Minion Cake!

Despite my best intentions, this "blog" has not really been a top priority for me. Whomp. However, party planning continues to be at the top of my list of interests! We tried the KISS approach this year (keep it simple, stupid), which meant planning a 6th birthday party while attempting to purchase a new home. Move over, stress. I have minions to make!

These look WAY more labor intensive than they are. We were able to make 24 minions in about an hour and cost less than $25 to make. All we needed were: Twinkies (cut in half), candy eyes (purchased at AC Moore but available at any craft store with cake supplies), black gel, chocolate sprinkles, and silver candy sprinkles (easy to find, thanks to Frozen!).

To make these, we simply cut the Twinkies in half, placed a large "dot" with the black gel where we wanted the eyes to go and then placed the eyes over that dot enough to "smoosh" the gel evenly around the eyes to create a symmetrical black circle edge around the eyes. We then sprinkled the crushed silver candy onto the black circle and wiped away any that did not stick to the black gel. We used additional gel to create the mouths, goggles, and in some instances, hair. We also used chocolate sprinkles to stick up on top of the Twinkies to create hair.

Overall, we were thrilled with the cake! Not a baker, I bought a 1/2 sheet cake from the grocery store (they ALWAYS make tasty cakes!) and decorated it with our Minions and banner. Each party attendee received a piece of cake and Minion. It was a very exciting day for these Kindergartners!!

The invites are ready! Let's get this show on the road....

....oh wait.  We're two months early.  Damn!  

Not gonna lie, I started this project tonight, fully anticipating it would take much longer than it did.  I tend to hem and haw and spend way too much time on details which no one gives two eyelash bats about.  And, ultimately this invite will end up in the trash anyhow.  I'm aware of this.  So that doesn't make it a problem, right?  I know what I'm getting myself into.  Usually.

Much to my amazement, there was a lot less hemming and hawing going on tonight and I completed the project.  Wut the wut?  So here you have it, our invitations!  Now to sit on them for six weeks before they go out.  Now if only I could find this "have at 'em" energy for things that really matter like outstanding work projects and laundry.  Someday.

An anonymous version of the invites.
Let's hope I don't accidentally send this out to guests!

 

Bo on the Go! power bands

Despite its popularity, I've discovered that it is next to impossible to find birthday party related craft ideas for the much-loved Bo on the Go! For my daughter's fifth(?!) birthday, she requested a Bo on the Go! party, so there you have it.  I am left to my own devices.  I can't pretend that I'm upset.  Anyone who knows me, knows my love for party planning and the crafts, food, and logistics associated with planning a party.  And that, my friends, is what has inspired this blog.  We'll start with this party (which, incidentally, isn't until March...I'm a nut, I know....) and see where it takes us. 

Obviously, with two months to plan this thing, I've got a bit of time to put this together.  So, I'm going to move slow and steady with my posting up in 'ere, with a wrap up at the very end. 

First things first, I would like to put out a disclaimer that March birthdays suck.  Especially when you live in a hobbit home, like we do.  Fortunately, I like lemons, lemonade, and idioms- so I booked our local rec center for the party.  It is super cheap and comes with two teenage volunteers (hello, energy!) who coordinate all sorts of fun games such as freeze dance, musical chairs, parachute games, and other school-type games.  Perfect for our Bo on the Go! theme.  And now the fun begins.  Party planning!

I've decided that each child needs a power band.  Duh...  Maximum Bo power!

 I made my way to Michael's, where I found awesome glitter foam paper, which I had intended to figure out a way to cut into strips and then attach somehow to black felt (for comfort).  After searching my home top to bottom for a glue stick or other adhesive, I discovered that the foam paper actually had an adhesive backing!

Based on my daughter's average sized wrist, I decided a three inch power band would do, so I cut each color into 6.5" x 1" strips.

Each sheet makes about 12 strips.

I adhered one red, yellow, and green strip to the black felt.

Once adhered, I removed excess and allowed for an extra 1.5" of black felt to show.  I attached velcro to this and to backside of the colored strips.  (Photo to come soon.)

The end result...

Maximum Go power!!