With cupcakes that look this good, you know a couple of them will disappear before "Happy Birthday" is sung. And that is just what happened at my niece's Halloween Birthday Party! Even her friend, a two-year-old lion, could not resist these tempting frosted cupcakes by Black Jet Baking Co. in San Francisco. As the friendly feline reached for his second mini cake, it was decided that some singing needed to start soon! Luckily my kids wanted one of each, so I got to try them all! There was a dried coconut topping and pink and chocolate frostings, but the almond-filled German chocolate topping was my favorite. Thankfully we have two of those in our fridge this morning! They are the kind of cupcakes you could make at home if you had three recipes for cake and four for frosting, lots of sugared toppers and sprinkles, time, patience and no one pulling on your apron springs, or skinny jeans. They are homemade cupcakes, perfected. ~ Where do you find your special birthday sweets? ~

We don't like to miss a good birthday party, and we really try to get to them all. But once in a while a vacation or a prior commitment gets in the way. Or a sick kid. One Sunday morning it was a sick Tiny that kept us from a good friend's birthday party. And while we couldn't take part in the music and games, we were so impressed that favors and cupcakes were saved especially for us. I mean our kids! How lucky that we got to try these Minnie Mouse topped cupcakes from the Bay Area's Wooden Spoon. Moist cake and creamy frosting really were the sugar that helped the medicine go down that day. ~ What treats have been known to cheer up your little ones? ~ 

When you're planning a double baby shower it's nice to know someone in the sign business! Who knew? Upon entering a baby shower that I was co-hosting, even I was surprised and impressed by the signage! These cutout letters from my friend's company Priority Graphics, were perfect to set the mood for this Spa Party! The letters-on-ribbon signs in the doorways denoted the spaces such as: Spa, Eat, Drink, Shower and Bath! We knew what to do and where! ~ How do you personalize a living space for an event? ~

I co-hosted a baby shower for two mom-to-be friends. Both are expecting their first babies this fall, and they are both having boys. I wanted a fun little personalized treat to go with all of the other gourmet sweets we would be serving: Sprinkles Cupcakes, Serendipity truffles and cookies to be dipped in a chocolate fountain. These back-to-basics Hershey's Kisses, personalized with labels from Pretty Pretty Products, were just the trick. They were cute and sweet, and fun for my daughter to pass around to the guests. Her idea. Of course she may have saved a few for herself too! ~ What personalized party treats are your favorites? ~