By the end of June 2012, my cookbook will be ready for market. It’s a fun, seasonal cookbook that screams LET’S PARTY! A special thanks to everyone at Favorite Recipe Press (A Division of Southwestern Publishing) for running with my ideas and making them beautiful. My newly updated website will be launched by the end of June with online ordering capabilities. Please visit me at www.youreinvitedcookbook.com.
I’m currently working on a cookbook project. My newly launched website will give you a glimpse of what is to come. Please check it out at www.youreinvitedcookbook.com.
If you have to pick one flower that says “country”, it’s the sunflower. The flower arrangement started with a galvanized bucket and some red bandanas. Curly willow branches were inserted among the sunflowers and a raffia bow was added as the final touch. I think I’m going to grow my own sunflowers next summer because I love them so much!
Scarecrows appeared on each party invitation. The invitations stated “NO STUFFED SHIRTS ALLOWED” meaning that only fun, party-loving people were invited. I carried the theme one step further by placing this scarecrow next to the barn entry door to gre
et the guests.
We’ve decided to serve just one wine for the evening called “Barn Dance Red”. It’s an Iowa wine by Tabor Home Vineyards in Baldwin, Iowa. Most people like it because it’s not too dry plus, it’s the most beautiful shade of red. A piece of bandana ribbon tied loosely on the neck of the bottle serves as decoration and also as a drip ring when pouring. You can order a bottle for yourself at www.taborhomewinery.com. The galvanized metal carrier is from Pottery Barn.
This wreath should tell my guests that it’s time to kick up their heels. Start with a plain twig wreath. Wrap some old, rusty barbed wire around the wreath or buy some faux barbed wire cord. Attach some rusty metal stars, tie on some bandana ribbon pieces and make a big bow from bandana wired ribbon. Lastly, find an old child-size cowboy boot and tie it so that it dangles in the center of the wreath. “Command” hooks by 3M work great for hanging wreaths on glass panel doors. They even hold on during freezing temperatures.
Multi-colored bandanas will become party favors for all of my guests. The best source for bandanas is www.bandanaman.com. I attached a coffee stained tag to each bandana explaining what it means to “Tie One On” at the party. The text for each tag along with the lasso border was printed on a clear mailing label and then adhered to the tag. (Tags with strings attached don’t feed 
through printers very well.) All of the party favors were displayed in an antique gathering basket.
