Buggy Birthday Party

This party was lots of fun-- the invites are baby food jars. I spray painted the lids, poked "air holes" in them, and then added gummy worms shredded paper and the party details inside. The stamps used on all of the projects shown are from Stampin' UP! Instead of party hats, all of the kids had antennae, and since they were all three years old or younger, we kept the activites simple. We put large plastic bugs in the back yard and they all hunted for them and put them in their bug houses.

Cooking Up A Mini Chef's Birthday Party

Don't you feel like this is the time of year that every weekend is booked with a different kid's birthday party?? I thought this would be a good time to share my oldest's party invitation from last year. Last year it was all about pretend cooking! He even dressed as a chef for Halloween-- so it was only appropriate that we "cook up" something chef themed for his party. I made cupcake picks from a chef's hat die I have and he has on a birthday button featuring the same chef's hat. Each child received a real spatula and fabric chef's hat with their name embroidered on it as a party favor. Each favor had a tag with a die cut apron, spatula and spoon on it. The Happy Birthday banner had the same aprons and spatulas on each letter. All of the snacks were served out of my kitchen gadgets, pots and pans. I put ice and yogurt tubes in the mixing bowl of my stand mixer, the cupcakes were on my baking racks, carrot sticks and dip in a muffin tin, party favors in a big pot, etc.

This supply list is for all of the projects combined:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! (Voila)

Dies: Sizzix (Chef's Hat), Cuttlebug (Numbers), Quickutz (Apron, Tools)

Paper: Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, Basic Black, Barely Banana, Green Galore, Sahara Sand)

Target Dollar Spot (patterned paper used for the number 5)

Ink: Stampin' Up! (Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Blush Blossom)

Ribbons: Michael's (Black & White Plaid), PaperMart (White with Black Dots), Stampin' Up! (Black Grosgrain)

I Shall Call Them Buttons

These "buttons" were created out of necessity for one of my best friends at her shower. She wanted the Grandmas and Aunts to feel special at the shower, so I made "Grandma to Be" and "Auntie to Be" buttons for them, and of course a super-special "Mommy to Be" one as a surprise. The rest of these have been by request and I keep some made for baby shower emergencies! I have also branched out into birthday buttons. They're fun to make and acid free, so the pin can be popped off and the whole thing can go into a scrapbook after the big event.

Dies: Cuttlebug, Cuttlekids, Cricut (Celebrations)

Cardstock: All solids from Stampin' Up!