Elmo Party

1. Elmo Party Invitations - http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2010/02/elmo-party-invitation.html

2.  Food table for Parents - included trays from Jason's Deli

3.  Elmo Cake - Thanks to the trusty Wilton Elmo Cake Pan

4.  Elmo Cupcakes - Simple yellow cake cupcakes, white frosting with edges rolled in multi-colored non-pariels and topped with plastic Elmo rings

5.  Elmo Cut Out - made out of plywood with jigsaw.  Cut out place on Goldie for toddlers to show their faces for pictures.  This was a BIG hit for all of the parents as well!

6.  Kid Table - Covered in butcher paper, blocks & crayons.  We wrote "H" & "2" on it as well as they were the sponsors of the party.  Included toddler/Elmo friendly snacks:  cheese goldfish, pretzel goldfish and Alpha-Bits.  We also decorated the table with live goldfish in several fishbowls.

7.  Games - (not shown)  Several blow up pools:  One was Ernies bubble bath.  It was full of bubbles and rubber duckies.  We also put butcher paper on the fence with lots of tubs of finger paint.  The kiddy pools came in handy in cleaning up all of those toddlers!

Give-A-Way at Our Life In A Click

Hi friends!  Just wanted to let you know that Heather at Our Life In A Click is hosting her first give-a-way.
One lucky winner will receive a $40 gift card to http://www.csn.stores.com/   They have over 200 stores to chose from!  You'll have fun looking around their site.

Click here http://ourlifeinaclick.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-first-giveaway.html for all of the details!

Be sure to look around her blog for some really great inspiration while you're there!

Scrapboxes

OK, here is another idea I hijacked from Martha Stewart and Darcy Miller.

Darcy Miller records lots of her family's life events with the shadow boxes that she calls Scrapboxes. 

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/family-history-in-the-making-darcys-frames-and-scrapboxes

Loved the idea and wanted to give it a try so I headed down to my friendly neighborhood Hobby Lobby.

Their shadow boxes were 1/2 off, but their barnwood frames were cheaper than the black ones sooooo...

broke out the trusty spray paint.  Have to say, this is a little more effort than I'll probably put into it next time, but if you're wanting to match a room's decor, definitely worth it.  Then its easy, schmeezy.  Spray adhesive on back board, scrapook paper to fit, mount photo on some foam squares, add 3D object with glue dots & journal.  This goes very quickly if you do not spray paint the frame...and I have a hard time with delayed gratification!  Smiles!!!

Linked to:

Camping Party

1.  Invitation - http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2010/02/camping-party-invitations.html

2.  Campfire Cake - http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2010/02/camping-campfire-cake.html

3.  Merit Badges - Kids earned merit badges as they completed each activity.  Made these using the Cricut.

4.  Emergency S'more Kit - includes marshmallow, chocolate bar, graham crackers and directions for
making in the microwave.  This was one of the items in their good bags.

5.  Goody Backpacks - individualized each cotton backpack with campers' initials using wonder under & fabric paint.  Some items included were flashlights, Emergency S'more Kits, insect tattoos, prizes won playing activities & candy from pinata.

6.  Thank you cards (not pictured) - http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2010/02/camocamping-thank-you-cards.html

*** UPDATE***

7.  Camo Cookies - Initials & Trees - http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2012/11/camo-cookies-trees.html

Linked to:

Bird Crafts liked my party!!! yeah!  Thanks so much! smiles!!

Christmas in July

While I was over at Tip Junkie's http://www.tipjunkie.com/ this morning, I came across her Christmas in July Event.

Here are a few gifts I made for teachers this past year.  The idea came from an article in a local magazine from my hometown.  (If I can find the magazine & article, I will definitely give credit where credit is due!)

Update!!  February 3, 2011

Can you believe it?!?!  I found the adorable person that was the inspiration behind these little gifts! Her name is Cyndy and she has an equally adorable blog called The Exchange...you must go check it out!  Thanks for the great idea, Cyndy...you are super talented!

 

Of course, I made these BB (before blogging) so I don't have step-by-step photos.  Its pretty easy and self explanatory, but I'll go ahead and explain what I did.

1/2 price picture frames from Hobby Lobby, scrapbook paper, chip board, stickers, rhinestones, spray adhesive, glue dots, tacky glue, ribbon, hot glue

To Make the Red JOY Frame

Cut scrapbook paper to fit back of frame...spray said frame with spray adhesive, attach paper.  Place into frame.  Add sticker letters.  Attach ribbon to top of frame with hot glue...ta-da!!!

(I also printed off some cute, small labels with a Christmas wish/verse from my child to attach on the back.)

To Make the Blue joy frame

Same as above, but instead of stickers I created my own letters out of chip board.  Just painted them with gold & silver metallic paints.  Once dry, I added a few rhinestones with Tacky Glue for accents.  I attached them to the paper with glue dots.

 I've done different versions of this same type of gift....fabric background/rhinestone cross on top or/initials.

The possiblilities are only limited to your imagination.

Linking to:

I did it!! I added the Button!!

After quite a bit of adjusting...I did it.  I must admit, I feel quite a sense of accomplishment.  If you're trying this for your own blog, a helpful tip...make sure your button is around 200 pixels.  Mine was originally WAY, WAY too big.  Jen at http://jenieshell.blogspot.com/ has lots of helpful hints...check her out.

Now, I'm going to see if I can add the box below the button.........

A Button For My Blog

OK, we're going to see if this works...saw a tutorial on

http://jenieshell.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-blog-button.html

I used some of the fab artwork from www.shabbyblogs.com to make the button.

Its definitely amateur hour, but hey, I'm an amateur!

Can you believe they give away this cute stuff for free?!?!

Seems easy enough...wish me luck!