Planning a Party: 2007

Monday, December 10, 2007

Party Planning Blog Carnival

Welcome to the December 10, 2007 edition of party planning.

The Career Counselor presents Why Friday Night Happy Hour is Good for Your Career posted at ask the CareerCounselor. This is great advice for networking with co-workers.

Miscellaneous

Bart Van Honsté presents WinePhabet - A of Amarone posted at Fylloxera, saying, "Learn something more about an astonishing party wine from Italy: Amarone."

Tabasco presents Stuffed by a turkey. posted at Cook For Your Girl!, saying, "Just some helpful hints for the fellas so they stay out of hot water! Was for thanksgiving, but these hints can apply to any occasion!"

Kelly presents 11 tips for a holly jolly christmas party... posted at {the ringpop bride}.

Party Food

Anne Heap presents Thanksgiving Placecard Cupcakes posted at Pink Cake Box Wedding Cakes & more, saying, "Even though the title of this post is Thanksgiving Placecard Cupcakes, the idea can be applied to any holiday party." As always, Anne has a great idea here. I visit her site often to get ideas, watch tutorials, or just admire her wonderful creations.

Christine presents Hot Orange Juice and Honey for the Holidays! posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France, saying, "This is a great, simple, sugar-free, all natural recipe that is perfect for the holidays! It'll put a smile on the kid's faces and warm your soul!. The perfect holiday dessert drink for you, your kids and your friends refraining from alcohol."

Chef Andrew presents Artichoke Dip posted at The Recipe Bank, saying, "Great REcipes to Share with our Friends" I love Artichoke Dip. If you need a new dish for a party, take this one.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
party planning
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:

party planning, blog carnival.

Friday, June 15, 2007

4th of July Cupcakes!

Memorial Day!
Originally uploaded by Sweet Landa

Sometimes it is best to keep the designs simple when making cupcakes. I would also make red stars I think, but this would be a nice, simple dessert for the holidays.

The Party is in A week - Update!

We are getting closer to moving into our house. Today my husband finished the hardwood floor and started to put in doors, two to be exact. The plumbers finished one bathroom, so we have everything we really need.

Bad news, the countertops are delayed another week, but should arrive thursday. No kitchen sink until then. The carpeting was rejected because of dye issues. Hopefully that will come in this week, but probably not with our luck lately.

Good news, the double oven and microwave will be installed monday. That part of the cabinets are ready to go. My good news list seems to be very short.

So, with a week to go, we have to move in, get the counters set, install kitchen sink, pray for carpet, put in doors, finish tub surround, and finish painting. Not to forget, clean the house, make a cake, make food, get prizes, and set up for a party.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

The Party is in One Week!!!

This post will be completely for everyone's entertainment. We are having a party for my son a week from Sunday. The catch? We are not living in the house yet. The hardwood floor is not finished, the countertops are not even in yet, there are no appliances, we got the wrong faucets for the bathrooms, I still need to finish painting a few rooms, the doors and trim come today, and the carpet is not in because they had a manufacturers problem at the warehouse.

You may wonder why we are having a party if the house is not done yet. We moved our kids to a new school and new town and promised our oldest he could have a birthday party at the house to show his friends his new home. When you make your kids switch schools, you can't let them down for the only thing they have really asked for. This isn't our first home, and the last time we didn't have any countertops for 2 weeks, which meant no sinks!! Is this a big deal? Not really.

We seem to work well under pressure. Did I mention we are building the house ourselves. We spend almost every night at the house until about 10:00 p.m. or later with the kids. They have helped when they can, but mainly they are here to have fun. We spend 4 nights a week at baseball games and this weekend when we will be moving, we will be attending a tournament off and on.

A look on the good side. The place we are renting right now, just blew out the air conditioner and it's going to reach 90 degrees tomorrow. We haven't decided what we will do about the sleeping arrangements, but even if we only move 2 beds in and all the other furniture for a week, I can live with that.

Tonight I will take pictures of the house and what stage we are at. So, for the next week, follow me on our journey through the joys of moving in and setting up the party.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

American Flag Cupcakes

Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by di0nne

I love these decorative ways to arrange cupcakes. Sometimes simple is best.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

David's Sunflower Seeds

David's Sunflower Seeds
Originally uploaded by davidlsharp

We are having a birthday party for my son in a few weeks. The theme is going to be baseball, but besides a game, what do you do at a party for boys and girls? I found a sight online that suggested a sunflower seed spitting contest. This is definitely a game that is safe and the boys will love. The girls will be just as happy with this game.

That's one idea. I'm off to find more!

Friday, June 8, 2007

Blog Carnival Coming Soon!

I am hosting the first Blog Carnival for this site at http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_1753.html. If you have any great idea for kids sport themed birthday or other great ideas, submit them soon. The Carnival should be posted on June 15th.

My first Carnival was for my Simply Cooking site. It was a lot of fun and I loved reading all the ideas every had. All of them were great. Hope to hear from everyone!

Friday, June 1, 2007

Birthday Party Idea Site!

I found this great site with birthday party ideas http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/baseball_parties_4.html. I am having a baseball party next month for my son and I got some great ideas from this site. My son wanted to have games to play and this has given me some great ideas. They have almost any theme you can think and the submissions are from parents who have actually thrown the parties. They also give out monetary awards to the top submissions. The top submission gets $40 in Amazon money. If you think you have a great party idea, submit it now. You could be the next WINNER!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Easy Smores!

What is a bonfire without smores? It is a must for our family, but what a pain in the neck to make them. We use to have dad and the kids start cooking marshmallows all at the same time. That meant they are ready at the same time. If you are really prepared and have plenty of room to lay out the chocolate, and graham crackers you are all set. If you are like most of us, the only table you have is your lap. It always ended up a mess.

One day we went to a hayrack ride at a friends house. They had a bonfire and brought out a few boxes of fudge stripe cookies and marshmallows. What a great idea! Why hadn't we thought of that! Needless to say, I am hooked. This is so much easier, not to say also cheaper. The best part is after you are done making smores, somone will finish off the cookies for you.

Try these out. I think you will like them.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Fire Pit

Fire Pit
Originally uploaded by bsmith4815

It's BBQ and Bonfire season again. We love to throw a good bonfire. Especially since my husband is a bit of a fire junky. Once he lites the fire, I won't see him away from it again.

When we have a bonfire we sometimes cook at it. Hotdogs are super easy and since this is an activity we have with our kids, they will actually eat them. We also have a sandwich maker, which we use to make cherry pies. We use 2 slices of break and cherry pie filling. How about apple. Yum! Of course there are smores, but I will leave that for my next article. I have a great way to make them that is super easy and tastes as good as the original.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Happy Meal Treats for Party

These treats were super easy to make and so fun. I have heard about so many people making Happy Meal Treats for school, but have never seen one. Here is what I came up with.

The Cookies are a Sandwich Cookie recipe I use a lot from http://simplycooking-for5.blogspot.com/2007/03/sandwich-cookies.html . The burger is chocolate frosting from a can. The ketchup, mustard, and lettuce are made from marshmallow fondant. I used Shoestring Potato Sticks for the french fries. And, just put a drink box in also. I was very pleased with the outcome. I did wrap the burgers in yellow tissue paper to make them look like burgers even more.

Technorati tags: happy meal, treats, school treats, birthday party treats, hamburger cookies, sandwich cookies

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Jungle Friends Cupcakes

Jungle Friends
Originally uploaded by Trish CupcakeMomma.

Wouldn't these be adorable for a child's birthday party? A jungle theme is great for boys and girls. Fun school treat for birthdays too.

Technorati tags: Jungle, jungle friends, jungle cupcakes, animal cupcakes, school treats, zoo cupcakes, zoo animals, safari animals, safari cupcakes, elephant, giraffe, tiger, cupcakes

Friday, May 11, 2007

Sangria

Sangria at Ciutat Comtal, Barcelona
Originally uploaded by aesis.

This has to be the perfect drink for any summer party, brunch, or fancy dinner. It provides a beautiful centerpiece, a wonderful drink, and a great conversation piece.

Technorati tags: Sangria, wine, party drinks, punch, party punch

Monday, May 7, 2007

Send your Mom Flowers for Mothers Day!

susies flowers 1
Originally uploaded by photos for fun.

Go traditional and send a bouquet of flowers to your mom. She will love them. If she is the woman who already has everything she needs, a nice bouquet with her favorite flowers or colors will be a nice gift. Or, bring a simple bouquet with you when you visit her on Sunday.

My favorite site for ordering flowers is always FTD http://www.ftd.com/522/. This site contracts with local florists to send out your gifts. If you want something a little fancier go to Martha Stewart Flowers http://www.marthastewartflowers.com/.

Technorati tags: Flowers, martha stewart flowers, ftd. flowers, bouquet, mother's day, gift

Friday, May 4, 2007

Margarita

Margarita
Originally uploaded by Drunken Monkey.

The perfect drink for any party, Margaritas! They can be made in many flavors, with crushed ice, or on the rocks. Check out http://thebar.com/ website for recipes for Margaritas and many more drinks.

Don't forget the lime!

Technorati tags: margarita, tequila, lime, party drinks, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican, Mexico

Nachos

Nachos
Originally uploaded by evie22.

At any Cinco de Mayo party, you have to have Nachos. As a matter of fact, they are great at any party. To make a batch, place tortilla chips on a oven safe plate. Follow that with a layer of cheese. You can use cheddar, monterey, american, etc... Top that with Taco seasoned ground beef. Repeat the layers. Place in oven until cheese is melted.

You can top your nachos with diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, onions, lettuce, and hot peppers. Sometimes it is better to serve guacamole, sour cream, and peppers on the side. Let each guest top their nachos themselves.

Technorati tags: Nachos, Salsa, Chips, tortilla chips, tortilla, cheese, sour cream, jalepenos, guacamole, tomatoes, avacados

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Quesadillas!!

Quesadillas sin queso
Originally uploaded by hoveringdog.

Quessadillas are another favorite in our house. I make them for the whole family all the time. I can make them different ones for each member of the family and it's quick.

Some of my favorite variations are...
Spicy Chicken with Onions, tomatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese
Shredded beef with mozzarella, onions, and sliced mushrooms
Plain Cheddar cheese for the kids

Heat a skillet and add a tortilla shell. Top the shell with your favorite ingredients. Cover with another tortilla shell. Flip when the bottom shell starts to brown on the bottom. Let other side brown and put on a serving plate. Cut with a Pizza cutter. Serve with Salsa, and sour cream.

Technorati tags: quesadilla, totillas, flour tortillas, salsa, cheese, chicken, mushrooms, sour cream, appetizers, Cinco de Mayo, party, finger food

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Check out Evite

I found a fun site today for party invitations. It's called Evite. http://www.evite.com/ I hate to mail invitation anymore, but want something different to send to my party guests. This is a great way to send invitations to family for my son's party next month.

My choice is the baseball format, but a lot of neat invitations. We often have parties at our house with friends and I have to find time to call everyone at least once or twice. This would save me so much time. Even for a simple cookout, it would be a great idea.

Homemade Salsa - Made Easy!

My Salsa
Originally uploaded by mochabcha.

I love Chips and Salsa, but now I love to make my own Salsa. Here is my recipe that will wow your guests.

Ingredients
4 tomatoes diced
1/8 cup chopped onion
fresh cilantro finely chopped
juice from one lime
salt

Throw all these ingredients into a bowl and mix. The most important ingredients are fresh lime juice, salt, and fresh cilantro. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours for the best results, but you can serve right away and it will still taste great. Serve with a variety of tortilla chips. Your guests will not leave the table until it is gone.

Cinco de Mayo!

taco night!
Originally uploaded by smitten.

It's that time of year again. Cinco de Mayo is a favorite holiday for me because of all the great food. It can become a week of food in my house.

I make tacos at the beginning of the week. I cook the meat and add a spoonful to a soft shell. I usually make a batch big enough to fill 30 tacos. Then I freeze about 8 in a large ziploc bag. This way, all I have to do is defrost and fry. I fry them in vegetable oil. Serve them with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hot sauce, taco sauce, and sour cream. YUM!

Side dishes? We can honestly make a whole meal out of tacos. Side dishes are for another day. Simply serve tacos with fried rice and chips and salsa.

Monday, April 30, 2007

Cupcake bouquet

Cupcake bouquet
Originally uploaded by chickenboo42.

Keep any party simple by creating a cupcake bouquet. Staple together styrofoam cups into the shape of a circle and top each with a cupcake.

Ballpark Food

$1 Dogs, Nachos and a big Coke
Originally uploaded by bigluketx.

What else are you gonna serve at a baseball party. Hotdogs, nachos, and a soda. Serve them in a box for a true reminder of how you eat at the park. Give the kids some sunflower seeds or peanuts in the shell. They'll love it, if they actually sit down to eat! Forget the kids and have this kind of party for a family BBQ or reunion.

The perfect game for any summer party!

Images From BBQ Today
Originally uploaded by mscaprikell.

When you have a baseball party, you have to play baseball. Play wiffleball to have the most fun. Even adult like to play wiffleball. No one should get hurt either, unless they get clobbered by the bat.

Wiffleball Sets for Party Gifts!

3.10.07: Spring training.
Originally uploaded by rollerboogie.

Here is another great idea for a party gift. Each kid can take home a bat and ball. This is the kind of baseball game everyone can play in their back yard. They don't have to worry about breaking windows with this set.

Baseball as a party favor

Baseball is Back!
Originally uploaded by WisDoc.

Give your guests a baseball to take home. Let the birthday kid sign each ball so your guests will always remember where they got it. Everyone will love having a new ball and you can always use an extra ball at everyone's house. Especially when dad is pitching to the kids for batting practice.

Baseball cake

Baseball cake
Originally uploaded by ecantugarza.

Wouldn't this be a great cake for a little boy this summer! This cake looks like it may be coconut flakes, but you can do the same affect with icing and a tip for making grass. Maybe use cookie crumbs for the dirt, and powdered sugar for the lines on top of the dirts. That would have to be a last minute addition, since I think it would easily get blown away.