Posts in Parties
An Apple Party with Tree Top

Last week I got to host the coolest party with Tree Top - an apple party!  We celebrated National Apple Month by pressing fresh apple cider, making apple crafts, and eating apple-tizers.  It was a blast!

Apple Cinnamon Popcorn

There are a zillion more photos and cool things after the jump!

To decorate for the party - and celebrate all things apples - we built a giant plywood screen across the back of the truck bay and I painted giant apple slices on them.  I cut honeycomb balls into apple shapes inspired by these honeycomb fruit over on Studio DIY.  Before the party started we gathered all of the children who are members of "my team" and got a picture of the gang with our favorite brand logo!

One of the crafts we made were apple bird feeders.  These are so simple to make.  It's great for using apples that are a little bit older - and creating a little fun fall craft with your kids.  Also, the birds will eat the seed as well as the apples.

Washington Sliders {made with apple sauce, Beecher's cheese, bacon, and locally grown mustard} 

The most exciting part of the party was pressing fresh apple cider.  I picked up more than 140 pounds of Washington State apples from the local farmers stand to turn into juice.  It's amazing how captivated a group of children can be when there is apple grinding happening.  

The children all took turns throwing apples into the grinder and got to try their hand at turning the grinding wheel.  When it was time to press the apples, the children also got to press the apples but it gets hard after a few minutes so Mr. Hedin took over that job and the children used small milk bottles to collect the juice as it poured out.  

Not everyone cared if they drank the cider fresh off the press.  I mean, why would you when there was a cooler full of juice boxes in the kitchen?

I also discovered recently that if you mix Tree Top Three Apple Blend with ginger ale {equal parts} you get a deliciously spicy and sparkly apple mock-tail.  

The Three Apple Blend is also amazing mulled!  

My children's favorite craft was turning juice boxes into mummies!  We used electrical tape and skinny duct tape from the hardware store to turn juice boxes into fabby little monsters.

SWAG!  No one left the party empty handed!  We filled bags with copies of my book, apple juice bottles, and apple sauce squeezers.  Perfect sizes for lunch or for toting around in your bag to keep the kids happy. 

I am a huge fan of the Tree Top company.  Their juice has always been my first choice because it's based in Washington State.  When they approached me to work with them I was ecstatic.  I love when I get to promote companies that I already support.

Tree Top is a grower owned co-op that supports more than 1,000 growers in the Pacific Northwest.  That means the apples in the juice are locally grown and 100% of the apples are grown in the USA.  Tree Top supports local farmers and local families.  I'm a huge fan.

This party and post were sponsored by Tree Top

Weeknight Halloween :: Flaming Rats

My children were completely creeped out by these rats.  Once they realized they all hated them, it became a game to see who could be around it the longest.  I think Pearl won.  As candle holders, they are perfect for Halloween - and they literally could not be simpler.  Make your own and share them with #weeknightpartygirl.  I can't wait to see your Weeknight Halloween.


Weeknight Halloween {+ a video!}

It's time for Halloween and time for another video!  Halloween is a super fun time of the year for a little quirkiness and turning the ordinary fabulous!  I made a jello shot cocktail, a creepy crawly candleholder and all of it in no time at all.

Click through to watch the video and stay tuned all week for step by steps and recipes!

Dia de los Muertes {& a Mask}

Tune into Q13 FOX News this morning at 8:20am and we'll celebrate Dia de los Muertes together!

Dia de los Muertes is most identified by elaborate skull face painting and masks made to resemble the dead.  What better way to celebrate than by creating your own mask?  Also - turns out the are unbelievably simple to create.  All you need is a little doodling with a black sharpie.

I searched online for inspiration then just started doodling on the masks.  You can decorate the top with faux flowers, tissue paper flowers, or giant colorful puff balls.    Ole!

You can have your own Dia de los Muertes adventure inspired by the new movie

Book of Life

!

Visit

www.worldmarketsweepstakes.com

to enter the sweepstakes through October 24th, 2014.  The Grand Prize is 5 days {6 nights} in Mexico at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, free movies for a year, $1,000 World Market Gift Card, and awesome Book of Life Merchandise from Cost Plus World Market!

National Apple Month :: Cider Pressing

Over the weekend we pressed apples with the family to make fresh apple cider.  We had planned this before I knew it was National Apple Month - but it worked out perfectly!  Since so many of you asked about pressing apples on our vintage apple press, I thought I'd share a bunch of our photos here {below the jump}.  

We used a mix of Jonagold apples and Granny Smith apples.  Some times we gather apples from a friend's orchard that they couldn't sell at market - this time my parents picked them up from the local fruit stand.

The apples go into the top of the press where there is a grinder with sort of vicious metal teeth.  Mr. Hedin used an old axe handle to move the apples around so they don't get stuck in the teeth.

The children get to throw the apples in, but we are nervous that their fingers will get in there somehow.  Lars had probably just gotten in trouble for getting too close to the teeth as they were turning.  Thus, the charming expression. 

Once the apples are ground up they drop into a slatted barrel that we line with cheese cloth.  

After the slatted barrel is full the cheese cloth gets folded over the top of the apples and a large piece of wood is placed on top so the press can squeeze down evenly.   

Juice then pours out the spout on the bottom of the press. 

 You can drink it right away.  And we do.  Some people pasteurize it but I've found it takes the "fresh" flavor out of the juice.  So we just drink it fast or freeze it.  We tried to make hard cider one year and it was an epic fail.  Epic.  I'll stick to buying it.  

A Party Girl Cake {by Amy Christie}

No birthday is complete without a cake.  And when you ask Amy Christie to make the cake - she brings it!  Amy made a Champagne Cake with fancy frosting and edible gold leaf.  It's even cooler because she started with a boxed cake mix!  Easy!  Fancy!  Totally Weeknight Party Girl!

Click here for the recipe + Amy's coolness in general

.

Did you miss any part of my birthday!?  {Shame on you, it's rude to be late to a party} But you can catch up here.  And hopefully you brought a good gift to make up for it.

Smooches!

PartiesAlexandra HedinComment
A Party Girl Play List {by Classic Play}

This week is my birthday!  So we're celebrating all week long - both in real life and on the blog.  I rallied a few of my favorite gals to help me celebrate my birthday.  Melissa of Lulu the Baker has an amazing appetizer tomorrow, Amy of This Heart of Mine baked a cake, I made a cocktail {doy yoy}, but first, Jen of Classic Play curated a play list that literally has me dancing on the tables already!  

I realized the invitations could easily be cut and used on the records - perfect decor by the DJ stand when a record isn't as useful {to anyone other than my sister} as an iPod.  But it's the most fabby backdrop for a tiny bluetooth speaker and an iPod.  

Party on!

The girls and I partnered with

Tiny Prints

to bring you an entire week of fabulous birthday party celebration all inspired by

this invitation

on the

Tiny Prints

site.  

Weeknight Tailgate

Can you believe it's already tailgate season again!?  The Huskies and Cougars both have games next week which means we all have to start planning how we're going to tailgate.  Since the Huskies will be playing in Hawaii to kick off the season, Dawg fans will have to tailgate from afar...  

While I was planning a little tailgate soiree, all I ran into was fall flavors and warm soups and cider. And I just couldn't do it.  It has been amazingly beautiful summer in Seattle and I'm not ready for summer to end - even if it means more football.

So I put together a perfect SUMMER tailgate with all of the fruit that is still ripe and a refreshing cocktail that you may not have tried yet!  Cheers to tailgate season

and GO DAWGS!

Also, if you aren't following me on

Instagram

, I suggest you hightail it over there!  There is going to be a huge HUMONGOUS giveaway this week that you'll want to be watching for!  Especially if you are a Cougar fan.

Get the recipes here

Spicy Summer Salsa

 ::  

Pineapple Margarita Salsa

 ::  

Michelada

Station Party with KitchenSurfing.com

The Weeknight Party Girl got to throw the most amazing dinner party last week for a group of friends thanks to KitchenSurfing.  The usual problem with a weeknight dinner party is cooking the actual dinner part.  I've give you a few ideas

here

,

here

here

,

here

 and

here

of things you can serve at a weeknight party that are simple and fabulous.  But what if you could have a chef completely cater the dinner.  And not in a "catering" way but in a truly special, unique, "there's a chef in my kitchen" way.

That's what Kitchen Surfing is - bringing the chef into your house.  We chose Chef Ryan who's ideas around local, organic, and simple were so similar to my own.  The menu she sent over was ridiculously awesome and we went from there.

To compliment the local and seasonally inspired menu I made a giant batch of my

Basil Gin G & T

and served it in my vintage ombre punch bowl.  The hilarious part about collecting vintage bar ware is how dramatically the serving size has changed over the years.  Five large fellas with tiny 1940's punch cups in their hands was awesome.

geranium ricotta on honey bruschetta

To go with the rest of the light summer dinner I had

our friend Matt

bring over a case of his phenomenal wine.  We chose the rose and the sauvignon blanc to pair with the fresh local flavors.  That and they are my favorite.  One of the perks of having good friends in the wine business!

I wanted to put something fun on each plate.  Since I had billed this as a "fancy-pants dinner party" it seemed like putting something completely the opposite of fancy pants was in order - in come grocery store chocolates.  Who doesn't love a Hershey's kiss?

my garden roses were in full bloom 

Summer Gazpacho

Melon, Mint, Basil and Pancetta Laced with a touch of chili pepper and Feta Crostini, cool, sweet and salty and a gorgeous hue. 

Crepe Pasta Ravioli

Spring Pea and Ricotta filled homemade pasta crepe, with Sausage, fried Sage and brown bacon butter with pea shoots and flowers

Blueberry Shortcake

Bow Hill Blueberries, Cream scone brown sugar short cake, honey whipped chantilly cream, balsamic syrup and honey thyme caramel.

I am so enamored with Kitchen Surfing.  The chefs are throughly vetted to be interesting and quality chefs who not only cook an incredible meal, but bring all of the ingredients, plate all of the food, and clean up ALL.OF.THE.DISHES.  I think this is a great way to celebrate a weeknight with friends.  But I think it's an even better gift!

You can GIFT a chef!  Think of the new parents who can't get out of the house for a date night!  Think of the birthdays you could celebrate!  Valentine's Day!

Check out KitchenSurfing.com and get a $50 credit

If you use Kitchen Surfing, tag it with #kitchensurfing because I can't wait to see your parties too!

Dinner ℅ Kitchensurfing.com