Rainbow Cupcakes

I've been wanting to make rainbow cupcakes forever...I finally had the perfect event this weekend. 

Here's the cake recipe I used: 

makes 12 regular size cupcakes

Mix 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup softened butter together until creamy and fluffy.

Mix in 2 eggs. 

Mix in 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 1 tsp baking powder until smooth. 

Mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. 

Add 3 tablespoons milk, one tablespoon at a time, until mixed thoroughly. 

Divide batter into 6 bowls. 

Add food coloring as follows: 

Bowl 1: 8 drops red

Bowl 2: 8 drops yellow, 4 drops red

Bowl 3: 8 drops yellow

Bowl 4: 8 drops green

Bowl 5: 8 drops blue

Bowl 6: 8 drops blue, 4 drops red

Starting with purple, layer each color into 12 cupcake papers.  Smooth each layer down slightly. (I used a small spatula to do this). 

Bake at 395 degrees for 18 minutes. 

I made this easy cream cheese frosting: 

Cream 1 8oz package cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened butter together.

Mix in 1/2 tsp vanilla. 

Gradually stir in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar. 

Then I did this trick, from Better Homes and Gardens, to make letters for the cupcakes. 

 

And the best part was the inside, of course: 

I will definitely use this recipe again for making vanilla cupakes. They were delicious! 

Happy Birthday Patty! :)

DIY Idea: Superbowl Centerpiece

Superbowl is fast approaching!

We have hosted a party the last few years.  But my husband and I are the only people I know who have not yet upgraded to a new flat screen TV. So this year we have given up the honors to friends with a more worthy TV.  :)

I don't really like football. I occasionally like the commercials, and I watched every second of one game (and don't even get me started on the refs!). But mostly I love the food and friends. I always look forward to the Superbowl Sunday.

Browsing the blogosphere, I am finding limited decoration ideas, especially for centerpieces.  Don't get me wrong, what is out there is cute.  There just isn't a lot of it.

This Hostess with the Mostess centerpiece is everywhere.  With good reason, its adorable.  I have to confess that I love anything with wheatgrass. 

I like these little wheatgrass pots with plastic footballs that were featured in Real Simple also (via The Kitchn).  And of course the astroturf coasters are pure genius. 

I like this idea of using small plastic footballs as vase-filler. 

I pulled out some pictures of the centerpiece I made a few years ago.  This is SIMPLE, but it gets the job done without being too cheesy (which is the problem I have with many items available at party stores).

 

I put my husband's football (dirt and all!) in an oblong basket filled with green "filler grass" (or "Easter grass").  Then I tucked alternating white and yellow flowers around the football.

Flowers can be made to coordinate with most team's colors. 

Easy! 

To this year's party I am bringing dessert. There are so many great ideas out there for treats, I've got lots of research to do!

Shower Game!

One of my friends is in the midst of planning a  Bachelorette Weekend.  She put together a fun little game for guests to play with the bride-to-be.

The bride-to-be is a fashionista...Warning: this game is only for those who are serious about fashion!

My friend was nice enough to let me share the game with you!

I love ideas that move shower games beyond toilet paper wedding dress competitions...

This game would be fun for a Bridal Shower, and Bachelorette Party, or even just a Girls' Weekend.

Download yourself a copy!

Designer Quiz

And then get the answers...No cheating!  ;)

Designer Quiz Answers

How did you score?

I am Loving: Personalized Hangers

This is one of those things that I wish I had known about when I got married.

Genius! A perfect detail to make the standard wedding dress pictures extra special.  Such a great wedding shower gift!

These hangers would also make a cute baby shower gift if the name is known.  Paired with a cute little outfit.

I love these!

These hangers are offered on etsy.

Found via Love Made Visible Blog.

PS It's still raining here!

Inspiration Board: Umbrella Party

This week, I have umbrellas on my mind.  And rain boots. And raincoats. 

It is just raining and raining and raining here. Yikes!

I've seen lots of baby and bridal shower decor with umbrellas.

But, I think all these fun rainy day accessories would make cute winter birthday party decor for kids too!

I see adorable, brightly colored rain boots for kids everywhere.  

How fun would this party be?! 

1.  Rain boots serve as the perfect vase.

2. Blue poms...or are those giant rain drops? An white umbrella would be the perfect addition to this scene.

3. I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't love puddle-jumping! A nice (free) activity for the party?

4. Martha's umbrella cookies, perfection of course.

5. Boot banner - too cute!

6. If you can get over the superstition of an umbrella in the house, this little paper rain display is pretty darn cute.

7. Umbrella confetti.  You really can find anything on etsy.

8. To die for cupcake.  Isn't it sweet?

Please think of me tomorrow as I brave the torrents again.

Baked Potato Bar

I've got Superbowl Party on my mind today...and I've been thinking how much fun a baked potato bar would be for this event! Definitely a crowd-pleaser.

via Martha

I found a great site for topping inspiration: Rookie Cookie

Look at this diagram! Yum!

Looks like there's lots of great recipes there too. I'm heading back to check it out a little more! (love the down-loadable Soup Guide!)

via

Love this display! Click to enlarge and see the details. The food label cards stuck into potatoes is a cute touch.

This was actually a mashed potato bar...hmmm...I'm assuming they were served in the martini glasses? How fun!

Kendra's Blogoversary Party!

Kendra, of My Insanity, has a great blog that I read regularly. I love her ideas for crafty projects. And her parties are always inspiring.  I would seriously love to be one of her kids just to have one of those birthday parties. :)

For her second "blogoversary", she's hosting a "Party Party".  She's asked readers to link up their top parties of the year. Make sure and check out all the links that come in!

(I especially like that she requested parties that did not have outrageous budgets.)

I posted my Going Away Party, and my Holiday Lunch. 

Check 'em out if you haven't seen them already!

Happy Blogoversary Kendra!

DIY Idea: Valentine Runner

I was in an after-the-holidays funk this week.

So, I did what any normal girl would do: I bought myself some flowers. 

Then I decided that I needed something a little more cheerful for my table.

I made this little Valentine runner for my dining room table, to match my flowers. :) 

Here's my secret:

This runner was quick and easy because I used this to attach the ribbon!

This adhesive is one of my most favorite crafting supplies. I go through it very quickly.

Don't flowers make all the difference sometimes?

DIY Idea: Alphabet Cookie Cupcakes

via

I love this idea from Better Homes & Gardens!

Alphabet cookies, lightly frosted and covered with sprinkles.  Even plain cookies would be cute!

Less clean up then getting out my piping bags, tips etc.  Easier than using my fondant cutters.

Hmmm...for my next cake perhaps?  Super cute on these cupcakes too, don't ya think?

Real Party: 100th Birthday Party

It was hard for Linday and I to make the centerpieces and party favors for Mabel's 100th Birthday Party and not get to see it all put together.

Thanks goodness our client shared pictures of the event with us!

Here's what one of the hostesses had to say:

"Thank you so much for making the centerpieces and candies
and especially for all your brain storming. 
Everything was perfect.  Easy to set up.  The runners were nice for the cake
and guest book.  Candles were perfect to light the photos.  The tables looked great.

The party was a success!"

So sweet! 

The party room.

Close-up of the photo centerpiece on the fabric squares.  The hostesses used hydrangeas from a local florist in their own cylinder vases on the sides.  Chocolate and pink ribbon continued the color scheme.  

A chocolate lollipop favor was placed on each plate.

One of our runners graced the guest book table.

Another runner was under the adorable cake.

The birthday girl cutting her cake!

Happy Birthday Mabel! 

(the "gift tag" on the cake says "Mabel, how fast 100 years have gone...", which is the same thing as the invitation)

Thanks so much for letting us help with the party! We had a blast!

DIY Idea: Centerpiece Frames

Make sure and check out my post about the party favors for the 100th birthday party that my friend Lindsay and I made.

We included this picture from Martha Stewart in our inspiration board for this party.

The hostesses had requested centerpieces that incorporated pictures...and didn't blow their budget. We thought these frames would be perfect.  

So we set out to recreate them in the most budget friendly way possible.

We found these unfinished wood frames at both Michael's and Joann's, in the kids crafts section.  The didn't come with glass, which was perfect for what we making.  

And we painted them all chocolate brown.

Groups of 3 frames were taped together.  We used brown duct tape.

Pictures were printed on vellum paper in sepia, and the frames were arranged around a candle so they glowed slightly.  Each frame trio was situated on a fabric square of this striped fabric. 

I just received pictures of the party, so as soon as I can get them organized I'll show you all how the favors and centerpieces looked all put together!

DIY Idea: Chocolate Lollipop Favors

Earlier this week I told you about the 100th birthday party my friend Lindsay and I worked on.

The party favors we made turned out really cute!

We made 100 lollipops with 100's on them. 

We bought molds from here. And we used dark chocolate candy melts.

Quite easy! 

(Though making 100 did take awhile...) 

Wrapped in cellophane, and tied with a pink ribbon.  Too cute!

Here's what 100 of them look like!

Check back to see what we made for the centerpieces for this party. 

Inspiration Board: 100th Birthday Party

My friend Lindsay and I were recently hired to make centerpieces and party favors for a 100th Birthday Party. 

The hostesses (Mabel's daughter, granddaughters, granddaughters-in-law) had already sent out these invitations:

They requested that all the decor match the invitations, and that pictures be incorporated into the centerpieces if possible. 

We had to put this together on a budget.  They needed 100 party favors, and 12 centerpieces.

Lindsay and I had lots of ideas and got to work immediately.

We presented the hostesses with several mock-ups of ideas.

The first step was the inspiration board.

1. We thought pink hydrangeas in cylinder vases that one of the hostesses already owned would be perfect for this palate.

2. This little silver guy is a lollipop mold with a 100 on it - perfect!

3. Chocolate candies in cellophane, tied with cute ribbon, would be a budget friendly party favor.

4.  Some kind of runner with stripes or dots was a must! I love the low bowls as centerpieces on this long table.  (Ours were rounds, probably not as good for this kind of a look).

5. Bakerella's cake pops were a perfect match.

6. Love the photo center pieces by Martha. These would incorporate photos as the hostesses had requested.

7. Cutie boxes for favors could hold candies, seeds, etc for favors, and would be a touch of color on each plate. 

8. Some swatches in our colors. You have to love these colors. 

9. There are SO many ribbons in this color palate. We knew we would have to incorporate them somehow.

Check back later this week to see what we the hostesses chose and how it all turned out!

Party Resources

This is a list of vendors I have worked with and will personally recommend.  

I will continue to update it as I see fit.

Party Supplies: 

Party Pail

Printables: 

Oh Creative One

Cookie and Cupcake Toppers: 

 Sweet'n Treats