For the love of gingerbread

This coming Monday will mark the sixth year of hosting a gingerbread party for 12 kids, 7 years old and younger. It gets crazy, and messy, and is one of my most favorite days of the year.

It wasn't always this crazy. The first year, it was a handful of toddlers (6), a baby and a few close friends. The moms pasted graham cracker houses on milk cartons while the kids ate candy. It was simple, yet beautiful.

First year...

A few more siblings have joined our friendship circle, kids have developed opinions and want to decorate the houses themselves, and entirely too much sugar is ingested. But trust me, it's still absolutely beautiful! 

Flashback to 2013...all kids 5 and under...

Because this tradition is going strong, custom outfits seemed only appropriate. 

I wanted something roomy and a mix between a dress and shirt. The Patricia tunic pattern from Scientific Seamstress was a perfect answer! First I found my fabric, a beautiful, bold, glittery gingerbread house fabric from JoAnn fabrics. Then I started cutting it out...

I stalled as much as possible to start sewing it, as I am constantly interrupted with two little ones, and honestly, I've learned that procrastination somewhat suits me. The pattern was super easy to use as I am a beginner compared to most, and have had no actual training on how to sew. Just a couple of youtube videos and blogs from Pinterest and now I pretend like I actually know what I'm doing. 

 I added the contract fabric to the sleeves as well to add some extra fun, and to reduce the bright pink bubble gum color fabric I chose for my main fabric.

I had enough fabric left over to make my daughters twirly matching skirts for the party as well. This was a fun little project, and one step closer to our annual gingerbread house decorating party next week.

Monkeying Around

I'm not what I would consider a good seamstress. In fact, the first pillowcase dress I made, I sewed it shut, and practically made it into a pillowcase again. 

I found this adorable FREE pattern online and figured why not try my hand at doll making. 

The pattern was super easy to follow. I found myself constantly overthinking the process, rather than just following the directions. Once I stopped thinking, and did what I was told...the monkey came together a lot faster!! Funny how that works.  

My daughter was so excited for the finished product, she began playing with her before I was even finished stuffing!! The above photo, as you can tell, has no stuffing in it's legs just yet.

The pattern included directions for removable shoes and skirt, so of course we had to make that too! 

I LOVED the finished product, though I did forget to attach the hair on the above monkey. And given I had made only one monkey, and have two girls...another monkey was soon on the horizon...

My oldest girl helping sew and stuff her new creature...

The monkey sisters, monkeying around together. 

Not sure yet if doll making is a staple to my creative route, but I do know it was fun, quick and my kiddos now sleep with these lovely little girls....so, maybe again....it will be in my sewing routine. 

Budget Tea Party Birthday

My three year old was adamant she wanted a tea party celebration for her third birthday. I began researching taking a handful of friends to an actual tea house, but after researching a LOT of places, I just couldn't justify at least $150 party for an hour and a half party. And so, the homemade tea party preparations began!

 I found this tea pot fabric one day and designed the party around it....knowing that I had high aspirations to make fancy tea party dresses. This was my most complicated dress pattern I had yet to make, but I loved the halter style neckline and flowing skirt, so I had to at least give it a try!

Maya spinning in circles, with delight...

Skipping an hour of sleep here and there allowed me to make matching dresses for both daughters to wear to the party...which I was very pleased with the results.

the birthday girl, all decked out and ready! 

Given I had spent most of my birthday budget on fabric (seriously, even with coupons, how on Earth is fabric SO expensive?!), I had to make some thrifty shopping choices for the rest of the party.  I scored a complete coordinating set of tea cups and saucers at Goodwill that matched the colors I had already decided to use.

Set of 8 cups and saucers...$6

For snacks and food we served pink cupcakes, finger foods and lots of chocolate covered goodies. Pink lemonade and sweet tea were also served. Hot tea and coffee for any parents or grandparents present. 

tea party snacks, dainty and cute...

more yummy decadent snacks

Despite the food and table decorations, I still felt the party needed more decorations, but low on cost. I raided my scrapbook paper to find coordinating colors and used this template to cut out tea pot shapes. Once they were cut out, I taped them (yes, high class, I know) to the tulle I had left over from another sewing project. Wahla! A practically free themed birthday banner for the family room. Cost = $0 used supplies already in my home

I was a bit short on activities and a pinata sounded pretty fun, and would be a cute decoration. The tea pot pinatas I found online were crazy expensive, especially to just be destoryed in a matter of minutes.  I used these directions  to draft my own, because I was somewhat used to not sleeping at this point.   

I used the same template to make two more teapots, and made my own pull string pinata in the colors of the tea party.  I had learned from my previous party planning days that young children and hitting at pinatas do not mix, so pull string pinata was definitely the way to go! I filled the pinata with candy purchased after Valentine's day (all the pretty pink wrapped yumminess, perfectly timed for a March birthday party). Cost = $0 used supplies already in my home  Candy = $6

Lucky for me, Easter was a few weeks ahead and the cute hats, pearls, gloves and purses were purchased for each girl from the Dollar Spot at Target. We used these cute girly accessories as party favors and adorned the chairs for added decoration.  8 girls x $4 of accessories = $32 in party favors

Wrapping paper and a tablecloth from the Dollar Tree, plus matching plates, and 2 pack of paper lanterns = $4 for decorations! 

For crafts, we used even more tea pot templates pre-cut and gave the girls glitter, pom poms and markers to create their own tea pot to take home. If the party were for an older age group, paint your own pottery would have been fun, but for the target audience of three-year olds...that wasn't in the cards.  

decorating their own tea pots...

At last, present time and cupcakes arrived. I admit, I love that sea of little girls in hats as the birthday girl opens her presents...such a pretty sight! 

The birthday girl selected pink cupcakes, with pink sprinkles of course...

Overall, a very successful low cost party for my littlest and her friends. Happy Tea Party to All, and to all a good night! 

For those who want to know the overall cost, the budget breakdown is below:

Decorations purchased: $4

Candy for Pinata: $6

Party Favors: $32

Fabric for tea party dresses for two girls: $27

Tea Cups and saucers: $6

Box of cake mix and icing for me to make cupcakes: $3

Total Cost: $78