Centennial Celebration!

So the day finally came…the centennial celebration of our home!  It was so much fun planning this event and I was also lucky to have family here to enjoy the evening…and help!  And though I love to throw a party, this evening was really about celebrating the history of our home, family, and friendships!  The weather seemed to have some difficulty making up its mind right up to the hour of the party…but it ultimately turned out to be a lovely evening to be outdoors with the brief 7 pm shower leaving us with a much cooler, comfortable night!  So let me get right to it today and share the celebration of this place we call home…

100 years…and counting!

i suppose i should start with the wonderful invitations that my talented friend Amy from Alice-Louise Press created for me…i just LOVE everything about them!  there’s a faint image of our home in the background…so stunning!  i can’t take any credit for the design…she’s brilliant!

this time of year is so wonderful to be outdoors…but since the weather was hinting that it might not cooperate, i decided quite early in the week to keep the food inside just to be safe!  so about mid week i started in on the fun…then waited til i could add the finishing touches!  and even though it rained in the afternoon, we decided to go ahead and back out the old Chevy to serve up some of the beverages!  what’s a little rain to a pickup truck?!

great thing about drinks and buckets…they can get a little wet too!

under the patio was where the rest of the beverages were waiting.  i love using buckets, tins, or anything metal for keeping icy drinks cold!  from the antique baby tub for the soda to a vintage oil pan for the water…

and a brass bucket for the white wine!

old containers can look very charming and perfect for a rustic, vintage theme!

the patio buffet became an iced tea station…

i love using chalk signs for labeling…they’re plentiful in craft stores and can be easily changed for the next party!

stacks of lemons and sugar cubes make a pretty accompaniment and add something sweet or tart!

how about some sugar?

since this party had an old fashioned theme we decided on a cobbler bar!  i LOVED this idea and can say this since it was my husband’s!  sometimes he surprises me when it comes to entertaining!  but i really did think it was sweet and something that might actually be served back in the day!

so very simple desserts were lined up with some favorite toppings in a buffet-style set up…

a crate of utensils in printed bags from, you guessed it, Alice-Louise Press!

so cute!

a chalkboard made a great backdrop sign and was the inspiration for all the chalk labels for the food & drink!

including the bottles i shared on monday!

on to the cobblers…

such an easy dessert to serve!  at the end of the table was a tin of ice cream, cans of whip cream (wrapped with craft paper), and raspberry topping!  easy!

and since my outdoor food display became an indoor one…i had to find a new place for the fabric backdrop…i think it was actually meant to be here!

a great place for some extra nibbles where guests could easily access the patio doors.

almond cookies made by my mom were DELICIOUS and looked sweet perched on some of my cake stands…

and we piled some simple & savory snacks on my vintage aluminum trays and bowls…something i love to collect!

nothing grand, just some extra munchies that weren’t sugary!

and since i’d used several chalkboards…i couldn’t resist one more simple design over my mantle!

the great thing about the weather…it changes!  and since we were able to open the doors and extend the party outside i tried to incorporate some of the indoor decor…like this mini fabric swag over my garage window made with leftover scraps from the backdrop…

and a couple tied to the hanging lanterns…

simple details that are so easy!  and when the sun faded, the lanterns and twinkle lights took over…

and great conversation lingered late into the night!

here’s to our home…and the next 100!