Sweet Treats for Easter

Will the Easter bunny be making a visit to your house? He's hopping into ours for sure! I've got Owen and Amelia's Easter baskets almost all set and now I'm now just having fun checking out all of the Easter treats online. So many options!

From Sweetopia...how cute are these flower sugar cookie pops? Make a batch of them and you'll have an adorable cookie flower bouquet. Create them in any color to match your Easter decor! See the full tutorial on Sweetopia's site here.

And this idea for cupcakes in flower pots from Project Nursery is so clever!

Here's a cute way to display jelly beans from Martha Stewart. Again this could be done in so many color schemes.

Or dress up your cupcakes with cotton tails! This one comes from an adorable "Bunny Hop" party featured on HWTM.

Or how about mixing in something healthy....loving this carrot display. Also from HWTM see the full party here.

Happy Monday everyone!

Come sail away...

Finally! Thanks for your patience with me folks, at last I'm getting back to normal again. My shop actually has some items in it! Yippeee!

Last week I gave you a sneak peek of a couple of the parties I set up at my house...it's one of my favorite things to do...design, create and set up party displays! And now I'm excited to share with you all of the photos from my sailor party. Done in a classic bluebell, navy and orange color scheme with a modern chevron pattern, this party would be perfect for a little boy's birthday party or baby shower.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! Would love to know what you think!

A sneak peek

As you many of you know, a couple weeks ago my hard drive crashed. It was a total pain in the behind to make sure all of my files were correct again...but you know what? I think it was also a good thing. I decided to close my shop until the chaos subsided and now I've been keeping inventory limited. I figured if I have to take a little break, might as well make it productive! So last week I did one of my favorite things...I set up a couple little mock parties and photographed them for new listings in my shop. And while you'll have to wait a bit longer to see the full packages...I do want to share with you a little sneak peek...

First up...a modern chevron pattern meets a classic sailboat theme in bluebell, navy and orange. Do I spy a few new party items?

A colorful candy shop, perfect for Spring

And I couldn't resist doing another photo shoot of a Pretty Smitten classic, the red wagon party in bluebell and red. It's a client favorite! Apparently it's also one of my son's favorites. Here he is taking a peek.

Who can resist that sweet face? I can't. So yes, he got a cupcake. He was pretty sure every party was set up just for him...and he kept telling me "ooooh thank you Mommy for my party!"

So thanks for your patience everyone! I'm giving myself one more week to fully re-open my shop...but it will be worth the wait!! Fun new photos and a few new products.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Great deal on Crocs!

Check out Zulily today for a great deal on crocs. My son lives in these during the warmer months! So easy to just slip on and go. I think these bright green ones are pretty cute!

And thanks for your patience while I get my shop up and running again! And it will be worth the wait...today I'm starting a photo shoot for some new party items...stay tuned!!

Here it is again...

See I told you it keeps popping up in party decor...here it is again! This time the lovely Ikea frame is showcased at a gender reveal party featured on Amy Atlas.

Yep, still loving this idea!

Beef Stew for a Rainy Day

It has been raining around here. A LOT. Yesterday, it rained so hard that a massive puddle formed in our backyard. And the wind was so strong I felt a bit like Dorothy. So we hunkered down for the day and I decided to make something warm and cozy for dinner. Nothing's better then a slow cooker for that type of meal. I decided to go with Emeril's beef stew recipe on Food Network. I was not about to run out to the store, so the stew lacked the frozen peas it requires. And making Emeril's Essence was one more step then I had time for, so the beef was simple browned with salt and pepper. But despite these changes, YUM! It turned out quite good if I do say so myself.

I served it over some whole wheat noodles tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese. Noodles are kid friendly and that's why I chose them...but I think it would be great served plain with a big chunk of crusty bread too. A simple side salad finished of the meal.

So if you are in need of a new recipe to try this weekend, I say give it a try! Easy to throw everything in the slow cooker, and the house smells good all day. Oh, and the recipe says it takes 8 hours in the slow cooker? Well, I did about 6 and it was great.

Happy Weekend!

Etsy Sweets

Have you checked out the array of sweets available on Etsy? You could plan your whole party around some of these beauties!

I think my absolute favorite cookie is the French Macaron. How gorgeous are these from Sparkles Kitchen?

And there are a ton of amazingly decorated sugar cookies. These airplane and car ones from Sugar & Flour could fit perfectly into a Pretty Smitten party!

Or build a party around these adorable Dr. Seuss cookies from Batches. Our striped pattern in bluebell and red would go perfectly!

Also from Batches...Sock Money cookies! Too cute!!

Cake pops have also made an appearance on Etsy. These are always a fun party favorite. Some of my favorites come from the shop Moms Killer Cakes.

And without the pop...cake balls from LolliDreams. Chocolate and mint, YUM.

So have I activated your sweet tooth yet? I'm pretty much ready to devour some chocolate.

Happy Thursday!