DIY Independence Day Party: How To

Photo by: M.D. Creekmore

Happy Independence Day everyone! Well, almost. With July 4th quickly approaching, we’re all getting ready for some good food and awesome fireworks. So if you’re planning a last minute party for friends or family, we’ve got some simple and budget-friendly party ideas just for you!

 

While decorations may not be the most important item on your list of party planning to-dos, many can be made from things you already have around the house, making them practically free! Architectureartdesigns has forty awesome decoration ideas for your home, whether you’re planning a party or just want to show off your American pride!

Photo by: Kerrie Kelly

Architecture Art Designs is a website dedicated to bringing you fresh inspiration on Architecture, Design, and Art. Featuring inspiration for both indoors and out, as well as DIY projects, Architecture Art Designs is your one stop shop for everything creative. For more information, visit:
architectureartdesigns.com.

 

As we all know, some holiday party foods can be quite expensive. Fortunately, Independence Day is one of those holidays where BBQ or the classic hamburgers and hotdogs makes the perfect party meal. Get the grill master of the house to cook up some great food, and set up a quick table with all of the fixin’s. For some easy side dishes, check out epicurious.com. Below we have a simple recipe for some awesome Gazpacho Salsa from Jill Silverman Hough, a great compliment to any 4th of July party.

Photo by: Nigel Cox

Featuring recipe databases, message boards, and a variety of culinary-themed articles, Epicurious is the perfect website for food enthusiasts. Owned by Condé Nast Publications, Epicurious’ recipes are chosen from professional chefs, home cooks, and back issues of the Condé Nast magazines. For more information, visit: epicurious.com.

 

Gazpacho Salsa

Yield: 5 cups

Ingredients: 

6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions: 

Whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, paprika, coarse salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and toss to coat. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Toss to blend before serving.

 

Are you looking for the perfect summertime drink that also makes the perfect Independence Day party beverage? Rollingout.com has compiled the five top cocktails for the 4th of July! Featuring beautiful reds, whites, and blues, any of these top five drinks is sure to be a hit with all of your guests.

Photo by: Danielle Canada

Rolling Out brings you the latest in black news, entertainment, celebrity videos and more. Rolling Out has the scoop on everyone and everything you need to know. For more information, visit: rollingout.com.

Obviously you’ll need some entertainment for the kids, especially if you have several younger children running about. When the sparklers run out, surfnetkids has some simple 4th of July party games that are perfect for all ages from the youngest children to adults.

Photo by: SurfNetKids

SurfNetKids was created by Barbara J. Feldman who loves receiving and sharing the best educational tools and activities for kids of all ages. For more information, visit: surfnetkids.com.

 

Send your guests home in style with one of our seeded star favors! Get the set of red, white, and blue (pictured below) as the perfect Independence Day party compliment. Our seeded favors are eco-friendly, and they actually sprout and grow! Get yours here.

 

Beat the Heat: 5 Unique Tips for Staying Cool at your Summer Wedding

It’s summertime, one of the most popular seasons for weddings. Unfortunately, it’s also the hottest season of the year. The biggest concern this summer is keeping your guests safe from the heat. We’ve pulled together five unique ways to keep your family and friends cool during your outdoor summer wedding.

 

1. POOL PARTY RECEPTION

We found this great summer wedding idea from popsugar.com. Invite all of your friends and family to a poolside reception after the ceremony. Tell all of your guests to bring bathing suits and pool inflatables, and grill up some hotdogs and hamburgers as a budget friendly reception.

Photo by: Anals + Dax via Style Me Pretty

Popsugar.com is an online resource that features all the latest celebrity news. Created by in-house staff writers for a predominantly female audience, popsugar.com brings the lastest trends in fashion, beauty, fitness, and more. For more information about popsugar, visit: popsugar.com.

 

 

2. ICE CREAM SUNDAE BAR

Who doesn’t love ice cream? We found this perfect summer wedding treat off of popsugar.com. Pair your favorite ice creams with a variety of fruits, nuts, chocolates, and more. Add some cute mason jars and vintage spoons as the perfect compliment to your rustic-themed wedding. Have your guests treat themselves before and after the ceremony to stay cool in the summer sun.

Photos by: Jose Villa Photography via Style Me Pretty

Popsugar.com is an online resource that features all of the latest celebrity news. Created by in-house staff writers for a predominantly female audience, popsugar.com brings the lastest trends in fashion, beauty, fitness, and more. For more information, visit: popsugar.com.

 

3. MISTERS

This idea from tahoeunveiled.com, is a bit unique and takes a bit of planning to pull off elegantly. Put up misters to keep your guests cool during your ceremony and reception. You could set up a couple of misters near the reception area or in trees, but be careful. Putting your misters too close to your guests might leave you all soaked and unhappy.

Photo by: Tahoe Unveiled

Tahoe Unveiled was created for brides planning a wedding in Lake Tahoe and features florists, wedding planners, and caterers. For more information about Tahoe Unveiled or Lake Tahoe, visit: tahoeunveiled.com.

4. HYDRATION STATION

This idea may not be the most unique, but it’s definitely a great idea, especially during the hottest parts of July and August. This idea is from offbeatbride.com. Use traditional lemonade or iced tea or spice it up with some fun fruit drinks. Try mixing water with different fruits and even herbs for a unique pop of taste. The Yummy Life has some unique ideas for naturally flavored water. Get them here. You might want to add a little sugar for a bit more flavor.

Photo by: Off Beat Bride

Offbeat Bride began as a promotional website for author Ariel Meadow Stalling. The website grew into a wedding blog with approximately a million viewers every month. For more information about offbeatbride, visit: offbeatbride.com.

5. UMBRELLAS/PARASOLS

This idea from estateweddingsandevents.com is a unique way to get your guests involved. Order parasols or umbrellas in bulk quantity. Choose just one color or a variety to keep your guests cool and safe from the harsh summer sun. Umbrellas and parasols are also great photo props. Whether staged or candid, you can be sure that all of your wedding photos will be unique and memorable.

Photo by: Green Wedding Shoes

Estate Weddings and Events provides rentals for weddings and other events. The Estate Weddings and Events website hosts a variety of venue information. For more information about Estate Weddings and Events, visit: estateweddingsandevents.com.

A Nature-Themed Birthday Bash

Photo by: The Carrie Murray Nature Center

Are you planning a special birthday? Why not try an outdoor or nature-themed party? Easy to do on a budget (you can repurpose things from around the house or outdoors), nature-themed birthdays are perfect for children of all ages. We’ve pulled together some decorations, games, food, and even party favor ideas to make your party extra special!

Decorations for a nature-themed party are easy and usually pretty cost-friendly. This wooden cupcake stand idea from Parents.com was created from paper-covered soup cans and wood rounds. The rest of the table was decorated with twigs and leaves from the backyard. The mushroom cupcakes in the picture below are also featured on the Parents.com website.

Photo by: Amanda Kingloff and Taryn Mohrman

 

Parents.com is the home website of Parents Magazine, American Baby, and FamilyFun brands. Parents.com is focused on bringing young mothers and families the information they need to live fun and healthy lives. For more information, visit: Parents.com.

 

Nature-themed parties provide built-in games and activities. Send your party guests on scavenger hunts, or ask them to go outside and draw the things they see in the backyard for their “nature book.” Hostess with the Mostess has several nature-themed party ideas, with food, decoration ideas, games, and more. At the party featured on the Hostess with the Mostess website, party guests planted their own nature gardens.

Photo by: Jen CYK Photography

 

Hostess with the Mostess is a website that is focused on bringing readers modern ideas through a daily blog and online community. Hostess with the Mostess brings you DIY projects, tips for hosting parties, and party planning tips. For more information, visit: HWTM.com.

 

Another fun idea at a nature-themed party is to set up a trail mix station. Party guests are given bowls, brown paper sacks, or anything else you have around your home and make their own trail mix. This idea is especially perfect in the case of food allergies. No one has to do without, because they can hand pick what they want to eat. Kojo Designs features step-by-step instructions on creating a trail mix buffet with helpful tips and pictures.

Photo by: Kojo Designs

Kojo Designs was created by sisters Kirstin and Jordan. Kojo Designs provides DIY projects for everyday, not just special occasions. For more information about Kojo Designs or Kirstin and Jordan, visit: Kojodesigns.com.

Don’t forget to send your party guests home with fun and memorable party favors! Here at Nature Favors, we have the perfect party favors for any nature-themed birthday party. Pictured below are our seeded party favors. Our seeded favors actually grow and come with pots, soil, and personalized favor tags.

Photo by: Nature Favors

How to Plan a Rustic Outdoor Wedding

 

Photo by: RiverJude.com

Rustic weddings are a lot of fun. They work well with any season of the year and, with just a few simple tricks, can be romantic and elegant affairs. But, on the other hand, creating the perfect rustic wedding takes plenty of work. So, we have several tips and tricks to make the planning just a little bit easier.

 

1. Candy Buffet.

Candy Buffets are just that – a buffet of candy. Relatively easy and with minimal cost (depending on how much and what kinds of candy you get), they add a bit of fun to your rustic wedding reception.

Project Wedding has several tips for planning and executing the perfect candy buffet, including keeping in mind the color of your candy, the weather, and how you will place and serve each different candy type.

Photo by: This Love of Yours Photography

Project Wedding is dedicated to helping brides plan their perfect wedding and hosts inspiration boards, forums, vendors, and more. For more information about Project Wedding, visit: projectwedding.com.

 

2. The Cake.

The cake below was created for an outdoor wedding in Hunt, Texas and is just one of the many different rustic-style wedding cake options available to you. Some brides don’t use any sort of nature decor on their cakes at all. How you choose to execute the cake is completely up to you, we just love the beauty and simplicity of this design.

For more cake ideas like this one, visit The Knot. From cakes with no nature decor to completely decked out nature-themed cakes, The Knot has several different cake styles that may help you decide exactly what you’re looking for.

Photo by: Kim Maguire

The Knot was founded in 1996 in an effort to offer a new spin on outdated wedding etiquette information. Now the internet’s most visited wedding planning website, The Knot offers modern advice, personalized tools, and more. For more information, visit: theknot.com.

 

3. The Decorations

Let’s be honest. Less than perfect decorations won’t destroy your wedding, but they are an important piece of the wedding puzzle. Rustic wedding decorations are pretty easy, and with some flowers, treated wood, and a steady hand, you can make most of them yourself.

Rustic Wedding Chic has some fun and simple rustic wedding signs for the big day. Most of these could be made out of odds and ends you already have in your home. Ask one of your crafty friends to borrow some burlap and white paint and create your own table runners. Another great idea is chalkboards and chalk. Write a special message for your guests to help the day go smoothly.

Photo by: Maggie Lord

Founded by Maggie Lord in 2009, Rustic Wedding Chic has everything brides need to know about planning a rustic wedding. For more information, visit: rusticweddingchic.com.

 

4. The Favors

Proper wedding etiquette dictates that wedding guests receive favors. So, to complement your rustic wedding, here at Nature Favors we have some beautiful, edible bird seed heart favors. These favors come personalized to suit your needs and make an amazing gift that your guests will treasure.

Photo by: Nature Favors

How to Plan a Bridal Shower: Food, Games, and More!

 

Photo by: crosscards.com

Summer is coming, and so is the largest wedding season of the year. Since most weddings occur from May through August, many soon-to-be brides will be needing a bridal shower. We’ve pulled together some fun ideas for a summertime bridal shower with food, drinks, games, and even party favors.

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Nothing says summer like a big scoop of ice cream. Add a little festivity to your summer bridal shower with these Ice Cream Cups from Martha Stewart. All you need is a pizzelle iron and a few household ingredients for this simple, fun treat.

Photo by: Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart online hosts more than twenty years of recipes, crafts, articles and videos. For more information about Martha Stewart or for more bridal shower recipes, visit: MarthaStewart.com.

 

 

Yield: 48 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Vegetable oil cooking spray, for iron
• 2 pints ice cream or sorbet, for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add salt and 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar until incorporated. Fold in flour and butter until well combined.

2. Heat a pizzelle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions. Coat with cooking spray, place 1 teaspoon batter on the iron, and close cover. Cook until steam subsides and wafer is golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove wafer with an offset spatula. Working quickly, place the wafer in a mini muffin tin and gently push down the center to form a cup. (The wafer will cool and harden almost immediately.) Repeat with remaining batter. Let cool completely. (Wafers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

3. Fill wafers with 1-inch scoops of ice cream or sorbet, and serve immediately.

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Tea is the perfect summertime drink and traditionally, women toast the bride-to-be with some sort of alcoholic beverage. So treat your guests to this Cherry-Blossom Tea and Pink Lemonade cocktail from Martha Stewart and give them the best of both worlds.

Photo by: Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart online hosts more than twenty years of recipes, crafts, article and videos from Martha Stewart. For more information about Martha Stewart or for more bridal shower drink recipes, visit: MarthaStewart.com.

 

 

Yield: 4 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon cherry-blossom tea or any floral white tea
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine

Directions:

1. Heat the water in a medium pan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add tea, and let sit 2 minutes. Strain immediately, and refrigerate liquid right away until cold, about 1 hour.

2. Combine tea, lemon juice, simple syrup, and grenadine. Pour over ice when ready to serve.

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Every bridal shower needs a few games or activities to keep the guests entertained. We found three websites with numerous bridal shower games and activities for you to choose from. Some may be a little cheesy, but that’s what makes them fun.

• Wedding Party – lists 5 classic bridal shower games
• How Stuff Works – counts down the top 10 bridal shower games of all time
• The Knot – lists 21 fun bridal shower games that are a hit for all crowds

Photo by: Style Me Pretty

Founded by Abby and her husband Tait, Style Me Pretty features content from vendors and flowers to photographers and invitations. For more information about Abby or Style Me Pretty, visit: stylemepretty.com.

 

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The last thing on our bridal shower list is party favors for your guests. Our Blooming Garden Party favor sets are a great gift for all of your friends and family. In your choice of 13 colors, each of our Blooming Garden Party favor sets includes an Earthbloom ball, which is made from our unique blend of soils and flower seeds, soil, a pot, and a personalized tag. Get yours today!

Photo by: Nature Favors

5 Easy Memorial Day Party Ideas

 

Photo by: Square Cafe

Memorial Day is less than a week away! For those of you with family in the military or who are simply celebrating the holiday, we’ve got a few ideas to help you plan a fun, outdoor party. And since we know that things are tight this time of year, we’ll help you plan on a budget.

1. Make it a BBQ. BBQ parties are a fun, easy way to get family and friends together. Pick up some hot dogs, hamburgers, and all of the fixin’s for a simple and budget-friendly meal. Meals.com has some great tips for grilling!

Photo by: meals.com

Meals.com is an online recipe website dedicated to bringing you the best from Nestle kitchens. Chris Garboski and Jenny Harper are the meals.com experts, working together to create and maintain the meals.com website. For more information, visit: meals.com.

2. Spice up your beverages. Try out some new drink ideas this Memorial Day. Instead of the traditional soda or iced tea, try a patriotic margarita or some kid-friendly lemonade. Babble.com has some fun and simple drink ideas for your Memorial Day BBQ.

Photo by: Jane Maynard

Babble.com is an online magazine that was created by Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman and employs top bloggers on the subjects of child-raising and parenting. The site was acquired by Disney Interactive Media Group in 2011 after the site reached more than half a million readers each month. For more information, visit: Babble.com.

 

 

3. Create your own decorations. Party stores are fun, and they have some great stuff, but they can also be expensive. Pick up some supplies from your local craft store, and you can have the double pleasure of showing off your crafting skills and keeping a little money in the bank. Redfin.com has six quick and easy Memorial Day DIY decoration ideas that are perfect for an outdoor BBQ.

Photo by: The Rustic Pig

The Redfin Blog is a website dedicated to providing you with the latest real estate news, pop culture and celebrity homes, and Redfin news. For more information, visit: Redfin.com.

 

 

4. Plan some fun activities. Nothing makes a BBQ more exciting than a bunch of fun, outdoor games. For the adults choose some card games or create a sports tournament, and for the kids set up a kiddie pool or sandbox. For more games and activity ideas, visit Punchbowl.com.

Photo by: Megan Fenno

Punchbowl was founded by Matt Douglas and Sean Conta and is dedicated to bringing superior designs for events and celebrations. Punchbowl provides a Party Planning platform and a Digital Greeting Card service and tries to create user-friendly products. For more information, visit: Punchbowl.com.

 

5. Send your guests home with favors. Themed gift favors are a great way to let your guests know you appreciate their attendance and to help them remember the special day. Pick up some of our seeded star gift favors to send home either with all of your guests or just the kids.  They’ll love watching their gift grow! Pick up reds, whites, and blues to make this gift even more festive!

How To Plan A Baby Shower: 101

Photo by: Clip Art Best

Baby showers are one of the most fun parties you will ever plan or go to. However, baby shower planning is also a lot of work, so we’re bringing you some simple tips and tricks to help you make the new mommy’s special day even more wonderful.

First let’s talk about the venue.

Unless the bride already has a place in mind, finding a spot big enough to host a party that is still small enough to be cozy can be a bit of a challenge, and with summer coming up, finding a place with a working air conditioner is a must!

Punch Bowl has a large, comprehensive database of venues for all 50 states. You can customize your search based on the number of people on the guest list and the city in which you live.

Photo by: Little Things Creations

Founded by Matt Douglas and Sean Conta, Punch Bowl provides digital solutions and user friendly products for parties and celebrations. For more information, visit, punchbowl.com.

 

Next we’ll talk about punch.

Finding a good punch recipe is difficult. You have to find one that has just the right amount of tartness and sweetness. If you put in too much soda, the whole thing fizzes up and becomes a big mess. On the other hand, if you don’t put in enough soda, you might as well just be eating sherbert.

We found this recipe for a pretty pink punch from Taste of Home that works perfectly for a girl baby shower.

Photo by: Taste of Home

Taste of Home is an online exchange of recipes. All of the recipes on Taste of Home are created by home cooks, not gourmet chefs, and each recipe is tested in the Taste of Home kitchens. For more information, visit: tasteofhome.com.

 

Ingredients:

3 quarts raspberry sherbet, softened*

6 liters ginger ale, chilled

Directions: 

Just before serving, place sherbet in punch bowl. Add ginger ale; stir until sherbet is almost melted.

Yield: 2 gallons (64 half-cup servings)

*Instead of raspberry sherbert, we used cherry limeade sherbet at one of our own baby showers, and the result was amazing. People kept coming back for more, and several guests asked for the recipe.

The next item on the list – diaper cakes.

Diaper cakes are a ton of fun. They take a bit of time, though, so plan ahead before you start making one.

Photo by: Alli Crafts

 

 

Alli, creator of Alli Crafts loves creating things, especially for her three daughters. She loves to crochet and shares her patterns on her blog. For more information about Alli or her blog, visit: allicrafts.blogspot.com.

 

 

What you’ll need:

Pack of size 1 diapers (approx. 60 diapers)

Rubber bands

Cake plate or cardboard circle

Ribbon

Hot glue gun or tape (hot glue works the best)

Baby bottles or an empty paper towel holder

Decorations for the cake (burp rags, stuffed animals, flowers, toys, etc.)

For a list of photo instructions, visit allicrafts.blogspot.com. Another good option is this step-by-step YouTube tutorial from Cooking and Crafting.

Finally, the very last thing you’ll need is favors for the guests. Here at Nature Favors, we have a great option for favors. Our seeded animal favors complement almost any baby shower theme, and when your guests take them home, they will remember the fun time they had, especially when their gift starts sprouting!

Our seeded favors come in teddy bears, owls, lambs, sheep, rabbits and more!

Photo by: Nature Favors

Mother’s Day: How To

Photo by: Impact Nottingham

It’s that time of year again. The time when we remember all of the crazy things we put our mothers through and try to spend one day making it up to them.

Below you will find several ways to make your moms feel special this Mother’s Day, from breakfast in bed to the gift they’ll keep as a reminder of how much you care.

Breakfast in bed is one of the most practiced Mother’s Day traditions. It’s easy to do, and it gives Mom a break from making breakfast! Babycenter.com has 8 simple breakfast in bed ideas for Mom on her special day.

Photo by: Kami Bigler

Kami Bigler lives with her family in Utah and runs the blog NoBiggie and blogs for the Baby Center blog. For more information about Kami or Baby Center, visit: babycenter.com.

 

Okay, so you’ve made Mom a great breakfast. What’s next? The card obviously! But what should you write in it? For those of you, like me, who spend hours searching for the perfect rhyme or quote that will tell your mom exactly how wonderful she is, check out greetingcardmessages.com They have 21 great sayings for Mother’s Day cards.

Photo by: Greeting Card Messages

 

Greeting Card Messages is a website dedicated to helping people write greeting cards for any occasion. From Baby Showers and Christenings to Bridal Showers and Engagement parties, Greeting Card Messages has the perfect saying for you. For more information, visit: greetingcardmessages.com.

 

 

Now that you’ve made Mom breakfast and given her the perfect card, what are you going to do for her special day? MothersDayCentral has several great ideas for planning a day with Mom she’s sure to love.

Photo by: Mothers Day Central

Mother’s Day Central is a blog dedicated to moms. You can find information about Mother’s Day from its history to what day it’s on each year, fun facts, and even Mother’s Day trivia. For more information, visit: MothersDayCentral.com.

 

The last thing on our list for Mom is a fantastic gift. At Nature Favors, we have fun gifts for Mom, especially for those that love gardening! The best thing about our seeded heart gifts is that Mom can watch them bloom for days after, a reminder of the special day the two of you spent together!

Cinco de Mayo Party Planning Tips

Cinco de Mayo is almost here!

Photo by: dreamstime.com

A Little History
Cinco de Mayo is a day set aside each year to celebrate the Mexican heritage and to commemorate the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army defeated the French in the Franco-Mexican war.

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated predominantly in the United States and regionally in Mexico on May 5th.

Source: CVSFlags.com

To help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style, we’ve compiled some of the best food, drinks, decorations, and even party favors.

First, the food. Great food makes any party shine, and Recipe Girl has some great tips and recipes to plan the perfect Cinco de Mayo party.

Photo by: Recipe Girl

Lori Lange, founder of RecipeGirl.com is a former elementary school teacher. Recipe Girl hosts over 2,700 original and adapted recipes. For more information, visit: recipegirl.com.

 

You can’t have a party without something sweet, and what’s better than M&M filled mini cookie piñatas? We found this fun, and simple, sugar cookie recipe at SheKnows.com.

Photo by: Sandra Denneler

 

 

 

Sandra Denneler, a SheKnows Expert, is an art director at Wichita State University. She creates edible art, and she and her husband, Eric, have two children, Gus and Bea. For more information about Sandra and She Knows, visit: SheKnows.com.

 

 

 

 

Next, the drinks. Anyone who mixes drinks could tell you that you have to find the right combination of juices and alcohol to make a drink shine. Too much of one or the other and you’ll end up with a hot mess.

The Invitation Shop has recipes for six popular Cinco de Mayo cocktails with the proper mixing directions.

Photo by: The Invitation Shop

 

The Invitation Shop specializes in creating custom party invitations, as well as favor boxes, decoration tips, and general party planning help. They have invitations and party planning tips for weddings, graduation, Christmas, 4th of July, and more. For more information, visit: theinvitationshop.com.

 

 

 

No Cinco de Mayo is truly festive unless you have some awesome decor. MarthaStewart.com has an easy DIY tissue-paper decoration project.

Photo by: MarthaStewart.com

 

 

MarthaStewart.com hosts more than 20 years of recipes, articles, videos, and crafts. For more information, visit: MarthaStewart.com.

 

 

Once your party is over, you’ll need something to give your guests to remind them of the fun they had. Our Blooming Garden Party Favors double as table decorations and as favors for your guests. They come in several colors, but we recommend green, red, or white to commemorate the Mexican Flag.

Photo by: Nature Favors

Planning a First Holy Communion – Tips and Tricks

The season of Holy Communion celebrations is quickly approaching, and if you’re planning a party for a child celebrating their First Communion, you may be wondering where to start. We’ve got you covered. From the wording of invitations and food ideas to party favors and the perfect punch recipe, we’ve got some tips and tricks to make planning the special day that much easier.

Designed by: Diana Gray

Diana Gray is a digital artist from  Northern California. She and her husband, Barry, create and sell invitations on Zazzle. They have been creating invitations for many different events since 2007 and are willing to create personalized designs. For more information, visit www.dlgray.biz.

 

Have you ever wondered which is the right way to word your Communion invitations? Every invitation creation website has a different version, but if you decide to make your own invitations, the possibilities are endless. Invitations, Etc. has First Communion wording for invitations, announcements, thank you notes, and more.

(Click photo to enlarge.) 

Invitations, Etc. is a website that has information on social invitations. They provide all the
information you might need, such as: wording, addressing, etiquette for brides, hosts, and guests, and even how to print your invitations.

 

Food for a First Holy Communion can range from hamburgers and hotdogs in your backyard to a catered meal in a fancy hotel or reception hall. It’s really up to you to decide how formal you want to make the event. If you decide to go the more simple route, Tasty at Home has some great food ideas for an outdoor backyard reception.

Photo by: David’s Soundview Catering

Located in Stamford, Connecticut, David’s Soundview Catering provides business and social catering services. They have menus for everything from hearty breakfasts to formal sit-down dinners. For more information, visit www.davidscatering.com

 

Continuing with the simpler outdoor theme, we found a white punch recipe on Food.com that is perfect for your Communion reception.

Photo by: Pamela

 

Food.com was founded by Troy Hakala and Gay Gilmore in 1999. It is based in Seattle and offers several tools for its visitors from categorized recipes to the “My Grocery List” app. Food.com currently houses over 475,000 recipes. For more information, visit Food.com.

White Holiday Punch

Total Time: 40 mins
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 tablespoon almond extract
6 (2 liter) bottles carbonated lemon-lime beverage
*2 (1/2 gallon) cartons vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1). Mix sugar and water in saucepan
2). Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
3). Remove from heat, add evaporated milk and almond extract and let cool.
4). Chill until serving time.
5). Combine milk and mixture and lemon-lime drink in punch bowl just before serving.
6). Add and stir ice cream to break ice cream up into small pieces

*For a thinner punch, use less ice cream.

 

Photo by: Nature Favors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here at Nature Favors, we have the perfect party favor for your First Communion party guests. Our eco-friendly seeded cross favors add a great finishing touch to the day. The seeded crosses come in several different colors and the soil and pot are included.