Anne Schultz of Hello Hanna sent me an email to introduce her awesome playful placements for kids. They will keep your kids occupied while you are preparing the meal. I think it is a great idea since you probably notice that kids enjoy very much playing with stickers. My nephew and niece are doing it all the time.

For a party or a day-long play date, it is a fun activity that is quick and fast to set up. Plus, on the back of placemats, their is an activity area. You can vary the activity each time or let you kid draw what they like.

Four pop-up characters with their own sheet of stickers are packaged in set of 8 placemats. Kids can choose their character and dress it the way they like. I like this product for the peace of mind and its creative value.

Get-set placemats is available in three themes: robot, animal jungle and girlie dolls. You could also buy a set for home that you use on Sundays. The placemats are printed on heavyweight uncoated paper stock. Therefore, they are not reusable.

The gals behind Hello Hanna, Anne Schultz and Jina Choi, are moms living in San Francisco, California. They used their knowledge of early-child development to to spark kids creativity.

SOURCING:
+ Get-set placemats $14.95 USD

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When I was a kid I used to plan weeks in advance my Halloween costume. One year, I dressed like a poor hunchback and carried a brown paper bag as my treat bag. Otherwise, I always trust my puffy pumpkin treat bag made of plastic to bring home a load of candies. I collected so many sugar treats that I do not recall a year where I ate all of them.

If you are looking for a vast selection of adorable treat bags, Pottery Barn Kids has 15 models in stock. No more plastic. Instead their treat bags are made of soft felt and lined with percale. The regular models cost $12 USD while a few premium treat bag designs cost $19. The Lady Bug tutu costume and the puffy alligator are cute.

Dressing your boy as a pirate like that can be expensive. You could only buy the 6-piece pirate accessories and try to make the attire or vice versa. If you let go the hook that could be cumbersome to carry around, the rest is fairly easy to find at any store that sell toys. In fact, look around your house, you may have some items in the toy boxes or your drawers.  The 6-piece pirate set includes the sword, the pirate hat, the belt, the hook, the eye patch and the bandana.

SOURCING:
+ Treat Bags at Pottery Barn Kids $12 – $19 USD
+ Kids Halloween Costumes $29 -$69 USD
+ Pirate Costume $59 USD
+ Pirate Accessories $59 USD

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Two Amsterdam artists, Theodore Watson and Emily Gobeille of Zara Parade created Funky Forest in 2007. This is an interactive ecosystem where children used their body movements to influence the life of a forest and a river.

Kids can use their body or place pillow rocks and logs to divert the water flowing from the waterfall to the trees to keep them alive. It is playful and instructive since if the trees lack water, they would wither and die. Kids could press their bodies against the forest to build new trees. The shape of the tree will be influenced by the child body. When the eco-system flourishes, the kids are rewarded by the emergence of lovely flying creatures. I wish I could play!

Besides the artist value, I wish to talk about this since I see it as the future of kid parties. Imagine booking a venue with similar installation as a playroom. It would be awesome. See how much kids enjoyed the Funky Forest on this video:

MORE:
+ Theodore Watson
+ Zara Parade
+ Via ArtEverywhere

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No need to get fancy fondant cupcakes to make a lasting impression. You can go a long way with figures, stamps and creativity.

How This Mom Did It

Look at the impressive party realized by swishersweets80. I applauded that this mother got her supplies from several stores. Therefore, the result is not too matching. She nicely decorated the cupcake stands simply using red, blue and green gift wraps. Her stands could be used for a circus theme. They become Mario stands when she added the accessories. Video games, especially the ones from Japan,  are great because you can find a whole range of branded items that you can use as party decorations.

For favors, you can find soda drinks, candy boxes and figures at video games stores. Her favor bar included Rainbow Colored Barber Poles, Mario Bros. Band-Aids found at Urban Outfitters, Red and Green Caps and Fake Mustaches purchased at OrientalTrading.com, Coinboxes filled with Chocolate Coins and Gum Coins, and Mario Themed Mini-Stamps found at Amazon.com.

Games

You can play Mario games on the Wii. I suggest Mario Kart Wii with a Wii wheel or WarioWare: Smooth Moves which is a bunch of mini-games. You can play Mario Kart with the standard Wii controllers. A Wii wheel cost about $10. For an extra $30, everyone can drive with its own Wii wheel controller. Or you can ask a few friends to bring their Nintendo DS so you can host a tournament of Mario Kart.

This theme is not just for children. I know that my husband would like it for his birthday party. Remember the old arcade theme I did for him last year.

MORE:
+ photos by swishersweets80 on Flickr – rights reserved
+ learn how to make your own cupcake stands

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These pancake molds should be a hit at your next family brunch or the morning after a sleepover birthday party. They may need a little practice so make sure to try them out a few times before you use them for a crowd.

Make sure to brush with oil or butter the griddle and molds. You could use a spray but I am not a fan of cooking spray. You can mix the two sets for more variety. Both cost $18 USD for a set of 3 assorted molds at Williams-Sonoma.

+ Make pancakes in the shape of a snail, a ladybug and a butterfly with Garden Creatures Pancake Molds
+ Get flapjacks shaped like monkey, lion and elephant faces with the Jungle Pancake Molds
+ Delight them with Caterpillar Cakelet Pan & Decorating Kit $36 for the cakelet pan, $16 for the decorating kit

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Every kid is fond of the circus. This festive kid party theme never gets old.  For the busy mom, a circus party is ideal since you can easily buy the basic elements.  Make sure to custom the theme. How you assemble everything is a great way to start. With the help of the computer and small craft projects, you will create a unique circus party decor. Concentrate on the buffet table and a few decorations displayed across the room.

Set the Tone with your Invitations

Go wild with the invite and put inside more that a invitation card like did Caroline for the second birthday of her son. Read how she created her amazing circus party invitations on her blog. Make sure to keep one invitation as a keepsake for your kid.

Popcorn bags are easy to find. Having a coupon on all items extend the circus theme as we used to know it. Pinning  a fabric on the wall transform it in a photo booth. You could lay down a make up table with a couple mirrors, wigs, red clown noses, and  clown overalls. Do not forget to supply makeup removal gear. If talents run in the family or in your neighbor households, organize a 10 to 15 minutes circus inspired performance.

Caroline Armelle’s party was certainly well-executed. Click here for the full story on the circus kid birthday party for a little boy.

CREDITS:
+ Images from Armelle – how to craft the circus party invitations
+ Via Design Mom

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Forget the big chains and visit Etsy to shop for your kids birthday essentials.  With all the talented stationery designers on Etsy, it is an amazing source for cute and unique party themes. The key is to scour the gems. These two Etsy sellers qualify.

Jack and Izzy

You can pick your illustration, scallop, monogram or number that Jack and Izzy will be printed on invitations with matching open-end envelopes, thank you notes, circle stickers, cupcake flags and napkin rings. The colored favor boxes and ribbons are included. You select your color and font. Voilà! You get the foundation for setting up your party.

Jack and Izzy illustrations are perfect for a baby shower or a toddler birthday party. Their kits come as set of 12.

Pinwheel Tablescapes by Crossroads Cottage

Pinwheels are a great theme not just for a garden birthday party. Crossroads Cottage made nice pinwheel cupcakes toppers, handheld pinwheels.

She accepts custom orders. You can order harmonizing pinwheel party hats, setting cards, table numbers and invites. She provides many options to dress everything up. There are over 300 designs to choose from.

You can find more products on her Web site Pinwhirls including for the budget conscious, the materials for Do It Yourself Pinwheels.

SOURCING:
+ You Pick Round Illustration Party Pack $78 USD at Jack and Izzy
+ You Pick Scallop Illustration Party Pack $78 USD at Jack and Izzy
+ You Pick Monogram or Number Party Pack $78 USD at Jack and Izzy
+ Custom Pinwheel Birthday Party Hats $3.35 unassembled $3.75 pre-assembled (except for the pinwheel) each at Crossroads Cottage
+ Customizable Mini Cupcake Topper Pinwheels $1.70-$1.90 each at Crossroads Cottage

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Printable party themes range from invitations, labels, stickers, coasters, placemats up to even party hats and favor packaging. The fact that you print it yourself means that you do not have to worry if you have guests confirming their presence at the last minute.

To get a professional look, it is worth getting a circle cutter. Several models are sold at Arts and Crafts store.

An Etsy seller to watch is Happy Papers. It is run by two Argentinean mothers. I enjoy their creative patterns. Happy Papers also sells their birthday kits in two pack: the birthday set and the party decorations set. Check the content before ordering.

For $5, a typical birthday set provides a ready-to-print template for Birthday Invitations, Party Hats, Goodie Cones, Gift Bag tags, Flat notecards, Gift tags and a Center Box. It is hard to beat. Make a few red and turquoise pom-poms to complement the look of the elephant with the red balloon.

These kits would also make adorable baby shower themes.

Glassine Bags

I found a few affordable sources for glassine bakery bags to make your party favors (see at the bottom of sourcing). Take clues on how charming Happy papers decorated her party favor bags.

SOURCING:
+ Birthday Sets at Happy Papers $ 5 to $7 per set
+ Glassine bags, pack of 25 bags – small $2, medium $3, large $4
+ Glassine Lined Paper bags, pack of 100 bags – small $7.49, medium $10.49, large $13.98
+ Via The Little Things

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I like the simple yet effective party theme that Deb of Mumbo Jumbo devised for the first birthday of her son. She crafted red and white pom-poms in different sizes. Her grouping looks great for a boy’s birthday.

It is clever to base your birthday party theme around a shape that speaks to a toddler. Caden really enjoyed the large pom-poms. It shows again that you do not need to spend a fortune on birthday’s accessories to bring joy to the little one (go see how happy Caden was on Deb’s blog).

Deb operates an Etsy shop where she sells adorable custom cards and invites. She used the Balloon birthday invites from her collection to invite the guests. She added a custom touch to the birthday hat by gluing cotton balls.

Making Pom-Pom Tutorial

Since I am not a crafter, I ask Deb to create a tutorial for making pom-poms. Deb did a great job in writing the steps. Plus Deb’s husband took the pictures. This stays a family event until the end.

Supplies:

• Large cereal box – really you can use just about anything. She used an oatmeal container and a tall glass cup for varying the pom-pom sizes
• Yarn
• Scissors

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Cut a 2 to 3-feet  piece of yarn. Set aside for later.
2. Start wrapping the other yarn around the object. Keep going round and round (I went around about 200 times for this particular pom-pom, but you can decide how full you want your pom-pom – also, some yarns will be thicker than others).
3. Once you are finished wrapping, pull the yarn bundle off of the cereal box.

   

4. Stretch well the yarn
5. Place the yarn bundle on top (centered) of the long piece of yarn from step 1.
6. Tie a knot around the yarn bundle – make sure the knot is tight

   

7. Find the long pom-pom strings and keep a hold of them (so they don’t get cut in the process)
8. Use your scissors to cut through the loops of the yarn bundle.
9. Once you have all the loops cut, all the pom-pom needs is a haircut. Start trimming away to make your pom-pom look pretty.

Enjoy your pom-pom and hanging for party decorations. They can also be used for gift toppers as well.

Deb is a talented young mother who enjoys sharing the things that she likes, her craft projects and happy moments from her family life. She wrote more than 300 posts on Munbo Jumbo. Thank you very much Deb for sharing your cute and fun first birthday’s party for your little boy with us.

MORE:
+ Deb’s Design etsy shop

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Wine glass markers have been around for a while. Although they are previous attempts to identify any type of glass at parties, Vacu Vin is the first that targets kids and adults with their Party People Glass Markers.

The Dutch creativity emerges with 12 cute characters that they referred as party people. Each figure attaches with a suction cup to any smooth surface. I got a sample from Cadosphere, an online gift store.  They work very well.

These colorful markers are dishwasher safe. It is a fun product that will cheer up any party. One thing for sure, it will entertain the kids for a while. For all these reasons, it makes a wonderful hostess gift.

The Tests I made

I did not encounter any problems. In fact, my husband commented on how secure the character stuck to our drinkware.

I wanted to test it further. I left one glass marker on a hot tea served in a cup and another on a water glass filled with ice to see how long they would stick. In these extreme scenarios, the suction eventually gave up. My husband drank his tea at a normal speed and as I recalled, he had no problems.

I give the Vacu Vin Party People Glass Markers the AHWKV’s seal of approval.

Other uses

For a kid birthday party, ever kid could bring home the figure he/she got. Or wrap them in cute bags as an affordable surprise party favor. Each figure costs 66 cents.

Whenever you wish to randomly pick someone name or assign something to people, you could use the characters as identifiers. Simply make in advance 12 tags with a picture and name of each character. Make your tags durable to reuse them at other events.

SOURCING:
+ Vacu Vin Party People Glass Markers $7.95 CAD for pack of 12
+ images from Vacu Vin

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A few readers asked me lately for help on designing a first birthday party. I wrote a quick guide on how to plan a baby’s first birthday party.

1. Consider the Venue

Is it an indoor or outdoor event? How much space do you have? The format of the party may influence the party theme.

2. Party for the Parents

A first birthday party is not designed for your baby. It is an event when the parents, the grand parents, the family members and your friends commemorate the first year of your newborn.

Plan activities and incorporate in your décor elements that summarize the lifetime of your baby. Create a tree of pictures or hang them on a clothesline. Play a slideshow with no music or low level music on the big TV screen.

3. Areas to Play

Plan a few areas for the kids to play. Setup the area where both the guest mothers and their babies will be comfortable. You may wish to put cushions on the floor for the guest mothers to sit down.

4. Time and Duration

Plan for a 2-hour party; during the time your baby does not usually sleep. Realistically, the party will occupy your time at least 3 hours counting the people arrival and departure.

Serve a light meal and a cake. Plan a kid menu if young kids will attend. Since the party is short, prepare your platters in advance. Opt for sandwiches, country pates, cheeses or another types of cold tapas that you prepare ahead. Do not adventure in serving any hot appetizers when you have babies around.

Set up a self-serve drink station. Make sure to put plenty of glasses, drinks and napkins at your station.

5. Hire a Babysitter

Since you are the hostess, you need to take care of your guests. This means that you may require an extra hand to take care of your baby.

6. Ideas for Party Themes

At this early age, I prefer a unisex theme. You can play on geometrical forms or things that stimulate the senses of your baby right now. Think about what intrigues your baby at her or his stage. I like to use mobiles over the buffet table instead of centerpieces.

You can use a toy chime as the inspiration. Animal circus, big play blocks or pounding bench can fashion the building block of your party theme. Repeat the colors and the shapes of the toy to complete your design.

SOURCING:
+ Tiny Love DNU Baby’s Wind Chimes Kick Toy $9.95 USD
+ Melissa & Doug Pounding Bench $9.99 USD
+ Baby Einstein Octoplush $12.99 USD

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+ I featured a real-life party with this impressive Chinese theme birthday party for a 8-year old girl. I like the idea of educating kids on another cultures while entertaining them. This unique party was put together by the mother with her daughter.

+ I am a fan of mingle plates. I showed you many models since I started writing this blog. I went to a party before Christmas where my friend had these clips. I think they are the best option since they fit on your salad plates. But there are more, I presented you 7 Plates Designed to Mingle at Cocktails Parties. Note that the Wine and Dine Oblong Appetizer Trays have slightly changed.

+ With photos from my favorite home décor magazine, UK-based Living etc I talked about Decorating with Gray.

A Blog is Born

The attention given to my post on Women Market Statistics on the Web last September led me to start a new blog on Women, Social Media and Technology called On the Web with Kim Vallee. I quietly started the blog in December, a week before Christmas.

If you are thinking about migrating to Wordpress, I started a series about why and how to migrate to Wordpress. I already published my Must-Have List Before Your Start Your Blog on Wordpress. Next, I will write a guide if you are migrating from Blogger.

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