Ice Cream Social

 Image source: http://icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com/index.php/2007/06/28/old-school-ice-cream/

Even though the Back to School signs are everywhere, summer is not over yet. For me, it feels like it's just begun. My online classes are finished, it feels like I've spent all sumer indoors working or studying. I haven't even gone swimming! The point is, I've been thinking about classic summer activites and that brought me to the Ice Cream Social. When I was a kid, we had an old fashioned crank handled ice cream maker. It took hours, but you can't beat the taste of fresh ice cream. I have never found something that can compare. Even if you can't make ice cream from scratch, there is no reason you can't throw an ice cream party. What fun! It doesn't need to be a birthday, traditionally Ice Cream Socials were neighbourhood gatherings, so feel free to throw one just because. It's a great potluck idea, have guests bring their favourite flavours or toppings.

 Image Source: http://www.homemadesimple.com/en-US/HolidayandParty/Pages/ice-cream-social.aspx

Home Made Simple has a great list of Resources, Tips and Recipes for this theme. You can find them here

Really all you need are 2-3 flavours of ice cream and a range of toppings. Hit up the Bulk Food store for fun options. But watch out for nut allergies! If no one has any, feel free to serve nuts. Personally I love nuts on my sundae, but if you have any doubt, better play it safe than sorry.

My suggestions:

• toasted coconut
• cookie pieces (put them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a hammer)
• M&M's or Smarties
• Cut up fruit-berries, mangoes, bananas
• flavoured syrups-caramel, chocolate, raspberry or strawberry
• big cookies to make your own ice cream sandwhich

For Decorations, stick with classics like pennant banners, pin wheels and flags. They are easy to make, Home Made Simple has great patterns. Customize them with decorative paper in your choice of colours/patterns. Use white or glass dishes to let the colourful toppings take centre stage. What fun colours!

Oh the parties I would have if I had a backyard. In time, in time. 

Trend: Tissue Paper Petals

I've been seeing alot of diy projects using  layered tissue paper petals, to a great effect.

Isn't this tablescape so fabulous? So summery! The best part is those lanterns. This project comes to us via Martha Stewart, full instructions are here

 Image source: http://www.marthastewart.com

I think this is a great way to salvage cheaper paper lanterns that are not quite right.  I bought some cheapos once and they were definitely not perfectly round. Perhaps I could have saved them by covering them with tissue paper circles.  Apparently, you can buy the circles pre-cut at craft stores if you are not into cutting out dozens of circles yourself. Paper lanterns and tissue paper is very inexpensive, but what an impact! Great way to stretch your party budget.

I have also seen this method used to decorate pinatas. 

Image source: http://www.younghouselove.com

Here's a tutorial from one of my favourite blogs to read, Young House Love. This pinata was from their daughter's first birthday party.

Image source: http://www.everydaycelebrating.com

If you are not into getting messy with flour and glue,then this very similar project uses a store bought soccer ball pinata and just adds on the tissue paper "petals". Because it's uses a store bought form, it is perfectly round which might appeal to those perfectionists out there (ahem, me).
You can find more photos and instructions here

What a lovely alternative to those gaudy character pinatas you see everywhere in the store. I love the pretty, modern look of these.

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Canada Day BBQ

Guests: 10 all adults plus 1 dog
Location: Keswick, ON
Budget: $20 for decorations and supplies, $60 for main course, side dishes were potluck 

*as always, no pictures of guests are included in this post.

Menu:

• Mini Ribfest: honey bbq, honey garlic, smokin stampede and regular bbq
• Corn on the cob
• Caesar Salad
• Garden Salad
• Veggies and dip
• Salsa and tostitoes
• Raspberry Lemonade (just add fresh raspberries to any kind of lemonade)
• Beer & Mixed Drinks
• Cupcakes

 

Corn simmering on the side burner and racks of ribs cooking away

I decorated the dog too, doesn't he look cute?

Decorations:

• Flag Banner
• Pin wheels
• Canada Day Buttons
• T-shirts and Hats
• Bandana for the Dog
• Glow Sticks for after dark

 

 Activities:

• Bocce
• Drinksbee
• Relaxing on the desk in the sunshine
• Fireworks 

Bocce:

You can play with 2, 4, or 8 players. Divide the colour balls amongst teams, I played yellow and red, for example. The little ball is called the pellino. Somebody throws the white ball a decent distance away. The idea is to get your coloured ball as close as possible to the white ball without hitting it. One point is awarded for every ball that is closer than the other sides. 

For more information and rules, see this site

See how close I was? I win! 

 Drinksbee:
Materials Needed:

• 4 plastic beer cups
• 4 dowels or stakes
• 2 frisbees
• Drinks for each team member (preferably alcoholic)

Playing Field: Set up the field as shown in the photo. Each side has 2 poles and 2 cups. Two players on each team, each player guards a pole (and the cup). Set the ends a good throwing distance apart, but not so far that you won't be able to hit the targets. That's not fun at all.

 Concept: Throw the frisbee, knock off your opponent's cups.One cup knocked down equals one point. If the cup you are responsible for hits the ground, you must take a drink. Team members can catch each other's cups. Catch your cups to reverse the point to the throwing side, you get the point, they have to take a drink.

Doubles: after a point, you get to throw again. Knock it down again, means double the points and double the drinks. 

Trifecta: Go again for a chance to score three points. The other team has to chugg the rest of their drinks. Obviously, this is the most coveted and rare of plays. 

Tips: Distractions are allowed, including faking, dancing, rude gestures, etc.

Offense: fake outs, cross overs, bouncing the frisbee off one pole to knock down two cups at once are encouraged. 

Defense: Catch those cups! Sacrifice the body if you have to. 

Subbing players is encouraged, everyone can play!

Slips out of my hands. Grrr. Time for a drink.

Fireworks:

One of the guests brought an assortment of fireworks. As expected, some were better than others. Some nieghbours had really good ones. I handed out glow sticks for everyone. Fun! We all walked down to the beach to set them off, which would have been fantastic except for the mutant sized mosquitos. Yikes!

 

 

Hope your July long weekend was as fun as mine! 

Happy Birthday Canada!

Happy Canada Day!
Hope you all enjoy the long weekend.

Photo: Jared Grove, used under Creative Commons licence

Party Tips: Recyling

 

Creative Commons License photo credit: garryknight

Recycling and composting at parties can be a real challenge. Have you ever stood in someone's kitchen at party unsure of what to do with the plastic plate, food scraps and pop can in your hand?

RecycleScene has some great tips:

• Choose items that are easily recyclable. Serve drinks in cans rather than styrofoam cups. 

• Put out easily identifiable bins where guests can see them. Blue for recycling, green for food waste, black for garbage. Guests are more likely to recycle or compost if the bins are accessible.

• Compost food scraps. In Ontario, most of us have green bins so this is really easy.

• Use Cloth napkins and real dishes. You can rent the dishes for a large party. If that doesn't suit you, look for biodegrable tableware made from sugarcane or wheat fibers. If you must use paper products, look for post-consumer recycled fibers. And don't forget that napkins can go into the green bin!

• Re-use decorations from other parties or make decorations out of other materials, such as a pinata. Invset some time in making non-specific festive decorations such as felt pennets or banners, a generic "party" sign that can be used for any party over and over again. I love the idea of the wooden sign in the image above. Why not try your hand at a diy project?

Re-Post: Felt Citrus Slice Coasters

Image source: http://www.purlbee.com/citrus-coasters/

Image source: http://www.purlbee.com/citrus-coasters/

Lemon, Lime, Pink grapefruit, Orange 

By now, everyone knows I love felt. Look at these fantastic citrus slice coasters.
Love, love, love!
All you need is some appropriately coloured felt, scissors, pins and a needle and thread. 
The step by step instructions for this project from Purl Bee can be found here

Is there anything you can't make from felt?