Cool Party Favors

Unique Graduation Gift – Money Box

Administrator — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:59:54 +0000

If you are tired of the ordinary, give a unique graduation gift like this money box. Created by Jessica, of Life As Mom, this is an actual box of candy without the candy. The contents will be even sweeter to the new grad when he or she realizes that there is money as a replacement. Step-by-step instructions can be found on the link above. This money box also makes a great practical gift for people in your life that are particularly helpful to you.

Hollywood Birthday Party

Administrator — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:59:12 +0000

For movie lovers and star wannabes, the Hollywood birthday party is the perfect theme that will surely suit their glamorous preferences. If you want your upcoming birthday party to have a celebrity twist, Kathy of Chic Style Events has some wonderful ideas that you might want to consider.

Dessert Table – Make your dessert table as fabulous as the usual banquets that you can see in those topnotch movies. Kathy organized all the sweet treats in a symmetrical manner, placing the Hollywood star cake in the center, and arranging elegantly the rest of the containers and plates of sweets around it. The gold stands and buckets as well as the clear jars with candy really dressed up the table.

Cupcakes – If you are tired of your usual cupcakes, take your birthday party to the next level by adorning your cupcakes with glamorous pictures of your favorite celebrities. You can paste the pictures in circular gold paper cut outs, attach them to a stick, then, place them at the center of each cupcake.

Cookies – A Hollywood celebrity deserves equally fascinating cookies, and for your Hollywood themed birthday party, you might want to shape your cookies into golden stars sprinkled with chocolate dust to emphasize their corners.

Cake – What is a birthday without a cake? Your Hollywood birthday party will definitely become the talk of the town if it is anything like the one Chic Style Events displays. With a golden star adorning the top, the following simple black, white, and yellow motif cake is surely a celebrity all on its own. With the ruffled icing design at the very bottom layer, the unique design that is similar to that of the film roller used in cinemas for showing movies is bound to captivate the attention of any onlooker. At the top is the design of the wheel of the roller and from there, a roll of pictures is flowing down to the bottom layer of the cake.

Cake Pops – The equally irresistible cake pops made from pure chocolate will surely be gone before you know it. Made into a simple ball shape the size of a ping pong ball, the cake pops can be individually placed in martini glasses or together on a single plate.

Awards – So that your guests will also feel like stars, you might want to use Oscar-inspired trophies that you can award to winners of some categories, such as “Best Dressed Couple.”

The overall motif of your Hollywood birthday party theme can stick to the colors black, white, and yellow/gold that will give a touch of elegance and sophistication to your event. Thanks to Chic Style Events for allowing me to display these wonderful photos. There are plenty more party ideas on their website.

If you are in need of Hollywood Favors, be sure to visit Cool Party Favors.

DIY Baby Shower Favor

Administrator — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:24:45 +0000

I am always on the hunt for cute DIY baby shower favors and once again, Jill of Every Day Occasion came up with a great idea..

Jill started with a silhouette of a onesie and you can find a link to this pattern on her website. It happens to be only 99 cents. The coolest thing about this favor is that it was sewn together. I never thought to do that, but now that I see the results, it seems like an ideal way to seal a favor. Jill also printed a message on the paper onesie and attached a cute little bow tie to it. Inside of the favors are jellybeans. However, you can use any type of small candy that you wish. You may consider experimenting with a larger shaped paper stock if you wish to include more candy.

Thanks so much for letting me publish your creative and fun idea, Jill!

Twin Baby Shower Invitations

Administrator — Sun, 12 May 2013 16:10:47 +0000

A baby shower for twins is twice as nice and there are a few things to consider when selecting invitations.
1) Is the mother to be going to have girls, boys or one of each?
2) Is the sex of the baby out in the open or is it a secret?
Before you select an invitation, it is important to think about the entire shower. While many baby showers have simple pink and or blue decorations, specific themes are gaining in popularity. The themes below are the most preferred ones for twins.

Kristin of Organized Chaos created these super cute girl onesie baby shower invitations. While intended for a single baby, they could easily be used for twins. The photo below shows the inside of the invitation.

Twin Boy and Girl Baby Shower Invitations: If you are looking to be inspired, here is an elegant boxed invitation designed by Debi of Lettering Art Studio Blog. The invitation contained one pink rattle for the girl and one blue rattle for the boy. Getting this invitation would make me very excited to attend the shower!

The box was addressed in beautiful letters with a sparkly “Once Upon a Time” theme design followed by the guest’s address. If I got an invitation like this, I would save the box!

If you have the proper protection, you might even fit a sweet treat like these beautiful cookies within the box. They were created by It’s a Mary Cake and displayed on the Lettering Art Studio blog to be used as party favors.

Animals are making a comeback with the most popular twin themes being:

*Noah’s Ark where the animals arrived two by tw0
*Twin Monkeys – when you are looking for your shower to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. It can also celebrate the upcoming arrival of one’s little monkeys.
*Baby Elephants – a calm and serene, this is a good theme if you wish to host a shower that your guests will never forget. There are also lots of cute and free elephant printables and party decorations.
*Jungle Safari – With so many cute animals of the wild, this theme allows for lots of creativity when decorating the room and tables. Guests go wild for this type of event.
*Down on the Farm – Little animals are so cute and it could be fun to decorate your house just like a farm. There are lots of ideas on Pinterest. Just type in a theme with the words baby shower and you will find many different inspirational photos.

End of Year Teachers Gifts Idea – DIY

Administrator — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:14:08 +0000

My friend Kristin Dochterman Carver created the cutest end of year appreciation teachers gifts. She found the idea on Pintrest, but her version is actually cuter than the one in the original photo.

Kristin started by tracing her son’s hand to be used as the gift tag. It says “Hands Down You’re the Best.” Next she filled a clear cellophane bag with hand cream and sanitizer, a packet of tissues and box of Tic Tacs. Finally, she punched a hole in the hand tag and tied a ribbon through it and around the top of the bag to close it. She said that the hardest part was tracing her son’s hand, so you may wish to go online and find an outline of a hand to make things easier.

This is such a thoughtful, simple and inexpensive way to say thank you to teachers who have gone out of their way for your child.

Note: Kristin just messaged me and suggested that this gift bag could also include emery boards and even nail polish.

Vintage Wedding Ideas

Administrator — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:24:45 +0000

If you’re hosting a vintage wedding reception, you’ll want it to be a classy, memorable affair. Justine of Sensationally Sweet Events created a beautiful sweet table with lots of vintage theme ideas. She was kind enough to allow me to share the following photos with you. Special touches in the photo below include a chalkboard with the names of the bride and groom and a photo box with images of the happy couple. Since the event was a garden wedding, you can see lots of flowers arranged throughout the table.

You can see the beautiful bird cage with flowers inside of it and birds on the outside. Nest type decorations surround the bases of candy jars.

It is amazing how a bit of colored ribbon surrounding each candy jar really dress it up. The candy signs have a chalkboard feel which resembles the large chalkboard on the table.

I really like the idea of using mason jars as vases for flowers.

Here are some additional ideas for creating the perfect vintage wedding:

Invitations: Use thick textured paper for your invitations, and have the details written in wispy cursive text. Then, include ribbon and/or lace around the invitations. (If possible, include the wedding colors in the ribbon.) For a finishing touch, seal each envelope closed with a wax stamp.

Decorations: Pastel or muted colors abound with vintage weddings. You can add to your decorations by adding fresh foliage or wild flowers. For instance, consider hanging white wire bird cages from the ceiling and then filling them with green leaves and small flowers. Also, at the entrance to the room, include large glass serving or display trays and place name cards with table assignments on top. The trays do not need to match each other or even be the same height. Just be sure everyone is able to find their place card.

Centerpieces: Consider taking a number of mason jars and placing a few in the center of each table. Then surround them with flower petals and fill them with water, placing a floating candle inside each one. Or, include large candlesticks, preferably in copper or bronze, with pastel candles. Finally, you may wish to place pictures of the bride and groom throughout their courtship. Just be sure to use frames that match your room decorations!

Place settings: China or bronze place settings are ideal for a vintage wedding. If the room is heavily decorated, keep the dishes simple. Perhaps consider white or off white china. You’ll also want to use cloth napkins and lace tablecloths to add a feeling of elegance to the entire room.

Fruit Salad Idea

Administrator — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:02:15 +0000

This fruit salad idea by Ali of Jam Hands.net was too cute not to share. It is so easy to make. Simply start with a pile of blueberries and add melon balls, pineapple, manderin oranges, and straberries. Fruits make up the rings of the rainbow. Perfect for parties and potlucks, this dish is healthy and beautiful.

I think that it is nice to place the fruit salad on a white tray, so that the colors of the rainbow are easy to see.

Jane Brody’s My Favorite Lentil Soup Recipe

Administrator — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:23:48 +0000

If you are looking for a fantastic pot luck soup or delicious dinner, this lentil soup is out of this world. My mom started making it 20 years ago and it is now my son’s favorite soup. It is from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book which has many nutritious and delicious recipes.

My Favorite Lentil Soup

2 T olive or vegetable oil
2 c chopped onions
3 carrots, coarsely grated
3/4 t marjoram, crumbled
3/4 t thyme leaves, crumbled
1 28-oz can tomatoes with their juice, coarsely chopped
7 c broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)*
1 1/2 c dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 t salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 oz dry white wine
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley or 2 T dried parsley flakes
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and saute the onions, carrots, marjoram, and thyme, stirring the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, broth, and lentils. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for about 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
Add the salt, pepper, wine, and parsley, and simmer the soup for a few minutes. Serve with cheese sprinkled on each portion.

Here are some ways my family has altered the recipe:

1. Eliminate the white wine when serving it to young children.

2. Add Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar at the table. Kids love to shake it and determine the amount that they use.

3. Add 1/2 to 3/4 of a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup to make it creamier. You will want to add a cup of water if you do this, so that the soup isn’t too concentrated.

4. Use Better than Bullion or bullion cubes instead of broth. If you use Better than Bullion, use only 1/2 the amount that it suggests. I only add 1 tablespoon for the entire pot. The onions and spices give it plenty of flavor.

5. Use red lentils instead of green or brown ones. They cook much faster and have a mild taste.

6. To make the dish go farther, I boil some whole wheat or brown rice pasta. Depending upon how much you make, the soup can easily be transformed as more of a sauce for a pasta dish. Another option is to add potatoes to the soup.

With so many of my friends seeking the health benefits and cost savings of a plant based diet, this recipe is one I recommend when considering adapting one’s eating habits. In fact, a good friend of mine who has three teenage boys “eating her out of house and home” was looking for ideas for inexpensive dinner options. In addition she is facing health problems including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This soup is ideal for both issues.

Permission for printing this recipe on my blog was granted by THE wonderful Jane Brody.

Baptism or Communion Cupcakes

Administrator — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:31:57 +0000

The thought of making a decorative and beautiful cake for a communion or baptism an be overwhelming. Fortunately, Netty of Babycakes came up with a brilliant idea. She baked cupcakes and arranged them in the shape of a cross. What makes this dessert even prettier is the arrangement of little blue and pink flowers. This not only looks great, but is so easy to serve.

You can probably use any flavor of cupcake with an icing color of your choice. Pastel pink and blue frosting would be ideal for a baptism. However, the white cupcakes with pink or blue flowers would also be fitting. Small flowers like mini carnations hold their shape well, but if you place the flowers on at the last minute, almost any variety would work.

I like how Netty added one cupcake to all four parts of the cross. The textured icing also adds interest to this fun dessert.

Graduation Party Centerpiece

Administrator — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:04:49 +0000

If you are looking to create the perfect graduation centerpiece, a photo creation is a great bet. You can use any types of photos from when the grad was a baby up until the present day. The thing to consider when making a centerpiece is the interests of the new graduate. This will help you to determine the types of decoration that will accompany the photos.

The photos below show close-up images of centerpieces created by Jessica, owner of Starr Design. They were designed for her sister, who has an interest in film. She created photo holders out of wire and displayed a variety of photos of her sister shooting film.

Just about everything was home made. She purchased and painted wood stars from Michaels, made button flowers, and designed round personalized tags. Another unique touch was the use of actual film as ribbon that was placed around the pot. Purchase some 20 gauge wire, as Jessica recommended, and twist it as shown. Place photos of the graduation within the twisted top part.

You will notice some shiny filler within the pots; they are mints wrapped in gold. This makes the centerpiece not only great to view, but functional as well. The photos are double sided, so wherever you happen to be at the table, you get a great view of the grad and his or her interest area. Simply use double stick tape on the back of the two photos. If you are looking for detailed step by step instructions, click here for a full account of how Jessica created these personalized and fun centerpieces.

As you can see the centerpieces had a film theme, but you can use all of these ideas for any theme. Just vary the wooden shape decorations. The Hobby Lobby seems to have the best variety of wooden shapes from peace signs and musical notes to snowflakes, you are sure to find something that represents the interest of your new grad. They also have wooden adhesive back alphabet circles, so you can attach two together with a stick in between. They also have plain wooden circles which you can use to paint on any theme you desire. Finally there is a triangle wood banner that can be used as a school pennant.

You don’t necessarily need to have a theme to your centerpiece. Another option is to make a simpler version by purchasing a clay pot with inexpensive planted flowers. Twist some 20 gauge wire as shown and place photos within the wire.