Not Just A Mommy

Tuesday Tip - Crafting With BARiBOX Pin-It-To-Win-It Giveaway

2013-06-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

I love to share new products to inspire my readers to get their craft and party on, so you heard it heard first! BARiBOX, launching July 1st, is going to be THE craft box subscription to belong to.

For those of you not familiar with a monthly box subscription, this one is a paper crafting subscription service that will deliver various products from top of the line crafting companies right to your door every month for just $18. Every subscription box will have carefully curated craft products their team has combed the earth to find. You will find everything from stickers, paper, ribbon, tools, glitter, stamps, adhesives, and so much more.

To celebrate their new venture (and a little shameless promotion, which I'm all for), they are offering one of my readers

a free BARiBOX

with their Pin-It-To-Win-It Giveaway!

Your BARiBOX pin board can be used in upcoming contests and save your awesome projects inspired by BARiBOX there so be sure and hang on to it!

Aren't you excited? A box just shows up with crafty goodness. I like boxes that just show up with all kinds of surprises inside. So, enter below on Rafflecopter and be sure to read the full rules and details...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OK...more fine print...

INDEMNIFICATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: BY SUBMITTING AN ENTRY, EACH ENTRANT AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE PROMOTION ENTITIES AND ALL THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS FROM ANY LIABILITY, DAMAGES, LOSSES OR INJURY RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THAT ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF ANY PRIZE THAT MAY BE WON.

THE PROMOTION ENTITIES DO NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE CONDITION, FITNESS OR MERCHANTABILITY OF ANY OF THE PRIZES. EACH ENTRANT AGREES TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENT CONTAINING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES.

PROMOTION ENTITIES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, DISTRIBUTORS, VENDORS, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES, SUPPLIERS AND ALL THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS DISCLAIM ANY LIABILITY FOR DAMAGE TO ANY COMPUTER SYSTEM RESULTING FROM ACCESS TO OR THE DOWNLOAD OF INFORMATION OR MATERIALS CONNECTED WITH THE PROMOTION.

Entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, this Promotion or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the District of Florida or the appropriate Florida state court; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs, but in no event including attorneys' fees, disbursements or court costs; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental and consequential damages, and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket costs.

PRIVACY: Information collected in connection with this Promotion will be treated in accordance with the Privacy Policy posted on http://www.baribox.com/Privacy-Policy

PUBLICITY: By submitting an entry form, each winner grants Promotion Entities and those acting under their authority permission to use his or her name, likeness, comments, and contest submission for advertising and publicity purposes without payment of additional consideration or authorization, except where prohibited by law. You understand and agree and hereby grant Baribox, LLC. (and its agents and designees) the right to post your submission, in whole or in part, on Lifeisgood.com or otherwise use for marketing purposes. You understand that Baribox, LLC. will not submit any advertisements or other materials containing your submission to you for approval or any other purpose prior to use. By entering this contest, you represent that providing such submission and granting the rights to Baribox, LLC. herein do not conflict with any commitment you have with a third party.

Real Party/Fiesta Friday (On A Monday) - A Day At The Beach Party + Oriental Trading Review

2013-06-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Last year, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Design Dazzle to share a few fabulous parties, starting with Summer Camp and their Christmas Wonderful series. I was invited back to Summer Camp again and my post is up.

This time, it is A Day At The Beach Party and it is full of fun ideas using great finds from Dollar Tree and fabulous, FREE printables from Kim of The Celebration Shoppe.

But not everything was from Dollar Tree...Oriental Trading has an awesome selection of pool themed items and as part of their blogger program, they send me stuff to review. Who doesn't love free party stuff? I ordered their regular and mini inflatable beach balls that hang over the party, and the swimming pool party cups.

As always, they are so easy to order from, and with their Rewards program, your purchases add up to points that can be used for later purchases. Did you know you can get extra Rewards on your birthday?

To be honest, I would have gotten the whole swimming pool party collection but I also had to get some goodies for my Baby Bling baby shower. But that is ok, I got two parties in one swoop.

So head on over to Design Dazzle and be inspired!

Disclaimer - I was provided product from Oriental Trading for review and no compensation was given, real or implied. This review is my own personal opinion.

Fiesta Friday - Super Dad! Father's Day Crafts + Free Printables

2013-06-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

If you just saw me on Q13 Fox News, welcome! If you are just tuning in, I'm talking about the easy Father's Day crafts I shared on air and of course, where to get your hands on the free Super Dad! Father's Day printables I used for the food cards and cupcake toppers. These are so easy to make and are perfect last minute gift ideas.

And if you missed my segment, no worries...the link will be up as soon as it's available.

UPDATE: Check out my segment here.

SHARPIE PLATE/MUG

You will need:

a ceramic plate/mug (the cheaper the better. More expensive pieces have a glaze that permanent marker does not adhere to very well. I found mine at Dollar Tree.)

Sharpie markers

1. Remove any stickers and wash your piece. Dry it well and if you'd like, wipe it with a little rubbing alcohol.

2. Draw on the plate with the markers. Get as creative as you'd like! Let the kids get all up in there and make custom pieces...they are only young once.

A word to the wise, there may be some color changes like lighter colors darkening because various glazes absorb the marker differently. The only way to really know what your colors may change to is having a demo plate. But it won't be some crazy difference, that's part of the charm of a handmade item.

If you make a boo-boo, a Q-Tip soaked in nail polish remover will clean up any mistakes.

3. Place your piece in the oven on a cookie sheet first then turn it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The mug needs to be in the oven before so that it slowly heats with the oven and prevents cracking. You can start the timer for 30 minutes once your oven reaches 350 degrees.

I would check on your piece every once in awhile. You want to be sure that if you have a white piece, it does not brown in the heat. I have never had that happen but I heard it can, different pieces react differently.

4. Once the timer goes off, you can turn the oven off. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR PIECE. If you take it out, it may crack. Once the oven has cooled completely you can remove it.

5. I can't recommend running it through the dishwasher and there are so many conflicting reports on that, so just play it safe and handwash your pieces.

6. Sharpie markers are non-toxic and once you bake your pieces, they are perfectly food-safe. I've made pieces for all kinds of occasions and happily eat off of them.

FREE FOOD CARDS AND CUPCAKE CIRCLES

When I did my Super Dad! Father's Day Luncheon table last year, I used the green superhero collection from SIMONEmadeit and if you love it like I do, you can purchase it for yourself.

For my FOX News appearance (and because Simone is awesomesauce), if you head over to her blog, you can download the editable cards and circles I used for FREE! But hurry, they will only be available for a limited time.

She has lots of fabulous printables to make your party amazing both free and for purchase. I first discovered her when I was looking for printables for my little one's LEGO Party and fell in love.

Thank you for visiting and if you like what you saw today, peruse around a bit. There is so much to see and I would love to have you become one of my stalkers...

Tuesday Tip - Switching From Google Reader To Feedly

2013-06-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it...Google announced that on July 1, another of their products, their blog feed reader Google Reader, is going away. I know, it's hard keeping up with all these social media changes...I'm still recovering from Picnik going away.

If you are following Not Just A Mommy through Google Reader, today's Tuesday Tip is sharing how to keep receiving all of my posts. I don't want to lose any of you, my fabulous readers, after all, all I do is for you! So what do you do if you are following all of your favorite blogs in Google Reader? A little birdie pointed me towards Feedly and I think you will love it too.

I love that Feedly has an easy to use layout that's way nicer than the plain scrolling that is Google Reader. If you had your Google Reader categorized, the import setting will bring your previous categories right into Feedly.

You can look at your subscriptions in different ways from plain text....

...to the magazine view...

...and the card view. You can also see them one full post at at a time. There are so many different options to customize.

Organize your blogs, news sites, podcasts and Youtube channels and access them all in one place! Download the app and keep up with your Feedly on the go. Save articles across devices or share them on everywhere from Twitter, Facebook, even Pinterest.

I know, right? So what do you have to do to migrate your Reader subscriptions to Feedly? Just login with your Reader credentials and Feedly will pull in all of your feeds, folders, and favorited items.

Once Google Reader shuts down, Feedly says your feeds will stay intact, and they'll begin handling your feed subscriptions. Not too sure what you are doing? Here are some great tips to help you out, straight from Feedly.

Of course, there are other feed reader options out there that you can use and still follow me. My RSS feed isn't changing so find what works for you.

Free Father's Day Printables Roundup + Round Two On Q13 Fox News

2013-06-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is next Sunday and over on Today's Mama, I've got a roundup of 7 of my favorite free printables, like this shaving can printable from Delightfully Noted, that are sure to make the papa in your life proud!

And speaking of Father's Day, our Seattle Q13 Fox News asked me to come back for another segment...remember I shared Easter crafts? This Friday, I'm so thrilled to be sharing all things fun for Father's Day. There will even be a free printable available for you to host your own super event...hint, hint!

Follow me on Instagram for all kinds of sneak peeks this week and of course, a few behind the scenes at the studio Friday morning. Don't worry...I'll be sharing plenty of reminders for my Seattle area peeps to check me out and get the segment's link up when it is available.

Fiesta Friday - National Doughnut Day

2013-06-07T07:34:00.004-07:00

You had me at doughnut/donut. The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day so celebrate with a free one at some of your favorite chains like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts. Local chains are having fun too, so check out your local area spots.

The boy wants doughnuts instead of cupcakes for his birthday party tomorrow and I am more than happy to oblige. There is nothing prettier than a stack of doughnuts on a cake plate, right? I wish I could have turned it into a full blown doughnut bar like this one from The Knot...but do I really want to be put on a hit list for sending 11 and 12 year olds home hopped up on sugar?

Check out Celebrations At Home's Coffee And Doughnuts Bar with free printables...perfect for an impromptu playdate.

And of course, check out my recent doughnut filled post with so many fun party ideas and free printables. Or take a gander at last year's Donuts For Dad...Father's Day is coming up fast so kill two birds with one stone for celebrating your dad and more doughnut inspired cleverness..

Tuesday Tip (On A Thursday) - Summer Fun Ideas

2013-06-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ahhh....my portfolio review for school was yesterday. Technically, I should have been taking the class next year since I don't graduate until then. But eh...

So I created a fabulous presentation of a few of my favorite parties, awesome leave behinds for the reviewers all in a shiny box tied up with a big bow. If you follow me on Instagram, you got a few peeks. I have to photograph everything to submit for next week so of course I'll be sharing here. I'm sure you all want to know what has been keeping my attention away from my wonderful and patient readers!

Believe you me, I'm still busy elsewhere. I haven't shared any of my posts for Today's Mama! Over there, I'm sharing lots of cheap and free summer fun. Some of it is slanted to us in the Seattle area, but there are a few options for everywhere else like free bowling and museum days and cheap movies.

And I'm also thrilled to be invited back to the Design Dazzle Summer Camp series again so head back over to Today's Mama for more details...

Summertime is the best time to start kids with giving back to their community. I share a few ideas how you and your family can help locally like an animal shelter party and for the daring few, on international summer programs.

Plus, you will get to meet deliberateLIFE, a new an online magazine dedicated to showcasing a community of people seeking to make a difference in the world by choosing to do what is good for them, their families, local community, and neighbors across the sea. If you like them, they have a free one-month subscription offer available, so be sure to visit the post.

Fiesta Friday - Superheroes Are Having The Best Week Ever

2013-05-31T16:52:00.002-07:00

OK, Best Week Ever people, please don't sue me for using your line, but really, superheroes are having the Best Week Ever. Actually, they've been kicking a*$ since The Avengers brought superhero love to the next level. Anyone else salivating for Captain America II and Thor II? Did anyone else love Iron Man III as much as me?

Yeah, I was all over that last year for my Super Dad! Father's Day party table. Feel free to borrow a few ideas...

Now, I've been watching the Justice League cartoons forever and of course, we up in the community know about the delay in the live action movie. So with the release of the new summer line at Target, which I love, love, love, there may be hope yet!

Don't you love this table? It is perfect for a superhero party! Get your hands on a roll of white butcher paper, break out those markers and you are set.

From summer entertaining to gardening, they have so many items that I wish I could buy them all. I'm seriously crushing on the Wonder Woman dishware...although I'm a little old to eat out to the divided set.

And if you need some gear to rock at the party, GapKids' Junk Food™ has a new line of themed clothing. We are so going to get our hands on a few t's.

Real Party/Tuesday Tip - Bling Baby Shower Table + Oriental Trading Company Review

2013-05-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

This review is based strictly on my opinion. Others may have a different opinion or experience with the product listed. I was provided the sample free of charge by the company or PR agency and I provided my honest opinion. No other type of compensation was received for this review.

So...the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) updated its guidelines about disclosures. You can read the full, updated set of guidelines here. If you want to read about it in English and you are a blogger of any kind, check out Location3's post.

I've always titled my review posts and ended them with a disclaimer, but this is no longer enough. From this post forward, all of my product reviews will now begin with this disclosure and followed with my usual disclaimer at the end of the review. I didn't want you all freaking with all the new jargon...you'll also see little disclaimer blips on my social outlets as well.

Alright, now that is done, let's get to the party. So remember the Cupcake Couture blog party and the zebra cupcake wrappers I styled for a Bling Baby Shower? Of course you do, it was just last week. I turned it into a full fledged party table thanks to Oriental Trading Company. When they contacted me to review some of their products, I was more than game. I've been shopping with them for years, so it was a no-brainer.

Every party needs a cute invite so I created one that in my mind, I see in an envelope filled with glittah. Did you like my The Land Of Nod shoutout? I love that place and I've had friends registered there. I want a do-over for myself.

I love working on baby showers and this was the perfect way to take a walk on the wild side with bright colors and bold prints, and of course lots of bling! Who said baby showers have to be pastel colors? Although I did have a few light pink tissue fans for good measure.

I ordered the zebra dessert plates, pennant banner, mini popcorn boxes and diamond napkin rings from Oriental Trading to round out what I already have.

And don't worry...no crazy baking here...except for the cupcakes.

I also used the free printables from the cupcake set for flags on the rock candy stirrers. I love that you can get rock candy sticks in every color you need at Party City. And my pretty silver tray? One of my recent scores at Scout Vintage Rentals' pop up shop this past weekend. And if you look closer....

...you will see the perfume bottle that I also picked up. I absolutely love it and wish she had more. I know...I've been on a serious prop kick lately...I have wooden spools and a vintage toy stove that are begging to be shot.

I have to say, my favorite part are the diamond napkin rings. They are very durable and sparkly, you would think they were the real thing. Well, almost. I don't break out the cloth napkins very often but with new rings, I feel they will be making many future appearances.

And hey, hey, no grease spots on the popcorn boxes. I'm not sure how long it would take though...the moment the camera turned off, my boys were swooping in for the kill.

I thought the pennants was reversible on both patterns, stripes on one side, dots on the other, but only the stripes is double-sided...my only gripe.

Did you have fun? Do your eyeballs hurt from all the brightness? Sorry...but I hope you've been inspired!

Vendors
zebra dessert plates, pennant banner, mini popcorn boxes and diamond napkin rings - Oriental Trading Company
'congrats' and chevron washi tape - Downtown Tape
wooden sticks - CupKate's Event Design
zebra masks - Michael's
pink cocktail napkins and zebra coasters (forever ago) - Social Couture

Disclaimer - I was provided product from Oriental Trading for review and no compensation was given, real or implied. This review is my own personal opinion.

Patriotic Mini Bundts

2013-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Memorial Day...the unofficial start of summer. As we spend time with family and friends, please remember those in our military branches who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms.

We've been at BBQs all weekend and today, we are chillaxin. Here's the dessert I brought to one of them using my mini Bundt pan. Didn't I tell you I love my new pan? I melted and drizzled frosting over red velvet mini Bundts and added sprinkles. And of course, a little wooden spoon.

Don't worry...bookmark this for 4th Of July.

Tuesday Trend (On A Thursday) - Shine Bright Like A Diamond

2013-05-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend...but if you can't have the real thing, then today's Tuesday Trend is the next best thing! Jewel themed crafts are popping up all over the web lately...although I like to think I started it back with my candy mold I love to use, most recently for Valentine's Day treats. But I'm not that vain...I don't think this post is about me.

Of course, now that I have gems on the brain, I'm thinking about Jem And The Holograms, my favorite 80's cartoon...She's truly outrageous...truly, truly outrageous!

Anyways, I love how Design*Sponge used her mold for DIY gem pushpins.

Sadly, these coasters from Kate Spade are no longer available...but I bet a crafty person could make their own version with chipboard and cardstock?

Turn washi tape into gem wall art with Bash Please...

...and Objects And Use.

How about making a few cookie gem necklaces with Handmade Charlotte?

And my very favorite, create your own paper diamonds with Minieco. I am slightly tempted to make a few for my bling baby shower shoot in sparkly paper. She also has templates for other gem shapes.

Tuesday Tip - Bella Cupcake Couture Blog Party + $565 Baking Giveaway

2013-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Winner update: 5/28/13: Thanks so much to everyone that entered! And the lucky winner (listed on the Rafflecopter widget) is entry # 5321 Sara Adukonis

When Betsy of Java Cupcake invited me to participate in Bella Cupcake Couture's Blog Party, how could I say no? Design and style cupcakes using Bella Cupcake Couture cupcake wrappers? It's a big old party featuring all these fabulous food blogs...although I'm not quite sure I got all caught up in this, 'cuz I am far from a food blog. But making cute cupcakes, that I know.

So our challenge; create a cupcake to match/coordinate with the cupcake wrappers we were sent, then style and display using items we already have at home. It's a partay-partay so check out everyone else's posts for more fabulous cupcake creations...

An American Cupcake in London
Bella Cupcake Couture
Chronicles of a Foodie
Crazy for Crust
Creative Food
Cupcakes Take the Cake
Diary of a Mad Hausfrau
Eat Your Heart Out
Haniela's
Hoosier Homemade
In Katrina's Kitchen
Inside BruCrew Life
Java Cupcake
Love From the Oven
Make Bake Celebrate Sugar Daze
Sugar Swings! Serve Some
The Baked Equation
The Baking Cup
The Decorated Cookie

This is a long post, but I promise it will be totally worth it because not only do you get to see pretty cupcakes, you can win some pretty for yourself near the end of the post. But pleasure before business. I received BCC zebra wrappers and the first thing I thought of was Living Locurto's free bling baby shower printables.

In fact, I'm creating an entire baby shower shoot based on these cupcakes, but that is a future post. The color scheme is perfect because I have everything I needed.

UPDATE - Check out the full party table here.

I tell you, investing in disco balls and giant gem stones is the best thing I have ever done. Your favorite party store probably has them if you don't (gasp!) have a stash of your own. Glittah is always in style.

A zebra print cloth from a party years ago made a perfect backdrop spread across the couch.

I knew my OCD with buying paper straws always pays off with my Target polka dot straws and birch straws from Garnish. My only prop purchase were the zebra masks from Michael's, $2 for a 3 pack? Score!

If you are a foodie, especially visiting from the other blogs, you may want to avert your eyes and try not to spit on your screen. My readers know my baking abilities go no further than the storebought stuff so there is no fancy cake recipe here. But I can jazz up a chocolate box mix like nobody's business. I substitute chocolate milk for water and applesauce for oil. I also add in mini chocolate chips. If I don't have any, I chop up unsweetened baking chocolate squares. I may even get dangerous and throw in a box of pudding.

And egads...I use canned frosting too. I started with strawberry frosting, tinting with AmeriColor Electric Pink and piping with a 1M tip. See, I have a few skills.

So here is where you all get to play along!

My favorite part is Bella Cupcake Couture's prize of all the cupcake wrappers every blogger received to use. So not only do you see them in action, you could win them and be even more inspired.

A big old thanks to our amazing Prize Pack sponsors for their generous donations! Please, visit their websites to see more of their fabulous products!

Bella Cupcake Couture
Java Cupcake
Cupcake Stand
Lil' Punkin Creations
Sweets & Treats Boutique

The deets:
To enter to WIN this Prize Pack, enter on below on Rafflecopter. Contest runs now through next Monday May 27 at 11:59 p.m. PST (2359 PST). One winner will be chosen and announced within 24 hours of the contest ending. Winner will be contacted via email to claim their prize. This contest is open to residents of the USA and Europe only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join The Summer Bucket List Challenge With The Happy Family Movement

2013-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Great Scott, Memorial Day will be here before you know it...and those of us with young kids will find ourselves back in summer mode. But I have just the antidote to the inevitable 'Mom, we're bored'! Check out my Today's Mama post on The Happy Family Movement's 3rd Annual Summer Bucket List Challenge.

The challenge goes live today and there are freebies and prizes from their sponsors to boot. You can still sign up and remember, quality time isn't about how much money you spend, but the time.

Since we are all signed up I thought I would share our bucket list for the wondrous area we live in that is the Puget Sound.

1. Plant pumpkins

2. Road trip to the in-laws in Spokane

3. Go geocaching

4. Go strawberry picking

5. Visit Play-Well Northwest LEGO Activity Center

6. Visit Deception Falls

7. Return to Jetty Island

8. Host a Breakfast Playdate

~~9. Have awesome birthday parties~~

10. Attend a few Movies In The Park

11. Make ice-cream

12. Go to farmer's markets

13. Go bowling for free with KidsBowlFree

14. Backyard camping with lots of s'mores

15. Take our friends to IKEA who have never been

16. Check out Pinky's Kitchen for BBQ

17. Make sugar cookies. From scratch.

18. Check out a summer camp or two

19. Visit lots of splash pads

20. Have a garage sale
21. Go on a art walk

I'll be crossing things off as we do them and hopefully we'll get through them all...if not, that's what next summer is for. And if you would like to play along, you know I'll be tweeting and Instagramming our adventures fer sure so follow along!

Pineapple Upside Down Mini Bundt Cakes

2013-05-18T13:05:00.001-07:00

My Mother's Day/Birthday Tea Party was a huge success and I'm going to eventually share those photos. One of my favorite parts were the Pineapple Upside Down Mini Bundt cakes I...wait for it...made myself!

I love Pineapple Upside Down cake, it's one of my specialties. But it's not great for tea parties...the lack of daintiness and all. But mini Bundts topped with Lucky Leaf®'s pineapple topping...perfect!

And they are so easy to make with a 12 cavity mini Bundt pan. Mine is a Wilton pan, 40% off with a craft store coupon. Spray it well with cooking spray that has flour. Yes, my baking tip to you to getting shaped cake out of pans.

I tweak the recipe from the box...and it makes about 24 mini Bundts

cake recipe:
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
4 large eggs
1 cup pineapple juice from a can of sliced pineapples
1/2 cup applesauce

garnish:
1 21-ounce can LUCKY LEAF® Premium Pineapple Pie Filling
powdered sugar

1. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, pineapple juice and applesauce in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes

2. Fill the Bundt cavities about half way and bake at 350 ºF for about 10 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 8 minutes, then invert on a wax-paper covered plate. The tops are moist and will stick otherwise.

3. Once they are completely cooled, set each cake on a mini doily and use a flour sifter to sprinkle powered sugar over them. Spoon a small amount of the pineapple apple over the top. You don't need to fill the 'dent', just a little dollop will do.

If you are so inclined, you can add a half a maraschino cherry on top.

FYI, obsessed with my new pan. Be prepared to see lots of mini Bundt creations in my future...it started with last year's Eyes-On-You Bites and has been renewed.

Tuesday Tip (On A Friday) - $1000 Photographer's Dream Giveaway

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Man, I'm sorry I've been under the radar with posting lately. Between Mother's Day, my birthday tea party, winding down school with projects, and working on hubby's and the boys' birthdays, it's been a little busy. But I am coming back with a bang!!

As you know, my life (and blog) became 100% better once I purchased my Nikon DSLR. The quality of my pictures is soooo much better even though I haven't learned a quarter of all its bells and whistles. One day...I'm going to take a class and figure them all out.

So of course, I jumped at the chance to hook up my readers with the same. You have the opportunity to win

$1000 Photographer's Dream

Shopping Spree

That's right! You can pick out anything you like from DSLR cameras to camera bags to accessories and lighting and more. Or you can opt for $1000 USD transferred to you via PayPal so that you can shop to your heart's content.

There are quite a few amazing bloggers and vendors who came together to make this amazing giveaway possible besides myself including Spaceships and Laser Beams, Yumtastics, Go Against the Grain, Life Revolves Around Them, Mimi's Dollhouse, Angelina´s Dream Parties, Twinkled Spice Boutique, Hello My Sweet, Party Snobs, Inkberry Cards + Design, UR invited, Petite Bebe, Party Printables, Unlimited Party Themes, Party On! Designs, Vanessa Hankins Photography, My Garden Party, Dorothy Kurzydlowski Photography, Sugar Sugar Cakes, DimplePrints, Creative Juice Cafe, Miss Party Mom, PaperCandee, Creative Designs by Toni, Paige Simple Studio, Calamity Kate's Kitchen, Simply Creative Printables, The Way The Cookie Crumbles, Michelle's Party Plan-It, Paper and Style Co., And Everything Nice, Samantha Walker Designs, Simply Sweet Parties, Events by Kate, Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dreams, One Inspired Party, Kima's Konfections, This Nest is Best, Triple M Good Parties and Myour Stories Designs.

And that's not even everyone!!!

More than 60 people are contributing to this contest. To see the complete list, take a look at the Rafflecopter form. As small businesses and blogs, we would never be able to offer such a cool prize, so it's a lot of fun to be able to combine forces and give away something so special.

Prize Details: The winner can select up to $1000 in camera equipment or supplies (including all sales taxes and shipping) to be delivered to the single destination of their choosing. The winner has the option of receiving $1000 USD in PayPal funds in lieu of receiving their prize.

The winner will be selected randomly via Rafflecopter. The odds of winning are dependent on the number of people entering. Should the winning entrant(s) not respond within 48 hours of being emailed, another winner(s) will be selected. Please ensure spaceshipsandlaserbeams [at] gmail [dot] com is on your safe email list. We would hate to have to redraw another winner!

Rules: This contest is open worldwide from May 17, 2013 at 12:01am EST to June 6, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. All entrants must be the age of the majority in their own country. Should unforeseen circumstances occur, this contest could be cancelled at any time. Void where prohibited by law.

Enter Using Our Rafflecopter Form
Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog did not receive any money to participate or promote this contest. This giveaway is in not way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, PayPal or any camera-related company. As one of many participants, we are not responsible for logistics or prize delivery. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie at Spaceships and Laser Beams by emailing spaceshipsandlaserbeams [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday Tip - Blue Cotton Custom T-Shirt Review

2013-05-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

When we went to DisneyWorld a few years ago, of course we needed the requisite matching family shirts. Alas, with the trip being a surprise planned by my husband, there was no time to order them, so I made ours with iron-on sheets. They were aight...but I wish we could have had real shirts.

During my research on the off-chance I would be able to find someone with an affordable turnaround time (no.) I came across Blue Cotton. Flash forward to now and when they reached out for me to review their products, I was more than game. They specialize in custom t-shirts and unlike other spots, you can order as many as you need, from 1 to 100. Or I guess 1,000 if you need that many.

As some of you may know, I juggle being a full-time graphic design student along with the hundred other things I do. This quarter, I'm in a portfolio class and must create a branding scheme for my future business. I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to create a t-shirt that would work as a promotional item, something I could leave when I finish an interview and that my future staff would wearing working an event.

The beauty of Blue Cotton's online ordering is the simplicity. The Design Studio is the brains of the operation and all you have to do is point and click. See the left hand menu? You can create a unique design or upload your own logo like I did. With orders of 6 or more you can even add sleeve print.

Move your design around, enlarge it, duplicate it, change the shirt's color, the works. There are so many possibilities and options, you are in complete control of your shirt's design. And don't forget the back! I decided my tagline would be perfect there, but you can do whatever you want.

And check out the right hand column...it's keeping a running tab of your order, how much your pricing will be and any upgrade charges. No surprises here, you know exactly what you are paying for.

Voilà! Here's my shirt in Sapphire ready to be ordered. And it took exactly 4 days to get to me...of course that's because I only ordered one shirt...larger orders will take a little longer.

And here it is in all it's glory with mock-ups of my business stationery. Isn't it just awesome? I totally see my little minions running around in them, setting up tables, hanging up props and bringing me lattes.

I didn't run into any problems while I was designing my shirt but if you ever need help, you can talk to a LIVE person or start a live chat. There is nothing I hate more than getting lost in The Matrix that are phone-prompts.

So if you have a reunion, company or sports event, need shirts for your summer camp or just whatever reason you need custom made t-shirts, let your fingers do the walking over to Blue Cotton.

Disclaimer - I was provided product from Blue Cotton for review and no compensation was given, real or implied. This review is my own personal opinion.

Pack A Picnic For Your Favorite Teacher

2013-05-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's Teacher Appreciation Week! I'm sure you all have been seriously pinning some great ideas to use. We are hosting all sorts of fun events this week like a Teacher Appreciation Breakfast and my job was to bring in a baked good. Since I don't bake, I figured donuts are always a safe bet, but of course you know me, I couldn't just slap down a box.

My girl Confetti Sunshine has a cute donut printable that I just had to use. It was designed to print directly on the bag, but I decided to resize it down and change the color to make it a sticker. In fact, she has a plethora of teacher appreciation ideas and great downloads you should check out.

And speaking of my post title, head on over to Today's Mama where I'm sharing a great way to give your child's teacher a special break in their hectic workday, pack him or her a picnic lunch. I even break down the contents to make your shopping trip easier. And yes, it would be perfect for Mother's Day too.

May The Fourth Be With You + Free Comic Book Day

2013-05-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

It's May 4th, also known as May The Fourth Be With You, also known as Star Wars Day. Because of the phrase 'may the force be with you'. Get it?

I'm not going to reinvent the wheel by doing a full posting...do a Star Wars or May The Fourth search for serious SW obsessions and check out last year's post for a few (still) of my favorite parties.

I will squeeze in Cool Mom Picks' great round up of ideas like these AWESOME masks available for kids and adults.

But today is a double whammy of geek blessing because it is also Free Comic Book Day. I'll let Hugh Jackman (squee!) tell you more...

We are going to attempt to go again this year, through a smaller, local shop. The lines were out of control last year and unless Rihanna is handing out Michael Kors purses filled with Kate Spade jewelry at my local grocery store, I don't stand in lines for anything free.

Fiesta Friday - Mother's Day Tea Party Inspiration

2013-05-03T09:09:00.001-07:00

Can you believe that Mother's Day is next Sunday?I'm always excited about Mother's Day since my birthday always falls near or on it. This year it's the Saturday before and I'm having a tea party! I've never had my own, but have been to countless ones so I'm really excited this year. Would you like to see some of the things inspiring me? Of course you would.

First up, my invitations. Because I roll like that, I have two invitations...the original idea started with these lovely macaron cards from river & bridge. I added the vellum overlay since I refuse to try and run them through my printer. That's just asking for trouble.

But then the guest list starting growing and I needed to send out more. I found this amazing black + ivory laser cut jacket invitation set from Mari Mi (BTW how much do I love their site?) and also added a vellum overlay with washi tape. Again, running precut cardstock through my printer is never an option. It can be a sketchy piece of equipment.

Did I contradict myself by using store bought ones? Nope...the moral of the story? Don't be afraid to make store bought invitations your own! Add ribbon, glittah, brads, stickers, the works. Shh...the little one's robot party invitations were on crazy clearance. With all the other handmade items for his upcoming party, I just don't have the time.

So back to the post...check out these inspired tea party ideas that I'm all in love with like...

...turning teacups into candles with Martha.

Perfect anytime for your little princess, a pretty vintage tea party from Sweet Muffin Suite.

Wrap small candy or cookie bars in doilies for a sweet sendoff from Ruffled.

Munchkin Madness' tea bag cookies will be making an appearance.

I don't know what I love more about 100 Layer Cake's featured spring tea party...the location? The gorgeous florals? The signature cocktail? Too much love!

Every party needs a rosette backdrop like Minted's. I am as we speak, folding them like cray-cray for my own wall. Isn't 'cray' like the best word evah? It describes me to a T. Anyways, you totally know this if you've been following me on Instagram because I'm always sharing party sneak peeks.

I love my color palette, peach, dusty rose, mint and navy. Stay tuned for more peeks and the full party coming soon.

Need more Mother's Day Tea Party inspiration? Check out my Today's Mama post.

Lemony Blueberry Layered Mini Pies + Pinterest Contest With Lucky Leaf

2013-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing says spring like an easy, no-bake dessert and Lucky Leaf has the perfect one for your next celebration or dare I say, Mother's Day. It's their Lemony Blueberry Layered Pie...except I tweaked it just a bit and used mini graham cracker crusts instead. You know I like my portions.

I'm serious, it's easy! You add a layer of blueberry pie filling, top with the cream cheese mixture, chill for a bit and top with more blueberry filling. Yup, they are basically cheesecake pies! Talk about easy entertaining and no one is trying desperately not to butcher the pie when they are cutting a slice.

But today's post isn't just about eye candy but to share a few great promotions going on. Just in time for Mother's Day, Lucky Leaf has a great promotion with FTD to save $15 on select FTD favorites through May 12.

And even bigger, check out their “Good Things Come to Those Who Pin” Pinterest contest. Enter for a chance to win one of 13 amazing prizes for sharing what inspires you this season...the grand prize is $500. Just follow the contest link and enter between now and May 15th.

Disclaimer - I was provided the supplies from Lucky Leaf for review and no compensation was given, real or implied. This review is my own personal opinion.

Tuesday Trend - Chalkboard Printables

2013-04-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

How hot are chalkboard printables? They are everywhere and it is one trend train I can get on board with. Here are a few of my favorites...and they are all free to download!

cake bunting from Yellow Bliss Road; I used Pen N' Paperflowers' cupcake sprinkle toppers; gift tags from the elli blog; spice jar labels and matchbox labels from Lia Griffith; New Year's party printables from The 36th Avenue; wine and cheese party tags from The Hostess Blog; treat stickers from Today's Mama.

And I couldn't help but share this clever chalkboard party from Creative Parties By Cheryl because now that you have all these awesome printables, you will need to design a party around them.

Mother's Day With Layla Grayce + 15-20% Discounts

2013-04-29T10:16:00.002-07:00

Mother's Day is creeping up fast isn't it? April just flew by and now it's time to honor the special mothers in your life. My sponsor Layla Grayce never fails in unique gorgeousness, especially for Mother's Day. Their Mother's Day blog post is full of beautiful gift ideas, although I'm a little partial to the Antique Rose Blue tea pot. But that could be since I'm hosting my very own Mother's Day Tea Party for my birthday since it falls on the Saturday before. But more on that later.

If you would like to send your mom any of the gifts from their blog post, they are offering 15% discount off with code ~~4URMOM valid through this Wednesday, May 1.~~

And if you need even more inspiration, they have a whole section called Last Minute Gifts For Mom that are 20% off through Thursday, May 2 with code WELOVEMOM and here are some of my favorites. Some of the LMGFM even have free shipping!

Four Flowers denim embroidered pillow; Tocca Beauty Candele Da Vaggio; Kirra Tate zig zag scarf; Antique Rose khaki cake plate; Jessie Steele Carmen apron

Note: You can't combine both offers in a single transaction. Sorry, one or the other, not both. Of course, you can just make separate purchases...she did birth you after all.

Fiesta Friday - 1 Cake, 3 Ways To Decorate

2013-04-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today's Fiesta Friday is 3 ways to make a plain cake fabulous! I have to admit, I have some serious piping skills that comes from years of making cupcakes. Alas, I cannot bake or layer a tiered cake. So I'm always looking for ways to make a storebought cake look like I made it myself. And yes, it can be done.

I purchased a plain frosted 5" cake from a local bakery but any size cake will work.

First up, for Cinco De Mayo, look no further than where you purchase your veggies. Little peppers are the perfect way to top off your sweets for your fiesta; add on a mustache on a stick, Sixlets candies (purchased in individual colors from Party City) and your simple cake goes to the next level. You can use larger peppers for a bigger cake and add cilantro leaves. Or swap out the Sixlets and trim with the leaves instead.

For the second look, you know I'm obsessed with candy melts and I knew my pansy lollipop mold would make fun toppers. Shake on some sugar crystals and your cake is spring ready. Find a similar mold here.

For look #3; I found these fun birthday napkins awhile ago because they are the perfect color palette for a celebration. I love the bright colors. I made a coordinating paper pinwheel and used some candy melt as glue to attach to a candy sticks. A bigger cake will need more pinwheels. If you don't want to make them edible, you can hot glue the pinwheels on instead.

I love nonpareils but they are a little tricky to work with, always rolling and bouncing around. But of course, I had to have them to decorate the bottom of the cake. I would have cleaned off, except when I tilted the cake stand for them to slide off, of course, the whole cake starting sliding off as well.

Now go forth and decorate!

Tuesday Tip - Starting Your Own Creative Small Business With Andie Powers

2013-04-23T07:35:00.001-07:00

You know I'm all about girl power and starting your own business (have you check out my It Started With An Idea series?) so I'm thrilled to combine both in today's Tuesday Tip!

Remember a few weeks ago I shared my meetup with the ladies of Assemble? Andie Powers, one half of this dynamic duo, is a small business and brand consultant at her own spot, Andie Powers. There, she offers business start-up and existing brand consultations and services for unique small businesses of all kinds, and is especially experienced in creative fields such as craft, design and art. She can help you come up with a creative plan of action for your business from the very beginning, or propose changes that may benefit your exposure and growth.

Not only did she and Emily successfully transform their 3 year brick and mortar store, Assemble Shop & Studio, into an online retailer, Andie's resume includes marketing strategy work with corporate trend company and magazine, Look Look Inc. plus she was a design and craft powerhouse for Paper Source.

If you are looking to get your own small business off and running or make your existing one even more fabulous and all 'show me the money!', she recently shot a 4-week online class with Go Mighty called From Scratch to Success: Starting Your Own Creative Small Business that starts on Monday, May 6th.

For the price (insert sad yet determined voice) of a lunch (and a cocktail) at your favorite spot, you can learn how to start a small business, be your own boss or get your craft or product out into the local market all from the comfort of your fuzzy robe. And just for my readers, enter code DAWNYPOO for 25% off your class. That brings it to a whopping $15!

As if you need more incentive, one student will win a $500 grant towards their business goals and a free branding consultation from Andie.

Go, run, sign up...I'll be there too!

Fiesta Friday - Fiesta! Fiesta! 2013

2013-04-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

Cinco De Mayo is in two weeks! There are so many fabulous ways to celebrate, so I'm posting this early enough for you to get the drop on your fiesta planning!

In fact, my May Better Homes & Gardens magazine that arrived today inspired this post. They are sharing a fuss-free fiesta plan with paper lantern and washi tape decor. You'll have to get your hands on the magazine for all the details, it's not online yet.

But you can still head over and check out their Mexican taco bar from ; check out the DIY for dyeing your own linens and great tips for what to serve and drink.

Piñata cookies at She Knows. 'Nuff said.

When your birthday falls on Cinco De Mayo, it's gonna be a serious party! Check out Violet's party on A Lovely Lark.

Need more inspiration? Check out last year's Fiesta! Fiesta! 2012.