Summer Entertaining Recipes

This summer, The O'Regan family is enjoying grilling out on our new grill and cooking light and easy food. It's so hot down here that the last thing my family wants after a long day is a heavy meal. A crisp and refreshing dinner is best, and I've been cooking up cabbage salad, shrimp ceviche, and grilled corn for a yummy meal that really hits the spot.  (Admittedly, my children do not eat the same menu.)

Having a dinner party this summer? This is an easy menu that you can prepare ahead of time. Here's the ceviche recipe we use -- click here to find it!  When entertaining this summer, if you can find the time, try your hand at these place settings.  Our design team member Angie Holden stamped the beach chair/umbrella from PSA Life's A Beach onto cloth.  She tied a string through it and created a fun and seasonal napkin holder decoration!  

She stamped onto a circular piece of fabric with her PSA Stamper loaded with Turquoise Blue ink and set it with hairspray.   Check out the place setting complete with a shell – isn’t it perfect?  Your guests are sure to enjoy this meal and also feel welcome with this setting. 

What's on your menu this summer? We'd love to hear! Share what you are cooking up here on our blog or on Facebook! 

Memorial Day Weekend

The O'Regan's spent a majority of the Memorial Day weekend in the pool! With Molly's school out for summer and daycare closed, we kicked off the summer season at my parents house where every day feels like a vacation. We had some time with our good friends, The DeLanos, who you may remember from this blog.  Susan was on our PSA Essentials design team and I spent a few minutes looking back at birthday party fun, stamping at Britney Spears, her bachelorette party madness, wedding shower, and more birthday party fun when writing this post...

On Friday, Molly and I spent some time crafting a pennant flag banner and festive cocktail straws using our PSA Essentials Peel & Stick Stamps.  We used the flag stamp from PSA Mixed Holiday Peel & Stick pack. Turned out cute!

Using some fun glittery paper found at Michael's, I used my circle punch and stamps to create festive straws for Memorial Day cocktails. 

We so enjoyed some time with my cousin Sarah, who came down from Asheville for the weekend.  Here are some more weekend photos!

What a fun weekend! Here's to a wonderful summer ahead.

Thanksgiving Tree

Time is ticking away until turkey, but you can still create your own beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving Day table.  I just love this idea from Heidi Ferguson at Honeybear Lane.   She's used stamps from PSA Rosetta and various ink cartridges by PSA Essentials loaded in her PSA Essentials Stamper.

Heidi stamped onto white cardstock, punched, and adhered to scallop punched cardstock.  She tied with twine onto a branch which she potted with moss.  It's a very organic centerpiece.  You could write what you are thankful for on the back of the tree, similar to this popular idea posted a few weeks ago on PSA Stamp Camp. 

The Rosetta stamp set is a very versatile set, you can use the stamps for a variety of projects and backgrounds.   Our retailer, Cyber Savvy Shop is selling this pack for just $10.50 (normally $15.00.) Head on over to get yours now!  And don't forget about our helpful videos on how to change your ink cartridge or Peel & Stick stamps here.  

Pilgrim Hat Place Card for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is next week! If you are looking for a great way to set the table, try this idea from Jennifer Holmes.  Jennifer created a pilgrim hat that can be used as a decoration on the table or make multiple hats to use as place cards.  It's festive and fun and it's also an easy project that you can do with your kids!

Jennifer cut the hat from black card stock and added a white trim and a yellow buckle.  She stamped from Hello Kitty Trick or Treat available at The Paper Clique for just $12.95 (normally $15.00)

To use as a place card, replace the stamp that says  “thankful for you” with the guest's name. Place on top of crisp white napkins for a real pop of color.  

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? It's hard to believe that it is next week! 

DIY Thanksgiving Place Mats

I've been eyeing some personalized Thanksgiving place mats on a few sites lately, but frankly, I just can't buck up to pay for them.  When Heidi Ferguson of Honeybear Lane designed these for us, I was reminded that with a little effort, I could make my own place mats for Thanksgiving. 

For this project by Heidi you will need: 

1. PSA Essentials Stamper 
2. Orange ink 
3. Black ink (comes in your PSA Stamper)
4. PSA Rosettas Peel & Stick pack 
5. Craft paper 
6. Taffeta paper 
7. A sewing machine 
8. A black marker to write your message ("give thanks" or "Happy Thanksgiving" - your choice!) 

Start by stamping all around the craft paper.  When it's dry, sew it to the taffeta paper.  Write with your marker your message. Really, it's a very simple project! Heidi added a pocket for silverware here for a rustic and homey touch. 

I love how this looks on the table and how simple it is!  It's also an affordable way to dress up and personalize your table this season.  Don't you love it?  Let us know your thoughts here and don't forget to enter our "what are you thankful for" giveaway! 

3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt Photo Recap

The third annual Easter Egg Hunt held by my husband and I and my very generous parents was a big success this year!  It seemed like everyone had a great time and the weather was perfect.  It was nothing but blue skies and the pool heater even allowed for a swim in the pool.  Here's a look at all the party details and the cute kids hunting for eggs, enjoying the party, and swimming!

I created a "Welcome to the Easter Egg Hunt" sign last year using my PSA Essentials Vanilla and Little Bunny Peel & Stick stamps.  I also created this Easter Egg Wreath using my May Arts Ribbon, hot glue gun and some eggs!

My very good friend Susan created these felt banners.  She was inspired by Dana on her blog Dana Made It. I strung them from the front deck. 

I used some printables from Design Editor like this "hop to it" and more throughout the hunt.  I created my own playlist for kids and created CD's as favors for the kids.  I got some table tent printables from my favorite stationery and party store: Swanky Press!  (She also did our invitation.) 

To create CD covers, I used my PSA Essentials Topiary Peel & Stick stamps.  I used coordinating cardstock throughout all my crafts to keep things cohesive.  My 2" inch circle punch here was a big help to add the "Happy Easter" on the CD cover. 

I created small votive flower vases for around the house and outside using my May Arts Ribbon and PSA Topiary Peel & Stick stamps. 

Our cake was baked and created by Ronnie's Bakery (Cakes by Lou) in Bluffton.   Also notice my Easter egg garland in the background. 

I created a pennant flag banner to string outside and stamped using my PSA Topiary Peel & Stick stamps as well as my personalized PSA Essentials Gillian stamp: "Easter Egg Hunt." 

I lined the porch with baskets from Target and paper pom-poms by Lilly Pulitzer and Favor Warehouse. 

This paint chip banner was an idea I got from Pinterest. I strung it on the beverage dispenser which we filled with lemonade. The cute bunnies are annual gifts from my mother-in-law. 

Susan also created this felt egg garland for the food table! 

I filled large hurricanes with empty eggs and topped them with a paper pom-pom for the food table decorations.  (Practical note: these took up too much space.)  My ribbon/stamped mason jars make an appearance here too! 

I strung paper lanterns from Oriental Trading Company on the palm trees.  

Hiding the eggs was a lot of fun.  I didn't do much hiding... 

I love the way the Marshmellow Peep Pops turned out!  I tied ribbon on lolipops and stuck peeps in them.   The grass I created using Easter egg grass, floral blocking and spray mount adhesive.   The "Happy Easter" tag was also simple.  I stamped the sentiment from PSA Topiary Peel & Stick stamps and punched using my bunny by Martha Stewart. 

For the menu we had a deli sandwich tray from Publix, I made tortilini pasta salad, my mom did fruit and veggies, and I also created "bunny" sandwiches of peanut butter/jelly and peanut butter and marsh mellow fluff.  

I love this shot of Molly's two friends Alex and Griffin.  They're sippin' lemonade out of paper straws (from Swanky Press) by the pool! 

Time for the egg hunt! 

And they're off! 

Time to swim! 

And that about sums it up!