Kate Mathis News Today

Plan a sweet outdoor soirée with these creative ideas, from decorations to the menu.

Who doesn’t love that feeling of stepping outside on the first warm day of the season and realizing that you need to remove a layer, as the springtime sunshine warms you all the way down to your soul? If we could encapsulate that feeling in a dessert, it would have to be kissed by lemon, the very color and flavor of a ray of light.

As far as daytime food gatherings go, tea parties are by far our favorite. There are mini tea sandwiches to nibble on, bottomless cups of perfectly steeped tea, plus flaky, buttery bites and desserts as far as the eye can see.

If you ask us, one of the best parts of Easter dinner is mingling with friends and family while snacking on appetizers. A glass of wine in one hand, a fancy little puff pastry bite in the other—is there any better way to pass the afternoon?

If you’re anything like us you look forward to a mid-morning egg hunt and brunch on Easter Sunday just as much as the family dinner and festive desserts that will follow later in the day. From fluffy frittatas and braided Easter bread to carrot muffins and pastries swirled with chocolate (it is Easter, after all) brunch always makes us feel like we can have it all. And, with these recipes, you can.

Here are a couple of quick soups as well as some easy winter dinners.

Express your love with our collection of handmade Valentine's Day crafts, like paper cards, gift ideas, and decorations.

For Valentine's Day, use our sweetest gift wrapping and packaging ideas including wrapping paper, boxes, and all the trimmings.

There’s no better way to send off the past year (and count down to the new one) than by sharing a delicious meal with your family and closest friends. If you’re hosting, then you already know that you’re going to need a handful of crowd-pleasing recipes to get you through the night—appetizers for snacking, dinner party-worthy mains and, of course, a few cocktails when it’s time to raise a glass.

Create a cheerful setting for your New Year's Eve party with these festive and crafty ideas.