My oldest daughter is a reader.  She loves mystery series like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and the Mandy series.  For her 10th birthday, we decided to create a real mystery that she and her friends could solve.  This party could be modified for boys and for different ages.   Let the sleuthing begin!

Do you guys shop at Dollar Tree?  What a great place for finding mini-gifts, party favors, paper party products, stocking stuffers, holiday trinkets, and sometimes even good decor!   So I’m at my local Dollar Tree to stock up on Old London’s Melba Toast – but they don’t have it anymore!  Sad, but I did find these beautiful blue-tinted, delicately etched bud vases.  I scooped up 5 for a mere $5 and brought them home to do some styling. 

 Have you ever put a large centerpiece on your dining room table only to have to remove it to be able to see your guests?  Well, here’s a simple but elegant idea for a table “centerpiece” that doesn’t interfere with conversation.  I simply grabbed my new bargain bud vases, clipped some hydrangeas from my yard, and lined them down the middle of my table.  If you do this, it’s important to use items in odd numbers – 3, 5, or 7.