Another Lil' Birthday

 Here a few little pictures from yesterdays Spongebob birthday for my seven year old. Here are some favors and a nice variety of pinata candy.

 It was very hard for me not to buy all valentines day stuff. Everything was so cute!

 Fun collection of fake mustachios  I noticed there is no Hitler style, I suppose that could really throw a party into a tailspin. Nice editing mustache makers.

 Here is festive, however, non beach themed cake that I originally wanted.

 Here is the last minute pinata made from a gift box and construction paper. It took about a half hour to make.  It was impossible to open. I finally had to resort to tearing it open and showering candy on the kids. Note to stupid self, wax bottles with sticky candy liquid is a bad idea for a pinata.

I cut out Spongbob characters and taped them to bowling pins. The kids thought it was hilarious to see them fall after being slammed with the bowling ball. Too funny. I also had a huge sea shell hunt. The kids loved finding them. And there was a special, painted shell that was worth a special prize. I also did a few bean bag toss games.  Fun was had by all. Phew.

January Birthdays don't have to be cold.

I have three birthdays this week, so there is a ton of pressure to make sure everyone feels special. Yesterday, I had a little afternoon birthday for my five year old. He had originally said he wanted a Superhero party but it all changed gears around 8:30 when he saw the snow on the ground.  He said he wanted a snowman party....No problem.  First, I made a little holiday non-specific banner out of scrapbook paper. It took about twenty minutes.

Then I decided to make a snowman pinata out of some paper bags, hot glue and tissue paper.  The tissue paper had white snow flakes on it so it actually came out really cute. It was filled with toy blow horns(bad idea), candy and superhero rings. It took me about thirty five minutes to make it.Again pretty good for something made to be smashed to smithereens. 

I originally made cup cakes but I had remembered seeing a snowman cake at Whole Foods. I ran out and they had both chocolate and vanilla versions. Wow, it was really coming together.

 Next, I thought of some silly games. Here is a makeshift pin the snowman on the north pole game. I cut the little snowmen from wrapping paper left over from the Holidays. I also took advantage of the static electricity and had the kids do a balloon  race. I blew up a ton of little water balloons and had the kids stick three balloons to themselves and try to finish the race without dropping any. It turns out, sticking them to their heads worked best...actually a little to efficient, good thing I bought a bunch of prizes. It was a really hilarious spectacle.

 I had the cupcakes on standby with little snowflake decorations. The little cupcake holders had Christmas-y trees but I don't think anyone noticed.

 I found these adorable napkins and paper plates. I just love the colors and design. Deer are always so classic. I wish I had dinnerware with this winter-y motif!  Anyway, needless to say the party, even with the run to the store came together in about an hour and forty minutes. It was so important that my little five year old got the type of party he wanted.

 On that note, I just wanted to share my little kids three favorite winter books. The first one in the front. Your not my Snowman, is for really little guys. It is so cute, a touch and feel type sensory book. The second book, Snow, is fun and it rhymes, I know the whole thing by heart. My favorite line about snow in there is, "Do you like it in your face? Yes, I like it anyplace." So funny.  Finally, I have the book from my childhood, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The part of the book where the boy comes home, takes off the wet snow clothes and takes a hot bath always resonated with me and still does. Well, off to think of some more birthday fun for Thursday. Maybe I'll just take them to Chuck E. Cheese.

January, a time of transition?

 It has been a few weeks. The flu was here and it was a rough time for coughs and tummy trouble. I didn't get the flu but my hubby was out of commission. The cold, dry air blew into town with a ton of germs and crabbiness. It has not been a happy start to the new year but I think we are about to get back on the saddle. I had to take a couple of pictures of what Jack Frost left on my window.

 These are beautiful designs of frost. The camera and my unprofessional photography capabilities do it no justice. The Frost looked like perfect, leaves and vines of etched glass. The children were amazed and a little sad to see it melt away only and hour later. All the seasons have their beauty to surprise us with.

It is much warmer today. We are having the January thaw. It is actually sweater weather. It motivated me do some spring cleaning and organizing even though we are just on the heels of finishing Christmas. There are still a ton of little holiday knick knacks to be put away. I am starting to think about bigger home projects like painting and revamping, I am sure that will pass by lunchtime........hopefully. Gotta run!

Happy New Year Friends!!!

 First,  I wanted to share this amazingly stylish and pricey bottle of  Dom Perignon Champagne.  It is a limited edition bottle by David Lynch, artist, and movie producer of the cult favorite, and what I would say, worst film ever made, Eraserhead.  However the bottle is cool and hip on so many levels.

 Next, I wanted to show you some designer cookies someone gave me as a gift. I think they are creative and fun but the test is in the taste,  I can tell you by appearance. they look a little dry.

 This was a really fun bottle of Champagne, given to me as a gift. I just love the festive winter bottle. I definitely plan to chop of the top and make this a candle holder. It will look so pretty with the blue glass.

Finally, I am not a drinker but everyone should take part in a New Years toast. They have so many alcohol free sparkling ciders that there is really no excuse to not pop open something bubbly to ring in the New Year. I have here a very reasonably priced Champagne, and just the thing to have on hand for those unexpected New Years guests. We will be eating Chinese food and watching fire works. Have fun and be safe!

Thoughtful lil' gifts

 Greetings!!!  I just wanted to show you a couple little things that made me happy. The first being my annual Holiday Barbie 2012. I mentioned before, I get one every year, this year was no different. She is lovely! My father who always gives her to me said, he thought she looked very cheap this year. I love to talk Barbies with my fabulous seventy year old Dad. I had to disagree. I love the simplicity of red and white. It was a lot like last years but I loved last years as well. I also have the Hallmark Holiday Barbie Ornament. However, I am very sad to announce that after the many years of collecting the Barbie ornaments, this was the final in the series. I guess it must have been losing popularity. Sniff, sniff.

 Next, I would like to show you this pretty little cowly, scarfy thing my friend knit for me. Pull over scarves are big this year but my bestie, kicked it up a notch by adding some vintage buttons. It is really soft and looks very cool popping out of the top of my coat. It displays all the richness of a sweater with the skinniness  of a tee shirt, because of course, it only covers ones neck.

 This cute wreath was an accessory on a gift from another friend. It is a homemade candy wreath with Jolly ranchers, caramels, bulls-eyes and gum.  This are all twist open candies. Ones they are open you should be left with a fluffy candy wrapper wreath. What a cute, sweet idea!

 Above and below are some homemade ornaments from my sister. She used scrap paper as well as vintage cards. I really liked them. No surprise, I love to see re-purposed vintage paper given new life. Happy second day of Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve Y'all !!!!

It's Christmas Eve and I have a lot of bits and pieces to put together to make the big day a success. We always decorate our big tree on Christmas Eve, it is a family tradition. I put a bunch of small trees around to keep everyone in the spirit of the Holidays. Here is one of the small trees next to my plug in fire log. It flickers and makes a crackling sound. It is just the thing to create a little winter ambiance. You will also notice a mix match bunch of stockings. There are a bunch of us here and everyone picked out their own stocking except for the cat. I will be up extra late stuffing those stockings and trying to keep them from falling. Stress central! I will probably start munching on chocolate treats intended for good children.

 Here are a couple cinnamon nut loaves. I did a bunch of different baked goods. They are great last minute back up gifts. Then I did some homemade ornaments for the people I knew like that sort of thing. Most of my other friends got store bought scarves and Alex and Ani bracelets. I had fun picking out special charms. I also threw together some gift baskets with Wolfgang Puck Soups, crackers, tea, olives, biscotti, and Chocolate  No rhyme or reason just stuff I like myself.

 Here is my mini pink candy tree. It is really just a little table top number. I have a soft spot in my heart for pastel Christmas decor. I really love how it can take us right into February with Valentines Day. It takes a long time to get rid of all the Holiday decor. I tend to let snowmen and winter/snow flake stuff hang for a while.

 Here is one little troop of Nutcrackers. One of my sons has been collecting since he was little so his collection is pretty big. There is such a huge variety. He always gets an original of different one for Christmas Morning.

 This is my pathetic little snow village  There are only about nine houses but really who has the room or patience, or most importantly the time?. We were fortunate enough to inherit my husband's Father's vintage Lionel Train set. In the past we have set up the trains with the little glittery cardboard houses as well as these lighted porcelain numbers. However,  it really takes days to set up because we need to build the giant table. Christmas sprang on us too fast I guess. We just didn't have the time.

 Here are just a few of the Holiday Barbie Collection that I set up every year around the house. I am missing the first two dolls, one of these days I will order them online to complete the set...I have been saying that for years now.

 Are they pretty or what. I wish I were going to a party where I could sport a gown like that. I keep them mint in box mostly because the boxes are so graphic themselves.  I love the little scarf wearing deer in the background snow scene,  featured below for 2011.

 I also own all the Hallmark Holiday Barbie Ornaments. This is the first ornament I put on this years tree. Hallmark is incredible when it comes to ornaments. So many musical, humorous, beautiful, animated and collection varieties to choose from in their line.  I was collecting the Madame Alexander Angels but the discontinued. That was a bummer. I posted before that I collect the Saint Nicks and this year, thanks to Chickie, who bought me a couple, I plan to collect the Fisher-Price vintage toy collection ornaments.

 This lovely Barbie statue is just adorable. She has the vintage ponytail Barbie face and she is hanging out with Snow Babies. I like Snow Babies as much as I like Kewpies in the spring.

 Here are a couple of woodland Snow Babies. Whats not to love?

 I wanted to show you this crafty little church and sleigh made of yarn and plastic netting. Someone really put a ton of time into this project. I got it at a Holly Fair a few years ago. It was definitely worth more than the four dollars I paid for it. The labor alone.It is hard to see but it even has some sparkly gold thread that was added later.

 Here is my vintage Christmas Elf that sits on a shelf. He used to have bells on his shoes and hat but my kids abused him...because " he is so creepy". He looks a lot like a Rice Crispies Elf, Snap, Crackle or Pop.

 More Holiday inspiration. Frosty the Snowman coasters. more little deer candles as well as a collapsing Santa. You press in the button under his stand and he faints. Entertaining for at least  a good three minutes.

 Look at these cute little magnets,below, my friend made me with retro pictures. They look so cute on the fridge. I need to make this easy gift myself...someday.

 Fired up the old record player today while I was cleaning. It really inspired me to get everything done on my list. I skipped Rudolph the second time around. Once is plenty.

 This little vintage Santa ornament wishes you all a safe, exciting Christmas Eve. I hope your dreams come true! Have Fun!

70's Crafty Christmas

 Here are some pictures from the Better Homes magazine hard cover home made gifts book.  There are so many uses for driftwood, yarn, milk cartons and construction paper. The whole thing is sort of cute for a child, however, this book was geared towards savvy homemakers. People don't feel comfortable decorating their homes with painted rock paperweights, macrame plant holders and milk crate book shelves anymore. I am all for re-purposing objects but re-gifting those items are a matter of taste and shouldn't be forced on a friend. If you don't have money you can always find something small cute and useful for a couple of dollars.  I mentioned before that people always appreciate baked goods and home made candies. You can even get the bread or cookie mixes and embellish them with nuts or butterscotch chips.

 We can make candles with cookie cutters and cup cake cups. I love candles!!! However, now it is all about Yankee Candle type scented candles, not wax smelling, black smoke, cough inducing candles of yesteryear. I don't care how pretty they look, they need to smell good as well.
Look, we can make a Nutcracker Ballet, finger puppet army.  Just look, boys love them too. My boys would only be interested in the guys with swords, it is just the way it is.

 I found this colorful display of gifts, featured below, extremely depressing.  I can't imagine being an excited child on Christmas morning and finding, what appears to be , a dead, armless clown, or that creepy face lady, wearing a big hat. I can't see the purpose in these items because I don't find them pleasant to look at even though their colors are so bright and cheery. They just don't say holiday to me..not to mention Christmas.

 Below are different ways to decorate gift boxes. There is yarn, felt, pom poms, cup cake cups and office supplies. I think they are cute but who has the time?  I can imagine if I went through the trouble of decorating a gift like this, I would be really offended if my giftee, didn't acknowledge the handy-work  and then see it ripped off and thrown to the floor.  That would be painful. Gift bags are the way to go.