To celebrate National BBQ Week (27th May – 2nd June 2013), those Great British Chefs have kindly shared a couple of recipes to make your summer party sizzle. First up, a seasonal asparagus recipe from the brilliant Norfolk chef Galton Blackiston – great for veggies too (National Vegetarian Week happens to be this week: 20-26th May).

Ingredients

• 160 g feta cheese
• 200 g tomatoes
• 500 g fresh spinach
• 1 onion
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 550 ml soy milk
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• ½ tsp chilli oil
• 4-5 tsp cornflour
• 8 tbsp cold water
• 200 g fresh green lasagne sheets

Method

1. Grate the feta cheese roughly on a cheese grater. Cut the tomatoes into 0.5 cm slices.

2. Wash the spinach and remove the stalks. Peel the onion and chop finely.

3. Heat a frying pan, add the oil and sweat the onion until transparent. Add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring soy milk, vegetable stock and chilli oil to the boil. Mix the cornflour with the cold water, add to the liquid and cook for about 1 minute until it thickens.

5. Assemble the lasagne in a 15 x 22 cm gratin dish: 200 g sauce; a layer of pasta; half of the spinach and half of the feta cheese; a layer of pasta; 300 g sauce, the remaining spinach and the tomato slices; a layer of pasta, followed by the remaining sauce and feta cheese.

6. Prick the lasagne a few times with a sharp knife (this prevents the lasagne from inflating while cooking). Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ºC for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe taken from Tibits at Home

Combining home-baked treats with old-fashioned games set against a bright background of stripes and spots, what could be more apt as the weather brightens than a Village Fair Party? Ideal for celebrating a child’s birthday party with friends and family.

Bring all the fun of the fair to your day with pretty striped party-ware which calls to mind a certain era as well as the concept of the Great British summer. Evoke an old-fashioned atmosphere packed with candy-stripes, billowing flags and general excitement. Send out these jolly tent invitations to let guests know what treats await them.  If you want to make your own at home, printed ADMIT ONE tickets bearing the party details will make an interesting alternative.

Decorate the area with mixed bunches of brightly coloured balloons filled with helium – classic balloons look best here. These adorable character balloon weights are pretty enough to dot about the centre of your table. Compliment these with hanging paper pinwheels and patterned bunting hung up over the party area. Add a Happy Birthday banner on the wall behind the table. Drape the table itself with a striped cover if you have one, a spotty party cloth or one in a plain bright colour to which you can add funfair party napkins, spotted plates and cups.

This marvellous ferris-wheel centrepiece is sure to delight; add a few fairground tent cake boxes to recreate the scene in miniature. Cupcake wrappers and toppers will dress your cakes beautifully; stack these on a tiered cake-stand as an interesting alternative to a big cake. Add fun party hats at each place and put stripy straws in the drinks for some added Enid Blyton. Eco-friendly bamboo cutlery suits this theme well.

This party theme is straight from the pages of wholesome stories of your childhood, so serve retro funfair food and drinks to match. To drink, some old-fashioned pink lemonade for the kids and pitchers of Pimm’s for the adults. Hot dogs are easy to prepare and perfect carnival fare – provide different toppings to add on striped platters. There are plenty of sweet funfair favourites which would make great stations to set up; a popcorn or candy floss stand, or an ice-cream bar complete with tubs and lots of sweets and sprinkles.

Just like you would at a funfair, set up various games and activities in different parts of the house that small groups can play simultaneously; for example, you could have fishing for plastic ducks in the bathroom, a skittle alley in the hallway, a balloon pop game in the living room and a funfair treasure hunt throughout the house. If the weather is good, the garden provides heaps more scope for outdoor activities at this party, adding all kinds of races to the agenda.  Make sure that like any good fairground, you have a good stock of party prizes up your sleeve!

Take everyone’s picture in a photo-booth area set up with a striped background, paper props and dressing up and send these out with the thank-you letters as a memory of the day. Be sure to hang Village Fair signs around to add to the feel. You could send people home with a spotty party bag, packed with old-fashioned goodies such as bubbles, a whoopee cushion, fortune-teller fish and a cupcake in a box. Alternatively opt for party bag kits, for extra convenience.

For more ideas on the funfair party theme, check out our board on Pinterest.

We are giving one lucky reader the chance to WIN £150 of Boden vouchers and two runners up will receive £50 vouchers each. For all you mums out there, why not treat yourself this spring.

COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED!

We are so excited to be joining forces with our friends at Boden once more – we all adore them! 

Whether you need a smart new shirt for your boys or have a little girl desperate for a new party dress the choices are endless!  Boden are known for their bold prints and quality fabrics and whether you are shopping for work or play they will have just what you need.

Boden offer a vast range of clothing for Women, Men, Girls, Boys and Babies so whatever the age look no further…

www.boden.co.uk

Once a true Boden shopper always a Boden shopper.

To enter simply complete the form below – COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED!

Terms and Conditions

1. To enter the competition you must be a resident in the UK.
2. No purchase is necessary.
3. Only one entry per person is permitted.
4. To enter the competition, please complete the form above.
5. The winner will be drawn by Party Pieces.
6. The closing time & date is 11.59pm 16/05/2013
7. By entering the competition the winner agrees to participate in any promotional activity or material that Party Pieces may require.
8. No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.
9. Prize is not transferable & is subject to availability.
10. If an advertised prize becomes unavailable, we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
11. Incorrectly completed entries will be discarded.
12. Entrants must not be employed by Party Pieces or Boden.
13. Any personal data relating to entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. Data will only be used by Party Pieces and Boden, and will not be disclosed to a third party without the individual’s prior consent. Please see Party Pieces privacy policy for further details.
14. Party Pieces reserves the right to amend these rules at any time or cancel the competition due to unforeseen circumstances. A notice will be made if this happens.

Would you like to win a fantastic break to the LEGOLAND Resort, Windsor? Enter our simple competition and you could win an amazing two-day family getaway, courtesy of our friends at Play-and-Stay.co.uk, the online family breaks specialists.   Good Luck!

We’re giving away a fabulous family break to the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort for two adults and two children. Once there you will enjoy two amazing days at the popular UK attraction.

Boasting over 55 rides and attractions, LEGOLAND welcomes a range of new and exciting attractions for 2013, including; Brand New Duplo Valley and Drench Towers, UK’s largest outdoor water play structure. The lucky winner will win 2 days entry to the Park, a fantastic overnight stay in an Adventure, Kingdom or Pirate-themed room at the amazing LEGOLAND Resort Hotel, complete with delicious breakfast. Plus you’ll have the opportunity to experience the brand new rides and attractions as well as old favourites like the LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience, Laser Raiders and The Dragon.

For a chance to win this fabulous family getaway, enter our competition by answering the question below.

With so much to see and do at LEGOLAND, everyone will have an amazing time at one of the most imaginative places in Britain — so go ahead and enter today — Good luck!

Terms and Conditions

1. Entrants must be 18 or over.
2. Prize is available for two adults and two children sharing a family room at the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel (or one of our nearby hotels) including two day park entry and breakfast.
3. Stay date is subject to availability
4. Maximum prize value is £300.
5. Travel is not included.
6. Prize must be taken before 31st October 2013.
7. No purchase is necessary.
8. Only one entry per person is permitted.
9. To enter the competition, please complete the form above.
10. The winner(s) will be drawn by Party Pieces.
11. The closing time / date is 11.59pm 31/05/2013
12. By entering the competition the winner(s) agree(s) to participate in any promotional activity or material that Party Pieces may require.
13. No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.
14. Prize is not transferable & is subject to availability.
15. If an advertised prize becomes unavailable, we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
16. Incorrectly completed entries will be discarded.
17. Entrants must not be employed by Party Pieces or playandstay.
18. Any personal data relating to entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. Data will only be used by Party Pieces and playandstay, and will not be disclosed to a third party without the individual’s prior consent. Please see Party Pieces privacy policy for further details.
19. Party Pieces reserves the right to amend these rules at any time or cancel the competition due to unforeseen circumstances. A notice will be made if this happens.

Star Wars and all characters, names and related indicia are © 2013 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved.
LEGO®, the LEGO logo, the Brick configuration, the Minifigure and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO® Group © 2013 The LEGO Group.

Rainy days will subside and sunny spells will reign (we hope). Then it’s time to dust off the barbecue and ask friends round for a party in the garden as you never know how long it will last! Beating the rain is all part of the fun at a thoroughly British BBQ…

In the summer months when we all want to be outside, barbecues are a great party choice. Why not give your barbecue a quintessentially British twist, with Union Jack party-ware and a few jolly fete accessories to boot. It’s nearly National Barbecue Week, so here are a few ideas to get you into the mood…

As the weather can be so unpredictable, the key to a successful cook-out is in the planning. Firstly, stock up in advance on all your party catering supplies so you can take advantage of dry days. In addition to themed party-ware, napkins and cups, plastic platters and dishes are great for repeated use and bamboo tableware is an eco-friendly choice as well as hardy enough to hold generous portions.

Make sure you’ve scrubbed your grill and stocked up on gas or charcoal, as well as brushing up on your best barbecue recipes. Marinade your meats in the fridge in advance to and light the coals early so you have a ready cooking surface when you want it. The oven is a great back-up, being useful for starting off the cooking of meats such as chicken, to ensure they are cooked through, as well as keeping cooked foods warm. Have plenty of salads and sides which you can prepare in advance, and keep guests cool with jugs of Pimm’s, cans of soft drink and bottles of beer from a cooler bin. For dessert, a pile of meringues topped with raspberries, strawberries and cream can’t be beaten and is easy to assemble.

If you feel like decorating, outdoor bunting in red, white and blue will give the garden an English-fete feel and won’t spoil if there’s rain. If you’re sure of sunshine or are decorating indoors, use pretty patterned fete flag bunting. The kids will enjoy making these I Love London paper-chains, for a touch of added British-ness. A few helium balloons in corners tied to weights will create an extra special birthday atmosphere, as well as giving the kids something to take home afterwards. Add foil number balloons for age.

It wouldn’t be a fete without a few games, so dot a few outdoor activities around the garden, such as a tin can alley, a fete treasure hunt game and a relay race or two. If you have a gazebo, put it up, just in case! Parasols are useful over tables of food and this candle holder will fit perfectly around the base for when night falls. Provide some emergency ponchos and make sure you clear some space inside the house for everyone to retreat into, if necessary…

Click here to shop for loads more summer party supplies.

Each spring, nature is teeming with activity and nowhere is this more apparent than down on the farm. For a toddler’s birthday party, start the day with a trip to see the animals at a local farm and then treat them to a farmyard themed birthday tea.

Able to recognise cows, sheep, ducks, chickens, pigs and horses – as well as their sounds – from rounds of ‘Old McDonald’, from toys and in picture books from an early age, children love farm animals, making a farmyard birthday party theme ideal for toddlers of both genders. Send out farm-themed invitations featuring friendly animal characters. Its hard to enforce a fancy dress code on such youngsters, but they could all be encouraged to come in their best ‘farm-style’ dungarees.

Decorate with a few Farm Friends balloons tied in corners as well as loose on the floor, which the kids can play with during the party. Give them each a helium balloon to take home, tied around their wrist. Hang a Farm Friends Happy Birthday banner on the wall above the party table, behind the birthday child, a backdrop for great photographs as they (you) blow out the candles on their cake. If they stay on heads for more than three seconds, party hats are an adorable extra.

Whereas you might want to dress up party food to suit the theme with older kids, with toddlers keep the food simple and serve fruit chunks and vegetable sticks, bread spread with jam, honey or Marmite and fruit squash. Toddlers will make a mess at the table, so it’s best to keep decorations to a minimum. Secure the tablecloth with clips and serve the food on eye-catching farm-themed party plates with animal faces on them. The birthday cake could be covered in chocolate or green icing and topped with their favourite farm animals, or try this pig cake kit – easy to assemble and sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

If your child is much younger and you are catering to a crowd of older relatives rather than trying to engage toddler friends, then this Happy Little Farm range presents a more delicate farmyard look. Good for a girl’s 1^st birthday or a Christening, it could also work well for a Baby Shower, with its pastel hues.

For farmyard party activities, picture books, balloons, a farmyard set and your child’s toys will keep little ones very happy for an hour or so until it’s time to go home. A few dancing sessions to a soundtrack of favourite classic nursery rhymes will be popular too. For their party bag include a soft farm toy, some animal voices and perhaps a tube of bubbles.

For more ideas for farmyard party ideas for toddlers and older children, please check out our Pinterest board.

As the summer stretches out ahead, daydreams turn to events in the fresh air. Festivals are a huge part of the fun, but if you’re not up for risking the weather and pitching your tent, create a festival atmosphere at home – great for a teenager or adult’s birthday party.

Picture yourself standing there, cider in hand, singing along happily to your favourite band. Now imagine it in the comfort of your own garden, with a crowd of your closest friends and a soundtrack tailored especially (best of all, you don’t have to queue for the loo).

Fire up the barbecue and host a pot luck, to which friends can each bring a salad, a side or dessert. Set out your buffet station for everyone to help themselves, lay out some blankets on the grass and eat picnic- style. The We Love Glamping theme, eco-friendly bamboo and enamel partyware are also ideal solutions if you’re planning to on venturing further afield for an outdoor concert this summer. if you’re heading to Proms in the Park, don’t forget your Union Jack partyware.

For a big birthday or a children’s party, go to town with festival details. Designate a stage area and build yourself a bank of speakers from rows of painted cardboard boxes; the perfect place for the karaoke band to rock out with their inflatable guitars and giant microphones. Almost as good as the live music experience but less likely to burst your eardrums! Decorate a big banner with the name of your festival, to hang on the front of the stage. Decorate by stringing lanterns and bunting around the perimeter.

Pack them each a party box full of festival party food, plus a few extra treats, like novelty sunglasses, glow sticks and candy whistles plus a poncho in case of rain. Print out VIP name and photo passes for each of them, loop them with string and hand these out as they arrive, or for a larger crowd, hand out homemade wristbands – one colour for kids and one for adults. If the party music will be loud, best give the neighbours ample warning – better still, ask them along too – and make yours a daytime festival.

Organise some outdoor games and if it’s hot enough, break out the water games. Hang up a guitar pinata. The kids may want to bring tents and pitch them for a sleepover party, in which case, have quieter activities and midnight feasts handy. Falcon enamelware is hardy enough to withstand some ‘festival-style’ wear and tear as well as being perfect for hot chocolate. As night falls, suspend a glitter ball to twinkle as it turns, and have a few outdoor lights, lanterns and sparklers for extra atmosphere.

Instead of going all-out with a vintage look for your wedding reception, a few touches here and there will give it a touch of the antique without looking contrived or messy. Go over the top and any homemade, personal touches get lost, and you want these special extras to be noticed. We suggest adding a few key items as accents to crisper coloured wedding schemes in white or ivory.

Here are a few of our favourite vintage-look accessories from the Party Pieces wedding ranges to get you started.

1. To Have and to Hold Garland
This subtle and delicate lace-look garland makes a refreshing change to bunting and harks back to the idea of ‘something old’.

2. To Have and To Hold Invitation Set
Start as you mean to go on and invite your guests with these pretty, lace-look decorations. These are classicly beautiful and minimal – you can almost imagine Grace Kelly sending hers out!

3. Truly Scrumptious Party Plates
Add a touch of an antique tea set by serving your wedding cake on decorated paper plates, a change from the more formal plain crockery on your tables and much easier to carry around.

4. Honeycomb Hanging Bird Decorations
Pompoms and paper decorations are all the range  and we reckon that a few of these lovebirds strung from trees or the ceiling at the reception add a pretty touch amongst them. They could be hung above the cake table, or from the back of the happy couple’s chairs.

5. Truly Scrumptious Party Napkins
Like the plates, these will add just a touch of pattern to your table spread, when its time for dessert. Alternatively, have them to hand with pre-dinner drinks and canapes.

6. Butterfly Venue Signs
Handy and more eye-catching than a homemade version, you can keep these signs and use again and again for other parties.

7. Vintage Rose Blackboards
Use these handy boards for your table numbers, or perhaps to designate different cocktails or desserts.

8. Butterfly Paper Windmills
As well as being decorative these are fun for the kids to play with. Could be stuck  into flower arrangements or the beds in the garden to spin in the breeze.

9. Vintage Lace Party Wooden Bird Pegs
Use these to affix names to seating plans, to fasten party favour bags or secure place cards to napkins. They’ll double up as favours for kids too.

10. Vintage Lace Party Striped Paper Straws
Add as an exciting extra to pink lemonade and other fizzy drinks in bottles for kids for a retro, funfair touch. Kids love straws in party drinks!

If you’re a Eurovision fan, get behind your favourite nation on Saturday 18th May and gather fellow aficionados for an evening of Euro-Pop madness, with fancy dress, food, dancing and questionable voting tactics. Complete the evening with a karaoke session of your own…

We know that when it comes to enjoying the Eurovision Song Contest each year, we’re not that concerned by the entrant with the best singing voice – it’s more about spectacle and don’t forget a large dose of patriotism!

Make the theme Eurovision Fancy Dress and assign a different country to each partygoer, or ask them to come as their all-time favourite Eurovision act. Make sure you’re asking Eurovision-philes rather than phobes. Lay the table and decorate the house in the colours of the host nation’s flag, in this year’s case blue and yellow for Sweden. Put up a big scoreboard which you can fill in with the competing nations’ official scores, as well as your own. A glitter microphone, some inflatable guitars and some glowing illoom balloons will add an 80′s soft rocker look. a few waving flags and face paints are fun for distinguishing the younger supporters. Get behind our home nations and use Union Jack partyware.

To make things interesting serve a buffet of party snacks native to your homeland or to the hosting country. Swedish party food ideas might include meatballs, gravadlax and crispbreads topped with ham, cheese, smoked fish pate and bowls of pickled vegetables. Seeing as it is a celebration, you could go all out and create a version of the Swedish party food classic: a Smorgastorta –  a savoury cake made from layers of bread that you can fill with ham, prawns, smoked salmon and cream cheese and decorate with hard-boiled egg and lots of salads. To drink, you could make up a punch – we love this Scandinavian Pop from Wayne Collins as well as other Eurovision food ideas on the BBC website.

It wouldn’t be the Song Contest without voting (however dubious the motives), so get everyone to put theirs in and hold a sweepstake for the winning nation, with everyone putting a small prize into the pot. You can follow up the announcement of the real winner with a karaoke session of your own, if you’re all feeling brave… Warn your guests in advance if this is to happen! Hand out a prize to the worthy winner (perhaps they can host next year’s party..?).