A Dose of Serendipity: 2013

CANDIED SNOW...

Stuck inside on a snowy day? Try making some candied snow (aka snow ice cream) with all that fresh powder! It's VERY simple and tastes super sweet!

All you need is:

8 C. fresh snow

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 T vanilla

sprinkles

Go outside and measure your snow in a mixing bowl. Then add the condensed milk and vanilla, stir it up, and top with sprinkles! It's that easy. Enjoy!

Candy Kabobs are super easy and a fun activity to do at a birthday party! All you need is wooden skewers and a variety of gummy candy. Let people choose which candy to add to their kabob, or create kabobs to give as gifts and wrap in cellophane bags tied with ribbon. Simply slide candy down a skewer and keep stacking until the skewer is full. Choose colored candy to match a party theme or holiday and let guests snack on a candy kabob! Enjoy!

CANDIED OREOS...

Add some color to oreos by covering them in chocolate! Create candied oreos for a party by choosing colors to go with the theme, or give them away as gifts. It's super easy.

STEPS:

1. Buy colored candy melts (available at Michaels) and oreos

2. Start with one color and melt chocolate

3. Dip oreos in melted chocolate then set on wax paper or foil to dry (you can lay the oreos flat or on their sides)

4. Enjoy! (or fill clear cans with candied oreos and give as gifts!)

Give candied oreos as a gift in a clear can!

CANDY BUFFET...

candy buffet

One of the latest trends I have seen in events (weddings, parties, etc.) is candy buffets or dessert bars, so I decided to create my own. This particular candy buffet wasn't for a specific event, but I chose an assortment of colors that could be used for a birthday, shower, wedding, or just for fun! Sweeten up your next event with a candy buffet!

TIPS:

- Collect clear jars of varying shapes/sizes (random is key to making the table look interesting, and jars can be bought cheap from second hand stores or you can borrow randomly from friends)

- Add height! Make some jars stand out more by putting them on top of a box (Mine is covered in white)

- Choose candy that goes with your theme (if you don't have a theme, choose a colorful assortment like I did)

- Add a fun background (banner, streamers, pictures, etc.)

- Use fun containers for guests to put candy in, such as the paper cones I made (super easy!), cellophane bags with string, candy cups, etc.

CANDY GIFT BUCKET...

Give the gift of candy! I've always loved giving and getting candy as a gift, so I created a candy bucket (all under $20) perfect for any occasion.

It's pretty simple. All you need is:

1. A bucket of your choice that is fairly small

2. Floral foam (available at Michaels)

3. Wooden sticks/skewers (available at Michaels)

4. Packing tape (available at Michaels)

5. A variety of candy

6. Paper party filler (available at Michaels)

First, fill your bucket snugly with floral foam.

Tape your candy to wooden sticks.

Poke wooden sticks into foam and keep filling until almost no foam is showing, choosing a larger-sized candy to center everything around (I chose Red Vines).

Fill any extra space, especially the back, with paper filler to cover the foam.

Make sure everything looks good...

Finished product!

Candy buckets can be made for themed parties, holidays, or any special occasion by choosing different kinds of candy - more tutorials coming soon!

Buy your candy bucket here.

Please email me at info@adoseofserendipity.com with any questions!

SWEET BIRTHDAY ON A BUDGET...

Whether you are turning 2 or 22, you can't go wrong with a candy-themed party. Out of my love for candy, I created a sweet party on a small budget of under $40 (excluding the gumball machine) and many of the items can be found at the Dollar Store. What is so great about a candy-themed party is that you can tweak any of the concepts your own way and choose your favorite candy.

Check out the photos below. A list of items can be found at the bottom.