of the two sizes.
Graduation time is typically perfect for moving the party outdoors. Originally, this would have been the only inside decor because I planned to do the main decor, the eating area, outside on our back porch. However the weather had different plans, so I had to pivot and move things indoors. It was a little tighter for the tablescape, but it worked. Rather you choose inside or outside though, these ideas will make any tablescape lovely!
For an elegant table, I chose a floor length tablecloth in white. Be sure to measure your table length and width and add the height to get the right size table cover for your needs. My mother was a wedding decorator, so she educated me well on this… choose a wrinkle free fabric that doesn’t need much if any ironing and you’ll love using it for other holidays and events as well. Buy the wrong fabric and you will likely never use it again.
For the center of the table, I used a two navy satin runners and bunched them loosely to create a flowing and organic look. My favorite addition was a fresh garland; it made the look! Because I planned for a larger table originally, there really is a ton of fresh garland here, use what feels right for you if you don’t want such a full look. I made this garland literally from stems from two of the bushes in my yard. I cut 6-18 inch stems and wired them together. Keep in mind, a fresh garland won’t keep well overnight, so I would suggest making it the same day as your event.
After the runners and garlands were set, I added this standing 2021 cut out. I loved that it was notable at 12 inches high. Everything else I found was too small and would not have created the grand and elegant look I was going for. I finished the centerpiece by adding two gold and 3 glass candle holders. The candle holders were all things I had, but I linked some similar ones from Amazon below. A few nice pieces like this will be an investment you won’t regret and will love having anytime you want to dress up a dinner.
For setting the table, I definitely wanted to use gold to make it stand out. I started with this scalloped gold charger. I used white ceramic plates to keep with the elegant feel and layered in a textured navy napkin. The texture was one more way to give the elegant feel. I used goblets I already had, but topped them with these fun mini grad hats that I made myself. I created a couple larger ones and accented the center of the table with them. Click here to link to the the quick tutorial to see how to make them!
To make the grad’s setting just a little more special, I purchased this cake topper, removed the stick and set it at her setting. I love how it sets apart the grad seat and felt like the combo of all these pieces totally created the elegant look I was going for!
The backdrop was actually part of a photo spot I created for her school grad party, but I decided to use part of it for the decor as well. It was a nice touch to cover the window and make the space itself feel more elegant. I added a balloon garland over the top and accented it with a wood cutout I painted gold.
THE FOOD...
I think it’s important your food choices match the theme of your party, so I tried to do that here. Of course you must also consider what your crowd likes. For me, it didn’t make sense for our “elegant meal” to include a bunch of fancy things that my kids wouldn’t eat, afterall, this event is to honor my daughter! So, we went with fettuccine alfredo, French bread rolls and Caesar salad. These foods have an elegant feel to them, but are also favorites of my daughter’s. I definitely wanted something that wouldn’t stress this mama out prepping for days before because I knew I would be busy too… this food choice was just a win-win.
For dessert, again, match the theme of your party but consider your crowd. We went with a brownie sundae bar with ice cream and topping choices. To dress it up we used these glass sundae cups. A paper bowl would not have given the elegant feeling I wanted. These glass cups are an item that I think is totally worth the investment. We’ve used them for a few different occasions and they always make the occasion feel extra special.
I had thought I would do a fancy table for the food, but in the end I decided to let that one go. Okay, let’s be honest, I really just ran out of time, so it got let go. My kitchen counter was as fancy as it got. It certainly didn't ruin the evening. My plan though was to feature her graduation gift, a cake made of money as the centerpiece on the food table, but instead I almost forgot to give it to her! Good thing my hubby reminded me... real life here! If you have extra time though, fancying up your food table is another fun way to stretch your decor.
FESTIVITIES: THE ACTIVITY / ENTERTAINMENT...
We needed to keep this grad party to under 2 hours, so we didn’t opt for a lot of activities. Instead I created one simple “How Well do you know the Grad Quiz.” It was set up in a “This or That” format so no one had to overthink their answers. There were choices like “Musical Theater OR Movies” or “Jeans or Sweats”. After dinner, but before dessert, we passed out copies and had everyone make their choices. The grad completed it at the same time and then we went over each answer, voting before on which we thought it was. We all had fun participating and it was so fun seeing what we really knew or didn’t know about her.
If you don’t want to make your own grad quiz you can use the one linked above or find one on Etsy. I went with making my own so I could personalize it more. I think it was a simple way to make my daughter feel special, but not have to worry about any elaborate games.
If you want to do more with game at your party, I really liked some of the ideas I found on the Shutterfly blog, Click here to see.
The Photo Spot...
This Polaroid grad photo spot was actually created for her high school grad party, but I thought I’d share it here. As mentioned before, I used the fabric backdrop as part of the decor during the celebration. We put the fabric backdrop, the large balloon garland and the Polaroid cutout together for the actual High School Party that night. If you are looking to add a photo booth to your celebration, we loved this one!
The backdrop was made from fabric strips tied onto a pipe painted gold. I used a satin blue, a matte blue, a satin gold and cut up a shiny textured gold fringe type backdrop that I cut into pieces.
The Polaroid is cut from an ⅛” melamine hardboard (also known as white wall panel). We cut it 48”x58” with a 41” square cutout, leaving 3.5” on the three sides and 13.5” on the bottom. My amazing husband built a 8' high x 7' wide wood frame to hang the backdrop from. The frame for the Polaroid was slightly smaller and made from ¾” conduit pipe that we spray painted gold. The pipe frame was roughly 6' wide x 6' high, but screwed into a 5" cinder block making the height about 6'5". We hung the Polaroid with strong fishing line and it held great.
The vinyl and grad hat photo prop were designed by my sweet friend, Brenna at craftingoverload.com. She is sharing the cut file for both the grad hat prop and the vinyl with you for FREE, so be sure to hop over and grab it!
Warm & Fuzzy…
This at home graduate celebration just left my heart warm and fuzzy! It was a day that felt complete. We loved the time together as a family to celebrate this wonderful moment. I hope these ideas inspire you for creating your own special celebration in your home! Have questions or like these ideas? Be sure to comment below and let me know!
Love,
Candace
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