Since it’s my second time to pass though the Frozen phase, I am more aware how quickly these phases pass. I wanted to do something extra special this year and started putting together ideas for an elaborate Frozen-themed birthday party.

Starting with the base of snow (I left our snowflakes from Christmas up on our windows an extra month), snowmen and princesses, I knew it would be fun to build a themed party.

It’s a great bonus that many of these decorations can be reused in future Christmas decor.

Related: How to Make a Paper Snowflake – 10 Free Designs

Frozen Birthday Decorations

I decided to keep our decor minimal and lightly themed. I stayed away from large character cutouts and branded items, and instead focused on the themes of snow, the colors blue, white, and purple and a general ice princess theme.

For decor, I used a set of these paper snowflakes hung on a chandelier.

To create a candy centerpiece, I ordered light blue M&Ms, sour gummy rings, sour candy strips and blue and white rock candy sticks to resemble ice.

You can easily create a fun display of treats using just white and light blue candy. Other ideas that you can add are marshmallows, white chocolate covered pretzels, and white powdered sugar donuts.

Tips for picking Frozen birthday decorations

• Focus on your child’s favorite character. Let them wear a costume if they want to. Our daughter wears an Elsa dress nearly daily already, so we surprised her with a new one on her birthday.

• Color coordinate. Don’t worry about buying a bunch of branded items—just focus on the colors from the movie and you’ll create the same effect (or even prettier) with less branding.

• These snowflake banners are so cute!

Frozen Desserts and Cookies

I found these edible snowflake decorations and they are perfect for adding to cupcakes, ice cream, or truffles.

Here are some great cookie cutters you can use to create Frozen cookies: snowflake, Elsa’s crown and Olaf.

More Party Inspo

• If you want to add a few costumes to your party, I recommend Olaf, Elsa, and Anna. You can get adult versions as well (Emma and I went as Elsa and Anna).
  
• Balloon arches are easier to make than you think. All you need is a balloon kit and a pump. We’ve got full instructions for how to make a balloon arch here.

• Get a custom garland made from an Etsy seller.

• This Etsy seller makes candy party favors you can customize.

If you are having a Frozen-themed birthday in your future, we wish you a magical party! Remember, some people are worth melting for. xx- Elsie

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

With the holidays around the corner, I thought I would whip up an easy spread of delicious crostini toppings since crostinis are one of my favorite things to eat and serve at a party.

For this post, we are partnering with Walmart, and I love that they make it easy to shop for all your party food needs as well as your serving dishes and holiday decor items, all in one place! I grabbed all my grocery needs for this platter in one trip to Walmart and I was so happy that I could save time to get everything at one store (and get to assembling them faster).

My favorite party foods to serve are ones that are easy to make and taste great, so these five crostini options will make hosting a breeze and your friends and family will think you’re also pretty fancy too!

Why are Crostinis The Perfect Party Food?

• They are bite size (well, a few bites): Having easy-to-pick-up appetizers is always a plus with a party, and one that you can eat in a bite or two also gives guests a chance to try a few without filling up on just that snack.
• The topping options are unlimited: Seriously, there are a million ways to top crostinis … from savory to sweet, to both, the options are endless so you could serve them at every party and never have to do it the same way twice if you didn’t want to.
• Easy to customize: If you have guests that are vegetarians, or vegans, or dairy-free, you can swap out ingredients to make sure your guests have something delicious they can have as well (they make gluten-free baguettes as well!).

What type of bread should I use for crostinis?

The best bread to use for crostinis is a French baguette (the long skinny breads that you see in bike baskets in Paris, haha). Once sliced, the pieces are toasted in the oven and you get the perfect crunch that is chewier than a cracker, but more sturdy for holding toppings than a regular piece of toast would be.

While you could use another bread as the base of your crostini, just be aware it may not be as sturdy as a sliced baguette is when toasted.

Can I make crostinis in batches?

Yes!! That’s the other great thing about these is that you can cut a bunch of bread slices, toast them, and then just spread them out in a line and top with your assorted toppings. You can make them all the same or mix and match flavors just by varying the toppings.

You can also roast a lot of your fruit toppings together on different sides of the same pan. Just keep an eye on them as they may bake at different rates.

Roasted Grape and Honey Goat Cheese Crostini

This is one of my favorite apps I’ve ever had at a party! I actually had one of these at my co-worker’s house years ago and asked her friend immediately for the recipe.

The roasted grapes give the dish some sweetness along with the honey in the goat cheese, and the creamy cheese with the roasted rosemary gives it a tangy undertone that pairs perfectly.

Prosciutto and Plum Crostini

Another way to marry sweet and savory is to use prosciutto, as it pairs really well with fruits like plums, peaches, pears, and slices of melon like honeydew and cantaloupe.

You can also roast fruit slices (the plumbs, peaches, or pears) until they start to soften a bit or even crisp up the prosciutto first on a cookie sheet until it starts to get crispy, but it’s also great as-is and can be a nice contrast if you have other topping options that are roasted.

Chocolate Hazelnut with Berries and Mint

Chocolate hazelnut spread on bread is one of my favorite things in the world, so adding it to a crostini with fresh berries and mint is a really fast way to make a desert crostini and please all those chocolate bread lovers like myself. This one is really fast to put together so you can make more in a snap as needed.

Roasted Tomato and Feta

What’s better than tomatoes, basil, and cheese? You can do a feta slice for a tangier option or stick with something a little more mild like a mozzarella or even a cream cheese. This one is definitely a classic standard that’s a crowd pleaser any time of the year.

Blackberry and Baked Brie Crostini

This is one of those toppings that feels fancy but is still a snap to make! Adding a bit of honey and vanilla to the blackberry gives it something extra and smashing a few of them will give you an instant jam as well to add to the brie.

For serving appetizers like these, I love serving trays like that marble and wood serving board, and these long white trays are so versatile for events all year round.

Bigger trays like this wood one with handles are perfect for apps or plates and silverware presentation.

Those Santa plates are adorable (similar here)! And every party needs a set of gold cheese knives (similar here) and gold silverware, if you ask me.

How festive does that look!? I love those lit birch trees (they are super easy to set up and to store), the glass trees add a punch of color to the table (big and small), the candle holders add warmth (love those pink candles), and the snow globe adds fun!

Having a table runner in a holiday color is a must and I wove these star lights into a pre-lit pine garland and the result feels so magical. I also love that snow globe print above the table that I added wool ball garlands to. So festive!

You can double or triple one of the recipes if you just want to make one or two options for a party, but I hope this becomes an easy way to run to your local Walmart and get all of your holiday appetizer needs in one spot.

Do you have any other favorite ways to top a crostini? Happy holidays, everyone! xo. Laura

Print

5 Easy Crostini Recipes

French bread crostinis topped with five different toppings

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, French

Keyword appetizers, crostini

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $15

Equipment

• cookie sheet

Ingredients

Roasted Grape and Honey Goat Cheese

• ¾ cup grapes washed
• 1 spring rosemary
• 2-3 ounces honey goat cheese or just mix a drizzle of honey into regular goat cheese
• ¼ French baguette
• 1 drizzle olive oil

Chocolate Hazelnut with Berries and Mint

• chocolate hazelnut spread
• 4 springs mint fresh
• 1 cup berries assorted
• ¼ French baguette

Roasted Tomato and Feta

• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 drizzle olive oil
• 6 basil leaves
• ¼ French baguette
• ¼ block of feta cheese

Prochutto and Plum

• ¼ French baguette
• 5-6 slices prosciutto
• 1 plumb can also use peach or melon slices
• 3-4 wedges Laughing Cow spreadable cheese can also use another preferred cheese
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish optional

Blackberry and Baked Brie

• 1 cup blackberries
• ¼ wheel of brie cheese
• 1 drizzle of honey
• 1 drop of vanilla extract
• ¼ French baguette

Instructions

Roasted Grape and Honey Goat Cheese

• Begin by taking your washed gapes, halve them, and put them in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil on top. Finely chop your rosemary, add it to the grapes and olive oil, and mix together.

  Preheat oven to 375˚F, and place the grape and rosemary mixture on a baking pan. Bake the grapes for 10-20 minutes until their skins are wrinkled and begin to blister.

  Turn the oven down to 350˚F. Cut your baguette into thin slices. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil, and bake on another baking sheet for 7 minutes or so until they are toasted. Spread your honey goat cheese onto each crostini, and top with your roasted grape and rosemary mixture.

Chocolate Hazelnut with Berries and Mint

• Turn the oven to 350˚F. Cut your baguette into thin slices. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil, and bake on another baking sheet for 7 minutes or so until they are toasted.

  Spread a layer of chocolate hazelnut spread on each crostini and top with berries and chopped fresh mint.

Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

• Begin by taking your washed grape tomatoes, halve them, and put them in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375˚F, and place the tomatoes on a baking pan.

  Bake the tomatoes for 10-20 minutes until their skins are wrinkled and begin to blister. Add chopped basil to the tomatoes.

  Turn the oven to 350˚F. Cut your baguette into thin slices. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil, and bake on another baking sheet for 7 minutes or so until they are toasted. Add slices of feta to your crostinis and top with the tomato and basil mixture.

Prosciutto and Plumb

• Turn the oven to 350˚F. Cut your baguette into thin slices. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil, and bake on another baking sheet for 7 minutes or so until they are toasted.

  Spread a thick layer of cheese onto each crostini and layer half a slice of prosciutto in a ribbon on top. Add a slice of plum to the prosciutto and fresh thyme for a garnish.

Blackberry and Baked Brie

• Turn the oven to 350˚F. Cut your baguette into thin slices. Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil, and bake on another baking sheet for 7 minutes or so until they are toasted.

  Add slices of brie to your crostini and put them back in the oven until the brie starts to melt a bit. While the brie is melting, add your blackberries to a bowl and drizzle with a bit of honey and a few drops of vanilla extract.

  Smash a few of the berries so that the juice begins to mix in with the vanilla and honey. Spread the blackberry mixture and a bit of the juice over the warm crostini and top with a bit of fresh mint.

Notes

TIP: You can bake all your crostinis at once. You can also bake all your fruit and tomatoes together on different sides of the pan to save time! Just watch them as they may bake at a different rate.

Fire tables 
We purchased our fire table in 2020 and it was one of our best purchases of the year. We’ve used it countless times with our kiddos who LOVE to make s’mores and sit outside by a fire.

Propane fire tables can get pretty pricey (plus you have to buy other pieces like a propane tank and cover), so if you’re shopping on a tight budget, go for a version where you build a real fire. I’m adding my favorites to this collage below!

Patio decor
I love a cozy outdoor space! To me, a few of the key features are some sort of twinkle lights, lantern or candle and plenty of blankets for fireplace snuggles.

Outdoor rugs
I’ve noticed the options for outdoor rugs are getting better (and less expensive!) over the past few years. It’s getting a lot easier to find outdoor rug options that mirror your indoor decor style!

S’mores ingredients 
I love a fancy s’more! Keeping a (well hidden) stash of s’mores ingredients is one of my best mom hacks. I love being able to create a special experience for my kiddos on a whim. The only problem is my husband always eats all the thin Reese’s, but I still try my best! Haha.

Thanks so much for reading!! If you have any s’mores secrets I’d love to hear! XX- Elsie

It’s always fun to make extra special treats for a themed party (especially if you are having a Halloween that involves kids), so I thought I would make a version of the “balloon chocolate bowl” to look like a jack-o’-lantern that would also hold some candy treats.

We are partnering with JOANN on this post and I took a quick trip to the store to gather my supplies for my bowls and I always love to browse their candy/baking area of the store as it has so much to choose from!

I snuck in a few Halloween cookie cutters to my cart as well while I was there so I can make some cookies with Lola for the season—they’ve thought of it all! OK, back to how to make these chocolate bowls …

Related: Halloween Cake Pops, Caramel Apples, Halloween Cupcakes.

Supplies:
–orange melting candy (12 ounces should be enough to dip 6-8 bowls)
-shortening
-microwave-proof bowl (or double boiler for stove)
-small balloons (like water balloon size)
–edible food color markers
-wax paper
-candy for bowls

First, you’ll want to blow up some small balloons so you have ones that are about 3-4″ at the widest part (you’ll need one balloon per candy cup, but I would make a few extra in case some break).

If your balloons feel coated in any sort of powder or substance, you can carefully wash and dry them before dipping. Then, melt your dipping chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals (or use a double boiler with water in the bottom pot), stirring between each interval, until it’s all melted.

If your chocolate feels too thick for dipping, you can stir in a few spoonfuls of shortening and that will thin it out. You want it to drip off a spoon a little, but not be too thin and runny, so try and aim for a good in between.
Once your chocolate is melted, wait until it is just barely warm (too hot will pop the balloon) and line a tray with wax paper. Dip each of your balloons and roll the balloon around until the chocolate has coated all the way up to the widest part of the balloon.

Try and use a bowl for dipping that’s just a little larger than your balloons so it creates a nice pool to dip into, as a super wide bowl will create a shallow pool for dipping.

Once you dip your balloon, place it on the wax paper. Once all your balloons are dipped, place the tray in the fridge for 20-30 minutes until the chocolate is set.

Once your chocolate has set, cut a small hole in the top of the balloon near the tie and let the air out slowly. I did have some balloon stick to the bottom of the cup once all the air was out, but I was able to gently pull it off the bottom (it may be easier to get off the bottom as the chocolate warms up a bit too).

Use your food coloring marker to draw the outline of a jack-o’-lantern face, fill it in, and your cups are ready to use! You can alternately pipe black or brown melting chocolate as the face, but I like the ease of the markers, so I went that route.
Fill your cups with candy and you are ready to party!! How cute are those?! You can make these shells a few days ahead of time as well, so that can be a big help for party prep too (just keep them in an airtight container).

Obviously, these bowls are delicate, so you don’t want to handle them too much. But they were totally fine being filled with a ton of candy and sitting out for several hours on my counter.

Lola thought it was amazing that she could eat the bowl, so it was a big hit with the kid in our house! Hope these bowls make it to your Halloween party this year! xo. Laura

We’re partnering with ALDI for this post. I have been shopping there a lot this past year and it’s never been better. I love being able to get quality items there, and they have some really fun specialty cheeses you’ll see below that are available starting 10/16 for a limited time only! I bought every single food item on all these boards (plus the wine) at ALDI. You can find your local store here.

OK, let’s jump in!

There are few things I look forward to more than wine and cheese when our kiddos go to bed at night (woooo!!!!!). I’m really into this all-white board because it has all my favorite things: soft cheese, cheddar popcorn, pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts. Oh, and chardonnay!

Products used: William Wright Chardonnay, Happy Farms Preferred Transylvanian Romanian Cave Cheese, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Happy Farms Preferred Camembert Soft Cheese, Happy Farms Preferred Goat Cheese, Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips, Southern Grove Pumpkin Seeds, Southern Grove Macadamias with Sea Salt, Clancy’s White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn.

I love a board with tons of veggies, olives and a variety of nuts and dried fruit. If you have a chance, ALWAYS add apple chips to your board … it’s so delicious and surprising.

Pumpkin Spice Cheese. Yep, that exists. This board was so delicious, I wish I could have shared it with you! It’s perfect for a Halloween or fall-themed party!

Products used: Emporium Selection Halloween Scary Pumpkin Spice Wensleydale Cheese, (available 10/16), Raccolte Lambrusco, Dried Mediterranean Apricots, Clancy’s Apple Chips, Dried Phillippine Mango, Benton’s Maple Leaf Cream Cookies, Southern Grove Cashews with Sea Salt, Sliced Hard Salami, Chef’s Collection Gourmet Tomatoes.

Next up, a cheese and chocolate board. The ultimate! This one would be amazing at a Halloween party. I added caramel apples, pumpkin spice pretzels and truffles. Cheddar and chocolate are such a good combination! It’s great paired with a fun rosé too!

Products used: La Rue Rosé Cotes de Provence Rosé, Emporium Selection Halloween Freaky Franken Sage Derby Cheese and Emporium Selection Halloween Bat Knit Crazy Cheddar Cheese (available 10/16), caramel apples, Moser Roth Luxurious European Chocolate Truffles, Choceur Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Covered Pretzels, Choceur Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Almonds, Specially Selected Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, Benton’s Chocolate Cream Filled Wafer Rolls, Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn.

Try adding in some slices of Easy Caramel Apples! Cheers!! I hope you are feeling inspired and ready for some wine and cheese!

Now, please tell me what your favorite combination is for a party board! I’m always excited to learn new things. xx- Elsie

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

I think she was probably envisioning something fit for Ariel, while I was busy thinking of ways to do this theme without the red-headed Disney character plastered on each dinner plate and napkin. The party was a lovely event certainly fit for a mer-princess like Ariel, but still kind to the Earth, my wallet, and my eyes!

I wanted to share my table decorations and themed treat ideas so that you can also easily throw together a fanciful mermaid birthday party for the special mermaid or merman in your life!

Earth-Conscious Party Supplies

I know a lot of children’s party supplies are often made from plastic—like flatware, cups, and even plates. Not to mention party favors and cake decorations. While paper plates and cups are still coated with material designed to prolong their lifespan, they still eventually break down and are a much kinder choice compared to plastic alternatives.

I decided to combine paper party products with compostable items like plates made from pressed palm leaves and flatware made of birch. This is the perfect party theme for these types of product since they go with the earthy vibes associated with the beach.

My sequined tablecloth is something I decided to buy last year, knowing it would probably coordinate with most birthday party ideas my girls dream up. (They love sparkles, and the white color matches everything!)

So far we’ve used it for a My Little Pony party and this mermaid party. This time around, I covered the tablecloth with one of the two fishnets that came in this set. (The other fishnet is hanging on the wall behind the table.)

For party favors, we simply made starfish wands with ribbon streamers. I wasn’t sure what to do about the starfish, to be honest. I know that using real starfish seems like an eco-friendly choice, considering they’re natural byproducts of the ocean.

However, I also know that not all starfish you buy at stores are ethically sourced and may have been alive when caught. Even if they weren’t alive, I’m learning that taking shells from the beach does have an impact on other sea/beach creatures’ natural habitats. In the end, I decided to use these resin starfish I found on Etsy.

Mermaid Birthday Party Supplies

1. Clear Bubble Balloon Set
2. Lilac Paper Cups
3. Lilac Scalloped Napkins
4. Holographic Shell Paper Plates
5. Birch Flatware
6. Resin Starfish
7. Compostable Palm Leaf Plates
8. Natural Fish Net Decoration (set of two)
9. Drink Dispenser with Natural Base

The starfish “mermaid wands” were a cute addition to the table settings, and the kids absolutely loved playing with them through the entire party.

These were a breeze to make, and more fun and imaginative than a lot of the little trinkets often used as children’s party favors. Here’s how to make your own.

Starfish Wand Supplies:

• Starfish (I used these resin ones)
• Ribbons in colors to coordinate with your party (Mine are all from JOANN)
• 12″ wood dowels
• Hot glue gun

Step One: Cut the ribbons into 18-20″ lengths

Step Two: Knot one of each ribbon type around the top of each dowel. Stagger the lengths so that one side of the tied ribbon hangs lower than the other side.

Step Three: Apply a line of hot glue across the tied ribbon as shown above right.

Step Four: Press a starfish onto the hot glue and hold for a moment.

These starfish wands were a big hit, which got me wondering why didn’t we think about doing mermaid headbands as a party craft? Maybe we’ll do that for our next mermaid birthday party. (I’m already getting requests from sis for a similar party because—mermaid dresses!)

For a party backdrop, I kept it simple with a hanging the two fishnets that came in this set covered in various sizes of clear bubble balloons. I purchased this set of bubble balloons from Etsy and was pleased with the mix. They were really difficult to blow up by hand, so I’d recommend using a pump of some sort if you’re not using helium. I strung them up with monofilament and 3M hooks.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have really questioned my sanity when you saw me spend the better part of a week practicing making macarons until I found the perfect method for making shell-shaped macarons. I’ve made macarons before, but had never really achieved perfection until my self-imposed macaron boot camp.

These little guys looked really special and were admired and enjoyed by each of our guests. (The chocolate pearls are sixlets I found at a party store.) I made them a few days before the party and kept them sealed up until the big day.

You may be wondering about this sandcastle cake, so don’t worry! I shared a tutorial around how to make it! It was sort of a grand experiment that I had planned for a while and ended up making the morning of the party. It went really well and ended up being a straightforward (though a bit time-intensive) project.

I really think this party wouldn’t have been the same without the sandcastle cake. I would certainly make it again if I were to go back in time! Plus, it was amazingly delicious and gave us good leftovers for a family gathering the next day.

We have ourselves one happy little mermaid! It was such a fun day. My heart is always filled with so much joy to see my kiddos truly enjoy the fruits (or cake) of my labor!

Party planning can be a lot of fun, but obviously can be a lot of work too, if you let it. Do the amount that you find fun and works with your schedule and family lifestyle. I’m just the crazy lady scrolling through Pinterest already planning the next big bash! – Mandi

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Frozen-Themed Birthday Party
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

Credits//Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

Last year, I selected a cake off the rack at a local grocery store, and I bought Juniper a balloon. That was about the extent of my party planning. We joked that her birthday party theme was “mom and dad just gutted a house.” So this year I wanted to put more effort into making her birthday party feel special. I spent a little time working on crafts or food each day during the week before her puppy party. With a little bit of effort and a small budget, her puppy party ended up being such a sweet affair!

This guy here is part of the reason we’re all a little dog obsessed, to the point of planning a puppy-themed birthday party! At the beginning of the year I said to my husband, “Can we please finally get a dog this year?” And he agreed!

So the girls and I spent months stalking PetFinder until we found a special pair of bonded dogs that we couldn’t leave at the pound. (Meet our dogs at this blog post!)

This is Theo, and his buddy Alfie was standing at my feet (like usual) as I was taking this photo. The girls wanted to make dog ear headbands for them, forgetting that, in fact, they already came equipped with dog ears!

After seeing the cute cookies Elsie made for Nova, I knew I wanted to try out some fancy cookies myself. This was the most time-intensive part of party prep, but I learned a lot in the process. Next time will be much easier—and yes, there will be a next time! Ha!

First, I spent some time on Pinterest deciding what kind of cookies I wanted to make, then I bought this dog cookie cutter set. I used this butter cookie recipe to make and freeze the cookies a couple of weeks in advance. Then I used this royal icing recipe to decorate the cookies two days before the party.

I purchased a pink plaid table runner for the dining table and the food table, which brought a nice pop of color to the party decorations. Everything else I kept pretty simple so that the dog ears and novelty food could really stand out.

I couldn’t find any cups or plates that I loved with a puppy theme, so I decided to make my own cup decorations and then buy some plain biodegradable party plates.

How to Make Dog Bone Party Cups

Materials:
–plain white paper cups
-kraft card stock
–dog bone template*
–glue dots or double sided tape
-scissors
-printer

Load your printer with the card stock and print out one sheet of this dog bone template. Cut out each dog bone by hand with scissors. Use glue dots or double-sided tape to affix each dog bone to paper party cups. The dog bones are a cute decorative detail, but they also provide a nice spot for people to write their names on their cups!

*Full disclosure: I made the dog bone template out of this clip art that someone else designed.

How to Make Dog Ear Headbands

Instead of party hats, we like to make special headbands that go with our birthday party theme. (We still have a few bumblebee headbands from Lucy’s third birthday party.) Of course, it was a no-brainer to make dog ears for a puppy party! The girls were obsessed with them.

We even got face paint to give the kids dog faces that matched their headbands. The kids ended up getting sidetracked at the party and we didn’t do face paint then, but we did do it the next day!

The dog ear headbands were pretty easy to make, and the supplies were inexpensive. Check out how I made them below!

Materials:
-2 pieces of crafting felt for each headband (or just one for smaller ears)
-plastic headbands (I bought a set of plastic headbands to save money for this and future headband projects.)
-fabric scissors
-hot glue gun with glue

Step One: Cut out two ear shapes and at least two 1″ strips of felt for wrapping the plastic headband. I found that I could get by with only two strips of felt for wrapping the headband in step two, but it took a bit of stretching.

I didn’t use any templates for the ear shapes, but you can see below what the shapes looked like that I ended up freehand cutting out of my felt pieces.

Step Two: Wrap the plastic headband with your felt strips. I used hot glue to affix the end of the strip where I began. After I wrapped the entire headband, I glued the very end, and trimmed the felt with fabric scissors.

Step Three: Glue the dog ears onto the headband. You may want to pin them in place first and put on the headband to see if you like the placement. Then you can commit to gluing them into place.

I made two headbands of each dog ear style. One I got going, it went pretty quickly! It took me the length of a one-hour podcast to make 10 headbands.

The girls requested I try to make dog ears like our dogs, so I added some white fringe to the bottom of some black floppy ears to look like our Theo, and I did try to make Alfie cookies, but really they ended up looking more like Lassie. Oh well, they tasted great and the girls didn’t seem to notice the discrepancies the way that I did.

Puppy Cupcakes

I think it’s important to know your limits when planning a party, and for me, that limit was at cupcakes. I figured I could either make dog cupcakes or dog cookies, but I didn’t want to put myself through having to do both of them.

So I ordered these puppy cupcakes (or pupcakes, if you will!) from my friend Shawna, who owns a shop called A Cupcake A Day in Medina, Ohio. They were delicious and I was so pleased with how cute they turned out!

Puppy Print Decals

The last puppy party detail I added was little paw prints across the walls in our kitchen and dining room. I found a template I liked using Google Images, printed out three per sheet of card stock, and hand cut them. They were stuck to the wall with glue dots, and they came off easily during party cleanup.

I really enjoy planning cute birthday parties for my kids, and it’s not a burden to me—as long as I don’t try to do too much myself. (I always ask for help when it comes to putting together party food!) Usually I get a lot of ideas spinning around in my head when planning a party, so I do have to choose where to hit the brakes before I enter crazy town.

This puppy party had the perfect amount of fun details without being too much work for me. And when Juniper saw the party decorations and pointed out each detail with delight, it made it all feel even more worth it! – Mandi

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Frozen-Themed Birthday Party
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

Just kidding. We went all in!

We had no idea how it would all shake out because at Christmas Nova had ZERO interest in gifts and did not seem aware at all that it was a special day. We tried to prepare that she may not understand the whole birthday concept this year, but somehow it all clicked for her. It might have been the daily gifts my mom packed to give her each morning (can’t blame a grandparent for wanting to spoil her!) or hearing the birthday song sung to her by all our friends and family. Whatever it was, it really stuck. She now asks to go to her birthday party every morning (haha!) and tried to open up all Jeremy’s Father’s Day gifts herself.

Anyway! I’ll give you what you came for. Here are the cute party photos …

We kept it pretty simple with food prep. Cakes from Whole Foods (no time to make cakes when you spend three days making cookies—haha), a cheese board (my one and only party “must”) and pizza from our favorite local spot hidden in the kitchen.

We took our time and had a pretty chill party full of adults chatting and children running around wild—as it should be.

Our beautiful birthday girl.

Augh, my heart! One of the happiest, sweetest, best moments of my life.

We love you so much, Nova!

After that, we moved on to the “pool party” entertainment (which entailed a blow-up pool from Amazon and a sprinkler). The kids loved it—it was so cute (and LOUD!).

Friends + family!

Here’s half my friends (assuming the other half were chasing their little kids—haha).

And the grand finale was giving Nova her first car! It was Jeremy’s parents idea and turned out to be something she is having so much fun with. She’s definitely still on her “learners permit” though. Haha.

Thanks for following along!! Our family truly appreciates your love and support! xx. Elsie

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Frozen-Themed Birthday Party
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

But if there’s one thing I can get behind, it’s big parties centered around SNACKS!!!! Oh yes. Sign me up. So although I may be more aware of who is performing for the halftime show than I do the teams playing, you can still count me in and I’ll be making queso.

Related: Rotel Cheese Dip and 30 Easy Finger Food Ideas.

I always hate it when a chip breaks off into dip, especially if I’m enjoying dip with a group of friends. But Pretzel Crisps are just a little more sturdy than your average chip, so they are perfect for cheese dipping!

I used Original Flavor Pretzel Crisps to pair with this dip, but I think the everything, buffalo wing, and sesame could be pretty tasty here, too. (They also have organic and gluten free options—pretty awesome.)

And I know some of you may be thinking, “I don’t have time to throw together a homemade cheese dip before a party.” And I get it. I stress before people come over too. Why? I have no idea. All my friends are nice people.

But here’s the thing, if you grate the cheese ahead of time (which you totally can so long as you keep it in a well sealed container in the refrigerator), this literally only takes about 10-15 minutes to make. It’s SO easy.

This is a super simple white queso dip that is totally inspired by a dip Trey and I get from our local Alamo Drafthouse. We are obsessed and I love having a homemade version I can throw together easily.

Cilantro and Cotija Queso Dip, serves 8-10 as an appetizer

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
10 oz. grated white cheese*
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1 cup milk
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
chopped tomato, onion, jalapeno for garnish
Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (for dipping)

*I used 8 oz. of white cheddar and 2 oz. of Manchego cheese for the white cheeses in this dip. I do recommend you use a blend, but you can change up the ratios depending on your preferences.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until a thin paste forms. Turn the heat down a little (to more like low/medium) and add the 10 oz. of grated cheeses and 1/2 cup milk.

Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk while everything melts together. Before serving, sprinkle on the cilantro and cotija. You can also garnish with the tomato, onion, and jalapeño if using. Serve along with Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps.

Note: If you like, you can swap out the all-purpose flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour. Happy queso dipping to you!!! xo. Emma

Print

Cilantro and Cotija Queso Dip

Course Appetizer

Keyword cheese dip, cotija, queso

Calories 1449kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 10 oz. grated white cheese I used 8 oz. of white cheddar and 2 oz. of Manchego cheese
• ¼ cup cotija cheese crumbled
• 1 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno for garnish
• Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps for dipping

Instructions

• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until a thin paste forms. Turn the heat down a little (to more like low/medium) and add the 10 oz. of grated cheeses and 1/2 cup milk.
• Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk while everything melts together. Before serving, sprinkle on the cilantro and cotija. You can also garnish with the tomato, onion, and jalapeño if using. Serve along with Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps.

Notes

*I used 8 oz. of white cheddar and 2 oz. of Manchego cheese for the white cheeses in this dip. I do recommend you use a blend, but you can change up the ratios depending on your preferences.

If you like, you can swap out the all-purpose flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour

Nutrition

Calories: 1449kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 81g | Fat: 113g | Saturated Fat: 65g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 349mg | Sodium: 2406mg | Potassium: 660mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 3498IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 2525mg | Iron: 1mg

Supplies:
–white tray
–gold foil liquid paint
-paintbrush
–gold peel and stick vinyl
-painter’s tape
-clear gloss spray
–10 point star template

Tape off the perimeter of your tray (the part that you don’t want to be painted) with painter’s tape.

Place your tray outside on a large piece of newspaper or cardboard. Dip your brush into your gold foil paint and, in a swinging motion, fling your paint onto your tray surface. You may want to wear thin gloves to protect your hands as well. Keep redipping and flinging the paint at different angles and distances from your tray until you have the desired pattern you want. Allow the paint to dry.

Peel off your painter’s tape. Spray your pattern with a clear gloss to seal.

Tape off the sides of your handles and paint the middle with your gold foil paint. Allow to dry, peel off tape, and seal with your clear gloss.

Print your 10 point star pattern and cut your star out with scissors. Use as a template and trace your star on the back of your gold vinyl.

Cut out your star, peel the backing, and place your star onto either the center or side of your tray. Add champagne and snacks and your tray is complete!

Since the paints used on the tray aren’t food safe, make sure to serve your food items on another food safe plate on top of the tray (those two rouge crackers above are just on it for the photo). But you can serve drinks on it and they should be fine. New Year’s parties are some of my fondest memories with friends, and having little touches like new glassware or a pretty tray can make even simple celebrations feel more special. Of course, this is a tray you can use at any party all year long, so don’t feel like its use is over after NYE. I’ve been using mine on top of a dresser with candles and photos on it—so pretty! Cheers to the new year! xo. Laura

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.