Happy Friday, party lovas! Today we're rounding up our fav back to school party ideas and DIYs from the blog , to help you get organized, celebrate and make the transition a little easier, and a loads more FUN! ;)

I wish Pinterest was around when I got married.  The amount of fun DIY inspiration and creative ideas...oh my! No matter how little or how much you're actually doing yourself, nothing beats getting stuck in, hands on. If nothing else, simply to have a keepsake or fun memory of something made with love, by you!  And being able to say in years to come - "Oh this?! I made it!" ;)

This has become my go-to salad this summer. You know, the salad that you find yourself making over and over, simply because you're either: a) digging all of that gorgeous, ripe summer produce b) want something healthy but delicious to chomp on c) want a quick meal without putting the stove on d) all of the above?! ;)

Celebrate Magazine has been one of my favorites since way back when I started this blog... Always full of inspiring party ideas, delicious recipes and fun DIYs for any occasion or celebration! So you can imagine my joy and excitement when they invited me to be in their August  Birthday Issue !!

Usually, when we have giveaways or contests here on the blog, we post the winner details on the giveaway post. But for our  Coca-Cola®  #ShareaCokeContest , I wanted to write a post apart...  Mainly because it's a reeeeeally special prize, and I just spent most of my morning going through all the AMAZING Pin boards you guys linked up here!! And for that alone, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who took the time to pin their party ideas, favorite summer party photos and took the time to share them with us!! But also to say a HUGE thanks to Coca-Cola® for the fabulous prize!! :)

I grew up on smoothies. My mom used to create the most weird and wonderful concoctions of fruit and veg, all blended up into a practical and nutritious drink/snack.  Some flavors I loved, and some I hate to this day (hello trauma of beetroot!), but now find myself passing down my love of smoothies to my kids. And smoothie bowls are not only the latest healthy rage around, but I found it to be a super FUN and healthy snack for kids , as well as a lazy (but nutritious) breakfast option for busy gals ;)  Major bonus points that they look totally Instagram worthy (wink) AND are super good for you!

Some of you may be already prepping for back to school, but summer's NOT over folks. And we're determined to squeeze all the sunny days and summer parties in, before Fall totally takes over... Oh, yeah! Speaking of which, I'm thinking these ice cream social printables would make a cool end of summer party, birthday bash theme or a refreshing back to school celebration .  Sorry, pun intended ;)

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Nestlé by all recipes and opinions are my own. Everyone has their go-to dessert for summertime parties, BBQs and gatherings. And for me, a NO-BAKE recipe is a must! That's where the NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Morsels come in super handy - they can be enjoyed straight out of the bag! ;) And for this summer recipe with Nestlé® , I decided to turn up the volume and update my standard lemon cheese cake into little parfaits; which are super cute to serve and the perfect little treat for a summer dinner party or luncheon.

Styling a tented stand has been on my party bucket list since ever! You know, the super cute stands complete with the mandatory awning , that you can use for SO many party themes in summer and beyond?! Like lemonade stands, ice cream stations, drinks stations , circus carnival concession stand... (You name it, and chances are; you can put an awning on it!) So for my latest Coca-Cola partnership , I decided to tick it off my list.

For me, summer is not complete without a fun pool party .  So for our third shoot with  Coca-Cola® , we couldn't pass up the chance get our toes wet! The weather here's been extremely hot, and I also decided to set up a Coke Float station  to also help keep things cool. Literally! ;)

I told you I was really into my iced teas this summer! This version came about because of the abundance of blackberries and raspberries we have growing in the garden . More fruit than I know what to do with, so naturally I turned to my love of fruity iced teas. And I'm doubly excited as I know have a fully functioning patio just outside my studio to do all these summer shoots for you guys! :)

Potato salad is one one of those dishes that shows up time and time again in all our summer gatherings - From BBQs, to pot luck lunches, to al fresco dinners, and even as appetizer spoons at cocktail parties! Mainly because my husband makes THE BEST potato salad ever. Honestly! It's the reason I married him ;p

Fiestas are not only reserved for Cinco de Mayo. I personally, would have a fiesta any day of the week. Tacos, pinatas, Margaritas....the lot! So when my friend Gillian sent over her stunning party photos with a fiesta theme and get this, PINATA COOKIES (!!); I actually did a little dance. It's a softer take on the usually bright Mexican inspired theme. It has pastel colors and warm summer hues with a  stunning watercolor cake, and I reckon it would be PERFECT for a seasonal wedding, bridal shower, dinner party or girly birthday!

In honor of shark week, we have gathered the funkiest, most JAWsome party ideas for you. Sorry, couldn't help myself ;p I'm all for pink, glitter and frilly 'round here on the blog, but I also have a nature-animal-lover little boy at home, who adores adventure and the wild. And sharks (or anything with sharp teeth for that matter...) are an integral part of that. So for our Bird's Party Magazine Summer Issue , we selected a few sharp-toothed ideas that you can re-create at home! ;) Here are some more:

If you follow me on Instagram , you'd have seen that I'm really into my party cocktails ;) But, I also enjoy a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink in summer.  Something healthy, delicious, easy and quick to make, and that I can whip up quickly for the whole family. And ice tea ticks ALL them boxes!

Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, and I may have received goods and/or compensation for it, but all opinions are my own.  As you probably know, I love cupcakes. Baking AND eating them. So for my 4th of July party with Coca-Cola® , I combined my love of the drink with my fave go-to recipe for a super moist, fluffy and scrumptious 4th of July Stars and Stripes chocolate cupcake .

Fourth of July is 'round the corner, and today we've teamed up with Coca-Cola® again as part of our summer #ShareaCokeContest , and  to bring you some fun ideas for your Independence Day celebrations! If you didn't see our first Coca-Cola® summer post, you can check it out here . There's pulled pork involved. Oh, yeah! ;)

Hey party-lovers, just finished our 4th of July shoot, and I can't wait to show you!! But today, I'm joining Clinton Kelly again to share a super fun but mega EASY 4th of July party photo booth idea I created for the event! And anything that involves giant balloons is a winner in my party book ;)

Hey guys, mega excited over here to bring you another issue of Bird's Party Magazine !!  Issue 13 is our summer edition, and packed with amazing party ideas, party  recipes, party crafts and DIYs , plus loads of party eye candy to help inspire YOUR celebrations this season!

Did you see the   BBQ party  I shared last week as part of our  summer partnership with Coca-Cola®  ?! I urge you to have a look for the styling ideas 'course...but also the HUGE $1700 contest we've got for ya! ;) Since the post was super long, I decided to share the BBQ pulled pork recipe today. Honestly, it's the best BBQ pork I ever had. EVER! did I say ever?! 

Oh Goodie. It's Monday again!! When you love what you do, Mondays are totally cool again, right?!  ;) And speaking of cool, we're prepping our summer magazine issue and would LOVE to include you!! And yes. The image is random. Just wanted to see if you're awake! :p

BBQ season is here, and I'm so beyond excited to partnering with one of my favorite brands EVER to be kicking off the seasonal celebrations, starting with our first BBQ of the year! Throughout the summer, we'll be hosting 3 seasonal parties with Coca-Cola® to help you get inspired for your own shareable moments and fun celebrations! And even more exciting, YOU will be able to join in the fun, and be eligible to win  a “Share a Coke” prize pack, consisting of vouchers for two round-trip flights on United Airlines to anywhere in the continental U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, Central America or Hawaii and a $500 Visa gift card ($1,700 Approximate Retail Value)!!

Ah, so nice to start the week on Tuesday, right?! ;) And to kick things off, we have a super adorable music inspired first birthday party from our contributor Smita . She ALWAYS pulls off stunningly creative parties for her kids with lots of handmade, DIY details; and I'm honored to be a part of it for her little Aashi's first birthday baby jam ! If you're into your crafts and handmade decor, you'll love how totally clever this party is!

Emoji rock my world. You could say they make me Emojinal ;p I'm pretty sure they rock yours too, no? Since we did out  Emoji fest  back in April , I'm seeing more and more FUN party posts and super cool ideas, recipes, crafts and decor popping up EVERYWHERE ( so many, that I had to start a themed  Emoji Party Ideas PIN board   ). Here are some of my faves.