michelle paige blogs

Monday

Kodak Blogger Event at Bartells

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the
Kodak Blogger Event
at a nearby Bartells Drug Store.

(I didn't know I'd be treated to yummy Kodak sugar cookies!)

Bartell Drugs is a Washington State Drug Store.

Walking into the store, I was greeted by Kodak staff and many bloggers.

I met Louise from MomStart who co-hosted the event...

As well as Heather from United States of Motherhood,

Leanne from Rave & Review and
Kerri from The Maven of Social Media.

There were a few others, but I didn't have a chance to connect--I wanted to work on printing my pictures!

We listened to a short presentation about Kodak's kiosks and everything they can do. Did you know they can print out pictures straight from your phone, your Facebook account and even your pictures on Instagram?
You can make quick photobooks, calendars and extra large prints, too.
(They told us they have some upcoming features being added soon.)

I love how easy the kiosks are to use.
I played around and used many of their editing features such as brightening up my photos and touching up the faces.
The best part is that the pictures print immediately.
You can have your pictures within minutes!

Here's some of the pictures I printed from our Mother's Day Tea Party.

*Note: I did like the quality of my pictures printed from my camera card, better than printed straight from my Facebook account.

And guess what? They wanted to interview me and my experience.

Right in the middle of the store, there I was gabbing away.

Before I left I picked up one of their swag bags.

Look at all this great stuff to try out! Wow!

Thank you Kodak.

Have you ever tried printing photos from a Kodak kiosk?

Thursday

Personalized 'Tea-riffic' Tea Bag Cookies

Inspired by all the tea bag cookies on Pinterest,

I decided to make my own tea bag cookies
for our Mother's Day Tea Party.

The cookies were actually quite simple.
I made my favorite sugar cookie recipe
rolled out the dough, then
cut the cookies into a tag shape using a sharp knife.
(I cut around a paper tag I already had in my scrapbooking supplies, but you could cut a tag any size out of cardstock and use that.)

Before I baked the cookies, I put a small hole in each one using the tip of a thermometer.
After the cookies baked and cooled to the touch,
I went back and re-made the hole all the way through the cookie.
(Be sure to do this when the cookies are still warm and soft.)

I dipped each cookie about 1/3 the way up into the best dark chocolate ever!
Click here for this amazing chocolate. It's soooo good! (yes, it's an 11 pound block, but it will last you about a year!)
Lay cookies on waxed paper to dry.

I wanted to use the cookies as place markers at the table, so I wrote each person's name on the cookie using...you guessed it, more chocolate!
I scooped the melted chocolate into a Ziploc, snipped the corner end and started writing.

Attached to each cookie was a
'You're Tea-riffic' tag.

Click here to print your own!

After printing, cut out each tag.

Thread Baker's Twine through each cookie,
then tape on a 'Tee'-riffic tag using Washi tape.

The cookies looked quite festive next to
the flower filled tea cups on the table, plus everyone knew where to sit.

Even my cutie pie nephew enjoyed his cookie!

To see our Mother's Day Tea Party Brunch, click here.

Linking up to: IGottaCreate, LoveofFamilyandHome, FrugalGirls, Whipperberry, NaptimeCrafters, SerenityNow, TatertotsandJello, TheTablescaper, IHeartNaptime, WillCookforSmiles, CraftOManiac, CreativeCorner, MadeByYouMonday, TimetoSparkleTuesday,

Tuesday

Mother's Day Tea Party Brunch

Mother's Day was fancy this year at our house!

Well, actually it's sort of fancy every year...

Mother's Day is the one celebration where you feel like decorating with lace, doilies and pink, right? (Am I the only one?)

Mother's Day gives you a special reason to get out the china and the glassware and celebrate mom with class.

Need another valid reason for getting out every fancy dish in the house? Moms don't have to wash dishes on Mother's Day, right?! Yah!

Last year for Mother's Day, I surprised everyone and went with a turquoise and black theme...remember? I even used paper plates!

Click here if you missed it.

This year, it's back to pink and lace.

The theme? A tea party brunch.

The problem: None of us really enjoy drinking tea.

Solution: Fill the tea cups with flowers and make tea bag sugar cookies!
You don't need tea for a tea party, do you?

I cut up 'mini' flower buds purchased from the store and paired them with bright pink azaleas from my yard.

The tea bag sugar cookies were the place markers for each guest.

(Click here to see how I made them.)

The table looked so bright with the flower filled teacups at each spot.

I used a pink cloth curtain under the lace tablecloth for a pop of color.

Large white doilies were under each place setting.

Small pink doilies were set under the glassware.

Pink netting flowed down the center of the table.

My daughter's play tea set was on display along with vintage linens passed down from my grandmother and my husband's grandmother.

The buffet table was decked out in pink as well.

For the backdrop, I hung soft pink sequined curtains I found at the Goodwill.

The great thing about having a 'tea party'

is that the food can all be mini-sized.

We had mini stacks of buttermilk pancakes

and mini muffins...
blueberry muffins and coconut lemon!

We had a few of these powdered donut hole 'cupcakes' leftover from our Pink Cupcake Party.

And dined on individual muffin tin egg omelets.

Remember when we made them for the starfish party? Click here.

This time I put my dad to work and made them all ahead of time.

(I love how my dad tucked his tie into his shirt as he cooked.)

Spray muffin tin.

Place meats, veggies, herbs, cheese in the bottom of each muffin cup.

Pour beaten eggs over the top to 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

A simple flag was crafted with toothpicks and washi tape.

Fresh fruit was in each glass dish.

Even the cut veggies received the fancy treatment.

Parfait glasses with ranch dip on the bottom,

then filled with carrot and celery sticks.

(I've recently strayed from baby carrots to long organic ones.

My kids seem to eat a long crazy looking carrots vs. a handful of baby ones...plus I heard that they wash baby carrots with bleach?! Ugh.)

My mother-in-law followed the color theme with her frozen fruity desserts! Aren't they beautiful?

Whipped topping with fresh mint completed the presentation!

Mmmm!

And of course, mini pink cupcakes!

At the kids' table, things were a little more relaxed.

At each place setting was a paper framed placemat and crayons.

Have you seen these placemats? They're fabulous!

The kids' assignment was to draw their mom a beautiful flower.

Gift of choice for the moms--herb gardens.

Gift of choice for the grandmas--stepping stones.

They get one every year!

My sister-in-law makes them with her kids, too.

Instead of hand prints, she does footprints.

And did you notice the photo booth?

Pink fabric was draped over our folded up ping pong table.

My dad helped me hang my glass vase banner over the top.

This was made with glass vase bottles and wire.

I 'hid' the wire with pink tulle netting and filled each vase with water and flowers.

Then came the pictures.

My mom and mother-in-law always say I go to too much work...

I don't think they realize the pleasure that comes from my being creative, and then being able to share that creativity with those I love.

Love you both! Happy Mother's Day!

Oh! I was completely surprised this year when my kids walked in with a gift card branch for me! AH (Awesome Husband) read this blog idea from last year and made me one! The kids attached coupons to the tree. My favorite coupon: Instant Obey! Thank you family, I love you!

This pic didn't make the fancy line up but my brother-in-law gave a nice effort.

(If only people knew what we go through to get good pictures!)