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!