Fashion Barbie Aqua Zebra Stripe 8 Year Old Girl Birthday Party! (part 2)

The Fashion Party fun continues! The table is prepped for the first craft activity:

 

The girls got to create a work of art to take home! I painted a sample canvas using the dress art on the birthday party invitation as our model:

I cut out a dress form template so each girl could trace the dress outline onto their canvas as a starting point. I went around and sketched the hanger for those who wished.

Then each little artist designed their own fashion using acrylic paint, glitter glue paints and gel tube paints.

We offered buttons, mini silk flowers and ribbons to embellish their art masterpiece as they liked.

While the last artists finished their dress fashions, we sent the girls out to jump on the tramp. When all were done, I told them they could hunt for blue eggs hidden around the yard. They all contained little zebra striped candy mints and a couple had other prizes:

Meanwhile, we cleaned up the paints and readies the table for the next activity: bottle cap jewelry:

I had bought a kit so it was really easy. Just pass out the supplies and everyone could make at least two items of bracelet, necklace or earrings. We then moved on to the snacks and cupcakes.  Next up was opening gifts, followed by Fashion Bingo!

I threw together these bingo pages the night before when we thought it might be too windy to swim, but was pleased with how they came out.

Mini-marshmallows were a fun marking item:

The prizes were "the latest" fashion accessories! :-) Assorted animal print hair bands.

 

To see the fashion party decorations, zebra-striped theme accessories, birthday cake and snack foods visit the first post Fashion Barbie Aqua Zebra Stripe 8 Year Old Girl Birthday Party!

Fashion Barbie Aqua Zebra Stripe 8 Year Old Girl Birthday Party!

My daughter recently celebrated her 8th birthday – playing and creating with 8 sweet friends. She chose a festive aqua and zebra stripe color theme for her "Barbie Fashion" birthday party!

We gave her this dress form jewelry holder for an early gift / party decoration. She decorated it, the coffee table and mantel herself and was SO excited! We used aqua tulle, silver disco balls and turquoise and zebra stripe napkins liberally. A name banner made from large printed letters in aqua and zebra stripe and strung with shimmery aqua ribbon hung below the mantel display.

 

 Here's the invitation on which I sketched a dress for our theme:

Personalized water bottles are a long-time staple at all our parties:

 

The turquoise frosted cake is accented with zebra striped sugar paper cut into a strip to wrap around the cake side. Elegant pearls create a simple embellished top.

 Cupcakes with [again] store-bought zebra stripe sugar cake decorations:

Plates and napkins carry out the color scheme:

We took a break midway through our activities for treats:

Birthday girl chose her favorite fruits: strawberries, kiwi and Cuties [sweet mandarin oranges]; and favorite snacks: Chex snack mix, homemade Puppy Chow [chocolate peanut butter Crispix] and Cheetoh Puffs. And heart-shaped sandwiches:

Teal candy sticks were a parting "Thank You" favor for the 8 girls.

We played fashion themed games and the girls sure got their artsy craft on, too! I'll post those photos next time so this one doesn't get too long. [Note: the stores all have TONS of zebra stripe stuff right now!]

Welcoming Card for House Guests

Had to share the lovely card my daughter made for her grandparents on their recent visit:

set on the side table in the guestroom along with two treats sacrificed from her leftover Easter stash. :-) What a sweetie!

Easter Egg Paper Craft Tutorial for Kids!

 After school the kids had fun doing a messy Easter egg paper craft:

We used shaving cream to create custom marbled designs on paper Easter eggs.

First we cut out a bunch of egg shapes from card stock. 

They each had a glass pie plate and a can of shaving cream in their station

After filling the plate with shaving cream, use toothpicks to swirl drops of food color around.

Press the paper egg flat into the cream, pressing down to remove air pockets.

 Here's what it looks like after squishing the paper into the design:

Carefully peel up your egg keeping as much cream in the plate or bowl as possible. Here are some of our paper egg patterns drying:

Once they're dry, take a dry napkin or paper towel and wipe off any remaining shaving cream residue. Then you can turn your masterpieces into Easter cards, place setting accents or home decorations. We'll be stringing ours together on a pretty ribbon to decorate!

BUT ... while your pretty designs are drying ... fill another pie plate or glass bowl with clean shaving cream for the kids to dig in and play with!!

Celebrate Christ! Easter Decorating With Meaning

Our living room mantel features our traditional candle representation of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross - the real reason we celebrate Easter. Only one without sin could pay the penalty for our sins, so the white candle is symbolic of Jesus' purity:

(And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. II Corinthians 5:15)

The three pieces of wood, of course, represent the crosses upon which Jesus and the two sinners [red misshapen candles] were killed. The vines are a picture of the crown of thorns. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice! Praise God for an empty tomb!!

Free "Love" Printable for Valentine's Day

... here is a free printable download about God's love:

(free LOVE printable download @Jeanne Winters)

I John 4:9 states "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

This is a 5x7 print you may download and print for personal use. Frame it to decorate your home for Valentine's Day or make it into a card to share with a friend. Enjoy!

May Your Christmas be Blessed!

Happy Christmas to all!

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  ~ Luke 2:10-11

Kids' Christmas Keepsake Handprints & Thumbprints Ornament

Two years ago at our first Kids Christmas Party one of the crafts was capturing our little ones' handprints on an ornament:

Those of us with two kids were able to do one hand of each kiddo on the same glass ball ornament. One red, the other green. Then we wrote their names underneath the appropriate handprint and the date at the bottom with red and green Sharpie pens.

That year we also had a thumbprint station. I had a stack of small white tags and a display of ideas. The kids could make gift tags or ornaments using assorted colored stamp pads and their chubby little fingers. :-)

Christmas Gingerbread Houses

Do you make or decorate a gingerbread house at your home during Christmas? If you have kids, its a fun treat – kids of any age, right?! Sunday afternoon my kids tried their hand at decorating this adorable Christmas snow cottage:

They're a little young for the build-your-own gingerbread scene, so pre-assembled works great for us. About the second of November I picked up this gingerbread house on clearance at Target for about $4:

But, naturally we go in our own direction. :-) The kids get to eat the orange gumdrops and black bats while they decorate since they're entirely inappropriate for our sweet snow cottage! :-) I dyed the orange frosting brown and used it as the ground cover in which to stick all the cereal, marshmallows and assorted lawn trimmings. I piled oodles of possible decorating candies and snacks and treats on the island from which they could pick whatever they wanted.

They did almost everything by themselves. They had been filled with inspiration after a Friday night on our downtown's Gingerbread Christmas House Tour. Have to capture it quick with the camera, as at this age, they are mostly just interested in eating it! :-)

Meaningful Christmas Decorating

I don't know about you, but at our house we hope to keep the focus of this Christmas season on CHRIST.

We discuss Jesus' birthday with the kids and celebrate with a birthday cake, we read Christ-focused Christmas stories, we share with them that people all over the world exchange gifts because Jesus' birthday is the biggest party of all! We give to the poor and needy as Christ asks us to. We go experience a live nativity play.

We have nativity scenes throughout our home. The crocheted set above was a hand-made gift to my kids from my mother-in-law.

I bought this brass set in Mexico many years ago:

 We display Christmas art. :-) Here are two of my paintings:

We decorate our tree with a great variety of ornaments. Keepsakes my mom made or bought us as kids and throughout the years, mementos from special places we've visited or lived, lovely gifts from friends and, of late, treasures crafted by our sweet kiddos. :-) 

One of our several advent calendars is on the fridge for the kids:

and a pop-up one from DaySpring in our family room:

Printed ribbons decorate one of our mini-trees:

 And in the kitchen scripture ceramics are sprinkled throughout – bowls, platters and plates:

I hope you enjoyed this little snapshot tour of meaningful Christmas decor around my home! What are some ways you keep the focus on Jesus this Christmas?
Visit Imparting Grace for Home for the Holy Days 2012. Joining the fun Christmas Home Tour 'linky' at The Inspired Room and Cottage Magpie.