Autumn is my absolute favorite season. Leaves changing, a crisp chill in the air, pumpkin everything, cozying up in fluffy blankets, carving pumpkins, decorating the house and so many fun family activities to do! I look forward to Halloweentime and all the seasonal traditions we have created as a family. Here are some of our favorite things to do as a family during the fall season. We hope it will inspire you to do the same (if you don't already!) Do a Family Craft My kids are still relatively young (currently 10 & 7), so crafts are still a special activity for us. I have had to modify my craft selections to elevate the excitement over the years. It constantly changes when it comes to what is considered a "cool" craft for them to do as they get older, but a winner every year and honestly great for all ages is Painting a Pumpkin. Adults even love to participate in this one! Big or small pumpkins. Creativity flies. Sky is the limit when it comes to design: spooky, silly, traditional, cutesy, designer, modern, abstract just have fun! This giant "Caramel Apple" Pumpkin my daughter and her bestie made at age 8! Doesn't it look so cool?? Here is a cool tutorial for pumpkin painting that had some fun traditional Halloween characters. Here The wonderful thing about this activity is that it also lasts all month if you keep them out of the heat. We put them on the porch in the shade, on the mantel, backyard, or tabletop. Source: Aubree Originals A few other Family Crafts we love: Making Halloween Lanterns Painting Leaves Spooky Suncatchers DIY Pom Pom Pals Pipe Cleaner Beaded Pumpkins Decorate Halloween Cookies My kids have been decorating sugar cookies for Halloween & Christmas since they could walk. I love to watch the progression over the years of decorating skill and style. Part of this tradition, is that we invite a few friends over and I have a long table filled with piping bags of royal icing colors, baked sugar cookie shapes, and festive sprinkles. Being a trained chef, of course I feel obligated to make this stuff from scratch, but don't put that pressure on yourself unless you love doing it like me. Premade cookies and frosting are totally fine! It's more about having fun, making memories and enjoying a special treat! Make your life easier with lots of disposables (tablecloths, paper plates, etc.) Make sure you have some plastic wrap for kids to take home their decorated goodies! Here is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies. I have been using this recipe for at least 9 years and its perfect in flavor, texture and ease! Find it Here Halloween Movie Night We have these at least once a week (in fact, it's not even October yet and my kids have already insisted on about 4 of these movie nights already! HAHA!) I guess the traditions are growing strong with them. Makes my heart happy. Usually Halloween Movie night consists of: a Halloween type movie, popcorn, sometimes hot cocoa (must regulate the sugar consumption in this house haha), lights low, Halloween lights on the mantel turned on (blankets optional but perfect when the weather gets chilly.) Always a perfect evening and we all enjoy it so much. I try to incorporate a new movie every year if I can, to add to our Collection. Visit a Pumpkin Patch This is probably a no brainer for most families, but I'm going to share it anyways because it's a total family favorite! If you live in an area that has a farm or patch that has more than just pumpkins, I highly suggest making at least one trip there during the season. We have many pumpkin patches around us, but our family's favorite is about a 40 minute drive and totally worth it. (it gets so crowded on the weekends that we only make the trek during the week.) It's called Bates Nut Farm. We love it because they not only have a huge pumpkin patch with heirloom Cinderella pumpkins, squash and gourds, but they have pony rides, tractor hay rides, corn maze, food vendors farm animals and a huge store filled with their specialty: NUTS! A mass variety of nuts, jellies, dried fruits, candies, décor, and more! (because it's inland of our beach town it stays pretty warm there even in October so we try to save shopping in the store for last because of the wonderful air conditioning! Haha! Here are a few fun photos from last year. Bake A Seasonal Treat- Together! Being a classically trained chef, clearly I am going to encourage you all to get your kids in the kitchen. It's a critical life skill, in my opinion. Knowing how to cook for yourself can prevent your kids from growing up eating too many processed meals. It also give kids so much confidence to be able to create something that actually tastes good! They learn about sanitation/cleanliness, organization, knife skills, etc. I could go on and on about all the amazing benefits of cooking with kids. What pulls on my heart strings though is the memories of baking together. I remember doing that with my mom and I love doing it with my own kids now. It stays with them and with you! This is a fun tradition and the options are endless as far as what to bake. Here are two favorite recipes we love to make! Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Maple Icing and Apple Bundt Cake. My kids and I are actually going to make the pumpkin bread today. Try them out! It will make your house smell heavenly too... Click on image for recipe links. Throw a Halloween Party! Come on...you gotta know that a holiday like Halloween needs a PARTY! Some years I admit, we do adult only parties which don't obviously include the kids. But most of the time they are family friendly and they are such a special part of American childhood! Halloween parties are a BLAST! Even if you don't like to dress up and you aren't a big costume person, the vibe at Halloween Parties are awesome! They don't have to be huge and elaborate. They can just be having a few friends over and enjoying the company. This year we designed some fantastic Party Boxes to make hosting a fun Halloween party a breeze! So get partying, people! Click on the images for details My family can get really into Halloween. We've thrown some epic parties in the past. My mom and sister would go all out with décor, food & music. Those are always my favorite past Halloweens. How can you not love Halloween?? Well, thank you for letting me share a glimpse into my family life. I hope this gives you some fun activity ideas to enjoy this season with your own family. Feel free to share your favorite family traditions during Halloweentime! We'd love to hear others stories. Cheers!

One of our most fun and action-packed party boxes is our fantastic Superhero Party Box! I have been a big Superhero fan for decades (yes, I've seen every Marvel movie or TV program, Superman, Batman, you name it...multiple times in most cases) But it was important to leave this party box in a general, classic style so it could be customizable to whatever your kid (or adult- no judgement haha) is into when it comes to their favorite heroes. Here are some of my favorite inspiration ideas to enhance your cool hero bash and have all your guests leaving with a great time and lifetime memories. THE DECOR THIS. Boom, done! THE FOOD You can't have a themed party without having themed food. Or at least food with some playful & creative names! I absolutely love labeling healthy fruits & veggies as "Super Power" or "For Super Strength" You can label carrots, "Laser Vision" or Blueberries "Energy Blast". Who knows...maybe it would be a great way for your kids to eat their veggies! I also am a fan of making easy finger foods that can be easily fit into a theme. These "Thor Hammer Snacks" (below) are an adorable example! When I was first planning parties at home, one of my secret weapons for decorating almost any table, wall or window for cheap was PAPER. For this theme, using sheets of printed comic paper, taping them into a cone shape and filling them with crunchy snacks is genius! (above) Making labels is also an extra step to really enhance your theme that's inexpensive and oh so easy! Taping some polka dot paper around condiment bottles (or you could use water bottles, sodas, etc and adding a few "PoW" "BaM" cutouts are flipping adorable! (above) Depending on your child's superhero preference you can also be creative with food colors. For example, if your kid loves Captain America, you can arrange a round tray with strawberries, blueberries & marshmallows to look like his shield. Or grab a cutter like this to cut sandwiches into the Batman shapes. THE SWEETS Of course if you can afford a professional bakery and get a cool cake made, that's always fun. But in our Superhero Box, we include 2 stunning skyscraper cupcake towers that are just begging to be featured! How cool are these?? Sky's the limit on cupcake design. One of the most simple cupcakes that still look fantastic is using themed baking cups and just coloring the icing a single color. Remember I mentioned earlier how much I love paper when decorating? Well these darling printables from Owlie Powlie are a perfect choice for making the simple cupcake look next level! A little rolled fondant cut in simple shapes like stars, circles and lightning bolts definitely have an impact and are great design ideas for even the beginner bakers out there. (By the way...if you like Captain America, our Star & Stripes Collection has some fun add-ons that would look adorable added to this party! Check them out here. THE DRINKS Anyone that knows me and has been invited into my home for a party will tell you that I pretty much ALWAYS have a signature drink(s). It is an absolute must for me and it doesn't have to be high-maintenance or too involved. It can be a simple as (below) a fun name on basic drinks. A few times I've thrown in a bit of food coloring onto lemonade. In this case you could color lemonade green and name it "Hulk Punch" or color it red and call it "Spiderman Elixir" Layered drinks would be really special for the kids! Look at these festive beverages from Five Little Chefs. Perfect for an Avengers theme! Yum! THE ACTIVITES Who doesn't love when a party favor doubles as an activity for the party?? MEEEEEE!! I try to give the kids opportunities to make something that will keep them busy and entertained for a bit, and they usually feel special that something they made gets to go home with them. I call that a Win-Win. Have each child create their own "SUPERHERO" either inspired by an existing one, or encourage them to be imaginative and invent their own unique hero! So what are things a Superhero needs? A cape, a mask and maybe some cuffs to really complete the ensemble, right? All of these are a GREAT way to pull that double duty. Here are a few fun links to creating the following fun costume items with your party guests. Cuffs: https://laughingkidslearn.com/how-to-make-superhero-cuffs-using-toilet-roll-tubes/ https://masandpas.com/superhero-cuffs/ Capes: https://jollymom.com/no-sew-superhero-capes-free-template/ Masks: (We also offer masks if you want to skip this one. They can be purchased here) https://www.messylittlemonster.com/2021/06/printable-superhero-mask-templates.html When the mask goes on...playtime is OVER, buddy. No party is complete without some party games! Here are a few games from Queen of Theme Party Games that are sure to make your guests feel SUPER! X-RAY VISION The superheroes practice their x-ray vision skills by reaching into mystery bags and trying to guess what the objects are by touch only. This superhero game is as simple as filling some brown paper lunch bags with different household objects or even food such as popcorn, an apple cut in half, broccoli florets. Use your imagination and you’ll come up with all kinds of things. CATCH THE VILLIAN This is one of my favorite superhero party games. It’s a fun twist on the ol’ piñata. The little superheroes must chase the villain and try to catch him with their lightening ring (hula hoop). When one lassoes the villain he throws out candy for his release. The game continues until all the candy is gone. To play you’ll need a fun spirited adult to play the part of the villain. You’ll also need a bag full of candy and a hula hoop for each child. You can often find hula hoops at the dollar store for a buck. If you are on a tight budget you can eliminate the hula hoops and just have superheroes tag the villain. You’ll want to play this game in a large space. A yard will be perfect. SPIDEY-SENSE OBSTACLE COURSE Each boy gets a turn to make his way through the obstacle course and collect Spiderman’s spiders without knocking over any cones. The trick is he has to do it blind folded with only his fellow superhero trainees guiding him through with their voices. To play this game you’ll need to set up some barriers (cones, cushions, boxes) in the play zone. You’ll also need to purchase some toy spiders and spread them through the play zone also. Blind fold one player at a time, making sure he cannot peak. The other players can use their voices to guide him around the barriers and obstacle to find the spiders. You can play without keeping score or you can give each player 1-2 minutes to collect as many spiders as they can without knocking over any barriers. INFINITY STONE SEARCH Create your own infinity stones by spray painting rocks, crumbling construction paper, or using plastic Easter Eggs that are the right colors. You will need one set for each guest – and each set consist of six ‘stones’ one of each different color – red-orange-yellow-blue-purple-green. Hide all the stones around your playing area and challenge players to find a full set of six. Players can trade stones with each other to create their set. Award a prize to each player that collects all six! CAPTAIN AMERICA'S SHIELD TOSS Though Captain America makes it look easy, throwing a shield is hard work. It takes great aim and lots of practice. Hang a hula hoop from a tree and use painted frisbee’s to create the shields (one per guest). Take turns hurling your disc and award a small prize each time a players makes it through the hoop - try it from different distances to add challenge. ALTERNATIVE: THOR'S HAMMER TOSS You could also play a version of this with Thors Hammer. THE MUSIC I will always preach this: music sets the mood! It fills awkward silences, it creates ambiance. Music is a must! I recommend looking up soundtracks to some great superhero flix and playing that. There are so many choices on the many streaming devices nowadays. Pipe it on a portable speaker if you don't have a system hooked up. Super easy! Let's feel like we can conquer the world! We hope these tips have helped give you the tools for a rockin' Superhero bash! One the kids will remember for many years. Cheers!

Anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE a good party. Any excuse to throw a massive BASH, and I'm already sending out the Evites. But there's something about a more intimate dinner party where you can really be creative and pull out those special details. And you can really have more quality time with your guests. We are lucky to have a really nice sized backyard and a few years ago we were able to do some fun transformations that really reflected my husband & my joy of entertaining. So as you probably guessed, summertime is when we love to be outside as much as possible. We pretty much eat dinner on the patio every night. Usually involves music on the outdoor speakers, some sort of grilled foods, trampoline tricks or dance performances from our goofball daughters. Good times I will always cherish. (Tropic Vibes Box Shown Here) Here are a few of my favorite of Summertime Dinner Party Ideas that are so worthy of trying... BUBBLY POP COCKTAILS: Fresh Fruit Paletas (popsicles) in a glass with bubbly champagne or prosecco poured over and immediately served. Swirl and infuse your cocktail with as much fruit flavor as you desire. Classy and playful, my favorite combination. So simple, right? EMBRACE SIMPLICITY There is always something magical about summer nights. You don't need to do much to enhance an evening under the stars. Embrace being outdoors by keeping it simple. Picking some wildflowers on a morning walk and placing them in a mason jar or glass with some simple tealights is sometimes all you need for an imitate & elegant affair. I love using rocks and succulents, wood and other natural elements as well. Easy, lovely and special. CITRUS: THE PERFECT GO-TO DECOR: In the summer (or year round if you are from SoCal like myself) there is never a shortage of citrus....ever. I am lucky to have multiple citrus trees on my property, but even if you don't, it's a perfect inexpensive, vibrant, and ultra summery decoration for your next gathering! I love this simple and fresh tablescape from One Stylish Party. Real (or faux) greenery, and citrus cascading down the center of the table. Can you imagine how amazing it will smell?? I'm ready for that chilled rosé right there too... OUTDOOR DINNER & A MOVIE NIGHT: A summer tradition in our home every summer. Great for families or just adults. If you have a large sheet or a fancy inflatable screen, it's all about atmosphere! Grab the blankets & pillows and set up a cozy spot to settle in. We love to grill pizzas and wheel out our vintage popcorn machine for movie night snacks. Don't forget the movie night candy too! DONT FORGET THE CHEESE! Ok, I cannot mention summer parties without the cheese platter! My go-to for almost every party. There is something so visually appealing about a board filled with an abundance of cheese, fruits, nuts, maybe meats and pickled veggies and bread. It's that "feast" for the eyes and something for everyone, crowd pleaser. You can style it differently for so many themes: Tropical, Italian, Mediterranean, Spanish, I've even done a patriotic one with all Red, White & Blues. Small wood board or EPIC grazing table. So versatile. A no-brainer for a summer party. SERVE SOMEWHERE UNEXPECTED: Yes, I have an outdoor dining table and sometimes we eat around the outdoor couch area when I'm feeling even more casual. But every once in a while it's nice to set up a dinner table somewhere a little different for dinner guests. Set up a table on the grass or do it "picnic style" on the ground with pillows and a low table. Mixing it up is a fun surprise that can give a different vibe. (Doesn't our Geo Chic Party Tablescape just POP against the grass?? Love it!) Whatever you do for summer, I hope you enjoy yourself and make some great memories. Cheers!

Most of us can relate. Our lives are over-scheduled, over committed, and non stop. Especially folks with young kids or anyone working a full time job. Life is so full. Birthdays and other life events come back every year whether we like it or not. If you're the lucky one expected to be responsible for throwing the party, it can be overwhelming and stressful to anyone that doesn't have a natural knack for it or lots of experience. I, myself, have had years of experience not only hosting events, but working in the event industry as a caterer and event coordinator and I want to share some of what I learned that has proved helpful in keeping anxiety levels low. If you are a party-hosting pro or not, creative or not, doesn't matter..read on. Here are my Top 7 Tips to party sanity: 1. Plan Ahead I cannot stress this enough. This is my #1 best tip, so if you take just one thing from this article, let it be this. The best part of planning ahead (and I'm talking 2-4 weeks here), is that it breaks up the planning into little pieces that are stretched out over time. This way it doesn't take a noticeable chunk out of your day or evening. You can relax and focus on party ideas at your leisure. It also gives wiggle room for any changes, adjustments, backup plans, new found inspiration, etc. I see it happen to my friends ALL the time. They know their kid’s birthday is coming up, (hint hint..it's the same time every year, remember?) but they wait until the few days before like a chicken with their head cut off to get everything they need done. It consumes hours in their day instead of 30 minutes here and there, if they just started earlier. (FYI: Party supplies don't really "go bad" or “expire” quickly...so just order the stuff and let it be there for you when you are ready for it. Scrambling at the last minute can also lead to lack luster party vibes that can be a real bummer. By party day all you want is for it to be over already...and that's no fun either. So put a notification in your calendar a few weeks out from your next hosted get together and put the planning on your radar. As Nike would say, “Just Do It!” 2. Make the Time It doesn't need to be time consuming. 10-30 minutes, 2-3 days a week should do it if you start planning your party early. I like to use the time that my kids are settled upstairs, before the hubs and I watch our nightly new binge-worthy show, to do some online shopping, get ideas, make the guest list or email a venue if the party is elsewhere. Maybe the mornings work better for you right after the kids go to school. Whatever works and is the absolute easiest in your schedule. The beauty of planning ahead is there's so much flexibility to fit in time and it can be done at any hour of the day. This goes hand in hand with Tip #1. People say to me ALL the time, "How do you do so much? Don't you sleep?" The answer is yes! But if there is a celebration I know that's looming near, I make time early so people don't even really know when I had this magic time to work on it and get it all done. HA! Clever, huh? After all these years of making my life easier hosting parties, I began to actually enjoy making the time and it started making parties so much easier for me that I really looked forward to the next one! (As you can see, I kinda enjoyed it so much I went and made a career out of it ;)) 3. Find Inspiration Easier said then done, right? Seriously though...issues are bound to come up from time to time when hosting a party. The most important thing is to keep your cool and have a positive attitude. This has saved me countless times when I ran my catering business and when I host parties at home. You know how much stressing helps?? ZERO. ZIP. ZILCH. It clouds your mind and doesn't help solve a darn thing. It has taken some practice, but I have taught myself to stay calm, relaxed amid any chaos and I find it much easier to deal with or resolve things that way because I'm focused and thinking more clearly and constructively. In most cases, things that go "wrong" at a party, chances are your guests have no clue unless you bring it to their attention. So don't bother unless it's for safety or other important reason. Don't point out the decoration flaws unless you are going to have a laugh about it. I remember I was throwing a birthday party for my husband. It was an 80's Arcade theme party and I made a Pacman game cake that looked awesome! I baked a marble cake that I've made before so I knew was delicious. When it came time to serve the cake, it was sooooo dry. The texture was wrong. It was inedible in my opinion. To this day, I do not know what happened! I was absolutely mortified. But ya know what? I tried to handle it with grace and dignity and do as much damage control as possible and not let it ruin the experience of the party. I luckily had some leftover dessert things around the house that I whipped up to give to people as we joked about what happened. Everyone had some good laughs and the party went on and it was a BLAST! The memories we took from that party was all the fun games we played and the festive spirit everyone was in. Ultimately problems are either in your control or out of your control (like wind or something arrived damaged, etc) If they are IN your control, be a problem solver, not a whiner. Suck it up, buttercup (some tough love for ya there). Try your best to fix and move on. And if it's OUT of your control, its a serious waste of energy to be upset and let it ruin your day. Guests also don't need a stressed out party host. It's not fair to anyone. Damage control the best you can, but keep the positive spirits flowing! As long as the ultimate goal remains the same (people are having a good time), it was a success! Be proud of yourself! Hey, some times the parties with the biggest disasters are the most memorable to look back on! 4. Be a List Maker! This is another winning tip. Make lists! Check lists make EVERYTHING easier. I am a very forgetful person (makes my husband very frustrated sometimes) yet I won't miss a beat throwing a huge 200 person bash because I learned to be organized. Lists for guests, lists for food menu, if you are doing the food yourself (which I usually do) make a prep list, make a To-DO of what to do on the day of the party and if there's a lot to do, include the days leading up to the party. Include even the little details. The more you include in a list, the easier it will make EVERYTHING. The less your brain has to try to remember when your setting up or guests are arriving, the better. Many, many times I have been hosting a large event and my head would be all over the place, but because I had a list to reference, it brought me back to a focused and relaxed space. Sometimes its the small, simple events that can be the most stressful, so I make my lists for any size party (even holidays now too!) SOOO grateful for my list making neuroses. ;) Lifesaver. Trust me. 5. Have a Back-up Plan This is a quick one, but can be helpful and save you a lot of stress. If your event is outside, depending on where you live and the weather, always have a back-up plan. Both of my daughters' birthdays are in unpredictable weather months (May & November). Both months can be beautiful but are notorious where we live for random gloom and rain. I rarely get a year without weather stress, I swear! So if I plan to do an outside party (which I very often do living in Southern CA), I will take a moment out to consider "what if the weather sucks?", “Can I make it work inside instead?“, "How would I set that up?", “Might we need a tent?” Keep up on the weather report and if unexpected rain does fall on event day, you will already be a step ahead. 6. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Easier said then done, right? Seriously though...issues are bound to come up from time to time when hosting a party. The most important thing is to keep your cool and have a positive attitude. This has saved me countless times when I ran my catering business and when I host parties at home. You know how much stressing helps?? ZERO. ZIP. ZILCH. It clouds your mind and doesn't help solve a darn thing. It has taken some practice, but I have taught myself to stay calm, relaxed amid any chaos and I find it much easier to deal with or resolve things that way because I'm focused and thinking more clearly and constructively. In most cases, things that go "wrong" at a party, chances are your guests have no clue unless you bring it to their attention. So don't bother unless it's for safety or other important reason. Don't point out the decoration flaws unless you are going to have a laugh about it. I remember I was throwing a birthday party for my husband. It was an 80's Arcade theme party and I made a Pacman game cake that looked awesome! I made a marble cake that I've made before so I knew was delicious. When it came time to serve the cake, it was sooooo dry. The texture was wrong. It was inedible in my opinion. To this day, I do not know what happened! I was absolutely mortified. But ya know what? I tried to handle it with grace and dignity and do as much damage control as possible and not let it ruin the experience of the party. I luckily had some leftover dessert things around the house that I whipped up to give to people as we joked about what happened. Everyone had some good laughs and the party went on and it was a BLAST! The memories we took from that party was all the fun games we played and the festive spirit everyone was in. Ultimately problems are either in your control or out of your control (like wind or something arrived damaged, etc) If they are IN your control, be a problem solver, not a whiner. Suck it up, buttercup (some tough love for ya there). Try your best to fix and move on. And if it's OUT of your control, its a serious waste of energy to be upset and let it ruin your day. Guests also don't need a stressed out party host. It's not fair to anyone. Damage control the best you can, but keep the positive spirits flowing! As long as the ultimate goal remains the same (people are having a good time), it was a success! Be proud of yourself! Hey, some times the parties with the biggest disasters are the most memorable to look back on! 7. Never Forget Who or What the Party is For I've thrown a LOT of parties in my day, and most have gone off without a hitch. (luckily! whew!) But there have been those parties that were scheduled at a stressful time in my life, or I over-committed yet again and it was more of a hassle than expected, or there were one too many hiccups for my liking. Whatever the situation, never forget WHY or WHO this party is for. Many of my parties are for my children or husband. And I never let myself forget that I'm doing it for them and to create lasing memories to look back on. It is so worth the effort to see the smile on their faces and seeing happy guests leave at the end of a festive evening. It is that satisfaction that makes me excited to do it again and again. Making people happy, has always made me happy. It fills my heart with joy, and I want you to feel that way too with the next get together you throw. I hope these tips resonate with you and help you get through those upcoming party plans. I know with the world opening up more again, we will all be a bit rusty at it, so keep these thoughts in mind and never be too hard on yourself! I'd love to know if any of these tips help you in future events. Or if you have any of your own helpful tips, feel free to share! Happy Party Planning, folks. Cheers!

Ready for the end of 2020??? We thought so... Is there anything that screams GLAM & PARTY more than a disco ball? I mean, those reflective little mirrors create magic fractions of light that can fill a room with such a festive vibe. We love a disco ball here at OMC, and we like to throw them onto a table for some bling and class. But let's think outside the box for a minute...we want to share 5 fun things you can do to add some extra pizzazz to your New Years, dinner party, home, birthday, etc. All of these DIY's are pretty simple and look great with our NYE Party Boxes (sold out). But these fun crafts can add some fun to any space! 1. DIY Disco Ball Christmas Tree Source: Studio DIY DEFINITELY making one of these for the Holidays next season! Such a WOW factor! And the best part, is depending on the foam cone you use and disco ball sizes, you can really create in a variety of sizes. (Might even be a great gift idea for your fancy friend that you never know what to get) Check out the tutorial here 2. Disco Ball Headband Source: Kiss and Wear Be the queen of the night with this flipping ADORABLE headband the seriously couldn't be easier to make! Mini disco balls, simple headband= BAM! Instant festive wear for New Years Eve! (Hint hint..many times you can find mini disco balls packs at the Dollar Tree). Thanks Kiss and Wear for the adorbs inspiration. 3. Disco Ball Snowman Source: A Bubbly Life Pretty abstract snowman, in my opinion, but whatever it is, it's just plain cool. I think these in different sizes leaned up against the fireplace would look fab. Stick these cuties wherever you need a little modern glam around the house. And I love the idea of using different colors! Doesn't always have to be the classic mirror ball. Splashes of color adds exciting interest! See this cool project details here. 4. DIY Disco Ball! Source: GretasDay Disco Balls are not cheap. Large ones can be hundreds of dollars and what are you realistically going to do with it after that fact? (Unless you plan on running your own private Studio 54? Lol ) This is such a great idea and I love this fun pinata-like style! Actually, you probably could turn this into a pinata. and if it's an adult get together, some mini booze bottles make a fun filler! Get all the details and instructions to make one here. 5. Disco Ball Drink Stirrers Source: Arsenic-Lace 100% making these for New Years! So easy and so cuuuute! Mini disco balls, silver straws and hot glue. I'm considering trying some reusable silver metal straws instead of the paper straws that break down. Then they can be washed and reused over & over for separate occasions. (we are always about reusing items for future parties, which you can see from all our party boxes.) Which one(s) will you try out? Hope this gives you some fun ideas for New Years Eve or any other glitzy occasion. Feel free to share any fun ideas you have to do with disco balls! Cheers & Happy New Year!

By: Kirsty Mitchell Birthday celebrations for my family are a big deal. I normally throw a large, themed party for my kids, spending countless hours crafting theme inspired food, creative table set ups, party favors and interactive activities for all to enjoy. The celebration is a beautiful whirlwind of lots of friends and family hanging out in close contact. It's what I love and I have never imagined doing parties any other way. Fast forward to March 2020 and parties have taken on a whole new path with drive-by’s and we have all had to adjust our party throwing skills to celebrate and throw a party on a much smaller scale whilst still maintaining social distancing guidelines. I love that people are finding safe and creative ways to still celebrate special occasions (drive by style)! There are so many ways to incorporate fun, thoughtful ideas to get an awesome party feel that will help your drive-by guests and guest of honor feel like they are celebrating and marking the special occasion in style. Through this growing trend, I found a new love for doing parties another way - last week was my daughter’s 6th birthday and we threw her an ice cream themed drive-by birthday party. It’s was a great party success; my daughter loved her drive-by celebration and I honestly love that we were still able celebrate in a fun and creative way. Here are some of the ideas I put together for her to make it extra special: The Invitation This was a quick word project - I found my images online, put in the important information, added some simple design elements and the invite was ready to send via text and email. The Sundae Toppings I love that anything goes when it comes to sundae toppings. Our ice cream sundae bar included sprinkles, sour gummy worms, gummy bears, M&M’s, mini Reece’s Cups, cherries, circus animal crackers, Pirouettes wafers, whipped cream and of course caramel and chocolate sauce. I found a plain framed chalkboard sign from Michaels and Candice (my very talented business partner) created the beautiful menu with chalk paint markers (also found at Michaels). The cookie jar was purchased from Hobby Lobby and the mini containers were clear small condiment and spice serving boxes from Amazon. The Décor Elements Ice Cream Stand - This crate stand was previously used by Candice as a lemonade stand for her daughter’s birthday. It was great we got to repurpose this for our ice cream stand. Using my Brother ScanNCut2 machine, I cut out “Julia’s” and “Ice Cream Café” on cardstock. For a fun add, I glued real sprinkles to accentuate “Julia’s”. Garden Ice Cream Cones - I had some leftover lanterns from a previous party and the colors were perfect for vanilla, strawberry and mint chocolate chip garden ice creams. Using colored markers, I added sprinkles to each one. For the cone, I used poster board rolled up in a cone shape and covered it with some awesome gold grid wrapping paper that I found in my wrapping paper stash. Alternatively, you could also buy some natural color poster board at Hobby Lobby and draw on some grid lines. To stake these cool ice creams into the ground, I used extra-long smores sticks (from Walmart), drilled a small hole on the top and used small wire to attach the lanterns to the stick. Next I pushed the stick through the cone leaving around 10” sticking out. For extra reinforcement, I glued the lantern to the cone. Sidenote – the cones make great hats (or unicorn horns) to play with after the party! Chocolate Sauce Drips - I cut out “melted chocolate sauce drips” using brown felt fabric then cut out the confetti sprinkles on cardstock again using my awesome ScanNCut2 machine. I hung these drips across my garage, front door (using a staple gun) and even used one as a table overlay. Sprinkle Water Bottles - I found some sprinkle themed duct tape at Michaels and wrapped them around mini to go water bottles. Sprucing up water bottles is a simple but a really fun addition to any party table with so many duct tape patterns to choose from. Hand Painted “6” and “Sweet” Letters - These hand painted paper mache “Sweet” letters come right from our Ice Cream Party in a Box and are one of our DIY items that we make ourselves. The “6” was a fun addition that we are considering adding to our Ice Cream Party Box as a customizable add-on. Flower Ice Cream Cone - I was inspired by an image I saved about 5 years back of a flower in an ice cream cone so I decided to replicate it. I added some sprinkles in the vase and carefully dropped in the real waffle cone with a beautiful pink rose – it literally took 5 minutes and it was a great statement piece. Parties are love for my soul...I am so glad that we have found a fun way to keep them going! xx

What is more magical than unicorns? These mythical stallions are beautiful & graceful creatures that we all kinda wish were real (admit it...you would think it's pretty cool too) Well, our Unicorn Party Boxes will make you BELIEVE that they just might exist! And with the darling decor our boxes provide, all you need to do is add food, drink & friends! Now, we would be pretty bad party experts if we didn't help you in all different aspects of your party, right? Luckily for you we've got you covered! We want to give you some fun & helpful ideas to enhance your Unicorn Party by sharing some of our favorite food & drink ideas. There are an overwhelming amount of ideas out there. We just tried to narrow it down a bit for you. We also picked items that can be changed up for almost any party theme if you just change the colors! Enjoy! Unicorn Bark Source: A Magical Mess This is a tip we share in our handy pamphlets that we mail in each and every party box. I love this Unicorn bark idea. Even the most novice baker can easily whip this up and it looks so swirly (is that a word?) and fun! Details here. Mini Unicorn Cheesecakes Source: A BaJillian Recipes Every time I make cheesecake for a party it is the biggest hit. And honestly, I find cheesecakes easier to whip up than traditional cakes. Plus, mini cheesecakes bake so fast, look so darn cute, no one can resist them! These are taken up a notch with a lemon Oreo cookie topper and a swirl of colorful whipped cream & sparkles! You can find the simple recipe here. Unicorn Pretzel Rods Source: Lady Behind the Curtain This is a great tip for MANY party themes: Dipped Pretzel Rods. I frequently will buy pretzel rods, dip them in colored candy melts to match the party theme, and then have fun either dusting them with edible glitter, sprinkles, drizzling more melted chocolate or colored candy melts. They are a combo of sweet & salty that people love, and the display so cute upright in a festive glass on your dessert table. These pretzels inspired by Unicorn horns are so fun that I had to share! There's a secret ingredient that gives them their unicorn horn look, so you have to read more to find out...Check out how to make them using this link. Unicorn Cupcake Cones Source: My Heavenly Recipes These little cuties are fun on so many levels. Not only do they have their own built in edible display (cone) but the construction is brilliant. The sweet eyes are created with black frosting, but if you are able to get a black food coloring pen like this, it is even easier! Check out the video. Unicorn Lemonade Source: Midget Momma I might have to make this drink just because it is so STUNNING!!! No way your guests wouldn't be completely wowed by this fab lemonade! (I might have to spike momma's with some lemon vodka...just sayin') Get all the details here. Cheers! Unicorn Veggie Dip Source: Nerdy Mamma Unicorns can't live on sugar alone! This will trick the palate with savory flavors of a creamy veggie dip. Pair this pretty dip with a rainbow of colorful fresh vegetables. Who knows..maybe you can convince the kids to eat some extra veggies like the unicorns do? Recipe here. Magical Popcorn Source: Partylicious The perfect snack for hungry little unicorns. Another delicious and easy to make sweet & salty snack. I'd fill individual paper cups like these that would perfectly match our Party Box! How sweet is that? Partylicious recipe here. Marble Dipped Oreos Source: Sprinkles for Breakfast We are all about giving you EASY, but adorable looking ideas and this is no exception! Just like the chocolate pretzel rods (and even the popcorn) you can change up the colors to match any party! But I love the effect of the marbling and it's easier than you think to achieve. Read up on how to do it here. The ULTIMATE Unicorn Milkshake Source: SugarHero We had to save this one for last because it's such a showstopper!! This is the Ultimate Unicorn Party Treat! A tray of these will make your guest's mouth drop! Loaded to the brim with candies, sprinkles & cookies. And what a genius trick to make these polka dots in the glass! They use mini colored marshmallows cut in half! The sticky cut side easily sticks to the inside of the glass. And when you fill it with your strawberry shake, it creates this wonderful effect. Worth the time and splurge for sure! Check out all the fab details here. Want more Party Inspiration! Sign up with us and don't miss a post! CHEERS!

To us, sprinkles say: Fun, Happy & Color. They also spark smiles and hit a nostalgia button for many. The colorful dots of sugar add a festive delight to everything they touch. Sure, you could cover a cake in them, or mix them into cupcake batter to make funfetti. And everyone loves sprinkles on a donut or on an ice cream sundae. But there are so many more things you can do with sprinkles! Here are 8 fun ideas to inspire your next party. You never knew sprinkles could be so versatile! 1. Make a Sprinkle Filled Vase Source: Tikkido This adorable floral bouquet really makes a statement! You don't have to worry, this vase isn't full to the brim with solid sprinkles. Sticking a smaller vase inside and filling the between space with the sprinkles is all you need for this effect! You can use faux or real flowers! Click here for the tutorial! 2. DIY Sprinkle Frames Source: Kojo Designs How cute are these frames?? And so easy! Just remove the glass and backing of the frame, paint with Mod Podge or craft glue all over front & sides of frame. Dip in a bowl of sprinkles and let dry. Spray with sealant if desired. Replace the glass & frame backing after completely dry. You can buy a bulk amount of sprinkles here. 3. Sprinkle Rimmed Glasses Source: Style Me Pretty This darling trick is such a special touch that can be used for so many types of parties using any color combo of sprinkles to match your theme! Just dip the rim of any glass in melted chocolate or candy melts and then into the sprinkles! Looks very cute on martini glasses also and can be used for drinks or a cute dessert presentation. 4. DIY Sprinkle Cake Topper source: KojoDesigns Another brilliant idea from KoJo Designs! This DIY cake topper is not only adorable, but completely edible! A few basic kitchen tools, some candy melts and sprinkles are all you need to make this fun topper! It would also be fun to do a name or word like "LOVE" instead of a number! Possibilities are endless! Get the simple tutorial here. 5. Sprinkle Dipped Jars Source: Etsy Oh how we love an Ice Cream Party (if you couldn't tell from our Ice Cream Party Box) and these would make a fantastic party detail to add to the decor! Whether it's straws (pictured), silverware, or filled with toppings as a serving vessel; these sprinkle jars are sure to get you heaps of compliments! These are available for purchase here, but if you are an avid DIYer like us, you can achieve this in a few simple steps! Spray paint the jars and lids in desired color, let dry. Paint the jars bottom half of the jars with generous layer of Mod Podge or craft glue. Roll in sprinkles to coat. Let dry. Optional: Adorn with mini ice cream embellishments (found at craft stores or DIY those too, you over-achiever!) 6. 1-Step Sprinkle Tray Source: unknown Using clear or white trays (with sides) pour a generous amount of sprinkles to completely cover the tray(s). How simple is that?? Best for dry products only like these paper cups. It would also look great to stack ice cream cones! 7. Mini Sprinkled Party Hats Source: Jacks & Kate No. My. Goodness...these are too cute for words! Fun for wear or just display and decor! These little hats will get anyone in the mood to celebrate! The full tutorial can be found here. 8. Sprinkle Letters Source: Kristina Does the Internet What a fab decor idea! Paper mache letters (like these) can be painted with glue and covered in sprinkles! Not only does it take no time at all, but is is yet another thoughtful detail to add to your party and impress your guests. Hopefully after this, it's give you some inspiration on what fun you can have with the humble sprinkle. We'd love to hear any other ideas out there as well! Feel free to leave in the comments below. Cheers to all!

By: Candice Filippi Don’t worry, I’m not endorsing huge get togethers during a global pandemic. But with all of the harsh things happening in our world one thing will be happening no matter what: birthdays. More than ever, we need happiness in our lives. We hope our party boxes can help you make that a reality. Since March of this year, our lives have all drastically changed due to the pandemic. I know in my household, we are very social people so the thought of being separated from friends & family hit us so hard. It’s difficult to pull yourself out of a funk when the world seems to be upside down and normal everyday activities are now forbidden or have to be completely reimagined. Right before the shutdown our group of girlfriends were planning on an exciting trip for Kirsty’s birthday to the Magic Castle in Hollywood and to stay in the historical Roosevelt Hotel. Those plans crumbled faster each passing day when we realized the situation was not going to get better…it was just getting worse. Kirsty & I made the decision with our husbands to quarantine our families together so we could keep a level of sanity through this isolating time. I could feel the disappointment Kirsty was feeling, even though she was putting on a brave face. Her birthday was getting closer and friends were starting to increasingly getting more nervous to see each other. (understandably so). I immediately thought that I’m not going to let something like this ruin my dear friend’s birthday. Pandemic, or no pandemic, this girl is going to be celebrated! I pulled out every girly decoration I had and set up my living & dining room to be a festive. We sat in my backyard had Happy Hour Zoom with our group of girlfriends. I made her a special dinner, grabbed a bunch of family games turned on some music and partied with our kids and husbands. BOOM!!! Loved seeing the expression on her face when she first walked into the house! It may not have been The Magic Castle, but it was truly a wonderful evening! Fast forward to May, and life has been more settled in this Covid “routine”. Drive-by Birthdays become the new thing and my oldest daughter, Lana is turning 9! Now, anyone that knows me will tell you that I am an over-the-top planner when it comes to my kids birthdays. I start months ahead of time to get a theme established and will work bits & pieces over time to perfect all my details. (yes, I’m a bit much...my husband will be the first to attest) But, having 70 people over is not going to happen this year, that’s for sure. I’ll be honest, my kids love their parties, but it’s me that wants to make it so grand. Because it’s one of the things I happen to be passionate about. I could tell the thing that upset Lana the most was not having family there and not having her traditional group of pals over to party with. I had to get creative & still make it special. Honestly, I wish I had our Party Boxes back in May! They are the PERFECT thing to use for a Drive-by birthday. Lana asked for a Lemon yellow birthday this year since she is moving past the “kiddie” themes and her taste is getting more grown up. (heart melt…) So of course, party mom delivers! Kirsty, her hubby and myself made a Lemonade stand out of painted crates and a few pieces of wood and chalkboard paint. Gathered a bunch of random lemon decorations. (Another reason our party boxes rock…we do all that decoration sourcing for you!) Let me just say…Drive-by bdays?...not so bad! Having people drive by with cute handmade signs, honking horns and enjoying the fresh air outside. NOT having to break my back to clean my house for company and having it all over and done with in 90 minutes? Not bad at all! (Considering). Lana had such a special time. And I surprised her with asking her past teachers to show up! It made her whole day! After the Drive-by party, we came back into the house where I had more decorations for Lana set up just for her and our immediate family. We later had Kirsty’s family over for a special dinner, reusing the same decorations from the Drive-by party in the backyard. Lana said, “Mom, I was really not sure how I was going to feel about this Covid birthday, but it was one of my favorites!” (heart melt again…) Really my point in sharing this is for two reasons. First (and most importantly) I’ll reiterate what I mentioned at the beginning. We need some “extra” in our lives right now. EXTRA happiness, EXTRA appreciation for each other, EXTRA fun memories. Birthdays are a reminder that life goes on. It’s full of ups & downs, but if we can control anything in this world right now, it’s making a loved one feel special. My second reason is our Party Boxes are an amazing way to make that a no-brainer! (And trust me…a Lemon Birthday box will be in the works!) Every size box we offer; Party Time, Party On or Party Hard size can be used perfectly for a Quarantine Party! Not having to run around town or spend hours online to find what you need from countless stores. We got you! This is the biggest inspiration of creating our brand. We hope you will continue to celebrate your family & friends in style and create lasting memories. Cheers! #partydecorations #kidspartydecorations #birhdayparty

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