No Birthday Party? Try this Birthday Tradition

Today is my son's birthday.  My middle child is smart, athletic, funny, a peace-maker, and such a loving person.  He always wants to do what's right and make others around him happy.  I can't believe this little baby is 11 years old!

Back when my kids were old enough to start having real birthday parties with their friends, I got overwhelmed pretty quickly.  My daughter's birthday is in 2 weeks, and Easter is usually right around one or the other's birthday.  That's a lot of celebrating in a short amount of time.

So, I made a new tradition.  We don't do birthday parties every year.  We take turns!  I have two boys and one daughter, so one year is "Boys Party" year and the other is the "Girl Party" year.

When it's not his or her turn for a party, the birthday child gets to pick a friend to take out for birthday dinner, and they get to choose the restaurant!  Then we bring the friend back to our house for cake and ice cream.

My kids all love doing this!  They love having a friend with them to celebrate their special day, and I love not having to plan a party!

Here's the invitation we dropped off to his friend this year, printed on 5x7 photo paper (although ours had more personal information). 

You could just invite the friend with a phone call or in person, but kids love getting invitations, and when it's a friend you may not know as well, it helps the invitation sound more legit to the parents.  Or, am I the only one that gets "invitations" like "my friend said I could come with them to Six Flags" when you KNOW they haven't asked their parents?

We're off to enjoy the birthday festivities!  Do you throw your kids parties?  Every year?  Every other year?  I'd love to hear what other parents do!


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Harry Potter Birthday Party

This weekend we celebrated my daughter's eleventh birthday.  So of course, being huge Harry Potter fans, she wanted a Harry Potter birthday party!

There are so many great ideas out there to put on an epic party.  I had a hard time narrowing it down.  I ended up following this post from One Creative Mommy for most of the party.  She has some great ideas and printables, plus links to other things that were very helpful.

I didn't get pictures of every thing because my husband was gone and it was just me running the party by myself.  So, here we go!

Snapfish Photobook Giveaway!

This post was created in partnership with Snapfish. All opinions are my own. I love taking photos!  But, I can't say I am the best about doing anything with those photos.  So, when I was given the opportunity to partner with Snapfish to create a photobook, I jumped at the chance!  My son had just had his 8th birthday and was baptized into our church, so it was the perfect occasion to create a book for him to have forever. I worked on the website and used their software to create the photobook just the way I wanted it to look. My favorite part was how many different page embellishments they had. They added the perfect touch to the pictures.

I ordered my book and about a week later I received it in the mail!

A Camping Birthday Party

Before I share this post with you, I want to say something about parties:  I love to plan parties for my kids.  But, you'll probably never find me featured on a party blog.  The reason?  I believe in keeping things on a limited budget, and in helping the kids have a great time vs. making the parents ooh and aah.  So you won't see any gorgeous dessert tables, or ten shops listed at the bottom where I shopped for supplies.  I did the whole party for under $100 (mostly food!) and you can too! (I do love those beautiful parties.  It's just not something I could ever do.  And I'm okay with that.) That being said, last week we put on a camping-themed party for my soon-to-be six year old! The invitations went out:

The decorations went up (red balloons and streamers, red and white checked tablecloths, and green plates with red and white checked napkins.    Here's our welcome sign out front:

A banner I cut with my Silhouette:

The food table:

The tent, of course:

And we were ready to have a great time!

First, as the kids arrived, I had them decorate binoculars, which they later got to take home.

Then, we went on a nature-themed scavenger hunt.  When they filled up their bags with all the items, they got a little prize.

We did a fishing game next.  I attached magnets to wood dowels, then had them collect a fish from our "stream".  (Hey, this is the desert.)  The fish were different colors.  They took their colored fish over to the prize bags, which were color-coordinated to the fish, and got to pick a prize.  *sorry for the smiley faces- I didn't ask permission to show these kiddos on my blog, so you'll only see my kids' faces.

Then, everyone played in the tent and jumped on the trampoline for awhile.  Didn't you know there were trampolines in the great outdoors ;) ? Then we did sleeping bag races.  I had the kids go two at a time and race the length of our lawn, hopping in their bags the whole way.  We did it tournament style- the winner of each race moved on to the next round until we finished with a final three.  The kids loved doing it and cheering for each other.

The last game we played was "Bear-Catcher", which is really just a camping version of "Duck, Duck, Goose!"  They all sat on their sleeping bags. I had the kids use animal names like squirrel, chipmunk, bird, etc, and then instead of goose, they would shout "Bear!" and run like mad.  Good times, good times.... After games and more trampoline-jumping, we ate dinner.  I kept it simple, since kids never eat much at parties.  We had hot dogs, chips, and fruit (grapes, strawberries, and pineapple).  

I served water only, with some cute labels on them.

After dinner, we opened presents.  I know a lot of times kids don't open presents at the parties anymore.  And I get it- I totally understand the reasons some parents choose not to do this at the party.   But our family will always open gifts for a few reasons: 1- The kids spend time picking out a present for the birthday child, and they want to see them open their gift!  It makes me sad when my son spends time picking out the perfect gift for his friend, and then you never know if they like it!  And a lot of times, we don't even get a thank-you card, so who knows if they even got it? 2- It is important that my children develop good manners, and opening presents teaches them to thank the person, and react appropriately to different gifts!  For example- one year he got the same bubble gun from three different people.  But we've taught him to say thank you and be polite, and he handled it just great.  These are important social skills to teach, in my opinion. *climbs off soapbox*

The grand finale, and arguably biggest hit, was roasting S'mores.  We had a little firepit and some roasters, and the kids took turns roasting marshmallows and eating their S'mores.  

They didn't even want cupcakes, they were so full of marshmallow-y goodness!  But some did eat them, or took them home for later.  Good thing, because I thought they were pretty cute! I made chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, then rolled the tops in crushed Oreos to look like dirt.  Then I topped them with camping-themed pictures.

Finally the party had to end, and we handed out goody bags.  I got some camouflage drawstring mini-bags from Oriental Trading, and filled them with mini-flashlights, small working compasses, glowstick necklaces, and a bag of S'mores mix made from Golden Grahams, mini-marshmallows, and chocolate chips.  They also took home their binoculars.

It was a great party- we had lots of fun and got everyone tired out for the night--including myself! I'm linking this up to some of these parties this week.  Thanks for checking them out!  Connect with us! You can find us here:

A Mickey Mouse Birthday

As I told you last week, Saturday was my son's third birthday.  I can't believe my "baby" is three!  For lots of reasons, he is most likely my last, and I am trying so hard to cherish every moment with him!

We didn't have "parties" this year, just family celebrations, so for Drew's birthday, I focused on two things:  the birthday shirt and the cake.

First, I made this cute shirt for my son, using freezer paper as a stencil.  If you've never done it, Ashley at Make It and Love It has a great tutorial here.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the shape, then used regular old craft paint mixed with a fabric medium (from the craft store) to paint the design onto the shirt.  I need to give a shout out to Cheryl from That's What Che Said for the instructions on making the perfect Mickey Head shape.  It came out great!

I also got the shirt on clearance at Target- now's a good time to stock up if you like to decorate your own shirts!

I also made a cute cake for my son.  He requested a Mickey Mouse cake.  A few years ago, I made this one for my daughter's birthday.

While I think it turned out pretty cute, it was very time-consuming.  I was a little more pressed for time this year, so when I saw this cute cake, I knew I had my inspiration.

I normally use fondant for decorating things like this, but also for lack of time, I decided to try out Wilton's sugar sheets.

 No, I was not compensated-- I just wanted to try them.  Let me tell you, they worked great!  They are soft and flexible, and you can make any decoration out there!  I used a pencil to draw the shapes I needed on the backing, then cut out my decorations and plopped them right on top of my buttercream. The only thing I need to tell you is to make sure you draw any letters backward.  The shiny part of the sugar sheets goes down onto the cake.

Anyway, this is what I came up with:

I used two 9 inch layers for the body of the cake, and two 4 inch glass bowls for the ears.  I used two cake mixes and it was perfect!

As far as the taste- once the sugar sheets sit on the cake for a few hours, it softens up and is easy to eat.  It really has no taste, so it blended perfectly with the cake.  I'd definitely use them again!

I did make a whole wall full of Mickey-colored circle garland strips,  but when I got home from The Glitter Academy at 11:30 pm, they were all tangled up!  I tried untangling them, and managed to get only two untangled in 45 minutes.  I gave up and threw them in the trash :(   That's what happens when you leave your decorations out where three children can reach them.

Thanks for stopping by today- I hope you enjoyed our little Mickey family party.  I'm linking this up to the following;

Craft-o-Maniac- Monday Link Up

Keeping it Simple- Motivate Me Monday

Sugar Bee Crafts- Take a Look Tuesday

Someday Crafts-Whatever Goes Wednesday

Lil' Luna- Link Party

Somewhat Simple- Strut Your Stuff

Naptime Crafters- Friday Favs

I Heart Naptime- Sundae Scoop Weekend Wrap-up

A Special Birthday Card

Soon after I bought my Silhouette I started making my own cards. I love working on a smaller canvas than a regular 12x12 page, and I always picture what it would be like to open an envelope and pull a homemade card out. Who wouldn't love it?

A few years ago my dear friend was expecting her second child, a girl! Around the time of her due date we didn't see or hear from her. The next Sunday she showed up at the end of church no longer pregnant and without a child in her arms. She very calmly told me and a friend that Caelia had been stillborn. Our hearts sank and we looked in on her for awhile. Then it was time to move and the 3 of us vowed to keep in touch since we had bonded over this tragic and special experience.

On Caelia's first birthday, with one of us in Alaska, the other in Massachusetts and me in Korea, there wasn't much more we could do than send flowers and cards. This is why I make my own cards. Nothing in the store can say or convey what needed to be said.

She loved the card so much that she wanted me to make one for her 1st child, and then with much joy she announced the birth of another son a few months ago. What a wonderful blessing for her and her family, and it was time for another card!

I had this cute pennant shape in my image library and used that as inspiration to finish the card. The name was cut out of the card itself with vellum placed behind it for a fun look. 

What do you prefer?  Handmade or store bought?

Have a great rest of your week-

Washi Tape Birthday Countdown

I'm getting hooked on washi tape.

It's really kind of adorable, and there are so many fun things you can do with it.

I am trying to resist the urge to buy one of every color and pattern I see.  Target even has some.  Did you know that?  I found black polka dot in the scrapbook section, and a few multi-packs in the office supply area.

Both Very Jane and Groopdealz are featuring a washi tape deal today.  Did you see?  Go over and check them out!

Anyway, I've been wanting to make a version of this Birthday Countdown Frame by Love and Sugar Kisses.  Now that I am in possession of washi tape, I decided to try it out on a frame, and came up with this:

I was going to create a tutorial, but I somehow stopped taking pictures halfway through.  So you get half a picture tutorial, and half words.  Sorry about that.  It's been a crazy week.

What you need:

Frame (I used an 8x10 from the dollar store)

Washi Tape- I used three different patterns

Mod Podge or Sealer (optional)

Craft Glue and Glue Stick

Cardstock and/or patterned paper

Mini Clothespin

Embellishments

Chipboard numbers or large number stickers (optional- I used my Cameo to cut my own)

Estimated Cost:  no more than $10 (much less if you have supplies on hand)

Estimated time:  30 minutes

I started with a frame from the dollar store.  I picked out some washi tape that fit well for a birthday theme, and simply pressed it onto the frame.  As you see in the 2nd picture, I did cut the corners on an angle so it lined up with the frame and didn't overlap.

You could certainly paint first, or use a white frame, if you don't like the natural wood showing through.  This was meant to be a quick and easy project, so I don't mind the wood.  As you see in the third picture, I did, however, use a third washi tape on the outer edges of my frame, pressed down onto the back so I didn't have to trim or anything.

Here's how my frame looked at this point.  

Next, I took it outside and sprayed a good coat of sealer all over the empty frame.  Some of my washi tape doesn't adhere as well to the wood, so the sealer helped it stay in place.  A thin coat of Mod Podge would work, too.  But if your washi tape is staying in place, you can skip that step.

Okay, here's where I stopped taking pictures.  

How to make the "Countdown"

1.  Use the back of the frame as a template and trace a rectangle onto heavy cardstock of your choice to fit the frame.  I used white, and actually Mod Podged it on to the cardboard piece for extra stability.

2.  Choose a contrasting color of cardstock and cut a smaller rectangle.  My pink rectangle was about 5 1/2 x 7 1/2, but you can just eyeball it.

3.  Use a glue stick or a very thin coat of Mod Podge to adhere your contrasting rectangle to your base cardstock.

4.  Attach your mini-clothespin to the upper center of your smaller piece of cardstock with a dab of glue.  Let dry, then cover it with a torn strip of washi tape.

5.  Embellish as desired.  I used an old party hat from a birthday card I got years ago, and cut the "happy birthday" from yellow cardstock using my Silhouette Cameo.  I just used a glue stick to adhere the words, and craft glue for the party hat.

Making the Numbers for the Countdown

1.  Choose a cute piece of patterned paper or cardstock.  Cut into 1.5x 2.5 inch rectangles.  Use scalloped scissors to embellish the edges, if desired.

2.  Use number stickers, chipboard numbers, or your craft cutter to cut numbers as desired.  We only count down about two weeks before a birthday, so I went up to 15.  You can cut as many as you want.

3.  Adhere numbers to your rectangles with craft glue or glue stick.

Now I have a cute way to count down to our birthdays!  

I'm linking up to some of these great parties- come along with me!

Also, don't forget to enter all the great giveaways happening this week.  They can be found here.  You won't want to miss tomorrow- a final giveaway and a BIG announcement!  See you soon!

Birthday Blasts from the Past: Party Time!

My birthday party posts are still some of my most-viewed posts of all time.  I'm happy about that because they are simple party ideas that can be (and were) done on a budget.  I'm just a mom, trying to plan fun parties for her kids.  I am in no way a party stylist or decorator.  Still, it doesn't take a bucketful of money to have a great party.  All you need is love, plus a little inspiration from blog-land!

My son's 4th birthday party HAD to be Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  At the time, the show was brand new, and there were no Jake-themed items in stores.  I tried to be creative and come up with my own ideas.  If you missed it the first time, check it out here:

Of course, the same year, my daughter was obsessed with Tinkerbell.  With both boys and girls invited to her party, we decided to make it a "Neverland"- themed party, with stations including Mermaid Lagoon, Walking the Plank, The Fairy Garden, Lost Boys Hideout, and more.  You can get the details here:

Finally, when my little boy turned one, it was October.  So we decided to have a Lil' Pumpkin Party.  We played some fun carnival style games, and just ate fall-themed food and socialized.  This post more focuses on food ideas and decor.  You can read more about it here:  

I'll see you tomorrow for another fun giveaway!  All the giveaways can be found here- good luck!