Articles for the Month of October 2015

Oct 22 2015

Go the All Blacks!

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

Create your own Sports Bar at home!

We’re now getting down to the final rounds of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. What better time to gather with friends and watch the games. Technically even the most casual of ‘get-togethers’ qualifies as a party so why not kick things up a notch and set up a refreshments station for all your guests to enjoy. Here’s some great ideas and products to help get your creative juices flowing.

All Blacks Party Supplies

Set up a table that is in view of your TV, but not obstructing it, and add a few decorations to it. If you’re not keen on making them yourself, then Build a Birthday have a great selection to choose from, and you can order them online too.

 

All Blacks food products

Next you need food. Some of New Zealand’s favourite brands are supporting our team by going black, so why not make use of them. Photo credit: 100% Pure New Zealand

 

All-Blacks-Popcorn-Tin-Nz-Kettle-Korn

I think these tins full of popcorn, are a must. Available at most major supermarkets, not only is it a great game watching snack it adds to the décor. Photo credit: Countdown

 

Game Watching Food Recipes

So that all your snack food isn’t out of a packet, choose 1-2 sweet and savoury options to add to the table. Here’s some tasty ideas from KitchMe – if you choose dishes that can be prepared in advance, even better.

 

All Blacks Cookies

And if you feel like getting a bit fancy, you could even give these a try. Photo credit: The Whole Cake and Caboodle

Now while this may seem like a lot of work, as my Mum will often say, ‘there is a method to my madness’. Not only will this look amazing and help build a great atmosphere for watching the game – because you have put out everything your guests could possibly need on this “self-serve” food and beverage station, you’ll get to enjoy the game more because you won’t have to keep getting up to get things.

For more ideas check out our Rugby/Football Party pin board on Pinterest, and if you do give this a go we’d love to see your photos.

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© 2015 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

 

 

 

Oct 15 2015

The Cheat’s Iced Cookie

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments
The Cheat's Iced Cookie - Title Image

I love having Iced Cookies on the party menu. They always look colourful and fun, and they decorate the food table too. For my son’s recent Space Rocket party we absolutely had to have iced rocket shaped cookies and they most definitely had to match the rest of the party’s design. I really didn’t have the time or patience to make them myself, nor did I want to spend the money to have them professionally made (last time I got a quote for a detailed iced cookie it was around $12 each – I love cookies, but I don’t love them that much!). So when I came across this idea, I was pretty keen to give it a go. So armed with my computer, a few graphics skills and a recommendation from a couple of friends for a company called Photocake, I was off on a mission.

I started out by purchasing a rocket shaped cookie cutter from Kiwi Cakes and then created my rocket image to fit the cutter. This took a little bit of trial and error – having to print it out a few times to see if it would match, but I got there without too much fuss. Then I tiled multiple copies of my rocket onto a page that matched the measurements listed for the size project that I wanted to use on the Photocake website (this was an A3 Landscape Edible Image). I followed the remaining instructions to complete the order – pretty straight forward.  They then printed my images onto a thin layer of fondant like icing and couriered it to me.

A couple of things I need to mention here are that Photocake only prints what you upload and submit – so if you get your sizing or positioning wrong it’s not their fault. Also every printer and computer screen has some variances in colour so be prepared for the fact that the printed icing image may vary slightly from your screen. And lastly due to copyright laws you must own the rights or have permission to upload your chosen image.

Edible Image on arrival

You can see I added a few other images to my page which I used as cupcake toppers.

 

The edible icing image arrived in good time and was very well packed. Overall I was super impressed with Photocake’s service.

Then it was baking time. Once the rocket shaped cookies were cooked and cooled I used the cookie cutter to cut out the rockets from the icing sheet.

Cutting out the rocket ships

I then brushed the cookie with a little water before placing the icing on top of it so that the icing would stick. And it was done!

Finished iced rocket cookies

All that was left to do was to serve and then eat them.

Rocket cookies on display

If you decide to have a go at making your own iced cookies the cheat’s way, we’d love to hear from you. Either send us an email or tell us about it on our Facebook page.

 

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© 2015 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

 

Oct 08 2015

Space Rocket Party

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

Space Party Title Photo

I couldn’t believe that another year had passed us by, when we recently celebrated my son’s 4th birthday. This year it was a Space Rocket theme.  Earlier on this year I found this awesome rocket ship puzzle at Kmart. We have had hours of great imaginative play with this simple toy. We’ve taken many trips to Jupiter and occasionally Saturn or Mars, so it was only natural that this became the inspiration for the whole party.

Party Highlights:
  • I really wanted iced rocket shaped cookies but didn’t want to spend the time piping on all the little details. So I was pretty excited to create an image that matched the cookie cutter and then to have it printed onto icing by a company here in Auckland called Photocake. (More about this next week.)
  • As always we work hard to have the food match the theme too. So this time we had Cupcakes decorated with our printables; Planet Pops; Rocket Cookies; Star Sandwiches; Meteorite Meatballs; Saturn Rings (Burger Rings).
  • I always try to have a combination of games and activities at each party I create – this time we made a cardboard rocket shaped playhouse to match the theme, along with Galactic play-dough and a game we called ‘Twinkle, twinkle eat a star’. This game involved cookies in the shape of stars hanging across the doorway for the kids to try and eat without using their hands. Very entertaining to watch!
  • I love to use child sized chairs, so I was super excited to find that Carlton Party Hire in Henderson had just added to their range child sized Chavari chairs – eeek! They have been available overseas for a number of years, but have only just arrived in New Zealand. In fact I was the first person to hire these ones. They looked so cool and matched the theme perfectly.
  • Lastly, I have a bit of a thing with the concertina rosettes at the moment so I was thrilled to use them in the birthday banner and as coasters.

 

Kids Space Rocket Party Table SettingKids space rocket party table setting 2

Kids space rocket party table centrepiece

Kids space rocket party kids chavari chairs

Kids space rocket party helium balloons

Kids space rocket party table setting from above

Kids space rocket party centrepiece

Kids space rocket party astronaut

Kids space rocket party drink bottles and coasters

Kids space rocket party table setting and playhouse

Kids space rocket party playhouse

Kids space rocket party playhouse and food table

Kids space rocket party game galactic play-dough

Kids space rocket party favours

Kids space rocket party favour bags with printables

Kids space rocket party food table

Kids space rocket party iced cookies

Kids space rocket party cookie printables

Kids space rocket party cupcake printables

Kids space rocket party printables

Kids space rocket party planet pops

Kids space rocket party cakepops

Kids space rocket party theme colour candy

Kids space rocket party themed candy

Kids space rocket party buffet table

Kids space rocket party star sandwiches

Kids space rocket party star sandwiches and printables

Kids space rocket party saturn rings printables

Kids space rocket party meteorite meatballs

Kids space rocket party meatballs

Kids space rocket party birthday cake

Kids space rocket party cake topper

Kids space rocket party rosette banner

Kids space rocket party birthday banner

Kids space rocket party food and banner

Summing Up:

With every party that I do I put a lot of time, thought and energy into it. Sometimes I even get stumped over what to do next. But when the day arrives and it all comes together perfectly and the guest of honour just beams from ear to ear it is all worth while.

If you have any questions or comments regarding how we put this theme together or if you would like us to create a party for you then please contact us either via email or through the comments section below.

Vendor Credits:

 

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© 2015 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.