Archives for May 2012

With Marvel’s The Avengers breaking box office records this weekend, I am sure quite a few boys and girls are going to want to have a superhero themed birthday party this year.  Check out these great tips on how to throw a superhero party worth of “The Avengers”!
Below are a few tips from Ms. Ricky Eisen, Founder and President of Events and Celebrations by Between the Bread, on…

“How to Throw a Superhero Party Worthy of ‘The Avengers’’”

Invitations: Start your party off right with the perfect invitation. You can make your own postcard invitations with cardboard cut-outs of bright blue painted stars, and include the details about your party in a thin black marker. Decorate the front of each with classic comic book words like POW!, ZAP! And WAM!

Décor: The Avengers bring together 6 epic superheroes. Create your own easy decorations with cardboard cutouts of spiders and paint them black, neon green head’s of The Hulk and classic American flags for Captain America and, throughout the party, use bold colored streamers, which will add some mystery to the room.

Centerpieces: Choose your favorite Avenger and decorate the table around that character. Use lots of primary colors, since comic strips are usually blue, yellow and red. Print outs of comic book pages covered in contact paper make great placemats. Blanket your tables with these to tie the décor together and include stars, spiders and Hawkeye cut-outs on wooden sticks around the table with silver confetti.

Music: Keep the music simple but fun. “Live to Rise,” the original song written for and appearing in the film is the first single from the Marvel Music/Hollywood Records release Avengers Assemble.  The epic and cinematic video, featuring a searing live performance with film footage, was directed by Robert Hales (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Janet Jackson, Kings of Leon, Justin Timberlake).  View “Live To Rise”:  http://www.vevo.com/watch/soundgarden/live-to-rise-from-marvels-the-avengers/USH5V1221447 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZNtOcY_1A

Menu: Mini snacks such as cut-out tea-sandwiches make great finger food. Look for cookie cutters in shields, stars and spiders to create these treats. For Incredible Hulk themed beverages, create trays of green ice cubes by freezing water with green food color, and WOW! guests as their clear citrusy beverages transform color before their very eyes.

Party Favors: As a parting gift, place a few Avenger designed cookies in a cellophane bag and close with a gold twist-tie – your guests can enjoy the party for days to follow with these treats!”

RECIPE

1.    Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookie recipe and use a cookie cutter to make character cookies.  They make Superhero cookie cutters in the shape of many Avengers heroes.  You can also use any oval shaped cookie cutter and instead fill in the details with your decorating.  Once your cookies are baked and cooled, you are ready to begin decorating.

2.    You can make your own royal icing (See:  How to Make Your Own Royal Icing included below) or use store-bought.  Color with food coloring to achieve the various colors you want for decorating.  We recommend green (for the Hulk), yellow, blue, black, white, and brown.  Place each color in a piping bag.

3.    Begin by outlining the cookie in your base color.  (If you were starting with The Hulk, outline the entire shape in green.  Color in your outline with green icing and cover the entire cookie.  (You can actually use a paintbrush to “paint” your cookie.)  Give the base a few minutes to dry and choose your next color.  For The Hulk’s hair, outline his hairline in black and proceed to fill in with black icing.  You can continue to draw features in and watch your character come to life.

How to Make Your Own Royal Icing

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature.  We prefer dehydrated egg whites, available at most supermarkets.
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• food coloring (optional)

Mix above ingredients with a little warm water until smooth.  Add food coloring.
If you throw a superheros party, I’d love to see pictures!  What other ideas have you come up with for a superheros themed party?

In honor of PEOPLE LIKE US and Brothers and Sisters day tomorrow, May 2nd, take the How Well Do You Know Your Brother/Sister Quiz.

And don’t forget to visit Sprinkles Cupcakes tomorrow, May 2nd, when all ten locations across the country will give out a free cupcake to each customer who comes in between the hours of 12 noon and 2:00p.m. and says, “People Like Us.”  Any customer can vote online for the official PEOPLE LIKE US flavor and the winning cupcake will be announced the week of the film’s opening.  Customers can also pick up punch cards in Sprinkles Cupcakes stores, redeemable on the selected PEOPLE LIKE US holidays for a free cupcake.

In a story inspired by true events, Sam, a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, is tasked with fulfilling his estranged father’s last wishes—delivering an inheritance to a sister he never knew he had. Starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer, PEOPLE LIKE US opens in theaters June 29.