My Party File - blog

Posts Tagged ‘australia’

Yesterday at Tuesday featured these adorable personalised beach buckets, complete with tutorial.  What a wonderful party favour or “goodie bag” for a beach party.  To make them you will need to use masking tape to mark off a rectangle on the bucket.  Apply chalkboard paint in the rectangle area  - you may need to do about 4 layers (letting each layer dry before applying another one) to get a consistent chalkboard colour.  Add a design and name onto the chalkboard area using Deco Color markers.  Then carefully remove the masking tape to reveal your masterpiece!

Here’s a fab idea for a craft/arrival activity for a beach or mermaid party. You will find a great tutorial on how to make these sea shell balls at Keen Inspirations.  For a mermaid party, you could use coloured sea shells, or embellish them with small coloured star fish, or add some glitter!

The kids will enjoy making an “ocean in a bottle” at your Under the Sea, Mermaid or Pirate party.

To make an “ocean in a bottle”, you will need:

• 350 ml (12 ounce) plastic bottles with screw on caps (1 per child)  - clean and label free
• 175 mls (6 ounces) of cooking oil per child
• 175 mls (6 ounces) of vinegar per child
• Blue Food colouring
• Tiny Shells, plastic seawood, glitter, plastic confetti, tiny plastic toys, sea themed beads
• A funnel
• Rubber cement or strong glue

Instructions
Use the funnel to pour the cooking oil into each child’s bottle, followed by the vinegar. The oil will go to the top and the vinegar to the bottom. Allow the kids to watch this, before pouring several drops of blue food colouring into the bottles. Again, let the kids watch the fluids interacting.

Close the caps tightly and let the kids shake the bottles to make waves. Let them then put some shells, glitter, confetti and toys into the bottle so that they can float in the “ocean”. Seal the caps shut with rubber cement or glue to prevent it leaking.

Although the ingredients are non-toxic, warn the kids that they shouldn’t drink the liquid in the bottle.

TIP:  I used small cosmetic bottles that you buy for travelling.

Linking to:

The Girl Creative

Its So Very Cheri

Delicious Ambiguity

Blue Cricket Design

Fireflies and Jellybeans

These tasty morsels are made from my favourite biscuits - Arnott’s Mint Slices, but you could use any biscuit that tickles your fancy (Not Quite Nigella used Tim Tams, but I think Kingstons or Mandarin Slices would be great also).

Mint slice pops are easy to make.  All you need is:

• 1 packet of Mint Slices (or biscuits of your choice)
• 65 gms light or regular cream cheese
• 125 gms milk or dark chocolate
• Wooden skewers or lollipop sticks

Pop the packet of biscuits and the cream cheese into a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste, stopping to scrape, as required. Put the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).  Scoop out some mixture with a small spoon and roll into truffle sized balls between your palms.  Insert a skewer into the base of the pop, and freeze them for a bit.  Melt the chocolate and dip each ball into it.  Stand them in a glass or florist’s foam, decorate with sprinkles and then leave them to set.

Here’s a “grape’ idea for a refreshing party treat on a hot day, or even a fun treat at a sleepover.  Frozen grapes are crunchy, sweet and somewhat addictive!  They do thaw quickly, but they’ll still be good.  To make frozen grape pops, you will need:

• Skewers
• Approximately 7 grapes per skewer (you may need more or less depending on the size of the grapes)
• Freezer safe bag

Wash and dry the grapes, then thread the ‘hole’ end of each grape onto a skewer.  Place the skewered grapes into the freezer safe  bag, then pop into the freezer for a couple of hours.  Frozen grapes will last between 2-4 weeks in the freezer - it depends on how fresh they are when you buy them.

To serve, place on a platter, or push the skewers into an upturned basket, a piece of foam, or into a container filled with decorator’s stone (or rice or sugar).

TIP:  You can remove the sharp point from skewers with a pair of toenail clippers.

NOTE:  Frozen grapes could be a choking hazard for younger kids.  You can let the grapes soften a little before eating.

This popular Australian cake is usually made in small squares, but this heart shaped lamington is perfect for a Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day celebration.

You will need:

• sponge or butter cake mix
• 85g packet raspberry jelly crystals
• 1 cup boiling water
• 200ml cold water
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup cream, lightly whipped
• ¹/2 cup raspberry jam

Bake the cake mix in a heart shaped cake tin.  Let cool.

In a bowl, combine jelly crystals with boiling water and stir until crystals dissolve. Stir in the cold water, pour mixture into a shallow dish and chill for 1 hour until jelly starts to set slightly.

Spread coconut on a tray. Dip the sides of the cake in the cold jelly mixture, then roll in coconut.  Spoon the remaining jelly onto the top of the cake and gently sprinkle some coconut on top. Cut horizontally through the cake with a sharp serrated knife.  Spread the raspberry jam on the the bottom layer, then spread a layer of whipped cream.  Then replace the top layer of cake.

This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Alternative:  Add some sliced strawberries in the middle of the cake.

Add this playdough to your Australia Day celebration or Australian party for the kids to have some fun.  Not only does it look Australian, but it smells like the Australian bush!

You will need:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup salt
• eucalyptus and lemon myrtle oils
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 cups boiling water
• yellow and green food colouring

Make the yellow and green batches separately.  Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.  (Use enough oil to make the dough smell Australian!  Add eucalyptus oil to the green batch and lemon myrtle to the yellow dough).  Turn out onto the bench and knead well.

Alternatively, send it home with the kids as a party favour - just make sure you label it so that they don’t try to eat it!