Sticking to my guns (kind of)

So, I was feeling a little conflicted about my no noisemaker stance in my post, Party Favors That Leap Off The Page. Was I being harsh? Thursday, I saw a new Juicy Juice commercial that shows kids running around with kazoos. And I'm thinking, "Doesn't that look cute? They do look like they are having fun." (Man, I am so easily manipulated by TV).

Was I being a ... Party POOPER?!

And then yesterday at the end of year preschool field trip, it happened. We took a 30 minute train ride to a picnic area and then we boarded for our 30 minute trip back. As we were getting settled, the teacher handed out train engineer hats -- very sweet. Followed by...train whistles. 30 train whistles. (cue Ozzy Osborne's "Crazy Train")

Here's a little math: A train travelling for 30 minutes with 30 preschoolers blowing 30 train whistles equals how many Tylenol for 1 mom when it reaches the station?

My beloved seemed to take to the whistle like a breathing device, never leaving his lips with a constant TOOT! wheeze TOOT! wheeze TOOT!

And the whistle was a gift that kept on giving. After the field trip, we needed to pick up the other staffers and the whistle took on whole new life.

"Hey guess what song this is?" TOOT! TOOT! TOOT! TOOOOOT!
"Let me try." TOOOT! TOOT! TOOT!
"My turn." TOOT! TOOOOOT! TOO_
"Hey, no fair." "MINE!" screaming chaos ensues

So, will I use noisemakers?

Not for a while.

MacGyver Your Party Decorations

Oh, MacGyver. He is just dreamy. I forgot about the mullet hair -- yes, there was a time that it could work. If you feel like going in the wayback machine, watch this clip. For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about, MacGyver was a TV show from the late 80's to the early 90's. Angus MacGyver was a secret agent who was extremely resourceful using whatever he found, a piece of gum, a ballpoint pen, a button, whatever -- to save the day.

So, we are going to talk about using what you already have to decorate. (See this wasn't just a gratuitous 80's reference and use of video)

One thing the Party MOMster is lousy with is TOYS. So, pull some out as decorations. Here are some from the Party MOMster archives:

• Little People Farm as a centerpiece at our farm party.
• Littlest Pet Shop characters on my cupcake display stand for a Littlest Pet Shop Party.
• Dress up beads and crowns for a Princess party. We also had a fairytale puppet set. We slipped the individual puppets over water bottles and put them on the fireplace mantle.
• For our several animal, jungle, polar parties, we dug out any stuffed animal, puppet and figurine applied.
• Any books that relate to the theme can be a colorful addition as well.

I would love to say that this was my idea, but this was a staff revelation. And they are very thorough in scouring the house for any relevant toy. Bottom line, you have likely picked a party theme because it interests your kids. And if it interests them, they probably have some related toys already.

Go get you MacGyver on!

Party Favors That Leap Off The Page

I had the pleasure of being a surprise guest reader for a preschool class this past week. I thought this would be a great opportunity to test a party favor as well. I saw this Elephant party blower craft on the Family Fun website a while ago and have been itching to try it.
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11434

Now, I did make a few adjustments. I didn't use craft foam. I'm sure it is sturdier, but I was making 20 of these cuties and cutting craft foam is a bit more involved. Instead, I used construction paper. And with the help of my printer/fax/copier combo, I was able to make quick work of this. You can fit two templates on a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, so that speeds up the process as well.

The most time-consuming bit is cutting them out. But, it is the perfect activity to half-watch T.V. I finished off with self-stick google eyes and Dollar Store party blowers. Three episodes of Paranormal State later -- I was done.

Oh, but what about the book?! Well, I chose Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young, which has really bold, colorful images. It is about seven blind mice that encounter "something". Each goes to explore and comes back with an idea of what it is. In the end, the different parts turn out to be an....ELEPHANT (cue the trumpeting elephants). So, I pull out my elephant party blowers and pass them around. And I am like a ROCK STAR!!!!! (It is about the kids isn't it? This one is a toss up.)

Of note, I used noiseless party blowers. They are cheaper at the Dollar Store and I have a thing about giving noisemakers to the little ones. To me, that is like giving matches to a pyromaniac. I once went to a Birthday Party where the pinata was filled with candy and an assortment of whistles. That would be the equivalent of gasoline and matches.

But, I digress...

The staff and I were so enamored by these pack of pachyderms. We were inspired to try something on our own. We thought frogs would work very well with the party blowers. So, here is what we came up with.



There is an opportunity for kids to personalize these and take some ownership. You could give them the paper cut out and let them color it or add sticker dots for spots as well as the eyes. You will have to help thread the party blower through. I know my staff loves to add their own personal touch to things.


The perfect book pairing for our blowers is The Wide Mouth Frog by Keith Faulkner. It is a pop-up book that starts with a wide mouth frog that eats flies. It meets other animals who tell it what they eat, ending with a alligator that says it eats wide mouth frogs. The frog makes a big wet exit -- SPLASH! This book is a sure thing.

The staff and I believe a snake would be another ideal party blower pairing, but we haven't worked out the logistics. When we do, you all will be the first to know.

Have some great book suggestions, let's check them out!

You got a Book in my Party. You got a Party in my Book. Two great things that go great together....

I love books, especially Children's Books, and books can be a great theme for a Birthday Party. If you are not convinced, then here is a celebrity example. Christina Aguilera had a "Where The Wild Things Are" First Birthday Party for her son, Max, earlier this year. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20253528,00.html

And even bigger celebrities, like yours truly, has pulled off a book party or two.

One thing I love about a party that is tied to a book is the amazing keepsake the book then becomes. The guest of honor will always have great memories tied to that book, which will be triggered every time it is taken down from the shelf.

Now, the book can become the theme as Ms. Aguilera did. Or the book works with a larger party theme, like jungle, polar or princess. It can be displayed as a decoration -- maybe guests can sign the inside of the cover or leave a message. A staffer received If I Ran The Circus by Dr. Seuss at their Circus Party. Inside was a poem their clever Grandmother wrote, needless to say it is one of their favorite books.

And reading a book can be a great party activity, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. At a Safari party for preschoolers, we read Sitting In My Box by Dee Lillegard. It is a cute story about a bunch of animals that join a boy in a cardboard box. We had a cardboard box and animal puppets which we used to act out the story.

Coming soon, more book suggestions and ways to bring them to life at your party. And if you have a great book to share -- please post!

PS (Did anyone get my homage to the classic Reese's Peanut Butter commercial? Come on give it to me!)

Ode to Aqua Poppy Designs

MOMster was restless
her blog was ordinary
blue flower brought peace

There are a few moments when the PartyMOMster is inspired to write poetry. Usually, it comes from intense joy and gratitude, which explains my last poem "Ode to the Dunkin Donuts Drive-Thru". (That is written on the back of a receipt in my mini-van when it resurfaces I will share it with you.)

But, I had to write a poem (let's say it's a Haiku) for Aqua Poppy Designs, who basically saved me from myself this week by providing a free Blog Background I love. The Blogger template just wasn't doin' it for me on its own. And I was restless -- and I mean without rest. I have been staying up to crazy hours of the night searching for a background, trying to make my own and all other sorts of ridiculous.

And then I stumbled across Aqua Poppy Designs and my quest ended. The beautiful "celebration" background is compliments of them. It inspired me to screw around with the header on my own. (It's a sickness -- I wanted it to match.) I am now satisfied and ready to get some sleep.

I feel like I should offer some Party MOMster inspiration, but frankly I'm tired. I do have a great party favor the staff and I created this afternoon which I will share after some much needed rest. (I also have some laundry and dishes to address as well.)

But, I don't want to take away from Aqua Poppy Design's AWESOMENESS. So, let's just stop here.

You say it's your birthday. It's my Birthday too, yeah

What do Janet Jackson and the Party MOMster have in common?

Besides an unfortunate wardrobe incident (All I will say about mine is a tricky pair of pantyhose, a clingy skirt and a revealing walk back to my cubicle from the bathroom), we both just celebrated our Birthdays!

And I had a great Birthday, the Party MOMster staff really knows their stuff! What a great surprise to find the Chair of Honor greet me when I came down for Breakfast. So, it has been fully tested and a big thumbs up!

But, an early Birthday present was my first post from someone that is not related to me. WHOO! WHOO! I've been discovered. And this post includes a coupon from Oriental Trading which I am no stranger to. So, thank you, you really made my day. http://partymomster.blogspot.com/2009/05/balloons-with-attitude.html

Because of the Oriental Trading reference, I am reminded of a recent party theme that was greatly enhanced by Oriental Trading. We recently had a Polar Party in March. What I loved most about this idea is that we got many of the "wintry items" discounted because it was almost spring! We ordered tissue paper snowflakes, icicle banners, penguin bubbles, etc.

We had so many leftovers that I made mini-treat bags for a classroom celebration. Since these often go into the backpacks with no explanation, I made a little card that went with it. (Names have been changed to protect the innocent. They don't need the burden of celebrity. I did get a post from my vast viewing public didn't I?)
Another Polar Party element was special cupcakes. We made Polar Bear cupcakes using golden Oreos for the ears (cut in half was too big -- a half of a half worked better), half a Hershey Kiss and two chocolate chips. Is anyone really surprised I have a cupcake display stand?

Wow, this post has a little of everything. I think I'm still on a Birthday high. Thanks again for the comment! Keep Partying!

Chair of Honor

If you are looking for a way to make someone's Birthday a bit more out of the ordinary, decorate their chair creating the "Chair of Honor" (Can you feel the Grandness of it all -- imagine trumpets blairing) Big or small -- no one can resist the Chair of Honor.

This can take many forms. You can have your staff decorate the chair with pictures, paper, bows, balloon, stickers, streamers. Too much is never enough on this one.

Or for a keepsake that can be used again and again. Take a pillowcase and decorate it with fabric markers, ribbon, buttons, iron-on patches or laser printer sheets. On Birthdays, you can slip the pillowcase over the back of the honorees chair. The staff and I just finished up this one today. One side we used iron-on laser print sheets and on the other side was customized by the staff using fabric markers.




The "Chair of Honor" can become a great family tradition that can help punctuate the extraordinary nature of the day. Other ways of achieving this are eating in the dining room or anywhere out of the ordinary -- picnic in the family room! I have a red plate with "You Are Special" painted on it that is only used on celebratory occassions. You can make something like this at a paint your own pottery place.

Have a great tradition to pass along? Please share!

Stay tuned to see if the staff embraces this great tradition for yours truly(Tomorrow is the big day!)

Deep Thoughts by Party MOMster

Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. - Arthur Ashe

The party favors and decorations my staff and I create wouldn't make it into Martha Stewart's magazine. And I wish I could claim I never strived for that, because there was a time that I did. But, as I was shooing away one of my young housemates from a party creation, I had an epiphany (I was a little creeped out at myself, too). I was celebrating to make them feel special. To make them happy. Wasn't I? Excluding them from being a part of the preparation wasn't fair if it made them happy.

So, I took a deep breath and let go. My staff and I have been working together ever since. And crooked lettering, enormous amounts of stickers and the overuse of glue have become a Party MOMster trademark.
But, I treasure the collaboration and their enthusiasm for celebrating -- EVERYTHING! There will be a time when I will be working alone again. They will likely move on from the Party MOMster organization to other endeavors. Or the student may surpass the teacher, and we will create magazine worthy party favors some day. So, perfection may be in my future.

But, for now, I will bumble along with my crew having a good time along the way. Party MOMster universal truth: If you let fun and happiness guide you, your celebrations will always be a success.

May Flower Favor

I was in Target the the other week and they had these little (like micro) flowerpots with seeds and dirt pellet for a dollar. Now, the Party MOMster is itching for Spring. It was a long cold (sick) winter and April was pretty rainy. So, growing flowers seemed like a fitting activity to get us to where we want to be: Spring. The Party MOMster staff was very receptive to the idea. Growing flowers from seeds is so earthy and educational -- bonus. Wouldn't these make great party favors?

So, as with many of our ideas, we test them. The Zinnias and Marigolds have taken off like gangbusters. The dwarf sunflower was off to a slower start, but we have sprouts. The red peppers have shown no activity it's been over a week -- we are not counting them out. But, if we were counting on the peppers to hold the staff's attention, Party MOMster would be watering dirt on her own by now.

But, you may say "These don't really go with my theme." (OK, this may not have even entered your mind. If it did, you are just as scary as me!) And I say, "It is all in the presentation." You add a card with a sweet message (Thanks for making me feel special for my Birthday. I could not have picked a better Friend) in your party colors and you are TIGHT! Here are some examples...

If anyone does this party favor or has done this party favor, please share. I unfortunately don't have any May Birthday Parties except my own (less than a week away!) I must say the Party MOMster staff has been a bit secretive lately -- it is either for my Birthday or a revolt.

Staff Tested Party Favors

The Party MOMster staff (they work for graham crackers) and I were inspired by a paper towel tube to make party favors. These favors are easy to make with any cardboard tube (each is half a paper towel roll) and tissue paper to start and then the skies the limit. We tried to make them without the tube -- just rolling construction paper and tissue paper -- it's trickier to make and not very sturdy. So, stockpile your cardboard tubes.

Just remember that there is a very special formula when you are making many party favors -- if you are making a lot, then keep each one simple. (This is a painful lesson learned one Valentine's Day when making cards for a class of 25) But, as my staff can show you from these prototypes; there are many possibilities and they had fun doing these. Depending on your staff's experience level, you may want to do the wrapping and they can add the bling factor.

And from extensive testing (we tried shoving a lot of different things in a tube), we came up with a list of things that you could put inside for party favors: wrapped candy, crayons, stickers, lollipops, Pez dispenser, plastic beaded necklaces, bracelets, rings, barrettes, chapstick, matchbox cars (many not all sizes fit) and Littlest Pet Shop Character.

These favors work on many levels. Aesthetically, you can tie your favor in with your theme, like the Littlest Pet Shop -- just by using wrapping paper or stickers. And they look super special. On the practical side, because the doo-dads are hidden, you don't have kids pulling them out right away and comparing -- "Oh, I wanted a blue one" -- which often happens when you don't get absolutely the same thing for everybody.

Finally, having kids help with any party preparations is a great idea. I feel it teaches generosity. Your mission is, of course, to make the Guest of Honor feel special, but you also want the party goers to have fun and enjoy themselves. For the Party MOMster, the ultimate goal is for everyone to walk away from the celebration feeling good.

Any favor tips or ideas, bring 'em on.

Make the News on their 1st Birthday

So, I don't want this blog to look like a catalog. Here's an idea that won't cost ya....

Your Baby's First Birthday is a very exciting time. Especially, if it's your first First Birthday. Things seem to even out as you finish out Year One. What knocked you on your butt 12 months earlier has evened out, you feel like you've found your parenting groove and its time to celebrate. And it is easy to get carried away. But, let's be real. Your guest of honor doesn't really know what is going on. And it is very easy to overwhelm him or her. Even the Party MOMster has learned to show some restraint.

But if you are looking for a lot of bang for your buck -- get your little one on TV. Many local TV stations announce Baby's First Birthdays and it doesn't cost a thing, just a little planning. Check the different news affiliates in your area at least a month ahead of the big day because there is usually a few weeks of lead time. Then, you just need to email a picture file (they will let you know the format they require). And then wait for the big day. If the Birthday is during the week, you may have to get up early to see it announced. I've done a 5am viewing. But, now there is Tivo and VCRs(ok, those aren't new -- I'm trying to think why I was up at 5am --probably just my enthusiasm) you can catch it at your convenience.

Getting your little one on TV gives you that celebration buzz so fitting for a First Birthday.

Balloons with an Attitude

Two close personal friends of mine (I've known them since birth), reminded me of a fun party activity/decoration. We once got these cool stickers with a helium tank and balloon kit. We decorated them before the party and then used them as decorations.

But, I think this could be a great activity for party guests if they are waiting to be served. You could tie a balloon to each chair and then have stickers on their place setting.

The decorated balloon could then serve as a type of name card if they get up from the table and get back. I've noticed that younger kids are somewhat territorial. If you can get them to be happy with where they are sitting once. Just have them repeat -- any change seems to be very unsettling.

So, I found these stickers from Oriental Trading. http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=processProductsCatalog&categoryId=377320&sku=17/24&mmc=TAF_-Feature-_-Link3

They don't have to be faces, any stickers could be fun. But, I think you take that balloon by the string and say, "Just don't float there do something."

Party Game "Who Am I?"

So, I'm always looking for games that are not super competitive -- there are no losers at my Birthday Parties. Also, we are often dealing with a range of ages. I saw this game "Who Am I?" at Toys R Us on Clearance for $9.

It is such a cute game. There are page size pieces of cardboard with the face cut out. Without looking at the front, the player holds the board up to their face so it shows through. The front is a person or an animal. By asking everyone who can see the front, the player must guess what they are. If you want to know the gist of it, you can check out this video (I'm just trying different gizmos on my blog)http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/mZW5X630KGXZM

When we played, the kids completely forgot about winning. They just loved taking turns trying on the faces and guessing. We didn't really use the dice or tokens that came with the game. And if an adult chooses to join in -- that is always fun. The Baby character will have them rolling on the floor.

It's a great game to have after the party or put it with your party supplies, lend it out to friends. I bought an inflatable pin-the-tail on the donkey game awhile ago (I really have a sickness). I wish someone would borrow that from me. I wouldn't feel like such an a$$ for buying it. (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun and I didn't want you to think I was a potty mounth)

Bottom line "Who am I?" is a crowd pleaser.

Do You Know....?

I'm on a roll. I'm already on my second post, but I want to give everyone an idea of what they will find on my blog. So, here we go, it's a party game "Do you know ....?" (I'm up for coming up with a better name)

Let's say you are throwing a surprise party. And, of course, the trick to a surprise party is to have all the partygoers there before the guest of honor. To fill the time and get everyone in the mood we played "Do you know (Insert Guest of Honor Here)?"

When I did this, I printed out cards that asked "Which does she prefer?" Followed by, "Beatles/Elvis", "Mashed Potatoes/Stuffing", "Al Pacino/Robert DeNiro", "Candy/Flowers". (I think I was inspired by a beer commercial at time, which had men debating if they prefered Ginger or Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island)

So, everyone made their picks and of course shared their own preferences. We then went over the items with the Guest of Honor after she arrived and she told us what she preferred. Everyone was having fun keeping score. For those with the most correct, I bought lottery tickets and printed out cards that read: You are Lucky to know (Insert Name)(get it Lucky - Lottery Ticket, ok, moving on)

So, there you go. Maybe it will inspire you. If you have a great party game that warms up a crowd, I'd love to hear it.

Why Party MOMster?

I've heard all about this blogging thing and wanted in. But, what would I write about? Well, maybe it's my impending Birthday in two weeks! Or a recent discussion with my husband, about what I'm good at -- "You are great at throwing Birthday Parties for the kids." Birthday Parties it is!

I do love Birthday Parties. And it is soooooo not about the gifts. I would love to cut that out of the tradition all together. I just love the permission a Birthday gives you to escape the everyday and do things you wouldn't normally do. And just be over-the-top in making someone feel special. Which is why, my celebrations know no boundaries. I get just as silly and out of hand for my kids, my husband, my parents or anyone that I happen to be in contact with on their special day.

So, I see this Blog as an opportunity to share my love of Birthday celebrations and be inspired by others as well. I'd love to hear what others have tried. I'm on a personal crusade to enhance the celebration and cut back on the gift element. I would love to have a charity aspect to my next kid's party -- not to go all Mommy Dearest and donate their gifts, but I know there is an opportunity there. We'll discuss that further in a seperate post.

So, let's get this party started!