Children's Valentine's Day Party

   Valentine's Day, as we all know, is a day set aside to celebrate the ones we love. It is believed to have started as far back as the 14th century, but it didn't evolve into an occasion until 18th century, with people writing out declarations of love (called "valentines"), offering sweets and giving flowers to those they admired.

   For me, personally, I think Valentine's Day is another excuse to throw a party! And kids love a good party just as much as adults. I remember looking forward to going to school and handing out my valentine cards to all my friends and seeing how happy they were to receive them. Not to mention the fact that we would be having a small celebration with lots of goodies!

   So what better way to celebrate Valentine's Day, than with a dessert party for little ones and their friends. Sweets for a sweet day! 

   Today I will be sharing some fun decor ideas, table settings, a couple of recipes, and a craft or two that will ensure your little ones will have a great time sharing a little love with their friends.

   Keep the party small, maybe 4 to 6 children at most (that's including your own). It will be easier on you as the parent/host to keep track of what's going on while the kids are having their fun. Also, aim for the party to be in the later afternoon, such as 2 or 3pm, this way you know they would have eaten lunch.

   You will want to keep the little ones as busy as possible, so have a few crafts at the ready that they can do together, and then your little guests have a cute keepsake to take home with them at the end of the party. I'll be sharing a cute craft how-to a little later on.

   A Valentine card box is a really cute detail to have at your party. Your party guests may want to exchange valentine cards with their friends, and this card box is the perfect place to hold them. Then at the end of the party, they can hand their valentines out to each other! Use stickers in cute heart shapes and in different sizes and colours to decorate the card box. These felt cupcake stickers are really adorable as well! This card box can make a cute take home party favour for the guests too; just let them decorate their own at the party and they can carry all their Valentines home in it.

   ** This adorable print in the picture below was free online; just print it out at your local office supply store; and put it in a simple wood frame. **

   Next, think about the decor and the table set up. Obviously red and pink is a no-brainer. The table cover used here is actually a tea towel. It is the perfect size for a small kids table, and the white background helps make the red pop. A good place to set up the party would be in a playroom or an area where there is room to play and move around, so if they got bored, there are things to keep them distracted!

 

   These red melamine heart shaped plates make an adorable addition to your valentine's table! They have a little bit of sparkle to them which makes them even cuter. A paper cup filled with jelly beans and cherry candy hearts give the kiddos something to snack on while they colour in their activity books, and they were a steal at $1.25 for a pack of 8! Add a small pail of crayons in the centre of the table for easy access.

   It's always fun for the kids to do a craft at a party so how about this adorable HANDPRINT HEART VALENTINE TREE! It's really easy to do and doesn't take too much supervision, unless the children are very young. Here is what you will need to make this craft:

              - white or light coloured paper for background or a white canvas/foam board

              - brown construction paper for the tree

              - pink, red and purple construction paper for the heart shaped leaves (can be cut ahead of                       time)                   

              - multipurpose white glue/glue stick; pencils for tracing 

              * you could also use foam stickers in heart shapes

   HOW TO:         

    

              -have children place their hand and wrist on the brown paper and have an adult trace it out;                    if children are old enough, let them trace it themselves and cut out the tree pattern too,                            otherwise an adult should do this step.

              -place the handprint tree on the background you have chosen and glue it in place

              -have children glue the hearts in and around the handprint tree

              -all that's left to do is write their name and maybe add a sweet valentine message! So cute and their valentines will love it! 

   For a cute centrepiece idea, a small white metal pail filled with red basket straw and some lollipop flowers is a sweet treat!

   The flowers are so easy to do, and all you need are cupcake liners and lollipops. Use one mini cupcake liner (for the inside of the flower) and one large cupcake liner (for the back of the flower). The lollipops need to be these round ones (as in pic below), with the plastic wrapping tightly secured, so they sit flush in the cupcake liners.

   Next, all you need to do is invert the liners so the pattern shows once it's completed, then poke a hole with the lollipop into the mini cupcake liner, and do the same with the larger one. Stack them together and you have your lollipop flower! Cute and an easy DIY!

   Alright! This is a dessert party, so lets bring on the treats! You don't want to have too many desserts, just enough to satisfy their sweet tooth and cravings. So I would suggest maybe 2 to 3 types, such as, cupcakes in vanilla and chocolate, and some sort of cookie; why not even serve some strawberry yogurt! You could always have little guests decorate their own heart shaped sugar cookies too as an activity. If you have the time to make homemade, great, but if not, there are always treats available at the grocery store that would be just as delicious.    

    A fun and easy treat to serve, without turning on the oven are these strawberry wafer cookies with icing and sprinkles. (see pic below). You could buy the frosting or make your own favourite recipe. Another option is to use melting chocolate in whatever colour you like (melt according to package directions) and dip the wafers in the chocolate and add the sprinkles! Easy peasy and yummy!

   You will need something to quench the kiddos thirst after eating all these treats, so for an alternative to sugary juice, how about some berry smoothies? They are healthier and kids love them; my daughter definitely does! This could be something fun to make together too. Have each child pour in a different ingredient and take turns blending it up! They will probably like it even better if they had a hand in making it! Here is a simple and delicious smoothie recipe for you all to try:
                              BERRY SMOOTHIE

                    

                          1 cup frozen strawberries or mixed berries

                          1 cup milk

                          1 banana

                          1/4 cup sugar

                          8-10 ice cubes

         ~blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. 

         *if you don't want to use granulated sugar, you can always add 1 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar                (or to your taste)

         *unsweetened almond milk would also be a good substitute for cow's milk.

   So now that all the kids are fed and full, and have had some fun playing and crafting, it's time to send the little ones off with a cute take home party favour. There are so many possibilities to choose from; candy in red or pink boxes, a stuffed animal or toy, crayons and a colouring book, a valentine story book or chocolate. But seeing as how there are plenty of treats at a dessert party, I came up with a cute alternative. These adorable little pails filled with pencils, heart shaped note pads, stamps and a tiny little teddy bear would make any kid happy! Add a heart shaped chalkboard tag to write their names on and done! They can always use the bucket at home too, to hold whatever little knick knacks they may have.

                                          

   The sign in the above picture is from the dollar store and makes a really sweet backdrop or party prop! It's so cute, that I might just hang it in my daughter's playroom! :)

   So the party is over and all the little guests had a blast! You can pat yourself on the back for a job well done; and why not treat yourself to a cupcake...or two! 

   Until next time! 💗

~A

PRODUCT DETAILS

*"follow your heart" sign, valentine pails, heart shaped note pads, stamps, pencils from Dollar Tree

*heart shaped chalkboard tags, mini teddy bears, heart shaped melamine plates, activity books, tea towel (used as a table cover), from Dollarama

*napkins and straws from Winners

*pink valentine card box, felt stickers, red felt envelope, white crochet doily, white wooden heart and pink wooden heart from Michaels 

How to Throw a Cocktail Party

   Hello again and welcome back! My last post was all about tips on throwing a great, stress free dinner party. So now that you are all pros in that department, how about having a fun cocktail party?
   They are a great way for guests to mingle, for you as the host/hostess to enjoy your own party, and the planning is easy, if you don't get carried away.
   I will be sharing a couple of recipes, ideas on what to serve and how much, as well as, some fun cocktail ideas -because what is a cocktail party without the cocktails!!
   Once you have decided on your party and date, and invited all your guests, it's time to plan the details. Be clear on your invite to your guests, whether it's an e-mail or a written invite, as to the time and specific details. For example, if it is to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday, include that information on the invite. Also, be specific on the time. A typical cocktail party usually lasts for 2-3 hours, but that doesn't mean that you cannot extend it. It is totally up to you. Here is an example of a cocktail party invitation. (image courtesy of www.paperculture.com)

   Now lets get down to the cocktail party math! For an average size party of 9 - 20 guests, plan on serving at least 4 or 5 different hors d'oeuvres, and 8 - 10 bites per person for every 1 1/2 hours.
   Serve a variety of appetizers, such as shrimp cocktail, flatbread pizzas (2 or 3 of these can easily serve a lot of people), dates stuffed with blue or goat cheese, olives, cocktail meatballs, bruschetta, puff pastry tarts, or skewers of tomato and mozzarella. You don't have to make all of these, as they are just examples, but pick about 3 or 4 and that should be plenty! Also a good idea is to have small bowls of nuts scattered through the room. Have them on side tables, coffee tables,a kitchen island and at the entry too!
   I'm sharing a favourite recipe for cocktail nuts from Ina Garten at www.barefootcontessa.com. These are easy to make, delicious and addictive. Your guests will love them!
                           
                              1 1/4 pound of cashews or almonds
                              2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
                              1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
                              2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

                              2 teaspoons kosher salt
                              1 Tablespoon melted butter
        ~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
        ~ Place nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until they are warmed                         through.
        ~ Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts in the mixture             until well coated. Serve immediately.
 *in the original recipe, cashews are used, but I have tried it with almonds and it works great too!
 
   A good rule with hors d'oeuvres is less is more! I love, love, love appetizers! Remember the movie Mermaids? All they ate were snacks and appetizers, and to me that was the heavenly meal! So it's easy to get carried away and make too many items. Keep it simple, but good enough that your guests feel like they have had plenty of food to eat. Fewer dishes served on bigger platters help fill out your table as well. Add candles and small vases of flowers and bowls of nuts to fill in any empty spaces.

   Using a variety of serving dishes and platters makes your cocktail party food all the more interesting. Large platters, trays, bowls in assorted sizes, cups or glasses and ceramic spoons are all great choices. For keeping certain dishes warm, such as cocktail meatballs, chafing dishes work well. You can even use your slow cooker, as long as it can be plugged in close by to keep your meal warm.
   Also have small appetizer sized plates and cocktail forks near your food areas for easy access for your guests.

   As for the drinks you should serve, variety is the key!
   For a 2 1/2 hour party, I have broken it down for you here:

                           
                              cocktails ~ 2 1/2 per person
                              bubbly ~ 1 bottle for every 2 to 3 guests
                              wine ~ 1 bottle for every 2 to 3 guests
                              liquor ~ 1 quart/ litre for every 10 to 12 guests
                              water ~ 1 quart/litre for every 2 guests
 
   If preferred, you can make a punch recipe so guests can serve themselves as they please. Punches serve a lot of people and you can make a non-alcoholic one to give your guests an option. Here is an easy non-alcoholic punch recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

            - 1 pint raspberry (or any favourite flavour) sorbet
            - 1 (2L) bottle of lemon-lime soda
          *combine both ingredients in a large punch bowl (serves 16)

   My favourite cocktail is a Negroni. It is considered an aperitif (which is a drink served before a meal to stimulate appetite), but I think it's good anytime!  It's a little bitter and a little sweet, and I love the combination of flavours. Here is how you can make it!

                                1 ounce dry gin (such as a London dry)
                                1 ounce Campari
                                1 ounce sweet Italian red vermouth (such as Martini)
         * shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; strain into a short rocks glass, and garnish               with an orange peel twist.

 
   Now it's all about the bar! A bar can be set up anywhere. If you have a bar cart, great, but if you don't, you can set it up on a kitchen island, a dining room sideboard or a folding table pushed to the side of the wall. If you have a small space, use a coffee table or clear off a section of a bookshelf and use that for your bar set up.
    I have a list of supplies that make up a great bar, but not all items are a must.
       
          ~ cocktail stirrers and cocktail picks (for drinks that may contain fruit or olives)
         *look for my diy cocktail pick at the bottom of this post *
          ~ cocktail napkins, straws and coasters
          ~ cocktail shaker or a cocktail mixing glass with a strainer and mixing spoon
          ~ bottle opener
          ~ ice bucket and tongs
          ~ assorted glasses, such as highball, champagne, martini, rock glass, snifter (for beer or brandy)

            *if you have a large amount of party guests, I don't see why you can't use plastic glasses. Nowadays they have a them in a variety of styles to suit your party.

    ** DIY COCKTAIL PICKS
   
         Here is an easy diy for your cocktail party that can be done in no time!

 

   All you need is washi tape and toothpicks! Take your washi tape and cut it into a strip however long you want. Place your toothpick in the middle of the strip and then fold the strip over evenly.

 

     Cut out a point shape or cut your washi tape on an angle. You could also just leave it as is in the above picture to the right.  Diy cocktail picks done!! Easy peasy! You can find these washi tapes in a variety of colours and prints to fit into any themed party.

      So there you have it! My tips on how to throw a cocktail party. I hope I have helped you get in the mood to host your own! Remember to have fun, mingle, and save a drink for me! ;)
Until next time!

~A
                           

 
PRODUCT INFO

-washi tape can be found at dollar stores, craft stores and art supply stores.

My Tips for the Perfect Party

   So you want to host a party, but have no idea where to start? I have come up with some tips that  will help get you in the party mood with style, grace and less stress!
   Hosting a party can be a lot of fun, but stressful if you let it take over your life. Set simple rules for yourself, such as the tips I'll be sharing with you here today, and you will want to host again and again!


   1. STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW
      Now is not the time to try a gourmet recipe or ten course meal! Make recipes that you know work    out for you all the time and that are delicious. One pot meals, like roast chicken or beef stew are          great all-in-one dishes, that will fill your guests bellies, and let you enjoy the party too!
   Add a salad, some bread and a dessert, and you have the perfect party meal!

   2. PLAN AHEAD
      Think about what you are going to make at least a week ahead of your party. And make sure you      invite your guests two to three weeks ahead, to give them time to respond and make sure they              are available to attend.
   Once you have your menu chosen, start your shopping list of grocery and miscellaneous items you      will need. By starting ahead, it's easier to make changes later on, should something come up.
   An option to deciding on your menu, might be to pick a theme for your party, such as "Dinner in        Italy" or "Pub Night". It will  help you decide on your food and decor items, and could be a fun          night for your guests too!

   3. SET YOUR TABLE AHEAD
      It's a good idea to set your table the night before your party. It will be one less thing you need to      check off your list the day of your party, and you will have time to make changes if something            doesn't look right, or suit your taste
     Also, take out and label all your dishes and platters that you may be using for the meal as well. I        always keep a pen and Post-It Notes in my dining room sideboard for this exact reason. Then,
   when the dinner/party starts, you don't have to rush around your kitchen looking for that perfect          platter!

   4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP
      Once your guests respond to your party, whether by email or by phone, most likely they will ask       you if they can bring anything to help out. Take them up on it! Even if its just asking for someone       to bring a loaf of bread, or a small dessert; this will take some of the pressure off of you, and will       be one last thing you need to think about.

   5. KEEP GUESTS BUSY
      Always greet your guests at the door and welcome them in. Take their coats and let them know        that there are snacks and drinks waiting for them inside. This will give you time to finish prepping      in the kitchen, and keep your guests happy and busy. Simple snacks, such as, olives, nuts, cheese        and crackers, are easy to prepare and always a hit with guests! Oh, and make sure you pour
   yourself a glass too while you're at it! You should be having some fun while in the kitchen too!

   6. KEEP DECOR SIMPLE
      Simple floral arrangements are always best. You can find some very pretty flowers at the grocery      store nowadays, so pick up a few bunches while doing the shopping for your party. Arrange them
   in different vases or other vessels to make it look like you spent a lot of time on them.
      Some ideas for vases could be fancy glassware or crystal, brass or silver pieces, small white              pitchers, mason jars, or an assortment of bud vases in varying shapes and sizes. Another pretty

   idea is using candlesticks with a single flower bud. It looks elegant and chic! And, adding candles      always make your dinner table look extra special. Just make sure they are unscented as you don't        want any other smells competing with your food!

   7. SHOP YOUR HOME

     There is no need to go out and buy new tablecloths or vases for your dinner party, unless of course     you realize you have only one or nothing at all! Look around your home to see what you can use as    a stand in for these items. As mentioned above, there are many items you can use
   as a vase for flowers or even candles. Scarves and blankets can look great as table covers, and napkins opened up can be used as placemats. Dish towels (clean and unused of course) can make great napkins as well. Look around and get creative! In this pic below, I used dish towels as napkins, and I love the rustic touch they give my table setting!

      8. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, MUSIC!

        If you want to get your guests in the party spirit and keep them there, set the tone with great music! Music combined with good food, drinks, and, of course, great friends, makes the party special and memorable!

     I hope I helped you stress less about your next party, or made it easy for you to have you first one. Good luck and party on! Until next time.

~A

Ice Cream Party

   So how do you celebrate a three year old's birthday party in November? With an ice cream party of course! I mean, who doesn't love ice cream? And why should summer babies get all the fun?
   I sometimes feel my daughter is missing out on all the fun outdoor themed birthday parties there is to be had, but who says you can't have that same fun indoors too!
   The inspiration for her party came from a search on www.etsy.com looking up different invitations, hoping something would jump out at me. It did! I came across this amazing company called Westminster Paper Co. So many beautiful choices and designs, that it was easy to decide on what I wanted. There were even all the extras to go with the invite, such as thank you tags, and food labels.
   The first thing people see is the invitation, so you want it to be special, and to let your guests know what to expect at your party.

   From there, all the rest of the ideas for the perfect ice cream themed party, fell into place. Instead of a lunch or something formal, I decided to do a dessert party, and I made a note of it on the invitation as well, so my guests were informed ahead of time.
   The dessert menu consisted of strawberry cupcakes, cream puffs, mini chocolate chip cookies served with strawberry and chocolate milk shots, as well as, birthday cake flavoured cake pops and a cream cheese dip that was so delicious and super easy to make.
   I found the dip recipe on www.thatswhatshesaid.net., and am including it here for you too. I served it with fresh fruit, vanilla wafers and digestive cookies.
                 RECIPE: 8 ounces (1Pkg) cream cheese, softened
                                 2 Tablespoons butter
                                 1/4 cup powdered sugar

                                 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
                      *Beat the cream cheese and butter until blended &                                 creamy with a mixer.
                      * Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Whip until soft.                        
   See, easy! Served it on this pretty dish, which is actually a charger,
as part of the dessert buffet, and allowed guests to help themselves.
 
   The decor for the party was simple. I pulled colours from the invitation, which were pretty pastels, and used design details such as, stripes, polkadots and florals.
   For the table, I placed a pink tablecloth underneath a burlap runner; all of which I already had on hand. Which is key. Take a look around your house before you head out to the store; you never know what you might have that can serve dual purpose. I used my milk glass vases to hold candies and buttered peanuts, and to hold some DIY decor that i did.
   I made these fun "milkshakes" by using paper pom poms (below) in pink and white, and added a straw and a cherry on top! They turned out better than I hoped.

   Another fun DIY that I did was making some blocks to hold the cake pops. I used square styrofoam blocks I found at Dollar Tree, and simply wrapped them in brown and polkadot wrapping paper (which I already had at home), and added some pink lace tape ribbon around the middle to make it a bit more pretty. Cute and easy! You can see them beside the cookies and milk in the picture below!

   Now, what's an Ice Cream Parlour Party without a sundae bar, so we set up one using our dining room sideboard. When space is limited, you use what you have, and it worked out great! I ordered the banner to match the invitation, and had it blown up at our local office supply store.

   I displayed the sundae fixings in these cute glass ice cream glasses that I found at my favourite thrift store. They cost next to nothing, and worked perfectly. I added some chalkboard picks identifying what the toppings were, so guests could help themselves, and I found this cute free "Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae" printable from www.potterybarn.com.

                                    

   Next are the party favours that I did for the parents at the party. I found some really cute paper ice cream cups at www.homesense.ca and at www.dollarama.com. I filled them with some mini marshmallows, sprinkles and chocolate pieces; added a label and a thank you tag, and wrapped them in cellophane. Our guests were able to make their own sundaes at home. All they needed was ice cream!

    Of course the kids at the party got a loot bag too! In a simple white paper bag, I added ice cream shaped bubbles, organic lollipops, nail polish and an adorable Hello Kitty stuffy holding, of course, and ice cream cone!

   For the birthday cake, I wanted to keep it simple, yet be pretty, so I decided on a plain tinted cake with buttercream frosting and a french vanilla buttercream filling. It was so delicious and amazing; the perfect centrepiece to our dessert table. I found a local company just down the street from me, called www.newcastlecake.com, and worked with Misty who was so accommodating and friendly.

   All in all, the day turned out great, I had so much fun planning and creating it, and my daughter had a blast at her 3rd birthday party! I hope you walk away with some ideas and inspiration for your next party, whatever the occasion may be! Until next time!
  ~A.

                                                                                     

PRODUCT DETAILS:

*ice cream spoons, ice cream party picks, floral and polkadot ribbon for ribbon garland (above pic), metal cake stands, cupcake liners, pink photo frames, happy birthday banner, birthday cake topper, pom pom garlands and paper straws: www.michaels.com
*ice cream cups, napkins, paper plates and milk bottles: www.homesense.ca and www.dollarama.com
*plastic scoops, plastic popcorn bowls, paper pom pom kits: www.partycity.ca
*plastic ice cream bubbles (used as props on dessert table and in above pic) www.dollartree.com