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. 

Growing Vegetables in the Backyard

It's been so wonderful cooking dinner with vegetables from my own yard.  Feels so fresh and organic.

Summer Mantle

I shamelessly steal rocks from the beaches I visit as my souvenir.  Surrounded by so much beauty on our trips, I feel like I want to bring some of that beauty into my home this summer!

Earthquake Casualty

So we had a medium-sized earthquake recently.  We live near the epicenter and were quite rocked by all the little aftershocks.  Not a big deal compared to Chile or Japan, but when I grabbed my camera to get a shot of a picture of my family getting picked up by a school bus to head off on a fun birthday adventure, I was shocked!  Apparently, my camera fell off the shelf during the earthquake.  So bummed! 

10 Years

It rains very little in Southern California, but 10 years ago, we managed to get married on the rainiest day of the year.  Although it was challenging for our photographer, it made for a very romantic honeymoon  :)

10 years later, we managed to find ourselves in the biggest storm of the year!  We were, however,  able to enjoy the sunset on the first night of our stay.

We will have to come back to enjoy the beach another time :) 

This is the very same bluff where I said yes to his proposal.  

The scenery may look untouched but much transformation has occurred within the two of us.  Not just more wrinkles around the eyes or thinning of the hair, but a real appreciation for one another.  Life has brought us added responsibilities, loss of a parent, little hearts to shepherd...circumstances that have challenged us to truly get to know one another for who we really are good or bad.  And we hold each other close on this bluff and the smiles on our faces don't show two people who are giddy to start something new together, but one unit who are living life and loving one another.  Love you Mi Amor!

With a Brimming Heart

 With a brimming heart, I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving!  We have been graced with a marriage that has seen its share of growing pains but is burgeoning into a union of increased understanding and forgiveness.  Laughter and joy from little hearts who share in the toil of growing together as one unit.  Health that causes little worry in its maintenance.  Physical needs met with comfort in this season.  And most of all, a precious Savior who does not see it a small thing to be concerned with all the details of our lives.

Autumn Mantle

 Still putting some finishing touches on my mantle and photographing in terrible lighting.  What can I say, I get my best inspiration in the late hours.  

My mom keeps giving me orange pumpkins.  She's very traditional in her decorating, so when she saw my blue and brown pumpkins, I could tell she was biting her tongue. 

Always love to have some elements of nature.

This season reminds me of how so very blessed we are our home.