Easter On A Whim

By Poppie

 I realized today that I am hosting an Easter Extravaganza in exactly 1 week at our house!  This if a challenge even for the most amazing hostess, so I wondered what I could pull out of my little bag of tricks.  I admit, I wasn’t feeling very inspired since I only have a week to plan.

What to do, what to do?  Drumming fingers, thinking, thinking…  For décor, how about a switcheroo on the old mantel, that’s always easy and fun, because it’s only been a month since I last changed it! Yeah, the mantel.  Some fresh flowers and a few flea market finds from the past, and presto, a new mantelscape (just made up this word) is on display.  Always an easy fix and the first thing my guests see as they enter.  For other simple decorations, I used the inspiration of my 3 daughters and said, “Create”.  They stepped up to the challenge and produced various decorated foam Easter eggs and crosses (because this is a significant holiday for us) to hang around the wall.  Then I saw a delightful Pinterest idea and created a cute peep show, with homemade strung peeps.  The kids had a blast with this one.

Now to tackle the menu.  Everyone gets together for this important holiday and cooks a variety of their favorites, but I had an AHA! Moment when I thought, I should make some carrot cake - with an abundance of cream cheese frosting, of course.  I made mine in the shape of an egg (naturally) and decorated with frosting in pretty pastel colors. Easy and fun and so good to eat.  We had other goodies as well, but I always think dessert first when it comes to party ideas.

Of course I painted – with special decorating techniques for speckled, stickered, and glittered eggs and stuffed (with a bucket load of candy) a gazillion Easter eggs for our annual Easter Egg Hunt.  I love watching the kids run around “finding their hidden treasures”.  Especially the little ones.  They are too cute to watch as they discover one egg (and just want the one) while the bigger kids run around grabbing all they can get their hands on.

I needed a few extra (and quick) items to compliment my egg-cellent choices so far.  I wondered down to Nobbies and grabbed Easter baskets and a few more Easter supplies that I would need to complete my party area.  They had everything I need to fill my baskets with toys and goodies, grab all my table supplies, and get every in-between item I made need.  I didn’t even have to stop anywhere else, which is convenient when you only have a week to plan things.

This has actually been one of the easiest Easter Parties I have ever pulled off. Note to self – plan a week ahead only!  I hope that your Easter plans go as smooth and you have an (wait for it) Egg-cellent time Easter weekend celebrating with family and friends.

Let Me Count The Ways!

By Poppie

As I pondered blog ideas for February, of course, the subject of love came to mind.  I am not normally a sappy person (I didn’t even cry during Steel Magnolias), but I did want to focus on that all too powerful emotion that intertwines our family life, acting as a glue that holds us all together through thick and thin.  Love, amore, affection, adoration.  No matter how you say it, this one word says so much about our passions.

There are so many ways to express how we feel about those we love, but I thought I’d list a few of my simple, inexpensive favorites here.

1)     Stamp out the love – Add a spot of cheer to your letters with a stamp featuring your child’s smiling face.  Take a picture of your child holding her Valentine message and either edit yourself or have a professional do it.  Make stamps, postcards, whatever you desire to send your message of love.

2)      A girl’s best friend - Jewelry is always a big hit, but who can afford it?  Make red and pink macaroni necklaces for your little sweeties.  Hey, it works when they give them to you.

3)      Letter of love – Write a special note to your sweetheart or child and put in a tiny bottle.  Have them discover it in various places – in the bathroom cabinet by the toothpaste, in the mailbox (make sure they get the mail), or by their favorite electronic device.  A fun twist on this is to use pre-messaged sticky notes with amusing, loving messages. 

4)      A rosy outlook - Red roses are perfect for Valentine's Day but they are so pricy at this time of year! Fluffy carnations make great substitutes. Or make your own flowers with bunches of tissue paper.

5)      Extended love - Get trendy and add some fun hair extensions or feathers in red and pink to your child’s hair so they will look extra fashionable at their school party.  Bonus points if you show up with extensions in as well.

Use these ideas to help set the mood, and your loved ones will soon be delighted at your expression of love.  Here’s to an oh-so-sweet Valentine’s Day!

In Quest of the Perfect Christmas

By: Poppie

There was a time when I wanted the perfect Christmas.  All the decorations would match, all the tree ornaments would glitter in a golden theme, and everything would look like it just came out of a magazine spread.  I would be the hostess that invited guests over on a moment’s notice because the atmosphere was a wonderland of  golden gorgeousness ready to show off to the world.

  I tried to implement my plan last year.  “Let’s just put up the gold ornaments,” I said to my children and husband as we started our decorating duties.  They all looked at me as if I had lost my mind.  “But mommy, what about this Popsicle star I made you in preschool?” asked my 4 year old.  “And what about my snowman marshmallow ornament I made you last year?” asked my 10 year old.  “We have to put up my red Husker ornaments,” piped up my husband.   “And it would look weird not to add the colored ornaments as well,” he added.  Begrudgingly, I let them add their favorite ornaments and watched as my wonderful golden forest was lost in a sea of homemade items and unmatched colors.  

 Then my 4 year old decided that we must have all the ornaments in family groups.  She rearranged the tree to put a bigger colored ornament by a medium and smaller ornament. She looked at me and said, “Now the daddy, mommy, and baby can all be together,” smiling and satisfied with her work.  There they were; groups of three in various colored clumps around the tree.  Later I tried to rearrange them back, but to no avail, as she noticed one of the family members had gone astray and promptly put it back.

So my Christmas was ruined.  Or so I thought.  Then, on Christmas Eve, as I (I mean Santa) put presents carefully around the tree, I really looked at my twinkling tree and smiled.  This really was the strangest tree we’ve put up to date, yet its beauty beckoned to me and I felt warm and fuzzy because of how hard my family had worked to make this tree fit into our family, well…perfectly. 

This year my children and husband looked expectantly at me wondering if I would be a Grinch in our decorating.  I smiled and immediately got out all the ornaments, not just the gold, and had the girls go to town decorating the tree.  Sure, it has bare spots with no ornaments and other spots with so many ornaments on the same branch that the limb is starting to sag.  And yes, there are homemade paper antlers at the top instead of a star, but as I stood back and watched them work, I thought, what a gorgeous tree made with such dedicated, decorative love.

In the end, I realized that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I will never have a magazine spread Christmas, but I will have many amazing Christmas memories created with my family and friends.  As long as my family is happy, healthy, and together, I have found the ideal Christmas after all.  My quest for perfection has ended because it was right in front of me all along.

Have fun with all your family traditions and treasure the memories.  And to all, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday

By: Poppie

I know your mind is on Black Friday.  I know you are planning your strategies, shopping lists, battle armor, and survival kits.  But I feel it is my duty to remind you of the wonderful online-sale day that is Cyber Monday, 2011.  Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday, created by companies to persuade people to shop online. The term made its debut just 6 years ago in November of 2005 by a company called Shop.org.

For some (like myself), Cyber Monday is much more enjoyable than Black Friday.  You can trade in your battle armor for your PJs or enjoy a hot cup of coffee while browsing the best sales.  And best of all, the only arguments you will have are with family members if they dare to interrupt your internet shopping. So if you break it down: pajamas, hot coffee, comfy couch, and ONLINE SALES!  It really doesn’t get any better than that.

Let me share one tip with you: be as diligent about staying on top of Cyber Monday sales as you are about Black Friday sales.  Although Cyber Monday may still seem like the little cousin of Black Friday to some, it is quickly becoming a shopping day to be reckoned with, especially with the ever increasing popularity of online shopping.  Retailers will be jumping at the chance to offer you great sales that you can take advantage of from the comfort of your own home. Another piece of advice, some online stores start their Cyber Monday as early as Black Friday to stay in competition.  This means you can still get that awesome sale item without battling the crowds. So put your feet up on the coffee table, grab your cup of joe and laptop, and shop away!

Welcome Home Soldier!

Welcome Home Soldier! by: Poppie

We all appreciate the great job our young men and women are doing overseas.  We all know someone who is serving or has served in one military branch or another to fight for the honor and integrity of our great nation.  I, myself, have a brother-in-law in the Air Force who has done several tours and a cousin in the army who is currently overseas as I write this.

It is sad to see them ship out and a great relief to see them return.  The best way to celebrate a loved one's return from serving our country is with a Welcome Home Party, especially since President Obama announced the return of our troops by year’s end and the ending of a 9 year long war.  Surrounding a person with love and joy is the perfect homecoming message.  They have done the hard work fighting overseas, now welcome them home with a party that will show your loved one how proud you feel and how happy you are that they are back!

Preparation:
Invitations, decorations, refreshments, and even presents can make your welcome home party a success.  But, be mindful of the guest of honor's situation, where he or she may be tired and in need of much-deserved rest.  It might be better to have a few people meet the returning soldier at their actual arrival and have a big party a few days later so he or she has time to settle in.  In general, the welcome home party shouldn't go over a few hours.  Also, consider recruiting a few guests to help you with the clean-up or decorating so you get to mingle with guests and your returning soldier.

Invitations:The thing about the military, is that sometimes you know the exact date to expect the soldier home and other times you do not.  They may have a target date set to return, but may hit or miss it by a few days.  This is why I suggest waiting a few days after the set date before having the party so you can be sure your soldier is home and has time to rest.  Send invitations out at least two to three weeks in advance of the party date if you are able.

Decorations:Decorations should include balloons, flags, streamers, and a huge “Welcome Home” banner. Use a color theme such as patriotic red, white, and blue for your decorations and tableware. There is probably no need to go to extremes on decorating for the event because it is the smiling faces that will really warm the heart of the honoree.

To add some extra ambience, though, have a centerpiece created to put by the refreshments or in the middle of the table and give each guest a support ribbon or bracelet to wear to honor your homecoming hero.  Another great idea is to have a Welcome Home sign board where guests can write a short message to the honoree.  Put a picture of your hero dressed in their military suit in or around your sign board.

Menu:Take note of the honoree's favorite foods, and make sure these items are on your food list.  Finger foods, cold trays, or sandwiches are usually a good idea for a welcome home party because it allows guests to mingle with your honoree and it makes clean up easier for you.

A cake, of course, is a big hit at any party.  Try to make the theme of the cake match the honoree's situation using plastic Army men situated atop the cake or stars and stripes to represent what your guest of honor was fighting for.  Use your imagination, and make the cake a memorable part of the party.



Used by permission of Alpha Company 2-5

 Thanks to all who have served our country in previous wars and tours and who are serving right now overseas.  We appreciate all your time and effort to fight for the beliefs and freedom of this country!  We can’t wait to be able to say, “Welcome Home”!

Ps – Can’t wait to have you back Cory and Alpha Company 2-5 Infantry!

Children's Halloween Party

Children’s Party

By Poppie

Halloween conjures up images of haunted houses, trick or treating, and ghoulish monsters.  Sometimes it can seem a bit scary for the little ones.  I wanted to host a Halloween party that the children would remember but not be frightened to participate in.

My daughter’s birthday just so happens to be November 1^st so we decided to have a Halloween party last year to celebrate her birthday.  We wanted it to be fun but not scary so these are a few things I did to ensure the children had a great time. 

She had all her friends come in costume.  To avoid scary masks, we specified on the invitations that it would be easier to eat cake and ice cream if there was no masks.  We had a contest to see who had the best costume which was awarded with a "Best Costume" trophy. 

For decorations, we took toilet paper rolls and folded one side in to make ears and made various creatures with them.  We had a cat, the Where the Wild Things Are monster, a bat, and an owl.  We set them by a black cauldron that I placed various piñata toys and candy in.  Each child could grab what they wanted and put in an orange sack to take home.  We also made “potions” out of lemonade and soda that we stuck in thin vases and labeled with ingredients such as “Potion Number 5 – snake tails, bat wings, sugar, spice, and everything naughty”.

We dimmed the lights and lit the jack o lanterns in one room to create ambience for our guests while they ate cake and brains (okay, green Jello shaped like a brain).  Painted mini pumpkins were sporadically placed around the room to go with our glowing centerpieces. 

For drinks, we had another black cauldron with punch in it and dry ice to create a spooky effect.  The drinks were served in paper cups with cute, glittery spiders or pumpkins stickers placed on them.

We played pin the spider to the spider web.  I had taken a pumpkin carving tracer sheet of a spider web and traced it on a paper plate.  Then my girls painted the web and little spiders that we cut out and numbered with sticker numbers.  Each child was blind folded and placed their numbered spider on the web.  The closest to the center of the web was the winner.  The prize was an oversized chocolate bar.

This was such a fun party, that my daughter wants to do a similar party this year as well.  We’ll change a few of the decorations for a fun twist and add a theme this year to limit which decorations we decide to put up and stay on budget.   This party is no trick to do and quite a treat for the children!

Tailgate Party!

By: Poppie

Fall is my favorite time of year.  The leaves are starting to change colors, the heat is fading, the kids are heading back to school, but most importantly, it’s football season!!!  And football season means Tailgating Parties with family and friends! 

What started out with a few sandwiches and a couple of beers before the game has evolved into a great American sports tradition, especially among the college football crowd.  Every year my sisters and I take turns hosting a party at our house and this year will be no different.  In fact, we've already got the first game planned out.  Call us over achievers, but one can't be too zealous when it comes to football!

Whether you are heading to the game to tailgate, having a party in your home, or out on your patio, here is my ultimate guide for anyone to host the best tailgating party of the season! 

Think of your Tailgate Party as a mini production along the lines of camping meets sports bar. Here's is a list of party must haves:

ü  Grill and grill supplies.

ü  Coolers (best if with wheels) and don’t forget the ice.

ü  Seating (coolers can double as seating).

ü  Decorations such as flags, banners, streamers, and other team affiliated materials.

ü  Radio, boom-box, or portable television.

ü  Blankets, lighting, citronella candles or torches, bug spray, sunscreen, and so forth for both day and night games.

ü  Card tables and table covers.

ü  Food and beverages (tip: If traveling, select  food  that can either be cooked ahead and transported to the event or cooked there on a grill).

ü  Plates, napkins, silverware, cups, bottle opener, trash bags (to clean up your area afterwards), and so on.

Menu:

Hot items:  The grill is a centerpiece of many tailgate parties. In addition to traditional burgers, hot dogs and brats, you can grill kebabs, chicken, ribs, pork chops, or fajitas. A big pot of chili on a portable burner is another popular food option.

Cold Items:  If you prefer to leave the grill at home, you can always pack sandwiches for the occasion. Cold subs, sliced into manageable portions, with all the condiments are the classic choice. If you’re budgeting, you might want to consider making the rest of the menu potluck. Get your friends to bring side dishes, snacks, and desserts to round out the menu choices.

Drinks:  Do I even need to mention beer as a staple?  Depending on the size of your party, a keg may be an easier choice since it serves many people. Another option is serving beer or soda in these fun “referee” koozies to keep them cold.  Another new trend is making signature drinks in your team colors - such as red for a Husker Party (okay, I had to sneak my team in there at least once! J ).
Ps- Please drink responsibly at all parties you host or attend this season!

Decorations:

Bring poster board, glitter and markers to make posters. Make sure to buy supplies in your team's colors. Helium balloons, also in team colors, are a good way to decorate and designate your venue area. Don't forget that markers work on balloons as well. While you're stocking up, grab some body paint so that you and your guests can paint your faces if you like.

Ambience: 

Another way to designate your area is with flag banners or tape around your party area.  Use football themed paper or plastic plates, cups, and accessories for your food and serve on a football field table cover.  Or buy the table cover in your team color (let’s say red or white) and buy green place mats and draw a football field on the placemats for extra ambience.  If you have room, time, and strong men, forgo the folding chairs and bring an old couch covered with a slipcover in your team color to make your guests feel extra comfortable.  Don't forget the penalty flag to throw down when the ref makes an unfair call.

Wardrobe:

Hype the #1 Fan Contest by letting everyone know ahead of time that there will be a prize for most enthusiastic wardrobe. Bring the beads, face paint, hats, glitter, tattoos, foam fingers and anything else you can glue to your body and let the good times roll. For prizes, think game-day paraphernalia like team cups, key chains, bobble heads or, if you are feeling generous, tickets to the next game.  (Ps, if you decide on this for your prize, please invite me to your party, especially if you're a Husker fan!)

Whether college or a pro game, a well planned tailgating party, complete with organized set-up, a variety of delicious food, fun activities, fanatical fans, and all the essentials, can add to the team spirit and make your party the Ultimate Tailgating Experience!

Summer Bug Party

Summer Bug Party
by Poppie

I am not a bug person.  In fact, if it was up to me, bugs would be eliminated from my life forever, with the exception of butterflies since they are pretty and don’t bother me.  My kids, however, do not share my sediments towards these small (or in some cases big) creatures.  They love to dig in the dirt or look under a rock to find different bugs.  And of course, they have to show me their find; which despite my queasiness, I smile and say, “That’s great, hun!”

Needing a summer party idea that hadn’t been done before, I decided to put aside my feelings and have a Summer Bug Party.  It’s an easy party to do and works for all ages and genders.  It can also be tweaked into a great children’s birthday theme as well.

I wanted the decorations to create that summer picnic ambience.  First I hung some danglers with assorted types of bugs on the end.  I used a gingham table cover and napkins and placed little plastic bugs all over the table. I put utensils and napkins in a picnic basket and added a butterfly to it.   As a snack, I put out “ants on a log” which is celery, peanut butter, and raisins.

As the kids arrived, I gave each child antennas instead of a party hat along with some bug eyeglasses so they could see like a bug.  Each child also received a sheet of stickers with lady bugs on them to decorate a poster my children had made announcing our Summer Bug Party theme.

As a party favor I filled ice cube trays with water and placed a toy bug in each cube, then let them freeze overnight.  The next day, we added one bug ice cube to the kids’ drinks along with regular ice cubes.  I added a butterfly straw to each drink as well.  The kids enjoyed the “surprise” in their drink and got some neat take home gifts as well.  You can also buy readymade fake bug cubes as well and strategically place where you would like.

I wanted something easy for a cake, so I created a simple, yet unique, caterpillar cake.  Bake any number of cupcakes frosted with green frosting and place them into a hump-shaped line, with one red-frosted cupcake at the end for the caterpillar's face.  Add eyes, black antennae and many small, black feet.  A double row of cupcakes works great for a large party.

Of course our activity was to take a bug net and magnifying glass and catch as many bugs as we could find in an hour.  Since I didn’t want to find actual bugs, I hid plastic bugs around the house and outside for the kids to find.   I labeled a clear jar with each child’s name and added a gingham ribbon to go with the theme.  Whoever found the most bugs got a prize.

Even though the idea scared me at first, it turned out to be one of the best summer parties we have ever had and was surprisingly easy to pull off.  Nobbies had everything I needed to make this party happen so I didn’t have to spend tons of time planning it either.  So kick off your summer in style and host your own version of this easy to do summer party.

Super Dad!

Super Dad!
by Poppie

My dad has always been a super hero to me. It always seemed like he could leap tall buildings in a single bound and always provide for me. Now my husband gets the privilege of super hero status in our house to our 3 children.

If you are looking forward to throwing a party to show your love for your dad, what can be a more ideal time than Father’s Day? And who is a better super hero than dad? This year throw dad a “Super Dad” party using his favorite super hero. A few popular heroes right now are Thor, Green Lantern, and Batman.

Ideas:
Have your children “invite” dad to a special party on his day with homemade invitations that they have made. Have guests wear their favorite super hero gear. Have kids wear a cape of their choice.

Decor:
Use dad’s favorite super hero as your fun theme. Get plates, napkins, and other supplies in that theme. Or combine themes if dad likes to reminisce about several past super heroes. Give guests a mask (such as a Green Lantern or Batman mask). Use action figures as balloon weights with several balloons in your color theme.

Ambience:
Hang signs that say “POW, ZAP, BANG,” and such around the party area.
Strategically place Kryptonite (ping pong balls painted green or green glow sticks) around your party area. Use comic book pages as placemats.

Favors:
Thor rubber wristbands
Green Lantern rings

Menu:
Serve dad’s favorites (you might have to learn to use the grill if his favorite’s include grilling items so he has the day off). Serve Hulk juice - 7 Up and lime sherbet (you can tweak this to whatever super hero your theme is). Make a super cake for dad (see recipe below).

With a little pre-planning, this is an easy party to pull off, at least for me, but of course, I’m Wonder Mom!


Super Cake Recipe:
Bake a 13" x 9" x 2" cake of any flavor. A great trick is to use white cake mix and add food dye (such as green) so the inside of the cake matches your theme.
Frost the cake in icing color of your choice. Using tinted icing, pipe a superhero symbol of your child's choice (such as Green Lantern) in the center.

Write your dad’s name (if you wish) next to the symbol. Or add an action figure by the cake to really set the scene.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day

by Poppie

I’m a mom.  That comes with great privileges - first smiles, first words, homemade gifts made out of Popsicle sticks, and hugging your child at their graduation or wedding.  Of course, it comes with its disadvantages too - messy rooms, tantrums, and having to listen to Justin Bieber or Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana 24/7.  But good and bad, I wouldn’t trade being a mom for the entire world.

That’s why this Mother’s Day, treat your mom to something special.  Get her a custom banner that says what a great mom she is.  Not only is it a gift she’s probably never had before, it’s also a great keepsake she can cherish for years to come.  Of course Nobbies offers all sorts of great custom banners for Mother’s Day as well as any other special occasion throughout the year. 

You could even surprise her with a fun and festive party.  Try one of our fun theme ideas such as a Hollywood VIP Party just for mom.  Nobbies has all the accessories you’ll need to make mom a star on her big day.  Add some balloons from our huge selection to complete your perfect “mom” party.