party ideas - 3/3 - Views From the Ville

This Big Game party planning tips shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Rubbermaid and Sharpie but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #RubbermaidSharpie http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

With the Big Game coming up, I thought I’d share some of my party planning tips and ideas. Hopefully some of these suggestions will make it easier for you to be hanging out with your guests having fun versus stressing because you forgot to buy extra paper towels. (And trust me, with football food, you’ll want those extra paper towels!)

Big Game Party Planning Tips #RubbermaidSharpie #PMedia

Big Game Party Planning Tips

Make a List, Check it Twice

From whom you’re inviting to what you’re serving, you’ll need a list. The guest list is usually the easiest thing to knock out, so do that first. Plus you’ll want to give your friends and family enough time to shift their schedules so they can attend. Next, write out everything you need to shop for: ingredients, packaged foods, paper products, decorations, etc. I write out a master list on paper, then do separate digital shopping lists by store on an app in my phone. Continue reading »

Happy New Year!

Last year I shared a roundup of the top posts for 2012, and I decided I’d like to do it again for 2013. These posts are the ones that were your favorites (many of them mine, too!) and I want to thank each of you that took a moment to read these posts, pin them on Pinterest, share them socially, or leave a comment. It means a lot to me!

Top 5 Recipes, Top 5 Crafts, and Top 5 Party/Gift Idea Posts of 2013 - Views From the 'Ville - viewsfromtheville.com

Does your New Year’s Eve party involves kiddos? We thought about trying a Noon Year’s party – where you count down to noon instead of midnight for Bubbles tomorrow instead of staying up for the ball drop tonight, but then we laughed. Bubbles is getting better, but she still doesn’t ever go to bed much before midnight.

15 Kid Friendly Recipes for NYE #NYE #Appetizers #Desserts

Here is a list of 15 kid friendly recipes for appetizers and other tasty treats to make your spread a smash hit. Most of them are bite-sized or have a fun theme – some even work great as party favors. And they all look delicious!

DIY S’Mores Kits – Views From the ‘Ville (pictured above)
Crunchy Chicken-Stuffed Waffle Pops – Snappy Gourmet
Mini Corn Dog Muffins – Kraft Recipes
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks – Chew Out Loud
Mini Chicken Chimichangas – Views from the ‘Ville (pictured above)
Pizza on a Stick – Artisan Bread in 5
Pigs in a Blanket – Save a Lot
“Sparkly” Celebration Popcorn – Laura Kelly’s Inklings
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bites – Play. Party. Pin.
Party Popcorn – Bombshell Bling
Banana Nutella Smoothies – Views From the ‘Ville
Individual Dessert Pizzas – Home Cooking Memories (pictured above)
Gumdrop Cupcake-Tinis – Growing Up Gabel (pictured above)
New Year’s Eve Cakeballs – Formula Mom
Confetti Cake – Spoonful

What are your favorite kid friendly recipes for parties?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Sturm Foods, Inc. I received a promotional item and product samples to create my hot chocolate bar as a thank you for participating.

One of the things I look forward to most with cold weather is the chance to drink hot chocolate and other coffee drinks. Granted I do indulge in these other times of year, too. But there’s just something about wrapping your hands around a warm mug on a cold day.

I like to serve hot drinks to our guests during the holidays, too. We have planned guests, but we get a lot of drop-in family members that visit. So this year I decided to set up a permanent hot chocolate bar so we would always be ready to entertain.

Hot Chocolate Bar

How to Create a Hot Chocolate Bar #MC

Fortunately with single-serve coffee machines creating something like this is easy. Just pick a spot and set up your machine, then surround it with lots of Caza Trail coffees and Grove Square hot chocolate and cappuccinos. Then add in your favorite mix-ins, toppings, and a few treats and you’ll have a beautiful hot chocolate bar. Continue reading »

Thank you to the Brew Over Ice crew for providing supplies that inspired this post on end of summer party ideas. All words and opinions are my own.

While in Chicago at the Sweet Suite event one of the things that took my eye was the iced drinks bar. They had multiple Keurig machines lined up, buckets full of ice, and a number of Brew Over Ice beverages from which to choose. I loved the look of it so much that I decided to recreate my own little brewing station to combat the heat we’ve been experiencing the last few days.

A Brew Over Ice drink station would be a great addition to any summer or fall party. Backyard BBQs, pool parties, bridal or baby showers, or just to celebrate the start of a new school year. Who wouldn’t love to create their own perfect blend of iced coffee, iced tea, or lemonade, to name a few?

End of Summer Party Ideas: Make-Your-Own Iced Drinks #LoveBrewOverIce

Views From the Ville

Big Game Party Planning Tips and Ideas

Big Game Party Planning Tips

Make a List, Check it Twice

Best of 2013 – Top Recipes, Crafts & More

15 Kid Friendly Recipes: Appetizers and Treats for New Year’s Eve

What are your favorite kid friendly recipes for parties?

Create a Coffee and Hot Chocolate Bar for the Holidays with Caza Trail

Hot Chocolate Bar

End of Summer Party Idea: Make-Your-Own Iced Drinks Station