{Sneak Peek} Super Bowl Celebration

Here's a little sneak peek at the Super Bowl Celebration that I am planning for my family this Sunday. We all love our guacamole, salsa, and chips while watching the big game! Individual serving vessels offer a fun way to present a layered dip to your guests and not have to worry about any "double-dipping" ;0) .



I simply layered guacamole and black beans and then topped it with salsa, a little sour cream, and a chip. These would be great gathered around a BIG bowl of chips for your guests to enjoy. To add some football flair, use faux grass (which you can find at your local craft store) to dress up your serving area.

So easy and lots of fun!

{Super Bowl} Football Truffles

Are you gearing up for the big game this weekend? Here is a fun dessert idea for Super Bowl Sunday from the great Bakerella: Football Truffles. Bakerella used her Oreo Truffle Recipe to create these adorable game-friendly treats.



I made these truffles last year for our Super Bowl celebration and everyone loved them! You can find Bakerella's recipe, step by step instructions, and tips for these Football Truffles here.

A Simply Silhouettes GIVEAWAY!

It's GIVEAWAY time...!!!
I am so excited to be able to host today's giveaway, sponsored by Simply Silhouettes. Last week I came across Simply Silhouettes and was simply smitten! Simply Silhouettes offers its customers a unique way to preserve priceless moments through a collection of custom-designed silhouette products. They offer fabulous holiday designs (Valentine's Day, Christmas, and more) Special Occasion designs (weddings, birthdays, etc.) and even more for "just because". Two of my favorite products are their unbreakable, microwaveable, and BPA Free personalized PLATES and TRAYS.

Not only are these great additions to your own home, but they would make unique wedding, birthday, or Mother's Day (hint, hint) gifts as well!

Simply Silhouettes is giving one lucky winner their choice of a personalized Plate or Tray! AND...
**ALL SHEEK SHINDIGS FOLLOWERS CAN RECEIVE 20% OFF THEIR TOTAL PURCHASE FROM SIMPLY SILHOUETTE FROM NOW UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH!! **Just mention Sheek Shindigs when you place your order for any of their products!

To enter the win the GIVEAWAY (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

Visit the Simply Silhouettes store here or at their holiday etsy shop here
AND

1. Become a Sheek Shindigs follower (if you aren't already) and let me know what your favorite product is.

2. Visit the Sheek Shindigs facebook page and "like" it. Leave me a comment letting me know you did so.

3. Post a link to this giveaway on your blog and/or your facebook page and leave me a comment with the link letting me know that you did so please leave a separate comment for each link posted).

All Giveaway entries must be received by midnight on Thursday, February 3rd and a random winner will be picked and announced on Friday, February 4th.

** Please note that this Friday is the last day to place a custom Valentine's order from Simply Silhouettes in order to receive it on time for Valentine's Day. Don't wait for the giveaway for your Valentine's gifts.....USE THE SHEEK SHINDIGS 20% OFF DISCOUNT! **

Good luck and Happy Shopping!

Clara French Ceramique

Prepare yourself: What you are about to see is pure bliss. Your eyes will not want to look away and your party planning instinct will kick in!

Meet Clara French Ceramique. Clara French Ceramique "creates chic cake stand designs in lush colors to beautifully compliment any celebration". Oh yes, they certainly do! When I came across their products I just couldn't look away. Such a refreshing change from the standard white cake plates. You could easily plan an entire dessert table around one of these gems. I think I have a new item to add to my "wish list".





Want to see more? Visit the Clara French boutique, here.

{Valentine's Day} Give a "Green" Gift

Here is a great gift alternative to a dozen roses this Valentine's Day: give a plant instead. There are so many beautiful indoor varieties (including some that can be planted outside in the spring) and they will last much longer than a cut bouquet. I found this great DIY idea from Martha Stewart on how to dress your plant gift up:



Tools and Materials
5 1/8-by-3 1/8-by-10 5/8-inch brown-paper lunch bags
Standard scissors
Flowering plant in plastic container
Decorative scissors
Ribbon (optional)
Double-sided tape or glue
Cardboard
Skewer (optional)

Valentine's Day Plant Gift How-To
1. Cut off the top portion of a paper bag so that it stands slightly taller than the plant. Cut and embellish the bag as desired. If desired, cut out hearts at the corners. (You can easily do this by folding the bag so all the corners meet up. Then, cut half of a heart so that when you open the bag, there are hearts at the four corners.) For a threaded-ribbon version, lay the cut bottom part of the bag flat. Pick up the center of the bag, and make a fold. Find the center of the fold, and make a vertical cut on either side. Continue cutting in even increments until you've made six cuts across. Open up the bag, and thread it with ribbon.

2. Use a second paper bag to cut out the handle, doubling the paper for strength and gluing or taping together the two paper layers. Tape or glue each end of the handle to the bag to make a basket. Cut a piece of cardboard to line the bottom for support. Write your greeting on the bag. Or, with excess paper, cut out a heart, and write a Valentine's Day greeting on it; then tape to a skewer, and stick it in the plant.

Wouldn't these be great for teachers' gifts! And the kids would enjoy helping out with this craft as well. Enjoy!

{Party Inspiration} Super Bowl Sunday

I was recently browsing around Etsy when I came across some great printables for Super Bowl Sunday. Shindig Parties to Go has created a line of Football Party printables that can be customized with your choice of team colors. These would be great for a Super Bowl celebration. While you are in the shop, check out some of the great party inspiration pictures for this line as well. Shindig Parties to Go has some great ideas for a Super Bowl dessert/food table!






You can visit the Shindig Parties to Go etsy shop here.

{Recipes} Super Bowl Sunday

Only a couple more weeks until the big game day! Are you ready for some FOOTBALL? I'll be honest, football really isn't my thing. But, I do have a husband and 2 little guys who LOVE the game and are looking forward to spending Super Bowl Sunday with friends and good FOOD. That's where I come in ;) While looking for some Super Bowl menu inspiration, I came across these fun and easy recipes. Not only do they look yummy, but they can be prepared ahead of time so game day isn't too hectic for the host/hostess. I think a few of these are going to make an appearance at our party this year.

Tequila Touchdown: Designed especially for the big day, Tequila Touchdown will be a real game pleaser with it's layered appearance and subtle hints of citrus.

Seven Layer Bean Dip: I love the idea of serving this Seven Layer Bean Dip in glass jars for single-serving appetizers (thanks Martha!).



Five-Way Chili Potato Skins:
You know that the guys will dig this one!


Kobe Sliders: Sometimes bite-sized menu items just work better, and why not when they can look this cute!





PB&J Chocolate Bars:
This one had me at "Peanut Butter" & "Chocolate"!

{Party Inspiration} Painter's Palette Cupcakes

I love it when I come across "something" that instantly puts fun new party ideas into my head and inspires me to create. It's even better when that something comes from local talent. Last week I came across a picture taken by Kristin of Kristin's Creative Cakery, a new local business that specializes in buttercream creations. I immediately fell in love with and was inspired by Kristin's Painter's Palette Cupcakes and wanted to share them with my readers. Aren't they fabulous!



Kristin created these cupcakes for her daughter's pottery painting birthday party. Did I mention how much I LOVE them? Kristin took a simple idea and turned it into something that is really creative and fun. Luckily for me, Kristin agreed let us in on how she created these inspiring Painter's Palette Cupcakes (I was really curious about the paintbrush).

Kristin used buttercream frosting that she dyed in various colors to top the cupcakes. She then placed them on palettes that she ordered from Blick Art Supplies (you should be able to find these at any craft store). The paint brush's handle was made from a bread stick and the bristles were made from shredded tootsie rolls, which she first flattened with a rolling pin (use corn starch to prevent sticking) and then cut into strips. Finally, the red ring around the brush is a piece of Fruit By the Foot. Easy to DIY and super creative. LOVE it!





You can visit Kristin's Creative Cakery on Facebook here to see more of what this new business has to offer. Thanks for the inspiration, Kristin! I see a paint-themed party somewhere in my future.

{Real Parties} A Dora and Boots Birthday Party

I recently received a party submission from Heather of Pirates & Princesses. Heather created a Dora the Explorer and Boots Party for her daughter's 3rd birthday. From the Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting (in honor of Boots, of course!) to the adorable Dora and Boots cookies, polka dotted balloons, and ALL of the coordinating partyware, there was no detail left undone.






LOVE the ruffled detail on the cupcake stand!





Thank you for sharing your daughter's party with Sheek Shindigs, Heather! To see more of this party and others by Pirates & Princesses, click here.

{Valentine's Day} Sweetheart Pops

These sugar cookie lollipops from Martha Stewart make me smile. I know several little hearts that I could win over with these!



Here are Martha's directions: Using a tiny cookie cutter, make heart-shaped cutouts into unbaked round cookies, and press lollipop sticks into the underside of the dough. After baking, let the cookies cool on the pan. Then, fill the hearts with hot sugar syrup; the syrup will harden as it cools. For sandwich cookies, position lollipop sticks between pairs of baked cookies, and join with filling. Meanwhile, bake the cut-out hearts; use frosting to glue them onto the sandwiches. Decorate with royal icing.

Enjoy!

Fab Find: Affordable Valentine's Accessories

It's time to start getting ready for those Valentine's Day celebrations! This week's Fab Find will help you accessorize your Love Day celebration without breaking the bank! Target's Dollar Spot is a great source for favors and party accessories any time of the year. I was so happy to find that my favorite Valentine accessory from last year was back in the Dollar Spot the other day. Last year I used these cute little mailboxes at my Valentine's Day party. The kids LOVED them! In fact, my daughter still plays with her's from last year.



These will be returning in one of this year's Love Day celebrations. Each child will be asked to bring a valentine for every child attending. We will decorate mailboxes, line them up, and let everyone "deliver" their mail. At only $1 per box, they are a great find!

I also found these cute "Live, Laugh, Love" vases in the Dollar Spot. They would be perfect on the party table with flowers, candy, or just as they are.



What fun accessories are you using this Valentine's Day? I would love to hear from you!

{Real Parties} A Pink and Yellow Dessert Table

Today I am featuring a party that was sent to me by Courtney of Glamour Avenue Parties. Courtney was in charge of entertaining her nieces and nephew one week over Christmas break and promised a different themed mini-party everday day (WOW, what a cool aunt!). Her first party of the week was a dessert table that featured a summery mix of pink and yellow to contrast the winter season. What a great way to brighten up a cold winter day!






I especially love the marshmallows on a stick and the "Party" wands. Thank you for sharing your party, Courtney! Contact Sheek Shindigs if you have a party that you would like me to feature as well.

{Etsy Shop} Hello Kitty!

After receiving so much positive feedback about my daughter's Hello Kitty birthday party (thank you!), I decided to make some of my Hello Kitty Party designs available in my Etsy shop.

Here is a little glimpse of what the Sheek Shindigs Etsy Shop has to offer:



Stop by the shop and check it out!

Valentine's Day: A Little LOVE Potion

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I LOVE all of the happy colors, hearts, and sweet ideas that come to mind when celebrating this special day. Sheek Shindigs has been busy designing two different Valentine's parties which I will share with you in the coming weeks. Until then, here is a fun idea for your Valentine's Day celebration: Mix up a Love Potion for your guests to enjoy!


Both young and old can enjoy this fun little drink. For the kids, you can use pink lemondae, fruit punch, cranberry juice, or even Shirley Temples. For the adults, you can mix up some Cosmos a Red Heart, or any of these other fun RED mixed drinks. Add in some red (or pink) heart- shaped ice cubes and your potion is complete!

To make, purchase heart-shaped molds at your local craft store and a package of Kool-Aid (I choose a red flavor).




Follow the directions for preparing the Kool-Aid and pour into heart molds. Freeze. Use heart shaped ice cubes to mix with your LOVE Potion and serve chilled. Enjoy!

A Pink Elephant Baby Shower

I recently had the honor of designing a baby shower for a group of women that were hosting a shower for an expecting neighbor. The mommy-to-be is expecting a baby girl, is an animal lover, and likes anything with chocolate. This was an exciting project for me because I could really go in any direction that I wanted with the theme. I choose a pink elephant as the "mascot" and the rest followed.

Here is a sample of the invitation that I created for the shower:


Because the shower was being held in January and the guest of honor loves chocolate so much, I decided that a dessert table and a variety of hot beverages would be perfect for this shower. Here are some of my pre-party set-up photos:




I used minature fondant pink elephants and gray gumballs to decorate the cake and cupcakes.





I created a coordinating framed monogram with the babies initals to be displayed at the shower and for the mommy-to-be to take home.



I made pink fondant elephants to dress up sugar cookies for the dessert table. See my DIY here.



Here are a few pictures from the actual shower. The dessert table included a cupcake tower topped with a mini elephant cake, chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake bites, chocolate mousse, fresh fruit and homemade marshmellows with chocolate fondue, and mini elephant sugar cookies.



I made elephant wraps to go around the chocolate mousse cups.




The beverage table included hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee, and strawberry iced water.




The hostesses wanted to send attendees home with a simple favor that was useful and reflected the theme of the shower. I made these elephant wrapped pillow boxes and tucked a package of Red Velvet Chocolate Herbal Tea inside each one.



This was such a fun shower to design. I hope that you enjoyed it!

***  A DIY Printable Package is now available in the Sheek Shindigs etsy shop, here.