Last night I held my annual Hostess Appreciation Party! It's a very exclusive party - only customers who have hosted a party during the year are invited. You may remember the snazzy invitations I sent out? Well, they were a hit! Everyone was commenting and asking about them. I'm not surprised. I'd want to know how I made that doily, too!!! I had all of the best intentions of taking photos of my hostesses - I even had my camera out. And I failed. I only snapped a couple of shots before the party began.
I had three tables set up for food. Okay, two tables and a piano. This picture is of the piano - before I loaded it up with food. Since the event was about thanking my hostesses, I put together this fun sign! Everyone wanted to know how I got the paint on the flower pots to match the SU In-Colors perfectly. And I have one word for it - "Luck"! I was actually in the craft store looking for pots and paint and couldn't find that aisle where ALL of those little bottles of paint were located. I don't go to craft stores that much anymore! Instead, I found a small selection of paint - only about 20-30 colors sitting next to the pots. I actually struggled to find three colors that looked like SU colors that coordinated. I was thrilled when I spotted what looked like Concord Crush, Blushing Bride, and Pear Pizzazz! That set the color theme for everything else I made - and it helped that it sort of coordinated with my Wisteria Wonder/Pretty-in-Pink invites.
I've always wanted to make favors for my party and usually run out of time. My wonderful husband saw that I was struggling on Friday night while making cake balls (my first attempt). So, he volunteered to run out to the store to buy ALL of the food and some other supplies. He saved me SO much time! I could then focus on favors. The first is a box I made using the Petal Cone Die. I cut up an ENTIRE pack of Wisteria Wonder Card Stock for these boxes. I only have 12 sheets left! YIKES!!! I can't wait until July when I'm allowed to order more (demonstrators are only allowed to buy 3 packs of each of the in colors in June). I simply packaged up some M&Ms and tied the boxes up with Pretty-in-Pink ribbon to match the invitations.
But I still had more time to make gifts! Another thing I've wanted to make for years but never had time were swatch booklets of all of the Stampin' Up! colors. I put together one of each of these for my guests, too. They included each of the 5 new In-Colors as well. You can also catch a glimpse of my cake balls in the corner!
So, those are the pictures I took! They also enjoyed munched on some hot appetizers, veggies, cake, chips/salsa, and cheese/crackers. The party started around 4. And, because I have a small house, I called it an "Open House". They were welcome to come any time between 4 and 9. They couldn't have planned it better. My hostesses arrived throughout the afternoon and evening - perfectly spaced. There was never a time when the house was empty. And, it was never too crowded. I got to sit and eat and chat with each of them. The SIX hours (because the last guests didn't leave until 10) flew by!
My hostesses also got to enter for chances to win an assortment of Sneak Peek products (in color card stock, new ribbon, new DSP, and a few other items as well). They earned tickets just for walking in the door but could also earn more by shopping or booking another party.
And, inspired by the Stampin' Up! events staff, I had a game. Each day on the Alaska cruise, there was a bag of SU goodies. We had to feel and fondle the bag of goodies to try to determine how many items were inside. I never won. But one of my friends did. She said they had squeezed in 34 items. I squeezed in 13. I enjoyed watching everyone feel the bag and try to guess. I was very strategic. I hid a package of linen thread between two clear mount stamp sets. There was also a sheet of dimensionals that could have thrown people off. In the end, only one person correctly guessed 13 products! Congrats Nancy!!!!! The bag was packed with stamp sets, ribbon, buttons, just about every kind of SU adhesive, embossing powder, envelopes, linen thread, and pearls just to name a few.
Of course there were Make & Takes! I designed two cards for them to make. And I was tricky. The stamp sets I used were two of the new hostess stamp sets to entice them to book a party! It must have worked because just about everyone who attended has a date on my calendar for this fall or Sale-a-Bration!
Now I can switch gears and focus on my gigantic Retirement Sale next July! My husband will be thrilled that I'm FINALLY cleaning out the basement!
