Why buy when you can DIY - that's my motto in life. So naturally, I turned to my paintbrushes when creating this large wall art canvas for my new studio bar . I wanted something big, abstract and eye catching to hang as a focal point.
TGIF! And you know what Friday means? Happy hour, of course! And to test drive my brand new studio bar , we had to create a brand new cocktail recipe! This one is supper yum, and perfect 'transition' cocktail to take you from summer (and the warm days that we're still having. Yay!) into Fall. And we call it a 'Birdie' ;)
Have you noticed how almost anything tastes better on a stick?! Not sure if it's the novelty of seeing our yummy recipes in bite-form; or actually a scientific reason behind it. Whatever it is, pie pops are my new Fall favorites! They are perfectly practical for serving at parties. And can we just taking a minute to appreciate how cute they look? :)
If you follow me on Instagram , you'd have been sneak peeks of my summer studio and office makeover. Yeah, I basically spent a good chunk of my summer with a paintbrush in hand...and although it's far from finished, I'm celebrating each little 'victory' and taking pleasure in seeing some areas come to life - like my studio bar!
We're starting the week on a sweet note. Is there a better way?! I think not ;) Especially when it concerns one of my all-time favorite desserts: Crème Brulée! Seriously, I could eat it all day long. And so for the sake of variety, and keeping this classic up to date, I like to experiment!
Okay, so we're all settled now into a back to school or back to work routine. But are you like me, still on summer body-clock time, and feeling like "I need my pillow" every morning? Well, it may be we need something healthy and exciting to kick start our day!
This is quite possible, the easiest "pie" recipe I've ever made! Pastry and all. Well I say pie...but really, the shape is the typical French galette style. No fuss, rustic goodness. And that' how I like my pies! The most difficult part is waiting for it cook (and cool!) so you can start devouring ;)
Honeycomb balls are the new hot trend gracing the pages of the party blogs. You just can't miss them! Mainly because you can use them in your party or styling decor to achieve the "wow factor" without much effort or cost. Sure, they make great hanging decorations and garlands for birthdays, weddings, home decor...but today, 'funky' and 'unexpected' is the name of the party game. And here are my top favs to help inspire your next shindig!
It's the last few days of summer vacation for us, and we're determined to squeeze out every fun moment we have! Including celebrating the every day with family and friends. 'Round here we need no special excuse for a party ;)
Hey friends! I know it's Sunday and I don't normally post at all. But today I had the urge to just chat. Snapchat to be precise ;) It all started with the kids making Sunday Brunch today. And I thought it was so cute, and something fun to Snap!
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: