Under the Big Top

Back in October, I had the opportunity to plan a 90th birthday for one of Jacksonville's most beloved ladies. With her love of fun and clowning around, we went with a carnival theme to entertain the 200 guests. Hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, and funnel cake cookies kept the guests well fed while partaking in carnival games like balloon pop, ring toss, and even a fortune teller. I'm pleased now to finally get the opportunity to share some images of that day with you. Enjoy the fun!

 A hand painted photo board including a clown and a bearded woman gave guests a photo op to remember the fun!

 Remember this ring toss game? It was a hit, and much more difficult to ring the bottle than you would think!

 A former student of the Birthday Girl made this cake and the cupcakes for her big day.

 A wall of balloons alluded to the carnival favorite "Balloon Pop".

 Each table was clothed and confettied the same. Continuity was continued with floral arrangements and a vintage coke glass full of custom M&Ms.

 Changing one detail on each table, add a little quirky-ness to the party.

What's a carnival without raffle tickets?

Carnival Games

You've heard me tweeting about it and I've been pinning inspiration for it for months. Well, two weeks ago now, I through a carnival themed bash for this amazing 90 year old woman. But, let me tell you making the teal colored Jacksonville Beach Senior Center look like a  carnival was a task and a half. But, in the end everything turned out amazing! And, best of all, Bennie was beyond happy! Scroll down and enjoy some other images from all the clowning around!

 Remember that ring toss game I showed you how to make a couple weeks ago? Well here it is!

 How amazing is this photo wall? My grandmother's neighbor did this! And R and I may or may not have a picture with him posing as the bearded lady...

 Custom M&Ms adorned each table!

All photos courtesy of my amazing father Alan Ennis.

Delightful Dining {Hot Dog Bar}

Continuing with this week's dedication to carnivals (and my obsession with food served in a bar format), I bring to you a hot dog bar. Hello, what's more carnival than a hot dog. Personally, I've been craving hot dogs ever since we decided to do this! So we've rented a hot dog machine and this party is ready to rock! While we are not going as extreme as this picture with all of the toppings, I wish we could include it all! My dream hot dog would include chili, ketchup, and red peppers. But, what's best about this, is you could easily make some burger and brats too for those who don't like hot dogs. And if you include chili on your bar, people could just have just chili if they feel so inclined! 

What would your dream hot dog have on it? No limits! 

Fun and Games {Ring Toss}

What's a carnival without ring toss? It's one of my favorite carnival games from when I was little. And, by the way, there is a huge gap in the market for purchasing/renting ring toss games. Hence why I decided to make my own! After many, many beers (over the course of a couple months...), 4 cans of spray paint, and countless hours of label peeling later, it is finished. I made two sets of this game so that more than one person could play at a time. So here's what you need to make it....

{50} label-less beer bottles -> note. It's better to use bottles with paper labels rather than ones that have sticker labels. The sticker labels leave a residue that DOES NOT come off. Trust me...

{4} cans of spray paint -> I used "Caramel Latte" to add a splash of something different. I was starting to get a little over the top on all of the navy, red, and yellow details. However, feel free to use whatever color you like. 

{1} pack of shower rings. 

So the best method for getting the labels off the bottles I discovered, is to fill a bucket with hot water and submerge the bottles in the water. The longer it can soak the easier it is to peel off the label. Once it's peeled off, you will still need to scrub it with a wash cloth to get the remaining residue off. Once the bottles are clean, dry them off and begin to spray paint. Once all the bottles are spray painted, let them dry. I left mine outside for a couple of hours. Maybe 3 or 4. After they are dry, you are good to go! 

Have fun! 

This Week I Feel...Like Clowning Around

Who doesn't love a good carnival? For months now, I've been planning a huge carnival themed party for a client's 90th birthday. And this week, I'm going to tempt you with little carnival treats, starting with some carnival inspiration. Stripes, games, popcorn and tons of candy is just about all you need. Maybe. With this carnival, I wanted everything to quirky, fun, and a kind of over the top. While we are lacking a kissing booth, we do have a fortune teller, clown, and a balloon man! All the details are dripping in red, yellow, navy, and white. I'm getting excited for all the fun on Saturday and I can't wait to share more details with you throughout the week! Wait till you see what fun I have in store for you tomorrow....