Baby Shower Inspiration

Sorry I have been MIA lately. Let's just say life has been super crazy with the holidays, kids, orders, vacation, and yes planning parties! I am so unbelievably excited for the little party I am throwing at the end of the month for my cute little church class... you will have to wait and see!
I am also working on a baby shower for my brother and sweet sister inlaw. They will be welcoming their first baby into the world, a little girl! EEK! I am so excited for them! It is a bit away but I just can't help myself, I am a planner. So after scouring the net for ideas and thoughts I think I have narrowed it down to 3 different themes.
Here is some inspiration:

Buttons & Bows via Bump Smitten

Bun in the Oven Via Grey Grey Designs

Special Delivery Stork via Loralee Lewis

-OR-

Special Delivery Little package via Therese Jacinto

So what do you think? I am in love with all of them and need some help deciding! Here is your chance to vote on what shower you would like to see. Just click on one of the options on the side bar poll. I will anxiously be awaiting your thoughts, and thanks so much for your help!

Soda Pop Cupcake Turotial

I just had to share this tutorial because I thought they turned out pretty cute and they are super easy! If you know anyone who is addicted to a specific soda than these are perfect! My addict's was Dr. Pepper... so I googled some Dr. Pepper cake recipes and found quite a few. I tried out two, one was much more moist and held together better. But after it baked, you couldn't taste the soda too much but you could smell it. So I think that I may yet try another recipe if I ever have to make something like this again, but they still tasted pretty yummy!

First bake and cool your cupcakes as recipe follows. Next take your 12oz Soda cans and rinse them out. Then cut them in half. You can do this 2 ways. First I tried squishing the sides and cutting it, but when you pushed the sides back out it left some crinkles. So then I just poked a hole in the side and cut around, which worked much better in my opinion.
See the difference with the crinkled edges

After you cut the can in half, trim the edges nice and even. I also cut out the Dr. Pepper logo from the top half of the can.
Then I hot glued the logo to the can.
Next, just drop your cupcake inside the can. It's the perfect fit! *Here is a side note that I didn't think about til later. Trying the get the cupcake out of the can is a bit tricky. We kinda held it by the straw and tipped it out. But what I should have done is just take the cupcake liner off and then you just grab a fork and eat it right out of the can!

Then I just did a swirl on top of the cupcakes with the frosting. Trimmed down some straws and stuck them in the side and topped them off with a cherry!
Straight or bent, I think I like the bent straw better!
I also made some with out the cans for the little kids... When the kids got their cupcakes they tried sucking on the straw to drink the cupcakes, it was pretty cute!

I want to try this with rootbeer next time and make a "Rootbeet Float". I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if you ever try these at home, I would love to hear about your results or recipes!

Milk & Cookies on the Farm Party

I was thrilled to see our Milk & Cookies party created for my daughter's 2nd birthday featured on Amy Atlas Blog today, here are the rest of the pics and details for your viewing pleasure.
Loved the invitations, fit perfectly with the theme! We created a cookie buffet using wooden crates from Micheals. I wanted to do something different than the usual dessert bar setup and I think that this turned out great. We accented the table with flower arrangements in milk carafes and sifters, milk bottles, and a large wooden letter A that I glued Cookie Crisp cereal on. I made a super easy chocolate chip cake, and I totally heart the cake bunting! There was a variety of milk to choose from Just love this shot We also served chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes, yummo! Here is a look at the inside, and you can find the recipe to make them here. Here is the birthday girl enjoying some milk and cookies :) For activities our guests got to feed ducks, milk cows, and go on tractor rides along with check out all the fun farm animals. For party favors I created a "make your own cookie mix" table out of crates and a 2x4. Each jar had all the dry ingredients like sugar, flour, baking soda, etc. and the kids got to mix in their own extras like m&m's, chocolate chips, nuts, oats, etc. And the cooking instructions I placed on the lid under the fabric. Inside the crates I put various things for decoration. Extra cookie mixes There were also little milk bottle (refurbished Starbucks frappuccino bottles) favors for everyone with custom labels.
I also had been wanting to do a little photo booth ever since I first saw them! This was alot of fun for both the adults and kids. The great thing about this too was that it was so easy to do! Just made a frame out of PVC and hung a fabric backdrop, banner, and hay bale to sit on. We made some themed signs for props Cookie and Milk props Milk Mustaches...
Here are some of my favorites...
Thanks so much for checking out our sweet party!

Vendor Credits:
Photographer: Black Bird Studios
Venue: Wheeler Farm
Invitations: Southern Belle's Charm
Crates: Micheal's Craft store
Fabric bunting for cake and favor table: Vintage Green Limited
Cookie Banner, milk mustaches, and paper photo props: Paper Party Parade
Pink Striped Straws: So and Such
Milk bottle labels: A Party Style
Fabric backdrop and accents, Milk carafes, and flowers: Hobby Lobby