Pluff Mudd Studio

Organization Ideas

2012-01-19T10:29:00.003-05:00

I LOVE these ideas for organizing all my ribbon!

This fabulous idea came from Creating Keepsakes Blog! I can not wait to run to Target and buy my hanger! I have a hanger bar in my "entertaining" closet because I also hang my freshly dry cleaned linens. I am giddy with excitement to go home and clean up the mess my ribbon drawer has become!

Oh Crafts featured this great idea! If you do not have a craft closet with a hanger bar, this would be an awesome way to organize your ribbon!

Yummy Valentine's Day Treats

2012-01-16T18:25:00.003-05:00

These 2 easy Valentine's Day goodies are on my menu!

First up, Valentine's Day Buttons from Tasty Kitchen! I made these for Christmas and my family gobbled them up quickly! I am going to add a cute printable party circle for Cate's teachers. :)

Next, are these yummy Valentine's Day Blondies from Baked Perfection!

As I was searching for some tasty treats, it occurred to me that lots of the Christmas treats would also work for Valentine's Day if you modify the colors. If you have a favorite treat, please share the link!

Melting Snowmen Cookies

2012-01-13T18:01:00.005-05:00

Aren't these melting snowman cookies adorable?!?! I have been wanting to make these for awhile and since Cate's class was learning about snow this week I whipped them up to surprise her class! Cate was so excited and proud to bring these to her class!

As you can tell, Cate was my little helper for some of these cookies. :)

My inspiration for these came from Allrecipes.com. Since I decided to make these very last minute I took a few shortcuts, but here is a great tutorial.

I actually found them relatively easy. Here are my time-savers....

I bought the good old-fashioned Pillsbury ready- made cookie dough.
I also bought Betty Crocker cookie icing - Be sure it is cookie icing because you want it to kind of harden on the cookie.
I used the tubes of color icing to decorate.
My secret weapon for decorating are Food Color Markers. I LOVE these from Wilton!

Cate loves to use these to not only decorate cookies, but her toast, pancakes, etc. I also purchased a few sets to keep on hand for play dates! Happy Baking!!

I Dig You!

2012-01-04T17:25:00.004-05:00

YAY! I just ordered my red plastic shovels from Ebay to make Cate's "I Dig You!" Valentine's treats for her class. Here was the original idea on Family Fun!

Of course, I am obsessed with party circle printables, so I added this "I Dig You!" tag last year.

Use the coupon code "idigu" in the Pluff Mudd Etsy shop and get these tags or any of the Valentine's printables for 40% off. These are personalized with your child's name too!

Do you have a special request for Valentine's Day? I'm ready to add some new goodies to the shop. Send me an e-mail and I will create something custom for you!

pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com

Valentine's Day Digital Art

2012-01-03T21:20:00.007-05:00

Happy New Year!!! I had taken a few months off to catch-up on life and I have missed my passion of sharing party ideas, recipes, crafts, tutorials, tips, and anything else that makes like FUN! I am ready to jump back in!!

I'm not sure about you and your family, but we miss our Christmas decorations, so I am quickly looking for some Valentine's Day ideas to get us moving to a new cute holiday! I have stumbled on quite a few adorable ideas that I can't wait to share!

Here is the first.... Have you been wondering how to get your text into a shape? This had puzzled me until I saw this tutorial from Black and White {Side by Side}. Maggie is genius!

Here is what I whipped up in minutes...

Please don't judge... these were just my experiment to see if the tutorial worked before I invested lots of time. :)

Now that I know it works, I am going to design some fun printables to pop in some frames to jazz up the mantle and party table for Valentine's Day. I even followed these directions on a Mac and it worked perfectly!!

I even used a picture to see what would happen. It is REALLY easy and you can use any shape. I can see this becoming a new favorite trick of mine!

Hurry to the tutorial by Maggie and start crafting your own printables!!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

2011-10-19T09:29:00.002-04:00

YUMMY!!! I am addicted to ripping new recipes out of magazines and this Cooking Light recipe for Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis was AMAZING!! Even, my 2 year old was munching it down. This has easily become a new favorite around my house!

{Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light}

Of course, I changed things up a bit to make it more mom friendly and save some time! Meals have to be quick preparation and cooking at our house! Here my tips:

Instead of the fresh bread crumbs that needed to be sauteed, I used Publix brand Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Worked like a charm!

The recipe called for cubes of white cheddar cheese. I exchanged that for regular shredded mild cheddar cheese.

I forgot the fresh parsley (imagine that!), so I used dried parsley.

This recipe would be easy to prepare the night before and pop in the refirgerator. Then, all you have to do is stick them in the oven when you get home! Next time, I am also going to use ground turkey for a healthier option.

Witching Favors!!

2011-10-16T18:50:00.009-04:00

Remember the Martha Stewart witch broom favors? I saw something similar in the Family Fun Magazine, which sparked my memory of an AMAZING Amy Atlas dessert table using these adorable favors!!

{Photo from Martha Stewart}

Well, here is my spin on the Family Fun version!!!

(I am glad Cate's friends are too young to read this blog! I am always giving away a sneak peek at her treats. I will have to be more sneaky when she gets older. :) )

Witch Broom Favors!!

Of course, I added a personalized Pluff Mudd Studio Witch Halloween Party Circle!

Materials:

brown paper lunch bags

party favors (Since Cate's school is a healthy zone, I used Play Doh, spider rings, stickers, etc.)

raffia

ribbon

stick (I pulled a few from the woods. You can buy little sticks from the gardening section of any home improvement center.)

Cute Ribbon

Witch Party Circle

Directions:

1. For each witch broom, use pinking shears or regular scissors to trip the top few inches of the brown paper bag.

2. Next, fill the bag halfway with treats.

3. Tie a piece of raffia around the bag about 2 or 3 inches down from the top of the bag.

4. Cut a hand full of raffia strands, so that they are the same length as the bag.

5. Use an additional piece of raffia to tie the pieces onto the bag. (I only put mine on the front of the bag, but you can do it all the way around.)

6. Add a personalized Witch Party Circle with a cute coordinating ribbon!!

I can not wait to see how excited her friends at school will be to get their special treat!

Recipes with Candy Corn

2011-10-13T08:05:00.001-04:00

I LOVE candy corn!!! I get so excited for October because I can not wait to run and buy candy corn. I think it may also be that candy corn means the beginning of Fall, football, Halloween, etc.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes using candy corn!!

Candy Corn Fudge

This delicious recipe was featured over at Women's Day. I love the salty pretzels with the sweet chocolate. (I am not a big fan of the cherries, so I left those out.)

Photo Credit: Tara Donne/ Woman's Day

Candy Corn Cookie Bark
I highly recommend this sweet treat from Your Homebased Mom!!! It is really easy to make and looks really festive too!!! (One of her readers commented that she used 2 bags of white chocloate chips instead of the almond bark. I did the same thing and it worked well.) WARNING: These are really sweet and addictive!

By the way, Your Homebased Mom is an AWESOME new web-site that I stumbled on. You should hop over and add her to your favorites!

New Pluff Mudd Halloween Printables

2011-10-12T10:13:00.005-04:00

YAY! I just added several new Halloween printables! Hop over to the Pluff Mudd shop to check them out! You can use them as favor tags, treat bag decorations, scrapbooking, etc.

Val, from Crafty Go Lucky, really jazzed this "Boo Y'all!" tag up! Very cute! I used these these tags to attach to my favorite candy corn cookie bark for the neighbors. :) I think I may also give some goodies to Cate's teachers.

I can not wait to show you the adorable witch broom favors and party circles!

Check back for the tutorial!!!

Halloween Lunch Box Notes: FREEBIE

2011-10-11T17:16:00.006-04:00

I love stashing some sweet little notes in my loved ones lunch boxes, so I wanted to come up with something to put a smile on their face! I created these adorable Halloween lunch box notes with little jokes. I thought they were really cute. Val, from Crafty Go Lucky, was very sweet to send me this photo with her lunch box note.

Download your Pluff Mudd Studio lunch box notes for Free here!

Leave us a comment about how you will use your little jokes. :)

Next up, cute favors with Pluff Mudd Studio Halloween printables! Check back to see!!!

Tater'n Sass Giveaway!

2011-10-02T12:35:00.005-04:00

YAY! It's giveaway time!!! Amy, from Tater'N Sass, is offering one of their adorable simply sewn baby leggings, crayon rolls, or coffee koozie to one lucky Pluff Mudd Follower!! (Winner can choose their favorite)

Check out some of the cute items goodies in her Etsy shop!! My little girl would love a crayon roll and I am crazy about the coffee koozies!!

These little leggings are precious! Perfect to keep their cute legs warm and still have easy access for diaper changing!!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!

You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following

or....

You can do just ONE entry!

Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!

Good Luck!!

1. Visit Tater 'N Sass and leave a comment with your favorite simply sewn item.

2. Become a Facebook fan of Tater 'N Sass and let them know Pluff Mudd Studio sent you!

3. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook

& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)

4. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)

5. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen October 9th at 11:00pm (EST).

Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.

Winner will be chosen using random.org

2011-08-18T20:10:00.003-04:00

Here is another very cute mermaid party from Corrie over at Teacups and Trucks! The orange and teal color scheme is precious!!! I always get a lot of inspiration from her fabulous parties and hope you do too!

The mermaid banner is available in the P.M.S. shop!

These mermaid food labels were custom designed by P.M.S. too! I loved the idea of "pearls" which were yogurt covered raisins.

Cute centerpieces!

The fishing poles were the favors and had a ticket to the Charleston aquarium 4D movie! Great party favor. The favor tags are available in the shop!

Thanks for sharing this cute party Corrie!

Schultüte and Tutorial

2011-08-09T20:26:00.006-04:00

I am always on the hunt for cute back to school ideas for the kids. Have you ever heard of a Schultüte? (I had to ask my dad, who speaks German, how to pronounce this like 10 times!!!) You are going to LOVE this adorable idea and tutorial!!!

A Schultüte, school cone, is a tradition in Germany where parents give their children a paper cone filled with treats and school supplies to celebrate the first day of school. (I actually think it is specifically for first grade, but I think it could be for any year!) I think this is a great way to ease some of the anxiety and get excited for the beginning of school!

Here is a VERY EASY tutorial, so you can make your own!!

Supplies for a Schultüte:

poster board

scissors

glue stick

heavy tape, I used packing tape

Decorations: I used cute polka dot wrapping paper to cover the poster board and stamped letters, but it could be decorated with paint, crayons, paper, stickers, whatever you think your child might like.

* tissue paper

* ribbon

* treats to fill the cone (school supplies, toys, candy, etc.)

1. Cut your poster board into a large traingle.

2. Cut the wrapping paper a little larger than the triangle. (I traced my poster board and just cut it a little larger.)

3. Wrap the poster board into a cone shape and tape with clear packing tape.

4. Wrap the decorative paper around the cone and tape.

5. With a glue stick or tape, put some glue all around the outside of the cone, about one inch from the top. Then holding the cone straight between your legs, attach the tissue paper to the outside of the cone. Be sure to start at the seam of the cone. This will keep the front pretty! :)

6. (Optional) Glue a piece of ribbon around the seam of the tissue paper to dress it up! I added a little orange ruffle to Cate's cone. I stamped letters to spell Cate's name.

7. Fill the cone with lots of goodies! I put in crayons, pencils, cookies, a new hair bow, markers, etc.)

8. Either push down the tissue paper into the cone or tie it closed with a ribbon. My tissue paper was large, so could push it down and "puff" it like a gift bag. You can also use a ribbon to tie it shut.

YAY! Your kids will LOVE it! I can not wait to post a picture of Cate and her friend Jack with their school cones!!

Pixie Handmade Jewelry Winner!!!

2011-08-08T16:40:00.007-04:00

Congratulations to Amanda, Comment #11!! She is our lucky winner of these beautiful earrings from Pixie Handmade Jewelry!! TIffany has amazing jewelry and I am so glad I could share her shop with you! Be sure to go visit!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:11Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

Back to School Gifts for the Teacher

2011-07-27T16:42:00.000-04:00

Here is a round-up of some of my favorite ideas for back to school teacher gifts! I think bringing the teacher a small gift at the beginning of the school year sets the tone and lets the teacher now you CARE!!! I think it teachers our children that we appreciate and respect the teacher too! Plus, why not score an A+ for creativity!

I added in some of my time saving tips too!

Fortunate Your My Teacher!!

This idea is from the fabulous ladies over at eighteen25 via How Does She! Hop over to How Does She for the easy tutorial! Time-Saver Hint: Instead of making the fortune cookies, you can buy them at World Market! You can download those cute lables for FREE here!

Teacher Treat
This idea is also from eighteen25 and you can download the label free from here!

Time-Saver Hint: Skip shopping around for the special jar and tie the label on with a ribbon to a treat bag or already made container of treats!

Smooth Year

Isn't this adorable? Everyone loves Bath and Body Works lotion!! This cute idea and tutorial is by Oops, I Craft My Pants. Hop over to her blog to download the labels. Time-Saver Hint: Print on label paper to skip the Mod Podge.

Jar of Pencils

As a teacher, I know that you can NEVER have enough pencils, so I like the idea of a container filled with pencils from My Mix of Six. Time-Saver Hint: Don't have a way to cut vinyl? Grab a large vinyl letter already made from AC Moore or Michael's.

Alphabet Flowers

Every teacher LOVES flowers!!! These Alphabet Flowers from One Charming Party are the perfect addition for any classroom. Visit their amazing blog for the tutorial! Hint: PLEASE use plastic vases for safety!! Hit up your recycling bin for some great plastic jars!

I also think the good old teacher candy gram could easily be converted to a Back to School theme. Check out this candy gram from Simply Savy for an idea! Do you have an idea? Please share with us!!

Giveaway: Pixie Handmade Jewelry

2011-07-26T08:23:00.000-04:00

I LOVE when I stumble across a new fabulous Etsy shop and Pixie Handmade Jewelry is one of my new favorites! I fell in love with all the fun whimsical jewelry designed by Tiffany Runion Anderson. I spent lots of time browsing through the earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and bridal collection to pick my favorites for this feature. The prices are VERY affordable too!!!

Best of all, Pixie Handmade Jewelry is a South Carolina based shop!! Ironically, when I got in touch with Tiffany, I found out she went to college with my husband and we had actually met in Charleston years ago! Small world!!

Here are a few pictures of my favorite pieces....

These are my ALL time favorite because I think they would coordinate with everything!

Hint Hint Chris....

Tiffany has generously offered one lucky Pluff Mudd Reader this FABULOUS pair of earrings!!!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Visit Pixie Handmade Jewelry and leave a comment with your favorite piece of jewelry.
2. Become a Facebook fan of Pixie Handmade Jewelry and let them know Pluff Mudd Studio sent you!
3. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
4. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
5. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen July 31st at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Tips for Winning Giveaways!!

2011-07-25T06:18:00.000-04:00

I noticed my "bloggie friend" Sara, from Simply Sara, seemed to be REALLY good at entering and winning giveaways! I thought we could ALL use some good tips to score some fabulous free goodies! She was very sweet to share her fantastic tips.......

Christina e-mailed me and asked if I wanted to guest post on her blog about some of my tips/suggestions as far as entering giveaways are concerned. I told her I would love to ofcourse!! I don’t know why, but here recently I have been hooked on entering giveaways. Never had entered many before, but all of a sudden I just started to, kind of random really. I had always thought I was pretty unlucky….but come to find out, I do great on these blog giveaways! I have won some pretty great items! Want to see? Here are a few pics...

Here are some great tips to follow:

*Make sure to read the giveaway directions “VERY CLOSELY”. Some giveaways have specific instructions. If you don’t follow them, your entries may not be counted.

*ALWAYS type your e-mail address at the bottom of each post, whether it is asked for or not. When you add your e-mail, it gives the host a way to contact you if you win. I have been the winner of two giveaways where the “First” Winner never came forward.

*When you see “Mandatory” entries and “Additional” entries, try to do as MANY entries as possible. Always take advantage of the additional chances to win! When you just do the mandatory entry, it enters you into the giveaway once, but when you ALSO do the additional entries, your chances are better!

*When you are asked to tweet about a specific giveaway, always give the link!!! Same goes for your Facebook posts. They want to see that you ACTUALLY shared a post about the giveaway, and when you give them a link, they can instantly see that!

Twitter: After you post on twitter, click on the far right button beside your twitter name (has an arrow pointing out of it) Then select “Copy Link to Tweet”. This will automatically copy the link, so all you need to do is go back to the giveaway, and paste it there!

Facebook: After you share the giveaway on your Facebook, look right beneath your post, and you will see the time stamp (ex. 3 second ago) Click on that and it will pull up “only the link you just posted” copy that link directly into the giveaway you are entering.

*This tip is great if you use Google Reader to read through the blogs you follow! I have a great technique I use here when I am entering giveaways. When I am reading through the blogs I follow and I see a giveaway I want to enter, I will “STAR” it in Google Reader. When I do this, I can go back to my “STARRED” items and see all the giveaways in one central location. Once I have entered a giveaway, I will “UNSTAR” it, so I know which ones I have entered already. If you are a giveaway stalker like myself, I strongly recommend using Google Reader!

*When you are entering giveaways, make sure you separate each of your posts. If a giveaway requests that you follow their blog and tweet about the giveaway, make 2 separate entries. (Unless they make a special request to just make 1 comment, I have seen that) Some giveaways use random.org to determine their winners. So if you have 3 posts instead of 1 post, your odds are WAYYYY better!

I hope these tips helped!! They always seem to work for me!!

You can follow Sara on Facebook too!

Speaking of giveaways... be sure to visit the blog tomorrow for an AMAZING giveaway!

Winner!! For Pete's Sake Pottery Giveaway!

2011-07-22T20:25:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Comment #9, Kim from Kim's Kandy Kreations said "I love the cheese trivet. That would be so fun to have at a party!" She is our lucky winner of the $25 gift certificate to For Pete's Sake Pottery!

With back to school right around the corner, I would LOVE this wreath!

True Random Number Generator

Min: Max:

Result:

9Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

Mason Jar Sippy Cups

2011-07-19T19:43:00.003-04:00

LOVE these Mason Jar Sippy Cups from A Bit of Sunshine!

Hop over there for an easy tutorial!

Very stylish and perfect for any party!

Choo Choo! Train Party

2011-07-13T16:27:00.000-04:00

I LOVE this adorable train party styled by Corrie, from Teacups and Trucks! I get so excited to see the printables in action! I am literally giddy when I open an e-mail with party photos using Pluff Mudd printables! Corrie used the Pluff Mudd train collection printables for this fabulous party! I love the color scheme and the decorations are precious!

Check out the printable banner in the Etsy shop!

Great DIY cupcake stand!

I think the train in the background holding some of the snacks is so cute!! The train party circles fit those mini-water bottles perfectly!

The CD's were favors for the guests and the playlist was awesome!!! I wish I was a guest at the party. :) Check out the Train CD favor labels in the Etsy shop! Great favor idea.

I think this is a great idea for centerpieces! I may have to borrow this one!

Love the train hats! They look like happy little conductors!

Isn't this a precious family?!?!

Thanks for sharing Corrie!!

{Images courtesy of Teacups & Trucks and Christine Hamrick Photography}

Giveaway!! For Pete's Sake Pottery

2011-07-12T21:45:00.004-04:00

I LOVE to decorate the entrance for our parties! I think it sets the tone. :)

For Cate's Cowgirl Party Susan from For Pete's Sake Pottery, used the designs from my party circles to create a western theme wreath. I think it turned out really cute!

Susan has a lot of really cute door decorations! Check out her Facebook page for more pictures. If you have a specific theme or color scheme, she is fabulous at custom orders. :)

Susan has generously offered one lucky Pluff Mudd Reader a $25 For Pete's Sake Pottery shop gift certificate!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Visit For Pete's Sake Pottery and leave a comment with your favorite product or custom product you would love!
2. Become a Facebook fan of For Pete's Sake Pottery and let them know Pluff Mudd Studio sent you!
3. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
4. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
5. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on July 19th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Cate's Cowgirl Party!!!!

2011-07-09T13:25:00.031-04:00

YAY!! The party pics are here!!!! I am very lucky to have lots of photographers in my family! A special thanks to my sister-in-law Lynn, from Town and Country Photography, Uncle Marty, and my sweet husband for documenting this sweet occasion!

The idea of this party was inspired by a photograph of my mother-in-law riding a pony downtown Charleston and this old rocking horse. The rocking horse was actually built by Cate's great grandfather. Aunt Kim and Uncle Marty found it in the barn and cleaned up for Cate. :)

We could not resist these cowgirl boots either!!

We bought these before anything else! I was praying they would still fit and cheering when she LOVED them.

The cowgirl pink and brown theme dessert table was one of my favorite parts of the party! Who doesn't love a cupcake? This banner is part of the Pluff Mudd cowgirl party printables.

The cupcakes came from our favorite local bakery, Ashley Bakery. The cupcake toppers are part of the Pluff Mudd cowgirl printables.

Genevieve, from Posh Party Pretties, did a fabulous job using the Pluff Mudd printables to make the Kandy Kones. I filled them with yummy chocolate gold fish.

A local mom, Jaclyn from Cake Four Fun, made the cake and did an amazing job! I sent her a couple of pictures of the paper products and she created this adorable cake.

Of course the cookies came from Lisa over at The Cookie Jar! She has been my go to for cookies that match my party themes perfectly!

I was really lucky to have my friend, Tammy, make the cake pops for Cate's party. She did an amazing job! This was the talk of the dessert table. They were really moist and the perfect size.

We used a lot of decorations! The birthday countdown cake came from Holiday Snobette. There is a great tutorial on their blog! Cate loved seeing how many days until her birthday! This will be a new tradition for her birthday celebrations.

This wreath came from For Pete's Sake Pottery! Loved how perfectly it matched the theme! We like to kick the party off with a festive entrance!

This bear was my husband's when he was little and is a honorary guest at some of our parties! He was quite the sheriff for our cowgirl party! The cowgirl hats came from Party City and I added the ribbon and party circle to add a little jazz. :) The girls loved them!!

Since I planned the theme really early, I was able to pick-up these ponies for the Pony Corral in a big sale at local toy store going out of business. Cate loves to push the ears and make the horse "gallop" and "neigh".

The Waterin' Hole and Chuck Wagon were fun! It was REALLY hot, so there were plenty of cool drinks for the kids and adults!

The menu was simple with hot dogs, chips, baked beans, watermelon, etc. I loved the idea of the tin plates. :)

The tables were decorated with mini-bales of hay, mason jars of fresh flowers, and cowgirl theme items.

Cate was a little small for the pinata, but loved it when the other kids busted it open! There were lots of goodies inside. I included some bracelets and toys to prevent the sugar overload.

Yes, I even added a party circle to the pinata!

The kids took home lots of western goodies! My very sweet mother-in-law found the bandanas and cookies on her trip to Texas. They were perfect for our favor buckets. Check out the favor tags here!

We could not have a cowgirl theme party without making Bakerella's Cowgirl Cookies!

Our pug, Sophie Lu Lu, loved the pony. She followed the buggy and spent lots of time kissing the pony! It was too cute!

Cate rode the pony the entire 2 hours! She started out in the buggy and then rode on the saddle. It was precious!!

Birthday Beach Style!

2011-07-05T17:19:00.004-04:00

Val, from Crafty Go Lucky, did a fabulous job with her daughter's fun birthday beach style party using some Pluff Mudd printables! Check out a few of the pictures...

The Splish Splash printables are available in the shop!

Hop over to Crafty Go Lucky for more details from this party!

Paint Chip Garland

2011-07-05T10:50:00.003-04:00

I LOVE this paint chip garland from a little bit funky!

It is SUPER easy to make and the best part is that it is FREE!!!

Grab your paint chips from Lowe's and you can create any color scheme to match your party!

Hope over to little bit funky for the simple tutorial!

FREE 4th of July Printables

2011-06-28T16:10:00.004-04:00

YAY! I LOVE 4th of July!!! I decided I wanted some new decorations for our little 4th of July party, so I designed some party circles and a new banner.

Check out the ideas from Jenny, over at Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line, using Pluff Mudd printables! :)

These were the pictures from last year's cupcakes and I even used the party circles on toothpicks to hold our sandwiches together.

Download your 4th of July printables party circles, cupcake toppers, and banner for free!

Just follow the links. :)

Cate's Cowgirl Party!

2011-06-27T17:33:00.005-04:00

Cate's cowgirl party was so much fun!!! I can't wait to get the pictures back and posted to share!

Chloe's Pink Princess Party!

2011-06-15T19:25:00.003-04:00

Love Chloe's Pink Princess Party styled by one of my favorite party planner, Teacups and Trucks! I am so lucky to have designed her adorable banner!

Isn't she cute?!?! Love those pom poms too!

Pluff Mudd Studio can design any banner to fit your theme!

Sneak Peek of Cate's Cowgirl Invite!

2011-06-13T19:52:00.006-04:00

YAY! We are in full party mode for Cate's Cowgirl party! Here is sneak peek of her invite....

The pink and white stripes were inspired by some fabulous ribbon I am going to tie around my new favorite galvanized tiered stand from Pottery Barn! And you can not have a western theme without those sheriff badges! Can't wait to see how everything will come together!

Father's Day Golf Printables

2011-06-07T10:11:00.002-04:00

Love this sweet idea from Val over at Crafty Go Lucky!

She used one of Pluff Mudd studio's Father's Day Golf theme printables to create this treat.

The golf balls are yummy chocolate!

Sweet Gender Reveal Idea!

2011-05-28T13:13:00.003-04:00

When I was born my parents did not know whether they were having a boy or a girl. Their baby shower consisted of all yellows and greens. Technology has brought along the ability to reveal the gender of the new baby and the "sweet" new trend of gender reveal parties! I was flipping through The Food Network Magazine last night and saw this adorable gender reveal cake.

I have a girlfriend that actually had the doctor write it down in a sealed envelope, took it to her bakery, and revealed the gender of the baby at the party! I thought that was a sweet surprise for everyone! Her cake was very similar to this one from Jaybird Creations!

Even these amazing cake ball stuffed cookies from Sugar Derby could make an appearance on the dessert table.

These cupcakes from The Cupcake Tower are filled with either pink or blue yummy filling!

I LOVE the idea of a gender reveal party and plan on filing it away for when we decide to have a little brother or sister for Cate. I love a reason to party and a gender reveal sounds really cute!

Golf Banner Tutorial

2011-05-26T21:04:00.010-04:00

YAY! I have been meaning to offer a tutorial for our banners and just have been swamped! I am so lucky that my "bloggie" friend Val from Crafty Go Lucky offered to create the Golf Banner Tutorial! Just in time for Father's Day too! Val, walks us through the steps of creating the banner and as a visual person I love the pictures!

If you ever have felt intimidated about using digital files, don't! All the work is done for you, and it is just a matter of downloading the files onto your computer and printing them out. You can either print them at home, or at a copy place. For this banner, I loaded them to my copy shop online, and just picked them up the next day.

The banner fits perfectly on standard paper, so now it is time to trim. To get a clean cut, I used my paper cutter. Once you get going, it won't take long to get everything trimmed down.

Next, stack a section of the banner and punch a hole on the top of each corner.

Now, time to add ribbon! Lay each triangle out, and start threading

your ribbon through each banner piece.

I have limited hanging space for banners, so my trick is to use the mini blinds to hang banners! Mini clothespins easily hold the banner up.

Pluff Mudd has been busy creating a lot of these banners lately! Graduation, Happy Summer, Retirement Parties, Father's Day, etc. They are an easy way to decorate for any event! Thanks Val for sharing this wonderful tutorial! Be sure you hop over to Crafty Go Lucky for lots more creative ideas!

Babycakes!!

2011-05-22T20:13:00.007-04:00

Have you seen the adorable cupcake makers from Babycakes?!?!

I actually got one of these for Christmas and sadly I just whipped it out to make some quick treats for Cate's class tomorrow. Seriously, in 5 minutes I had the perfect moist delicious treats! It was REALLY easy! There was a little cookbook with lots of recipes for cupcakes, tarts, appetizers, etc. However, I went to their web-site to check them out and I was totally giddy when I saw the Cake Pop Maker!

I am going to order the Cake Pop Maker along with Bakerella's Cake Pop book for an upcoming birthday party gift!

Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats

They even have a donut maker and whoopie pie maker! I LOVED my Easy Bake oven and I think every little girl would die to have any one of these precious products.

Father's Day Dessert Ideas

2011-05-19T19:48:00.004-04:00

Looking for some dessert ideas for Father's Day? Check out these sweet treats!

Check out Family Fun for the recipe for this "Grate Gift!"

How cute are these fishing cupcakes designed by From the Fence Post?!?!

The kids would love to help out too!

My father-in-law would get a kick out of these golf cupcakes from All Things Cupcake! Plus, they coordinate with my Golf favor tags and Father's Day banner in the Etsy shop!

Is it crazy that I am even planning on making cupcakes for Father's Day? Can we say addicted?

Funfetti Blondies

2011-05-18T20:07:00.004-04:00

I am in LOVE with these Funfetti Blondies from Beantown Baker! I can not wait to bake them! I think they would be perfect to bring to any covered dish, perfect surprises for the little ones, fabulous for ladies night, and just about any other festive event! You could even coordinate the color sprinkles to you party! Yum Yum!

Hurry over to Beantown Baker for the recipe!

2011-05-16T20:28:00.004-04:00

OMG - I was thrilled to open my e-mail from Williams Sonoma this morning! I LOVE this Zoku Duo quick pop maker! Perfect for summer!! How cute are these?

There are even some fun accessories! I think the kiddos would love to make some fun faces, monsters, etc. There is even a cookbook with lots of ideas!!!! This would be the perfect birthday gift too! Cate may see one of these in her future!

Precious Frog Princess Party

2011-05-04T21:21:00.005-04:00

I love this frog princess party by Peyton's mom Kristen! I designed all the Frog Princess paper party printables and Kristen did a fabulous job creating and styling all the details!!

Of course, I am biased since this was also Cate's first birthday theme. I LOVE all the bright pink and green coordinated throughout all the details. The dessert table looks so yummy with cake pops and adorable frog cupcakes. Thanks for sharing Kristen!

Derby Cookies!

2011-05-04T20:40:00.003-04:00

Love these cookies from Dandy Delights!

They would go perfectly with our Derby Party Circles!

Kentucky Derby Prize Ribbons

2011-04-30T15:18:00.003-04:00

Quick! Hop over to Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line to enter the giveaway for your own free set of Derby printables! (The giveaway ends today! I meant to post this sooner!) Aren't these prize ribbons she made with the 2 inch party circles precious?

Save the Date for Cupcakes used the Derby party circles to create this adorable dessert table!

Good Luck!

The Pink Lady Giveaway Winner!

2011-04-27T20:58:00.009-04:00

Congratulations to Simply Sara (Comment #8), the winner of The Pink Monogram Giveaway! You are going to LOVE you new cell phone case!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:8Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

The Pink Monogram and Giveaway

2011-04-18T09:41:00.004-04:00

Yippee! I LOVE when I stumble across an amazing web-site/shop and I can introduce you to a new favorite! I am obsessed with anything personalized, so naturally I fell head over heals for The Pink Monogram!!! I monogram everything... lampshades, shower curtains, diaper covers, jewelry, towels, lunch bags, basically everything!!! This shop has fabulous personalized gear for all of us monogram lovers! Several of their fun items have even made it to Oprah's favorite things and showcased in The Oprah Magazine.

I am addicted to my iphone, so I had to have one of these personalized Clairebella cases. {If you are not an iphone person, the cases can be ordered to fit any of these models... iPhone 3G/3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4G, Blackberry Bold 9700 & Blackberry Curve 8520.} There were tons of cute patterns and styles to choose from and even a build our own option. (I chose the pattern in the picture below.) The Pink Monogram made it really easy to order online and I was impressed how quickly it arrived. The plastic is very durable and it was a breeze to snap on. My favorite part is that the monogram is not a sticker!! It is heat printed, so it will not rub off. I have gotten so many compliments and I am giddy with excitement to show it off! I think these cases are the perfect way to protect and personalize your phone!!!

{The cases can be ordered to fit any of these models... iPhone 3G/3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4G, Blackberry Bold 9700 & Blackberry Curve 8520}

The BEST part is that The Pink Monogram has generously offered to giveaway one of these cases to a lucky Pluff Mudd Studio follower!!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Visit The Pink Monogram and leave a comment with your favorite personalized product!
2. Become a fan of The Pink Monogram on Facebook and let them know Pluff Mudd Studio sent you!
3. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
4. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
5. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on April 25th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Bird Nest Cupcakes

2011-04-14T20:43:00.003-04:00

Spring is in the air and teachers are on the count down to spring break!!!! I decided to surprise the teachers with a little treat to wish them a "sweet" vacation. Of course I immediately thought of cupcakes and when I saw the edible grass at Target I knew exactly what I was going to bake.....

Bird Nest Cupcakes!!!

All you need is a couple packages of edible grass and some Robin Egg candy!! Wrap the edible grass around your finger to make the nest, push it into the icing, and add in a couple candy eggs. Voila... A Bird Nest Cupcake!

The teachers were thrilled and the kids were SUPER excited to see the unique designs come rolling around to their classroom. (This was my first time styling a desert table on wheels.) I cut the roses from our garden this morning and felt so proud!!! The bright pink flowers dressed up the rolling cart of treats and coordinated with our table cloth perfectly! :)

It was a fun day dressed in my apron and bunny ears delivering treats. Thanks Hannah for joining forces and "hopping" along with me!!!

Galvanized Steel Tableware

2011-04-07T21:09:00.004-04:00

This galvanized steel collection from Pottery Barn is perfect for Cate's upcoming cowgirl/western birthday party!

Watch out TJ Max, World Market, etc. because I am on the hunt! Seen some? DO share!!!

Rock UR Party!

2011-04-07T16:11:00.004-04:00

OMG - I LOVE the new Rock UR Party by Tablespoon. There are so many amazing ideas for all of us party obsessed divas!! "From cooking to cocktails" this web-site has you covered.

Here are just a few of my favorites......

Rainbow Cherry Jigglers

These will be making an appearance at our summer pool party this year for sure!! The bright colors are so much fun and what kid does not like those sweet cherries?!?!

Cupcake Poppers

How cute?!?! Perfect size for our little ones and dessert table too!

Easy Handmade Cracker Jacks

This old-school treat is going to be perfect for Cate's cowgirl/western theme 2nd birthday party! Of course they would match up with the Pluff Mudd circus party collection too!

(This collection comes in primary colors too for a more traditional or masculine theme!)

{Images Courtesy of Tablespoon}

Head over the Rock UR Party and link up some of your favorites!!!

2011-04-06T05:08:00.000-04:00

Have you seen these adorable Kandy Kones from Posh Party Pretties? I think these may be my new favorite find for our dessert tables and food tables! These Easter Bunny Kones will be the perfect addition to any Easter celebration.

These Monster Kandy Kones would go perfect with the Pluff Mudd Monster Bash party paper products!

Don't you think these are precious?!?!

Fire Truck Party Theme

2011-04-05T21:15:00.000-04:00

Every little boy has an obsession with Fire Trucks at some point in his childhood, so what parent can resist a fire truck theme birthday party?!?! These new t-shirts from Pink Chandelier would make any little man happy!

You can pick the number in the helmet to coordinate with the year of the birthday! These t-shirts would coordinate perfectly with the Pluff Mudd Fire Truck paper party products too!

Hop over the Pink Chandelier and check out their adorable collection of clothes!

Spring Brownies

2011-04-04T20:35:00.000-04:00

Yummy! These Spring Brownies from Betty Crocker look so yummy! The recipe is really easy and I love the festive spring colors. Perfect treat for the family!

{Image via Betty Crocker}

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1	box fudge brownie mix
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
3	cups miniature marshmallows
1	cup pastel-colored chocolate candies (M&Ms are perfect!)
1/4	cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1/4	teaspoon shortening Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. Make brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. 2. Bake 23 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows; bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and golden. Sprinkle with candies. 3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chips and shortening uncovered on High 15 seconds; stir. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier cutting, use plastic knife dipped in hot water. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. ENJOY!!

Perini Designs Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-04-03T19:10:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to our Perini Designs giveaway winner Jenny from Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line (Comment #2)! I LOVE all the beautiful jewelry and I can not wait for you to choose something fabulous from this AMAZING designer!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

Monster Bash!

2011-03-28T09:25:00.005-04:00

Love this Monster Bash party my friend Judi styled for her sweet Jack!

The turquoise and blue colors were perfect!

Great idea to use the water bottle labels to wrap around some of the food jars!

The Monster Bash party circles, favor tags, water bottle labels, banner, invitation, etc can all be found in the Pluff Mudd Studio Etsy shop!

Thanks for sharing Judi and Jack!

Easter Goodies!

2011-03-27T09:52:00.005-04:00

Here are a few fun Easter Goodies that I can not wait to try!!

Easter Whoopie Pies anyone?

I think the carrot cake mix with cream cheese icing would be yummy!!!

You can find these at Sur La Table.

{Image Courtesy of Sur La Table}

How about this precious Easter Cupcake Tree from Williams Sonoma to display your goodies?

{Image Courtesy of Williams Sonoma}

I think the little ones will be drooling over this delicious Easter Pizza Kit from Pelican Bay.

{Image Courtesy of Pelican Bay}

We all love new ideas....Link up your favorites!!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail.....

2011-03-25T21:11:00.000-04:00

I LOVED these little treats from last year... Since Easter is around the corner, I thought it was time to bring back a few favorites!

Materials:

1. cone shaped treat bags or disposable clear icing bags
2. Goldfish or orange jelly beans
3. green paper grass
4. rubber bands
5. ribbon
6. party circles for favor tags
7. cellophane wrap

Directions:
1. Fill the treat bags with Goldfish or jelly beans.
2. Wrap a small piece of cellophane at the top of the snack to divide the grass and snack.
3. Place some grass half in and half out of the top of the bag.
4. Wrap a rubber band to seal the bag. Keep some of the grass hanging out. :)
5. Tie on a ribbon with a party circle favor tag.

Voila! You have the cutest snack that the kids will love!

Perini Designs Giveaway!!!

2011-03-21T19:34:00.004-04:00

Anyone ready to pack up the winter clothes and welcome the warm weather with your flip flips? I was spring cleaning my wardrobe and closet to gear up for this fabulous warm weather here! I made my piles of recycle to Goodwill, consign, still LOVE and it fits (Yippee), and the "I need!" list. Next up, jewelry....I was sick of wearing the same earrings, so I went on the Etsy hunt for some new stylish spring accessories! I stumbled across Perini Designs and LOVED the fun classy earrings. I was thrilled that most of the designs would coordinate with any outfit. Here are a few of my favorites!

Good news.... You can enter to win any pair of in-stock earrings from Perini Designs!

You know the drill...
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Leave a comment with your favorite pair of Perini earrings!
2. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
3. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
4. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on March 28th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Easter Bunny Noses!!

2011-03-14T20:39:00.003-04:00

I LOVE all the cute ideas and treats that pop up for Easter baskets!!! I could not resist making these cute favors for Cate and her friends at school and her teachers! This jar is filled with yummy gum balls. Any pink candy would work (pink M&Ms, etc.)

The glass jars are not safe for our little ones, so I put these bunny noses {jelly beans} in a clear treat bag. What a fun surprise!!!

Love these labels? Get your personalized "bunny noses" in the Esty shop!

Pink Princess Cupcakes Giveaway Winner

2011-03-14T19:27:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Jen {Comment #2}!! We can not wait to see what yummy cupcakes you whip up with The Pink Princess Cupcake Cookbook!

Happy Baking!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

Yum Yum Crockpot Pulled Chicken

2011-03-10T19:11:00.001-05:00

What's for dinner at your house tonight? We are having yum yum crockpot pulled chicken!!! I am obsessed with my Crockpot and truly adore it!!!!

{Image Via Beantown Baker}

This delicious recipe was featured over at Beantown Baker! I am always on the hunt for new recipes, especially ones I know my hubby will LOVE. This recipe was a crowd pleaser and SUPER easy to make. Here is the delicious recipe that Jen shared with a few tweaks and tips to fit our family.

Crockpot Pulled Chicken - as seen on Apple A Day, originally from Eating Well - serves 8-10
Printable Recipe
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced (I used 2 chiles and it was perfect for ALL of us, including the toddler!)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp honey (I used brown sugar instead, b/c we did not have honey)
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, trimmed of fat
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.

Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5-6 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

We would love to see what's for dinner at your house! Leave a comment with a link. Everyone likes new recipes that are quick, healthy, and family friendly.

Pink Princess Cupcakes GIVEAWAY!!!!

2011-03-04T19:23:00.009-05:00

I LOVE all things cupcake and this Pink Princess Cupcakes book is no exception!

Each delicious recipe has a color picture and creative ideas for decorating! I think every little girl would be thrilled to have this cute book. Every mommy would too! Amazon also sells the Pink Princess Cupcakes Kindle Edition! Yippee!!

Wouldn't the princess cupcakes be precious on this coordinating cupcake stand?

Our personalized princess favor tags go right along with the theme too!

Good news.... You can enter to win your own copy of the book!

You know the drill...
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Leave a comment with your favorite cupcake flavor, link to a recipe, bakery, etc.!
2. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
3. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
4. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on Friday, March 11th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Under the Big Top!!!

2011-02-28T21:00:00.004-05:00

These vintage circus cookies from The Cookie Jar would coordinate with the new circus theme I just added to the shop! Lisa is so talented that she can make ANY cookie to coordinate exactly with your theme! I LOVE IT!

{Image Courtesy of The Cookie Jar}

I just designed this circus theme invite, cupcake toppers, "Happy Birthday" banner and favor tags for Cate's birthday buddy, Reese. Check out the collection in the shop!

This collection can easily be adapted for our boys too! As usual, fonts, colors, wording, and graphics can be customized to fit your dream party.

Hippity Hoppity!!!

2011-02-28T20:41:00.004-05:00

Easter is right around the corner and for all of us party planners the ideas are "hopping" in our heads. Here is an invite that I just designed for Cate's little "school" party.

I think this would be precious for an Easter Egg Hunt too!

The colors, wording, font, graphics can all be customized to fit your party too!

Next up, cute favor tags!

Find the invite in my Etsy shop!

Are you feeling lucky?

2011-02-23T20:41:00.004-05:00

Are you feeling lucky?

Head over to Crafty Go Lucky for some great ideas for St. Patrick's day goodies and enter to win a set of our St. Patrick's Day printables.

Yummy Cake Pops!

2011-02-12T08:27:00.007-05:00

Lucky me! I was the winner of a 1/2 dozen Valentine's Day cake pops from Michele at The Goodie Bag. Of course my mouth was watering the minute I saw the package in my mailbox. :) The chocolate inside was so moist and the chocolate icing was really delicious!

Thanks to Oh Goodie Designs for sponsoring this sweet giveaway!

CSN Giveaway Winner!!!!

2011-02-07T18:43:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to our CSN giveaway winner, Loreen Ebert (Comment #34)! Happy shopping!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:34

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

"I Dig you!"

2011-02-06T18:29:00.003-05:00

"I Dig you!" Just finished up my Valentine's goodies for the teachers at one of my schools! I am also sending these treats with Cate to her little "school" party.

I ordered the adorable red plastic shovels from Ebay. If you hurry you can still order and get them in time for Valentine's Day! There is a variety of colors to choose from too!

The personalized printable favor tags are available in my Etsy shop!

2011-02-03T18:34:00.003-05:00

Love, Love, Love the cute ideas that Jenny from Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line created with the "Sweet Valentine's Day" party circles! Check them out!

Thank you for sharing Jenny!!!!

You can still get your own set of Sweet Valentine's Day printables here!

Valentine's Day Printables Giveaway

2011-02-02T20:47:00.003-05:00

Quick - Head over to my Facebook page and be one of the first five people to comment on the FREE Valentine's Day printable post for your own set of the new Sweet Valentine's Printables! Perfect for your Valentine's Day cupcakes, treats, goodies, etc.

Groundhog Yummy!!

2011-02-01T17:19:00.003-05:00

You must hop over to The Junior Society and check out these adorable Groundhog Day yummy treat! Too cute! The tutorial looks pretty easy too!

Shrimp and Grits Kids Trunk Show!

2011-01-30T16:41:00.003-05:00

A lot of my party ideas and inspiration comes from Cate's clothes, especially her Shrimp and Grits Kids clothes! I host a trunk show in the fall and spring just so I can see all the cute clothes and have a reason to shop! Plus, I LOVE supporting a local Charleston company!

A lot of you have inquired about Cate's smocked clothes and outfits, so I decided to host a catalogue show in addition to the trunk show for the Spring 2011 line.

If you are interested, send me an e-mail and I will be happy to help you with an order or become a hostess!

pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com

Super Mario Brothers!!

2011-01-30T12:43:00.006-05:00

Yummy!! This Super Mario Brothers cake from The Baking Sheet would coordinate perfectly with our Super Mario Brothers party circles, invitation, and favor tags!

Hop on over to the Etsy shop to check the Super Mario Brothers collection!!!

CSN Giveaway!!!!

2011-01-29T09:31:00.006-05:00

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from modern bar stools to fashionable clothes! I ordered several Melissa and Doug puzzles and a cool play tent for Cate from CSN too! I have even picked up a few great party accessories for Cate's play dates! Check out all the adorable cupcake theme items!

The possibilities are endless!

How would you like to win a$40 gift certificate to use as you wish on any of their 200+ websites?

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Hop over any CSN store & leave your e-mail address here with a comment about what you would buy if you won!
2. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
3. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
4. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on Friday, February 4th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org

Cute Valentine's Idea

2011-01-28T19:29:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this adorable Valentine's idea from eighteen 25?!?!

(Images from eighteen 25)

Hop over the their blog for more FABULOUS ideas!!

Groundhog Day Extravaganza

2011-01-27T19:07:00.004-05:00

Groundhog Day is just around the corner and I have been in full swing planning activities for our little kindergarten class. Gourmet Mom on the Go has a lot of adorable ideas.

Check them out!

Adorable Pinwheel Party

2011-01-24T20:02:00.005-05:00

LOVE this adorable pink and orange pinwheel party styled by Corrie, from Teacups and Trucks! I custom designed the cupcake toppers, Happy Birthday banner, food labels, and favor tags for the party! They are available in my shop!

Fabulous party hats!

This was a cute version of pin the "wheel" that Corrie created to entertain the kids.

The kids were able to color their own pinwheel while waiting on their yummy lunch!

(Photos Courtesy of Shelia Marie Johnson)

I think this is going to be a fun party theme for the spring!
The colors can easily be changed for any gender or color scheme too!
Thanks for the inspiration Corrie!

Sweet Candy Lei

2011-01-13T20:24:00.005-05:00

Cate always brings treats to her class parties and play dates, especially when there is a holiday around the corner!!! I LOVE this idea for a candy lei! It is much more creative than a treat bag!! Plus, the kids can help out. I think this would be perfect for any holiday party, but especially Valentine's Day since it seems to be centered around sweets!

Materials:

Candy and Treats (about 9 pieces per lei)

Ribbon

Saran Wrap

Scissors

Oh yes, I snuck in raisins, fruit snacks, and goldfish!

Perfect for the younger ones and healthier for ALL!!!!

Cut the ribbon into 8 inch pieces. I like a lot of ribbon so I used 2 pieces between each piece of candy, which meant I needed 18 pieces.

Lay out the Saran Wrap in one long strip (about 40 inches long). I made mine extra long and just trimmed the ends.

Better than being too short and starting over.

Next, lay out the candy pieces along the Saran Wrap. I put the heaviest pieces in the middle. Keep at least an inch in between each piece of candy.

(I kind of wish I had put a little more space. I'll know for next time!)

Wrap the Saran Wrap around the pieces of candy.

Position the pieces of ribbon in between each piece of candy.

Then tie into knots.

When you get to the end just over lap the two pieces and twist them together. Then tie the ribbon extra tight. Voila! Your own Yummy Candy Lei!!!

Isn't my model cute?!? haha

I also think these would be perfect for an awards ceremony. Like a medal. hehe

Of course, the boys would prefer more manly colors. :)

Heart Paper Straws

2011-01-11T18:01:00.006-05:00

Valentine's Day planning is in full swing at our house! I have been busy choosing fun goodies for Cate's friends, co-workers, and loved ones!!! I can not wait to share some of the really cute ideas I stumbled across. I think these heart paper straws(via Poca Cosas) from The Sugar Diva would be perfect for any Valentine's Day party! (I have to admit that I am a huge fan of straws!!!)

The Sugar Diva has a FABULOUS collection of cute paper party products! You must check them out for inspiration and supplies for your next party!

Itsy Bitsy Paper Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-01-09T21:19:00.004-05:00

Congratulations tbloser (Comment #1)!!! Enjoy your Itsy Bitsy snowman notecards!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:1

Thanks to everyone that participated! Stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming soon! If you have a product you would like to showcase or review, please e-mail me at pluffmuddstudio@gmail.com.

Snowman Snacks Fit for a Blizzard

2011-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across the most adorable ideas for snowman theme snacks over at Homemaking Fun! These food labels have totally inspired me for the snack table at our play date party! I can not wait for the little ones to sample their yummy snacks.

(Photo Courtesy of Homemaking Fun)

Jump on over to Homemaking Fun for more fabulous party ideas and inspiration.

Let it Snow Decorations and Centerpiece Inspirations

2011-01-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Along with the pom pom garland, here are a few centerpiece and decoration ideas to set the mood and jazz up the party decor.

Jenn from Hostess with the Mostess shares the tutorial for this fun snowman centerpiece made of styrofoam balls and yarn pom poms. How stinking cute is this snowman couple?! Love the bright colors too!

(Photo courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess)

Chris from Celebrations at Home created this adorable snowman centerpiece using 2 stacked fishbowl glass vases filled with faux snow flakes. So simple and precious!

(Photo courtesy of Celebrations at Home)

This smiling paper snowman from Bettter Homes and Garden is made by fan-folding papers and then adding colorful facial pieces and accessories.

(Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Garden)

Do you have any favorite snowman decoration ideas or crafts? Feel free to post a link!

Pom Pom Snow Garland

2011-01-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am in LOVE with this snow pom pom garland!! It has popped up in several of my favorite party gals parties! A little fishing line, paper circles, pom poms, and ...Voila... precious inexpensive garland. Check out a few of the pics of these faux snow showers...

(Photo courtesy of Setting the Mood)

(Photo courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess)

I am filing away this version of pom pom garland away for future parties too. Change the colors of the pom poms and it can match any party color scheme.

A Snowman that will NEVER melt!!

2011-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Val from Crafty Go Lucky, shares this precious craft tutorial with Pluff Mudd readers! I was lucky enough to stumble across Val's blog when I was planning Cate's first birthday party. She has given me lots of fabulous ideas, inspiration, and great advice! Thanks Val!

Of course, we need a snowman theme craft for our winter play date party!!! Here is a fun creative way to make your own snowman that will never melt!

You will need a few basic ingredients to make your snowman. For my

example I used two bars of Ivory soap and 2/3 of a cup of borax. You

will also need water, the amount will depend on the consistency that

you want of your "snow."

Shred your Ivory bars with a cheese shredder. Looks like snow already!

Now, add the Borax. Add small amounts of water until you get a thick

consistency that will be moldable. Go ahead, get your hands in there

mixing! Now, make your snowballs and build your snowman.

Here comes the fun part, decorating your snowman. I used the tip of an

orange crayon for the nose. Buttons, brads, ribbon are all great

decorations for your creation. Pipe cleaners make the arms. Let the

snowman dry overnight.

Thank you for joining me and Val in this fun snowman craft tutorial.

Be sure to check out Crafty Go Lucky for more fun ideas!!

Snowmen Face Fun!!

2011-01-02T08:00:00.003-05:00

I have an addiction to stationery, especially personalized stationery. I think it is classy and I am a big believer in writing thank you notes. One of my favorite paper Esty gals is Lindy from Itsy Bitsy Paper. I love the heavy weight of her cards and cute designs. Of course, I could not resist this precious snowmen face note card!

Itsy Bitsy Paper has made a couple of custom designed stationery to coordinate with Cate's themed parties. Pluff Mudd Studio has blessed me with the opportunity to work with some amazingly talented women and Lindy is no exception!

So....Here is something super sweet for Pluff Mudd Studio readers.........
you can win your own set of snowmen theme note cards.

You know the drill...
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN........

There are lots of chances to win this giveaway!
You can enter lots of times by doing any of the following
or....
You can do just ONE entry!
Just remember the more times you enter, the more chances to win.

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each action that you complete, so you have a better chance of winning! The more entries increases your odds!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER!!!!
Good Luck!!

1. Hop over to Itsy Bitsy Paper & leave your e-mail address here with a comment about your favorite paper design!
2. Become a Facebook fan of Itsy Bitsy Paper & leave your e-mail address here with a comment that you are a follower (or already are!)
3. Become a fan of Pluff Mudd Studio on Facebook
& leave your e-mail address here with a comment here that you are a fan (or already are!)
4. Become a blog follower of Pluff Mudd Studio & leave a comment here that you are a follower (or already are!)
5. Post about this giveaway on your own Blog, Facebook Page and/or Tweet about it & comment here with the links! (up to 3 entries for posting)

Winner will be chosen on Friday, January 7th at 11:00pm (EST).
Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only.
Winner will be chosen using random.org