December 29, 2011

 

New Years Eve Party

I was going to plan a little New Years Eve party but than my stepson got in a car accident just before Christmas so plans changed.  That's why I've been absent from blogging. He's doing better but it will be a long recovery.  So this year our New Years Eve is low key. My man wants a Twlight Zone marathon with Margarita's. hmm, party wheels are churning.... 

Remember those Christmas PJ's I bought, the ones with the penguin. Those PJ's were my party inspiration. Everyone goes with a sparkly party theme for New Years. So I was going to go a little different and go penguin!

I would have sent out an invitation like this cute little one I saw on Pinterest but can't find a source for. Of course it would say Happy New Year instead of Merry Christmas.
My door would be decked out with this wreath from Double Fun Parties. Except I'd hang a penguin in the middle instead of a clock.


I'd decorate the table with blue and silver and have a snow flake blanket on the table for snow. Of course I'd serve adorable penguin food :)
An igloo is a must of course. Like this super cute one from Betty Crocker!


Are these just not the cutest penguin cupcakes you've ever seen :)  From Fowl Single File.


I hope your New Years party is a success. As for me, there's always 2013!

December 17, 2011

 

Santa Christmas Lights Viewing Party

My friend had  friends over to her place before going out and seeing the lights of Peacock Lane .  A street where every house has to participate in the lights display.  It's been going on since the 1920's. The fun part of the party was, everyone was dressed as Santa! What a fun way to see Christmas lights.  I wasn't at the party so I don't know if invites were sent out, food was served etc. But it got me thinking for next year. Here's some ideas to stash away for your own Santa Christmas lights viewing party. Maybe I'll see some of these ideas at my friends Santa Christmas Light Viewing party next year :)

Any good party starts with the invitation. It sets the tone. What better way to invite people to dress as Santa than this invite by Skip To My Lou that just screams Santa.


Santa appetizers would be served. Cute little Santa strawberries that sadly, I couldn't find a source for.


Little bite size Santa crackers from the Party Diva herself Martha Stewart


Cute Santa hat cupcakes by Created by Diane


A Santa Hat cocktail to wash all the munchies down with. Love the powdered sugar rim to make it look like Santa's hat :)



And don't forget your Santa outfit :)  These are all from Party City


I think my friend wore this Mrs. Clause outfit. The news crew caught her and her friends briefly as they were filming Peacock Lane's opening night.





I'm loving this little hat too. Might have to pick this up and wear it to my families Christmas dinner :)

Are you inspired to have a Santa Christmas Lights Viewing party next year?


December 16, 2011

 

Christmas PJ's

Do you buy new Christmas PJ's every year? I'm not talking about for your kids, I'm talking for you.  I've recently started buying myself some Christmas PJ's every year.  We have Christmas breakfast at my parents and we wear our PJ's. I love it.  I think my step-daughter started it.  These are mine this year,

I may wear them before Christmas morning and fix myself some cute Christmas pancakes for breakfast. Like these adorable Rudolph pancakes I saw on Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons. Who says you have to be a kid to enjoy a fun breakfast :)

Or maybe I'll go the sci-fi route and have a Star Wars pancake breakfast. I love the pancake molds from Williams Sonoma.  I have the Christmas ones from last year. I always want to buy these Star Wars ones for my brother but I don't think he'd make pancakes for himself. Shame, cause it'd be a fun breakfast.


December 14, 2011

 

Woo Hoo!! Wednesday

Stocking stuffers are always the last thing people buy.  Do people forget?  Stockings ROCK!  You can stuff them with so many great little gifts.  Got a Party Diva in your circle of friends or family?   Not sure what to stuff their stocking with, here's some Woo Hoo! ideas.

Who doesn't love martini monkey's?  You can attach them to the side of any glass, doesn't have to be for a martini.  Kids would love to see a monkey hanging off their punch or milk glass.


Rim sugars are always a fun little stocking stuffer for the hostess with the mostess and will come in handy when she throws that New Years party.

Cool ice trays add that extra little detail that your guests will get a kick out of. I have tiki's, gingerbread men, pumpkins, and palm trees. 

Adorable napkin rings. These are at Pier 1 and so cute!

Or some cute wine bottle stoppers. Available at Pier 1.


This year stuff those stockings with adorable Party Diva gifts :) 

December 12, 2011

 

Christmas Open House Goodies

Wow! My first Christmas Open House was a success. I was kind of expecting people to drift in and out but most showed up around the same time and stayed :) How wonderful!  I posted earlier about the recipes I tried and here's my versions of them.  I'll post the decorations later or this would be one long post hee hee

I found these drink clings at JoAnn's, they're made by Wilton.  I think they look so festive and add that extra little detail which I'm known for. The Rudolph Spritzer in the back ground...yeah, that was a HIT!


I saw these flavored milks at Target while shopping with my brother on Black Friday. I of course HAD to give them a try.  I served them in flower vases :)  They were the perfect size and looked better than just setting the cartons of milk out. Be creative in what you serve your drinks in.



I set up a cocoa and tea station but everyone was all over the Rudolph Spritzer, the milks and soda I had out.  I wanted to have it available in case anyone wanted some.



The coloured swirl sugar cookies turned out really pretty.  As you can see I made my own labels and didn't print them like you see on all the other party blogs.  I don't have a printer at home so I can't print out labels.  The printed ones look great but you can also make your own with a little coloured paper and rubber stamps.


My homemade peanut butter chocolates.  I had a friend fit my Open House into her busy day as soon as she heard I was making these.  They melt in your mouth and once you've had these, Reeser's Peanut Butter Cups taste dry and stale in comparison.


The Rice Krispy ornaments turned out great. Guests loved these because they were so cute and it takes you back to childhood memories.


This little snowman cheese ball is very tasty. This time my guests didn't have any problem tearing into this body. Although no one could bring themselves to at his face, they did start in on his brain :)  I dusted him with coconut for snow and added some coconut around him for snow.


The peppermint fudge was a big hit with a few of my friends. It's got a nice subtle peppermint flavor to it and it's hard to just eat one piece of fudge :)


So here's the funny thing with these mini cakes.  Sure I could tell you I made mini cakes on purpose. But I didn't. I always make mini cupcakes, I don't do big cupcakes. But I wanted to this time. The only regular size cupcake pans I have are disposables.  Yes, well, after I had already mixed up the batch I realized I had thrown the pans out. I thought I had bought the liners that you can bake it that don't require a pan but couldn't find them. So I placed the liners I had on a cookie sheet, filled them and hoped for the best. AFTER I started baking I found the liners I bought that don't require a pan, geesh! Mistakes happen but if you don't tell your guests, they'll never know.


I was going to make gingerbread truffles but the chocolate wasn't melting right so I just made gingerbread men instead. They were tasty. The recipe I used....Betty Crocker bagged mix :) No one knew they weren't from scratch.


The Hershey's Kisses sugar blossom cookies are good. The peppermint sugar cookies I thought were
so-so. My guests liked them though. I guess I just like my cookies to be a little more pepperminty.  I made Rum Butter Stars too but forgot to take a picture of those. Geesh, what kind of Party Diva am I.


I hope you're inspired something to bake something and host your own Christmas Open House. If any of the treats look tasty to you see the Sugar Overload post for links to the recipes.

December 10, 2011

 

Sugar overload!!

Yes, it was a sugar overload at our house today.  I had a Christmas Open House. I wanted to see my friends and family, make a BUNCH of Christmas treats and well...show off my house, Christmas Cheer HQ's  ;) 

I made a lot of goodies. I wanted to make more but I just ran out of time. If I get invited to any more Christmas parties I'll try out the recipes I didn't have a chance to make.  Here's the ones I did make.

Rudolph's Tipsy Spritzer was a hit!  I used 1/2 cup vodka and 1/2 cup rum instead of just vodka.  Really good and will definitely make this again. I had none left :) Soda, milk and water was also served.



Colorful Swirl Cookies from Our Italian Kitchen.  Hard to say if the guests liked these or not. I couldn't tell. No comments were made and there are a bunch left. Normally that means people didn't care for something. But I made A LOT of stuff so it could have been that I just made too many good things.


Peppermint Sugar Cookies from Recipe Girl.  Pretty good but if I made these again I would follow one of the readers comments and add Hershey's peppermint kisses and more peppermint extract for a more intense peppermint flavor.

Rice Krispy ornaments from Mommy Savers.  Everyone thought these were adorable and took them home. They ate too much of the other stuff and didn't have room :) 


Guests tore into the snowman cheese ball. Last time I made this for a birthday party no one wanted to eat him because they all thought he was too cute. This time, no problem, they tore through his body and started in on his brain ha ha. This is a winter must for any party.


Rum Butter Stars from Family Circle. A recipe I got ages ago and I can't access their site to it now.  If anyone wants the recipe shoot me an email and I'll pass it along. These are tasty and the guests liked them.


Fanciful Peppermint Fudge from Midwest Living.  Definitely a hit. One of my guests had 4 pieces :)  Fudge is one of those things that it's hard to stop eating...until you make yourself sick ha ha


Hershey's Kisses Candy Cane Blossoms. These are tasty and the guests agreed.  So easy to make too. 


Ok, let me run into the dining room and make sure that's everything I made. Be right back...
Ok I'm back. I also made gingerbread cake in the shape of gingerbread men, chocolate mini cakes with peppermint frosting and my peanut butter chocolates.  Everyone loved all these too.

My mom brought pumpkin bread which people scarfed up and my friend brought a hot cocoa peppermint cake, yum!

I'm off to post some blog love to all the sites I got the recipes from. Happy baking and a BIG sugar high to you all :)

December 7, 2011

 

Woo Hoo!! Wednesday

I LOVE the inflatable Christmas decorations.  They're kinda pricey though and we have no outlets on the front of our house. Can you believe that! I guess in 1960 they didn't need them.  Guy on the street next to us has 5 in his yard. And tonight when I came home my neighbors who NEVER decorate for Christmas outside have the cutest inflatable snowmen. I WANT ONE!  Because this is Woo Hoo!! Wednesday, I'm showing you some of my fav Christmas inflatables.

All of the inflatables shown below are at Shop Christmas Inflatables.  They have a wide variety.









Hee hee, I just LOVE these things.  I really need to keep my eye out for the sales and figure out an extension cord deale-o.

December 5, 2011

 

Christmas Crayons

This post is written by me but the idea, instructions and pictures comes from a fabulous Fizzy Party fan, Leona!  She hadn't seen this idea and was sure it had probably been done before but it was new to her. And sometimes that happens.  My art teacher even told me about this happening. He had an idea for a car. He'd never seen one like the idea he had, so he sketched it out and than guess what happened...yep, he saw one just like the one he thought up. It was new to him though.  I'm sharing her idea because I never would have thought of this idea on my own and it's great she sent pictures and instructions to show us the step by step.

Leona emailed me and told me with every one being invited to so many parties this time of year maybe you don't want to show up with just the typical bottle of wine for the hosts that so many guests bring. Nothing wrong with a bottle of wine but how about something for the kiddos too.  If the hosts have kids, bring them Christmas crayons.  They're also perfect for a school party instead of being the one who usually brings store bought cupcakes.

You'll need:

- Old/used/ broken crayons or inexpensive ones. Leona bought hers at Walmart for 47 cents. Cheap!
- Mini disposable aluminum bread pans. Leona bought hers at Target 5/$1.50
-Candy mold. These can be bought at any craft store. Leona got hers at Joann's for $2.00. She used the pretzel mold variety.
- For packaging your gift, the possibilities are endless. A small stocking, box, bag, etc.

Thanks for sharing where you purchased everything and how much it cost Leona.  This is an inexpensive project that yields fun results.

Break up like coloured crayons in one pan.


 Melt the crayons in the oven between 250 degrees and 300 degrees


Once the crayons are melted, pour them into the mold. Be sure to use a hot pad. Knowing me I'd reach right in for the pan without one. Ouch! Looks like Leona put the molds on a cookie sheet for stability.


Let set until they harden and viola!  Christmas crayons :)


Thank you Leona for your wonderful email and sharing your idea with us :)
Hope you have many parties you were invited to to share your Christmas crayons.