Newspaper flip flops
I found this in a magazine and held onto it:
1. Spread out a sheet of 22″x27″ newspaper. Beginning at one corner, make a 3/4″ fold. Continue folding the entire sheet until you have one long strip. Tape the center down and fold both ends inward about an inch; tape them closed. make several strips (about 10 for an adult size)
2. Measure the length of the child’s foot in inches and divide that number in half. Mark the amount on one of the strips and make your first fold at that point. Continue folding as in the photo. Tape a second strip to the end of the first strip. FOld and tape until the sandal is the desired size.
3. Cut two 12 inch lengths from one of the folded strips. Place one of these strips over the top of the sandal and insert ends into the sandal base to make the strap. Slip the child’s foot under the strap to determine how tight you want it to be. Then tape strap ends together on the underside trim. Slide taped end into the side of the sandal so that it’s not exposed. Make second sandal.
4. Decorate sandals with glued on ribbon. You can glue ribbon around the edges of the flip flops too.
Add a comment March 11, 2008
Beach Themed party
It is so hard to have a at home birthday party in the cold weather. Two of my kids are born in Feb. & March so we don’t have the option to have pony rides, rent a moon bounce or let the kids run around outside.
Send beach invitations out with flip flops on them, surfboards etc. Invite your party guests to wear flip flops, sandles or a summer outfit.
Play party games: limbo, pinata, do a summer craft (make newspaper flip flops – the directions are under the craft catagory)
Ideas for prizes : sunglasses, maraccas, tattoos
Decorations: palm trees, flamingos, suns, flip flops, surfboards(real ones if you have them)
Play summer music
Food: fruit kabobs, cook hot dogs on the grill, make sno cones with snoopy sno cone (can be messy depending on the age)
When your party guests arrive give them a grass skirt and a lei. Put their drinks in plastic coconut cups with straws or you could put the paper umbrellas in their drinks.
Add a comment March 10, 2008
Rock Star Party (Hannah Montana)
No one’s more popular these days then Hannah Montana!! If you want to have a birthday party at home try the rock star theme!!
There are so many great ideas that you can do at home instead of paying the high prices of places to do hair and makeup.
Have stars leading up to your door with the party guests names on them like Hollywood blvd. The girls will love this!! When they arrive at the door treat them like a movie star. Take their coat, bring them into a room to put some dress up on over their clothes or maybe just do sunglasses, big chunky jewelry and some purses. After they’re done in this room take them into the next room for their makeover!Try to have enough chairs so they all get their own seat. If they’re around a table then have everything set up for their manicure or makeover. I suggest that the adults apply the makeup and nail polish. After each girl has had a turn with getting their makeup done. Do a funky hairstyle on each one.
When their makeovers are complete get the music started and have a fashion show or a concert!!
Another great idea is hand out awards for their fashion show or concert! This theme can also work well for an American Idol party!!
As always you can do a pinata. Another fun idea is to have the birthday girl leave the room and the guests have to answer questions about different items she had on. Who ever gets the most right wins a prize.
Food ideas: Keep it simple pizza is always easy, soft pretzels, fruit tray, cut up hoagies. Instead of a cake do cupcakes with funky icing and sprinkles. Try creme puffs and mini eclairs (can be bought at your local grocery store)
Through out the party take lots of pictures and send them one in their thank you notes!! The girls will love this!!
All of this is very inexpensive to do and will be a lot of fun!
Add a comment February 27, 2008
Dora Party
Whether you have a kids birthday party at home or at a retail location it can be very expensive.
Here are some party ideas for different party themes.
Dora the Explorer:
When my daughter was 4 we had a Dora party for her at our house. Since the party was in February any outside activities were not going to work. The first thing we did was create the invitations. We got white paper and drew out a map to our house. (See image below) We rolled up the invitations and tied them with ribbon. The kids loved this idea!!
When the kids arrived at the party they were handed a new map and were told that they needed to help find the treasure. On the doors leading into the playroom I hung big trees and called it spooky forest. That was their first stop on the map. Inside they found a pin the tail on Boots. Each child got a turn and after they were done they got a straw safari type hat. On to the next stop on the map…. Butterfly Mountain. I got 2 posterboards and hung them off of my stair railing. In my dining room I threw paper butterflys that I made all over the floor. The kids had to pick up the butterflys and using glue sticks glued them to the posterboard. Once they were all off of the floor each child got a Dora tattoo. Next stop on the map Crocodile lake… This took them to the kitchen where I had a baby pool set up with 3 crocodiles in it. I made the crocodiles out of soda bottles and stood them up in the pool. Each child got a turn throwing 3 balls at the crocodiles. After they were done they got a toy magnifine glass. Next spot was to crawl through a tunnel I had set up in the family room. On the other side of the tunnel was the treasure chest. (a drink cooler covered in brown paper to make it look like a treasure chest). When they opened it they found 8 Dora backpacks in there with nametags on all of them. This idea was a huge hit!!! After they had lunch we did the pinata and they filled up their Dora backpacks with the candy they collected!!
When the kids left the party we handed out a CD with a mix of Dora songs.
Add a comment February 25, 2008
