Tiny Prints Blog Today–Stately Straws Invitation Collaboration

Today, I’ve posted on the Tiny Prints Blog where we collaborated using one of their many whimsical invitation designs for inspiration in designing cookie party favors.  They’ve got the cutest invitations for summer parties and birthdays.  Click HERE to see their best sellers.  Their designs alone will inspire you to host a party! My niece just ordered a cute invitation for her son’s first birthday.  Hmm, I feel another cookie idea coming on!  🙂 Please visit Tiny Prints where all… [Read More]

A College Graduation, Father’s Day and My Birthday

Off to celebrate all three this weekend! Back next week after coming down from cloud 9 to show you how to make these milkshake decorated cookies/party favors/place setting name “cards” I designed and made specially for Tiny Prints using their party invitation, Stately Straws, for inspiration.   Have a sweet and fun weekend!

The Jeanapalooza Birthday Extravaganza Recap– A Pink and Orange Party

If you’ve been following the progression of birthday planning posts I’ve written, you’d know this past weekend was the big “Jeanapalooza Birthday Extravaganza” for my mother-in-law’s ninetieth birthday hosted at our home. Balloons and birthday pennants greeted the birthday girl and forty-three guests as they walked through the front door. The buffet held the birthday cake and party favors of custom m&m’s, foil wrapped peppermint patties and cookies. There is a cake store that only makes Bundt cakes, if you… [Read More]

Pink and Orange Foil Wrapped Peppermint Patties

What is a party without mints?   I believe my emotional need for colorful party mints goes back to my days in Job’s Daughters.  There was not one reception or installation that did not have a plate of swirled  fondant mints and every reception and installation had its own unique color scheme, usually two colors.  When I was installed as Honored Queen, my colors were grass green and buttercup yellow.  I kept one color of each mint for years as… [Read More]

A Colorful Party Prep Weekend and A Great Kitchen Tip

Party prep continues this weekend for my Mother-in laws big pink and orange birthday bash one week from today.   I ordered custom cocktails napkins online from Paper-Source.  When I saw the paper lantern design I couldn’t resist. Taking it outside… I love having fragrant flowers where people gather.  We planted stock with chine blue pansies in areas where guests will linger in the backyard.  I opened the door to the yard last night around midnight and the fragrance was… [Read More]

Pink and Orange Holiday Banister Decorations

In continuing to decorate using hot pink and orange for our upcoming party, I’m happy to say I have finished decorating the banister.  This is a huge relief for me.  One thing I was reminded of, yet again, when creating a new display using all new materials, plan on it taking three times longer than you originally thought it would take.  Even though I had a vision of what I wanted to create when I purchased everything, I still didn’t… [Read More]

Packaging Palooza Party Favors

To continue the Palooza Birthday Party Extravanga prep, my next step was to package the custom Jeanapalooza m&m’s in small cello bags but since I’m also making special decorated cookies for the party I wanted a different look for the m&m’s.  I found these little clear plastic 2 x 3 inch boxes at a cake decorating supply store for .45 each but they are also available on the web, sold in bulk for half the price.  I thought this might… [Read More]

Planning a Palooza

party planning sketch

Last year, as we gathered round our Thanksgiving table, we began making plans for the “Jeanapalooza 90th Birthday Party Extravaganza.”  This year, Thanksgiving at our house again will usher in the three day celebration. My incredible Mother-in-Love deserves a “palooza”.  At ninety she is computer savvy, drives, teaches knitting and meets her friends for wine time. And the party?  Two days after Thanksgiving… our house…for forty. I always begin party planning with decorations in mind because I find it the… [Read More]

Mini Cupcake Spiral Tower (Autumn, Fall)

Mini chocolate cupcakes decorated with over-sized dragees and fall themed fondant cut-outs literally reached new heights in my kitchen for a fall open house party this past weekend. We’ll get ‘up close and personal’ so I can show how you how I made this. It’s not as complicated as it looks. Trust me. They’re just a bunch of little ol’ chocolate cupcakes dressed up all fancy like. The number of cupcakes needed depends on the size styrofoam cone that is… [Read More]

Halloween Cocktail Time!

Question: “What do black Cosmo martinis garnished with sparkly disco dust and a beating heart on a wooden stake have in common”? Answer: “It’s what for dinner come Halloween for me and my ghoul friends”. This year I’m going ghoulie glam with a sparkling rim made with thinned candy coating or white chocolate tinted with icing colors and sprinkled with disco dust. “Ghoulie Pink Sparkle Rim” “Twilight Red Sparkle Rim” I wrote a post on the particulars and challenges of… [Read More]