IKEA :: New Catalog Release Blogger Party

     

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you an amazing event that I was honored to be invited to and yup . . . it just so happened to be by one of fave stores: IKEA!!! As you may remember I was invited by them to an event last fall and had an incredible time attending that one, so when I got the invite to this party, I was all in!

This one was different this time around as it was a blogger event so I was super excited to meet other area bloggers around where I live. The whole event was set up to celebrate IKEA's launch of their brand new catalog and we got sneak peeks of some of what they have to offer from it. Plus we were treated to an amazing spread of different types of food, sips and desserts to sample. They surely spoiled us but hey, someone has to do it! ;)

 
TABLESCAPES.
Inspire individuality. 
 
Whether you are having the whole family over for a holiday meal, an every day meal with your family or just a simple dinner for two, they showed us a ton of ideas to recreate for our guests that we invite to our homes.  No matter what your style is, you will be able to find something that fits your vibe for sure!

One of the things that I love about these events, are the ideas that they showcase and all of the various ways to use the items they sell. I really enjoy looking at all of the details that they put into their displays as it can certainly spark some creativeness from within - that is for sure! ;)

This event had several areas that showcased recipes from their amazing food items, which include everything from smoked salmon and salad to their new cinnamon bun rusk and coffees.

Guess what people? Do you even know what they have now at IKEA? Hint: its IN the first pic below! All I have to say is this is a game changer! My local store is one of the first so you may have to wait just a tiny bit longer if you don't have one at your IKEA store. That's right  . . . a REGISTRY! OMG!

 

KIDS.
The kids' table is the place to be.

Seriously? If all kids' tables looked like this growing up, I would have never started to be an adult. lol When you plan your next party for a kid or even one for yourself - check out their party section, art and craft supplies in stock as well as all kinds of fun games, costumes for the kids! 

COOKING.
Creativity gets cooking.

Lots of fabulous storage solutions, cooking supplies, baking and more to be had in their new cooking department. I will be coming back for MY haul soon. ;)

 

NATURE.
Tame the wilderness at home.

We were inspired with how to sprinkle bits of nature throughout our homes using greenery, florals, rocks, framed art, plants and more. This is such a fun element to have represented in your home and it's easier to incorporate than you may think.

When was the last time you headed to IKEA for some ideas on how to decorate? Where do you find YOUR inspiration?

Special thanks to all of the staff at IKEA West Chester for planning this event for us and of course for the invite. I will see you SOON! ;)

Have you checked out the new IKEA catalog? Or seen the new departments in the store? Let me know below as I would love to hear . . .

 

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop! 

Looking forward to seeing you again! :)

 

EATS :: Emoji OREO Pops

Hello there! 
I am back and bringing you some more EMOJI FUN, as promised! First I shared my daughter's epic EMOJI party with all the cute details about everything we did, then I showed you how to make those adorable EMOJI PILLOWS at home or for the craft during the party and now today I am sharing how to make your own EMOJI OREO POPS! 

Is there plenty of willing people in bakeries and online that could make these chocolate covered emoji Oreo pops? Why yes, sure . . . absolutely and I would definitely recommend ordering from them if you are not wanting to try this, need them to look super professional or are pressed for time. BUT if you would like to save a few bucks and try them out yourself and don't care about them looking 'perfect' then you should definitely try making these as to be honest, they were NOT hard to make, just a little time consuming. 

I loved tackling this project with my daughter as we had fun trying to figure out what emoji faces to 'try' and recreate! We know they didn't turn out perfect but we made some memories, had some fun doing it and let me fill you in on a little secret . . . they tasted just as good as if someone else did them! Ssshhhhh ;)

 
So let's give this a try, shall we?  Let's make some EMOJI OREO POPS!

1. gather all of your supplies . . . you will need:  
Oreos, lollipop sticks, 1 bag of Wilton's yellow candy melts and then various colored tubes of icing you can write or draw with - colors depends on which emoji faces you are making. Below you will see what I used. I suggest having some wax paper, a cookie cooling rack and also a foam brick (in photo below).

2.  Prepare the yellow candy melts according to the directions on the package and melt in a dish deep enough that you will be able to 'dunk' or dip the Oreo pops into.

3. Separate each Oreo (carefully), take a lollipop stick and dip the tip into the melted chocolate, place in between the two Oreo halves. This will ensure that when you dip the Oreos, in a moment, that it stays together. 
**TIP - I always find when making these that you have to press firmly into the Oreo filling to ensure that the halves of the Oreo can come back together with the stick in the middle of them.

4. Let them dry for a few minutes and then dip the entire Oreo into the melted yellow candy melts until completely covered, then place into the foam brick covered in wax paper (like in photo below) as this will allow them to dry and not touch each other. 
**TIP - full disclosure - I usually have to dip my Oreo pops twice to get them fully covered but it's all good, just know that going in. ;) 

5. Once completely dry, I transfer them to a cooling rack simply for decorating purposes.

6. Have your emoji faces handy on your phone or a print out that you want to 'copy' and go to town decorating all of your fave emoji faces! The different colors of icing tubes I used were perfect for the ones we created. I loved using the sparkle blue gel for the laughing emoji tears and the food writers worked well for blushing cheeks. The red icing I DID have to kind of form my shapes that I wanted by using toothpicks. Yup LOTS of toothpicks and lots of patience! But you can do these, I promise!

The finished emoji Oreo pop! She loved them and they were such a hit at her party!! Plus I loved hearing her tell everyone that we made them. Heart=full!

 

Now how much fun do these look to make? The best part is we made them ourselves and this is something that you can make anytime for any occasion! A birthday party, graduation, a co-worker's party or just simply because!

What emoji face is your fave? Please let me know below . . .

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram or

check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop! 
 
Looking forward to seeing you again! :)

RECIPE :: Holiday Pasta Bites Appetizer + Party Tips

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayPairings #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

It's beginning to look a lot like  . . . that time of year again! That's right, the holiday season has started along with all of those parties that go right along with this season of fun! This is by far my favorite time of year and with all of the exciting things you may have planned, you could perhaps, use an idea for a different appetizer to try at your next party. Well you're in luck as today I am sharing a couple holiday party tips for a simple adult mixer over the holidays, an easy holiday bites appetizer recipe and hopefully you find an idea or two to do at your own holiday party this year!

I love to entertain and these tips I am sharing with you today have always helped this girl out, so hopefully they do you too. They are my TOP 5 things needed for a holiday cocktail party: I believe every fab party should include amazing appetizers, a great wine, accessories, serving pieces and a great focal point. 

1. When planning a party table or a small gathering, try to make a great centerpiece or focal point for your guests that not only looks pretty but can be functional too. Layering different prints and varying heights can add a lot of visual eye candy to your table!

2. It's the holidays! Time to bust out your fancy serving pieces, ya know . . . the ones you save for a special occasion! This IS that time, time to use all of those great platters in all the great colors, textures and prints to dress up your table scape.

3. Make sure to use some accessories on your table, like cheese cutters, serving pieces, to napkins and dessert plates as you don't want your guests having to search for what they need.

4. It's a party, so make sure to have some great wine on hand that pairs up nicely with the other food you will be serving. This one I picked up in Walmart's wine department and they have a great selection . . .this one is from the Robert Mondavi Private Collection.

5. Truth. If I could live on nothing but appetizers, I soooo would, as they are the first thing I munch on at a party and I think it's because they tend to be mini versions of food, I love anything mini, so it totally makes sense. On my latest trip to Walmart I picked up some classics that I always have at my gatherings, as they always have what I am looking for: assorted cheeses, grapes, Pepperidge Farm cracker trio, Pepperidge Farm Classic cookie collection and a great bottle of wine to compliment them all. (have you seen their super premium wine department lately? Great selection and even better prices!) I also wanted to try to make something a little different to have on hand but still be a finger food. I wanted a pasta appetizer, so I picked up this new Barilla Pronto Penne pasta to give my idea a try.

This recipe is super quick and easy! The recipe for: Holiday Pasta Bites

1. All you are going to do is assemble this appetizer after you cook the pasta but it was so easy and quick, so no worries. Simply follow the directions on the pasta box as it's a one-pot cooking only method. (which means less dishes). Follow the instructions and allow to cool completely before assembling this appetizer.
 
2. Cut your choice of cheese into small squares, along with a veggie of your choosing. I used broccoli for mine and loved it.
 
3. Simply take a piece of pasta, then cheese, then piece of broccoli/veggie and slide onto a toothpick, repeating this until they are filled up & serve!

It's so quick and easy, as it probably only took me about 15 minutes to put together. This is good to know for all of those last minute hostesses that like to pull off something grand at the last minute! ;) I can see people having various dips for this or just eating plain - either way they are simple for your guests to pick up and enjoy! 

All of the items for my celebration I found on latest trip to Walmart and they have all you need for your holiday entertaining this season. Also make sure to visit the Simple Entertaining Hub here to see more entertaining ideas and when they are scheduling wine tastings and demos in a store near you. I would love to hear what simple ways you use to entertain for the holidays? Do you have a favorite holiday food to serve? Hopefully you will give these a try! Please let me know below . . .

Thank you so much for letting me share this product with you and for supporting the brands and companies that help support my blog!  

Are you loving the "eye candy" here?

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop!