Free St. Patrick's Day Printable - I'm Over The Rainbow For You

How can it be March already?  Where is the time going?  For the fun holiday of St. Patrick's Day, I created a free printable for our readers and fans.  You can even use the printable as favors for rainbow themed parties or simply to brighten someone's day.  I would love to see you share your photos!  Please tag your photo using the hashtag #annaandblue

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE HERE

Rainbow Gumballs
Gumball Tubes

Enjoy!

How To Make Rainbow Cupcakes

This past weekend, we celebrated our girls long awaited Roller Skating Birthday party.  Decor included lots of bright neon colors from their invitations to the glow-stick necklaces their friends were greeted with when they arrived at the Roller Skating Rink. When I asked the girls what kind of cake they wanted, they both shouted that they would like rainbow cupcakes.  My first thought was to make cupcakes and have each one decorated with a different color icing to match the colors of the party.  But, I decided to go one step further.  I thought to myself how fun it would be to make the actual cupcakes in different colors.  What I ended up doing was so incredibly easy and it didn't take much more time than creating regular cupcakes.  Would you believe me if I told you that I made the cupcakes using store bought cake mix?  Everyone at the party thought they were professionally made.  Scroll down to see how I made the colorful cupcakes.

We were expecting around 35 kiddos at the party so I went ahead and mixed up two boxes of store bought cake mix.  I chose Betty Crocker SuperMoist White Cake Mix.  I separated the cake batter into four equal parts into four bowls.  To color the batter, we used McCormicks Assorted Neon! Food Colors that came in purple, green, pink and blue.  We then added a couple of drops of food color to each bowl until the desired color shade was created.  We then added the batter to the cupcake liners in the baking pans.  We added a little green batter, followed by a little purple, followed by a little pink and topped the batter with a little blue.  Then, they were ready to bake. 

For the icing, I chose to do a simple white topped with colorful sprinkles.  I always use Glorious Treats' American Buttercream Frosting recipe because it is easy to make and simply delicious. By using a white icing, it allowed the colors of the cupcakes and sprinkles to pop.  How AMAZING did the cupcakes turn out?

Neon Food Colors

Enjoy!

Free Valentine's Day Printable: You Are The Colors In My Rainbow

This week in our home, we are busy decorating our shoe boxes for Valentine Parties as well as getting our Valentines ready for our school friends.  My kiddos wanted something they could give their friends that was gender neutral.  I put together this sweet and colorful Valentine that is easy to put together.  Simply print, cut and use a piece of colorful washi tape to adhere your lollipop to the Valentine.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE HERE

Enjoy!

❤ Valentine's Day SALE - 50% off ❤

SHOP HERE

Ends 2.12.15

Delicious Coca-Cola Game Day Recipes

I am excited to have partnered with our friends at Evite and Coca-Cola to share some delicious game day recipes.  You too can put together these hassle-free snacks that your guests are sure to love. Take a look at all the great ideas below.  

Spicy Chocolate Coca-Cola Mocktail

Quench the thirst of your guests by greeting them with a Coca-Cola® Mocktail, a fun drink with a kick.

Ingredients

• 8 fluid ounces Coca-Cola®

• 1 fluid ounce Monin Spicy

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

• 1 fluid ounce milk

• 1 lime wedge

• 1 mint sprig
• Fill a 16-oz glass half full of ice.  Combine all ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig.

Makes 1 serving.

Coca-Cola BBQ Wings

BBQ Wings are always a crowd pleaser.  Kick up your wings by adding Coca-Cola® to the recipe.  Sounds delish right?

Ingredients

8 chicken wings

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons pepper

Canola oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons diced jalapeño

2 tablespoons diced garlic

3 cups ketchup

1/4 cups chicken stock

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cups molasses

1/4 cups Coca-Cola®

1/2 cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoons garlic salt

• 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions

Chicken Wings

Rinse chicken and split each wing at joint into two parts, then cut off tips. Season each side with salt and pepper.   Fry the chicken in canola oil until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. To serve, remove wings from mixture and place on a plate.  

Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce

For the Coca-Cola® BBQ sauce, heat a sauté pan over medium high heat and add olive oil, jalapeños, garlic and shallots. Stir until brown and remove pan from heat. Add ketchup, orange juice, Coca-Cola® and molasses. Mix well and pour in brown sugar, liquid smoke, paprika and garlic salt. Stir and let cool down.

Place fried wings into barbecue sauce mixture. Mix well.  

Coca-Cola Football Cake

Last but not least, don't forget about dessert.  Check out this recipe for a cool Coca-Cola® Football Cake that is sure to WOW your guests!
 

 

Prep Time: 30 min     Cook Time: 45 min     Total Time: 1 hr 15 min    

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup Coca-Cola® (for cake)

• 1 1/2 cups small marshmallows

• 1/2 cups butter or margarine

• 1/2 cups vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons cocoa

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cups buttermilk

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cups butter

• 3 tablespoons cocoa

• 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola® (for frosting)

• 1 box (16-ounces) confectioners’ sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, sift the sugar and flour. Add marshmallows. In a saucepan, mix the butter, oil, cocoa and Coca-Cola®. Bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients; blend well. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter along with eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well. Pour into a well-greased 9- by-13-inch pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and frost immediately.

• To make frosting, combine the 1/2 cup butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa and 6 tablespoons of Coca-Cola® in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over confectioners' sugar, blending well. Add vanilla extract and pecans. Spread over hot cake. When cool, cut into squares and serve.

 Enjoy!

As always, we would love to hear your comments.

The “Home Bowl” is not associated with or authorized by the National Football League. © Mondelēz International group © 2015 The Coca-Cola Company

This is a sponsored post from Evite.com and Coca-Cola

Free 2015 Printable Calendar

Happy New Year Friends! 

It's never too late to get organized right?  If you are like me, you still have some holiday decorations lingering around the house waiting to be packed away for next year.  As of this morning, we still had a Christmas tree up.  The next step is to start getting organized for 2015.  And with that comes a new calendar for the year.  This year I wanted to keep the color palette simple using a monochromatic color scheme adding tiny pops of fresh color.  I included lots of fun patterns for this year's look.  And the exciting news is that the calendar is being offered as a FREE PRINTABLE for our readers.  Yay!  I would love for you to share a picture of your new calendar tagging us at #annaandblue

DOWNLOAD YOUR 2015 CALENDAR HERE

Enjoy!

DIY Tutorial for Evite: Tiered Stand

Hello Friends!

I am sharing my newest post that is featured on Evite Gatherings today.  I created a DIY Tiered Stand that can not only hold desserts and holiday decor, but can also act as an organizational station for all of the little things that might be cluttering your office desk or craft room.  With just a few inexpensive materials, you will have a designer-quality tiered stand in no time at all.

Click HERE for the easy tutorial.

10 Best Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

Who has their Christmas Tree decorated already?  I pulled out all of our holiday decorations yesterday from the attic and hope to have our house decorated in the next day or two.  For some reason, it seems like each year it takes me longer and longer to do.  I wonder if that is because I wind up with more items I have accumulated during the year.  It's always fun looking for new and creative ways to decorate your home so that your look is a little different each year.  I have found some amazing Christmas Tree decorating ideas that are so creative and unique that are sure to give you inspiration when decorating your tree.  Do you have a theme for your tree or a favorite color palette when decorating for the holidays?  We would love to know.  Please share in the comments below.

Colorful Tree from Inspired By Charm

 Little Drummer Boy Tree from Kara's Party Ideas

White Tree via My Art and Design

 Memory Tree from Positively Splendid

Rustic Tree via Decoist

Black and White Tree from JustDestiny

 White Tree from Craftberry Bush

Advent Tree from Tatertots & Jello

Black White & Gold Tree from Kara's Party Ideas

Woodland Tree from Craftberry Bush

DIY Tutorial: Glitter Hearts Wrapping Paper

I love glitter.  Who doesn't right?  However, I don't like the mess that comes with working with glitter.  I found a fun way to wrap a gift using some sparkle without the mess.  I recently created Happy Birthday gift tags as a free printable which you can download HERE.  I wanted to add a little creative touch to the gift wrap by adding a hint of glitter.  Creating this look is super simple and can easily be changed up by using different colors and different shaped hole punches.  Imagine all the fun you could have wrapping holiday presents.

What You'll Need:
Wrapping Paper
Gift Box
Ribbon
Scissors
Heart Shaped Whole Punch
Tape
Glitter on a Roll Tape

Step One:
After you wrap your gift box, take your glitter on a roll and cut a piece that is about 8-10 inches long.  I chose to remove the backing from the glitter roll before using the whole punch.  Removing the backing from the tiny shapes can be time consuming.  

Step 2:
Using your hole punch, begin punching the desired number of shapes for your gift wrap.  

Step 3:
After you have punched out your glitter shapes, simply add them to your gift box sparingly.
Add a ribbon and tie into a bow.
You are done!  Wasn't that easy?

Free Printable Happy Birthday Gift Tags in 5 Colors

Happy Friday friends!  

I had an amazing birthday and feel so blessed with all of the birthday wishes that I received.  My hubby and sweet girls definitely made me feel spoiled and incredibly loved.  Today, I am sharing the love with our newest free printable.  I created simple Happy Birthday gift tags in five different colors that will add the perfect touch for a birthday gift.  I hope you like them.

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE HERE

Surprise Birthday Sale!

We celebrated my birthday yesterday and today we are celebrating with you by having a Surprise Birthday Sale!

Enjoy 40% off all orders.

Use code BDAYGIRL at checkout.

SHOP HERE

Ends 11.4.14

Spooktacular SALE | $1 Halloween Designs

Are you ready for a Spooktacular Sale?  

Today only, all single Halloween designs are only $1.
 Say what?
All Halloween Party collections are only $5.  You heard that right.

Head on over to the shop and stock up.

SHOP NOW

10 Best DIY Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Have you carved your pumpkins yet?  We have four pumpkins waiting to get carved and decorated and the clock is ticking until Halloween is here. I have found some amazing DIY Pumpkin decorating ideas that are so creative and unique. You will find decorating ideas from painting your pumpkin to adding embellishments to your pumpkin that will amaze anyone who sees them. Take a peek and let me know which one you like best.

Black Painted Pumpkins from Better Home and Gardens

Chalkboard Typography Pumpkin from Fairgoods

Frozen Elsa Pumpkin from A Pumpkin & A Princess

DIY Donut Pumpkins from Studio DIY

 Black Cat O' Lantern from Sunset

DIY Sharpie Owl Pumpkin from Lil Blue Boo

 Bats Across a Pumpkin from It All Started With Paint

DIY Sequin Polka Dot Pumpkin from Sugar and Cloth

 Painted Pumpkins from Whatever

Tinkerbell Pixie Dust Pumpkin from Instructables