Kids Party Idea - Building Kits

Last weekend I was walking around Lowe's and I noticed a sign that said Kid's workshop - build a bird feeder. I've seen the sign before but my daughter was always too young so I have sort of blocked it out for years. Well my daughter is seven now and that sign screamed our name..so we went for it. We packed up last weekend and went to Lowe's to build a bird feeder. It was a great time. It took about 30 minutes to complete and she was given a little patch that said bird feeder to put on an apron. Apparently they give a patch for every project (such a cool idea). We have already signed up for the next 2 projects online. I highly recommend this fun free activity. Although I can tell you the thought of my daughter hitting her finger with the little hammers they provided did cross my mind...but she did it all herself and didn't get hurt or anything. I guess I must admit that she is growing up :). While we were there a group of scouts came in. What a great activity for them to do together...did I mention it's free...How cool is that! Here is the link where you can sign up for the Lowe's build and grow clinics yourself: http://lowesbuildandgrow.com/ . Next week we are building a school house and the week after we are building a garden trellis. They also have a few kits you can buy online and here is the link to that: http://www.lowes.com/pl_Kid%27s+Building+Kits_4294825296_4294937087_ So which brings me to my point on how this could be a kids party idea. I went to the home depot website and searched for kids workshops and it brought up a link that has bulk kits that you can buy (12 sets in each kit and a little home depot apron for each child). How fun would it be to have these kits at a construction party as an activity or even a garden party (for a bird house). The price is $95.00 for 12 kits which did I mention contains the cutest litttle orange home depot aprons. The price seems a little steep until you figure out these are the favors for your party too. So you would get a great activity and a favor all in one that isn't junk(I just hate giving junky favors that will end up in the trash). I think it's fabulous! To find the kits just go to http://www.homedepot.com/ and search for kids workshops. They are having one this weekend. I'm not sure if we will have time for both but it looks like a great project. Even if you don't do this for a party I hope you will get to go to a workshop and have a great time! Happy building and partying! Please let me know if you know of any other places that offer free workshops and things like this for kids - we've got the bug now.

Thursday Brainstorm Party - Perennial Exchange Party

I thought I would devote Thursday's to a party brainstorm session. A dreaming session per say...If I were to have a party this is what I would do. Then whenever I get a chance to actually do this type of party I will be armed and ready...And unlike my idea notebook I will be able to find my ideas easily :). I hope you enjoy these ideas. If you have any ideas that could make my party even better please leave me a comment. Thanks and have a great Thursday!

For my first Thursday Brainstorm Party Idea this is actually a party I'm planning for end of July. I will be creating invitations next week and have already started gathering my supplies.

PERENNIAL EXCHANGE PARTY

THE GIST OF IT:
The party is all about the love of gardening and getting some new perennial flowers for your yard. Everyone will be asked to bring 6 starts of their favorite perennial flowers. If they do not have perennial flowers they will be encouraged to bring seeds for perennial flowers so they can participate. At the end of the party everyone will take 6 new starts of flowers. In my invitation I will include instructions on how to properly separate flowers from an online expert. For my flower starts... I plan to put them in a small pot, wrap them with burlap, make a pretty tag(From the garden of: Hope) and wrap them with a green or yellow ribbon.

THE TIME:
This party will be a lunchtime party for approx 10 people. Very casual and relaxed but with special touches.

THE FOOD:
I will be creating a salad bar and either sandwiches or lasagna for this lunch. I bought a salad bar blow up contraption from LTD commodities. It is very cute and I haven't had a chance to use it yet. It looks like a blow up long pool that has a cover. I will use my green glass bowl collection to put the salad ingredients in down in the ice. It should look nice I think. FOR DESSERT i haven't quite figured it out yet...Maybe some flower cupcakes and a fresh berry trifle. I have already bought some cans of yellow and green drinks to match the colors and I plan on buying some mountain dew and lemonade as well. I will probably make labels that says perennial exchange party or something to that effect. For the drinks I will either put them in my turtle pool from the cookout that I had or I would love to find a wheelbarrow to fill with ice and place them in there.

THE THEME:
Of course gardening will be the theme of this party. I have picked the colors yellow/green to tie everything together. I will use gardening containers to decorate with. I'm thinking burlap down the center of the table with tin cans of varying sizes down the center with fresh flowers. I scored some white lanterns with lights from big lots for $2.00 so I'm sure I'll hang them up everywhere and probably add some green and yellow birds, butterflies, or polka dots to them to match the theme. If I can find some flower picks I will use them in the salad bar to name all the things(green pepper, onions, bacon, carrots, etc) I also may cut out some flowers from cardboard boxes and decoupage them with scrapbook paper for the back wall of the deck if we end up putting the table up there.

FAVORS:
Gardening Gloves stuffed with tissue paper at each place setting and a seed packet wrapped with a ribbon around them. I possibly might make some flower pens with my dd too. She loves to give things out to people. I bought a couple of butterfly knee cushions that will be the children's gifts if they come to the party. I will probably use them for the children's table on the back of their chairs. They are yellow and should look really good with everything else.

ACTIVITY:
Since my mother-in-law is a master gardener I have asked her to do a container garden demonstration for everyone at the party. We will use this container garden as the door prize for everyone that attends. I'll probably just pull the name out of a hat or maybe before then I'll come up with something more creative. If we have several children show up I would like to have an activity for them as well. I'm thinking of finding some large rocks and cleaning them up so they can paint them for their mom's flower garden. If I do this I'll have to make/buy some painting smocks so they don't get paint all over them. Still thinking on that.

Look for pictures from this party near the end of July.

Comments Welcomed

Hope XOXO

Casual Cookout

My dh wanted to have a casual get together for work. He said upfront I couldn't make cutesy stuff or mess up the house making things for the party. So I went on a hunt for some cute things to put the food in...we had to eat right? I found a plastic bird bath that was great for the relish tray. I also found the flower pot saucers for the chips and dip. But my favorite of all was the turtle kiddie pool that we filled with ice and put all the drinks in. It was $10 bucks at Walmart and they had a hippo too but I thought the turtle went better with the outdoor/cookout party we were having. I also plan to reuse all of these containers at a garden themed party I'm having later in the month. Have you found any unique containers for food that you just loved?

Hope XOXO

Party Idea Notebook

I have 3 parties coming up in July so I'm really busy with the planning phases right now. I just wanted to share how I keep track of all my crazy ideas. I keep a notebook with me at all times to sketch out ideas and write down anything that pops in my head about parties. It never fails when I'm trying to go to sleep at night a party idea springs in my head and I need my idea notebook. Here is the page I have started for a fishing birthday party for my 8 year old nephew in July. I like to sketch ideas and brainstorm anything I can think of. Some of it gets used and others ideas get scratched but I always have it to look back on after the party is over. I plan on using bobbers as the main feature of this party. I'm going to try to make large red/white bobbers to hang from the picnic shelter. I might use plastic bowls glued together or make them out of fabric, or use the throw away plastic bowls to try and work them out. I'm also going to try and make fake fishing poles out of pretzel rods, life savers, twizzlers, and swedish fish. Check back soon to see if they turn out :)

How does everyone else keep track of their ideas?