KISS...or KIHM more like.

KISS=keep it simple stupid.  But, that's not exactly my motto.  Kind of, as long as you can combine it with...
KIHM=keep it home made.

Let me start by saying Happy Birthday to my Youngest.  She just turned 3.  Now as everyone knows, I'm sure,  3 is the last year she is technically a baby.  After that...she's officially a kid.  So this will be my last year for the most supreme snuggles while holding her on my lap where she fits just perfectly (before she gets too long).  Listening to her cute little voice that is still figuring words and grammar out.  Loving on her sweet cheeks and the last bits of baby fat like her sweet leg chub!  This year it will all disappear.  It makes me a little heartbroken.  I will enjoy every last minute of it!!!

So, as I was mentioning up above, my M.O. for birthday parties is KISS/KIHM.  This is for all ages, actually, but especially for little ones.  This is, in fact, the first birthday party where I've invited friends for my Youngest.  I don't know, I just feel it's best to have family parties only when they're too little to understand and feel overwhelmed by too many people fawning over them. 

This picture was taken at 7 am, prior to the B-Day party.  Ofcourse the first thing the girls saw when they woke up was the playhouse sitting in the backyard waiting for Daddy to finish it.

Also, when they're so little, don't plan anything that's too structured, or has rules or expectations like...following too many instructions.  Make the fun easy to have.  The party started out with free play in the backyard.  Especially in the new play house my Youngest got for her birthday (technically it's for both girls, and luckily for us, she's so little she wouldn't even think that it was just for her, even though it is her birthday present). 

The one semi-structured activity we did was have the kids decorate vests made out of paper bags.  I bought a bunch of fun puffy stickers and brought out our giant tub of crayons and said...decorate!  They got to choose the stickers they wanted, Mommy's helped take the backs of the stickers and the kids got to choose the stickers they wanted and place them wherever.  Then they got to color with crayons.  It actually turned out really cute and they had a fun time doing it!  My Youngest is still wearing her vest today!

Time for cupcakes!  These cupcakes turned out to be a big hit!!  In fact, my husband has declared them to be his favorite of all time.  He loves the combo of white chocolate with chocolate.

Quick Butterfly Cupcake Tutorial

Supplies you will need:

One box cake mix (any flavor)
Cupcake recipe ingredients (see link below)
Frosting for frosting cupcakes ( I used approx. 1.5 containers of store bought frosting to frost 24 cupcakes)
Candy Melt for making wings (White)
Colored Sugar (Whatever you like, I chose pink, yellow and blue)
Jelly Beans
Vegetable Oil
Wax Paper
Sandwich-size baggies
chocolate chips

To begin:
Use recipe for  Faux Gourmet Cupcake Recipe
Let them cool completely.

Draw yourself a wing template...I took this post-making candy melt butterfly wings.  So, please don't mind the sugar and smudges.

Here's another one.  Now, they both started out fairly simple and as I made more, I would add on or change things a bit.  Like if I wanted the tips to be pointier or if I wanted a more scalloped edge.  So these were just the beginning and I deviated a lot from said pattern.

Cut out approximately 6" X 6" squares of wax paper.  I wasn't exact about this, I pretty much ripped out a largish piece then ripped that in half and called it good.  Place the wax paper OVER your template.  Ahem...there may have been a time when I....forgot to do this and just drew on the template itself with the Candy Melt...yeah...special I know. 

Now, melt your candy melt.  This is easy.  Take about 1/2 C. and add 1/4 tsp of vegetable oil.  Put in microwave safe bowl and microwave in 10 second increments.  Stirring in between each round.  It took me approximately 55 seconds for my candy melt to be melted.

Pour into sandwich-size baggies and snip the corner off.  NOW, this is of utmost importance.  Don't make the snip huge, but don't make it too tiny either.  I found, unfortunately too late as I had never made these before that you want the candy melt line to be fairly thick.  I would say at least 1/8", but approaching 1/4" thick and make them thicker on the inside edge.  The ones that were too thin snapped instantly!  Now, before they dry, smother them in colored sugar. 

You may have noticed that I used orange Candy Melt...well, that's just because I am the new frugal me.  I had it on hand from Easter and decided it would be fine to use.  If you don't happen to have orange Candy Melt on hand...go for white.  It'll show off the colored sugar much more nicely.  See, if you happen to be my Sister..then you would mock my blue butterflies as being gray...which, I will confess they did look a little blueish gray...but it's fine.  They were still tasty.  Set these aside to dry.  Make 24 sets of wings.

Here's one I made with pink sugar.  These actually turned out quite pretty with the orange Candy Melt underneath.

My Table covered in drying butterfly wings.  Be ready to sweep up about a ton of sugar.  It got everywhere.  But it was worth it.  NOW, be very careful when taking the wings off the wax paper.  I found it best to slide the wings to the edge of my table, slowly pull the wax paper down over the edge of my table and let the wings be exposed to the air, and then I would put my hand under the wing that was just hanging over my table edge and gently place it under and life, versus me just pulling the wings from the wax paper.  I broke too many that way.

Very carefully place the wings on top of the frosted cupcakes.  They look so much cuter and more realistic if they are slightly uplifted versus laying flat.  Mine were mostly too flimsy to have them at an upward angle, but if you make your Candy Melt thicker (especially towards the middle) then it will work fine.  Place a chocolate chip on either side of the wings in the frosting.  So, the inside edge of the butterfly wing is sunk in the frosting and the outer edge rests on the chocolate chip versus the frosting.  Now the butterfly looks like it just landed and is ready to flutter away again.

Pipe a line of frosting down the middle and place two jelly beans to act as the body.  There you have it!  So good and so pretty!  They look delicate (they are delicate), and will add a unique touch to your next birthday party.

So, follow up cupcake eating with opening presents!  Then when they're still sticky and chocolaty from cupcake goodness (by the way, my Youngest would never ask for any other flavor except for chocolate.)  She is the chocolate girl.  Up until a few months ago, she would pronounce "chocolate", "choco-leet"  And it was so precious.  You loved hearing her say it.  More choco-leet please.  Of course you can have more!!!  I mean, how could you possibly resist?

As I was saying.  When they're still chocolaty and sticky from cupcakes, throw them in their swim suits and break out the water toys.  Big shout out to Mr. Because I Can for demonstrating how to go down the Slip 'n Slide.  What a champion!  Although, he did not demonstrate in his clothes, despite chants for it...but it was still awesome!

So, Happy Birthday to my Youngest...my baby for one more year.  sniff sniff sob  I am so proud and happy to be her Mama.  I'll give you choco-leet any time!