Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful, safe and happy new year this year.

On the other hand, I seem to have a "bad rap" with New Years...

2011 Began with me having surgery.

End of 2011/begining of 2012 - my husband and I came down with a horrible stomach virus.

End of 2012/ beginning of 2013 we lost of a dear loved one, and I was sick with a sinus infection and lost my voice for nearly a week.

The new year is a time to be "starting fresh" or "starting over", isn't it? It seems to me that the final week of December through the first week in January is the worst time of year for my family and I. 

I'm hoping to turn this year around, and get it back on track to be "MY year". A year for good and positive changes and events.

So, to start getting rid of the bad mojo that this year has begun with, I compiled a list of all of the blogs/parties/magazines that my Origami has been featured in.

I am so thankful and happy that I was able to work with each and every one of these amazing bloggers and party planners. They are all incredible in their own way, and have worked so hard to get to where they are now. It was an absolute pleasure to work with each and every one of them. Thank you so much to all!

If you haven't seen one/any of these posts before, you absolutely HAVE to check them out. The details are incredible, and nothing was missed from ANY of them!

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Love you to the Moon Baby Shower

By: Pen and Paper Flowers

Featuring: Custom printed lucky stars

Blog Post:

http://www.pnpflowersinc.com/2011/01/love-you-to-moon-baby-shower.html

(Party was also featured on Amy Atlas Events):

 http://blog.amyatlas.com/2010/12/over-the-moon-guest-feature/) 

Pen and Paper Flowers has also featured my Lucky Stars and Fortune cookies, which were made from a set of Designer Paper that she herself made:

http://www.pnpflowersinc.com/2011/01/sweet-treat-origami-delights.html

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Abracadabra ~ A Magic Party

By: The Party Wagon

Featuring: Lucky Stars and Star Balls

Blog Post:

http://party-wagon.com/childrens-party-blog/2011/10/25/abracadabra-a-magic-party.html

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Boat Party ~ Sailor Party

By: The Party Wagon

Featuring: Origami Boats

Blog Post:

http://party-wagon.com/childrens-party-blog/2012/11/12/boat-party-sailor-party.html

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Superhero Party

By: Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line

Featuring: Custom Printed Lucky Stars

Blog Post:

http://bugger-dixonline.blogspot.com/2011/06/super-j-party.html

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A Lorax Inspired Giveaway

By: Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line

Featuring: Seed Bombs

Blog Post:

http://bugger-dixonline.blogspot.com/2012/03/lorax-inspired-giveaway-origami.html

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Rollerskate Party

By: Crossing the Bugger Dixon Line

Featuring: Large and Small Flower Balls

Blog Post:

http://bugger-dixonline.blogspot.com/2012/08/roller-skate-party-full-party-post.html

(Party featured in Bird's Party Magazine):

http://www.blog.birdsparty.com/2012/08/birds-party-magazine-fall-2012-issue-6.html#.UOwyFm9ZVv4

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Superhero Party 

By: A Little Tipsy

Featuring: Custom Printed Lucky Stars

Blog Post:

http://www.alittletipsy.com/2011/12/super-hero-squad-party-decor.html

(This party was also featured on her local T.V. Station!):

http://www.alittletipsy.com/2011/12/its-here-its-live-its-meon-tv.html

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Fall Festival Photoshoot and Giveaway

By: Violet's Buds

Featuring: Spiral Paper Flowers and Lucky Star Garland

Blog Post:

http://violetsbuds.blogspot.com/2012/10/fall-festival-giveaway.html

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I do so hope you head over and check out the details from each one. 

They are all incredibly amazing and so much work was put into each and every party and feature.

Share the love :)

Day 19: 30 Days of Thanks Giveaway!!

I know there are many readers out there that are party fanatics.

 

How about a beautiful, re-usable party pendant banner??

 



These party pendants from 2STARart would be a great addition to party decor in nearly any and every color scheme, celebration or event!

 

 

They are perfect for adding a touch of fun and color to any party :)

 

Use the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter for YOUR chance to win!

 

Not entering but still want contact info? You can find 2STARart here:

Etsy Shop

Facebook

PLEASE NOTE: Entries are limited to residents of the US only. The Rafflecopter tool does not have a filter and therefore WILL allow you to enter even if you are outside the US, but to be fair on shipping costs to all of the sponsors, only those within the US will be eligble to claim the prizes

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember: some important notes and quick reminders about the giveaway (these reminders wil be posted each day of the giveaway!):

1) Each entry that you earn with be checked for accuracy. Please do not say you following a blog, made a purchase from a shop, like a page, etc. if you in fact did not. If you are caught cheating, you will be automatically disqualified from the ENTIRE giveaway, not just the one day.

2) Whether you win or not, please take a moment to say "thank you" to the sponsors. Each sponsor took their own time and resources to provide us with the opportunity to have this wonderful giveaway. No sponsors = no prizes = no Giveaway.

It only takes a moment to pop into their shop or FB page to say Thank You.

Please do.

 

3) You may enter on as many or as few days as you wish. Yes, that means you or someone else may win on more than one day, and that is absolutely A-O.K. Also, sponsors may enter only on days that their item is NOT being featured. (aka, don't enter for your own item). Might seem silly, but it's a good reminder, trust me ;)

4) Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize. If not claimed after 48 hours a new winner will be drawn for that days prize.

5) Have fun and Good Luck!!

Rainbow Art Party!!

I love arts and crafts (obviously!) and I love everything rainbow. I don't know why....maybe because it's so bright and cheery it makes it hard to be in a bad mood or maybe just because it's so fun.

 

Either way, I was super excited for my neice's 6th birthday party this year:

 a Rainbow themed Art Party, YAY!!!!!

 

A hand-made rainbow, speckled banner welcomed guests to the party.

 

The party was held outside so that messes could be made and fun could be had without ruining carpeting, furniture and everything in the house (smart idea!). This also gave the kids the chance to stay busy while playing on the playset or jumping on the trampoline in between activities.

 

To start, each kid at the party was given a personalized art smock to protect their clothes. My sister decorated each one with the child's name, and some fun themes based on what each kid liked. You'll see them throughout the pictures :)

 

The first activity of the day was Bubble Painting.

 

 

 This activity was simple enough that none of the kids had any problems doing it (except when the wind blew over one of the cups and made a really big mess...but that's why we were outside anyway, right?).

 

It was a simple mix of dish soap, paint and a little water to make it bubbly. Then the kids blew in the straws to make bubbles, and then laid the canvas on top of the bubbles, leaving behind a fun bubble pattern on each one.

(Each kid had one straw that they used in any and all colors, so there was no exchanging of germs.)

 

No two were anywhere near alike, and the kids loved being able to pick and choose their colors as they went along.

 

 

Next, the kids moved on to making their own masterpeices with Free-Painting.

 

Each child had their own foam posterboard (regular size, 20x30), paint pallette full of paint, picked out their own brushes, then went ahead with letting out their inner Van-Gogh.

 

Emily is a fan of spreading peace.

 

Tim started out trying for the Splatter Effect.

 

And even the youngest in attendance got to participate and enjoy some painting fun.

 

 

After all that painting, the kids took a short break to get some snacks and bounce on the trampoline (not at the same time, of course! ) while they waited for their next activity to be set up.

 

Food was kept just inside the enclosed porch to protect from bugs and wind, and included lots of fun rainbow foods (all made by my sister!):

 

Rice-Krispie Treat Paint Brushes

Rainbow -Frosted Chocolate "Pop-Tarts"

Rainbow Veggie and Fruit Platters

Paint-Your-Popcorn Station (with edible food "paints"!)

 

AND

Fresh-baked Rainbow Bread to make simple, cold-cut sandwiches extra fun!

 



 

Next, it was time to move on to CRAYON MELTS!

 

These were my personal favorite because I have been wanting to try them for SOOOO long and have never just had the time/supplies to do so.

 

To make it easier and to ensure she had enough supplies, my sister purchased a "teachers box" of 800 crayons, and ordered 8x8 stretched canvases for each child. They were the perfect size for each kid to pick as many or as few colors as they wanted, and to hang in their room (or wherever) once they took it home.

 

As each child arrived, they were asked what colors they wanted their crayons to be, and the birthday girls' other aunt was awesome enough to take notes, and then glue the crayons onto the canvases for everyone. (If you are running on a time frame, this is very time consuming, so you may want to ask each child as the RSVP comes in, and you can glue the crayons on before hand.)

 

Don't let that scare you away though, because the result of the crayon melts was AWESOME. The kids were SO excited to sit and watch as their own personal melt was melted (by an adult!) and it was around this time when the kids were saying that this was the "Best party EVER!"

 

Watching intently as the crayons become art.

 

I love the ever-changing look of these as they go....

 

 

 

The last activity of the day was just as fun and messy as everything else: Noisemaker Painting.

 

 It is exactly what it sounds like - painting with noisy party noisemakers!

 

Pallettes filled with paint were set out and each child was given a noisemaker (or two, or three, depending on how long each one lasted once it got paint on it...)

 

The child then blew the noisemaker out, dipped the end of it in the paint, and made all kinds of noise as they splattered their papers with paint.

 

The birthday girl working on her painting.

 

Tim went for the "one arm behind my back" technique for a while.

 

Lauren was very proud of her noisemaker painting.

 

 

This one was one of my favorites, made by my neice Sam.

 

Goodie time!

 

Instead of a pinata (which we are always cringing and praying someone doesn't get hurt, or that everyone is happy with the amount of goodies they get once it breaks), I pointed my sister to  this idea: a prize punch box (idea found originally on Pinterest, from this blog).

 

She altered it to fit her rainbow art party theme, and filled each hole with either an art themed prize, or a popsicle stick with a number on it, that correlated to a prize inside the house (because the prizes were actually too big to fit in the holes, but that was a genius idea to fix the problem).

 

 

Prizes included oil pastels, paint-by-number sets, modeling clay, chalk, suncatchers, design-your-own puzzles, color-your-own paddle balls and more. Most of them were from the $1.00 bins at the local craft store so it was very cost effective, and the kids enjoyed all the prizes (each child got to go 3 times).

 

Lastly, after all the party fun and goodies were done, it was time for cake and presents.

 

The cake was an amazing Rainbow Splattered Cake, topped with rainbow-flamed candles.

 

From the back to show off the splatters and rainbow flames (hence the backward 6).

 

And, SURPRISE! Even the inside was Rainbow!!!!

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Claire!!!

 

 

 

 

Still here!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I am still here, and still super busy, which is the reason for the lack of updates.

Even though the "busy-ness" is still in full swing, I wanted to take a moment and hop on quick for a super exciting update :)

I recently had the chance to work again with a super sweet lady named Jenny from Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line. She  is incredibly talented and so amazing to work with.

She designed  a Roller Skate Party that was featured in the most recent issue of Bird's Party Magazine (and this is not the first time she has been in the magazine!)

Now, some of you may have never heard of Bird's Party Magazine, but you should DEFINITELY have it on your favorites list!

These are what I sent her:

You'll have to head over to the digital copy of the magazine (it's free to read!) to see the final result and how she used them though :)

There are TONS of great parties, goodies and fun in the 140 page issue, but be sure to spend some extra time on pages 18-23 :)

http://issuu.com/birdsparty/docs/bird_s_party_magazine_-_fall_2012__issue_6

Enjoy, and have a great week everyone!