16 Thursday Aug 2012
I like to do a special birthday invitation for the girls each year. We have done a few versions of the upcoming year, but had a hard time finding the perfect number three for last year’s photo. I decided to fake it and draw a three with playground chalk. (This year we made our number four out of pipe cleaners). When I have time I glue the invites into their baby books. Happy day!
13 Monday Aug 2012
Tags
birthday party, card stock, child gift, diy, DIY card, flower card, free trade, Green Giraffe, Green in Brooklyn, recycled flip flop ring
We made this flower ring card for one of Ada’s friends. The flower centers are actually rubber rings that can be popped out and worn on little fingers. The flower ring makes a nice token for a ‘no gifts required’ party. (Ada really likes giving gifts). To make your own you will need:
*Card stock
*Two Rubber Rings (We got ours here. You can the same recycled flip flop rings here).
*Crayons or Markers
*Scissors with sharply pointed ends
1. Fold card stock in half.
2. Using the scissors, carefully punch two holes in the front of card. The holes should be big enough to just fit the loop of the ring and hold it snugly in place.
3. Draw flower petals around the openings.
4. Push rings into place.
03 Friday Aug 2012
Tags
Blexbolex, color gift, colorblock, kid gift, Kid Made Modern, Pantone Colors, Seasons, Target, Todd Oldham, You Are My Fave Blog
Art supplies and books are my favorite gifts for kids. We decided to organize this birthday gift around a color theme, and then continue the theme onto the wrapping paper. (Check out the You Are My Fave blog’s ‘in the box’ section for beautiful themed gift inspiration). Our color gift includes Seasons by Blexbolex and Pantone Colors – both beautiful, color-centric books. (I selfishly buy books I love for kids). We also used the Todd Oldham for Target Kid Made Modern watercolor set so our birthday girl could create her own color masterpieces. To make your own colorblock wrapping paper you will need:
*Brightly Colored Tissue Paper
*Double-stick Tape
*Scissors
1. Fold tissue paper in half. Place a strip of double-stick tape along the folded seam.
2. Place a folded, contrasting color of tissue paper along the tape and press to stick.
3. Cut tissue to fit gift.
4. Wrap each gift with different color combinations, put a strip of tape between each and stack. Tie with a ribbon. We added some star-filled bouncy balls from Target. Enjoy!
26 Thursday Jul 2012
Tags
birthday, candle lantern, metallic paper lanterns, paper lantern, party decorations, silver paper, Tail of the Yak, travel
Metallic silver paper lanterns in the dining room for Ada’s birthday week. We got them at the Tail of the Yak. They have a little metal holder for a candle inside, but I am not quite brave enough for that in this old house.
25 Wednesday Jul 2012
Posted in Inspiration, Party!, Shop
Tags
chalk, chalk na dabba, chalk stencil, colored chalk, happy birthday, happy birthday stencil, magic, stencil, Tail of the Yak, travel
I can hardly believe that four years ago at this time we had just said goodbye to our midwife, ordered Indian food and sat staring at our brand new sleeping baby girl. We were ecstatic and exhausted and in love. The house was quiet and felt magical and full and we were suddenly no longer just a couple, but a family. That Indian food was the best meal I have ever eaten.
I found this Indian chalk stencil (Chalk na dabba) at Tail of the Yak a few months ago. I remember these stencils on doorsteps when I visited India. They are usually amazing floral designs stamped out with colored chalk (chuna). The stencils are punched out by hand on recycled tin. I love the magic made from the most humble materials. We filled ours with baking powder this morning and stamped along our front steps while Ada was out with Daddy. She was quite pleased to find the little trail of birthday wishes up the steps and insisted on sitting out there in her birthday dress to let the neighbors know who owned the day.
16 Monday Jul 2012
Tags
bridal bouquet, Brooklyn wedding, diy bouquet, fresh flowers, rustic wedding, the Green Building, Union Square, Union Square Greenmarket, wedding, wedding diy
I got to make the bridal bouquets for our friends’ wedding last week. We found great seasonal flowers at the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. (My favorites were sweet pea from Dutchmill Garden out of Newfield, NJ and the globe thistle from The River Garden from Catskill, NY). It was such a treat walking around the market in the early morning and the bees were as excited about the flowers as I was. I used to do flowers for weddings and I forgot how much I miss it! Kristin and Linsey’s weding was a beautiful and rustic affair at the Green Building in Brooklyn. The farm flowers went right along with the homemade pickles and vintage napkins. Such a lovely night!
To get the longest life from your market flowers be sure to:
*Cut the stems and place in water as soon as you get them home. Add packets of flower food if you have it.
*Strip leaves off of stems that will be submerged. Leaves will turn the water rancid quickly.
*Wire any heavy-headed blooms in a bouquet to keep from drooping.
*Change water frequently, and recut stems every few days.
*Keep blooms out of direct sunlight. They will last longer in a cooler room.
*If you want flowers to open quickly, place them in warm water.
*Avoid refrigerating flowers with produce. Gasses from fruit and veggies will make flowers open and wilt quickly.
Enjoy the summer blooms!
13 Friday Jul 2012
Posted in Inspiration, Likes, Party!
Tags
farmer's market, flowers, Gowanus Brooklyn, Inspiration, Instagram, reception dinner, the Green Building, Union Square Greenmarket, Union Square NYC, wedding reception
Instagrams from the week:
*Sweet Pea at the Union Square Greenmarket
*Reception dinner at the Green Building
*Berries at the market
*Dancing with Uncle Frank
*Bee on the cut sunflowers
*Love
Have a wonderful weekend!
05 Thursday Jul 2012
We are excited to say that one of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy Family has featured Clementine’s Orange and Yellow Party in it’s Best Kid Parties today! Thanks Apartment Therapy!
03 Tuesday Jul 2012
Tags
Bargain Balloons, Cliff's Ice Cream, DIY kids birthday, DIY tissue paper flags, giant balloon, Martha Stewart, Shop Sweet Lulu, summer birthday, tissue pom poms
I grew up in a family full of summer birthdays. Summer always meant ice cream cake and swimming and parties and I assumed it did for everyone else as well. My mom was great at whipping up a party for very little money. We would make pinatas from paper grocery bags, use dress-up clothes for relay competitions and hand-crank homemade ice cream. We are thrilled to have two summer birthdays (and a third on the way!) amongst the sisters and cousins in the family now. I love a summer party! This is Clementine’s first birthday, with orange and yellows as color inspiration of course:
*Tissue Pom-Poms, Martha Stewart has great directions here.
*Kid Snacks in fancy cups. These paper snack cups from Shop Sweet Lulu make even healthy snacks seem like party food.
*Giant Balloon from Bargain Balloons.
*Rainbow Veggies and Hummus.
*Paper Flags. We made these by folding tissue from Nashville Wraps in half and cutting a triangle shape with point away from fold. Unfold into a diamond, put a bit of glue stick along the fold, reposition and fold over some twine. Easy!
*Rubber Frog Pool Toy employed to hold down the napkins.
*Sunflowers.
*Under the umbrellas.
*Homemade Lemonade with Mint.
*Guest in Orange.
*Flags on the Fence.
*Ice Cream Cake from Cliff’s. Ice Cream Cake = Party Essential!
*Dusk.
Happy Birthday Clementine!
28 Thursday Jun 2012
Tags
diy, fireworks, Forth of July children's activity, Forth of July decoration, Forth of July party, home, The Sweetest Occasion, tissue paper tassel, wooden dowel
My in-laws take Forth of July fireworks very seriously. They even own a mini cannon that gets set off when the sun goes down. I wanted to make some safe fireworks for the girls to run around with in the back yard. These are made using a variation of The Sweetest Occasion’s Tissue Paper Tassel pattern and a wooden dowel. The tissue paper fireworks make a nice hissing sound when shaken, cost us under $1 each to make, and are legal in all 50 states. To make your own you will need:
*Tissue Paper
*Wooden Dowel (ours are 36″ long and 3/8″ thick)
*Twine
*Tape
*Scissors
1. Layer a variety of colored tissue paper in a stack. (Our large pink firework has 8 sheets, the green has 5 and the striped tissue is made from 2 pieces on each tassel). Play around with the colors and sizes you like. The more sheets you add the heavier the firework will be, so be sure not to outweigh the strength of your dowel.
2. Follow these directions to make each tassel, (Thank you TheSweetestOccasion). We used one tassel per dowel for the larger number of layers and two on the striped fireworks’ dowel.
3. Once each tassel is made tie twine around the neck of the twist for extra stength.
4. Loop a piece of twine through the hole and tie a knot in the center around tissue. On each end of twine make another double knot. This will prevent twine from slipping out from under the tape when shaken. (We used a thinner twine and layered it for strength. If you have a thicker twine one piece will be fine).
5. Tape twine to dowel above knots as shown. Be sure tape is tight and wrap around a few layers.
6. Let the celebration begin!
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