18th Birthday Candy Bouquet

A break from the cookies ... LOL! I just love giving a gift that you put effort into, I'm always on the hunt for something new or fun. I haven't done a 18th birthday in sometime, so I was excited when one of my favorite dance team members daughters had an upcoming birthday. I did a Google search and found a fun candy bouquet and added some fun things to it! Turning 18 comes with a few perks like gambling lol, why not start our youth off with some scratch tickets. And of course Starbucks gift cards ... LOL!

What you Need:
Plant Bucket ($1 Dollar Tree)

Dum Dums (5 Bags / $1 Dollar Tree)

Foam circles (2 - Dollar Tree)

Butterfingers Mini

Butterfly / Flower Cutouts (I found at Dollar Tree or you can cut on your Cricut)

Pipe Cleaner (Cut in half to make the Butterfly antennas)

Happy Birthday Sign (Dollar Tree)

18 numbers (found magnets at Dollar Tree that I glued on to sign)

Scratch Tickets

Starbucks Cards

Sticks (I used lollipop sticks Wilton)

Hot Glue Gun

I started with placing the dum dums to make a bouquet. I stacked two foam rings to get the height I needed and arranged the dum dums to make the rounded look. I started with 3 bags thinking that would be enough and found that it didn't cover. I had to run back to the store and buy 2 more bags to fill. I took the paper butterflies hot glued a butterfingers in the middle to be the body. Then cut a pipe cleaner in half to make the antenna's and hot glued them on. I took a long lollipop stick and hot glued it on the back and stuck it into the bouquet. I found a happy birthday sign that I hot glued the number 18 on to it. I took the scratch tickets I bought an hot glued a small lollipop stick onto the back and stuck them into the bouquet also. I also picked up 2 Starbucks GC and did the same adding a small lollipop stick and stuck them in.

  

Click HERE to see who I link with.

Dora The Explorer Star Cupcakes (Sugar Cookie Royal Icing Toppers) for Charity

The week of Christmas I was signed up for a cake delivery for a special 9 year old homeless girl in a shelter close to home. Many of you know I bake for a charity that brings birthday's to homeless kids in shelters around Washington. I know when we get close to the holiday's the volunteers go down so I always make sure I pick up any during this season. If you ever have extra party supplies or toys please think of Birthday Dreams, we can all make a child's special day be just that special!

 

I found on Dora Explorer Stars on Sweet Sugar Belle that I felt would be perfect. I have NOT mastered the ability to do faces, so I skipped doing Dora herself and went for her stars. I must say I was pretty happy with how it turned out. NOTE to self for next time DON'T put so much frosting on that when you put on a big topper you can't close the lid on the cupcake holder .. lol. I have done Dora the Explorer Before using modeling chocolate.

 

I'm a bit obsessed with royal icing cookies right now. I've been using the cookies as the toppers for my cupcakes I make. It's like the best of all words a cupcake with tons of frosting and a cookie to eat also!! My youngest is obsessed with this technique, yup he's so my child all about the sugar (I have no clue where he would get this from ... as she whistles and looks away .... lol).

 

What you Need:

Star Cookie Cutter (I have a 4 set I used the 3rd Largest one)

Frosted Cupcakes

Royal Icing - Yellow, Green, Pink and Purple (see recipe below)

Candy Eyeballs (I use Hobby Lobby's)
Piping Bag of darker Royal Icing (for Mouth and Eyebrows) - Yellow, Green, Pink and Purple

I used the dipping method with my royal icing. I started to do the dipping method about 6 months ago to speed up my decorating time. You can pipe each cookie which is a little cleaner but I find the dipping method to be the best. You get your royal icing to the outline consistency and put into a pie dish (I find this is not too deep). Once you dip the top of the cookie you tap off the extra icing! BEFORE the icing starts to dry, add on your candy eyeballs. This way when the icing drys it will hold the eyes on. Nothing like an eyeball falling off if you lift the cookie up. You can add on with icing once dry, but I found this way there is no chance of fall off. Once dry you can add your details.

For the mouths and eyebrows, I took the royal icing I used for dipping and added some more color to make it darker. I added the mouths a crescent moon shape and the little lines above the eyes for the eyebrows.

 

Click HERE to see who I link with.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Julie Usher, she has a GREAT YouTube video on how to make, color and make consistency adjustments. 

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.

Some-"Bunny" Needs Coffee Gift

Another fun gift made for my boss a while back for her birthday was this fun coffee gift. I love doing fun gifts as you know, and I wanted to send her a Starbucks gift card but not just a plain one in a envelope so I went to pinterest and found a link to this fun Bunny Kisses made by Split Coast Stampers. Now they used stamps to cut out the face, I used my Cricut. I used my George Cartridge that came with my machine. I must say this cartridge I use ALL the time!

What you need:

White Heavy Card Stock

Pink Card Stock

Brown Card Stock

Black Sharpie

Brown makeup  (I used to antique the paper)

Pink Blush (for the blush of course)

Cotton Ball to put makeup on the paper

Craft Glue

White Paper Coffee Cup (found at Target, next to paper plates)

Ribbon (I did a thinker and a smaller one)

I used the flower to cut out the white for the face (I used the grey one below). I printed a large one and then a medium one to make the face. For the nose I printed the heart (the grey one below) in pink. For the ears I printed the oval (grey above the E). Using my black sharpie I drew on the white paper to make eye's closed with lashes and a mouth. I drew a line and dashes for the ears (glued the ears between the large and medium white to hold them on. I attached the face when I was done to the coffee cup with my craft glue. I tied a bow and attached with hot glue to the face (I needed something a little stronger then craft glue). 

Now this was an extra that I added. I wanted to attach the gift card to the cup. I printed the label on heavy white card stock from my cricut (grey above the K) it prints like a Christmas label with a hole for you. Then I used brown card stock and printed Birthday Blessings (bottom left next to Sift lock). I glued it onto the label and then I took a whole punch and attached with ribbon the label and gift card (had to whole punch that to make it hang).

It took about 20 minutes but it was so cute I went on the search and made these Bunny Coffee Cups for the boys teachers also! Worth the time to see a smile :).

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Previous Bunny Coffee Cups Made
Link Above:

End of Year Gifts for Class ... Silly Summer & Bubble Summer

Sadly we come to an end of this school year. My oldest is going on to Middle school and we say goodbye to the best teacher we have ever had. He was lucky enough to do 4th and 5th with the same teacher. The classmates were the same so I wanted to give them something a little special also.

For Cole's class I did Silly string gift, which I didn't really think much about until I came to pick the kids up to find the kids silly stringed their teacher and got in trouble with the principal .. lol ugh so wasn't on my thought process. I found this idea on Room Mom Extraordinaire (she put her's in plastic bags to hope the kids didn't spray on the bus ... I may have should have done that!).

What you Need:

Silly String (Dollar Tree $1)

Curling Ribbon (Dollar Tree $1)

Card Stock

I went on google search found a rainbow boarder (png so I could easily copy) put into a word doc and then put typed up a word box saying "Have a "Silly" Summer. From Cole. I printed on heavy card stock an then cut out, punched a whole and tied on with curling ribbon.

For Caden's class I did bubbles, which also got used by the whole class but this didn't make a mess and the teacher took them outside for it and no harm no foul .. lol.

What you Need:

Bubble Wands (Michael's $1 buy one get one 1/2 off)

Curling Ribbon (Dollar Tree $1)

Card Stock.

I went on google search found a boy blowing bubbles (png so I could easily copy) put into a word doc and then put typed up a word box saying "Hope your Summer "Bubbles" with Fun. From Caden. I printed on heavy card stock an then cut out, punched a whole and tied on with curling ribbon.

Cole's Teacher Posted this on FB the Attack of silly string:

Make one you'll be the hit of the classroom!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Despicable Me Birthday ... Minion Paper Cups

Next on Despicable Me Party to do was the cups!  Oh yes we even decorated the paper cups. This was so simple and so cute, I was going to made only the 1 eyeball one's but Rick suggested I do a 2 eyeball version also.  I found this great idea on Moms Saves Money. 

What you Need:

Yellow Cups (12 Pack Dollar Tree $1)

Google Eyeballs (Dollar Tree $1)

Sharpie (Dollar Tree $1)

Black Card Stock

Craft Glue

I used my cricut to cut out the eyeball strips, I use George & Basic Shapes Cartridge. You could always cut them out.  I used the "I" on the size 4 to make mine and black cardstock I had on hand.  I used a little craft glue to glue the strap down and add one or two of the eyeballs.  I then took my sharpie to make hair and a mouth. YUP that easy and I think it was the cheapest thing I've made! 

My Despicable Me Printables I put together click HERE.

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Despicable Me Birthday Done:
Minion Invites
Minion Treat Gift Bags
Minion Paper Cups
Minion Cupcakes (2 Versions)
Minion Cake
Vector's Coconutties and Cookie Robots
Despicable Me Perler Bead Characters
Despicable Me Snack Bar and Food Ideas
Despicable Me Goody Bag Items
Despicable Me Minion Bucket
Box of Shame
Squid Launcher's and Welcome Sign

Summer Time Gift

Well I had plans to make a gift for Caden's teacher to feature today but I didn't get around to a gift for her.  So instead I'm featuring a summer themed gift I made for my boss.  She goes to Florida a lot for work and for pleasure.  I wanted to give her a fun in the sun gift.  I saw several examples on Pinterest so I just took a little from all and made my own.

What you need:

Beach Bag

Beach Towel

Flip Flops

Sun Screen

Chapstick

Trail Mix

Magazine

Ribbon

I took all the items and stack them together.  I tied them up with a ribbon and added to the beach bag.  Fun in the sun all in one bag :).

Any Summer Plans?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Themed Birthday Gift ... Jungle Themed Gift

Next on our themed gift basket is one for a friend who had a Jungle Themed Birthday!  I went on a hunt to find the most awesome Jungle themed items, have I told you lately how much I love a good theme?

What you Need:

Jungle Themed Mask (found at Dollar Tree)

Jungle Fruit Snacks (found at Dollar Tree)

Jungle Book Coloring book (found at Dollar Tree)

Jungle themed Party Goods (found at Dollar Tree)

Safari Hat (found at Michael's)

Safari Balloon  (found at Dollar Tree)

Gummy Worms (found at Dollar Tree - Add Label Anaconda's)

Stripped Shortbread Cookies (found at Dollar Tree - Add Label Zebra Strips)

Circus Cookies (found at Dollar Tree - Add Label Safari Friends)

Wood Initial (found at Michael's) 

Wood Safari / Jungle Animal (found at Michael's)

Card Stock (White and Brown)

Jungle themed Bag (found at Dollar Tree)

Hot Glue Gun

I found the idea for The Don't Feed the Animals bag on Loralee Lewis's Blog and the Safari themed printables I found on Pottery Barn.  The Wood Letter was the first init of the birthday boy and I hot glued a Zebra on to it so they could hang it in his room.  I added the tags to treats and added to my safari bag I found.

Any Parties coming up?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Themed Birthday Gift ... Movie Madness (Teen Birthday Gift)

Next on my list of themed gifts is one I made my for my bosses daughter she is turning 17 this week and I wanted to make her something fun but didn't want it to be generic or something she may not like.  So I went on Google and found a fun gift idea for a Movie Madness on Cottage in the Oaks.  What teen doesn't love going to movies?  Most of these items can be found in the dollar bin except for the movie card I found the cheapest one $25 at the grocery store.

What You Need:

Clear Bag

Popcorn Bin (Or Bags)

Microwave Popcorn

Candy

Snacks

Gum

Drink

Gift Card

Ribbon

What you do:

I found a large clear gift bag that I arrange all the itmes in.  I tied it with fun ribbon I found at Michael's a while back.  It was red and white like the popcorn bags and the design reminded me of popcorn.  I used paper popcorn bags instead of the plastic popcorn bin I was going to to do, since I was mailing these items.

Any Parties coming up?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Themed Birthday Gift ... Lego Traveling Case

I saw a cool idea for a Lego Tray on Somewhat Simple.  I took this idea and ran with it, yes my normal over achiever took over.  It was my bosses son's birthday a few weeks back and I wanted to do something fun for him.  He took a bunch of friends to the Lego Movie so I knew this would be a GREAT gift for him.  I ordered President Business and the Executron off Amazon.  Well it of course took forever for these little guys to get to me, then it got crazy busy around her so I'm a little behind on the shipping of this gift.

What you Need:

Lego Building Plate (Found on Amazon)

Wood Box (Michael's)hen

3M Spray Adhesive

Lego Men

Lego's (to build and to spell Name)

Hot Glue Gun

The wood Box wasn't an exact fit for the plate so Rick cut it down for me and added the strip that we cut also into the box to make it almost a complete fit.  He used the 3M spray to attach the plate.  We then put some heavy items on it to make it stick.  Once that was dry I added the 2 men I bought.  Cole built a race car and a track.  Then I went to spelling out his name on the top of the box.  We have a TON of Lego's so instead of buying more I just used some of the boys that they had that they hadn't played with.  I arranged the Lego's using different sizes and kinds to spell his name and then hot glued them down to the wood lid. Tada done! It was a pretty simple gift to make but I think really cool and any boy would really like it.

Any Parties coming up?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Themed Birthday Gift ... Batman Gift Basket

The 2nd party we went to this weekend was for a boy in Cole's class, I asked what theme. They said no theme (I know imagine my shock .. lol), but he did like Batman or Mindcraft. So I thought Batman would be a easy one to do.  Jeez was I wrong, who knew finding batman items would be so hard!  I ended up going to five stores to find the few items I did find.  

What you Need:

Notebook / Coloring Book - Batman (usually Dollar Store has tons)

Candy (Batman)

TShirt Batman (Old Navy had one)

Flip Flops Batman (found at Marshall's)

Basket

Homemade Cookies (if you want)

Add any batman items you can find!  Usually the dollar tree is great and you find puzzles, books etc.  This time I had no luck there, only could find Spiderman, Captain America or Thor.

I had a black basket left over from a giveaway I won a long time ago, you could find a basket at the Dollar Store if needed.  Add the items in.  I also added some homemade cookies, put them plastic bag and added a fun tag.  I found a Batman Cookie Tag on Parties and Patterns. She made a cute little cookie holder I cut out the circle only an hot glued on to the front of the bag and then stapled the Cookie label on top.  I printed mine on white card stock so it would hold up better.

It came out super cute, I think :).

Do you Theme Gift?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.