DIY Framed Wire

This great project from under the sycamore was originally intended to hold memory cards and photos. I'm thinking this would make a pretty display of photos for a party, but also a great way to display placecards. Use clothes pins to hang the placecards to the wire. Perfect for a rustic, farm-inspired, outdoor celebration. The yellow color spray paint she chose for the frame is perfect for summer. Find the complete how-to here.

Bunny Cupcakes w/Free Printable

Have a fundraiser, Spring or Easter party coming up? Here's a super cute dessert to not only add something yummy to the table, but add to the festive decor. Skip To My Lou shows how to make the bunny ears, as well as provide a free cupcake wrapper you can print out and use. Get the how-to and printable here.

DIY Framed Canister Labels

Wanna add a little more elegance to the labeling at your parties? Here's a great idea from Honey and Maple Syrup. She used them to dress up her kitchen canisters, but use them to dress up canisters for a party. How pretty would these look on canisters filled with meringues, cookies and colorful candies? Or if you have purchased printables, put them in these little frames to give them some extra pizzazz. Small round or square frames will work. Visit here for the complete tutorial.

Merry Monday: Yellow Bridal Shower

With the warm weather setting in, I'm feeling great anticipation to start entertaining outdoors. It'll be nice to take the parties outside soon, and I'm guessing you're feeling the same way, too! Here is a perfect summer yellow themed party I found on Elizabeth Anne Designs that would work really well for Mother's Day, bridal shower or a general outdoor garden party.

This pretty, rustic bridal shower was hosted by Carolyn Brandhorst of The Papery of Philadelphia. The event was styled by Evantine Designs and photographed by Laura Novak. One of the big reasons I chose to feature this party is because of all the pretty accommodations they made for their outdoor guests: the beautiful parasols (that also add to the decor), spray bottles and handkerchiefs with iced lemon water. It's so important to consider these things when you have an outdoor party. If your guests don't feel comfortable, they're not going to have a good time. I hope these beautiful photos help you get ready to party outside! Visit here to see the full post at Elizabeth Ann Designs.

DIY Accordion Streamers

I celebrated a birthday yesterday (never mind which number it was!). So, since I'm still in a celebratory mood, I thought these fun, zig zag streamers from Jordan Ferney of oh happy day would be a nice ending to the week. I love the rainbow colors she used. They're so easy that even her son helped her make them! Find the how-to for these funky streamers here. And I hope you do a little celebrating yourself this weekend, however small. Cheers!

DIY Baby Favor w/Printable

A friend of mine asked me to come up with a baby shower favor. There wasn't a theme to the shower and we didn't know the gender so I didn't have too much to go on. But, as I was brainstorming generic baby phrases like "pea in a pod"... a light bulb went off when I came to "Bundle of Joy." Everyone is coming together to celebrate the mom-to-be's new bundle of joy... why not send guests home with a bundle of joy of their own–in the form of cute gifts they unwrap on their own? Cute, right?! Luckily, my friend loved the idea. Since this is a friend who lives in a different state, I photographed a tutorial for her, and am now happy to share it with you!

What You Need:

• A clear, plastic ornament ball (I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby, where they're available beyond Christmas)
• Two small sized prizes that will fit in the ornament (I used small nail polish and a cute flower lip gloss I found at Michaels)
• Three colors of crepe paper
• Flat and flexible prizes. I used a cupcake stencil, rhinestone body art and hairbands–all found in Michael's $1 bins
• Ribbon
• Double-sided tape
• Bundle of Joy printable. DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE HERE. Different colors and sizes provided on the PDF.

What To Do:

Put your two small prizes in the ornament ball and close. Completely wrap the ball with your first crepe color. Make sure the entire ball is covered. Then add another layer to smooth out the crepe paper.

Add your next prize. In this case, the hairbands were really easy to keep in place. Then wrap with your next color. And again, add another layer to smooth it out.

One by one, add each of your prizes... you get the picture! I ended with yellow, since we didn't know the baby's gender.

Wrap the finished ball with a pretty ribbon, securing it with double-sided tape. Print out the Bundle of Joy label, stick it on and you're done! Guests will have so much fun revealing each prize in their favor!

If you need help with a favor for a party, let me know! I would love to help!

Linking to:

Show Off Your Stuff

Hookin' Up

Under $100 Linky Party

Strut Your Stuff

Transformation Thursday

Catch a Glimpse Party

CSI $5 Challenge

Friday Flair Linky Party

Pity Party 29

Frugal Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Frugalicious Friday

Feature Yourself Friday

Show and Tell Saturday

Made by You Monday

Craft Catwalk

Easter Lamb Placecard Holder

In addition to bunnies, tulips and green grass... how about adding this cute little lamb to your Easter table? A great project you can do with the kids. They'll be so proud to have it be part of the table. Visit Crafts-For-All-Seasons for the complete lamb placecard tutorial.

Baby Shower Ducky Punch

Duckies swimming in a bath for a baby shower? What a great punch idea! This is definitely a keeper for your party files. The bath bubbles are made from mixing ginger ale with sherbert–brilliant!

This recipe idea is actually part of a "virtual" shower that Tidy Mom and a number of her blogger friends threw for Amanda of i am baker. What a sweet idea. Visit Tidy Mom for this ducky punch recipe, and check out the other recipes this group of bloggers came up with for the virtual baby shower.

Merry Monday: Hamburger Themed Party

Feast your eyes on this delicious hamburger themed birthday party the talented Brittany of Grey Grey Designs did for her son, Greyson's, 3rd birthday party! Not only is it totally unique–but I love how she managed to capture the retro dining setting in her own home. Plus, the theme is one that can be appreciated by both kids and adults–always a plus at a young child's party.

There is so much to see in this party. From the big WOW factors, like the 9-foot hanging hamburger (yes, you read that right!), to the perfect burger cupcakes, down to the details like the adorable centerpiece flags that said "3rd Year in Business." So cute! There are so many amazing DIY projects in this party, you can really feel the love that went into it. So, on with the photos!

I have to give a shout out to two of my favorite talents, too, that contributed to the party. The centerpiece flags and the toppers were done by the fab The Purple Pug. The printables were done by the talented Piggy Bank Parties. But this is only a small "taste" of the party. You have to see the invite, the marshmallow burger favors and other yummy decor! Make sure to visit Grey Grey Designs to see the rest of this dynamic hamburger diner party!

Our St. Paddy's Day Playdate

Colorado schools are closed this week for spring break so we celebrated St. Paddy's Day yesterday with a themed playdate, "A Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow." I had about 10 kids and thankfully we had beautiful weather!

DECOR:

A HUGE THANK YOU to Love the Day for their generous St. Pat's printables. Nearly everything you see: Come In sign, cupcake wrappers, Happy St. Pat's Day shamrocks, flags, cupcake toppers, tent card, bottle flag and photo props were all part of a free printable collection Love the Day so generously issued, and that I shared on Home Confetti's Facebook page. The collection really made the table! The beautiful subway art was a free printable from A Little Lovely, which I also shared on my Facebook page. You can still download these and save for next year. Download Love the Day's St. Pat's collection here. Download A Little Lovely's St. Pat's subway art here.

ACTIVITIES:

• The main activity I organized for the kids was a hunt for chocolate gold coins. I think they were thrilled when they realized they could eat the coins; they weren't just plastic. Each child got a small black cauldron pot to fill during their hunt and take home with them.
• Remember the jewelry craft and the pot of gold game? I had those set up, too.
• And, of course, we had some fun with Love the Day's photo props. Those are my two leprechauns up there!

FOOD:

Since this was basically a two-hour playdate with children 5 and under, I served easy snacks: popcorn, cupcakes, colored Twizzlers and vanilla pudding that I turned green with food coloring. I forgot the green grapes in the fridge. Figures I'd forget about the healthy item! The "Shamrock Juice" was Gatorade's Tropical Blend. It was the only green drink I could find that wasn't lime flavored!

All this, plus some dress-up outfits, a bouncy castle and water table made for a very fun day!

Shamrock Shake

Since McDonald's brought back the Shamrock Shake, this green minty shake has become all the rave. Make your own with this copycat recipe from Skip to My Lou. Serve it to your kids as a special after school treat today in honor of St. Paddy's Day. I'm hoping to be sipping one on my back deck this afternoon. But, mine just might include one extra ingredient–creme de menthe. Cheers! ;)

DIY Easter Egg Candle Holders

I know, St. Patrick's Day hasn't even passed yet, but the cute Easter projects are hopping up everywhere in blogland! Found this one just yesterday on The CSI Project, by guest blogger JC's Loft. So adorable for a mantel, bookshelf, and of course the Easter table. If you grab some solid color easter eggs, you can use this idea for other occasions. For instance, use all red easter eggs and paint the stand red for Valentine's Day. Great way to go beyond the standard straight candle holder. Visit he CSI project for the Easter Egg Candle Holder tutorial.

DIY Picnic Basket Lid

Totally transform a plain basket into a pretty styled picnic basket by making a cushy lid for it! Instead of a goody bag, this would be so cute to give to guests with their party favors in it. Or use it as tabletop decor for a picnic, shabby chic or girly-themed summer party. If you find fabric you love, there is actually no sewing involved–bonus! From Craft Pudding, find the tutorial for the picnic basket lid here.

Merry Monday: Vintage Butterfly Party

I saw this party on Celebrations at Home and just had to share. With all the great DIY projects done by Carey of With Joy, this birthday party for her little girl is certainly a great labor of love. The cake chain link bunting and butterfly mobile are my favorites. I also love the window pane she used as part of her backdrop. These are all ideas you can use even for a baby or bridal shower. You'll have to visit either Celebrations at Home or With Joy to see the pretty doily invitation and other great ideas from this party.

St. Pat's "Pot of Gold" Kids Game

If you have a small cauldron pot from Halloween--here is a great and very inexpensive game idea for St. Paddy's Day. This is a concept from Family Fun magazine that I used for our Halloween party last year, and am now adapting for St. Patrick's Day.

What You Need:

• One small cauldron pot to share, or one cauldron per child (multi-packs are easy to find now at party stores)
• One straw per child
• Color card stock or paper
• For the coins I used this template
• If you're using this for a playdate or party, you can download my printable

The Game:

Using the straw as a "vacuum" the child picks up a "gold coin" and transfers it into the "pot of gold." If you go with the multi-pack, give each child his own pot. Whoever gets the most gold coins in, during a specified time, wins.

This kept my girls entertained for a long while. Even if you don't use it for St. Paddy's Day, I suggest making your own variation of it and keeping it on hand for rainy days!

Linking up to:

Just a Girl

Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday

Shabby Nest Frugal Friday

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Finding Fabulous Frugalicious Friday

30 Handmade Days Pity Party

Show and Tell Saturday at Be Different Act Normal

For the Kids Friday

Pretty Petals

Aren't these ideas from Preston Bailey Inspirations so pretty? If your budget doesn't allow real flowers, this is a great alternative to add floral touches to your table. You can find small boxes of flower pedals and faux flowers that you can pull apart at the Dollar Store to replicate either one of these ideas. The candle or framed florals are perfect for a Mother's Day brunch table or garden party.

Frappuccino on a Stick

Here is a great treat idea for parties coming up in the warmer weather–Frappuccino on a stick! It also makes a good snack to give those parents staying during kids' birthday parties. It'll not only provide them with a refreshing snack, but it'll probably give them a much needed boost. Instructables provides a recipe, but I'm guessing you could use Starbuck's pre-made Frappuccino and whipped cream in popsicle molds. Yum!

DIY Cascading Pom Poms

You've seen the tissue pom poms, but how about making a few in different sizes to create a lush look for your party with this cascading version? Make a few strings in different colors for an outdoor party. Trish at Crafty Moods provides the tutorial and other ideas using the poms, like decorating your table with one using a battery-operated tea light.

Merry Monday: Circus Birthday

Isn't it funny how it seems that you suddenly see many parties with the same theme?? That's how I felt last week. I think I saw about 4 or 5 circus-themed birthdays parties–even a circus themed wedding. But, this one was my favorite, mainly because all the amazing decor was made by mom and grandma of the little birthday boy! Mom is Ali Wood of Ali Wood Photography. The circus cake made with hat boxes and the cut-out animal figures on the mantel are great takeaway ideas from this party. (And yes–that's a real monkey!)

Feast your eyes on some of the unbelievable decor!

These are just a few photos taken by Ali. You'll need to see the rest at Katie Grace Design where I originally discovered this party.

St. Pat's Jewelry Craft with Free Printable

I'm hosting a St. Patrick's Day playdate on St. Patrick's Day. The main activity the kids will be doing is a hunt for gold (chocolate) coins. With the exception of one young boy, the kids will be all girls, so I thought this shamrock necklace and bracelet would be a fun little craft for them to do, too. It's easy and the supplies are inexpensive. I also made up a little sign to go with it. If you'd like to use this idea for your own playdate, I've provided the printable you see in the photo here. (This is my first attempt at personally providing a printable, so please let me know if you have any problems.)

Even if you're not hosting a St. Pat's playdate, this necklace and bracelet would be fun to wear to a St. Pat's Day parade or to school that day.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Multi-pack of foam shamrocks (I purchased mine at Michaels for $1.79 with my 40% off)
• Plastic straws (I used 2 straws for 1 necklace)
• Gems and glue dots (optional)
• Yarn
• Hole puncher
• Scissors (not shown)
• Scotch tape (not shown)
• "Make Your Own Luck" Printable (optional) Download here

**Money-Saving Tip: When coming up with activities, try to come up with ideas using items you already have. With the exception of the foam shamrocks, I already had all the items for this craft.**

HOW-TO:

• Estimate how much yarn you need by loosely wrapping it around the child's wrist or neckline. Cut the yarn. To avoid the ends from unraveling, wrap each end with a small piece of clear scotch tape.
• Cut the straws in 2" pieces. I used 2 straws for 1 necklace.
• Using the hole punch, punch two holes in each shamrock. (If you only use one hole, the shamrock will flop around.) Then, decide on a pattern, and thread the yarn through the straw pieces and shamrocks. Tie the ends when finished.
• Add a little bling using glue dots to affix the gems. Below you'll see the necklace with gems and without. Boys may want their necklaces without.

That's it! Get creative with your patterns!

Linking to:

Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrapup Party

Be Different Act Normal Show & Tell Saturday

I Heart Naptime Sundae Scoop

Under the Table and Dreaming Sunday Showcase

The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up

Keeping It Simple: Motivate Me Monday #60

C.R.A.F.T. Making Monday Marvelous

Craftomaniac Monday

Skip to My Lou Made By You Monday

Mad in Crafts Mad Skills Party

Embellishing Life Craft Catwalk

Night Owl Crafting

Mini Cupcake Pop Mold

If you've attempted to make cake pops you know that it can be a bit frustrating at first. Here is a great–NO BAKE–alternative... a mini cupcake pop mold! Designed by My Little Cupcake, the "cake" is made with crushed Oreos and cream cheese. Their website offers a video tutorial, step-by-step photos and FAQs to help you perfect your pops! This can definitely make party prepping much easier!

Two Different Ways to "Bunt"

I love finding ways to use a party theme in different ways. Mini bunting (or mini pennants) have been the rave for a while now. It's most commonly used on cakes. But, I love how Cathe of Just Something I Made came up with two different ways to use mini bunting.

PENNANT STAMP

Use her DIY pennant stamp to set the tone for your party as soon as your guest sees the envelope. Use the words "CELEBRATE" or "JOIN US" to decorate the invitation envelopes. Such a clever DIY stamping tutorial.

PENNANT CARD

Then let guests unravel their invite! You can have the bunting wrapped around the invite. This one is made with fabric, but you can easily make it with scrapbook paper glued to ribbon. Jump over to the pennant bunting greeting card tutorial.

Free Printables for Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Tomorrow, March 2nd, is Dr. Seuss' birthday. We're actually going to a playdate that will be celebrating his birthday by reading and watching Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! Here are a couple of cute printables you can download for free to use on an after-school snack for your kids tomorrow, or for a playdate of your own to encourage reading one of children's most beloved authors.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2018: Unfortunately it looks like Michaels no longer offers the free downloadable bookmarks showcased below. However, the circle tags from Frogs & Bees Under the Seas at the bottom are still available.
DR. SEUSS BOOKMARKS

In addition to bringing over some popcorn to munch on during the movie, I'm thinking of bringing these bookmarks the kids can color on their own and keep. Provided by Michaels, get your Dr. Seuss Bookmarks.

DR. SEUSS CIRCLE TAGS

Frogs & Bees Under the Seas provides these cute circle tags. Attach them to toothpicks and use them as cupcake toppers. Or use them to decorate special snacks for the kids. I might put these on popcorn bags, or on sandwich bags holding Dr. Seuss colored jelly beans, red and blue. Print your Dr. Seuss Circle Tags.