Fashionista Party Dress Box Favor with Sizzix - Video Tutorial

It's that time of year again!

The Mini Diva is turning the BIG 1-0!  Double digits ya'll!!!!  I don't know whether to clap or cry!   
This year, we're getting geared up for her FASHIONISTA themed birthday party and I'll be sharing a series of videos with you full of ideas on all the fun elements we're incorporating into her fancy celebration. 

I also have some exciting news! I've partnered up with Sizzix and am sharing how to use their eClips 2 cutting machine to make all party decor for her big day!

Here's the first video in the FASHIONISTA party series - an adorable Party Dress favor box!

Can ya believe that was my first every video tutorial?!!!  How'd I do?  This was also my first time working with the Sizzix eClips 2 Electronic Cutter and I fell absolutely in love with it and the eCal Software (essentially Sure Cuts a Lot) that you use to create and setup all your images. 

I have other cutting machines and I must say, that this machine superseded my expectations by leaps and bounds.  Dare I say, I'm in LOVE with it?  The precision of the cuts are amazing, the software itself is so intuitive, so much so, that it didn't take me much time to figure out how to use many of the features. Now, if you don't own a cutting machine, don't fret!  You can use the ideas I'm sharing and find a way that best works for your own party! 

I'll be sharing lots more on the Sizzix eClips 2 Electronic Cutter and more ideas for hosting a super fab FASHIONISTA party!



I was provided with Sizzix Products to review for this post - all opinions are fully my own.

{Happy Customers} Pink, Yellow & Grey Whale Themed 1st Birthday

Last week I shared a cute Etsy customer photo with you of her daughter sporting a Birthday Girl party hat from my Whale of a Time Party Kit. The customer, Esther (an absolute gem of a client) wanted the colors changed and it went from me changing the invite to re-working the whole set. I loved the colors and am soooo happy with how everything turned out. She was kind enough to share more photos from the party!

A pennant banner for Miss Jalya!

A fun timeline photo banner of Jayla's first twelve months.  I used my Cricut to create the Whales and letters - this was such a fun project to work on.

A beautiful Wishing Tree was displayed for guests to write their wishes for Jayla!

Jayla's cake - with a fondant topper created to look like the whale in the party set - CUTE!

I love using scalloped cupcake toppers for little girl parties - just darling!

I love using colorful tags for party favors.  Esther sent guests home with #1 shaped sugar cookies - loved these.

Esther also wanted a high chair bunting.  I used smaller flags from the patterned paper I created for the set and added paper rosettes to them and topped the rosettes with party dots!

More gorgeous party details.....

Super adorable and fabulously girly - Miss Jayla - Happy Birthday!

I loved changing up this set for Esther & Jayla and wish them many more fabulous celebrations and wishes!

Photo Credits: DnA Wylie Photography 

 

Etsy Shop: Little Fire Man Photo Invitations

Here is a photo invitation that I designed to coordinate with the Fire Truck Collection that is in my Etsy shop.

There are three designs to choose from :

 Landscape

 Portrait

Star Border

 

They also come with a coordinating lined envelope:

The invitations can be purchased in my Etsy shop now.  Receive 10-50% off when you order 25 or more invitations.

Race Car & Elmo Inspiration Boards

So, here it is, I promised I'd post some of the inspiration for my next two parties. I know I said I'd do it last week, but for Pete's sake I was busy making party hats, cleaning up mud pies and tending to toddlers!

For the Race Car Party (above) my inspiration came from the cupcake I saw on roundaboutsleeves.com. I decided I'd go with a black, white & green theme and I might throw in some blue. The party is going to be at Chuck E. Cheese, so I'm limited as to all the decorating I'd like to do, but I know I can work it out. So far, I've got to make a candy cake centerpiece (more on that in a later post), cupcake picks, table bunting, party hats and the invitations. Since that party is more towards the end of the month, I am working on the Elmo party bit by bit.

So, here is the inspiration board for the Elmo Party:


When I was first (ahem) approached about making the decorations I remembered the Sesame Street party that was done over at Hostess With the Mostess and thought that I could do a lot with bright colors and patterns. From there, I thought about the invitations and figured that I could set up my own in home photo session and take some pictures of Little Chunkies and Baby Elmo. That's when I came up with a take on Elmo's World and instead we would have Elmo's Playground. I decided, I'd turn the back yard into a fun playground for the kids. This works out perfectly because the party is for a one-year old and the majority of kids are all under four. There won't be a need to play games or have a bunch of activities. Plus, it's a sure-fire way to tucker their little hynees out!

After I did the invitations - which I will post at a later date - it was on to the other items, such as the banner (click here for the sneak peak), hats, high chair bunting and so on and so forth.
There is so much more for me to do and I just keep coming up with new ideas everyday. I know at some point I will have to stop myself, but for now I'm still in insane mode. Pray for me.

Please see the links below for photo credits from the inspiration boards.

Race Car Pictures:
Card Invite: Daily Gnome
Balloons: Best Birthdays
Race Car Flags: Fun Party Supplies
Race car food: tasteofhome.com
Race Car Candy Cake: pamcake.com
Cupcake Sleeves Roundaboutsleeves.com

Elmo Pictures:
Balloons: (No photo credit available)
Polka Dot Fabric: dreamstime.com
Curling Ribbon: eHow.com (not sure of the exact article)
Elmo Candy Buffet: Madden Family Blog
Elmo Invitation: eHow article
Candy Tree, Elmo toy & candy, Izze Sodas: Hostess With the Mostess
Elmo Party Decorations: Garbonzobeenz blog - this blog has some really cute ideas on it if you enjoy scrapping

Little Chunkies and the Ickies!

So, this weekend was pretty much a bust! I didn't get much done in the way of my 'Wild Things' party. On Saturday, I did however, get to take pictures of my Little Chunkies, for his Baby Elmo 1st Bday party invitation. That was a lot of fun. I must say trying to get a 10 month-old baby's attention away from a lollipop and Elmo is a hard task. I was able to get a few good shots in there. When I finish the invite, I'll be sure to post it for you. Sunday was much less productive; I was feeling a little under the weather with a case of the ickies so, I took some (much deserved) time for myself and just took it easy.

My goal this week is to get the whole 'Wild Things' party collection complete and ready to display. I also signed up for an Etsy account. I plan to start selling my handmade party goods on there. Once I get that done, I'll be in Baby Elmo heaven. I've already warned my step-daughter, that I'm in party plan mode. I've found lots of cute ideas online and have come up with some unique ones myself. I'll be sure to post an inspiration board for both parties this week (pinky swear).

So, it's Monday and I'm back to the daily grind. If you didn't know, I have a full-time, grown-up job. One day, I might be able to say, 'Au voir!' to my day gig and work my party biz full time. That's my dream after all. In the meantime, I'll keep trying to make the world a happier place one cute cupcake and fabulous birthday party at a time!

First Birthdays!

Yesterday my daughter came to me and made a request for yet another, item on her Princess Party wish list for her birthday. After her request I reminded her that her birthday isn't until April and she will have to wait a long time for a lot of the 'really fun' things she wants for her party. I did tell her though, that it would not be a problem to make 'beautiful pink cupcakes with strawberries' in the very near future. So, this weekend, that is what I and the Mini Diva will be baking in the lab. Be sure to check back next week to see how that went.

Since both of my children have already celebrated their birthdays this year (the Mini Diva turned 4 and my son is 1), I thought I would share with you some of the fun I had decorating for both of their first birthdays.

I think the most favorite part of my daughter's 'Baby Diva' themed 1st birthday party was the adorable hot pink high chair swag and pink carpet that we rolled out just for her. At the time, she was just barely walking, but as Divas do, she sat plopped on her 'thrown' and munched on hors d’ oeurves the whole time. She ate it up (the attention - well, and the food too).

Here's a picture of the Diva in her high chair - swag and all:


I took a different approach for my son. It was around the time of his birthday when I decided I'd start my CWBD business. I was loving all the inspiration I was seeing on all the different blogs. Coming off the heels of my daughter's Dinosaur party I knew I didn't want a 'theme' for him, so I just kind of went with some fun neutral colors. I chose red, white & baby blue for the decorations I threw in some fun polka dot dangles, streamers and red balloons. A small gathering with just family were on the guest list with some light finger foods and cupcakes! It was perfect. Check out his spread:




Looking back at these pictures I am excited about what I did and what more I plan to do with my creativity. Above any party I do, the parties for my kids are by far the most fun and rewarding. A friend once told me that she thought I really threw the parties for myself, and the kids just get to participate. That is partly true. Either way, I say, thank God for my kids. They give me inspiration to create, imagine and make-believe. Without them, I wouldn't be able to begin to do what I love - and moreover have fun doing it with them and for them.

Here are a few more pictures from the kids'First Birthdays.


My 1st circle birthday banner - part of it, at least


Here is the other part of the banner with my son's name


Yummy cupcakes!


Birthday Diva's tablescape


Lots of fun pink & purple to go around


Take note of the hot pink carpet - fit for a true Mini Diva