This past weekend I spoke at the 2013 Plush Show in Los Angeles on “Creative Ideas & Clever Techniques to Make Any Party POP!”. I used one theme to inspire TWO totally different tables – a water-colorful baby shower and a summery kids birthday, both with POPsicle themes. :) You’ll find a little recap of my talk at the bottom of this post. Thanks again to Plush founder Jina Park for inviting me up!

And if you’ve got a sweet spot for popsicles, keep an eye out because we have a couple popsicle themed DIYs coming up soon + more pictures too! When it comes to live events, it really stresses me out not to see the final design mocked up ahead of time, so we set up & shot these tables in our backyard as well… I figured an outdoor setting during the day was more of a natural setting for them anyways! ;)

The Printables

My (customizable) About To Pop printables are available in Design Hero by HWTM!  Click here to check them out.

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POPSICLE THEMED BIRTHDAY TABLE:

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“ABOUT TO POP” BABY SHOWER TABLE:

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“Creative Ideas & Clever Techniques to Make Any Party POP!”

I knew this audience of brand new & expectant parents would have a lot of celebrations in their future… kids birthday parties, holiday celebrations, hopefully still some adult get togethers in there too ;) – so I wanted to break my favorite party tips down into 5 simple, easy-to-remember steps.

1. Get INSPIRED with a theme: A well thought out party theme has 3 elements:
–––1) the specific idea (i.e. Alice in Wonderland, Paris, trucks, ombre stripes)
–––2) color palette
–––3) style (i.e. vintage, modern, retro, elegant, playful, chic, bohemian)
Addressing all of these will give you a great starting point for your party. Get inspired and have fun with your party details!

2. Be PLAYFUL: Give regular items fun names (for example chocolate donuts can become “tires” for a truck party, or a signature cocktail can be named after the bride & groom at a wedding), and ask yourself what clever things can you do to bring your theme to life. For example, napkins aren’t just for function, they can make a tablescape look extra special. On the birthday table pictured here, I created “popsicles” by folding the kids table napkins into rectangles and simply placing wooden forks underneath to serve as the “popsicle sticks”!

3. Find Your BALANCE: Use a variety of levels and white space to create set-ups that are pleasing to the eye. Use makeshift risers & pedestals to keep dessert tables from falling flat, and resist the urge to overcrowd the table… or all your creative details may get lost in the mix!

4. Love is in the DETAILS: When it comes to parties, that extra layer of detail goes such a long way! Little things like adding ribbons and labels to glass jars can really transform a candy station, and the beloved stripey straw looks even cuter with a party flag attached! A few of my favorite details from these tables for example: tissue fringe on the kids chairs, colorful buttons on the baby shower chairs, and rows of chewy SweeTarts hot-glued to the popsicle stick cake centerpiece.

5. Make it PERSONAL: Making the guest(s) of honor feel special is what a special occasion celebration is all about! Use their name or initials on a banner, centerpiece, cake topper, etc to really customize the party, and make sure to keep their personal tastes and style in mind when picking your theme.

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