Monday, January 30, 2012

D.I.Y. Love Monday's! D.I.Y. Elmo Birthday Party

~~~~Brought to you by the letter "T" and the number "3"~~~
This past weekend I hosted a birthday party for my daughter who turned 3. She had been telling me for months that she wanted an Elmo birthday party, so momma obliged. How do you make Elmo "girlie"? Well, thanks to Pinterest and a few demands placed on hubby and friends, I came up with some fun ideas. I decided to go the Crayon route and used those as the theme and sweet Elmo was the accent.
One of my favorite parts of the party was the candy bar I came up with for all the kiddos. Even thought this has been done so many times at weddings, etc...I could not resist. My hubs and I made a date of it and went to The Nifty Nut house and picked out some vibrant favorites. I had some extra foam cones laying around from previous projects and made a Dum Dum tree as part of the decor.
I ended up giving it to a sweet little friend at his Adoption party later that night! He loved it and was in awe of it! I was glad to share it with him, and my daughter was even more eager to give it to him so she could ask for a Dum Dum; as if she hadn't had enough candy already that day......
I found the cake design on Pinterest, but put a spin on it with the Crayons as the bottom base of the cake. My friend Amanda Seekins, Owner of Heavenly Creations, made her cake and it turned out super cute and was pretty tasty too!
The Kids had a great time coloring, eating cake, jumping on the trampoline and enjoyed special entertainment by Troubles the Clown and Tip Toes the Clown. This was my genius husbands idea, as I have been terrified of clowns since I was a young child. The worst part is that he invited them into my home! The kids seem to love it as they performed different tricks and made balloon animals, and shapes.....best part; momma survived!
Most of the decor was hand made and was super easy to make! Here is a picture collage of all the fun and decor!


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Alter Ego Give Away!

Alter Ego $20 Gift Certificate Give Away!
If you have not already been, you will want to go to Alter Ego; located in New Market Square, to check out all their amazing inventory! From shoes, to earrings, dresses to pants, you are sure to find something for that special event, or amazing gift! If you have had the chance to meet know Laura and Heidi, you know that you will be greeted with a smile and amazing service as you shop in their cute, Shabby Chic boutique!

Alter Ego is giving away a $20 gift certificate to one lucky winner!

To enter please:
Like Alter Ego on Facebook 
Leave a comment on their page
Like Events By Ashley on Facebook
Leave a comment on their page
For extra entries, twitter, facebook
Don't forget to leave a comment for each one on this blog post!

Good Luck!!

Monday, January 23, 2012

D.I.Y. Love Monday's! Moss Balls

D.I.Y. Moss Balls
Moss balls are super easy to make and will cost you $3.00-$7.00 depending on if you are able to get them half off at Hobby Lobby or a discounted price at Michael's

All you will need is a package of sheet moss and any size of foam ball. For this project, we are using a 6 inch diameter ball. Make sure your hot glue gun is nice and warm and you have plenty of glue stick. Start by putting hot glue on a section of the ball, then tear off a piece large enough to place on the glue. Continue till your foam is completely covered. Each ball will take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Happy crafting!






Bonus project!!!
Do you have a bunch of wine corks laying around?!? Grab them and make a rustic business card holder, or as place setting card holders!


Saturday, January 21, 2012

Winner of Marigold Road Give Away!

Winner of The Valentine's Wreath and journal is Melissa!!! Please email me: ashley@myeventbyashley.com to claim your sweet gift!!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Marigold Road Wreath and Journal Give Away!


Mindy Harris of Marigold Road, is quite the talented lady! She is the bride to her highschool sweetheart and has been married for 9 years, this coming July. As Valentine's Day quickly approaches, we are either excited, dreading it, or feeling the need to go and buy something for that someone special. This Valentine's Day, I want to encourage you to think of gifts from the heart for that special boyfriend, fiance' or husband.

Mindy is giving away a hand made wreath and journal to help get you started. The journal was made with your man in mind. Each day, you are to write him a note; short or long, and leave it in a place that he can find it each morning or night. Men LOVE words of affirmation/praise and you taking time to tell him just how much he means to you will be one of the most meaningful gifts you could give. The wreath is for you to enjoy and to remind you of the gift of LOVE you have been given!




To enter:
 Please become a follower of Marigold Road Blog
Like Marigold Road Facebook page
Like Events By Ashley Facebook page
For extra entries: twitter and post link to your facebook page

Monday, January 9, 2012

12 Tips to A Stress Free 2012 Bridal Show Experience!

Congratulations to all of the newly engaged couples! This coming weekend is The Wichita Bridal Show located at Century II and The Kansas City Bridal Show located at Overland Park Convention Center. Attending a bridal show can be most helpful in planning your wedding. They are exciting, festive and full of terrific ideas. You will be able to meet and ask questions from many wedding professionals all under one roof. You will want to gather information, compare prices and services, receive discounts, register for prizes, see the latest fashions, get great new ideas and simply just have fun.  The bridal shows are big so go early. Plan to spend a minimum of 4 or 5 hours in order to see all the exhibits. Don't be in a rush to get through! When you first walk into the show it can be very overwhelming, daunting and stressful. I have come up with 12 tips for the year 2012 that will help you have an productive, enjoyable time!
1. The most important and also the most obvious would be solidifying a wedding date before you go so that as you are talking to vendors you will be able to see if your specific date is even available.

2. Before you go to the show, make a list of the different vendors you need to get information on and some keys questions you have for each one. Such as: venue, catering, florist, cake, photographer, etc.

3. Before you start talking to any of the vendors, take a stroll around the show. Sample cake, look at decor, take brochures, watch the runway shows, etc. so you see what all is available. After you have been able to look around you are able to better understand your needs and wants and will be able to communicate that better when you talk to each of the vendors you will be needing.

4. Start a conversation with the people at the booths. Don't be shy. You will know right away if they are someone you would want to work with in planning for your special day. It is very important that you get a long with the vendors you choose. 

5. Wedding shows are not supposed to be stressful or overwhelming. There is so much to see and so many vendors. Taking your time to view each exhibit will help reduce the stress. Remember wedding planning is preferably done over time, not in one day. It's one decision at a time.

6. Bring a small notebook and pen. You never know what tips or ideas you'll discover and want to write down. It will also be hard to remember which vendor told you what.

7. Some vendors offer drawings for prizes. To make this a speedy process, bring address labels to save time in filling out registration blanks.

8. Material swatches that suggest the colors of your wedding are helpful when speaking with florists, bakers, gown shops and other professionals. Know the size of your wedding party, your color scheme, and the location of your reception facility if you have already booked your venue. You may also want to bring pictures of some of the things you have seen that you like for decor to show to the different vendors as well so they have a good understanding of your vision.

9. Have a couple of people attend the show with you so that you have more eyes to see and ears to hear all the things you will be taking in.

10. A lot of vendors give discounts at the show. Take advantage of this if you are able to.

11. Ask lots of questions. The show is filled with wedding professionals, and while you're there you should take advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as you can. These vendors want to impress you with their knowledge of their particular specialty...take advantage of it!!!

12. Be confident in what you need and stick to your budget, but also stay true to your tastes, style, personality, etc...so that there are no regrets later on. This is a day in your life that is like no other, you want it to be perfect, so go with your gut!