My Daughter's 4th Birthday - A 5000 Peso Achievement! :)

The saying 'time flies' is not enough to encompass just how quick kids grow. I still remember how my little darling was just a babe I cradle in my arms while she sleeps like a little angel - now, I can't cradle her in my arms to get her to sleep, she's far too heavy for that and she doesn't want to be 'babied' anymore. :(

But, no matter how much of a 'big girl' she already feels, I'm still going to throw parties for her for as long as she wants them. They may not always be as grand or as 'pretty' as Mommy dreams them to be, but one thing's for sure, I'll always try to make them memorable.

This year, we were working on a very tight budget, and very little time. We were at odds on whether to throw a party or just go somewhere, and of course money matters weren't helping in making an early decision. So, what happened was we had to prepare a party in two days - two very short days for a DIY party at home!

We're Back and Talking about DIY Birthday Backdrops!

Aha! This blog is ALIIIIIVE!

I was thinking of going into some long winding apology about life and what kept me back from writing a post for the past three months - but well you know the drill - WAHMMY duties was what it was all about. :)

Anyyywaayyys, my daughter's fourth birthday party is just a couple of months away and I have done close to nothing. I bought her a birthday dress. Haha. Oh and I do have a theme and some printables already - it's going to be just an intimate house party (finally.). Due to budget constraints (big school's up for my little girl in June), everything is kinda a gray area right now as far as her party is concerned, but what I'm sure of is she can have a little celebration at home. So I thought, I'm going to give myself a challenge this year - I will plan the entire fab little celebration in two to three weeks at most. Can I do this? Hmmm, we'll find out by May.

In the meantime, as I lament my woes, I've gathered some awesome ideas for party backdrops from the web. For the past few year that I've been looking into kiddie party ideas in the Philippines, most backdrops I have seen were made of either a tarpaulin print-out or the more expensive styro set-up.

Christmas Party At Home - Why not? :)

'tis the season again - for gifts, shopping, and yes, PARTIES! :)

There's your company's annual Christmas party, your online group's Christmas get-together, your high school barkada's Christmas reunion, and your neighborhood's yearly Christmas party/charity drive... I'm sure your list of parties go on and on.

Now even with all the partying here and there, I'm sure you still want to plan a little something for the most important people on your Christmas list - your immediate family. :)

A Christmas party for your loved ones at home would be an awesome way of making this favorite holiday an even more unforgettable occasion. Here are five tips on how you can go about planning your 'in-home' Christmas party:

My Little Girl's 3rd Birthday Party DIYs - Part 2

My daughter turned three years old errrr, months ago, and started at daycare a month or so ago. :) She's a ball of energy, still a bit shy at times, but definitely less now than before.

Been looking at her first to 3rd birthday pictures just a few minutes ago, and I realized - HEY! I HAVEN'T DONE PART 2! So here you go, so sorry for the delay:

CUPCAKE TOWER 

The cake is considered as one of the 'main attractions' of a party. So I made sure that I also exert some extra  effort to make my K's cupcake tower special. I can't bake to save my life, so even if I wanted to also DIY the cakes and cupcakes, I just couldn't. :) 

So, I made do with designing the cupcake tower. I wanted to make it look festive, not uber girly, but fun and feminine enough for my little girl. I also had to make sure that my design would be easy to execute, since I didn't have the benefit of a 'helping hand'.

Little Girl's 3rd Birthday Party - My DIY Projects - Part 1

So I was thinking which of my many drafts (eeek guilty!) to finish for posting...

And then I realized...hey, I promised a post about my little girl's party for her turning terrific THREE! So there, problem solved. Let them drafts hang on for a moment. :)

Working on my DIY projects for my little girl's birthday was definitely NOT an easy task. I had to do them in between work (I'm a WAHM, work-at-home-mom) - like typing one paragraph for an article, and then cutting paper the next. :-) My workspace was swimming with glue, paper, and whatnot. But I loved it! Oh how I looooved it!

The DIYs were actually pretty basic, nothing super fancy. But they were all labors of love - and that's what matters right? :)

To Party or Not to Party?

So I haven't blogged in ages.

I have been terribly busy with the workload, and with my little girl at summer school, I have additional study tasks by the time she gets home everyday. So yeah, I was pretty much supermom mode for the past couple of months. 


And I sooo missed blogging! To all those who read my blog, my sincerest apologies for not being able to update kiddiepartyholic....


But, I'm back!!! :-)

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I've been thinking this morning about what to post. My mind was bursting with ideas! But I decided to talk about one common dilemma among parents during their kids' birthdays....the question of whether:

TO PARTY, OR NOT TO PARTY?

Thing is, for some parents, this question doesn't just crop up once, but almost every year (*seeing myself in the frame here*). Party preps can be really challenging, especially for super busy mommies and daddies. BUT, it doesn't mean it can't get addicting. :-) Once you start the 'cycle' of throwing one for your kid, oh, the joy! 

But, it's not always as easy as 'Ok, there's a party this year!' or 'Nope, not this year!' There are many times that there'd be a tug-of-war in your head. And if you're doing a solo effort on the planning, it can be way more difficult to decide. 

So let me help you out. Here are a few factors to consider along with some tips so you can decide whether to throw a party or not for your child's birthday:

1. Think of your budget. Oh yes, the age-old consideration of money. Parties are not normally part of a parent's budget (unless you have an overflowing 'treasure chest'. :-)), so you really have to figure it into your expenses. 

If you look at your table of expenses, and inserting 'Party' into it would mean having a negative balance at the end, then don't have one. In the Filipino setting, this means if you have to  make utang (loan money) for the it, then it's not a sound idea. 

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic:  If you do happen to have a little space on the expenses table that you can allocate for a party, then the best thing to do is to just have a simple and intimate celebration. A small budget for a party isn't always a sad thing, it just means you have to be creative and innovative. Instead of having your usual 50 guests, just choose 20-25 who are close to your kid and your family. A DIY party at home works best for most, since you can control your guest list, the food you will serve, and you can keep the party details to a manageable amount. :-) 

2. Is it YOU who wants the party or YOUR KID? When my daughter turned one, and then two, I must admit, it was me who wanted to have a party. You know the usual 'comment' by non-party enthusiasts: "They won't remember it anyway" (referring to parties thrown for little kids). 

I usually answer this with: AH, BUT I WOULD. And I want to remember something beautiful and fun. 

But they do have a point. 

So if you do have a budget, but still can't decide, ask yourself this: 

Do you intend to throw a party because you want your kid to have fun and beautiful memories to cherish about their birthdays or do you want to throw a party just because you have the money to spare and would want to impress your peers and relatives?

If you find yourself feeling guilty with the second question (because you know in your heart you're saying yes), then DON'T throw a party. It's just going to be about you and not your kid. And that's NEVER the point of a kiddie party. :-)

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: If your kid can already communicate his wants, say around the age of  three or four years old, then by all means, ASK your child if he wants to have a party or not. If he says no, then that's your cue (to pack up the planning table). If he says yes, then make sure to let him know what kind of party mommy and daddy can afford, so you can set the right expectations. No sense in making him expect something with the works, when you can only have the budget for a small and simple (but nevertheless fun!) party

3. A yearly party is NOT necessary, but a party is definitely something a kid should have at least once in  his kiddie years. Back in the day, as in waaaay back in the day, parties were usually held when a child is to be presented to society. It's what we call a 'debut' nowadays. But... in the more modern times, kiddie parties have also shared the spotlight. 

Usually, some parents are at odds about throwing a party for a child's first birthday. Of course with the usual consideration of 'is this something they'd appreciate at such an age?' The answer is most likely no. They'd probably love seeing all the colors, and the balloons, and perhaps the candies - but enjoy in the sense of games and such? No. 

Although....in the future, their first birthday is something they'd most likely ask about. They'd probably ask you if they had a party or not. If you celebrated it or not. Remember that a first birthday is usually a THANKSGIVING for a child's first year of life, so if your budget permits a party, then having one would be a fun idea. It DOES NOT have to be grand, but it should definitely be meaningful. (First birthdays are usually the parties that YOU decide on, the rest should be up to your kid)

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: The ages at which we usually hold kiddie parties are at 1 and 7 years old. The in-betweens are really up to you. Some have a 'grander' one at the age of three, since this is the age at which they usually 'remember' and are able to play with other kids and appreciate all the party details. 

4. The grand scheme of things. Holding a party for your kid's birthday is a lot about your kid, and the family. If you all want one (especially the celebrator), then by all means, go for it! :-) But, if in any case there are other factors to consider - like a very ill close family member, or a really, really important school event/milestone that your child cannot miss out on, then you might want to 'reconsider' the idea.

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: If your kid really wants a party, and there are other 'circumstances' that may prevent it, try to work around those circumstances. This may mean you have to sacrifice a party detail or two - like making it a simpler one, or postponing it to a later date, or moving the venue to  more convenient one, things like that. Changes are ok, especially if they're going to make better things happen. :-)




I really hope this helps you decide on whether to throw a party or not for your kid's next birthday. Just keep in mind that celebrations can be done in many, many forms - a day at the theme park, an overnight stay in a hotel, or even a simple meal at your family's favorite restaurant - all these are great ideas too!

But of course, a party is a party - and it's fun! :-) 

Prepping for Terrific Three! :-)

With kids, time really does fly by...my little princess will be turning three in 3 months!


I can still remember her learning how to walk, getting a fractured thigh just when she was starting to walk on her own (because of a little accident), bouncing right back like nothing happened, getting hospitalized thrice last year, starting to talk up a storm, and beginning to look less like my little baby to more of a beautiful little girl.


But ahhh, enough of my 'dramatic' moments... We all know what turning three means to me, and that is....another reason to plan a kiddie party! Yey! *insert cheers and confetti drop here* I have a feeling that by the time she turns four, she'll be the one to give me her 'birthday commands', so I'll take advantage of the fact that I can still do 'my thing' with this one. Hehe.


We've done the big venue clubhouse type, and last year we did the fastfood version, so this year, I decided to  keep the guest list small, the details more intricate, at a venue closer to my heart... OUR HOME. :-)


Yes, this third one is going to be a house party!


And I'm uber-thrilled because this is going to be mostly DIY. Our home isn't that big to require the help of a pro decorator, and well, the purse strings are tighter this year since she'll start schooling soon. :-)


For her third birthday party theme, I decided to go for a generic concept with the addition of elements of her current favorite cartoon, Ni Hao Kai Lan. Here are some of the party elements which I plan to DIY:

1. Photo display 
2. Entrance standee
3. Photo wall (ala photobooth) I'll just do the layout and have the trap printed. 
4. Masks and Hats
5. Dessert/Candy Buffet
6. Personalized Treats (errr, just the packaging. I don't know how to bake. :()
7. Lootbags
8. Tags
9. And everything else that I can do in my power. Hehe. 

My mom-in-law is a grrrreeeat cook, and she has been, for quite some time, longing to cook for her third apo's party. She didn't get the chance to do so for the baptism and 1st birthday because those were catered, and the 2nd one was in a fastfood, so I thought of giving her what she wanted all this time. Hehe. So food is kinda settled, just need to sort out what and how much she'll be cooking. (Downsizing a guest list in my family is a chore I tell you, that's why I'm so excited to finally have a small at-home event.)

We plan to do an afternoon event, so we'll definitely serve more on merienda-type of food (suggestions are welcome! :-)) 

I had been conjuring her birthday plans since December last year, but being swamped with work in the past month had delayed my getting the DIY things started. But so far so good for February, I've already done some mock layouts, tried making a table-top standee, and will soon start drafting stuff for her photo display. 

I'm just so glad we were able to buy our color printer last year, it's going to make a lot of DIY things happen for me this year! Hehe. 

Oh, must get that little pre-birthday photoshoot on the calendar too! :-) Already have some photographer prospects, I just need to talk it over with hubby. 

Ahhhh, so much to do, and I'm sooo excited!

Will update you guys the soonest with more about the theme and what I've done so far. :-) 

This Mommy Got Crafty - Paper Bags

After my daughter's latest birthday party (May 2011), I became a DIY fan. Although there were very few DIY elements on her 2nd birthday celebration, the mere fact that I was able to pull it off gave me a sense of incomparable satisfaction. :)

Since then, I had been searching for ways on how to make DIY party decor. I have also been on a constant hunt for templates - for invitations, favor bags, and whatnot that I can use for parties. On the latter part of 2011, I found some templates online for paper bags (there's a lot here: http://melstampz.blogspot.com/) .

And no, not just your usual paper 'bags'. More like paper purses! :)

Here are some of the stuff I made:

my first take on paper purses. the one on the left is 'Christmas-inspired'. Hehe. 

My first ever paper backpacks

I made some more of the LV-like backpacks and made purse versions too! :) (Will post pics once I find them. They want AWOL on me. Hehe.)

I plan to dabble in more paper crafts this year, and would definitely make some more for my little girl's parties, and other little occasions we have too! :)

Our 2011 Christmas

Can't believe it's 2012 already! And that I haven't blogged in months! *blushes*

My little family had a really awesome Christmas and New Year, simply because we spent it with each other and our parents. Good food and genuine laughs...aaaahhhh, precious memories in the making.

We spent our New Year's day at my in-laws' place. My MIL prepared our media noche, so hubby, little princess and I pretty much just had the task of wolfing down the yummy grub. Hehe. Christmas on the other hand, was something I had personally prepared for (or at least tried to do so. Harhar.) as this was held at our humble abode. Unfortunately, I didn't expect that my little girl's nanny would be going to Batangas to spend Christmas with her dad who's visiting from Romblon. :( Thankfully though, my parents, brothers, and hubby were here to help me out with the many tasks of the day so some of my original plans were able to push on. :-)

Here are some pics of our happy Christmas:

Happy Holiday Preps! :-)

Oh the joy! The site where I do my online work is down for maintenance for the next 30 minutes... enough time to do a quick post! Yey! :-)

Anyway, the holiday season is upon us, and Christmas and New Year happen to be my two most favorite holidays of the year, so I'm really giddy with excitement. This year has been pretty awesome for me and my family, so I plan to host a special thanksgiving/noche buena dinner at our house.

Kiddie Partyholic was on Halloween Break...Or not! :)

After our little Snow White party, I had a 'party-withdrawal-sickness'. I was missing that crazy fun rush of preparing for one. Thankfully, the opportunity presented itself before I was too sad for words. :) My younger brother turned 25 years old on October 28, and since hubby's schedule at work won't allow us to go trick-or-treating, I decided that we'll have our own little halloween/birthday party.

It's A Snow White Success! :) PART 1

It turned out to be a rainy Saturday morning, despite the fact that Typhoon Pedring has already exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility... So our little house party, had to be relocated to our subdivision's little function hall, which was thankfully unoccupied and available for the rest of the day. :)

Our birthday girl Angel (my hubby's niece) was super excited for her party, since her last big one was her first birthday. :)We, hubby and I, were actually more excited than she is, being that we would be doing almost 100% of the party decor. We had such a small budget allotted for this particular party, and it was really challenging for us to put together.

Easy Candy Buffet DIY - The Gummy Skewers!

I have just finished working on a candy buffet for the 7th birthday party of hubby's niece last weekend, and it was a huge hit with the kids! :)  I'd discuss the details in a separate post. 

In the meantime, let me share with you one of the 'new' things I learned from other party blogs, and tried out for this particular party: GUMMY SKEWERS! :)

Photo from Hostess With The Mostess Blog

Cupcake Liner Pompoms are Love Love Love! :)

It's a stormy stormy day today, yet my to-do list is a mile long! How I wish I could just play and sleep all day with my little girl...BUT, can't do that, especially right now because she's been admitted to the hospital, and I'm currently playing the role of WAHMMY (work-at-(the) hospital-mommy). :)

Since I need to kickstart my 'inspiration' on this sleepy sleepy day in this cold hospital room, I decided to blog first on my recent successful attempt at making pompoms using cupcake liners (finally!) :)

If you remember my post about pompoms, there's a tutorial on there that I had been wanting to try. And I did earlier, with errr, not exactly the same materials, which led to this blog post. The results of that first attempt wasn't really awful, but since I used patterned crepe paper instead of cupcake liners, the outcome wasn't as I expected it (of course). But it was a great learning experience too, and it also means I had found an alternative material for that craft as well!


Thanks to Best Way in Divisoria (located along Sto. Cristo St.), I was finally able to score really pretty patterned cupcake liners at a super affordable price (45 PHP for 100 pcs). They also have a wide range of options as far as designs are concerned, and since they supply bakers and cake stores too, if you're into baking, you're sure to find all you need there.

Here's what I did to make my cupcake liner pompom:

1. The materials I used were pretty basic: Glue gun, glue stick, a size 5 styro ball, and 100 cupcake liners.
2. I chose yellow-colored liners with flower patterns, and I absolutely adore how dainty they look. :)
3. Wrap the liner around your pointer finger, so it forms a small circle on the base. Dab some hot glue on that small circle, and stick on the the styro ball. Press for about 5-10 seconds to ensure the glue sticks to the styro.
4. Repeat number 3, and arrange the liners as close as you want them to be. A fuller pompom would require more liners of course, and less space in between when you glue them on the ball.

And.....that's it! :)

Really simple right? Though as far as costs are concerned, you may have to spend a wee bit more than just doing the usual pompoms out of crepe or tissue paper, but I tell you, this version has its advantages. Aside from the fact that it takes so little time to make (about 15-30 minutes at most), they are also 'automatically fluffy' because of the styro ball. They're also 'sturdier', and won't get flattened easily (I personally haven't tried flattening a styro ball. :))

Check out the finished product below and how I plan to use it for an upcoming party. :)

Oh before I forget, I used balloon centerpiece stands, to serve as a stand and glued it on a plastic pot. To make some higher than the others (for levels), I placed styro layers inside the pot.

I absolutely LOVE how they turned out, and I plan to make more of these for other family parties and occasions. :)

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT: Art N Faces Body Art

Whenever I reminisce about my daughter's first birthday party, one of the most unforgettable aspects I keep looking back on was my discovery and first-time experience with face painting and glitter tattoos.

The idea of having it as part of my daughter's party was pitched by my balloon decorator then, Jacque Tan of Partyboosters. I saw pictures of their partner supplier for body art, and I was immediately thrilled with the thought of having them as part of my little princess' celebration.

Curious? Well, I'm sure you've heard of the name: Art N Faces Body Art.

Here's some of their awesome work during my little darling's first birthday celebration.

The kids enjoyed ANF's face painting and glitter tattoo booth! :)

Who said only the kids had fun with the activity? That's my pretty aunt with the nice butterfly detail on her arm. :)

Unfortunately, my family was super busy (and stressed due to errr, a reason I'd rather forget. hehe) during the party that we didn't get to have ourselves 'painted' or 'tattoed', but I'm pretty sure I'd have something done in the theme of butterflies and flowers, or something girly like that. :)

What really amazed me with ANF's work is their staff's meticulous attention to detail, and how their handiwork really looks like art, well-thought of and well-executed. The quality of the materials they used cannot be denied either, you can see it in the vibrant colors and the sharp lines. And I'd have to really commend their staff, courteous, creative, and really hard-working (imagine almost three hours of non-stop painting!).

Ms. Liby, owner of Art N Faces shares more about their awesome company for this edition of Kiddiepartyholic's Supplier Spotlight:

What ANF does...

ART N FACES Professional-Quality Body Art or the ANF TEAM is an exclusive group of artists with various talents in face painting, glitter tattoo, henna tattoo, nail art and salon. The ANF Team Artists are usually booked as part of side entertainment in parties and different types of events, both for personal and business purposes.

How the company was started...

It began in the millennium year, 2000, as an unexpected sideline, I had a regular job then as a junior graphic artist in a small media licensing company.  But I started to invite additional artists in 2008, when my ads generated a lot of inquiries.  It made me realized that I needed to recruit and train a group of artists so they can be inspired by my own style of face painting. 

On their first customer....

 

Before my solo engagement, I discovered face painting when I was hunting for a job.  During an interview of a manager of the talent agency “Bata-Batuta”, he offered face painting as a weekend job or part-time.  He booked me for a free face painting at Ever Gotesco Commonwealth.  Then when I went solo, I think I first gave a free service at a birthday party of my high school friend’s daughter, and then what followed was a customer from internet inquiry.

About challenges they encounter...

It’s the never-ending series of situations wherein my patience and unconditional love is being tested.  It is a very challenging task to handle people of various character and personalities, especially the younger ones who are still immature in terms of fulfilling their responsibilities as an ANF Team Artist.  No matter how I try to put things in order, there are still these hard-headed, irresponsible and even disloyal artists.  But generally speaking, I hate getting mad but sometimes I had to because of disciplinary reasons.  ANF should always do its role in preserving the strong culture with regards to ANF Core Values.

About their contributions as a business to the Philippine society...

ANF was created for a mission.   And part of this mission is to help the simple artists in the community to have and maintain a decent living.  I guess this is how ANF touches an economic issue of the Filipinos.  ANF hope that each artist will work hard to improve their financial situation.  Aside from generating additional source of income for simple artists, ANF envisions itself as a Catalyst of change through promoting a positive and strong culture of values which aimed to last for generations.  ANF Core Values are tested to be the key factors to be successful in this kind of business.  In short, ANF’s goal is to gain a financially, socially and spiritually rewarding life while being a part of the ANF Team.  Now as a concrete step to its fulfillment,  ANF has been very committed to its advocacy on Peace, Love and Art – a campaign that softly promotes peace, love and prosperity in life...

And finally their plans and ambitions for ANF...

To keep working and to always fulfill our Mission and Vision.

MISSION & PASSION:  To provide affordable & professional-quality body art services to simple families, big companies and even celebrities while helping artists in the community have decent living.

VISION & ACTION:    To be the Leader among body art service providers in the local party & events industry and to create a strong culture where ANF Core Values prevail even in generations to come.

And if given a chance, to expand by creating a bigger group of artists, who will be also known for professional creative services in different fields of Arts not just body art.  I hope that ART N FACES will be the top company known for sourcing local creative talents, even for international market.  If this happens, I wish to put up a Foundation to promote Arts to children who are out-of-school, while offering them scholarship until college.  Then they will be most welcome to join ANF.

Here are some of their amazing works of art from their Facebook page:

 

Coolness right? 

If you want to get in touch with ANF to make your party fun and colorful, here's their Facebook page and here's their Multiply page. 

An Attempt At Pompoms

Remember my post on paper pompoms and how there are a variety of them we can actually make? My mind was so obsessed over how awesome the cupcake liner pompoms looked that I actually tried to make one! Or did not. Or I at least tried to make something like it. :)

Ok, here's what happened, one rainy Saturday (as the past Saturdays have always been), we were finally make able to make it to the bookstore to get some supplies. I unfortunately did not find any patterned cupcake liners at the mall that we went to (there were some plain ones, but were only in white. :(), and I was so sold on making one using patterned liners, that I decided to forego the cupcake holders for the meantime and find an alternative.

For some strange reason, my mind wandered around using what's traditionally used on paper pompoms - crepe paper. They were inexpensive, perfect for my trial run, and were available in bright colors. But I was pleasantly surprised that in my search, I actually found patterned crepe paper! COOLNESS! I immediately bought it (not knowing yet how I'm going to use it for the new version of the pompom).

I later on found out that (to my delight) the patterned crepe paper was actually made of thicker paper than the normal flimsy crepe paper. I cut out circles on it using a big tumbler, and folded the circle to find its center part, and basically followed the rest of the instructions on this tutorial. 

The materials I used and the pic on the bottom right is the half-finished pompom. :)

I encountered a few challenges while I was making it, since it was my first time. But I did find it easier to make and you're minus the 'how-to-make-it-fluffy' dilemma when you choose to go for this version of the paper pompom. I'd definitely try to make another one once I get hold of some cute cupcake liners, I bet it's going to be more fun, and will take lesser time to make. :) I made this one for about 30 minutes.

The not-so-perfect-but-equally-delightful output. :) I used it as a centerpiece for our dining table...

I think I'll be making more of these pretty things, and hopefully, I'll have the right materials next time (cupcake liners, I'm coming!), and no more bald spots... :)

Balloonless Kiddie Parties: THE BIRTHDAY BUNTINGS

Oh my, I feel so ashamed.

I haven't blogged here for more than a week! Been terribly busy lately... And my hands are now completely itching to tell you more about more fun party ideas. :)

Photo credits to Canon

BUT, I'll control my urges and concentrate first on telling you more about one of the most noble party decors that stood the test of time, and had evolved to adapt to the many demands of modern kiddie parties. - the BIRTHDAY BUNTINGS!

A.K.A birthday streamers, pennants, banners, and what-not, birthday buntings are those triangular-shaped (used to be just triangular, now, not anymore!) flaglets you hang on the walls or ceilings during any special celebration.

I'm pretty sure they've found their way into one of your own childhood parties way back.

Here in the Philippines we call them 'banderitas', and they've now evolved from just being plain-colored to character-themed. And of course, these banderitas are not only used during birthdays here, but also during local town fiestas.

Balloonless Kiddie Parties: THE PAPER PINWHEEL

I was pretty curious too....

What exactly is a pinwheel? According to www.freedictionary.com, it's: A toy consisting of vanes of colored paper or plastic pinned to a stick so that they revolve when blown on.

I don't think that gives enough of a visual, so here you go:

Photo credits to:http://rubberstamping.about.com

 
Pretty isn't it? That's a paper pinwheel (and I think they enhanced the plain purple paper through rubberstamping, coolness. :)). Now what does this little 'toy' have to do with parties?

I used to think these rotating vanes of color were just decorative items for the garden, or simply just toys for the kids (and kids at heart) that they can play with during the summer. But then again, my fellow kiddie partyholics found a better use for it... as party decor!

And when I did my usual online search for kiddie parties, I found how creatively they can be used! Here are a couple of pictures from Kara's Party Ideas:

Photo from Kara's Party Ideas. A variety of ways to use pinwheels! :)

Photo from Kara's Party Ideas. Pinwheels as cupcake toppers! :)

Photo from Kara's Party Ideas. Pinwheels for a baby boy's party! :)

Ok, just looking at these three pictures, you'll see the maaany ways you can use pinwheels to decorate your kiddo's party. :)

I believe the first picture was for a vintage-themed pinwheel party, and I'm just in love with the patterns and colors, as well as the really creative ways they used the pinwheels! :) They were used to decorate the cake and were also given away as a party favor. On the second photo, you'll find how they were ingeniously used as cupcake toppers. Simply pretty way of accenting such a yummy treat!

The third photo is from a little boy's party, and I adore the color scheme! Pinwheels were used as accents for the table of goodies. See? Even your little man's party can make use of pinwheels as party decor, it's just a matter of choosing the right patterns and colors.

Now how do you make these cute little 'head-turners'?

I have not yet 'perfected' making one (but I hope to do so soon), so I don't have the confidence yet to put up my own tutorial here....BUT, there's a lot of them online that's pretty easy to follow. :)

Here's one that I used: http://asubtlerevelry.com/a-pinwheel-tutorial-the-easiest-ever, and here's another one that's pretty easy too (and with more basic materials) - http://www.kidsgamesandcrafts.com/paper-crafts-for-kids-1.html

And since I got so carried away with my amazement at these things, here are some really great templates you can use so you can make pinwheels with that extra oomph! :)

http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/links/FlowerPinwheel.html - For pretty flower-like pinwheels. 
http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/basicpinwheel.html - - For plain and printed (think butterflies, stripes, etc.) templates that you can edit using Gimp or Photoshop to put in some color before printing. :)

By the way, I made a couple of pinwheels a few days ago with leftover cardstock paper here at home. I'll make sure to make more once I get my hands on more materials. My little kiddo's thrilled by the idea already! :)

My first attempt on making pinwheels. :)

My number one fan loves 'em! :)

Go ahead and make yours now! Whether you're having a party or not, making these paper pinwheels make for some fun bonding with your family, and I'm pretty sure your little ones will have the time of their lives just making them turn and turn. :)

My next post is definitely something to look forward to as well as I'll be featuring: BIRTHDAY BUNTINGS/PAPER STREAMERS! :)

Balloon-less Kiddie Parties: THE PAPER POM-POM

When I think of kiddie parties, my head used to automatically conjure images of a balloon-filled venue with cake, an awesome spread of food, little kiddie chairs, and checkered tablecloth. My own kiddo's party venue (especially the first one) was decorated mainly with balloons.

I love how they add color to any space, and they just bring out that child-like glee in me (and I'm sure the kids go crazy about them too).

Based on my own experience, getting a balloon decorator's package would cost about 5000 to 6000 pesos for a basic, over-all venue decor package. This would usually include 'balloonderitas' or balloon drops, a pair of pillars, around 10 balloon centerpieces, and perhaps a simple cake arch. Short of the story is: it can get pretty pricey.

If you have 'magic hands' like most mommies (or daddies in my case), you can also do DIY balloon arrangements, and that will cut costs by half. :) But of course, it also means you have to double the effort. :)

The DIY Wonders of the Online World

It's been a really crazy week, this. But all fun just the same. :) I was able to put in a few hours of party prep 'work' (I wish I could do more of it, it's just so enjoyable!), and those are like the highlights of my every day. 

After weeks of browsing the awesome featured parties on Hostess with the Mostess, Kara's Party Ideas, and the Celebrations at Home blog, I began to wonder, how on earth do they get to do such extraordinarily amazing parties? How much does it cost? Do they have party planners? I have a list of questions that I would love to ask given the chance... :)

Based on what I've read from the party descriptions, some of them do have suppliers where they buy their stuff from, but I discovered that a lot of them...are proud DIY (do-it-yourself) projects!