Wine Gift Basket

And to end the theme of Wine party is a Wine Gift Basket. I actually made up this gift basket the week before my mom's surprise party for one of my friends who celebrated her birthday with a wine theme also!

What you need:

Wine (I bought Middle Sister Sparkling White Wine)

Cheeses

Meat 

Crackers

Chocolate (because every girl needs some)

Wine glasses if needed (I skipped but easy to put in also)

Basket

I hit up Grocery Outlet, they have amazing deals on wine, cheese and meat. This basket would have cost me around $75 and I bought it all for around $30. Place all items into the basket and bam your done! And a pretty amazing gift for any body who loves wine!

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Grape Vine & Wine Bottle Cupcake Toppers (Modeling Chocolate)

Yesterday I showed you the Wine Glass Cake my friend and I made for my mom's surprise 60th birthday party. Today I will post the cupcakes made for the party! I found a few ideas on Pinterest and then made my own creations.  I started with an idea for Grape Vine Cupcakes on Ifood.tv.

What you Need:

White Modeling Chocolate

Green Modeling Chocolate

Purple Modeling Chocolate

Circle Cutter

Leaf Silicone Mold

I rolled out the white modeling chocolate (recipe below) and cut out circle's using a cookie cutter. I made little balls from the purple modeling chocolate (to be the grapes). My friend had a leaf silicone mold so I used that with the green modeling chocolate. Attach the grapes in a cluster and the leaves on top with a little water to your white circle (I used a fancy one but a simple circle would work also). Let these harden and then you can put on top of your frosted cupcake.

Wine Bottle Cupcakes

What you Need:

White Modeling Chocolate

Purple Modeling Chocolate

Wine Bottle Silicone Mold (Found mine on Amazon)

Black food Coloring

Vodka (it will evaporate but the black will stay)

Paint Brush

I used the purple modeling chocolate into the wine mold to form wine bottles. I put in the freezer to hard quickly and they come out easy that way. We then took some white modeling chocolate to make the labels on the wine bottles. My friend used a trick with small amount of vodka and then added some black food coloring to it. She dipped her paint brush into and wrote the 60 onto each label. Once dry the Vodka evaporates and the black is only left. We then put on the top of a frosted cupcake.

For those who haven't seen my post about Modeling Chocolate:

Modeling Chocolate

12oz Candy Melts

1/4 Cup light corn Syrup

Melt your Candy Melts in microwave (mine takes about 2 minutes). Stir them to become smooth and add the corn syrup.  It will become thick and form a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit out and dry.  Takes a few hours or over night is best. (Alexis note: I found to roll this out use a little powder sugar (like you would do with flour), also you have to kneed it a little like you would dough to make it easy to roll out).

Here is the cake and cupcake table:

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Wine Glass Cake for Wine Party

And now I must circle back to finish up the Wine Party I did for my mom's surprise 60th birthday party. I wanted to do a fun cake for her and saw this Wine Glass Cake on Cake Central. My friend April and I made this cake and I must say it turned out pretty darn cute! I Made a large rectangle cake and then we cut, frosted and put fondant on. It always helps to have an extra set of hands plus someone to talk you through always helps.

What you need:

Cake (I used the Sparkling Wine Cake Recipe)

Buttercream Frosting (I used my go to Sturdy Buttercream)

Fondant (I used Rolled Buttercream Fondant)

Modeling Chocolate (For decorations if Wanted)

Food Coloring (I used Burgundy Americolor Soft Gel Paste - For the Fondant)

I bake a cake a large rectangle cake (make sure to use cake release it helps taking cakes out of pans. I made a template by blowing up a wine glass (that I googled) or you can do it by eyeball. Once you have the cake cut out you need to crumb coat/dirty ice (lightly cover the cake in frosting). Roll out your fondant and cover the cake, since we were adding the wine colored fondant we did the white fondant in 2 sections (the seam would be covered by the burgundy color).  Rolled out almost a half moon shape for the wine part. I added some modeling chocolate I put into a flower and leaf mold to add a little something. For the 60 I took a circle cutter and formed the 60 by hand.

Cake Release or Cake Pan Coating (Hobby Lobby version)

Is the key secret I've learned to get a cake out easy!

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Middle School Here We Come ....

This is a sad time for mom but an exciting time for Cole. When I was in school you stayed in elementary school through 6th grade. Were we live 6th grade moves up to middle school. We say good bye to an amazing teacher who looked after Cole and helped him love school! This is the last time the boys will be in school together for SIX years! Not until Cole is in 12 Grade will the boys be in the same school and that will be ONLY for one year. Insert mom said face!

5th Grade "Promotion" Ceremony

Last Day saying Good bye to our amazing Teacher

I leave you with the note I wrote Cole's Teacher!

She is amazing, God sent us an angel in her!

Thank you again for being an amazing role model to Cole. You helped Cole become such and amazing young man. For so long I fought to leave private school to go to public. I never dreamed we would find a teacher who cared as much. For so long Cole hated school being bullied for being different and kids and teachers not understanding his quirks. You took the time to look inside at his heart and worked side by side with me to find what best suited him and ways to help him learn and fit in. He now loves school and wants to continue on. Thank you again for everything you do, you were able to push when I'm was not there and keep him on track. You've set him up for success! You're an amazing teacher and will touch so many lives. Thank you doesn't seem to cover how much I appreciate you!

Teacher end of the Year Gifts

We end another school year and I wanted to give something to the most amazing teachers we've had. I also wanted to give a little something to the bus driver who took such great care of the kids.

First I started with a cute idea I saw several different ways a gardening gift with a note saying "Thank you for helping m Grow".

What you Need:

Plastic Flower Bucket

Gardening Gloves

Flower

Water Globe

Watering Bucket

Seeds (You can do a mint and put a note You're a "Mint" of a teacher)

Candy if you want

I filled up the flower bucket with all the goodies. I went on a Google search and found this super cute printable on Shop for Cute Printables, I printed on heavy card stock. 

Next on the list was a fun little extra gift I found on Two Silly Monkeys! Super easy to put together and not too expensive

What you Need:

Small Canvas Bag (Michael's 5pk $4.99)

Sharpie (Black would have been better but I only had red)

Extra Gum (Dollar Tree $1)

Hersey Kisses

I made a note one for each teacher and then one for the bus driver. My grandmother was a bus driver and I know how much it took to drive those kids around. I added a little tissue paper into the bag so it didn't take to much of the Hersey Kisses (I bought a large bag but had 3 of these to do). Check out Two Silly Monkey's for free printables. If I had extra time I would have added some ribbon onto the bag.

Make sure you give thanks to those amazing people in our kids lives!

Make one you'll be the hit of the teachers / bus drivers!

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

End of Year Gifts for Class ... Silly Summer & Bubble Summer

Sadly we come to an end of this school year. My oldest is going on to Middle school and we say goodbye to the best teacher we have ever had. He was lucky enough to do 4th and 5th with the same teacher. The classmates were the same so I wanted to give them something a little special also.

For Cole's class I did Silly string gift, which I didn't really think much about until I came to pick the kids up to find the kids silly stringed their teacher and got in trouble with the principal .. lol ugh so wasn't on my thought process. I found this idea on Room Mom Extraordinaire (she put her's in plastic bags to hope the kids didn't spray on the bus ... I may have should have done that!).

What you Need:

Silly String (Dollar Tree $1)

Curling Ribbon (Dollar Tree $1)

Card Stock

I went on google search found a rainbow boarder (png so I could easily copy) put into a word doc and then put typed up a word box saying "Have a "Silly" Summer. From Cole. I printed on heavy card stock an then cut out, punched a whole and tied on with curling ribbon.

For Caden's class I did bubbles, which also got used by the whole class but this didn't make a mess and the teacher took them outside for it and no harm no foul .. lol.

What you Need:

Bubble Wands (Michael's $1 buy one get one 1/2 off)

Curling Ribbon (Dollar Tree $1)

Card Stock.

I went on google search found a boy blowing bubbles (png so I could easily copy) put into a word doc and then put typed up a word box saying "Hope your Summer "Bubbles" with Fun. From Caden. I printed on heavy card stock an then cut out, punched a whole and tied on with curling ribbon.

Cole's Teacher Posted this on FB the Attack of silly string:

Make one you'll be the hit of the classroom!

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Candy Graduation Lei

Cole's 5th grade class had a graduation (or I guess they call it promotion ceremony) to leave elementary school and head to  middle school . He of course is not fazed by this at all, I'm the one having the hardest time with it.  I was running like a mad woman with work and of course trying to make Caden's cupcakes to celebrate his summer bday in class before school ended. But I wanted to do something special for Cole, Thank God I found a cool and easy thing to make! 

I did a google search and several Candy Lei ideas came up but I then found a great tutorial on Laughing Stock Papercrafts. This was so easy to make and Cole LOVED it, he got several compliments on it.

What you need:

Celophane

Mini Candy (I went to Dollar Tree and picked up a few)

Curling Ribbon (Or ribbon of your choice)

Heavy duty Tape (I used packing tape)

Card Stock (I made a tag to hang off if you want) 

Step 1:  Cut your roll of cellophane the length you want your lei to be. I did like her recommendation to lay out the candy before cutting the cellophane to gauge how long I needed it to be. I also doubled up the candy per each round. 

Step 2:  Lay out your candy down the length of the cellophane, leaving a small space in between each piece so you'll have room to tie your ribbon.  (This is where I doubled the candy).

Step 3:  Fold over each side of the cellophane until you've got one long tube around the candy.  It doesn't have to be really tight to the candy so don't worry if the cellophane looks loose, mine was loose and worked perfect.

Step 4:  Begin tying in between the candy, starting at the center of the lei and working toward one side, then starting back at the center and work toward the end of the opposite unfinished side.  That way if your candy shifts and you need to remove a candy at the end to make room to tape the lei shut, you can do that more easily than if you randomly start tying.  Make ribbon about long enough so that can have curled ends.  I also used curling ribbon in my son's school colors but you can use whatever ribbon you like.

Step 5:  Overlap your ends and wrap a piece of heavy duty clear tape around it to hold the lei in place.  The candy lei can end up heavy and you don't have to worry about them falling apart when using heavy duty tape (I used packing tape).

 Step 6:  Tie a bow around the taped end.  You can add lots of curling ribbon here to mask the taped end.  I also like to add a cute tag here to dangle with the ribbon along with a thing of pop rocks to go with my saying "Congratulations Cole 5th Grade Graduate 2015 YOU ROCK!! Love Mom, Dad & Caden. 

Make one you'll be the hit of the graduation class!

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Wine Party Decorations and Food

The day of my mom's surprise 60th party was a blur and some of the food and things made got put up so fast I didn't get a chance to really take pictures of things done. But I wanted to make sure to show them off. A BIG thanks to my bestie Kari and my mom's 2 cousin and one of my cousin's for coming early and setting this all up!

A Bake Brie I found on She Wears Many Hats

The Table Set up:

Cheese Fondue Cooking in Stilettos

It may not look like much but OMG it was tasty!!!

These FREE Printables I put in some frames I picked up at the Dollar Tree

I found these printables on Hostess with the Mostess

I saw on From Beth's on Etsy a sign for Sixty and Sassy.

I took my cricut with my George and Elegant Edges Cartridges and made my own.

These Elegant Wine Bottle Flower Centerpieces found on Uncommon Designs

Bought Green Wine Bottles on Amazon and Flowers at Safeway.

They were beautiful on the tables.

I didn't get the best picture of this punch, 

but I have NEVER had this many people want the recipe!

I took this version of Sarasota Lemonade on The Pampered Jes and tweaked it

Ingredients:

2 bottles Moscato

1 pink lemonade concentrate

3 C of Sprite (more or less, depending on your taste)

Fresh raspberries

Empty all the ingredients into the container and you're done! I ended up using 3 bottles of Middle Sister Moscato and Two 2 Litters of sprite and a large container of raspberries. I skipped the Lemonade and I can't say enough how amazing this tasted, I think the lemonade would have been a bit much.

Have a GREAT day!

I hope you enjoyed this party!

Happy 39th to ME!!!

It's my last year in the 30's! WOW has time flown by I swear I just celebrated my 30's last year .. lol! This was a great day well that was until dinner time ... lol.

Saturday my bible study ladies took me to dinner. It was a GREAT time, it is graduation season so we had to wait an hour for a table but we sat and talked for 2  1/2 hours it was great! Rick had to work but the kids got to go to the YMCA kid's night out.

I worked then got off a little early to get my nails done (a nice mani always makes you feel great) and no excuses I did my Upper Body Fit (on the 21 Day Fit program). I even upped my heavy weights to 15 each Oh yes nothing like pushing 30 lbs above your head while you lay down. It doesn't sound like a lot until it's above your head .. lol. I went to my mom and dad's and had a great birthday treat.

THEN I slipped my butt into spanks and put on a new dress. NOW I'm up from where I was when I started my weight loss journey but I'm FAR from where my before picture was so I'm taking it and going with it. 

THEN my husband was working his second job as security for events and got stuck at the U.S. Open. He was 2 1/2 hours late for our dinner, let's just say I was a hot mess by the time he finally arrived .. lol. 38 is in the books and 39 here I come!

Have a GREAT day!

Chocolate Chip Holiday Tea Cakes

I wanted to do a wine themed cookie but then I came across these Chocolate Chip Holiday Tea Cakes and just knew they would be perfect for the party! Chocolate and wine what could be better?

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup finely chopped nuts
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
• PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
  BEAT butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour and nuts. Stir in 1 1/2 cups morsels. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets.
  BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and light golden brown on bottom. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  MICROWAVE remaining morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for 30 to 45 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over cookies. Refrigerate cookies for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store at room temperature in airtight containers.

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Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Chalk Dipped Wine Glasses

For mom's party I wanted to have something the guest could take with them. The day of the party I was running around like crazy so I'm sorry I don't have a clear pic of just the glasses. I saw this idea on All Things Major. 

What you Need:

Wine Glasses (I found mine at the Dollar Tree)

Chalk Paint

Container 

Chalk (for guest to write their name)

Pour some of your chalk paint in a container (I used a plastic ziplock container). Dip your wine glasses in the container. I placed the glasses on a sheet of cardboard in the sun. NOW I learned that when you let these dry don't let them sit for a long time before you flip them if not you'll get bumps in your paint on the glass. 

I also found an idea for a chalk board for people to know it was for them to take home (ONLY if people would have taken their glasses home .. lol). I found an idea for a chalk board on Yahoo Makers.

This table was the talk of the party, even if guest forgot to take home their glasses. My bestie who helped me got a whole new set of glasses.

A tip I found was to bake the glasses at 350 for 20 minutes!

This helps set the paint, they suggest hand washing them.

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Graduation Cookies (Letter with Graduation Cap)

We take a break from my mom's wine party items to show these really cool cookies I made for one my friends niece. These turned out so great and I'm getting this royal icing thing down!

I just noticed the only pic I took of one cookie was one I hit with my nail.

The other's looked smoother.

What you need:

Sugar Cookies (I used Sugar Cookie recipe found on Spoon Fork Bacon)

Letter Cookie Cutter (I picked mine up on Amazon)

Royal Icing (I use Julia M. Usher's Recipe) 

AmeriColor Soft Gel Coloring - Soft Pink

Piping Bags

Modeling Chocolate (White or use color for the cap you want)

Small Square Cookie Cutter

I rolled out the cookie dough and cut out the letters I needed. The girl I was making these for first name started with an E so I did about 32 E's. Baked them and let them cool. I tinted the royal icing was the soft pink gel. The E's weren't huge so when we did the outline we just ended up filling in with the same icing consistency instead of flooding like I did with the other Graduation Cookies. For the caps I took Candy Clay in white and cut out squares, my cutter was a little too small so I rolled it out to make it larger square. For the tassel we just took a strip of the candy clay and made it look like a tassel. And to make the cap have the button on the tassel we added a little circle of modeling chocolate. When the royal icing was almost dry I added the graduation cap to the cookie (I put a dab of icing on the back of the cap to make sure it stayed on).

For those who have not seen my previous post on how to make modeling chocolate (aka candy clay).

Modeling Chocolate

12oz Candy Melts

1/4 Cup light corn Syrup

Melt your Candy Melts in microwave (mine takes about 2 minutes). Stir them to become smooth and add the corn syrup.  It will become thick and form a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit out and dry.  Takes a few hours or over night is best. (Alexis note: I found to roll this out use a little powder sugar (like you would do with flour), also you have to kneed it a little like you would dough to make it easy to roll out).

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.