"Chalk" back to school party

This post is to inspire anyone who thinks they don't have the time or the budget to create an awesome party.... :-)

We were out of the country on vacation until Saturday and my son's back to school party was today(!), which meant I only had a few hours yesterday to pull things together, amid a sea of laundry and unpacking! Granted, it wasn't a full blown party, just a "sign-up" table, but when has that ever been a reason not to be creative?! Chalk board paint seems to be pretty popular right now...but, well, I didn't have any, and I didn't have time to get any. So I improvised with black construction paper....an inexpensive substitute that created a similar look, don't you think?

What's great about this party is that it shows that you don't always need a large budget, lots of time, and custom party printables (although I do love printables!) Just repeat the same, simple element over and over to create a cohesive, themed look.

Bird's Party Magazine, Fall 2012 Issue

Check out all of the fabulous parties featured in the latest issue of Bird's party magazine, including our very own Lorax-inspired party!


Browse Bird's Party Magazine - Issue 6

View Larger - Buy Paper Issue - Past Issues
I will be posting LOTS more photos from the Lorax party in the coming week, so check back soon for all the details!

Lorax Party: Lorax "book" invitations

The photos from the actual party will be forthcoming. In the meantime, I wanted to share the invitation with you. I took graphics from the actual Lorax book and created my own verses about the party, written in Dr. Seuss's classic poetic meter.

Please note that I made these invitations for my own personal use and they are not for sale.

Raksha Bandhan Cards & Rakhis

Here are the rakhis and cards I made for Raksha Bandhan this year. I stuck to a white, red and grey palette with a little shimmer and an ethnic-inspired embossed stamp for an Indian, but modern, look.

For last year's post and a short explanation about the significance of Raksha Bandhan click here.

Lorax Party: Sneak Peek

My son's 5th birthday party was this past weekend. Everyone had a fabulous time! Here's a quick sneak peek. Stay tuned for a lot more photos, all the party details, and tutorials! :-)

Happy July 4th!

We had some family over, last minute, for dinner tonight. Since we're only a few days away from July 4th, I couldn't help myself but to add a few festive touches and serve up some BBQ, apple pie and ice cream, and red and blue fruit kebabs (I told my son they were "fruit fireworks" and he loved them!)

Sushi Night!

Tonight I made sushi for dinner...to celebrate how awesome my husband is! Salmon, escolar, tobiko and wasabi masago made for an awesome orange, green and white color palette!  Who needs dessert when dinner looks this good?! :-)

The cucumber-wrapped "riceless" roll was my first attempt at this type of roll. Okay, okay, the cucumber was not as thin as our favorite, local sushi restaurant, but, nonetheless, I was pleased with the result.

Beach Picnic Party

Summer is here!

We celebrated the end of the school year with a beach picnic party! The picnic food included starfish-shaped sandwiches, goldfish crackers, cool lemonade and jello "beach" cups. I used printables from Bird's Party to add a nautical element. Beach pails filled with beach balls, sand toys and sunglasses served as both centerpieces and party favors.

How to make Jello "beach" cups....

These Jello "beach" cups were a hit with the children--and they are super easy to make! 

Just make the blue Jello per the packet directions and pour into plastic stemware. When the Jello is about halfway set, insert gummy sea creatures into the cups. Right before serving, top with graham cracker "sand" (just run some graham crackers through a blender until they reach a sand-like consistency) and a cocktail umbrella. 

Have a great summer! 

Sneak Peek: Lorax Cake Pops

Since he has a summer birthday, my son's "school birthday" celebration is tomorrow. I decided to use it as an opportunity to practice my cake pop skills. I followed Bakerella's tutorial to make Lorax cake pops for his class. I know, I know, they aren't Bakerella quality, but not bad for a first attempt, right? I'm hoping to perfect them on the second try in July!! 

The Lorax Party: Sneak Peek

My son has been a Dr. Seuss fan for a long time now, but this love has only intensified now that he can read!! :-) He told me earlier this year that he wanted a Lorax birthday party--not just any Dr. Seuss party, but specifically a Lorax party. I told him we would see. Then the movie came out. Game over!

So party planning for his birthday has begun! I have lots of ideas to share!! Here is a sneak peek. I'm working on a "Lorax book" invitation--the verse above is the first verse of a whole book that I've written! :-)

Since the Lorax is such a great advocate for our environment, especially trees, a Lorax party wouldn't be complete with tree planting, right? At the party, we're going to have a potting station for the children to plant their own seedlings that they can take home as party favors and watch grow! Above are the Lorax plant pots that I made for the children to plant their seedlings in!

Enjoy! And stayed tuned for more Lorax inspiration!