st pattys day fancy

Being married to an Irish man, I think I’ll win major points when I fancy up my St. Patty’s Day bash with these fun party ideas!

DECOR:

Too cute to pass up from {where else?} Better Homes and Gardens

DRINKS:

Jameson, Guinness and Baileys, duh 🙂

APPS:

Be Different Act Normal puts a cute spin on sweet snacks.

Green paper straws from The Cupcake Social via Etsy

Rainbow fruit skewers from Quick Dish by Tablespoon are a MUST!

FOOD:

Irish Mashed Potatoes from Cooking Quinn
{find complete recipe here}

Lucky Spinach Quiche from Diamonds for Dessert
{find complete recipe here}

DESSERTS

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting from Nook & Pantry
I love my Bailey’s and my hubby loves his Guinness – I’d say this is the perfect dessert for us!
{find the complete recipe here}

Irish Style Dirt Cake from Quick Dish by Tablespoon
Can you say YUM?!
{find the complete recipe here}

Mint Bailey’s Brownie Bites from Just Call Me Maria.
{find the complete recipe here}

{images via Be Different Act NormalNook & Pantry,  Quick Dish by Tablespoon, Diamonds for DessertCooking QuinnBetter Homes and Gardens, Etsy, All’s Fare Food BlogJust Call Me Maria}

lucky charm

St. Patrick’s Day is a celebrated holiday in my house ~ after all, I have an Irish hubby, a son named Jameson and a little Irish blood running through my mostly Italian veins.

This year, I created DIY treats to spread luck and cheer to our family and friends. All they need to enjoy it is a cold cup of milk and a spoon. I admit, it’s not the healthiest breakfast or snack, but kids love it, and it’s justifiable at least once a year to celebrate the luck of the Irish.

Jenna at Fleur de Lis, a paperie, created these adorable “lucky charm’ custom tags to attach to my treat bags.

Click here for the free printable.

All You Need Is:

  • 1 box of Lucky Charms cereal
  • Green pipe cleaners or ribbon
  • Clear Party Bags {I used Wilton Clear Party Bags, 4×9.5 inches}
  • Scissors to cut the tags and bags
  • Custom tags

How To:

  • Fill the bag with a cup or so of Lucky Charms.
  • Cut each tag, and punch a hole through each one to attach to favor.
  • Wrap or tie the green pipe cleaner around the bag tight, add the custom tag and make either a bow or a 3-leaf clover to complete the look.
  • Gather the excess bag on top, and cut to your preferred length.

{images via Tutto Bella}

DVF at GAP

Happy Fashion Friday!

Parents and kids … get {excited}! Diane von Furstenberg has designed a line for children at the GAP – due to launch March 15th. The line is fresh, colorful, and affordable!

DVF at GAP

Watch the video preview of clothes with commentary from DVF here.

{image via DVF}

baby brewing

With all the wonderful baby news going on around my life these days, I thought I’d make a fun and creative way for people to tell their friends and loved ones they are expecting. Super easy and if a preggo mama can’t drink coffee, someone else might as well enjoy it, right?


I worked with Jenna {of course} at Fleur de Lis, a paperie to create custom tags with the baby news, cut them out and used double-sided duct tape to adhere to coffee sleeves. If you are sharing the news in person, the sleeve would be adorable on an actual cup with coffee or a Starbucks VIA Ready Brew inside. If you are sending via mail and want to save some $ on shipping, you can just use the double-sided tape to attach the Starbucks VIA Ready Brew inside the sleeve.

Order a custom baby brewing tag from our Etsy store, Fleur de Lis, a paperie today. $7 for a custom file. Click here to order and start sharing your happy baby news.

{images via Tutto Bella Blog}

taste the rainbow

Well, we’ve taken the melting candy project to another level since our peppermint DIY serving tray back in December.
This time around, we used Jolly Ranchers … and we are loving the results!
How cute is this rainbow tray for St. Patty’s Day?!

All you need is:
Jolly Ranchers {I used about half of the large bag}
A cookie sheet
Wax {or parchment} paper
Pennies
{or other decorative items – I think marshmallows would be adorable to use as clouds in place of pennies!}

How to:
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees
Line the cookie sheet with wax paper
Decorate Jolly Ranchers in a rainbow shape
Bake for approximately 12 minutes
{time may vary depending on altitude, thickness of cookie sheet, ect – keep an eye on it!}

Take Note:
The wax paper may get a little smoky while baking in the oven… just keep an eye on it!
{check every two minutes or so}
The center candies may not melt as quickly as the outside. I took it out when the outside candies were properly melted and left the candy on the cookie sheet – the inside candies slowly melted from the heat of the cookie sheet.
If you have imperfections, don’t sweat it. Carefully glaze the outside of your shape with a sharp knife.
Wait until your tray cools to peel wax paper off of the bottom. I kept mine on at the bottom to avoid stickiness while carrying.
Feel free to experiment with a sealant to solve the sticky issues. (I have not tried a sealant before}

May you have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold—
And at the end of all your rainbows
may you find a pot of gold!

{images via Tutto Bella}