LPM is Back and it's Beachy!

I know you are all waiting for this week's Let's Party Monday's (a.k.a LPM) party theme -- uh, waiting two weeks in fact. Last week, the staff and I were at an off-site meeting at the seashore doing some intensive team building and sandcastle making. We are back -- well-rested, inspired and ready to present to you...

A BEACH PARTY


Decorations

Get ready to get your MacGyver on (and join me as I unpack the mini-van after vacation). Take everything you take with you to the beach and throw it all over the place: beach towels, shovels, beach chairs, plastic buckets, sandcastle forms, and inflatable whatever. What about stringing a clothes line and hanging swimsuits? (Maybe not my big granny-suit, but the staffer’s suits are fun and colorful)

You may be thinking -- ugh, that sounds like a big mess. Well, check out this classy pic from the May issue of House Beautiful where they put those Beach towels to work as a great (and absorbent) tablecloth.



You can also purchase shells at a craft store to sprinkle around. And depending on how brave you are, get a little sand from the craft store or playsand at the hardware store.

In college, I went to a party at a Frat House with beach volleyball on the third floor – that’s right a couple of inches of sand covering the entire third floor. Those boys knew how to throw a party. I don’t know how they cleaned it up, but those aren’t the concerns of a college party-goer.

A more practical solution would be spreading the sand in a couple cookie sheets with some shells to create a zen garden/mini-seascape for the table. (That seems so lame compared to full scale beach volleyball indoors. Is a Frat House really the standard I’m striving for? I’m really struggling with this one.)

Activity

This activity came to me as I was preparing for our trip to the seashore and saw two days with rain clouds assigned to them. I ended up not having to break out the crafts (YEAH!), but it was great to do post va-ca and perfect for this week's theme.

Take a frame cut out of cardboard and paint one side with Mod Podge.(You could probably use white glue, I'm just digging Mod Podge lately.) Then take the sticky side and drag it though some sand – maybe take advantage of your mini-seascape decoration. Then have party guests arrange shells on the now sandy frame. While they take part in another activity, hot glue the shells to the frame.



The weight of the shells and the amount of white glue necessary to hold them will take forever to dry. Hot glue will ensure your guest can take their handiwork home, instead of standing by your door weeping with gooey shells lying on the floor before them. (Trust me on this.)

Game

Leaving the beach is always a feat of endurance and now it’s a party game! Create a “Packing It Up” obstacle course by spreading out all types of beach gear: blankets, sand toys, beach ball, hat, sunglasses, boogie board. The contestant has to collect and carry all the gear across the finish line. Think John Candy in Summer Rental.



At the finish line, you can take a picture and if you have the A-team of party helpers, that picture can then be printed and put into the beachy frame created earlier. I love it when a plan comes together!


There you have it a Beach party to squeeze in before the end of the summer, but could also be a real stunner in the winter – so unexpected!

I’d love to sea your beachy ideas in the comments – they’re great I’m shore!

(That last line was desperate, but did you get my A-team reference and quote? Anyone? Come on that was gold, baby! Someone is fresh from vacation.)

Camp Continues: The Tracking Game

Now, the much anticipated Tracking Game for the Let's Party Mondays, Camp theme .

The staff has always had a love of animals and the outdoors. We are members of the local zoo and have made frequent trips to our nearby arboretum. These two favorite haunts inspired the Tracking Game – I feel like someone got chocolate in my peanut butter and I came up the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of Camp party games. (Whoa, someone is a little full of themselves today).

Anywhoo, we received a small laminated tracking card of animals of the Northeast when we joined our local zoo. It has squirrels, deer, rabbits, etc. The staff loves to try to find muddy tracks along the wood line behind the house. (Let’s say that’s the “Peanut Butter”.) On our last trip to the arboretum, they handed out a sheet of paper with six boxes on it and a crayon. As you walked the trail, there were these informational signs and below the sign there was a rubbing plate with leaves one it. At each sign, you would rub the corresponding plate. At the end, all the boxes were filled in with cool leaf designs. (That would be the “Chocolate”.) So, I thought why not have rubbing plates with animal tracks and have the kids discover them as they search the backyard. (And there you have the “Peanut Butter Cup”.)




Using my tracking card as a guide, I created these rubbing plates which the staff helped me decorate. I tried two methods: 1) piling on glue as paint (which takes a while to dry) 2) cutting out paper and gluing (takes a while to cut out and doesn’t have as great of a raised effect). And if you don’t want your dishes and laundry to pile up while you are monkeying around with animal tracks, I found a great third option: buy them . They look great and you can have more of them – I could only squeeze out five on my own. I would still attach them to cardboard and decorate the board -- it looks cool and the staff had fun decorating. I included a clue because some of the tracks look similar.

To play, scatter and hide the plates all over you backyard. Then give each participant a sheet (newsprint works the best because it is really thin and the rubbings show up very easily) with a space assigned for each animal. Here’s one way…


When they fill in their sheet, they can earn a prize or maybe a badge declaring they are a solid tracker. Okay, there you have it the Tracking Game – I'm open to a better name the “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of Camp Party Games” is a little wordy.

Gotta go, I have this overwhelming desire for candy.

Let's Party Mondays: Hello Campers!

Hey, it's Monday again -- let's party! Today's theme is Camp!

As you know by now, I am loving Camp at the moment. The morning day camp the staffers attended was a big hit and it sent me into a nostalgic frenzy. (ahhh, Camp Arrowhead, Good times...) But, my love of camp has been taken to a new level this week -- the staffers are attending Nature Camp this week. That is 4 1/2 hours a day Monday through Friday. And it couldn't have come at a better time for -- EVERYONE!

Besides giving all of us a break from each other, (I'm banking on "absence makes the heart grow fonder" all around) the staffers came home with great games, crafts and were so tired they had very little fight left in them -- JACKPOT!

I'm not the only one loving camp at the moment. My favorite magazines have weighed in with some great ideas as well. So, here's a little somun-somun I put together -- welcome to Camp!

Decorations

Now is the time to drag out that dusty tent you may have or borrow one or at the very least hang a simple tarp. I found a very competent video that explains how to make a tent out of a tarp. If you make a tent happen -- sit back, you are golden.

If you still want to take it up a notch, I say go for the campfire. Fire and kids seem a bit dicey for me -- I'm looking for theater here. I would pile a few logs together and create a faux fire -- maybe some orange and yellow tissue paper. I didn't get to try this out yet, but I was thinking of a small fan with crepe paper ribbons attached to give the illusion of flickering flames. I'm not sure if that would work -- if I can make that happen you will be the first to know. (Maybe the second, I may have to explain myself to the neighbors)

Cake

I don't want to talk about cake -- let's talk S’mores. S'mores and Camping are like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Macaroni and Cheese, Captain and Tennille (Did anyone get that last one? Sometimes, I really am just writing for myself.) So, I offer several S’more options:

• The Classic, Indoor or Outdoor S'mores


• Chewy S'mores Bar Cookies


• Golden Graham S'mores (I really want to try this, but I heard a rumor that Golden Grahams is no longer available. Is this true? I will be so unbelievably bummed. I haven't had it in a while, but I used to love it. Cue Cinderella's "Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone" )


• S'mores on a Stick: This is from the August 2009 issue of Parenting magazine. They suggest warm chocolate sauce in a plate, another plate full of crushed graham crackers and then dipping roasted marshmallow in chocolate followed by graham crackers. Very clever.
  

Activity

My Mom saved the August issue of Family Fun magazine because it had some great camp crafts. The Totem Pole was her favorite. You have each person create a self-portrait on a paper plate using markers, natural materials and white glue. When the glue dries, tape the plates to a large stick and set the stick into the ground – wah-lah a Totem Pole. Nice work, Mom.

Game

Now, there are various iterations of tag and the staff has played quite a few of them at camp -- to rave reviews I might add. Now, the Party MOMster usually shies away from tag because someone is “it”. Everyone runs away from the person that is “it” – it just feels wrong to me. But, those super smart camp counselors have teams of people being it – no one is left to be a pariah. Brilliant! I promise a sampling of the most-loved tag options from the staff by the end of the week.

I have got so much more to say including a great game that the staff and I started today. It’s drying overnight. (Oh, are you intrigued?) So, I’m calling it a night and just making my Monday deadline. We will have more Camp ideas for you tomorrow. But, feel free to pitch in a few of your own. (That whole Golden Graham thing has got me a bit down too -- that Cinderella song has me all choked up)

Let's Party Mondays: School is in session!

Hey, it's Monday -- it must be "Let's Party Mondays". Thanks to our Pick A Party Winner, Sqkecleen, today's theme is: Back to School

Just going back to school is a reason to celebrate. I know I will be having a Back to School Cocktail Party, myself (that is, party of one). But, if you have a late August or early September Birthday in your family, the staff and I found it to be a theme with a lot of possibilities. If you have preschoolers or kindergartners that are new to school, this is a great way to get them worked-up about this exciting milestone.


Decorations

I would score some of those bulletin board cut-outs that Teacher's use. We have a store called Becker's that sells all sorts of classroom supplies -- they have a website as well. Get your MacGyver on and grab any school theme toys you have around the house to place in festive spots. I don't think I've met a family that doesn't have a School Bus. Wah-lah you've got your centerpiece.

Cake

As I suspected, Coolest-Birthday-Cakes does not disappoint. There is a great selection of school bus cakes to inspire. I had a brainstorm for a Chalkboard Cake. If I have a few minutes, I might try to pull it off. (The MOMster likes her cake.) I'm picturing a rectangular cake with dark green icing, graham cracker pieces lining the edge as a frame for a chalkboard. Maybe, half a candy apple sitting on the bottom right corner, like an apple for the teacher resting on the chalk ledge. Chalk pieces made out of pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate. I don't know, just a thought. (Yeah, this is what I daydream about. It is a sickness.)

Game

The staff and I put the most energy into the game. Never discouraged by my failures (i.e. Cootie Clown) , we created the School Bus Obstacle Course.

This can begin as an activity. You need to have kid cut-outs on white paper and a mess of crayon, stickers, googly eyes, etc. You should have a table dedicated to this. Ask the guests to make a student. It can be them or not -- whatever they want. They just need to decorate the one side. When they are finished, they bring their student to you. You need to have sticky back Velcro and put the prickly Velcro on the back of each student. Then the real fun begins -- the School Bus needs to pick up the kids for school.


The paper students that were decorated earlier are scattered all over the backyard or through the house or at a park. The "School Bus" is a child wearing a yellow felt tunic (A yard of yellow felt with a hole cut through the middle for their head.) We added a foam visor that we made -- we always like to kick it up a notch. The “School Bus” rushes to pick up all the students for school by sticking them to the felt and finally running across a finish line.


YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FINISH LINE. This is an obstacle course must. Red crepe paper held by two people must be broken through -- it is the only satisfying way to end. I don't time it or make it a race -- they just have to finish. You can give them a sticker, a stamp on their hand or a dollar store medal to commemorate their triumph. The staff and I thoroughly tested this idea -- no student was left behind!

Book

I always love to have a book to tie-in with the theme. It can be propped up as a decoration or have the guests sign the inside of it. Or depending on the audience, you can have a story time. My favorite Children’s Book Blog, the Book Nosher, who has come through for me in the past , was gracious enough to provide some quick picks off the top of her head:

• I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas (preschool)
• Mrs. Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate (kindergarten)
• The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (preschool/kindergarten).

She also promised more selections on her blog as Back to School approaches -- stay tuned to The BookNosher.

Alright that is my offering for "Back to School", I know there is more, so please feel free to weigh in with your comments and ideas. All this party testing has caused a bit of a backlog in my housework. Right now my kitchen is like school on Saturday -- no class.

And with that Fat Albertism, I am outta here. (Na na na gonna have a good time. Hey! Hey! Hey!)

K.I.S.S.

K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple Stupid. I first saw this phrase in school. I think it was school. I'm pretty sure it was school because I remember it written on a blackboard. Or was that on T.V.? Maybe on school on T.V.? Wait, was it at Eastland Academy? Was I in class with Blair, Joe, Natalie and Tootie? OK, my heads spinning a bit -- I'll have to sort that out later.

But just the other day, one of the staffers schooled me on the beauty of simplicity (A concept I struggle with -- can you say "Circus Party"?).

To mix it up a bit, two of the staffers attended a morning summer camp run by our town. Upon pick-up after the first day, our expert in pink, sparkles and little big-eyed animals, runs to me beaming.

"Look at this," she gasps as she thrusts a piece of plastic mesh with plastic lacing running through it. "It's a bookmark! This is the coolest craft I've ever done!" (I wince -- I'm so easily forgotten)

"Wow, that is super great!" I say convincingly. (Really? The coolest? What about my card weaving project? How quickly we forget "Put Your Cards On The Table Week".)

Later in the day, our lovely staffer has her friend over and shows her the bookmark. (Ok, here we go. I hope the lovely staffer doesn't get her feelings hurt...) "WOW, that is sooooo cool! Can I make one?" The two run off to create with some extra pieces of plastic lacing the camp sent home.

Huh, well what do you know. Something so simple can provide so much bliss. That is definitely a lesson learned. Although, I should have known this brilliant bookmark -- a monument to simplicity -- is the result of many summers of fine tuning. Plastic Lacing, or what we called "Gimp", is a Summer Camp staple. I myself remember working the Gimp at Camp Arrowhead back in the day.

So,if you can't beat em -- join em. This is our bookmark bounty from the craft store and it ran us $7.


We worked a few bookmarks ourselves and it is a great activity to do while you shoot the breeze. I got the 411 on the camp:

• The head counselor just got engaged



• The best person to push you on the tire swing is a third grader



• The girl with all the woven key chains is not a good listener



• The boys and girls bathrooms are kind of hard to tell part (There is more to that story)

Man, I miss Camp! I think this would be a great craft for a little girls birthday party. Or you could put together a craft kit to give as a favor.

Letting K.I.S.S. be my guide, I will stop here. There is really nothing else to say about this newly discovered craft -- it is simply perfect.

Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go look up Natalie and Tootie on Facebook and catch up on old times.

Let's Party Mondays: It's a Circus!

Ahhh...Another weekend...Ugh...Another Monday...Yeah! LET'S PARTY MONDAYS!

Today's Party Theme: Circus

This is one of my favorite party themes. I got quite goofy on this one and it was also one of the most epic battles between Me vs. the Evil Overdoer. (Also, me -- but, picture me with little red horns dragging a very long to-do list).


Decorations

The grandest decoration was a circus tent ceiling. We took eight plastic tablecloths (4 red/4 white) and hung them from the playroom ceiling. They clustered in the center and fanned out to the walls. Finding a tape that would stick to the slippery plastic tablecloths, defy gravity and not mark the walls was a bit problematic. There were constant re-adjustments, even during the party ("Oh, excuse me sweetie, let me get that tablecloth off your head"). This was a circus party not a planetarium, such a heavy investment in ceiling decor was likely unwise. Advantage: Evil Overdoer

Pulling a little MacGyver, we collected some stuffed animals and turned them into clowns. The staff and I made clown hats out of construction paper and ruffled collars out of tissue paper. We had fun doing this a few days before the party to get us into the mood. Very festive results. Advantage: Me


Cake

Because I knew I would be busy decorating (raising a tent, creating a game -- more to come), I decided to delegate the cake to someone else. (I was still smarting a bit from my Dino-disaster) I heard of this woman that made cakes out of her home and she was very fun and creative. The woman lived 20 minutes away. So, on the day of the a party, I ran a 50 minute errand (20 minutes there + 10 minutes getting lost + 20 minutes home). The cake did look awesome. Advantage: A tie


Game

I had played the classic childhood game, Cootie, with the staffers a few weeks before. Quick rundown, you roll dice and depending on your roll you earn different parts of the Cootie bug to build your own.



Brainstorm: I will make a Cootie Clown. We'll roll the dice to earn different parts of the clown's face. There were about eight pieces to the face which we needed for 6 players = 48 pieces were created. I sorted and put them into numbered envelopes. Okay, let's play. We started with one player rolling the dice at a time. It was going s-l-o-w. I was losing them. Gave everyone dice and let them all go at the same time. That was chaos. Just gave everyone the pieces to make the face -- we finished. The guests seemed happy with the results. (They may have just been glad it was over. Moving on) Advantage: Evil Overdoer


Acitivity

This was the best part of the party and, best of all, it lives on in video. We had the guest put on their own circus which Mr. Party MOMster dutifully recorded. We dragged out the dress-up bin, toys and other props to create the following acts:

• Snake charmer (rubber snake wrapped around someone playing a whistle)
• Tightrope walker (put a piece of tape on the floor while walking in a tutu with a parasol)
• Lion tamer (wearing a pith helmut, throwing a stuffed lion through a hoop)
• Lady on Horesback (Princess costume while riding a Rocking Horse)
• Strong man (counted how many stuffed animals one child could hold -- we got to 11)

We ended with a clown parade made possible by the purchase of rainbow wigs and red noses for the party. Following the parade, all the performers watched the tape on TV. It was a rousing success and we are often asked to bring out the tape to watch again and again. Advantage: ME

In the throwdown between me and the Evil Overdoer, it was a draw. But, as always the only casuality is, once again, ME. When the Evil Overdoer rears her ugly head, I am left feeling very tired and very stressed. Absolutely no fun -- so not Party MOMster.

So, join the Circus with some great party ideas -- the more the merrier. And don't overdue or you'll feel like a Party Pooper. (Speaking of, I've got a diaper to change. I think that also may become Party MOMster principle #3.)

PS (Let's keep the Party going on Mondays -- do the Pick A Party Giveaway!)

Mark you calendars for "Let's Party Mondays!"

Mondays are hard. Before I was blessed with my little staffers, I hated Mondays. They were the first day back to the grind after the free-wheeling good times of the weekend. Now, Mondays are my foe for different reasons.

Everyone in the household is free from jobs, school and weekly obligations on the weekends. They are trolling the hallways looking to have some fun. Let's do something. What are we going to do today that's fun? So, Saturday -- fun! Sunday -- fun! fun! And Monday -- everyone is back to their respective jobs, school and weekly obligations and I feel like the clean up crew after Mardi Gras.

After a day of regrouping (i.e. cleaning and mediating disputes between overly tired staffers), the Party MOMster is looking for some fun. And nothing is more fun than Parties! So, from this day forward I proclaim Mondays to be: Let's Party Mondays!

Mondays will be dedicated to one Party theme which everyone is welcome (encouraged!) to join in and build on. I'm not as ambitious as Coolest-Birthday-Cakes, creating the WORLD's largest resource. I aspire to my Junior High School Spanish teacher's comments, "adequate, makes a capable effort." Gracias.

Today's theme for "Let's Party Monday" is Dinosaurs! I figured after seeing my Dinosaur cake, many of you were saying to yourselves, "Ouch, I feel sorry for the poor kid that got THAT cake."


But, I did redeem myself. To start, we made dinosaur hats out of foam visors. Our resident Dinosaur expert classified this as an Apatosaurus. And this is a constant favorite in our dress up bin. Three years later and this dinosaur shows no signs of extinction (That's right I said extinction -- come on, give it to me.)



We then changed roles from dinosaurs to Paleontologists (or what we called "Dinosaur Hunters") in search of dinosaur remains. To prepare, everyone worked on their spotting scopes. We had toilet paper rolls covered in green paper and a mess of dinosaur stickers. As you all know, the more stickers used in decorating the better the scope works.

While we worked on our spotting scopes, a sneaky party helper hid pieces to an over sized T-Rex puzzle (a dinosaur lover must-have). When our equipment was ready, we began the search.



As the hunters collected the pieces, we began putting the the puzzle together. And it all comes to a very satisfying conclusion -- a large ferocious T-Rex. In a word: DINO-mite (oh yeah)

These are just some bare bone ideas -- let's hear your ideas and build a Dino Party that is Pre-HISTORIC! (I'm done, that last pun made me a little queasy.)

A Loom, A Shredder and Some Eggs...

I am so charged about "Put Your Cards On The Table Week". But, it's not for the faint of heart.

Inspired by a childhood memory of my sister and I weaving potholders like sweatshop workers (Hey, doesn't that sound like fun?), I thought -- let's try that with cards.


So, I run around the house digging up stacks of old cards. I have to admit there are some I can't bear to re-purpose and tuck them back away. But, a few seem like prime candidates and run to the shredder.

Yes, I said the shredder. I haven't used the shredder in a while, but I thought it would slice through the cards like a pasta maker -- turning my cards into colorful paper fettuccine.

"Hey guys, watch this." I feed the card into the shredder and it spits out confetti. Not quite what I had in mind. One staffer is speechless studying the card remains. The other turns to me with wide eyes and says plainly, "Why did you do that?"

Not everyone is on board.

Plan B. The staffers are busy on their own projects. They don't seem to have the stomach for this. So, I pull out my paper cutter and begin making my colorful paper fettuccine. Now that the cards are unrecognizable and the craft table is a big mess, the staffers want back in. We begin to weave a bookmark.

Somewhat skeptical at first, they see the pattern take shape and are thrilled. The Party MOMster's cool quotient is rising steadily. Earlier instability is now seen as genius. The staffers can only be described as "stoked". (Is a Mom of three allowed to stay "stoked"? Does anyone say "stoked" anymore? Am I wicked dating myself?)


Moral: You gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet.

"Put Your Cards On The Table Week" continues....

Father's Day Gift Idea

Well, the Party MOMster and staff are on high alert in preparation for Father's Day. I purchased cards today and OUCH! that really adds up. We will likely be making more of our own cards in the future. Especially after the staff added their personal touch to today's posh purchases -- they are barely recognizable.

But, enough regrets -- the staff and I created a nifty card keeper to keep those little slips of gold in as a Father's Day Gift a few years back. We used a photo box bought at the craft store and covered it with pictures of Mr. Party MOMster and the staff. Mr. Party MOMster is very sentimental and couldn't image tossing out his beloved cards, so now he has a safe place to keep them.

Now, if your staff is a bit young or heavy with the glue stick, you can also use Full Sheet Ink jet Printer Labels at an office supple store. You can just print out your pictures, cut them out and stick them right on. It looks nice and neat and the pictures are less likely to curl or pop off. I love these label sheets. We have used them on goody bags, presents and invitations.

For those of us that are a little less sentimental and want to get a bit more mileage out of our pricey bits of paper, I have started keeping a small scrap box of old cards. The staff can take bits to make other things -- like cards (I should have remembered that earlier), place mats, bookmarks, art, etc.

Have any handy Father's Day gift ideas? Please share. We love to spoil our Dad, Grandad, Poppy and Great Grandad on Father's Day.

Off to meet the wizard...

When the usual suspects arrive at Party MOMster shin digs, they promptly ask, "Is the Wizard coming?"

As I mentioned in my earlier post, Party Game "Who Am I?", there are no losers at a Party MOMster party. I like everyone to feel good and have fun. Life lessons of winning, losing and being a good sport are fine, but not on my watch. Come on -- it's a Birthday Party!

Yes, but who is the Wizard? Well, it started back a few years ago at a Princess Party. We had done "hunts" in the past (think, Easter Egg hunts) We've hidden stuff: animals, pictures, puzzle pieces, plastic figurines. But, our crowd was getting a bit more sophisticated, so we rose to the occasion. Our hunt now involves clues.

The initial premise was a bit complicated. The Wizard had captured the Magical Unicorn (The Pinata) and the guests needed to help rescue it. The first clue was just laying on the floor in the open. It read "You want your unicorn? You'll have to use your head. Find your next clue under the pink bed." The guests would then charge to the pink bedroom with the pink bed and discover the next clue. And so on and so on till the "treasure" is found.

I usually have at least on clue for each participant. For this Princess quest, the "treasure" was a bunch of keys cut out of foam at the end. Each key had a guests name on it. On a closet door we had a over sized keyhole cut out of black paper. Blindfolded they tried to put their key in the keyhole (think, Pin the Tale on the Donkey). The one that got the closest to getting their key in the keyhole got to open the door and rescue the pinata. And they all lived happily ever after.

Now, it doesn't have to be that complicated. Our Wizard has now become known as a trickster and a troublemaker. He has hidden goodie bags, games and presents. The guests don't seem to need a lot of back story on the Wizard and at this point are not too fixated on the treasure at the end. They seem to really enjoy the quest.

Which reminds me of a quote I used in Deep Thoughts By Party MOMster: Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. - Arthur Ashe. Enjoying the journey -- how's that for a Life Lesson!

There is only one caveat: A lot of preparation goes into planning, creating and hiding the clues. I usually start where I hide the "treasure" and work backwards. And for all your work, the hunt goes by very fast (think, opening presents on Christmas morning). But, it is always well-received and guests are so proud that they figured out the clues: Take that Wizard -- foiled again!

If you try this or have tried this, please share (think, I'm done).

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!)

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."