Party Frosting

Party is officially on hold! Be back soon!

2013-05-17T20:12:00.000-04:00

Gonna stop fooling myself that I have time or focus to post ;o) Only a few more days (Tuesday) before the most precious milestone of my life... my little guy's birth day! Thank you for all your well wishes, I'll be sure to update everyone soon! many many hugs!

Party will be back on shortly, promise

Cooking party theme...and 5 more full days!

2013-05-15T19:17:00.000-04:00

Baby Elias's Birth day will be in 6 mornings from now! I am getting so nervous and excited! It's hard to not be distracted with everything that needs to be done before he gets here. I am also working up to the day before the c-section, so I still have 3 days of work to go! Thanks to everyone for your well wishes! We'll be sure to keep you posted!

I hope my little guy will love to bake, for I am not going to give him a choice lol. I have tons of daydreams about having him in the kitchen with me making sweets! Wonder if he'll want a cooking theme for a party one day?! Here is some older, but still fresh!, Frosting for a cooking theme here (link).

For a cooking party, everyone has to have a chef's hat! These can be made at home and fit in the party budget! Source and tutorial

Everyone also needs an apron! This can be a fun extra activity too...set up a decorating station for the kids to personalize their aprons before the baking fun begins! Source

How fun would these silverware "chandeliers" be in your party space?! Made with wooden silver (buy here: link) and needlepoint rings! Source

How fun would these paper ovens be to send home one of the cupcakes the kids made?! Super cute! p.s. these would be great as a "bun in the oven" idea for a baby shower! Source and file

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T10:54:00.000-04:00

Though it's been a hard 9 months living through sickness, pain and lots of 3 hour of sleep nights while never missing time at work - it has all be worth it to await the little guy who let's me officially celebrate Mother's Day today (I'm a stepmom, too, so I used to get a little credit ;o)! I am blessed to have had the ability to create life and all the hard times will just make me appreciate him even more. NINE more days!!!!

So to all the moms or those that play a mom's role in someone's life (yes, you are just as important!) Happy Mother's Day!

Update!

2013-05-06T18:17:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Things are a bit hectic around here! Trying to get things ready for the little guy! And lots of painful days.... but...morning of the 15th day from now, I'll be welcoming him! Thanks for bearing with my dwindling blog posts - I promise to be back in full speed soon - I will have the summer off, so even with a little one, I'll be able to reconnect with party life!

Mother's Day Brunch

2013-04-30T19:24:00.001-04:00

Still counting down the days till the little guy is here! 21!!! This time, 3 Tuesdays from now I'll be holding him! Meanwhile, we are trying to focus on getting the house and baby stuff ready and I am trying to nap when I can; sleep isn't coming easy! And found out tonight my poor little nephew broke his arm and karate :( guess this is a window into having a little boy!

So with my little one on the way, this year's Mother's Day feels extra special! One great idea to celebrate Mom's in your life is to hold a brunch! Don't forget about older, but still fresh!, Frosting for a Mother's Day brunch here (link)

A board with dowels make even purchased donuts look amazing! Don't stress yourself with making everything from scratch, pick a few things to make and purchase the rest! Source and tutorial

A fun take on "cake pops"...cinnamon roll cake pops! Source and tutorial

You could tackle homemade donut bites, but even store bought munchins/donut holes would look adorable served up like this! Source (wrappers here - link) (recipe in book here p.s. I have a copy it's great! -link)

Party Appetizers! - battered and fried!

2013-04-25T19:38:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone is welcoming the Spring weather in! I know it's been beautiful here, though some of the nights are still pretty wintery! We hope to finally do our veggie soon since my hip is feeling better and I hopefully am through a blinding toothache this week! ...26 days to the little guy is here!!!

I haven't done a good appetizer post in a long time! Don't forget about these older, but still fresh!, ideas for appetizers here (link)

Beer battered asparagus! ...I bet you could convert a lot of non-asparagus fans this way! With a little sprinkle of cheese, these would look so beautiful on a rustic buffet! Source and recipe

Beer battered mini corn dogs with chipolte ketchup! Served like this, they def don't look like carnival food! Source and recipe

Kick your corn dogs up with bacon! These would look great served in newspaper in metal containers for a more "masculine" theme! Source and recipe

Happy Earth Day! ...and update

2013-04-22T15:23:00.001-04:00

Thank you for your continued support while I don't blog very often :( It was a VERY difficult week including dealing with unnecessary drama from people and trying to avoid pre-term labor :( ...but happy to report, I made some really hard decisions that I think in the end will help keep me sane and healthy! So I'll leave you with a small piece of advice, surround yourself only with those that speak highly of you and you can speak highly of them. Settle for no less! ....29 days to go!!!

Meanwhile... it's Earth Day!!! I am happy to do my part by working from home and saving the hour commute today! WOOT! Here are some fun ways to celebrate you can still pull off tonight...

Earth day cupcakes with a fun heart center! Source and tutorial

White chocolate popcorn tree project... for faster execution tonight, have the kids draw the scene and only do the "leaves and apples" as edible. Source and tutorial

Diaper cake tips and tricks

2013-04-16T20:47:00.000-04:00

I had my baby shower this weekend and I thought it would be fun to do a post on an AMAZING diaper cake that a friend made for me! They are always so much fun to take apart and see all the fun surprises on and inside! AND they make great decorations too (and who doesn't need diapers?!)

Btw, a lot of you amazing people have been asking for my registry (how great of women do I have following Party Frosting!? Love you guys!) My registry: "Kim Chandler/Damian Chandler (in Delaware)" on amazon.com or babiesrus.com

There are tons of tutorials online, so I won't go overboard here, just a few tips and tricks...

This is one of the diaper cakes I got! how great is this?! Tips and tricks to make a diaper cake with items inside (as opposed to all diapers):

- rubber band the diapers before you put them on a cake
- give size 1 diapers at least, a lot of newborns "skip" newborn size or only need a few days of them.
- fill the inside of each "ring" of diapers with even more surprises!
- use ribbon to cover up the rubber bands - try using different, but coordinating ribbon to add more color and interest
- hot glue essential baby needs to the ribbon, this way you don't ruin the diapers! You can also use safety pins or more ribbon to attach to the ribbon, as well.
- pick out a special topper - make sure it's a bit bigger than the other items so it stands out.
- to help with stability, depending on the number of tiers... add heavy items on the bottom and lighter towards the top
- use other items like flowers or bows to help fill space, too
- make sure to add a cardboard bottom (round cardboard cake boards work great too)

Any other tips you can think of? Leave in the comments!

p.s. only 5 weeks to go!!!!!

Thoughts with Boston...

2013-04-15T20:17:00.003-04:00

Just got off my "day job"... went to post some fun party stuff and started seeing all the tragedy in Boston! My thoughts go out to everyone affected, how tragic and scary. Hope you and your loved ones are safe and sound.

Bugs party theme ideas and inspiration

2013-04-12T18:42:00.000-04:00

TGIF! So glad it's the weekend! Been resting my hip a lot and starting to feel a bit of improvement! I thank you all so much for your well wishes and your continued support through my last weeks before the baby is here!

A great boys theme for the Spring and Summer is bugs! After seeing Not Just a Mommy's post today, I knew I wanted to present this theme again! Don't forget about older, but still fresh!, Frosting for a bug party here (link)

How fun is this backdrop?! My stepson would love something like this! Can't do a full print? Print out pictures of each bug and make paper frames to create the backdrop! Source

Aren't these the best idea for placemats?! These "grass" mats are an easy and fun project! You could do them in tan and make them for a luau too! Source and tutorial

A fun activity to set up for the kids is to "dig for bugs"! p.s. how fun is the sign!? Source

Have left over Easter eggs? Create these fun fireflies!!! Source and tutorial

Party add on....

include these in your favor bags $5.57 for a dozen!!! (buy here - link)

Rubber Ducky Baby Shower ideas and inspiration

2013-04-09T17:29:00.000-04:00

Did it go from Winter to Summer where you live?! It's 80 degrees in the house! whew! I am still limping along with my bad hip :o( but getting excited about our baby shower this weekend! My dad came by to pick up a few things and can't wait to see what they put together!

So in celebration of my impending shower, here are more baby shower ideas! This one for a Rubber Ducky theme! Don't forget about older, but still fresh!, Frosting for a Rubber Ducky there here (link).

How fun and colorful is this backdrop?! Pick a few coordinating colors and have fun with paper fans! Inexpensive and adds a great punch to your backdrop! Source

Dress up your glasses with yellow striped straws and mini rubber duckies! Source (little duckies buy here - link)

Make blue colored mousse or jello and top with the same little duckies! Source (little duckies buy here - link)

I love 3D cookies and these would be so fun for favors! They aren't overly designed either, so definitely try your hand at them! Source and tutorial

Owl party ideas and inspiration

2013-04-04T18:20:00.003-04:00

I am trying to keep my head in the party scene, but these have been some of the most painful days of my life - my hip is so bad, walking, sitting or laying (so everything) causes me to cry out in pain. I am getting excited about the little guy's arrival, but 6 weeks feels like forever right now! Pray that my visit to the acupuncturist tomorrow brings some relief.

Meanwhile... I am getting excited about my baby shower (hosted by my stepmom - how nice!) coming next week! Word has it there will be lots of owls! (the nursery theme is modern woodland). So to focus on the positive, let's peep some inspiration for owls!

I love straw decor! It's a little touch that goes a long way! These owl straw guys are even have a place to put a name to keep track of glasses! Source and tutorial

For favors, you could make these fun owls using standard pillow boxes! Source and tutorial

If you are feeling crafty advanced... these little guys will surely steal the show! I could just hug them! Source

If fondant scares you... maybe try your hand at these clay owl?! It would be a fun painting activity too! Source and tutorial

Happy Easter!

2013-03-31T13:08:00.001-04:00

Been a rough couple of days! My hip feels like it is out of place, no getting comfortable enough to walk, sit or sleep! UGH! But getting excited about less than 60 days to the little guy gets here! ...Hope you all are having a better weekend!

...and for those that celebrate, hope you are having a great Easter!

Pic source

Easter (or planting party) ideas - Carrots!

2013-03-28T18:25:00.000-04:00

WOOT! We just got notice we get out of work early tomorrow! Excited to have the extra time! Everyone that is celebrating, ready for this weekend? I know our stores have been PACKED the past few days - guess everyone is a bit behind!

Super cute idea - make modeling chocolate cupcake wrappers to make your "carrot cupcakes" look like they are growing out of the "dirt" and ready for picking! Source and tutorial

Using icecream cones, you can create these pick-able carrots cupcakes! Source and tutorial

Also using icecream cones, you can create these fun candy holders! Source and tutorial

Everyone loves rice krispy treats! Follow this tutorial to make them into fun carrots! Source and tutorial

More Easter inspiration!

2013-03-25T16:47:00.002-04:00

Are you guys experiencing snow too?! Not helping my over 8 month pregnant body want to move! Trying to really focus on getting stuff ready for our new arrival! Thanks for putting up with my limited posting schedule!

I have seen a lot of egg decorating techniques, but this one was new to me and super cute! Sprinkle coated eggs! So pretty! Source and tutorial

How fun is this idea?! Simple craft paper turns these stools into bunnies! Stash this idea away for other themes like zoo - you could put different animal tails! Source

If you are a wreath for the season/holiday person - this sweet little bunny wreath is on the must list! Source

More Easter! - more bunnies!

2013-03-21T19:09:00.002-04:00

I took a well deserved day off today! WOOT! Me and the hubby drove out of town to attend a baby consignment expo - what a bust! I was shocked at the prices! I mean 2/3 the price of a new item for a well-loved used one, hmmm... we'll pass! We'll stick to local garage sales lol. It was still a nice day out even though it was snowing at the beginning of the day! COME ON SPRING ALREADY!

... Anyone else not realize Easter was so early this year?! Here's some more inspiration!

How cute are these bunny butts?! Super cute! Pretzels with icing and a marshmallow -easy enough for everyone! Source and tutorial

These are such a fun idea for gifting! You can really apply this idea to any theme. Plastic item, mason jars and spray paint! Source and tutorial

Download these bunny templates and use as menu cards, place cards or art activity for the kids! A white carnation, cotton or tuft of tulle would make an adorable tail! Source and download

Now on to Easter! ...bunny inspiration!

2013-03-18T17:18:00.002-04:00

Now that we have St. Patty's behind, it's time to kick into Easter gear! Though it still feels like Christmas weather here! It even flurried today! WTH?! So not ok!

How adorable are these oreo cake pop bunnies!? Perfect for the basket or give in a gift-wrapped box! Source and tutorial

If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the first example, try these guys that start with a lindt truffle! Source and tutorial

Another half-homemade bunny...Guess what these fun little bunny faces are made out of?! Nutter butters! I would love to see a cute photo-op with everyone holding theirs up! Source and tutorial

Happy St Patty's Day!

2013-03-17T17:26:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! It still feels like winter here, ugh! Even threats of snow tonight grrrr.... we have been working on baby prep all weekend - woot! Hubby is working on painting the nursery today, he has been so great taking on house project he normally would kill not to do. I am dreaming of the day my back doesn't hurt and I can move around more functionally!

anyway... here's an awesome idea for doing gingham on cookies! Stash for not just St' Patrick's Day!

source and tutorial

Happy International Pi day!

2013-03-14T18:47:00.001-04:00

I figured I would join in the fun of posting pie inspiration today in celebration of Pi day ;o)

Stash these adorable cuties for a BBQ! Mini pies with a layer of icecream, count me in! Source

These mini lemon meringue pies would be so cute to serve up at any event! Source and recipe

These donut shaped pies look so cute tied off with a ribbon! Source and tutorial

Ballerina party ideas and inspiration

2013-03-13T18:44:00.001-04:00

We snuck in a few days of sunshine and slightly warmer temps here! WOOT! Hope you guys are thawing out too! Thanks for sticking with me as I post when I can/feel up to it - 74 days to go to the little guy arrives!

A lot of my friends have their daughters in recitals lately, so I wanted to do another Ballet party theme post. Don't forget about older, but still fresh!, Frosting for a ballet theme here (link)

Make a big impact with a backdrop of tutus! You can even feel good about making your own - because they don't have to fit anyone lol Source

Spray paint mason jars and top with ballerinas (sold here: link) and fill with cotton candy (or anything really!) for a fun favor! Source

Pink chocolate dipped nutter butters become darling little ballerina cookies! Source and tutorial

Spring party inspiration: Flowers

2013-03-11T17:38:00.000-04:00

It was almost 60 here today (even if it only last an hour or two lol!) but it has me having such Spring fever! The trees are starting to bud up for growth so I know it won't be long! Definitely has me thinking about flowers and the garden and fresh veggies! Hurry Spring!

Here are a few Flower ideas to stash away for your upcoming Spring events:

We'll go through a couple levels of craftiness today... anyone can attempt this - store bought or boxed made cupcakes can win over the crowd with slices of marshmallow attached to a dum-dum pop! Source and tutorial

Two cookie cutters (Flower and mini circle) you can create these adorable fruit flowers! If you want an extra dab of Frosting, add a bow or paper flag to coordinate with your event! Source (lollipop sticks here)

Using a small paring knife, turn carrot and zucchini or cucumber slices into mini flowers! Source and tutorial

If you are feeling super adventurous... attempt these beautiful cake pops! Source and tutorial

St. Patrick's Day - Cookies!

2013-03-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

We are hunkering down tonight - the wind is like a hurricane here! What is with all the wind all the time now?! We are supposed to get snow tonight (ugh!)...hoping Spring starts showing itself soon! I need some cheer around here!

I always love the look of part dipped cookies... these Irish Cream dipped shamrocks don't disappoint! These would be so pretty done up in a box and taken to work, given to the teachers or coaches! Source and recipe

Double up your cookies! Do a rainbow base and sprinkle shamrock top! Just use a little icing to "glue" them together! You can even get the kids in on this one to decorate their own! Source and tutorial

Have a Disney fan in the house? Make this fun twist on Mickie shorts! Source and tutorial

St. Patty's Day - ideas for the grown-ups!

2013-03-04T18:11:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a great weekend! We made great progress on the nursery - woot! and I got a lot of needed rest in! Hopefully starting to feel much better and get life back on track! Really wish the weather didn't tease us about Spring because it's back to being freezing!

St. Patrick's Day celebrations aren't just about the kids! Let the adults have some fun too!

What's an Irish theme without Irish coffee? These are served up so fun in shamrock glasses with a fresh clover. Source and recipe

Guinness definitely needs to make an appearance! Why not give it a twist and serve as a float?! Source and recipe

Need something a little stronger? These green grey goose cocktails might do the trick! Source and recipe

Need to get in some food to help balance all that above! lol... Corned beef and cabbage wraps would be so appropriate...and delicious! Source and recipe

Sock Monkey Party Ideas and Inspiration

2013-02-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

WOOT! It finally started creeping into Spring weather today! I hope it stays this way for a while! Physical therapy is finally starting to help my poor pregger body and fingers crossed for enough rest to work on the nursery some more this weekend!

Sock monkeys seems to be coming back in full force popularity lately (of course the Pier1 sock monkey commercial is in my head right now!) and they would make an excellent party theme! Here's some inspiration if you want to throw a Sock Monkey bash...

Set up a brown paper bag (or sock) Sock Monkey Puppet station! Include all kinds of fun craft items the kids can decorate theirs with and you can even set up a puppet theater for them to do a little show! Source

Dip the ends of pretzel rods for quick, easy "monkey tails"! Source

How fun would it be to impress your guests with these sock monkey cake balls? Source and tutorial

For your favors put together a quick oatmeal cookie mix in a mason jar topped with Sock Monkey fabric! Source

St.Patty's Day inspiration

2013-02-26T17:47:00.000-05:00

Is everyone ready to start thinking Spring yet?! I have dreams of a BBQ right now! I'll have to settle on St. Patty's Day and Easter meanwhile! My coworkers have been so bummed I haven't felt well enough to be baking for them ;o) so hopefully good days are ahead so I can get back into the kitchen! What have you been making lately?

Some ideas to help inspire your St. Patty's Day celebration! Don't forget about older, but still fresh!, Frosting for St. Patrick's Day here (link)

I love how creative minds work! How stinkin fabulous are these Leprechaun hats?! Plastic cups, green M&Ms and sugar cookies (you could even rock some store bought ones!) are the bulk of these cutie! Source and tutorial

How about making "bag o'luck" - rocks spray painted gold with a shamrock on one! I bet with gold luster dust, you could even come up with an edible version of these! Source and tutorial

How much would these cake pop pots of gold impress?! Super adorable! Source and tutorial

If you are feeling time crunched or you didn't win the craft skill award of the year ;o)... put together these adorable "St Patty's Day in a Jar" for favors! Source and tutorial