Pinned it and Made it: The Pinterest Party

Back in August we spent a few days visiting my parents in their beautiful new home and my mother told me to block off one particular night so we could celebrate my birthday (which had been about two weeks previous). I figured we'd have a family barbecue with my brothers but when we did that the night before the party, I was a bit confused, because what did that leave?

I should have known my mom would have something up her sleeve--she threw me a Pinterest Party

complete with a giant vinyl Pinterest logo

and a darling red-and-white polka-dotted pennant banner with matching red-and-white polka-dotted balloons! Oh my goodness, I laughed when she told me the theme! Everything at the party was something you'd see on Pinterest.

There were darling little embellished milk glass jars with stripey straws. These were both our drinks and our party favors.

A friend brought this incredible veggie relish tray that looked like flowers and even gave me the book so I can make my own. Not technically from Pinterest, but it will be just as soon as I pin my own photo!

We had a delicious and girly dinner of salad and pasta and homemade rolls and raspberry lemonade. The menfolk took the kids and decamped to a local arcade for the evening. For activities, we crafted and visited--two of my very most favorite ways to spend time!

We made these cute and simple washer necklaces and also darling embellished composition notebooks.

Dessert was a decadent ice cream sandwich cake. Yum!

And my aunt, a champion Pinner, brought me a straight-from-Pinterest gift of Cowboy Cookies in a Jar.

The party guests were a surprise too--in addition to other dear ladies that I love, my mom got all sneaky on Facebook and invited some of my dearest girlfriends--my very best friends from middle and high school. Girls that I've known since I was 11 years old! They all still live fairly close to where we grew up so they get to see each other but I moved 600 miles away, and our trips to Utah are always so rushed with trying to see family that I don't usually get to fit in seeing my friends too. It was such a delight to open the door and see them standing there!

My mom knows how much I love to throw parties and make sure that every detail is perfect, so to have somebody throw such a party for ME truly made me feel so special and loved! My only regret is that I forgot to take a photo of my dear friends and myself all together. :(

I absolutely adore this idea for a party and I think I may just have to throw one for my local friends later this autumn when things calm down. I brought home the pennant banner and the giant logo so I'm already on my way!