2009 February

February 18, 2009 5 Comments

buggy headbands

bugheadbands2 This morning we’re going to be showing Gail Hogan of NBC’s Daytime Columbus how to make these soooo cute, if I do say so myself, ladybug and dragonfly headbands. These are wonderful for bugs and butterflies party favors or just for pretend play.

Here’s what you’ll need:

¾ inch (at least) headband
¾ inch ribbon, grosgrain is shown
pipe cleaner (one for straight antenna and two for curly)
pom poms
glue gun

And here’s how you make these super easy buggy headbands:

Bend your pipe cleaner in the center and then again about a half inch on both sides so that you have a inch to inch-and-a-half base. Apply the base of your pipe cleaner to the middle of the headband with a strip of hot glue. (TIP: If you want curly antenna, use two pipe cleaners. Curl one end around your finger and bend the ends about ¾ inch to apply to the headband.)
Bend the tips of your pipe cleaner outward about a ¼ inch and hot glue on your pom poms.
Clip two one inch sections of ribbon to cover the ends of your headband. Apply each piece with a dot of glue on both sides.
Apply a dot of glue on the inside of the headband, on top of the ribbon you just placed to cover the ends, and wrap your ribbon around in a straight line to cover any exposed headband. Continue to wrap your headband angling your ribbon with each turn and gluing as you go.
When you reach the pipe cleaner, get your ribbon as close to it as possible and then overlap it on the opposite side being careful not to leave exposed headband.
Keep going until you’ve covered the entire headband and end your ribbon on the inside.

If you prefer to see how this is done, we’ll post the ”how to” video here on our blog by Friday.

owls are in

owls I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know when I say owls are in. Who knew they could be so cute! They’re on tote bags, t-shirts, lunch boxes, and now our invitations.

This Friday, February 20, we’re launching two new designs:

Owl Fun – whooo’s having a birthday? I think I love the blooming flowers as much as I love the too cute owl.
Owl Couple – look whooo’s having a baby! Couple baby showers are all the rage these days so I simply couldn’t resist having a mommy and daddy owl too.

As always we would love to know what you think about these two new designs. You can post a comment or send us an e-mail at ideas@celebrationshoppe.com.

bugs & butterflies on Daytime

06-14a-c We’re back on NBC’s Daytime Columbus this Wednesday, February 18, 2009, sharing some super fun ladybug and butterfly birthday crafts. {excited}

If you’re in the Columbus Ohio area, please join us at 11:00 a.m. on NBC.

And if you’re not, no worries; I’ll post the ladybug and butterfly how tos Wednesday morning before the show. Plus, the video of the show will be available right here on our blog by Friday.

Don’t forget to check out our bugs & butterflies invites and decor too!

camp in with your kids

campin Finding things to entertain your children through the long winter months, especially those that are very active outdoors when it’s warm, can be challenging. So why not think inside your box and have a camp in. I’ve not met a kid yet that cared if their s’ mores was made over a campfire or in an oven.

Here are a few ideas on how to set the stage and enjoy some family time:

Campfire – most of us have one built right in; it’s called a fireplace.
Sleeping arrangements- for young kids, pitch a tent in the living room, the kind that pop to life. For everyone else, arrange sleeping bags on the floor.
Ghost stories -leave the television off for a night and tell ghost stories to each other. And if you just must have the television, make it a movie night without cell phones or computers.
Goodies – serve all the same things you would if you were outside: hotdogs, marshmallows, hot chocolate, popcorn.
Night sky - pick up those peel-n-stick stars that glow in the dark. I know what you’re thinking, “I’m not putting those on my living room ceiling.” Don’t peel off the backing, instead use some double sided tape or a hot glue gun to attach them to the ceiling and they’ll pull right off with no damage in the morning.
Breakfast – don’t let the fun end as soon as the sun rises. Have breakfast together and leave the outside world at bay as long as you all can resist.

Valentine crispy messages

valentinecrispys Some of you may wonder why crispy treats. Why not sugar cookies? The simple answer is, I have a child that suffers from severe food allergies and crispy treats are an easy sweet to modify. So here goes. For this fun treat you’ll need:

ingredients:

6 cups rice crispy cereal
1 bag large marshmallows
3 tsp butter (or vegan Smart Balance)
1 can cream cheese icing
red food coloring

tools:

heart shaped cookie cutter (inch deep)
parchment paper
cooking spray
large spoon
resealable bags
icing connectors (NOTE: These are available at craft stores and are roughly 4 for $2)
#4 and #2 icing tips
toothpicks

valentinecrispies3 And here are the steps:

crispy treats:

Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper and spray your heart cookie cutter with cooking spray so that your crispy cereal will release easily.
Add your rice crispies to your marshmallows and butter and stir well. (Tip: Add the cereal a little at a time to ensure you don’t make them too dry.)
Spray a large spoon with cooking spray and then scoop up the crispy cereal and mold it into your cookie cutter. Pack down the cereal mixture and set the newly formed heart to the side. Repeat until you’re out of mixture and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before icing.

icing:

Spoon out about a half of the icing into two bowls and tint it pink red (gel food coloring works best).
Clip the corner of a resealable bag, insert the bottom of a connector, and add 3 large spoons of icing into the bag. Place the #4 tip on the outside, secure the top of the connector and pipe an outline on the heart.
Microwave the remaining red icing in the bowl for 10 to 15 seconds until dripping but not soupy.
Slowly spoon or pour red icing into the heart area and smooth it in with a toothpick. Doing this quickly will produce a smooth surface once the icing dries.
Allow the icing to set for at least five minutes.
Taking a second resealable bag, clip a corner, insert the bottom of a connector, spoon in the pink icing, attach the #2 tip and the top of the connector, and pipe your lettering.
Set your crispies aside and allow them to harden for several hours before packaging.

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