Milk & Cookies Wedding Buffet

 

Of all the sweets tables I've set up, this may just be my favorite one. Candy tables have been a staple at weddings for years, but there is just something nostalgic and just plain heartwarming about milk and cookies at the end of the night.

My friend Linda asked me to design this table for her wedding. She didn't want anything over the top. Just a nice display of cookies and mini cartons of milk.

The display included cookies from Costco's bakery, Oreos and some of Linda's favorite cookies from a local bakery ( lemon sandwich cookies, chocolate meringues, thumbprint, chocolate lace and checkerboard).

The hotel brought out mini cartons of milk and chocolate milk.

We opened the table around 9:15 p.m.which gave people on the dance floor a nice reason to rest their feet and have some milk and cookies.

Congratulations Linda & Rimon. It may be cliche but I'll say it anyway-- may your new life together be sweet!

more photos can be viewed on the facebook page.

Election Day books for kids

 

Did you vote today? As I write this, we are waiting for my husband to come home from work so we can go vote together. Sure, we could have mailed in our ballot but I think it's important for our children to see the process. We will be taking our kids to the polls so they can see first hand this wonderful privilege we have as Americans.

To explain this day in their language, I borrowed some books from the library. I think these were great choices to help introduce the concept of voting to our girls.

Our 1st grader read Clifford for President.

 A cute story about Clifford running for president of a dog park. 

 

Our 2nd grader read Elizabeth Leads the Way. There was a time in our country when women couldn't vote, and in some countries today, women are still not heard, so I felt it was important for my daughter to learn how important it is that we have the right to vote.

 

Who am I voting for? The winner, of course! :)

So, how did you get your kids involved in Election Day?

Wonderland Sweet 16

Sweet 16s are awesome. I've had the privilege of helping a friend throw 2 sweet 16s for her daughters two years in a row. Last year I helped my friend Marsha with a Glow in the Dark party for her oldest daughter. This year, she hosted a Tim Burton style Wonderland party for her daughter Savannah. Savannah's grandmother Emma (who I consider my cooking and crafting idol) spearheaded the decorating. I am still amazed at the things she made for the party.   Savvanah's sister Ariane and I helped with making decorations.



Guests were asked to enter the party using the side gate.

Emma made this gate out of paint and cardboard.



 

 Using my teapots and teacups, we made centrepieces for the tables.

 

 

Emma, Ariane and I made these flowers out of plastic masks, tissue paper, construction paper, cardboard and paint. 

 

 I made some "Eat Me" labels  that we used for appetizers. I also made coordinating  "Drink Me" labels for cups.

 

 

Savannah didn't want a sweets table with a variety of things. She opted for heart shaped cakes made by her her mom and sister and some cake balls that I made. Her cousin brought a croqembouche cake which we also put on the table. 

 

 

In addition to the flowers, we also made "this way, that way" signs and mushrooms out of cardboard. Emma and Ariane made the caterpillar.

Thanks for stopping by. Check out the facebook page for more photos

Mermaid swim party

 

One day I held held my newborn baby girl Audrey. Then I blinked and we celebrated her 7th birthday.
My kids spent the bulk of this summer in the pool. They even learned to swim in the deep end so a pool party birthday just seemed to be the natural choice when we started planning Audrey's celebration. We had the party at our city's Aquatic Center which is an awesome facility that has water play features and slides.

We decided on a mermaid themed party. I designed the invitations and other party printables.

Our party was in the morning so we served a poolside breakfast. Our buffet included breakfast sandwiches, bagels, Krispy Kreme donuts, scones, cereal, fruit salad and other pastries.

In addition to the breakfast selections, we also had cheese puffs, popcorn, licorice, wafer sticks, lollipops and cookies that guests could eat at the party or take home in baggies.

My friend Kit of Cupkits made adorable fondant topped cookies

We ordered Audrey's favorite fruit tart instead of a cake. I made a mini banner to top the tart.

We also had Oreo cupcakes for the kids

For party favors, each child was given a book and a personalized book mark.

My husband said it best when he said, it seem like the past seven years seemed to go by so fast and yet it feels so odd that it's only been seven years because it feels like our kids have always been part of our lives. Happy Birthday to my (not-so) baby girl Audrey.

More photos from the party are on the Lollipops & Paper Facebook page 

{GIVEAWAY} Candy Making for Kids by Courtney Dial Whitmore

The talented Courtney Dial Whitmore of Pizzazzerie has come out with her second book, Candy Making for Kids. Courtney is doing a Blog Book Tour and I am so excited she's making a stop here.

I love making lollipops and candy and I can already see my girls showing an interest in candy making. Anyone who makes candy knows that boiling hot sugar is not something young kids can work with which is why I am so excited about this book.

Filled with fun and easy recipes, it would make an awesome gift for the budding candy maker. None of the recipes require a candy thermometer so it's great for kids of all ages. 

You can get your copy of Candy Making for Kids on Amazon  and Barnes & Noble 
As an added bonus,  Courtney is offering book plates if you want your book signed. You can email Courtney at courtney@pizzazzerie.com with the subject line BOOK SIGNATURE.  In the email, include a  proof of purchase (screen shot of Amazon order, picture of receipt, etc) along with your address and who to make the greeting out to and she will send it your way.

OR your could try to win a copy here!

Courtney is giving away ONE copy of Candy Making for Kids to one of my readers. This is open to all U.S. residents, age 18 and over. A winner will be chosen on Friday, August 10 at noon (pacific time).

To enter the giveaway:
Head over to  Lollipops & Paper's facebook page and "like" it (or let me know if you already like it), then "share" this post and comment on who you will be making candy with.

How awesome is that?!


Photography by Zac Williams

Summer dessert table ideas

Summer is in full swing at our house which means lots of swimming, tantrums and planning for my oldest daughter's birthday in September. Last year, her Tangled Garden party at the park fell on the hottest day of the year.

Apparently, our city was the hottest area in all of the county.  I think it reached 110 degrees that day. A news crew doing their heatwave story stumbled upon our party and interviewed us.  For my 15 seconds of TV fame, I was sweaty and yucky. Oh Well. But you know what, my dessert table was in tact despite the heat because we loaded up on treats that could hold up to the weather.  YAY!

So today, as I plan her mermaid themed swimming party, I am sharing my favorite things to include in a sweets table that I've used over the years. The temperature can easily reach over 90 degrees in our area so I have several go-to things I use when I know it will be warm. While almost anything will melt or go bad in extreme heat, I've found that the following hold up really well.

 I hope this helps some of you as you plan your summer parties. Please keep your fingers crossed for us that the news crews and heatwave stay away from us this year.

 In the jars from left to right: marshmallows, popcorn, wafer sticks.

Animal crackers and pretzels are also great.

Popcorn and Goldfish crackers are in the apothecary jars.

The basketball was a Rice Krispy cake which also holds up better to heat than cake.

Rice Krispy cake by Cupkits Edible Creations

Cookies with royal icing,  fondant decorations or left uncovered hold up really well. The important thing is to not use chocolate.

Silhouette cookies by Cupkits

Licorice  and sour candy (either belts, gummies or other shapes)

Gumballs

And lastly, I almost always include my hard candy lollipops

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer