Here’s a nifty video on melting chocolate in the microwave. It’s really quite simple. You can melt it in the microwave. Set your microwave for short lengths of time (about 20 seconds), and stir in between. Stir the chocolate, even if it’s retained its shape. Sometimes melted chocolate keeps its shape.

Check out the details.

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Last summer we had a jungle theme birthday party for my nephews. My sister made jungle animal cupcakes with little palm trees. They weren’t too difficult to make, but they did take a little time.

The palm trees trunks are pretzel sticks, and the leaves were piped from icing onto wax paper with Wilton Leaf Decorating Tip #352 and allowed to dry. Then a little icing was added to the end of the pretzel stick to "glue" the leaves to the trunk.

The jungle or zoo animals were made of chocolate. You can use an animal shaped mold, but she used a round circle mold, then used a fine decorating tip to pipe the details onto their face. The ears, and the lions mane were piped around the heads, then left to dry. The animals are all on lollipop sticks, to hold them in the cupcakes.

The leaves around the animals were piped with the same #352 tip.

You could also use molded chocolate lollipops as party favors for almost any party theme.

More Jungle theme birthday party ideas

More on melting and molding chocolate

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Kung Fu Panda is premiering in a couple weeks, so I thought I’d put together a couple ideas for Kung Fu Panda cakes and cupcakes.

I made a panda cupcake by piping white icing with a Wilton # 12 tip, just squeeze the icing, and let it build up. I also used the #12 tip to pipe icing up one side, across the top, and back down to form the panda’s arms and shoulders. I used the #12 tip and black icing to pipe his legs.

I made his eyes and ears with black icing and a # 2 tip. Just squeeze the icing and let it build up. For the dark patches around his eyes I flattened the icing with my fingers after it had dried a little.

To make his bed of bamboo leaves I used Wilton Leaf Decorating Tip - #352, to squiggle long narrow leaves.

If you’re looking for Kung Fu Panda Cake Toppers, here’s one from Celebrate Express. Very simple to add to your already decorated cake.

Hello, Cupcake! has a really cute Pandamonium cupcake idea on page 55. They use Oreos(or other cream filled sandwich cookies for the base and arms, mini marshmallows, and chocolate flavored cereal O’s for the ears. Cute!

More Kung Fu Panda Party Ideas

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Here’s an informative video for planning your themed birthday party. Find out what the trends and tricks are for children’s birthday parties. Will you have both boys and girls? What’s the age group? Are you planning a craft or activity? This quick video helps you think about the details.

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Some of the themes that have stand ups include High School Musical - Troy , and High School Musical - Gabriella, Hannah Montana, Cinderella, and many more.

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A co-worker’s daughter is a big Peter Pan fan. Peter Pan party supplies are very hard to find. Here are a couple things you can do to incorporate the Peter Pan theme into your birthday party.

1. Have all the children make Peter Pan hats with green construction paper, and a feather.

2. Use green streamers and balloons to decorate.

3. Use green colored napkins, cups, and plates.

4. Top your cake with Disney Peter Pan And Captain Hook Cake Topper Set.

You can also incorporate the other Peter Pan characters with Tinker Bell Party Supplies for girls or a Captain Hook Party Box for boys.>

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This video has some really cute kid’s birthday cake decorating ideas. Some of the theme cake ideas include, pirates, beach, luau, pool party, The Wiggles, Cars, Wii, and pink princess.

Cute stuff!

I love checking out birthday cake ideas, I could do it all day. But…I…must…get…back…to…work.

Enjoy.

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Ecards are becoming more and more popular. If you’re looking for a unique way to say Happy Birthday, Thank You, or Congratulations Graduate check out 123 Greetings.

They have a full line of free birthday ecards. My son liked the birthday songs, my favorites were in the birthday fun line.

If you need to send some birthday wishes save yourself a stamp and the cost of a printed card. Send your greeting via ecard.

The monkey’s just too cute!

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I hope you’re having a wonderful Mother’s Day. Enjoy the celebration!

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I have some fun food links for your weekend reading:

Busy Family Meals has Two Weeks Of Spring Menus, two weeks of spring meals in one place.

Enjoy the Sonoma lifestyle with these Mediterranean recipes.

Home Biz Notes tells you how to Create Family Recipe Books.

The Karma Kitchen wants to know what you consider pantry items, and invites you to take a pantry poll.

I show you how to make Simple Summer Cupcakes using candied flowers at She Knows Parties.

Have a great weekend!

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