Search Results for: blog animal cupcakes

Summer Fun with Kids—-Making Tanning Teddy Bear Cupcakes

It could be sunny and 100 degrees outside, yet my young daughter would opt to help out in the kitchen than play in the sprinkler. She is a culinary whiz (with a butter knife) and loves to whip up tasty treats regardless of the season. If your kids love to cook (or at least lend a hand to the cook) then this next recipe will keep them entertained for hours. It is a perfect rainy day activity or one that could be made the night before a summertime picnic, a family potluck or a Fourth of July party. It features … Continue reading →

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

These are seriously some of the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had. I suspect that the additional zucchini makes them extra moist. Maybe it’s the peanut butter frosting which is also a mighty tasty combination. They are incredibly rich though such that they practically require a glass of milk in order to go down smoothly. In any case, these are cupcakes to impress guests with. I found the recipe in the (gasp) garbage at my mother in law’s house. Apparently someone had pulled it out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and was through with it. Let me assure … Continue reading →

Basket Full of Fun

Easter is right around the corner and there is no shortage of egg, chick and bunny-shaped paraphernalia available to cram into your loved ones’ baskets.  But what if you don’t want to stick with the traditional basket or fillers this year? For those looking to hop down Bunny Trail with a few unique Easter or spring-themed treats, consider the following: Teacup:  Personalize plain, inexpensive teacups for your family members and friends and fill them with foil-covered chocolate Easter eggs.  Next, nestle a few artificial flowers inside, and then wrap the entire cup in organza or tulle. Bakery Boxes:  Plain, cardboard … Continue reading →

Cleaning Or Playing, Decisions, Decisions

No one wants to live in an overwhelmingly messy house. For me, it’s stressful if the house is a mess. It’s also stressful to always be nagging my daughter about picking up after herself. I did feel it was my job to teach her to clean up after herself, I just never enjoyed that particular battle. When Hailey was small I had to accept that my house was going to have that lived in look. There are just not enough hours in the day to do everything. One lesson I learned early in my single parenthood was to pick my … Continue reading →

Tea-Themed Parties

Afternoon tea is a way of life in England; however, there’s no reason the tradition can’t be emulated in your neck of the woods. Or even better—your garden. With spring in the air and temperatures on the rise, why not throw caution to the wind and host a tea party of your own? Whether you are sipping with your sisters, friends, neighbors, or you are looking for a kid-friendly activity to keep your children busy in the great outdoors, some of these ideas may come in handy: Etiquette: While you don’t have to adhere to the strict formality of a … Continue reading →

Pirate Adventure

My 6-year-old daughter recently attended a birthday party with a “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” theme. The animated show on Disney Junior is based on Peter Pan, but is much cuter and tamer than the original pirate/fairy movie. My daughter happens to love the show, but is not a huge pirate fan. Rather, she adores Tick-Tock the Crocodile and Skully the bird. Given her affinity for animals instead of buccaneers, I wondered how she’d do at the pirate fest. Turns out she had a blast, thanks in large part to the birthday boy’s mother’s creativity. Here are just a … Continue reading →

Frugal St. Patrick’s Day Fun

My 6-year-old is down to party anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Fortunately, I don’t have to hire caterers, a band and petting zoo animals for her to have a good time. As long as the celebration involves balloons and cake, she’s good to go. Fortunately, I have those items and a few more inexpensive goodies to make our St. Patrick’s Day party a fun and frugal affair. Given that March 17th isn’t a major holiday in the United States, the celebration doesn’t have to be complicated, fussy or extravagant. However, since we are Irish, we certainly can’t let the day … Continue reading →

Simplifying Birthdays

Ah, the birthday party. We had one yesterday, in fact. Full of delicious cakey goodness, lots of hyped-on-sugar children, and general fun. Add in a few overwhelmed tears for good measure and you have a recipe for childhood delight, an introvert’s horror, and a parent’s desire to head for the hills. I am not fond of organizing birthdays. This is ironic because I do it for a living, at least in part. One of the programs I organize at work is the birthday party. However, when it’s your own child’s birthday party the stress level does tend to increase. Yesterday … Continue reading →

Weddings: Putting All That Planning Into Perspective

I’m conducting an experiment. Want to be a part of it? I’m trying to figure out how important all that wedding preparation ends up being. I got the idea back when my mom moved in with us earlier this year. I had to clean out the closet in what became her room so she’d have a place to hang her clothes. I ended up finding several wedding-related items. My wedding dress was in there. I knew it was in one of the closets, but if you’d asked me which one I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. I also … Continue reading →

Little Cakes From the Whimsical Bakehouse – Hansen and Hansen

I heard from a friend of mine that it was cupcake week on Martha Stewart’s show last week. Apparently tiny cakes are really “in” right now. Little Cakes From the Whimsical Bakehouse: Cupcakes, Small Cakes, Muffins, and Other Mini Treats by Kaye Hansen and Liv Hansen fits right in with this trend. Cupcakes are easy to make, and fun to decorate. They even bake fine at altitude, and trust me that’s a feat! Little Cakes has cupcakes and treats from very simple to quite advanced. Don’t worry, there are plenty of simple designs. And often, the authors give ideas for … Continue reading →