While I would love to take credit for this whimsical sheep cupcake idea, I simple can’t. And to be honest,
if Shelly from Cookies and Cups and I were in a fun, make you giggle, springtime cupcake competition…she would win by a landslide.
I’m featuring this herd of adorable sugar-filled whimsy, not only because they are super cute, but also because they’re in keeping with the 1-2-3 philosophy that all supplies should be easy to find with instructions clear enough for anyone to follow…and I mean ANYONE! So get your sweet on and head over to Cookies and Cupcakes for her fabulous step by step Sweet Sheep cupcake instructions!
1-2-3 Review
Likes: super cute, easy supplies, don’t need a steady decorating hand, kids can help, seasonal, instructions are clear and they are a huge mouthful of sugary splendor!
Dislikes: Sheep cupcakes are not in my Weight Watchers book…oops.
Kids Parties 1-2-3 Tip: When using powdered donuts – if your frosting is too cold, it may not stick to the powder covered donuts. So be patient and don’t a little more frosting usually does the trick for me.
For baby showers, birthday parties, tea parties or garden soirees, this cheery cake from my blogging friend Ruthanne will do the trick. The combination of strawberry and lemonade provide just the right amount of tang! Yes, it looks lovely and impressive, but because the recipe calls for a mix and all you need to do is decorate with sprinkles, the fact that’s it’s easy-peasy can be your little secret!
When fresh strawberries are in season, hop on over to Easy Baked to get the original Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake recipe which can be served for any occasion.
You’ll Need:
One box of strawberry cake mix (plus oil, water and eggs as directed on box)
2- 8oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temp.)
1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid Lemonade
Yellow food coloring (as desired for color)
1- 7oz. container Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1/3 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
Rainbow sugar crystals
Directions:
Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the box using two 9 inch round cake pans. Turn finished cakes over on cake racks and allow to cool completely.
Cream together cream cheese, lemonade and yellow food coloring until smooth.
Mix in marshmallow creme and powdered sugar.
Fold in Whipped Topping until completely smooth.
Cut each cake layer in half.
Alternating layers of cake with layers of frosting, assemble cake.
Cover top and sides with frosting and sprinkle with rainbow sugar.
Angry Birds have flown into pop-culture popularity at slingshot speed! With addictive simplicity and easy to access apps, this game can entertain 3 and 53 year olds alike! Now you can host an equally entertaining birthday party for your Angry Birds fan, complete with party favors, games, decorations and even Angry Birds party food and cake ideas kids love!
Invitations and Decorations for an Angry Birds Party
Cut circles from red cardstock to make your party invitations and toss a red craft feather or two into the envelope. Your message can read…
“Don’t get Angry… you’re invited to Birthday Party!”
Start with primary colored party supplies in red, yellow blue and maybe a touch of bright green.
Mix up red, yellow, blue and bright green for balloon bouquets and streamers.
Make Green Pigs to hang from ribbons or for a party banner.
Tie balloon bouquets to cinder blocks or blocks of wood and toss several balloons randomly on the floor.
Use permanent markers to draw simple bird and pig faces.
Draw and cut feathers to tape on the wall and/or hang from the ceiling.
Cover the table and make a centerpiece with stacked building blocks and bright green frosted cupcakes pigs.
Angry Birds toys can be place holders and take-away party favors.
The games for this Angry birds party are simple…toss, throw and fling and the kids of may ages will be entertained.
Use Angry Birds beans bags (red, yellow, blue or black) to knock down towers of stacked building blocks, bottles, shoe boxes, cereal boxes etc. Have the kids take turns stacking and knocking down the towers.
Roll or toss balls at water bottle pins (only 0ne-third filled). Tape the faces of the green pigs on the on the pins to complete the theme.
Buy or make a Green Pig Pinata …add some red, blue and yellow craft feathers to the filler.
Older kids will have a blast with a water balloon slingshot target game!
Search for hidden red, blue, yellow and black feathers a few green tennis balls or dyed green eggs (add faces for pigs). Players that find the pigs get an extra prize!
Have a water balloon toss with red, blue yellow and green water balloons.
Angry Birds Food and Favors
Serve hungry guests Angry Birds themed party foods and send them home with unique treat-filled party cup!
Mix red raspberry lemonade or punch with lemon-lime soda and pour it
over scoops of lime sherbet or lemon for a tasty thirst quencher.
It’s no wonder little girls have fallen in love with Fancy Nancy! After all, she twirls right off the pages of Jane O’Connor’s delightful books in all of her pink and glitzy glory! If your daughter is a Fancy Nancy fan, she’ love this birthday soiree (that’s fancy for party) inspired by the popular books and toys. With feather boas, glitter, tiaras, fancy words and a fabulous party table, you simply can’t go wrong. And best of all this Fancy Nancy party guide is jam packed with party games and ideas to make throwing your party as easy as 1-2-3!
Invitations and Decorations for a Fancy Nancy Party
Just like Fancy Nancy, more is better when decorating for this party theme! There are so many fancy ideas you’ll want to read the entire list and then select your favorites. Be sure to let your daughter join in the planning fun.
“We’re getting Fancy & You’re Invited!”
Handcraft invitations using the fanciest materials such as textured papyrus (fancy for paper) paper doilies, glitter, gel pens, feathers and stick on gems. Write your invitation details on one side and have your fancy birthday girl decorate the front.
While planning the party decor we used Fancy Nancy’s bedroom for inspiration.
You don’t want to be confined by a color scheme but fuchsia, purple, silver and gold work well as a starting point for balloons, streamers and party ware.
Gather helium balloons into bunches of 3 or 5 and place them by the entrance, party table and around the party area.
Weigh down balloons bouquets with ornate purses or candy-filled cellophane bags.
Decorate your walls and windows with photos from a Paris travel calendar. It’s also fun to tape the calendar photos of Paris on the backs of the dining chairs.
Dangle sparkling paper stars from the ceiling with fishing line.
Hang colored lights around the windows and on the ceiling.
Dress up your table and chairs with shimmering organza or tulle and big ribbon sashes. Ooooh, so fancy!
Place feather plumes in a vase or at each place setting.
If the girls are old enough, set the table with a variety of tea place settings.
Doilies on cake plates and serving platters add a fancy touch.
Posh party girls adore these fabulously fancy party games and crafts!
Your guests will be feeling fancy right away when you give them a feather boa and tiara upon arrival.
Play a game of “Plain or Fancy” using items from around the house and simple words.
Ex: show the girls a tissue…plain is tissue or Kleenex but fancy is handkerchief or the word Great becomes Extraordinaire!
New twist on a party favorite – play Musical Chairs with a Fancy Nancy stride and feather boas of course.
Instruct the players to say, “Excuse Moi!” as they battle to get a seat.
Give playful etiquette lessons and have the girls practice their new manners at the party table.
How about ballroom dancing lessons from grown-ups dressed up in their finery.
Decorate dazzling jewelry boxes with kid-safe paints, aluminum foil, star stickers etc.
Take photos of the girls dressed-up in their boas and tiaras and striking their fanciest pose.
Settle the girls down a the end of the party with a Fancy Nancy story time.
Food and Favors for a Fancy Nancy Party
Serve fancy treats to eat and send your guests home with a special thank- you gift.
If your party is held during a meal time serve fancy tea sandwiches, fruit and cheese kabobs, and lemonade.
If you are not serving a lunch, include festive party snacks at each place setting such as fresh fruit kabobs or silver cupcake liners filled with trail mix, crackers or fresh berries.
Make a batch of sweet lemon balls treats to serve in a fancy candy dish on the table or send some home as party favors.
White chocolate dipped strawberries would be delightful!
Crackers and cheese are especially nice. Try cream cheese on crackers with berries on top – delish!
Serve fruit juice in party cups and add fruit juice and berry ice-cubes for a fancy touch.
Don’t forget Fancy Nancy’s favorite parfait (ice cream sundae). For more party fun, let the kids add their own toppings such as caramel, fudge, strawberry sauce, nuts, sprinkles, and cookie crumbs etc.
Pretty petit fours will go nicely with the ice cream parfait.
Because this party involves make and take activities a bag with small party favors is appropriate here are out favorite small favors…. decorated sugar cookies , stickers , kid-safe make up , hair ties , crayons and paper
I’ve been admiring these big full pom-pom tissue flowers blooming in store windows, magazines and catalogs for about a year now, but hadn’t tried making them myself. Then I stumbled upon the SewSweetStitches blog and I’m inspired! The colors she used really caught my eye, as did her room decor and I think using smaller pom-pom paper flowers to make a party garland is brilliant!
Imagine how cute these flowers will look surrounding a garden tea party! If you want to coordinate the tissue flowers with your party theme just switch up the tissue color. For example, try white pom-poms for a winter party, red and black for a teen Hollywood theme, pink pom-poms for a princess party, teal and lavender for a Mermaid party and so on. While your at it, hang other matching decorations like paper shells, gold stars and snowflakes from the garland.
Check out the complete DIY Pom-Pom Flower instructions.
1-2-3 Review
Likes: super festive, easy-to-get supplies, kids can help, versatile, instructions are clear and the garland can double as teen room decor long after the party is over
Dislikes: you will need to make lots of pom-poms for a garland.
Kids Parties 1-2-3 Tip: Don’t be intimidated by the amount of time it will take to make enough flowers, start early and make a few flowers every evening while watching TV and enlist the family in the process. Eventually you will have enough.
I love, love love the idea of a sweet ladybug theme for a little girl’s birthday party! Who wouldn’t be enamored by little red ladybugs with adorable spots? And if their cuteness isn’t enough to convince you, did you know ladybugs are a sign of good luck?
So, make party planning easy as 1-2-3 with these lucky ladybug decorations, crafts and birthday party games.
Play a lady bug tossing game using homemade red sock bean bags and green paper leaf targets. Make the ladybug spots on the red socks with a black permanent marker.
New twist on a party game favorite – play a ladybug version of “Hot Potato” with a ladybug bean bag or beanie toy.
Instead of the traditional musical chairs game, play “Musical Flower Garden” by taping paper flowers and leaves to the chairs.
Older children will enjoy painting ladybug rocks with acrylic paints. Plastic wiggle eyes are a fun addition.
When you are entertaining a group of young children it is always nice to end the party with a quiet story time.Favorite ladybug books to read are:
The Grouchy LadyBug by Eric Carl
Ladybug Girl by Jacky Davis and David Soman
Are You a Ladybug? by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries
Food and Favors for a Ladybug Party
If you are serving a light lunch or snacks, feed little ladybugs food that’s fun to eat and then send them home with fun party favors.
Here are the favorites for this party theme…
Serve kid-favorite sandwiches cut with a flower cookie cutter.
Make bugs in a boat or on a log – which is raisins and cream cheese on celery or and apple wedge.
Slide watermelon balls on kid-safe skewer to make fruit kabobs.
Flower cupcakes decorated with jelly beans or other candy will be deliciously fun!
Cherry floats or Italian sodas are fun and yummy!
Strawberry lemonade is a ladybug favorite.
Package up party favors in red cups with black tissue.
Favors could include red and black candies, red and black crayons, supplies to make a red and black pony bead necklace, hair ties, playclay with a flower cookie cutter, ladybug stickers.
If your party has a garden touch fill small garden pots with treats or a seed packet and kid-sized gardening gloves.
Make ladybug cookie favors using a chocolate marshmallow cookie like Mallomars, red sugar cookie wings, licorice antennae and decorator frosting features.
Are you providing a make-and-take craft or dress up items? If so, a small and simple party favor is appropriate such as a wrapped ladybug cookie.
How to make Ladybug birthday party invitations – you can do it!
Babies love bubbles and balls and this birthday party theme is joyfully filled with both. It’s bright, playful and best of all it’s as easy as 1,2,3 for busy moms to prepare. After all, you have your hands full with baby care and need a break when it comes to party planning.
Hosting the party at home, or in a familiar setting will make things easier on your baby.
Schedule the party around nap time.
Keep it short… 60-90 minutes is best.
Keep it simple… non-competitive activities.
Discuss food allergies before preparing the menu.
Be flexible.
Ask a few friends or family members to be your party helpers.
Invitations and Decorations for a Bubbles and Balls Baby Party
Set the stage for a memorable baby birthday with special touches and personalized items.
Make your own bubble styled invitations using card stock paper cut in small and large circles. Glue the smaller circle offset on the edge of the larger circle. Write your baby’s age on the small circle and the party details on the large circle. For an added touch, lightly dust the invitations with super fine poly-glitter which you can find at a craft store.
Begin your decorating with a color palette which makes it easier to purchase balloons, plates streamers and other party items.
Both pastel or primary colors work well with this party theme. I tend to use three colors when decorating for a party. In this case pink, yellow and light green or red, blue and yellow.
Rent or purchase a bubble machine for a fun greeting at the entry way.
Decorate the door with large paper circles cut from coordinating paper and your baby’s age written in marker.
Make more paper circles and numbers to hang from the ceiling and mount on the windows and walls.
A party area can’t help but look festive when it’s filled with balls, balls and more balls in a variety of colors and sizes (keep safety in mind).
Set the table with matching paper or plastic party-ware. A disposable table cover will be easier in the long run or you can use a white sheet that can be washed when the party is over.
Include some personalized party items with the birthday child’s name or photo on a few of the table items. Order them from popular on-line party suppliers.
Run the party streamers down the center of the table and use frosted cupcakes in a stand for a centerpiece.
Use a clothesline or string and matching plastic clothespins to display pictures of the birthday baby. Including photos that also have the guests with the baby is a thoughtful touch.
Balloons should be used cautiously with baby parties as they are a choking hazard. Tie one helium balloon on the back of each party chair and few more on the guest of honor’s chair.
Games and Crafts for a Bubbles and Balls Baby Party
Planning a party for babies requires simple activities and plenty of flexibility. Select a few of these party ideas to to entertain the little ones at your party and remember that the party will only be about one hour.
Bubble chasing is always fun. Use a bubble machine or enlist older guests to blow the bubbles for the children to chase and pop.
Play simple ball rolling games with one and two year olds. For example they can roll the balls back and forth with adults – little ones are not quite ready to play catch with each other.
Three year old babies will enjoy throwing balls into laundry baskets or clean waste baskets.
Play a circle time game with a ball…sing or say the child’s name while rolling the ball back and forth with them.
Two and three year old babies will enjoy “painting” with water using round sponges and wash basins of water.
Need Inspiration?
Food and Favors for a Bubbles and Balls Baby Party
Special considerations need to be taken when planning a menu for the babies at the party but you’ll have more flexibility on the foods you can serve the older guests. This is a short and sweet party so finger food and snacks are appropriate.
Fruit Kabobs are a delicious treat for older guests but not safe for little ones.
Serve baby-safe cut fruit for the little guests.
Top crackers topped with cream cheese and blue berry “balls”.
Serve finger food such as meat wrapped string cheese, cheese cubes and cream cheese crackers.
Little hands enjoy dipping…try hummus and guacamole with pita triangles.
Frosted cupcakes or ice cream cones with are a perfect treat for this party, especially if you add sprinkles.
Send guests home with a large home baked cookie, bottle of bubbles and ball of course.
When I picked up several packages of “stick-on” jewels I was disappointed to discover two things…
One, they weren’t very sticky. Two, there were way more teeny tiny jewels than I felt was needed…why don’t they just make a package of teeny tiny jewels for people with the patience to use them ,and a real package for all the rest of us?
But I quickly solved the both problems with my all time favorite, can’t do without craft supply…Glue Dots!
In about 30 minutes I was able to make a party table look super fancy for eight little girls to enjoy and there was NOOOO dry time needed!
I was able to use the teeny tiny jewels because Glue Dots come in a super small size and all of the jewels were secure.
Craft Materials:
Paper party cups
Plastic flatware (you can actually use real flatware with removable glue dots)
Stick on jewels (sequins will work too, but not as well)
Glue Dots – labelled craft or removable and the micro size
Directions:
Attach a glue dot to the back of the jewel and attach it the outside of the cups.
Repeat randomly around the cup.
Do the same with 3-4 jewels on the handle of the fork and spoon.
As you can see, I am not a photographer or a paper artist. As a matter of fact, there are many more party blogs out there with gorgeous photos and truly amazing party decor ideas. While I appreciate them and could possible be like them…I am not. I’m just a mom, auntie and Nana trying simple ideas to make parties super fun! It has worked for 25 years, so why stop now?
A Valentine’s Day party is one of the few kids parties you can pull together with small budget and limited amount of time! Decorations can be made with construction paper, treats are home-baked and inexpensive Valentine’s party favors are easy to find. So grab your scissors and heart shaped cookie cutters, it’s time to celebrate love!
Invitations and Decorations for Your Valentine's Day Party
Stop by your local Dollar Store first, to find deals on paper, doilies, ribbons, stickers, candy and other useful supplies for decorating and favors. These ideas are sure to get your Valentine’s day creative juices flowing!
Make invitations with red and pink paper. Write the message in a gel pen and use a few heart stickers for decorations. Add a sprinkle of glitter or confetti in the envelope before sealing.
Attach small invitation notes to heart shaped lollipops and then deliver them by hand.
For decorations you’ll want a LOT of paper hearts in a variety of shapes and colors. If your kids are old enough, enlist their help and start in the early stages of party planning, so that it’s fun as opposed to tedious!
Hang the paper hearts from the ceiling with curling ribbon, tape them to the walls and windows.
Turn your front door into a giant valentine card with a large sheet of red or pink wrapping paper on which you’ve written “Be Mine!” in marker or paper letters.
Add matching streamers and balloons all throughout the Valentine’s Day party room.
Tie a single red, pink or white balloon to each chair at the table
Weave paper place-mats with large sheets of red, pink and purple construction paper.
Wrap cutlery in a white napkin and use paper or ribbon for napkin rings.
Make your own Valentine’s day version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey with “pin the heart on the cupcake” It’s easy to draw a cupcake on poster board and use sticky backed foam to cut the hearts.
Older kids will like playing Apples to Apples using only pre-selected love themed cards or Mad Libs as a group and there will be lots of laughs!
Use candy conversation hearts when a playing Valentine’s Day Bingo Game.
I’ve provided a link below to a printable game.
Is your birthday boy (or girl) fascinated with backhoes and bulldozers? Is he completely entertained by Bob the Builder or Handy Manny? If so, pack your tool chest with these construction birthday party games, decorations and fun treats and you’ll be ready to get to work!
Invitations and Decorations for a Construction Party
Build excitement and set the mood for a great construction party.
Trace tool shaped cookie cutters to make your own invitations on cardstock paper and if possible deliver your invitations tied to a miniature tool or truck.
Combine orange, yellow and black balloons, streamers and tableware for a construction party theme.
Include a roll of caution tape for streamers, it will be a hit!
Make “KIDS AT PLAY” and “PARTY ZONE” signs with poster board or craft foam.
Decorate with props such as saw horses, orange cones, caution tape and 2×4 boards are easy to find and look fabulous!
Tie bunches of 3-5 orange, yellow and black balloons to cinder blocks or bricks for weights.
Large empty appliance boxes are fun for decorating and playing in during the party. Add toy tools for more fun!
Does your little construction worker have a kid-sized workbench, trucks, tool chest, or Bob the Builder storybooks? Include them in your decor and activities.
Decorate the party table with strips of caution tape down the middle, toy construction trucks, signs and workers along the top of the table and orange plates and cups.
If you can find mini safety cones, add one at each place setting.
Another fun relay race is to “build a house”. Each team builds a poster board house one player/piece at a time.
New twist on a party favorite – Play a construction themed fishing game using a saw horse, wood dowel, string and magnet to move nuts and bolts from one location to another.
Is there a construction site in your neighborhood where the children can safely watch the tractors and cranes at work? Might be worth the trip!
Set up a “Construction Zone” (outdoor party) using wood boards, orange cones, tires and a sand pit with toy construction vehicles and shovels.This can serve a dual purpose as a playtime activity!
Do you have a friend with a back hoe or dump truck? Ask them to come and give the kids a ride.
Food and Favors for a Construction Party
Hear that whistle? It’s Lunch Time!
Satisfy handle hungry workers with kid-friendly birthday party treats.
Serve sandwiches in cookie cutter shapes of construction vehicles.
Fill mini dump trucks with fruit and veggies.
Dump Truck Birthday Cake. Just fill up the back of a good size toy truck with cake chunks, ice cream and toppings….blow out the candles and grab a spoon!
This birthday cake is “Under Construction”…Decorate the top of a sheet cake with mini workers signs and vehicles. Chocolate cookie crumbs make piles of dirt, graham cracker crumbs become edible sand and you can find candy rocks art specialty candy stores.
If you prefer to make cupcakes, frost them with chocolate frosting. Then add chocolate cookie crumbs and small construction vehicle toy (also a party favor).
Try doing an Internet image search for “dump truck cake”…there are some fabulous creative ideas to inspire you!
Everyone goes home happy with construction party favors created by filling mini trucks or hard hats full of goodies.
Decorate brown paper bags with a few construction themed stickers and fill the bag with fruit snacks, cheese crackers, stickers and a toy truck.
1-2-3 Party Tip:
If you are providing hard hats or tool belts for the party, you can keep party favors to a minimum.
can be place holders and take-away party favors.
for your tossing games or hide them around the yard.
and create a centerpiece scene with blocks.
in all of her pink and glitzy glory! If your daughter is a Fancy Nancy fan, she’ love this birthday soiree (that’s fancy for party) inspired by the popular books and toys. With feather boas, glitter, tiaras, fancy words and a fabulous party table, you simply can’t go wrong. And best of all this Fancy Nancy party guide is jam packed with party games and ideas to make throwing your party as easy as 1-2-3!
