We are so excited to be teaming up with an incredible group of party girls for Chillin’ and Grillin’, the ultimate summer Pinterest party happening this Wednesday, May 22nd at 9pm EST/6pm PST!  We have enlisted the help of DIYer/actress/momista, Tori Spelling and some amazing party bloggers/stylists to bring you the best summer entertaining ideas. We will also be giving away  fabulous prizes during the hour, including a $250 Pottery Barn gift card, a $50 credit to the TomKat Studio Shop and many more!

Tori | EdiTORIal by Tori Spelling
  Kim | The TomKat Studio
Jenn | Hostess With The Mostess
Jenny | Craft That Party
Courtney | Pizzazzerie
 Kim | The Celebration Shoppe
 Jenny | Bloom Designs Online
 Maureen + Adria | Anders Ruff
Casi | cupcakeMAG
Kori | Paper & Pigtails
J & Do Driver | Piggy Bank Parties

 How to Participate:

• Head on over to Pinterest and follow our Chillin’ and Grillin’ Pinterest Board
• Join us Wednesday, May 22 at 9pm EST/6pm PST and watch our hostesses pin their favorite summer entertaining ideas. We hope you will re-pin your favorite ideas, add comments, and look for special prize pins!
• Prizes will be pinned during the hour. Click on the prize pins and you will be taken to the site to enter a Rafflecopter drawing.
• Be sure to visit this blog post later today when our giveaway will be up for a $50 shop credit to the TomKat Studio Shop!

Don’t miss the party!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hello friends! It’s Amber here to share another fun idea with you! The scorching temperatures of summer are on the way! Here in Miami, we are already feeling the sweltering heat of the sun and it will only get hotter! As much as I love a cool ice cream sundae on a hot summer day, I don’t love the sticky drips of melted ice cream running down my hand. Today’s project will solve your drippy ice cream woes…and it’s uber cute to boot. Now, I wish I could take full credit for this idea, but I must give all credit to the nice lady I chatted with while in line at Crate & Barrel. She was planning an ice cream party and told me about the ice cream scoop cookies that she would be making. As soon as I heard her idea, I knew I had to share it with you!

• Scoop the cookie dough just as you would ice cream; using a repeated scraping motion. This will create those realistic scallops in the scoop.
• Freeze your dough before baking. I always do this with any shaped cookie, but it’s especially important with these large scoops. Once frozen, the dough will keep it’s shape well during baking.
• Add a little food coloring to your dough for different “flavors”
• An “extra-large” spring loaded scoop will yield the perfect sized scoops for these Ice Cream Cups from The TomKat Shop

The new ice cream cups are the perfect way to present these ice cream cookies! I simply sat the cookie scoop atop the cup and added some twine and a cute little tag. These are almost to cute to eat! Almost.

If you could go for a little more ice cream inspiration, you can visit me at my blog, Damask Love for another project featuring the Pint Containers available in the TomKat Shop.

Check out all of our Ice Cream Supplies here!

Chocolate and mint? Yum. Chocolate and mint in cupcake form? Fabulous. Chocolate and mint in cupcake form from a boxed mix to cut down on time? SOLD. I started baking in college as a way to relax, but with a little one in tow now, baking from scratch is difficult at best. This yummy recipe from My Baking Addiction is “plussed” up box mix recipe – which rocks my world. If it’s tasty, pretty, and will cut down on time in the kitchen, it can’t get much better, can it?

Photography by My Baking Addiction.

Are you ready for a darling party? This Pony Party styled by Krista from Hoopla Events for her little girl, is absolutely precious! Krista certainly pays attention to every little detail and we loved working with her to create a new Printable Pink & Brown Pony Party Collection! Keep an eye out for my favorite elements of the party: the adorable pony cake pops, the sweet pink rosette cake and the letter candy dishes!

From Krista…

Little Kennedy turned three in April and like many three-year old girls, she LOVES horses!  What better than a pony themed party?  And ponies were everywhere from the metal favor buckets with giant lollipops to the frothy pink cake to the almost too cute to eat cake pops.  There was even a pony themed bounce house for the kids to burn off some energy.  And what pony party would be complete without pony rides for all the guests? The color palette of brown and pink was carried throughout the dessert buffet, favors and custom burlap banners.  It was all brought together with adorable printables from The TomKat Studio.  A lemonade stand, custom made by Kennedy’s dad out of wood from her great-grandfather’s barn, kept guest well hydrated and veggies, breads and dips were served along with the sweet treats. A custom-made silhouette of the birthday girl served as a special backdrop to the desserts and is a memorable keepsake for the family.  Hay bales served as seats for the little ones at long tables while adults enjoyed the shade of the tent.  Pink Tulips and white hydrangeas showcased the beautiful spring day.

 Thank you so much, Krista for sharing your gorgeous party photos with us!

Visit Hoopla Events to see more of Krista’s beautiful work!

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Click here to view our new Printable Pony Party Collection:

Click here to shop our Pink + Brown Party Supplies:

:: sources ::

styling :: hoopla events
photography :: lauren oliver
printable designs/party supplies :: the tomkat studio shop
custom birthday girl silhouette :: le papier studio
rosette cake :: wagner’s bakery
cupcakes :: sweet charley b’s cupcakery
french macarons :: 4kidscakes
cookies :: sugar canvas boutique bakery
cake pops :: sugar krystles

Today, we are so excited to share a party styled by Kate Landers that was especially dear to her heart: her son Noah’s first birthday! We’ll let Kate take it from here to fill you in on all the great details:

Planning a first birthday party for a client is an incredible experience, working with parents to help design a perfect milestone celebration for their little one. When the time came to plan our son Noah’s first birthday party as not only an event stylist, but as a mother as well–it was far more emotional than any party I have done before. Let’s just say it really tugged my heartstrings, and was an extraordinarily emotional yet most rewarding and delightful experience. I have fallen head-over-heels in love with motherhood, and the great gift of our son Noah was something we knew we wanted to celebrate in a special way.

We went with a vintage teddy bear theme, based on the fact that Noah loves to snuggle and tackle his 4′ teddy bear (the “vintage” part was honoring my love of all things “shabby chic”, and the unicycle was to keep it whimsical). I love soft colors and wanted to keep it age appropriate–he was turning 1, after all! We went with pastel shades of yellow and blue, accenting the color of the bear.

With months to plan, I wanted to take the time to add a handmade element. So my husband Ryan and I (yes, he is the most amazing husband in the world for reasons beyond his willingness to help me with party projects) hand crafted fabric party hats, trimmed with handmade yarn poms and ribbon.

We had an intimate party with family, short and sweet to keep Noah from getting too overwhelmed. Serving a ruffle-frosted birthday cake (Noah had his own smash cake too, of course!) and beverages was simple and easy, and  guests loved being able to take the extra sweets home. Festoon-trimmed party horns, petal “baby block” favor box centerpieces, banners and place cards were all fabulous PAPER party products that added many of the most darling and personal touches. They worked together seamlessly to reinforce the theme and color scheme.
 
Of course, I just KNEW my dear friend Kim from The TomKat Studio would have the perfect party products for Noah’s first birthday celebration. From tableware and bamboo flatware to paper straws and baker’s twine, she literally had it all. The 36″ white balloons were SUCH a hit with Noah, and we loved loved LOVED the plastic French square bottles we filled with candy for favors (and used as last-minute vases, too!). In addition, Kim went out of her way to get me everything extra early, and threw in some surprises (like pastel yellow and blue sprinkles) that I adored. Thank you Kim, for helping my vision for Noah’s first birthday become a reality–something far sweeter than I ever could have dreamed of.

Party Supplies: The TomKat Studio Shop
Party Styling: Kate Landers Events
Photography: Liza Voll
Linens: Sweet Tea and Linen
Paper Goods: Loralee Lewis
Cookies: Bambella Cookie Boutique
Fondant Toppers: Edible Details
Candy: Hammonds Candies
Chocolate Covered Oreos: Le Bon Bon LA
Yellow Dot Boxes: Pamela Smerker Designs
Party Horns: Oh Goodie Designs
“Noah” Party Hat: Shawna Brockmeir Styled Events

Shop our yellow and blue party supplies here!

We are so excited to have our friend, Marian from Sweetopia back today to share these adorable cupcakes for Cupcake Monday, along with a fantastic tutorial video on How to Frost Cupcakes! 

Happy spring to you! There’s something so joyful about May… new beginnings, bright colors, warmer temperatures, which influences my baking recipe choices and sweet-decorating style. I knew instantly when I saw these carnival cupcake baking cups in Kim’s shop, that they were exactly what I needed to celebrate this happy season.

These moist, fluffy, golden-delicious cupcakes are easy to make, and the swirl of frosting easy to create. I’ve created a video which you can find at the end of this post, to show you how.

Topping the sweet, vanilla frosting are some funfetti sprinkles, and couldn’t resist pairing the colorful cupcake liners with Martha Stewart’s favour boxes from The TomKat Studio’s shop.

We’re renovating our home right now, and my pretty glasses are snugly packed away into a storage container, so these charming chevron straws that Kim sent will have to wait until summer to be used.

Hope you’re enjoying the season where you are, and have fun baking!

xo, Marian

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Find the items featured in the post in The TomKat Studio Shop!

We have such an incredible giveaway for you all this week! CassaDecor is an online retailer that sells high-quality, stylish products for your home. Cassadecor offers a curated collection of luxurious bedding, towels and accessories. They carry a wide variety of designers, including Kassatex and Jonathan Adler (love!).

In CassaDecor’s words…

More than just another place to shop, CassaDecor is a testament to your good taste. That’s because each CassaDecor product is selected because it displays a higher sense of design, luxury, value, style, sophistication and enduring quality. These are all hallmarks of every CassaDecor product. We want you to take joy in making your home feel and look as comfortable as possible, and not spend a fortune doing so.

This week we are giving away a $100 shop credit to CassaDecor!

Please use the widget below for easy entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit CassaDecor: Shop | Facebook | Blog | Pinterest

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH OR SPONSORED BY FACEBOOK. OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AND POSTED ON THIS ORIGINAL POST WITHIN ONE WEEK OF CONTEST END. THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. THE TOMKAT STUDIO MAY HAVE RECEIVED PAYMENT, TRADE AND/OR PRODUCTS IN EXCHANGE FOR PROMOTING.

Adults
Swoop Dress from J.Crew
Kate Spade Fragment Cluster Studs from Zappos
Classic Wide Bangle from J.Crew
Bold Gem Necklace from Banana Republic
ZIGIgirl Adorable Sandal from Nordstrom

This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission from sales made after clicking these links, but we only link to products we recommend.

Today, I’m back with a second installment of our new Sweet Selections series. We’re hoping you get some great dessert spread inspiration from our boards, but we also hope these creative color combinations also help inspire your party color palette!

shop this board:

Ombre Reveal Cake from Sweetapolita
Purple Shimmer Gumballs from The TomKat Studio Shop
Baby Blue Sour Gum Drops from Oh Nuts
Purple Rock Candy Crystals from Oh Nuts
Black and White Sixlets from Oh Nuts
Light Blue Rock Candy Sticks from Oh Nuts
Lavender Cupcakes from Cooking Classy
Black Swirl Pop from Candy Warehouse
Light Blue Marshmallow Twists from Candy Warehouse
Lavender Marshmallow Twists from Candy Warehouse
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans from Oh Nuts
Blue Raspberry Candy Sticks from Oh Nuts
Pastel Purple Coated Sunflower Seeds from ACandyStore
M&Ms from ACandyStore
Black Foil Wrapped Chocolates from Candy Warehouse
Macarons from The Splendid Sweet Shoppe
Black Rock Candy Sticks from Candy Warehouse
Light Blue Rock Candy Crystals from Oh Nuts

This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission from sales made after clicking these links, but we only link to products we recommend.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I am so excited to share this Mother’s Day Brunch we styled for HGTV! The concept of this shoot was a casual brunch that dad and the kids can put together for mom. From easy recipes, to DIY gifts and decor this feature is full of ideas to make Mother’s Day memorable. We started with a fresh spring color palette inspired by a range of melon hues (watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe). Many of the ideas we came up with incorporate children’s fingerprints, which is perfect for creating one-of-a-kind gifts for mom. Even the printable designs use the fingerprint theme to tie everything together and add the perfect finishing touches!

Create a colorful display using various juices in carafes on a simple white tray. Garnish each glass with a melon ball to add a contrasting pop of color. Coordinating striped straws and ribbon both tie in the colors perfectly!

Put a fresh spin on “melon balls” and display them in individual white paper cups wrapped in ribbon. Use mini wood spoons or forks, or just let the little ones use their hands for eating!

Make a simple iced white cake and embellish with our printable fingerprint pattern cake bunting! It is super easy to make using the printable design, this flag punch, a small hole punch and twine. Get the printable cake bunting on HGTV here.

A strawberry spinach salad is perfect for serving for Mother’s Day brunch. Get Molly’s recipe on HGTV here. My paint dipped utensils add the perfect pop of color!

For an easy flower arrangement, use a simple white pot wrapped with this printable fingerprint pattern. Ranunculus are perfect for this color palette and white stock is a perfect filler.

To add a festive touch to plain chairs, simply add a ribbon bow in coordinating colors.

Another easy way to add color to your table setting is to dress up a plain white cotton table runner with fingerprints! The kids will love helping out with this easy craft. Find full instructions here on HGTV.

Dress up simple white napkins by cutting a wrap from our printable fingerprint pattern and then adding a ribbon and bow over the top. Instructions here.

Another easy craft that the kids will love to help make is painted wooden bracelets. Use paints in the same colors as the rest of the brunch. You can find plain wooden bracelets here. Find detailed instructions for painting the bracelets here on HGTV.

Fingerprinted frames are also adorable and easy for the kids to help make. Use simple, flat white frames to start, like these. Find the step-by-step instructions for frames here.

Don’t forget to make a cute coordinating card or print a sweet gift tag to attach to your gifts! You can find instructions and printables for these embellished cards here and you can download our printable gift tags here.

A big thank you to our friend, Lindsay from Banner Boutique for having her family model for us for our shoot and also helping us scout a beautiful white kitchen to use for the shoot!

Visit the full Mother’s Day Brunch feature here on HGTV!

gorgeous photos courtesy of rennai hoefer, ten22 studio