I'm loving the trend of Mad Scientist parties. They work for a boy or a girl, the experiments are cool (plus they're a built-in party activity), and they celebrate the geek in all of us.

I'm always drawn to unusual invitations. I think they set a really interesting tone for the whole party. Here's some of my favorites from our main site. See what you think...

Abbey H's The Big 3 Birthday Party

A while back I did a "Trends" post on the popularity of Whirly Pops. Now I've noticed something people are doing with them, decorating their cakes!

Rebecca P's Blake's Winter Candyland Birthday

I'm a big fan of edible cupcakes toppers. I've never even tasted fondant but I think fondant toppers add such a special touch to a party.

So for my daughter's birthday, I've vetoed cake. The logistics are just too hard. Trying to cut it and serve it to 60 hungry people in under five minutes... impossible. So cupcakes it is!

As many of you know I'm in the middle of planning a mermaid party for my daughter, Adelaine, so I'm a little mermaid crazy right now. Here are some fabulous mermaid parties from our main site I'm using for inspiration...

Sherry W's Katie's Under the Sea 4th Birthday Party

This week's party photo comes from Virgina S's Taylor Turns Two - Ni Hao Kai Lan Birthday. One look at the photo and you know why I chose it. What a crazy unbelievable cake!!

Check out all the other photos from this gorgeous party.

(Decorating a dessert table? Today is the last day to enter our $25 giveaway from Superior Nut Store. It’s so easy!)

A balloon shop opened up down the street from me in Santa Monica called Balloon Celebrations. Mind you, this isn't just any balloon shop. It's the balloon shop that does all the celebrity parties and movie premieres in LA. Therefore everything they do is BIG.

(Decorating a dessert table? Enter our $25 giveaway from Superior Nut Store. It’s so easy!)

Leanne A throws some of the most beautiful parties! Her latest one, Jade's 13th Birthday Party, had such a gorgeous dessert table backdrop, that when I saw on Leanne's blog, Mrs. A in the Cove, that she was putting together a tutorial, I asked if I could repost it. She so kindly said yes, so here it is...

As promised, here is our collection of FREE pink and purple birthday printables designed by Katie from Green Apple Paperie. We've got everything you'll need to throw your special girl a beautiful party.

This collection includes: invitations, cupcake toppers/party circles, cupcake wrappers, favor tags, water bottle labels, flat cards, tented cards, candy bar wrappers, and an adorable "Happy Birthday" banner.

Since we've had such success with our holiday printables, we thought we'd give away a collection of FREE blue and green birthday printables designed by the talented Katie from Green Apple Paperie. It's everything you'd need to throw your special boy a fabulous party.

This collection includes: invitations, cupcake toppers/party circles, cupcake wrappers, favor tags, water bottle labels, flat cards, tented cards, candy bar wrappers, and an adorable "Happy Birthday" banner.