How to Throw a Shindig in a Mini Manse

I threw my first party in my Nashville mini-manse (I’ve always been worried about how many people I can comfortably fit into my apartment) over the weekend by hosting an engagement celebration.

I set a long, skinny card table up against my laundry wing, as everyone was bringing a treat to share (and I have about 15 inches of counter space and a small round kitchen table).  Thank God Teddy was around to check the table’s stability out.

Pawsitively helpful.

To make the most of my kitchen floor space, I filled my side sink with ice, chilling the champagne and wine to alleviate a cooler under a table (way more leg room!).

A little classy and trashy all at the same time.

I froze diamond ice cubes to spruce up the Kir Royale martinis (Chambord and champagne) I was serving as the evening’s signature cocktail.

Perfect for an engagement party. Also perfect for my daily use afterward.

I froze vodka soaked, sugar covered grapes to use as chillers for the Kir Royales and wine. Plus they seemed fancier than Jell-O shots (AND guests could pop one (or five) in their mouths when walking by the table).

Grapes Gone Wild

Not wanting anyone to feel ignored, I set an appropriate party bell out by empty glasses waiting to be filled.

Ring My Bell

We always have one (or truthfully in our case two – one for light drinking and one for midnight when we suddenly become ravenous) tray of Chick-fil-A bites.  (I ‘store’ the second platter in my oven and thrill guests later in the evening – it’s one hell of a party trick making snacks appear out of ‘nowhere’ – and fun seeing tipsy faces glow with delight over chicken nuggets).

Forget diamonds! Chicken is a girl’s best friend.

Keeping it classy, I bought and threw cheese balls into an over-sized wine glass (which yes, I drink out of) that are always overly consumed (making me feel like my skin will be orange when I wake up the next morning).

The ever elegant cheese ball…

My blogfamous (and oh-so-popular) dip duo made appearances at the snack table, courtesy of their original recipe think tanks –

Eat Shit and Die Guac

Click here for the recipe that will make others green with envy.

Shit Dip

Click here for the easy recipe (and for the reminder to keep toilet paper handy).

Sweet treats were strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese icing atop my 1950s serving tray (and counter space saver) that I found in an Iowa antique store last year.

Treat Tower

While still able to write nicely, we signed an empty bottle of champagne as a gift to the bride-to-be with a Sharpie paint pen.

Fanciest champagne bottle of them all – a Cook’s brand magnum.

And then, the shots began…

A very tasty vodka pomegranate mix.

Leading to the next chapter of the evening….

Where all hell broke loose.

Creating a perfect post for tomorrow’s White Trash Wednesday.

Party on!

CBXB