Mason's Birthday "On the Green": Vendors

For Mason's birthday we worked with some fabulous vendors and we couldn't wait to share them with you! We mentioned before that keeping the elements of this party environmentally responsible was particularly important-- even in the smallest details. Enter Green Party Goods.

 Green Party Goods carries just about everything you could want to complete your event. We could spend hours on their site (and several more hours telling you about everything they offer) but we'll limit ourselves to sharing just the items we used for this party and save the rest for a Feature Friday.

Table settings for Mason's birthday included Biodegradable Sugarcane Plates, Recycled Paper Napkins, Recylced Paper Cups and Potatoware Utensils. We also used their Natural Fiberware Lunch Boxes for to-go lunches for the golfers.

Speaking of the golfers' to-go lunches, we used brown and white striped twine purchased on Etsy from Swann and Smerlin. Despite this seller residing in Ireland, the items arrived quickly and were packaged beautifully. Exactly the attention to detail we appreciate!

Also found on Etsy were the cupcake liners we used for the mini cupcakes, cake bites and cake pops. The sheer selection in Cupcake Social's shop is awe-inspiring. We were specifically looking for cupcake liners that resembled blades of grass to mimic the look of golf balls "in the rough" and found them at Cupcake Social. It was hard to resist buying more than we needed since there were so many fun cupcake wrappers to choose from!

The cupcakes, cake bites and cake pops were nice, but the most important dessert was the birthday boys cake. The Frosted Cake Shop custom made Mason's smash cake for the occasion. We requested a "golf inspired" cake in orange, apple green and brown. The result was nothing short of perfection! Owner, Tessa Lindlow, even managed to accommodate our order with a low-sugar and organic-ingredient recipe. If you ever need a specialty cake or cupcakes, The Frosted Cake Shop is the only way to go!

There you have it, a few of the fabulous companies we work with and order from. We hope you will consider them for your next event and please feel free to share other vendors you have had success with.

Next up is the budget. The single most frequent question we get from brides, mothers, friends and party-hosts (or hostesses) everywhere: How much will it cost? We'll share this party's budget with you tomorrow!

Teresa's Baby Shower

Last weekend was Teresa's baby shower! Tom (daddy-to-be) and Teresa, along with their family and friends, gathered to celebrate the pending arrival of their new little one, A.M.

The shower was built around "A is for Apricot, B is for Baby" and the decor was inspired by shades of apricot/orange and aqua/blue.

The dessert table featured French Meringues, Apricot and Blueberry Thumbprint cookies, Coconut-Apricot Macaroons and Mini-Cheesecakes with apricot and blueberry jam.

We made a simple bunting string out of various fabrics that complimented the color scheme-- orange sherbet gingham, blue paisley, a shimmery aqua and apricot and blue florals.

"A" and "M" are the initials of Tom and Teresa's bundle of joy. They took the wooden letters home to use in her nursery!

Instead of traditional flower centerpieces for the tables, fresh herbs were used, giving the tables a country-chic feel paired with the blue linens and white accents. Using fresh organic herbs is also environmentally responsible as they can be used long after the baby shower is over.

How gorgeous is that aqua table cloth? The simple herb centerpiece stands out beautifully against the cool blue backdrop.

We used scraps from the bunting to create custom newborn onesies for Tom and Teresa to use for their baby girl and they also acted as decor for the shower.

The appliques included the initials "A" and "M", an apricot, a flower and a baby rattle.

We wish Tom and Teresa all the joy in the world with their new baby girl!

Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your celebration!

Feature Friday: Sweet Expressions Desserts

About a month ago we mentioned that we had a "*sweet* feature" to bring to you, and we finally have it! Meet Kiiki Pittman, owner of Sweet Expressions Desserts.

Kiiki had been making desserts for friends and family for years and after a person hears, "You should do this for a living" so many times, they start to think that might actually be a good idea. For Kiiki, it turned out to be a great idea! Kiiki's dessert business is mainly word-of-mouth and referrals (which is the BEST way to get business). She made the leap to be her own boss after being laid off from her 9-5 job and, like many other entrepreneurs, has found success in doing something she loves.

Sweet Expressions Desserts has an extensive list of treats they offer but they will happily do their best to fulfill any custom order. Here are some of their delicious dessert choices:

• Baklava
  
• Banana Pudding
  
• Brownies (over 17 varieties)
  
• Brownie Pops
  
• Brownie and Cookie Sundaes
  
• Cakes (over 17 varieties)
  
• Cake Poppers
  
• Cheesecake : Traditional (plain), cherry, blueberry, double chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip, toffee bar, peanut butter cup, pumpkin (seasonal)
  
• Cheesecake on a Stick
  
• Chocolate Fountains
  
• Chocolate Dipped Fruit
  
• Chocolate Truffles and candies
  
• Cookies (over 23 varieties)
  
• Cupcakes
  
• Cupcake Parfait
  
• Cupcake Towers
• Flan
• Fresh Fruit (seasonal fruit kabobs and fruit bowls available)
• Lemon Bars
• Parfait
  
• Petit Fours
  
• Pecan Bars
  
• Peanut Butter Chewies
  
• Rice Krispie Bars
  
• Sugar Cookies (decorated) - we have over 100 different shapes
  
• Tarts
  
• Trifle
  
• Monogrammed Treats

I don't know if you caught that, but Sweet Expressions Desserts offers 17 varieties of brownies. YUM. We've sampled their brownie pops and they are amazing.

Sweet Expressions Desserts has done candy buffets (pictured above), dessert buffets, and ice cream buffets. They also frequently have "just because" customers... I mean really, do you need an excuse to enjoy dessert? We sure don't think so!

If you are in the Sacramento area, don't miss Kiiki and Sweet Expressions Desserts on Fox 40 next week! She is doing a cooking demonstration on Wednesday, October 21 at 11AM. Set your DVR's.

If you need to satisfy your craving after all this yumminess, give Kiiki a call at 916.508.3293 and check out their website here.

Enjoy! And thank you to Sweet Expressions Desserts for letting us feature them!

Do you know someone who owns a small business that is related to the event planning industry in some way? We would love to feature them and learn more about their business. Send us an email at peartreeevents@gmail.com. And don't forget to check out our new website: http://www.peartreeevents.net/.