Academy Award Time!

I can’t believe how fast the time is flying…February is almost over already and the Academy Awards will be presented this Sunday night! It seems like yesterday I was taking down Christmas decor and counting the hours until the Valentine decorations could go up!   But here we are approaching the eve of the Oscars and I’m so excited to pull together a little fun for the festive evening!  I don’t normally have an Academy Award “party” but a fun find prompted me to go ahead this year and create a treat table for my family and maybe a friend or two!  It’s not too late to think about hosting a little soiree…there’s still plenty of time to grab some easy goodies for a special night!  I’d like to share with you some simple steps to create an award winning treat table…

and the Oscar goes to…

whether you’re watching the festivities with a bunch of gal pals, a houseful of guests, or just your family…some goodies to munch on and fun activities can make an event out of a simple broadcast!  you know how much i love finding EASY ways to celebrate…so let me share with you a few simple goodies & decorations that all together look pretty grand!  i draped a simple boa across the front of my table and attached it with a tiny bit of tape.  and the paper fans (leftover from hallowen) make a festive backdrop but you could find a fringed table skirt from the party store that would look just as festive on the wall!  just because it says “TABLE” on the package doesn’t mean you HAVE to use it there!  just put your imagination to work and have fun!

the cute “let’s eat” sign, the paper plates and fringed picks came from Party City.  the printed message was included with the little table sign so no printing or cutting was required!  for $5 i figured it was worth it since it will grace many-a-table in my home!

the rest of the snacks came right from the grocer!  i love a semi-homemade treat table!  it takes the stress out of preparing for a party…big or small!  and if you choose family favorite munchies you know they’ll be a hit!  it can be really simple to add some special touches to make those ordinary goodies look Academy ready!

i filled small, gold baking cups with mixed nuts for a healthier option on the table!  i can keep extras in the kitchen to pop on the tray as needed!

and our family favorite “puppy chow” gets all gussied up in some stemless martini glasses!  i tucked a couple fringed cupcake toppers in each to make them look extra festive!

and my semi-homemade treat for the night is brownie bites topped with my cinnamon cream cheese icing & some edible stars!  i get so many compliments on this icing…i swear it can make any box mix taste like it came from the baker!  i’ll share the easy recipe at the end of the post.  but if you don’t feel like whipping up a batch, purchased varieties are just as good…and fast!

i’m serving the two-bite brownies on Giggle cupcake stands so they stand up a bit taller since they’re so small…but piling them on one cake stand would look sweet too!

and for some fun during the evening, i printed off these ballots so we can predict the winners and see which one of us has the best Oscar insight!  head over here to print off your own 2017 ballots!

these tiny pencils are just right for accompanying the ballots.  every time we go to Ikea stores my youngest hoards the mini pencils…this is some of his stash!

and last but not least…one of my favorite, inexpensive party supplies would have to be balloons!  no helium required!  i love to blow them up, attach some curling ribbon, and simply scatter them about!  they definitely give a big bang for less than a buck and they can festively fill in gaps on a smaller treat table…

and i did mention i found something that inspired me to do this thing in the first place didn’t i?  what’s an Oscars party without some “bling” right?  and what better than the edible kind…try on some popsicle rings!

i made these with gatorade for a non-alcoholic version…but for some gal-pal fun why not try champagne?  just keep them in the freezer until you’re ready, then serve them up on a platter of ice!  check out Target stores for the Koju ring pop kit or check out Spare Parts/ Zoku for other fun pop making molds!

see how easy it can be to create an award winning evening!

get all gussied up or don the PJs…and guess who will be taking home Oscar!

happy award watching!

if you feel like whipping up something sweet to top your goodies, give this easy recipe a try!  you can keep the extra in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for a few weeks…it makes a wonderful topping for cinnamon rolls too so don’t throw any leftovers away!