valentine :: for the boys

Valentine's Day and little boys - not quite a perfect match.  Until now!  This product just cracks me up!  I recently received another submission from Spaceships and Laser Beams (remember their earlier snow party).  Spaceships and Laser Beams is a collective design team for all things boy party.  Their latest design is hilarious!

The "Girls Have Cooties" cupcake wrapper.  

From afar, it just looks like an ordinary turquoise with red heart wrapper, but look closer and you'll see it's actually germs and cooties.  What little guy wouldn't love this!?  Available here for only $3!  Such a cute, funny way to change up V-day!

super bowl

I had been planning on putting together a little post about cute Super Bowl party ideas, but now it's really on my mind.  I just got a call from my parents telling me they are going!!!  Yes, GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!  How cool is that!?  (Hello, one check off the bucket list!)  I already told my mom she had to take pictures for me to share with all of you.  Wonder which celebs they'll see???  And the next obvious, very important question... What should my mom wear??  

So, back to cute party ideas that us commoners (you know, the ones who watch the game from home!) can use....

Look at these adorable beer bottle tags - Quarterback, Cheerleader, etc.  If we were having a Super Bowl party, I know exactly who I'd give the cheerleader tag to!  You can make them personalized without being so literal with names.  I also like the football field napkin rings. Available here from Paper & Cake.

Again, not being so literal, these drink tags below (look close) will allow guests to keep track of their drink.  You could even turn this idea into a game.  At the beginning of the party, let guests pick a jersey number of the players playing in this years Super Bowl.  Then, at the end of the game, whoever has the number matching the player picked as the Super Bowl MVP wins a prize - six pack of beer or something?  I also like the other ideas at this link.  Especially the last one - leaving chalk out on the decorated table for guests to "strategize" their plays. Interactive party details are always fun for guests!

Next up, something I remember seeing from last year's Super Bowl round up posts.  So easy and so creative.  Instructions here.  

And finally, Chris from Celebrations At Home, is always a excellent source of creative party ideas.  (Definitely one of my daily reads!)  Remember this Super Bowl table she styled - my favorite detail are those referee water bottles complete with "penalty flag" straws.  Fantastic!  

valentine surf and turf

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

In an effort to simplify my life/office, I am slowly going through all my old magazines, cataloging my favorite articles (hard copy to digital) and then recycling the issues. (One of my 2011 resolutions.)  I came across this tasty, and festive, valentines dinner for two in an old Better Homes and Gardens (Feb. 2007).  The shrimp heart detail is so cute and the recipe sounds delish to boot!

easy mixed grill

ingredients  

• 2  3- to 4-oz.  beef tenderloin steaks (cut 3/4-inch thick)
• 1    sweet Italian sausage link, cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch slices
• 4    jumbo shrimp, 16 to 20 per lb., peeled and deveined
• 4  6-inch  wooden skewers
• 1/4  cup  fresh lime juice or lemon juice
• 2  cloves  garlic, minced
• 2  Tbsp.  olive oil
• 2  Tbsp.  chopped fresh cilantro
•     Fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1  recipe  Herb Ketchup (see recipe)

directions

1. Place meats and shrimp in resealable bag set in shallow dish. Soak skewers in water.

2. In bowl stir together lime juice, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; pour in bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator up to 2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain; discard marinade. Thread 2 shrimp on each of 2 skewers. Thread sausage on remaining skewers.

3. For charcoal grill, place sausages on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill 15 minutes or until juices run clear and no pink remains (160 degrees F), turning frequently. Grill steaks 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. Grill shrimp skewers 2 to 3 minutes per side or until shrimp are opaque.

4. Place steaks on platter. Add cilantro sprigs. Remove shrimp from skewers; place atop each steak, forming heart shape. Add sausage kabob. Serve with Herbed Ketchup. Makes 2 servings.

iValentine

I love all my Mac products (wish I would have converted years ago!) and apparently others do too!  Look at all these adorable "iValentine" gifts and cards.   

This one is so appropriate for those of us constantly connected.  This is the card I should get for the hubby this year!

  Source

This valentine looks so easy to do and still so cute!  

Source

This next one is a show stopper!  What a great valentines gift right!?  It was listed on Etsy, unfortunately, it looks like they are all sold out.  (Or it was from last year - can't really tell, but none the less, not available.) Total bummer, but I still wanted to share in case it inspired any of you to make one.  (And then send it to me! :) )

Source

And finally, check this out!  Want to hand out some of your own iValentine gifts?  The always amazing Amy from Living Locurto has this free printable on her website for all to use and share! I'm sure older kids would especially enjoy handing these out to their friends.  She even designed the back of the box - see the cute "heart" with the infamous bite taken out.  So generous and so adorable!

xmas card

As I was talking about 2010 yesterday, I realized I never shared our Christmas card with you guys.  For those of you readers who are new, I had a Christmas in July series.  Along with other Christmas inspiration, I shared all our past Christmas card designs.  My husband and I are both designers by trade and several years ago we started a little tradition of designing our own cards every year.  (Why did we do that to ourselves??? Oh that's right, ahem, we didn't have children then!)  Anyway, we've had some cards that I love and some that just "get-out-the-door" in time for the holiday.  Well, 2010's was one of those years that we just had to get it done.  And done quick, since we didn't even start until December 20th.  Yikes!  (Every year, I swear we're going to have them designed and printed by early October. Yeah, that never happens!)

We were just too busy this year for a complex design - it had to be simple!  I thought of the holes in the two zeros of 2010 and thought, "hey, we have two kids, let's throw them in the holes!"  :)  So, simple it was!  Having the pictures towards the bottom afforded us plenty of white space to sign our names and write individual notes to our friends and family.  I will say hand-cutting the bottom edge of the numbers and the insides of the zeros with an Exacto was a pain - both figuratively and literally.  And yes, I hand cut them all.  Dear hubby fell victim to a stomach bug and was puking all night while I cut.  I shouldn't complain; I'll take achy fingers over throwing up any day!  Sorry for the full disclosure here, just keeping it real, but I can't believe I let vomit enter a post about Christmas cards!

just married flip-flops

Where does the time go!?!?  I can't keep up!  Lots going on with A. Party Style of late... 2011 is going to be the best year yet!  I just got a couple of new jobs that I'm really excited about!  Yippee!  I still have lots to share with you from 2010 too.  Mr. Time, can you s-l-o-w down please?

In the meantime, look at these - so cute!  I was doing some research for an upcoming job and stumbled upon these whimsical flip-flops.  I want to get married again just so I can wear these on my honeymoon!?!? Apparently they are very popular... I had no idea.  In case you're interested in a pair for yourself, just google "just married flip-flops" and you'll find a plethora of vendors.

Source

Okay, back to emails and invoices!  It was nice to take a break and think about the beach though.  

whoopie pie favor

While visiting some friends in NYC last week, we visited One Girl Cookies.  It's one of my favorite places in Brooklyn to stop for a snack.  They have great little cookies and yummy hot chocolate with handmade marshmallows.  At the entrance, they had a little display of treats - one of which was this adorable wedding favor idea.  I'll just let it speak for itself!  :)   So tongue-in-cheek and whimsical for a wedding favor.  Love it!