Goody Buckets for Nautical Birthday

This is the second half of the goody buckets. I put baggies of goldfish and cookies in the goody buckets but I also added a few other items. Here are the other small items I added to the buckets and how I made them.

I used word document and made a cover page for the coloring book. I printed 10, as I had 10 buckets to fill.

I also used the same twine I purchased for the banners and used a hole puncher to tie the twine through all the pages.

I then used image search engine online and looked up free coloring pages. I then printed them and again made 10 copies of each.

page 1

page 2

page 3

My husband and I found these water guns at Party City (during summer) and they were like $7 for 12. Which is a great deal.

I printed small labels, again using word document, and just cut them out. I used matching orange and navy blue paper and cut out slightly larger pieces to go behind the labels.

I then used regular glue and glued one white label to one blue or orange piece of paper.

I punched a hole in the corner of the labels, added the twine, and then tied them onto the bucket handles.

The buckets I got at Walmart, again during the summer, and they were less then a $1 each.

I added a few lifesavers to the buckets as well.

The total run down of the buckets were as follows:
Bags (100 count, 3 x 4): 2.99 Micheals gives military discount, so they were cheaper for me.)
Water guns: 7.00
Goldfish: 11.00 (for 3 - 1 pound bags, I only used 1 bag)
Mints: 10.00 (walmart)
Color pages: free
Buckets: .80 (walmart)
Cookies: free, I had all the supplies on hand

Total: 10 buckets for under $35! I call that a deal. My mother in law was shopping at Target and found washable markers on clearance for less then $2. She purchased about 10 packages, so the kids could color and we didn't have to worry about it, as we could just wash it right off.

The buckets were a great hit, and we only had 3 left at the end of the day. It worked out well, as I had 2 for my kids and one for our neighbors daughter.

Splish Splash,
Sarah

Nautical Birthday Decorative Goody Bags (Cookies and Goldfish)

For my sons 1st birthday party this year, we did a nautical theme and I wanted to make some goody bagged items for the goody buckets. While shopping one day I was walking through the snack aisles, and saw goldfish! I thought, for sure I could use those. Not only are they perfect for the kids, but they are fish and go with the theme of nautical. It was perfect. I grabbed a HUGE box and headed home to start making some packages of them.

To start I purchased small snack sized bags from a craft store. I grabbed my cut outs that I made, my stapler and of course the goldfish.

I filled each bag using a measuring cup to make sure they all had about the same amount in them. I then folded the two corners of the bag in towards the center.

I then folded the pointed tip down.

Then folded that over once more.

Take one of the cut outs and place a large part of the cut out over the folded bag.

Use your stapler and staple the bag to the cut out. Make sure you go through the folds.

Now do that however many times you need to. I had 10 buckets and so I did a few of each color.

The finished product is awesome.

I also made sugar cookies, with chocolate star molds and colored royal icing. I then packaged them exactly the same way.

Don't they look great with the anchors?

I then added them to their goody buckets and the kids (and adults) loved them.

Buckets at the party.

I had extra cookies in a basket for the adults. Lifesavers too (sticking with the theme).

The cake/goody table.

Basket with cookies in them. I did not add cut outs for these.

The goody buckets with all the items in them.

I hope you all find this as an easy DIY for any party. Thats what I love about this goody item, you can pretty much buy cut outs in any theme or color, or you can make and cut them out yourself. You can use any kind of food or candy, and you can buy these bags in pretty much any size, shape, or colors as well! If you have an odd shaped item, you can use cellophane rolls and cut off whatever amount you need, and just tie it closed with ribbon. Perfect for any goody or gift.

Anyone Want A Snack?
Sarah

Jared's 1st Birthday Party

In June, we had a small week vacation down to southern California, to celebrate our little guys 1st birthday. I seriously can not believe this year went by so fast. Why do they have to grow up?

It was an exhausting trip, and I was struggling with: doing everything or just let some stuff go. So, I did what the new me would do, I let some stuff go. The end result was a wonderful party, and I enjoyed every second of it, and I hope everyone else did too!

Heres a few pictures from the party, and don't worry the tutorials and more photos will follow this post later this month! Keep an eye out for some tutorials and fun ideas.

I made a front door "wreath" and loved how it turned out!

up close

 While I spent a lot of time cutting out these pieces of paper, I really feel like they made the decorations come together.

Of course I have to do his photos through out the year...

His Birthday Boy chair!

The cake and goody table... yum!!

Heres where I decided to let it go. I made the decorations, but bought the cake. I just was so exhausted and did not want to be up all night making a cake; thanks to my mother in law we had a wonderful store bought cake, with my pre-made decorations!! (I also made the candle... well decorated it to match).

The individual large cupcake was for his "smash cake".

Mints (or life savers, to go with the theme), sugar cookies with royal frosting and chocolate stars which were all made by me!

Cookies!!!

I will more then likely post a tutorial on how I made these fun buckets, so keep an eye out for them. Total I believe I spent about 15 bucks for everything inside!!

I made the traditional Happy Birthday banner.

Heres those hand cut out anchors, sail boats and ship wheels:

 Of course we had to do cake time:

Such a happy birthday boy!

Blowing out the candle!

Getting his hands dirty.

Family photos, we had small kids pools set up; so excuse the wet 2 year old.

After a costume change, we got to the presents.

Which Jared LOVED opening.

Of course no birthday is complete without mommy dealing with two kids and their complete meltdown at the same time!

Best gift ever... I had something very similar when I was a kid, and thanks to Grandma Leonard, Jared now has one too.

Lastly, here is Jared in his shirt and shorts that I made. The outfit worked great with the theme, and all the colors worked so well together. Thank you to my mom, Grandma Leonard, who purchased all the wonderful balloons and helped me out so much.

 In the end, the day was perfect. Not super big, not super small, but just right. We literally had enough cake for everyone, and had tons of cookies and candy left over. It was a great party and I really have to thank everyone who helped, came to the party, and shared in on our celebration for Jared's 1st Birthday!

Thank you to my Mother and Father in law, who let us use their house and made all the wonderful food and had all the drinks and alcohol to share. Thank you to my entire family for helping me pull this off from afar, and purchasing items here and there for us. Thank you to my wonderful husband who helped watched the kids from time to time, to let me get stuff done for this party. Thank you for agreeing with your mother that I should just enjoy the day instead of bake all day! It was a great idea, and I seriously enjoyed myself, and I know Jared LOVED every second of it.

Another Successful Birthday,

 Sarah

July Give Thanks, Week 4

July 22:
     Thankful today for the connection I never expect to have. I never thought this one person I would ever have a connection with, and today proved I was so wrong. Its great to realize we are wrong and that friendships can come from anywhere.

July 23:
     Thankful that my 1 year old still wants to take a nap on my chest. As a mother, those are the best moments ever.

July 24:
     Attempted making my own labels and sewing them on to my projects today. SOOO Thankful they worked! Best feeling ever.

July 25:
      Thankful for a wonderful neighbor who can bring her kids over and let them play, while we have some grown up conversation. I am thankful for the "normal" conversation.

July 26:
      Thankful for a wonderful husband who watched the kids all day, while letting me sew a quilt together! Happy quilting mommy.

July 27:
      Thankful for the chocolate chips that are currently being made by my husband, and being consumed by the rest of us. YUM!

July 28:
      Simply thankful for a great appointment that went a lot better then I ever could have expected.

Give Thanks,
Sarah