Hey sweet friends, missed you! Been working on some fun things this summer , taking some time off to chill with the family and generally catching up on those little things that get neglected during the year (like reading a great book!) so we're totally in relaxed-blogging-mode 'round here...be warned. But today I'm happy to be back giving away a cool 4 Recipe Books to one lucky winner -  to help make your summer reading even yummier!

As a blogger, blog monetization is one of the key subjects that always crops up in conversation with other bloggers. So after many requests, I'm delighted to announce that we now have an affiliate program for Bird's Party Shop !!   There is no charge to join our affiliate program, and we pay a commissions for all shop sales you refer . Cool, right?! :) The program is also real simple and quick to sign up for, and we have some super cute ads too! So to start making money now and earn an income from your blog, email me to get all the details! 

This giveaway is now closed! That's right folks, excited to bring you this super fun giveaway! We've teamed up with the fab Pear Tree Greetings to give one lucky winner a $100 gift card purchase anything in their kids collection and  free shipping!! 

If you follow me on Instagram , would've have seen a  little sneak peak of today's post using Tic Tac ® mints as a wedding favor idea. Tic Tac's goal is to "Shake Things Up" , and I was thrilled when they asked me to come up with a fun packaging idea for a wedding favor!   Tic Tac®  packs remind me confetti, little colored sprinkles, perfect for weddings. So I wanted a modern vibe for the packaging, something that would be meaningful for a wedding, but also add a modern/funky twist to shake thing up ;)  Naturally, I turned to printables. And glitter. 'Cause if you can't have a bit of bling on your wedding day...when can ya?!

This giveaway is now closed! In last week's post I talked about how marshmallows are essential at any party. But Boomf have gone a step further - They allow us to turn our precious Instagram memories, selfies and instamoments into real marshmallows! How cool is that?! They offered to send me a Boomf box a couple of weeks back, and I LOVED it!!  The marshmallows are beautifully packed (perfect for gifts, wedding favors...) and totally funky. I tell ya - Proper fun and yummy marshmallows ! And because I liked it so much, we teamed up with Boomf to give one lucky winner 3 boxes of personalized Boomf marshmallows !! Giveaway open worldwide .

Marshmallows are perfect for any occasion. It's a well known fact (trust). So when the fabulously creative Meaghan from The Decorated Cookie  sent me this patriot red, white and blue Marshmallow recipe for Bird's Party Magazine , I knew she was onto a winner! They look awesome, don't they?! Plus, are super quick and easy to make, and you could even set up a Marshmallow Bar at your 4th of July Party  with all the ingredients, and get guests having fun making their own pops -  A sweet treat that doubles as party activity too?! Score!! ;)

With the Brazilian soccer world cup happening and the release of the Rio 2 movie, I'm doubly delighted to share this colorful and vibrant  Rio-Amazon-jungle-inspired birthday party !! Crissy styled it for her daughter's 9th birthday, and I worked on the party printable collection inspired by her vision, ideas and chosen colors. She really wanted the Amazon rain forest come to life and I think she pulled it off beautifully as usual!! It's full of creative, gorgeous and DIY inspiration, and she shares all the fun details below. Enjoy! :)

There's nothing better I like to do in summer than to have a great picnic ! Whether by the seaside, local park or woodlands...sometimes even in our own backyard! All that matters is eating outdoors and enjoying the fresh air and warmth of the season. It truly means summer has arrived! But cooking a picnic-worthy spread is also part of the fun - Thinking up little funky seasonal dishes, delicious morsels and yummy sweet treats that will wow the family! It's also a great excuse to get the kids involved in the preparation, and make it a truly enjoyable experience from beginning to end. So with the help I've been looking for inspiration to update my repertoire. With over 30 yummy and portable picnic recipes , I've collected refreshing drinks, picnic-pies, seasonal salads, funky pickles, gourmet sandwich ideas and loads more; to help inspire your Picnic season too! YUM!!

4th of July rhymes with grilling and cooking out, right? So here are a few basic essentials that not only make your BBQ life easier, but also super fun and totally more special! Click icons to see the links.

These easy treats are perfect on any dessert table, but they also make fun party favors too!  The idea comes from Brazil, and the popular chocolate fudge called Brigadeiro . Traditionally, Brigadeiro are rolled little balls of chocolate fudge (much like a chocolate truffle), but using spoons in this way, not only makes it even cuter to serve, but also super easy and quick to make too. 

Red, white and blue just happens to be one of my fave color combos, so this 4th of July inspired party post was a lot of fun to put together. Especially because I get to share the work of some of my fave talented friends and crafty bloggers! Hope you feel inspired too!! Check out all the links below...

Since we're still in world cup mode 'round here, and because 4th of July is around the corner; I thought it would be really cool to take a Brazilian recipe and give it a USA twist. So I came up with  red, white and blue  themed  Brigadeiro Spoons  (recipe coming soon) - the perfect sweet treat to watch those football / soccer matches, or to display on your July 4th dessert tables.   These yummy spoons make really cute party favors too, just wrap them in a clear bag and add a   FREE printable 4th of July tag - Being sent out all this month to our Email subscribers ( click here to subscribe and you'll get it in tomorrow's email ).

TGIF, right? And I'm about to make it even more fab, 'cause we're having a 4th of July inspired SALE ! So you guessed it, all our red, white and blue printables are on SALE at 50% OFF !!  Keep reading to get the full scoop...

Onward with our Wold Cup Party ideas, today I'm sharing another of my fave Brazilian recipes: Coxinha de Galinha . Coxinha come from the name for 'little thigh' in Portuguese, because these little morsels look just like...well, little chicken thighs. They are really popular, and present in most Brazilian parties and celebration buffets, so we couldn't have a Brazilian inspired World Cup party without them. Even Nigella has her own recipe for these! 

Any dessert becomes instantly more appealing when it comes in a  "pop" portable version, don't you think?  We all know and love the good ol' S'mores, and with outdoor season is truly upon us; these Nutella S'more Pie Pops will sure to dazzle at your al fresco desserts tables, camping party or summer soirees!

Did you watch the World Cup opening match yesterday? Nail biting, right?  Well, with a few days of match-watching, celebrating and cheering for our favorite soccer / football teams; there's nothing better to get in the tropical spirit of things than with a  refreshing Brazilian drink! We all know and love the Caipirinhas ( try this cool twist ) , but have you heard about another popular cocktail called ' Batida '? The name literally means 'beaten' and derives from the fact that all the ingredients are well; beaten or blitzed in a  blender. Now, you can't get easier than that for a cocktail, right?! :)

The football or soccer World Cup kicks off tomorrow, and what better way to celebrate, party and watch the games then with some traditional Brazilian recipes, snacks and appetizers ?!  They'd be cool for February's Mardi Gras or Carnaval also. These little pão de queijo (little cheese breads rolls) are typically served at breakfast or at afternoon snack, but these bite-sized morsels are also perfect appetizer to accompany a nice cold beer!! Tried and tested ;)

My son is football ( soccer ) mad, so he was beyond giddy to see me style this party for Bird's Party Magazine ! And I must say, for a bird who likes pink, I really was surprised how much I enjoyed it too! So today I'm sharing all the photos and details to help you re-create the party look and desserts table at home. Oh, and I've also added a World Cup party page to the shop, including the favor bags, candy tubes, twine and paper lanterns etc used in this party; to help you style with ease and find all the essentials for celebrating your favorite world cup goals!! ;)

I'm not usually a huge fan of football (soccer) but something about the World Cup that just makes me wanna watch, party and cheer. We've always held world cup match watching celebrations in our family since I was a child, so I guess it's tradition now. Especially since this year it's been held in Brazil!! Talk about fun overload, right?! :) So all this week I'll be sharing some creative party ideas inspired by the beautiful game, and its   world cup host country!! So you can expect a touch of samba, a pinch of folia and lots of fun on the 'menu'! ;)

So beyond excited (and a tad relieved), to be able to share this news! Been keeping this under wraps since last summer when I got signed to write the book .  The day I received the news, it didn't quite sink in. And all the months that followed. Not until I actually had the printed book in my hands earlier this month, so it's kinda cool that I waited. It feels more real now! :)