DIY Gold Rock Candy Favor and Printable

Thanksgivukkah is almost upon us, and what better what to kick off the 8 nights or get a sugar rush after Turkey Day than some luxed up rock candy? 

I created these easy, DIY rock candy sticks and their blue and gold palette is perfect for Hanukkah. Maddy, my Confetti Pop partner, hooked up the printable favor card. Voila! Freebie magic all up in your holidays. 

Get the tutorial and printable on Confetti Pop, and get to crafting these printables and favors for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving.

image: Todd Hafermann
printable and tutorial: Confetti Pop
rock candy: Candy Warehouse

Guest Desserts: Under the Sea Birthday Dessert Table

I'm warning you now, you're going to totally swoon over this sugar-y, aquatic-themed dessert table. Why, you ask? Let me count the ways.

1) Eboness Belin of Fleur de Lis Events design this bash for her daughter Emerald's 3rd birthday.
2) Her daughter's name is Emerald (so cute!)
3) There are a ton of pretty aqua-hued sweets.
4) Did I mention Emerald?

A ruffle cake, star fish cookies, rock candy, and cotton candy? What more could a little girl wish for? I know, salt water taffy and shimmery gum balls. That's what.

Eboness: I used inexpensive crystals to line the edges of all of the mirrors that the cookies were served on. It transformed ordinary, to "phenomenal"!  

Eboness has a few tips to share for those of you tackling a DIY dessert table: 

- I used lots of clear acrylic risers on the dessert table to add visual interest with varying heights and to make the desserts appear like they were floating underwater.  

- Create your own vision of what you'd like your party to look like first and use that as your guide (Pinterest board, photos on a bulletin board, etc).  Don't be afraid to be different- your design ideas are yours so explore what "you" envision to come to the final result.  

- Start early in planning your party. You'll discover tweaks that need to be made along the way as well as unexpected 'aha' moments that will encourage you to carry on when you are tired, or discouraged.  

Eboness created this Sheer Bliss Chiffon Chandelier when she couldn't find a more sophisticated option in stores or online.

from Eboness: [T]his piece was truly a labor of love. Light and floaty, the chiffon circles offer a dreamklike aesthetic, and certainly transport you to a different place. I offer it in my Etsy shop for others going for the same look. It can be used in a nursery, baby shower, or wedding!

more from Eboness: I created the design on Publisher and printed myself on pre-boxed plain wedding invites.  The border had a satin/pearl finish which played into the theme quite nicely. 

All I can say is, "Wow!" Thanks for sharing this darling dessert table and party with us, Eboness!

Concept/Event Design: Fleur de Lis Event Design and Catering Co. 
Photography: Catie Ronquillo Catie Ronquillo Wood 
Sugar Cookies: A Cookie Jar Cupcakes/Cake: Kroger/Mansfield TX

Do you have a dessert table, recipe, or other sweet idea to share? Check out the Submissions page for details.

Dessert Meets Design: Sweetly Surprised

Yesterday, I gave you guys a sneak peek of a modern yellow, black, and white dessert table I designed. The bride and groom were totally surprised by the display, which you can see written all over their faces when they got their first glimpse.

The table was a surprise and a gift for them from their new sister-in-law Emily Steffen, who also took these gorgeous pics. Custom shortbread cookies, damask cupcake liners, and custom chocolate bars all mimicked the designs on the couple's invites. I incorporated graphic black and white striped ribbon to break up all the yellow found throughout the table.

I designed these candy bars and tucked one into each guest's napkin.

Thanks to all the wonderful vendors who helped bring this design together, like Knokes candy store, Sugar & Flour, Cocoa & Fig,

Week In Review & Behind-the-Scenes

It's been a busy, but wonderful week. I've got some fun behind-the-scenes pics from my stint on the KARE 11 Today show that photog (and super friend) Emily Steffen kindly shot. The host Pat Evans, was really sweet.

On Sweet Tooth:

I made my first TV appearance on KARE 11 to share this pink, tangerine, and aqua Valentine's table.

We saw more evidence of the Pooch at a Party trend here and here.

Pink and gold won me won on this shimmery Valentine's Day dessert table.

This Cinco de Mayo dessert table was the perfect balance of cultural and classy. 

We chatted on Facebook and Twitter about this golden heart shaped chocolate cake.

I shared this incredibly easy, incredibly Valentine's Day favor idea.

On The Sweet Life:

I interviewed the owner of Sweets Bakeshop to find out what their plans are for their new shop.

I also guest blogged for my friend Maddy Hague on The Inspired Bride, because she's sitting shiva.

This cake is so breathtaking, that I had to share it here with you, too.

images by Emily Steffen

10 Days of Craftsmas!: Day 5 - Rock Candy Cones

In today's first post, I showed you the dessert table I recently designed for my little donut's birthday. Now, I'm back with the fifth delicious DIY project of the 10 Days of Craftsmas series.

I created these Rock Candy Cones with help from my creative partner Maddy Hague of Somewhere Splendid. These icy, candy-coated decor elements would be perfect on a tabletop or a mantel. By working with a gradient of blue sugar crystals, I added another dimension to the luminous, rocky surface. Want to make them for yourself? Get the instructions for these cones!

A Sweet and Spicy Shower

Showers, whether they're for weddings or babies, usually revolve around bingo games, pin the tail on the whatever, and toilet paper. Shower hosts are always encouraging us to create wedding gowns or measure the mom-to-be's stomach with toilet paper, aren't they? So, it's refreshing to see an intimate shower get as much attention-to-detail and styling as a larger event (and it doesn't hurt to incorporate a little candy).

100 Layer Cake featured this feminine, sophisticated shower, which was styled by Gus and Ruby Letterpress. The bride-to-be's sweet and spicy personality was symbolized throughout the event, by adding rock candy and peppers to the invitation boxes and creating a signature cocktail.

Guests were asked to wear sweet pink clothes or spicy red attire to match their personalities, and custom name tags really got everyone in the party spirit.

Custom cinnamon sugar favors were free for the taking.

Wouldn't you just love to be a guest at such a pretty, well-planned shower? It's small and intimate enough that guests can really enjoy the great details that they might overlook in a crowded reception hall.

images (Shyla Dalirifar and Brea McDonald)