Menu
0
0

Category: party

Confetti Dots Birthday Party

posted in crafts, diy, family, kids, money saving tips, party, sewing by Hanna on
There is NO shortage of cute parties that can be found scowering Pinterest so naturally I was having no problem finding ideas while planing one for my girl’s birthdays. However, when push came to shove I just couldn’t find something that was going to be easy, flexible and not over the top; meaning in money and time. Also since the girls are still so young I wanted to have a party for family and close friends to come celebrate with us so like Sara’s it needed to work for all ages.
My inspiration for this party finally came as I was wondering around Target and found some confetti, paper pails in the dollars section. I loved the idea of confetti dots and also the color scheme of the pails. So I grabbed a couple of those pails and ran with it, continuing on to the party section to grab balloons, paper lanterns and plastic table clothes. I walked out of Target with my party theme and most of the decorations for around $20. Thank you Target!
What I was able to learn from this experience is to not rely TOO heavily on things like Pinterest for my ideas and let the things around me by my inspirations. As a perfectionist, it became so much easier for me to create something new instead of trying to duplicate something someone else already did perfectly.
The invitations for this party were completely free as I made them myself on the computer and printed them from home on cardstock I already had. It also helped that we weren’t inviting that many people. I always prefer to have smaller and more intimate parties rather than huge friend parties for birthday’s which not only saves on the costs but makes for a little more meaningful and relaxing party.
 
As Sara mentioned in her post, I made this confetti dot, birthday banner for us to use for our party decorations. If you missed it you can download it HERE.
For the menu I wanted something that my girls really liked so of course we had Mac and Cheese; an all around kids favorite. However, since there were going to be mostly adults I put a “grown-up” twist on it and did a Mac and Cheese bar with different mix-ins. I used THIS recipe from Paula Dean but left out the eggs like most reviews suggested. It was a big hit with everyone young and old at the party! A Mac and cheese bar is also a meal that is very affordable and easy when feeding a crowd of people.
For dessert we had to have cupcakes since that’s all my daughter kept asking for whenever I asked what she wanted for her birthday. I made Strawberry Confetti cupcakes following THIS cake recipe by Heather Baird on her blog Sprinkle Bakes.
After stressing about the party and wanting it to look and go perfect, in the end I decided to just enjoy it and the people who came to share in the girl’s special day. So even though I couldn’t hold my party outside as planned and I didn’t get everything set up in just the right way I wanted I think it’s safe to say fun was had by all!
Lastly, if you’re wondering where I got Mia’s blue and white striped dress, I made it using the Sweet Simple Dress pattern by Allison at Freshly Completed. If you’re wanting to make a fun, summer dress for your little one then I HIGHLY suggest using this pattern. It only took a few hours to make, was super easy to follow and I’m just in love with how it turned out.
So here’s to a coming year with an adventurous 1 year old and a strong willed 3 year old. Should be fun…or at least interesting! Advice on how to survive these wonderful ages is always welcome. 🙂
Linked to:
http://theblissfulbee.com/work-it-wednesday-no-45/
http://www.tinysidekick.com/makers-link-party-15/
http://bloomdesignsonline.com/2014/05/link-party-71.html
http://craftdictator.com/2014/05/01/craft-frenzy-friday-37/
http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2014/05/friday-link-party-65.html
http://www.thecraftedsparrow.com/2014/05/creative-collection-link-party.html

Donut Miss This Party!

posted in family, food, friends, money saving tips, party, printable, recipe by Sara on
Hello again! As I’m sure many of you can relate to, life have been a bit busy…then again when is it not?! In the mist of all the working, blogging, and family time I got a little behind with some of my other responsibilities. There were heaps of laundry everywhere, the house needed a major cleaning, the fridge needed to be restocked, and I was literally running on fumes. I wish I was one of those super moms who could balance life perfectly and get it all done, but I am simply not one of  them. In fact, balancing life is quite a struggle for me. I sometimes get to the point where life is so out of balance that I need to step back, re-group, get organized, relax, and start again. Unfortunately, last week was one of those weeks. I wish I could say  that I’ve come back with all the answers on how to live a balanced life, but to be honest I’m not sure I will ever have all the answers. It is something that I strive to work at everyday; some days I succeed, and other days I fail completely. Such is the game of life I guess. Tomorrow is always a new day and a new beginning. As for today, I feel refreshed and so happy to be back!
During our week away, both Hanna’s daughters and my daughter all had birthdays! These little girls are growing up so fast! My little Addie turned 2, and I’m still besides myself at when my baby girl became a toddler! As you may remember from the Picnic Themed Birthday Party post I wrote several weeks ago, we’re not big birthday people. Growing up we always had quiet birthday dinners with our family, and while we still like to keep things simple, you know how we love to throw parties! So, this week we will be showing you some ideas on how to throw an inexpensive birthday party while still wowing your guests and making your child’s birthday special. 
While my daughter is still very small, I like to choose party themes that will entertain guests of all ages. This year I decided to go with an adorable donut themed party. Originally I had planned to have this cute little party at the park, but sadly due to a rainy forecast we were forced to move it inside at the last minute. With the last minute changes I didn’t have much time to plan out or decorate the new space, but in the end it didn’t really matter and every one seemed to have a good time… the birthday girl included! Any excuse to play with friends and eat yummy treats and my daughter is totally there!
As you can see, I tried to keep things fairly simple. Here is a tip: when doing a party on a budget, be sure to check out your local dollar stores and party discount stores for all your paper products and party decorations. That is where I bought 95% of my decorations, plates, cups, napkins, etc. The adorable striped straws I found at Target for $2.99 for a pack of 20. Sometimes Target will also have some cute party stuff in there dollar section. I was also able to find some darling donut printables from Oh Happy Day and Confetti Sunshine. Not only where they a perfect addition to the party, but they are completely free! You’ll definitely want to check these out!
As for the food budget, I didn’t have $50 to spend on six dozen donuts so I decided to “make” them myself for half the price. By “make”, I mean fry. I simply took the Pillsbury Grand Buttermilk Biscuits, punched a hole in the middle of each biscuit, and then fried them in a pan of oil. Within minutes you have yourself a perfectly golden brown, delicious donut. After letting the donuts cool for a bit, I frosted them with homemade cream cheese frosting. For the cinnamon and sugar coated donuts you’ll want to toss the donuts in the cinnamon sugar when they are still hot. 
Here is what I  used for the frosting:
Basic Cream Cheese Frosting
4oz brick cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup butter (softened)
2-3 Tbsp milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbs vanilla
Added flavors:
Chocolate: add 2-3 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder, plus an addition 2-3 Tbsp of milk
Strawberry: blend in 1/4 cup of freshly sliced strawberries
Maple: add 2-3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup
Lastly, I topped off my donuts with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, and almond slices.
To tie our two parties together, Hanna created this fun confetti dot banner. I mean seriously, what birthday party is complete without confetti?! You’ll see how Hanna used the banner in her party theme on Wednesday. If you love it as much as we do, we’ve created a FREE downloadable version below!
(click the text to download)
 Overall, I spent under $75 in total on the party. $30 was spent on the decorations and paper products, and the rest went toward the food budget. After it was all said and done, here are some tips to take away when planning a birthday party on a budget:
  • Shop at you local dollar store or discount party store when looking for decorations or paper products
  • Search your house for items you can re-purpose or use as decorations
  • Ask friends to borrow certain items you do not have instead of buying them
  • Search for free printables online or design your invites/banners yourself
  • Keep things simple (this will make your life and your budget a lot happier) 
  • Plan ahead, and shop sales!
While not everything went completely as planned, it was a great party celebrating a special little girl. While we are still fairly new-comers to the area, I felt blessed by the number of our new friends who came to celebrate with us.

Link’n Blogs Linky Party {#20}

posted in baby, blogging, crafts, diy, family, food, health, holidays, inspiration, kids, lifestyle, marriage, motherhood, organization, parenting, party, recipe, sewing, thrifted, tutorial by Sara on
Today we’re honored to be guest hosting the Link’n Blogs linky party brought to you by Put a Bird On It. This is our first time ever “hosting” a linky party and we couldn’t be more excited to share with you the inspiration and talent of so many wonderful bloggers! It is actually through linky parties that we have come across some of our favorite blogs and have connected with some amazing people. With that being said, we invite you all to share, connect, inspire, and be inspired yourself!

Welcome to Link’n Blogs {#20} !
A place to link up your projects and make new friends. We are all about visiting links and following new bloggers here at Link’n Blogs. Remember to leave comments and PIN PIN PIN!
Cause sharing is caring. 


**Your links will show up on ALL blogs hosting the link party!**

Interested in guest hosting Link’n Blogs?!
I’ve created a spreadsheet where you can sign up to host a link party! It’s a great way to get to know other bloggers, share a recent post with other party goers and pick the features. Sign up using the link below!

Grab my party button! 
 



*Feel free to post my party button on your blog and say you linked up here!*



I am sharing a feature I did on Warby Parker collaborating with Architecture for Humanity. It’s a good company working towards a good cause!

Warby Parker + Architecture for Humanity






Katelyn is sharing a DELISH recipe for a spin on cheesy pasta. This looks so good! I love that it has bacon in it. Everything is better with bacon!



Be sure to give some love to our guest hosts – you will love their creative blogs!



These two girls have one of the cutest blogs! You’ve got to check out the Pinterest challenge they’re doing. Today, Hanna and Sara are sharing some divine cinnamon rolls – with a twist!






Chastity has a fun lifestyle blog and is momma to an adorable little cowboy! Today, she is sharing a heart filled printable perfect for the upcoming Easter holiday. I love it!





Carolyn’s blog is all about her life as a stay at home mom to her two daughters {which she never thought she’d be!}. And her post this week is about just that.




Here are this week’s features:

My Pick

DIY Felt Flower Headbands by Maddie Moe’s




Katelyn’s Pick

DIY Stenciled Tray by Life in Velvet



Hanna and Sara’s Pick

DIY Geometric Photo Display by The Caldwell Project



Chastity’s Pick

Picnic Basket Tutorial by Over the Apple Tree



Carolyn’s Pick

Bacon, Egg and Avocado Sandwich by Belle of the Kitchen


Fan Favorites


Reversible Easter/Spring Wood Blocks by Something Splendid



Pantry Makeover by View from the Fridge




I know the bloggers featured would love if you would visit their posts and say hello!

All features will be pinned to my Link’n Blogs board. Follow it here!



Follow my blog! If you want to receive an email reminding you about the link party, leave your email when adding your link.
Link to your blog post — not just your blog.
Share the love! Visit the other links and say who sent you.
If you enjoy a link, you can LIKE it {new feature!}
Adding your link gives me permission to feature you on my blog. 
Grab my party button! – See more at: http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2013/12/diy-christmas-scriptures-advent.html#sthash.mPINNYsH.dpuf
Ok, here are the guidelines for the link party:  


Follow your HOSTS and GUEST HOSTS

If you want to receive an email reminding you about the link party, leave your email when adding your link

Link to your blog post — not just your blog.

Share the love! Visit the other links and say who sent you

Adding your link gives me permission to feature you on my blog
Share this link party on social media to help Link’n Blogs grow!

*Don’t be a LINK & RUN partier. Visit a couple links before you and a couple after!*


Happy Linking!

Leave a permalink on your blog back to the party to help our party grow!
*here is the link*
http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/04/linkn-blogs-20.html


 

**********************************************


I monitor each link and may delete a link if it is not something I want to promote on my blog. If you see your link was deleted, please email me. I’d be happy to chat about why! Thanks! 

**********************************************

Picnic Themed Birthday Party

posted in crafts, diy, family, food, holidays, inspiration, kids, party by Hanna on
It is officially spring (as of March 20th) which for me marks the beginning of shorts, sandals, vacations, and birthday celebrations. Ironically enough, my daughter and both of Hanna’s girls all have birthdays in April about one week apart. 
Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots
Last year, instead of throwing two separate parties (little Livy was not yet born) Hanna and I decided to combined our girl’s birthday parties. Growing up, we never really had big elaborate birthday parties where we invited all our friends. Instead, my mom would make whatever we wanted for dinner and dessert and we’d celebrate our birthday with our family. However, this is not to say that we don’t enjoy throwing a good party. In fact, since Hanna and I have started our own families, throwing fun little parties together have become one of our favorite hobbies.

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

We wanted to keep things simple, yet provide a fun environment for our family and friends while creating a sweet memory for our little girls. We finally decided on a casual picnic themed birthday party at the park. Minus the unexpected chilly weather, we managed to pull off a fun party for all ages on a small budget of just $100. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Since the food took up the majority of our budget, we looked for inexpensive packaging ideas and decorations. Instead of purchasing “to-go” boxes, which can end up costing a lot of money, we bought simple brown paper sacks and then printed a cute little banner on them. All the sandwiches  were wrapped in wax paper and this cute pink checkered tissue paper that we found at Walmart for $3. The fruit cups were packaged in cheap plastic cups and then topped with saran wrap and baker’s twine. Finally, all the different sack lunch items got a colorful label that we made with scrapbook paper. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

For the decorations, we used some balloons I had leftover from my baby shower a year earlier and then we made some matching ruffled streamers. Here is a great tutorial from “Dana Made It” on how to make ruffled streamers– so cute! All the baskets and flowers were things that we had at home. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Great parties do not have to mean spending a lot of money. Try and look for areas where you can cut back or make simpler. Find things around your house, friends or family’s homes, or at second hand stores that can be reused for party decorations.  And last but not least, have a good time. What truly makes a good party is the people that you celebrate it with. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots
Honestly, this party seemed like it was just the other day. I can’t believe it has been almost a year later and that I’m already planning out birthday #2 for my daughter. Sadly, this year will not be a combined party since Hanna and I live much farther apart; however, we did manage to come up with the same birthday party theme for our girls. I guess great minds really do think alike… or maybe it’s our crazy twin connection. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this picnic party flashback! And for all you “go-doers” out there, I’ve also gathered up some more fabulous picnic party ideas and inspiration shown below:
Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Popsicle Picnic Party | Little Lovely
Boxed Lunch Picnic Party | All Things Heart and Home
Fabric Tent | Inspiration via Pinterest