A’s big brothers often have sleepovers, so when we were looking for a theme for A’s fifth birthday, a “sleepover” theme was the perfect choice! This unslumber party (or “sleepunder” party) was an absolute hit and such an adorable party.

The primary activity as well as party favor was sleep mask decorating with kids – we made this easy sleep mask craft that doubled as a party favor too.

This is a hit both as a party craft but also as something for kids to make at home, at sleepaway camp, or anytime this is a fit!

The kids absolutely loved it. It was very engaging, and they spent much longer on it than anticipated. In fact, they spent so long on it that I didn’t even have time to do all the planned activities!

And they wore them for the rest of the party, and some kids even wore them to school the next day (the kids ranged from 4-5 years old).

In this post, I’ll be sharing with you how to make this sleep mask craft (which isn’t much of a tutorial – it’s self explanatory) but also my tips for decorating them with kids and setting it up as a party activity.

Tips for sleep mask decorating with kids at a party

This makes such a good party activity because:

• There’s no dry time
• It’s open-ended – kids can really be creative
• It’s special – it requires specific supplies that are more affordable in bulk and isn’t just another thing they can make at home any time
• It doubles as a part favor.

Activity Setup and Guidelines

I decided to get a stick-on varsity initial to make it special and personalized for each kid. Make sure to get enough letters for each participant (I needed two packs of initials). You can purchase letters individually.

I also got a big pack of stick-on gems. These stuck really well and did make for a semi-permanent application (kids can pull them off but they won’t come off on their own.)

When the kids arrived, they each had a plate set up with their name, a mask, and the initial on it. The gem sheets were scattered across the table. Be generous with your gems – I regret not getting two packs. They’re great for other crafts too and inexpensive, and that way kids have more choices.

I find that having an open-ended (unguided) craftivity set up for kids right when they arrive is a great way to warm them up for an at-home birthday party. It helps them jump right in when they’re stil feeling a little shy and makes them excited about what’s to come.

Since everything is effectively a sticker, the kids just jumped right in and got VERY busy. They did not need any instruction at all. They were hypnotized by the activity, dedicating themselves fully to blinging their sleep mask crafts.

Just a quick seating tip: I seated the two friends who weren’t in her class next to A and the classmates together, just to make things less intimidating for those two.

Make sure to have a sample on the table for kids to follow (the upside down w “M” one you see was my sample).

Sending them home as favors

Especially when the activity doubles as a favor like by this Dog Man party – but even when it’s just a craft-heavy party – I like to have bags prepared in advance with the kids’ names.

That way, as they complete their crafts, I can simply slip it into their bags. Most of the kids wore their masks after but I did get bags for them regardless. The masks came in bags, but most of them tore when I took the masks out so I recommend getting separate bags.

Each bag was prepared with this laser heart keychain, and two scrunchies, and had plenty of space for the sleep mask crafts and the bookmarks they created (which I’ll share at a later date).

When they finished decorating the masks, they went to the reading corner (again, I’m going to share all the details in a later post) and I collected any masks that were left behind to put in their labeled bags.

The sticker was a Canva design (the same one I used for the invitation), printed on sticker paper.

You can see that the favor bags and labels were really inexpensive. While the sleep mask craft was a bit pricier, it was balanced out by savings in other areas, AND it was both the primary entertainment and the primary favor.

More tips for making a sleep mask craft

Whether you’re crafting this at home, at camp, at a party, or for any other occasion, I figured I’d share some tips and tricks for making this.

Embellishments and ideas

The only embellishments we provided were:

• An adhesive initial per person
• Sheets of adhesive gems.

That WAS enough, but if you’d like to offer more, here are some more ideas. Some are suitable for parties, and some should only be done in a one-on-one crafting scenario.

• Adhesive shapes – many initial sets come with more chenille style stick-ons. Those can be fun too, but you’ll still only want 1-2 per person.
• Adhesive patches – again, unless doing this at home, stick with adhesive, but you can get loads of embroidered patches for a cool look.
• Glue-on gems – you can do larger glue-ons but again, you’ll need more supervision with this and it’s best for when you’re just crafting at home.
• Buttons – bigger kids can sew on fun buttons.
• Paint markers or fabric markers – kids can color and decorate their sleep masks. Just test the markers in advance of the activity.

Favorite occasions and themes to make this craft

IF you spotted this craft not for a specific occasion, but just while browsing, here are some fun times to make them, besides for an unslumber party!

• An actual sleepover party
• A sleepover with one or two friends – you can get more detailed if you have an adult handling the hot glue gun.
• A take-home activity at a larger gathering, such as a school event
• This is so cool as a get-to-know-you icebreaker at sleepover camp
• Or if you’re having an overnight for day camp
• It’s cool for pajama day at any school or camp

How to assemble this sleep mask craft

The assembly process is very basic, but you’ll enjoy seeing the kids actually putting theirs together!

Pay close attention to my guidelines for the materials to use.

You’ll need

• Sleep masks: good quality satin ones make a big difference, especially if it’s a party favor. HOWEVER, the ones I got were adult sizes and too big for preschoolers. I did run them through the sewing machine for a second to take in the elastic at the back. You can also get adjustable ones.
• Gems: get enough gems in a good mix of shapes to go around – at least 2-3 sheets per kid. You’ll have extras for another project, but you want the kids to be able to choose.
• Initials: one for each kid. Double names still got one.

Tutorial

1. Stick the initial in the center of the mask.

2. Decorate with gems.

That is all! No dry time, just stickers. The kids had a blast! I hope you enjoyed!

The post Sleep Mask Craft – Decorating with Kids appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

It’s amazing to me that I haven’t even finished sharing my daughter’s dress up party from last year (you can see our dress up station here) and I’m already working hard on sharing her next birthday – a sleepover party! I designed this heart keychain laser file as a fun and inexpensive party favor to hand out, however, I figured I need to share it in time for Valentine’s Day because it’s perfect for that!

These are so quick and easy to engrave, cut, and put together and they use inexpensive basswood plywood sheets. And yes, you can also use acrylic! But I’m getting ahead of myself – let’s go through the details of this heart keychain laser file so you’ll know how to use it well!

How to Use This Heart Keychain Laser File

Laser Cutting them

These are designed for laser engraving and cutting. I used myLaserPecker LX2 – my full-sized Diode laser engraver. You can read my full review of the LaserPecker LX2 here and of course, I’ll share full tips for how to do it below. Use code momsandcrafters at checkout at LaserPecker’s shop for an extra 5% off your machine!

Ultimately, laser engraving these gives you a ready-to-go result. You just pull them off the engraver, assemble them in minutes, and you have a finished product. It’s the best way – but not the only way to use this heart keychain laser file.

Cricut Crafting Variations

You CAN Cricut craft these! If you have a Maker, use the knife blade to cut it from wood. You can use a pen to draw the design right onto wood (I share how to do this in this or balsa wood Cricut tutorial). The design an outline so it’ll go over the whole thing twice – which will make it nice and bold.

Cricut cutting wood is quite inefficient but doable, so definitely opt for a laser if you can!

Some more ideas for how to Cricut craft this heart keychain laser file:

• Engrave leather bookmarks with the details, and cut them from leather. You may want to mirror the design as well to make it two-sided for added sturdiness.
• Cut the design from vinyl and attach them to round acrylic keychain blanks. You can make a two layer design with the details. You will need to remove the hole.
• Slice the details from the base design and make it from vinyl on a keychain blank. You’ll once again need to remove the hole.
• Same as the above – but try it from stiff felt and glue it onto a wooden keychain base.
• Engrave the design using your Cricut on an acrylic keychain blank (learn how to engrave acrylic on the Cricut here.)

There are so many ways you can use this heart SVG – you’ll just need to be a bit more creative!

More ways to finish them off

I added tassels that actually came with my acrylic keychain blanks to these. They are simple leatherette tassels – and yes, you can make your own leather tassels too!

Some more ways to finish this off and make it polished:

• Paint the wood before cutting and engraving. Use basic acrylic paint. I kind of regret not doing this.
• You can stain and/or seal your keychains after as well. If painting, use a thin wash and make sure it doesn’t fully color the insets.
• Leave it unfinished and let recipients color it themselves with paint markers (this is great if you’re making this for a party!)
• Use fun colorful keychains.
• Add hanging beaded charms to the keychians.

I made this on a whim with what I had but you can absolutely craft it cooler than I did!

Cutting this Heart Keychain Laser File on a Laser Engraver

I used my LaserPecker LX2 to engrave and cut these and I have so many tips for how you can do this. I used this laser as the best suited for the job, because it has a large bed, and as a gantry laser, you get good smooth cuts. In addition, the air assist feature helps minimize charring that often happens on wood.

Which type of laser can cut these?

Any Diode, CO2, or UV laser can cut wood. If crafting from acrylic, Diode lasers work beautifully on many shades of red and pink (read: which colors acrylic can a Diode laser cut for more tips on doing this).

A gantry style laser (the kind with a large bed and a module that moves around on a track) is better suited to cutting jobs than a galvo (the more compact kind where the laser moves around using mirrors – like the LaserPecker LP5 I reviewed here) because you get a straight-down cut, vs. the angled cut on a galvo.

It’s small enough that you CAN cut it on galvo lasers, and there are no parts that need to fit together. So it’ll cut very nicely on both types, although more efficiently on a gantry.

More cutting tips and tricks

While I made some mistakes on earlier rounds and did better on later rounds, I figured I’d offer you feedback on how to better cut this. If you’re new to laser engraving, I recommend you read my tips and guide for engraving wood with a laser where I share so much advice.

Meanwhile, here are some pointers:

• Score don’t engrave – on my earlier ones, I engraved the design. On later ones, I scored it. This moved so much faster and made a better line, while still retaining all the detail. Since the details are quite fine, it didn’t look outlined.
• Air assist – I sometimes forget to turn on air assist. If you have that feature, it can get you such a fabulous, clean finish, without charring.
• Secure your wood – If cutting multiples, it’s always worth taping or clamping down the wood you’re working with, just in case it shifts.
• Paint first – as I mentioned above, I regretted not adding a couple of coats of paint to the wood before cutting and engraving.
• Mask your wood – If you don’t have air assist, masking the wood with masking tape sheets first can help get you a cleaner cut. You may need to adjust your settings a bit to get the result you want through the tape.

How to make your keychains using the Heart Keychain Laser File SVG

This tutorial is based very specifically on how I crafted it. Of course, adjust for any of the variations I shared above.

Supplies Needed

• 3mm Basswood Sheets
• Laser Engraver (I used the LaserPecker LX2)
• Keychains
• Pliers
• Tassels

Process

1. Upload your file to your laser software and resize it to the size you want. Set the outline and hole to cut. Set the internal design to score.
2. Prep your wood as needed, load your wood, preview, and make sure that your environment is safe – properly ventilated, no laser light leak, etc. Engrave and cut your wood.
3. Remove your cutouts. Attach a tassel and keychain.

Your heart keychains are complete! I hope you enjoy this FREE heart keychain laser file and SVG!

Download your free heart keychain laser file

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

The post Heart Keychain Laser File SVG (Free Download) appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If we could bottle the look on our kids’ faces at a great birthday party, we probably would. An art party comes pretty close though. It turns your table into a mini studio, lets kids get messy in a good way, and gives everyone something real to take home.

An art themed birthday party DOES NOT need to be a party where the main focus is making things. It’s a theme that sets a mood – and does not need to be overthought. Think paint, color, simple projects, and a few active games to balance out the sitting.

It works beautifully for mixed ages and for both boys and girls. We planned ours for an 8-year-old boy and his whole class, and it was a huge hit even though it was far from “Pinterest perfect”.

I already shared detailed posts with our favorite art birthday party activities and separate art party decoration ideas. In this guide, we want to zoom out a bit, walk you through the whole party, and show how the decorations, activities, food, and favors all fit together into one doable plan. It does not need to look magazine ready to be the best day ever for your child.

How to Plan an Art Party Without Getting Overwhelmed

Before we talk about paint and balloons, it helps to make a simple plan. A few choices up front can save a lot of stress later.

We like to think about three things first: color, head count, and where the mess will actually happen. Once those are set, the rest of the art party ideas fall into place much more easily.

Choose a color palette and style for your art party theme

Art parties tend to drift into “all the colors” territory. That can be fun, but it can also make shopping and setup feel chaotic.

For our son’s art party, we started with primary color tableware, then we fell in love with some paint palette plates. The look did not match perfectly and that is totally okay, but it did remind us how much smoother things go when we pick a color palette first.

A few easy options:

• Classic rainbow
• Primary colors (red, yellow, blue)
• A more on-trend and intentional color scheme like teal, lime, and fuchsia

Once we pick a direction, we try to match tablecloths, cups, banners, and even favors to those same colors. It does not have to be exact. Keeping things in the same “family” is enough to make the room feel pulled together without any fancy styling skills.

Decide on party size, timing, and help

Here is the honest part. We invited our 8-year-old’s entire class of boys to an in-home art party with paint, outdoor games, and more. The kids had a blast. We were wiped out. I regretted some of my life choices.

Messy supplies plus a big group need more hands. If you are planning a large guest list, I highly recommend asking another adult, a grandparent, or a teen helper to be on paint duty with you. Even one extra pair of hands to refill water cups and watch the drying table makes a huge difference.

For timing, two to two and a half hours is usually plenty. Parties can be 1.5 hours long too. A simple flow might be:

• 20–30 minutes for arrival and a “settling in” first activity
• 15-20 minutes for the main art project with boys. For girls it’s more like 25-30 mintues
• 30 minutes for outdoor or movement game with boys.
• 20–30 minutes for food and cake or fruit
• 10–15 minutes for a quick game and goodbyes

We also like to allow a little time at the end of activities for projects to dry and to help kids pack them safely. As our kids have gotten older, we sometimes trade big class parties for a special day out (yes, a school day!) so it is also fine to decide that smaller is better for your family this year.

Easy Decorating Ideas That Turn Your Home INto an Art Party vibes!

Decor for an art party does not have to be complex. Color does most of the work for us. Many of our favorite decorations also double as games or activity stations, which saves time and money.

If you want every step and supply list, we laid it all out in our full art party decoration ideas post. Here, we will keep it short and practical.

DIY paint splatter decorations on walls, floors, and tables

One of the quickest art party ideas is to cut big paint splats from colored paper, poster board, or removable vinyl. We scattered some on the floor right inside the door. The kids honestly thought there was wet paint on the floor for a second.

More ideas that you can try with pain splats include

• Big paint splats on the walls.
• Add a line of splats along the wall behind the food table
• Tape a few to tabletops under clear plastic tablecloths

If you cut them from poster board in your party colors, they can also become part of games. For our “floor is lava” style game, we used huge poster board splats as the safe zones, so they were both decor and play space.

Spilled paint centerpiece and colorful table setup

Our favorite centerpiece looked dramatic but took just a few minutes. We used a small garbage pail (reuse this after for its intended purpose), stuffed it with bright plastic tablecloths, and let them spill over the edge to look like flowing paint in primary colors. An empty paint can works too if we want a more “artist” look. Bonus points if you have one to repurpose!

We set that in the center of the table, then added:

• Solid primary color cups, plates, and flatware
• Fun paint palette plates for an extra touch

Because the centerpiece spreads out over the table, it fills a lot of empty space. In our case we skipped balloons totally since J was a baby and they’re a choking hazard… and the table still looked lively and party ready.

And so, instead, we bought a simple party kit from Amazon that again, did NOT match the colors (whoops) and filled in with that.

Game posters and giant number balloons that double as decor

We like decorations that actually get used. Our “pin the paint splat on the palette” poster hung on the wall as a main focal point the whole time.

To make it, we cut a big palette shape from white poster board, glued it to black foam board, then arranged colored paper splats around it and traced outlines. The kids used matching splats with their names for the game.

We also have a little tradition of getting a 40-inch number balloon for each birthday. We photograph the birthday child next to it every year. It fills up visual space, gives us instant milestone photos, and works well even if the rest of the decor is simple.

Fun and Doable Art Party Activity Ideas for Kids

Activities are the heart of most art party ideas, but they do not have to be complicated. We like projects that kids can mostly handle on their own once we give simple directions.

We shared all the details and extra options in our full art birthday party activities post, but here are the ones that worked especially well.

Tape resist canvas painting on mini easels

For our main project, each child got a mini easel, a small canvas, a paint palette, and a selection of washable paints. We set out different widths of masking tape and washi tape.

The basic process:

1. Kids tape out their initial or a simple design.
2. They paint over the whole canvas, tape and all.
3. Once they are done painting, they peel off the tape to reveal crisp white lines.

We made a couple of sample canvases ahead of time, and honestly, that was enough instruction. Kids understood what to do from the examples and jumped right in.

Outdoor chalk paint and big movement games

To balance all that sitting, we sent the kids outside for DIY chalk paint and a high-energy game.

We poured it into deli containers, handed out big paintbrushes, and let the kids paint the driveway and patio. They did splash it on each other, but it washed off easily. We told parents to send kids in junk clothes regardless.

For movement, we played “the floor is lava” in the living room using huge poster board paint splats as the safe spots. We turned up the music, shut the lights for a bit, and let them hop and run from color to color. It broke up the party and helped everyone reset between projects.

Pin the paint splat on the palette party game

This one is a quick classic with an art twist. Each child gets a paper paint splat with their name on it. We blindfold one child, spin them very gently, and have them try to stick their splat on the correct color spot on the big palette poster.

Our one big tip is to test the blindfold before the party so it actually fits and blocks vision. This game is perfect near the end, when some kids still want to play but we are done with wet paint.

Colorful Art Party Food Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat

Food for an art party can be simple and still feel special. We kept ours bright and light instead of baking an elaborate cake. We didn’t do much themed food and stuck to basic party food, with a couple of themed items.

Build a bright fruit “paint palette” platter

We put together a big fruit spread that looked like a painter’s palette. We used green and purple grapes, blueberries, mango, and watermelon, each in its own little section of a deep section tray. Y loves fruit so it really did feel special to him.

Fruit works well when we are feeding a big group with different allergies, and helps break up the candy consumption. If you want to lean into the theme, you can serve the fruit around a plate shaped like a palette or add a simple label card that says “fruit paints”.

Cupcake toppers that look like paint splatters

Instead of a cake, we bought bakery cupcakes. We kept them very simple and dressed them up with toppers. We cut paint splats from colorful cardstock on our Cricut, glued them onto toothpicks, and popped them into bakery cupcakes. It took much less time than decorating an on-theme cake. You can also get premade paint themed cupcake toppers.

On some, we glued two uneven paint splatters back to back for a really cool look.

Simple Art Party Favor Ideas That Do Not Create Clutter

We are not big fans of bags stuffed with random little toys that end up in the trash. For this party, we chose one main favor that kids could actually use again.

Watercolor paint palettes as budget friendly take home gifts

Our favor was a simple watercolor paint palette for each child. They fit the theme, were inexpensive, and encouraged more art time at home. We tossed in some watercolor paper cards as well.

To finish them off, you can tie on a tiny tag with a line like “Thanks for making my party colorful!” It feels personal without adding more clutter to anyone’s home.

Optional add ons: colorful fidgets, art themed favors

If you want to bump things up a bit, there are easy options that still stay practical. Kids can take home (depending on the age)

• Skittles or similar colorful candy
• Tiny canvases
• Fun stacking crayons
• Crayons and mini coloring books
• Art themed party favors – opt for those that are more useful – like bubbles and fidgets rather than toss-aways
• Anything rainbow – like a fidget – can also be an on-theme part favor

Try to remind yourself that one thoughtful art-themed item is enough. Quality takes priority over quantity. When we threw our video game party we also stuck to one better quality favor too and it was really a hit.

Of course, the canvases that they painted also double as a party favor!

Bringing Your Art Party Ideas Together

With so many fun art party ideas, it is easy to feel like you have to do everything. You really do not. A simple formula works very well: one or two main activities – one of them an art project, one movement game, a “just-in-case” filler activity or two, a few bold but easy decorations, colorful fruit and simple treats, and a single creative favor like a watercolor set.

Mix and match what fits your space, your budget, and your energy level.

Most of all, remember that kids care far more about feeling celebrated than about perfect decor. A slightly messy, homemade party filled with color, laughter, and paint splats will stick in their memories in the best way.

If you want more party ideas, check out our other hit parties, like this spy themed birthday party, the LEGO themed party that we did twice, and a really insanely cool science birthday party.

Got any other art party ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Art Party Ideas That Busy Parents Can Actually Pull Off appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Our four-year-old, one-and-only girl among boys is such a little Diva (so much for nurture vs. nature) that we just HAD to throw her a fancy dress-up party for her 4th birthday!

It was SUCH a fun and easy idea that pretty much planned itself – I honestly was not in the mood for going all out there. It was much more shopping (add to cart) than crafting, although we did craft a little.

And the coolest part of it is that it wasn’t consumables – a lot of things we still have to pull out as needed!

One of the biggest hits of the party was the dress-up station. This was essentially a table with different spots that partygoers could dress up in. We focused more on things that are easy to throw on over clothing, and kept things fancy. A still loves playing with all the elements, and some of them even still serve as toys for her.

I’m going to take you through the dress-up station bit by bit. I recommend starting with what you already have (if you do) and then filling in. I’m going to share links to what we used as much as possible, but if you have a dollar store near you, DEFINITELY hit that up too!

The Dress Up Station Signs

Did I mention that I was not in the mood and keeping things easy? Yet still, I decided to illustrate some dress-up station signs for no good reason at all. But the good news is that you can just use mine – no extra decorating needed.

About the Signs

The signs were digitally illustrated by me (that’s when you actually draw it with a stylus, but instead of on paper, you do it in your device. So it’s “hand drawn” but digitally.)

I kept things feeling playful and artsy with hand-drawn chalk/crayon finishes.

The signs are letter-sized in their full-size format; however, you can also treat them as a photo and print them two to a page (half-size). I did that. You simply use your photo printer software (on Windows: select all, right click, more options, and print… It’ll open the photo viewer where you can choose size, layout.)

I laminated them so that they can stay intact for the duration of the party.

Get the signs

This is a premium download, available in my shop or on Etsy. Your purchase helps keep this blog alive and the tutorials coming.

Setting up the Dress Up Station

I set the party up on a table. There are so many other ways that you can do this. You can have a series of card tables with a basket for the larger things. You can have a clothing rack for the larger items. But I did it on a folding table, so I’ll share my ideas for that.

Basic Setup Supplies

Hopefully, you have some of these in-house already, but I’ve linked recommendations for those you don’t. Even if you need to stock some of these, they’re mostly basics you’ll want to have around anyway!

• A folding table (or two)
• A mirror metallic tablecloth to set the vibe
• For ambiance, I used a mini LED lamp – it’s cordless – a must for this setup! This style looks so chic and fashion-forward. You can plan better (I did it on a whim) and tack on decorative trim temporarily.
• The signs (print them here), laminated (optional but recommended)
• Dress up stuff, which I’ll list below!
• Optional: I kind of regretted not pulling out some acrylic organizers to bundle things together and keep them neater!

Putting it Together

Cover your table with the metallic tablecloth. Add the light in the center. This gave it a fancy dressing room vibe.

You’re going to create zones for each thing. Start by laying out your signs, guesstimating which categories need how much space.

Lay out relevant items around the signs neatly, laying them out in rows. I do recommend having acrylic containers to put things together, like the necklaces, bracelets, sunglasses, tiaras, gloves, etc. Acrylic won’t take away from the super glam look – it’ll just add to it.

Invite everyone to come and dress up!

Not shown: I also have a bonus basket with additional tutus and costume props. I added some slightly less fancy, more boy-friendly costume accessories there, too – they didn’t fit with the aesthetic, but I wanted everyone to feel comfortable grabbing a costume!

Some boys attending were good sports and did humor the birthday princess and pile on that bling!

Section-by-Section Breakdown of our dress-up station

Here’s the list of what we had out. Some we had, most we bought. I recommend starting with what you have, hitting up the (used to be) Dollar Store, and even Temu for what you can find for cheap!

Tip: Allow guests to bring home the cheaper items that you don’t need so much of in lieu of party favors. I’ll outline below what I sent home with guests. I’ll also point out that my nieces were in attendance and I passed on some duplicates to them, too :).

Get Dressed Up

We mainly put tutus and fairy wings in this category. We did have a few additional princess dresses and tutus in a basket nearby as well.

Accessorize

The accessories category possibly had the most. We had filled crown headbands (which my daughter has been enjoying since), tiaras, and crowns. We put both cardboard glasses and fun kids’ sunglasses, which she’s also been loving since.

We tossed in a few fun pairs of fancy dress gloves, some masks, and even a few hair extension headbands in fun colors!

Add Some Bling

We totally could have done more with the bling, but what we put out was still a huge hit. For bracelets, I just put out a lot that I had made recently.

You can also get piles of stretch bracelets, plastic bangles (or even cheap metal bangles) that people can then take home – or you can enjoy them after!

We also put out piles of Mardi Gras beads – these participants should definitely go home with! and I got a tray of rings, which we shared some of, but A is still enjoying what was left.

Do Your Nails

And finally, one of the biggest hits of the dress-up station: Do your nails! We put out a kids’ nail polish set with loads of colors and a nail dryer.

This was a party with parents – all the guests were family friends and family. I told the parents about this in advance so that they can be on top of it.

If you’re doing this without parents present and want to have a place to do nails, I recommend having someone in charge of doing it rather than just setting it out. It really made things so much fun, but it does require supervision, and you’ll have enough on your hands.

I hope you enjoyed hearing all the details of our dress-up station at A’s party! If you have any to add – just comment below! Just a reminder, you can get the signs here.

The post Dress Up Station – Birthday Party Activity appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

When I designed baby J’s one cake topper SVG, I actually put together a few styles. I chose the one that said “one” for that event, and laser cut it from plywood as I had planned.

But then, for A’s fourth birthday, I decided to make this Happy Birthday cake topper! The number on the balloon is added externally, so that you can do it for any age group. I’ll share more details below.

Get the Happy Birthday Cake Topper SVG files

This is a premium download, available in my shop and on Etsy. Your purchase helps keep this blog alive and the tutorials coming.

About the Happy Birthday cake topper

The party theme

A’s fourth birthday was done in a dress-up theme. She’s a fancy dress kind of girl, so we made a fancy dress kind of party!

While I did not go with a solid color scheme, I did incorporate lots of gold, pink, and other metallics, just because she loves that. So I crafted the cake topper in those colors.

I also added some pearl beads in the form of a “pearl necklace” pennant banner on the bottom to fit with the theme.

Why cake toppers?

We have a family tradition that is relatively new to have a “birthday babka” instead of a birthday cake. It’s just that babkas are delicious – much yummier than birthday cake, much cheaper than birthday cake, and look pretty with a cake topper!

The simple babka really lets the topper shine.

Cake toppers really “crown off” a cake, and allow you to incorporate a theme without getting a custom cake (or making one yourself).

I like toppers because I’m more of a crafter than a cake decorator, so if you’re the same way, you may prefer it too.

Crafting the Happy Birthday cake topper

While I did not record a proper tutorial (this is a “make it to suit YOUR event kind of craft), here are some general crafting guidelines.

Materials you can use

Wood is one of my favorite materials to use for cake toppers. However, I decided to make this one from cardstock so that I can use my Cricut to cut it.

I chose glitter cardstock and metallic poster to go with the theme. If you’re making yours from cardstock, definitely use straws or skewers as the sticks – don’t rely on the spokes in the template. But your file does have spokes in case you’re using acrylic and want it to be in one piece.

Assembling the basics

Your file comes in a few layers, ready to cut however you’d like. I used a hot glue gun to connect the parts, and straws to place it in the cake.

When sending the file to your machine to cut (whether it’s a laser cutter or blade cutter like I used), you can add and attach, or slice elements to the balloon. Type the number of the birthday, add a first initial, or even try attaching a name to the bottom of the “Happy Birthday” portion.

Making it your own

You’ll want to tie your Happy Birthday cake topper into the party theme. Choose papers to match. For me, it was going all glam with the fancy dress theme.

You can choose patterned scrapbook paper to match your theme, and include it only on the smaller parts. For example, get leopard print paper for a safari theme and use it on the balloon only. Then use it in more of your party decorations too.

If you’d like, you can also dangle a banner, like I enjoy doing on my cake toppers. Try a beaded banner or a pennant-style one. On this one, I used glass pearls to give it a dress-up vibe.

If you haven’t yet, you can download the Happy Birthday cake topper right here!

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I love throwing affordable and doable birthday parties for my kids, and for that reason, I often do a lot of themed parties. I try for those where I can DIY the theme as much as possible, or those with easy dollar store decorations, but sometimes a kid wants a party that is just such a good idea – but I need to do or buy a little more than I’d like.

When Y asked for an art themed birthday party for his eighth, it was just such a good idea! M had asked for a dog man birthday party for the same, and while that was super cool too, I was a bit over all these characters…and it lent itself to such good activities.

It’s also unusual to see a boy ask for an art themed party, it’s more of a girl theme, for no good reason, so I was happy to be able to meet this challenge and throw more diverse art party ideas into the world.

And yes, it lent itself to some fabulous activities. But for the art party decoration ideas, I did have to be a bit more creative. And since I was on a serious time crunch on the prep end of things, I had to just go ahead and buy things.

This actually might be the last “real” party he’s had, where he invites his whole class for a bit themed bash. It was so overwhelming (though it was quite a success) that I decided that I might be getting too old to keep entertaining large classes of young boys.

I started making an offer to my kids: they can choose from a large class-wide party in the house (like this was) or a day off of school with me! Yes, I spend a whole day with them. Y just celebrated his 9th birthday (I’m late writing this) and chose the day off. We went to the Lego store to choose his birthday gift, went out for Sushi, went thrift shop hopping, and went to the grocery together so that he can pick out snacks for a small at-home celebration (unthemed) with family.

It was really nice. So birthday parties definitely have their place, especially for younger kids, but we’re phasing them out for the older set – unless they choose otherwise!

Art Party Table Decoration Ideas

My first thing to do with every party is to choose a color scheme. I usually like to keep the palette relatively simple (like I did for baby J’s neutral first birthday party and Y’s 7th video game party). Withthis I totally failed, and in part because I didn’t DIY it all.

It’s therefore not quite picture perfect. I’m sharing anyway, because I might as well share valuable feedback, better strategy, and what you can do to make it better.

In addition, because we had a crawler in the house, I outlawed the usual balloons that set the scene.

My best birthday party decorating tip: pick up some balloon ribbon, balloons in the simple color scheme of your party, and a hand pump and you’ll create a cheerful party spirit on a budget, filling the space with the decor.

Instead, to set the art party theme, I set the table initially with a “spilling paint bucket”. This is done by taking a small garbage pail (or specially purchase an empty paint can) and some colored tablecloths spread out to look like paint in primary colors.

This created a really cool effect that filled the space on the table.

I used coordinating primary color tableware – plastic cups, flatware, etc. but then I went ahead and purchased adorable paint palette plates!

This already broke from the simple color scheme. I also realized quite quickly that I needed some more decor to take the place of balloons…

The hanging decorations

I could have gone with streamers, I could have gotten a mylar balloon banner, but no, I had to complicate things further…. So I went ahead and purchased from Amazon a paint party decorating pack in completely the wrong colors…

Now, had I started with that, I would have matched the table stuff to it, but I didn’t…

Anyway, it was fun and easy, and allowed me to fill the room a bit, with minimal effort. Just don’t ask how long it took us to take those decorations off our light fixture…

More art party decoration ideas around the house

Again, I have more art party decoration ideas to share from around the house, that you might do better to coordinate and stick with a great color scheme.

Just because my overall look wasn’t perfect, doesn’t mean the ideas themselves weren’t great.

Paint Splatters All Over

One cool idea that I partially implemented and could have done fully for a cooler effect was to cut paint splatters (using a Cricut or by hand) out of removable vinyl. I put some on the floor right where kids entered and they were fooled by it for a second.

You can do this all over – on walls, etc. But just make sure to test it first to make sure it’ll come off nicely.

The games double as decor

Lots of the activities really can double as decor. For example, our huge “pin the paint splat on the palette” served as a poster as well.

The same went for our “the floor is lava” game (see all these art party activities here.)

The Number Balloon

A new tradition we have is to get a 40 inch number balloon for each birthday to photograph the kid next to.

It’s a great way to take “milestone” photos beyond the baby ones, and to track their growth relative to something consistent in size.

Got any art party decoration ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

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For Baby J’s first birthday, I wanted to create something that was classy but also had a playful vibe. I ended up going with a “soft theme” as I’ll call it – that is, it kind of has a theme but it’s not “in your face”.

The overall theme was “watch me grow,” and it featured very soft botanicals.

To avoid getting overly beige with it, I created more of an expanded neutral palette. Sage and forest green played a strong role, mainly through botanical motifs, but also in some of the decor.

I also found some Thanksgiving clearance pumpkin spice kind of colors to add a neutral-but-not-boring touch. And it really vibes with J’s hair color.

I’m going to go through all of the elements in this neutral first birthday party one at a time. I’d like to point out that I did share a lot of individual tutorials for these ideas, so I’ll link to those as well. But the idea of this post is to give you an overview to plan your own, not necessarily to highlight individual tutorials.

So I’ll also share “buy” options for some of the DIY ideas.

Neutral First Birthday Party Decorations

The decorations of any party make the atmosphere, and this one was no different. I will highlight the actual table settings separately, and for now, I’ll focus on the decor.

The Centerpiece

First of all, I found the perfect bouquet at Trader Joe’s. It had various types of fresh Eucalyptus together with white florals.

A fresh floral bouquet is the perfect centerpiece for a first birthday party, which is more for the adults.

I placed it in a simple glass vase.

If you don’t see such a bouquet in real life, you can start with dried eucalyptus and add the most realistic-looking white or cream flowers you can find.

The Balloons

Next, we had the decorative balloons. I have a hard policy against latex or similar balloons at toddler parties at home (they will pop and are a choking hazard).

So we stuck to some beautiful matte finished mylar balloons – including a sage green number one and a tan “happy birthday” that we stretched in the large opening between our living and dining room.

Tip: get the same sized (40 inch) number balloon for every birthday and pose your kid with it! Watch as they reach that height – and then get taller!

The one dangled in the middle of the “Happy Birthday” at the perfect angle to get a shot of J with it as well.

The milestone banner with photos

Next, I put up a milestone 1st birthday photo garland that I designed and crafted. It stretched across the dining room (extra string helps accomplish this) and hung over the table.

Hanging it over the table allowed me to hang it low enough that guests can look at the photos without bumping into it.

Again, choosing scrapbook paper that fits with the decor means that I can really make everything blend in. This milestone banner was a huge hit and really made the party meaningful.

The first part of it says “watch me grow”, tying the whole theme together.

The tissue paper decorations

One new thing that I did for this neutral first birthday party that I may repeat in the future was creating tissue paper decorations from scratch. I did this in part to take the place of balloons.

I created a tissue paper tassel garland that hung on the windows behind the whole party. And I hung clusters of tissue paper flower pom poms that softly tied in with the theme on either side.

Again, choosing colors of tissue paper to go with the theme is the starting point for matching any party decor. And tissue paper particularly makes for very soft decorations, perfect for any baby-themed event.

As you can see, I created a sort of layered look with the neutral party decorations. In front, you have the Happy Birthday (the one that wasn’t hung yet in this photo), then over the table we have the milestone garland, and then behind it, there are the tissue paper decorations.

Neutral First Birthday Party Table Settings

The table linens

I don’t usually treat myself to new tablecloths for first birthday parties, but hey, why not? I got this really inexpensive one from Amazon, and use it often enough that it’s justified. And yes, it’s stain-resistant too.

The soft beige fits with the color scheme and allows for the other colors to stand out, keeping things clean visually.

I put a beige and white burlap runner across it to ground the center and add texture and dimension (as in, to make it less boring…)

The vase of flowers stood right in the center.

The paper goods

I mentioned above that I found some brighter almost-neutrals for the cutlery and cups. Look for Thanksgiving colors: pumpkin, spice, etc. The fall tones added a pop of color to the neutrals and really gave it some pop.

The plates were also from Amazon and featured florals, including, yes, eucalyptus. They looked just gorgeous next to the bouquet. They weren’t matchy-matchy, but they fit right in.

For napkins, I got “gold” ones that just worked. I put it in a napkin holder that I laser engraved (no, not special for the party! I did it another time) and filled with sage green paint.

Everything just looked so festive, soft, but with hints of color that made so much sense. And matched J’s hair.

Food for a Neutral First Birthday Party

I NEVER match my food fully up with my party themes. It feels forced, and I honestly just want to have good food. So I figured I’d share what I served so that you can get inspiration for your first birthday party.

But the cool thing is that at the end of the day, I felt like the food just fit right in, too.

The main spread

I served the main food on the counter. I started with a loaded tuna salad with veggies, olives, nuts, and avocado.

In the center was a gorgeous rustic bread bowl of half pita breads (perfect for stuffing with the tuna salad). The bowl is made of olivewood and just looked so good at the party.

Next tot it was more spreads – cream cheese, egg salad, hummus, tahini, guac…

I made a side of salmon, which I placed on a large wood charcuterie board and decorated with citrus slices. Yes, it IS missing piles of herbs decorating I,t too! Ooops!

I also put out a tossed salad with terra chips, a pasta salad, and a broccoli slaw.

The snacks

Now, the snacks really matched, which was accidental and cool considering that it was on the main table. I put out some golden potato chips and various corn chips with salsa. I put out Bamba – a baby-friendly peanut snack (skip if you have someone with an allergy).

There were Trader Joe’s wrapped peanut butter and chocolate krispy bars, a huge hit. And two types of popcorn fit right in as well!!

The cake

We have a family tradition that started when I finally conceded that I’m useless at decorating cakes: we have birthday babkas instead of birthday cakes!

And yes, I do make a cake topper to put in the center!

I designed this one cake topper with its mini garland to go into it, and it is so stinkin’ cute! I do offer tips in the tutorial post for making sure yours is food safe.

High Chair & Baby at our Neutral First Birthday Party

Finally, we have the King Himself and His Throne!

I did make a felt garland to hang on the high chair. Go ahead and pick up a pack or two of felt in the correct colors (pumpkin/spice, sage green, beige…) to make various baby decor.

The high chair garland didn’t quite come out as nicely as I’d hoped, so I did not create a tutorial.

The star of the show was the prince himself, of course, and every prince needs a crown! Again, I designed this felt first birthday crown for the party, and it was quite a beginner-friendly project.

We posed him, of course, with the big 1 balloon – a tradition we plan to keep up! For every birthday, we are purchasing a 40-inch balloon – and it’s going to be cool to see how they catch up to its size – and then outgrow it!

Got any other neutral first birthday party ideas to add? Any questions, comments, ideas? Comment below!

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While I love sharing our different party ideas – all of them doable and realistic – I don’t often share the food we serve. The reasoning is simple: I don’t always theme it (and when I do it’s one or two items) so it’s not really worth sharing.

However for A’s second birthday – a farm/cow theme, I did a lot of themed foods because there were just too many opportunities to do it!

You can check out our cow party decorations too if you need some more inspiration for your party.

For our family-focused birthday parties (this one was for a two-year-old so it was mostly family) I like to serve a buffet style meal with plenty of salads and light dishes.

I’m only sharing the themed foods here – I don’t remember but I’m assuming that I served some sort of hot pasta too.

Healthy Farm Party Food Ideas

Since farms are all about the food we eat, there are endless opportunities for farm-focused foods – it’s all about picking the right things.

And since our party was for a two-year-old who didn’t quite know what candy was then, it just made sense to have healthier munchies that she’d enjoy too.

What we served

I like to do chip ‘n dip/cracker ‘n dips as an easy and filling healthy snack.

I made egg salad and guac, and served it with blue corn chips and light colored crackers for a “cow spotted” vibe.

A corn salad was a must – mine had pickles, hearts of palm and peppers with a light dressing.

Next, I made a veggie platter – but made it look like grass! You need a platter that has straighter edges and relatively deep cavities for this.

I filled it with celery sticks, green beans, and hothouse cucumber sticks with peel on, all standing up. The center was a sesame-free hummus for dipping.

For a tossed salad, I kept it very green, with romaine lettuce as the core and loads of veggies. Virtually any tossed salad you do will work for a farm theme.

And of course, we HAD to have deviled eggs to complete the farm vibe!

Bonus Ideas

This party was long enough ago that I don’t 100% remember everything we served, and it’s possible that we had some of these out as well.

• Drinks such as chocolate milk are perfect, especially with the moo vibe going strong.
• Lemonade and orange juice also have that farm fresh feeling.
• Cheese – you can do this in the form of a cheese board
• Shredded carrot salad would add so much to this theme
• Berries displayed in farm-style baskets
• Of course, any veggies work for this theme, and I’d go heavy on that.

Snack and Treat Farm Party Food Ideas

Every party has some treats! While I avoid candy for parties with a kid this young who hasn’t really been introduced to candy yet, if you have older kids you can include that.

What we served

I’m not really a baker or cookie decorator, but I wanted to do something that is no-fail.

I made simple round cookies and decorated them with black (cow print) splotches. You can also just call chocolate chip cookies “cow print”.

We have a tradition (did I mention I don’t bake?) to save $$$ on a cake and go with a babka instead – it’s much yummier anyway! So I made a cake topper to go with it. You can grab the project in Design Space here.

Bonus Ideas

• Popcorn looks like sheep’s wool AND is corn
• Veggie straws are hay – and veggies you pick
• Candy corn of course!
• Cheese based snacks like cheese puffs
• Animal crackers are a win!

Got any farm party food ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

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Try one of my favorite birthday party decorating hacks at your next event: buy a pack of tissue paper in colors to match your party decor, and see how many decorations you can make with it!

Today, I’m going to show you how to make flower pom poms from tissue paper – and yes, I have more coming.

I made these for Baby J’s first birthday party, which had a neutral theme, with forest and sage green, beige, and gold – and hints of eucalyptus.

How to make any size flower pom poms from tissue paper

These tissue paper pom poms take minutes to assemble the base for, and since it’s one of those things that still require a lot of assembly after purchasing (they come accordion folded and flat), you might as well buy them! Tissue paper comes in a wider variety of colors than the pom poms, so you can really match up anything while saving a few bucks and making an impact!

This is the kind of decoration that really fills a room, kind of like balloons, only without the danger of popped balloons floating around your one-year-old’s house after!

And the coolest part: you can make them in virtually any size!

My tutorial shows how to make half-sheet flower tissue paper pom poms. You can make whole sheet ones – just use more layers. Do quarter-sheet ones with fewer layers.

You get my drift!

Mine are hung at various heights at either side of a garland (tutorial coming soon) to really frame out a room.

Where to use your tissue paper pom poms

We used this at a first birthday party for a soft but neutral look. More ideas for where to include tissue paper pom poms in your decor:

• Baby shower – this is so perfect for that because of how soft and calming they are
• Bridal shower
• Kids party – while balloons might be more fun, getting these in the right colors can fill that same spirit
• Dorm room – if you’re looking for fun, cheap decor for your bedroom or dorm room, these are a fabulous choice.

How to make flower pom poms from tissue paper – Step by Step

You’ll need

• Tissue paper to match your party
• Scissors
• String
• A marker
• A ruler

Video Tutorial

Watch the YouTube video below for a step-by-step tutorial, or scroll down for photos.

Photo/Written Tutorial

1. Take four sheets of tissue paper, and fold them in half (how they’re usually packaged). Cut off that fold line near the edge so you have eight sheets.

2. Place the stack vertically on a flat surface. Start from the bottom. Accordion fold your tissue paper with about 3/4 inch folds.

4. Use a bone folder to smooth the creases as you go along and when you reach the end.

5. Shape your edges. You can definitely play with different shapes! On your first try, I recommend cutting a pointy edge by cutting off the corners. On this one, I did a rounded end.

6. Mark the center. This won’t show and can be permanent.

7. Cut a long piece of string – 2x the length you want it to hang, plus about 6 inches. At the halfway point of the string, fold it in half, and slide the fold under the center point of the folded tissue paper.

8. Slide your string ends through that loop and pull it closed.

9. Wrap the two sides of your string around that center and knot them together.

10. Fan out the sides of your accordion fold to form a bow.

11. Gently peel back a layer at a time, fluffing it out. Do this for half your layers on the right and left sides.

12. Flip over and repeat with the remaining layers.

You’ve successfully learned how to make flower pom poms from tissue paper for your next party! Now try it in more colors and with different edges!

Hang it from that long bit of string you left behind.

Which occasion did you decide to learn how to make flower pom poms from tissue paper for? comment below!

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Y is an artsy type, so we did something out of the box this year: we threw him an art party! I feel like art parties are the type that people usually throw for girls, but Y loves art and so why not throw one for him?

So here I’m going to be brutally honest. I’ve done art groups with four year old girls, and I’ve done all sorts of activities with boys of many ages, but art with 8 year old boys is NOT for the faint of heart.

While all of these activities worked out wonderfully, it was very tiring for me and my biggest regret was not hiring someone – or two someones – to help us run it. My husband and I were both hands on at all times and we really could have used an extra two pairs.

That being said, all of the activities themselves worked out wonderfully (and as I shared by our video game party – that isn’t always the case). Just have all-hands-on-deck.

Painting

The main activity was painting art canvases. I wanted it to be low-input from me, so instead of going for a specific structured painting, we decided to do tape resist paintings.

The kids caught on from the sample projects – I didn’t even need to explain it. I set out mini easels with small canvases and filled it for the kids with a small selection of colors. The kids painted their initial or abstract designs using the tape as a resist.

You need

• Washi and/or masking tape – different widths lends itself to more creativity
• A mini easel for each child
• A canvas that fits on the easel for each child – get a couple extra to make sample projects
• Paint – I stuck with washable paint because I didn’t trust them not to throw paint (they didn’t). Acrylics would lend a richer color and prettier painting.
• Paint brushes – a small selection
• Palette for each child
• Recommended: a smock or apron for each child

How to & tips

Instruct kids to tape out a design – whether it’s their initial or geometric. Paint over it, and then remove the tape. Let it dry and your artwork is complete!

I gave kids disposable aprons to wear to offer some protection from the paint, but I’d recommend telling parents to send kids in junk clothes. It is an art party after all.

One thing I did NOT do was include a box to bring home wet project in. We did it towards the beginning to allow time for drying, but honestly, some of the kids just laid on the paint too wet. Having a box that it can sit comfortably in the bottom of with little wiggle room, but plenty of space on top is ideal.

Chalk Paint

While I set up the painting activity, I sent the kids to the backyard with my husband to do some chalk paint. I didn’t take a lot of photos of their artwork, but they did really enjoy this.

And this paint they DID throw at each other. But it washes off really easily and didn’t matter much.

The paint is made using equal parts cornstarch and water, and food coloring. Start with 3 cups of each. I placed them into deli containers for easier transporting to the outdoors, and sent them out with large, flat paintbrushes.

The floor is lava

One of the most game-changing activities in the whole party was a game of “the floor is lava”. But how is that appropriate for an art party, you ask?

It’s simple. The “safe zones” were huge poster board paint splatters!

I knew I’d need an energetic game to break things up a bit and frankly we could have just played this the whole time.

We put out a huge party speaker with lights and good sound and I think we even shut the lights. We turned on the music LOUD and played the floor is lava a zillion times until the kids were spent.

You’re welcome, moms!

Prepping this was as simple as cutting large random splotches of poster boards in rainbow colors. I was concerned that the kids might slip on it, but it was fine. You can tack it down with removable foam mounting tape if you’d like, or cut them from removable vinyl instead.

Pin the paint on the palette

This spinoff of the classic party game was extra cool. It wasn’t enough to get the paint splatter on the palette – you had to get it onto the right color too!

We had it hanging the whole time to serve as a decoration as well.

Supplies Needed

• Colored paper
• White poster board
• Black foam board or other rigid surface
• Colorful Sharpies
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun – see my best hot glue guns for crafts here.

Assembly and tips

1. Cut random paint splotches from the colored paper. I cut 2 from each sheet. I recommend stacking them and making each splotch of the same color the same shape. You can use a few of each color – make sure you have at least one for each kid.

2. Draw a palette shape on the white poster board and cut it out. It does not need to be perfect.

3. Arrange the paint splotches you cut out on the palette and then trace each one in the same color. Take the splotch off and go over your tracing to make the outline thicker.

4. Glue the white palette on the black background.

Your game is read to play! Write the name of a child on a paint splotch, blindfold them, and have them try to get it on the correct color!

Just a quick tip: have a good, working blindfold ready to use for this activity – before you start the party!

Got any art birthday party activities to add to the list? Comment below!

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