Zebras and Feathers

Well, this Celebration was just what I had pictured in my head for Casie. With Casie and I planning Celebrations together, we joke that we both have little men who share ideas with each other til we finally get the perfect party planned for the guest of honor. I didn't have her little men this time, but I think we managed. I did have some great other ladies who stepped up to lend a hand and cover details and gave ideas to help me make this just perfect for Casie. I think we accomplished it, and all the ladies had a superb time enjoying one another's fellowship.

LeEtta, Christi, Celia and Naomi

I could go on and on about the details, but I'll stop and let you look through the pictures. I'll share more at the end of the post. Enjoy!

A DIY Tutorial on how to make these amazing centerpieces for a fraction of the price of the large feather towers that are at many weddings.

I have to break up the pictures to talk about these oreos for just a moment. Casie LOVES dipped oreos, so they were a must, but I definitely wanted them to go along with the theme and really wanted a white feather on them. After being unsuccessful trying stencils and powdered sugar, I saw a picture of feathers made from rice paper. So, I set out to duplicate those by using sugar paper that can be bought at most craft stores in the cake section. AND are you wondering how we got the inside of the oreo to be blue? The sun and beach special edition oreo packages are actually blue inside. How fun is that?

As this Celebration seemed to be more on the fun side, we had a skit lined up to add to the fun feel of it all. We changed a little bit of the lines to make it fit, and created this sign for the end that read, "When your day doesn't go as planned, don't hesitate to call a friend". We all need sisters to call on when we just need another lady to talk to or an encouraging word from a friend on a challenging day. The skit was called Mama's Close Call and gave us a very good laugh by some wonderful actresses at the Celebration. Sometimes the usual party ideas, aren't necessarily the right fit for a certain Celebration. Make it what you want the feel to be, even if that means doing something out of the ordinary.

Casie special requested a photo booth for her Celebration, and I'm so glad she did. It fit this theme perfectly and what fun it was to dress up and take pictures. There will be a separate post with all of those ideas and pictures later.

So, after much planning, creating, building, and even fixing things, this Celebration turned out lovely! We tried to have food with the colors of blue, white and yellow. The chicken, pineapple and yellow peppers (we did use some orange peppers too) kabobs were actually grilled over a campfire the night before to give them that smokey, delicious flavor. Thanks to my husband for taking the late shift and staying up til they were done. We also had eggs extraordinaire (deviled eggs), cheese and crackers, Blue and Yellow M&Ms, lemon cake pops, chocolate peanut butter cake pops, fresh blueberry and pineapple, pretzels dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with colored sugar crystals and striped like a zebra, and dipped oreo cookies. The drink was simply lemonade with lemon slices and ice cubes that were made from lemonade and blueberries. If you ever want something to stay cold but don't want it to get watered down, just make ice cubes out of the beverage itself. It works wonderfully!

We also had a basket with blank cards and envelopes addressed to Casie. I encouraged the ladies to take one home with them to send to Casie at a later time to encourage her. It could be before the baby comes to encourage her in keeping on going or after the baby to encourage her to take naps or call a friend if she is in need. : )

Did you notice the silhouettes? Those are actual silhouettes of Casie and her family. It took a little work on my part of taking pictures ahead of time that were the right distance away and would work for a silhouette. The right tools are definitely needed to cut out each profile. They all turned out great, and I was so happy with the final project. We sent those frames home with Casie as a gift. I think we might have to do one of the baby once he/she is born.

One of the best parts about the Celebrations we do is that we open it up for ladies to share their encouraging words to the one being honored. It is a memorable time and is very meaningful. Ahead of time we ask the husband to write something that is also read aloud to the guest of honor. Such special moments to savor! We wash the lady's feet and then I give a foot massage after to give the mother some pampering and show her how much we love her and are willing to serve her in whatever way we can. Not everyone participates, but for those who choose to, it's really a time of sweetness and bonding.

Christi and Casie, the CLBs

A friend is willing to be there for you, listen to you, cry with you, laugh with you, BUT a sister is willing to go the extra mile in serving you in whatever way she can, whether it be through actions of love or sitting at your feet to wash them out of a humble love. The relationships that grow and strengthen aren't the ones full of only laughs, but mixed with laughter and tears. I am so honored that I could plan this for her and CeLeBrate another life that God has blessed her family with!