{Year in Review} My Top Faves of 2012

Happy New Year!

There's a lot going on behind the scenes in the past few months with me personally, so, I wasn't able to get around to setting up a 2013 New Year's party as I'd hope.  Never one to sully a grand affair, I did toss together a few links & images to my favorite parties that I styled this past year.....and in no particular order.  Enjoy!


Pink & Grey Valentine's Day Party

I loved the combo of pink & grey for Valentine's day.....I created the printables for my Etsy shop and was so happy with how everything turned out.....especially my heart shaped poms!!!!


Valentine's Day Sundry Challenge

For this set up - a challenge was put on by the PS Make It Your Own team to create a Valentine's Day Party setup using nothing but 5 select sundry items found in your home.  I didn't win the challenge.....but I still liked how it turned out.



Train Party  - styled for MG Party Impressions

All of the parties I style for MG Party Impressions always give me a new opportunity to create new ideas and inspiration with whatever theme I am working with.  I loved how this train themed party set up came together and I think my favorite idea was wrapping the root beer soda bottles with strips of bandana fabric!

Retro Birthday Party - styled for MG Party Impressions

 Here's another party styled for MG Party Impressions.....I loved the retro look of the clip art that I was inspired by and I came across a retro cupcake table cloth online that was just the most.  

Nikki & Adam's Rock Star Party

Of  course I live for making parties for my babies the BEST event of their year.  This year I was forced to throw them a birthday party together and they both agreed to a rock star theme (whew).

Yarn Pom-Pom cameos!

I love when other planners use my lil' pom garlands and toppers for their events!  Last year I worked with Stefanie Nieves of The Petite Soiree, Linda Schwartz of Frog Prince Cake & Cookie Design, and Amy McKee Belle Isle for Operation Shower.


Apple Spice Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Of course, when I started this blog, I was big into making cupcakes and as things go, I've sort of evolved from that, but I always, always include cupcakes in all of my events.  Created for one of my MG Party Impressions party shoots, these super delicious Apple Spice Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting were the tastiest cupcakes I made all year!

Halloween Carnival

Another fun event planned for my kids.  We host a Halloween party every year and I'd been dying to do a carnival theme Halloween party!  I made a lot of the items by hand and was spent by the time the party started.....but thankful for good family & friends.

How did your year go?  What are you most thankful for?


Linking to:


  Piggy Bank Parties

 

{Cupcake Monday} Apple Spice Cupcakes w/ Caramel Buttercream

I recently styled an apple themed baking party for MG Party Impressions and made some delicious Apple Spice Cupcakes with the tastiest Caramel Buttercream Frosting you will ever want to try (they were subsequently devoured by a group of lovely kiddos at my daughter's school for an arts & crafts class I was teaching).

For the cupcakes, I used this recipe that came off the back of a Land O Lakes box! The buttercream frosting is my own concoction. My measurements for the caramel are not exact since I made the frosting, to taste, but I will give you a guesti-mate of how much of everything I used.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting 
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) room temp butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar - sifted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (or more) Smucker's brand caramel sauce

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar together until well blended.  Add vanilla extract and caramel syrup and blend until the frosting is almost light and airy.  Pipe or frost cupcakes with buttercream and douse drizzle with caramel sauce over frosted cupcakes.

Please note - I used my hand mixer for the frosting, and I've learned.....at least in my kitchen.....the hand mixer turns out a fabulous frosting!  You might find that you have a different result with yours.

You can check out more details about throwing your own apple themed fall baking party on my post over at MG Party Impressions!