The Garden Brunch Birthday and my new 8 year old

Ok, so this is just a month late.  But better late than never right?  ;)

For Kalla's 8th birthday this summer, we had a fun garden brunch with a sprinkling of garden gnomes and fairies.

My eight year old.  Sigh....isn't that considered a tween?? 

I'm not ready.

Table is decked out with clear glass plates, jars and paper straws, gnome finger puppets, mushrooms painted on rocks and fresh flowers.

Girls were given tattoos upon arrival (this was so popular at last years party, we had to do them again).

Craft table on the patio. 

We painted smooth stones.

Made these easy fun pipe cleaners fairies

(I didn't get pictures of much of the crafting due to helping the girls make their fairies.)

I had another craft on hand to make some tissue flowers, but we ran out of time.

One popular activity was also painting the patio.

To make your own sidewalk chalk paint go here.

For this party we had brunch.

Serving:

monkey bread

hashbrown patties

fairy bread

mini sausage biscuits

bacon

make your own yogurt parfaits with fruit, granola, toasted coconut and sprinkle toppings

strawberry milk

orange juice

iced coffee for the adults

(how to for iced coffee in this post)

Instead of cake Kalla decided to let me make these tiny mini doughnuts.

I got the mini doughnut pan at Hobby Lobby.

Will probably do another post about those.  ;)

And the party favors.

Strawberry baskets stuffed with the mini mushroom notebooks we made, the gnome zipper pouch, some gel pens and gnome stickers I found on etsy.

Tutorial to make the notebooks and link to zipper pouch tutorial in this post.

Oh and here are our little invites.

Pardon the blur...it's to protect our privacy.  ;)

I found the gnome pic online and then used photo editing to change the words to Happy Birthday.

Oldie but goodie spring posts and links

I don't know about you guys, but here in AL it's been a big spring tease.  On and off again warm weather.  If it's nice out, it's really really nice.  If it's not it's nasty, cold and wet.

Still it's spring.  So here's a collection of some of my fav spring posts.

Bunny alphabet preschool favors...making these again this year for Maressa's class.

Adorable felt chocolate bunny.  More goodie links in this post too.

Homemade chocolate marshmallow bunnies and other Easter marshmallow treats.

And a few more links here.  :)

A Christmas Book and some fav holiday craft links

Ok, so I'm trying to catch up here on the 'ole blog.  :)

Getting all decked out and up over here and trying to be organized!

So last week I made this notebook for me to do just that.  I can't tell you how many Christmas magazines I've collected over the years with dozens of dog-eared pages.  And then there are the templates and ideas I've printed up from other lovely blogs that are spread all over the craft room. 

So I made a cover for this plain 3-ring binder and added a lot of page protectors.

Inside I have slipped torn magazine pages, templates and other goodies in the clear sleeves. 

Also threw in torn pages from catalogs of gift ideas for kids or whomever.

Here are some of my fav holiday crafts this year:

Allsorts felt trees

Allsorts stwirl felt trees

Snowglobe soaps

Handprint snowman ornnaments

Favorite printables

Holiday subway art

Gnoma notes

*Printables-- I print out one and put in binder then make copies when I need...that prevents having to search my bookmarks to find what I need/want.

And a couple of things I'm eyeing to get the girls:

Connectagons Fairies

Just like me necklace

Our hand painted plates

I posted the link to the cute hand painted plates in my Mother's Day gift ideas and that is exactly what we did for one gift.  One I have to mail and I don't like the thought of mailing the plates, so came up with something different for the other.  :)  But here is what my kids drew for one grandma.  I let them all totally design and draw their plates all by themselves.  We did a practice drawing on paper so they knew what they wanted to do.

Zachary, age 8, made this plate.

Kalla, age 6, draws lots of cats with tiaras and wands lately so this is what she drew.

Micah, age 4, drew Grandma and a flower.

Maressa, age 3, drew Grandma and herself with piggy tails and a big 'M'.

I thought the plates turned out so cute!  :)

A few lessons learned....I didn't realize they would want to color in everything and I ordered the fine tip markers.  And I mistakenly forgot to get yellow, pink and purple which was an issue, but they got over it.  :)

Backpack Buddies and more kids crafts and activities

The kids have been making these Backpack Buddies lately. Z found them in his Highlights magazine (Feb 2009) and loves clipping things to his backpack. So he made himself the alligator (the clip with the big white teeth). On a roll, he helped K make the butterfly (I supplied the coffee filter) and Micah the blue ladybug. This morning when I got up (the kids get up before me...6am) he showed me this Dora one he made for his littlest sister (this 2 year old LOVES Dora....we don't have regular cable and don't have Nick Jr, but some old videos she watches over and over). Then he made the Boots too upon her request. This is what I absolutely LOVE about having organized the kids craft materials. Every morning that is what they are doing when I get up. Drawing, coloring, cutting, crafting.

But speaking of crafting with kids, I have a whole list of projects and activities I'd like to do with them this summer. Wonderful tutorials and inspiration in blogland. Here's what's on our list so far:

*a kid version of these cardboard horses which we'll probably add a horn to make unicorns and much use of glitter probably...K will love these!
*Black opal mining
*clay geckos
*more of these totes for gifts
*my kids would get a kick out making a bunch of these Weepuls
*clothspin windchimes

We might make a roly poly terrarium again too...just for the summer (or til the kids get bored with it).

And I want to make this awesome Family Yahtzee game. The kids would get a kick out of having their faces on a game. Extremely awesome idea!!

I also have a few ideas of my own. Will share when we do them! And more sewing tutorials coming up and parties!

For now I'm headed to COSTA RICA in the morning! Seven days with just hubby. My awesome MIL is watching the kids...they will be totally spoiled I'm sure!

See you guys in a week!