tween birthday party essentials

We just hosted a birthday party for my daughter and her friend. I already posted the easy to make ice cream sandwich cake that we served. Here are the rest of the fun details from the party.

ice cream cake

I recently threw my daughter a birthday party, and this was the cake she requested -which I was pretty happy about because. . .

This seriously has to be the easiest cake to make, ever!

{no-bake} cheesecake

I have to thank my wonderful professional baking buddy Angie for this one -she lent her spring form pan last minute. And I'm so glad she did, because this cheesecake was super yummy. My daughter spotted it in my latest issue of Everyday Food, and insisted we try it.

Unlike the baked variety, this cheesecake chills in the fridge to set up, giving it a light, mousse-like consistency perfect for summer!

no bake cheesecake

 

nylon lanterns

I have a bunch of these -ten to be exact- hanging over my yard right now. They are nylon lanterns. And they are the best outdoor party decoration invention yet!

white nylon Chinese style lanterns

danish apple pie

While my sweet mother-in-law was visiting last month, she was reading Susan Wigg's The Apple Orchard. At the beginning of the book was the following recipe for aeble kage or Danish Apple Pie. My mother-in-law, who loves to cook and to bake, whipped this up for us one night. It was so good! And you know I love a good apple pie. This would be a great week night alternative to my classic apple pie, posted here.

A great week night alternative to classic apple pie!

strawberry shortcakes a la mode

OK, I have to post this recipe. Handyman made these for my Mother's Day dessert and I just made them again last night to accompany our Sunday night dinner.

This strawberry shortcake was the perfect combination of yummy to easy-to-make ratio.

beach party

School is letting out across the country, which leads to. . .summer birthdays and summer pool parties. Put 'em together and you can have a fun summer birthday beach pool party anywhere -pool or no pool!

summer birthdays + summer pool parties =summer beach pool parties!

clock {birthday} cake

My daughter's birthday is coming up at the end of this month. When I asked her what she wanted for her cake, she replied, "a clock cake!" Admittedly, its a bit of an odd choice, but hey, it's her birthday right?

I made one for her 4th birthday a few years back. It came about after I let her browse my cake decorating book. It's suggested event is New Year Eve, setting the hands on midnight, but since she was turning four, we adapted it to four o'clock.

With some frosting, peppermint patties, and mini chips, you've got an easy birthday cake!

bbq + ranch deviled eggs

I made these deviled eggs for Thanksgiving appetizers this year. Considering I was preparing three other dishes, I wanted to make something yummy and easy for my appetizers. And yummy they were. And gone in a flash! They are just as easy to make as the traditional variety.

This fun spin on a classic works for any party or season!

classic apple pie

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks, and one of my favorite things to do is plan our Turkey Day dinner menu.

A few years I made this classic apple pie to finish off our terrific turkey dinner. I borrowed some leaf-shaped cookie cutters from my professional cake baking friend and used them to cut out leaves for the top layer of the pie. I simply scored them with a sharp paring knife to add some additional natural vein details.

Serve al a mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon, and you're sure to impress all your guests.

lights

While at Lowes recently, I spotted some fun string lights. Visions of parties and gatherings bounced around my mind as I thought of cute ways to string them up around my own outdoor space.

When I asked Handyman what he thought, (as if I didn't already know the answer) I first got the silent, but really look which quickly transformed into the eternal and ever present what is your obsession with lights question, which without response, relinquishes into the quick and detached whatever look.

We know each other so well. . .


I just love that I can pick up party supplies at the home improvement store. The boring hardware store has certainly evolved since I was a kid. and with so many different choices, it would be easy to find something for any style or occasion.

Take a look.

Alas, i did come home empty hand -this time. Do you have any fun lights adorning your space?

pool party favors

When my little girl asked me to plan her summer birthday party, I knew I had to come up with something good! She has a crazy big imagination, and I knew I needed to match it!

The problem? She wanted a fishy-themed pool party. Since, we just did a fishy theme for my baby,  posted about here, I knew she would wanted something different.

That's were Pinterest came to the rescue.

I remembered the worms from Clara's 2nd birthday party, and thought I could do a play on some of YHL's inspiration.

After a trip to the nearby dollar store, the party store, and the grocery store, I knew I had enough supplies to pull it off.

Take a look!

These lure-coated fishing rods were easy to create with pretzels rods, melted chocolate, and some colorful sprinkles. Attach a computer printed tag with some twine, and your in business.

 The fish breath bubbles were leftover from my other fishy party. I just attached a different tag. I used the same handwritten style font on each favor tag.

These cute little pals were a find at the party store for only .79 each. Filled with some gummy worms and Swedish fish, they were much better smelling than real bait!

And of course, what's a fish party with out the catch of the day? I spied these at the Dollar Store. Who would have thought a cheap piece of plastic would be so fun? These colorful fish had a drawstring worm attached at the mouth that when pulled moved the fish's tail. My kids had lots of fun testing it out in the pool prior to the party.

These flower-shaped orange noodles provide the perfect pool party floaty for all the fishy guests. (Because, some little fish don't swim so well yet.)

After the worm sandwich lunch, these worm topped ice cream and cake parfaits were served. Perfect for little fish taking a swim break. You can check out how I made them here.

My little fish said this was the best birthday party ever -even better than last year. Whew! I'm not sure I'm looking forward to planning her next party with that kind of expectation though.

And as a result of this party, I had a new table making project on my hands. {Lesson learned, don't leave unprotected furniture outside on the patio in the rain. But, that's later. . .}

Sunday: I Heart Naptime, Nifty Thrifty Things, It's Overflowing, MopItUp , Twigg Studios Monday: Made by You, C.R.A.F.T. DIY Showoff, Between Naps on the Porch, Debbie Doo's, Home Stories A to Z, diy home sweet home Tuesday: Coastal Charm, Nest for Less, Tip Junkie, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Get Your Craft On, ClaimingOurSpace Wednesday: Uncommon, Savvy Southern Style, Organize and Decorate, Power of Paint, Newlyweds Recipe Linky, Southern Lovely , Home Happy Home, Gingersnap Crafts Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage, Made in a Day, House of Hepworths, the 36th Avenue, Crafty, Scrappy, Happy, 52 Mantels Friday: Making Lemonade, Blissful and Domestic, One Artsy Mama, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, The Shabby Nest, Thirty Handmade Days, Addicted 2 Decorating, Funky Junk Interiors, Financial Friday, At the Picket Fence, Classy Clutter

Linked up to YHL, CentsationalGirl, BowerPower, TenJune

ice cream & cake parfait

The easiest way to serve cake and ice cream at a children's party -parfait style!

I made these ice cream and cake parfaits recently for my daughter's summer birthday party.  I was running the party solo, so I knew I need to have everything done in advance.

These were the perfect solution to serving cake and ice cream to a young crowd. Everything can be done ahead of time, just pull them out of the freezer and enjoy the party along with your guests.

MATERIALS

• Clear glasses
• Ice cream
• Cake
• Crushed Oreos
• Gummy worms

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare a cake of your choosing. Bake in a half sheet pan.
2. After baking remove the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
3. Freeze the cake, until firm enough to cut. I baked mine in the morning and it was chilled enough by evening to cut out.
4. Using a round cookie cutter the same diameter as your glass, carefully cut out cake. (See photo below.)
5. Place a scoop of soften ice cream into cup. Top with a layer of fudge, cake, and whipped cream.
6. Garnish according to your event. I sprinkled crumbed Oreos and placed a gummy worm on top to accompany our fishy theme.

Don't forget use a cutter the same diameter as your serving glasses.

Anyone else have an all-in-one dessert favorite?

Sunday: |I Heart Naptime|Nifty Thrifty Things|It's Overflowing| MopItUp| Twigg Studios| Monday: |Made By You| C.R.A.F.T.| DIY Showoff|Between Naps on the Porch| Debbie Doo's| Home Stories A to Z| diy home sweet home Tuesday: Coastal Charm| Nest for Less|Tip Junkie|My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia|A Bowl Full of Lemons|Get Your Craft On|ClaimingOurSpace Wednesday: Uncommon|Savvy Southern Style |Organize and Decorate| NYMelroseFamily|Newlyweds Recipe Linky|Southern Lovely| Home Happy Home|Gingersnap Crafts  Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage|Made in a Day|House of Hepworths|the 36th Avenue| Crafty Scrappy, Happy|52 Mantels Friday: Making Lemonade|Blissful and Domestic|One Artsy Mama|Serenity Now| Tatertots and Jello|The Shabby Nest|Thirty Handmade Days|Addicted 2 Decorating|Funky Junk Interiors|Financial Friday|At the Picket Fence|Classy Clutter|

inspiration {fouth of july}

We'll be spending the day at our town parade, swimming, hanging out with friends, and then later on roasting s'mores and popping corn, like here, while trying to avoid the pesky mosquitos.

Just in case you need some {really} last minute Independent Day inspiration, here ya go . . .

Print out and frame this patrotic subway art from eighteen25

source

These star medallions from Martha Stewart would set the mood for any Fourth of July party backdrop. The instructions call for fabric, but I would try making them out of festive heavy weight scrapbook paper.

source

These cute watermelon stars from Hip Hip Hooray! call attention to any fruit platter. Chill thinly sliced the melon and before cutting it with a sharp-edged cookie cutter. Garnish with a handful of freshly washed blueberries and your set!

source

If you're really talented and have super {fast} sewing skills, you could whip out a festive romper for your favorite little toddler, like my mother-in-law did a few years back. (Yes, she cooks, posted here, and sews!)  I love the rick rack trim she added to the star small-print fabric and the peek-a-boo diaper cover. Simplicity has lots of easy to sew patterns, like this.

Or you could leave all the planning and work to someone else, and just go get your nails do like this. So much fun and worth showing off at any Independendence Day party!

source

What's your Fourth of July style?

fishy party

We celebrated our baby's first birthday earlier this year. Since he was too young to care {or notice} the theme, I let the other kids decided for him. And they came up with a fishy theme party.

Due to some unexpected plumbing problems at our house on the scheduled weekend, we quickly relocated the party to a family friend's home.

These are all easy details that can be done anywhere and are easy to pack up at a minute's notice (like we did!).

1) DECORATIONS
Clear helium balloons from the party store and orange and turquoise streamers solidified the fishy theme.

2) FAVORS
I made these simple take home favors from turquoise colored bubbles that I found in the wedding section at Michael's. I adorned each with a fishy tag. I punched white circle rounds with my favorite circle punch, wrote "Thanks for swimming by" in a circle along the parameter, and let my 6 year old draw a single fishy in the center. If you have to make a lot, I recommend using a computer, and printing out. But, this was some fun mommy/daughter time together.

3) CAKE
Any cake will do. Choose your child's favorite. We have a family tradition of chocolate cake, because the chocolate crumbs show up best in the photographs!

4) FOOD
Fish shaped sandwiches- I purchased Pepperidge Farm's goldfish sandwich bread from the grocery store. Ours were PB&J, but if you have a nut allergy, choose your own favorite filling.

I kept it simple since it was a one-year's birthday party. But there lots more fishy ideas out there. What would you have added?

Linking up to SundaeScoop, SundayRoundUp, It'sOverflowing, NifyThrifty, MopItUp, SweetAnneDesigns, HomemakerOnADime, BNOTP, Debbie Doos, Making the World Cuter, LinesAcrossMyFace, CRAFT, MadeByYou, MadSkills, KurtzCorner, DIYCrafts, S3,TipJunkie, CowgirlUp, HowToNestForLess, NotJustaHousewife, CoastalCharm, Carolyn'sHomework, SugarBeeCrafts, ClaimingOurSpace, MyUncommonSliceofSuburbia, aBowlFullofLemons, CozyHomeScenes, GingerSnaps, SavvySouthernStyle, OrganizeandDecorate, DIYByDesign, UncommonDesign, Michelle'sTastyCreations, 52 Mantels, Crafty,Scrappy,Happy, Newlyweds, LiveLaughRowe, SouthernLovely, ShabbyCreekCottage, HouseofHepworths, the36thAve, LovingThisCrazyLife, FindingFabulous, FamilyEverAfter, SerenityNow, AtthePicketFence, TheShabbyNest, ALittleKnickKnack, 30HandmadeDays, CheeriosAndLattes, ClassyClutter, NYMelroseFamily, MakingLemonade, BlissfulandDomestic, One ArtsyMama, HomeStoriesAtoZ