Pretty parties, holiday gatherings, baby showers and birthday bonanzas...clever tips and creative ideas for all your entertaining needs. Themed food, DIY decorations, awesome activities and more.
I love spring! The days are getting longer and warmer, and it signals that summer is just on the horizon. With Easter coming up I thought I’d share a fun idea for Easter parties, teachers, neighbors, or just a fun thinking of you gift idea. The best part is that you don’t even have to … Read more
From St. Patrick’s Day treats to Easter treats… it’s a quick turn around between holidays, so let’s get you ready to dazzle, create and amaze this spring! We’re talking easter bunny cookies, two ways. You could say level 1 difficulty and level 2; we’re going to focus on level 1 today, but here’s a quick … Read more
Remember last week we made a gloriously tall rainbow cake for St. Patrick’s Day? Well why not kill two rainbows with one stone? If you’re going to all the trouble of coloring your cake batter six ways, let’s use that leftover goodness to make a whole new treat! It’s simple as can be. Fill cupcake … Read more
I’m just an Irish girl at heart, and with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to celebrate by making the magically delicious rainbow cake. Turn up the volume on your celebration this year! Add simple chocolate coin candy detail for that extra festive sparkle! Next, it’s time to play with food coloring. … Read more
I’ll just call this what it is… a dessert hack. It’s my take on strawberry shortcake, and it’s so simple and delicious! Take puff pastry from freezer section of the store. Thaw and cut pastry with your favorite biscuit cutter (or a drinking glass works well, too!) Brush the top with an egg wash (1 … Read more
Are you ready for some football? How many of you are hosting a Super Bowl party this weekend? The best part about any football party is the food. It can range from down home to gourmet and it’s ALWAYS good! A must have at any football party in our house is some killer guacamole. … Read more
How many cake pans do you own that have been turned dark and sticky from cooking spray? I’ve owned a million. I thought cooking spray was the best way to go for years and years. Once I started baking professionally, I decided it was time to get serious, get new pans and figure out a … Read more
Well, the teams are set and the Super Bowl is on in just over a week. You know I love any excuse to party, so we are starting the party prep around here early this year. 😉 Are we really excited about football, or are we most excited about the food that comes with it? … Read more
Last year I debuted this Frozen party on the day the movie came out. I had NO idea that the movie was going to be so popular, and lucked out that I happened to jump the gun and base a party off of a silly little snowman that I had seen in a preview months … Read more
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe NYE. We had a little shindig around here after a last minute trip to Party City yesterday, I couldn’t resist. We’ve all been sick this Christmas break, so it felt good to do something fun! Here’s a little glimpse of our Black and … 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’m always on the hunt for new and fun cake ideas, and I’m obsessed with anything that resembles confetti, glitter or sprinkles, so this cake is pretty much perfection in my eyes. This simple confetti cake trick will leave a lasting impression on your guests, and it makes the perfect centerpiece for any dessert table! … Read more
I have been seeing some SUPER cute hot chocolate bars lately. Have you noticed them all over pinterest? They are just darling and very stylized…like a party in themselves! While you all know how much I love a party, and I love tons of details, I also love simplicity and EASY!! I have guests coming … Read more
Who says sparkling cider is just for drinking and toasting? Why not for dessert too? This sparkling cider pound cake recipe with cider glaze is the perfect recipe for your New Year’s Eve celebrations. The pound cake is moist and delicious and the glaze…well, let’s just say be sure to make extra because you will … Read more
Peppermint bark is one of the reasons I get up in the morning during the gloomy days of winter! Creamy white and milk chocolate topped with crisp and cool peppermint is a dreamy, delicious way to spread holiday cheer! This Peppermint Bark recipe is so simple to make, you don’t even need those tricky little … Read more
Christmas is the season of celebrations and I’m always looking for a good excuse to get together and Christmas girl’s night party to celebrate with friends. If you’re looking for some Christmas girls night ideas, here’s one for you…grab some pretty wrapping paper, great appetizers and some fun girlfriends, and turn what can otherwise feel like a … Read more
In case you haven’t noticed, I love these little bottles. They are SO cute, the perfect size for drinks, super sturdy plastic (so you can wash and re-use if you want, but also don’t feel guilty throwing them away if you don’t want to wash them) that makes them great for kid’s party drinks…and my … Read more
If you’ve been following the blog for awhile now, you’ve probably noticed that I LOVE pretty things and I love to entertain…but I also love to find the easiest ways to make things pretty so that I’m not a huge stress case before and during the event. I want to enjoy it too, you know! … Read more
A few weeks ago my hubby and son were out for the week at a Scout Camp in the Sierras. Ash, who is totally in love with her big brother, was absolutely devastated that she was going to be separated from her best friend for a whole week. They have NEVER been apart for any … Read more
What are you having for dinner tonight? Every Halloween I do a traditional dinner for the kids and it’s become a favorite that they look forward to each year. I know that Halloween is a super hectic day, so this is purposely easy to put together. As a matter of fact, it can all be store … Read more
When Shana of Society Sweets contacted me early in September with an idea to style a shoot to feature some of her amazing Halloween desserts, I was so excited! I typically throw a big Halloween party of some sort…either a big carnival for my neighborhood, or an adult Halloween bash…but this year I didn’t have … Read more
Have you ever made homemade caramel apples, only to have the delicious caramel slide off the apple? There are different ways to make sure that doesn’t happen, but I’ve got a secret for you that will make your life so much easier! Sandpaper. Yes, I said sandpaper. Simply run the sandpaper over the entire surface … Read more
As Halloween quickly approaches there’s just one question you need to ask yourself. Who doesn’t love a friendly little ghost? These little darlings are easy to make, delicious on their own, and also double as the perfect topper for a cake or cupcakes. These little cuties are spooky, sweet and delicious! Enjoy! To see … Read more
Here’s a quick and easy way to spookify your Halloween meal. Spider Ice Cubes! It’s SO simple, you can’t help but make them. All you need…an ice cube tray, water and some plastic spiders. 🙂 Fill the ice cube tray, add spiders and freeze. Serve in your favorite beverage…I liked the idea of 7up or … Read more
You don’t have to be an experienced baker to add a little style to your fall desserts! All it takes are a few extra ingredients from the store, and you’re in business! I’ve made a pumpkin spice cake with maple frosting, but a boxed cake and frosting would work beautifully here as well. After completely … Read more
I don’t now about you, but I still love good old fashioned snail mail. I’m sure it has something to do with my love of paper. Whatever the reason, I still get a little excited each day when I hear the familiar sound of the mail truck, as the anticipation of what might be waiting … Read more
It’s always such a pleasure to work with Shutterfly, and I’m so excited for my newest project. I know it’s not necessarily typical, but my favorite part of working with their amazing products is the opportunity that it gives me to design my own line of products. It’s a total dream. Here’s a sneak peek … Read more
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a #hearthgathering that was held here in Orange County. I was excited that it was being held at one of my favorite design studios/furniture stores RJ Imports. If you are in the area and need some design inspiration, head down to San Juan Capistrano and take a … Read more
Are you looking for a fun and different party food idea? One of the biggest hits at the Farmer’s Market Wedding was a “make your own trail mix bar.” Guests loved being able to create their own custom mix of trail mix. I created custom bags with labels that matched the rest of the wedding. … Read more
I can’t believe I haven’t shared this here yet! The newest edition of Mingle Magazine is hitting store shelves as we speak, and this wedding is a feature in the issue! It was such a fun day with so many special touches. The Farmer’s Market theme allowed for arts and crafts, a super laid back … Read more