Pink Camouflage Adventure Birthday - part one

My daughter, and her trusty side-kick Julie,

patiently waiting to blow out the candles

I know, I know, "Pink Camouflage Adventure Birthday Party" is a serious mouthful of a theme, but man did we have a good time with it!


Invitation


Oh so inspired by my daughter's love of the color pink and obsession with solving mysteries, we came up with the idea to use camouflage as a basic decoration for her theme. We decided that the main event of the party would be a "scavenger hunt" type of activity, so a globe, a compass, binoculars and some stars were only fitting elements to add to her invite.

I created this invitation using Adobe Illustrator, but you could easily use sheets of scrapbooking paper and add your party information by printing it on a sheet of vellum or very light weight stationery paper.


Decorations

hang them from the ceiling, or above doors and windows

You try finding ANY party decorations online or elsewhere that are pink camouflage. I looked, trust me, really hard. Now generally one might feel a little hopeless, and change the party theme, but not me... not when I have a direct hot line to the girls at Paper & Cake (its a free call too).

Pennant banners, water bottle labels, cupcake picks, favor tags.... anything I could dream up - I designed, printed, cut out and installed - much to the dismay of my oh so patient husband.

labels, simply wrapped around and taped in back

cupcake toppers with sprinkles to match

very easy, VERY popular popcorn "bar"

Craft & Party Favors

The Craft and Party Favors for this party came hand in hand. I decided to create a "satchel" to contain adventure assisting equipment such as binoculars, spy sunglasses and bandanas. You know where I'm going with this.... yup, Aunt Janet to the rescue - again. I found some pink camo fabric at Jenny's Fabric (in Fountain Valley for all you So. Cal residents), and picked up regular green camo fabric at Jo-Ann's.

Using some webbing and d-rings I picked up at the Fabric Barn, my Aunt Janet, my mom and I came up with a "fanny pack" style bag using about 1/4 yard for each one. We had to make a total of 15 little bags, so they had to be super simple! I've attached some illustrated diagrams here for you to make your own. I bet you could even put these together with fabric glue if you don't want to sew them.

the finished product!

click to enlarge above diagrams

Now that you've seen the party favor bag - here is what we did to make it part of the craft project of the party. Using borrowed stencils, and paint that I already had, I had the kids stencil their new camo fanny packs, with black, white or purple paint. Just open the flap up, and tape it to the table to keep it steady - we also taped the stencil if it was complex.

Although it took WAY too long to dry - it was totally worth it! (I ended up using a hair dryer on them while the kids ate snacks)

so proud of their new packs!

Stay tuned for part two - I'll show you the cake and Adventure activity!

Sneak Peak!

Can you even stand how cute this is?

Our Birthday Party Season

Yes, it's January, and the "Season of Birthdays" is about to begin in this house. I do get excited! and at the same time have a bit of a feeling of dread. How will I pull this off and at the same time get any work done?

And that is where I start to ask for some help.

HELP!

Let's back up here....

First up is my daughter's 8th (yes, EIGHTH!) birthday party, and the theme is "Adventure". To decorate that theme she has chosen all things pink camouflage. So cute! I, of course, am designing a printable partyware collection that we can use - pennant banners, cone party hats, signage, favor tags, etc.

Here is the problem: I can not find anything out there with a pink camo pattern that I can use for tote bags, or bandannas, or craft projects, or for party favors. Has anyone used this theme? or seen anyone who has used this theme?

And, (here is a plea for my Aunt Janet) um, Aunt Janet? Will you "help" me make some tote bags from pink camo fabric? Assuming I can find some? Please?

Lets see what else... Oh! I'm going to try to use fondant! My plan is to make a cake, cover it with white (?) fondant and then paint it to be camouflaged. In pink. Where/what kind of fondant do I use? I don't necessarily need to make the fondant, I would be okay with purchasing it. Anyone? Anyone?

Let's see... I guess that's it for today. So, let me know if you have any ideas for me.

thanks!

I Mean Well...

I mean well. I do. I mean to be a great blogger, and bring lots of ideas for throwing GREAT parties at home. But sometimes, things just get in the way. So. Let's see... where shall I pick up again.

How about a little story about cupcakes? 80 of them.


My daughter attends a charter school, and they are money raising machines! Not that they raise much money, but there is always a raffle or an auction or a bake sale going. In planning the school's "Christmas Pageant" (which by the way has nothing to do with Christmas per say, because of the diverse nature of the school... which is why it is called "Peace and Human Rights Night") parents were asked to bring food to "sell" during the evening's events. I signed up for - what else - cupcakes.

After a complete breakdown due to stress of the season, and a quick phone call to a friend to see if I could flake out on my responsibility, I realized I did have a choice - bake or buy. I could buy a dozen or 2 cupcakes for $15-$20, but that would really defeat the purpose in more ways than one.

So, then my plan was to use box-of-cake (you know that it tastes just fine, and saves a ton of time) and make a nice buttercream. But, while I was shopping at Smart and Final for the mix, I noticed that everything was on sale. SALE! Each box-of-cake mix was only .99 cents! And, the cans-of-frosting were only $1.69. I felt a little twinge of guilt right before I plopped them in my cart and made my way to the register.

Add in eggs, oil, cupcake papers and sprinkles, and I am not joking when I tell you that I made 80 of them for less than $20. Easy AND guilt free.

The night of the event I went over to the area where the food was being sold, and to my horror I saw probably HUNDREDS of cupcakes. Hundreds! Oh well, I thought, so I brought "sand to the beach"... whatever.

Every single cupcake was sold by the end of the evening. Phew!

Will I do this again next time? You bet! Especially for the kids. Especially for $20.

my daughter and her friends singing "Feed the World" by Michael Jackson



notice the single white gloves - I love her school!

I'm on Tip Junkie!

Tip Junkie is hosting their 2nd annual Christmas Card Contest, and of course I've entered. You can go and vote, if you would like... hint hint. I'm number 3 - the gingerbread house.

thanks!

Gift Advice

this is just my dad's side, even missing a couple!

I have a HUGE family. It is so extended that I celebrate 3 separate Christmas gift giving events. Christmas Day is with my husband's family, Christmas Eve is with my Dad's family and the Barter Family Christmas Party is celebrated with all of my Mom's side of the family.

So, here is my question: I have drawn the name of my sister-in-law for the grown-up gift exchange, and I'm torn with what to purchase. My fabulous sister-in-law Kim, is a working mother of two and a recent breast cancer survivor. Young and hip and super smart, I want to get her something slightly more personal than what I have chosen to give my brother-in-law (not that there is anything wrong with "The Book of Basketball").

My dollar limit is $50 (max!)...

Here are your choices, all found on Etsy:

Kristin Coffin's Twig Band in Recycled Sterling

Jewels by Kat's Bijou Resin Glazed bracelet




Batiz Jewelry's Peridot and Sterling Silver Bracelet

Or should I go with something completely different?

Help!

Anyone?


Anyone?

December? Really?

I'm just now realizing how close we are to Christmas, and just how far behind I am. I've been meaning to post about some home decorating (on a tiny budget) that has been going on around my house, but, well, I HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON CHRISTMAS!!


Let's start with the family Christmas card. I really do enjoy sending out a funny card. I think it's probably in my genes from my dad's side of the family. When I was young, I remember him signing our family holiday greeting cards with as random a name as he could come up with. There were fairly tame signatures like, "Mickey and Minnie Mouse", and then there was my all time favorite - "President and Mrs. Carter" (back in the day that was some cutting edge stuff!).


So, to outdo last year's Barnes Family Christmas card:

I think I've come up with a doozy, but you all will have to wait to see it. Let me just say that my husband is already irritated that he will have to pose for not just one portrait, but two.

Stay tuned! And visit my gingerbread house holiday card on Tip Junkie.