I WANNA ROCK!

On Saturday we hosted Urban's 5th birthday party.  It was a Rock Star Extravaganza.  It began at the entryway with his personalized rock poster.  I laid it out using a photo taken by the incomparable Cami of Hazel, Brown & Blue Photography.   And Brett printed it large format at work and mounted it to display on an easel at the front door.  I feel like it really set the mood.

We had a table full of all Urban's favorite foods mixed with some Rock Star flavor.  We served dill pickle roll-ups, pepperoni pasta salad with music-note-shaped pasta, Jack Daniel's BBQ chicken sandwiches, chips, puppy chow, chex party mix and to drink - margarita flavored limeade and root beer.

The big activity was our obstacle course.  This year it took on the form of a rock and roll tour.  Brett and I brainstormed all the different stations, and he brought it to life while I got everything set up inside.  It was fabulous!!

First stop was loading the tour bus in "NY".  (It was made out of old moving boxes and spray paint.)

The band piled inside and "drove," followed by our roadies and groupies, Flintstones-style to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Columbus, OH.  There we took our marketing shots for all of our press engagements.

From OH we travelled northwest to Detroit Rock City to practice throwing guitar picks to our adoring fans.

 (teddy bears in printer boxes and big red coasters) 

From Detroit we moved on to Chicago and practiced our stage dives. (That's a mattress covered with stuffed animals)

Then we travelled through tranquil farmland...

to Minneapolis...  Where we celebrated our return home by bashing in our old "Amp" with our favorite guitars until the sparks flew...

This version of a Piñata has been a staple at our parties for 3 years now.  It has been everything from a box of jungle rations to an evil villian's power supply to now an amplifier.  It is awesome.  You just take a paper grocery sack and slit it up one side and down one edge of the bottom...just enough to allow you to flip it inside out (hiding the store branding).  Then you tape it back together and add the bottom of one more sack to the open top with more tape.  Fill it with candy, glittery confetti and little toys and decorate it to fit your theme... and VOILA! instant and inexpensive piñata fun!

We had so much fun at this rock star party.  Urban was ecstatic to finally wear his Dee Snider costume and really took on the persona as well!  (God help us)  

There was lots of singing and dancing and air guitar playing.  I couldn't be happier with how it all turned out.

Thanks to all who attended!

Hazel, Brown & Blue Photography

Well, Cami did it again.  Awesome pictures of my little fireballs.  I'm amazed she captured anything from the way they were tearing around, but the sneak peek is beautiful.  Check out the images here.

Going for Gold

It all starts with the inspiration.  Back in early March we went with Cami Enke of Hazel, Brown and Blue Photography to have family photos done at The Guthrie.  The location was perfect, and when we got the photos back we were blown away.  There is a room at the top of the building that has all yellow windows. That's where we started out photoshoot.  It produced this shot of my boys looking over the Mississippi River at Minneapolis:

Brett and I took one look at it and said, "That needs to be HUGE and displayed prominently."  It became the catalyst for our bedroom design.  This image will be printed on canvas and hung above our bed.  I decided to pull some of the colors from this shot to build the room.

We will be using Benjamin Moore Paints. The wall color will be Cabin Fever from their Classic Collection.  With white trim and white canvas curtains.

The bedding is from West Elm.  I chose their Bubble Quilt in horseradish paired with Euro shams in their tulip print.

 

We are "inheriting" my parents' bedroom set purchased in 1965 that is finished in a light walnut with black edges.  I can't wait to get it all in and see how it comes together.  We will also accent with some of our other collected artworks in similar color families.  

What do you think?