Perfect Pool Party

I'm not sure if it is the summer heat shimmering off of the pavement at the Joann parking lot, or the sight of my silly kids jumping over and over again from the diving board at our local pool, that makes me dream of a pool side party.

Simple yet eye catching decor, printed on shiny photo paper can go a long way poolside. Just add some fresh fruits and yummy treats - and maybe a floatie or two - and you can keep those kids entertained for hours.

In our printable Poolside Party collection,

Invitation (fits A7 envelope) +
Pennant Banner +
Straw Markers +
Cone Party Hats
Cupcake Wrappers +
Cupcake Picks
Pin Wheel Craft
Snack Box or Hamburger Sleeve +
Napkin Rings, Vase Wraps or Candle Wraps
Paper Lantern
Party Food Labels +
Placemats
Front Door Banner +
Full Sheet Patterned Paper

+ Customizable item: Those items with a + sign can be easily personalized using Acrobat Reader, a free download from Adobe.com.

Just print as much as you need, and voila! It's a party!

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Get your Block Party on!

Is it the scent of a hundred barbeques filling the neighborhood air that lets you know it's time to celebrate the 4th of July? Then, get your Block Party on! Whether you are celebrating with 4 or 40, print as much as you need from our Red, White and Blue printable set. It's perfect for an entire neighborhood of guests!

Yummy red velvet cupcakes from Meringue Bake shop

Cute and delicious pies from Porch Pies

Coordinating table ware from Social Couture

Set up way finding signs, inviting guests to enjoy all the festivities

Those kids always enjoy a parade!

Mini popcorn boxes are easy to make, and easy to fill

Bottle labels in 2 sizes will cover just about anything you need.

Patriotic drink umbrellas can add a festive touch to any glass!

Kids table! Kid friendly foods, drinks and yummy snacks

In this printable set:

Invitation (fits A6 envelope) +
Cupcake Picks +
Mini-popcorn box
Paper Lanterns
Napkin Rings
Bottle Labels (2 sizes) +
Drink Parasols
Pinwheels
Party Food Labels +
Straw markers
Signage +
Pennant Banner +
+ Customizable item: Those items with a + sign can be easily personalized - by you - using Acrobat Reader, a free download from Adobe.com. 

Pick up your collection today - and get to printing! 

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In Appreciation

To say Thanks to the teachers at my kids school this year, the parents put together a little end of the year "Appreciation" pot luck for them. And since I do not cook, I only had one option.

Cake pops!

Ever since I tasted Terri's cake pops, I've been a little obsessed, to say the least, with all things cake pops. I even have a Bakerella book that I've studied within an inch of it's life, although it hasn't helped my technique.

terri's cakeballs served up on an Art Party palette

Anyway, to match the color scheme of the luncheon (using leftover crepe paper streamers from our last school event), I purchased supplies in yellow, orange and red. Two sand buckets from the .50 cent bin at Michaels and some green floral foam bricks were the base of my cake pop centerpiece. Just trim the bricks to fit using a regular kitchen knife, leave them a little bit big for the bucket and really push them in so they are nice and snug. Use rice to fill up the rest of the bucket and to cover up the foam.

I followed the directions in the cookbook from Bakerella, and used 3 different length lollipop sticks to vary the height in my centerpiece.

I also made the cake pops with out sticks in them (technically cakeballs) and put them on square paper plates. Add a little print/cut/party magic, and these super cute little flags and signs hit my "thank you" message home.

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GIVEAWAY: Martha Stewart Party Crafts

Who wouldn't be excited to check their mailbox and find a giant envelope from Martha Stewart? I know it wasn't actually from Martha herself, but eh, close enough.

Anyway, inside? Super fabulous items from her Party Craft line!

• Eyelet Cupcake Stand
• Pink Pom-pom Garland
• Tissue paper Pink Pom pom kit
• Eyelet paper Lanterns

Over $50 worth of ultra party crafting cuteness!

And how about a couple of half off coupons for Joann? Just in case you needed some glitter or ribbon or stickers or beverage labels or cake and cupcake stencils?

and you know I wouldn't stop there because what is a party without some Paper & Cake printables? A $50 shop credit goes a very long way toward throwing the party of your dreams (handmade by you of course). Our Pink Polka dot printable party or the Printable Pink Pirate party or the Fairy Wonderland printable birthday party would all work perfectly with these Martha Stewart party craft items.

*  *  *

To win these prizes worth over $100, leave your comment on this post telling me which Martha Stewart Party Craft item is your favorite!

You can also get up to two extra entries by becoming a Facebook fan, Twitter fan or by bringing along a friend, who also leaves a comment. Your comment on this post will be your entry into the giveaway.

You have until Friday, June 24th at 5pm (PST) when one lucky winner will be announced.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please be sure to link your name, email or blog to your comment. The winner will be determined by random.org.  

UPDATE: Congrats to our Winner... Dana Beeman!

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Until the Fall

Well, that's it. School is officially over for the year.
YAY SUMMER!!! I am NOT setting the alarm. I am NOT packing endless lunches that don't get eaten. I am NOT driving across town to school twice a day. I am NOT going to miss it for one second!

Until,

about a week from now when the two of them are driving me nuts and I want to need to have to drop them off somewhere anywhere for just a moment of sanity!

Oh, summer. How I love thee/despise thee.

To celebrate the end of the year, all the school kids participate in the "Spring Dance Festival", and I'm going to force you all to watch!

autumn is the blond with the black pants and purple plaid shirt

jack is the little cutie all the way on your left - taking it very seriously

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Wilton, how I Love Thee...

...Let me count ways. You stand behind me and my OCD with your unwavering support by inventing the ultra versatile Easy Pour Candy Funnel that I will use for everything but candy. Pancakes. Muffins. Cupcakes. Maybe for putting the finishing touch on some cake balls. No more scoop and pour. No more messy drips. Only. Perfect. Circles. Only. Perfect. 3/4 filled mini muffin cups.

Ah. Perfect.

Except cleaning up after the kids. If only Wilton made a bubble-of-no-mess-for-kids. An OCD girl can dream, right?

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P&C Real Life Party: Start Your Engines!

Start those engines! This real life Race Car birthday party is so spectacular, you need a seatbelt just to look at it! Charlene (Brendan's ultra awesome mom) put this together recently, and here is what she had to say:

When I started planning my son's 4th Birthday party I was inspired by Paper & Cake's car party. My son LOVES playing with his hot wheels!

I loved the color palette of red, light blue and white. I also wanted to accent it with the black and white check. I was able to use the printable package and enhance those colors with all the decorating accents. I customized the printable a little to gear it for his 4th birthday by changing the red car number to read 4!

I enlarged the car images and printed and spray mounted to foam core to have added stand up decorations.

I decorated the cake table and dining table with hanging tissue honeycomb balls above from devra-party.com. I printed many of the 2" circles graphics with adding "Fuel Up" on to sticker paper and used them on cups and plastic juice containers.

I transformed the basement into his own mini race track where I made signs and set up stations for the car mechanic, pit stop for drinks and snacks, gas station, tattoos and also set up some hot wheel race car tracks all around the house!

I also had mini car cakes made from a car cake pan I had from William Sonoma the kids decorated them for an activity and for their own cake to eat!

I also loved using the car trays that was included in the package to use as there goodie-loot bag!! I also had to enhance a plain white paper bag from Michaels for all the extra things to bring home by printing the top part of the invitation and spray mounting them  to the front and backs of the bags and adding there name onto the thank you tags tied with a ribbon to the bag!

The kids all had fun and most of all the birthday boy who said "Mommy, I love my car party- thank you!!! So makes it all worth it!

Oh- The Dessert table had Oreo truffle pops and chocolate dipped Oreos that I made, and I bought the chocolate covered square marshmallows from Costco (just added the blue chocolate drizzle). My friend Elizabeth Geiser made my cake. And assorted candy from gumballs, sixlets, licorice, gummies all from Party City and The Sweet Factory.

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Wild Wild West!

This just goes to prove, you can have a Photo Booth ANYWHERE for ANY event.

Seriously.

We have a super ultra urban Farm in an area of our fair city that is mostly, well, concrete. One third of an acre has been reclaimed to grow fruits and veggies, and eventually to raise chickens in addition to strengthening a community and teaching the school kids in the area. Last weekend, we all celebrated the Farm's 1st anniversary with a street festival extravaganza complete with food, crafts, local vendors, and different performing groups like Kalpulli Tlaltekuhtli, Capoeira CDO Long Beach and some beautiful Baile Folklórico!

Who else was there? Well, Paper & Cake of course! I wouldn't miss offering a super fun themed photo booth for all to make a memory of this fun event. I came up with the theme "Wild West" mostly because of a "horse" that was brought over by the event's organizer (how could I turn her down?) to use in the photographs. Add some printable "Wanted" posters, some Cowboy hats and of course over-sized mustaches, and there you have it!

The backdrop was created with old fruit crates stacked one atop the next with a bit of maroon felt behind that to block out the direct sunlight, and the occasional car (I did mention how urban this farm is, right?). Old and young alike lined up to hold up ridiculous props or to just sit on the horse for their portraits. The booth was nearly free to set up, and worked perfectly as a fundraiser for the Farm Anniversary event - just charge a fee per photo and either: print on the spot, email to your customers, or have them pick up their prints.

Having your own fundraiser event? Or maybe a Cowboy themed party? You can pick up your own set of Wild West photobooth props - just add your own bandanas, a camera and a little imagination.

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Post-Weekend Update

Where have I been? A week has flown by without a single blog post! Truth be told, I've been swamped. New collections, photoshoots and those kids of mine and all their year end school events. Migraines, event planning and eating bon bons on the couch. Cleaning house, paying bills and taking over the world one printable party at a time.

You know, the regular stuff.

And since what everyone wants is some beautiful photographs, rather than a buncha text, here is what I've been up to:

Singing his little heart out

Dance Party starring: Autumn

Trying for a new profile pic, for the new website

day off for kids = day trip to the Natural History Museum

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