Sunday, June 17, 2012

The WINNER is....

KAREN WATERS is the WINNER of my 3000 FB Fan GIVEAWAY!

Here is Karen's comment:


I have completed the Likey assignment! I would LOVE the Babycakes mini cupcake maker...because I love cupcakes and would love quick and easy cupcakes. :) Also, my birthday is June 17th so this prize package would be an awesome birthday present!!! ;)

Thank you ALL for participating and visiting the AMAZING creators and business women behind
Puddin' Pies, Masterpieces of Fun Art , The Dreaming Bear  and Green Party Goods!

I am TRULY appreciative of the support I receive from my followers....BEYOND actually. You all inspire ME with your SWEET comments and AWESOME creativity. Thanks for stickin' around...LOTS of more YUMMINESS to come :)

~Audrey

Thursday, June 7, 2012

3000 Facebook FAN GIVEAWAY!

Okay...so I'm seriously feelin' the {LOVE} these days! My blog is SUPER close to 500 followers, and I'm up and OVER 3000 Facebook Fans!

I feel humbled, awed, inspired and truly BLESSED to have connected with SO many AMAZING people online. Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats would NOT exist without the support I get on a DAILY basis from customers, friends, family, fellow creators....ALL of you...and I really DO mean that...you're what makes THIS possible!

I've been compiling some CUTE Cupcake-related items for months now....and thought a FUN GIVEAWAY to celebrate reaching 3000 Facebook Fans would be PERFECT!

Here's what YOU could WIN!


First up...a SIGNED copy of Push-up Pops by the UBER talented Courtney Dial Whitmore of Pizzazzerie. People always ask how I have time to get everything done...well this girl is in a league ALL her OWN! I've had the EXTREME honor of being featured on her FAB party inspiration site several times...such a THRILL...each and every time!

Since you'll have the book...I figured you'd want some of the supplies to get you on your way ;) Also included is an Original Babycakes Mini Cupcake Maker! So cute...and fun...perfect for making treats with the kiddos!

Next up, I'm including 1 DOZEN of the Push-up Pop containers! Have FUN! These are SO versatile...we've used them for several parties and the ideas are ENDLESS!

Need a SWEET way to display your CUPCAKE creations??? Green Party Goods is offering a CUPCAKE STAND...YOUR choice...to the WINNER! Their shop is FULL of super cute and fun party supplies! I'm a BIG fan of the paper straws...I love using them as sticks for my Cake Pops! 



In the UBER cute category, I'm adding an ADORABLE Scrabble Tile pendant necklace! The tile has a Cupcake on it with the words "I tinkle sprinkles!" I own one of these myself...couldn't resist buying 2 so I could share the JOY!

For your little Cupcake, Masterpieces of Fun Art has contributed a set of 5 of the MOST ADORABLE FELT CUPCAKE HAIR CLIPPIES...EVER! I have recently become somewhat addicted to her etsy shop...and you'll SEE why! It seriously just doesn't get any cuter!



I also have some contributions from LOCAL businesses that I LOVE! Both of which I hadn't even HEARD of before I entered the online stratosphere and my life was forever changed - LOL! Seriously though...I'm constantly AMAZED at the amount of SUPREMELY CREATIVE TALENT we have right here...in IOWA!

Cynthia, of Puddin' Pies, has made SEVERAL adorable creations for my kiddos...and now she made something SPECIAL for one of YOU! This CUPCAKE Purse is BEYOND cute...LOVE! In fact...after she sent me a picture I told her she might as well make another for me to BUY - LOL!






Finally....a SWEET contribution from The Dreaming Bear! If you're local...you HAVE to stop in to this shop...like YESTERDAY! No joke...they have the coolest, funkiest, most eclectic blend of gifts, goodies and dibby-dabbies you could EVER want! Plus...there's an ART STUDIO in the shop...so you can make YOUR OWN super cool creations! If you're not local...don't despair...shop-owner Dori also has an etsy shop {HERE}...so you can snag some sweetness for yourself!

What was I saying...oh right...lol...Dori has graciously given me a Coconut Kokomo Cupcake Bath Fizzy and a pair of adorable Cupcake Barrettes to add to the POT!


So now...the FUN part...what YOU have to DO to WIN!

FIRST...you'll need to pop over to Puddin' Pies, Masterpieces of Fun Art , The Dreaming Bear  and Green Party Goods on FB and show them some LIKEY-LOVE! 

NEXT...COMMENT HERE...on THIS POST....letting me know you completed your LIKEY assignment...and which part of the prize package you're MOST excited to receive!

The WINNER will be selected using random.org and ANNOUNCED on Father's Day, Sunday June 17th!

This is open to EVERYONE...all of the items are totally shippable...good news right!?!?

Phew...that was A LOT...now GO...have FUN!!!

Thanks!
Audrey

Monday, June 4, 2012

GOONIES PARTY: Dane {LOVES} Sloth!

When Dane originally told me he wanted to have a GOONIES party, I have to admit, I spent a couple of weeks trying to convince him that maybe he wanted a different party theme…one that was a little easier to plan perhaps – LOL! He wasn't havin' it...sometimes I forget that I have a SUPREMELY opinionated 4-yr old on my hands. He had his mind made-up and luckily I figured out a way to make it work!


I decided we’d have GOONIES elements that would make the party pop, add-in some pirate decorations, skulls, lots of treasure chests, treats (THE RICH STUFF) and hope it would all come together. I tried really hard to not make it just another pirate party and didn’t want a Halloween feel…not that there's anything wrong with either scenario...it's just, this kid wanted GOONIES...and that's what he was gettin! I think the end result was more than I could have hoped for!
 

Squared Party Printables created a GOONIES themed party package for me. The printables really gave the party a cohesive feel! I wanted to incorporate several quotes from the movie in the printables. They looked great framed throughout the party and Dane said he wants to use them as decorations in his room now too! I used the 2” cupcake toppers on SO many things…cupcakes (of course), Cake Pops, Cupcake Shooters, favor bags and several other treats!

I found a few different GOONIES movie posters online and had them hanging throughout the house. I told Dane we could frame ONE of the posters to hang in his room after the party....he picked the Truffle Shuffle poster (I couldn't have been MORE proud!) The FUN custom party banner, created by Puddin' Pies, is also going to be decorating his room!


I also framed some printed GOONIES cards from Thunderpeep Designs. She had created caricature-style renditions of some of the key characters, Sloth, Mama Fratelli and One Eyed Willy…another FUN way to tie in the movie.


I used a TON of borrowed items to decorate, along with LOTS of thrift store and garage sale finds. My Grandma had most of the trunks that we used just tucked away in her basement. I also managed to borrow a Statue of David! I’m not sure that all of our guests GOT the movie reference on that one…but the TRUE GOONIES fans  thought it was hilarious!



The favor station included lots of FUN goodies including Ring Pops, Rock Candy, Skull rings, necklaces, jewels, golden coin candy, candied cornfetti, eye patches and Pinchers of POWER, to name a few. {You say Pinchers of Peril...I say Pinchers of Power....let the debate begin!} I put out paper bags and skeleton stickers so the kids could decorate their own goody-sacks to fill-up!





I also had some super COOL favors for the grown-ups at the party. Inspired by the Lost Garden Wishing Well scene from the movie. Local, custom jewelry shop, Two Jennifers created stamped quarter charms! Some were stamped with “My Wish” and some with “My Dream.” They make great necklaces or even key chains and turned out AWESOME! I even snagged a stamped quarter dated 1981...the year I was born....now THAT'S a treasure - LOL!


I created ALL of the desserts for the party! I love doing it and had LOTS of fun ideas once my wheels started turnin'!



To honor our favorite character from the movie, SLOTH, I made several ROCKY ROAD-inspired desserts! I whipped-up some Rocky Road Cupcakes...Chocolate Cupcakes, topped with chocolate syrup, mini-marshmallows and finished with a mound of marshmallow buttercream frosting, crushed walnuts and MORE chocolate syrup...these things are INSANELY delicious!!! I dipped giant marshmallows in chocolate and rolled them in walnuts, and also made some Rocky Road cupcake shooters.




I even pre-scooped Rocky Road ice cream into cupcake liners, stuck 'em in the freezer for quick-serving…and then forgot to get them out during the party! It HAS been nice having grab-n-go ice cream scoops for the past couple of weeks though :)


 Another fun treat, these “Buried Treasure” Cupcakes and Cupcake Shooters, they had a layer of Crunch Coat topping under the frosting…SO fun!




I have to say, out of ALL the desserts…the Cake Pops STOLE the show! Dane had requested some skeleton pops and…SLOTH Cake Pops! I like that he has that much FAITH in my Cake Poppin' skills. I figured Sloth was already lumpy to start with, so they were worth a shot – LOL! They turned out hilariously cute…I was literally laughing out-loud as I was making them.





Another fun movie reference, I wanted to serve a drink that looked like the grody-water Mama Fratelli serves to the boys in the Lighthouse Diner. I made an Apple Juice/White Grape Juice combination and put it in our big beverage dispenser. Next to it, I put a framed printable with a quote from that scene in the movie…very funny...and very convincing!

One activity the kids really enjoyed was digging for buried treasure in our backyard. We buried a bunch of seashells and colored gems in our sandbox and the kids dug away! They put their buried treasure in some SUPER cute, hand-stamped canvas bags from Thunderpeep Designs to take home.


We also had a bench in the backyard so the kids could walk-the-plank! I planned on having a Truffle Shuffle dance-off, but the kids were having SO much fun playing outside, we just never got around to it!

When I started planning the GOONIES party Dane asked me if we could invite Sloth! I immediately got online, found a Sloth mask, Superman Shirt, red suspenders and made the purchase. The next day, Dane informed me that maybe he shouldn’t come to the party because, “Sloth kinda freaks me out sometimes Mom!” LOL! I told him it was rude to uninvite people, but if he was scared when Sloth got to the party, he didn’t have to see him. Well…Sloth arrived…Baby Ruth Bars in-hand…and most of the kids were willing to go up to him since he was giving out full-size candy bars. Dane hid in his playhouse and told Sloth he could just toss one up to him…SO funny!


After all of our guests went home, Dane told me his favorite part of the party was when Sloth came, but quickly added that he didn’t want him to visit again anytime soon!



This party was SO much fun to plan! He's STILL talking about it, and mentioning that Sloth came to his party...to say, the checkout ladies at Target, or anyone else that makes eye contact - LOL! I really can't WAIT to see what he has planned for NEXT year :)


Harper wasn't left-out of the FUN either...she went right up to SLOTH and claimed her Baby Ruth! Plus...she was the BEST DRESSED girl at the party! Check out this BEYOND ADORABLE upcycled GOONIES dress created by Little Overcoat! It is possibly the CUTEST, COOLEST, SWEETEST dress I've EVER seen!




One last thing...I just HAD to share this custom GOONIES snuggle blankie and pillow I had made for the Birthday Boy! You may recall the Elmo version his sister received for her birthday {HERE}...well...Dane was UBER jealous and asked for one of his own. Puddin' Pies delivered yet again! It's SO soft, snuggly, and TOUGH...plus, he traded in his old, yucky "baby" blankies to have it, so this thing was worth EVERY penny - LOL! I seriously think I need a grown-up sized one...I'm thinking a cupcake theme would be good ;)

 ~Audrey

Sources
Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats – Party desserts, photos and event styling
Squared Party Printables – GOONIES party package
Thunderpeep Designs – GOONIES cards and treasure pouches
Two Jennifers – Stamped Quarter Charms
Green Party Goods – Paper Straws, used as sticks for Cake Pops!
Puddin’ Pies – Custom Party Banner
Little Overcoat - Upcycled Toddler GOONIES dress

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