The Chinese can do anything really well.. They have artists with extravagant talent. Some of the wedding cakes are 5 layers with gold paint and... .. but this smaller one caught my eye. I love the double happiness, dragon and phoenix, but it's also just a pretty little feminine cake with a lotus blossom on top... all good luck and just so pretty. I am wondering if the white is OK.. Chinese weddings are as much red as western weddings are white. I love red and white and think it's fun there are both. I understand that some Chinese American brides love both too and have two different dresses. Anyway, it has been so much fun to learn about Chinese wedding traditions.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Married in the year of the Dragon: Chinese Wedding Cake...
The Chinese can do anything really well.. They have artists with extravagant talent. Some of the wedding cakes are 5 layers with gold paint and... .. but this smaller one caught my eye. I love the double happiness, dragon and phoenix, but it's also just a pretty little feminine cake with a lotus blossom on top... all good luck and just so pretty. I am wondering if the white is OK.. Chinese weddings are as much red as western weddings are white. I love red and white and think it's fun there are both. I understand that some Chinese American brides love both too and have two different dresses. Anyway, it has been so much fun to learn about Chinese wedding traditions.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Murder Mystery in Italy Party: The Music...
You need some fun background music for this party. Nothing beats Dean Martin...c has prepared an itunes lists of Rat Pack (and others) standards under the title Murder Mystery in Italy Party... Hope you can find it.. When I do.. I'll post a link :)
Murder Mystery in Italy Party: The Clothes...
The game actually asigns characters and gives and idea about costumes and props, but we haven't seen inside this one and we had to do a costume post. Modern Italy was just out. But, 1950's Italy is glamorous and fun. Tuck in your shirt and add a belt. Wear a small scarf and a charm bracelet. Heels or ballet flats? Cat eye sunglasses!
The perfect iconic film that was actually filmed in Italy is Roman Holiday made in 1953. And, I also love Three Coins in a Fountain made in 1954. Do your homework.. see them both!Murder Mystery in Italy Party: The Food...
The menu for this party couldn't be more simple. Pizza, salad, bread sticks Italian Sodas...Italian food however, is deceptively easy. To make it great, you must have great recipes with fresh ingredients. This recipe from SeriousEats.com looks delicious. THIS is my marinara recipe, which I also use for pizza sauce. The recipe is a little involved, but it make a lot and you can make it ahead to feed a crowd. It's best the second or third day when all the flavors have married.. the secret to it.. use a sweet yellow onion.. the sweetest you can find. White onions are for Mexican food.. a lesson I've learned the hard way too many times. However, if you want to make this as little work as possible... purchase a couple of bottles of Contadina Pizza Squeeze sauce, which is, in my opinion, the best grocery store version. 
Italian sodas would make it so much fun and you can even do straws and whip cream if you want. Teenagers love this...
These traditional Italian bread sticks are available on Amazon, but they or similar will be available at your local market. For dessert Neapolitan Ice Cream, Apple Slices with Nutella, or some bits of Perugina Chocolate bars... Yummm...Murder Mystery in Italy Party: The Game...
This is the game that we built our posts around, but full disclosure, we haven't played this one. There are several reviews on the Amazon listing that will give you a better idea of what this is like. But, you will want to get this about 3 weeks ahead of your party and give party guests a chance to collect costumes.. props etc..
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Littles Halloween Party: The Decor...
If you need party decor, Halloween Birthday gifts or favors..LovE BoxEs SHop.. can help you out. All of these things are available there.
and there are more Halloween Decorating Ideas posts & posts HERE...
and there are more Halloween Decorating Ideas posts & posts HERE...
Halloween Party: The Food...
Candy Corn popcorn balls are really fun. They are a team effort, but can be made the day before and packed in cute cellophane bags as a treat or a take home favor. Other ideas are just oreo cookies, they come in chocolate w/ orange frosting for Halloween or the regular ones work too. My mom always makes the kids soup served in tiny pumpkins and I love this Black Bean & Corn Salsa a friend of mine served it with those new Tostitos Multigrain Scoops.. Wonderful!
I can't tell you how easily Halloween can turn my stomach. I don't want to look at dead finger pretzels, spaghetti brains and the whole gammet of gross. I've never been a fan of Sweeney Todd. I don't like scary or sick Halloween. But, give me a line up of tiny trick-or-treaters in princess and fireman costumes and Halloween is sweet. I also wouldn't want to make the little party goers have any worries at all... just fun. This carrot platter is just my speed from InvitingSmiles..Littles Halloween Party: The Craft Projects!
Make glitter pumpkins! You just give the child a cheap sponge brush and a paper plate w/ some elmers glue. They can paint the pumpkin anyway they want and then sprinkle glitter on to the pumpkin over wax paper. Beautiful! Photo and instructions at Farmer'sDaughter...
Make trick or treat bags. There are a million creative ways. This is a kit from Papersource which is a fantasticly fun party site. The kit was available last year and I hope it will be available again, but it has all the stuff so that the littles can just glue them together. But, you could pre-prep some of this stuff depending on how small your party goers are.
I realize this party is a little heavy on the crafting, but Halloween is a fun time to make silly things. I love these little shrink film pendants. If your party guests are quite small, then outline a pumpkin, witch or ghost etc.. and just have them color. Then, let them watch the magic as the shrink film does it's thing with the oven light on.. It's so fun! This is also a great way to save early artwork. Have a child just doodle, then put their name and date and save in a little box or jar.
image from hobbyloco.com by Cheryl A. Smith @
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Back-to-School: Trinket Boxes...
These are two very fun Back-to-School trinket boxes that I've painted and they are available atBack-to-School Party: The Decorations...
I love to make bunting for every holiday. It's because I don't really sew and this is SO easy. You just need bias tape for the top.. that's it. That's the secret. I've tried a lot ribbon and other things and that doesn't work. But, if you don't want to make a bunting. There are tons of them available on Etsy for under $30. This one from SewSweetViolet is a favorite.Decoration for this party doesn't need to be elaborate. A bowl of pretty red apples would be fun.
Back-to-School: Jump Rope & Sidewalk Chalk...
I love this photograph which is taken from DefeatDiabetes.Org a site with a lot of useful information. One of my favorite memories of school was jumping rope. A really fun party activity would be to get a jump rope, probably a nice long one like these girls have and teach the children some of the fun old jumping rope rhymes like this one... It would also be fun to have some printed cards of the rhymes so they could take those home.Down in the valley where the green grass grows,
There sat (name the jumper)pretty as a rose.
Up came (name a cute boy in the class) and kissed
her on the cheek,
How many kisses did she get this week?
Count until she messes up.
There are lots of these fun little rhymes. Find many of them
There sat (name the jumper)
Up came (name a cute boy in the class)
her on the cheek,
How many kisses did she get this week?
Count until she messes up.
There are lots of these fun little rhymes. Find many of them
Dollar store ropes would be a fun party favor.
THEN... get out the sidewalk CHAlK!!!
Back-to-School Party: The Treats...
I think it would be fun to serve a sack lunch at a Back-to-School party. Turkey Sandwiches, carrot & celery sticks w/olives on the ends of course, apple slices and a carton of milk... AND THESE PEANUT Butter BARS... Mmmm. Nothing reminds me of my school days like these. What a great day it was when they were served for lunch. When I was very little, the principal hired the cooks and our school lunch was delish!Back-to-School Party: Craft...
Decorate a lunch box. These are available at Oriental Trading for $5 which is actually the cheapest I've seen them, but you'd have to look at shipping. They are available at craft stores everywhere as well. They can be decoupaged, painted.. whatever you can dream up. And, it would be fun to send home some fun school supplies as party favors. Everyone loves new Crayons and Target has them for around 25 cents right now. .. things like that.If this seems a little advanced for your party goers.. how about a lunch bag?
Make a paper bag puppet.. You can be as simple as handing kids a paper bag and some crayons or as elaborate as the example above. I thought these lions were cute, but you have to see the elephant over at ScrapbooksEtc.com
Make a paper bag puppet.. You can be as simple as handing kids a paper bag and some crayons or as elaborate as the example above. I thought these lions were cute, but you have to see the elephant over at ScrapbooksEtc.comTuesday, July 19, 2011
Kokeshi Doll Children's Party: Lots of Ideas...
I completely stole this idea from my friend Risa from RestlessRisa who has already created the Gold Standard of this party. Click over to Party Ideas to see photos from the party and to her post Kokeshi Doll Tutorial to lean how to make the little dolls. Now, if you don't want to drag out the drill, THIS option has become available recently. But, it is a bit more costly. Kokeshi Doll Children's Party... The Party Favors
This is a set of 12 gift bags and stickers available for $3 from Cutecups on Etsy. Inside you can put the crafts made at the party, some Japanese candy and maybe one these cute Japanese erasers traded at elementary schools everywhere. :)
Kokeshi Doll Children's Party: Treats...
These Pocky cookies are lots of fun and available lots of places, but if you don't want to look around AMazon will ship them to you.
There are some fun Japanese Sodas available lately. These flavors are available on Amazon.com (Amazon.com doesn't pay me.. they should.. I just love them and give them free advertising) HInt.. have children open these sodas outside.. they spray everywhere sometimes.
I have seen several different versions of candy sushi, but I like this version by HappyHourMom because of the Swedish fish. However, if you wanted to go healthy, the California Rolls at Costco are a bit hit with the children in my house. They LOVE those things and they are relatively inexpensive. A tray for $6 serves 4 children if there are other snacks. Monday, July 18, 2011
Lilac Wedding: The Cake...
This cake doesn't have lilacs on it, but it could have. The flowers and branches create a spring garden feel that works well with the lilac wedding. (credit Robert McNary)
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