My Party File - blog

Posts Tagged ‘garden’

Can you believe these are sugar cubes??  They would be such a ’sweet’ touch at a kids’  Tea Party - or even an adults’ High Tea!  I found them at Such Pretty Things.

To make these shaped sugar cubes, you will need:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• food colouring of your choice (liquid or powdered)
• 4 teaspoons water or 4 teaspoons reconstituted powdered egg whites
• mould or small biscuit cutter

Thoroughly mix the sugar with the food colouring.

Add the water or powdered egg whites into your sugar.  Water works just fine, but your sugar hearts will be much stronger if you use the egg whites.

Firmly push the sugar mixture into a mould of your choice, making it as compact as possible.  If you are going to use biscuit cutters, you will need to pour your sugar mixture out onto a smooth, non-stick surface (parchment paper on the counter top works well) and press it down firmly with your hands, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a plate, until the sugar is as compact as possible. The thickness will depend on the depth of your biscuit cutters, but about 1.5cm works quite well.  Press the cutters straight down into the sugar and carefully release the shapes onto a parchment lined Biscuit sheet. If the sugar isn’t holding it’s shape well, try adding a bit more water or egg white - but be careful not to overdo it or you’ll just get mushy sugar!

Harden the sugar by air drying for a day or two (or you can speed up the process by placing them in a 200 degree oven for about ten minutes).  Once they cool, they will become really hard - just like sugar cubes.

Alternative:  You can add whole vanilla beans or used vanilla bean pods to your sugar a day or two before you make your “cubes” - this will give them a hint of vanilla flavour and an incredible fragrance.

Dress up your drinks with these pretty rose petal ice cubes!  I saw these on www.brides.com and thought this would be a wonderful idea for a fairy, princess, garden or tea party.

To make petal ice cubes, you will need:

Rose petals
Ice cube tray(s)
water

1. Gently rinse the rose petals and blot dry.
2. Boil water for 2 minutes, then let the water cool until room temperature (This ensures that the cubes are crystal-clear).
3. Arrange a couple petals at the bottom of each ice cube section of the ice cube tray.
4. Fill each compartment halfway with the cooled boiled water and freeze until solid.
5. Finish filling each ice cube compartment to the top with the remaining boiled water.
6. Refreeze and allow them to remain in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

For extra effect use ice cube trays in certain shapes, such as hearts or stars.

This goodie “bag” was made from a round cardboard craft box (they come in a variety of sizes), and simply painted red.  Then I used a black marker to draw a line down the middle and to add the head  - and the spots, of course!  I actually used a correction fluid pen for the whites of the eyes, before drawing in the pupil with the black marker pen.   Coat with a sealer, if desired.  You can write each child’s name on the base or side of the box, or tie a ribbon around the base with a small tag attached.

Alternative:  Paint the boxes prior to the party, and then have the kids decorate them as an arrival activity (have a completed box as an example).  Provide them with black marker pens, black dot stickers, googly eyes,  glitter pens, black pipe cleaners and glue.

Buy a bug catcher and fill it with lollies and trinkets.  Add a ribbon and thank-you tag and stick a bug on the lid.  Viola.  Simple and effective.

This is a really easy and cheap idea for a ladybug party favour.   Grab some red lollipops that have clear wrappers, and then use a permanent black marker to draw a vertical line down the middle of the lollipop.   Draw a semi circle at the top for the head, then add some spots.  Viola!

Bubble mixture is always a hit with kids, and you can easily incorporate some into your party theme by wrapping themed labels around small containers.  Use our ladybug bubble mixture label to create some party favours for your ladybug party.

This adorable ladybug cake was made by my talented relative, Gill.  I love the “bling” of the antennae and the large googlie eyes!  To make a 3D ladybug cake, bake two cake mixes in one large and one medium sized Pyrex bowl. After the cakes cool, trim the bottoms so that they lay flat. Cut the smaller cake to fit flush against the body of the ladybug.  Buy some fondant (I recommend buying it pre-coloured from a cake decorating supply store - it can be hard to make red and black vibrant) and roll it out following the packet directions.  Use a biscuit cutter to make the spots, and attach them by slightly dampening the backs. “Indent” the spine with the back of a knife, place the googlie eyes on (or make some out of fondant), and used pipe cleaners for the antennae.

Play this game as you would Pin the Tail on the Donkey.  Construct a ladybird from red and black card, and black pipe cleaners for legs and antennae.  Add several black spots, but only draw the outline for one of them - this will be the spot that the kids need to aim for.  Grab a roll of black dot stickers (most newsagencies have them) and write the guest’s names or intials on each one.  Blindfold the guests one at a time and have them try and stick the spot as close to the missing one as they can.  Closest spot wins a prize.

For a more suitable activity for younger kids, explain that the ladybird has lost her spots, and ask them to find them in the garden, and then stick them back onto her.  Let each child find 3-5 spots each.  You can award a small prize to each child when they have competed the task.

Any little girl will be excited to find nail polish in their party bag.  You can add it to all sorts of themes, from princess and mermaid parties to circus and movie parties.  I found these small bottles in a pack of seven, which made them very affordable - about $1 each.  I also included a coloured nail file, which you can get in bulk from a variety store.

Alternatively, use these as prizes or even make an activity out of painting guests’ nails.

Making necklaces can be a fun activity as guests arrive, or you can add them to the party bags.  For this mermaid party we picked up an assortment of beads including shells and rocks.  We used stretchy nylon (which you can pick up from a craft or variety store) to make it easy for the kids to thread and simple to tie together without the need for fixings.  Guests were invited to make a necklace as they arrived and while they were waiting for other guests.

Another idea is to create small necklace making kits for goodie bags.  Put some beads in a bag or jar and cut some necklace string.  The kids can enjoy the activity at home.  If you have an assortment of buttons accumulating in your cupboard add these to thread - buttons make gorgeous necklaces and add wonderful character.