DIY Party Mom

Shindig Saturday Weekly Linky Party #25

It was a wonderful and sad week here. The kids went back to school.

That always is a bittersweet time. I love having a few "free" hours to get things done and have them STAY done, but I actually LIKE my kids and miss having them around. They have such a sense of fun and adventure and I need more of that as I get older, more stressed, and busier.

And things have been stressed and busier lately (not touching the older statement!) The movers came this week to estimate our weight and move time. It was crazy walking through the house and realizing we had SO MUCH stuff. I just can't bring myself to take it with me, so now I'm in the process of planning a HUGE garage sale. Anyone have any good tips? I'm totally going to need them!

So what do I do with all my free time you ask?

I blog surf.

(Yea, I know with all that to do, I stress relief by looking at everyone else's great projects. homes, and ideas.)

Our Blog of the Week is:

From the Hollow shared this surprise Luau Anniversary party. I just LOVE surprise parties and ones with such a fun theme and execution are so much better. The happy couple honeymooned in Hawaii 45 years ago and so the theme was a remembrance of their past. How fun is that?

I love the pictures of both Hawaii and the couple hung as a banner garland. If you haven't seen that, it's a great idea for any party them and you should go check it out! Plus, you if you follow my blog at all, you know that I LOVE party themed food. I love the idea of making tropical smoothies and having a kabob bar at a Luau party. (Okay, I just love smoothies and kabobs and could have them at any party!) Go check out this fun blog for more great party ideas...and tell her Kim sent you!

Our Party Favor of the Week is:

Push Up Cake Shooter Pops

I just ordered a whole bunch more of these for our store. These cake shooters are so much fun to make and eat that they are the perfect addition to any party. They allow small hands to eat cake without too much work and allow big hands to "roam" at a party without making a mess. You can see how we made these Patriotic Cake Shooters to see how easy and fun they are! They go fast so if you want a few for your fall or winter party, stop by our online store soon.

Now it's time to PARTY!

Show us your newest party or fun creations by sharing your favorite party themed craft, table scape, photo, favor, or whatever! I'm pretty flexible since just about everything can be used at a party...that's the great thing about us moms! We can see the potential in ANYTHING!

Linky Party Guidelines:

* Link up to your OWN project post, not just your blog, but your actual post. (We want to see it!)

*Grab a Shindig Saturday button for your post or blog page. (Hey, it benefits us all!)

*Stay and enjoy the party by visiting and commenting on other's projects. (It's fun to mix and mingle!)

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Krispy Apple Treats Share

I've been busy working on stuff for the move and my BIG Christmas craft show today...so I haven't had much time to do any party crafting. This may be something you see a little more of in the next few weeks as I try and get things set, but I wanted to share a fun idea that I definitly plan on doing for our Back to School party.

Gourmet Mom on-the-Go shared the tutorial and recipie for these fun Krispy Apple Treats.

Take these items:

Krispy Apple TreatsMakes 25
Ingredients:6 C. Krispy Rice Cereal
1 pkg. large marshmallows
3 T. butter
1 small pkg. Jell-o powder, cherry or strawberry flavor
25 small Tootsie Roll Candies
Royal Icing, tinted green
Baking spray
Wax Paper
Red Food Coloring, optional

and turn it into a yummy treat perfect for your dessert table!

Check out the full tutorial here on Gourmet Mom on-the-Go blog.

Stamping on Plates

White plates are probably one of my most used party staples. They fit almost any theme and color scheme, so you can buy one set of plates and use it multiple times.

Sometimes all it takes to tie your plates into your theme is a simple color, but other times, it's fun to add a little whimsy and fun to the plates.

Use those fun stamps that you can find at Jo-Anns, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby for only a dollar on your plates to add another layer of your theme to your dinner table.

Start with a white plate, some food markers, and some new stamps. (You don't want to use stamps that have been inked with regular ink since you'll be eating off these plates.)

It's best to use stamps that are bigger and not too detailed for this project.

There are several types of food markers you can use. Wilton has a good set of Food Writer Edible Color Markers, while Ateco has a fun set of 10 Marker Style Food Color Kit markers that I'm longing for.

Use your food color markers to color in your stamps in a thick layer of edible ink. Your ink will start to dry so work quickly.

Carefully place your inked stamp on the plate and press firmly.

This would be fun to use with alphabet stamps to spell guests names out as a place setting too! Your guests will be amazed at this simple trick and WOWed at your table.

Back to School Ruler Place Mats

Looking for a quick and easy way to spice up your Back to School table? These Ruler place mats are perfect for a fun and useful decoration.

I started with these yellow Stiff Foam Sheets I found at Hobby Lobby. These sheets are 18 inches long by 12 inches wide and VERY stiff. They weren't with the other felt sheets at Hobby Lobby. They were actually on the back of that aisle, but should be in the general area at yours.

I placed the felt on my work area which is covered with a big cutting mat. Using a bottle of Black Dimensional Fabric paint, I used the lines on the mat to draw my ruler marks on my felt.

This only took about 3 minutes to draw both sides. I haven't decided whether I want to leave it like this or add the numbers, or not. I'm leaning towards no numbers for the clean look, but am open to suggestions if you have any.

After giving it a "while" to dry, I used these with my Chalkboard menu chargers to coordinate and spice up my Back to School party dinner table.

Quick and easy and super cute!

Shout Out Sunday

Here's a few fun party ideas from around the web...

Michelle Paige shared these Puppy Pop place markers. These little puppies are a fun way to add both a treat and a place marker to each setting on her cute Puppy party. I love how simple the idea is but how wonderfully it ties her theme together with each party plate. VERY CLEVER! Her dessert table with all the fun puppy themed food is so cute too, and definitely worth checking out.

The Country Cook shared her Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake. I admit, I'm almost afraid to try this cake...it looks so yummy that I can see myself making it all the time. Since I'm getting ready to go back on the "exercise and diet" bandwagon, I'm leery to try it. But it looks so delish. I definitely added it to my Recipes pinboard to make this weekend for our Sunday family treat.

Elizabeth Andree shared this fun Yarn Bowl. This bowl would fit great at an art or game party. I can see it filled with party favors or gifts. It's made from old leftover yarn pieces for a recycled, cheap centerpiece but would be so unique that it would certainly be the talk of your party.

The Exchange shared a Christmas Craft Party. I love the idea of this party. It's so fun and a great way to get started on your Christmas crafts and gifts. What's better than to get all your girlfriends over for a fun get together and crank out a few great projects? So clever!

Haute to Sew shared how she made these Chair Covers. These covers seem pretty easy to make, which is perfect if you need to make ALOT of them. I love the idea of adding some fun accents or making them out of some fun fabric to match your party theme. Such a GREAT idea.

Shindig Saturday Weekly Linky Party #24

'Tis the season!

Yea!!!

Today starts the "Official" beginning of football at my house.

We've actually been driving to and from football practice since last February, but today is the start of games. And I have to say, IT'S ABOUT TIME.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE football season. And to watch my boys play and love it, makes it even better. So I will be spending the day, and many of the next 2 months, sitting in the bleachers cheering on the Freshman football team and 2 flag football teams.

Our blog of the week is...

Tiaras and Bowties who shared this BEAUTIFUL Teddy Bear party banner. I can't believe how much talent this girl has. I could NEVER paint something so absolutely amazing. Isn't that Teddy just the cutest thing? This banner would be perfect for a baby shower and then to decorate the little one's room. Since it's customizable, you could even add new pennants each birthday to create a journal of sorts...or what about adding a new pennant for each month up until the first birthday and then having it at the party? That would be such a wonderful keepsake.

Our party favor of the week is our NEW to the store

Goodie Cans

These fun cans are perfect for using as a fun gift, a decoration at a party, or as "wrapping paper" for your unique gift. Goodie cans are made from new gallon paint cans, and so can fit a good size gift or several of our related theme gifts. Fill our Sponge Bob Goodie Can with a personalized name plaque, a candy bar, or any of other fun Sponge Bob gifts for a truly unique gift that can be saved and used in recipients home or room for years. Or use our Holiday gift cans to give your Christmas gift in a unique way by filling with cookies or a sweet gift that's perfect for your child's teacher, your co-worker, or family friend.

Now it's time to PARTY!

Linky Party Guidelines:

* Link up to your OWN project post, not just your blog, but your actual post. (We want to see it!)

*Grab a Shindig Saturday button for your post or blog page. (Hey, it benefits us all!)

*Stay and enjoy the party by visiting and commenting on other's projects. (It's fun to mix and mingle!)

Cookie Friday

We have a tradition in my house of celebrating the end of the week with Cookie Friday. Its a fun way to enjoy some time together after the kids get out of school by baking and eating warm, homemade cookies....and a yummy way to kick off the weekend.

My husband tells me the only kind of cookies I ever bake are chocolate chip oatmeal. (So NOT TRUE, but I won't tell him about all the No-bakes I make and COMPLETELY devour when every one's at work or school.)

Since every mom knows that the true year starts at the beginning of school, my "New Year's" resolution this year is to make a few different kinds of cookies.

Here are a few Back to School themed cookies I may try...

Peanut Butter & Jelly Back To School Cookies from Twenty Something Home

Back to School Linzer Cookies from Katie at the Kitchen Door

Chocolate Back to School Cookies from Jelly and Chips

Back to School Apple Cookies from Bake at 350

Back to School Apple Wreath

I have a horribly blank wall in my front room. There is no color, no decoration, no "pizzazz." So I like to add a fun wreath for each season or holiday I decorate for. Since we are in the Back to School mode, I made this cute Apple Wreath from plastic canvas.

I started by designing an apple pattern in my Plastic Canvas Design Studio Software. If you are a plastic canvas lover, this software is pretty fun and amazing to have. You can import a picture and turn it into a design that's easy to sew.

I cut out 7 apples and 7 backs. (The apples are stuffed so they don't look so "flat".) 3 of the apples I sewed with a basic continental stitch using apple red yarn. 4 of the apples I redesigned into a slanting goblin stitch.

Then I sewed the brown apple stem on each of the apples. Once the brown fill stitch was completed, I joined the front sewn apple to a back blank apple.

I joined the apple together with the red for 3/4 of the apple.

Since I wanted my apples stuffed, I placed 3 cotton balls inside the apple and finished joining it together.

Once I had all the apples sewn, I used the other half of my 9 inch embroidery hoop from my Firecracker and Star Patriotic Wreath and glued the apples in a circle around it.

I finished the wreath off with a red and gold glitter wire bow.

It turned out pretty cute and certainly made my wall look a lot more festive!

First Day of School Candy Treat Printable

The first day of school is a special one.

The possibilities, friends, and fun are endless as the year opens up before the kids.

To make it a little more sweet, I like to add a special note in my kid's lunches...usually with a special treat. This year, I decided to combine the note and candy.

To make these, you'll need to decide what size you want your candy note..a little treat or a dessert snack? Whichever size you decide, find the bag that matches. I used a sandwich bag and a 3x5 inch bag (available at Walmart craft aisle or in most craft stores.)

Now download, print and cut out whichever size topper you desire.