Free Fourth of July Printables

July 1, 2017 No Comments A Well Crafted Party

I tend to like a nice laid back event for summer parties because it is typically too hot to do much. However, I still want my laid back events to look intentional and put together. Printables are the easiest and most cost effective way to do that in my opinion. Over the years I’ve created some fun “Red White and Blue” printables in honor of Independence Day. My favorite Fourth of July printables are below.

Get your favorite printables for free and prep them this weekend for a fantastic 4th of July holiday party!

4th of July Party Circles

Free Fourth of July Potluck Cards

Red, White, Blue Printables with Napkin Wraps, Food Trays, and Coasters

Free July Fourth Printables – Sparkler Party Favors

Free Printable 4th of July Cupcake Toppers

A Well Crafted Party

Modern Easter Party + Free Printables

April 12, 2017 1 Comment A Well Crafted Party

Easter is around the corner and if you haven’t started thinking about your holiday meal then hopefully these ideas will get you thinking about new fun ways to bring a little bit of a childlike glee into your Easter celebration. You can make these ideas work well for an Easter lunch or an Easter brunch. These brightly colored Easter ideas are sure to be a hit.

Modern Geometric Easter

If you never though geometry would be present in your adult life then you might want to sit down…geometric is IN in a big way. Trends come and go, but a good polygon will never go out of style.

This party featured circles, squares, triangles, pentagons… you get the idea. The different shapes helped give interest to the table. In addition to all the fun shapes we went with a little bit untraditional color scheme for Easter. I like a sweet, pastel Easter table as much as the next person. But, for this party I wanted to inject a bit of color and energy. Using some of the bright yellows from nature to inspire my pallet I featured pinks, teals, and lots of bright yellow.

Geometric Details:

Geometric bunny in our invitations and menus. I love the way all the triangles come together to make little facets. (Get your free printables below!)
Off-set your simple, round plates on the table so that the circles of the table have a bit more interest.
Use a square mat of moss or perhaps a fun patterned square piece of fabric as a placemat.
I didn’t want the drink to fall over on the moss so I used my geometric coasters as an added detail and safety measure.
Geometric terrarium planters are EVERYWHERE at the moment. Using the planter as a secondary vase allows the centerpiece to be filled with Easter elements such as Easter eggs or Easter candies.

Easter Decorating Tips:

Use Easter eggs in your decor! Seriously, they are so gorgeous and a big part of Easter tradition. If you use real eggs know that there will be some smell that is attached to those. In this vase I used real eggs because I love the hue of them. However, you could totally substitute plastic eggs or painted wooden eggs and use them year after year.
Tulips. Enough said… well, let me rephrase that to say, LOTS and LOTS of tulips. Tulips are wonderful and affordable. They are also super easy to work with and look good even when drooping a bit.
Use traditional Easter candies throughout your decor. I used bright pink Peeps in this party as well as chocolate bunnies. The chocolate bunnies I found had a red ribbon around the neck so I just slipped that off and replaced it with a ribbon that matched my party color scheme.
Use a balloon to make your beverage glass match your color scheme. This works for any color scheme!

Check back soon for my post on how to make these fun bunny fold napkins. Or, check out this great paper napkin bunny fold YouTube video!

Get your free printables below:

I’m pretty much all about the printables when it comes to parties. This party was no exception. I think that these paper invitations and menus really bring together all the fun geometric elements of the party.

Download your Free Printable Modern Easter Brunch Invite

Download your Free Printable Modern Easter Brunch Menu

Download your Free Printable Modern Easter Lunch Invite

Download your Free Printable Modern Easter Lunch Menu

A Well Crafted Pantry

Thanksgiving Potlucks & Free Thanksgiving Printables

November 23, 2016 1 Comment A Well Crafted Pantry

I had the pleasure of participating in a pre-Thanksgiving potluck of sorts and share tips for the Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving on The Simple Kitchen with Missy Maki this past weekend. Check out the two hour show for tips and LOTS of laughs. (I’m sharing tips in hour 1!) It would be a fun listen while you’re prepping your bird this Thanksgiving.

We had a star line up for the Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving show including Ryan from Aria Gin, Bee from The Spicy Bee, Marlynn from Urban Bliss Life, Melissa from MelissaKaylene.com, Lindsay from Rosemarried, myself, and Missy Maki from The Simple Kitchen and Missy Maki Cooks. We all brought in foods and beverages to sample while speaking about Thanksgiving for two hours! A wonderful time was had by all.

The whole show was full of fantastic tips and really interesting double entendres! We discovered that you really can’t speak about the Thanksgiving meal without some funny double meanings.

Thanksgiving Tips from our Simple Kitchen Show:

There are a TON of tips on the Thanksgiving show, but the ones below are some of my favorite for having a stress-free potluck Thanksgiving:

Organization

Erin from BakeryBingo and Meredith from Martha Chartreuse called in and shared their party planning tips for hosting a holiday Friendsgiving brunch. One of the tips that really hit home was the tip to stay organized with all who are participating online through Google Docs. I also love the many different online potluck planning sites (like Perfect Potluck) for organizing your holiday meal.

Appetizers & Drinks

When people arrive and you are in the kitchen trying to get everything done and on the table hot you will want to have something to occupy your guests time. Absolutely put them to help if you have something to do, but more often or not you just need people out of the way! A batch cocktail and delicious appetizer will help keep guests busy.

Appetizer ideas:

– Lindsey shared details on her Brussels Sprouts and Shallot Dip that sounds (and looks) out of this world delish
– A beautiful charcuterie plate will WOW a crowed and keep everyone coming back for more. The above platter was created by the lovely Melissa of MelissaKaylene.com and it was a show stopper to say the least. Check out her tips on creating your own charcuterie platter.

Drink ideas:

– Batch cocktails are where it is AT for the cocktail hour or dessert beverages. Myself and Ryan from Aria gin shared a few favorites: Gin Old Fashion, Gin Creamy Goodness, and a good ole fashion Gin and Tonic on tap from Aria Gin- Recipes here and I shared my Spiced Pear and Vodka Cocktail
– Wine is a mainstay at our Thanksgiving table. Marlynn from Urban Bliss Life shared her Best Thanksgiving Wines . Check out my Thanksgiving pairing tips as well!

Main Meal:

– Flip your turkey. You don’t want to let the turkey breast get dry!
– MASH your potatoes with a potato masher so that there are still some yummy chunks in there.
– DO NOT stuff your bird with your stuffing. Make the stuffing a delicious side. (This Sourdough Stuffing with Andouille from The Spicy Bee would fit nicely at your Thanksgiving table!)

Desserts:

– Keep it simple with a yummy holiday bark. It is easy to eat and isn’t too filling.
– Go ahead and buy that store made pie crust to save time. It’ll be okay. (Though, if you really want to make your own here are my tips on making the perfect pie crust!)

Free Printable Thanksgiving Potluck Cards

While I am a fan of all food, I am also a fan of hosting a dinner party where everyone can feel comfortable eating and enjoying themselves within their own dietary restrictions. In a potluck situation it can be difficult to know what is in each dish. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want to pull out an epi pen during Thanksgiving! These free printable Thanksgiving Potluck cards are an easy way for guests to know exactly what they are eating without having to find out and question each person who brought in a dish. Simply had each person a card and pen when they arrive and ask that they label their wonderful contribution for the safety and enjoyment of all attendees!

Listen to the recording of The Simple Kitchen’s Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving show for more tips on hosting Thanksgiving!

Have a happy, happy Thanksgiving!