About

Does your life feel ridiculously crazy? Do you struggle to find balance? Is “me time” nonexistent with the needs of kids, work, and significant others? Do you scroll through Pinterest, looking at crafts and recipes that look so pretty, only to find that they are far too time-consuming for your schedule?

Yeah, that was me, too.

My name is Leslie, and I’m the creator and owner of From Play Dates to Parties. I love my kids and my husband dearly. But I also love to create pretty things…food, parties, crafts, home decor…these are the things that really make me giddy.

A Little Background…

When I was 14, my single father met a woman who was destined not only to become his wife but also my mentor. She owned and operated a successful catering company for over 20 years in Richmond, Virginia.

In addition to learning from her everyday cooking, I was her employee for 6 years. There, I worked with some of the best chefs in the Richmond area and learned many of the ins and outs of creating cohesive designs.

It was only after moving to the DC/Baltimore area and sitting at an office job for several years that I realized how much I missed the creativity associated with event design. That desire to create is why this blog was born.

Here, I combine my personal style with the food and design lessons I learned from my stepmother over the last 20 plus years. All that inspiration can be summed up in three words: Eat. Decorate. Celebrate. 

Mini Update: In January of 2018 I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. While I undergo treatment, my posting schedule is slowed down a little bit. But that isn’t stopping me at all. If you want to learn more about my treatments and how things are going, I send periodic updates to email subscribers in my weekly newsletter. Just add your name and email address to the box at the bottom of this page. 

Eat.

We all need to eat to survive, so why not make it taste good too? Here at From Play Dates to Parties, you will find plenty of unique and delicious recipes.

Like many, my husband and I enjoy high-cuisine. But with three kids, we’re learning to balance good food with a family-friendly style. We believe that it’s important to teach our kids how to cook and strive to find a way to keep our menu varied while also keeping it interesting for the kids.

Do you love to bake during the holidays? It’s one of my favorites, too. And if you’re looking to wow your neighborhood with some awesome baked goods, look no further! Every holiday season, you will find dozens of recipes for amazing holiday cookies, homemade candy, and festive brownies and bars.

 

Decorate.

If you enjoy crafts, DIY Projects, home Decor, and free printables, this is the place for you.

We live in a small 1960s split-foyer home in the Baltimore/DC suburbs. Making a small house work for a family of five is one of my favorite challenges. But budgets and time constraints make it impossible to be constantly renovating.

During spring and fall, I participate in a six week challenge to make over a room from top to bottom. This is the time when you will find lots of budget-friendly DIY projects, home decor inspiration, and organizational tips. If you love home design, you’re going to love this season.

 

Celebrate.

Parties and events are in my blood. In between renovation seasons, you’ll see parties, party tips, home decor crafts, and everything you need to celebrate year-round. Budgets and real-life force me to think outside the box to create those memorable moments.

You won’t find any fake parties here. Every single aspect of the parties on this website can be created by anyone. (Hint: Make it easier with a good plan and by learning the better way to plan a birthday party)

Printables are my favorite way to decorate for each holiday. By searching the printables or holiday archives, you will find links to thousands of holiday printables from around the web. In 2017, I followed the request of readers and started creating my own printables. Many are free to the public, but the best thing you can do is become a subscriber.  Newsletter subscribers get access to every free printable I create in the printables library. That way you can find everything in one spot so you don’t have to spend precious time searching all over the site to find what you need.

Projects here have been featured on sites like Tip Junkie, Catch My Party, Bird’s Party Blog, Tatertots and Jello, The SITS Girls, Little Miss Celebration, My Pinterventures, The Happy Housie, A Pinch of Joy, Blue Willow House, A Place of My Taste, The CSI Project, Sew Can Do, House of Hepworths, and many more!

 

Now it’s Your Turn…

So what are you looking for today? You can look through the pages of recipes, parties, holiday inspiration and tutorials, or sign up for the newsletter to get access to the free printables library and receive emails every two weeks to see all the latest posts.

Looking for something specific? I’d love to hear your suggestions! Send a message through Facebook, Twitter, or email me at Leslie {at} playdatesparties.com.

Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

 

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