I used Crate Paper's Love Notes collection to make these cards.
My new fringe scissors came in handy for this one.
This little chipboard heart needed a little color, so I raided my daughter's stash and found a princess paint pen. I love the aqua pearlized touch.
Doilies make valentines cuter! And mini puffy heart stickers! I used the sewing machine on this one. The mini clothespins from Target Dollar Spot were the perfect touch.
The Slice Machine was used to cut the heart out of the center of the pink ombre paper.
A Basic Grey chipboard frame covered in more princess paint completed this one.
Mini alpha stickers worked perfectly.
Letters and hearts were cut from patterned paper to make this card.
I hate ever having a reason to send this particular type of care package, but sometimes life happens.
I can't think of many things worse than a child being sick enough to require a hospital stay. When a kid you know isn't well, why not brighten their day by sending a box of sunshine? Just fill a box or basket with all sorts of yellow goodies and a card. I found yellow noise putty, moustache lip pops, jacks, a sack of gold mine gum, and yellow candies at Hobby Lobby. Dollar Tree had yellow snacks as well as cards and a sudoku book for mom and dad and other adults. The box was wrapped in yellow paper and mailed to the hospital.
At first, I tried sending something from the hospital gift shop, but there just didn't seem to be anything that this kid would really enjoy. With this care package, there was bound to be something in there he would like with enough to share with siblings and other relatives staying in the hospital with him.
Make someone's day by sending them a box of sunshine!
Ready or not-school starts! My daughter has already gone back-to-school. And she was NOT ready.
When she got to school, she was seated at a table with several girls in the back and she was happy. Later, she was moved to a table in the front with mostly boys. Not Happy. In fact, she said, "I was so mad, I almost blew a casket!!"
She needs to go to school, y'all.
After finding enormous paper clip photo holders at Tuesday Morning, I thought I would make "Happy First Day" cards for her teachers. I bought all they had, but when I went back, they had more in an oil rubbed bronze color.
I used a Crate Paper Acorn Avenue Collection set with other stuff I had. Since these were teacher gifts, I thought it highly appropriate to use the library pockets with a card inside. I was given these library pockets my first year teaching by our super helpful librarian. Thanks, Judy!! I used them a lot, and I am STILL using them!
When I was a teacher, I would've loved this token of appreciation.
First birthdays deserve a great party. Don't you agree?
What could be cuter than a hot air balloon theme for a party?
Custom hot air balloon invitations were made with Dear Lizzy paper and vellum. We put pictures inside of baby girl in the basket above.
I mean seriously. Miniature hot air balloon mobile? Cute!
Up, Up, and Away Banner? Super Cute!!
Custom DIY hot air balloon decor by Jordan? Super Duper Cute!!! Down to the miniature tassels hanging from the twine wrapped basket.
Monogrammed goodie bags stufffed with-what else?-hot air balloon tissue paper! Inside the treat bags were gift cards to the Cookie Company. I love that idea by Jackie.
Twinkle lights, pennant banners, hot air balloons made from paper lanterns with washi tape stripes and baker's twine string. Uber Cute!!!
I think every party should have chevron and striped paper straws. Even if nobody actually uses them. And a cute little mini bucket to put sharpies in so guests can write their name on a cup and not waste another one when they lose it in the mix of everyone's cups of delicious punch.
Balloons to draw attention and make it obvious where the party was taking place. Did you know Dollar Tree sells balloons??
Birthday lollie with a paper straw stick. To die for!
This year, the girl birthday party was at Arts on Fire, a pottery painting place. Each guest gets to paint a piece of pottery of their choice and keep it. Love that!
These handmade art party invitations were pretty easy to make, but a little time consuming. I cut out artist palettes on tan cardstock and let the birthday girl paint the splotches on the invitations. (This party is not about me and my perfectionist tendencies after all!) The paintbrushes were cut with a Cricut electronic cutting machine cartridge that was actually an old fashioned ink pen and we just added the brush tip over the pen nib and drew lines for bristles. My little girl actually thought of that one. Printed labels were added on top with party info. Oh and that perfect circle for the artist's thumb? Used a circle punch. These fit in the card envelopes from Office Depot. Love those too!
The birthday girl painted her own cake stand. Again, OCD was not allowed to creep in. Another pretty cool cake by Andi (my mom.) Inside was rainbow and I can't believe it, but I don't think I got pics of the inside.
Would you believe the purple icing faded from the sun through the windshield on the twenty minute drive to the party locale?? It was MUCH brighter! Wear sunscreen folks. UV rays are harsh!
Art Party goodie bags had colorful gumballs inside. Remember, they also get to take home pottery.
My newly nine year old wrote "Thank You" on the teeny tiny paint sets from Party City that we tied to the bags with cute ribbon. We used Souffle pens from Michael's to write on the plastic. Those pens are pretty cool. They write on almost anything but you have to be patient and let the ink pool. I think I may have to decorate my cell phone cover...
Yoo-hoo! It's that time of year again! Time for a birthday party!
With all of the cute owl stuff out there, I could not resist doing an owl party. I made these owl invitations to match. I love how the wings move by using mini brads. (I actually had to do that so they would fit in the envelope.)
Foam squares under the eyes make them pop. Inspiration came from here.
So glad I decided to use a round table this year. I found the plastic tablecloth at Target and was so happy that it was long! (That is not a cute table under there.) The napkins were held down with a wooden 8 from Hobby Lobby. The forks were contained in a small flower wall vase, which I have a small collection of. My sister, Jena, and I made the circle streamers with a circle punch, scrap paper, and sewing machine.
Good thing my mom knows how to make cakes, cause I am not prepared to dish out big bucks for something that gets eaten! The owl on top was a cookie.
This is one of my favorite birthday banners ever. I used real doilies under the letters for more texture. The letters were cut with the "Vintage Findings" cartridge for the Slice machine. I love this color scheme. Love the long satin ribbons (my sister's idea.) The best part? I already had all of the supplies for it!
Treat bags this year were a lot of work, but I loved them!! I stole the birdcage idea from a friend at work. She had a very similar cage with a chalkboard stuck in at a baby shower. I thought it would make a perfect spot for the goodie bags (since owls are birds, after all).
Party favors were paper owls sewn together to form a pouch with friendship bracelets and bottlecap magnets inside. The kids had to rip them open to get the treats.
You can't see it, but the little card said, "It's been a HOOT!" My daughter wrote those, and made the magnets with owl stickers and Glossy Accents (sold at Michael's.)
This "Use Your Noodle" game didn't work so well. Turns out, balloons don't like heat or dried out spiky grass. The kids had other games to play, thank goodness. But man, that was a lot work putting "M" stickers on those and cutting noodles. The important thing is, it was cute, right?
Owl Make and Take
I found this idea on Pinterest. I tried to make a link, but could not find this project. You just hot glue the top of the toilet paper tube down to make the shape of the owl. The kids get to paint and decorate. I used scraps of paper for wings and beaks and bought colored eyes from Michaels.
The ice block was a hit! I filled a plastic container with enough water to cover several trinkets and let it freeze. I then added another layer of water and toys and let that freeze. The problem was that the sides would melt when you poured more water on it, so we had to lift out the block, put toys and water under it, and then freeze again. This takes several days to complete. I bought a meat tenderizer for the kids to take turns breaking the ice. The tool broke after a few hits. I bought the $5 one from Target. Maybe a more expensive one would work or just a hammer. I didn't think an ice pick would be a good idea. An adult (or several) needs to stay close to supervise so that no one gets hurt.
Jordan made this card for Mallory. She used a plain blue bi-fold card with a piece of pink gingham patterned paper which was distressed with Tim Holtz ink. She used a layer of tulle for the skirt with strips of paisley paper over that. Button for a belt buckle and white sakura opaque pen for the "stitching" around the edges.
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