The Heist: Police Birthday Party

This adorable police inspired birthday party is a huge hit in my family! We are a family of law enforcement and my son loves seeing his dad in a police car! This party would be absolutely perfect for my son Evan's 4th birthday. Check out all the details.

Favorite Details:

• Police & Bad Guy Cake Pops
• Police T-Shirt
• Donuts
• Backdrop

Stephanie of Spaceships & Laser Beams planned this party for her son, Sam. Here is what she had to say:

When it comes to our boys’ birthday parties, we moms want our guys to be thrilled, their guests to be wowed…and it’s always nice if the other parents think your decorations are awesome, too! There’s an extra pressure on moms like me who work in the party industry, but I am determined to remain true to the idea that stylish boy birthday parties can happen while remaining within a tight budget. Today I’m sharing Sam’s Cops and Robbers themed 4th birthday party. Of course I’ve used our Cops & Robbers printable collection. I’ve incorporated fun cake and cupcakes, cool favors and an invitation to you to come see our dessert table {you are going to be amazed by the cake pops}.

Aren’t the mini-money bags great? They are cake pops from Samantha at Evie and Mallow and when I saw them it was a spur of the moment decision to add them to the cake. She actually did all the cake pops for the party. Samantha always does an excellent job; her artistry is amazing!  Styrofoam blocks hold the cake pops erect and are camouflaged by color-coordinated jelly beans in clear glass containers.

For the dessert table, I opted to set everything up on my antique wood buffet. I really like the way the wood tones complement the colors in the Cops and Robbers Collection.  I think a table backdrop is a great way to pull all of the theme elements together and establish the color scheme. For the backdrop, I enlarged the decorative paper and thank you card (cropped) from our printable collection using vistaprint.com. I just adhered it to the wall using green painter’s tape — so removal is super easy and I don’t have to worry about my walls. The poster now hangs in Sam’s playroom.

I like to pull guests into the party atmosphere as soon as they arrive, so this crime scene body marker points the way, with a grin. No blood in sight!

The take-home favor was a police kit that included an ID badge, flashlight, magnifying glass, memo pad (personalized with a 2” decal), aviator sunglasses, moustache and a mini lock and key set. Boys also received a police car while girls received evidence, aka costume jewelry.

I didn’t have a ton of activities because the kids are still very young but I did want to start to introduce some games. One of the activities the kids played was a variation of the classic horseshoe game, “toss the handcuffs”. The board was easy to make with wooden dowels and a partial sheet of plywood.  The center red post was the bull’s eye and worth the most points. The kids had fun with it.

Before going home, each guest was awarded with an official looking “Certificate of Completion” for “strength in body, wisdom in mind and courage in character”. Then they received a policeman’s visor hat and were invited to adopt a police dog companion by choosing whatever canine they bonded with.  Medallions reminded “Don’t forget your loot!”

Atop the cake, which was red velvet, were polymer figures of the policeman and the robber — they were captured perfectly right down to the 5 o’clock shadow!  The top tier of the cake references the boys in blue and the bottom layer, of course, the robbers. They’re almost exact replicas of the food labels from the collection.

Visit Spaceships & Laser Beams to find out where you can get all these cool police party ideas and supplies!

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The Original Rice Krispie Treat Recipe

Are you wondering why my rice krispie treats look a little "off" in color....? Funny story...

I was at Target with my kids today and we saw the colorful star marshmallows. I thought, how cool would it be to use those in rice krispie treats! Totally didn't think the whole plan through. We got home and I started to make the treats. I melted the butter and added the bag of "patriotic" star marshmallows. And as I am sitting there, I am realizing all the colors are melting and turning into a lovely, gray.

Ha ha. So moral of the story....Mommy brain. I am just not as smart as I used to be, lol. Why waste a yummy recipe. I introduce my yummy but a little funky, rice krispie treats!


Kellogg's Original Treat Recipe

3 tablespoons butter
1 packaged jet-puffed marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

Melt butter in large sauce pan. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Low heat and careful not to burn. Pour melted mixture over a large bowl with 6 cups rice cereal. Mix until all cereal is coated. Place mixture in a 9x13" baking dish, lined with greased parchment paper. TIP: Give the mixture a minute to cool. This will make it so the rice krispies do not stick to your spoon while spreading in the pan. They will become less sticky and more flexible. Press into baking dish. Allow to cool. Use fun cookie cutters and cut out your favorite shapes.

These are great treats and easy to make.

PRINT RECIPE


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9 Awesome Do-It-Yourself Projects

Check out these 9 super creative & easy DIY projects!

A. DIY Carnation Garland by The Proper Pinwheel
B. DIY Champagne Confetti Flutes by Pizzazzerie
C. DIY Tissue Paper Flowers by Fiskars
D. DIY Party Cups With Glitter Tape by Oh Goodie Designs & Events
E. DIY Faux Milk Glass Centerpieces by Ruffled
F. DIY Rustic Mason Jars by Rusted Treasure
G. DIY Blooming Monogram by Urbanic Paper
H. DIY Gold Dipped Plant Pots by The Style House: Pottery Barn Teen
I. DIY Bubble Gum Necklaces by Sweetly Chic Events & Design


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Pretty In Pastels: Spring Party Inspiration

Soft pastel colors, the smell of fresh cut grass, sounds of singing birds and white fluffy bunnies remind me of Spring. The filigree, lace and damask patterns mixed in with a sea foam green ruffled cloth add a more traditional feel to this styled dessert table. Each contributor captured the essence of Spring.

Roxane of Fancy Cakes (fondant cupcake toppers), delivers a high quality, specialty product. The amount of detail that goes into her designs makes them one of a kind. The lace and and hand painted floral accents speak for the time and energy she puts into each and every order. 

The talented Brandi of Painted and Sprinkled created bird's nest cake pops. What says Spring more then a bird's nest filled with pastel speckled eggs! They look so real! Absolutely beautiful. Her attention to detail in creating these beauties was spot on. The chocolate swirls mimic branches and the speckled eggs add an element of our favorite Easter candy! 

Katherine of Creating Awesomenessity, designed Easter inspired cookies with a vintage inspiration. The golden polka dot borders and bunnies almost look like a framed picture, to pretty to eat. Bold and beautiful. 

I absolutely love chocolate covered Oreos. It is amazing what Christina of 4 Kids Cakes was able to do on these little cookie surfaces! I sent her the cupcake wrapper paper designs for inspiration. She was able to replicate the designs on each cookie! If you look closely, each chocolate covered Oreo pairs with a design on the wrappers. 4 Kids Cakes also specializes in fondant work. 

Christina of Sweet Design Studio, created beautiful pastel French Meringue cookies along with the detailed filigree bunnies. A very romantic cookie! It amazes me how much time goes into the decoration of each cookie. Simply stunning. 

Kristal of Atutudes created the most beautiful pastel tulle dress. Perfect for an Easter dress! Well, perfect for any Spring photo session or party! I love the satin ribbon and most of all Kristal's signature design of the tutu skirt.

Hair accessories by Special Somethings Boutique and so pretty! My absolute favorite is the pastel floral felt headband. They look like actual flowers! 

Katie of Katie Moffitt Photography captures the most amazing snapshots! Her work is truly art. These styled shoots would not be as beautiful as they are without Katie. 

Cupcake With Character: Party Stylist, Ruffled Table Cloth,  Decorative Cupcake Wrappers, Pearlized Desserts Stands and Wooden Trays

Katie Moffitt Photography: Photographer

Special Somethings Boutique: Hair Accessories

Atutudes: Tutu Party Dress:

The Pretty Party Shoppe: Baking/Candy Cups, Strawberry Baskets

Painted and Sprinkled: Bird's Nest Cake Bites

Sweets & Treats Design Studio: Filigree Bunny Cookies and French Meringue Cookies

Creating Awesomenessity : Gold/Pastel Bunny Sugar Cookies

Fancy Cakes: Easter Fondant Cupcake Toppers

4 Kids Cakes: Filigree Oreos

Follow Cupcake With Character's board Spring/Easter on Pinterest.

Party Recipe Ideas

A. Chocolate Covered Party Bananas by Spark Recipes
B. Vanilla Funfetti Cake Roll by Shugary Sweets
C. Mini Corn Dog Muffins by Recipes Quick & Easy
D. Mini Donuts by The Novice Chef
E. Birthday Cake Popcorn by The Endless Meal
F. Oreo Pops by Makooodle
G. Spinach & Artichoke Dip by Natasha's Kitchen
H. Bacon Cheddar & Jalapeno Pinwheels by Yellow Bliss Road
I. Apple Pie Pops by Shop Girl

Here are some of my favorite party food recipes I have collected on Pinterest! 

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Freebie: Cinco De Mayo DIY Cupcake Wrappers

Download your free Cinco De Mayo cupcake wrappers, from Cupcake With Character! Four fun designs to choose from. Share with family and friends! 

Click on images to download. 

I would really love to see your finished cupcakes. Stop back by and leave a comment! You can also visit our Facebook page & post a picture of your lovely cupcakes!

Cinco De Mayo Layered Bean Dip

Easy layered bean dip! Perfect for Cinco De Mayo festivities! The best part....it is fresh! Made with homemade taco seasoning. No preservatives or artificial flavors and coloring.

When shopping for my ingredients, I have made it a habit to READ THE LABLES! You won't believe the junk they put into our food. I have found that Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Nugget are pretty safe. It is always best to read the labels. If you can't understand what the ingredients are, safe to say, not good for you.

1 can refried beans (Trader Joe's beans only use water and salt to preserve!! Good stuff).
1-2 avocados, mashed
1 large roma tomato
1/2-3/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/2-3/4 cup sliced black olives ( I buy these fresh at the nugget and remove the seeds).
1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream (set aside)

1/2 cup salsa (optional)

Taco Seasoning Recipe
Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Mix all seasoning together. Add 1-2 tablespoons to the 1/2 cup sour cream.

In a baking dish 8-9", spread the refried beans. Next spread the mashed avocado, then the taco seasoned sour cream mixture. Add the cheese, green onions, tomatoes and olives.

Chill for 1-2 hours before serving. ENJOY! with your favorite tortilla chips.

PRINT RECIPE

All Things Cupcake: Unique Cupcake Recipes

Check out these 9 unique cupcake recipes!

A. Margarita Cupcakes by Annie's Eats
B. Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes by Lady Behind The Curtain
C. S'mores Ice Cream Cupcakes by A Pumpkin & and A Princess
D. Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes by Bakingdom
E. Greek Yogurt Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting by Natasha's Kitchen
F. Chocolate Pistachio Cupcakes by Your Cup of Cake
G. Mojito Cupcakes by Gooseberry Mooseberry
H. Maple Pecan Cupcakes with Mini Pancakes by The Moon Blush Baker
I. Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes by Cooking Classy

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{Video} Easy Streamer Backdrop

Streamers are such an affordable way to add a nice backdrop to any event table. They can also be a great photo prop backdrop!

A. Finished Backdrop
B. Gather materials. Streamers. Tape. Ribbon.
C. Cut ribbon the appropriate length for your backdrop. Cut streamers various lengths. Fold streamers in half. ( I make sure they are somewhat off, not exactly in half). Place ribbon over streamer.
D-E. Fold over streamer.
F. Tape fold.

I like to leave a little extra room so the streamers are adjustable. You can group them close together or spread them apart. Need an example? Take a peek at our Youtube video.



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Unique Refreshing Treats: Ice Cubes

It is starting to get hotter here in Northern California! What better way to beat the heat then with these ice cube treats. Yummy additions to your Spring and Summertime drinks. I just know my kids are going to enjoy creating their own ice cube recipes. Great way to keep it natural and fresh!

A. Chai Ice Cubes by The Kitchn
B. Strawberry & Basil Infused Ice Cubes by Stephanie Lynn
C. Fruit Striped Ice Cubes by Honestly Yum
D. Ice Cubes with Fruit by A Beautiful Bite
E. Fresh Flower Herb Blossom Ice Cubes by Food
F. Festive Shaped Fruit Ice Cubes by Capture by Lucy
G. Mint Infused Ice Cubes by 17 Apart
H. Herb Infused Ice Cubes by Giggles Galore
I. Keep Cool Cubes by Martha Stewart

Sweet Shoppe Birthday Party

I planned this party for my daughter Annie’s second birthday. We are always calling her ”Sweet Annie” so we thought a sweet shoppe birthday party would be perfect! I wanted bright colors to represent Annie’s colorful personality! Every aspect of this party came together to create a super special day. The colors and design of the party were based on Hello Love Too’s clip art. I had Kelli of Print and Cut Your Printables cut out the clip art for the tags, lemonade, and garland.

DESSERTS:

Autumn, of Autumn Lynn’s Chocolate Sins created some adorable (and super yummy) bubble gum machine cake pops. The kids absolutely loved them. Nicole of Sweet U Off Your Feet made some colorful rice krispie treats. Delish! Christina of 4 Kids Cakes created the most amazing fondant toppers to match the clip art!! They were so cute! Hakima of Kima’s Konfections created some extra special fondant toppers. The ice cream cones, the larger gumball machine topper and the various candy toppers. The glittered candy cupcake toppers added such a sparkle to the cupcake display. A huge thank you to Made By A Princess! Tonya of Soiree Event Design custom made cotton candy favors to coordinate with the theme! The kids really enjoyed these. What a great addition to any party favor. The best part, she’ll personalize them for your event! Kimberley’s Kitchen has the best gourmet marshmallows you will find around. They are delicious and perfect as is or mixed in with their s’mores kits! Order early! She is in Canada. Vista of Dolce Vista Cakes created Annie’s birthday cake. I wanted the cake to match the clip art cake from Hello Love Too. Not only was the cake beautiful, it tasted divine! The kids also loved the Oreo pops on a stick from Sweets and Treats Design Studio. They looked yummy and were just as yummy to eat!

DECOR: 

I special ordered the glittered cake stand and candy jar form Nikka of Triple M Good Parties. If you want anything glittered up, Nikka’s your go to gal! Lauren of Ten23Designs custom made the super “Sweet” wood cut out along with a personalized “Annie” cut out for the birthday girl’s chair. I painted them pink and added some cute ribbon for the party. They are the best quality and I highly recommend these for your events! The printables by my Small Moments were just perfect. Fun, bright and perfect for any little girl or even boy party! I loved the welcome sign on the door to greet the little guests as well as the stickers I placed on tags and used for envelope seals. Christy of Pretty My Party sent over some wooden forks and spoons to coordinate with the party decor. Perfect for kid tables! Katie of The Pretty Party Shop, always has the best selection of party supplies. I loved the addition of her rainbow straws, paper favor bags, orange twine and adorable baking cups. The products arrive quickly and are packaged to perfection. Elizabeth of I Have A Favor made the cutest favor tins and personalized cup for Annie! Each child had a favor tin with their name, filled with goodies. The personalization adds an extra special touch. They can even be used later as a cute pencil jar! Katie, our photographer, really captures every party we do. Katie’s beautiful photos bring to life the hard work that goes into a party and the products.

Cupcake With Character: Party stylist, table runners, birthday banner, cupcake wrappers, mason jar labels.
Katie Moffitt Photography: Photographer
The Pretty Party Shoppe: Colorful baking cups, paper straws, colorful polka dot pastry bags.
Small Moments: Party printables
Soiree Event Design: Cotton candy favors.
I Have a Favor: Personalized metal tins and plastic drinking cup
Pretty My Party: Stamped wooden cutlery
Ten23 Designs: Annie and sweets wooden cutouts
Dolce Vista Cakes: Cake
Autumn Lynn's Chocolate Sins: Bubble gum machine cake pops
Sweet U Off Your Feet: Rice krispie treats
Kima's Konfections: Ice cream cone, bubble gum machine and candy fondant cupcake toppers.
4 Kids Cakes: Cake and bubble gum jar and candy twirl cupcake toppers.
Print and Cut Your Printables: clip art cutouts for garland.
Hello Love Too: Clip art
Kimberley's Kitchen: Homemade marshmallow pops
Sweets & Treats Design Studio: Oreo pops
Made by a Princess: Glittered candy cupcake picks
Triple M Good Parties: Cupcake stand and candy jar