Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

This is a place to share my many ideas, (along with a story or two), about party planning from the theme to the thank you note, organization from your closets to your kid's artwork, and home decor, from wall color to window treatments. I have a passion for graphic design, fine art, photography, interior design and a great party! Creativity and the visually aesthetic get my juices flowing and I hope this blog can be a place to have fun exchanging ideas and resources and help your creative juices flow too!

Enjoy!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Iron Man for Orion Man

After listening to me and my daughter discuss plans for her 7th birthday party at the beginning of the year, my son chimed in that he wanted to have a Superman birthday party, which quickly became a The Flash birthday party, since The Flash, according to him, is "lello". Shortly thereafter, he requested a Batman party because apparently, he saves the most people in danger. But soon after that, while looking at a pair of his superhero underwear, he took a liking to Iron Man because he is both "lello" and saves more people in danger. I wonder if he also subconsciously liked the similarity in their names...after all, as my cousin pointed out to me, "Orion" has only one more letter in it than, "Iron": ) Once he had made up his mind he couldn't remember Iron Man's name and would ask me on a regular basis, "what kind of birthday party am I having?" While I had started to get into what I could do for a The Flash party, I realized that next year would be a better year for him since the movie, The Flash is due to come out this summer. Then I heard that the movie, The Avengers, was coming out in May, so it was just my luck that Avengers merchandise started cropping up everywhere and having had two Iron Man movies (starring the fantastic Robert Downy, Jr. ) in the past 4 years makes Iron Man the most merchandised Avenger at the moment. But besides all that, Iron Man is just. plain. cool. Even his TV show theme song is cool!Listen here!

And for all you AC/DC fans out there, click here and here!

I gotta say, I love super heroes and there are so many creative things you can do with a super hero theme, specific hero or not.

I hope he wants another one next year!

Attire:

What the Birthday Boy Wore
Old Navy

What the Father of the Birthday Boy Wore

(He also grew a goatee to look more like Tony Stark but then shaved it off for a job interview. Bummer.)

how'd he do that?

Custom Made Iron Man Chest Plate
He drilled holes around a LED tap light, sodered blue LED lights from Radio Shack to an electric board, stuck them in the holes, and tada!

The Goods:

Invitations
Birthday Direct

Thank You Notes
Birthday Direct

Tableware
Birthday Direct

Glittering Gold Forks
iParty

Avengers Coloring Book

Hannaford

Helpful Tip: I put tape labels (yellow with black print) with each child's name on the coloring books and used them as place cards so there would be no squabbles over who was sitting where.

You could, of course, use a permanent marker, I just love printed labels.

Mini Pack of Crayola Crayons

iParty

Blowers (to put at every place setting)

Birthday Direct

Gold Confetti (to sprinkle on tables and for the kids to play with)

Birthday Direct

Treat Bags (for arcade tokens & prize tickets)

Birthday Direct

Helpful Tip: I made name labels like the ones on the coloring books so that there would be no issues over whose bag was whose.

Again, you could, of course, use a permanent marker.

6' 5" Laminated Cardboard Standup
Amazon

I wanted to take a photo of each child standing with Iron Man to include with their thank you note, but only had a few takers. At least I got some fun shots of adults with him : )
After the party, my husband had the brilliant idea of sticking the chest plate he created on the standup and then putting it in Orion's room as a giant night light. I think it will be too bright and could scare him but we'll see.

The Cake:

I love that Shen, the baker, surprised me with a flashing light in the cake! How fun!
Sweet Surprises & Memories

Gold Spiral Candles

iParty

The Favors:

Cellophane Treat Bags & Blue Glow Sticks from iParty

Metallic Iron Man 2012 Pez Dispenser from PEZ

Personalized Gold Shimmer and Red M&M's from My M&M's

Iron Man Temporary Tattoos

Birthday Direct

More Cool Iron Man Party Goods

Invitations & Thank You Notes:

Birthday Direct

Superhero Stuff

2009 Iron Man Pez Dispenser

PEZ

Iron Man 2 Mask
Toys "R" Us

Cakes & Cupcakes:

The Great Cake Company

What the Cake

Ilene Miriam Baked Goods

Cakes by MAC

Dork Chocolate

Debbie Lennon

Iron Man Cake & Cupcake Toppers
Amazon

Tall Girl in Heels

Iron Man 2 Candle
Party America

Standing Iron Man Candle
Country Kitchen Sweetart

Click here to go to my Pinterest Iron Man board

Addendum:

The standup as a night light for O's room was as anticipated,

way too bright as well as scary.

Oh well, at least it'll be fun to have in his room or the play room :)

Alternate Favors for Neighborhood Friends (older kids) Party
(changes from school friends party favors: gold personalized M&M's, light blue Sixlets, no tattoos, curling ribbon)

Iron Man Arc Reactor
Chasing Fireflies

Iron Man Arc Chest Light
Amazon

Tony Stark Light UP LED Iron Man T-shirt

Amazon

Arc Reactor T-Shirt (my husband ordered one of these)
Amazon

My husband just returned from the World Maker Faire in NYC
and brought me a business card for Instructables.com's post on DIY Iron Man Costumes!
So cool! Check it out!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Bowling Birthday Bash!

For her seventh birthday, my daughter asked me if she could have a bowling party. I was thrilled with her choice because I wasn't in the mood to deal with all that's involved with having it at home like we did the previous two years and I love bowling. Our local bowling lane, Spare Time offers a great party package which includes a pin (with colorful balloons attached) for the guests to sign, as well as tokens for the game room. I wanted to have the party in the early evening because that's when they dim the house lights and fill the alley with black light and bright colored lights, including all along the lanes. Very groovy. The girls had a great time busting their moves to all the pop tunes they know while they waited for their turn to bowl. Then it was tome to satisfy the big appetites they'd worked up, on yummy pizza. I served baby carrots, sugar snap peas and ranch dressing (my daughter's request) along with sugary beverages and water (I don't think any of the kids had any water) while they bowled, just as a light snack and I figured parents would appreciate getting some veggies in them. Then it was time for cake and a cake pops! Yay! Once everyone was stuffed, it was off to the arcade area to play games and win tickets for dinky prizes. It was a whirlwind of a party for sure and everyone had a ball! I just couldn't resist :)

I hope this post helps you in planning your own bowling bash and as always, feel free to share any of your creative, bowling theme ideas or any that you've seen and want to pass along.
Thanks and enjoy!