Happy Birthday to the Party Shop!

One year ago today - as I was celebrating our first anniversary of the Party Shop - I was flooded with emotions. I was entering a season of uncertainty. We knew that we'd be moving from Charlotte, NC to New Orleans by this point, and while I was so excited at the possibilities ahead, it was also terrifying to think about uprooting both of my businesses to essentially start over.

But, so much can happen in 365 days!

• We moved and settled into our new home in Covington, Louisiana (just outside of New Orleans).

• I started to network and connect with our business community. I even participated in a pop-up shop event just 6 weeks after our move!

• I attended Alt Summit and had the chance to meet so many amazing creatives!

• Then a little global pandemic came into the picture … and we pivoted, hard!

• I blew up more balloons than I ever thought humanly possible!

• I added helium balloons to our service offerings and offered delivery services.

• I added new party supplies inventory to the Party Shop and created smaller party sets, perfect for quarantine birthdays at home.

• Created a brand new website to simplify the shopping experience online.

Before I share more about our new website, I just want to say thank you for your support of The Graceful Host, and for allowing me to live out this crazy dream of owning an event planning company. I’ve poured a lot of blood, sweat and tears (so many tears ) into building this brand. But, honestly TGH would not be where it is today without our amazing clients who trust us to execute their events and delivery high quality party supplies & decor. I truly think of each of you as friends. And I hope this little message feels like a big warm hug because that is how it’s intended! I have some big, scary dreams for this next year - and thanks to you and your support, I’m getting closer and closer ... and it doesn’t feel quite so scary.

Thank you for joining me in this journey, and for helping me celebrate

• another year of simplifying party planning

• another year of helping to create memories

• another year of making smiles happen

• another year of endless balloon garlands

• another year of the cutest party supplies ever created

• And another year of hard work and pure passion

So let’s talk about our big news! I am so excited about the launch of our brand new website! My goal with this redesign was to create a better shopping experience. You can now shop by item type - like plates, cups, napkins, etc. - or by party theme, or by color! And there is now an official balloon services menu and contact form via our website.

It’s been on my list for sometime now to redesign our website for an easier shopping experience. When this shop began two years ago, I launched with just 6 themed party kits. And now, we have 11 party kits, over 200 SKUs of party supplies, plus balloons! I never thought I’d have a helium tank in my office, but here we are!  Hope you enjoy our brand new online Party Shop, and thanks for being here! www.gracefulhostshop.com

Also, In honor of our 2nd birthday today, we are hosting a giveaway on Instagram! Enter to win a chance to win a $75 shop credit good for party supplies, or balloons (if you're local). The best part?! We are giving away not one, but TWO $75 shop credits! Visit this post to learn more and to enter.

Thank you for being here, and for helping us celebrate! Cheers to more years of balloons and confetti!

XOXO,
A.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow First Birthday Party

FIrst birthday parties are always so, so sweet! And this one was even sweeter because it was for my (not so baby) boy, Brooks.

Coming up with a party theme for a one year old isn’t super easy. First of all there’s so many options and ideas out there, and second, it’s not like the birthday boy could communicate which one he likes best! So, I thought about what we should do for a while. I made a list of all the things he likes and what makes him super happy. And I kept coming back to the song that he loves the most - Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Anytime I’d sing this song, he’d just light up. We sing it every night before bed and whenever he needs a little pick me up. Even big brother, Ryan, loves the song and requests it all the time - only he calls it the “Blue Bird Song”, because of the line “Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly, and the dreams that you meant to dream really do come true”. I just adore this song, and thought it would make for the perfect first birthday party theme!

So I got to planning. I knew I wanted to incorporate balloons into his birthday party because, well - I love doing balloon arches! I decided that I’d make a big, gigantic rainbow as the back drop for the cake. I think I was dreaming a bit large because before I knew it I created a 30’x40’ rainbow with 95’ worth of balloons! With the help of my very patient husband, we got it installed, despite some windy weather. I also created clusters of white and clear balloons that resembled clouds and hung them so that they’d look like they were floating over our food table. And of course, I added in 100 origami blue birds since my boys love the line about the blue birds.

I know sometimes rainbows can seem to skew a bit more feminine, so I wanted to make sure that this party didn’t feel girly. After all, the birthday celebrant was a boy - not a girl. For this reason, I choose to use blue gingham table cloths. I wanted to create a picnic, farmer market type atmosphere, and thought the gingham print would be perfect! I sourced mums from a local nursery for an easy centerpiece. Since we had kids of all ages in attendance, I wanted to have activities for everyone. So I created an interactive favor station, where our guests could choose their pot and plant a flower to take home. I also created these very easy garden-inspired sensory bins. Everything came from the Dollar Tree and Walmart - and they were a hit with all the kids.

It’s always hard to see another year go by and realize our kids are getting older. Creating these memories for our family means the world to me! Hope you enjoyed seeing a few of our favorite party photos!

PS. Our little party animal woke up not feeling to great for his party day. He fully embraced the whole “it’s my party and I can cry if I want to!” saying! LOL So we didn’t get the epic cake smash photos we were expecting …. but we’ll try again another day!

Enchanted Sleepover Birthday Party

This pink + purple enchanted birthday, full of butterflies, fairy lights and woodland details, made for the perfect 7th birthday celebration for Hollins! It was so much fun bringing our birthday girls ideas to life. I mean, what girl wouldn’t want a fun sleepover party?! This birthday party was a custom party kit order. In addition to providing a design plan, we also created a fun balloon garland that was draped over the sleepover tents, for an extra whimsical touch.

Huge thanks to all the vendors who helped bring Hollins’ dream birthday party to life!
Photography: The Graceful Host
Party supplies, design, + styling: The Graceful Host
Cake + desserts: Baked Well
Sleepover tents: Sleepover Dreams
Cake topper: Etsy

And it is such a thrill to see our Enchanted Sleepover Party featured on one of our favorite websites - 100 Layer Cakelet! See the full feature here.

Can You Dig It? Construction 3rd Birthday Party

What little boy doesn’t go crazy over big trucks? Well, like most 3 years, my son Ryan is obsessed with big trucks. He's also obsessed with Home Depot. We don't know why or how the obsession came to be - we're not big fixer-uppers over here. But when we ask him what he wants to do or where he wants to go, 9 times out of 10 he'll say, "let's go to Home Depot". So for Ryan's 3rd birthday party, we knew it had to revolve around big trucks and Home Depot!

The color palette was inspired by his favorite place, utilizing the famous Home Depot orange. I paired the orange with yellow, blue and black for a more up to date spin on this theme. Rain was in the forecast unfortunately, so we had to bring the party indoors - including the sand pit with trucks we had planned for the kids! Sorry to trigger anyone with OCD haha! I also had a little table set-up with foam bricks along with with golf tees, which were the “nail” and a toy hammer for the kids to build with. Both were easy DIY activities that the kids loved and were in keeping with our construction theme - plus, they loved "doing work".

It’s not a party without cake, right?! The desserts included a 2-tiered chocolate frosted cake with Reeses peanut butter cups crumbling down the front to resemble mud and boulders. And homemade cupcakes with chocolate sprinkles to resemble dirt, with little yellow construction signs added to the top. The guest tables featured another easy DIY project - I used a black chalk runner and added strips of white masking tape to resemble a road, which went along the center of the table. The last detail was our party favors, which included a mini Home Depot apron, hard hat, and orange cone cups - staples for any construction crew!

I can’t believe my big boy is 3 years old! We loved celebrating him with our family and friends. Here are a few photos from the party.

And if you like this party and want to recreate it - you can using our Construction Crew Party Kit, which is available in the party shop.

New Party Kits Are Here!

I’m so over the moon to announce that the Spring 2019 party kits are now LIVE! The Party Shop is growing, and I couldn’t be more excited to add FOUR new party kits to the shop. So, without further adieu - Let me introduce you to the newest additions!

Construction Crew Party Kit
For the lover of big trucks that “do work”, as my 3 year old says … this party kit is the one for you! A modern take on a popular birthday party theme.

Happy Birthday Mini Party Kit
Our new line of kits called the mini party kit (which serves up to 14 to 16 guests) launches with this Happy Birthday party theme. Perfect for ANY birthday celebration, whether there’s 1 candle or 100 candles on your cake!

Tutti Fruitti Party Kit
A fun and colorful addition to the shop that is just too darn cute! I bet you can’t hold back a smile when you see these adorable pieces!

Blushing Bride Party Kit
Another new line making it’s debut during our spring launch is the new selection of wedding themed party kits! This bridal party kit is perfect for an engagement party or bachelorette celebration.

A percentage of Party Shop purchases made between April 30, 2019 and May 31, 2019 will go to support a cause and mission that I adore - The Birthday Party Project.

Who needs a party kit?
We all want to create unique celebrations that foster unforgettable family memories. But sadly, sometimes life gets in the way of our planning and procrastination gets the best of us.

(Am I right?!)

Enter the Party Kits! Your new handy tool to creating a fabulous party, minus the hassle and stress! Each kit comes complete with paper supplies, decor and a style guide, for extra party planning guidance and inspiration, as well as DIY project ideas that relate to your chosen party theme.

My goal in creating this product was to make it easier for you to celebrate all the fun moments and milestones of life! The Party Kits are a solution to the busyness we all experience. I've carefully sourced and designed each Party Kit so that you can create your own a well-styled, creative celebration! 

Perfect for the person who ...
... doesn't have any time to shop around.
... loves to throw parties.
... wants their event to look beautiful and Pinterest-worthy.
... likes to be hands-on, but maybe isn't super crafty.
... doesn't know where to find the best party supplies and decor.
... needs help party planning, but doesn't want to hire a planner.

And Party Kits can be repurposed for all sorts of occasions and theme parties - not just kids parties!

So how does this all work?
Check out our selection of TEN party kits now available in the shop, and make your selection. Each Party Kit was designed to take the stress out of party planning - so they are inclusive of everything you need to! Party Kits come complete with:

• Party supplies, including the plates, napkins, cups, & cutlery (serving approximately 32 guests for the party kits, and 16 guests for the mini kits)

• Stylish decor, like balloons, banners, etc., that relate to the box's theme

• Access to a style guide with helpful party planning tips and advice, as well as tutorials for DIY project ideas that relate to your party kit theme

Party Kits are shipped directly to you in 1 to 3 business days from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Head to the shop now to learn more about the Party Kits!

XO,
A.

PS. You can check out Ashley's interview from August 2018 during the initial launch of the Party Kits on Charlotte Today by following this link!

Introducing: The Graceful Host Party Kits

The BIG day is finally here! The Graceful Host shop is open - and Party Kits are live!

It's time to make party planning simple, again! Because it doesn't have to be complicated. 

We've all been there. You're pouring through page after page on Pinterest, searching for party inspiration. Trying to figure out what theme you're going to pick this year, while being inundated with photo after photo, idea after idea. There's so much content out there! Then, after you finally pick a direction - where on Earth the do you find all this freaking stuff?! How do I make my party look like this?!

You don't need to spend hours, upon hours designing a party. Who has the time, anyways?
...
You might not feel like the creative type, or have all that extra energy to pour into DIY projects. You've got plenty of other things to worry about!
...
You want all the cute decor that makes you ohh and ahh, but you just don't know where to go searching for it. Getting started can feel so overwhelming!

I see you, friend... and I want to help you!!

We all want to create unique celebrations that foster unforgettable family memories. But sadly, sometimes life gets in the way of our planning and procrastination gets the best of us.

(Am I right?!)

Enter the Party Kits! Your handy tool to creating a fabulous party, minus the hassle and stress! Each kit comes complete with paper supplies, decor and a style guide, for extra party planning guidance and inspiration, as well as DIY project ideas that relate to your chosen party theme.

My goal in creating this product was to make it easier for you to celebrate all the fun moments and milestones of life! The Party Kits are a solution to the busyness we all experience. I've carefully sourced and designed each Party Kit so that you can create your own a well-styled, creative celebration! 

Perfect for the person who ...
... doesn't have any time to shop around.
... loves to throw parties.
... wants their event to look beautiful.
... likes to be hands-on, but maybe isn't super crafty.
... doesn't know where to find the best party supplies and decor.
... needs help party planning, but doesn't want to hire a planner.

And now we're LIVE!

So how does this all work?
Each Party Kit comes complete with:

• Party supplies, including the plates, napkins, cups, & cutlery (serving approximately 24 guests)

• Stylish decor, like balloons, banners, etc., that relate to the box's theme

• Access to a style guide with helpful party planning tips and advice, as well as tutorials for DIY project ideas

All Party Kits are shipped directly to you in 1 to 3 business days from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Head to the shop now to learn more about the Party Kits!

XO,
A.

PS. You can check out Ashley's interview on Charlotte Today about the Party Kits by following this link!

Party Animals Birthday Party

Why do kids have to keep growing up?! I feel like we were just celebrating our baby boy turning one, and now I blink and he's TWO! 

After Ryan's first birthday fiesta, I swore I'd take it easy on the next birthday party. But once I decided on the theme of "Party Animals", I just couldn't hold back - there were too many cute ideas floating around! Let's face it, there will eventually come a day when Ryan doesn't want a birthday party (cue tears!), or he'll want to do something less adorable than what I have in mind. So I'm making the most of it for now! Plus, the party planner in me just can't help it.

I went with "Party Animals" because Ryan really loves animals, especially cats ... or kitty kittys as he calls them. (I think it's the thrill of the chase that he's attracted to, really!) Once that theme clicked, the ideas started rolling in.  Tiny animals wearing party hats, a big colorful balloon garland, tails on chairs, a primary color palette, tambourine favors - the possibilities for decor were endless. A lot of love went into this party. The two major (and easy!) DIY projects were the tiny party hats for the mini animals and the colorful balloon garland decor. Tedious projects, but honestly they really only took a few hours each, and the end result was well worth it!

General party tips to parents: I'm a big believer in renting certain items to make life easier on the host(ess), like linens, tables and chairs. I personally don't want to have to invest in purchasing those things and then storing them. I also recommend outsourcing catering. It is 100% worth it! We went with BBQ, at my husbands request - and I love it because it was easy for guests to eat, crowd pleasing and it's filling. And yes, even a kids birthday party needs a signature drink! It's perfectly acceptable to serve alcohol at a kids birthday party. You want to cater to your guests - adult and children, alike! Our two signature drinks were Zoo Water (a non-alcoholic option) and Jungle Juice (an alcoholic option).

This was such a fun party to design, and I'm really excited to share it with you!

You can recreate this party, too, using the Party Animals party kit in the shop!

Sources:

• Party Supplies & Decor: Party Animals Party Kit

• Photography: Chrissy Winchester Photography

• Cake: Wow Factor Cakes

• Cocktail Napkins: The Graceful Host

• "Two. Cool." Birthday Shirt: Etsy

• Happy Birthday cake topper: Etsy

• Invitations: Etsy

• Animal Tails: Amazon

• Drink Dispensers: Target

• Linens, tables, chair rentals: Party Reflections

• DIY Balloon Garland: One Stylish Party