Would you like a cake garland...

... this one in particular?

It fits a 9 inch round cake wonderfully!

I'm doing a little summer cleaning for my etsy shop and revamping a lot of things.

I am feeling a little happy about everything so I want to give this to someone.

For free. With love. 

All you have to do is leave a comment with your name and

an email (if it isn't linked to your name). 

And then do a little dance. Because I like revamping things.

Stay tuned for a new look in the shop. I'll let you know when it opens up again.

Hurry and leave your name!

I'll announce the winner on Friday, the 5th.

-be sure to leave your comment in this post to qualify-

Miss Kai Kai's Balloon Birthday

My daughter turned the big 3 last week and we had a little celebration for her. 

The night before I spent about an hour filling up balloons.

tip- there are cheap hand pumps at Wal-mart for about $2-3 in the party supply section.

It will save your diaphragm from bursting.

I pumped about 100 and then decorated the house with them.

These signs and garland led her to our downstairs after she woke up,
to where all the balloons were. 

When she got downstairs and saw everything she whispered, "wow!". 

It was a priceless moment and, to me, worth going to bed at midnight the night before.

Then, she just sat in the middle of them all for a little while.

We celebrate every meal with some candles and the song "Happy Birthday".

This was dinner. She had strawberry cookies instead of a cake
since we were having cake the day after for her party. 

Invitations I made for her party

-it was really simple:

I had some scrap paper with clouds on them 

(you can even draw clouds on paper too)

I then cut out small circles of washi tape and

placed them on the paper like balloons. 

Next, draw strings with a pen and 

then write the party info along the cloud lining.

Back it up with card stock and ...

Viola!

::The Party::

The birthday girl

My daughter loves lollipops, and since they are pretty much in the shape of balloons, I had to make some. I made li hing mui lollipops

(recipe here, I altered it a bit and added jello powder for color and flavor instead of t

he recipe flavor and coloring. I also omitted the powdered sugar. 

After pouring it into molds, I dropped a li hing mui seed in the center). 

The kids liked hitting the water balloon pinata's! 

We eventually had to tape a plastic fork to the bat so they would break.

They were tough balloons!

Since our house was filled with balloons I used a few and strung them on a string for a garland outside.

The favors were personalized water guns and sponge poms

They are easy to make too:

Cut a sponge length wise into three strips.

Cut as many as you like for each pom, just as long as you can tie them.

I used 2 sponges, 6 strips, per pom.

Then, stack them together and tightly tie a string in the middle around them all.

Happy Birthday Miss Kai Kai!!

Another Tissue Garland

This tissue garland, by Visual Vocabulary, is a perfect DIY to get that same "Confetti System" look.

Puppy Party

Here it is, as promised: Makana's 1st birthday party.

It was fitting that we based the theme on dogs. It was one of his first words and he is absolutely intrigued with the animal.

It was a lot of work but well worth it -I'd do it all over again if I had to- because we all had a great time, especially the birthday boy. Even though he slept for the first half of it... he woke up refreshed and ready for cake!

-prepare yourself for a picture overload!!!-
if you want the full effect of a photo, just click on it. 

 

Inside the favor bags: Scooby snacks, personalized bubbles, bouncy ball, puppy chow and a paper throw paper wand (or whatever you call it)

that's a guava glaze on top of whipped cream and cake- oh so yummy

The food. OH, the food!

I wish I had a plate right now. 

It was sooooo so so so good. 

 

My husband, Keoni, caught about 100 fish within the last few weeks just for the party.

you gatta click on this image 

The birthday boy and I

These are my awesome friends who helped run the party- Liko, Stephanie, and Chante

(Steph, I just noticed how stylish your nails were)

(and where did you learn how to hold a shaved ice?... pinky out and everything!!!)

LOL

We played a few games. One of which we clothes pinned a fabric tail on the back of everyone's shirt. Then you had to run around and step on other tails. The last one standing with a tail still attached was the winner. We split everyone into 3 games- ages 2-5, 5-12 and 12+. The 12+ were hilarious (aka, the adults who participated). 

Our happy little puppy family. 

My husband went for highlights in his fur 

.....................................

Oh, what a happy day!

.....................................