Toddler time 1: Rainy Day fun!

I'm always looking on Pinterest or online for fun stuff to do with my little girl. I have a bunch of snack and art project ideas (motor skills) that I want to do and have done, so I'm starting a "Toddler Time" highlight to my posts... (trying to organize or make it easy to find stuff...)

This one's pretty simple... it was a rainy day (surprise, surprise...) so I thought we'd make a raincloud.

Ingredients:
- clear fishing string (wire)
- styrafoam or paper bowl
- blue construction paper
- pencil and kid scissors

I folded the paper in half short ways and drew bunch of LARGE raindrops on the blue construction paper (about 2 1/2 inches long). I had gracie cut them with the kid scissors (with my help of course)

----- we interupt these instructions for a very important motor skill message --- before using kid scissors together, we sing "twinkle twinkle" doing the open shut (twinkling) motions with our hands. It helps her get the cutting motion prepped for using scissors
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and we're back.... so, because the paper was folded you should have a bunch of raindrops that are in pairs (same size pairs). put those aside... then I flipped the bowl over and punched a bunch of holes in the bottom with the pencil. I cut several strips of fishing string in diffenent lengths and had her pull the sting through the holes (**motor skills**). I tied off the fishing wire in a big enough knot that it wouldnt untie or go through the holes i punched (You can burn the knots to make sure they stay but I wouldnt recommend doing this NOT in the prescense of your lil one or they may get some early pyrotechnic ideas... anyways, we took a pair of raindrops on the other end of the string (below the bowl) and glued them each together around the sring. continue with all the raindrops and pull a string through a hole in the middle of the bowl and knot it the other way to make a hook for it to hang... if that makes sense, use that string to hold up or hang your raincloud...

remember to be patient, the raindrops are going to get messed up, you may have to help your little one glue the paper together (not their fingers) and they may only have the attention span to do a couple raindrps... and you'll have to come back and finish after snack...  but the more they're doing on their own (in a SAFE way), the more they're learning...

Baby Charlotte's Dumbo-Circus Shower

So my BFF back home in Cali, Erin, LOVES Disney. For her shower, I wanted to do something that had a Disney theme to it, but not too overdone or cheesy, kind of a side theme/character, and not just random Walt Disney threw up in the room... you catch my drift...

So I was shopping at Target and what to my wondering eyes appear, but the cutest set of Dumbo onesies... for a girl (we didn't know what she was having at the time, but this was perfect!) and became my base for the shower/color scheme... of course I had to wait until she found out she was having a girl... I decided to go with the circus theme either way. if a boy, i'd do primary colors, if a girl I'd do the colors on the onesies... (here's a pic) 

 

Once she found out she was going to have a "Charlotte" we could move forward on invitations, decorations, etc... (color scheme is Everything people...)

Everything just seemed to fall into place, its like these stores knew exactly what was in my head... (Or it could be divine intervention, my Jesus knows nothing brings me more joy than when things match... okay, maybe not "nothing"). So I found one of those scrapbooking paper packs you can get at Michael's or Joann's that had a "circus" look to it (I think its called "Nana's cookies") and the colors i wanted. I used a lot of paper for the decorations.

anyways, here's what i did with the shower...

I only have the three pics you can see there. i'm waiting for Erin's cousin to send me more... (TIP #1 --- I don't care how Stressed you are, don't forget to take pics!!!!...like I did...whoopsie)

ONE tip: DONT throw away ANY paper... you'll see why in "decorations" section

INVITATION: Invites came out really cute! I found fonts online (they were all free fonts you can google free X font)

I used:

- Circus

- Hoedown
- Columbus
- Edwardian Script
- Rage (you'll LOVE this one!)

The pic of Dumbo was from the onsie. i literally scanned the pics of the mouse and Dumbo (attached)

I'm not sure how to attach word doc here... sorry about that..

Okay so here are the steps to creating the invitation you see above:

1. Create the template on word by inserting a triangle shape above a rectangle... (click insert, then the shapes icon)...in the shape of a circus tent and print that on plain cardstock (get a pack of cardstock sheets that are in the same color scheme) that matches the patterned paper you choose) then cut out your tents (SAVE SCRAPS OF THE FLAT COLORED PAPER)
2. Print the invite wording only (rectangle you see above) on white canvas cardstock (about four should be able to fit into one page) MAKE SURE EACH RECTANGLE OF THE WORDING IS SMALLER THAN THE TENT RECTANGLE ON EACH SIDE BY ABOUT 1/4 INCH  
3. trace a circus tent you've created on the BACK of the patterned paper you want to use for the tent.
4. cut out your "circus tents" on the patterned paper. use a ruler or blade ruler combo to cut a line separating the triangle and rectangle parts of the circus tents on the PATTERNED PAPER ONLY.
5. Glue the invitation wording in the rectangle part of the flat colored circus tents  
6. use the scraps of the patterned paper to create small diamond shapes about 1 inch wide.
7. fold the diamonds in half around a toothpick and glue to create the pennent flag that will at the top of the invitation
8. Glue the patterned triangle tops to the top part of the flat colored circus tents (line up on top to make sure you can't see edges) with the other end of the toothpick flag sticking out of the top to create the tents flag.
9. Cut the rectangle in half (short ways) on the patterned paper. This is how the tent will open in the middle.
10. glue the edges of each side of the rectangle bottom part on the sides of the invitation wording (in the 1/4 inch gap on each side). and fold them at the edge of the invitation wording paper to make the "doors or curtains"
11. Use the scraps of the flat colored cardstock to create the scalloped roof edges of the circus tent with my cricut but you can use textured scrapbook scissors too.
12. I used my cricut with the scraps of the patterned paper to make "tags" (plantain schoolbook cartridge) and then printed the tag wording on the same canvas white cardstock as the invitation wording.
13. Cut the wording for the tickets to fit on the patterned paper tickets and glue them on.
    TICKET WORDING: on the top i put entr'acte (like intermission) with the wording below reading:
    Pregnancy can often make you feel like a clown…
    Please send a funny anecdote, short story, craving,
    anything extraordinary about your
    pregnancy or your mothers pregnancy
    with you to INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS HERE>>>>>>>>>>

the other ticket said:
Come one come all on the side (with word art) and the wording on the other side read: "test your luck at our diaper raffle 1 pack = 1 ticket (I used regular raffle tickets from smart and final for this)

I wrapped string (the same floss used for making friendship bracelets) around the invite a few times, put the tags through and tied in a cute bow shape to finish it off.

 

I found circus looking fabric with the same color scheme along with stripes and polka dots for the diaper cake (as shown in pic above) MESSAGE ME for special orders on diaper cakes, banners and decorations...  the little pennent on top had the letter "C" of course for miss Charlotte

DECORATIONS:

Banner: you can see in the photo's attached the banner I made. i used the circus font large to write welcome and the "Lil' Peanut" was in pennents... behind the banner is just plain ol' party streamers... we taped them to the top of the window blind thingy and let them hang in stripes.

I used scraps of paper to cut out pennents (diamond shapes folded over string to make triangles) and used the same string (floss) i used on the invites to hang pennent bunting all over (you can see a little bit of it on the diaper cake table photo attached) i hung the bunting from light fixtures across too so it was over the guests...

 Tables: i got cheapy white plastic table cloths (2 for $1 at Wal-Mart) and draped different colors of tulle over them like runners turned out really cute (you have to fold it in half long ways to really see the color). you can buy this by the yard at JoAnn's (its like 1.25 a yard).

 I used more paper scraps and cut them in strips (big or small) and wrapped them around a pencil (white side against pencil) pull the pencil out and viola you have little curly/twisty confetti's to put on the tables... add's more fun and color. I also used peanuts as decoration all over the tables (since it was an adult shower i didnt have to worry about kids with peanut allergies. you can get those marshmallow peanut candies (i think they're called circus peanuts) to be safe... (or use that as a treat)

I also got a roll of raffle tickets at smart and final and used these for all sorts of decorations. you can wrap them around glass for treats, or just curl them like the paper and put them on tables... its really a cheap decoration.

I found vintage pics of Dumbo from Disneyland (as you can see in the photo) and printed them large as decoration. (if i had more time/$$ i would have framed them in cute thick white frames... and matted with different bright color paper) it's on my pinterest

 I used Starbucks frappe bottles and decorated them with a strip of the cute paper wrapped around and covered the front with a circle that had each letter of Charlottes name printed in Rage font with a color paper behind the letter scalloped. I lined this up but meant to stack it up like a bean bag toss game you play at an actual circus... (You could find plastic bottles in a similar shape to use as an actual game at the party...

I wanted to do a photo booth and got some accessories to do it but we just didnt do it for some reason: I attached the clown stuff to do it. I framed the clown around doc (attached) and had a basket of fun "dress up" stuff... feather boa, beads, clown nose, silly glasses, etc... you can leave a disposable camera with the stuff and have people throughout the party go take their own silly clown pictures. I also attached a doc with mustache, lips, etc... print, cut and tape or glue these to cake pop sticks for people to hold up when taking hte pics.

I used a cute prego pic of erin and wrote in cute fonts with word art so it looked like a circus poster "come see the Ever-Expanding woman" I'll try to find it to post

I found a copy of Dumbo and had the guests all sign it for baby Charlotte.

We also did the scrapbook thing as with the Queen of Hearts shower previously posted. I found a themed (matching with color scheme) scrapbook, embellishments, string, paper (same as ones for invite and decorations), scissors, etc... to go with the theme and set it out on a separate table for the guests to create a pre-made scrapbook for Erin to place the baby pics in... such a fun project, comes out so so cute with everyone's personalities...

for food we just did a salad/sandwich bar and i found these cookies that look like striped straws that are pink and white at smart and final, i think they're an asian thing, but they were really good, i think they had other colors too.. for the drinks i found striped paper straws on etsy and used mason jars. (and of course pink lemonade). I printed the guests name on little sticker labels and they put their name sticker on their mason jar. for a kids party i would have more fun with food and decorations... you can cut sandwiches or just bread and make a sandwich bar in star shapes with cookie cutters... definately have bananas for the monkeys ... maybe cotton candy (Brennon has a cotton candy machine), candy apples...

take home/favor: i found cute chevron striped paper bags on etsy in the colors that matched the party and made a cute sticker saying somehting like She's gonna "pop" corn... and had different flavors of popcorn in apothacary jars (popcorn bar) one of my fav's is get chocolate candy melts from joann's or michaels in the colors your doing the party in (or white and make the colors with food coloring) and drizzle the melted chocolate over regular salted popcorn. (I like to make my own airpopped or in a pot the old fashioned way and use sea salt. you can have fun with the flavors, drizzle melted caramel... ) cheap and yummy favor. For a birthday party or bridal shower you could say something like "thanks for {pop}ping by to celebrate XXX's special day"

If i were doing a circus birthday party I'd do different "stations" or areas of the place and place different homemade circus games... It's really amazing what you could make with a little imagination and home depot or lowes

a flat square peice of wood drilled with several holes place wood dollops in holes and glue with wood glue, paint and voila you have a ring toss (you could get those glow stick necklaces from the party store as rings to make it more fun

you could do a bean bag toss, (bean bags are so easy to make if you have a sewing machine and you could get fabric that matches the party colors)

knock over the bottles like above with bean bags...

I always like to do some kind of art project or activity. you could get masks from oriental trading and have kids decorate with sequins, feathers, and such... also, oriental trading you can buy bulk of little stuffed animals really cheap and give those as prizes to the games... or a really cheap and fun prize is getting glass bowls from the dollar store those colorful glass stones from michales (you can also get in colors to match party) and put a gold fish in it... (not sure how happy parents will be but its totally in tune with the theme...haha)

I'm not sure how much a balloon person is but that would be a fun take-home along with popcorn and that's it...

 

Love you Erin, hope this shower was truly memorable! glad I could be a part of Welcoming precious little Charlotte!!!

 

Here's Erin and I (and yes, i purposely wore a sundress to match... I'm a nerd, I know...)