DIY to Personalize a Party

My daughter Skylr is having a princess party for her fifth birthday this May. This year we have decided to do  a lot more DIY projects then years past, to save money, have more at the party and to have more fun! We chose a dragon for the pinata because there will be boys at the party too and each kid will have a chance to 'slay the dragon'. I will be making a sword out of cardboard that I will share later.

 This pinata is made from cereal boxes that have been cut to shape and then taped (multiple times) together.

 The pinata is decorated with tissue paper that has been layered onto the card board then slit. The dragon is breathing 'fire' (which is just spiral ribbon). The cost of this pinata was about $1. I had the cereal boxes (we eat cereal for breakfast daily), as well as the tape. I did have to buy the tissue paper and ribbon, which was 97 cents per color, but I only used one sheet of purple tissue paper and three sheets of green, then only used an eighth of the ribbon. So although the grand total to purchase everything was $5 I have so much left over for other projects.

 These bags are for the pinata treats. My daughter won a note pad booklet at a bean bag toss, and we glued a paper to the front of the bag to label each kids treat bag.

Each kid will also receive a hand make crown made of felt. I made a fold in my felt the thickness I wanted the crown and then cut the crown spikes according to the pattern I had made. Each crown was sewn around the top and sides to connect the felt together. When there is two layers of felt, the felt is stiffer and hold better. At the back of each crown there is a small (one to three inch) piece of elastic to make for a better fit. 

There are still more DIY projects to conquer for Skylr's party, but I will share as they are accomplished and I will take more pictures of how they finished produced was achieved. 

What an Update

Zoey is seven and a half months old and is so happy! She makes us smile and laugh all day. Zoey is still very much a mama's girl, but has loosened the reins and will play on the floor. Which means I am able to get more done. :) Zoey has started eating solids and LOVES any fruit, but will only eat carrots (no other vegetables). She has been nursing up to this point, but is being transitioned to formula. Zoey loves to hold her own bottle and to watch her brother and sister while she eats.

Gavin is growing so quickly right before my eyes. He wants to go to school with Skylr so bad, so we have applied for a free preschool program in town. He doesn't become of age for it until four months after the program starts, but are fingers are crossed. Gavin has been battling viral asthma and is doing well with an inhaler (that he uses when he gets sick), but he are thankful for the early catch and that it is doing well and not getting worse. Gavin was also going to have surgery on his other thumb for trigger thumb, but we are happy to announce that it has gone away on its own and he will not need surgery.

Skylr will be five next month and has been tentitivly planning her own birthday party for weeks. She has decided to have a princess party and wants a pinata. I have obliged and have been putting my DIY skills to good use. I have make her a pinata, invitations, a banner, crowns for her and her guests, party bags, and will be making her a Rapunzel (tangled) dress this week. I can not believe that amount of savings have been able to accomplish by making all of these fun things myself. I have been doing a little bit of trial and error, but have gotten some good skill out of it. Skylr is also winding down her first year of school and will be registering for kindergarten nest week. She is so excited to go to school each day and is really not looking forward to summer break. She is excited for some vacations, but would still like to go to school. Her dad and I on the other hand are ready for summer break! :) Skylr will be starting swimming lessons after her birthday and then soccer in the spring. We can't wait.

I am very excited for the nice weather and the fun volunteer opportunities that I have become involved with. I will be helping a woman in our ward 'clean' up her life by cleaning up her yards and house this summer, and I have also been able to find a volunteer pays with credit of the store, at a second hand kids store in our town. I am looking forward to these activities that I can do by myself.

Tim is wrapping up his first year at Washington State University!! Whoop whoop! He has been working so hard and has achieved so much. While studying and reading book after book Tim was able to find time and energy to join two soccer teams this passed year and had lots of fun.

We are approaching the one year mark since we moved out of our house in Caldwell and have really enjoyed every minute of the move. We have lots of summer options, but have narrowed some of our desired vacations and oppratunities. We have planned a ten to fourteen day trip to Seattle in June/July, a seven day trip to Sand Point directly followed by a seven day trip through Glacier to Canada in July. We are so excited to experience these things together.