Party Girl Part 2

As I type this blog and sip my Diet Pepsi, I have a slight headache, my arms and feet ache, and I'm tired. I had to dodge bags, toys, and paper plates as I walked to my computer...yep it was a party weekend for sure.

Yes, this weekend we celebrated L's birthday with a Cars Party built for a race fan! I was so worried about the weather but it held out and was a beautiful (and humid!) day. Last night while I was exhausted after countless late nights getting ready for the party I wondered to myself if it was worth spending weeks planning a party when it was over in a matter of hours. But then as I tucked my son in he smiled and said "Mommy can I have my party again tomorrow" and my other son chimed in "Can we leave the Cars in the backyard?" Yep, its worth it.

Yes, I go way overboard for my kids parties and I have been called crazy by numerous people. But I'm celebrating the lives of the three most important people in my world. And I'm getting to relive a little bit of what it is like to be a child. That my friends, is why I am a party girl.

Here's how the Cars Party came together:

Welcome to Radiator Springs!!

My son L is obsessed with cars. So it was only befitting he have a Cars 2 party. Allow me to welcome you to Radiator Springs. L's birthday is in May and so I knew I wanted to do something outside. So I transformed our yard into Radiator Springs. The road is simply one of those black rolls of table covers cut in half, secured to the grass with golf tees and white duck tape was the center line. The flags in my bushes are two long rolls of flags from Oriental Trading. The tree house Car Wash is simply blue streamers hanging down. It turned out really cute!!

Mack the Truck: 

My favorite party decoration was definitely Mack the Semi Truck table. I think he was my favorite because I didn't find this idea on the Internet or Pinterest...I just came up with it and with the help of my husband we made it work!! Here's how we did it:

Step #1: Find really large Boxes. Okay, so this was one project I actually did buy cardboard boxes for (instead of asking friends and family to donate extra boxes from around their houses). I went to UHaul and Bought 1 large wardrobe box, and two small wardrobe boxes. Arrange them with the small wardrobe box, completely taped shut on both ends in the front, the small wardrobe box with the flaps left open for the 2nd one (stand it open flap end down) and the large wardrobe box again with one set of flaps open. His hat was simply a box a friend gave me. with one flap left open for the bill of the hat.

Now the fun part -- painting. I learned the hard way that the writing on boxes are hard to paint over. Best thing to do is spray paint the words of the box with white spray paint before painting - boy I wish someone would have told me this tip before I did it!! It took me forever to paint it!!

Of course I brought in a "professional" paint crew to help!!

With a box knife cut out long rectangles to make the grill and spray paint with silver. I also used silver to accent the yellow lightning bolt. I drew his eyes tracing a role of duct tape for the eye ball and hand drawing the black center.

Place two long rectangle tables behind him and presto he's done. I was going to make wheels for him but I honestly ran out of time! but the presents made great wheels!!!

Cars, Cars and more Cars: 

 A big part of the party - were the Stars of the movie - in Cardboard form. This is actually easier than it looks. If you Google how to make cardboard cars there are a ton of videos and pictures by people who can explain it much better than me. The eyes are simply posterboard glued onto the cars. If you google a picture of the particular character it shows you exactly how their eyes are shaped. Trust me I have ZERO artistic ability (I can't even draw stick people right) and I could do this.

Yep, these cars are so easy anyone or any cat can do it! Trace the pattern of the car on the side of the box cut with your box cutter and use hot glue to glue the hood. Easy peasy!

The kids had so much playing with the whole cast of characters!

Inside I continued the Race-car theme. Even the bathroom became the Pit Stop.

The menu was a BBQ with hot dogs and loose meat hamburger. The snacks were all of my son's favorites with Chocolate Doughnut tires and Oreo Hubcaps. The arrangement is simply a vase filled with all the hundreds of matchbox cars around my house and some flags.

But outside was where the fun was at. One of my favorite ideas was the gas station. I put one of those beverage containers with the spout inside a box and cut out a hole. The kids drove up the gas station and got a drink! The Mater cut out is from Oriental Trading.com.

We had a such a great party!! Now, to start thinking about my daughter's Fiesta themed party coming in July!! Stay tuned!!

Mandi 

Party Girl - Part One

Here lies Mandi…

She threw one HELL OF A PARTY.

Okay, so maybe that is not what my gravestone is going to say – but a girl can hope right?

I’m a party girl. I don’t mean literally….as my idea of a Saturday night is usually a glass of wine and some scrapbooking. What I mean is I love to throw parties, especially birthday parties.

And I’m a crazy party Mom…meaning I have been known to move furniture out of my house, construct cardboard semi trucks, and transform my house into an island. Birthday parties take on a whole new meaning in my house. I try to make parties that my kids will remember someday.

I get a lot of my party ideas from Pinterest, websites, etc. A few my husband and I come up with on our own just from late night brainstorming sessions. Oh, I guess I should explain my husband’s role in all of this…I come up with the ideas, he is usually the one left to figure out how were are going to execute them. He is the one that decides how we will build a large pirate ship, or make a Batmobile in our house. When I am stumped at how to create something, that's when I bring in Todd to help me create my dreams.

The key to throwing amazing parties on a working Moms calendar and clock is to start planning way ahead of time. I literally start planning my parties about 2 months ahead of time. I do a little bit here and there to help me get it all done.

I thought today since I am in the midst of preparing for my next party (Cars theme for my son L), that I would share some of my favorite party tips. Just because you are busy doesn’t mean you can’t throw an amazing party. Hopefully some of these ideas can help inspire your next party!

 

Tip #1 - Create a party room - All my parties are focused on one room, a party room so to speak. I may dabble here and there with some decorations in my kitchen, etc., but to me its easier to just focus on decorating one room. For my  house - my long and narrow family room is the Party Room. I clear out most of my furniture from the room and set up the party.

Here's how I transformed the party room for a Star Wars themed party. I used a cheap roll of table covers to cover my walls and drew stars all over the walls with silver Sharpie marker. My kids loved helping with this. I painted sytrofoam balls to be planets turned folding chairs into Storm Troopers.

 

 

 

The Party Room Looked this for my son's Team Umizoomi Party.... I used just plain paper for the shapes and my daughter and friends help color them. I bought dollar store water bottles to add color to the table and filled up dozens of balloons for the ceiling.

 

 

And for my daughter's Rock Star Party it looked like this...different themes. Same room!

 

 

 

 

Tip #2 - Dress up Parties are always more fun

 

 For my parties everyone gets involved, parents and children alike. The best way to do this is to encourage people to dress up. Now I have done this on each end of the extreme from just setting out some fun Pirate Hats and bandanas for a Pirate party....

 

...to telling everyone to come dressed as their favorite Superheroes. Having your guests dress up for your parties gets them involved and everyone (adults and children alike) have a blast.

 

 

 

 

Tip #3 - The Centerpiece

 

At my parties I try to think of one big centerpiece for the party -- something big and eye catching that brings the Wow factor. For example, at my son's pirate party I wanted to build a big pirate ship. To do this I purchased a large wardrobe box from Uhaul for $12.00, and used spray paint and a table cloth for the sail. The kids spent the party climbing through the ship. It was great! 

 For my son's upcoming Cars party this weekend I'm making Mack the Semi Truck for the centerpiece of the party. His tractor is made of 4 cardboard boxes and his trailer will be the tables.

Tip #4 - Party Theme Your Food

One of my favorite ways to play with my party theme is with the food. I get a lot of these ideas from Pinterest. For my son's Superhero party we served a Superhero AtTACO bar. For my son's pirate party we did HambARGHers. And for my son's Star Wars party I decked out the snack table with Light Sabers, and Wookie Cookies, etc. Pinterest is definitely the spot to check out for these ideas.

 

 

Tip #5: Think OUTSIDE of the Box

 

 

For each of my parties I  try and bring the party outside. It helps get your guests ready to party even before they walk in. For my daughter's Rockstar party I made a walk of fame with spray painted gold stars (made out of poster board). 

 

 

Tip #6 - Some of the Best party decorations are completely free

 

I always make sure and have a party budget, but surprisingly some of the things I have made for my parties that are completely free are the things I get the most compliments on. For example, I took old CDs (that have long been placed on my iPod) and taped them to my french doors to give a fun decoration to my Rock Star party.

 

 My favorite decoration for my son's superhero party was the Batmobile made out my son's Cars toddler bed some garbage bags and some  cardboard in my recycling bin for seats.

 

Tip #7 - Cardboard is your friend

 

And while we are mentioning cardboard - I will tell you it completely your friend. I use cardboard in every party - to create buildings like I did at my son's superhero party, or construct cars which I am doing for my party this weekend. Best part - I usually just ask people to give me their old cardboard boxes they aren't using so its a very cost effective way to decorate!

 

 

 

 

Happy Party Planning...I'll post more tips in Part 2 next week!!

Mandi