Valentine’s Day
How to Make Individual Valentine’s Candy Boards
Valentine's and Mardi Gras fall right before my twins' birthday, so because I'm busy planning their birthday party, I tend to skip those holidays, or throw something together for our family at the last minute. But this year, we were scouting Sprouts for the grazing...
Freebie Friday: 21 Non-Candy Valentine’s Card Free Printables
My girls might be aghast at the idea of a non-candy Valentine, but since they are still eating their Christmas candy, it seems like a great idea to me! Here are my favorite non-candy Valentine's free printables. Whoopie Cushion Valentine From Smashed Peas &...
Mini Party Plan: How to Plan a Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Party
So, it's — um, February 6. And Valentine's Day is just days away. So close in fact, that when I shopped this weekend, I saw more Easter than Valentine's decor! But I still want to pull off a little Valentine's celebration for my family. So that means I need a to style...
My Parties: How to Style a Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear Bar Cart Party + Free Printables
If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I escaped my house for a little antiquing a few weeks back and stumbled upon a pink bar cart that I didn't know I needed. I stayed strong and left the bar cart at the store, but not before posting about my love for it on...
My Parties: How to Host a Brown Paper Packages Tied Up In String Valentine’s Day Party
For years, I've had the idea of a brown paper packages party in the back of my mind. I think it's a combination of how much my girls loved the UPS truck when they were little — or, the "PS truck" as they called it — and knowing that nothing makes a kid happier than an...
Freebie Friday: 16 Free Valentine’s Printable Banners
Updated May 2024 Valentine's Day is such a fun time to decorate a little for the holiday. I try to do a little Valentine's Day breakfast with a few small gifts, and I've got to get busy with those plans soon. So I've started searching out free Valentine's printables,...
St. Patrick’s Day
Easy St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape Ideas Your Family Will Love
My girls were just home for spring break, so I declared it early St. Patrick's Day! I've always done a little something for them on St. Patrick's Day, even if it was just making breakfast green. This year, I started thinking about a leprechaun hat that I got at...
My Parties: How to Set a Simple St. Patrick’s Day Table
One of the reasons I like investing in reusable party supplies is just that — I get to build a party stash and reuse my favorite items. So at times like this, when I'm not going out shopping for St. Patrick's Day party supplies, it's great to be able to pull from my...
Tutorial: How to Arrange Easy Rainbow Flowers for St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick's Day is one of those holidays that I want to celebrate, but don't want to work too hard at, you know? So I had a brainstorm for these easy rainbow flowers for St. Patrick's Day. All you need are bud vases and a bouquet of grocery store flowers. Total...
My Parties: How to Style a Simply Irish St. Patrick’s Day Bar Cart Party + Free Printable
I don’t know about your kids, but my girls are officially obsessed with the Simply Southern brand. Maybe it is a local thing. If you haven’t seen it, think preppy illustrated t-shirts. The logo is a hair bow, or maybe it’s a bow tie. Anyway, it made me think: why...
My Parties: How to Serve a Simple St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast
I think it's fair to say we've gotten to know each other over the past 2 1/2 years here at Double the Fun Parties. So for those of you who've been around all this time (thank you!) and for those of you who are new (welcome!), you know I like to throw some big, blow...
Freebie Friday: 12 St. Patrick’s Day Free Printables
I've got a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in my head, and I'm wondering if I can make it a reality this weekend so I can share it early with you? Cross your fingers! Here are some St. Patrick's Day free printables to help you celebrate. For even more St. Patrick’s Day...
Easter
How to decorate wood and plastic craft eggs for Easter
When Baby B and I were shopping for our St. Patrick's Day Party, of course, Easter goodies were already out at the grocery store. And when I saw the egg dyeing kits, it hit me that this year, a lot of folks might not want to waste expensive eggs on decorating. So I...
How to Make Ombre Floral Centerpieces
For our Easter table this year, I made ombre floral centerpieces. You could use this same technique for any party, using any color of flowers. This look is simple to create, doesn't cost a fortune, and is a great way to highlight your party color palette. Instead of...
Green & White Easter Table Setting
I typically pull out my Grandmother's china for Easter and this year is no exception. It is getting more delicate as the years go on, so at some point, I may have to stop using it. But for now, I'm leaning into the pattern's colors. Two years ago, I styled a...
Easter S’mores Board
Run, run to WalMart if you are looking for cute neutral Easter decor this year. I went looking for new Easter baskets for my girls (found: rattan with bunny ears!) and came home with ivory flocked bunnies and this 12 x 6 inch wood bunny platter. This bunny tray is...
How to Style An Easter Tablescape with the Viral WalMart Bunnies
Like everyone else, I fell hard for the flocked bunnies when they appeared in boutiques last year or so. But I was a good girl and didn't splurge so I JUMPED on the knock-off bunnies when they came to WalMart this spring. (I think Michael's Arts & Crafts also...
How to Make Easter Bunny Cupcakes
I am all about an easy, DIY party dessert. These Easter bunny cupcakes are totally easy, and very much a DIY. It's great to have a few DIYs up your sleeve to help minimize your party costs. If you've splurged on a cake or decorated sugar cookies, your party budget...
Back to School Party DIYs: Pencil Forks & Notebook Paper Napkins
If you caught the full Back to School Party post, you already saw a few photos of these. Today I'm sharing the how-to for my two favorite details: pencil forks and notebook paper napkins. Both use supplies you may already have in your craft stash, and the napkins take...
School Supply-Themed Back to School Party
Some of my favorite parties to host aren’t birthday parties at all — they’re parties for special days and milestones. There’s less pressure with these, which means more room to get creative. I’ve thrown a back to school party for my girls every year, including the...
How to Set a Party Buffet: 8 Tips for Easy Entertaining
When it comes to children's birthday parties, I typically advise serving a dessert table but skipping a meal. But for other, larger parties, you may opt for serving food buffet style. (Think: bridal shower, baby shower, graduation party, milestone birthday, or open...
Ideas for an Off-to-College Breakfast Table Setting
In August, our twins started college, which is impossible, since it was just a few years ago that they were neck-less wonders toddling around with socks on their hands like it was the funniest. thing. ever. (Seriously, these girls were neck-free for years. It was like...
How much does it cost to host a graduation party?
Anyone who’s hosted any kind of party knows that the cost can add up quick! That’s why it’s so important to have a budget in mind when you’re planning your party. The budget gives you guardrails: they keep you from driving off the road! So how much does it cost to...
How to Throw a High School Graduation Open House Party
I spent most of Mother's Day in pajamas, binging Law & Order SVU. Which was actually an excellent way to spend Mother's Day; highly recommend. Anyway, I was completely fried from hosting my twin daughters' high school graduation open house party the day before....
Easy Shark Cookie Cake for Shark Week or a Shark Birthday Party
It is almost fruit pizza season in our house — we always make an American flag fruit pizza for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. And that gave Baby B the idea of creating a shark cookie cake version of fruit pizza. I was all on board because: shark gummies are yummy...
How to Make a Sharkcuterie Board
Y’all, I love a pun. I’m as corny as a dad joke. Anyway, I guess I also have a thing for Shark Week and shark parties, so I thought: how fun would it be to put together a sharkcuterie board full of candy and desserts? Here's how to make a sharkcuterie board for your...
Tutorial: How to make shark cupcakes
After I made my Shark Candy Kababs to celebrate Shark Week, I still had a ton of gummy sharks and sour belts left over. Apparently, I can’t throw anything away, and have no fondant or cupcake frosting skills, but fortunately, inspiration hit and I decided to turn my...
Mini party plan: How to plan a shark birthday party
Our family is a mixed bag when it comes to shark fandom. My husband has never quite gotten over the movie Jaws, and maintains a healthy respect for sharks. Baby B is fascinated by them, and wanted to become a marine biologist for a while. Baby A and I are big fans of...
DIY Shark Party Ideas: How to Make Shark Treats, Shark Soda & Shark Favors
Full disclosure: I freaking LOVE the Sharknado series. It is so exquisitely dumb. So we'll be watching on Wednesday night, and that's why I'm recapping my Shark Week ideas from last year. It's not too late to use any of these free shark printables or whip up my shark...
Freebie Friday: Shark Free Printables
I've been celebrating Shark Week all week on the blog, so it's only fitting to close things out with shark free printables. (And don't miss these posts: Shark Fin Soda, Shark Tooth Rice Krispies Treats, Shark Favor Balls and Shark Chum Jell-O.) From Sea of Blooming...
Independence Day
Butter Waffle Cookie Treats 3 Ways
Do you ever see something yummy at the grocery store, but you're not sure what to do with it? That's how I felt about butter waffle cookies every time I went into Sprouts. If you don't know what they are, butter waffle cookies look exactly like waffles, but they are...
How to make candy dipped ice cream cones
When we had our 4th of July ice cream social, I had the idea to make candy dipped ice cream cones, but everybody wound up making ice cream Sundays instead. Still I had the candy melts, so here’s how to make candy dipped ice cream cones. Candy Dipped ice Cream cone...
How to Host a 4th of July ice Cream Social
If the 4th of July is hot as Hades where you live, like it is here in Georgia, you’re thinking about indoor Independence Day celebration ideas. I love outdoor 4th of July party styling as much as the next girl, but I can’t with the heat. So, my girls and I came up...
Quick & Easy 4th of July Saltine Cracker Toffee Recipe (With Sprinkles!)
I'm not sure how Christmas Crack got it's name, but I could for sure eat it all year long. So why not? Here's how to make 4th of July Saltine Cracker Toffee. All you need to do is switch to white chocolate chips and add patriotic sprinkles. Amazon link in this...
How to Make 4th of July Star Wands
If you saw my Stars & Stripes 4th of July tablescape, you got a peek at my 4th of July star wands craft. My girls had fun decorating these at the dining table, and I think they'd be fun for making with your kids. Can't you see them waving these wands at your...
My Parties: How to Style a Stars & Stripes 4th of July Party
Today I’m sharing some 4th of July family party inspiration with you. This is how we set our table for Memorial Day this year, but everything we did would work just as well on the 4th of July. Since this was just for our small family, I kept things pretty simple and...
Halloween
Creepy Halloween Tablescape with Skulls (Dinner Table Ideas)
This is the story of how your party inspiration can take a turn. I started planning my Halloween dinner table to feature a big backdrop collage of white paper fans with google eyes — so each one would look like a giant eye. I kept adding googly eye elements and then...
How to Dress Up Soda Bottles for Your Party
If you look at your parties and feel like they don't look quite pulled together, it may be that little details got overlooked. Which leads us to: how to dress up soda bottles for your party. Are these touches ultimately important in terms of how much fun your guests...
How to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos (Easy Halloween Dessert)
Chocolate covered Oreos look like something you'd order from your favorite Etsy seller. They're also shockingly easy to make at home. Baby B and I made our first batch for our back to school party. I used the same method to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos for...
Googly Eye Halloween Dessert Table
A few years back, I realized I was not a “decorate the whole house for the holidays” girl — especially during the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s marathon. Putting it all up just to quickly take it all down? Give my tired hips a break. The perfect...
How to make a googly eye garland
For my Halloween party, I'm going all in on googly eyes, and I thought a 3-D googly eye garland would be fun. I started with ball pit balls and turned them into giant googly eyes. It's a very easy process, and I've also got a tip to make it even easier if DIY isn't...
My New Pink Halloween Party!
Are you as in love with the pink Halloween trend as I am? I think a pink Halloween party would be perfect for an October birthday or pre-trick or treating. What better way to get your kids to eat a little dinner before the big night than by making it sweetly spooky?...
Thanksgiving
How to Make Turkey Cookies for Thanksgiving
I'll probably never be a cookie decorator with a piping bag full of royal icing, BUT, I can swipe on frosting and add googly eyes! And you can too and so can your kids! Here's how to make turkey cookies for Thanksgiving, even if you're like me and have no decorating...
Guest Party: How to Style a Lush and Natural Fall Tablescape
One of my favorite party collaborators, Brandi from Barefeet Imagery, is our guest hostess today! Brandi is sharing how to style a lush and natural fall tablescape. It's just right for a relaxed but luxe Thanksgiving or any fall dinner party. And even if you're just...
How to Make Pumpkin Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies — Perfect for a Cookie Exchange
It’s amazing where trying to re-organize your pantry will lead you. Pulling everything out made me realize I still have three cans of pumpkin that I had to do something with. So I turned to an old favorite recipe, pumpkin gingerbread thumbprint cookies. This recipe...
Tutorial: How to Make Thanksgiving Leaf Placecards
I made these leaf placecards for our Thanksgiving dinner, and the process is so quick and simple. I’m sharing the tutorial with you today. I've also got a template that you can easily customize using Canva. Here's how to make Thanksgiving leaf placecards for your...
How to Style A Brown & White Thanksgiving Tablescape
When the holidays roll around, I like to try to do a little something new with each holiday tablescape — without spending a fortune on all new table settings. I’ve found the trick is to use about 70% of what I have, and then add in a few new things. Bonus points if...
My Parties: How To Host a Friendsgiving Pie Party
I've wanted to host a pie baking party for my daughters and their friends for a few years now. This party was delayed when Baby A got sick and then again when Covid hit last year. So we were awfully excited to finally get to host our Friendsgiving Pie Party. The idea...
Christmas
How to Host a Christmas Cookie Decorating Party for Kids
If you’re thinking about hosting a Christmas cookie decorating party for kids, I’ve got loads of tips for you. (You also may want to grab my Christmas Cookie Decorating Party Plan for all my tried-and-true strategies.) We host this party every year and have learned...
Holiday Birthday Parties: What to do when your child’s birthday is near a holiday
Does your child's birthday get lost in the holiday shuffle? You're not alone! My own birthday is two weeks after Christmas, and as I kid, I got lots of "Merry Christmas / Happy Birthday" gifts from relatives, which was kind of a bummer. So, what do you do when your...
It’s Our Christmas Cookie Decorating Party!
Each Christmas season, we host a small Christmas cookie decorating party. It’s become an annual tradition that we really look forward to. Over the years we've found ways to make this party a lot easier to pull off, so I’m sharing my best cookie decorating party tips...
Our Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party
Our annual Christmas cookie decorating party is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. We've hosted this party for 10 years now (I think) and I will admit: it gets easier as the girls get older and can contribute more to the party prep! But, I'd encourage you...
How to style a Christmas movie night party
There’s nothing my girls love more during the Christmas holiday then curling up with some snacks and watching Christmas movies. Whether it’s childhood favorites or a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon, we are here for the Christmas movies. And while nobody needs...
How to Make Santa Mug Floral Arrangement
'Tis the season for mini floral arrangements! These are great for your Christmas party or to use as teacher or neighbor gifts. Just pair the flowers with a gift card and/or note, and you've got an easy to assemble gift. Santa Mug Floral Arrangement Supplies Dollar...
New Year’s Eve
How to Make Raspberry Soda Floats
For our Mini New Year's Eve Celebration, I thought it would be fun to have a signature drink — but for kids. Then my friend Beth reminded me of my Grinch Soda Floats that have become a tradition in her family, which I could not love more, and I found my inspiration....
Mini New Year’s Eve Celebration for Kids
Scrambling to put together a mini New Year’s Eve celebration for your family? Me too! After the race through the holidays that is the fall-winter season, I’m about out of steam by NYE. I’m also for sure not staying up til midnight. We’ll have a little early New Year’s...
My Parties: “Ring Out Wild Bells” New Year’s Eve Party + Free Printables
Like everyone else, I cannot wait for this year to end. I wish that at the stroke of midnight, everything would be magically better. Even though I know that can't happen, I still want to celebrate. This seems like the perfect year to re-create a New Year's Eve...
Freebie Friday: 47 New Year’s Eve Free Printables
Updated May 2024 I hope our New Year's Week has been helpful and maybe inspirational for you. I'd love to know if you try any of the ideas you've found here for your family's New Year's Eve party. Today, I'm capping everything off with a round-up of my favorite New...
Tutorial: How to Make a New Year’s Eve Party Horn Garland
Sometimes I'm not sure where my ideas come from, and this New Year's Eve party horn garland is one of those ideas. But, I'm happy to say it couldn't be easier, and so I made it my one craft for my New Year's Eve movie night party. The best part is that if you already...
My Parties: How to Plan a Family New Year’s Eve Party Movie Night
We are definitely a quiet New Year's Eve at home kind of family. But at the same time, we want New Year's Eve to be more special than just a night where we stay up late. So this year, I started planning ahead so we could have a New Year's Eve movie night party that's...
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