Emerald Party Inspiration

You may have heard by now that Pantone named emerald the color of the year for 2013. It’s a bold yet sophisticated hue that (for some of us) may seem a bit intimidating to style into our wardrobes and homes. Don’t worry though, we’re in luck because emerald green is perfect for a St. Paddy’s Day celebration! 

emerald party inspiration from one charming life

balloons // cocktails // cake // garland // Dom // napkins

Shades of emerald will make any party lively and chic. So, for your next event, why not channel your inner Dorothy and take a trip to the Emerald City?

(Speaking of which… does anyone want to see the new Oz movie with me?) ;)

XO, Mariel

Chic Paleo Brunch with The PBQ

Happy New Year! 2013 is officially here. And what better way to kick it off than with a fabulous {and good for you} brunch. The Primal Beauty Queen and I have partnered up again to bring you tips on planning a Paleo New Year’s Brunch. Dee has created some scrumptious Primal recipes {Apple Cinnamon Waffles, Omelette Cups, Pear & Walnut Salad, and a few drinks too, YUM} and I’ve created a quick and easy idea for place cards.

brunch table setting from one charming life

DIY Succulent Place Cards from One Charming Life

Here’s what you’ll need: 

1 mini succulent per guest  //  small vase or votive per guest  //  tags  //  pen

Here’s what to do:

Simply place each succulent in a small vase {I used mercury glass votives}. Write each guest’s name on a tag, and tie it around the plant {I used white calligraphy on kraft paper tags, but you can really use anything!}. Place one at each setting, and your guests have a new plant to take home with them and care for as they start off the new year.


DIY mini succulent place cards with calligraphy

teal and neutral brunch place setting

Call up your friends & family and enjoy the first few days of 2013 together. And don’t forget to visit Dee’s blog for the yummy recipes. ;)

May your new year be blessed with love, laughter & new adventures!

XO, Mariel

P.S. If you’re looking for a dinner party, check out this post. :)

Winter Wonderland Envelopes

I loved doing something different for these baby shower invites. The whimsical lettering is so playful and unique. And the envelopes looked lovely paired with the vintage-inspired invites inside… perfect for a casual winter get-together celebrating the mother-to-be.

grey envelope with white lettering calligraphy from one charming life

baby boy shower invitation - light blue and grey

grey envelope return address with white lettering calligraphy - One Charming Life

Special thanks & congratulations to the cutest baby boy and his sweet momma. :)

XO, Mariel

Deck “Their” Halls Shower Invite

I wanted to share another little project I was able to work on with a sweet friend. Sarah hosted a couples shower this past weekend, and I can’t think of a better theme!

deck their halls shower invite from one charming life

red and teal blue holiday party invitation couples wedding shower

custom holiday couples wedding shower invitation

red envelope with white lettering from one charming life

Congratulations to Emily & David!

XO, Mariel

Fairy Birthday Party Invites

Do you believe in fairies? This glittery invitation is perfect for a little girl’s birthday party. I loved creating these and addressing the pretty pink envelopes with a silver pen. It was the perfect touch!

Custom Pink and Silver Fairy Birthday Party Invitation

Do you believe in Fairies? Party Invite with Calligraphy from One Charming Life

hand lettering calligraphy by one charming life

cute pink invitation for a girl's birthday party- fairy theme

And who doesn’t love the color pink? :) Happy Friday!

XO, Mariel

Fall {Paleo} Dinner Party

I am so excited to share something new with you guys today. Earlier this year, I had the joy of meeting Dee, the lovely lady behind The Primal Beauty Queen. I love her blog and tweets because she shares two of my passions, beauty and healthy eating. We both follow a Paleo-style diet, which you can learn more about here and here.

When Dee asked me to collaborate on a blog post, I was so excited. We began talking about ideas, and both agreed that there isn’t much inspiration out there for the modern day Paleo hostess. So we decided to put together everything you need to host a Paleo-inspired dinner party this fall!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, this is great inspiration for a casual evening with friends. Find all the delicious recipes on Dee’s blog, and keep reading to learn how to pull all the details together!

Fall Paleo Dinner Party Inspiration

Start off with a few appetizers… I’m in love with Dee’s delicious and simple recipes for Sweet & Spicy Nuts and Italian Stuffed Mushrooms. Find free printables for the labels at the bottom of this post!

Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts - Paleo Dinner Party Appetizer from Primal Beauty Queen

Print out a menu for each place setting so your guests know what’s in store {Look for the link at the bottom of this post!}. Paleo Fall Dinner Party Menu {Free Printable!} from One Charming Life

Use a red apple as a simple and chic place card. To put it together, just follow these four easy steps.

1) Cut small rectangles out of black cardstock.

2) Write each guests’ name with a white gel pen.

3) Punch a small hole in the corner of the cardstock.

4) Tie it around the apple’s stem with a piece of twine.

And there you go! A unique and affordable (not to mention totally paleo) ;) way to seat your guests.

Fall Dinner Party Red Apple Place Card from One Charming Life

Let us know if you try any of the recipes. Happy entertaining!

XO, Mariel

Printables:

Menu Printable        Appetizer Printables

Instructions:

1) Right-click on each image to download and save it to your computer.

2) Print onto white card stock using the high-quality print settings on your home printer.

3) Using a paper cutter (or scissors), carefully cut each piece following the grey dotted lines. Be sure to trim inside the guide lines.

4) Fold the appetizer cards in half and place them next to each dish.

5) Place a menu at each place setting.

6) Let the party begin!

Size: 

8.5″ X 11″

*Printables are for personal use only, not for commercial use.  

© 2012 OneCharmingLife.com

Tiffany and Randall’s Save the Dates

Remember that bachelorette party I wrote about a couple of months ago? Well that lovely bride-to-be is getting married this weekend! I couldn’t be happier for Tiffany and Randall. They are perfect for each other. I am so excited to celebrate with them this weekend!

Earlier this year, Tiffany asked me to address her Save the Dates. Here’s a little peek at her pink and black ensemble…

Save the Date Envelope Lettering - Black and Light Pink - One Charming Life

Envelope Lettering from One Charming Life

We're tying the knot - black and pink wedding save the dates

Save the Date Envelope Lettering - One Charming Life

Congrats to Tiffany & Randall!

XO, Mariel

Aggie Game Day Treats

Football season. It’s a great time of year. The weather’s cooling down and the holidays are right around the corner. But first, it’s time to gather friends and family to cheer on your favorite teams. I love it. And of course, what every good gathering needs is a scrumptious selection of food and drinks.

As you may have learned from this previous post, I am a proud former student of Texas A&M. Which means that I’ll be serving up maroon-inspired snacks during the big ‘Bama game this weekend. :) While searching for the perfect game day treats, I came across these gems. Since I know many of you are Aggie fans, I wanted to share them with you!

texas a&m aggie maroon football party food and drinks - one charming life

Whether you’re a fan of Johnny Football or not, these recipes will work wonders at any fall game watching party. I cannot wait to try the Rum Glazed Pecans. One of our much loved traditions at Kyle Field is C&L Nuts. Bobby always grabs a bag of their cinnamon roasted pecans before we even sit down. Delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about them…

What’s your favorite game day treat? Enjoy the beautiful weather & football celebrations this weekend!

XO, Mariel

Sources: Red Velvet Fudge / Oatmeal Bars / Rum Glazed Pecans / Keep Calm / Cheerwine / Football / Bourbon Ginger Soda