Posted on May 22, 2013 by Kara

Rainbow Themed Birthday Party | Kara’s Party Ideas Shop

Today I am featuring my RAINBOW THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY! I actually styled this party last year…and have been dying to share it with you!

This party was super fun to plan and execute. I hope you enjoy all of the rainbow party ideas. I tried to pack as many rainbow themed party ideas as possible into one party. There are a lot of ideas that could be used for an ART PARTY, too!

Party Styling: Kara’s Party Ideas
Photography: Kara Allen / Kara’s Party Ideas
Cake- Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

All party products used in this party are from KARA’S PARTY SHOP:
Rainbow Printable Set
Lollipops
Bakers Twine
Balloons
Number 5 Piñata
Gumballs
Milk Bottles
Paper Straws
Polka Dot Baking Cups
Candy Sticks
Bubbles
Chevron Paper Bags
Chevron Wooden Forks / Spoons
Striped Wooden Forks / Spoons
Ribbon
Mini Pedestal Cups
Rock Candy
Paper Shred
6″ Linen Bags
3″ Linen Bags
Paper Fringe
Party Hats
Gumball Tubes
White Standing Party Frame
Swirl Lollipops
Mini Cordial Clear Bowls
Happy Birthday Wooden Spoons
Cello Bags
Crepe Paper
Gable Boxes
Mason Jars

A number 5 piñata from Kara’s Party Shop doubled as part of the decor.

I filled letter candy dishes spelling ‘happy’ (from Amazon.com) with various rainbow candy…

White Gable Box, Bakers Twine- Kara’s Party Shop

I love these old fashioned lollipops in the shop. I attached cute tags (part of the rainbow printable collection) to the lollipops with bakers twine (also from the shop). I cut out the tags with my scallop paper punch.

These napkin holders were one of my favorite elements of the party. I used mini chevron bags to hold napkins, a candy stick and a paper straw with a cute printable straw topper…all from the shop. I tied printed wooden spoons to the bags with bakers twine…available here.

The invitation is also part of the printable party pack…shown here with red ribbon weaved through one side.

I cut cloud shapes out of white card stock and used them as fun straw toppers. Glass milk bottles, paper straws and printable drink label from the shop.

The layered jello was super fun in the mini plastic parfait cups from the shop.

One of the cute images from the printable party pack was printed on iron on transfer paper. The “you are my sunshine” was then printed onto linen favor bags from the shop.

Milk bottles, rainbow drink labels & striped paper straws from Kara’s Party Shop.

The same “you are my sunshine” image was printed on a smaller scale and used as cupcake toppers (attached to striped paper straws). A yellow pom sun was also attached to each topper.

Bubble favors were adorned with rainbow heart patterned printable flags (also part of the rainbow party pack).

Oranges were cut in half and hollowed out then filled with jello. Cute happy birthday wooden spoons from the shop were inserted into each orange jello cup.

I filled individual popsicle molds with rainbow candies and attached a printable tag (also from the printable collection) with bakers twine.

I filled ice cube trays with various juice and fruit. The ice cubes were delicious in Sprite.

Rock candy sticks (from the shop) are one of my favorite party treats.

I added paper fringe to the tops of paper chevron print bags.

Doughnut holes served as “Doughnut Clouds”. Printable topper from the rainbow printable collection.

Mini plastic cordial cups from the shop were filled with rainbow candies. A printable tag from the party pack was then simply placed on top of the candy in the center of the bowl for extra cuteness.

Easily make these popsicle cupcake toppers with mike & ike candies & toothpicks! The cute polka dot cupcake cups / wrappers are from the shop.

TUTORIAL on how to make a fringe garland…

Supplies needed-

Square Plastic Tablecloths

Wire

Rope or Ribbon

Scissors

I filled cello bags with rainbow licorice and gold chocolate coins for one party favor. The other held rainbow paint. All printables from the shop.

Printable banner and cupcake toppers / tags from the printable collection. Gumball tubes also from the shop.

Rainbow swirl lollipops from the shop.

Printable over the rainbow sign and standing party frame from the shop.

The mini happy birthday pennant banner cake topper is a FREE download here!

Slushie Tube recipe found here.

Raspberry Lemonade pop recipe found here. Striped wooden spoons and snow cone wrappers available in the shop.

Beautiful cake made by Chubby Hubby Cupcakes.

Mini happy birthday cake topper banner available as a FREE download here.

Gifts were wrapped in craft paper and yarn.

Mini linen bags from the shop were stamped and used as crayon bags for guests to fill at the “crayon bar”.

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Kara

Bella Baker Holiday Dessert Ideas!

Today I am featuring some fabulous HOLIDAY DESSERT IDEAS from Bella Baker, also known as Lauryn Cohen! Bella Baker just released a magazine called ‘Sweet Gifts’. The lovely recipes I’m sharing with you today are straight from the magazines pages…darling Santa hat cupcakes, an edible Menorah & a New Years Eve clock made out of cupcakes! Hope you enjoy all the recipes as much as I did!

“HI, I’M LAURYN, and if there is something to celebrate, count me in! I am the girl who starts thinking about Halloween costumes in April. I’ve declared my half birthday an official holiday. I would celebrate Arbor Day if I could get a crowd together. Once, in preparation for a “pink” themed party, I actually painted the walls of my apartment hot pink and would not allow guests to enter unless they were wearing something pink. Sound crazy? Well, maybe just a little. But whether it’s a birthday, dinner party, game day, movie night, or even just an ordinary Tuesday, I can find a reason to turn it into a celebration. And nothing spurs my pursuit of party throwing more than the winter holiday season. It’s my favorite time of the year and I am always looking for ways to top my ideas from the previous season. As a professional baker, food blogger, and self-proclaimed sweets addict, my focus is always on dessert. Though I never envisioned myself a professional baker when I was growing up, I can say without a doubt that I’ve always had the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know. As a child, I would gladly skip a meal in favor of a cookie, much to my dentist father’s dismay. I remember developing a ranking system for doughnut flavors with my friends (glazed doughnuts still rank #1!) and fighting with my brother over who would get the last piece of apple cake. I began baking with my grandmother when I was six, and I fell in love with creating confections all by myself.”

Mini Espresso Cupcakes
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¹⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
½ cup brewed strong coffee
1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large measuring cup or bowl, mix together the milk, coffee, espresso powder, and vanilla; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated. Slowly add half the flour mixture, followed by the entire coffee-milk mixture, and finally the remaining half of the flour mixture. Give the batter one final stir, and then divide the batter into the cupcake liners using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool. Makes 24 mini cupcakes.

Espresso Mascarpone Icing
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons instant
espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and mascarpone on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in espresso powder and vanilla. Finally, add the milk a little at a time until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency.

Assembly
6 ounces chocolate chips
Squeeze bottle

Frost the completely cool cupcakes using a small spatula. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in thirty-second intervals, stirring vigorously with a spoon between intervals, until chocolate is completely melted. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. Arrange 12 cupcakes into a circle, and, starting with the first cupcake to the right of the one at the very top of the circle, pipe the Roman numerals from I to XII as they would appear on a clock.

(You will have 12 cupcakes left over to frost and eat any way you wish!)

Thanks so much for sharing, Bella Baker! LOVE your Holiday dessert ideas!

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Kara

PINTEREST “TOP 12″ Board + Popsicle Cupcakes! Cupcake Decorating

I made these adorable POPSICLE CUPCAKES after finding the idea on Pinterest. They were originally created by the blog, Party Pinching. Aren’t they THE cutest?! Simply make them with Mike & Ike candies and toothpicks!

In conjunction with the darling cupcakes I just made, I am SO excited to share my latest Blog Land adventure with all of my FABULOUS readers! It combines two of my FAVORITE things – creative blogs & PINTEREST! Who out there is a Pinterest-aholic like I am? Whew! Glad to see so many admitting it! That’s the first step! Well, I am going to help you become even more of a Pinterest fan! You are DYING to know more, huh!

Continue reading →

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Kara

Circus Centerpieces and Snow Cone Cupcakes!

I made one of my centerpieces today (I’m going to try and finish the rest tomorrow..minus the circus peanuts that is). I thought it turned out pretty cute. I used a plastic pop corn container (obviously) and filled it with tissue paper to start off…I found these cute batons that looked circus-y last month that I wanted to incorporate..so I just stuck ‘em in the middle! I then stuck some candy balloon suckers & a swirly sucker into the tissue paper. Next came the circus peanuts. What do you think?

Yes folks, these are actual cupcakes..not snow cones made out of ice! So the other day I was thinking about snow cones. I thought they would be fun for the whole event but didn’t know if I wanted to stand behind a snow cone machine making them throughout the whole party. I sat there thinking for a bit, and suddenly came up with the idea of ‘snow cone cupcakes’!!! I don’t know why I didn’t think of them earlier! Just use snow cone papers as cupcake liners and there ya have it! I made some tester ones tonight :). I want the final ones to be more rounded on top but here’s my quick go at ‘em. Cute, huh?! I just filled the snow cone papers with batter..baked them (now that was the tricky part..how to bake them in a vertical position) and covered the tops with frosting and bright colored sprinkles! I’m so excited about them! I’ve never seen anything like them. I’m patting myself on the back right now..hehe.

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Kara

Party Activity, Kick The Can Ice Cream! – Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

Over the next two weeks I will be showcasing the latest party I planned…An ICE CREAM SOCIAL! This party was so much fun to style and put together. I’m dreaming of ice cream all night long now! I’m starting off with the party activities {since I was invited to talk about neighborhood block party ideas on the Channel 2 Fresh Living Show tomorrow morning}.

This second party activity is similar to the ziplock bag activity {here}. It’s just one more way for the kiddos to make ice cream! Either one is super fun and easy.

KICK/ROLL THE CAN ICE CREAM

You will need:

- 1 pint half & half

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 4 tablespoons of your favorite pudding mix

- 10 cups ice

- 1 1/2 cups rock salt {kosher salt or sea salt may be used too}

- 3-pound can, emptied and rinsed

- 1-pound can, emptied and rinsed

- Duct tape

Photography by Lyndsey Fagerlund

How to make: 1. In a medium bowl, combine half and half, sugar and pudding mix with a whisk until mixed. 2. Place the 1-pound can inside the 3 pound can and pour ice cream mixture into the smaller can. 3. Cover the smaller can with it’s lid and seal with duct tape. 4. Surround the smaller can with ice and salt by layering 5 cups of ice with 3/4 cup of salt, etc. 5. Cover the 3-pound can with it’s lid and seal with duct tape.

6. Have the kids kick the can around! They can also roll the can back and forth on its side. Do this for 10 minutes.

7. After 10 minutes, open up the cans and check the ice cream.The mixture on the sides of the smaller can will set up faster than the center so use a rubber spatula to quickly scrape down the sides and give the ice cream one big stir. Replace the lid on the smaller can and reseal with duct tape.

8. Dump out the melted ice and place the smaller can back into the larger one. Surround the small can with new ice and salt and put the lid back on and seal with duct tape.

9. Ask the kids to roll or kick the can for 10 more minutes.

10. Once they’re done, open the cans and serve the ice cream to your little guests!

*Use your favorite flavor of pudding to change the ice cream flavor. *After the first 10 minutes of kicking the can, mix in some nuts, chocolate chips, or cookie crumbles to enhance the flavor of your ice cream.

Kara's Party Ideas

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Category Archives: Recipes

Rainbow Themed Birthday Party | Kara’s Party Ideas Shop

Bella Baker Holiday Dessert Ideas!

PINTEREST “TOP 12″ Board + Popsicle Cupcakes! Cupcake Decorating

Circus Centerpieces and Snow Cone Cupcakes!

Party Activity, Kick The Can Ice Cream! – Homemade Ice Cream Recipe