Everyday Celebrating

The floral gift that never dies.... is that good or bad?

So.. you say you want flowers but don't have the cash and even if you did, they'd just die?
Introducing the "forever bouquet". 

from the site:
THE FOREVER BOUQUET - a kit which contains one dozen colorful paper flowers (ready to be cut), along with pre-cut wire and a pop-out vase. all you need to do is cut out your flowers of choice, tape wire onto the back for support and shaping, and pop out the vase. then, arrange your bouquet and present to the object of your affections for optimal enjoyment. you'll have "freshly cut" flowers that will never need sun or water! and in this economy, the thought REALLY DOES count!!

Funky and interesting, huh?

Giveaway from Favor Affair!

That's right!   It's hump day and what better way to celebrate than a giveaway!   LOL

Today, I'm spotlighting

and the folks of Favor Affair want to give one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to their site!

Favor Affair is filled with favors for all occasions:  birthday, baby, wedding, anniversary, etc.
Not only are the favors perfect for the obvious occasions, but there are so many ways you can use these favors in .... drumroll please... everyday celebrating!    Ha!  Like how I worked that in?

Anyway, let me show you a few...

The fleur-de-lis place card or photo holder.
Mardi Gras is coming up at the end of February.  These would fit in perfectly with your parade watching get together or Fat Tuesday Fete!

The Flip Flop Photo frame
Have a little girl with a warm weather birthday?  Perfect favor for her friends!
Create a beach themed birthday party and add these to the mix.
Or... going to beach with girlfriends?  Perfect!

The Flip Flop Luggage Tag

And keeping with the beach theme.. look at these flip flop luggage tags.
They come in a beach themed box and I can see using them as INVITATIONS!
Luau party... kid's birthday party...maybe you're kidnapping your friends for a fun beach weekend....
maybe you're just having margaritas for a group of stressed out friends.  Slip out the luggage insert and pop in some wording of your own and send them an invitation to destress.    

The Personalized Suitcase Tin
Remember my son's airplane party?  How cute would these travel themed favor tins been there???
Other uses.... beach wedding, beach anniversary, bon voyage party, maybe a send off party for someone moving to the beach or even taking a job on a cruise line.

Lots and lots of different uses for favors!
When you look at sites such as Favor Affair,  remember to think outside the box of their advertised usages.

Ok... on to the giveaway!
To enter:  visit Favor Affair , come back here and leave a comment telling me what your favorite favor is and how you'd use it!

Deadline to enter:  Sunday, February 15 at Noon, EST.

Winners will be chosen through Random.org.   We'll brighten up next Monday with a winner!

Good luck! 

Still time for Valentine's treats!

With Valentine's day still a few days away, there's plenty of time for cute and easy treats!
I made these Marshmellow Pops for my son's daycare buddies and they are about the easiest thing you can make.  Here's how:

Simply use lollipop sticks to dip marshmellows in chocolate and top with sprinkles!
Use chocolate bark or candy melts , dip the marshmellows only halfway and top with alternating colored sprinkles.

Packaging....
I found the dotted box in the dollar bin at Michaels.
Make sure to use floral foam inside your container.  I made the mistake of not paying attention and buying regular styrofoam.  Bad.  Regular styrofoam crumbles and isn't as sturdy as thick, dense floral foam.  Floral foam is used to keep delicate floral stems upright, afterall.

After the chocolate dries, cover each pop with a clear lollipop bag.  Then cinch it up and tie with whatever fits into your theme.  Ribbon, twine, pipe cleaners, garland, etc.

And then, of course, I made the heart shaped rice krispy treats.  (You have to have something heart shaped, right?)  Halfway dipped in chocolate and topped with sprinkles. 

There's still time!  Make something easy... with love!

And, as usual, these pops would be cute at a baby shower or children's birthday!   And they make a great centerpiece!

Upgrading grocery store flowers

I love grocery store flowers.  What can I say?  I use them a lot. Walmart, Kroger and Publix have great flowers at a fraction of the cost.  The problem?  They aren't the most beautiful arrangements.  Especially for someone like me that likes a simple, Martha Stewart style arrangement. 

Real Simple online recently posted an article on how to upgrade grocery store flowers.  Great, doable ways to get the greatest bang for your grocery store buck.

The articles gives these basic tips, but you really need to visit the link to view how they turned grocery store flowers to florist type fab!

 - Divide and conquer
 - Contrast colors
 - Go monochromatic
 - Contrast textures
                                               - Cut and edit
                                               - Make it mass

   

Paint chip gift tags!

Next week, my son's room is undergoing the transformation into a "big boy's bedroom"! 
This involves a brand new paint job....going from green to blue and all that entails.
So needless to say, I've got quite a few paint chips that we amassed during the paint selection process.

I ran across an old issue of Good Housekeeping and timely enough, came across this idea.
Using those old paint chips as gift tags!

Love making the gift tags half and half colored by using those old paint chips. 
Cut them into a cute shape with a circle cutter or large punch, punch a hole in for the ribbon and there ya go!

I'd even leave the name of the paint on there if you're able with the shape.  The names of paint are usually pretty interesting and add character to the tag.

Think outside the box.  You could make these smaller for favor tags for birthday parties or weddings.  There are plenty of shades of paint to match everyone's theme.

DIY - Oreo kisses!

If you haven't added Bakerella to your reader, it's time you signed up!
Bakerella is what I'd call a "food designer".  She's levels above your average baker.  And her ideas are incredible and more importantly, doable. 

Check out her instructions on how to make your own oreo kisses. 
Divine!  And you can include your own message!

While we're on the topic of kisses.... soon I'll be posting how to make your own kisses centerpiece. 
A larger than life kiss that's super easy and kids will love!  Start gathering newspaper and foil now!  :)

For the fans of the bubbly!

Limited edition LOVE gift pack from Dom Pérignon!

Containing a stunning pair of champagne flutes, designed by avant-garde Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury and a bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1998 the LOVE gift box provides a perfect gift to share with your loved one this Valentines.

Often referred to as the 'jewel' of Dom Pérignon, Dom Pérignon Rosé is a true masterpiece, created with the rarest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.  To complement this special wine are two exclusive champagne flutes; each with a seductive 'lipstick mark' handcrafted onto the exterior, echoes the glamorous encounter between the lips of a woman and the wine.

A special gift for a special upcoming day....... :)

How to make a rainbow cake!

Get ready for spring with bright colors and festive times!
Omnomicon gives us the step by step tutorial of how to make a rainbow cake!

Wouldn't it be great to tone the colors down to a pastel for an Easter cake?  just sayin'

Enjoy!

Brownie bliss for the corner/edge lovers.

  

If you know me personally, you know that I heart brownies.  What can I say?  I'm a simple girl.
A good, chocolatey brownie hits the spot.  And what tips the bliss scale... the edges!

And apparently, I'm not the only one.  Check out this super fine baker's edge brownie pan!
Made just for us corner/edge lovers!

Description from the site:
If you're a chewy edge lover or a corner brownie fanatic, this pan is for you! The patented sidewalls add two delicious, chewy edges to every serving. The unique design also improves baking performance by circulating heat evenly throughout the pan – no more burned edges or undercooked middles. It's sized to accommodate box mixes and recipes for 9"x9" or 9"x13" pans, so you won't have to worry about adjusting, and it's made of durable heavy-gauge cast aluminum with a premium nonstick finish and rounded corners, so it's a snap to clean.

And if you prefer middles vs. edges, don't fret – you can achieve an entire pan of soft gooey center pieces just by reducing baking time. Since the shape of the pan circulates heat evenly, every serving will have the same edge-less consistency.

The Edge Brownie Pan is also perfect for making lasagna, casseroles and breads. A must-have tool for any kitchen!

A fabulous, unique gift for the brownie lover in your life! 
Get one here!

wow factor light fixture!

My friend and former coworker, Allison, hosted a fabulous baby shower a couple of weekends ago.
All the usual fabulous decorations were there, but I was blown away by this... her amazing floral arrangement incorporated into the light fixture.  

This light fixture was in the dining room and added a dramatic element to the food table.
Isn't it gorgeous?

Get some floral oasis, some wire and turn the ordinary into extraordinary!
A great idea when you want to add a special touch to any dining room centered occasion.