Bird's Party Blog

Graduation Party Ideas + FREE Graduation Party Printables!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:22:00 +0000

Excited to share today's Graduation Party post with you!! It was styled by our talented contributor Cris from Crissy's Crafts, and seen on Amy Atlas this week!! Double YAY!! :)

Cris did a fantastic job as always, baking, styling and photographing this stunning Graduation Party using our FREE Graduation Printables!! And I just LOVE how she embellished and styled store-bough baked good and candy to match the party designs!

The ideas behind the printable designs is that is can be used for any type of graduation party, be it junior high school or college - And we're offering these Graduation Party Printables as FREE Printable Downloads to all our Facebook fans!!

Simply hop over to our fan page, "like us" and click on the "FREE Printables" tab on the page to get your freebies! :)

Need your help please...

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Just quickly stopping by to ask you guys to vote for my card over on Catch My Party?! It only takes a sec, and your vote would make me reeeeeally happy! :)

♥ Click here to VOTE ♥

Voting can be done every day until May 20th.
Thank you so much for your help, and hope you have a very sweet day!
XOXO

Cake it Pretty: DIY Owl Cupcake Fondant Toppers

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:46:00 +0000

This cute little Owl Fondant would make a great embellishment to any cupcake or dessert, and would make a cute party addition or teacher cupcakes!

Although Teacher's Appreciation has just gone, we can always Pin it for next year, right?! ;)

Get the full tutorial below...

What you'll need:

* Red, white, grey, lilac, yellow, green and brown sugar paste fondant

* Water

* Small Paintbrush (for food use only)

* Black edible ink pen

How to make it:

1. make medium ball for the body with white fondant

2. pinch two side of the top for make ears

3. it will look like the photo

4. cut lilac fondant attach to the body with water using your paintbrush

5. make wings out of yellow fondant: cut a circle then cut in half with a sharp knife to make a half moo, shape, then attach to body with water and paintbrush

6. draw eyes with edible pen

7. make beak from brown fondant and small headband with red fondant balls

Visit Belle Cake Topper and Mould for more cupcake tutorials!

Mother's Day: FREE Printables and DIY Gift Idea + Recipe that kids can make for mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:56:00 +0000

This is a really cool recipe that I got while living in Brazil. Made a few adjustments to work with the American ingredients. Very easy to make and it came out very yummy!

I used the cute FREE Mother's Day Printables available to all of from Bird's Party FACEBOOK Fans!

Kids will have fun decorating the mug, and they can make this recipe right before breakfast and surprise Mom on her Special Day! My daughter decorated a mug from the Dollar Store with permanent markers.

Note: since is done in the microwave, as soon it cools off, the cake will get hard. To avoid that, make sure you wrap your mug with plastic wrap to maintain moisture.

Materials needed:

* White mug, permanent markers

* FREE Mother's Day party printable gift tag from Bird's Party

Let the kids decorate the mug using the permanent markers

My son Joey made this one!

I guess this mug will be for decorating purposes only!! lol!

Ingredients for the Cake in a Mug:

* 3 tbsp of sugar

* 3 tbsp of flour

* 2 tbsp of chocolate powder

* 1 tbsp of chocolate syrup

* 3 tbsp of milk

* 1 egg

* 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

To make the cake in a mug, simply add all the ingredients inside the mug and mix well

Microwave for 3 minutes and voila!

A yummy mini cake for a very special mommy!

Happy Mother's Day to all Bird's Party fabulous readers!!

xoxo,

Cris

Visit Crissy's Crafts Blog for more party ideas and tutorials!

The FREE Mother's Day Party Printables are available for download to all our FACEBOOK fans - Click here to "like" our page and download yours!

Mother's Day: Mother Hen Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:18:00 +0000

This stunning and so sweet Mother Hen Party was styled by my dear friend Lynlee from Lynlee's Petite Cakes for Bird's Party Magazine Spring/Summer 2012.

Lynlee is so mega talented and I loved collaborating with her on this special shoot! her ideas are so inspiring and I LOVE how she used the buffet cards backed by burlap! GENIUS! :)

As always, not I'm bringing you some extra (exclusive) photos from the shoot, in hope that you may find some inspiration for your own Mother's Day bash!

Party Credits:

Concept, Styling, Photography and Fondant Toppers: Lynlee's Petite Cakes

Mother Hen Party Printables: Bird's Party

Inspiration: Celebrations at Home

Push-pop containers: Cupkate's Event Designs

Granola Containers: Michael's

Ceramic Egg Crates: Home Goods and Target

Rustic Cake Stand: Hobby Lobby

Party Favors: Michael's

So thank you my dear Lynlee for working with me, and for making Bird's Party printables look so good! ;)

For the Mother Hen party printable (including editable buffet cards) featured in this post, visit Bird's Party Shop.

For more Mother's Day Party ideas browse through Bird's Party Magazine here.

Mother's Day Brunch Scone Recipe + a Link Party!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:41:00 +0000

I definitely get my sense of adventure from my mom. We love to travel and explore new places together. One of our most memorable trips was to England. We now both share a love of all things British.

For Mother's Day, I have planned a brunch fit for my own Queen Mum inspired by Bird's Party Rule Britannia Jubilee Collection. I thought that I would share my brunch menu and scone recipe with you today.

Recipe for Ham and Cheddar Scones

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cubed ham

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chives or scallions

2 cups heavy cream

Directions: Start by cutting two 10-inch circles of parchment paper. Use one to line a 10-inch round cake pan and reserve the other piece for later. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add ham, cheese, and scallions and toss together with the dry ingredients until evenly distributed. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the cream to the mixture and stir by hand jut until the batter is evenly moistened. Place the dough in the lined cake pan and press into an even layer. Cover the dough with the second parchment paper circle. Freeze the dough until very firm, at least 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it lightly with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper. Thaw the dough for 5 minutes at room temperature. Take the 10" round scone out of the cake pan onto a cutting board. Cut the dough into equal pieces and place the individual pieces on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Cool the scones on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. Scones can be served warm or at room temperature.

Visit Jenny's blog for more party ideas and fun crafts!

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Now if you have any party ideas or celebration posts, please feel free to link them below and share your fabulousness with the world! :)

Friday GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of Amy Atlas "Sweet Designs" Book!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:57:00 +0000

You all probbaly know that I'm a HUGE Amy Atlas fan, right? Well, guess my double joy this week when I found out my Jubilee Rule Britannia Party was gonna be featured on Amy's blog?!!

Then, guess how much more excited I got when Lisa (Amy's right hand dessert doyenne), asked me if I wanted to host a giveaway for Amy's latest book "Sweet Designs"?! (Let's just say I did a little nerdy dance...).

I've just this week ordered my very own copy of Amy's book on Amazon, but now one of you can get your hands on the book by entering our Amy Atlas giveaway!!

Amy Atlas is an inspiration to a whole generation of party stylists, designers and women who follow their dreams! So it's my huge pleasure and honor to share with you a few sneak peeks from the "Sweet Designs" book pages - Plus, one lucky winner will get their hands on a copy of the book! Sweetness indeed! :)

Amazing, right?! Can't wait to get my copy in the post! :)

Enter below for your chance to WIN a copy

of Amy Atlas' new book "Sweet Designs"

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TUTORIAL: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:19:00 +0000

The Cinco de Mayo-inspired Pinata Birthday Party Printables I designed last year will always be one of my faves and mean a great deal to me, as my dear dad helped me to style it and create some of the decorations for it.

And today I'm sharing a couple of really easy fiesta cupcake ideas you can create for your own Cinco de Mayo celebrations or a Pinata Birthday bash using Dulce de Leche and sugar paste fondant - How bad can that be?! :)

What you'll need:

* Sugar paste fondant in red, yellow, orange and green
* Rolling pin
* Round cookie cutter (or a cup) to fit top of your cupcake
* Small flower cookie cutter
* Cupcakes
* Dulce de Leche

Flower Pinata Cupcake

1. Roll yellow fondant to about 1/8 of an inch (4mm) thick and cut using a round cookie cutter

2. Cut flower base our of orange fondant, and make flower center balls out of red and green fondant

Squash the little balls slightly wit your thumb to make the flower centers. Attach center to flower base using a little water. TIP: You could also use smarties as centers! :)

3. Spread some Dulce de Leche onto each cupcake.

4. Then top each with yellow base and flowers. Let dry then insert a cute Pinata cupcake from Bird's Party into each cupcake.

Stripy Birthday Fiesta Cupcake

1. Roll yellow, red, green and orange fondant to about 1/8 of an inch (4mm) thick and cut into strips.

Arrange strips side by side in alternating colors.

2. Using a rolling pin, roll across the strips to "bind" them together

3. Cut a circle from the technicolor fondant using the round cookie cutter.

4. Apply Dulce de Leche to each cupcake and add the colored fondant on top. Let dry then insert a colorful Fiesta cupcake topper from Bird's Party into each cupcake.

Hope you like the ideas and feel inspired to create your own colorful fiesta cupcakes! :)

For more Cinco de Mayo Party ideas see our Pinata Party posts here.

Shop online for Cinco de Mayo Pinata Party printables over at Bird's Party Shop!

TUTORIAL: Big Top Circus Party Tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:34:00 +0000

Ever since I styled my kid's Big Top Circus Party, I've had cutomers and readers email me about the props and little details of the dessert table, so I've decided to share not one, but 3 easy tutorials to help you re-create the look!

And you can find them today over at Mycandycrafts.com, who kindly invited me to guest post, and where you can also shop for some of the supplies used in the tutorials!

Hope you like them, and have fun crafting for your next bash! :)

Styled Shoot: Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:31:00 +0000

Excited to show today you some extra photos from Alice in Wonderland Inspired Tea Party styled by my dear, talented friend Dorangela from Two Prince Bakery Theater!

Dorangela is one of our blogging contributors, and she dreamed up this beautiful Wonderland shoot for Bird's Party Magazine Issue 5. Since we don't get to feature all the photos in the mag due to page numbers, we're going all out today and gorging ourselves with extra yummy eye candy! :)

I'm always so touched and very grateful to all the contributing vendors and fantastic professionals that come together for each and every single shoot we create for the magazine, and Dorangela never ceases to amaze me with her creative ideas and vision of a particular party theme!

Take for instance the gorgeous bespoke wreath by Sweet Georgia Sweet and the made-to-order one of a kind Alice Hat by Nikki in Stitches - All lovingly handmade especially for the shoot! Aren't they stunning?!

The fabulousness continues through each detail from the desserts tea table with amazing "mad" macarons by Mariana's Macarons and gorgeous decorated sugar cookies by Bees Knees Creatives, to the decoration of the backdrop with gorgeous tassel garland by The Flair Exchange!

Dorangela is also a doyenne of crafting and baking, and she completed the dessert table with home-made gluten-free treats and finger sandwiches embellished with edible paper butterflies and flowers from Sugar Robot!

She also hand-stamped the chevron favor bags from My Little Love to match the hand-painted wooden spoons and forks from Sucre Shop, made the cupcake liner poms and created the clever teacup tower display decorated with pink sweet bowls from My Little Love.

Our Alice in Wonderland Party printables were also used throughout the tea tables, along with cute rose-flavored sugar cubes from Austin Sugarworks! And the whole shoot was beautifully captured by Suzie Metzler Photography. WOW, right?! :)

So thank you Dorangela and the whole team, for putting together such a special, wonderful shoot for the magazine! :)

Oh, and if you're planning an Alice Tea Party, you can get in touch with Dorangela about acquiring some of the beautiful party props she created and used in the shoot!

Party Credits:

Styling and Gluten-free desserts: Two Prince Bakery Theater

Photography: Suzie Metzler Photgraphy

Alivce in Wonderland Party printables: Bird's Party

Alice Hat: Nikki in Stitches

Party Wreath: Sweet Georgia Sweet

Decorated Cookies: Bees Knees Creative

Macarons: Mariana's Macarons

Sugar Flowers and Butterflies: Sugar Robot

Rose-flavored Rose Sugar Cubes: Austin Sugarworks

Hand-stamped wooden cutlery: Sucre Shop

Chevron bags, sweet bowls and conversation starter spoons:

My Little Love

PRESS: Parenting Magazine May Issue and Parenting.com

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Eeeee!! Yes pinch me!! :D

When I got asked by Parenting Magazine if they could feature our Honey Bee Party printables in their May 2012 Issue and on Parenting.com, I was over the moon but didn't quite believe it! So it's really only now that I have the actual magazine in hand (thanks to my dear Crissy from Crissy's Crafts) that it has sunk in!

To be featured on their pages along with talented party professionals like HWTM, One Charming Party, One Stone Events, Kara's Party Ideas, Catch My Party to name but a few, is a HUGE compliment and I'm sooo grateful and truly humbled!! :)

Click here to pin it!

I loved the party spread they put together, so colorful and fun!! Plus, it's packed with little gems and party resources where you can find some really funky party goodies!

Get the same Honey Bee Party Printables in our online store!

Yellow and Grey Spring Brunch!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Missed you guys!! Yes, taking it slowly still and just about recovered from last week, but I thought I'd post something to brighten up your day (and mine)! :)

For those of you who haven't seen it, this fabulous yellow and grey Spring Brunch Party was styled by our contributor Smita from The Party Wall blog - Smita came up with the concept for Bird's Party Magazine, and she used our newest printable kit to help embellish the brunch table and dessert buffet, which she styled in the same colors!

I've include some of the photos which are not in the magazine, so you have extra eye candy and inspiration to gorge at! ;)

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I LOVE the newspaper touches Smita added, and this would make for a perfect Mother's Day Brunch too, don't you think?

HUGE thanks again Smita, for being such a fabulous addition to the magazine and the blog!! Your creative ideas never cease to amaze and inspire us all! ♥

The Spring Brunch Party Printables featured in this post are now available in our shop here, and include editable invites and buffet cards!

TUTORIAL: Easy Ribbon Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Our Spring/Summer magazine has been a HUGE success so far and we've already reached over 360,000 unique page views since Friday, and I only have you guys to thank for helping spread the word!! ;)

But now I'll be taking a little bloggy break this month and slowing down on my posts - I need to re-group myself, catch up on family-time, do the laundry, and work on some new party projects!

But today I'm guest posting over at The Ribbon Retreat Blog, where I show you how to make a ribbon wreath that is super easy!!

I used Holiday colors, but with the same technique and the HUGE selection of ribbons offered at The Ribbon Retreat, I'm sure you could come up with a wreath for each season!!

Hope you like it, and feel inspired to make one too!! Check the full tutorial here.

Surprise GIVEAWAY from Luv Handles!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:33:00 +0000

Yes, we're breaking from our regular schedule to bring you a dazzling giveaway, literally!!

How would you like to win yourself a stunning 2 piece stainless steel salad server set ($75) OR 2 stainless steel airtight wine stops ($70), handcrafted by Luv Handles with the most beautiful crystals?! I know I would!! ;)

Luv Handles is the brainchild of Tia Song, who specializes in embellished server-ware to feed your heart, body and soul! Each hand-wired piece is created with non tarnish wire onto stainless steel serveware using only the finest beads/crystals - Real crystals, stainless steel and non-tarnish wire are used to last a life time!

The set below is from the "California Cruz Collection" Color line inspired by Tom and Katie Cruise who we have sent these too!

Aren't they stunning pieces?!! Since their release 1 year ago, Luv Handles has grown leaps and bounds, and were recently selected as Martha Stewart’s Dreamers into Doers of the week!

They have also started gifting A list celebrities which include Tom and Katie Cruise as well as Tori Spelling.

Connect with Luv Handles:

SHOP

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Enter below for your chance to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bird's Party Magazine: Spring/Summer 2012, Issue 5 - OUT NOW!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:09:00 +0000

Read it online for FREE here

Buy a paper copy here

Finally it's out!! So excited as this issue is PACKED with parties, and I mean packed!! Our biggest yet - with over 180 pages of spectacular party inspiration, ideas and eye candy to help you celebrate in style this Spring and Summer!!

Off course, could not have done it without the amazing editorial team and fabulous, supportive vendors!! I urge you to visit their sites and shops to get even more inspiration for your parties and events!!

All details and resources links are in the magazine, and will also be added to the mag website at: www.BirdsPartyMagazine.com

Hope you enjoy the read, and please feel free to share the link! ;)

View Larger - Buy Paper Issue - Past Issues

Last Minute Easter Party Ideas and a DIY Easter Cake Pop Tutorial!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:07:00 +0000

Today's inspiring Easter post is courtesy of my talented friend Gillian from Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design, and if you're looking for last minute inspiration for your Easter table or party, look no more!!

Plus, she also shares a tutorial on how to make some fun but really pretty Easter Bunny cake pops!!

Bunny Cake Pops - makes approx. 20

You will need:

* 1 cake – 8 inch (20cm) already baked with crusts removed.

* 1 cup of frosting (buttercream or ganache)

* 1 packet of candy melts or 250g white chocolate

* Approx 100g of fondant/sugar paste (tinted pink)

* Green food lustre

* Cake pop sticks

* Small bunny cutter

* Ribbon

Make sugar paste bunnies at least 1 – 2 days ahead to allow to set hard.

1. Place cake (crusts removed) in large bowl and crumble with fingers until it resembles bread crumbs. Add frosting to make a moist mixture.

2. Measure a tablespoon of mixture and roll in hands to form a ball. Continue rolling balls until mixture is finished. Place cake balls in fridge for an hour or freezer for 10 minutes.

3. Place the candy melts or chocolate in microwave, and heat in 30 second intervals until completely melted. Do not be tempted to leave for longer or chocolate will burn.

4. Remove cake balls from fridge. Dip the tip of cake pop stick into melted chocolate and insert half way into cake ball.

5. Holding the tip of the stick dip entire cake pop in chocolate and gently tap off excess chocolate. Place on stand and allow to set.

6. Drizzle a little melted candy/chocolate over pop to make grass. Allow to set

7. With a soft paintbrush apply green lustre to cake pops

8. Using a toothpick to apply a little of the melted chocolate to the back of the sugar bunnies to attach to cake pop. Allow to dry and decorate with ribbon.

Tips:

* If you don’t fancy baking the cake yourself – a shop bought mud cake will be fine. Halve the amount of frosting.

* If your chocolate seem too thick when dipping add a tablespoon of melted copha or vegetable oil, a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency

* For the green grass you can use green candy melts or even colour your chocolate using colours compatible with chocolate.

Party Credits:

* Styling and desserts: Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design

Photography: Musie J Photography

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Wishing you all a fabulous, peaceful and relaxing Easter!!

TUTORIAL: DIY Easter Chick Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Today I'm really honored to have my dear friend Elvi from the blog LoLoVie guest blogging here!!

This is way overdue in my opinion, as Elvi is sooooo beyond talented and crafty! Check out her super adorable Easter Chick Wreath - It's super easy too, so you still have time to make it for Easter.

Stuff you need:

* 1 foam wreath

* 1 paper plate

* 1 package of yellow feathers (mine were from Creatology) P.S. you may want 2 packages depending how feathery you want your bird to be :)

* 1 roll of yellow "papier crepe"

* a pair of googly eyes

* black construction paper

* ribbon (for the bow and to hang)

* 1 sheet of orange felt

* a glue gun

* straight pins

How t make your Easter Chick Wreath:

1. Gather materials

2. Wrap the crepe paper around the wreath until you can't see the original color. I went around twice to cover the green. Glue the paper in place as needed and at the end.

3. Take your feathers and hot glue them around the wreath. This is an easy an messy task. You will know the next day when your chair and sofa are covered in a yellow duckling (Though nothing that a good vacuum cleaner can't deal with.)

4. Take your plate and wrap some more crepe paper around and once again, glue on feathers.

5. Cut out your beak and feet from the orange felt. I didn't have a pattern just sort of eye-balled it.

6. Take the beak and the feet and also pin to the wreath/neck from the "inside" (look at the photo above for reference) so that the pins don't show.

7. Embellish the bird: Cut out two black rectangles from your construction paper, frill the end and curl ends with scissors. Glue eyelashes to googly eyes and eyes to the feathery plate, then cut your ribbon the length you want the wreath to hang and tie around the wreath. Take the "plate" head and pin to the top of the wreath with push pins. Don't worry if your pins show, you will cover it with a bow later. Make a big bow and pin to the neck.

Hang it wherever you like and take bets if it's an actual duck or a baby chicken :)

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It's a chick Elvi. Trust me, I'm a bird expert! ;)

Check out LoLovie for more crafty ideas!!

Cake it Pretty: Easter Bonbons Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:05:00 +0000

The Bon Bon Cookie recipe has been passed down in my family for many generations.

My grandmother typically would serve this dainty dessert for baby or bridal showers, Mother's Day, and Easter. Everyone seems to enjoy the rich, buttery outside and surprise in the middle!

Ingredients: Makes 20 to 25 cookies

½ cup softened butter

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla (substituting a few drops of Fiori Di Sicilia for the standard vanilla is a secret for creating a lovely, orange/vanilla flavor )

1 1/2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Maraschino cherries (or opt for nuts or semisweet chocolate)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla. Work in flour and salt until dough holds together. (If dough is dry, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons light cream.) Measure out 1 tablespoon of dough and mold around each cherry. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set but not brown.

Cool on wire racks. Dip tops of cookies into icing. (Baking tip: place your baking rack and cookies on top of your baking sheet before icing cookies to allow extra icing to drip down) If desired, decorate with coconut, nuts, colored sugar, chocolate shavings or sprinkles. Let icing set before moving.

Icing:

Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 1/2 tablespoons light cream until smooth. If desired, stir in a few drops food color.

Visit Jenny at Crossing The Bugger-Dixon Line Blog for more fabulous party ideas and recipes!

Cake it Pretty: DIY Easter Bunny Decorated Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Hello, its Hani from Haniela's - For those of you who don’t know me let me introduce myself, I’m an editor of a Haniela’s, my sweet and crafty refuge. I love to bake, decorate, and make pretty edible things from scratch and today, I will be sharing a really cute and cookielicious Easter project with you all!

With Easter in less than 2 weeks how about we make some adorable and super easy Easter Bunny Cookies - best part about these is that they inspired by Bird's Party Easter Printable Collection and designs and you can make them as special as you like!

Striped and Polka Dot Easter Bunny Cookies:

I made Easter Bunny cut outs but you can use any other shapes you like, eggs, chicks, different bunny shapes.

BAKING: Bake the cookies using your favorite recipe for cut out cookies, or you can use recipes I use the most - Collection of Roll Out Cookie Recipes. My favorite is Chocolate, Sugar and Honey Cookies.

ICING: To ice the cookies I use my Fresh Lemon Royal Icing, I use a real lemon to flavor my icing. It gives the icing fresh taste and your a get an extra dose of vitamin C too, that is always a good thing, especially when eating cookies.

Trick to making this design is to use what is called wet on wet technique.

1. First you need to outline and flood the cookie with white icing, you can learn more about flooding consistency of you icing in my tutorial here.

2. Once you finish flooding the cookie you need start making striped using desired colors right away (this is the wet on wet technique), best when icing you‘ll be using to make the stripes is thinned down to flood consistency as well.

3. To decorate I use either parchment cones or sandwich bags. I know it sounds a little weird but I really use sandwich bags, like the one you see in the picture above - Just fill the bag with icing (tip how to fill a sandwich bag with icing), snip of a small piece of a corner and you are ready to decorate, if you are not confident with sandwich bag, use regular piping bag fitted with a coupler and a piping tip.

I recommend PME tips, if those are not available to you or you don't want to invest in those (they can be pricey) use Wilton, they a cheaper and wildly available and they will work as well. Use #2 or 3 for outline, and # 1 for stripes.

DRYING TIME: Once you've piped the stripes onto your cookies, let them dry completely.

Try not to lift the cookies while they are drying, best to leave them on a flat surface undisturbed for several hours prior handling.

PACKAGING: Packaging is a great way to present your cookies when you are giving them away as a gift or party favors!

For these cookies I used:

* Wilton's Clear Bags that are 4x9 inches

* Favor Bag Label Template from Bird's Party Easter Bunny printable Collection

1. Place the cookie into the bag, fold the ends few times, using a stapler, secure the ends in place, using a stapler at each end.

2. Put the label over the stapled end and secure the label in place with one staple in the upper middle section

3.Thread a ribbon through the staple and make a bow

Giveaway: $75 Gift Card to Beana Baby with Free Shipping!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:32:00 +0000

Beana Baby Boutique was founded in 2007 with the inspiration from a sweet little curly top blonde - Amber, the owner, had a hard time finding the items she was looking for locally and found herself scrolling the internet looking for fabulous clothing and accessories for her daughter.

Beana Baby just went thru a major expansion this past year and now is the go to place for First Birthday Outfits for moms across the US! The brand is following the path of the sweet little blonde; first starting with baby slings and now evolving into tutus, accessories, and many other great girly items.

Simply enter below for your chance to win a fabulous $75 Gift Card + FREE Shipping to spend as you wish at Beana Baby Boutique!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cool Customers: Pop Diva Birthday Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Taking a break from Magazine duties and gorging on some eye candy from our sweet and talented customers!!

Today's Pop Diva Birthday Bash was sent to us by Joan who styled and photographed this party along with her friend Eleonoor, and she tells me that "little divas really rocked the catwalk and song all afternoon!" :)

Hope you feel inspired for your own bash!

Click here to get your hands on the same POP DIVA party printables as seen on Joan's party!

TUTORIAL: Painted Easter Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:37:00 +0000

i love easter. maybe its the pastel colors or the abundance of candy and chocolate. either way i love to decorate, entertain and eat too much around this holiday...

take dry grass {this was from my front yard garden}and wrap it in a circle in a large bowl. spray the grass with water until moist leave overnight to dry. when you remove the grass it will maintain the circle shape.

note: could you try to make this nest without these steps? sure. but i tried. i wrestled with that dang grass until i was ready to quit! this was my solution and it worked great and has maintained its shape for the last 3 weeks.

buy wooden eggs. i found these here and i thought they were a great deal and she shipped them quickly and was great to work with.

how to paint:

-i used martha's paint for the base blue - "surf", yellow - "couscous", green - 50/50 mix of the two

- i used METALIC brown {any random brand} for the speckles

- use a toothbrush to speckle and spatter the brown paint

{PS - this is kinda messy.}

i may have gotten a little carried away with taking pictures of this.

but i just thought it was so pretty!!

Visit Creative Juice Blog to see more stunning Easter Crafts!

Cake it Pretty: The cutest DIY Easter Eggs!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:55:00 +0000

Hi, I am Virginie from That Cute Little Cake and I am so excited to share this very sweet project with you today!

Easter is just around the corner and these cute little ducks would make perfect Easter gifts or party favors for an Egg Hunt party - Read on and you will see how easy there are to make!

Don't be put off by the length of the tutorial, I have just tried to break it down so every step is simple to follow!

For this project you will need:

- Cadbury's Cream eggs
- Chocolate covered biscuits
- White Marzipan
- Icing sugar
- Optional: a tiny amount of white sugarpaste (for the eyes)

Equipment:

- Cocktail sticks
- Small brush
- Chopstick
- Knife
- Paste colors (yellow, orange, and a color of your choice for the hat)
- Black food decoration pen (or a very tiny amount of back marzipan)

First, start off by making your bases.

1. Simply melt a little bit of chocolate (dark or milk chocolate, it does not matter),
2. dip in the bottom of your egg and place the egg in the centre of the chocolate covered biscuit.
3. Leave to dry for a few minutes.

If you are making several decorations, do all the bases now so the chocolate has time to set before you start adding the marzipan.

Then we make the feet.

1. Color some marzipan orange (use a cocktail stick to add a little bit of orange color paste to the marzipan).
2. Spread a little icing sugar on your work area to prevent the marzipan from sticking to your worktop.
3. Make a ball of marzipan and cut in half with a knife. That way you get two balls of the same size for the feet !
4. Model each ball into a drop shape. Flatten by pressing down gently with you finger and use the chopstick to make webbed feet.
5. Use a little bit of chocolate to attach the feet to the chocolate covered biscuit base.

To make the wings, color some marzipan yellow.

1. Make a ball and cut in half with the knife. Roll the two halves in two balls.
2. Flatten each ball with a mini rolling pin or your finger.
3. Bend slightly so you get roughly the shape of a potato chip.
4. Use a little bit of melted chocolate to attach the wing to the egg/body.
5. Find something to support the wing while the chocolate sets. I used the cocktail stick box.

Roll a big yellow ball for the head and glue on top of the egg with a little bit of melted chocolate.

To make the beak, roll a small amount of orange marzipan in a ball. Press the ball with your fingers so you get one fat side and one flat side. Cut the fat side in two with the knife. Model in the shape of a beak.

Using the brush, slightly wet the area of the head where the beak goes.

Attach the beak and hold in place for a few seconds.

Roll two tiny balls of white sugarpaste for the eyes. Wet them with a damp brush to make the sugarpaste sticky and press them on the head. Use the food safe pen to mark a dot in the centre of the eyes.

Finish of by making a nice hat for your little duck.
I decided on a dark red hat so I colored some marzipan with "claret".

1. Roll a small ball and a sausage long enough to go round the ball.
2. Make the sausage into a ring and place the ball on top using a damp brush to make the contact area sticky.
3. Add a little ornament if you so wish. I used a tiny blossom cutter to make the flower.

Use a damp brush to remove any left over icing sugar.

Remember: To assemble the duck just follow these two simple rules:

1. Glue marzipan on chocolate with melted chocolate

2. Glue marzipan on marzipan with water

Stop by That Cute Little Cake for more fun cream egg animals to make !

FREE Party Printables: Easter Bunny Cupcake Wrappers!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Happy Monday everyone!!

With Easter right around the corner, I thought you guys might enjoy these cute Easter Bunny Cupcake Wrappers!

I designed 2 versions based on our current Easter Printable Collection so they go really nicely with the rest of the printables, which you can get here!

Simply, print, cut and wrap around your decorated cupcakes - Cute and Easy!! :)

Download your FREE Easter Bunny Cupcake Wrappers here.

(For personal use only!)

Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-Up + a GIVEAWAY!!

noreply@blogger.com (Birds Party) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:34:00 +0000

We've always loved Hellmann’s® mayonnaise in our house, so I was really excited to try one of the recipes from the Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-Up, which promises "to transforms your chicken into a juicier, crispier, more delicious meal that your family will love."

The Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-Up aims to help parents manage dinner dilemmas in kitchens across America – and their yummy ideas aim to remedy our dinner time challenges with "Time Saving", "Budget Friendly", "Picky Eaters" and "Twist on a Classic" chicken recipes!

Needless to say, due to my two picky eaters at home, I opted for one of the "Picky Eaters" recipe: Crunchy Tortilla Chicken (full recipe here).

I also love spicy food, and was keen to try out a new way of cooking chicken. The recipe called for chicken breast which I normally don't like to cook with because I can never get it to stay moist, or it lacks in flavor. But the addition of Hellmann’s® mayonnaise to coat the chicken first, really intrigued me so I decided to give it a go - but I wasn't expecting much, I have to admit.

The recipe only took 5 minutes to prepare, and I substituted the lime for lemons ('cause I couldn't find any) and also used a little paprika mixed with my chili powder to give it a nice color.

The tortilla crumbs to coat the chicken was also new to me. To get my tortilla crumbs I used half wheat and half corn tortillas, and simply blended in a food processor.

Because of the Mexican-inspired flavors, I served it with homemade guacamole and tangy salsa.

For my guacamole, I usually add a tablespoon of Hellmann’s® mayonnaise, which adds a really creamy texture and zingy flavor, which I love!

But the main thing was to find out if my "picky eaters" loved this new recipe - So in-keeping with the saying "the proof is in the eating", I got the kids to give their verdict on this new dinner recipe! :)

All in all I have to give it the big thumbs up too, 'cause my son who hates crispy bits ate his chicken without a problem, and the chicken was so moist that my 4 year old who has trouble chewing meat really loved it!

I was also surprised with the results of my chicken! Not only the Hellmann’s® helped to keep all the moisture into the chicken, it also packed it full of delicious flavors, just like it promised! And with the crunchy tortilla crumb on the outside, the chicken was so crispy and also only took 20 minutes to cook, so I guess it's also a time-saving recipe?! ;)

So now I'm looking forward to trying out ALL the other tasty, juicy chicken recipe ideas from the Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-Up, like the Parmesan Crusted Chicken! YUM!

And you too can take part! From now until April 30, 2012, parents across the country can participate in the Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-up by trying one of the featured Hellmann’s® chicken recipes, sharing their recipe reviews and providing their own advice for managing dinnertime obstacles.

After participating, consumers can enter into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $5000 grocery store gift card and other daily prizes.[1]

[1] NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Hellmann's Chicken Change-Up is sponsored by Conopco, Inc., d/b/a Unilever. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 or older. Begins 12:00 PM ET on 03/01/12 & ends 11:59 AM ET on 04/30/12. For official rules, visit the ‘Chicken Change-Up’ tab on the Hellmann’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hellmanns

You can an find more recipe ideas at the Hellmann’s® Facebook page, which features Celebrity Chef Tim Love providing his take on tackling these challenges in his own home!

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But that's not all! Hellmann’s® are giving one of Bird's Party readers a "Picky Eaters" Prize Pack today!! Simply enter below for your chance to win all these fabulous goodies:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Hellmann’s® product and additional incentives were provided to me - All opinions stated are my own.