Hello Kitty 

11th Birthday

I told my husband that we were keeping it simple this year and I honestly tried... he laughed when he came home and saw the setup.  My daughter came home and "fainted" then rolled around on the kitchen floor for a bit so it was worth it even if it did go a little beyond "simple."

My daughter loves Hello Kitty so when I saw this at one of my favorite party sights I was inspired! 

I loved that it used such a fun color palette with no pink (my girl is not a huge fan of pink). It was also very affordable because I knew that I could make almost everything myself with a printer, scissors, and scrapbook paper.

I made a banner that said "Hello Katie" and used simple crepe paper streamers for the backdrop.

(Hint: A super simple way to achieve this is to glue the streamers ahead of time onto strips of foam board and gently roll the streamers up. When it's time for the party just tape the foam board up with packing or painters tape.)

Just measure the original label and create your own to go over it.

I left some of the chrome showing on the whipped cream because it went with our party, but you don't have to - just peel off the original label and measure it and design your own.

I looked for months for little buckets and didn't find any so I had to come up with a new plan :( Then just a few days before the party we ended up at Ikea. Hooray! These chrome planters were only $1 each there. 

I wasn't sure they were food ready so I lined each with parchment paper.

A simple label printed out and punched out with a cutter I have from Joann's.

Reusing drink bottles: I poked straw holes in the lids to make them a bit more spill-ready. 

I used my cricket to cut out the bows then used two and glued the ends together so they easily slipped on the straws.

Cupcakes with Cookie Toppers

This is where you'll find a  tutorial on flood frosting cookies - just keep in mind that this is for looks and not so much for flavor.

I made a few kid friendly sandwiches and cut them out with a cookie cutter.

The bow is slice grape tomatoes, the eyes are made with olives, and the nose is yellow bell pepper.

Simple favors:

 Hello Kitty character bottle cap charms for each child, bandaids, tattoos, and notebooks. 

Firefly 30th Birthday

My husband recently turned the big THREE - OH. 

Having an addiction to party planning, I could not let this milestone go unnoticed.

I decided to make it a surprise and make it all about his favorite show: Firefly

If you haven't seen the show, this party will NOT make any sense to you. If this is the case, stop what you are doing and go rent (or better yet buy) the show and watch it RIGHT NOW because it really is that awesome!

If you haven't heard of Firefly it's because it was tragically cancelled after filming just 14 episodes.

This did not stop fans from becoming totally obsessed and rallying enough support for them to create a follow up movie finishing some of the story lines left hanging.

Also, some fans have been known to become so obsessed they create corny shin digs centered around the show. See below for more details.

Here's the invitation. The other side said:

{Husband} is turning 30 and we aim to celebrate

Join us for a Firefly inspired dinner

{time and place}

Remember to fly under the radar and land on time - it's a surprise!

Having a cargo bay meant very little tidying up in our front room (which holds my craft corner).

I just stacked some boxes, labeled it, and added some oriental style parasols

I ran out of time before the party so I hid the mess my craft table had become with a bright cloth and stacked some more parasols on top. 

Sadly these boxes don't actually have Bobble-Head Geisha Dolls in them. (If I'd had a bigger budget I totally would have ordered some as party favors though.) These are here because it's mentioned in the show that this is something the crew smuggled transported.

He done good so I made both Wife Soup and fresh Bao.

This was my first batch ever of Bao. They didn't turn out pretty, later batches were better but hard to photograph because they really are good and get eaten quickly. No wonder Walsh was so excited to see fresh Bao.

For "Simon's Protein Cake" I cheated and just used chocolate.

I love that some of our guests dressed the part!

Ice Planets!

Her food was definitely problematic... don't worry though, we found her a proper bowl and spoon.

A few of the decorations

There was also a quote bubble at kid-level reading, "I aim to misbehave."

A corner of our living room was draped in fancy oriental fabrics, complete with pretty lanterns, teapot and cups to represent Inara's shuttle.

Because a lot of our friends and us have young kids we weren't able to actually watch the show so instead we had a few space themed games for the kids to  play. Besides, watching people try to eat Ice Planets is entertainment enough for almost any party!

Proof of a successful party

FMN: Beauty and the Beast

For Family Movie Night this month we combined our planned movie with our Valentine's Day celebration.

They really go hand-in-hand and it was so fun to introduce our kids to one of our favorite Disney classics from when we were kids.

Here's the setup before we put the food out.

We of course had to have a teapot and rose. 

I found an old book at a second hand store and took pages from it and put them in frames I already owned (they were also purchased at a second hand store and painted to match).

For the party we had the option of a hot herbal tea or passion fruit lemonade - inspired by Starbucks. I just follow the directions on the Tazo iced tea package and then add a few scoops of powdered lemonade to taste.

The treats:

 French Delicacies 

DIY Valentine's Scratch Card

Valentine's Day

is coming up quick...

and it doesn't always go according to plan.

One year I tried creating a romantic evening for me and my husband after our three hoodlums were in bed... 

I made cream puffs, chocolate dipped strawberries, and set out a plate of fancy cheeses with water crackers. The kids were fed, bathed, and sent to bed so it would just be me and my man when he got home from work around 8. 

Things I remember from this evening:

-My husband came home tired and empty handed.

-The kids refused to stay in bed that night. 

-Those hoodlums crashed our party, discovered our treats, and insisted they get some too. (Even though I'd already fed them a special kid friendly Valentine's meal.)

-My husband fell down the stairs carrying the cheese platter and scattered bits of cheese from one end of our kitchen to the other. (This still makes me smile when I think about it.)

-The cat bit my husband's nose really hard in the middle of the night (this still makes me laugh out loud because it was such a perfect ending to this imperfect day!)

So this year I've made a scratch card.

It's simple. It's Silly. It's flexible and affordable.

Below is a tutorial because maybe you too need something flexible and affordable this Valentine's Day.

This is the card I designed on the computer. Feel free to take these ideas or make your own. You can even draw your own in pen so long as the ink is completely dry before the next step. 

Be as romantic, racy, or crazy as fits you and your sweetheart.

You'll need

-Your card

-A crayon

-Acrylic Paint

-A paint Brush

 Color over the hearts with a *white crayon. Press hard and make sure you get the entire area.

Carefully paint over the hearts with gray paint. Allow it to dry completely.

Give it to your sweetie with a coin to scratch their choices. 

And be ready to enjoy an evening together even if the kids interrupt and a cat bites your nose. 

*Pink crayon also works or gray crayon with red paint.

True Blessings

The following is much different than the things I usually post. 

I've written and posted it in loving memory of one of the most amazing people I've ever known.

 My Grandpa.

 July of 2011 found me scrambling to finish all the last minute details for our church’s Vacation Bible School.  I had one day that was particularly hectic. It involved several errands, the first of which was getting a check in the bank so I could afford the others. I was the VBS director and had been up late the night before working on decorations. So with too little sleep I got all three of my kids in the car and headed out.

Being very tired I headed to the wrong end of town to make some purchases when I realized I need to go to the bank first. Irritated with myself I turned the car around and headed back. Then my kids started their favorite backseat sport – fighting with each other.

I turned the radio on to one of our local Christian stations hoping to drown out a bit of their noise and find something peaceful. The announcer was sharing the story about how a song had been written. The singer’s husband had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and how through the struggle she had found a way to see God’s blessings. I was amazed at this story and this singer’s faith. I was also amazed that as the announcer shared this story the backseat of my car had fallen absolutely silent. I quickly adjusted the rearview mirror to make sure they were all ok.

They were just sitting there calmly and quietly. This was the first in a series of miracles God blessed me with. (For those of you who may not believe this to be miracles just take a road trip with three kids. They don’t just stop mid fight to listen to someone “talk” on the radio.) The song hadn’t even started and yet there they were as if they were just as enthralled in what was being said as I was.

I put my mirror back and was surprised to hear that the song was one of my favorites – “Blessings” by Laura Story. I found it incredible that this beautiful song was written at what had to have been one of the lowest parts of this singer’s life. It gave me hope. I knew that if this singer could find blessings during that hardship in her life I could certainly get through my errands and the upcoming week of VBS.

VBS came and went with many happy memories as well as some difficult moments for me, but whenever I began to feel discouraged I would turn on the radio and this song would be playing. It happened at least three times that week.

Months went by and life went on but the power of this song and how God used it in my life was still unfolding.

The previous year my grandfather had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We were blessed in that the doctor’s found it early and we had many more months with grandpa than most people are given with such a diagnosis. We were able to go on our family’s annual huckleberry picking trip one last time with him and we spent a wonderful Thanksgiving together.

As Christmas approached I looked forward to us all being together around my grandma’s tree, opening presents and causing a rowdy ruckus as we always do. At the same time I knew that this could very well be my last Christmas with my grandpa so as we traveled the hour to their house I decided to make a stop and purchase a gift for him (we had only bought presents for the kids). 

I called my sister, a nurse, to get her advice on what to bring him and she suggested nuts which were one of his favorite treats and would also be healthy for him. I ran into the grocery store and got two cans and a bag to wrap them in.

My sister had warned me that grandpa had taken a turn for the worse but I was in no way prepared for what I found. My grandpa had recently gone on hospice and was heavily medicated. He couldn't talk to me and couldn't even really open his eyes. He wasn't able to open his gift.

As we drove home later that night my heart broke as I realized that this may have been the last time I would see him. At home I called my mother-in-law, another nurse, to ask her what I could expect. She lovingly explained the process to me of what happens when someone on hospice dies of cancer and also added that sometimes they rally and he may wake up again. I had little hope but prayed. I hadn't said my goodbyes. I wasn't ready to let him go.

In the next few weeks my grandfather did rally. My sister took her week of vacation and spent it caring for grandpa. He was able to come off most of his pain medication. He opened and enjoyed his gift and we were able to have some much needed conversations.  Some were easier, like asking him about the finances and dates that certain events took place. Then there were the hard conversations – the goodbyes.

I wanted my grandpa to know how much I loved him and how much he had taught me over the years - mostly by example. He was a strong spiritual leader in my life. Every single day, as long as he was physically able, he knelt by his bed every morning and night for prayer. He could quote the bible and other religious books like no one I knew and whenever I had a question he could tell me where to look, but always left the conclusions up to me. He was amazing.

On one of my trips over to see him I was feeling especially sad and hopeless. I turned on the radio and prayed. I told God that I would really like to hear “Blessings” today. As several songs played I felt more and more discouraged. Then just a few miles from Grandpa and Grandma’s house the song came on. It was playing as I parked the car. I was able to take a few minutes to sit, listen, and cry and through it I knew that God was there with me, that He loved me, and loved my grandpa.

During one of these visits in his final weeks I was able to sit and talk with my grandpa, just me and him. He could see that I was hurting. He offered me comfort even though it was him I was losing. This gave me the chance to tell him the things I needed to say. I told him that I was going to miss him, but that I knew it wasn't the end and that I would see him again one day in heaven. And with absolute conviction he nodded and said, “That’s right.” I got to hug him and tell him that I loved him. I was able to say my goodbye.

Soon after grandpa was back on the heavy pain medications and we weren't able to communicate anymore. Then one evening I received that terrible call to tell me that my grandpa had passed away. I got in the car with my oldest daughter and headed over to be with my grandma and other family members. As we left I turned on the radio. “Blessings” was playing and it was at the part telling us “…the pain reminds this heart… that this is not our home.” It was exactly the comfort I needed.

The pain I feel, that we all feel, when we lose someone is a reminder that God created us for something better. My grandpa knew that this world is not our home.  I am looking forward to seeing him again someday soon in the home being prepared for us.

On what would have been my grandpa’s birthday I wanted to do something in remembrance of him. I decided to try a little gardening (he was an excellent gardener). I headed to the store and bought some plants and tools. On the way home I thought it would be really nice to hear “Blessings” so I decided to bring my radio outside. I didn’t really expect to hear it, but I should have known to expect more of my God who clearly loves me. As soon as I got my plants, tools, and radio set up and ready the very next song was “Blessings.”

It is now just a few days away from being a year since we lost Grandpa. The past year has been so painful. It was hard losing my grandpa and on top of that there have been many other hardships. Through it all though I have the assurance that God is with me. Even though I don’t fully understand the path I am on right now, I know that I’m not walking it alone. I know that He’s near during the sleepless nights. I know that through my tears He is healing me. I know that through the raindrops He is finding ways to bless me.

My Grandparents on their 

wedding day.

They celebrated 61 anniversaries!

Grandpa

Camping In The Forest

Birthday Party

My son loves camping. He asks me about once a week when we're going camping again. This started the day after our last camping trip in early September! While constantly being hounded about camping in the winter months isn't fun, it gave me a great idea for his December birthday.

We set the scene for this party with these super simple, super cute invitations.

Treat Table

Camping Cake with a graham cracker tent. 

Inside is chocolate cake with chocolate whipped filling and gummy worms. 

The treat table was so simple. 

With a little imagination and creative labeling you don't have to make much for a forest party. 

(My son is now convinced that "Bugles" are actually called Gnome Hats)

]

The acorn cookies were one of the few things we had to make, but even they were really easy. I got the 100 calorie packets of fudge striped cookies (because they're the right size) almond Kisses and then I just broke up a few of our "Twigs" for the stems. Melt a little almond bark to glue it all together. These took me and my husband only about ten minutes!

Just mini water bottles relabeled for the drink! 

We set them in a wooden box lined with imitation moss.

The pinata didn't turn out quite as I'd imagined it, but it was crunch time and it was destined to be smashed to bits so I let it go. I used a simple paper mached balloon and cut of the top and turned to over between layers.

You can find direction all over the place for the folding kids' play tent. (See Pinterest) I didn't follow any set of directions. I bought a flat twin sheet and two 8 foot molding strips (cut in half) and three 3 foot dowels. I delivered them to Grandma and Papa with a verbal description of what I wanted and they made it happen!

For this game I got a simple fish pattern and sewed all around the edge except the "mouth." We then filled them with little trinket favors and used large safety pins to close the fishes' mouths. I nailed a hole through a round magnet and looped the hook of our dollar store rod though. All the kids LOVED this game! We had kids ages 3-10 so it was great to have an activity they all enjoyed.

Watch yard sales and second hand stores for stuffed animals. They make an easy and cute decoration.

 (We also borrowed some.)

We set up our Christmas tree and set a few dollar store nests in it and hung our acorn necklaces all over it.

To make the necklaces we searched the ground at a local park. The acorn we found were all in two pieces. We took them home and washed them off then I matched up sizes. I used hot glue and put a nice blob on the top then laid the string over it and attached the bottom. 

A very affordable party favor!

Animal Mask Favors

These took me some time and I wouldn't say they were "easy" unless you're experienced with felt. I drew the patterns for these and hand stitched each one. I think they were totally worth the time though, because they turned out so stinkin' cute! 

You could hot glue them to save time or there are lots of these cuties you can purchase on Etsy. 

Our photo backdrop is made from a blanket from Ikea. We added an old wooden orchard box for the kids to sit on and some small Christmas trees. (I purchased these on clearance years ago after Christmas.)

To make it wider (and hide my messy craft table) I added some strips of burlap and a torn brown sheet.

We took pictures of the kids here and had the birthday boy open his presents here in "The Forest."

He loved his party this year and is talking about his next forest party already.