Dia de los Muertos Party Inspiration!

I have been trying for year, YEARS, to get my kids to have a Dia de los Muertos party (remember our mono prints?!). Or at least dress as a sugar skull for Halloween. I never get any takers. But I keep rounding ideas up in hopes they'll bite one year, so I figured I'd share them!

1. I'd leave papel de picado up all year long and this set of skulls is perfect for Dia de los Muertos.

2. I came across this table runner a few years ago and haven't been able to get it out of my head. Now who wants to make one for me?!

3. I usually like to make my own arts and craft projects, but OTC is a great place to find projects for a large group of kids and I love this little tissue paper craft.

4. Sugar skulls AND edible confetti!?

5. The kids love horchata and bubble tea, so I have to think this combo would be a winner!

6. A honeycombed wall is such an easy way to brighten up the party.

7. I tend to second-guess photo booths, but the kids always seem to LOVE them. Set one up fast with these great props!

8. I don't think it's a party without striped straws and I think Cam would love to make some tissue paper flowers to add!

9. I think it would be super fun to make some of these cinnamon cookies and let the kiddos decorate them with edible decorating pens.

Olympics Viewing Party!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Olympics. It's something about all those young hopes and dreams, perseverance, hard work. It's incredibly impressive and drives our household into Olympic obsession every time they roll around. Joel and I actually went to the last Olympic summer games in London and we originally planned on attending Rio this year with our whole family. Alas, we are not. BUT we will be watching the Opening Ceremony tomorrow night with fanfare and you can too! Even if you didn't plan ahead (like us), you can pull together an easy fun evening with these ideas. Go for it.

 1 / printable world flags 2 / Olympic bingo 3 / easy Olympic cookies  

4 / DIY laurel headbands 5 / printable diving lady straws

Weekend Makes

We're kicking of fall entertaining season this weekend and gearing up for three dinner parties in three weeks. These are no kiddos invited meals, but that won't stop mine from getting in on the prep and decor. What can I say -- they like to party. So it's celebratory makes this week -- for the parents, but in which the kids can partake.

1 / a super simple metallic garland 2 / these are so cute and my guys would love attaching the rosemary for me 3 / I'd love to send dinner guests home with these cute fall treats 4 /  the kids have been asking me about my candle making supplies, but this DIY is probably an easier place to start 5 / love these apple votive holders. plus, ombre!

Winter Birthday Party Ideas

You totally thought this was going to be all about Frozen, didn't you? Sorry to tell you, but I'm over it. And it's fine if you're not. I know that I'm irrationally cranky about the whole thing. I recently got into it with the teenager Build-A-Bear employee who tried to insist that Cameron's newly-acquired Build-a-My-Little-Pony needed four Elsa shoes (at $8 a shoe) to really be an accurate Elsa. I somehow managed not to go off on a tangential rant about how today's MLPs aren't even the right ones anyway and, even if they were, how ponies don't wear shoes. So, when you really think about it, bud, Princess Twilight didn't need four pairs of shoes to accurately represent another cartoon character, to whom I have another whole slew of objections. But, I let it go.

In any event, I think I meant to write about joyous, happy birthdays!!! So, what about those littles who find themselves with a winter birthday and want something other than Frozen? Well I've rounded up five fabulous winter party ideas that have absolutely nothing to do with Elsa or Anna or whatever that snowman's name is (they had to go loop in that song about a snowman in summer just to cover themselves on summer birthdays as well! gah!). So if your life has been a series of Frozen in your face lately, take a look at these for winter party inspiration!

1 // This mod, geometric penguin party is right up my alley. 

2 // A backyard winter camping party would be perfect for friends living in warmer places than us! 

3 // Cam would love this modern Nutcracker themed bash. 

4 // Love this girly gingerbread decorating party. 

5 // A simple + sweet skating party.