Wedding Shower

The wedding shower on Saturday for my niece and her fiancé was a fabulous success!  :D  At least two people commented that it was the best party I've done yet!  Yay!!

It was So Much Fun, from beginning to end...including all of the preparations and the party itself.  I can hardly wait to tell you all about it.  :)

The Happy Couple

Embellished Owls

I found this owl printable...which I printed and embellished.

These owls were intended to be used as bookmarks.  This is what I did:

1. I printed two copies on heavyweight (110 lb.) white card stock.
2. I cut out the owls and glued two of the same color back-to-back.
3. I glued sequins on the front (only) of each.
4. I punched a small hole near the top of each and added a loop of clear monofilament (for hanging).

I found these owl printables...which I printed and embellished.

These owls were intended to be used to make a mobile.  This is what I did:

1. I printed two copies of each color on heavyweight (110 lb.) white card stock.
2. I cut out the owls.
3. I added small flower brads to the eyes on the front (only) of each.
4. I glued two of the same color back-to-back.
5. I punched a small hole near the top of each and added a loop of clear monofilament (for hanging).

Origami Owls

I made two more owl decorations for the centerpiece.

I made origami owls using these instructions.

I added wiggle eyes to the front and glued hemp cord to the back (for hanging).

These were so fun to make!  I love origami.  :)

Newspaper Owls

For the dining table centerpiece, I'm going to put a tree branch in an owl vase. Hanging from the branch will be various owl decorations...some purchased and others handmade.

These are the first two owl decorations I made.

1. I printed this owl pattern onto heavyweight (110 lb.) white card stock.
2. I cut out the body and covered it with pieces of newspaper.
3. I cut out the wing and the face and beak and traced the pattern pieces onto scrapbooking paper.
4. I cut them out and glued them to the body.
5. I added buttons (layered) for the eyes.
6. I glued a piece of hemp cord to the back (for hanging).
7. I also traced the body pattern piece onto scrapbooking paper (same as used above), which I cut out and glued to the back of the owl...to give it a more "finished" look since the back will show when hanging.

Owl Invitations

In a couple of weeks, I'm hosting a wedding shower for my niece who is getting married in July.  For the party, I decided to go with an owl theme.  (My niece likes owls.)  Although I looked high and low for invitations with an owl theme, I was unsuccessful in locating any.  So, I made the invitations.  :)

I purchased kraft note cards with envelopes, owl ribbon, an owl rubber stamp, and a moss green stamp pad.  (Later, I purchased a chestnut brown stamp pad, because the green ink didn't show up very well.)

Don't make the same mistake I did and run out of ribbon halfway through the project!  I misjudged how much ribbon I would need.  I knew the roll contained nine feet of ribbon, and I thought (guessed) each card would require a foot of ribbon...
enough on one roll to make eight cards.  Wrong!  I had to use 16 inches of ribbon for each card to make the knot on the front look right.

Here are photos of the finished invitation.

I printed addresses on labels using moss green ink and the same font (Curlz MT)...
and affixed "Celebrate!" postage stamps.

Also, I added an owl sticker to the back of each envelope.

Additional party details are forthcoming!

Xander's Panda Party

The Family Dinner Book Club selection for April is Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park.

Xander's Panda Party
by Linda Sue Park

                             Xander planned a panda party.  Yes, a dandy whoop-de-do!

                             But Xander was the only panda.  Just one panda at the zoo.
                                       ~from Xander's Panda Party

Xander's Panda Party is such a lovely book.  I love the story line and the rhyming text.  (You can watch the book trailer here.)

However, I had to think twice about purchasing the book.  This is one conversation between two of the animals in the book:

          The crocodile asked Xander, "You've invited all the birds.  Birds and reptiles—long ago,
          we were related, don't you know?"

Evolution.  I will choose to omit that sentence when I read the book to T.  Regarding that portion of the book's content, the author noted in the back of the book:

        Most evolutionary biologists believe that some of the reptiles commonly known as
        dinosaurs evolved into birds during the Mesozoic era.  Today's reptiles and birds
        share common ancestors that lived more than one hundred million years ago.  The
        evolution of life on our planet continues to be a complex and wondrous mystery.

This is not what I (or we, as a family) believe.  That's why I had to think twice.

I am planning to do several fun activities with T, including the following:

• panda bear paper plate craft
• panda bear puzzle
• "P is for panda bear" magnet page
• bears 1:1 game

Although I have found a slew of ideas on the Internet for panda bear activities, crafts, and foods, I think I will start with these four!

Happy 80th!

Last weekend, we celebrated my mom's 80th birthday.  My parents, my siblings, and their families had a get-together at my parents' house.

My brother organized it.  He brought a honey-baked ham.  Each of the rest of us brought one (or more) dishes of food.

Here was our menu:
     honey-baked ham
     pineapple casserole
     au gratin potatoes
     candied yams
     green beans
     corn
     deviled eggs
     potato salad
     rolls

My older sister brought some appetizers:
     cocktail meatballs
     cheese and crackers
     grapes

My brother also asked some of us to provide other party details:
     My younger sister dusted and vacuumed my parents' house the day before the party.
     My older sister brought the birthday cake.

     I brought the centerpiece, paper plates, napkins, and plasticware.

I made the centerpiece to match the plates and napkins I had selected.

The tulips are cut from cardstock, the stems are green paper straws, the leaves are green tissue paper, the grass is green styrofoam, and the ground is a piece of wood.

Nineteen of us celebrated together.

my dad's cousin-in-law, my younger sister,
my mom, my older sister

my husband, my dad, my brother,
 my brother's wife

Here's the birthday girl...ready for us to sing "Happy Birthday" to her!

I told my mom, "Don't forget to make a birthday wish!"  :)  She blew out the candles on her cake...with the help of two of her great-grandsons.  Afterward, the younger great-grandson said, "I didn't know what to wish for!"  ;o)

Love you, Mom...and wishing you many happy returns.

We're Home

T and I returned home late last night after spending almost a week at my parents' house.  While we were there (actually, our main purpose for the trip), my husband and I prepared a birthday celebration for T...for our extended family.  The party was held on Saturday, August 24th, at my parents' house.

I'll post all of the party details as soon as I get a chance.  In the meantime, here's one photograph from the party to tide you over.  :D

Can you guess the theme of the party?  :)

Back-to-School Celebration

We had a family back-to-school celebration this evening.

Our menu:

• sloppy joes
• baked beans
• potato chips
• celery sticks
• carrot sticks
• ranch dip
• apple cupcakes
• back-to-school cookies

I made the sloppy joes from scratch, in the crock-pot.  The baked beans are from a jar (B&M brand).

The celery sticks are in a small tin pail with an apples design.  The carrots are in a small tin pail with a pencils design.  (I think I purchased the pails at Wal-Mart.)

For letter Aa - apple, I made cupcakes to look like apples.

I used a pretzel stick for the stem.  For the leaf, I used a rolling pin to flatten a Jolly Rancher green apple-flavored fruit chew; then, I cut it with a leaf-shaped cutter.  The cupcakes are a yellow cake mix in red cupcake liners, with white frosting and red sugar.

I saw the idea for these cupcakes on at least three different sites:  Pirates & Princesses, Party Pinching, and Everyday Celebrating.

For letter Bb - bag, I put ziplock baggies of Lay's Baked! potato crisps in brown lunch bags.

For letter Cc - cookie, I baked Nestle Back to School Pals sugar cookies.

Here is a photo of the packaging for the cookies.  (I purchased these cookies at Wal-Mart.)

The inspiration for the decorations came from Party Pinching.  (Scroll down to the second back-to-school party, August 2011.)  I created the mini Aa-Bb-Cc posters using free clip art I found on the Internet.

The apple-themed printables I used (party circles and buffet table cards) were designed by Krysten at Clickable Party for Catch My Party.

T was absolutely thrilled...and asked me to take his picture in front of the party table! :)

Yo Gabba Gabba Party

After T's papa got home from work, we had our own little threesome party.  First, we went out for pizza...another of T's favorite foods.  Then...the real party started!  ;o)

Presents!

T opened his card.

T opened a present.

He really liked it.  :)

Cake!

We lit the 12 candles on T's cake.  We almost could roast marshmallows over that small bonfire!

T was so serious while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

As soon as we finished singing...almost before!...he blew out his candles.  He was ready!!

It was lots of fun for all of us.  :)

The cake toppers are puppets I printed, cut out, laminated, and taped to balloon sticks.  The other cake decorations are the same, just "attached" to the cake with icing.

Graduation Drop-In

On Saturday afternoon, my husband's brother and sister-in-law hosted a drop-in for their older daughter who will be graduating from high school in a week or so.

The graduate

There were all kinds of goodies!

I thought these graduation caps were cute.

~So pleased!  :)

The graduate with her family and her grandparents

Graduation Party

Yesterday, my nephew graduated from Clemson University.

My brother and sister-in-law had a family get-together this afternoon in recognition of their son's achievement.

In true Tiger spirit, my brother painted this on their driveway.

My husband and T worked on a Tiger paw print of their own!

Someone didn't care for chalk dust on his fingers!

Here is the graduate, grilling fish for tacos.

T and his papa certainly enjoyed the party!

Here is the chef at work...my sister-in-law's brother.

~A masterpiece!

~Another masterpiece!  These are only two of many.  :)

~A proud daddy...my brother and nephew.

This is only some of the yummy spread!

T is befriending the family dog.

~The handsome family.

~The entire family...can't forget the dogs, you know!  ;o)

Last (but definitely not least!), the dessert.