Here are few ideas I’ve pinned on Pinterest. We’re going to do these three, plus one original gift idea I’ll be sharing in a couple days!

Strawberry basket // Thanks a latte // Creative Juices

What are you making for teacher appreciation day? I’d love to hear!

I love that this gift took me just 15 minutes to put together and consists of entirely store bought items yet it really feels thoughtful (and looks amazing too).

Bring a bunch of fresh flowers and this muffins & mimosas gift box to any special woman in your life, and you are sure to make her smile.

To make:

-Place mini champagne bottles, oranges (for fresh squeezed juice) and bakery fresh muffins in whatever box, basket or crate you have on hand.

Optional: Print Mother’s Day tags and attach to the basket, tie around the neck of the champagne bottle, or glue to toothpick and poke into an orange.  [You can download these free here]

Feel free to mix it up with the content of the gift box too! Think strawberries, bagels, jams, scones — the options are really endless.

For more Mother’s Day ideas, be sure to check out the posts below. And don’t forget to join me and many other entertaining gals on Twitter tonight for the #HolidayHQ Mother’s Day chat happening at 8pm EST. During the chat, we are giving away a Hamilton Beach Blender and Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker.

Valley & Co. | Effortless Entertaining Ideas for Mother’s Day

Housewife Bliss | Berry Good Homemade Ice Cream for Mother’s Day

Celebrations At Home | A Mother’s Day “Tea” Party

Paper and Pigtails | Mother’s Day Free Printable Cards

Second City Soiree | Cool Kitchen Gifts for Mother’s Day

Party Blueprints | Mother’s Day Tea Party Tips and Recipes!

Skimbaco Lifestyle | Mother’s Day Brunch Recipe: Pear & Brie de Chèvre Tart

Tell me, what’s on your list this Mother’s Day?

Another trick is to order your sandwiches …. SIMPLE, right? My hostess tip is to order a platter of sandwiches and transfer to your own platter or make individual “lunch boxes” for guests. You’ll save time and energy which will result in your enjoying more of summer! My go-to caterer for affordable and delicious sandwiches is Subway. Here’s what I love about them:

• Variety isn’t an issue – They offer Giant Subs, Sandwich Platters, SUBWAY to GO!™ boxed meals, drinks, sides and cookie platters.

•  Short lead time – Catering orders can be placed 24 hours in advance – in some cases less!

• Small OR Large groups – They have options for as few as 5 people, a mid-size group of 25 people – or hundreds of people if you need it.

•  They can cover ANY Occasion – Whether you’re planning a birthday, anniversary party, sporting event, office meeting or other occasion for a meal, we can cover just about any type of gathering.

•  Customizable Options – Sandwiches can be customized with your favorite veggies and toppings just the way you like!

•  Great Value – Simply put – it is possible to feel groups well – without spending a lot!

Have I convinced you to have your sandwiches catered next time? Ditch the apron and prep and let Subway do the work ladies!

Want to give them a try? Subway is giving away one reader a $50 gift card! That can feed your crowd during your next pool party, right?

Enter to win:  Contest is now closed.

CONGRATS to Julie! Check your inbox, we’ve emailed you :)

Leave a comment telling me your all-time favorite sandwich

For additional entries (optional):

-Pin this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to your pin

-Share this giveaway on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you did

-Tweet this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet in a comment

Also, be sure to follow Subway on Twitter and like them on Facebook

Good luck!

*up to four entries per person. Contest ends May 9, 2012 at 11pm PST. I received a gift card for my catering needs from Subway.

Some people bake because it’s their passion, others bake for special occasions or when they’re entertaining. Personally, I do bake for  birthdays and holidays but not really for entertaining. Perhaps I’m not a big baker because I worked in a bakery for many years ( sometimes the smell of buttercream or proofing dough haunts me).  I love to entertain but I’m not one for a dessert course and if I serve it — I rather make homemade ice cream. I do however bake when I feel like my girls need a little extra mom-love. Like yesterday. They needed some love and sugar, I gave them a big does of both :).

It’s been a crazy week in our home… lots going on but nothing out of the ordinary. Work, school, soccer, dance … and I noticed  I was a little “short” with my girls yesterday, the week was clearly wearing on me. We needed a sugar-love intervention. So, I told the girls to play outback with the pup for a bit and I whipped up these babies. Then, we ate cookies and painted our nails – girl time with mom. Then  we all felt better. Love it when life is that simple.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

recipe from two peas & their pod

Yield: 3 dozen cookies  Cook Time: 10-11 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract

1/3 cup Nutella

1/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about two minutes. Add the vanilla and hazelnut extract and beat until extracts disappear. Add the Nutella and mix until batter is smooth.

2. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes before baking. You can make the dough a few days in advance, just wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

3. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Take a tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball. Place on lined baking sheets and gently press down on the dough ball. Continue making dough balls until the cookie sheets are filled-leave two inches in between cookies.

4. Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes or until soft, but starting to set. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

They’re delicious, make them now. Next, I have to try this avocado ice cream from two peas & their pod. THAT sounds ah-maz-ing.

How to make tissue paper pom poms. They aren’t difficult to make, but I’ll be honest and say they are time consuming. If you have a couple nights to dedicate to making them while watching your favorite TV show, I say go for it. Here are the simple steps I follow:

Aren’t those finished pom poms gorgeous?! They were used in a first birthday party I spotted over on The Sweetest Occasion.      The DIY method looks like this, not too much to it. It’s a pretty simple method and you can check out the full details and how-to here. Remember though to give yourself some time (and extra tissue for mistakes)! Also, I recommended finding a little higher quality (aka thicker) tissue than what you might typically use for gift wrapping. It’s easier to tear and the thicker paper tends to hold up nicer.

If I’ve scared you or the DIY method just isn’t your thing, I suggest just ordering your tissue pom poms.  They are inexpensive and this will save you from having to trek to 8 different stores in 3 cities to find the perfect shade of teal tissue paper (not like I’ve done that or anything). I order mine here from Luna Bazaar — they never disappoint.

Whether you make them, or buy them … these tissue poms are a great way to add some flair without breaking the budget. My daughter even re-purposed her poms from her recent birthday party into decor for her bedroom — love that!

sources :: clothes line / cupcakes / soda

You can incorporate photos simply by displaying them with twine or ribbon or (with a little more planning) do something unique like photo cupcakes or personalized jones soda bottles (these make  great favors)!

But my ALL-TIME favorite way to incorporate photos into my parties is definitely by displaying one large prominent photo of the guest(s) of honor. I typically place the photo where it will be seen the best — think dessert table, guest book table, or gift table. Having one “statement” photo is a great way to add a personal touch to your party, plus it makes a great gift to send home with the guest of honor.

Because this is one of my favorite party decorations, I’m thrilled to share that UPrinting.com offers fabulous canvas prints and they make it super simple to upload your image and order online. Their canvas printing is great quality and will last well beyond your main event. Soooo … want to WIN one of their signature canvas prints? Of course you do!

One winner will receive:

One 16” x 20” rolled canvas print (with or without 2 inch border, your call!)

*1 Business Day Turnaround, free shipping (US only), 18yrs and older only

TO ENTER:

Complete at least one of the following entries, then come back here and leave a comment telling which one you did. Up to three entries per person.

-Like UPrinting on Facebook (tell them Thoughtfully Simple sent you!)

-Follow UPrinting on Twitter

 -Add UPrinting on your Google+ Circles

Good luck!

Contest ends Friday April 20, 2012 at 11pm PST. One winner chosen randomly. This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’re a bride (not a bride, but know one? Let her know about this post!), you’ll want to read on. One of my favorite invitation and stationery go-to’s, Minted is sharing four lovely, new wedding invitations with us today. Even better, they have given me a GREAT prize to giveaway — $250 gift card to Minted! So, if you need save the dates, wedding invitations, or thank you notes for your big day … this is for you.

Check out 4 of their newest designs:

Love Story :: Sophisticated buntings created from the pages of a classic love story, set the mood for a romantic event. [see it here]

Chalkboard :: This wedding invitation has plenty of character with a textured background and hand drawn elements. [see it here]

Column Rule :: Clean and modern type highlights the names stars of the day, the bride and groom. [see it here]

In the park :: A sweet invitation to announce an outdoor wedding venue. Features woodgrain and floral embellishments. [see it here]

Do you have a favorite? (I do, but I don’t want to sway you)

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Now for the fun part, your chance to win $250 towards your next Minted order!

Follow these 2 simple steps to enter:

1. Pin your favorite invitation from above to one of your own personal Pinterest boards.

2. Come back here and leave a link to your pin in a comment (grab the url in your browser bar). This will count as your official entry.

P.S. Be sure to follow both HostessTori and Minted on Pinterest!

Contest ends April 29th at 11pm PST. One winner will be chosen randomly from the comments below. Must complete steps 1 & 2 above to enter.

This yellow and gray party (Tori’s favorite color combo) was designed to celebrate her and husband Dean’s, vow renewal. I love how she so thoughtfully combined elements that represented her interests (think  jewelry and shoes) with items that are dear to Dean (hello fabulous yellow motorcycle!). See more pics & lots of dessert details over at My Sweet & Saucy!

Hello pink cuteness! Tori designed this Hello Kitty party for her darling daughter Stella. The desserts by Jenny Cookies look almost too cute to eat. See more here.

And what I’m loving about Tori Spelling’s new book, CelebraTORI (besides the name of course) — is that she keeps it real. She shares her tips and tricks and really wants to help you become a great hostess too. A bonus for me: she shares how she learned to plan a great party from her mother — awe, just so sweet. Maybe one day my girls will dedicate a book to me?! Or perhaps they’ll simply think I’m just one crazy party planning mommy….. time will tell!

Want your own copy of CelebraTORI?

To enter:   Contest Closed

UPDATE: Congrats to Claudia!

Leave a comment here sharing your all-time favorite party. It could be one someone planned for you, something you hosted or even one you simply read about. and admired. I want to hear about it!

For extra entries:

-First,  follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and/or Twitter

-Then, share this post on Facebook, Pinterset, and/or Twitter. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment for each entry you do. Up to four entries per person, good luck!

Contest ends Friday, April 13th at midnight PST.

Don’t want to wait and see if you win? celebraTORI wention sale this week! You can get it here.

I wanted to share with you some simple ideas for your Easter breakfast or Easter brunch that won’t require you to be stuck in the kitchen (missing all the fun). My advice is to make it easy on yourself. You can create an impressive morning spread without all the hassle, check it out:

Gather  items you already have in your home to create a central display. Adding different elements and  displaying your breakfast items in a unique way will give your Easter brunch a more pulled together look. Here, I’ve simply moved this hutch out on our patio and set up all of our breakfast items on it. I grabbed an Easter bunny decoration and chalkboard from inside to give it a more “Easter themed” feel.

Nothing I am showing here is homemade — I’ve simply taken store bought treats and gave them a little makeover. Above we have mini cookies in a strawberry basket and donut holes on lollipop sticks!

Above:

• Champagne served with frozen blueberries
• A cake stand displaying store bought donuts
• More donut holes adorned with festive lollipop sticks
• A store bought bundt cake on cake stand
• A chalkboard welcoming hungry guests

There you have it, a simple Easter brunch display featuring all store-bought treats. Simple, right?

Be sure to also check out this Easter breakfast idea I shared (plus free printable!).

*Cute lollipop sticks from Sweet Shop LuLu

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Want more Easter and Passover ideas? Join me and a group of other fabulous party hostesses as we share ideas, recipes + more! Visit the links below AND follow us on Twitter using #HolidayHQ. We’ll be hosting a live chat this Wednesday, the 4th at 8pm EST -join in the fun!

Today, I’m teaming up with Carter’s to bring you some pool party inspiration and a fun swimwear SALE + GIVEAWAY!

Whether poolside, beachside or just backyard bound, it’s time to get swimming with Carter’s big selection of swimwear. Don’t forget all of our matching accessories including sunglasses, hats and shoes – to complete your little one’s sunny look.

Protect your little ones from sun and sand with a made-for-summer rash guard shirt, swimsuits and swim trunks with UPF 40 sun protection. These are a must have for my girls who love soaking up the sunshine.

Plan a fun pool party: Beach ball invitation // ice cream cupcakes // sand pail favors. Plus darling swimwear of course (these are my three favorites, but check out the complete collection here).

Want to dress your little one in cute new swimwear this summer? Our friends at Carter’s are giving one of you a $50 gift card to do just that!

What is your favorite girl’s swimsuit in the Carter’s Swim Shop?

Tell us and WIN a $50 Carter’s gift card!

WINNER: Jennifer Marie

To enter: Contest Closed, thank you for entering!

Visit the Carter’s Swim Shop and come back here to leave a comment telling us what your favorite swimsuit is.

For additional entries:

Share this post on Facebook, Tweet about this giveaway and/or share on Pinterest. Be sure to come back and leave a link to any extra entry you completed in a separate comment. Up to 4 entries per person, good luck!

Contest ends April 8, 2012 at midnight, PST.

Carter’s partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote their swim shop. As part of the program, I received product or gift cards. Carter’s believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words, and therefore did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products I used. Carter’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.