Friday Friend Feature

How many of us have a friend with amazing abilities to craft, decorate, bake, or design???  You know what I mean!  Those ladies who seem to turn every simple occasion into something completely spectacular just by tuning into "their skills!"  I have chosen to dedicate Fridays {from time to time} to featuring those "superwomen!"  It is my blogging hope...my vision, if you will, to honor one of these talented chicas a month {on a Friday, of course!}  As you know, I am a teacher and the school year is about to begin...so we shall see how that blogging vision really unfolds.... 

Nonetheless, today marks the first ever Happy Hearted Hostess Friday Friend Feature!!!

The first "superwoman" I have chosen to feature is named Rhianna.  She is actually one of my own besties, my cousin, and was the matron of honor in my wedding!  So, of course, she gets to be the first!  Rhianna is incredibly talented and very creative.  Of all of the many things she does well, I think the most blog worthy are her sugar cookie centerpieces!  They are nothing short of brilliant!!!  You will wonder why you didn't think of it first! 

Rhianna says that she makes these for everything from birthday parties to bridal showers.  They are adorable on the center of a table and {I can tell you from experience}...they are delish!!! 

When asking her about these yummy creations, Rhianna said, "I can't take credit for the idea.  I have a friend who used to do it as a small business and she let me in on the secret!"  This, my readers, is what the Friday Friend Feature is all about!  Friends sharing and inspiring each other because really....Behind every superwoman is a superwoman friend!!!  I know, by now, you must be hoping I will let you in on the secret.  Your wish has been granted!  Read on, happy hearted readers!! 

Make the dough and let it chill overnight!  Roll and cut the cookies. Place the sticks in and bake them.  Let them cool before you put on the base coat of icing.  Pipe the outline and let it dry.  Bag the cookies and decorate, decorate, decorate! 

Rhianna, thank you for sharing your savvy {and oh, so cute!} culinary skills with us!  Readers, if you have been inspired by Rhianna's cookie centerpieces, I would love to see your very own cookie creations!  Please email pics of your finished products to me at thehappyheartedhostess@Gmail.com! 

Do you have a crafter, baker, designer, hostess, party planner, or decorator "superwoman"
pal that you would like to see featured on the Friday Friend Feature?  I will be choosing many more friends to come!  Simply email me your friend's amazing ideas, tips, and pictures of finished products!  Can't wait to hear from you, readers!!  Have a wonderful weekend and spread some joy today!  Love to you all!!!

Whale Decor and More!

Happy Wednesday!  If you have been following the blog the last few days, you have likely read the first two posts about the whale-themed baby shower I hosted this past weekend!

Today's post will show some of my favorite decorations from the shower!  Really, we had too much fun with this one!

The "Welcome Baby Banner" was displayed

above the lunch buffet tables!

This banner read, "Brady" and set the tone

for the punch table's blue and green decor!

Do you rememeber the "whale" faucet cover that I bought for Baby Brady from yesterday's post?  {It held the white cakepops on the dessert table.}  This is the matching toy caddy that we bought to lend to Brady's bathtime adventures!  While it will probably hold toy boats and rubber ducks in the future, I used it on the buffet to hold napkins and forks!  It was the perfect size!!!  Once again...a functional present doubles as a stylish table decoration....always nice!

The prizes for our two {very funny} shower games were blue and green colored antibacterial soaps from Bath and Body Works! I am always finding a way to fight those germs away... ha, ha!  Just kidding...though I do love these soaps!

Yesterday's post covered the dessert table, so I am not sharing much about it today...but this is the banner that was displayed at the front of the table.  It read, "Sweet Baby."  Get it?  Sweet...dessert table...???

Check out these sweet baby socks with tiny little whales!!!  Precious!  I added these to the dessert table display.

Ribbon topiaries added to the color scheme and the table decor!  I made ribbon topiaries for a week...5 small for {every other} guest table and 2 large topiaries

for the edges of the dessert table!   


 

 I alternated the ribbon topiaries on the guest tables with these decorative pick centerpieces...a staple in my etsy shop...if ever you are in need!!!

Notice the ribbon backdrop on the dessert table!   Maybe you saw it yesterday but I thought it deserved it's own shout out, today!  See more about the dessert table in yesterday's post!

I truly enjoyed hosting this whale-themed baby shower!  It was a special day full of special people!  Now I am ready to meet Baby Brady!!!  We just can't wait to hold him! 

Have a wonderful Wednesday, readers!  I hope you are blessed and find opportunities to be a blessing to those around you!  Spread a little joy today!!!

Apple Green...Ooh, La, La!!!

Are you enjoying your Monday afternoon, friends??  I certainly hope you are!  I just completed a custom order that I am so excited about!  The customer asked me to create a door sign and centerpiece picks for a bridal shower with an apple green and black and white damask color scheme!  She told me that this bride loves unique details.  For example, the flower girl will be wearing an apple green tu-tu down the aisle!  CUTE!!!

This is the door hanger/sign.... and...

Here you have the centerpiece picks!  It was so much fun to design these for a customer that is so very special to me!  I wish her the best as she continues to plan this very fun and unique bridal shower!  Have a wonderful week, readers!  I hope you are blessed each day with friendship and sunshine!  Spread some joy today...and everyday!  Big hugs to you.

Trivia Night

Who doesn't love a great trivia night???  Okay...maybe I'm not the biggest fan of trivia in general...but I do love the social scene and the great snacks!  {Once in a while, I know a little something that I can contribute to the game...it happens!}

This particular project was actually for my husband.  He is the music minister at our church and organized this trivia night for our choir members and their spouses!  Very fun!

These treat boxes held popcorn and doubled as table numbers for the teams!  Our friends make the best {seriously it's movie-theater amazing} popcorn ever!!!  They were gracious enough to fix plenty...some for each table....yum!

Trivia-goers brought snacks to share!  Check out this terrific table full of appetizers...We had everything from spinach and artichoke dip to home-made fudge!  These people know how to party!

The prize table had mason jars {find them at Walmart} tagged with the names of each prize!  Guests got to put their names in their prizes of choice to be drawn at the end of each round!

Shout out to my husband...(does he actually read this blog regularly...hmmm???)...anyway Hubby, I would love to own a copy of the book Crazy Love myself!  Just throwing that out there since my birthday is next month, you know! 

Our church has a soda fountain these days!  {It's the new beloved summer addition to our church family!}  I am going to be honest.  The next picture is really only posted because the brigthly colored lids on the soda pitchers makes me smile!

The trivia night was a blast because we have the best church family!  Truly, they are wonderful people...and it turns out, they really know some trivial things!  Impressive! Who knew??? 

Thank you to our friends who came early to pop the very delish popcorn!  Thank you to the

trivia-goers who brought those fabulous appetizers!  Your culinary skills amaze me!!  ...and a very special thank you to the nursery workers who watched many little ones for the party!  We love you all!

School's Out for Summer!!!

Who doesn't love a good summer party?  Our church hosted an "End of the School Year"

Ice Cream Party tonight for the kids...and adults!  As a member of the children's ministry council, I was heading up the decorating anyway...and (who am I kidding??)I just started this blog...so, I made a banner and a centerpiece for the ice cream table! 

{A good use of the boys' naptime, right?}  I enjoyed the afternoon of crafting!

Aren't you inspired to take a run through the sprinkler in the backyard and eat a slice of watermelon?  I knew you would be...Let the summer fun begin!!!