http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com Party planning ideas, tips, expert advice on how to create beautiful, affordable parties & special events Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:50:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en  I just read an interesting item on--of all things--tuxedos. This week in 1886, it seems, the tuxedo was invented by tobacco tycoon Pierre Lorillard. He created the garment "as a rebellion against the ultra-formal coat with tails popular in Europe.  He designed the tuxedo coat for less formal ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/the-tuxedo-happy-anniversary/ Off-site birthday parties make choosing birthday party foods easier. But ordering the following food for kids' birthday parties does no one a favor. As the authors of  the brand new Eat this, not that! New! Updated 2012 edition (Rodale; paperback; $19.99) point out, “Many of the foods on this list are ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/birthday-party-food-dont-let-kids-choose-these/ Here's a fun celebration I just read about in a brief note from the Census Bureau. Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman in 1774, is being honored this weekend at a festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  "Some 300,000 people are expected to enjoy crafts, colonial era food, dancing, and music. "For ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/celebrate-johnny-appleseed-with-great-apple-desserts/ If you're struggling with the task of writing thank you notes after a special occasion, use this simple "cheat sheet" to make the job easy: 1.  Don't put off sending thank you notes. New mothers get some leeway, for obvious reasons. The rest of us should acknowledge gifts within a week ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/how-to-write-a-thank-you-note-5-simple-guidelines/ Here’s a great pasta recipe to serve at any dinner party--and especially if you’re entertaining friends who are vegetarians. This colorful and fragrant dish combines fettuccini with two types of beans, olive oil, and fresh herbs. Share your own recipe!  Do you have a wonderful vegetarian recipe that you serve when ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/vegetarian-recipes-healthy-party-food/ Feeling the economic pinch, the Tooth Fairy is not leaving as much for missing teeth as she once did. A new study sponsored by Visa found that the Tooth Fairy is leaving an average of $2.60 per tooth, 40% less than last year's $3 per tooth. Most kids, however, still get ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/tooth-fairy-missing-teeth-fetch-less/ A clever “funny wedding gowns” promotional contest has yielded surprisingly beautiful results. For the past seven years, Cheap Chic Weddings has held a toilet paper wedding dress competition to publicize their website. According to the contest rules, “...entries must be made of toilet paper, glue, tape, and/may be sewn to ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/funny-wedding-gowns-beautiful-toilet-paper-designs/ Combine a fun activity with a delicious and inexpensive dinner that everyone will enjoy. Here's an easy party idea: make-your-own-pizzas. First, decide if you want ready-to-serve crusts or crusts that may need pre-baking. (Individual ready-to-serve pizza crusts are 8” in diameter.) Next, select the toppings you’ll serve. According to FoodTec Solutions, a restaurant ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/pizza-party-easy-party-for-grown-ups-and-kids/ Here's a clever idea created by our summer intern, Alyssa Bernholc. We think Alyssa is right that a Father's Day treasure/scavenger would entertain almost any Dad and have younger kids squealing with delight. Even better, with Father's Day this weekend, you still can plan fun for the family. Note: See more ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/father%e2%80%99s-day-ideas-plan-a-fun-treasurescavenger-hunt/ For many moms, decorating for Easter begins with one kitchen technique: How to hard boil an egg. Interestingly, while 80% of us think we know how to hard boil an egg, it turns out that many of us (including me!) haven't been doing it right. Here's step-by-step advice from the American ... http://blog.celebratewithstyle.com/how-to-hard-boil-an-egg/