Cookie Monster & Elmo Costumes

Happy Camper!

My husband loves the outdoors (a passion we do not share).  So this year I decided to go with a camping theme for his birthday.  I was really happy with the results and the cake was one of the easiest I've ever made.  All you need is:
Stones: Bridge mix (I like the different sizes and colors)
Campfire: Cut a hole and sunk a tealight into the cake and it doubles as the birthday candle.
Tent: Graham wafers stuck together with icing and trimmed with pretzel sticks.
Letters: Alphabet pretzels available at Superstore
Trees: Icecream cones trimmed to desired size and decorared with icing using rosette tip. 

With the help of my three year-old we made this birthday card.  She's not quite at the cutting stage so I got all the piece ready and she glued them on.

Gluten Free Birthday

We have some people in our family with gluten sensitivities. So instead of making a traditional  cake for my mom's last birthday I made a gluten free rice krispies bouquet!  The kids thought it was way more fun than regular squares and everybody got to enjoy a treat!

For her gift I assembled this family collage.  Using family photos I collaged them together to spell FAMILY.  Everybody loves searching through the pictures trying to find themselves and remembering special times.  I  did it in word and it was pretty painstaking so I'm sure there has to be an easier way.  If anybody has any ideas on how it would be easies I would love to hear them. 

SHARK ATTACK!

My nephew asked me to surprise him with the theme for his sixth birthday so I decided to throw him a "Shark Attack" party!

The front door was decorated with BEWARE SHARK to give him a hint of the theme before he entered.

I was super excited to find these shark fun foam hats at the Dollar Store.

The table centrepiece

The Desserts

The idea for the cupcakes came from the book "Hello Cupcake" by Karen Tack.  They ended up being a bit of a disappointment because during the night all of the sharks collapsed.  With no sharks I had to quickly decorate some more fish cupcakes in the morning.

Using a clean shark sand toy as a mould this jello shark took a lot of trial and error.  Finally what worked best was to spray the mould with cooking spray and to use one cup of hot water for an 85g box of jello.  I did not add any cold water. Let set for a least three hours and until the jello is not sticky to the touch.  Turn onto serving plate and lay a warm cloth over the mold for a few seconds to loosen.

The Presents

Unable to find any shark wrapping paper I just wrapped the present in blue, cut a shark fin out of construction paper and stuck some fish stickers on it.

On the outside of the card I wrote "Fishing you a Sharktastic 6th Birthday" the template for the inside of the card can be found at www.candlewick.com/book_files/076362229x.kit.1.pdf

Activities

Shark Photos - This activity played double duty as a party decoration. I found a shark colouring sheet on the Internet and drew it to a larger size on a piece of blue Bristol board. I cut out the mouth and added a few teeth. Then I mounted it on a piece of blue display board(the kind used for displays at science fairs - available at craft and office supply stores). I added a few fish that I printed off the Internet and made some waves using blue streamers. The party guests took turns having their pictures taken inside the "sharks mouth" 

Shark Says - I printed and cut out fish colouring sheets off on coloured card stock and hooked a paperclip through their mouths.  On the backs I wrote different activities like  "Shark says... Spin around in a circle while making a fish face" and "Shark says... Sing a song about a fish" on a couple I wrote "Shark Attack".  Using a magnetic fishing rod purchased from the Dollar Store each child took turns catching a fish and doing the activity on the back. When a "Shark Attack" fish was caught everybody got excited and tickled the "fisherman".

Save the Fish - I put some water and a little blue food colouring in a large plastic container and threw in a few small sea animals and a shark sand toy.  Using a toy butterfly net the children took turns  trying to "save the sea animals" while avoiding  catching the shark.  The sea animals were then divided up among the children to take home as a party favour.

Party Favours

The younger kids goody bags included ocean themed bath squirt toys.In addition to the sea animals that they received during the "save the fish" activity the older kids received a shark craft kit, ocean stickers and some ocean fruit bites.

More Cakes

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hoppy Easter Cupcakes!

"Love Bug" cake for my sister's birthday

Happy Birthday Spiderman!

Bee cake for Becker's 2nd Birthday!

"Oilers" cake for Richard's Birthday

Caterpillar cakes for Becker's 1st Birthday

Ladybug Tea Party!

 <>Lia's First Birthday Party! <><>

It's a Ladybug Tea Party!



Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

I whipped these cupcakes up for my nephews birthday.  They are pretty simple.  Just bright icing and York mini mints.  Just a word of warning keep them out of the sun they melt almost immediately.  Believe me I learned the hard way!

Snowman Cupcake Family

With the help of my Aunt I made these cute little guys for a family Christmas dinner and they were a big hit.  These cupcakes were super cute and very easy to make.  Each one is unique and has its own little personality. All you need is: Prepared cupcakes/ white icing/  marshmallows/ long shredded coconut/ mini M&M's/orange jubejube candies/ string licorice/ black icing/ smarties

1. Spread white icing on cupcakes and dip into bowl of coconut.
2. Spread white icing on marshmallow and roll in coconut.
3. Sit marshmallow lengthwise on cupcake close to the back with a round side facing out (you may need to put a little squirt of icing on the cupcake to make it stick)
4. Place a dot of icing on the mini M&M's (on the side with the writing) and place for buttons. 
5. Apply smarties to each side of ears and attach with a dot of icing.
6. Cut licorice to desired length for ear muffs and attach to head.
7. Cut jubejube in quarters and attach using icing to the face.
8. With a small tip apply two black dots for the eyes.
9. Recommend storing in the fridge if you are not going to enjoy them right away as the heads might slip off if the icing gets to soft! 

Lia's Sesame Street Birthday!







 

 

Cookie, Elmo and Abby Cupcakes

Found these cute drinking bottles at the Dollar Store.  The children got them as party favors and it cut down on the spills at the party!

Our "Seseme Street" inspired menu

Lia requested Abby "attend" her party!  I drew Abby on a piece of bristol board and glued it to a peice of corogated plastic and attached a triangle pice of plastic to the back so she would stand up.  My Dad made the sign using a cardboard tube stuck into a green flower pot.  He ran an extension cord through the tube and put a globe light on top so that it actually lit up.  Lia loved it!  

 

 

 

 



Look Whoo's One!

Lia and I made this Owl family out of toilet paper rolls as decoration for the party.