Paint Chip Fun

We've got tons of paint chips scattered throughout the many rooms in our new home as we decide on paint colors.  I'm so excited to have discovered these fun DIY ideas to recycle those beautiful colors and had to share!!

Colorful bookmarks

Wine Tags

Heart Garland

Rainbow Mobile

Courtesy of Rex & Regina

Last Minute Easter Ideas.

Easter Candy Display

Running late and in need of some quick Easter decorations?  Fear not.  Sweet Nothings is here to give you some easy ideas and will leave you feeling like you've conquered that good ole' bunny!

Create your own tablescape, like the image above, by filling glass jars with colorful layers of bulk candy for a festive centerpiece. Or, create an Easter basket effect by nestling a white-chocolate bunny or lamp in green paper "grass."  Finish with ribbon and a tag, or attach a note to lid using double-sided tape.

Bright and cheery Lollipop Cupcakes will bring a big smile to any one!

Bird's nest cookies bring the true feel of Spring and Easter to your kitchen!  Not only are they delicious, they are made with 3 easy ingredients!  Check out the recipe here: Bird's Nest Cookies.

Toadstools

I've got fairies and pixie dust on my mind as I prepare for my next party.  

Occasion: Girl's 3rd birthday party.

Theme: Tinkerbell.  

Setting: Woodland Fairy.

Colors: Pink, Yellow, Lime, Orange.

I was perusing Etsy last night and came across these super fabulous chocolate-filled toadstools by Andie's Specialty Sweets.  I just love the daintiness of these little mushrooms.  They are so perfect and would be such a great addition to the decor.  I'll have to keep this one in my back pocket for my next fairy-themed table... 

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

Sweet Trends: IZZE Pop

Day 4 of 2011's hottest sweet trends is a drink?  Really?

Yes!!  Izze is one of the hottest sweet drinks around.  It's bright, vibrant colors, all natural ingredients and classic soda pop bottle make it perfect for any party or sweets table.  This sparkling drink coordinates easily with a multitude of color palettes and can be displayed in various ways.  The bottles are so pretty you almost don't want to hide them in the typical ice tub!  Not only are they pleasing to the eye, they are easily personalized for your special occasion.  You can hang a note from the neck of the bottle, wrap personalized label around the bottle, or place a cute straw in the drink adorned with a customized straw topper.  Your guests will love this refreshing and unique drink.  They need something to wash down all the sweets, right??

This post makes me want to pop an Izze for myself and build it into Sweet Nothings next sweets table!

{Photos courtesy of PHOTOSMASHING and Whimsical Thumb}

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

Oh Mister Milk Man....

So, these little guys have to be the cutest thing I've seen in a long time.  And what makes them so over-the-top cute is how SIMPLE they are to make!!  

These Snowman Milk Glasses are the perfect mix of winter and whimsey.

Chances are you may have already seen them on The Today Show when Amy Atlas was featured for a Holiday Dessert Table bit.  Amy was inspired by Chris of Celebrations at Home, who was inspired by THESE from Better Homes and Gardens.  The trend is making it's way around the table decorating scene and being used by the best of them.  I can't wait to make very own little snowy milk men.



All you need is...
Small Milk Glasses (These from Target would work)
Powdered Donut Holes
Straws
Milk, of course

To decorate...
Use chocolate jimmies to press into the doughnuts for the eyes and mouth.  The noses are orange coated sunflower seed pressed into the doughnut and attached with a bit of frosting.

And to make it super duper cute, coordinate the felt scarves with the same color striped straws.  And to finish them off, glue a few buttons to the glass.

So wonderful!


{Photos courtesy of Bakerella}


 I can't wait to make very own little snowy milk men.

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

ICE!

I hope everyone is off to a great 2011!  As most of you rang in the new year on December 31st, we did things a bit differently this year.   My husband had to be up for work at 4am New Year's Day so we decided to celebrate ours on December 30th.  We headed down to the Gaylord National Hotel at the National Harbor to see ICE!  If you live in the DC Metro area and can make it over to the Harbor prior to January 9th,  I highly recommend you do.  The Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, themed ice sculptures are unlike anything I've ever seen before.  

As we walked around the Harbor, I made sure we visited the Peeps & Company store.  That's right... a Peeps Store.  It's a retail store with every kind of Peep imaginable.  Aaaannd....they have a full on Mike and Ike candy bar on one side of the store and a Hot Tamale candy bar on the opposite side.  Totally awesome!

The show not only included fabulous and super ginormous ice sculptures, it also included a history lesson on Dr. Suess himself and featured some of his original artwork.  Above are a few of my favorites displayed. 

(P.S. - I got in trouble for picking up that little corn on the cob and pretending to eat it.  Ha!)

And, if you are familiar with my new Sweet On Facebook page, you may have seen the mystery picture I posted.  Well, the answer to the puzzle is a giant Peeps Christmas tree!  It stood probably 15 feet tall and made of Peep Christmas trees.  Delish!

And finally, I spotted the Grinch behind the scenes and requested to have my picture taken with him.  Denied!

He said he wouldn't take personal pictures.  How very grinchy of him.

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

Candy Recipes: Left-Over Halloween Confections

{Mini York Peppermint Patty Brownies}
Sunday will be filled with ghosts, goblins, monsters and witches and spook-tacular fun!!  For all of you parents out there who will have loads of candy coming home from your frightful trick-or-treaters, check out these easy recipes that your family will love and can be whipped up in a flash.

Having lots of candy in the house is always fun, but sometimes the sheer volume can be overwhelming.  These fun recipes will help all of that candy "magically" disappear sooner than later.  (Wink! Wink!)

Happy Halloween.  Have a "Thriller" of a night and be safe!

{Dulce De Leche and Snickers Terrine}

{Twix Cheesecake Pie & Skittles Meringues}

{Candy Corn and Pretzel Bark & Frozen Reese's Banana Pops}

{Kit Kat-Filled Angel Food Cake & SweeTarts Milk Shake}

{Twizzlers-Popcorn Snack Mix}

{Peanut M&M's and Jelly Cookies}

{Recipes and Photos courtesy of Real Simple Magazine}

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

No-Carve Pumpkins

I'm baaaack!!!  Our honeymoon was absolutely perfect in every way.... I couldn't have asked for anything more.  If you are considering taking a trip to a tropical destination and want to get away from the buzz and demands of life, I highly recommend Jamaica.  The island if absolutely gorgeous, the people are so kind and genuine, the food is amazing.  The vibe there is unlike any other place.  It was so nice to disconnect from the world for a while, but all good things must come to an end.  It's nice to be able to say that it feels great to be back!  

I can't believe that Halloween is literally right around the corner.  Only 6 more days!!  Where did the month of October go??  And for those of you out there who are looking for a quick, easy and clean-up free (always a plus!) way to decorate your fall gourds, check out some of these super cute ideas from Real Simple Magazine.

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

Memory Bars

{Photo courtesy of Kiss the Groom}

Friends, I do apologize for my being M.I.A. this week.  Working a full-time job takes its toll and when things get busy, other things (i.e. blogging) fall into the back seat.  In the meantime, I've been immersed in brainstorming, putting ideas to paper, and working on setting up meetings with some great vendors that are local to our area.  I can't wait for the little details to fall into place.  

In the meantime, I want to share a concept that I just found and truly love.  I was browsing through Kiss the Groom, a fabulous wedding blog, and came across the photo above.  The candy bars are wrapped in photographs from the bride and groom's life.  What a brilliant idea!!  It personalizes the candy in such a way that you feel like you are getting a sneak peak into the life of the couple, yet it takes a simple chocolate bar and turns it into something so chic and so unique.  

And speaking of wedding, tomorrow's post will be an exciting one for me.  Can't wait to share.

Be Sweet.

-Kristy

The Martha Rules

{Glittered Pumpkin Centerpiece}

I have always loved Martha Stewart.  She is an icon of our era.  She was able to turn entertaining, gardening, cooking and crafting into a multi-million dollar business.  Her story is so amazing and so intriguing to me.  One woman turned the good things in life into an empire.  Phenomenal. 

I've begun reading her book, The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Build or Manage a Business.  As a corporate business woman and an aspiring entrepreneur myself, every single piece of her advice resonates with me.  If you are in the midst of discovering what you love to do, working on defining the "Big Idea" that will inspire you and your customers, or seeking the difference between a worthwhile risk and a foolish chance, this book is for you.  

Go after your dreams and transform a personal passion into a business success.  

Anything is possible.  

In the meantime, enjoy some of Martha's fabulous DIY Halloween tablescapes and decor ideas.  Click on the link below the photo for the how-to's.  Have a great weekend everyone!!

{Tattered Tablecloth & Spooky Spiderwebs}

{Candy Jar Treats}

{Printable Labels for Candy Jar Treats!!} - Love it!!

{Pumpkin Balloons}

{Halloween Hang-Ups}

{Halloween Tablecloth}

{Pumpkin Lantern}

Be Sweet.

-Kristy