#4 Table Tents (fun food labels & recipes)

 BIRTHDAY PROJECT #4

Table Tents (fun food labels & recipe)

 

I have a copy of these table tents Here that you can print off if you would like, and the recipes I also typed up below.

Fruit Wands

Mixed fresh fruit on skewers

Rockin Roll-ups

Ham slices

Clausens Pickle spears

cream cheese

Soften cream cheese, lay ham slice flat on cutting board, spread with cream cheese set pickle on, roll up and secure with toothpicks cut onto 1-1 1/2 in pieces.

Royal Ranch Crab Salad
Bacon Ranch Suddenly Salad
8 oz imitation Crab Chunks (I only use half and freeze the rest)
Prepare according to package directions, chop crab, add to salad, I always add a little extra mayo, about 1/4c.

Bangin Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 can (10 oz) chunk white chicken, drained or 1 chicken breast cooked and shredded

1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce or Frank's hot sauce

1/2 cup ranch salad dressing

2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Tortilla chips

8 oz cream cheese, softenedSpread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips

#3 Cupcake Stand & Cupcake Picks

BIRTHDAY PROJECT #3

Cupcake Stand & Cupcake Picks

I got this stand on clearance after valentines at walmart for 2.00 with the intention of using it for this party because it was the perfect color. I just found some cute rock star ribbon at Micheal's (on sale of course) and glued it onto the edging to cover the hearts that were on it. Easy peasy! I will add a picture of it with our cupcakes on it in the final party pictures.

I ended up making these with my cricut. The guitar is from the everyday paper dolls cartridge, and the stars are from a creative memories hand punch. I cut out the number 4 on my cricut and glued them on. I then attached them to toothpicks with a piece of tape.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

#2 HAPPY BIRTHDAY Blocks

BIRTHDAY PROJECT #2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Blocks

I actually found these little 1/2in thick 2x3 blocks already cut and sanded in my grandpa's wood craft stash (minus 2). (He used to make all kinds of cute wood crafts but has since given it up except when I ask him to cut me out something). I just found a piece of scrap wood and cut out two more, painted them white then used my cricut to cut out HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I glued them on and added some cute birthday stickers I had. This project ended up being free cause I had everything on hand! Love them!

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

#1 Balloon Wreath

BIRTHDAY PROJECT #1

Balloon Wreath

I originally found this idea Here but I have seen many versions of it around blog land, so here is my version. I apologize for no other how to pictures I am really bad at remembering to take them I get very engrossed in my projects.

Supplies:

wreath form (I used straw)

800 Water Balloons (1.00 for 100 pack dollar tree)

3 packs floral greening picks (600 about)

1 sheet tissue paper

matching scrapbook paper

Yes I used 800 balloons, You wouldn't need that many balloons but I wanted mine really full plus I used water balloons which are a lot smaller, I also added some ribbon in matching colors.

Start by taking a pick, stick the balloon in the middle and stick it into the wreath (about every other one, I used 2 different color balloons together in one pick to make it fuller.) Just do this OVER and OVER and OVER. I didn't cover all of the wreath.

I cut some tissue paper to cover the back side and just tucked it under the balloons using the picks along the inner and outer part of the circle where I stopped. (I wanted it to look a little nicer then just straw) I then cut out HAPPY BIRTHDAY with my cricut and glue/taped the letters on.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Birthday Projects

ROCK PRINCESS BIRTHDAY PARTY

My daughter is into music and princesses right now so we thought of a Rock Princess themed party. The colors are going to be Dark Pink, Dark Purple, and Black. Along with the party stuff I also made some general birthday stuff to use every year to celebrate birthdays and make them a little more special! The coming week I have composed a new project for everyday. Keep checking back for free printables, recipes and some great birthday related crafting ideas.

Crafting List:
Happy Birthday Blocks
Cupcake Stand & Cupcake Picks
Table Tents, Fun Food Labels & Recipes
Rock Princess Invites
Birthday Balloon Wreath
Happy Birthday Banner
Rock Princess Tutu
Birthday Binder
Thank You tags/cards

Check out the link parties I particpate in!

2x4 Bunny, Sheep & Chick

I  found this cute idea Here and had to make some for myself. So easy, a good project for the kids to help.
I didn't have felt or fabric so I used foam for the bunnies ears and nose, the sheep's ears and face, and the chicks beak and feet.

Sheep: 2x4x5 paint white cut rounded triangle shape for the face, a small nose and ears out of foam, add google eyes and cover with cotton balls.

Chick:2x4x5 paint yellow cover with yellow feathers, cut beak and feet out of foam glue on and add google eyes.

Bunny: 2x4x7 Paint white cut rounded triangle out of foam for nose and inside of ears add some whiskers (broom bristles), google eyes and draw on mouth and eyebrows. (I had my dad cut the ears out of wood but you might be able to use foam if you support it)
Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

PB Knock off Candles

This idea originated at Christmas when I made some candles with sheet music tissue paper but I never took pictures before they got packed away. Well I needed some candles for Easter/Spring so here is a short tatorial on how to make them.

Materials:
Tissue paper (mine is from the dollar store)
Heat gun or hair dryer.

OPTION 1
1. Tape a piece of tissue paper to a piece of printer paper making sure that the tissue paper is the side that it will print on and print your image.
2. cut around your printed image making sure that the tissue paper will fit onto the surface of the candle.
3. Place tissue paper on candle so its where you want it (flat and even) hold in place tightly
4. Heat up so that the tissue paper just lightly disolves into the candle and TaDa!

OPTION 2
1. Purchase printed tissue paper cut the tissue paper to the exact diamiter and hieght of the candle.
2. Place tissue around candle flat and even, hold in place tightly (you can tape it but be careful when you get closer the taped edges)
3. Heat up so that the tissue paper just lightly disolves into the candle, working you way around the whole candle.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Spring Paper Flowers

I found these cute flowers at whimsical world of Laura bird and had to make them. She has a great tutorial Here.

If you notice I have 9 pedals instead of 8 like hers it will work either way. (I had this pretty 2 sided coordinating papers from Creative Memories.) I attached mine to some skewer sticks that I had painted green. I also cut out some leaves and a butterfly on my cricut. I stuck a styrofoam ball in the bottom of my bucket and added some green Easter grass for filler. This is going on my entry table after Easter is over for my Spring/Summer decor.

 Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Monogram Wreath U

This wreath I made for our door.

The U and the yarn I scored at Goodwill for 1.00 total, the wreath form again from the Dollar Tree, and the flower premade bunch from Hobby Lobby for 5.00. I attached the letter to the wreath with clear fishing line.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Monogram Wreath H

I made this one as a gift for my best friend for letting us stay with them when we visited.

The wreath form is from the dollar tree, I wrapped it in some yarn, then hot glued some flowers on that I got at hobby lobby. The letter I got from goodwill for .25 and just painted it blue. I attached it with some clear fishing line so it looks like it's floating. Total cost under $10.00. (the wrapping of the yarn around the wreath took awhile but it let me catch up on some of my shows on the DVR)

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Easter Countdown

I saw this in blog land last year so I'm not sure where it originates (sorry) but I thought it was a cute countdown idea plus i had everything on hand so it was free-- even better!!

I used an egg carton and painted it purple (this was a little time consuming due to all the little cracks and crevices) then I added just a little Easter grass and some plastic eggs. I then stuck some fun number stickers I had on hand, and made a cut sign on picnik.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Easter Wall Decor

I have a skinny wall space between our bathroom and a closet and i had some Dollar tree egg picks left so here is what I made.

I just removed the pick, carefully cut each egg in half, glued them onto some easter ribbon I had on hand, and moved the bows that where on the bottom of each egg to the top and glued them.

 Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Easter Entry Table

Here is my Easter/Spring Entry table

Easter Wordle Tutorial Here

Easter Topiary Tutorial Here

Easter Apothecary Jar Here

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Spring Egg Bowl

 I found this bowl at Goodwill for .99, it was and ugly brown, so I sprayed it silver (as you can see that is a color spray paint I have on hand a lot, cause I love it) then I added some pink ribbon that I had on hand. The butterfly stickers where from the Dollar Tree (a mix bag of spring foam shapes)

The eggs inside where originally the brown cardboard kind from Jo Ann's .69 each I mod podged some tissue paper on them. Then the Pink one I added some of my foam flowers (same pack as the above butterflies), and the yellow I just tied a bow around. I am debating if I want to recover the poke a dot one cause it doesn't really match the rest, What do you guys think? I have some more foam stickers with tulip or butterfly shapes I could put on the other one if I did a solid color.

Easter Egg Tree

My original intention for a Easter tree was to spray some sticks yellow or purple and use a vase. But... I found this cute tree/hanger at Goodwill for 1.99 it was gold and sparkly but I would use it more being silver so I just through a coat of spray paint on it and voila. The eggs are from the Dollar Tree I had gotten 2 packs and my daughter decided we needed to use all of them (I know it looks a little clustered but that's why there are 2 on each) Now I can use it for more then just Easter, I'm sure you will see it again :)

Easter Apothecary Jars

Here are my two apothecary jars filled with Dollar Tree eggs (picks removed- medium size in the top picture and large in the bottom picture) and some Easter grass I had on hand. The second jar picture is the one I just found at Savers for .99, it's plastic but then I don't have to worry about the kids knocking it off my table. The cute little chicks I got at Gordmans a few years ago for .99 each.

Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Easter Banner

Another banner

I used my cricut as usual, some solid color scrap paper, some easter felt stickers from the Dollar Tree for emelishments, And some cute little closepins with butterflies on them (Micheal's dollar spot set of 6) Easy as pie!
Check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Quiet/Travel Activity Book

I love all the quiet books I see out there but I am not a sewer nor do I have a lot of that on hand. But I do have a laminator, computer, magnets, cricut, markers, Dollar Tree cookie sheet and dry erase markers. I need something to keep my daughter ( J ) busy on our 5 hour car ride coming up, DVD player and leapster won't last that long :( .... So I went to town with my computer, laminator and cricut.

Pages 1-6  - J loves the hidden picture books and I love that Highlights lets you print them off for free HERE. I just printed about 6 off, cut out the picture and list of items to find, and taped them onto a blank sheet of paper back to back, and ran them through my laminator. Add some dry erase markers and J can do them over and over again.

Page 7-10  - These sheets Came from J's teacher and I just needed to laminate them. Now she can learn/practice drawing a castle, house, dog, and car. Again with some dry erase markers J can do them over and over.

Page 11  - I also got this idea from a worksheet J's teacher gave her for numbers so I went into picnik and made my own you can get a copy Here and Here. I printed the set of fish with the numbers on a magnetic sheet (HP magnetic paper) then printed the second set with the dots on regular paper. I then traced (to darken outline), cut out, and laminated the dotted fish and then cut them out again and added a small magnet to the back of each fish. Now she can count the dots and match it to the number (they are not color coated as you can see, my daughter wouldn't learn her numbers if they were)

Page 12-13  - J has a game on her leapster that you take shapes and make different pictures with, so that's where this comes in. Another Picnik template I made, you can get a copy of Cat and Dog Here and Here or/and Boat and Train Here and Here this time I printed the black outlined shapes onto magnetic sheet paper, I then cut out and laminated the colored shapes, cut them out again and added a small magnet to the back of each one. Now she can use the shapes to make the figures shown.

Page 14 - I have the everyday paper dolls and paper doll dress-up cartridges for my cricut. I bought a large roll of magnetic sheet from Micheal's ($9.99 before my 40% coupon of course). My mom has the larger cricut and the heavy blade for it so I used her cutter to make these. Everything pictured I got out of the one large roll of magnet (there is another croc shoe but I'm not sure were it is at this moment). After I cut it out of the magnet I went back and cut a duplicate out of whatever color paper I wanted the clothes to be. You can either use spray adhesive or really good scrap glue/tape but be sure to get all the edges. (EXAMPLE/TIP: if you adhere the clothing paper to the white side of the magnet be sure to adhere the doll body paper to the black side of the magnet. Otherwise they won't stick together when your child dresses them unless you always have it on a magnetic cookie sheet.)

I am still thinking of more ideas for the book if you have any please let me know I would love to hear them.
Finishing touches:
 I three hole punched all the laminated sheets, slid the magnetic sheets into a clear sleeve, added some dry erase markers into a binder pencil holder I had on hand and put everything into a binder I also had on hand. I just keep the cookie sheet with it for the paper dolls and I also have her pull out the magnetic sheets (shape and fish) and put those on the cookie sheet for extra magneticness (I know that's not a word but its late and I need to finish so I can go to bed ;) thank you all for reading I hope I inspired you to make a fun travel book. Please link up if you do I would love to see your ideas.

The files that I have links to are for personal use only please!

check out the link parties I participate in HERE

Picnik Tutorial

I can't take any credit for this but I do want to pass it along cause it was soooo very helpful to get me started with picnik.com. (It's free - my favorite words)
I had heard of Picnik but never attempted to try it until I saw this tutorial Here. After reading this and checking Picnik out I am addicted I have been working on some things for my daughters birthday. I will post the whole party plan and add some printables when I get it all made.

Easter Topiary

I actually made this the same time I made my Valentine one but have been waiting to post it till it was closer to Easter. Close enough! I got these flowers at the Dollar Tree and they came with the eggs attached, I haven't seen them since but they do have the Easter egg picks which would work just the same. 

All topiarys I have made are assembled the same so I'm going to make this real vague.

Materials:
Styrofoam Ball
Dowel
foam block (DT)
Pot (DT)
5 Bushels of flowers (DT)
Easter grass
glue gun
Egg picks (DT if the flowers don't have them)

Hot glue flowers into syrofoam ball, insert egg picks into any open spots. Insert dowel into bottom of syrofoam ball. Insert foam block into pot and insert other end of dowel into foam in pot, cover block with Easter grass. I added two egg picks because my pot was so large it needed something more. (I didn't paint the stick in this picture but now it is white.)
Check out the link parties I participate in HERE