Carry On Chico

Carry On Chico

Jon Hart Chicos are great – they’re the perfect size that you can use them for lots of things – makeup, charging cords, medications – the chico is VERY versatile.  You can’t have too many of them, so that makes it the perfect gift for anyone!

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite uses for the Jon Hart Chico – a dedicated “carry on” Chico!  This is one of my best tips for traveling by air because it makes packing so much easier.  I used to make list after list of what I needed to remember to pack, and inevitably I would forget something small that I wished I had.  Now, I keep all of my favorite little “in-flight” needs packed and ready to go in a Chico.  I never have to remember to pack “all the things” – I just have to replenish anything that I’ve used up and grab the bag and GO.

Here’s what I keep stocked in my “carry on” Chico:

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  • tissues
  • ear buds
  • gum
  • Tide to go stick
  • ear plugs
  • lip balm
  • a pen (and usually sticky notes too)
  • cough drops
  • hand sanitizer
  • tea and honey

Handy, right?  I think so!  It’s actually a gift I love to give as well – and the concept doesn’t have to only be for frequent flyers.  You could fill a Chico with dance or cheerleading must-haves:  bobby pins, mini hair spray, lipstick, glitter, breath mints, etc. and hot stamp “team work” or “game face” on the outside.   You could also fill a Chico with orchestra needs:  extra strings, resin, a polishing cloth, etc.  That would be fun to stamp with “strings things”.  This would be a great idea for teachers too – they always need little “emergency kits” for the classroom… The possibilities are endless!

The Chico is available in lots of colors, and we can hot stamp a name, initials (or specific phrase like mine) in about 3 days.  It’s a great gift for $34 (and it would be even more cute if you pre-filled it with some of their favorite necessities before gifting it).  What do you think?  Who do you know that could enjoy a dedicated Chico?  Let us know – we’d love to hook you up with this clever gift idea!

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Valentine’s Day Brunch for Dinner

Valentine’s Day Brunch for Dinner

For this semester’s Barque Team get-together, I thought it might be fun to have “Brunch for Dinner”.  The benefits would be twofold – a great way for my girls to sample a few of our food products (like buttermilk biscuit mix and local jams)… and second,  I thought it would be easy to cook on a weeknight!

In this post, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the invitation, party details, decorations, menu and party favors – plus an idea you can borrow to spark great conversation at your own Valentine’s Day gathering!

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Since I love Valentine’s Day, I thought that would be an easy theme to work with.  I utilized my collection of vintage Valentines to add a little interest to my mantle.

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For the table, I used lots of layering – starting with a simple white tablecloth, then adding a length of sheer pink fabric (on clearance at Joann’s), followed by heart-shaped cut outs and doilies.  To finish it off, more vintage valentines strewn about (some on tiny easels) and a sprinkling of conversation heart candies.  For added ambiance, I combined a few tall white candles with strings of battery-operated, mini copper lights (a new arrival at the store).

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For each place setting, alternating pink and red napkins (folded in the shape of a heart) were adorned with a hand-lettered doily as a place card.  The talented @kelseylaineholt (check her out on Instagram!) made them for us – as well as the food/drink labels – and they really made the tablescape swoon-worthy, don’t you think?

doiliesBefore guests got settled in, everyone was asked fill out 2 “Conversation Hearts”. This idea was inspired by Darcy Miller’s new book, Celebrate Everything – and it ended up being one of the favorite parts of the evening for all of us.  HERE is a link to a free printable with the instructions, which can easily be displayed in a basic 4×6 frame.

You can download the conversation heart templates HERE and HERE – just print them out on pastel colored cardstock and cut out by hand.convo hearts

We collected the completed hearts in a fish bowl, and they later became our dinner conversation starters!  It was really fun to try to guess who each heart belonged to – and it sparked great conversation!  We learned a lot about one another (and laughed a lot too).

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The menu consisted of traditional breakfast food – eggs (heart-shaped of course), bacon, sausage, turkey bacon, buttermilk biscuits (see our tips for those here), local jams from Kelle B, fruit, yogurt (with heart sprinkles), and a modified version of Bobby Flay’s Rosemary and Pancetta Home Fries (from the cookbook Brunch at Bobby’s).  To be honest, I’ve made this recipe before and it was delicious, but I must have done something wrong this time – oops!  It didn’t work out as I had planned, so it became mashed the potatoes with rosemary and pancetta mixed in – sometimes you have to improvise!

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We tested out a recipe from the Forest Feast Gatherings Cookbook for the bar – Ruby Mimosa Punch – and it was quite tasty!

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brunch babes napsI think a party always needs a favor, and for this one, each of the girls received a ball cap (monogrammed with the Barque logo), a box of conversation hearts, a mini jar of Kelle B Jam, and a Butter London nail polish.  I love how the personalized tags turned out too!party favorsCorny or not, the tags are true – I really do love these girls!  They’re a great bunch, and I’m so blessed to have each one of them working with me.  The best part is I think they genuinely enjoy one other too – It’s not often you can work and play together and enjoy so much laughter.

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teamI hope our Team “Dinner” inspires a few ideas for your own Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) Brunch, and if it does, we’d love to know about it!  Tag us on Instagram  (@barquegifts) or email us photos – we love to see how our friends and customers throw a party!

 

 

 

 

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A Colorful Christmas

A Colorful Christmas

Y’all, this holiday season has been busy… which is great for business, but that also means that this girl is TIRED!

The sad truth is I was too worn out to put up all of my Christmas decorations this year.  As much as I love my Snow Village, garlands, nativity scenes and Santas, I didn’t have the time or the energy to do it.  I also didn’t want all the STUFF out.  When I put the decorations away, I’m always relieved that my house is clean and clutter-free…  so I decided to bring on all of that feel-good happiness a few weeks early.  The decorations were minimal, and I used a lot of rearranged everyday items, but it was a welcome change that I’ve enjoyed.  Below are a few of my favorite details  from this year’s “Colorful Christmas”:

The Mantle – I opted for retro bottle brush trees and a watercolor painting from my grandmother.  I had the hardest time finding “pastel” stockings, so I ended up spending an hour or so with my mom’s trusty Singer sewing machine to make my own.  They’re not pretty up close, but they’ll work for now.  (These trees are so fun – we even used them to dress up our lockers at the store this year.)dsc_1072sm

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The combination of the colorful trees and bright pillows (borrowed from the guest room) make for a cheerful and cozy fireside spot (Lucy agrees).

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My Tree – This year I went with a Nordmann Fir, adorned as usual with white lights and my colorful plastic balls.  It’s dog-friendly and easy – exactly what I needed!

dsc_1204smNostalgia – This is my favorite nativity.  For no good reason other than I’ve always loved it.  Since I’ve lived in this house, it’s been an amazing addition to my kitchen decor, mostly because I can keep it safe inside a cloche on the counter.

dsc_1221smA Paper Lover’s Nativity –  I bought this cardboard nativity a few years ago at an estate sale because it’s the same one my mom got from her mother. It fits perfectly on top of my grandmother’s mini piano.

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A Bright Entry – A colorful ball ornament wreath and abstract painting by my grandmother at the door kicks off the colorful feel for this year’s decor!

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Red/Green Books – Instead of packing up all my books, I decided to utilize the red and green ones for my entryway display.  One less thing to pack up, and a great way to use something I already have out.  It’s a win-win, right?

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The Church – This new addition to my decorations has been a favorite – it’s a wooden church for holiday cards!  It checks all the boxes:  cute, useful, and efficient.

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Behind the Scenes Nutcracker Madness

Behind the Scenes Nutcracker Madness

I love designing custom invitations for our customers’ events, but when they give me complete creative freedom, it’s a lot more fun.

I was recently challenged with creating a custom invitation for a Christmas Coffee.  Off the top of my head, I suggested a Nutcracker and stacked teacups, and my customer immediately said, “go for it”, so I did!  This design was really fun to make, and I’m really pleased with how it turned out.  It’s fun, colorful and very cheerful (as a party invitation should be).

From time to time I share a behind-the-scenes look at my design process, and since this design is becoming a favorite so far this year, I thought I’d share more. Take a look at the photo below.  Does he look familiar?  The inspiration for my Nutcracker on paper came from one my own collection.  This guy is one of my faves – I call him Señor Nutcracker.

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Until a few years ago, I thought Nutcrackers were creepy, but then I stumbled upon a handful of them at am Estate Sale.  For some reason, I felt compelled to “save” them, and since then, they’re some of my favorite holiday finds.

After I created the Nutcracker and Cups invitation, I went a little “Nutcracker crazy” (hey, if inspiration strikes, you go with it).  I wondered how it would look to have a Nutcracker invade a “Christmas Fiesta” invitation… so I designed two more ideas.  Aren’t they fun?!   We now have two options for your next Mexican-themed Holiday party – a custom design that takes about a week AND an off-the-shelf design that takes 2-3 days to print.  Either way, it will put your guests in the mood for mistletoe and maracas!  Ole!

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And then I just kept going and created this custom gift tag…

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Ok, ok, I’m stopping!!!!  (PS- this gift tag is a sneak peek.  More details on our NEW custom gift tags coming soon!)

 

Election-Themed Wedding Style Shoot

Election-Themed Wedding Style Shoot

Today we’re throwing it back to a style shoot we did four years ago.  It was an election year, and the upcoming Presidential election was all over the media, so I was inspired to see how a wedding could have a political twist.  After a few phone calls, I put together an amazing team to make it happen.  From the “rustic Americana” wedding invitations to All-American mini pies in mason jars, we think the details of this event have the potential to sway the vote of any party enthusiast at heart!

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lsp_007smOur beautiful bride looks stunning…

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lsp_025smDoesn’t a Bi-Partisan Sparkler sound like the perfect signature cocktail for this soiree?

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lsp_028smMason jar pies by Simply Decadent are SO perfect.  Adorable (and delicious)!

lsp_036sm“Let’s get this party started!” napkins make a great touch – plus, guests can choose a side – which makes a great conversation starter.

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lsp_056smLook at that handsome, patriotic groom…

lsp_052smSpirit Ranch is magical in the evenings… don’t you love this setting for a wedding?

lsp_058smAs part of “A Campaign for Happiness” – guests are asked to leave advice for the new Mr. & Mrs. in the “ballot box”

lsp_066smUsing this card with advice for each “side” as the couple serves a “lifelong term” together in wedded bliss…

lsp_060smEscort cards with tiny campaign buttons make a fun display AND takeaway for the guests to wear as they storm the dance floor…

lsp_062smLOVE the wording on this invitation.  Love.

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lsp_074smStriking red peep toe pumps?  Yes, please!

lsp_075smBefore the happy couple speeds away, a quick photo op.  And a limo decked out – dignitary style.

Special thanks go out to the following for their tremendous help with making this style shoot come to life:

Spirit RanchLinda McMillan Photography Simply Decadent Bakery : Puttin’ on the Ritz :   First Class Tuxedo : Bella’s Bridal : Devault Floral : Gourmet Pantry : Emily Adams on Fire : Limousines of Lubbock : Haute Hair by Cristina : Host and Toast

If you want to see more, we were lucky enough to have the details of this style shoot featured here on Pizzazzerie.com

Shannon’s Bridal Shower

Shannon’s Bridal Shower

Over the past three years, we’ve had the pleasure of working this pretty special girl right here —> Shannon.  She’s always got a smile on her face and our customers love her as much as we do!

DSC_0217 smShe’s a great student, a hard worker, a thoughtful friend, and now – a beautiful Bride-to-Be.   Our team has watched Shannon’s relationship with Austin blossom from the beginning, and even though we’re sad to see her move on (we don’t want her to leave!!!!)… we ARE excited for this next chapter in her life!  So naturally, the Barque team wanted to send her off in style with a Bridal Shower.  I mean, parties are what we DO – of course we wanted to throw one for one for her!DSC_0084 smThe fantastic hand-lettering details were created by another talented Barque team member – Kelsey.  {find her on Instagram  @kelseylainee}.  Don’t you love this chalk sign?  She also did all the mini signs for our snacks.DSC_0050 sm

DSC_0066 smThe gorgeous strawberries were handmade by our resident Party Queen, Suzanne.  She’s pretty much a pro when it comes to party mechanics and details.  She was also kind enough to host the shower in her home – and it served as the perfect backdrop!

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DSC_0067 smWe purchased the bride’s favorite thumbprint cookies from Simply Decadent Bakery, and the Keesha made the Artichoke Lemon Pesto Dip (we carry it in the store and it’s a crowd favorite at parties).

DSC_0091 smFor the floral arrangements, we decided on a combination of simple white flowers and vegetable garden accents.  I had seen one similar to this from Southern Living awhile back, so I was anxious to try it for myself.  I made a few modifications to their tutorial here, but I love how it turned out!DSC_0087 smThe larger arrangement also had hints from the garden with various pops of color from carrots, brussels sprouts, orange beets, artichokes, kale, collard greens and radishes.

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DSC_0047 smShannon’s guests showered her with so many great things!

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DSC_0135 smDo you recognize any of these pretty ladies from the shop?  🙂

DSC_0106 smNone of us wanted to play cliche “Bridal Shower Games”, so instead we opted for something PAPER related (shocking) – Milestone Mail for the happy couple!  Guests were asked to choose a milestone event, write it on the front of the envelope, then write them a blessing or word of encouragement to read when that milestone occurs.  It should be a fun way for her to remember these guests and how much they care for her – even years down the road!

DSC_0185 smThe hostesses of the shower gifted Shannon a big basket of kitchen goodies – and we made each item special with words of well wishes.

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DSC_0224 smWe ended the shower with a sweet photo of our “Barque twins” – aren’t they the cutest?  {By the way, Emory and Kelsey did some serious wrestling to get those balloons to cooperate – it was a windy day!}

Shannon, we are proud that you’ve spent the last three years working for us and we wish you nothing but happiness in this new chapter of your life!

Love, the Barque Team

[ If you’re planning a Shower soon, you might want to download our Shower Planning Sheet – this idea came from a customer who has throwing showers down pat!  Thank you for the great idea Tomi!]