Alice in Wonderland Party: Invitations

Even if you are not crafty, you can make invitations like I made for my daughter's Alice in Wonderland Party.  I used our computer and printer, regular cardstock, regular typing paper, stickers and basic scrapbooking supplies to make them. If you can cut with scissors and a paper cutter, and use glue or double sided tape, then you have the skill set needed for these simple but festive invites. Since there was alot of information I needed to be able to give the parents in this invite due to the venue (ice skating rink), I opted to make a book style invite with three pages.

The first page was the intro printed out on a regular 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock. I used my paper cutter to cut the page down to a 5 x 7 size. One 1.5 inch strip of a patterned paper (from my scrapbook stash) was put along the bottom with double stick tape. An Alice in wonderland sticker, a crown and a paper crafting flower with a red velvet brad center completed the first page.  So that I could maximize my sticker packet usage; all the invites featured different AinW stickers on the first page. Not one sticker in the pack went to waste.

"By Royal Decree, you are invited to join us in a skating Wonderland"...

The second page was the party basics (date, time place) printed out on regular paper and then adhered to a 5 x 7 piece of cardstock. I used a piece of red paper cut with a scallop edge to go underneath. A ruby red sticker gemstone accented the top of page two.  Page three offered all the info that I felt the parents would need to know (how cold the rink would be, what to bring/wear, how long the ice skating would be, sibling policy etc). 

I love how page three said "Per Queen's Order" at the top.  The playing cards were from a printed 12 x 12 sheet of scrapbook paper that was cards all over. I cut out 38 of the cards so that each invitation's third page could have a red and a black card stick out out as the bottom layer.  Scrapbook beads gave the top a little bling.

The three pages were quickly put together with a small point hole punch (to make the initial hole) and a brad. Super easy. This allowed the invitation to fold up together as one 5 x 7 "booklet" and then fan out as shown, to share all the information.  Since these were bumpy due to the embellishments, the ones needing mailed were an additional .30 each to mail.

GREEN TIP:  I am not a fan of doing email invitations, although they are great for the environment, (and a wonderful timesaver). So since we did not do email invites, I "greened' (and decreased cost of) this process as much as possible by

• hand delivering the invitations that I could
• using as many scrapbooking supplies I already had in their design and execution
• Making all the invitations coordinate but NOT be identical so that no purchased paper or embellishments went to waste.

I am told the invitations were a big hit, with most of the party guests electing to keep them as an additional souvenir of the party to come.  If you are ever papercrafting and hit a snag or need an idea for an easy invite...please contact me! I love to share ideas.

Blessings, (and don't forget I am unable to read or reply to comments until we are back from holiday in another week)...

Happy Easter

Dear friends, 

I wanted to wish you all a very blessed  Easter. I also wanted to let you all know that posts for the next two weeks on Brighton Park have been written in advance and scheduled to post while we are on holiday.  I will be unable to read or reply to your comments while we are gone but I look forward to responding to them all when we get back.

Blessings to you all,

Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party (Preview)

Our Daughter, Audrey, turned 7 this month and wanted an Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party.  We had a small family party at the house with all siblings earlier in the week and then a girls' skating party at the ice rink this weekend with friends. While we used to not do big parties, I admit, I enjoy planning these soires as much as the kids enjoying having them. And for Audrey and her sister especially, who are such a big help to their brothers who have special needs, their birthday is a day I like to try and make extra special for them.

The invitation... I made 18 of them. They were super easy to make! (In my next post, I will show you how!)

 I wanted to share pictures of the parties with you here and then will follow up with some "how-to"/party tip posts soon (the best edible "glue" to keep cake toppers in place, how to "green" your party, etc).  There are some amazing party sites out there (click here for one of my favorites), especially if you have unlimited funds, but I am married to a CPA so I have mastered the art of throwing a party on a budget!

 Now, everyone's party budget is different. I have a friend who never spends more than $100 total and I am always IN AWE of the creative ideas she comes up with for her kids' birthday parties! (note to self: I should have her do a guest post).  I have another friend that I secretly think, "wow, she could have put a down payment on a house for what she is spending here--(I mean are floral designers and party planners  really necessary to throw a child's birthday party?--I don't think so either...). My hope is our two Alice parties this week I am sharing with you, can serve up some inspiration for you, no matter what your party budget is.

Party one this week was...

The Family Party...Table decorated using same decorations we would be using for the larger party at the venue. This family party also doubled as the kids' party to Mr. Darcy, who is turning 40 next week. (These decorations will be used a third time for our youngest daughter's birthday party next month!)

When the kids came to the kitchen they had either a decorated cone shaped birthday hat (for the boys) or a headband that had a party hat attached to it (made in mad hatter style) for the girls.

The kids loved these...

The cake...we had Alice stand for Audrey and the Mad Hatter stand for her Dad. the 7 and 40 are represented on the cake board.

The girls' party at the ice skating rink included a cake table, a crafting area table (for taking breaks skating, warming up, and for girls' who didn't want to skate), and a long table down the middle for party guests.

before guests...

after guests...

after guests...

guests received a skating lesson from Coach Teri!

Cost per person was  approx $13. This included price of venue at the ice rink, ALL decor, all paper goods,  food (pizza) and drinks (coke, lemonade and water), cake, activities, and skating for 15 party guests, the birthday girl , their parents and other adult guests (18 more adults), plus 4 siblings. who attended...38 people, a private lesson by the girl's ice skating coach for the party goers and every girl went home with a goody bag, an Alice in Wonderland coloring book, and a doorknob hanger that they made.   Come back again, and I will show you how to make the fan invitrations and  how to "green" your favors you give your party guests!  

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week…

This week finds me trying to fit in as many errands (and subjects as possible) and pack as we get ready to leave on holiday this coming Tuesday morning.  Oh, and I got to go to the dentist...again...

In our homeschool this week…

Enjoying our last two weeks of "homeschool lite", which is our term for homeschool during tax season/and the week that follows while Mr. Darcy and I catch our breath and catch up on things.  Reviewing London attractions, discussing castles, books on weddings, and alot of history.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Heading to London and hope to catch a glimpse of the happy couple on the 29th! Also, planning to visit a Jane Austen site or two!

My favorite thing this week was…

It was a tie between tax season finally ending (yeah, we made it!) and getting a Nook-color. I am so "old school" and never thought I could love anything that wasn't a paper book, but even I had to admit that something like that could come in handy in waiting rooms, for reading to the little ones while they waited for older siblings to finish activities and on trips. 

What’s working/not working for us…

Doing homeschool lite this year for tax season and switching the schedules of tax season and traditional "summer break" (making summer a homeschool heavy time in our homeschool) , as we have done the past two years, is working out brilliantly. Once we are back from our trip, we will hit the books hard and continue throughout the summer wrapping up this year's homeschool year. We will take a week off between ending this year and starting the new year in September.  The benefit of doing it this week for us is that the kids have some nice free time for outside play while our weather is still temperate and then when it is hot as blazes outside here in the summer, we are happily busy inside doing studies. I do feel that is one of the top three benefits of homeschooling--the flexibility it provides.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

This school year I decided to only do online searching, reading, or blogging during the week,  in the wee morning hours before kids were out of bed or after 10pm when kids were asleep. This made a huge positive difference in my organization and productivity Monday-Friday. I didn't realize how much I was interrupting my own progress by trying to find "more stuff" for us... When do you do your online time? Do you schedule it? sneak it in?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

This week we had a family birthday party for my daughter who turned 7 and Mr. Darcy who is turning 40 next week while we are gone.  Audrey wanted a chocolate Alice in Wonderland cake and we had to find a way to incorporate Dad's big day into the cake theme. I think we did a great job merging the two!

Blessings to you this week. I will miss HMJ next week, so see you in two weeks! If you want to read more homeschool mother's journals for this week, stop by The Homeschool Chick.

Trailblazer: 5 lessons from Secretariat...

I like the word trailblazer...It makes me think of someone who paves the way, who is fearless, who is someone I want to know.  There have been alot of trailblazers in the history of women and this post is not to exclude them or their accomplishments...I just want to write about one in particular today...Penny Chenery, and the lessons I am taking with me this week from the movie "Secretariat".

Penny Chenery was a trailblazer who broke into the boys club of horseracing and showed them all up with a little horse she owned and believed in...Secretariat.  Granted, there is a whole bunch more to the story of Penny Chenery that the Disney movie didn't get into. (to read it...and it is an interesting read for sure...click here), but there are so many lessons in the story of Secretariat and his 45 yr old housewife turned racehorse owner.  Here are the lessons I found in the movie that I wanted to share with you:


1. Housewives (and I have been saying this forever)...can be smart, can be savvy, can be a force.

2. Impossible just means something hasn't been done...yet.

3. Don't let people label you based on your past experiences or mistakes. (Lucien Laurin, Secretariat's trainer, was labled a loser by many in the industry before training Secretariat--and resist the urge to label others...we don't know what what anyone's full potential is or what God has in store for their  life story, including our own...)

4.  Little kindnesses mean big things to the people receiving them.
                                                                                           
5.  Taking care of others is an honorable life's work.

This week, I am going to focus on these five lessons. I'm going to think about how I can incorporate them into my attitude, my family and my homeschool. While there is a very large, practically 100% chance that in my life I will never own a priceless racehorse, or break the boys' club or do the trailblazing things that Penny Chenery did--I do know that I don't know what God has written for my life story yet, and  I refuse to limit his power by saying in my mind that something is impossible.

Happy Trailblazing this week my friends!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week…

Oh the fun of a two plus hour dental appointment to get a new crown (and not the fun sparkly kind, either). And its never fun when an hour and a half in, the dentist says.."Katie, you don't have a pacemaker do you, because we need to cauterize the gumline".  Pity me.

In our homeschool this week…

This past week was homeschool "lite" for us as the last week of tax season took over (the joys of being married to a CPA). We did still manage 2 more Dr. Seuss crafts, viewed Horton Hears a Who, and started new math and social studies chapters.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Getting excited about our upcoming trip to England. We leave in ten days. In preparation for that, I was getting a ton of "to do"s off my list this past week, like the dentist visit above.

My favorite thing this week was…

Watching Secretariat.  The lessons learned from that movie merit their own blog post (click here), but it is worth sharing here that this movie is a GREAT testament to what I have been saying in my blog forever...that housewives can be smart...can be savvy...that we need to know our worth. And it is also a great movie to remind us that "impossible" only means it hasn't been done yet...

What’s working/not working for us…

Started Rosetta Stone TOTALe for French and we love it.  Thanks everyone who gave me input on this program prior to us purchasing it.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

"People should be free to find or make for themselves the kinds of educational experience they want their children to have".
-- John Holt

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

My daughter rides horses weekly. The stable where she rides, had four foals born last week. Here is one of them...

Blessings to you,

Fast & Easy: Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken

Spring can be such a busy time for everyone. Here is a great recipe for Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken that can be prepared from start to finish in 20 minutes!

 I found it in the Simple & Delicious magazine (Sept/Oct 2006) and tweaked it ever so slightly to meet my family's needs.  

Ingredients:

1 med green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, also cut into 1-inch pieces (or you can thinly slice)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch (can substitute flour if you want)
1 package (12 ounces) frozen popcorn chicken

Directions:

**( I serve mine with rice. If you are going to serve yours with rice, start your rice first. The rest can be prepped and cooked while your rice is cooking).

**If you are going to bake the chicken instead of microwaving, do that next..

In a large skillet or wok, stirfry green pepper and onion in oil for 3-4 min. until crisp-tender.
Drain pineapple, reserving the juice in a 2 cup measuring cup; set pineapple aside.
Add enough water to the juice to measure 1 1/3 cups; stir in the soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in pineapple juice mixture until smooth.
gradually add to the skillet.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened.
Add pineapple.
Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until heated.

Meanwhile, microwave (or bake) chicken according to directions. Stir into pineapple mixture. Serve with rice.


The yield is 4 servings; for my family, I double this recipe.  I also bake the popcorn chicken instead of using the microwave. Baking it takes a few more minutes but gives a better texture. Lastly, If you are doubling this recipe as I do, an electric skillet is the perfect size to cook it in.

**Want to make it special? End the meal with store bought fortune cookies!

Enjoy,

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

.In my life this week…
I am pretty tired with us getting to the end of tax season and am anxious for the 18th to get here so we can finally rest (tax day this year is the 18th and not the 15th, ugh). Our chickens (Sunny, Poppy, Jennie, Effie, Baby, Jennie, and Abby) started laying eggs this week. The kids were so excited to finally find eggs in the coop (and everywhere else as "the girls" learn where to lay them). The chickens have been a great science project and a wonderful lesson in sustainability.

In our homeschool this week…

We decided to continue

Great Expectations

When we got the chickens last fall, they came with great expectations. And then finally, this past weekend...

The kids were so excited that after  months of taking care of them and days and days of checking the coop... finally eggs!  Everyone wanted a chance to pose for a photo with this new farm bounty...

The chickens have been a great homeschool science project, family project, and lesson in more sustainable living.  If you are thinking about chickens, this is a great site.  It was a great lesson for the girls that hard work can pay off. 

Do you have animals?  I would love to read about them; leave me a comment!

Blessings,

Happy History Lesson: A Day at the Fair

This weekend, my kids and I went to the Renaissance Festival.  It was perfect timing as this month one of our homeschool learning units is England (Kings, Knights, Castles, Royal Wedding--its actually a very fun and history laden theme!)  So what a perfect way to start ...

Though held annually near our house, it always falls during tax season, so we had never been before.  This year, a client of my husband's gave him 6 tickets as a thank you gift and so we decided we would give it a go.  The girls met Twig, The Fairy Queen, upon entering the Fair. She gave them special stones to take home and put in the fairy gardens we have been making...

Next stop, getting flower wreaths for the Ladies to wear in our hair... aren't they pretty?

Then, since" the Ladies" had flowers, it was time to get hats for "the Lords"...

A jester hat and a crown. These will be great for future dress up fun!  Then, we were off to pay the facepainter a visit...

The boys helper, Becca, accompanied us. She reminds us of Giselle of Enchanted; and she sings too!

We watched a show called "Unbalanced". They looked pretty balanced to us. What do you think?

We laid a blanket out under some shade trees and had a snack. The baby let us know she did not want Gerber puffs and opted for something different instead...cookies. If this photo had a thought bubble it would read: "I'm sure glad my teeth all grew in early. Yum".

Sean had a different idea once we layed down the sheet...

While we were site seeing around the fair, the girls stayed in style, riding in the wagon and holding an umbrella to shade the sun...

Here is a picture of me with the girls...I'm usually the picture taker so it was nice that Becca offered to take some of me and the kids.

There were several performers and one had a "magic ball". He let Timothy have it and he started straight away trying to duplicate the trips the performer did.

For us, the Renaissance Fair was a chance to spend a day outside, to hear music (dulcimers, flutes, harpischords), to talk about history (what life would have been like in this era--what would have been the same; what would have been different), identifying characters we saw (royal court, jesters, minstrels, etc)
and the kids had a great time. Do you have a favorite field trip or local event that you go to? Tell me about it!