The next three days mark the very last days of school this year for my girls.
I'm sure some of you have already...
• expressed heartfelt gratitude and final farewells to some fabulous teachers, faculty and staff members
• participated in end-of-year parties
• attended an awards ceremony (or two)

and perhaps even...
• shed a few tears during milestone graduation ceremonies...
from kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school and perhaps even college.


Well wipe the tears away...
Summer is here!!!
It's time to get focused on how to make it magical!
Whether you are looking for some much needed "lazy days of summer"...
or if you are looking for some clever ways to keep busy...
Check out some of my favorite images from the latest issue of The Party Dress Magazine...
you're sure to spot something you'll be inspired by to help make your summer memorable...

The Party Dress Magazine • Summer 2012

Sponge Waterballs by Casi Densmore-Koon of CupcakeMag

Snow Cone Cupcakes by Melissa Johnson of Best Friends for Frosting

Ice Pops by Charynn Olsheski of Two Sugar Babies

Flavored Ice Cubes by Kelly Lyden from the WH Hostess + The Party Dress

Festive & Fun Drinking Straws by Casi Densmore-Koon of CupcakeMag

Star Watermelon Pops by Kelly Lyden of WH Hostess + The Party Dress

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes by Tori Spelling

View the entire issue of the magazine in digital print
or order a printed version of it right here.


Other fabulous contributors and features included in the Summer 2012 Issue include
Jeff Peabody & Jennifer Billingsley, Honeycomb Events  |  Lynlee Beckett, Lynlee’s Petite Cakes
 Kathy Wolfe, Kathy Wolfe Photography |  Katie Nguyen Wells, Petite Social
 Leoni Jena, Just Call Me Martha  |  Jenny Steffens Hobick, Everyday Occassions

I hope you're inspired to get the summer started right...
I know I am!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

First on my list of things to try will be those snow cone cupcakes.

I can totally see those displayed on The Pastry Pedestal...can't you?

And yes...I'll be doing the wooden spoons as well!! *wink*

books | "celebraTORI" by Tori Spelling

UPDATED SATURDAY APRIL 14TH 2012 - 12:00 noon

WINNER CHOSEN & ANNOUNCED...

Scroll down to the Rafflecopter Application to see if it was YOU...

The giveaway for Tori Spelling's new book, "celebraTORI" was supposed to end at 12:01 a.m. TODAY!

The truth is...
I was looking to wrap up the giveaway YESTERDAY...
by posting some enticing photos I'd taken from the actual pages of this LOVELY book.

Lucky for you...
I ran out of time to actually do the post.
Which simply means...
you still have ALL DAY TODAY to enter!

You really are going to LOVE the approach Tori took with this book.
She's managed to not only create a beautiful book about the essentials of party styling...
She's also brilliantly included some humor with her "Trainwreck" features!
These are real-life "entertaining-gone-wrong" scenarios she's experienced...
and she has graciously sprinkled them throughout the book to prevent us from repeating the same mistakes.

Right now, I'm going to hush...
I photographed some of the actual pages of my own copy of the book...
I think they'll do the rest of the talking today...

You REALLY should have this...
If you haven't already entered to win your own copy...
go ahead and do it now.
Every task completed below has a certain number of points you can earn.
Each point is one entry into the pot.
You have until midnight TONiGHT!!
I will announce the winner on Saturday morning!!
The book will ship directly from Simon & Schuster
straight to your address!!

Good luck everyone!!

sweet treats | "celebraTORI" by Tori Spelling - Giveaway

Good morning everyone...

Have you seen this?

The brand-new Party Planning book by Tori Spelling....

officially released just days ago!

Take a peek at the book trailer to give you a better idea of all of the inspiration awaiting you...




I LOVE the approach Tori took with this book.
Not only does she set out to "Unleash Your Inner Party Planner"
by sharing beautiful party inspiration and ideas...
She actually walks you through the steps of hosting four different party themes.

You can imagine my excitement when I was contacted by Simon & Schuster...
the publishing company for Tori's book.
As part of Tori's book promotion...
they reached out to me...
 to find out if any of YOU...
 would be interested in receiving a FREE COPY!!

I thought about it for a little while...
like not even a  second...*wink*
because I just KNEW you would love the opportunity to win this!

So...
If you want to "unleash YOUR inner party planner"...
Enter the giveaway by simply completing ONE, SOME or ALL of the tasks below.
Each task you complete has a certain number of points associated with it.
Each point represents the number of times your name goes into the pot!!

So get going.
This giveaway starts today, Thursday, April 5th.
The winner will be announced on Friday, April 13th!
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!