Fun Party Invite or Favor

This is an idea for easy and inexpensive party invites or favors.

You will need:
Postcards or card stock
Ribbon lined Alligator hair clips (Suckers will work also)

Use a box knife to make parallel cuts of equal length on your card. They can be horizontal or vertical. Now just squeeze the clip open and weave it through the slit. Punch a hole in the upper corner and tie it to a balloon. It is the perfect fun little party favor or invitation.

Need a little help lining alligator clips? http://www.girlythingsbows.com/ is one of my favorite sites for very simple and basic instructions. The instructions listed across the top of the site are in alphabetical order. Once you have a lined clip you can glue on anything from crystals to buttons. My favorite are satin roses. Or you can slide in suckers in the slit instead and just tie ribbon to the stick.

I had the card featured in my example custom printed by Vista Print, http://www.vistaprint.com/. They are always having free offers. I only had to pay shipping. I recieved over 100 small postcards. I also use Vista Print to custom print thank you cards, care instructions, personalized invitations and business cards.

Beyond Sticker Charts

(just click on the image to see it large and in all it's wonder)

Two things I vowed never to be:
1. A counting mom

2. A sticker chart mom

I have no idea why but they epitomized "mother" to me. So grown up and serious. YIKES!

I broke my counting rule before my first daughter was out of the womb. "You're Daddy is on leave so you have until the count of three to exit my womb young lady". It didn't work then and it doesn't work now but I'm a counter. I can admit it. After five years I finally started shopping for gold starts but I couldn't crumble. Not yet. Instead we have the "Prize Petal" game.

Object of the game:

Player must help their flower blowing in the breeze return to the empty stem.

Rules:

Player moves down every time a rule is followed and a chore is completed. If a rule is broken the player must move back one space.

If the flower makes it to the stem by sunset the player wins a prize. If not the player is blown back to the beginning.

YOU WILL NEED:

Cork board

Paint
Push Pins

Silk Flowers

Scrapbook Paper

Glue

The Game Board:

The game board is just painted cork board. I can't paint so I taped off the horizon and sponge painted above and below. I cut the flowers/ ladybug from scrapbook paper. I sealed them with mod podge.

!! Don't use scrapbook paper near the places you will want to place your push pins !!

The Game Pieces:

I used tall plastic push pins and simply hot glued flowers and butterflies onto the tops.

Optional Reward Books and Planner:

You can make your own schedule and reward cards by whole punching index cards and holding them together with a metal ring or ribbon. Post rules, rewards or daily activities and hang them on the board.

(I place our board just out of reach since the push pins are so tempting. We move them together.)

Variations:

You can easily adapt to any theme for any age child. Families with multiple children could "race" each other to the finish. You do not have to use flowers or a garden theme. There are endless possibilities. "Buggy Behave" would be cute and you could substitute plastic spiders push pins for the silk flowers.

**If this post inspires you to make your own chore chart game I would love to see it and share it on my blog. Just let me know!! I might have a special prize for my favorite. You just never know.

Lots of love from a "nearly" sticker chart momma!!

Two other places for design inspiration if your feeling crafty...

http://expressivelyme.blogspot.com/

http://brixtonlife.blogspot.com/

Portrait Pacifier Instructions

These petal pouts make adorable gifts for baby showers. Tuck them in an organza bag and you have a fabulous boutique baby gift. Break out the hot glue right now and you might even set the trend for Jennifer Garner and Ben's little Seraphina. You are just seconds away from pacie couture..

You Will Need:
A Hot Glue Gun
Flat back Pearl or Crystal Center
Small Flower Head

Pacifier

Instructions:
1. Break apart a flower by removing and discarding the plastic pieces.
2. Reassemble the flower by hot gluing the petals back together.
3. Glue the flower to the top of the pacifier.
4. Cover the small hole in the center of the flower by securely gluing a flat back crystal or pearl over it.
5. POOF! You're done. Now wasn't that easy?

Additional Tips:

Ranunculus and small roses work well. Stick to other petals like hydrangeas and cherry blossoms or you will cover up baby's cute face.

Get creative. Layer petals and blend different flower petals. You don't have to use the entire flower.

I just wish I had designed these for my first pacifier loving daughter. Instead the photographer and I had to play pull the pacifier. I would snag it, he would click and I would try to pop it back in before princess wreaked havoc on the earth.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST:
Portrait Pacifiers make wonderful photo props. However, never leave your baby unsupervised with anything that has small parts.

Please do not copy or duplicate any TuTu's Bliss photographs or blog content such as instructions. Copying other people's posts, instructions and creative endeavors without permission is not nice. I could quote legal jargon but my toddler sums it up the best, "MINE! MINE! MINE!".

Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival hosted weekly by We Are That Family. Check it out for fun tips!

Fairy Mask Instructions

You will need:
A Hot Glue Gun
Fake Leaves (I prefer rose leaves)
Satin Ribbon
Flowers and Crystals (optional)
First pull off the plastic backs of several leaves. This will make them easier to work with and softer.
Arrange them around until you like the design. I measured the space between my daughter's eyes and made a few adjustments right before gluing.
Lift each leaf one at a time and apply a thin line of hot glue where the leaves overlap. When the entire front side is glued flip it over and glue three strips of ribbon on both sides for the ties.
Then cover the glue and strings with another leaf on each side. The ribbon is sandwiched between two leaves.
I accented the front with two cherry blossoms and my daughter chose heart centers. I would have went with dainty flat back pearls but it IS her mask. You can add glitter, line the eyes with crystals or anything her heart desires.

My camera shy little loves masks. Give her a mask and she goes from blushing darling to camera diva.

Leaves create the most realistic fairy costumes. So save them! Once you have enough you can create magical leaf covered photo frames, gift boxes or even complete fairy costumes.

A very special thank you to Red Bird Photography for sharing this amazing shot of the leaf fairy wings I designed for her fantasy fairy sessions. I hope you have a magical day!!

If you're looking for Works-For-Me Wednesday, you can find it over at We Are THAT Family. You will find some great tips and my favorite thing about today is...

Wordful Wednesday posts at Seven Clown Circus!