Crafting, holiday and home projects are easy with our ultimate guide to cute craft ideas, fun tutorials and tips. Pick from tons of DIY projects to be inspired and start trying a new hobby today!
Looking for a quick and delicious treat to bring as a hostess gift or party food for an Easter egg hunt this season? These cute Easter egg hunt treats are sure to please your guests and they only take a minute to make. That is my kind of party food! If you have made our … Read more
As a party planner I spend countless hours searching the internet for the perfect party or picture prop, party favor, creative decoration or party activity. Sometimes it is challenging to find exactly what I have dreamed up, and other times it is just WAY too expensive and out of my, or my client’s budget. Most … Read more
You know I can’t let a holiday pass without a free printable! 😉 I whipped up a little Easter printable for Easter treats, classroom parties, egg hunt party favors…you name it! 🙂 You can download the free Easter printable here: Looking for more Easter printables and ideas? You can find more of my favorites here: … Read more
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We’re celebrating today with one of our favorite breakfasts- rainbow pancakes. St. Patrick’s Day is an extra special day in our house because it is also Ashley’s birthday. She gets SO excited for the leprechaun to come…it has become quite a production in our house. The leprechaun trap building starts in … Read more
I am a sucker for a good holiday celebration! And since I am 1/4 Irish, I count down until March, when I get to cook up as much hearty Irish food as my family can handle, decorate with way too much green, and summon mischievous leprechauns to wreak a little havoc around the house, and … Read more
I don’t know about you guys, but one of the things my kids love most about Halloween is getting “boo’ed” by our friends and neighbors. Even more fun for them is getting to actually DO the booing! They love making the treats and then waiting patiently to run them over to the doorstep, knock and … Read more
Are you ready to reel in some fun??!! I had a blast working on my boys’ birthday party this year. I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much is because I teamed up with Angela of Angela Marie Events to collaborate on the styling. She brought so many creative ideas to … Read more
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your loved ones! 🙂 I wanted to let you all know how much I love and appreciate you! 🙂 Here’s a little present from me to you…but you need to act fast, because it’s only available today! 😉 You can download these … Read more
I can’t believe how fast January has flown by! I feel like I was just prepping for New Years and now it’s February already! Wow! I have been meaning to get this photographed and up on the blog for you and it has taken me WAY longer than I planned…that’s life I guess! 😉 I … Read more
I am so excited to share the valentine’s I’ve been working on this last week. I LOVE valentines day! It is just too fun to be able to create little fun handmade gifts for your friends and family. This Totally Kool Valentine is an option for you that is super reasonably priced, peanut-free (for all … Read more
Here’s an oldie but goodie…our most popular valentine ever…pinned hundreds of thousands of times! Wow!! Yep…you read that right! 🙂 These were created using pillow boxes a little satin ribbon, a 1.5 inch circle punch, a 2 inch scallop punch and some goldfish crackers. you know, a little salty to cut through all the sweets … Read more
I’m not much of a gamer, but thanks to my kids I am now a HUGE fan of Candy Crush. When I first saw this awesome Candy Crush themed party by Mona of Lush Parties, I knew I had to share it here! 🙂 The colors and fabulous details on all of the sweets are … Read more
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know that I LOVE making valentines!! 🙂 Each year I get such a kick out of coming up with something that is handmade and has a cute or corny saying. I start thinking of these things in about November and jot ideas down as I … Read more
The theme of this party was based off of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but we changed it to Breakfast at Lola’s (the birthday girls name). Instead of going with the traditional accent color of silver we did everything in GOLD. – The children’s tables were set up as a Kings Table on little mini 6 fts and … Read more
I was so excited when one of my best girlfriends told me her three-year-old requested a donut theme for his birthday party. Donuts… who doesn’t love donuts! We decided on Lane’s donut shop with a vintage flair. As guests arrived Saturday morning, everyone received their own apron and personalized donut hat. Lane served up lots … Read more
I have been wanting to do this for a LONG time. The black paint has been sitting in the garage calling my name, but I was afraid!!! 🙂 Last year when we had some stuff done to the house, I had Ash’s room wainscotted and painted pink and white. I LOVE it…but it has been … Read more
I LOVE Halloween. This year I’ve been a little bit of a slacker so far as far as decorating goes, but last year…I had some fun! 🙂 I threw a little shin-dig (more about that later 😉 ) and I wanted to do something really special…a show stopping feature. I decided on a Haunted Hospital theme … Read more
Can I just tell you how excited I am that Ding Dongs are back??!! I thought of this little idea last year, and no joke, within a week…Hostess announced they were closing down and Ding Dongs would be no more. I couldn’t believe my luck! Well, now after patiently waiting…they are back! Not in … Read more
These are such a quick and easy party snack and they are super cute to boot! They would work perfectly for just about any birthday party, Disney Monster’s Inc. Movie Party, or a Halloween party. Make them in any combination of colors to fit your theme. Here’s what you’ll need and the simple instructions to … Read more
You can’t have a great party without sweets, right? When I first surveyed the property at The Homestead at Bridle Creek looking for the perfect locations for each set-up, I found this pumpkin patch and KNEW I had to use it for the dessert shots. The pops of orange were too perfect against the black … Read more
So many of the great Halloween items that Pottery Barn has out this year are skeleton related. When I thought of putting together a dinner party, the theme of “bon appetit” with a little twist to “Bone Appetit” to make it spookier, just seemed too perfect. Adding in some of the awesome bug themed products they … Read more
On a recent trip to South Coast Plaza, I couldn’t help but linger at the windows of Pottery Barn with their beautiful displays, showing off the gorgeous offerings from their towering two story shop. I LOVE to walk in and browse for design and decorating ideas, and feel like, even if just for a moment, that I am living … Read more
I can’t believe it’s almost October already! I have been in Halloween mode for a few weeks now as I prepped for one of my favorite styled shoots of my career. So, I thought since the Bugs and Kisses tags have been so popular, it’s time for a 2013 Free Halloween Printable! 🙂 This is a … Read more
This summer has been so much fun. While I’m sad that the kids are getting older and I’m missing those little baby stages, it’s also fun to have kids that are getting old enough to participate in fun things like art camp! 🙂 A cute friend of mine who also has a little girl that … Read more
We are HUGE Disney fans at our house. I’m sure living minutes away from the Happiest Place on Earth doesn’t hurt, but with the amount of time that my kids spend watching The Disney Channel, I’m sure they would be huge fans anyways! I am always looking for a reason to throw a party, … Read more
Are you looking for a show-stopping idea for your 4th of July party this year? These layered drinks are incredible looking and easy as can be to make. It is absolutely as simple as pouring three pre-made, store bought drinks into a container or glass. Think you can handle it? 😉 Isn’t that cool? This … Read more
Just in time for all those 4th of July bbq’s I made a little 4th of July printable pennant banner for you! 🙂 It will go with all your 4th of July décor. 🙂 You can print it on your home computer, or take it to your favorite office supply store and have them print … Read more
There is something that is just so absolutely fun about all the bold, bright colors of the rainbow. You just can’t help but be happy! 🙂 I was able to create a new fun printable party set for this rainbow party for a darling little girl. It was SUCH a cute party! Here are all … Read more
I am so excited to share another party by the talented Kelly Allison! This adorable rainbow butterfly birthday party has so many great beautiful and budget friendly ideas I don’t even know where to start! Here are a few of my favorites: -Colored water in jars with a single white stem in each. So eye … Read more
Happy 4th of July! This week is always such a fun one with communities celebrating with 5k’s and pancake breakfasts, carnivals and street fairs…all leading up to the main event…BBQ’s and fireworks on the big night. I always feel such a sense of pride and gratitude for this country. I feel like so often we … Read more
Let’s just say it out loud…boys are kind of hard to shop for. I mean, they are easy in the sense that they really don’t want much more than a shirt or some sort of gadget, but when it comes to knowing what they really want and finding something kind of creative for them, I … Read more
It’s already the middle of September, and if you’re anything like me, you are wondering how we got here and why it feels like it should be Easter and not Halloween. 😉 Such a crazy year! We had a great introduction to fall earlier this week that fit perfectly with 2020. Monday was Labor Day … Read more
If you know me, you know I never turn down a chance to party…especially if there are tacos involved! I love the colorful vibe of a fiesta…everything goes! Heading into summer there is no better way to celebrate all season long than with tacos, cold drinks and colorful decor! I whipped up a little something … Read more
I have a confession to make…I’ve been pretty lazy about Halloween Decor this year. I can’t believe I’m saying that! I LOVE Halloween, but this year it has just kind of sneaked up on me and I feel like I am out of time! With the Orange County house renovation, unexpected overseas travel, busy senior … Read more
I can’t believe we are heading into the final push before Halloween! What are you guys doing this year? Is Halloween going to look pretty normal for you, or are restrictions and pandemic concerns keeping things limited? I’m not really sure what it’s going to look like around here. I hear rumors of trick or … Read more
This year’s wild pandemic situation has kind of left Halloween plans a bit up in the air, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop celebrating around here! Ash had already decided last year that it was her last year trick or treating, so fortunately she won’t feel like she’s missing out on much even … Read more
My kids anticipate the holidays almost as much for the new kids movies that are coming out as the food and presents! Over the summer I took my kids to the movies. During the previews, they had the cutest digital short from Pixar. It was about a slightly funny looking, but adorable snowman. A few … Read more
I am SO excited to be sharing some of our Christmas home with you today! With Thanksgiving falling so much later this year, it has thrown me for a loop trying to hurry and get things ready for Christmas. I don’t know about you guys, but I need that extra week in between Thanksgiving and … Read more
If you know me and have been following the blog for awhile, you know I love blue. Blue is soothing and serene and creates a calming vibe in any home, all while adding great color and style. It’s timeless too…I consider dark shades of blue to be neutrals like a good gray or beige. A … Read more
It’s always fun to get a few friends together and celebrate the holidays, and in our house we love to do that with movie nights. Putting something together that is cute doesn’t take a ton of effort, and for the kids, getting to invite some friends over for treats and a movie makes them feel … Read more
Baby it’s cold outside! As I write this I am sitting in front of the fireplace, staring at about 3 feet of snow outside my window. While I wish that spring was on it’s way, reality is that I am going to be cold for awhile still…so why not embrace it and celebrate with some … Read more
So, I had an idea. 😉 With quarantine not looking like it’s ending any time soon, I am working on something fun that I hope will help everyone keep kids busy and families having fun. I would rather have this time of uncertainty be a time making memories with our loved ones that time spent … Read more
I always love a good free printable, and Thanksgiving often gets overlooked here on the blog because I am all crazy planning for Christmas. 😉 I whipped up these Thanksgiving gift tags the other night and wanted to make sure to get them posted before I forget and the holiday is over! 😉 This post … Read more
I can hardly believe that we’ve already hit the time of the year where we’re talking about Easter! These years are flying by…although I think the next few weeks quarantined for COVID-19 will slow things down a bit. 😉 That’s not all bad though! I don’t know about you, but I have tons of things … Read more
December is here!! Yay for all things Christmas! Are your decorations up and ready to go? I love it when Thanksgiving falls just a little bit earlier in the month of December rather than on the 29th or something, because I love to have an extra few days after Thanksgiving to prepare for the month … Read more
It’s hard to believe that we are already getting down to the wire as far as buying our gifts for gift giving. I saw an email pop up in my inbox yesterday that said “Need a great last minute gift?!” I thought, what?! I haven’t even bought ONE gift yet and now it’s already last … Read more
Every year Ash likes to come up with a little something fun to give her friends at school the last day of school before Christmas break. It’s always a little bit of a challenge to find something cute and inexpensive enough to give to lots of people, so hopefully these fun free printable gift tags … Read more
It’s no secret that I love any excuse to party…we’re even known to have what has affectionately become known as “fake parties” here in our house just so I can have an excuse to set up something cute. HA! When Ashley mentioned getting a few girls from school together I immediately thought “PARTY!” but coming … Read more
I was watching the NCAA National Championship football game the other night and it hit me that we are almost to Super Bowl time! It’s kind of wild for me to think about because last year we had a fun family over last minute to watch the big game, and that was the last time … Read more
As it gets closer to Christmas I keep finding new little spots I want to add a little Christmas cheer to. One of our guest rooms is actually one of my favorite spots in the house because the beds just look so darn cute when they are all made up. (Maybe it’s really because no … Read more
Christmas and definitely the end of the school year are super busy times. Classroom parties, testing, holidays, vacations… it’s a crazy, sometimes overwhelming time of year. Let’s make it easy this year and get one thing out of the way. What to give your child’s teacher! Coming up with teacher gift ideas is just another … Read more
This past week I had the pleasure of celebrating the birthday of a very special girl. As went about planning this party, I wrestled with the idea of whether or not to share it here. You know I love to share all the things I am up to, in hopes that I can inspire some … Read more
The holidays are so much fun, but really, there is nothing quite like seeing the holidays through the eyes of a child. The years are fleeting…as a matter of fact, the pictures in this post are from years ago…and I can’t believe just how much the kids have grown. I feel like these pictures were … Read more
It’s that time of year when we are all looking for red and pink decor and fun heart shaped decorations to make. This wood button heart craft is my three favorite things: fun, easy and cute. In only a matter of minutes and with just a few supplies, many of which you probably already have … Read more
One of my greatest joys in life is gift giving. I LOVE the challenge of coming up with clever, thoughtful gifts for those that I love. I don’t always succeed, but I try really hard to pay attention to things that people mention in conversation and watch for clues throughout the year of things I … Read more
This sweet & bubbly Halloween sherbet punch is always a hit and the perfect punch for your Halloween parties this year!! Years ago…and I do mean years…I was nine and my parents were about to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. Can we say honeymoon baby?! Anyways, party planning is in my blood…I come by it … Read more
Guys, can I just tell you how much fun I am having working with Oriental Trading these days? When they emailed a few months ago and said hey…it’s Friday the 13th in September….let’s get our skeletons out of the closet and party, I couldn’t help but jump on board. They are introducing a bunch of … Read more
An ice cream party is a timeless classic perfect for any occasion. I remember back when I was in elementary school they used to have an ice cream sundae party every year at open house. I can’t remember all of the details, (because I’m old! lol!) but I’m sure it was a fundraiser designed to … Read more
Hello! Welcome to my very first home tour of the Christmas season! I’m so excited to be joining Tana and the other talented bloggers sharing their homes all decked for Christmas today! It’s so fun to have you here. Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes of your day with me! 🙂 I … Read more
I am a bit of a commitment phobe when it comes to putting holes in the walls. It’s hard enough to find the right piece of art for your home (here are a few of my favorites if you’re on the hunt!), but once you get it home, it’s even harder to decide just where … Read more
Cue “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” You know what that means!! Time for lots of free Halloween printable tags and cute ideas! I love these bold, graphic Happy Halloween tags with their cheery jack-o-lantern taking center stage. The bright orange pumpkin against that deep black background is attention grabbing for sure. Are … Read more
I am so excited to be joining forces with some of the most creative girls on the internet today and tomorrow for a fun Halloween DIY blog hop. I love any excuse to craft something up, and working with these girls is the best! If you are joining me from Bird’s Party blog, welcome! I … Read more
I am so excited to be a part of this blog hop today with 20 of my favorite blogging friends sharing gorgeous ideas for Thanksgiving table settings. I don’t know about you guys, but even if I don’t host thanksgiving, I still find myself cooking thanksgiving dinner for my own family a week or so … Read more
I really want my kids to appreciate Thanksgiving for what it is and understand how important it is. As part of our homeschool classroom party for Thanksgiving we had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast. I thought I would share some of these ideas with you in case you are looking for some Thanksgiving Feast Ideas for … Read more
I can’t believe that we are headed into the final month of school! Teacher appreciation week is just around the corner and you know how much I love to celebrate our teachers! If you are looking for the perfect teacher appreciation printable, look no further! I have a collection of super cute teacher appreciation printables … Read more
CHECK OUT THE UPDATED POST & NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIST FOR 2022 HERE!! The older my kids get, the harder it seems to shop for them…anyone else out there feel the same way? It used to be so easy to wander the aisles of Target and find a million things that I thought were … Read more
Easter is right around the corner and every year as the kids get older, it gets a bit harder to come up with something fun for their Easter Baskets. We have three rounds of company coming over the next few weeks (yay!!), so I am being proactive this year and have put together Ashley’s basket … Read more
I think we’d all be in agreement that coming up with what to do for teacher appreciation week, much less coming up with teacher appreciation week ideas for each day of the week can be a little overwhelming! Well, hopefully this easy and FREE teacher appreciation week printable will come to your rescue! We have … Read more
Graduation is such an exciting milestone in life. Celebrate with these cute DIY Graduation party ideas that are perfect whether you are celebrating a high school graduation or university graduation. You can find free downloads at the bottom of this post to create many of these DIY graduation party ideas yourself. This post contains affiliate … Read more
Halloween is just around the corner and if you are anything like me, you are looking for fun traditional Halloween activity and games ideas to keep the kiddos entertained. While it has been a few years, I used to throw a big Halloween carnival for our neighborhood every Halloween, so I built up a pretty … Read more
I have never understood the reason to have a basement…until the slime craze hit. If you could see the basement kitchen-turned slime making factory in our house, you too would understand. 😉 Ash has always loved having a shop…a lemonade stand, cookie business, you name it, she has done it. Lately she has been making … Read more
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…time to deck the halls! It is fun to have some new halls for me to deck, that’s for sure! With everything freshly painted and new this year, I am extra sensitive about making sure I don’t damage anything while I’m having fun making things pretty. You know … Read more
Over the course of the last several months, I’ve had the pleasure of working on a project for some dear friends of ours who just made a cross-country move back to our neck of the woods. They still owned their home here and had been renting it out for the last many years. Having left years … Read more
The Christmas season is SUCH a fun and busy time of year. Something about decking the halls makes us want to gather our friends and family and celebrate with good food, Christmas party games, Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. I always like to get a chance to gather my girlfriends together and do something fun, … Read more
Cute Jane from Lendingham Paper and Party Supplies submitted this darling Red, White and Blue Airplane themed party. I am in love with the bold colors and you know I love the travel theme! So many cute details…here’s a look at Jane’s beautiful styling: Isn’t that adorable? Thanks Jane for sharing your talents with us! … Read more
Growing up in Southern California, I think it’s a rule that you have to be a Disney fan. But really, who isn’t a Mickey Mouse fan, am I right? I feel like as soon as you have a baby you start looking for Mickey Mouse party ideas for one year old babies. Mickey Mouse party ideas … Read more
One of my favorite things about summer is getting the chance to put up the patriotic decor, and leave it up all summer long. Kicking things off with Memorial Day in May and rounding out the summer with Labor Day at the end, is a perfect excuse to change up the decor and let it … Read more
There is nothing like summer. I love the days of freedom without being tied to a schedule, no homework, no bedtime, just enjoying time spent together as a family and the kids getting a chance to be kids! Year end celebrations and end of the school year activities can get crazy at this time, but … Read more
Brunch is my favorite meal of the day. I love finding new great restaurants that serve brunch near me or great brunch recipes. Hosting a brunch party when the weather is nice is even more fun. With Mother’s Day next weekend and the fun baby showers and bridal showers that spring and summer bring, I … Read more
There are some birthday party themes that will never go out of style, and for little boys, a Batman party will always be a hit. I put this party together awhile ago for a kit I made for the Pink Peppermint Prints Etsy shop so I wanted to share it in case you are looking … Read more
Halloween is one of my absolute favorite holidays. Every few years I throw a Halloween party for 50 of my closest friends. A chance to come up with a fun theme, create party food and decorations to work with that theme, and dress up? That is right up my alley. I usually start my party … Read more
When you think of Halloween colors, black and orange are usually the first to come to mind, but Halloween party ideas don’t always have to revolve around those colors. Having a girly-girl has definitely taught me that non-traditional colors and Halloween party ideas make for equally fun and pretty parties. I put together these colorful … Read more
This last year has been such a whirlwind, I can’t even believe it is time for Christmas! It is so fun to have the contractors finishing up this week literally as the holidays begin. With so many things in transition over this last six months, this holiday season is a chance for us to really … Read more
A few months ago I took a class at Peinture Studios here in Orange County. I had been reading about and seeing chalk paint ALL over the place and I wanted to see what it was all about. There were a couple of pieces in my house that I thought would be fun to change … Read more
“Even though some of you are pretty thin, you all have fat hearts, and that’s what matters.” -Fat Amy I don’t know about you guys, but when Pitch Perfect 2 came out I couldn’t get to the theater fast enough. I was appalled to learn that my husband hadn’t seen the fist one, so we … Read more
About five years ago I decided to turn our more formal living room into a second family room. We don’t have a big house, and the biggest room in our house (the living room) was sitting empty and unused all the time. I bought a black distressed console and a big TV, and had visions … Read more
Cupcake toppers are easy to make, are inexpensive, and add a personalized handmade touch to every gathering. The best part is, they only take minutes to make and can turn any store bought cupcakes or even appetizers into something special. While perusing the party store the other day for some Patriotic party ideas, I ran across some … Read more
I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m giving a gift card I am always looking for a clever way to wrap it up. I am always on the hunt for a cute gift card holder or gift card bag ideas…something that makes a pint sized gift look fun and exciting. I was at … Read more
This stunning mint green party celebrating a guest of honor with the first initial of G was created by the amazing team of Renee and Nina at Confetti and Crumbs. I am in love with the versatility of this party. The colors scheme is gorgeous and the idea of using shapes and monograms as your … Read more
I was at Michaels a bit ago and found this cool box in the scrapbooking and papercrafting department. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew I needed it. 😉 I finally figured it out…it was destined to be a cute DIY Valentine gift for friends, teachers, neighbors … Read more
With the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday it’s time to prep for parties with a few easy DIY handmade decorations. These simple felt pennant flags are SO easy and make great decorations and fun favors for your football party guests after the game. You can make them in any colors to match your favorite … Read more
At the risk of looking like a crazy lady, I am going to show you my family room Christmas decor. 😉 I LOVE a ridiculous feature wall, some of my favorites are the Halloween wall I did out of old medicine book pages, and last year’s snowflake wall. To create something fun doesn’t cost much … Read more
This school year has gone by SO quickly! I can’t believe that we are already about to celebrate teacher appreciation week! Crazy! I love to make teacher appreciation card printables because I love celebrating those that work so hard to teach our children. They use their time and talents everyday to ensure that our kids … Read more
I am so excited to be teaming up with 11 of my favorite blogging friends to share fun Valentine party themes for kids! Sweet Summer, from She Leaves A Little Sparkle invited us to create a cute and fun Valentine party themes to share. And, it is easier than you might think! If you’re joining me … Read more
If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, you know that I love to make stuff. But I also don’t have much patience when it comes to making things. lol! That means that most of my projects are super easy and usually utilize some sort of pre-made something or other. I often walk down the … Read more
If you are looking for an easy DIY costume for Halloween look no further! This DIY Spider Headband is it! I am notoriously bad about waiting until the last minute to throw something together to wear for Halloween. Without a doubt, the day of Halloween rolls around, and while I may have dressed up … Read more
Why is it that everything miniature is always so much cuter? I was at Hobby Lobby the other day and found this adorable tiny pinata, and decided it was a “need.” So, of course I had to think up an excuse for buying it. That’s when these cute birthday wishes tags were concocted. 😉 I … Read more
It’s hard to believe the year is already drawing to a close. I feel like I was just celebrating it’s arrival! Here are some free printable New Year’s Eve Midnight Kisses tags that you can use this year or any year to come. They are so cute and make the perfect New Year’s Eve party favor! … Read more
I love the Sound of Music. You may already know that about me if you’ve read this post. It is a staple in our house. Even my kids, teen boy included 😉 … like to snuggle up and watch this classic especially during the holidays. Tonight I’m headed to a little get together in my neighborhood. It’s a … Read more
There is nothing quite like a summer night. The hot daytime temps create perfectly warm nights. All your usual indoor activities move outdoors so you can celebrate the season. If you’re looking for fun nighttime outdoor party ideas…look no further. An outdoor movie night party is the perfect way to enjoy those warm evenings with … Read more
If your house looks anything like ours, you probably have dozens of beautifully decorated Easter eggs taking up valuable fridge space and you are wondering how to use up all of those leftover Easter eggs. This year I have vowed to be better about putting those eggs to use and making a few delicious hard … Read more
