Surprise!

My sister turned forty this year so naturally we had to do something special for her. My sister in-law, brother in-law, and I had been cooking up party ideas for a few weeks when my sister insisted she was throwing her own party.... on the same night as the surprise party we had planned! We decided to let her do it, and the surprise would just be all the extra people we had invited.

She wanted a wine and cheese party and I wanted a retro theme and we ended up with a good mix of both. When I arrived at her house a few days before the party she had some of the set up done already. When I saw the napkins she had picked out I thought she must know about the surprise - because they perfectly matched my invitations! Old pictures and blue and white polka dots. A crazy coincidence - or maybe it speaks to our special sisterly connection.

Her house always looks bright, cheery, and ready for a party.

  

Dessert table complete with a chocolate sampling bar!

Everyone brought at least one bottle of wine so we had quite an assortment to taste. I put pictures of Kate in her "younger days" out on the tables.

 I made Kate a sign out of a dowel, ribbon, fabric, felt, and hot glue (but I didn't make her wear it all night :-))

I also emailed all the party guests and asked them to send me old photos and a message to Katie. I compiled them all in a Shutterfly book (pictured above).
  

Cute 40th birthday gifts (below) - "40 sucks" and "40 is sweet" from her guests.

Cheers!