Cute Christmas goodies: Lump of Coal

"He's making a list, he's checking it twice, gunna find out who's been naughty and nice..." We all know Santa is coming to town soon and if you haven't been nice you may find yourself with a lump of coal this year under the tree.

These Lump of Coal Cookies from Make, Bake, Celebrate are perfect for that boy or girl on your list who hasn't had a perfect track record this year!

Just add dark food coloring to your favorite sugar cookie recipe to give a jar o' coal!

Do you have someone on your Christmas list these would be perfect for?? These are too fun!

Thanksgiving Place Cards

What many people love the most about Thanksgiving: it is a holiday devoted to good food-and eating-a lot of it. This being said, that makes your dining table the focus of the whole event. Dress your place settings up by adding fun place cards for all your family and friends.

Pilgrim Hats

These candy cornucopias we found on Make Life Delicious would make an adorable accent to any Thanksgiving table!

And they're so easy!

• Dip tip of waffle cone in warm water for about 20 seconds then microwave for 20 seconds. 
• Roll the softened end of the cone around a clean pencil then hold in place for 20 seconds.

 Are these not the perfect additions to your table this holiday?!?

Halloween Party: Mar-gore-ita

As Halloween party season is in full-swing, it's always fun to find things that set your haunted holiday fest apart from the rest! This fun cocktail featured by Jeanne Benedict during her appearance on The Today Show is sure to be a winner among all of your guests!

 

Mar-gore-ita

 1 1/2 oz. Tequila
1/2 oz. triple sec
2 oz. sweet and sour mix

Find the rest of the how-to here!

Move over Cinco de Mayo, the margarita is entering a new season now! How many of you think this drink would put the nail in the coffin at your Halloween festivities?

Fall Tablescape

Fall is in the air, bringing that magical time of year where the air is crisp and cool and the leaves ring in magical change!

Fall is also a time filled with lots of family get-togethers. The kids are coming home from school, in-laws come into town for Thanksgiving, and time at the table is abundant. We're here to offer you some inspiration for your next sit down at the dinner table! This is a tablescape we did for Gainesville Magazine's October/November issue a couple years back.

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

 

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine 

 You can check out the full story here! 

What do you all think of the colors?? We love the warm tones that fall brings in!

S'more Lovin'

Some things come together to create perfect harmony- chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers are one such combination. No Fall season, bonfire, or camping experience is complete without the ooey, sticky, goodness of a freshly roasted s'more. With that in mind, these favors are the perfect take away for your guests for your wedding or party this Fall.

Photo Credit: Hostess with the Mostess

How many pieces of chocolate do you add to your s'mores- one,two, or go crazy with three??

Mini Brunch Shower

Favorite meal of the day....go (and yes, dessert can be considered a meal)! While you may prefer a nice steak dinner with all the fixings, there is one meal that is said to be the most important- breakfast. Sometimes, however, breakfast time comes just a little too early in the morning to enjoy. For this reason, whoever created brunch, was brilliant!

How delicious would this be for your next party as opposed to the standard dinner extravaganza?!?

 

Photo Credits: Hostess with the Mostess

Baby shower, bridal shower, just-because-we-love-each-other, this theme is perfect for so many occasions!

What's a must-have at your brunch??

Keep your wine cold!

Metal buckets are a go-to when you think of how to keep drinks cold at your party, are they not? Here's a new twist that is a must-try to keep wine chilled at your next party- the ice bottle chiller mold from Williams-Sonoma. Ice mold holds for up to 6 hours!

                           The metal pan catches condensation so there's no mess for you!

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

Make it even more fun by adding different slices of fruit, flowers, and more! Incorporate elements of the season into the mold!

Is this not a must-have for your next party?!?

Florida Gator Tablescape

Well here in Gainesville we're a week away from one of the most celebrated occasions in town-the start of football season. Where the girls are the fairest and the boys are the squarest, this town is breaking out their tents and setting up for tail-gator season!

In honor of this momentous occasion here in town, we want to share a tablescape we did for Gainesville Magazine's August-September issue back in 2010.

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

Photo Credit: Gainesville Magazine

How many of you are there are getting excited for football season to kickoff???

Sno-Cone Cupcakes

As summer is drawing to a close, it's important to cherish every last warm moment before we break out the jackets for Fall! One of the staples of summer is the snow cone. I'd bet that virtually everyone has a snow cone memory that brings a smile to their face. Carnivals, concerts, lounging poolside....the cool treat is perfect for any outdoor occasion!

That being said, how adorable are these snow cone cupcakes?!?

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

1. Place the cupcake, sans wrapper, inside a Styrofoam cup.

2.  Pour pink sugar in to a small bowl. While holding the base of your cupcake, gently roll the frosting around in the sprinkles until it is thoroughly coated.

3. Add straws or spoons to your cupcake to make it even more festive!

Would these not be perfect for your end-of-summer bash?!?

M & Ms

There are several things in life you can't go wrong with. Candy happens to be one of those things. In the vast realm of sweet treats, M & M's will be a timeless classic. Aside from being irresistibly delicious, and c'mon, tell me you can eat just one....they are also a great addition to any wedding or party!

With all of the different customizable options, you can get just the right treat for your next get together or celebration!  

Fun jars and bags make for the perfect favor for guests to walk away with at the end of the party!

M & Ms

They make great favor options for weddings too! Put your faces or your date and get them in your wedding's colors!

M & Ms

And for all you sport's fans out there, make them the perfect snack at your next playoff game party or tailgate!

MLB M & Ms

NBA M & Ms

  

How would you personalize your M & Ms?

Making entertaining more fun!

If you plan everything out before hand eliminating any stress, entertaining can be fun! Decorations, themed desserts, spending time with all your family/friends...what's not to love?  With this being said, there are a few ways to make entertaining a bit for fun for you!

Zhush.com is a super fun website has tons of fun tools for pulling off an amazing party with some personal flare!

Country Inspired Dessert Servers

Golden Leaf Serving Tray

Monogrammed Pillows make any couch cozier!

Fun Zebra-print Ice Bucket!

Don't forget about your hostess! So much of what they have would make great thank-you-for-having-us gifts for the next time you spend the evening at your friend's party! Bottles of wine are great but wouldn't you love if someone brought you something you could use again and again??

Fruit-Infused Ice Cubes

Favorite fruit-go! Mine is strawberries. Whatever yours is-think about how perfect it could fit into your next cocktail or fun summer thirst quencher....

These fruit-infused ice cubes we spotted on The Party Dress are SO perfect for a quick refresher on one of the hottt summer days!

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

Simply slice your fruit of choice into small pieces, drop into a square in your ice tray, fill with water, and freeze!

Photo Credit: The Party Dress

*Tip* Boil the water before you fill the ice tray with it. This makes sure your ice cubes come out clear so you can see through to your fruity slices!

These would be great to add to your cocktail or to pop in themselves!

Wouldn't this be a great additional to your next tailgate or backyard BBQ????

Just Kid-ding Around!

Paint, crayons, and toys, oh my! While you may not think these things have any place at your wedding or party, you may want to think again if you anticipate or know you may have kids attending your event.

Creating a separate kids table with plenty of things to keep them occupied will give their parents a break from trying to keep them constantly occupied and keep them away from climbing cabinets or trying to lick the cake-hopefully....

Photo Credit: Soiree Events

Photo Credit: Bridal Buds 

Disclaimer: Providing chocolate or other sugar-based substances may result in uncontrollable hyper activity! Proceed with caution.

What ideas have you or another host used at events to keep kids occupied??

POP-corn Bar

Whenever people plan the menu for an event, desert is always a must. While you can't go wrong with something sweet, why not spring for something with that perfect sweet & salty combo to end your night??

This popcorn bar featured on The Party Dress is the perfect way to add a super fun element to any event!

You can add all your favorite mix-ins for a fun, guaranteed crowd-pleasing snack! 

Does this not just make you POP with excitement?!?

Ice Cream Bar

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!! There is no better time for a fudgesicle or rainbow pop than in the dead heat of the summer.

Cool off your guests at your next summertime get together with this refreshing ice cream bar we saw on Hostess with the Mostess. It's brilliant!

What toppings would be a must at your ice cream bar??

No Fuss Finger Foods

With all the craziness that planning an event can create, it's important to take as many steps as you can to make your life as easy as possible!

There are lots of things to think about in preparing for an event-your theme, the flowers, the music, the guest list, and much more. One of the most important things at a party, however, is the food. The food can make or break a hostess. If you decide on a menu with lots of prep work involve, you will spend more time in the kitchen than with your guests. Make your life easier by incorporating finger foods or things that don't need to be cooked directly prior to being served.

Photo Credit: My Wedding Reception Ideas

What are some great recipes you've used at your parties??

Beaded Place Cards

Every party is filled with details galore. The catering, the decor, the music....and when the guest list is finalized-the seating. Make any table even more festive with fun place cards for your guests!

Photo Credit: Better Home & Gardens

Would these place cards not just string your whole party together??

Girls Night In: Chalkboard Wine Glasses

Everyone knows there's almost nothing better than getting together with your girlfriends to share stories and a glass of wine. Next time you have your girlfriends over, make cocktails even more fun with these easy to make chalkboard wine glasses we found on Just Short of Crazy.

Step 1: Pour chalkboard paint into a tupperware large enough to dip the base of a wine glass in.

Let the excess paint drip off before moving the glass. 

Step 2: Put parchment paper down before placing glasses to dry. You can either prop glasses up like so, or place the glasses on the parchment paper to dry. 

*Tip: If you place them on the parchment paper, move the glasses every 20 minutes or so to ensure no excess paint attaches to them. 

Once dry, fill and enjoy!

What do you all think of this idea? Would this not make your next glass of wine even more fun?!?

Frozen Fruit Skewers

Summertime is hott! While ice cream is a good go-to for a cool-down treat, it's kind of been done. Try these fruit skewers we saw on The Party Dress instead at your next party to refresh your guests! These would be great for kids and adults alike! Add your skewer to other fruit juices, water, or for the adults, maybe even your champagne. After all, who says strawberries get to be the only fruit that gets to be paired with the sparkling indulgence?  

What kind of fruit/beverage combos would you make??

4th of July: Party Favor

Planning on attending a 4th of July party this week?? Don't forget about your host! To thank them for throwing such an amazing soiree bring a little something to contribute to the party!

Photo Credit: Vale Design

Download this adorable gift tag here!

What do you all have planned for the 4th??