Cuban Style Party

My lovely friend Karen turned 40 this year, and her husband asked me and a couple of our friends to help him give her a surprise party.  When he mentioned that he was ordering Cuban food, our minds instantly went to Havana themed party, and since Karen is Cuban, it just seemed all the more appropriate!

We kept our table settings simple with cigar boxes, fedoras, palm fronds and flowers in coffee can vases.  The cigar boxes were found at the local smoke shop for $1 a box.  The shopkeeper thought it was bizarre that we wanted to boxes and not the cigars!

 We scoured the community for palm branches and asked our neighbors if they wouldn't mind us taking some cuttings.  No palm tree was safe!

 

  

As well as being a very talented photographer, our friend Jacque put these flower arrangements together. 

Some pineapples, wooden skewers, your neighbor's palm fronds and voila, the perfect centerpiece for a tropical party!

There were so many inquiries about where the food came from that I am adding a link to Rumba's Cafe.

Rumba's Cafe in Whittier

We asked our friends to come decked out in their Cuban garb.

Here is my inspiration photo for my outfit.

Photo Source

Photos by Portrait Bliss Photography

Karen and Jacque

Happy Birthday Karen!  We love you!

DIY:: Pineapple Tree Centerpiece

 

Supplies:

4 Pineapples

6 Wooden skewers

6 Palm fronds

1 Tray or plate

Directions:

1. Cut the top and bottom ends of 3 of the pineapple and cutting only the bottom end of one of the pineapples

2.  Place the first pineapple on your plate making sure that the plate is sturdy

3.  Stick 3 skewers into the pineapple

4. Slide the second pineapple over the skewers

5. Stick 3 more skewers into the pineapples

6.  Continue to add more pineapples, placing the final pineapple that only had one side sliced at the very top

7.  Trim the palm fronds to be proportional to the tree

8.  Stick the ends of the palm fronds into the pineapple

Place your choice of fruit around the tree!  We put grapes around ours and used it to decorate our food table. 

 Dressed up our food table nicely!

It was a nice touch to our friend's 40th Cuban Surprise Party.

Photos by Portrait Bliss Photography

Cuban Style Outfit

We got all dolled up for our friend's 40th surprise birthday party.  Found some inspiration for the look I was hoping for.  It was a Cuban themed party:

Photo Source

Added the red flower for a finishing touch.

Photos by Portrait Bliss Photography

Decorating Your House with Yard Sale Finds

When we first purchased our home, finances were allotted to new homeowner expenses and  renovations that were so desperately needed.  Moving into a house with more square footage made our current furnishings look so inadequate.

Today's find: Set of 2 Gold Peacocks

The cure for a small decorating budget?  YARD SALES!!!!!

Two years later, I am still at it.  In fact, my daughter really enjoys it too, and it's become our time to hang out together.  Just the two of us on a Saturday morning.