Holiday Parties for the Nerds!

The holiday season has begun! Even though I don't have huge holiday parties, I've been thinking it'd be nice to start new traditions. A friend of mine got me brainstorming over ways to include my nerdiness over the holidays, whether it be bringing a special treat to someone else's party, or decorating and serving for your own party, you can be the coolest guest or host if you take a little time to put something together that everyone will know is you.
I like to try to put my own twist on everything, even simple things. You can make someone smile, or delight a fellow compatriot so easily. Especially around the holidays, people need a little cheer, and the best way that I know of (for my friends anyways) is to theme EVERYTHING. My close friends expect me to theme every little thing, it's out of control around my house. So I'm going to throw my little twist on a few ideas right here and hopefully have reason to put them to use over the holiday season. If I do  I will absolutely be putting them on here for you guys!

First, cookies! Cookies would be nice to take to a party, or even to have at your own home for your own guests. A special shout out to Miss S, who made me want to make comic cookies, which, if I get invited to a holiday party I will be bringing! These are her yummy cookies which I hear she shared with her coworkers!

She had nearly every character you could think of, tons of effort and love went into these super-hero cookies!

Making those fascinators we last blogged about as stocking stuffers, or present decorations, would be a great way to incorporate your personal touch to their gifts, and personalizing it to their favorite characters would make it that much more special. Don't forget to wear one to the party! And those comic shoes? I can't tell you how many people want them for presents, or to give as presents!
Don't forget gift wrap! I always have a theme to wrap my presents in. I will be posting those pictures when I start to wrap things for my friends and family.

It's not only festive super-heroes that I think of when I think about the holidays, I mainly think Steampunk! The first steampunk anything I witnessed was two of my CLOSEST friends getting married. As a former florist it was like finding a new medium to incorporate and play with old techniques when I made the flowers for their fantastic celebration. It happened to be winter, so now I always think of Victorian inspired holiday what-nots when I think of this season. Even a snow man can be altered to fit steampunk style, he already has the top hat, just bring on the goggles.
That got me thinking, why not serve top hat marshmallow cookies? They sure initiated conversations at my party, and they are super easy to make, not to mention how delicious they are.

Melted chocolate dipped marshmallow set on top of a chocolate cookie. BAM! Top hat. On a stick.

 Why stop the top hats there? Flip one over and use it as a centerpiece, or better yet, go to Michael's, where they have these cheap baskets that are shaped like top hats:

These come in large and small.

I will be putting the one above to good use on our dinner table! Some springs, flowers, festive baubles, will turn this top hat into a wonderful centerpiece that will have everyone buzzing.

Which leads me into the next blog project: Steampunk Roses. Super easy, beautiful, cheap bunches of roses...made from something no one expects. The steampunk wedding I mentioned before? Well, with those steampunk roses, paint, a nest, some clock pieces/gears, and lots of wire I created this beauty:

Beautiful brides deserve a hulk-sized bouquet! This one weighs only 5 pounds!

close up of the handle

So E& M thank you for making me a part of your family, and steam on!