Planning Ahead: Hostess Gifts

Photo from Soul of the Rose

I want to share with you a new discovery: Soul of the Rose Gifts. The photo above is of some gift items I received from them recently. The photo below is the super cute and fragrant packaging those gifts came in (they included a beautiful sachet that I could smell before I even got the box open!).

I highly encourage you to check out the link above to the Soul of the Rose blog. From there, you can visit the online shop, become a fan on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter. When you visit the shop, click on "Gift Boutique," then select "Hostess Gifts" from the left hand sidebar. They have a variety of unique hostess treats that will surely be appreciated by any hostess.

Bookmark Soul of the Rose on your web browser. As you get into the busy holiday season, you'll appreciate having a go-to shop for your hostess (and holiday!) gift needs. :-)

Margarita Cupcakes- Tasted and Approved!

In a recent post, I shared with you some birthday inspiration in the form of margarita-flavored cupcakes. Well, my friend and I got together to make some of these treats, and LET ME TELL YOU... they are DIVINE!

We used a recipe found on the Homemade by Holman blog. Click here for her Margarita Cupcake post. We didn't follow the icing recipe exactly because we experimented with some other icing options, but the end result was delicious. We topped off the icing with yellow and green sugar crystals and a lime wedge... ole!

Here are some photos of the end result...

Twitter, what?

I've been on a mission to make some updates to this blog recently, and I hope you've noticed! Please feel free to leave comments/ideas/suggestions if there's anything you would like to see.

One new addition is your ability to share this blog and specific postings you like on various social media outlets (over to the right). Also added on the right side of your screen is a link to follow my personal Twitter account (@jaime_events). If you have a Twitter account, please leave me a comment, and I would love to follow you too!

Ode to Cupcakes

Today is my birthday, and I'm taking three whole days to celebrate this year! Why? Well, because I feel like it. :-)

I started the celebration yesterday with my best friend. There is a new cupcake boutique in town called "Celebrations." Isn't that a cute name? Here's a photo of our cupcake selections.

On the left is the lemon cake with raspberry filling and lemon buttercream frosting, and on the right is a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and a little chunk of a Reese's on top.

If you've followed my blog for awhile now you know that I ADORE cupcakes. Seriously adore them, and I'm convinced that cupcakes make every problem better. The world will eventually be a better place because of delicious and CUTE cupcakes.

So, I set out on a quest to find my ultimate birthday "must-have." I searched through blogs for anything that might inspire me and trigger the "aha!" response. Well, I finally found two birthday must-haves... and they are both cupcakes. :-) I'd like to share them with you.

(Photo courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess)

The first must-have is margarita cupcakes with lime frosting. This inspiration came from Hostess with the Mostess. I'm so curious if a cupcake can truly taste like one of my favorite blended beverages.... I'm very lucky to have a best friend who will be making me her own version of margarita cupcakes today. Mmmmmm, I can't wait to taste them!

(Photo courtesy of Bakerella)

The second must-have is Aloha Cupcakes by Bakerella. Just by looking at them, I want to stop and have a luau on the spot! And, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, the pineapple cake with mango frosting? I'll be lucky if each of them even makes it out of the mixing bowl!

I definitely have a fruity cupcake theme going on here, but hey, we've gotta get our "fruits" and vegetables somehow, right? ;-)

Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day. Enjoy those cupcakes!

End of Summer Celebration

Did I just say that? The END of summer? Well, try as I might to deny it, the end of summer is quickly approaching... so, what is there to do about it?? Throw a party, of course!

(Photo from Skip to My Lou)

I came across this awesome and very easy idea from Skip to My Lou that I wanted to share with you. I just love the simplicity of the Shrimp Boil concept! Click on the link to read about it. If you must, add a few decorative elements, but I like the fact that this concept is so laid-back, just like summer.

So, take a look, pick a date, and gather a group of family and friends to celebrate another fantastic summer.

Wedding Theme Idea

(Photo from Hostess with the Mostess)

I. LOVE. THIS. IDEA! Check out a recent post from Hostess with the Mostess. She shares her concept for her upcoming 10th wedding anniversary, a "Wedding Hangover" theme. Click on the link to find out the details.

I also think this could be a fun concept for a "morning after" brunch after the wedding, as a way to relax with family and close friends while reliving the memories of the big day. Or, for the adventurous folks who will have a Vegas wedding, this theme could be incorporated all in the name of fun!

Paper Pans

Uh-oh.

I need an excuse to bake. Well, I guess I have one since it's been raining here for what seems like AGES. And it's supposed to keep on raining, for DAYS, so maybe firing up the oven would do a soul some good! :-)

So why do I have the urge to bake? It's Bakerella's fault! She shared a new discovery with the world, paper baking pans!

(Photo by Bakerella)

They are so pretty... and FUN. What's almost more fun is her Yummy Bananaberry Muffin recipe.

(Photo by Bakerella)

Check out her blog post here for more information about the paper baking pans and to get her Yummy Bananaberry Muffin recipe.