sneak peak into ella's candyland...

sarah (itsy bitsy photography) just did ella's birthday picture session.  we have been working on it for a little bit.  we decided to create ella's candyland.  and it turned out so cute!  this is what i like to call a little sneak peak into ella's birthday party. :)  to see some more of the pics visit sarah's blog! :)

i made this sign for the picture session, and to use as the welcome sign for guests at the front door.  gotta love chalkboard paint.  it was my first time using it..and i loved it!

candy, candy everywhere!

let's just say ella was in heaven. haha!

candyland invitations!!

here are the invitations for ella's upcoming candyland party! melissa was so nice to design, make, and put together these invitations for me! i absolutely love how they turned out...i keep telling her she needs to start designing and selling invites to add to her etsy store! :)  

so i was so excited to finally get to send them out...and then about 4 days later, i got atleast half of them back..half ripped, half with writing and tape saying postage due :(  i totally forgot that because they included sticks and are not bendable, they wouldn't go through the machine..which meant twenty more cents!  ahhhh!  such a nightmare.  so, as of right now, most people don't have their invite, some people managed to get their invite, some people managed to get their invite after paying the mailman twenty cents, melissa got hers after the post office ripped open the front envelope and tore off the stick!  unreal.  i am so sad.  especially since it's like a week away!  oh well!  what are you going to do?!  

anyway...here they are...as they should have arrived! ;)

it's a big lollipop...

and you flip up the front flap to reveal the information...

on the back she attached a magnet...

to hang on the fridge!  that's where all of the invites i receive go! :)

she also designed stickers for the envelope...here's the back!

and here's the top of the address label.


thanks again melissa for all of your hard work on these! they turned out perfect! :)

now if only everyone could have received them as they should! haha.  you live and learn!  hopefully this will be helpful information for someone else!  learn from my mistake!

update:  melissa is now making and selling these invitations in her etsy store!  yay!  go here if you would like to purchase them!

lollipop topiary

i thought i would share one of the projects i just finished up for ella's party today...it's a lollipop topiary! :)  i love that it's all candy, and bright colors!  ella's eyes light up everytime she looks at it! :)

i started with these zip-a-dee mini pops i bought from candy warehouse...

and a two-tier topiary i bought from crafts, etc.

it makes things so much easier to cut the sticks in half

ella..my little helper

i stuck them in both of the balls and then the bottom part too

 ella is demonstrating

it took exactly two bags of the lollis...

it is relatively simple to make...just time consuming

i stuck it in a pink pot and wrapped it in tulle...and tied it in a knot.

it's hard to tell, but i wrapped it in pink and white tulle.

whimsical. *check*  cheery. *check* childhood memories. *check* candyland. *check* colorful.*check* ella loves it (biggest priority) *check*

pinwheels!!

pinwheels, pinwheels, pinwheels! :)  so i want ella's upcoming birthday party to be whimsical..and what is more whimsical than pinwheels?  i am loving pinwheels lately...so i was so excited when i found a make your own pinwheel tutorial in today's creative homearts magazine!  i will take you through the steps...

you will need a hot glue gun and double-sided scrapbook paper (optional), but in my opinion looks cute with the contrasting prints...

cut out 5 inch squares and then cut a 2.5 in diagonal cut at each corner toward the center...

then proceed to fold the left corner of each side toward the center and glue down...

next corner...

3rd corner...

and final corner..

this is an optional step..but you can use a paper punch to glue in the middle..i used a flower one.

i thought it would be cute and simple to just glue different color straws to the back..i liked how the bendy ones could move the pinwheel back and forth...

drying...

pinwheels everywhere!  i decided to try out different sizes..and i loved them!

this one was done with just one sided paper..which i think looks cute too!

i also used wooden dowels.  these were a lot more sturdy, and i loved the way they looked.

here are some of the finished ones.

love all the colors!

i have arranged them into little centerpieces...stay tuned for ella's party pics to see the final product! :)

summer party goodies

i have always loved cath kidston! how can you not love her whimsical prints and designs?! melissa actually found and posted some of the outdoor stuff and accessories on her summer entry (take a look..the epitome of summer!). i have since ordered a couple of things. and now am going back for more to see what i can throw together for our upcoming outdoor summer vintage party.

everything outdoor here. so cute.

here are a couple of things i picked out..a little eye candy :)

i absolutely love all of the oil cloths!  from bags (i just bought a purse that i love..never gets dirty!) to table cloths.  so many cute prints!

do napkins get any cuter than this?

and of course you have to wear a cute apron while preparing all of the goodies.

love the colors.

it just wouldn't be an outdoor picnic without a kite.

and while we are accessorizing everything else, why not yourself?!

you can find so many cute things on the site.  it's based out of london, so you will pay a pretty penny for shipping (to the states)...but in my opinion..it's worth it! ;)

happy summer party planning!