Washi tape, Paper straw, Paper bag Favors

I spotted this on the Cute Tape blog. 

They will tell you how to do the DIY on this simple party favor bag. 

It was too clever not to repost about it. 

My little Kaikai turns 4 in July and the ideas in my head are already turning. 

 

DIY of the week: 1st year photo banner

I made this little banner for my son's birthday party when he turned 1. 

I snapped 13 photos of him throughout the year, one for each month until he turned 1 (including newborn picture) and then strung them to a ribbon by clipping it to clothes pins attached with a numbered tag.
After the party I strung it up in his room. Almost one year later it is still up there (I just can't bare to take it down yet-he's so cute).

I do realize that this DIY isn't for everyone... but you could customize it to fit your needs.  For example, a 50 year birthday... you could take a few photos of each decade... or even an anniversary.

The instructions are so easy I feel awkward typing a "how to".... but here it is:

Need:
-13 photos (newborn and 12 months)
-ribbon long enough to string and tie all your photos (I think mine was about 3-4 yards). The thicker the ribbon, the better. If you were wanting something small, like twine, the smaller clothes pin clips work best or the weight will be too much and it will topple over. Does that make sense? haha- just trust me.
-13 clothes pins (the smaller ones are cuter and less noticeable)
-paper, pen or computer/printer to make tags with each numbered month
-paint to color clothes pins or (my preference) washi tape
(my favorite site to get washi tape is from PrettyTape)

Steps:
1. Cover one side of the clothes pin with your washi tape- or paint clothes pin.
2. Tape or glue the numbered tag on the decorated side of the bottom section (the mouth) of the clothes pin. I printed mine out to fit in a 1.5" circle punch.
3. Clip pins on ribbon and pictures.

Done.

Tip: It's actually easier to tie the ribbon where you want it to be hung and then clip on the photos. But either way works

How to: kraft and tissue paper pom gift wrap

I came up with this little wrapped gift because I had so many of these pre-made tissue paper poms all over the place.

If you don't have any kraft paper, I suggest you get some. It's very versatile. I use it for every occasion in gift wrapping. Just add an accent or theme and you're done.

Need:
wrapped gift in kraft paper or use a kraft box
pre-made tissue poms (these kind)
string or twine
double stick tape or vellum tape

Wrap your gift in kraft paper 

I used a kraft box

Gather several tissues and lay them across the top of your gift. 

Keep them unfolded with the fringes pointing outwards. 

If that makes sense..?.. 

Next, wrap the twine around the box and over the middle of the tissues

Then, place your double stick tape or vellum tape over the twine that is on top of the tissues. 

Like below

I used vellum tape, since I had some laying around that I never use

Afterward, fold up your tissues and scrunch them up onto the tape

scrunch?? ...sorry, I'm not great at explaining things

But if your final product looks something like this, then you have success!

How to: Plastic Pom Garland

I wanted to make a pom garland for my son's birthday, but being in a rainy climate I couldn't rely on the normal tissue poms (especially since we did the decorating the night before).
So I created a plastic pom using strands of cut plastic table coverings. It worked out great because it matched the tables perfectly.

Here's how to make them

You'll need:

• Scissors
• Plastic table covering- the colored ones at a party store (or any type of thin plastic. you could even use strips of plastic bags)
• Twist ties or thin floral wire
• Staples and stapler
• Twine or string

1. Cut strips of the plastic about 1 inch thick and between 4-6 feet long... depending on how thick you want your pom to be. The longer it is the thicker it will be. Thicker meaning the pom will have more poof in it. Make sense? I cut mine the length of the whole table cloth-  6 feet.
2. Take each strip and wrap the whole thing back and forth around the width of your hand. This really depends on how big you want your pom to be. The wider the wrap, the bigger the pom. Sorry, don't have step by step photos of this.
3. You should have rounds of plastic now around your fingers. Next, grab the middle of the plastic and tie it up with a twist tie or floral wire. 
4. It should look like a big bow (with numerous bows). Now, cut every loop on each end. 

You can fluff and move it around to form more of a ball shaped puff. 

Should look somewhat like this:

       5. To attach them to a string to hang, simply staple a few strands of plastic, closest to the core of the pom, to the string. Like image.

That's it. Just hang it up and admire.

Tip: to take them down I pulled out the strings from the poms and stored them separately. If you leave it in it will become easily tangled. Theses poms are great because I just threw them in a plastic bag and they can be stored forever and reused in so many ways. It's not a high maintenance kind of decor. 

Ombre paint swatch chandelier

Two trends: Paint swatch/chip DIY projects and Ombre. I think that's why I love this.

DIY from The Sweetest Occasion.

;

Welcome home

I thought this sign was pure genius.  Just stick together some light sticks to spell out a message. 

My husband has been gone off the island for about two weeks now and comes home today! Too bad he doesn't get in at night or else I'd be doing this. We'll make a different sign instead. We're all very excited to see him again.

Back to School Party for Adults

I literally laughed out loud when I saw this party. 

Especially after reading the phrases on the straws.

"hurry kids, you'll miss the bus."

You can print everything off for free here.

"

 I guarantee though, I would throw something like this if all the kids were in school. 

I'll have to save this idea.

;

images via thesweetestoccasion

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!!

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!

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