Lights Out!

We here in the East are being battered and beaten by a nasty nor'eastern hell storm! We are experiencing winds up to 60mph. plus snow, ice, white out conditions, power outages... That's right, Dear Readers, it was lights out here at Mary's Kitchen! The wind howled and the lights went down in Pennsylvania. I cooked dinner on our camping stove in our sunroom, we ate dinner by lantern light and I realized the cupcakes I made for our daughter Mia's, Sweet 16 birthday party, needed to be remade since I forgot a key ingredient!. I think they heard me back home in California when our power returned! I turned on my oven, baked the Wacky Cake cupcakes, Mia took a hot shower, I ran the dishwasher and Russell is blowing up the balloons! I wanted to share a few of the party ideas I made up as I decorated.

I covered old baskets with old tablecloths I cut to size, tied with pretty ribbon and plan to throw out for easy clean up. These lined baskets will be perfect for the popcorn bar and the chips. I used a large, vintage kitchen towel to cover an unsightly vintage table where the lemonade will be and a heart-shaped basket for the cups. I also used baskets to hold water bottles (that will be recycled) and vintage glass pitchers from yard sales to hold plastic utensils and popcorn toppings. Disposable tablecloths will add pops of Mia's party colors (yellow and pink) and food will be both upstairs and down for optimal snacking. There is liquid soap in the bathrooms and towels that are not white in there for good measure. (Just for giggles, I injured my knee but will have to deal with that next week.) We are party ready!

​Please share any decorating tips you have in the comments section.