Gorgeous flower centerpieces, with a Tiffany blue surrounding….  visit the Hostess blog to see inspiration from this “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Bridal shower.  I love that she used inexpensive carnations and then dressed them up with pretty blue ribbons.  Simple, elegant, nice!

Tiffany inspired cookies, from the Amy Atlas blog.  To make similar cookies – you’ll need a “gift box  cutter’.  You can find the in the baking aisles of crafts stores such as Hobby Lobby or Click Here for an Online Source.  You can simply use white icing for the ribbon or if you want to use fondant – that also can be purchased from craft stores and some bakeries.  Or Click Here for an easy to make and work with, as well as delicious, Marshmallow Fondant Recipe.

Or how about putting a chocolate truffle or macaroon cookies in blue boxes as Eat, Drink, Pretty has done:

And what about cakes?  Look at this fab Tiffany cake that features an”open box”, from Pink Cake Box.  To find other fabulous Tiffany Cake Pictures go to Google.com/Images and type in “Tiffany Cake Pictures”. When you find one (or three!) that you must have, print out a picture and take to your bakery to replicate.

Or these simple, but elegant Tiffany cupcakes, from Grin and Bake it.  (Be sure to click through to the post – there are three great frosting recipes included!) To find other fabulous Tiffany Cupcake Pictures go to Google.com/Images and type in “Tiffany Cupcake Pictures”.

And, of course, we have plenty of fun Tiffany theme favors in the Diva Entertains shop.

Tiffany White Chocolate Dipped Oreos,  Tiffany Cupcake Toppers

Tiffany Magnet Favors, Tiffany Candy Wrappers

Are you inspired?  I am!

Let’s start with the GIRLS!  Here is a fab tutorial for making cute ladybug party decorations, from the hostessblog.com.  These are really easy to make!:

One of the BEST ladybug party posts I’ve seen can be found at bee in our bonnet;  make sure you click through to it for wonderful lady bug party pictures and inspiration.  My favorite, FAVORITE idea from this post?  These adorable ladybug pretzels made using colored candy melts found at every craft store in the baking aisle.:

I mentioned butterflies, didn’t I?  Well, if you are planning a butterfly theme party, you need to check out this tutorial for making butterfly cupcake toppers.  A-DOR-ABLE!  Everything needed to make these can be found at craft stores.  (don’t forget to print out a coupon when purchasing the butterfly punch.)

And now.. for the BOYS!  I found a ton of links and inspirations for “icky” bug party theme ideas.  This corn dog centipede was one of my favorites.  Check out the Hungry Happenings blog to get details on how to make these:

From Creative Juice, a tutorial on making bug party favor sticks AND skewer stand FOR the favor sticks.  They also show how to make a DIY cake pop stand (used her for the party sticks) by covering floral foam with decorative paper.  I do this all the time!

From Oh Goodie Designs, check out the “best bug party EVER” post, with tons and tons of photos for bug party inspiration.  I can’t quite decide on a favorite idea, but if I HAD to pick, it would probably be the worm holes and ants-on-a-stick goodies.  CUTE, CUTE!

And you simply can’t have a BUG party without a DIRT cake!  Check out this post from Cookie Mondays, about her son’s Bug Party in the Park.  FABULOUS fun ideas, and a yummy (?) looking Dirt-N-Worms Cake!

What about using orchids as centerpieces, but tagged with a “please take home” note?  Photo below from MarthaStewartWeddings.com.   Or individual bud vases as favors and your table decorations.  You can purchase glass bud vases for less than $1 each (check craft stores, walmart, etc.) or small terra cotta pots (even less expensive) and put a single flower in each, set it at each guest’s table setting with a tag letting them know they should take it home.  Herbs are perfect to put in the mini terra cotta pots.  Gorgeous and very budget friendly! If you don’t want to make your own tags you can purchase customized tags for your plants HERE.

Look at these super cute matchbox favors that double as place cards, from MarthaStewartWeddings.com.  You can also print a message on decorated paper (make a rectangular template) and simply cut them out and attach to the top and bottoms of matches with double-sided tape; easy!:

And one more from Martha Stewart… give your guests waterproof bags to take home the flowers from your centerpieces!  I also love the idea of have large vases of long stem roses or other beautiful flowera and having guests take one and put the stem in these pretty bags as they leave.  Instead of making a grand entrance they’ll be making a grand exit!

Planning a “southwest” theme party?  Then check out these adorable little cactus favors/centerpieces:

And what about the ever popular “candy bar” idea?  But… instead of setting up a separate place for the candy bar, why not use filled candy jars in the middle of your tables as your centerpiece, and include bags (and a scoop) for guests to scoop candy for taking home?

What other ways could you use favors as decorations?  We’d love to hear YOUR ideas!

In case you hadn’t considered a purse theme party,  I have some fab links for you to help get you started!

Check out this wonderful tutorial on how to make a purse cake, from CakeJournal.com.  This is actually quite easy if you purchase fondant.  It is sold in the baking aisle of large craft stores and bakeries often are willing to sell you fondant too.  Also – marshmallow fondant is easy to make and easy to work with.  And delicious!:

If cupcakes are more your style… look at these “fashionably chic”  purse cupcakes! The “how-to” for these cupcakes can be found in the Cupcakes, Cookies and Pie, Oh, My book by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Of course, if designing an entire purse cupcake might be too much, you can always make fondant purse cupcake toppers.  The Wilton site shows a quick and easy way to make adorable fondant purses, which you can make in any color you desire!

Now, how about centerpieces?  We have this lovely purse centerpiece in the Diva Entertains shop:

And check out this tutorial, from styrofoamcrafts.com… a pink posy purse centerpiece:

Finally, you can’t forget favors!  We have an entire section devoted to purse party favors in the DE shop. Manicure sets, favor bags, and even Oreo cookies!

This delicious recipe and beautiful photography comes courtesy of Katie at Epicurean Mom.  It’s an easy raspberry cheesecake recipe enriched with raspberry puree – that’s what gives it the great pink coloring and added flavor.  You can easily make the raspberry puree using frozen raspberries found in the frozen section of your supermarket.   Don’t want to make the homemade puree? Substitute 1/4 cup of raspberry preserves!

       Print This!    

And today’s post will be devoted to Valentine cookie recipes and tutorials!

I think I may have shared this recipe/tutorial before, but they are just so pretty, and I think perfect for unique (non-heart) Valentine cookies.  From Sprinkle Bakes, colorful spiral cookies:

From Glorious Treats, check out this wonderful recipe and how-to… gorgeous Valentine heart cookies, without a lot of effort (or talent) required! And here’s a video on How To Flood Cookies, that’s the white part below.  I never realized how easy it is to do!

Here is something TRULY unique… AND fat-free and calorie free!!  OK, it’s not an ACTUAL cookie, but I just loved these, and couldn’t help sharing.  Valentine Fortune Cookies, made from scrapbook paper!  Included with the tutorial is a FREE download with circles and fortune cookie print-outs… or you can create your own with her helpful instructions!

You’ve heard of the Pioneer Woman, right?  (Just say yes, even if you haven’t). She has a super-fun chocolate cookie recipe to create Valentine’s Day Cookies (you can buy stencils very inexpensively at craft stores):

And finally… these days, it just wouldn’t be right to do a cookie post without including at least ONE Valentine cookie POP recipe!  So, from Pillsbury, here you go! (Cookies On A Stick are all the rage!)

OR, you can follow a tutorial and learn how to decorate shoes easily and inexpensively! Who would have ever thought that Glam Shoes were so easy to make?

I have several tutorials for you to check out.  They all are similar, but as a visual person, I like having photos and choices and as many instructions as I can get.  (Especially if I’ll be applying glitter to a pair of shoes!)

First up, from Wobisobi, a “re-style” tutorial, with details on how to “fix” up a scratched heel with glitter.  I will definitely be using this home shoe repair trick in the future!

And a tutorial on making glitter SOLES of your heels… from The Kurtz Corner:

Now, so far… it’s just been glitter on heels and soles… but what if you want to learn how to glitter heels – as in an entire GLITTER SHOE? No problem!

Check out THIS tutorial from A Pair & a Spare:

And this one from Frock and Roll – hot pink glitter heels!

So… my question to YOU is… would you glitter glam a pair of shoes?  And if so, what COLOR glitter?  Gold?  Hot Pink?  Neon Green?

From The Sweetest Occasion, check out this tutorial on making Vintage Contact Paper banners – perfect for decorating for a vintage wedding theme or birthday party!

Need style ideas for your table and place settings?  Click on over to the Gallery at Style Me Pretty.

From the At RuffledBlog learn out how to create a fabulous Vintage Wallpaper Photo Booth for your wedding reception!

A tutorial so easy, it’s mostly just photo inspiration!  Look at these wonderful vintage votives trimmed with lace, from Annaboo’s House:

There are lots and lots of fabulous cake and cupcake designers out there, but I found one from the UK who really seems to GET the vintage glam idea.  Check out the Cotton and Crumb cupcake gallery HERE. (And be sure to click around the site to see a lot of other amazing dessert and cake designs too!) When you see something (or two or three) that you like – print out the photo and take it to your bakery to replicate!  For a fun and delightful twist – serve your vintage cupcakes in teacups – no crumbs!

Early in my marriage I discovered that my husband loves dark chocolate.  And dark chocolate pudding goes straight to the top of the list!  In an earlier post I shared this Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe.  It was my favorite version before I found the one featured today.  I really can’t say one is better than the other – just different because of the ingredients.  My original does not include eggs while today’s does.  That makes the texture a bit creamier.

Today’s pudding recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated magazine although I’ve modified it a bit.  Also – I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa but it certainly isn’t necessary.

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Turn to Diva Entertains for fun and fabulous party favors!

AND…we’re also giving away our SECOND set of free Valentine printables.  Today’s sets are for the boys, since last week’s Valentine card designs were definitely “girly”.

Aren’t these cute?  Robots and outer space!  The colorful borders make them easy to cut, and the cards come eight to a sheet.  Simply download the PDFs, print them on your printer, cut and use!

You can CLICK HERE to download the Robot cards.

And CLICK HERE to download the Outer Space cards.

HAPPY FRIDAY!