Mel's Surprise 25th Birthday Party

Last Saturday Mel came home from her birthday dinner to her surprise 25th birthday party!! The evening before her party, 10 of her best girlfriends flew into town for her birthday. Little did she know, the surprises would continue all weekend! 

 The adorable cake her sister had made for her by Cloud 9!

While Mel was enjoying a birthday dinner at Firebirds with her friends and family, the setup crew was hard at work!

SURRRPRIIIIIIIISE!

I'd say she was pretty surprised! 

There were even some happy tears.

Time to cut the cake!

Not only did she successfully blow out all the candles, she took out the champagne tower as well. 

Happy Birthday, Mel!

Handy Homemaker Tips & Tricks V

Here are 10 more easy {and budget friendly} tips and tricks for all you homemakers out there! 

1. Take scratches out of your CDs/DVDs using a banana

Peel the banana. Rub the banana on the CD in a circular motion. Use the underside of the peel and rub the banana in deeper. Wipe away the residue with a lint-free cloth, like you’d use to clean your car windows. Using another cloth, remove smudges with a spritz of Windex. Voila, she is like new! 

2. Store bedding in a pillow case

3. Take scratches out of furniture with a walnut

4. Magnetic strip as storage behind vanity door

5. Upside down muffin pan for cookie bowls

6. Hull strawberries using a straw

7. Use coffee filters to keep soil from falling through the hole

8. How to clean your glass cooktop {Click Here}

9. How to clean your dishwasher {Click Here}

10. Use a hot glue gun to apply a zig zag pattern on plastic hangers to prevent  wide necked shirts from falling off

Previous tips & tricks posts:
Handy Homemaker Tips & Tricks 
Handy Homemaker Tips & Tricks II
Handy Homemaker Tips & Tricks III

Handy Homemaker Tips & Tricks IV 

Champagne Jello Shots

I received lots of recipe requests for the Champagne Jello Shots from my sister's bachelorette party! So without further ado...

Champagne Jello Shots
Adapted from That's so Michelle

INGREDIENTS:
{2} boxes of pineapple Jello {4 serving size boxes}
{1½} cups boiling water
{2½} cups champagne
{1} cup sliced strawberries
{20} 2 oz. clear plastic shot glasses

RECIPE:

Mix your pineapple jello and boiling water in a medium sized bowl, stirring until jello powder has all dissolved. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

Stir in champagne and refrigerate for another 30 minutes or until jello has just slightly thickened.  Set aside about 3/4 cup of your jello and champagne mixture for creating the foam top and put it back in the refrigerator.

Pour jello and champagne mixture into your shot glasses, then drop a few sliced berries in each glass.

Refrigerate overnight. 

Before serving, whip {with a high speed hand mixer} your 3/4 cup left over jello until it becomes white and fluffy and resembles foam. Spoon "foam" on top and serve.  

Makes about 20 jello shots