Next week my friend Amy Atlas‘ new book, Sweet Designs hits the shelves. It’s a mega-manual of sugar and crafts that will help you create beautiful dessert tables like this one from the book called Honey, I love you.
Just looking at this photo has me buzzing with excitement. Dessert tables bring smiles and designing one is a great way to tap into your creativity. Plus, you’re playing with sugar so what’s not to like.
When you work on one, it’s very easy to get caught up in the crafting and design behind each dessert. You’ll experience a constant flow of ideas and won’t want to stop. Or at least that’s how I feel. Here’s a Super Bowl dessert table I helped my friend Julie with a while ago and we had the best time watching it all come together. I think we could create dessert tables everyday and never get bored. They are so visually appealing and full of yummy treats – I wish I could keep one on display at all times – magically replenished with desserts. That would be sweet.
Here’s a few extra shots from the full table. I zoomed in a little so you could see more of the detail.
…because the website just isn’t wide enough to do this entire spread of sweets justice.
Sweet Designs has more than 175 projects with tons of pictures throughout.
That means it’s huge… 374 pages huge.
Candy math… tools of the trade… candy index… the book is full of information to get you started on your own table designs.
And if dessert tables aren’t your thing, that’s okay too.
The book makes it easy to find individual recipes and projects from each table to bake or craft if you just want to start out small.
There’s also handy overviews in each chapter. Shop it. Display it. Switch it.
But I think my favorite is Find it. Thank you Amy for a detailed listing of all the items you used. Your book makes me happy happy!
You can pre-order Sweet Designs right now from amazon or look for it in stores next week.
But, you can also win one here. Signed by Amy. Yay!
Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Amy Atlas’ Sweet Designs.
- To enter, leave a comment on this website post and just answer the following question.
- What theme do you think would make for a fun dessert table? (baby, owl, circus, safari, super hero? Nursery rhyme? Dinosaur? Dancing with the Stars? I don’t know – get creative…the possibilities are endless.
- Deadline to enter is Friday, April 20th at 5 p.m. ET. SORRY, TIME’S UP! Winner Announced below.
- One winner will be chosen at random and announced on this post sometime Friday evening.
Good luck – and now I need to go clear off my dining room table.
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We have a winner – and we have a lot of incredible dessert table ideas. Take a look at some of the comments for inspiration.
And the winner is:
Comment #1154 Michele M! Congratulations. It sounds like you’ll get some good use out of the book. Send pics of your table after the party.
I think a great theme would be something from a story book tale. I would make something having to do with James And The Giant Peach, I think that would be cool.
How about “GRAMMA DAY” theme!!!
I’d like to see an illusion themed sweets table…so everything is not as it seems.
I think a hunger games theme would be pretty cool!!!!!!
I would love to see Earth Day theme for school !
Tea Party! I am doing a Fancy Nancy Tea Party for my daughters 4th birthday!
I think an Egyptian theme would be cool.
A great theme for a dessert table is Tropical Summer. a lot of candies, cupcakes in yellow, oranges and white colors.
Sports birthday table or duck hunting birthday table!
I think a butterfly theme would be beautiful!
The next major party that I will be planning will be for my daughters 3 birthday…theme yet to be determined (you know how those 2 1/2 year olds can be slightly indecisive!!!). My first thought was to do a luau theme but there has been a mention of hello kitty!
I love video games…I would go with a video gaming themed table.
I would love to see Earth Day theme for school!
YAY for giveaways! And I must say, that scavenger hunt a couple of weeks ago was quite a hoot !
I would say a hot air balloon table (which amy has done)
OR !!!
a “Dia de los Muertos” table. The Mexican Day of the Dead holiday. The sugar skulls are so detailed and colorful! That would be fun ! :)
A Downtown Abbey themed party would be so much fun!
I love all themes! My mom was never big on coordinating parties so any cohesiveness is fun….I’ve tried to do a girly barnyard theme for my one year old, it was fun..we had a fuscia barn instead of red!
I think that a groovy peace sign theme would be a wonderful theme. Peace signs and tie dye, eye catching and fun.
I just gave birth to my son and his nursery is a Very Hungry Caterpillar theme… so I’d have to go with that!
I would love to design a table with at “tiffany blue” theme!
I would like to have a “lovers” themed dessert table.
I would love to do a Candyland or Willy Wonka-inspired table!
My little sister is getting married in a few months and has asked that I do the cake. We’ve tossed around a few ideas but I think we are going to go with an autumn theme for it. Unless of course the date gets changed again, then we may have a raInbow and pot of gold theme.
I think a Lalaloopsy themed table would be so cute. The colors from the dolls are so bright they would translate into great desserts. Plus my daughter is just in love with these dolls, so I know she would be so excited it I did one.
I LOVE a circus theme! All the primary colors are bold & bright! The animals displayed so cute!
I just bought some cookie cutters in the shape of various fruits, which got me to thinking that a dessert table with a fruit theme would be really cute.
I would love to have a retro theme!
Paris in the springtime! Oooh la la….
I would love a gourmet chocolate bar theme!
I would love to do a princess theme, but not a Disney princess theme. Just all things girlie!
I would really really like to make a Phillies themed dessert table for our “at home tailgate” this summer!
a dessert table decked out as a pirate ship would be super cute!
Right now I would have to pick a Kentucky Derby theme:) I’m a Kentucky girl having a huge Derby party and there isn’t much inspiration out there for me!
I think an old fashioned fountain shop theme would be fun. I would set up different retro candies, ice cream flavors, in old fashioned glasses.
I think a neon themed dessert table would be fun but I also love all things owls. :)
What a beautiful book full of ideas! I know my son would love a monster truck themed table for his birthday ;)
thanks
I would love to do an Olivia the Pig theme for my niece Olivia’s 5th birthday!
I would love to do a vintage lace and pearls theme…
Thanks Bakerella… You introduced me to the world of Amy Atlas! I hope to get her book some time but I would love a signed original.
I’m thinking a Gardening theme would be so much fun. It would have dirt/crushed Oreos with tons of color pops and little cute creatures (lady bugs and butterflies). Oh, the possibilities!
My hubby’s 30th birthday is coming up in June so I have been trying to think of a fun theme for his birthday. Maybe a kick back to the Nintendo games he loved playing as a kid, Mario, Zelda, etc. Ooh…I can see cookies in the shape of those old school controllers. Fun!
I would do a watermelon theme.
I would love to do a spring tulip theme! They are my favorite flowers and I could see that translating into many different desserts.
My son turns one this weekend so I have mini desserts on the brain! Mini cupcakes, bite-sized bars and cookie creations. Frosted, unfrosted, gooey, chewy; the possibilities are endless. Perhaps a 6″ smash cake as the centerpiece.
Fashion show. I’m planning that one for my friend’s daughter and it is so much fun and a Rainbow party for my daughter in a few months.
I would love a rainbow theme!!!!!!!!! I am dying to see this book:)
I think a Circ du Soleil (sp?) themed sweet table would be totally awesome. Think of all the beautiful colors an shapes.
4th of July would be festive and pretty. I love the bee theme in the pictures. They’re my favorite icon to collect.
Vintage – the old Five and Dime Candy Store!!!
Little bins of penny candies…
Jars filled w/ brightly colored candy sticks, lollipops……..
With this idea from me to you
Oh I hope I win, I do!
Oh my! I’m just going to have to buy it!
Anything Disney related would tug at my heart strings!
Thanks for this opportunity!
Wouldnt it be so much FUN to make a display for disney or the muppets!
I just did a baby shower with a Noah’s ark theme! It made me think of doing something with a jungle theme.
Halloween theme! It’s one of my favorite holidays.
Hmm, I would do a Hunger Games themed table with food that was inspired by the Capital. Just imagine how delicious everything would taste and how cool it would look!
A woods theme, with deer, turkey, etc. All the boys love going to the woods and hunting.
I would love to see a table/party fashioned after the TV show MadMen!!
a vintage storybook “happily ever after” would be cute!
I loooooooooove moustaches and I would love to do a moustache themed dessert table! Cupcakes with moustache toppers, moustache cake pops, chocolate moustache pops and I’d love to have a polaroid camera on the table to capture all of the silly moments! <3
I’m planning a Sweet 16th for my daughter in December- this would give me great ideas- awesome photos-thanks! and thanks for the chance to win it! SWEET!! :)
Great Ideas.. but I would have to go with an Astronomy (not astrology!!) themed table. Imagine all the star cookies, Constellation Cupcakes, Chocolate comets, Coconut macaroon galaxies and of course Cake pop planets…Hmmmm the astronomy village ‘s Memorial day picnic is coming up… think I have my theme!
I have music/The Fresh Beat Band on my mind because that’s what my daughter wants for her birthday. There are so many fun themes one could do, though!
Super hero theme, of course! would love to see that!
Vintage, vintage, vintage!
Since my dinosaur-obsessed little boy turns 4 on Sunday and I’m working on a dinosaur cake, I think it would be fun to do a dinosaur themed table!
I would love to do a princess and prince theme table. Crowns, velvet pillows, gold coins, etc
Cupcake Wars, my kids Love it! and, Candace Nelson is awesome!
A vintage pin-up girl theme! :)
A woodland theme with fawns, mushrooms, rabbits, lots of green… etc.
Sesame Street or Muppets would be a huge hit at our house!
this honey table is *perfect*!!
(i collect bees because my husband is my honey!)
Marvel comic heroes!=D
Tropical Island!! I would make cakes of tropical flavors like Coconut, orange, passion fruit and my specialty a rum cake with all the goodness of my island Puerto Rico!! Also tropical sweets like Dulce de papaya and polvorones!!
I’ve been dreaming of a patriotic theme for the upcoming summer holidays.
Mickey mouse theme for my son!
Independence Day! It’s so patriotic and the possibilities are endless for this wonderdul holiday!
I would like to do a flamingo/tropical theme. My youngest daughter loves flamingos and thinks she is going to live in Hawaii one day!
Flowers were the first thing I thought of, since today is a beautiful spring day. The subject wouldn’t be innovative, but I bet someone like Amy could make a creative and beautiful table.
What a stunning book! I think a winter olympics (I know I’m 2 years early) theme would be fun – ski jumps, half pipes, speed skating.
Flowers or spring for my baby girl’s birthday!
Paris, France. Eiffel tower.
My kids would love to see a superhero themed dessert table. Mine would probably be a Christmas or Polar Express themed table
Oohhh… I love the safari idea!
I have always wanted to do something medically themed! Ever since the baby shower for Kali on greys anatomy! Little cakes with syringes, chocolates in the shape of kidneys, so fun!
Then again Harry Potter theme would be awesome!
i would love a Vintage baby shower theme, or a 60s illustration Monster theme. Make sense?
Thanks for this giveaway! AMAZING.
Cute little owls!
Alice in Wonderland… for a tea party!
I am partial to color themes… something real modern would be neat!
Christmas in July!
Alice in Wonderland theme!
noah’s ark
I’d have to go with a Hunger Games theme since I’ve just read all the books.
CANDYLAND Theme….. Love It
Given that I love to cook – I think a “Cooking Girl” theme would be adorable – maybe for a bridal shower or for a birthday party, etc.
Lego’s! I have two boys obsessed with them, and that would be so colorful and fun! :)
Monet and Degas paintings..all pastels, florals and so elegant!
I think a candy land theme would be fun :)
Well I think for me a POODLE theme would be RIGHT UP MY ALLEY! I love our POODLE!
My son is really into Super Mario Bros., so I thought that would make a fun dessert table theme!
rainbow!
Disney movie-themed! Who doesn’t love disney?!
A (Kentucky) Derby Theme would be colorful and beautiful. Mini hat cakes, cupcakes….. horse race decorated sweets.
Ladybugs and butterflies! how colorful!
I love to bake!!
How about tie-dye! it would be fun to see all the different colors you could use! That is a theme my daughter wants for her birthday in August!
Dora the Explorer – for no other reason than it’s my 2 year old grandaughter’s absolute favorite right now! Her birthday is in June and she would love a Dora themed party – colors could be Fiesta brights – cute!
I would love a Mickey and Minnie Mouse themed table!!
Working on a Strawberry Shortcake theme party. “Fruit-filled fun!”
I would love to see a “Tropical Paradise” theme. Ie would be so colorful!!
A table of beautiful spring “flowers” would make my day!
Steampunk is so in right now….that would be fun!
This book looks great! As we’re getting ready to kick off summer I’d love to see a tropical or Hawaiin theme.
Yarn crafts – crochet, knit, etc. My mom once made a gorgeous cake for my Grandma that looked like an afghan, with the yarn spelling out “Happy Birthday”, complete with crochet hook. I’ve seen cookies that look like granny squares, and cupcakes that looked like balls of yarn. I’d love to challenge myself with a whole table of like-themed goodies!
I’d love to see a mouse theme! Not Mickey or Minnie, just cute little grey mice. My 2-year-old asked for a mouse party for her upcoming birthday and I could use some inspiration.
Total princess theme….little (and big girls) would love it!
lots of cool ideas so far!! i think a super fun idea would be a candy theme! lots of bright colors, cotten candy, and mounds of desserts made with all sorts of candy!
I would love to do an architecutre inspired theme! Maybe using Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs.. I think it would be cool to combine my passions…architecture, design and sweets!
An ocean theme!
i’m a huge survivor fan………………………….loved to see that !
Currently working on a Texas theme for my daughter’s birthday party.
WOW, whatta book!!!! I would love to do a baseball or Fourth of July themed dessert table. Thanks for another great giveaway!
I think a teacher/school theme for teacher appreciation week would be neat! I can picture how much the teachers would live to see a set up in the lounge!
Downton Abbey!
I would like a RIO themed party. I think all of the colors would be spectacular!
Planning my twin grandsons 6th birthday party, and it will be spaceships. can’t wait
Summertime or BBQ
Sporks :)
Inspired by the featured ‘bee’ themed table, I would do that because bees are my ‘thing’……I already have the pan (never used) and all I need are some great ideas and inspirations! My theme would be Happy Bee Day….for a birthday celebration.
Definitely a garden theme, there are so many ways you could go with it!
I would love to do a rainbow theme for my daughter’s first birthday! It could be so beautiful!
I would love to see a beach ball theme party for summer. I love the colors!
A glitter theme!
Super Mario Bros. or Angry Birds!
I’m sure either would be a hit with the kiddies!
Flowers. With no preconcieved notion of how that might play out.
I’d love to see a Key West theme for summer… so many fun colors to play with!
I love someone else’s idea of Candy Land. How much fun would it be to make a Candy Land board come to life? But I’m going to go with Fairy Tales.
The very hungry caterpillar! :-)
French Poodle
I think it would awesome to have a sort of foresty fairy-like theme. Something whimsical with lace and flowers. It would be such a fun theme because it would go for so many things… weddings, girls bday, engagement. The possibilities are endless.
I think a spring flower table would be amazing!
I would like to see SpongeBob! My kids love him and I have 2 birthdays coming up. I need ideas!
My daughter is into two things: ladybugs and hot pink/zebra. I don’t know if you can combine the two.
I asked for a pirate party for my 25th birthday, appropriate enough because I would be on a cruise on the actual day. I never actually got that party so I would definitely LOVE a pirate themed dessert table! I already have a pirate cupcake kit to start it off!
We want to try a Lego themed party for Jaclynn’s birthday!!
carousel animals, or giraffes… they are my mom’s favorites
I would love to see an owl dessert table!
I love pinwheels and everything about them.
What beautiful photos !!
I would like a summer beach scene….
Lots of sand and shells and flip flops and so on.
Or even a summer critter theme…
.like lady bugs with bee’s and dragon fly’s with butterfliy’s and on and on !
I think a circus or carnival theme would be awesome! It’s really colorful. Start with a carousel cake and have cupcakes & cake pops bright colored fruit, and punch! Big, Bold, Bright colors, rainbows, Green grass(candy), fluffy white and blue clouds(cotton candy)animals, carnival games the works!
I would do a paisely print table. Great for baby shower, wedding shower etc without being too themey!
I think a horse theme would be great. with the horses doing barrel racing, in a stable with horse looking out, running and playing, and mare with her baby by her side.
I’d go for finding a job after unemployment.
I love Amy Atlas – her tables are always so sophisticated and I used her designs as the inspiration for the dessert table at my wedding. I’d love to do a Ghostbusters theme for fun, with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man as the centrepiece!
I LOVE the idea of a champagne theme! Everything could be cream, gold, and sparkly =)
I would do a tea party for little girls. My daughter and necies love to play tea party.
A fun theme? How about a circus? thanks for the chance to win.
I think that a summer time theme would be fun and exciting for the upcoming summer season!
I loved this table! I am currently planning a bee-day party for my daughter’s first birthday, so I have to says bees! :)
I think a candy land themed dessert table would be amazing!
A macaron theme :)
Definitely Hunger Games!
This book looks like so much fun! I would love to do a dessert table with a Star Trek theme. Or Harry Potter. Tough call. Thanks for doing the giveaway!
I would love to do an owl themed table for my lovely daughter.
Oh pick me pick me!
I think we should do a table themed on VAMPIRES!!! Oh that could be so cool….
A friend of mine has a song called Sugar Buzz….
I would love to do a rainbow wedding theme, that would be so fun!
Spring garden :) The color spread would be gorgeous.
I would probably go for a Paris theme! Oh la la
My son would like a star wars themed party for his next b day. This looks like a wonderful book!!
I think a fun dessert table would be a Parisian themed wonderland!
Some friends and I are planning a duck theme for a baby shower, and I could definitely see that transitioning to a cute dessert table!
Candy Land :-) My girls love that game and it works all too well for a kids party theme.
I would like a dessert party dedicated to dessert shooters and unual ways to display it theme.
Love Alice in Wonderland.. Hence a tea party theme! Cute little teapot cookies, chocolate lava flow, oodles of colours… strawberry spotted marshmellow Shrooms! etc..
I’ll be in heaven!
I would love like a candy fair theme like when your at the fair and all of those candies and cotton candies and popcorn and mmm everything that is yummy
Something fun for Military…especially after all the hard work those men and women endure during boot camp!! Kudos to all those in the armed forces!! Thank you so much for all you do. :o)
I would like a tropical paradise theme!
I think an “April Showers” theme would be adorable for a bridal or baby shower!
“Midnight Under the Stars” would be great for a late-night dessert buffet for adults.
A beach theme. Lots of things you could do with that.
I think you could do an old fashioned ice cream party or ‘candy shoppe’ theme and a dessert table would blend in beautifully.
Oh the possibilities! Hmmmmm….I would say some kind of vintage theme with a mix of owls.
A Disney land themed dessert table, with all the characters of disney land; the princess and princes, the animals and all.
I’d love to win this book – it would help take my baking to the next level. The bright sun this morning has me thinking of the beach, so a beach theme!
I think a board games theme would be fun!
I would really like to do an Alice in Wonderland / Mad Hatters Tea party dessert table
I would love to do a vintage theme! Or maybe a classic movie theme!
Modern art would be a fun theme.
SO many great ideas! I’d love to do a Summer Picnic theme. Thanks for the opportunity – the book looks like a wonderful resource.
How bout the Zoo or Wild animal Park?
Cute book! I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
The themes I would like to see are either
Camping/Nature or Cars/Racing….
For my sons 4th Birthday.
Thank you!
I want to have an “under the Sea ” theme t m next party. I can already see the fishy cake pops and mermaids on my display table!
I would love to see a unisex superhero party, art party, tea party, cowboy/cowgirl party, And the list goes on. We celebrate our twin boys and our daughter’s birthdays at the same time, so we NEED creative UNISEX party ideas! Thanks!
Winter wonderland with penguins.
I would do an enchanted garden theme. Lots of flowers and butterflies
I’d do a “bubbly” theme – champagne related ;o)
I know it’s been done a million times, but Easter themed would be my first choice. I love the colors and you can be so creative and cute with anything “Spring”!
an 80s theme!!!
Australien Shepherd Theme to celebrate the arrival of our new baby!
I think it would be fun to do a nature theme…the possibities would be endless!
A “Cow Bar” or something like that would be really cute! Milk themed, cow print, etc. :)
I love love loveeeeee her ideas!!! Necco Wafer runners are my favorite! I’m thinking dino themed for my son’s next party! (although I love the pink and pretty soft colors)!
I think a ‘toys we grew up with’ theme would be so cute for a child’s birthday party! Pinwheels, jacks, jump ropes, hula hoops, paddle balls. And, of course, a vintage penny candy table to add to the fun!