ROYAL TART – Forum/Blog

Here at Royal Tart we are all about celebrating. Sometimes that celebration takes form as a baby shower or bridal shower and sometimes it takes form as a March Madness Final Four Party. However you like to celebrate Royal Tart will help you do it in style. Since Jell-O shots are reminiscent of college days it seems all to appropriate to offer a recipe for them (in case you forgot how to make them). Stir up some shots and auger in for a long weekend of college basketball. As of this posting you have approximately 4 days, 7 hours & 49 minutes to go…but who’s counting?

Final Four Jell-O Shot Recipe

Ingredients:
6 ounces Jell-O (large package)
16 ounces Water (boiling)
6 ounces Water (cold)
10 ounces Vodka
Paper cups to hold Jell-O shots

Purchase any color of Jell-O that you wish–I know they call them Jell-O flavors but really you are going for a theme–pick your favorite team color–like green (Do you think Royal Tart has a favorite?). Mix the Jell-O with the boiling water until fully dissolved; then add the cold water and vodka. Pour Jell-O mixture into paper cups (again you may want to go for a theme color or design). Small Dixie cups are perfect for Jell-O shots. Place Jell-O shots into refrigerator overnight or until firm. Serve the shots as needed during the Final Four. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

This recipe is destined to become a Royal Tart classic. We love the novelty and ease of this dessert or sweet snack as well as the look. Bark is often thought of as a winter holiday or Christmas Holiday treat but this Matzo Bark is destined to become a Passover or Spring Holiday Treat. You may serve it in a pretty candy dish during your Passover Celebration or for any spring holiday dinner or brunch. This bark is so yummy you can bring it as a homemade hostess gift. Attach the recipe as you will be asked for it anyway. We hope you enjoy this springtime confection as much as we do.

I think the bark would be a great addition to Royal Tart’s Black & White Celebratory Brunch, White Diamond Bridal Shower, The Fancy Tail Goldfish Celebration or the Chelsea Place Baby Shower. Of course it is elegant and tasty enough you can add it to any Celebration and it works but it is especially nice with the above Celebrations as it works thematically or color wise with the above parties. Let us know if you decide to make the recipe for one of these theme parties.

White chocolate Matzo Bark Recipe

Ingredients:

1 package Matzo
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Butter
12 0z White Chocolate, chopped
½ Cup Sliced Almonds (or more to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with foil. Place a single layer of matzo over foil covering the entire pan. Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. When mixture is smooth slowly pour over the matzo covering as much matzo as possible. Spread the sugar mixture so that it covers the matzo. Bake matzo in oven for about five (5) minutes or until sugar mixture bubbles. Remove matzo from oven and sprinkle white chocolate over top evenly. I prefer to use a gourmet chocolate like Lindt or Godiva but you may also use white chocolate chips. Place the chocolate covered matzo in the oven for 45-60 seconds to melt chocolate but not brown. Once chocolate is melted remove from oven. Spread chocolate. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and place back in oven for 30-60 seconds to lightly toast almonds. Remove from oven. Cool on counter or in refrigerator until very hard. Do not leave in refrigerator for more than a couple of hours as you do not want the chocolate to sweat. Remove from refrigerator and continue to cool on counter. When the matzo is completely cooled remove from pan and break into bark size pieces. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Tricia

Royal Tart: Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

This morning we participated in our annual 4S neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. While the photographic images are clearly not professional it gives you an idea of the vast amount of Easter Eggs the kids get to pick up. The Hunt is broken into three age groups: 1-3, 4-7 & 8+. Each age group hunts at a different time. The kids’ line up outside the roped off area and eagerly await the countdown to hunt time.

The joy on our kids faces when we mention that it is hunt time is almost as great as the glee with which they race into the egg hunt area. The hunt is over in a matter of minutes but the glow lasts well into the evening. At dinner we were regaled with Easter Egg Hunt stories from this morning.

It is days like today that reminds me how important it is to celebrate. I hope that if you have the opportunity to participate in a community Easter Egg Hunt that you enjoy it as much as our family does.

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Believe it or not Easter will be here in a little more than a fortnight. While you’re planning your menu for Easter Brunch, Lunch or Dinner and struggling to get the box of Easter decorations out of the garage, basement or closet pull out a jar and fill it with jelly beans. Instant decoration, instant Easter activity, Instant game.

The jar works great as an Easter and Spring decoration and you and the family or your coworkers (if you bring it into the office) can spend your free time trying to figure out how many jelly beans are in the jar. You can of course take precious time to count them or play the let’s guess how many game and then have a group meal and count the jelly beans. An impromptu party if you will. This is a great way to work on math skills–I know that despite the fact that I am well into my adulthood I can always use a math reminder. We are going to have a fun jelly bean jar count here at Royal Tart.

During your Easter celebration use the jelly bean jar as your centerpiece on the buffet table or on the center of your table. Anyway you go; a jar of jelly beans is a quick and easy Easter decoration.

Can you guess how many jelly beans are in the jar?

Cheers,

Tricia

Royal Tart: Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

It’s almost Easter and Passover. Where has the year gone? Do you have your celebration organized? Have you sent out your invitations? What about your brunch menu? Or is it Easter lunch or dinner? What about decorations and party favors? Well no matter, Royal Tart has your back. If you need a celebration check out Royal Tart for its prepackaged parties delivered right to your door. We have it all Invitations, decorations, cloth table linens, ceramic dishes, party favors & a suggested menu. Royal Tart really does take the work out of celebrating so you can concentrate on your family, friends and loved ones.

Be sure to check our blog over the next couple of weeks as we will be sharing spring holiday tips, recipes and ideas.

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

Royal Tart has been on a marketing blitz since the new year. We need to get our name and our innovative entertaining solution out to all those people who are entertaining and partying this year. Since we have been doing a lot of marketing we recognize that our tagline is witty but not so descriptive of what Royal Tart offers. Our current tagline is, “Celebrating in Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!” This tagline is great as a next generation tagline when everyone who entertains, celebrates or parties already knows about us.

Royal Tart is entertaining these couple of taglines: “Royal Tart Delivers Prepackaged Parties to Your Door.” or “Delivering Prepackaged Celebrations to Your Door” or “Delivering Complete Celebrations to Your door” or “Delivering Complete Parties to Your Door” or finally “Delivering Complete Celebrations to Your Door.”

Tell us what you think…we would really like to know or if you have another great tagline idea share it with us–we will tell everyone how brilliant you are if we pick it.

Thanks much!

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Prepackaged Parties to Your Door

Royal Tart has been working diligently since the new year to organize its props for photo shoots. It has been a long arduous task and we aren’t close to being finished. I can only imagine what the likes of Pottery Barn, Country Living or Martha Stewart Living must go through to keep their props sorted and organized. That being said, just before the Christmas holidays while I was searching frantically for holiday table linens it dawned on me that there must be a better way to store ones placemats, table runners, napkins and tablecloths other than in a heap (disguised as a group of folded linens).

What I decided to do was try hanging them. I had some extra hanging space in my guest room closet so I began hanging my linens in their respective sets. I now have a rack of hanging napkins, a rack of tablecloths and a rack of placemats. I used kids pant hangers for the napkins and placemats they are the perfect width. For most of my sets I was able to use one hanger for napkins and another for placemats but for a few of my larger sets I needed to use more than one hanger. Still it seems more organized than when they were stacked as I can find all the napkins I am looking for rather than looking for napkins I know I have but can’t find. As for the tablecloths I used various different hangers depending on the width of the cloth and weight of the cloth.

For some of you this tip may not be an epiphany. But I am ever so pleased that I thought this one up! I have shared the idea with my friends and family–some are more impressed than others. The more anal ones think it is really cool and had all sorts of more anal ideas like, make sure the linens are pressed before you hang them (which for me would mean another heap of table linens) or to organize them by color (mine sorta are but not nearly as orderly as they should be).

Okay so that’s my great organization tip for this quarter. I will work on another one for next.

Cheers,
Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!
Royal Tart delivers prepackaged celebrations to your door.

Last night Royal Tart donated a faux Van Gough for a community fundraiser. The Starry Night canvas was 24 homemade chocolate cupcakes; the painting medium was tinted frosting. We had a great time painting and we are ever so proud of our masterpiece. I believe the lucky winner ate the masterpiece last night!

Here is a quick snap of the masterpiece. It really is made with cupcakes and icing.

Royal Tart was inspired by the amazing book: Hello Cupcake!. If you haven’t seen it check it out; it is filled with wonderful cupcakes for every celebration theme from elegant party themes to silly kid birthday themes as well as holiday themes and everything in between. There are some great spring themed and Easter themed cupcakes.

Cheers,
Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!
Royal Tart delivers prepackaged parties to your door.

We at Royal Tart are always so pleased when our products are reviewed and dished about. We think our innovative entertaining solution—complete prepackaged parties delivered to your door—is really the cat’s meow and we are ever so tickled that others believe so too. Royal Tart thanks Fractured Toy for writing such a lyrical and poetic article about Royal Tart’s website and Celebrations. Thank you Fractured Toy!

Below is the write up or you can check it out at Fractured Toy.

Sunday, March 15, 2009
A Royal Tart Giveaway

In just a few more days, spring will have sprung and if that’s not reason to celebrate, I don’t know what is! I am more than ready to start planning outdoor events and of course, hosting a few indoor celebrations as well. If you recall, Royal Tart is the establishment that catered our Tea Party last year with such success. We all loved them so much that we were just dying to see what they had up their pretty little sleeves for us in the upcoming months.

I think we have all felt the economic crunch and so, feel the need to be more cautious in our spending. That’s why I’ve taken to long term investment purchases like a Celebration set from Royal Tart. Any one of these lovely sets are perfect for starting a tradition ; just think what a special heirloom they would be to pass on to your children! Each time they set their very own table for a celebration, they would be reminded of days gone by, the days when you hosted celebrations of … them. Besides, all of the Celebration themes have so many options and variances of what you can do that you may find yourself using the sets on many different occasions. That’s what I call an investment! I just love the Flutterby Birthday Tea Celebration and I can imagine many uses for this set. How about a special Mother and Daughter Tea on Mothers Day? These are the things that memories are made of. With the perfect setting and some guidance, helpful tips (and incredibly divine recipes!) from Royal Tart, it’s sure to be a festive celebration.

Spring and summer are such a grand time for celebrations; here comes the birthday parties, the ice cream socials, Mothers Day and garden parties. I just love to host such events and I insist that they be extra special; presentation is everything! Compare a birthday party with paper plates in the dining room to an outdoors Flutterby Birthday Tea and you’ll see what I mean. Butterflies have always been extra special to the youngest of little girls and Royal Tart notes that your tween will absolutely adore a butterfly celebration in her honor. Imagine your little girl’s delight when you lead her out to the yard full of butterflies ; she will indeed feel like a garden princess. Royal Tart provides directions for wands (a definite must have at this party) and butterfly bracelets for the girls to make as well. What a lovely spring afternoon birthday!

One of the reasons I adore Royal Tart is not only the fine, reasonably priced themed sets but the fact that their services don’t stop with the sale of the set itself. Celebrations require much more than a place setting and Royal Tart goes that extra mile to ensure that yours is a success. How many companies like this have you run across that also offer you crafty fun projects and befitting recipes for your themed celebration? Tricia, the proprietor of Royal Tart, wants to make sure you’re not stranded with no support when planning your big celebration. She is just the sweetest, most helpful and talented person; you are going to love her as well!

Tricia has added other new celebrations to the Royal Tart inventory as well and if you celebrate St. Patricks Day, you are in luck! With an amazing 40% discount, you can use this celebration for more than just St. Patricks Day! I also like the A La Carte items and I am currently adoring those Red Metal Pedestal Plates. All of the items in A La Carte are meant to supplement the celebrations I know but I can’t get over the singular beauty of those and since they’re on sale, they’re only $34.80 for two of them! Talk about butterflies fluttering; my little heart is all aflutter over those! While you’re there, be sure to check out the Easter offerings as well. What a delightful hatbox Easter basket ( she can keep her girly things in when Easter is over, how sweet!).

Tricia has very generously offered Fractured Toy readers the chance to win a $50 gift certificate to apply to your purchase at Royal Tart. You can use that towards any celebration set you like or you may choose to use the $50 gift certificate to purchase an item to start you off on your way to collecting a very special heirloom quality set.

What do you need to do to enter?
Here’s the rules Ladies and Gentlemen:
Giveaway ends Mar. 31st, 2009 at 11 PM, EST
US entries and shipping only please.
Winner will have 72 hrs. to reply to my email or prize is forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.
For your required entry method, we’d like you to visit Royal Tart, find a celebration that speaks to you and come back and tell us an alternative use for that particular Celebration set. In other words, look at the Celebration Type over on the left sidebar, pick a theme and tell us one other way we can use that set. They are all so versatile and in today’s economy, we need versatility!

Extra entries may be acquired by doing the following:
Please leave appropriate number of comments for each qualifier.
For one extra entry, subscribe to Royal Tart newsletter. You’ll be glad you did; she’s a very interesting writer as well as proprietor.
One extra entry for becoming a Fractured Toy follower.
One extra entry for twittering the giveaway with direct link.
Blog about this giveaway with link both to this giveaway and to Royal Tart for three extra entries.
Comment with your favorite piece from Royal Tart will give you one extra entry.
Do them all and you’ve got yourself eight entries!
Thanks so much to Tricia from Royal Tart for such a generous giveaway. Gift Certificates are the best way to allow you to pick out whatever suits your fancy . Start your collection today!
Good Luck everyone! I very much enjoy being your hostess. Let’s be gracious guests of our sponsor Royal Tart and let’s shop!

Ta Ta Mannequin

…And don’t forget to go to Fractured Toy to enter to win the giveaway!

Cheers,

Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!
Royal Tart designs complete prepackaged parties delivered to your door.

Here at Royal Tart we are beginning to wind down on the St. Patrick’s Day holiday and gear up for the next round of holiday parties, not to mention the birthday celebration of a cranky 12-year old cat on April 3. That being said, I am including one last 2009 St. Pat’s Recipe.

Creme de Menthe Brownies

If you aren’t familiar with this fun chocolate mint brownie recipe you are in for a real treat. This dessert works really well for everyday or on St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, Easter–any holiday that green or white is part of the color scheme.

Brownies:
Bake your favorite from scratch or box brownies using a sheet pan instead of your standard brownie pan OR if you are like me and resist serving bar treats at parties bake brownie bites or purchase them already made. I think mini round bites look so pretty on a serving tray.

Mint Icing:
You can use either green or white Creme de Menthe. For this holiday we suggest using green as March 17 is all about the green.
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter (melted or creamed depending on whether you are serving brownie bars or bites)
4 tablespoons Creme de Menthe

Mix the above Icing ingredients together and spread on your cooled brownies. If you are using brownie bites you will want the Icing to be a bit thicker so instead of melting the butter, cream it with the sugar and Creme de Menthe. Add a little more sugar in small increments until a loose spreadable icing is made. When I ice my brownie bites I like the green icing to drip down the sides a little so that the green looks a little like the icing on a bundt cake.

Once the Creme de Menthe has set you will want to layer on the chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
Melt 6 ounces premium dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips with 6 Tablespoons of butter. Carefully poor warm ganache over brownies and chill for a few minutes until firm. Or if you are making brownie bites cool the ganache for a bit so that it gets a little thick. Poor a teaspoon or so over the top of a brownie bite allowing the ganache to drip down the sides ever so slightly. Enjoy!

Here at Royal Tart we are all about yummy, fabulous food and stylish and fun parties…and we always give credit where credit is due. This recipe was provided by Jessica about 16 years ago. Royal Tart has altered only the presentation by adding the brownie bite concept. Either way you serve ‘em you are bound to get a “SMILE” as the original recipe card suggests.

Slainte,

Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style made easy as Pie!
Royal Tart delivers prepackaged parties and celebrations to your door.

Because it is St. Patrick’s Day in a couple of days Royal Tart thought it would be fun to put together a St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt. Please feel free to personalize the hunt in any way you see fit.

List of hunt items:

Gold coin
Rainbow or picture thereof
Four (4) leaf clover
Any clover
Green beer or picture thereof
Guinness bottle (empty or full you decide)
Crème de Menthe Hershey’s Kiss
Leprechaun
Lucky Charms…there magically delicious
Irish Soda Bread
Corned beef hash
Head of green cabbage
Scone
Kerry Gold butter
Shamrock confetti
Green M&Ms
Plane ticket to Ireland
Blarney Stone or picture thereof

Obviously, this list can be edited to be an adult pub crawl with the adults taking digital pictures or it may be tailored for teenagers or even for little kids–just take out the adult beverages and adult items and you’re off.

Don’t forget the prize…a party after the hunt…or shall I say more celebration after the hunt party.

Slainte,

Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style Made Easy as Pie!
Royal Tart delivers prepackaged parties & celebrations to your door.

The boys are so into St. Patrick’s Day this year. Everyday this month they have come home with new stories of Leprechauns, rainbows, and four leaf clovers and green, green, green. So this weekend for the boys and me too, I am making Rice Krispy Treats with both Rice Krispies and Lucky Charms…because they are magically delicious and it is a St. Patrick’s Day holiday weekend.

St. Patrick’s Day Rice Krispy & Lucky Charm Treat Recipe

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
- OR –
4 cups miniature marshmallows
3 cups Rice Krispies
3 cups Lucky Charms

Directions:

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add both cereals. Stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Tips:

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Next time you plan to celebrate or host a party please feel free to use this recipe or change it up with Trix or Froot loops, Sugar Corn Pops–any cereal that might match the celebration or party theme. I can’t wait to serve the boys their dessert on one of RoyalTart’s pretty green plates.

Maybe for Easter I will make the treats egg-shaped or use Trix or Froot Loops…so many holidays to celebrate, party favors to make and parties to host…so little time.

Cheers,
Tricia

Celebrating in Royal Style made Easy as Pie!
Royal Tart delivers prepackaged parties to your door.

[word count: 516]

Byline: Catarina Toumei

An attorney-turned-entertaining guru recently launched a new company in North County. When she became overwhelmed and tired with her busy life as a working woman and mother, Tricia Blum, Esquire, decided to start a new business that would help other women that were in her same situation.
Blum remembers how the innovative concept of her company, www.RoyalTart.com, was born. “I was really busy last year, transitioning out of consulting. I was working tons of hours, trying to be a good mother and a wife, and hold down my job. I was busy and overwhelmed. Then, one night I got a call from a close friend, and she asked me if I would throw her a baby shower.”

While Blum was frantically buying party favors, decorations, and planning menus for the baby shower, she realized that delivered-parties was something that every busy working woman and mother of young kids needed. She also realized that women wanted easy party planning for birthday parties, weddings, and holidays, too. So, Blum decided to start up her own company that would offer “entertaining solutions.”
“Now busy women can entertain with style and ease,” the founder of RoyalTart.com admonishes.

Indeed, Tricia Blum has made entertaining easy. Blum has taken countless seminars and classes, and now puts all that knowledge into her party packages. Blum and her staff at RoyalTart.com shop, design, style, and organize pre-packaged celebrations. The prepackaged celebrations on RoyalTart.com include invitations, decorations, cloth napkins and table linens, ceramic dishes, a suggested menu, recipes, celebration tips, party favors and specialty food items.

Ordering the complete party package online enables anyone, regardless of time or skill, to host a stylish celebration, with minimal effort. RoyalTart.com sells prepackaged parties and celebrations for every occasion, and at varying price levels. Themes include: St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, anniversaries, and all holidays.

RoyalTart.com has several “Green” components to it. All party packages come with ceramic or china plates, natural cloth napkins and tablecloths so the host can reuse the elements again and again (or something like that) No paper products are used. Also, by ordering through the Internet, there is no need for paper receipts and no waste of your gas; all business can be done electronically. “We believe in offering quality products. We also believe in reducing the landfill waste (we recycle all our shipping boxes and packaging) that so often happens when people gather together to celebrate. By offering ceramic plates and cloth linens…Royal Tart has successfully married the beliefs of quality and waste reduction.”
“More people are celebrating at home now,” Blum offers, when asked about the economy. The company concept works with the downturn in economy since people will continue to celebrate their milestones, but will spend less money doing so, and are more likely to celebrate at home.

“Women are busier than ever, working and trying to hold down the household.” Royal Tart saves women time and aggravation. Throwing a party requires a few clicks on the Royal Tart website and nothing more. All the party favors, china, cloth linens, teas, recipes and party tips will be sent to your door step.

What’s Tricia’s motto? “Royal Tart makes celebrating life’s occasions as easy as pie!” See for yourself at www.RoyalTart.com

Happy St. Patrick’s
Day Sale from Royal Tart!

Save 40% off of all St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations including “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day” Celebration for 8 or 12 as well as the “I want it ALL” St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations. This coupon is transferable so if you know someone who wants to party with the leprechauns pass this to them. There is only one full St. Patrick’s Day Celebration left so don’t delay.

Enter “stpats” at checkout to receive your 40% off.

Offer Expires: when the Celebration is sold!

Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day Sale

Whether your family tree has many a leprechaun or not, you can don your green on St Patrick’s Day because, “Everyone is Irish on St Patrick’s Day!”

Invite your friends or friends of friends for a pint O’-Guinness or lucky charms or both depending on the age of your Irish compatriots.

Justification alert: You can justify your purchase knowing that you will use the green cloth napkins, the placemats, plates and beer mugs over and over again. So party like there is gold at the end of the rainbow on March 17 or there bouts and then put those placemats, napkins and plates to use for Mother’s Day, a Spring Dinner Party, Christmas…you name it.

Slainte,

PATricia O’ Blum
O’Royal O’Tart