If you aren’t ready, don’t panic!! Seriously, I was YOU at this time last year. My oldest child graduated last year and I got to host my first graduation open house (I have two more to go) and I learned many things about what to do and what not to do and I will share some of those tips with you. Just to give you a little bit of background, my lovely daughter (the grad) was undecided until the last minute as to whether or not she wanted an open house — so I literally had less than one month to pull everything together. I admit that I almost gave myself a nervous breakdown planning our party but a lot of that is because I am a Virgo….and it really was totally unnecessary. Our party was a big success, everything came together beautifully, and everybody (even the Virgo) had a really good time.  If you are looking for party planning checklists, guides, recipes, etc..I am listing a few links to prior posts at the bottom of this post (again, I do these things because I am a Virgo) but today I am focusing on sharing some of my personal tips.

Tip #1: Do not panic! It bears repeating. You still have time to do all that you need to do. Stick with me, I will talk you through this.

Tip #2: You cannot have too many decorations. I’m not kidding. The more graduation party decorations you have, the longer people will think you put into your party planning. This is a foolproof strategy. Incorporate your grad’s school colors into as many things as possible, including your serving ware on the food buffet. If everything looks coordinated, people will assume you very organized and spent months planning every small detail.

Tip #3: You really can hire a caterer at the 11th hour! I did. I decided that I didn’t want to do all the cooking myself (or recruit family members to help) so I found a reasonably priced caterer that made all the big stuff, delivered, and set up the food for me (of course, they put some of that food in the color coordinated food bowls that I purchased…).

Tip #4: Channel your inner Virgo (even if that is not your astrological sign) and make lists for everything! I had lists to keep track of my lists. My most important list was my “People, we have 2 hours to set up and decorate this hall!!” list. We reserved a hall for our open house and we only had 2 hours to get EVERYTHING decorated, set up, and ready. You bet I had a list!!It was very drill sergeant-y. No one escaped having multiple assignments – it was a true team effort. It was beautiful. If you had two hands, you were taping something, setting up chairs, packing the drinks in ice, scattering confetti, blowing up balloons…you get the idea. Hey, I played music while we worked – I’m not inhumane.

Tip #5: You cannot have too much tape on hand when you are decorating for your open house.

Tip #6: Put your grad in charge of making their own memory boards. Because I was running short of time, I had to let go of some of my control freak tendencies and delegate more than I usually do. I actually gave up total control of this area of the planning and I am kind of glad that I did. By letting my creative and artistic daughter be in charge of her memory board, I got to see what was important to HER. After all, it is HER memory board, not mine. It made my heart happy to see that, after wading through 18 years of pictures, the majority of the pictures she chose were ones that represented family. She did a fabulous job and it was a fun project for her, as well.

Tip #7: Have your kids make a playlist of music for the open house – but retain final editorial approval. If grandma and grandpa would be shocked by a song (I don’t care that you only listen to it for the beat), eliminate it from the list!

Tip #8: This might be my most important piece of advice to you. HAVE FUN! Seriously, this is a day to celebrate and honor your child’s accomplishments and you don’t want to miss a single moment of it. You only get to do this once – and you want to be fully present, not distracted by details that won’t matter tomorrow.

As promised:

We have published quite a few posts over the past few months about planning for your upcoming graduation open house. In case you’ve missed them, I will list a few here (just click on the title to read the entire post):

Graduation Party Planning Checklist

How To Calculate How Much Food You Will Need For Your Graduation Open House

Brownie Graduation Caps

Graduation Party Candy Bar

For more tips and ideas, go to Party Cafe and browse to your hearts content!

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Lori is a content writer for Discount Party Supplies. She is married with three kids and hosts many family gatherings and parties. In her free time, Lori enjoys taking yoga classes and in her secret life she likes going to heavy metal concerts (but don’t tell the other soccer moms!).

I really love the patriotic holidays. Memorial Day kicks off summer fun and the Fourth of July is celebrated just as summer season is really in full swing. There is something very comforting about celebrating flags, family and fun with a clear blue sky and the sun shining, kids playing and grown ups chatting and sipping lemonade (or something else!). Here are a few easy, DIY decorating projects that will hopefully inspire you to add some patriotic pizazz to your next party.

Red, White, and Blue Gumballs and Flags

This one couldn’t be any easier. Simply take 3 glass jars or vases, fill with red, white and blue gumballs and plant a few flags in each container. Minimum effort, maximum impact. This is just my kind of DIY project. Added bonus: I won’t burn myself on a glue gun!!

Patriotic Starburst Bouquet

This one requires a little more prep time and probably a quick trip to the local craft store but is certainly do-able and would be fun to get the kids involved with. Use this photo as your inspiration and gather up your supplies to create your own version of this centerpiece. Try to re-use or re-purpose items you already have, if possible. What you’ll need: clay pot, acrylic paints, paint brushes, wooden skewers, florists foam (for inside the clay pot to secure your star-flowers), foam stars in assorted sizes (you can purchase these at the craft store), glue, and curly ribbons for the ‘moss’.

Patriotic Posies

There are a multitude of red and white flowers available to use as your picnic centerpiece. Grab a bucket and add some patriotic flair with craft paint, fill with your favorite flowers and greenery and top it off with cute pinwheels. If you are feeling crafty, there are lots of templates available online to create your own pinwheels, or if you can purchase them at most craft and hobby stores. Don’t forget to check your local dollar stores for fabulous deals, as well. Super easy and will make a big impact on your picnic table or buffet. It is so worth taking the extra few minutes to really dress up your table.

Patriotic Party Supplies

Your tableware can add so much to your table scape. These Flying Colors Party Supplies show our flag in all it’s glory! Don’t forget to check out all the patriotic themed tableware and accessories that  Discount Party Supplies has available. There’s still time to order them!!

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We are excited to announce that we have drawn a winner from our Pinterest Party Ideas Giveaway! The lucky winner is Melissa V! She has won a Deluxe Party Pack in the theme of her choice! We can’t wait to find out what she chooses, and hopefully hear all about her party!

We really want to thank everyone who took the time to enter. It was fantastic to get so many new followers, and see what amazing and beautiful decorating tips, crafts, recipes, and party ideas, you have pinned on Pinterest! We really count on all of you to keep us inspired to plan wonderful things for the events in our lives. For those of you who entered and didn’t win; don’t fret. We were so happy with the response to this contest, and there were so many entries that we are already planning our next Pinterest contest! In the meantime keep pinning your fantastic party ideas, and so will we!

 Memorial Day picnics and barbeques are typically the first big outdoor parties to kick off the summer season of outdoor fun….transform your picnic into a real party by paying special attention to your decorations. Of course, you will need all the basic Memorial Day Party Supplies (plates, napkins, cups, tablecovers, etc..), but why not spend a few extra minutes and go the extra mile to make your food presentation just as fun and festive? These adorable Stars and Stripes Cones are an easy, DIY project that take just a little time to prepare but will add big impact to your outdoor buffet. I love the fact that the tortilla chips are red and blue!! Details, people, details!! It’s all in the details. To make this cute idea even more fun, I suggest you serve salsa or dip in little mini serving containers as well. Your guests can grab a cone of chips and a single serve portion of dip or salsa and be good to go. Discount Party Supplies is now carrying a fabulous line of mini serving dishes as part of our Elegant Disposable Dinnerware line…please be sure to check them out. In my opinion, they are perfect to use outdoors (as well as indoors) – no worries about glass breakage and all that jazz. I am looking forward to finding fun new ways to incorporate them into my summer entertaining plans! Of course, I will share those ideas here with you on this blog so stay tuned.

How to Make Stars and Stripes Cones

Tools and Materials
Matte heavyweight paper
Craft knife or scissors
Glue stick or double-sided tape
Waxed paper (optional)

Chip-Cone How-To

Take sheet of heavy weight paper and wrap to form cone, and attach sides with glue stick or double-sided tape. To prevent grease marks, line the inside of the cone with waxed paper if desired.

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We are thrilled to announce that Discount Party Supplies now carries  elegant disposable dinnerware and catering supplies! We have tons of new stuff, that will not only make your party easy to plan and host; it will be the talk of the town for your beautiful tablescapes! There are so many ways to create an elegant party, for different occasions. Plastic dinnerware is ideal because it can be used as a base for a themed party; pair a plastic charger, with a themed dinner plate. Or use favors and decorations from your favorite baby shower theme to accentuate a charming table setting. Using plastic dinnerware is also environmentally friendly! Many of our products are “resposable” meaning they can be re-used for multiple occasions, or you can recycle them, rather than just throwing them away. Don’t you love it when you get to use something easy, convenient, and beautiful? (Especially when you can pat yourself on the back for being environmentally conscious at the same time!)

Look at this gorgeous key-lime tart and fruit plate – it is one of endless options for offering your guests appetizers, amuse-bouches, or beautiful desserts. We also carry beautiful plastic flatware that mimics the look of silver, or stainless steel, without the expense. As soon as I saw our new products, I immediately started planning events for this spring, and summer! I can’t wait to host a party that lets me create a beautiful atmosphere without all of the expense of renting or purchasing catering supplies.

Spiderman continues to be  a huge superhero favorite for fans of all ages. We can’t seem to get enough of his web slinging adventures, no matter how old we are. We are excited to offer you this new line of Spiderman Party Supplies!! These bright red and blue party decorations will have you and your guests saying “Shazam! Go! Go! Go web go! Tally ho!” Our spidey senses are tingling with all of the great ideas we want to share with you to make your Spiderman Party a smashing success!!

Decorating for Your Party:

Classic Spiderman party ware is one sure-fire way to set the Spiderman mood.We offer a variety of party packs to get you started (check them out here). In addition to Spiderman party supplies, you will want to decorate with lots of bright red and blue streamers and balloons. It goes without saying that spiders and spider webs should be EVERYWHERE! One neat trick to add a super sized Spiderman to your party decor is to use one of our Spiderman 3D table covers as a wall hanging – we even have 3D glasses (sold seperately) to make it pop!

Chances are, if you are hosting a Spiderman party, your child has tons of Spiderman themed toys…use these toys as part of your decorating theme. Action heroes can be scattered throughout the party. A cute idea would be to set up an action figure near each dish on the serving buffet holding a sign identifying the food (i.e. Peter Parker Pizzas, Green Goblin juice). For more ideas and inspiration, be sure to check out our extensive supply of Spiderman decorating supplies and party favors!

Spiderman Party Games and Activities:

First and foremost, Silly String is a MUST for ANY Spiderman party! Don’t discount the fun of Silly String even if you are planning an indoor party. It is safe to use indoors with adult supervision and it can be used in a variety of party games with a web theme. Draw a large spider web on a big sheet of poster board.  Tape a Spiderman action figure to the center of the web using clearpacking tape.  Have the kids take turns trying to spray the Spiderman action figure from a predetermined distance. Whether they win or lose, the kids will love  Silly String web games with a Spiderman theme.

Creepy Crawler Obstacle Course – Give the kids an idea of what Spiderman feels like when he is chasing villains  by setting up a creative obstacle course. Set the course up so the children have to perform a series of physical challenges: walk along a narrow board, jump over a pile of logs or sticks, run around chairs, crawl under a spiderweb (net), etc. (If playing indoors, use such objects as small table, stack of books, wastebasket, pile of toys, etc.) Line the kids up in single file. One by one, have them run through the obstacle course while you time them with a stopwatch. The fastest arachnid, I mean child, wins!

Follow the Web: For this Spiderman birthday party game, you’ll need 20-foot pieces of yarn (1 per guest) and small toys or favor items. Before the party, attach a small toy to the end of each piece of the yarn and attach a small tag with each party guests initials on them. Hide toys in closets, drawers, under sofa pillows, etc. Next, create a super massive web by stretching each length of yarn throughout the room, wrapping it around furniture and intertwining with other pieces until you’ve used them all.  At game time, invite the kids to find their initials and follow their web threads to discover a prize at the end.

Spiderman Party Food:

Peter Parker Pizzas: Set up a personal pizza making station. You’ll need packets of pita bread, pre-sliced pepperoni, grated cheese, jars of pizza or spaghetti sauce, olives, peppers and any other favorite toppings.Preheat oven to 350°F, while guests build their own personal pizza. Place pizzas on foil or cookie sheets and bake until the cheese melts.

RITZ Spiders: (For Spiderman RITZ Spiders, we suggest you use red and blue sprinkes!!)

Spread crackers with 1 tsp. peanut butter; cover with second cracker for the spider’s body. Insert 8 pretzel sticks into peanut butter layer in each sandwich for spider’s legs. Spread 1 tsp. of the remaining peanut butter onto top of each spider. Decorate with sprinkles. Add raisins for the eyes.

Superhero Juice: Serve Red Hawaiin Punch and label it ‘Spiderman Power Juice’ and Green Hawaiin Punch labeled “Green Goblin Power Juice. Garnish with gummy spiders and other assorted creepy crawlers. Adding spider shaped ice cubes would make you the best host ever!!

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Isn’t that the most beautiful, magical thing you’ve seen in quite some time? Can’t you  just picture a group of tiny girls in fluttery tulle dresses, with gossamer wings, and flower wreaths perched on top of their curls; ooh-ing and aah-ing at the sight of these at your perfectly planned, perfectly executed fairy party?

I saw this project on Pinterest, and was absolutely inspired. It was making the rounds on Pinterest, and I saw it repinned dozens of times.  I knew that I had to make it, and share this project on the blog, so that people could start incorporating this project in their party plans. I could envision it for all kinds of party themes for girls, and even some for us grown-up ladies, like baby showers, or bridal showers.  I found the instructions, and immediately set off for my local hobby store, to pick up what I needed.

Sadly, reality doesn’t match up with what my imagination produced. (As usual.) The end result of this project looks nothing like the picture above. If I had taken the time to look a little closer, I would have noticed, on closer scrutiny, that the image has obviously been Photoshopped to within an inch of its life, and couldn’t possibly be replicated in reality. But no; I looked at it and though,” Ooh, shiny! Eeeeee…… sparkly!”

Here is what the instructions call for, very basic stuff:

- Mason Jars

- Diamond Dust Glitter

- Glow-Sticks

So first and foremost, a word of caution; this project is capital D – Dangerous. I’m not saying it can’t or shouldn’t ever be attempted, but if you have any idea about attempting this as a party craft project with small children, you might want to rethink that.

The instructions seem very basic on first read. You cut open a glow stick and pour the contents into a Mason jar. Add a spoonful of diamond dust, and shake. The glowing liquid and glitter combine to coat the inside of the jar, creating a beautiful glowing, sparkling decoration. Easy, right? Except in practice, it’s a little more complicated.

First –  diamond dust is essentially ground glass. If you are not touching it with your fingers or hand, then no problem. But in the hands of young children whose fine motor skills are still being developed, or even in older kids who are just revved up and excited, spills are almost inevitable. I don’t know about you, but the idea of tiny shards of glass all over the place makes me feel a little faint, just thinking about it. Now, I did try a version of this project with super-fine glitter as well, to see how that worked. Unfortunately, with regular glitter, it is so fine and nearly weightless that it just ran down the sides of the glass jar. The diamond dust actually coats and covers the sides of the jar, and stays in place for the most part.

Second – you have to break the glass cylinder that is inside of every glow stick/glow necklace etc. that you use, to actually activate it. This means more broken glass, and cutting the thick plastic of the glow sticks themselves is quite difficult. On one of the jars, I used a glow necklace, and when I snipped it, some of the liquid splashed out right into my eye! It was very painful, and potentially very dangerous! Because I am not actively cruel, I won’t post a picture of my violent, bloodshot eye for you to see, but trust me. Not Pretty. Luckily I was wearing contact lenses which protected my eye to some degree, and after disposing of the contact and rinsing my eye with cold water for about ten minutes there was no serious damage. But again, nothing you would want to have happen to a child.

Third – The results just aren’t that exciting. It is sort of pretty, if you are able to get the mixture to evenly coat the sides. I did this project with my nine and twelve year old daughters, and they had mixed results. One was fine, and the other looked a little messy, and uneven. It just didn’t want to distribute well. It also doesn’t last long. Once the liquid is exposed to air (glow sticks last, because they are a vacuum – no air gets in the cylinders or necklaces) the glow effect is very short-lived. They glowed brightly at first, but then began to dim very quickly. I would estimate that they glowed for thirty to forty minutes, then it was done and over.

Here is what it actually looks like.

It’s pretty, and bright, and colorful, and will probably make some little girls go ooh, and aah. I took a picture of it in a dark room, on a black backdrop so you could see it in the best possible way. In the daylight it is not quite as bright, and the glass reflects any daylight or room light as well, which also makes is less impressive.  For an evening party or an outdoor sunset type of event, it could be quite nice, i think as a decoration.It just looks absolutely nothing like the picture that got me so excited to make it.

So, I’m not saying that this can’t be done, or even that it shouldn’t be done. I would strongly recommend that if you take on this project, do it carefully, with safety equipment (safety goggles, etc.) and do it without any little helpers. It is something that can be done relatively quickly, so it is possible that you could make it while your guests are involved in another activity, like eating cake or opening presents. You could also make them right before your party starts, as long as you plan on using them right away, while they are still pretty, and bright, just know that they won’t last for more than half an hour or so, and plan accordingly.

I really was disappointed that this project turned out to be kind of a dud. It seemed like such a fantastic idea. Like some of the other things on Pinterest that I get excited about:  elaborate cakes, surefire weight loss tips, or craft projects that would make Martha Stewart weep bitter, envious tears, it turned out to be not terribly realistic. Nonetheless, my love affair with Pinterest continues unabated. Someday I will make a decorative wreath out of hand-gathered driftwood and beach glass, or stay in a treehouse hotel in Thailand, or create a perfectly stylish outfit that still includes yoga pants. Someday. In the meantime, I will just keep pinning!

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Tracy Maher is a party planning guru and director of marketing for DiscountPartySupplies.com. She has a husband, three children, and a cat that should be registered as a lethal weapon. She throws many parties, mainly as an excuse to cook (and eat) a lot of food!

Summer is almost here and that means lots and lots of picnics – Memorial Day and Fourth of July are patriotic traditions and most of us celebrate with picnics and potlucks. There is nothing better than gathering with friends and family in a park or back yard to celebrate and have fun in the sun. At your next gathering, give this Patriotic Berry Trifle a try — it’s simple, light, and pretty. Unless you have tons of time (and more ambition than I do) feel free to use a store bought angel food cake for this recipe instead of making your own. No one will know, I promise.

Discount Party Supplies has tons of patriotic themed party supplies so be sure to take a moment to check them out and stock up for the summer picnic season. It really helps to set the tone for the day when you take the time to decorate your picnic tables — seeing red, white, and blue all over your party scene will remind everyone what you are celebrating and why. Have fun with it!!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 angel food cake, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

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In case you hadn’t heard, Marvel’s The Avengers  broke box office records this past weekend and brought in over $200  million during its 3-day opening weekend. It doesn’t get any bigger than that! Avenger themed parties are among the most popular party trends right now – for obvious reasons. If you are planning a party worthy of a superhero,  grab your superhero cape and read on for some great party planning tips for your own Avengers Party.

Party Decorations

Start with the basics. We have all The Avengers themed party supplies ready for you. We have you covered with everything from the invitations, to the tableware, to the decorations, to the party favors, and even the thank you notes.

A bold color theme of blue, black, and red dominates most of The Avengers party supplies, but feel free to add some Hulk green to your party decorating. Add lots of brightly colored balloons in red, blue, white and silver. Drape chairs in blankets or beach towels in the same color theme to resemble superhero capes.

Get an extra Avengers tablecover from our website and put it on your front door – what a fabulous way to greet your party guests! You can also tape tablecovers on the walls around the room to add to the superhero feel of the room. You can never have too many superhero’s in the room.

Party Food

Superhero Sippers: Before the party begins, put a few drops of green, red, and blue food coloring and water in ice cube trays. When you serve a clear drink and let guests pick their own colored ice cubes, the drink transforms into that color. The kids will love watching their drinks change color.

Superhero Submarine Sandwich: Take long loaves of sourdough bread and assemble a sub worthy of a super hero. Cut loaves lengthwise lengthwise and fill them with layers of meat, cheese, tomato and lettuce. Stack ‘em high..your superheroes are bound to have super appetites after all their party games.

Make a cake that will really impress all of your guests. Bake your child’s favorite flavor birthday cake and decorate it like a pro with our The Avengers Cake Decoration Kit.The Avengers Cake Decoration Kit includes a plaque with 4 of the main characters, plus a large Avengers symbol, along with the Avengers title. You supply the cake, we supply the rest.

Party Games

Superhero Teams: Before your party games begin, separate your guests into teams and give each person an Avengers Mask (available here and pictured above). Kids will like being on Team Hulk, Team Ironman, Team Captain America or Team Thor. Really, does anybody ever need an excuse to put on a superhero mask?? Of course not! Everybody loves them. In fact, you might want to order extras for the mom’s and dad’s.

 The Avengers Party Games: A scavenger hunt is a good way to keep kids entertained at a party. This Avengers Party Game is a scavenger hunt themed game that can be used indoors or out. Kids need to find matching token cards as quickly as they can.  . Each game includes 8 search cards and 32 pieces to ‘hunt’ for. You can either have each guest do this game solo or for added fun, make it a team scavenger hunt. Who will win? Will it be Team Captain America or Team Ironman? Don’t count out Team Thor or Team Hulk…may the best team win!

Your Avengers themed birthday party is bound to be a smashing success. We would love to hear from you and see pictures of your parties. Be sure to follow us on Pinterest and we would love to have you post your pictures to our “Your Parties” board. Be sure to check out all our boards on Pinerest, you’ll find some great menu and decorating ideas for all of your parties and holiday celebrations. We can’t wait to see pictures of you and your guests having fun, Avengers Style.

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Give mom a break this Mother’s Day by making these sweet treats for a Mother’s Day brunch or better yet, serve her breakfast in bed!! Whichever you decide, she will definitely be feeling the love from these hot out of the oven baked goodies. The best thing about this recipe (besides it’s deliciousness) is the fact that it uses pre-made dough. You realize what this means, don’t you? This recipe is easy enough for Dad and the kids to make!!!!! Which, by the way, is the whole point of Mother’s Day…other people should do all of the cooking!!

Don’t forget to make Mother’s Day special for mom by putting just as much time and effort into her celebration as she puts into everyone else’s. Hint for Dads: Don’t forget to decorate and order your Mother’s Day party supplies.

Brown Sugar and Pecan Sticky Buns

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Lori is a content writer for Discount Party Supplies. She is married with three kids and hosts many family gatherings and parties. In her free time, Lori enjoys taking yoga classes and in her secret life she likes going to heavy metal concerts (but don’t tell the other soccer moms!).