January 13, 2009 1 Comment

cowboy’s (saw) horse

Cowboy Sawhorse EntranceWe love this idea so much (and again from mommawants1more on flickr; yes, I’m a fan) that I’ll likely use it for my own son’s birthday this summer. We firmly believe that fun invitations are the beginning to getting your guests excited about attending your bash (see our wild west invites and decor), but don’t stop there. This extra fun idea gets the kids excited as soon as they arrive. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Lumber
  • Sawhorse joints
  • Black paint
  • Bandanas
  • Straw or cowboy hats
  • Hula skirt/long straw
  • Hay/straw cubes
  • Letter template

And here are a few easy steps:

1.       Break out the hammer and create a standard sawhorse using joints. Then add a head as shown in the image, rounding the ends like nostrils.

2.       Paint signs using a letter template. These say “Fixin’s” and “Saloon.”

3.       Using a grass hula skirt, hot glue a tail on your horses and trim another short for the mane.

4.       Attach your signs to a piece of lumber and hammer into the ground using the hay to secure it into place.

5.       Finally add the bandanas and hats to your horses and your entry way is complete.

We love to see and share fun ideas. Please share by posting a comment or sending an e-mail to customercare@celebrationshoppe.com if you have images. (By submitting you’re giving us approval to share with our readers, and of course giving you credit.)

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September 18, 2008 No Comments

buckaroo photo op

Cowboy cutoutA fun craft for any child birthday is to create a character photo op. We made this one for our cowboy birthday party so that the children could stand behind it and wear the cowboy hat. All you need is:

  • 48″ dowel, ¾ inch in diameter (available at the hardware store)
  • Two wire ties
  • Hot glue
  • Razor/box cutter
  • Sheet of craft board
  • Western shirt, jeans and vest
  • Plastic sheriff badge
  • Cowboy hat
  • Rope for belt
  • Bandana

Have your child lie down on the craft board and draw an outline of him/her. (You’ll notice that our cowboy is a little bowlegged and has one arm raised). Cut the board out using the razor and then poke holes in the center of the chest and at the belt level. Insert your wire ties and secure the cutout to the dowel. Now dress your cutout and secure the clothing with hot glue if necessary. (Tip: We used an old shirt and jeans and cut them to fit the child size.) Pin on your sheriff badge, insert the dowel in the ground (in front of a hay bale if you have one) and set the cowboy hat on top. The kids will have a great time and you’ll get fun pictures for your scrapbook.

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