02/06

when life give you lemons…

make lemonade…or at least something sweet with the lemons!

Last week I was into bright yellow sunshine and this week, it’s lemons. Apparently I’m into yellow right now. The cheerful hue has me day-dreaming about lemons, sunflowers and spring all day.

My grocery cart will be filled with lemons at my next trip to the grocery store {the lemon loaf looks too delicious not to make right now} and the next time I throw a party, I’m keeping lemons in mind. They make such sweet favors…no one will leave with a sour taste in their mouths.

Lemony Lemon Bread, Glorious Treats
{You can find the recipe here, yellowdrop twine at The Twinery and print the FREE printable labels here, courtesy of Glorious Treats and The Twinery}

 Homemade Limoncello, Matt Bites
We served Limencello at my wedding because 1. I’m Italian and 2. it was a fresh welcome to the party mini-drink. Although is was a hit, we should have more clearly expressed its potency or limited 1 per person…preventing some from passing out on a rock at 9 p.m. {wink, wink Nicole} :).
I love the idea of making homemade Limencello and sending it with guests as a favor…and with packaging as cute at Matt Bite’s who can resist? Giada DeLaurentis shares her homemade Limoncello recipe here. Salute!

DIY Lemon Drop Favors via Style Me Pretty
{created by Posh-Paperie}
Lemon drop candy, vintage bottle caps, small containers, ribbon and parchment paper make this DIY doable and adorable.

Homemade Lemonade Favors, Style Me Pretty
These homemade lemonade favors are so clever and make beautiful gifts in the vintage bottles.

{images via Glorious Treats, Matt Bites and Style Me Pretty}

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02/02

touchdown celebration

I’ve seen many Superbowl Party ideas, but this Chili Bar from the creative and talented Chris at Celebrations at Home really caught my eye. The menu reads winter and football to me AND not only is it adorable, it is doable! For complete recipes and details, visit here.

After your family and friends have stuffed themselves silly with chili and all the fixings, it’s time for dessert.

These football-shaped whoopie pies, cupcakes, brownies and chocolate covered strawberries are sure to satisfy.

{images via Celebrations at Home, Brownies from Tablespoon, Whoopie Pies from The Football Foodie, Double Chocolate Cupcakes from The Baker Chick, Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Pinterest}

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01/09

nye place to be

Talented designer and a bestie of mine, Kimi Hansen, Sales, Marketing & Design Specialist for Après Party and Tent Rental, and her wonderful boyfriend Tim, hosted a gorgeous soiree for 30 of their closest friends to ring in 2012.

This couple is the best host and hostess – their level of taste is exquisite and they plan nothing but the best for their loved ones. Plus, with both of them being in the event industry {Tim Geisler, General Manager of EMI Audio, a lighting, sound and video company in Minnesota}, they have a party planner’s dream access to decor pieces.

The pink and purple lighting blended perfectly with their white and silver decor and table setting. The party was potluck style. The signature drink of the evening was made with vodka, champagne and Kinky {blood orange liqueur}. And guests were treated with ALL homemade desserts including 2012 cookies, drizzled pretzels, puff corn, cake balls and adorable melted snowmen cookies. Kimi and Tim even used a couple of Tutto Bella NYE party tips – a shiny 2012 display on the wall, along with “bubbly” balloons and countdown numbers on their cocktail glasses. They added snowflake sticks to each drink so people could personalize…very cute! And we love the bling and candlelight on the table!


Thanks for sharing your party with us Kimi and Tim! We wish you all the best in 2012.

We love to receive party submissions…so if  you or someone you know have hosted a fabulous party, please send photos our way…we would love to feature it.

{images via Kimi Hansen}

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01/05

push up the goodness

A new {well, semi-new} trend in the party world are push-up pops. They were big in 2011 and we anticipate they will continue to be big in 2012. They are too cute not to be! Whether you fill them with one, or all three, of the delectable C’s{cake, cupcakes or cookies}, or ice cream – they are a must-have at your next party.

These bright Picasso-like push-up pop creations found at Hostess with the Mostess are a colorful addition to any dessert table. 

One Charming Party has recipe ideas for push-up pops that make our mouth water, including cake+fresh berries+whipped cream, and the other one is for the chocolate lovers out there.

Chocolate Cookie Push Pops by The Decorated Cookie are made with easy to make and find ingredients. Oh how I love oreos!

The combination of combining chocolate cake and Kahlua frosting sounds irresistible to us too, Erica, of Sweet Tooth, and makes for the perfect party favor.

Fill push pop containers with sherbert ice cream to create a refreshing watermelon treat like Firefly Confections did. I have fond memories of this desert because my bestie growing up {love ya, Jamie} use to serve watermelon cake at her summer birthday party. It is so yummy.

For a complete book dedicated to Push-Up Pops, Courtney Dial Whitmore of Pizzazzerie, has a fabulous looking book, Push-Up Pops, set to release March 1, 2012. Her recipe for Mocha Madness {with coffee ice cream, oreo cookies and chocolate}, which looks divine, can be found here.

You can find push up pop containers at Culinary Direct, Amazon or where I found them to be the cheapest {and can be bought at lower quantities}, Etsy.

{images via Firefly Confections, Pizzazzerie, Hostess with the Mostess, One Charming Party, Sweet Tooth and The Decorated Cookie}

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12/29

party like it’s 2012

Reflection of 2011 and resolutions for 2012 is upon us with the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebration. It’s been a wonderful year for my family and me and I can only hope 2012 is filled with as much laughter, joy and good memories as 2011 blessed us with.

Start the year off with a fabulous party…with shades of pink and gold. Here are some fun ideas to add to your New Year’s Eve shindig. Now you just have to decide…who’s the lucky lad {or lady} you’re gonna kiss at midnight?

DIY Gold Mason Jars: We have serious mason jar love. These DIY spray painted gold mason jars are the perfect vase for pink flowers or pink-and-white-striped straw holder for your New Year’s Eve bash. Directions for how to spray paint can be found at 100 Layer Cake.

Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes: When I saw these on Oprah several years ago, I just knew I had to include them on my next New Year’s Eve menu. So festive with the indoor-safe sparkler candle, and who doesn’t love the combination of cupcakes, champagne, strawberries and chocolate! Sign me up for one {or two of these}. Recipe and directions found here.

2012 Sign: Love the idea of adding a 2012 sign at your party made of wooden numbers covered in gold or pink coins or sequins like the LOVE sign above. It can be a DIY project that is sure to impress. 

Shiny Centerpiece: Crate a glimmering centerpiece by sprinkling pink or gold oversized sequins between two cylinders and nestle a votive candle inside. Visit Martha Stewart to see where her team found the products to create this shimmering look. Or, add gold ornaments to glass vases and flutes in varying styles, and cluster them on a cake stand to craft a truly stunning and effortless centerpiece just like Martha Stewart did here.

Wall Decor: Use shimmering gold paper {leftover from Christmas would make this a budget-friendly project} to make streamers like this. Or, hang pink accordion circles above your dessert table and modify them by turning them into New Year’s Eve clocks. This great idea and how-to details can be found at Fiskars. For champagne-like wall decor, add different sized gold and clear balloons to the wall above the champagne table to create the bubbly effect on the wall.

Champagne: You must have champagne when you throw a New Year’s Eve party, but spruce it up a bit this year with fun and cold {just like the air outside} popsicles to serve up fancy frozen fruit pops. Don’t forget a splash of Prosecco for a colorful and unique drink display. Add sticker numbers to each glass for an official countdown beginning with 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1!

Dessert: In addition to the Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes, make smore’s with a dusting of gold edible sprinkles. More gold inspiration found at The Cake Blog. And, you will really wow your guests with homemade fortunes. Give your guests something to talk about and look forward to with homemade fortunes {all positive of course} using your favorite quotes. For directions on how to make the fortune cookies and how to insert the fortune, visit Alisa Burke.

Favors: Give your guests a mini bottle of champagne in a bucket with a straw so it can be iced all night and passed out before midnight. Chris from Celebrations at Home has some great ideas to decorate the bucket.

I gotta feeling…2012 is gonna be a good, good year.

 {images via 100 Layer Cake, TLC, Justine Smith, Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Alisa Burke, Fiskars, The Cake Blog and Celebrations at Home}

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