Pretty Little Party

We all have our guilty pleasures, mine include leopard print, ice cream, quesadillas, and ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars. I've been in bed all day watching the PLL marathon that leads up to the season finale at 7pm. I got inspired by their different personalities, try these tips for a fun watch party, girls' night in, or a LBD friendly gathering.

Photo Credit: Pretty Little Liars

Puppy Love...A Grrrl's Best's Friend

I know you're probably thinking, "where have you been for the past six month?" Well:

• I completed my master's degree, officially have a Master's of Sciences in Integrated Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University:-)
• Went to Hawaii as a graduation/birthday/Christmas present...best trip EVER
• Slowly adapted to a single lifestyle. I even considered chronicling my efforts in a book...
• Haven't been in the kitchen as much as I wanted. Found out that my oven doesn't work, tried to replicate my infamous piña colada cupcakes to no avail. I eventually baked them over a friend's house and they came out perfect. 
• My best friend, Lucky, a German/Belgian Shepard mix of 13 years passed. Don't think I'll ever have another pet like him.

Couple of days ago, I wondered into a pet store to waste some time and play with puppies. I played with a Siberian Husky that was too cute for words. It wasn't five minutes before he tried to eat my purse, shoes, and scarf (which caused me to choke). The nerve, an outfit is all about the accessories! Needless to say, we handed that him back pretty quickly.

Photo Credit: Say Anything

Get Wiggy With It!

Yea... I know that was a complete cheesy post title, but that's how I roll :-D ::combing bangs over my forehead to hide the big "DORK" stamp::  Anyways, I was watching the ever-quirky Wendy "How You Doin?!" Williams Show and she was talking about throwing parties for weaves and wigs and that got me thinking about how fun that could be! 

This is a fun theme for an over-the-top birthday or bachelorette party. I'm one for dramatics, I think it would be cool to debut a new haircut! 

Wrightfully Certified Bakery & Themed Baby Shower

I am blogging about cake for selfish reason, 1) because I have a  hankering for some and 2) I wanted to share my BFF's baby shower cake! When I designed it, I never thought it would come to fruition, let alone taste so yummy if constructed so beautifully. 

Birds of a Feather Know How to Party!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Peacock feathers can add a bold, elegant statement to any party. In different cultures, peacocks are revered and represent luck, beauty, fortune and courtship, which makes the incorporation of their feathers perfect for just about every celebration!

A Luvabull Party: Wishing for Chicago to Sign Lebron

Surely, every basketball lover's eyes will be glued to ESPN tonight when Lebron James announces what team he'll sign with. Of course, I'm rooting for the Second City's franchise,  the Chicago Bulls to get the prized player. When he DOES sign, you can celebrate with these Chicago Bulls themed party inspirations.

 Photo Credit: IGN

Pearls of Wisdom Party: Part II

Earlier this week I shared my granny's birthday party, you can check out Part I for all the decoration details. Now for the yummy part....

Pearls of Wisdom Party: Part I

My grandmother turned 81 years old young last week. To celebrate, I planned a pearl themed party to honor  the pearls of wisdom she has provided our family and showcase her love for pearls (which also happens to be her birthstone)!

This party also marks the first time our small family has been together in more than a decade, so I hired a photographer to take family portraits while I snapped candids.

More Than Stars & Stripes

As you begin prepping your 4th of July celebration think beyond stars and stripes.

Guests can cool down with Baskin-Robbins' seasonal treat America's Birthday Cake ice cream cake. It's my favorite indulgence next to Snickerdoodles. (I also have a soft spot for BR since it was my first job).

Party City is having an AMAZING sale on summer party items. You can get 24 plastic forks and knives for $0.99 or coordinating napkins like these polka dot napkins (also available in baby blue).

Candy Coated Celebrations

Want to throw a super shindig for your sweetie? Celebrate a candy lover? Try some of these party inspirations to make your party a Wrightful celebration! 

You can definitely make your guests feel like they are walking into a candy store with this colorful wreath made out of balloons!

HowDoesShe.com has instructions for creating this crafty and affordable accessory. You can use it as a door accessory or a wall decoration.

Hang a colorful Pier 1 paper lantern with matching lanterns in various colors to transform an ordinary room into Willy Wonka's candy (or was it a chocolate) factory.

Celebrate Michael Jackson's Life

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since Michael Jackson's passing. If you have you want to pay homage to the King of Pop check out some of these party-starting ideas below.

Photo Credit: Vintage Blue

IT"S ALL ABOUT THE GLOVE! 
This was a signature part of Jackson's look and persona. Instead of wearing it, incorporate it into party decor. Use it in a centerpiece along with a fedora, sunglasses and black dancing shoes alongside a framed picture of Michael Jackson.

FILLERS  & THRILLERS
Shake up your party by hosting a Thriller dance contest. Play the music and see who can recreate the choreography from the legendary video best. Party goers can serve as judges.Whoever wins gets crowned as the "King (or Queen) of Party"! Use the same concept to see who's the best moonwalker!

MJ JAMS:
Any tribute to the music icon would not be complete without playing some of his hits. His music spans decades and transcends generations. You should have no problem finding "Best of...", "#1s", and covers of his greatest hits. Here's some of my fave MJ songs:

• "Man in the Mirror"
• "Music & Me"
• "Butterflies"
• "P.Y.T."
• "Will You Be There"
• "Heaven Can Wait"
• "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"
• (and of course) "Thriller"

What are your favorite MJ tunes? 

Aloha to Summer Celebrations

Luaus are popular for summer partying. You can use this theme to celebrate birthdays, summer holidays, family reunions and much more! Additionally, you can find many decorations at party stores on sale! Check out some of my suggestions below for creating your own party paradise!

True Blood Watch Party

You might remember my post from last year on hosting a True Blood themed party. Well I hosted one for the June 13th premiere! The party easy to pull together since there were only eight guests. 

Too cute for words

I come across this super adorable party on the "Party Dress" blog and had to share. Perf for celebrating your little special guy's birthday.

See the deetz to this party here.

Trying to Conquer a Fear

One of the things I love about Spring is all of the colorful party ideas, themes, and celebrations. However, if there is one thing that I hate fear most, its bugs! Unfortunately,  the Spring brings Butterfly birthday parties and Ladybug Luncheons. Things that I could never participate in because I have a HUGE phobia of all creepy crawlers (and fliers). 

I see all the gorgeous decorations and ideas, but hate to see these supposedly graceful winged insects and cringe. I hope to get over this fear someday, but for now its paralyzing. 

Despite this fear, I found these gorgeous party ideas and decorations.

This hanging butterfly (also available in orange, pictured above) comes from Save On Crafts. Its perfect for a fun eye-catching hanging decoration. 

Karate Kid Bash

Earlier this week, Victoria Beckham was on "The View" discussing possible birthday party ideas for her son. She mentioned a martial arts theme and that got my gears working! This would be an awesome theme for kids enrolled in martial arts classes or celebrating the various degrees of belts.

Create an Asian inspired tablescape with a red tablecover. Buy black plates, cups, and cutlery for contrast. Check out this beautiful cake (pictured above) by Paula Surrette. You can find Asian-inspired tea votive holders just about anywhere.

Some gems I came across while I was away!

Since my Winter Wonderland event, TWO of my laptops have failed me. One has a virus and the other is just broken! That said, I have to thank my readers for your patience despite my absence.

Just because I've been away doesn't mean I haven't had you all in mind. I found some really cool sites to check out until my return later this month.

For those of you that don't want to dedicate a huge portion of your event's budget to flowers, try to make them yourself with these whimsical ideas (and instructions). Did I mention they were paper? Try using patterned paper for a funky bouquet:

• Paper Flower Garden
• Carnations
• Roses
• Tissue Paper Flowers

For those of you hosting celebrations for the Super Bowl, click here for some tasty cupcake recipes.

My godson will be celebrating his 1st birthday and I will be hosting a super cute intimate Cookie monster party for him. Also, I will be planning a birthday party later this Spring and hope to have preparation pictures up soon.

Again, thanks for baring with Wrightfully Social! See you soon!

Color Me Bold: Lisa Frank Inspired Party

I was in the store the other day and saw a set of Lisa Frank folders. Aside from swooning right there in aisle four, I became inspired to post this bright, bold post inspired by the artist!

This is a fun theme for children's parties, especially ones that include arts and craft activities.

Use bright shades of purple, pink, blue, and yellow to unify splashes of color for your party.

Guests will surely love this rainbow Sprite cake. I found the recipe over at Onomicon for all those brave chefs out there. Find it here. Rainbow lollipops and rainbow sherbet also provide treats for the mouth and eyes!

Give attendees gift bags filled with Lisa Frank activity books, pencils, rainbow stretch bracelets, and porcupine balls.

Make funky centerpieces with these button bouquets. These can be found on Etsy. You can check out my earlier post on button themed party ideas here.

Music playlist inspired by this post:
Prince "Pink Cadillac"
Prince "Purple Rain"
Aerosmith "Pink "
Beyonce "Greenlight"
Kelly Clarkson "Behind these Hazel Eyes"
Beatles "Blackbird" <-- one of my faves! Donovan "Mellow Yellow" Michael Jackson "Black or White"

I am personally grateful to this artist. I used these folders to learn about aesthetics, especially how to draw. Earlier on in elementary school, we would showcase our Lisa Frank school supplies proudly. Any girly girl growing up in the 90s should understand! By the way, this marks her 30th anniversary, congratulations!

Cute as a Button

Celebrate your little one's birthday or arrival in style with this "Cute as a Button" theme. Here is theme that is ideal for a baby shower or early birthday party that you can do on a relatively small budget.

You can create garland like the one pictured here by cutting flowers out of felt material. Secure the floral layers with a hot glue gun (3 to 4 max). Attach felt flowers to ribbon, which can be tied to arrangements for hanging. Recommended for mantles, doorways, and chairs.

Place picture frames with your adorable guest-of-honor on tables and on the walls around the party. This can be another crafty decorative project, glue assorted buttons on the frames. Accent with ribbon to make those pictures pop.

Make guests comfortable with these pillows (pictured right) by Letter Perfect Design. Place on couches, sofas, and arm chairs. You can contact the designer for custom pillows. Pick a design that incorporates personalization by using your little one's first initial.

Make it a tea time affair with this adorable and affordable centerpiece by Really Bad Kitty. Place atop a pink table runner sprinkled with buttons. You can also add coiled floral reeds or curled colored pipe cleaner to spruce up your attention getting centerpiece.

NOTE: If small children will be in attendance, you should secure the buttons with glue dots or a glue gun to avoid choking.

Want a unique favor? Try these flower magnets (pictured below), also by Really Bad Kitty. Couple with a personalized card thanking each guest for attending. Serve brownie pops for a tasty alternative to a traditional cake. Check out my post on the benefits of these unique desserts here.

Bring Out Your Party's Wild Side

I think I was inspired by my Halloween costume (I was a cat of some sort). For the purrrfect affair, liven up a small gathering (i.e. dinner party) with these party suggestions.
You can find animal print fabric from just about any fabric and craft store. I would go with a print that has brown or black shades in it. Tone down wild table settings with this brown suede table runner (pictured below, far left) from Plum Party.

Place these customizable candle holders and votives (pictured below, left) from Shindigz on your table(s). Use small bamboo plants to complement the tablescape. You can also dress up chairs with Gossamer paper (pictured below, right), also from from Shindigz. Gossamer has many uses, consider it for table draping or as a "ferocious" garland. They also have leopard and zebra print. I would suggest mixing it up by alternating chair ties.

You can find these animal print lanterns (pictured below, far right) at World Market. They are perfect for adding some animal flare and subdued lighting to your event. you can also find affordable paper lanterns at the Paper Lantern Store. Bundling and mixing the patterns with solid colors will tame a motif that lets the imagination go wild!