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.)

Let's Party Mondays: Start Your Engines, A Car Party!

Well, I was strolling the web and checking out Blogs last week and I hit the jackpot. How? I found inspiration for Let’s Party Mondays (I gotta tell ya, I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it another week. It seems to have the staying power of my last diet.) And I also found a kindred spirit – someone that loves kid parties too!

So, thank you Momma’s Gone Over the Wall your “Things That Go" Party has inspired today’s theme: Cars

Food

I think what I love most about Momma’s “Things That Go" Party is the food. Yeah sure,they had great cakes. But, extending the vehicle theme to the crudités (I could say cut-up vegetables, but I’m feeling fancy) and fruit – GENIUS! I would also like to point out the cookies offered. They are brilliant in their simplicity -- Traffic Light Cookies with a red, yellow and green M&M. I am so pumped (and on my second cup of coffee) I’m going to hit you with a quick Haiku:

Things That Go Party
Garden bounty put on wheels
Cookies stop traffic

Brava Momma’s Gone Over the Wall!

Games

Momma’s party reminded of a Cars party we attended at our sister offices in eastern Pennsylvania. They created the “Tow Mater” game. They had paper cut outs of the different characters from the movie Cars with paper clips around the edges. Using a stick with a magnet hanging from it, guests “towed” cars out of the pile up. If only tow trucks were so popular in real life!

And because I can’t get my mind off those Traffic Light Cookies, there is the classic game, Red Light/Green Light. It is expertly detailed at Games Kids Play. They also have several rhymes that can be used in selecting who is “It” on the site. I have heard the staff chanting “Eenie Meenie” lately (another gift from camp) and they always seem accepting of the results – some sort of kid code.

Another activity that might be fun is a car race. My XY chromosome staffer is lousy with matchbox cars. As a group, it may be fun to determine the fastest with a ramp. So each guest takes turns grabbing a car and racing it against others. You keep going till you get it to the top few. Then to up the drama you might pull out a special car to compete – kind of like a “shill” or bad guy in Professional Wrestling (that is Sports Entertainment) – “El Diablo, the hot shot”. Get the kids all worked up to see if the cars they have raced can beat “El Diablo”. We are working on our track -- we will keep you updated.


Books (Why books? Click here to find out and you can witness yet another Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Metaphor)

Of course any Disney Cars book would be a strong choice, but some other fun options would be:

• Cars, Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scary


• If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen
  
• Wheels On The Race Car by Alex Zane & James Warhola
  

Have some more Car ideas? Park them in the comments. And if you have a great idea for Let’s Party Mondays, cruise over to my email. (Enough car puns, I’m driving myself crazy – ugh, now I’m car sick – jeeze, it’s like I have no brakes -- honk, if you’re done – Beep! Beep!)

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)

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.)

Nice Cupcakes...

Someone recently complimented me on my cupcakes. (My Polar Bear Cupcakes -- Hey, this isn't a Singles Bar.) And I thought I would share some of my other adventures in baking. I would say my baking credo is: It's the thought that counts. I'm sure after seeing my work you you would agree.

If you really want to be inspired by homemade creations, a great site is Coolest-Birthday-Cakes. It claims to be "by far the World's largest collection of 'makeable' homemade birthday cakes, and thanks to visitor submissions, it's growing larger and larger by the day". And I can't disagree. Where else can you find Chinchilla, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Jerry Garcia and Salad Cakes?

I am so impressed by this ambitious endeavor (They did say THE WORLD). I want in. I think the Lion cake is my best work. Although Coolest-Birthday-Cakes does have a few lion submissions already. I may submit my dinosaur cake (Yes, that is what that strange green bump with a head is supposed to be) because it is so ugliful. (Thank you, Urban Dictionary --def.: The ugly equivalent of beautiful) Maybe I will rename it "Salamander", "Mature Tadpole" or "Worm Monster"and get a unique listing. Any thoughts?

But, whether you make your own cake or buy a cake, you should follow Party MOMster Principle #2: ALWAYS SAVE THE PLASTIC DOODADS (If you have forgotten, Party MOMster Principle #1 is Having little ones create for others, fosters generosity and kindness. Ok, Principle #2 is a bit of a come down from #1, but I feel very strongly about plastic doodads.)

Why the passion for doodads?

By saving the plastic doodads, your goal is to create a decorating stash that you can turn to when an impromptu celebration presents itself. My dear Granna had such a stash. When we would go to her house to celebrate my Dad's Birthday, I would always fish out the Circus Strong Man and other odds and ends to top the Entemann's Marshmallow Iced Devil's Food Cake. Good stuff -- I wish I had that stash (and I could really go for a piece of cake right now) . As you can see, I come from a long line of Party MOMsters.

So, leave your inhibitions behind, get out there and get some compliments on your cupcakes (or cakes, pies, jellyrolls, whatever -- Wait, we are still talking about baking, right?)

PS (If anyone has a Circus Strong Man cake decoration -- let's make a deal.)

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!! Are you Game?

Well, we are closing out our first full week of summer vacation where the staffers are on hand full-time. And I'm outta ideas.

So, to help get us through the summer, I am announcing the Are you Game? Giveaway. All you have to do is email a party game idea and you will be entered. Any idea -- really I'll take anything. (Sense the desperation) The staff and I will dutifully test these ideas throughout the summer and let you know how it goes. The deadline for entries is midnight June 17th.

And in return for the inspiration, I will take the entries and randomly pull one out of a hat on June 18th. The chosen entry will receive this hand sewn banner from Oh Sew Sweet Creations

As you may recall from Ode to Simply Sparkles, I am a big fan of the handmade extravaganza offered by Etsy and could not resist this banner. With the word "whimsy" in the description you can't go wrong. And by sharing a little "game love" it can be yours.

Email me and Let the games begin!

Ok, that should help with the 79 days I have left of the summer.

A MOMster Birthday Greeting!

Maurice Sendak turns 81 today. Happy Birthday, Mr. Sendak!
(Who, by the way, is no stranger to this Blog. We mentioned a celebrity birthday party inspired by his book Where the Wild Things Are in You Got A Book In My Party. You Got A Party In My Book)

In honor of this classic book and its vanguard author (His fanged monsters were new territory in the land of Children's Books at the time. Hard to believe with our Sesame Street friends today), I'm feeling very bookish!

No news here: I am always looking for great Children's Books. I think they make great gifts and great activities. Here's the news: I found a new blog that is a great resource The BookNosher. This lady knows her stuff with a very impressive background in Family Literacy programs. Upon visiting "Picture Books For Your Graduate", I found out about this lovely book Only One You by Linda Kranz, which I promptly went out to buy.



And the BookNosher was kind enough to indulge my request for a book to pair with our Snake Party Blowers. She suggested Verdi by Janell Cannon, the same author of Stellaluna.

Hmmm, I wonder what kind of part Mr. Sendak is having? Well, if he makes snake party blowers, tell us how it goes and don't forget the book!

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).

Eureka! We have Snake Party Blowers!

We did it! The staff and I struggled with this one, but we finally have success! We have created a Snake Party Blower. We had a few different models. Our favorite is the color your own snake -- it allows for maximum creativity. So, if anyone is interested in a template of this, let me know. This isn't the DaVinci Code, you could probably figure this out yourself. But, we are still pretty proud of ourselves and more than willing to share.

Finally, I have to say that you don't always have to wait for a party for some of these party crafts. The staff worked on this while I made dinner and it was blissssssssssss!

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!)

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!

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.

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."