Entertaining Archives - Prairie Hive

Category Archives: Entertaining

DIY Entertaining: Run for the Roses

Written on April 17, 2013 by LisaW

LWderbyflowers2 DIY Entertaining: Run for the Roses

Horse racing is a big deal in my family, so every year we look forward to the annual Run for the Roses. I always have wanted to host a Kentucky Derby Party, but since everything else seems to happen this time of the year as well, I can’t ever make it happen! Well, this year I managed to plan a little party to take on Great Day Green Country for one of Prairie Hive’s guest segments. It’s always fun to go on the show, and today it was especially fun with delicious traditional Derby food and famous Kentucky bourbon!

LWderbybrown DIY Entertaining: Run for the Roses

I started with traditional Derby dish like these Kentucky Hot Browns. They were surprisingly very easy to make and they are DELICIOUS! To finish them off, I just cut out some horseshoe clip art and glued it to toothpicks to make cute little food picks.

LWderbycupcakes DIY Entertaining: Run for the Roses

Instead of making the traditional Mint Julep drink, I found a wonderful recipe for these Mint Julep cupcakes at Baked Perfection. Again, easy to make and so yummy!

LWderbybourbon DIY Entertaining: Run for the Roses

And to drink…a Bourbon Smash. Surprisingly light and refreshing! I took only a sip this morning as I had to drive myself home and stay awake for the rest of the day, but I can’t wait to enjoy one later! The ingredients include raspberries, sugar, lime, mint and of course, bourbon. How can you go wrong?! I asked Elliot Nelson, proprietor of McNellie’s in Tulsa for a bourbon recommendation and he suggested Basil Hayden’s. When it comes to things like bourbon, I’ve got to consult the experts!

When it came to setting the table, I wanted to put a little twist on the traditional Kentucky Derby party . To achieve a southern feel, I pulled out any silver (or silverish type serving pieces) that I had. I laid out a linen tablecloth and then used a light blue and white awning stripe Fishs Eddy runner that I found at Sideways here in Tulsa. You can see the runner under the drink tray! The first picture is an arrangement with roses of course. I used more of a coral red rose instead of the traditional deep red and mixed them with ranunculus and other seasonal flowers that were available at the store (I usually like to buy my flowers at Whole Foods- they have a great selection!). I used an old silver trophy as a vase. I’ve had mine for years, but it would be a great thing to search for at the flea market! Silver Mint Julep cups were also filled with roses and vases of hydrangeas were added to the mix – just for a little extra dose of southern charm. And if you’d like to add some official Kentucky Derby race day pieces to your party, the official glasses and programs are available to order.

Happy Kentucky Derby Day! If you’re off to the races, have fun! And if you host your own Kentucky Derby Party, send us some pics at Prairie Hive. We’d love to see them!

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DIY, Entertaining, Lisa W. Tags: DIY, Entertaining, food, Lisa W.

get crafty: dip-dyed flatware

Written on April 3, 2013 by LisaW

LWdipdyedtablesetting copy get crafty: dip dyed flatware

Some have you may have seen my recent post about the dip-dyed skewers we did for Issue 9. Well, I loved them so much, I decided to take the dip-dying a step further and created my own custom bamboo flatware! Same simple process, but a little more impact! I made them for my Easter tablescape and took them on Great Day Green Country this morning. So easy, you can do it at a TV station!

So…to make your own dip-dyed flatware, here’s what you need:

1) Bamboo Flatware (available in packages of 12 at Party City)

2) Paint in a quart container (I used interior latex and of course you can use whatever color works for you)

3) Twine

4) Clothespins

5) Wax paper (or some other material to set under your dripped flatware. It makes clean-up much easier!)

The flatware needs to be hung from the dry end to drip dry, so clothespins were the simplest solution I could come up with. I tied my twine to a garbage can handle and a stepladder, but just use whatever’s handy and stable. Also, to make the paint even on each piece, touch each one to the bottom of the can.

LWdipdyedforkshanging copy get crafty: dip dyed flatware

I let them dry overnight to be sure they were ready to go, and that’s all there is to it! The following is the final result!

LWdipdyedforkcloseup copy get crafty: dip dyed flatware

The DIY napkin isn’t worthy of an entire blog post as it’s just a square of fabric, but it’s my favorite way to customize a tablescape when you can’t quite find just what you looking for. This adorable butterfly fabric came from Owl and Drum. One of these days when I have time, I am going to finish the edges. But they worked fine just like this!

Enjoy creating your own spring tablescapes! The bamboo flatware was perfect for a casual, outdoor get-together.

Happy Spring!

LWdipdyedflowers copy get crafty: dip dyed flatware

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Design, DIY, Entertaining, Home, Lisa W. Tags: DIY, Entertaining, Lisa W.

DIY: Dip-Dyed Skewers

Written on March 12, 2013 by LisaW

When it was time to put the party together for Issue 9, I needed something interesting for the food! I looked for cute picks, skewers, etc. and finally realized I could just make them myself. Hello!

I had already bought paint samples from Lowe’s (you can get any paint color in a sample – the best $3 purchase ever!) to make the tabletop, so I literally just dipped the skewers in the little containers of paint. So easy! One tip though…to get more paint on the skewer, I tilted the jar on its side as far as I could without spilling.

LWsticksonstring2 DIY: Dip Dyed Skewers

Of course I couldn’t lay them down to dry, so I had to get a little creative for that part. I tied twine between a ladder and a trash can in our garage – happened to be what was available and handy – and hung the skewers with clothespins. It actually worked great! Be sure to put something underneath to catch dripping paint!

I made all of the skewers in an evening, so it was a very doable project – time and cost wise! AND what a simple way to tie in the colors you’re using for a party or table setting.

Here are a few pics of the skewers in action…

LWsandwichsticks DIY: Dip Dyed Skewers

LWstickspickles DIY: Dip Dyed Skewers

LWstickspotatoes DIY: Dip Dyed Skewers

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DIY, Entertaining, Inspiration, Lisa W. Tags: DIY, Entertaining, food

Prairie Hive Magazine, Spring 2013 Issue

Written on March 11, 2013 by SarahV

It’s here — our Spring Issue 9! Our featured couple — Daniel and Brie Matlach — are some of the most savvy DIY’ers we’ve ever met.

They fit perfectly into our issue’s theme: saving space, re-purposing items, and saving money — without sacrificing style.

You can read our Cool People, Cool House feature to find out how Daniel and Brie transformed a 722-square-foot garage space into a modern, artful loft space.

They did ALL the work themselves (yes, that means HVAC and the plumbing) and they stuck to their strict budget by being resourceful and creative. Not to mention the art– the couple’s collaborative art projects make the house a true original — including a silhouette project we translate into an easy how-to in our Get Crafty section!

We were so inspired by their colorful choices throughout the home, that we created our Celebrate the Style feature — a garden party in the middle of the city — with their style in mind.

Instead of renting furniture, we show you how to make comfortable seating from free wooden pallets, so your guests can cocktail under the stars while nibbling on bite-sized (and easy to make) snacks.

Spring is all about refreshing your home, working outside, and adding some color to your wardrobe.

We had a great time getting to know the Matlachs, and hope you find some inspiration from them in our Issue 9!

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Design, DIY, Entertaining, Prairie Hive Mag Tags: Prairie Hive Mag, spring

oscar party: hosting a hollywood gifting party

Written on February 20, 2013 by Kim A

Image via NY Daily news

There are sports fans, and there are Oscars fans. And this Sunday is the movie buff’s Super Bowl. Yes, it’s time for the Academy Awards — and time to host a Hollywood-worthy party. We were featured on Fox 23′s show Great Day Green Country to share some fun ideas today!

I’ve hosted Oscars watch parties for years, and they’ve ranged from elaborate nights with food and wine, to sweat pants and cheap champagne.

But this year, I thought we’d try something a little different — a red carpet gifting party.

Haven’t you always been envious when you hear about those luxurious gifts, trips and fabulous items the stars get for free? Just for showing up to an event, a starlet can walk away with a year’s salary worth of gifts.

So why not treat your friends like the stars they are, and host an easy, memorable Oscars party? We’ve got everything you need from a DIY Hollywood sign to swag bags full of goodies. Happy Oscars!

Image via My Paper Pinwheel

The Hollywood sign

To start the party off right, we asked one of our favorite Tulsa crafters — Thuy Bui at My Paper Pinwheel — to set the tone. And she created this fun Hollywood Glam Banner. Inspired from the infamous “Hollywood Sign” in LA’s Hollywood Hills, Thuy made this cute sign from card stock, a little glitter and a few more easy craft-store-bought items.

See the bottom of the post for her simple DIY.

Treats

An Oscars party is all about food, of course! To keep in theme, I thought that celebs would want to start their night with a tiny bite — so they don’t ruin their couture gown, of course. Our friends in Tulsa at The Dainty Dozen, have just the perfect little bites — Red Velvet cake balls. These cake balls are serious — two little bites and you’re hooked.

Swag bags

Treating your guests can be part of the party. Any Hollywood red carpet is full of swag — and I mean the take-home kind. We chose some lovely gifts from Sideways Boutique on Brookside.

We picked a beautiful candle by Pre de Provence, and one of the most sought-after fragrances from TokyoMilk — Gin and Rosewater. To finish the bag, we chose a glam, sparkly cocktail ring — surely to be emulated on the red carpet.

Oscar Bingo

After your friends are sufficiently wined and lavished with gifts, the long awards ceremony begins. To keep things fun and interesting, how about a game of Oscars Bingo? Sarah V. was kind enough to design this cool game for the Oscar buff and novice alike –just follow along with the show, and the first person to get five in a row wins yet another lovely gift!

We have six cards available for you to download here!

Have a great Oscars party!

DIY Hollywood Sign instructions:

Here are Thuy’s easy-to-follow steps for her cute banner.

Supplies:

Black and white card stock
Gold tissue paper
Gold glitter
Glue stick and mod podge
Baker’s twine

1. Cut out the letters for “Hollywood” with a Cricut, using white card stock. Cut out pendant-shapes in black card stock for the backing of each letter.

2. Using mod podge to outline letters, and add glitter around each letter. After it has dried, glue the letters on top of the pendants.

3. String the baker’s twine along the back of the pendants and secure with tape or glue. To add some flair, cut gold tissue paper into a strip the length of the banner and fringe the edges with scissors.

For more visit, My Paper Pinwheel.

Here’s my turn on Great Day Green Country, where I show the whole party put together!

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Design, DIY, Entertaining, Kim A. Tags: DIY, Entertaining, Kim A., Oscars

Anti-Valentines Day Party – It’s Not Me, It’s YOU!

Written on February 6, 2013 by SarahV

For a chef’s wife, Valentine’s Day, along with New Year’s Eve and assorted other holidays is one of the loneliest out there – they cook a romantic meal for everyone else while you cry into your wine and clear out your DVR (OK, maybe it’s not quite that bad)… Anyone else out there HATE Valentine’s Day? It’s always seemed so contrived and forced, but even for an old married gal like myself, the prospect of sitting home alone is a little depressing. What’s a girl to do? Throw an ANTI Valentine’s Day party! Celebrate singlehood (or a dateless night) with other like-minded friends and forget about all the sappy romance stuff!

The It’s Not Me, It’s You theme is my personal favorite, but if you want a few other slogan ideas, try:

-Cupid is Stupid

-Love Stinks, Let’s Drink!

-Eat, Drink and Be Single!

These can be used on invitations, banners, or signs throughout the party.

Next, food. Valentine’s Day is all about the sweets, so check out these adorable “Broken Heart” Cupcakes made by Alter {Egos} Cupcakery here in Tulsa.

For the realllly bitter guests, check out these BitterSweets candies, or make your own cookies with catty slogans directed at your exes… (Note: I’m really sad that the HAD BTR one got smeared…and that they wouldn’t let me take the oh-so-effective FU on television).

Image via Despair.com

Last but not least – entertainment. Take out your frustrations on cupid by bringing in a heart shaped piñata for guests to beat. This one was made by Christine from Made: The Indie Emporium Shop, and really – it’s too pretty to break. Her DIY was so simple but turned out beautifully – just find a heart shaped box (chipboard at Hobby Lobby is ideal for breaking later), cut fringe from colored paper of your choice, and use double stick tape to attach it in rows to the box. Lovely!

Another idea I loved was making a dartboard for your guests to attach photos of their exes to….check out my celebrity jerk test model and more on my Great Day Green Country segment today!

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Entertaining Tags: decorations, DIY, Entertaining, great day green country, Party

Super Bowl Survival Guide

Written on January 29, 2013 by DawnT

image via Hostess with the Mostess

Time to get ready! Kick-off is right around the corner! This Sunday, February 3rd marks Super Bowl XLVII when the Baltimore Ravens will take on the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. I love the Super Bowl. While I can definitely cheer on a good football game, my entertainment mostly centers around the gathering of friends and the stuffing of face… but I enjoy it nonetheless!

If you aren’t a football fan and will be dragged to a watch party this weekend, let me try to help by giving you a few reasons you should get in the spirit. First of all, it means the end of football season with no games again until late summer. You can celebrate that, right?

But more interestingly, the head coaches of these two teams are brothers – Jim and John Harbaugh! (I believe the sports world has christened this game the HarBowl). How cool is that?! I bet their parents are as proud as can be. And what a nifty rivalry there will be on the field this year.

Of course the entertainment features are always the highlights. This year Alicia Keys will be singing the National Anthem, while Beyonce will be performing the Half-Time Show.

Food is always a big draw at any party, especially a Super Bowl party! Bite size foods are big hits for sports crowds. You don’t have to sit at a table to eat, and you can mingle while munching. Here are a few great ideas for some yummy finger foods:

Mini corn dogs – one of my favorites. These are already on my list to bring to the shindig I’ll be attending.

DET SuperBowl01 Super Bowl Survival Guide

image via Iowa Girl Eats

Holy cow do these Jalapeno Cornbread Poppers look fabulous! I think I have a thing for cornbread lately.

image via Oh, Bite It!

Zucchini fritters! Now this is an unique idea I can get behind.

image via Hungry Happenings

If you’re feeling extremely ambitious, you can attempt a “Snackadium”. Wow. Everything in this one looks like it was made just for me.

image via Pillsbury

Commercials are probably the #1 reason the big game has so many viewers. After you find off a food coma, check out some fun Super Bowl commercial games. They definitely help you stay engaged with the group and interested in the game, even if you don’t know the rules of football.

Here is a cool commercials Bingo game. Style Me Pretty offers a free printable template!

image via Style Me Pretty

This adorable DIY craft project is a great way to let your feelings for each new commercial that airs! I may just keep these to pass judgment on all shows and commercials I watch.

image via Studio DIY

I hope these helped spur some ideas for the Big Game! Go Team!!!

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Entertaining, Events, Recipes Tags: Dawn T., DIY, Party

A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

Written on January 23, 2013 by SarahV

IMG 2012sm A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

We made it! A whole year and we didn’t break him. It’s so unbelievable how fast it went by. To celebrate, we wanted something simple with just family and a couple of friends – mainly because 1) our house is tiny, 2) it’s freezing outside and 3) he’s only one after all – and has no clue what’s going on.

We kept it simple and instead of getting theme-y, I just went with a color scheme and added a few easy touches. The invitations I found were the perfect colors:

invite A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

I bought these locally at You’re Invited and printed them myself to save time (after Christmas I got in a bit of a time crunch!). Once the invitations were out, I just went with matching colors in balloons, plates, napkins, etc and added a few special touches like the O-N-E letters on the table. I fell in love with a sprinkle cake I saw on Pinterest so enlisted Antoinette Baking Company to do a big cake and a mini smash cake for the little guy to enjoy all to himself! I have to say – the sprinkles were a big hit with the handful of kids at the party. I thought we might have a marathon cake eating session on our hands when the guest of honor started picking the sprinkles off to eat instead of digging into the whole cake, though (don’t worry - he figured it out).

IMG 2007 A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

IMG 3474sm A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

For a more personal decorations, I made a simple photo garland, with snapshots starting from newborn to current. Sure, I could have jazzed this up by mounting every photo to pretty matching scrapbook paper…but I liked the look (and time factor) of these two pom-pom garlands with simple clothespins to attach the photos. I have it hung up in his room now as a fun decoration as well!

I found my kiddo’s adorable t-shirt on Etsy that you can customize with colors, pictures, etc. It gave him something special to wear for all the photo opps (and wore it again for his 1 Year Old pictures the next week). I’ve seen some great hats, tees, and more on Etsy, all styles – if you aren’t crafty enough to DIY it.

Two great ideas I saw after the fact were a first birthday time capsule (find a cute container and add items like the invitation, candle, decorations, hat, notes from party attendees, etc.) and these great hand lettered posters that tell all your baby’s favorite things at age one. I still may try to round up the time capsule – if I can collect the notes from all our family members!

IMG 1993 A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

IMG 2055 A Simple First Birthday Party : New Mama Necessities

We had a small but fun group, and a good time was had by all. I do have a few tips for other rookie planners like me:

Remember, your little one is still easily overwhelmed, and though the first birthday is mostly for the parents – you still have to plan around your baby.

- Pick a time between naps and meals when your babyis most likely to be happy, rested and fed. We did ours from 12-2, right in between naptimes, giving guests time to clear out before our 3:00 afternoon siesta.

- Keep the guest list small. Unless you have a social butterfly for a 1 year old, they aren’t likely to have many friends yet. Keep the list to family and close friends and save the big kid bash for next year!

- Take photos of the decorations, cake, and your baby before the guests arrive. Once everyone gets there, it’s chaos!

- Appoint a family member to be the “paparazzi” for the day. You won’t have time to take pictures, taking care of your little one, hostessing and making sure things flow smoothly. (Thank you Aunt Liz and Cousin Elizabeth!)

Check out my segment on Great Day Green Country for more ideas!

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Entertaining, Kids, New Mama Necessities Tags: birthday, Entertaining, kids, new mama necessities

New Year’s Eve Bubbly: Easy Champagne Cocktails

Written on December 31, 2012 by Kim A

Image via Revel: Revel

Happy New Year’s Eve! For festive party-goers or for curl-up-and-stay-home-bodies, the night is a perfect excuse to bust out some of that bubbly you’ve been saving.

Champagne, or sparkling wine, is one of my favorite beverages. I’ve always been a fan of the bubbly, and I drink it on every special occasion.

That said, not everyone in your party is always a huge fan. So sometimes, they are more apt to try a glass of the festive stuff if it’s in the form of a cocktail. Fair enough!

Image via WildFleur

Sometimes, all you need is a few drops of Chambord or another flavored liqueur to brighten up those glasses of bubbly. Or, you can liven up a party with a Champagne punch. No matter what you choose, it’s a fun way to celebrate the New Year!

Here are a few of my favorite Champagne varieties and recipes. Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve!

1. Individual cans of Sofia, by Francis Coppola Winery 2. Pomegranate Champagne Punch, Martha Stewart 3. Frozen fruit skewers for a slushy Champagne garnish 4. Blackberry Champagne Cocktails, Williams-Sonoma 5. Cosmopolitan Champagne Cocktails, Epicurious

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Design, Entertaining, Holiday, Home, Kim A., Kitchen, Recipes Tags: Entertaining, holiday, home, Kim A., kitchen, recipes

New Year’s Eve Party DIY – Put Glitter On It!

Written on December 26, 2012 by SarahV

Image via Prairie Hive Magazine, Winter 2011

So, Christmas is over – it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s Eve! If hosting a party is in your plans, the go-to decor is metallics, black and white. For some easy New Year’s Eve Party DIY options, our philosophy is – Put Some Glitter On It! In last years Winter issue of Prairie Hive Magazine, we showed off our glitter style with DIY glitter orbs and metallic and glitter coated wood blocks for displaying food and drinks (see Lisa’s post HERE for a full how-to). For more ambitious crafters, the wood veneer and glittered orbs are absolutely stunning…find Roxanne’s step-by step HERE in Issue 4. For even more glitter goodness, check out today’s Great Day Green Country for a quick DIY votive project!