Charlotte's Minnie Birthday - Wrap Up

Charlotte's 2nd birthday is officially over! This year, I was thinking about going easy... as opposed to last year... well, it didn't quite turn out that way.

Last year, for Charlotte's 1st birthday party, we had 2 duckie themed parties. The first was a family/friends-with-kids who work during the week party; I had a quite large baby pool filled with hundreds of ball pit balls, her new plastic outdoor slide, 8 kids or so, and I made chicken salad on croissants, fruit salad, snacks, duckie cake, cupcakes, and we had sorbet. The second party was for all the mom-group kids; Another 10 kids or so at the house with the same baby pool and ball pit balls, slide, MORE chicken salad, fruit salad, snacks, duckie cake #2, cupcakes, and sorbet. PHEW!
This year I determined to make it easier on myself; have 1 party and have it at the park. No clean up. Nice. However, as party day grew closer and we started watching the weather, we found that we (who are pretty much on water restrictions because of drought) were going to get rain. So I look at the guest list, and somehow we were going to potentially have to fit 19 kids (toddlers) and 32 adults in my house. So I worried and fretted, and eventually decided to reschedule my mom-group friends, since that would pretty much split the party in half. Now we are back to 2 parties. Oh boy.

The day of the party (#1) we started frantically cleaning the house due to the weather forecast. We hemmed and hawed about where to have the party (house or park) until 45 minutes before the party. We said, "PARK!", and we packed everything into the car and headed over. We were excited to find that a closer "first come first serve" shelter was available than the one we reserved and went to work unpacking everything. The party turned out great (despite the fact that guests arrived before we were set up) and the rain held off ... and I had a clean house back at home!

But we weren't over yet... I still had to do the other half of her birthday party with all of the mom-group friends. This time it was a bit less hectic since I already had everything made, I just needed to take the cupcakes and cookies out of the freezer, arrange the deli platter, and cart everything (back) to the park.

I guess it's time to get started on Jillie's 1st birthday party in September... just kidding.

If you missed any of my previous posts check them out:
Crafty Stuff and Favors
The Menu
Tissue Minnie Mouse Sign
Minnie Mouse Ears

Charlotte's Minnie Birthday - Crafty stuff & Favors

I figured I'd combine my Invites, craft, and favors into one post:

The Invites

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I got the idea from searching around on etsy. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, I went and designed them in photoshop. Then I got the invites printed out as postcards from Vistaprint. Since I had ordered my annual family calendars and our holiday cards through there I had 100 free postcards (only paying shipping). I'm a huge fan of Vistaprint! The invites turned out AWESOME!



The Craft

The party was at the park, but I wanted the kids to have something to do over around the food. That said, I was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one day that they were showing pictures of Mickey birthday parties that people sent in and I caught a glimpse of kids wearing paper Mickey ears that had been scribbled on. 

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So I decided that for the party, the kids would get to color on their own paper Mickey ears and then wear them around the party if they wanted to. I putzed around in photoshop for a little while and came up with my ears . I printed them on cardstock, punched holes in each side and attached yarn to tie around their heads. It figures that I didn't get one picture of the kids wearing them, but I swear they did!

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The Favors

 Between the dollar store and the dollar aisles at Target I found foam Minnie and Mickey books. Add in some stickers, raisins, and suckers and you've got a decent little favor. For the big hurrah I was going to make mickey shaped rice krispie treats. Unfortunately the cookie cutter would have only yielded 6 ears per batch of treats, and it was too late to mold them by hang (which mom said wouldn't work, but I disagree). Also, it was the night before the party and we were EXHAUSTED! So we stuck with cutting them out into squares, bagging them individually, and putting on a cute *tag that I designed in photoshop. Oh well... you can't win them all.



* I LOVE making these little tags for party favors and diaper cakes. That 2" scalloped craft punch has gotten a lot of work between baby showers, bridal showers, party favors, and diaper cakes... I really recommend one!





 Linking up: The Tattered Tag, House of Hepworths



Charlotte's Minnie Birthday - The Menu

So I know I tend to go overboard, but I just can't help myself; here was the menu:

Pizza - double sliced (16 instead of 8) for the little ones

Fruit Salad

Assorted chips/pretzles

Raisins

Mickey Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches

Mickey PB and Js
I used a Mickey ear pancake mold thing that I borrowed from a friend
(somewhat annoying to "cut" out but totally worth it!)

Mickey Cupcakes

I used normal cupcakes topped with chocolate icing. The ears are grasshopper cookies.
Mini (small, not Minnie) cupcakes

Cupcakes

Minnie Mouse Cake - homemade

Minnie Cake
Also pictured: Mickey Chocolate cookies

To form Minnie, we used 1- 8in pan and 2-4in (or so) springform pans. To get the face "just so" we blew up a picture of Minnie, printed it and cut out the features. Then we used a toothpick to trace around so we would know where to ice the cake. For the bow I used leftover ribbon from the Minnie crafts and stuck it in the cake with a long twisty tie.

Mickey Chocolate Cookies

Mickey Knox Blocks (Jellow Jigglers)

Mickey Knox Blocks (right - red)

I use Knox Gelatine instead of the Jello jiggler recipe. Also, this is why I refer to them as "knox blocks". The use of the gellatine makes the dessert much easier for little hands to hold, and I personally LOVE the texture but of course my mom has been making knox blocks for me for EVER! I used a small Mickey cookie cutter that I borrowed from a friend

Soda, water, and juice boxes

A lot of work, but again... I can't help myself, when I get a theme I tend to keep going with it.

Enjoy!

Linking up: Gluesticks, It's a Keeper, Lamb Around, The Tattered Tag, C.R.A.F.T., Vintage Wanna Bee, Sew Much Ado, Dot Dot Dot, House of Hepworths

Charlotte's Minnie Birthday - Minnie Sign

I "borrowed" this idea from Prudent Baby and I adopted it for Minnie ears. Actually, I was planning on making 2 of these posters, one with the Minnie ears and one with the number 2... but I ran out of time.
This was super simple as the instructions over on Prudent Baby described. I got a large foam poster board from the dollar store and cut it in half (since I was going to make 2) and then traced some circles on it. I must say that cutting out the little flowers was time consuming, but if you are sitting there watching TV it goes pretty quick.
I decided to use actual ribbon to make Minnie's bow instead of trying to use pink tissue paper because I figured the pink tissue paper would just look like a blob. I'm pleased with how this turned out.

#3 on my To-Attempt Craft list completed! Woo hoo!

Linking up: Vintage Wanna Bee, Dot Dot Dot, sew much ado, Gluesticks

Charlotte's Minnie Birthday - The Ears

Phew... what a hectic couple of days it has been! We had Charlotte's 1st, er... 2nd... no wait, 3rd ... let me rephrase; It was the 3rd celebration of her 2nd birthday, but the 1st "kid" party of her 2nd birthday. Yikes.

Yes, I said "1st" kids party... but I'll get into that in her birthday post. Anyway, my mom got into town last Wednesday so we've been busy hanging out, playing, and prepping for the party.

This post starts a series on all the baking and decorations I did for Charlotte's Minnie Mouse birthday party at the park.

The Ears

Supplies

5 for $1 headbands (fabric ones, not those hard plastic ones) from the dollar store

black ribbon from the dollar store

black craft foam (I bought the thin and thick because I wasn't sure which would work... they both do)

ribbon for Minnie bow; I used wired ribbon so I could shape it

hot glue gun

Cover your headband with black ribbon by gluing one end and wrapping around until you get to the other side; easy.

Make Minnie's bow (there are tons of bow making instructions online)

Trace out your ears; I used the base of a large Skyy Vodka bottle (or about 4.5" diameter)

For thin foam: Add a little tag on the bottom to wrap around headband; cut out

For thick foam: foam doesn't really bend, so just cut the circle

Position ears on headband and glue

Thin foam: glue bottom of extra tab around headband to back of ear

Thin foam: glue bottom tip of ear to edge of headband and hold until dry

Glue on Minnie bow.

Ta da!

The reason I used both thick and thin was because I though the thin wouldn't be sturdy enough on its own, but it worked fine. Since I had another piece of foam I used the thick foam to make myself a pair of ears.

Linking up: The Tattered Tag, Vintage Wanna Bee, Dot dot dot, sew much ado, Gluesticks, It's a Keeper, marvelously messy, Keeping it Simple, Between u and me

Featured: chiara consigli

The 'felt flower' craze...

So I fell into the whole 'felt flower' craze. Well, actually... one of my local mommy friends makes bows and **sells them at her etsy shop and she made this adorable felt (I think it was felt) flower bow and put it on a headband. I thought it was so cute... and couldn't stop thinking about it. So of course I wanted to figure out how to make it. So I searched the internet for tutorials and lo and behold I found one - actually, I found quite a few since it is a trend now. I followed the one at Little Birdie Secrets. I LOVE the blog Little Birdie Secrets... they have so many cute projects over there.

 I happened to have black felt left over from making matching halloween applique cat in pumpkin shirts last year for my daughter and I, so went ahead and gave it a shot. 

 

 

It turned out pretty good for a first attemp, although next time I won't put it on one of those bendy snap hair clips (no clue what the real name is), the bow was just way too heavy for it. Also, I may make it a tad smaller.



** I understand that since my mommy friend was selling these bows I should have supported her and bought one... but in all honesty, I really can't afford to be spending $9 on a bow that I can make MUCH cheaper. Plus... I was on a bow making kick a year or so ago until Charlotte stopped leaving them in her hair, so I like making bows. Besides, I am supporting her budding Stella and Dot business next week.

#2 on my To-Attempt Craft list completed! Woo hoo!

Linking up: Gluesticks, Somewhat Simple, Vintage Wanna Bee, sew much ado



Charlotte's Birthday: Part 1

So this child is only 2 and already her birthday is going to be lasting for 2 whole weeks! Not too shabby... although she better not expect this in the future.


We started last week when we were up visiting my parents at the lake and since Pop pop won't be able to join us for the party, we had a small celebration up there. Complete with a homemade party hat (publix and CVS didn't seem to carry them), small cupcake, candles, and of course, a present! She got her very own wooden cuckoo clock from germany; a cheaper, smaller version than the one that Gigi and Pop pop have in their house. Charlotte LOVES it and says 'tick tock' when ever she walks by and puts her figure to her ear and says 'birds' whenever it goes off.



Her second birthday celebration was at home with mommy and daddy on her actual birthday. We spent the morning at the park and then celebrated her birthday that night. She got a 2.5 foot tall Minnie Mouse doll ($10 on craigslist)... and she was carting poor minnie around all night.

The last gift we got her I actually picked up before Christmas; this was another fantastic craigslist find. It's the Step 2 Naturally Playful Sand and water table. It is already the best $35 I've spent this year (ok, so it's only March, but still). Charlotte was out there for 2 hours her first night and another 3 hours again the next day... I am a huge fan of this toy. Although I do tend to agree with some of the reviews for this product; a few said to keep only sand or only water in it otherwise it turns into a huge mess. Which it did... after about 15 minutes of her playing with it. There was sand in the water side, water in the sand side, etc.; but I think I'll keep it like this (sand and water) for a while... she likes to use the water to make sand castles. All in all, I am a huge fan of this toy, plus it comes with an umbrella to block out some of the sun.

Charlottes birthday party isn't until this coming Sunday and I'm busy working on food, favors, and decorations -- stay tuned to see how the rest of her 2nd birthday goes.