Celebrations
Painting Party and a GIVEAWAY
Sunday, October 7, 2012
UPDATE!!
Shannau, you won the party package giveaway!! Contact me at fabulousfridayfreebies@gmail.com with your shipping address and Ill mail out your party supplies!
Shannau, you won the party package giveaway!! Contact me at fabulousfridayfreebies@gmail.com with your shipping address and Ill mail out your party supplies!
Im not gonna lie. This was the easiest birthday party in the history of the Smith family…
Those nearest and dearest know my propensity to go a little overboard with birthday parties.
We are STILL finding glitter in cracks and crannies in the house from our Fairy themed party and “wishing pixie dust” that I not-so-wisely distributed to a dozen 4 year olds back in January.
And then there are is my friend who is still holding a grudge that the live pets we sent home as favors from the twins party a couple years ago are (to her great dismay) still living….darn it!
So, when I told C of my great idea to have Britain’s entire class of third graders….and permanent acryllic paint….in our home for an art-themed painting party, he did what every supportive husband would do…..
…told me to come up with another idea.
I assured him I could just put brown paper over our table and contain the paint.
He assured me I was nuts.
And reminded me that I dont know how to teach a painting class.
Touché
So began the quest for an alternative location for an art themed party.
Best decision of my life.
Well….in the top ten at least!
I spoke to Natasha at Wine & Design and was so excited to get a party lined up. She was super accommodating and sent Britain a huge electronic gallery to browse through and pick the painting she wanted to paint for her party. Their facility was much more equipped than my kitchen table and their concrete flooring looks way cooler with paint spatters than my parisian rug would have.
The guy who taught the class had the kids full attention. It was unreal. First time in my life Ive been in a room full of 15 girls and had…..complete…..silence! They were all so intent on their work and contentedly created their masterpieces for 2 hours.
Amazing!
And this meant I got to do my favorite part of a party. The planning, the preparation, the decorating and the pictures. Im totally happy to not be the one in change….I just want to plan it:)!!
…and take pictures.
Leaving the party, even C was impressed.
No drama.
No chaos.
No mess in our home.
And a bunch of very happy kiddos with great paintings to show off.
We now have an entire series of orange and teal butterflies in our home thanks to 4 painters in our family! Gonna have to paint an accent wall orange…we have NOTHING else this color scheme in our home!
Keeping with the theme, my friend at Iz Good cakes of Columbia designed a fitting “art” inspired cake which was every bit as yummy as it looks!
Very fun, low key and entertaining gig. So, who wants to go back to Wine & Design with me for a ladies night out? I want to paint!
So, Ive got a $45 value giveaway up for grabs!!
Id love to share fun party supplies so one of you can plan your own party with these fun crazy colors. Package up for grabs includes:
~An adorable Happy Birthday Banner from The Banner Sisters (Ive worked with them on a number of events and their creations are super cute!)
~20 assorted nut cups in yellow and green (from CuteTape….my go-to place for party supplies and washi tape – my new addiction!)
~6 clear gum ball paint pails (as shown…great for storing or decorating)
Here’s how to enter.
If you have a Pinterest account, simply “pin” any picture from this party (or any other party on the seventh smith blog) on one of your Pinterest boards.
Leave a comment below for every picture you pin. So, if you pin 5 pictures, leave 5 comments.
If you dont have a Pinterest account, just “follow” our blog and leave a comment below that you are following.
Ill draw a winner on Monday and you can start some party planning of your own.
Here’s to my beautiful, artistic, independent, dancing-queen, caring, middle-sister, Ukrainian-born, answer-to-prayer, gift-giving, contagious-giggler, daring, funny, loyal, helpful, adored Britain! Happy Birthday babe!
Sublimely 6
Friday, July 20, 2012
Its not every day that you turn 6, you know! And this birthday traditionally happens to be a very big one at our house. We spread the celebration between 4 days, 3 birthday cakes and 2 states.
California cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents kicked off the party as we wrapped up our family reunion in Palm Springs.
We flew back to Atlanta where the festivities continued. Since daddy had to fly out of town on her birthday. she got her gift a day early. Who has a very handy-daddy? This girl!
The anticipation. The unveiling. The reaction.
All our girls know they get a doll house on their 6th birthday. Izzy picked out the paint color, but hadnt gotten a peek at the finished product until this moment. C labored over this masterpiece, designing the plans himself and pouring hours into the design and assembly. She was delighted with the finished product.
We arrived at Grandmoni’s for a tea time luncheon. Heart shaped tea sandwiches and pink punch – of course! Cake pops, fresh flowers, fruit and pink, pink, pink everywhere!
Weeks ago, Grandmoni asked Izzy what she wanted her to cook for her birthday dinner.
And I quote:
“I would like hamburger & hotdogs, and red chips (Doritos) and juicy oranges from a can (mandarin oranges) and raw broccoli to dip in ranch. And then I want a cake with like some little strawberries on top that are dipped in chocolate. And thats all because that’s SIX things like how old Im turning.”
I will say, the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. Reminds me of the year as a child I asked for shrimp and lasagna for my birthday dinner – and got them both! My mother spared no expense and Izzy got everything on her list delighting her precious 6 year old heart (and palate)
Great Grandpa is the one responsible for the “dollhouse tradition”. He made one for each of his grandaughters for their 6th birthday!!
The next day, I had planned to reconnect with some of my childhood girlfriends that I grew up with, so we invited moms, grandmothers and kids over for a picnic and swim. What do you do when 17 kids are coming to swim and you wake up to rain?
PANIC!
No……actually, it worked out beautifully and we “partied” on the porch until the drizzling rain blew over.
My sister in law recently introduced me to Washi tape and I was eager to try with this party. Im hooked now! This stuff sticks to anything and is a super easy/cheap way to upcycle and decorate to color-coordinate anything. We packaged favors and adorned glasses with it. F-U-N!!
The IZZE pink grapefruit drinks were to perfect to pass up. Not everyone has their own beverage label! Paired with old-timey paper straws these were a hit.
My very talented friend Helen made cupcake toppers and cookies for our summer themed party. She makes ridiculously cute things…not to mention, yummy!!
In the end, the sun did peek out for a little afternoon cool down swim.
Izzy, I must say….that of all my children whom I love equally, you are just the sweetest, most selfless, caring child I have ever met. I am amazed daily by the maturity you show in your kindheartedness toward others. You are simply a delight to your daddy and me. Your compassion for those less fortunate, your giving spirit and eagerness to serve, and your contagious giggle are unequivocally endearing!
Happy 6th Little Miss Sunshine!!
Special thanks to our vendors for their party-planning expertise
You can find these items here:
Cute soda straws ~ Fun Paper Straws
Favor bags, washi tape and gift tags ~ Cu-te-ta-pe
Cookie favors and cupcake toppers ~ Cakey Bakey
Double Digits
Saturday, June 16, 2012
How is it even possible. My firstborn(s). These double-trouble multiplied-blessings. These babes who made me a self-contained-mini-van for 9 months. Who broke me in as a mother. Who I labored 14 hours with to bring into the world. Who I nursed and rocked and wept and laughed over. Who have brought me twice the fun and a double portion of anxiety from time to time. How can it be that they are suddenly “big kids”.
Im a little nostalgic remembering their “twin talk” as babies. And then how Abi started “interpreting” for Tristan when she started talking and he wasn’t yet. She could tell us exactly what he wanted. (…..and hasn’t shut-up since then trying to answer for him:)
Before they were born, we didn’t know what gender they were. I knew I desperately wanted a boy first. (Every girl should have a big brother like I did!) But I also knew I was cut out to be a girl-mom. Relief swept over me when each one was born.
A boy first – perfect
…and a girl.
I couldn’t be more thrilled!
I remember turning double digits. I remember thinking I was SO old! Now I AM soooo old….to have kids this age is a bit of a reality check!
Their big day began with a daddy-daughter-date. I love that Abi’s an emerging young lady, but still “sugar and spice and everything nice and….daddy’s little girl!”
Tristan also had a special outing to the Bass Pro Shop to get some gear for his favorite hobby. This kid can be spotted most mornings before 7:00….out on the dock as the sun glistens on the lake heralding a new morning. Escaping the girly clamor of his sisters vying for the bathroom and playing dress ups. This boy is out doin’ his thing! C laughs that we’re raising a redneck. Perhaps. But this young man will know how to bring home the bacon!
We had a low-key family birthday this year. However, in a family our size, thats no small party! I have a brother who is as crazy as I am, so between our 6 kids and his 6 kids, the cousins make an even dozen. And these 12 are GREAT FRIENDS!
The theme was “NEON“. We started with a tie-dye t-shirt project. These were a fun alternative to dye that stains and messy clean-up. Stretch a T-shirt over a plastic cup. Secure with a rubber band. Color in the center of the circle with a permanent sharpie marker.
Then with a dropper or a cap, drip rubbing alcohol in the center of the circle. The liquid will “bleed” to the outside of the circle creating the tie dye effect.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat!
And you’ve got your tie dye t-shirts!
We picnicked and partied at Stone Mountain. Daddy led the expedition up the mountain with the uncles and big kids.
I gladly volunteered to stay behind with the babies and do the party prep!
Cakey Bakey adopted my idea of tie dye cookies and came up with this brilliance. I LOVED how they turned out. Each one unique with bold splashes of color!
Glow in the dark favor cups were fun when it got dark. And the fun neon vinyl decals from These and Thats helped keep straight which belonged to whom.
Gigi “helped’ by taking all the juice boxes out of the ice bucket…and climbing in!
Lil’ monkey! Is that the look of guilt or what?!
Autumn, Evie, Emma and Izzy. These four are such a gaggle of giggly-girly fun together.
Breakin’ it down to “Dancing Queen” before the laser show started on the big ol’ Mountain.
There was one more surprise when we cut into the cake. Dawn Bakes Cakes caught the vision for our “tie-dye” theme and colored the cake with a funky flair! Her expertise and attention to detail made this cake the centerpiece of the party.
As the sun set and dusk turned to dark, we dumped the contents of glow sticks into jars and shook them…coating the inside of the jar with the liquid. Fun neon lanterns to scatter around on our picnic blankets.
Happy Birthday to my favorite 10 year olds. Your daddy and I are so proud to see you maturing and growing in wisdom, and stature. May you continue to seek the things of eternal value in these paramount years ahead!
Hope you know how loved you are by so many!!