Susan R. Opel
We are SO excited to get this party started! A whole week of party ensemble inspiration is on tap, and let’s just say we are pretty dang proud of this book.
It’s gorgeous, to begin with, and insanely inspiring. And if I know YOU, you love to throw parties with the coolest and cleverest decorations in the neighborhood.
In this 288-page book you’ll find cute ideas for bridal showers and baby showers. You’ll get great ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. And if you enjoy throwing a party just because, we’ve got you covered!
With almost 140 ensembles and over 1,000 projects, you’ll be squealing with delight once you get this book in your hands!
Here's your new secret weapon to becoming the Queen of Party Planning!
Here's your new secret weapon to becoming the Queen of Party Planning!
Everything about Party Ensembles was epic! Almost a year ago the final product started to take shape. Since this book is close to double one of our thicker special issues (like Card Creations and Holiday Cards & More), we started by planning how many ensembles we would need. Then we asked a list of designers to be a part of this gigantic issue. The chosen designers were asked to propose ideas of what kinds of parties they would like to create. And that’s where the most epic spreadsheet on the planet came into being. Check it out. . . .
Kerri and I are sifting through the spreadsheet, determining which designer will use what product for what occasion. Note my serious look of befuddlement!
Next, the designers got to work! I think they had A LOT of fun. But there’s so much more to a party ensemble than a little A2 card—every ensemble needed to have 7-10 pieces. Once we had approved each of the ensembles, the designers had to figure out a way to package everything to mail it to Utah. Some came all the way from Croatia and Germany!
Once the boxes arrived, Ahtanya opened them, labeled each piece (remember how there were over 1,000?), and found a place to put them all. She was swimming in bubble wrap! Some of the boxes were HUGE with wagons and small carousels! We used every last bin that we owned and made space in Kerri’s office for everything. Sometimes I’d look in there and all I could see was a little bit of curly red hair!
We had four epically ROCK STAR writers for this issue. Kudos to Brandy, Shelisa, Beth, and Nicole for welcoming multiple large bins into their homes and taking up a good portion of their lives in early May. These ladies and our copy editor Susan tackled the epic task of writing clear instructions and verifying all of the products used so that you can recreate everything!
When there are so many things to think about for a massive issue such as this, sometimes there are little boo-boos. For instance, we somehow determined that we were ONE SHORT in assignments for the book. After a moment of panic, I was given the task of making an ensemble. SO out of my comfort zone! But I dove in and did it. Who wants to come to my retro cocktail party?
Shaken Not Stirred Ensemble by Susan R. Opel
Oooooh, do you see the gorgeous photography???? Yes, every ensemble is gorgeously arranged like this; bpd studios is amazing! More on that tomorrow!
One of my favorite things about any given issue is the fun little back stories that you might not know or details you just might miss, so let me let you in on a few cool factoids!
- Pg. 3 includes an ensemble by Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Schaerer for a Swiss Fondue party. Jennifer’s husband is Swiss and her in-laws live in Zurich.
- Pg. 15 has a place card for “Humble.” Humble is designer Chan Vuong’s cat!
- Jennifer Schaerer’s mother Louie is pictured in Kalyn Kepner’s birthday ensemble on pg. 27.
- Teri Anderson’s Manly Man party on pg. 55 will crack you up with cardboard, duct tape, and screws for favors.
- Designer Becky Olsen’s daughter Chloe in her red cap & gown fits the color scheme of the graduation ensemble on pg. 65 perfectly.
- There’s a Back to School ensemble on pg. 69, appropriately created by Angie Tieman, who is a 3rd grade teacher.
- On pg. 81, Erin Lincoln’s beachy wedding shower ensemble was actually used for her sister’s wedding shower.
- My personal Bible (given to me by my grandparents upon my confirmation) appears in Beth Opel’s Sacred Celebration ensemble on page 103.
- Uncle Mike Day (pg. 113) is celebrated by Jennifer McGuire’s family to celebrate her brother for no other reason than the fact that he rocks.
- Since there are place cards for Jennifer, Kelly, and Susan in Vanessa Menhorn’s springy Le Jardin ensemble on pg. 115, it looks like we three better get packed for a trip to Germany!
- The Military Homecoming ensemble on pg. 123 was created by a proud Navy wife, Latisha Yoast. There are even some “first kiss mints” in this one, and tissues, too.
- Play close attention to all of the little details! You’ll be snacking on Halle Berries and Cream and Leonardo Di Caprese at Becky Olsen’s Oscar’s Party on pg. 139. Clever!
- Teri Anderson used the names of her pals on the Lawn Fawn design team as the names on the place cards for her Chinese New Year celebration on pg. 179.
- Betsy Veldman’s kids were so excited when I told Betsy not to send the Jones Soda that she’d used for her Vintage Soda Shop ensemble (pg. 211). She said they’d been dying to drink it!
Even the sports lovers are represented! My cousin’s husband Brian chuckled when I said that we had decorations for our tailgate party before the University of Michigan vs. Ohio State football game last November. Apparently he doesn’t know my sister and me very well! Pictured below, you can see portions of a party ensemble created for one of the most epic college football rivalries. Brian and my brother may have heckled the decorations, but they didn’t seem to mind me taking pictures. [The right team won, by the way…] 
Portions of Beth Opel’s Time to Tailgate ensemble made a trip to Ann Arbor, MI, last November!
Oh, and I almost forgot to I mention that we mailed back the bulk of the projects. And for some reason I volunteered to do that. An EPIC amount of packing tape.
Now how would you like to win one of these epic and inspiring and gorgeous books? Would that totally rock? Leave a comment here telling us which one of these parties you think sounds like the most fun! Make sure you leave your comments by Wednesday, February 29th at 5 pm MST to be eligible! Oh, and make sure to hit up the Moxie Fab World blog as well for another chance to win!
Party on!
I think all of these parties would be so much fun! But, LeJardin is calling my name – I am already planning a party for early June and that’s when my flower garden is looking really gorgeous. Thanks for the chance to win!
This book looks fantastic and is just what I need. I participate in a craft show in April in Las Vegas and I need more items than greeting cards. This book would give me everything I need to create some beautiful party ensembles, boxes, banners, and all kinds of festivities! Please pick me, though I am sure the other ladies would also like to win!
I love the movies so I liked the sound of Becky Olsen’s Oscar party. snacks sounded yummy too. Think I must go and see about some lunch!
Pingback: Party Ensembles Week: Behind the Scenes | Paper Crafts Connection
Pingback: CraftCrave | Blog | Freebies for Printable Scrapbooking or Cardmaking (large): Tuesday, 28 Feb 2012
Do you gals have a fun job or what?!! As usual, “Party Ensembles” looks like a terrifically inspiring publication!
Oh! This issue is full of inspirations!!! I like Oscar party!!!!
Svetlana xx
The Vintage Soda Shop sounds so fun to me! Can’t wait to do that. LOVE Jones Soda!
I’m already thinking of the gown to wear to Becky Olsen’s Oscar Party!! OR…Susan’s Retro Cocktail Party….I love the “Rat Pack”!!!
Thanks for the chance to win! Our new SIL (wedding 2-4-12) deploys to ‘you know where’ this morning, and this will be his third deployment. So….the Military Homecoming would be my favorite party!!!
I think the graduation party sounds fun. We have two coming up over the next 14 months so we need ideas.
my husband & i love vintage soda crates, so a party themed Vintage Soda Shop would be perfect! Plus, i looooooove Jones soda!
I think either the beachy wedding as my husband and I will have a recommitment ceremony in 2013, the sacred celebration as I am “born again,” or the military homecoming as we are a military family and love it when we can honor our brave men and women in uniform.
The Oscar party sounds so much fun!
I love parties of any kind…can’t wait to get my hands on this book!
The retro cocktail party sounds like a whole lot of fun!
Retro cocktail party please!!!
I love the GIANT olives in the GIANT martini glass 
The Le Jardin party sounds like a lot of fun!
Whoa, what a lot of work! They all sound fun and if I have to pick one, I would love to go to a Chinese New Year celebration!
I love the idea of Uncle Mike party, just because he rocks. What a great excuse for a party…
You could use this book to create almost any kind of party you can think of! It looks like most of the ideas are very adaptable. Great idea for entertaining!
I love throwing parties just because!! This book would definitely take those events up a notch! or several!
Terrific book. Would love to win one. I plan on doing a craft show in the fall and would like to have more than cards to display and was actually thinking of pre-packing items for parties. Your book would be a key element to my plan. Thanks.
I love the idea of the Manly Man party – something my hubby would enjoy.
Party on! This book looks amazing. I like the idea of a Swiss Fondue party. When I was in Switzerland I had it. Yummy.
I love the Oscar’s Party idea!
DeniseB
Pingback: Giveaway: Party Ensembles Paper Crafting Book | Creating Keepsakes Blog
My daughter’s first birthday is in April and I can’t wait to start many years of fun, creative parties…..this book has lots of cute and fun ideas! Can’t wait to use them!!
Amazing book!! I’d love the Oscar party ideas – have always wanted to have that party some year.
Swiss Fondue Party is soon to be on my agenda with a card/game night. How fun and always LOVE new ideas for decor. Thanks for all your inspriation and chance to win this awesome book!
retro cocktail, hands down!!!!!
I think the idea for “Uncle Mike Day” is so fun! Thanks for a chance to win this awesome book =)
Oh! What a fantastic book! My craft club would love it.
I would be interested in the Sacred Celebration and things for kids…..oh, and for my fellow craft ladies.
Would love to have this book! Sounds like there are tons of great ideas and inspiration in it!
Tailgate party wins hands down! We are huge sports fans and take every opportunity we can to celebrate in a parking lot! Can hardly wait to get a copy of this magazine so I can razzle dazzle the other ‘gaters’ with my party getup!
It would be a tie between retro cocktails and Le Jardin. Maybe I could combine them into a retro garden party!
Retro cocktails, for sure!!!!
I like the Vintage Soda Shop idea. I can’t wait to see it.
Pingback: Winner Wednesday! | Paper Crafts Connection