Tablescape Tuesday: A Valentine Built for Two

I often turn to Anders Ruff to add the finishing touches to my party plans.  They create the most adorable printables that are perfect for any party.  You might remember them from my son's Astronaut Birthday Party post and I have plans for them in an upcoming issue of Southern Living as well!

When they sent me information about their adorable Valentine's Day Parlor Party I couldn't wait to share them with you.  They are so cute!  To order your printables from Anders Ruff, click here.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?  Do you celebrate with your kids and in a romantic fashion as well?  I'd love to know!

VENDOR CREDITS:
– Production & Event Styling: Anders Ruff
– Printable Graphic Decor Collection: Anders Ruff
– Photography: Becca Bond Photography
– Handmade Dress, Pants & Tie: Made by Morgan
– Bracelet: Maggie Kate– Ice Cream Containers: Polka Dot Market
– Glass Beverage Bottles: Shop Sweet Lulu
– Red & White Paper Straws: My Little Love– Label Material for Printables: OnlineLabels.com– Tissue Paper and Trims: Nashville Wraps
– Cake, Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops, Cruffles: Got What It Cakes
– Cupcake Sundaes & Mini Cupcakes: Cupcrazed Cakery
– Cupcake Cake Pops: Pop-a-razzi– Sugar Cookies & Chocolate Heart Lollis: Firefly Confections
– Lollipops: Candy Warehouse

Postage with the Mostage!

You put a lot of thought in to the invitations and notes that you send out so why not put a personalized spin on your postage too! Check out Zazzle and order some personalized stamps of your own. You can add an image of your guest of honor, your pet, your children or maybe even give your guests a sneak peek at the flowers that they might enjoy at your special event. You could also add a logo or monogram! Simply go on line and follow the three simple steps.

Can your dog sing like Katy Perry?

If you had the Woofer it could!  This hilarious contraption was created by Matthew Baron of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so that your dog could add more joy to your life than it already does. The Woofer is a dog coat with speakers that lets you play your favorite songs from your Ipod or other MPS player.  Each one is hand made to order and the website even includes a sizing chart.  You can share your music with friends during your next party, jog or doggie play date in the dog park.  It would also be an easy solution to Christmas Carols!
I met Matthew at the Texas Pet Expo last weekend and he told me that most fun feature of the Woofer is the wireless microphone hook-up you can request.  You could send your dog around and hide in the bushes and talk to people through the speakers!
Check out TheWoofer.com to order or call 323-314-2305.

Texas Pet Expo

I have passes to give away to the Texas Pet Expo this weekend!  I hope you will come see me on Saturday from 11 to 1 while I sign copies of Dog Parties: Entertaining Your Party Animal.  Please comment here if you want a Family Pass!

Texas Pet Expo is coming!

The Texas Pet Expo is a weekend celebration that is fun for the whole family.  There are fantastic opportunities for intimate animal experiences as well as shopping and adoption options!  I will be signing copies of Dog Parties: Entertaining Your Party Animal on Saturday Nov. 9 from 11 to 1.  I can't wait and I hope you will come by and see me!

I am thrilled that the Texas Pet Expo is going to donate a portion of ticket sales to Texas Hearing and Service Dogs!  They adopt every dog they train and they invest $17,500 and one year to train each dog.  All dogs and training are free of charge to assist physically challenged people.  They use only positive reinforcement training and are trained as Service Dogs or Hearing Dogs!  It is such a cool program!

The Texas Pet Expo, which will be at the Plano Convention Center on Saturday Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. is the largest consumer pet show in North Texas and will be the ultimate source of education, entertainment, expert care and fun for pet lovers and owners of all kinds.  Admission to the Expo is $10 for an adult, $5 for seniors and children over 5.  Children under 5 are free and so is parking!  Visit www.texaspetexpo.com for more details.

October isn't only about candy and costumes...

There is a much more cuddly cause to celebrate! This month is the American Humane Association's Adopt- A- Dog Month.

Adopting a pet is certainly the farthest thing from a new idea but chances are, it probably would be new for most of us to truly consider driving down to the nearest shelter to pick out a pup. I know how unreasonable it might be to ask if you would just hop in your car, on a whim, to take in an animal that requires your love and attention. However, if you and your family have been contemplating a canine addition then hopefully you can keep open minds and hearts while I tell you some reasons for, and benfits of adopting a dog from your nearest shelter.
-Many shelters offer great support services to answer anything and everything you would like to know about your future family member. These people are all animal lovers and would love nothing more than to educate you on caring for your pet. The shelters usually assess each of the dogs for a full week so that they can tell you facts about their compatability with your lifestyle.

-Many of the dogs in shelters are already trained or housebroken. This is because many of these dogs, actually 80% of them, are in the shelter due to previous, unfit living situations. Some of the animals were given away because the families were moving into a new home or because they were expecting a child and didn't think that it would be responsible to keep an energetic dog around their baby.

-You will have done a good thing by saving a life.

So if you are considering adopting a dog, here are some good questions to ask to ensure a positive experience for both you and your pet:

1. What size dog is the best fit for my lifestyle?

2. Ask about each dog's general behavior. What is the dog's personality like? What are his habits? What is his temprament like? What will I feed him?

3. Something that we rarely think about is the size of our property in relation to the size of our pet. Yes, the size of your home might cross your mind, but your dog is going to need to have some space outdoors as well. Large dogs do not just want to have the freedom to run around, but they also need the exercise in order to live a long and healthy life.

All of these dogs can be adopted today and it's as easy as going to Operation Kindness' website.

Party Packs!

If you want to make entertaining as easy as 1, 2, 3 then you must shop MeriMeri!  Their Party Packs are amazing!  Their "It's A Party" kits have everything you need for your child's party from the plates and napkins to the centerpiece.  The themes are adorable too!  They have Animal Parade, Princess, Pirate and many many more!  You can purchase the party packs for around $75 or purchase each element seperately.  I adore the cupcake kits!  They are perfect for a mom like me who really wants the cupcakes to look great but doesn't have the time, energy or skill to create a fancy one.  The kits have 24 cupcake wrappers and 24 toppers on a toothpick. They are precious!  The cupcake kits come in a theme suitable for any party.  They have Bridal, Dog Party, Baby Shower and Groovy theme packs.  Precious!

The Purina Chef Michael's Be My Valentine Doggie Dinner Party

We had such a great time at the event last night, in spite of the Blizzard. All of our four legged guests showed up in the finest and enjoyed the Chef Michael's Canine Creations served off of a silver tray! There are more photos up on my facebook page so check them out! My favorite part of the evening was having the honor to announce Purina's donation of $7500 to www.adopt-a-pet.com.

The lovely Elizabeth Rohm, the star of Hero's, shared a heartwarming story about her dog, Homer. She rescued Homer and was told that his leg was in bad shape. Instead of giving up on him, she spent hours with him going to physical therapy and nursing him back to tip-top shape! She calls Homer her "boyfriend" and has declared him her Doggie Valentine.

A survey by Purina showed that 60% of dog owners will include their dog in their Valentine's Day celebrations! I hope you will include your dogs in all of your holiday celebrations too! We came up with a sweet acronym for the word LOVE to help you make your dog feel fantastic.

L - Lounge around with your four legged friend and watch tv or a favorite movie. There is nothing like that quality snuggle time with your dog!

O - Order in for yourself and serve a thoughtfully prepared meal for your dog.

V - Valentine's Day gifts go a long way with dogs! A new bed or collar will perk them up!

E - Extra special pampering means making your dog look as good as she feels!

Let me know what you do to make your dog feel loved!

Your Doggie Valentine can win a trip to New York!

Purina® Chef Michael’s® canine creations is conducting a national search to find the most unforgettable "Doggie Valentine" in America – the lovable dog who has captured his owner’s heart and leaves a lasting impression on anyone that meets him. The winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to accompany me to a February 10 Valentine's Day celebration devoted just to the dogs and their human partners. To make sure that all dogs feel loved this Valentine's Day, Chef Michael's will be donating $10 to Adopt-A-Pet.com for every contest entry. Visit www.doggievalentine.com before January 25, 2010 to enter your "Doggie Valentine" in the contest.

Party Time

Working with Purina's new dog food brand, Chef Michael's Canine Creations, has been a true joy. Not only does Lola love the food but I was able to host 1000 dog parties across the country in one day! HouseParty.com is an amazing resource for finding great new products and introducing your friends to them! It is a fun way to have fellowship with your friends and neighbors and enjoy new product launches at the same time! Thru HouseParty.com you select the products that you are interested in and apply to host an event. If you are selected, you will receive a party pack and you are able to invite your friends over for a treat. Check out the site for upcoming events and apply today!

Here are a few photos from the Chef Michael's Sunday Supper that I hosted.

Protecting Your Pooch

Last night was a scary one!  After arriving home from a fantastic book signing at the beautiful Azure Social Room (photos later!), I could not find Lola anywhere in the house.  I was not sure how long she had been missing and I was so frazzled that I did not pick up my mobile phone when it rang.  After coming to my senses I realized that I should probably check my messages and, sure enough, there was a kind message from a lady named Sarah telling me that she found Lola two streets away!  I rushed over to Sarah's home and introduced myself.  Lola had already bonded with her daughter Hailey and was all snuggled up.  I think Lola was disappointed to see me!  All of this got me to thinking that it was time to re-visit some of Summer Safety Tips for pets....

-First thing we will do today is walk around the perimeter of our backyard gates and make sure that she can no longer sneak out under the gate!

-Practicing our commands is a good idea too.  We have gotten a bit lax in that area since we brought a baby in to the house.  It has changed Lola's life so much so I always want to spoil her and forget to enforce the rules sometimes.  This is important because I need to know that she will respect my commands while we are around a road or other people.

-Double check collars and ID tags to ensure that they fit properly and can be read easily.  Thank God Sarah could read the phone number on Lola's tag last night!

-Summer is a good time to check your yard and walking trail for poisonous leaves and plants.  Dogs can react to certain houseplants as well so be cautious!

-Keep chocolate treats, tobacco products, and medications away from your four legged friends!

-Keep poisonous cleaning and household products up high and out of reach (just like you would for your toddler.)

-Don't forgot to ask your Vet for advice on protecting your pet from tics, fleas, and heart worm.  There are simple and in-expensive treatments so take the time to seek advice.

-Most importantly, love on them and have fun with them.  There is nothing like the bond shared between master and pet!  Pay them back for their uncompromising love with a lot of summer fun!

Frederic Fekkai and Tablescapes

Beth Klein at Frederic Fekkai in Dallas' Highland Park Village is a fantastic party host!  They recently hosted a book signing for me with co-hosts Kelli Ford, Kirsten Fitzgibbons, and Todd Fiscus.  The flowers were designed by Todd's event planning company, Todd Events, and the table tableau were set by Kelli and Kirsten's beautiful boutique, Madison.  The tableau were so inspiring and I wish that I had been able to include them all in Tablescapes: Setting Your Table with Style!  The flowers were blue and incredibly dramatic.  Enjoy the photos and order your copy of the book today!

Dog Party

Having a dog party is one of the greatest ways that I can think of to celebrate the unique bond shared between dogs and their owners.  It is also a great way to celebrate your pet passions with your friends who share them!  Decorating for a dog party is a blast.  Check out my Dog Parties: Entertaining Your Party Animals book (Gibbs-Smith, $19.99) for more ideas but find inspiration in this simple centerpiece as well.  Before you fill your favorite glass vase with flowers in your party's color scheme, use a glue gun to fasten a wide ribbon around it and then to adhere simple milk bone treats.  Add your favorite chic flowers and you are all set to celebrate.  You can use any flowers and any ribbon bu I love the contrast of the black velbet ribbon and the cheerful colors in the arrangement pictured above.  Send me photos of your dog party!