Personalized Fruit Kabobs…Fresh and Healthy Place Card Idea

Edible Fruit Kabobs!

What a cute, clever and easy way to decorate at your next party!

Creativelive.com shares this easy DIY tutorial.

Looks fresh and healthy…YUM!

Reasons Why I Love You Gift Box ...Birthday Gift for my Husband (or any special person in your Life)

It's My Husband's birthday, and he will be away, so...I decided to send him a surprise.

This gift is inspired by a super cute gift basket from The Dating Diva's (love this blog!!!)

Click here for the "All about You" Gift Basket. Meanwhile, this is my version...

Listed for you and easy shopping:

You Knock my Socks Off ...Socks

You are a Smarty pants .....Underwear

Your hand feels good in mine...hand cream

You are so smart....book

You give the best kisses...chap stick

You comfort me...Southern Comfort!

You are a smooth talker ...aftershave or shave cream

You make my world bright and colorful...glow sticks

You lift me up...balloons

You are so spicy...spices

You are a great listener...head phones

You smell good...cologne (he likes Irish Spring Deodorant!)

You are so hot...hot sauce

You light up my life....flashlight or I sent candles for his birthday!

You are a sharp dressed man...razor

As you see I went to the Dollar Spot at Target and had some fun!

Get Creative, and wrap it up cute!!!!

BTW

Happy Birthday Mike

xoxo

Retale...A cool app and website!

I am sorry for the delay in blog posts, I don't think I've ever gone this long without a post, there has been lots of things going on. Basically, "life happens"! 

This is not my usual post, either. But, my Mom shared this app with me!

It is called Retale.com and it is an app for phone or iPad, or you can use on your computer as well. 

Discover current weekly ads and deals on your favorite products in your city. You can also find store opening hours and locations. Save now with Retale.com!

Colorful Calendar Idea

How beautiful...

start 2013 out colorful and bright

Take2theyresmall.com uses Washi tape to make her calendar fun!

Happy 2013

Gratitude Month, The Silver Lining For Some People After The Hurricane

I read this article today on AOL News and wanted to share for both "Gratitude Month" and for a Fantastic Party idea for any day!!!

I want to share this article with you but first, I want to share the main idea, which I am guilty, that is being on my computer, and/or smartphone....

Let's "unplug" and enjoy each other.....

read on:

New York Blackout Kills Phones, Revives Ancient Art Of Actually Speaking To People

Bianca Bosker

bianca@huffingtonpost.com

NEW YORK -- Blackouts in lower Manhattan have revived an ancient practice: talking to other people without repeatedly looking at your smartphone.

When her dorm in Union Square lost power on Monday night, Elise Michael, a first-year student at the Cardozo School of Law, joined more than a dozen others in the cramped, candle-lit quarters of her friend’s room. There, they practiced the analog art of telling stories and paying attention.

“It was really nice to walk in and see a big group of people in a small space not looking at phones, not watching things,” said Michael. “I was close to most of the people there, but it was different. We shared more stories and more intimate stories than we would have otherwise.”

Once considered on the verge of extinction, face-to-face conversation, reading books, playing board games and even stargazing saw a resurgence in New York City this week thanks to spotty cell phone service, dark apartments and gadgets constantly in need of a charge.

Matt Field, who works at a Manhattan tech startup, acknowledged that the first 20 minutes he spent mingling with his roommates after the blackout were “awkward.” Left without TV, Wikipedia or anyone to text, Field passed the rest of his night doing something he joked he hasn't done since he was 5 years old: playing cards.

“We ended up staying up until 2 a.m. and spending five hours huddled around a coffee table with candles, talking,” said Field. “With the power on, we never would have bonded like that.”

Stopping at a diner to get hot chocolate, one 20-something Brooklynite even said she had migrated into Manhattan’s dark zone to enjoy the quiet that comes with being out of touch, expressing relief at the chance to “get a break" from the pressure of constant contact.

Strangers were also pulling out their earphones, leaving their phones in their pockets and speaking to one another again, New Yorkers say, with more than a few drawing comparisons to the fellowship following 9/11. Even after four days without power and a crippled transportation system, camaraderie, not anarchy, was the prevailing sentiment in the city. People were sharing cabs, friends were volunteering their homes, those blessed with a functioning phone were lending it to people they'd pass on the street, and everyone, it seems, had a hot cup of coffee to spare.

“That's how New Yorkers are: When something important happens, they start talking to each other,” said a host at Veselka, an East Village eatery.

The lack of cell phone service and power south of midtown Manhattan has turned smartphones into virtually useless camera-cum-address-books. Lost? You actually have to ask a person for directions. “Yelping” means seeing if a passerby can recommend a restaurant in the neighborhood.

Manhattan apartments that were pitch black and cold once the sun set drove people to friends, family, restaurants and bars in search of entertainment. Netflix and Time Warner, after all, weren't an option. On the Upper East Side, where a hostess at The Crown sniffed that “all the people downtown are moving uptown,” many restaurants were packed elbow-to-elbow. But even 70 blocks south, the few bars lit by candlelight, and playing music from battery-run radios, said they’d seen a steady stream of customers hoping to hang out with others and, on the whole, a festive mood.

Hurricane Sandy has also produced a kind of early Thanksgiving, forcing some New Yorkers to spend the week with relatives who have heat, water and electricity.

“My dad made a comment that while it’s obviously under strained circumstances, the benefit is that he feels like he’s seen me more in the last week than in the last year combined,” said Field, who ventured to his father's apartment uptown when the lights stayed off in his.

The quiet of a world without devices that buzz, glow and ring offered time for some introspection, as well.

Eric Borb, a bar owner who, in another life, worked 600 feet underground digging water tunnels and boring through earth to build subways, spent two hours sitting on his fire escape just staring at the night sky.

“It made me realize how beautiful it is,” he said. “That’s one of the few times in my life I’ve ever done that. And it was so beautiful.”

photo soutce: www. guardian.co/uk

                      www. divineparty.com

Edible Cake and Cupcake Bunting

All you will need is a box of Fruit Roll-ups and lollipop sticks. I recommend working on a sheet of waxed paper, since the temperatures are rising it can get a bit sticky.

Bunting: Take a sheet of Fruit Roll-up and cut into strips across the width. Cut again in half. Tie a piece of twine to two lollipop sticks.

Bunting: Take a sheet of Fruit Roll-up and cut into strips across the width. Cut again in half. Tie a piece of twine to two lollipop sticks.

Press each flag over the twine. Cut out the bunting shape with a knife and carefully lift off of the waxed paper.

photos and idea from the Sweetest Occasion

xoxo

Cheryl

"Conversation Starters" Tutorial

I found this cute tutorial for "conversation starters"
This ideas could be used for a birthday party, baby shower, bachelorette party or any party...

This is from Create Studio

click here for tutorial

Some of the questions she used:

What's the funniest thing you and Anna have done together?

What is your favorite memory with Anna?

Tell the story of how you met Anna.

"Camping Out" Camp Fire Cake

Camp Fire Time

I LOVE this cake for camping out!

Thebirthdayblog.net posted this cute tutorial for making the fire for this "Camp Fire Cake".

The logs are Pepperidge Farms Cookies (how clever)

and here is how she made the fire:

While the cake is baking, make the candy part of this cake. Place 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 a cup of corn syrup (Karo syrup) and 1/8 cup water in a sauce pan and brought  to a boil. If you don't have a candy thermometer, use this trick,  have a bowl of ice water next to the stove and when it starts to get thicker and you think it might be ready, use a spoon and put a little in the water. If it hardens and cracks when it breaks, then it is ready. If not, stir a little longer and then try again.  If you want a more exact way or if you already have a thermometer then it needs to reach 295 F. Add the coloring at the end . Do not mix the color, try to get the color to vary a little. Pour it onto tin foil on top of  a cookie sheet. Cool before removing from foil.

p.s. don't forget the camp fire songs...and scary stories!!!

Brown Paper Bag Star Tutorial

I Love this cute tutorial on making "Party Stars"

This is from Mirabelle Creations (I saw this on Hostess with The Mostess)

I really like the color of Natural Craft Bags (Lunch Brown Bags) and have been loving burlap fabric lately....hmmm...I think this might turn into a party soon...
Let's brainstorm, craft paper, burlap, natural papers????

Anyways, here is the tutorial for these rustic looking stars.

You will need:

– 5 Gusseted Paper Bags

– Double-sided Tape

– String

– Scissors

– Hole Punch.

Cut off the end of all of the paper bags.

Stack all 5 paper bags and cut the other ends into a point.

Place two pieces of double sided tape on either side of each paper bag, near the ends.

Stack all 5 paper bags together and punch a hole in the bottom, middle.  Tie the bags together with string, not too tightly.

Join the two ends together to make your star.

You can also use white or colored paper bags in different sizes to mix things up a bit. Maybe even try making a GIANT version from grocery sized bags! That could be fun! 

DIY: Chalkboard Platter (Notes or Menu Board)

I love my new Message  Board. I plan to use it at parties as a Menu Board, as well.

This DIY project was so easy and fun.

I bought a large platter from Home Goods for $9.95 and a can of chalkboard paint at MIchael's with a 40% off coupon and voila!

any plate, platter will do...the chalkboard paint sticks to tons of surfaces

Make sure to tape it off well, press the corners down real well, on the edge of the platter there is paper to protect the edges while painting

Please note, this was sprayed outside!!!! Not on my countertop!!!!

I couldn't stop spray painting, so I made this little jar. I even sprayed the top of jar with chalkboard paint!

Please Note:

Very Important...Let paint dry 24 hours before using chalk!!!!

you must use a felt eraser on chalkboard paint and do not use Side Walk Chalk, it scrapes the paint off.