DIY Valentine's Day Napkin

Here's a fun way to make a plain white napkin more festive for Valentine's Day.  I created a simple and clean design with the word "love" in a pretty little font and a couple arrows.  I then printed the design on transfer paper and ironed it on 3/4 of a way down the napkin.   

Celebrating This Weekend - Love + Friendship

My family is soooo excited for this weekend.  We're celebrating a very good friend's wedding.  My daughters are the flower girls and my husband is doing a reading and we're thrilled for the festivities to begin.  So this weekend I will have a white wedding to help me break through the mid winter blues.  I'll get to dress up, dance the night away and enjoy the company of great friends.  What are you up to this weekend?

Reality Bites Cupcakes

 

  

I'm super excited today to introduce you to Ashley, who is the owner and baker at Reality Bites Cupcakes. She offers unique and amazing creations that appear to be everyday food, but are actually cupcakes. Ashley has a degree in art from the University of Richmond and has transferred her talent to creating cupcakes for her business Reality Bites Cupcakes. Ashley loves to see her customers smile when they take a bite of her cupcakes. If you would like to have a taste of Reality Bites Cupcakes for yourself and you're in the New York City or Long Island area get in touch with Ashley over at her blog, where you will also find some more great pics of her work.   I'm sure she will make you smile too with her sweet treats.

 

 

  



Winter Activites I Should Be Doing

You know how sometimes you don't see something that's right in front of you?  I've lived in Michigan almost my entire life and I think the state is sometimes referred to as a "winter wonderland", well clearly I have not taken advantage of what is right in front of me.  There are some winter activities that I would like to try out some day like cross country sking, ice skating or snowshoeing.  Nope, I haven't tried any of these things.  Maybe I should read Winter Trails: Michigan Guide Book to get me going.  The weird thing is, I enrolled my oldest daughter in ice skating classes, which she loved by the way.  Are there opportunities or experiences that are right in your own backyard that you haven't taken advantage of? 

1.REI 2. Skates 3. Campmor

Valentine's Day Craft

I've made a New Year's resolution to do more craft/diy projects.  That's a fun resolution to have don't you think?  As I do projects, I'll most likely share them here at Cupcakes & Confetti.  So, here goes my first project of the year - a super simple Valentine's Day birdfeeder you can make with the kids.  I made this with my 3 year old and she loved it.  I think it would be an adorable gift to give to a grandparent or teacher or just keep it for yourself. 

Cut a heart out of the cardboard.  Make a hole in the top of the heart and cut a piece of twine and string it through the hole.  I like the rustic look of the jute, but you could also use a stripped baker's twine, which I also used.  I found a red and white stripped one, perfect for Valentine's Day.
 

Spread the peanut butter on both sides of the heart and then sprinkle the sides with birdseed.  I put down some newspaper for easy clean up.  Easy peasy, right?

Celebrating This Weekend: Warmth + Comfort

One of my favorite things about winter is that I have a night time ritual with my husband.  After we tuck the kids into bed I always ask my husband if he wants a cup of tea.  I always know that he will say "yes", but for some reason I still ask him this question every winter night.  I put on a pot of tea, I grab my favorite fluffy warm blanket that my sister bought for me a few Christmases ago and I sit with husband on our couch and watch television and hold onto a warm cup of tea in my perpetually cold hands.  This little winter ritual is something I look forward to when the day winds down.  Have a beautiful weekend friends.  Stay warm and comfy.  

Turkey Spinach Meatballs

It's January, it's that time of year that we promise to eat a little healthier and move a little more.  I try to be good all year, but like everyone, I have my good days and my bad days.  To be honest, I really don't like to exercise, but I do it because I know it makes me feel and look better overall.  Today, I'm sharing with you a healthy version of the meatball.  When I first made this, my husband was skeptical because he loves his red meat.  With this recipe I was able to convert him over to the idea of sometimes using turkey instead of beef for some recipes.  I also like that there's some green in the recipe that I can sneak in on my kids too.  Do you have a recipe that allows you to feed your family healthier without them noticing?

National Handwriting Day

January 23 is National Handwriting Day, which celebrates the art of handwriting.  If you've been following my blog, you know how much I adore pretty paper.  I'm also obsessed with faux calligraphy and all around beautiful handwriting.  Do you want to find out how to fake calligraphy for yourself?  Check out this post from Joelle Duff over at Something Charming or this post at Jones Design Company.  So, in celebration of National Handwriting Day, I challenge you to send a handwritten note to three people in your life.  Find some great paper and write a kind, thinking of you note.   In the age of email, it's always nice to receive a lovely handwritten note.  Let me know if you're going to join the fun.  Post a little something on the Cupcakes & Confetti FB page, tweet me or email some pics or a simple message letting me know if you've brightened somebody's day with your handwritten card.  If I receive enough photos, I may share some pics on the blog.  Happy handwriting friends!

  

Spotted: The Shoppe by Madeline Trait

As I search the web for items to include in some of my posts like Party Palette and other mood boards, I stumble upon some super cool items that may not necessarily fit with what I'm working on at the moment, but I file it away to save for next time.  As I was going through some of these items, the thought of creating a series of posts with these finds popped into my head.  There are so many talented people out there creating amazing items for parties and events that are so much more than what you can find in any box store.  I want to highlight these people and share them with you. 

So, I begin my Spotted series with The Shoppe by Madeline Trait.   Madeline describes her shop as "a unique place to find modern and unique items for celebrations and weddings."  And that's exactly what she gives you.  She offers delightfully crafted cake toppers among other items.  Below are just some of the items she offers, but please visit her shop to see more loveliness.

The Make A Wish Cake Topper is made of wood veneer.

 

 

This is definitely not your average party crown.

 

 

The Shooting Star Cake Topper would add a nice little sparkle to any cake.

 

{Sweet of the Week} Dala Horse Cake

One of my favorite weddings sites is Green Wedding Shoes.  There's so much lovely goodness there.  While browsing I came across a bright, beautifully detailed Swedish inspired wedding shoot.  Included in the details that you can't miss are the bright pops of red and the dala horses.  I have to admit I'm a bit obsessed right now with dala horses.  This amazing cake was created by Hey there, Cupcake.  I think I want one.  No, I know I want one.

{Inspired By} Twigs + Branches

Follow my blog with BloglovinLike many others, I'm inspired by my environment.  Right now, I look out my window and drive down the street and see bare trees.  To me, the trees take on a sculptural quality, which is just beautiful.  I get to see the bones of the tree, the tree without its' dressing, stripped, simple and yet complicated in form.   

1. Terrain 2.Sylwia Glass Art 3.West Elm 
4.LEIF 5.Terrain
 

Celebrating This Weekend - Holiday Break

My husband and daughter have had a nice long holiday break and we have enjoyed every minute of staying up late, sleeping in and slow mornings for almost a good two weeks, but on Monday its' back to the regular old routine.  Remember this post where I missed snow?  Well, over the break we received plenty of it and not much has melted away.  On Christmas Eve, when we walked out of church you could see through the glow of the parking lot lights the snow gently floating to the ground.  It was magical.  I haven't seen a white Christmas in years.  It was perfect. 

We will savor these last few days together, but in between that, I need to put away the holiday decor around my house.  It's such a chore, isn't it?  It's never as fun to put away as it is to put up and the house seems so empty afterwards.  So being with my family is really the celebration part of the weekend, the cleaning up part, eh, not so much.

Freshly Launched - Confetti Pop

Have you visited Confetti Pop yet?   Confetti Pop was created by two amazing ladies, Maddy Hague of Somewhere Splendid and dessert table designer Shauna Younge.  You can find DIY projects and great ideas to incorporate those DIYs into your next party.  I can't forget to mention the Confetti Pop shop filled with paper goods for a fun little shindig.  Go on over visit Confetti Pop, get some inspiration and do some shopping.

Hello, January!

Hello January and hello 2013!!!  I absolutely love the beginning of a new year.  You can write a new chapter in your life.  Everything and anything is possible.  What will you do this year?  What can you do this year?  It's all up to you.  So far you have a blank page and you get to decide on how it begins and how it will end.  I hope this chapter in your life is an absolutely amazing one.