Fast and Furious

Life is just crazy these days.  What happened to the lazy days of summer?  Oh, we'll it is all pretty exciting stuff.  After the successful Ice cream Bash I thought it might be a quiet summer, but no... now we are happily neck deep in Super Stars.  We are developing our first ROCK STAR party for a beautiful 9 year old to be.  She is gorgeous and full of life - definately most real rock stars could learn from her!!!
This one is a tough one for a control freak who will be on vacation during the party.  UGH, I won't be there.  I may not be able to concentrate on relaxing!!!  I am sure that my new event staff will do a great job.  She is amazing!!!
Next we are helping out with the styling of a friends Breast Cancer Corn roast fundraiser on Sat.  I am soooo looking forward to this.  We are going to turn this into a sea of PINK!!!!  I love it!  I will post some pictures when I get them.
Paper Straws....oooh they are amazingly cute and just perfect for any party and coincedently flying off the shelves.  It has only been a few weeks since we brought in our new line of straws, push-pop containers and popcorn bags and they are FLYING off the shelves!!  Get them while they are still in stock.
Finally, my gorgeous daughter big 4th is coming at lightening speed.  Jessie Rainbow party is well on it's way.  I am super excited about the theme.  Cowgirl meets rainbow.  Her imagination rocks.
I'll keep you posted on all the deets.  We don't have too many pics yet, but it's all in process!!  Stay tuned.

Sweetest Ice Cream Social

This was the funnest party to do.  Little K loves pink and so do I.  We made this fun pink ice cream social for her 4th birthday party.  With help from my friends Cake Pops By Pam and Marie.  A lot of inspiration from my favorite sites including Pizzazerie and Tip Junkie.  (always so brilliant and inspirational)  The ice cream cone hats were so easy to make and the girls loved them.  I definately recommend them.  Have a look.

A little help from my Silhouette SD

The loot bags were a hit and oh so cute.  They had  individual ice cream makers inside!!

The ice cream buffet.  Lables from Pizzazerie Ice cream truck from Shop Sweet Lulu

Fun was had by all.  Let me know if you want one of these wonderful parties.

In search of a new lawn

I know, this has nothing to do with parties (although it would help to have one when we celebrate here)  Bare with me.  This is my lawn..

It makes my kids sad.

I have tried and tried to make it green and luscious.  I have not had much luck as you can see.  Most of that green is actually weed.  Ya, ya, there is a grass, a tuff here and there, but not really a great place to look at or play on. 

 This is where you come in.  I need your votes.  I have entered a contest to win a new lawn and sprinkler system to keep it green.  All I need is votes.  In return, if I win, I will send out a prize to the winner.  12 push-pop containers and a dozen paper straws.  Help me out and make my kids happy.  Leave a comment saying you left a comment so I know who to reward!!

Update - we are at 35 votes.  Kepp them coming.  There is a month left to vote and voting can take place once an hour!!!!

Easter at our place

I've been meaning to post all of our Easter activities over the past week of so, since I haven't, there's now a lot here. Consider yourself warned {hee hee}

So we haven't had much of a Spring here yet, so I decided that we would do our best to brighten our world up for Spring and Easter. Lots of paint and dye was used.

We started out by making new homes for our bird friends. We have been building our house for the past few years and the birdies have become accustomed to building their nests where ever they see fit. This year however, there is actually soffit on the porch and most oles are filled {except for the places way up high where my husband is still batteling with the pigeons} Now the poor robins are building their nests on top of light fixtures where they are falling off or being scared because we keep coming through the door. Anyways.........enough about that. So, I decided that I would get some REAL birdhouses for the kids to decorate. BIG HIT. Just look at the facial expressions during this activity.

So It was a big hit.  Now if only we could get them hung up!!

Next up, we dyed our eggs.  After all what Easter week would be complete without smae personalized eggs.  We had a great time experimenting with different process'.  We started off by dying a few eggs so that they could get an idea of how it works.  Although they have done it before, they are still young enough that they still needed reminding.Next up, we used crayons, tape, stickers {which I don't recommend} and elastics.  This is where it got fun.  The kids each drew pictures with the crayon and then put it in the dye.  You know, like crayon resist pictures.  The children were thrilled with the results.  They "WOW'd"  "OOOOOOOOOO'd" and AWWED'd...literally!!  It was so much fun to listen to them.

The results... they kids were so proud that the moment daddy came home they dragged him to the fridge to see them.  I definately should have been proud.  They looked great!!

I especially loved the elastic egg.  I highly recommend using elastics around the eggs like tye dye!!  They turned out fabulous.

Next we made our Chickie Bags to hold the Easter treats for school.  I just recently got a Silhouette SD  It is my new favourite toy.  I found a cute Easter chick package, so I cut it out and the kids embellished.  What do you think?

I didn't take a picture with the bags filled, but we put Mini Eggs and Jelly Beans inside.
At Easter we celebrate with my hubbies family with a pot-luck lunch  We always take something along the dessert line since I love to bake.  This year is no different.  We make Easter cookies, push-pop cakes and easter cupcakes with easter eggs hidden inside.  They all turned out great.  I am especially crushing on the blue icing on the cupcakes.  Let's hope it will all be yummy.  We will find out tomorrow.

I love the little Peeps peaking out too.

Well, that is finally all for today.  I hope you all have a fabulous Easter.  Enjoy.

The Silly Pearl {Handmade}: Craft Tutorial: Party Blower Birthday Wreath

The Silly Pearl {Handmade}: Craft Tutorial: Party Blower Birthday Wreath

Blow Out Cute

Ok, those who know me know that I love {I really mean LOVE} to surf blogs. I always find the best inspiration and great ideas. Today's for me was sooooo worth it. I mean this has got to be the most creative person I have come across. I just can't believe that someone thought to do this. So of you might thing that it's just "ok" or kinda cute but I think there are so many possiblities with this, and who knew you could make party blowers so easily. My brain is racing, I could do a whole party theme around this. Oh...what fun!! I want to thank The Silly Pearl for this.

Isn't it amazing. Look at those wonderful handmade blowers and the cutest little hats. She even provides the tutorial and everything!!!!! If I was her I think I would keep it a secret. sssshhhhh!!! Don't forget to send her some love on her blog. I think she deserves it.
Now off to make some Easter Birthday blowers - ohh my head is bursting with idea's now!!!!!

EXCITING {News}

Poppylop Parties has been chosen to be profiled in Sweet Spot.

If you are not familiar with them, and I wasn't until they called, they are an online parenting magazine. They cover many different topics that are timely for Canadian parents. I was honoured to be asked to be on focus in the Ottawa edition. Jennifer said that they are always looking for new local business' that would be of interest to parents in the region. It is great to be considered THAT business. The article should be out soon. I will post a link to it when it is available. Yippee

On another note, I am looking forward to bringing in Paper Eskimo products starting in June. These wonderful products are from Australia and just so darn cute. It will add that special touch to any occasion. We will be the local retailer for their products. yay...So much fun.

This will make it fun

I am so excited, my package from Shop Sweet Lulu. Ohh my this stuff is so cute. I am dying to do an ice cream party now that I have these darling kits.

They come with spoons too. How fun!!

Next up are the paper straws that are so popular these days and pretty darn cute if you ask me. There are so many parties that these would go with. Without a doubt a must have for any party.

And finally, these darling cupcake cups and ginham treat bags. So polka dotty fun. Have I mentioned that I love polka dots. I know that these ginham bags will be perfect for so many occasions.

I can hardly wait to get these into action.

Votes and {invitations}

Sooo, I entered a contest yesterday to be in the best Party Blogs list. There is a button on the side that you can go to and vote for me. Could you? Would you? It would make me happy and get some exposure for this new venture of mine. I would greatly appreciate it. On the other side of things we now have a wonderful graphic designer doing invitations for me. My son came home yesterday with the most fabulous birthday invitation. I am not sure who was more excited, myself or my son. It was gorgeous, so personalized and fit the theme perfectly. There was no company name on the invitation so I hopped on the phone and called the mother. It turns out that is was her sister who did the invitation and does it as a home business while she is at home with her 1 year old. I immediately sent her and email. I was so excited about her work. It turns out that she is excited to so, I would like to welcome Serendipity Designs to the Poppylop team. Welcome aboard. We look forward to you wonderful works of art.

The reviews are in

The girls had a great time. All went well. YAY. I love happy children!! Some wouldn't take off the skirts, the treasure hunt was a success, they danced, they ate and everyone left happy. Even mom was happy. Now that's what I call a great party.

Fairy Fun continued

Flower cupcakes


It is almost the big day for little L. She will have her big day tomorrow. Decorations are going up and the cake is ready. The fairy's will soon deliver their treasure. The excitment builds.



Fairy on top of the birthday girls cupcake

I have really enjoyed doing this. Everything from decorating the fairy wings to creating the treasure hunt. I think with all the flowers, tule and pink the girls will be happy. I can hardly wait to get the verdict from the "Head" fairy.


The treasures for the fairies to hide. Notice the fairy dust?

Here are some pictures of the cake. Tomorrow I will get to go and get the venue pictures. I'm so excited!!!

Super Pops

Wow, how fun are these? I came across these a few weeks back and HAD to have them for someones party.... will it be you? I looked around and found that everyone was out of stock ---ug. Then I found the wonderful Kate from CupKatesEventDesign on Etsy. Thank goodness for her. She sent me a whole wack of them and in no time flat. I think I received the order withing 5 days. Not too shabby. Thank you Kate.

These are called Push ups (no not the female kind). These hold yummy delish cake and icing. They fit any theme and can be customized with lables, bow and whatever else your imagination desires. I have seen them used for pirate parties and princess parties, but they can also be used for adult parties. The flexibility of use here is never ending.

One thing that I think will be popular with them is that they reduce mess and waste. They have lids, so that if children don't finish all their cake (can you imagine NOT finishing cake) they can put the lid on and take it home. Also, the crumbs stay in the container reducing the chance of having to chase those nasty cake crumbs all over the place after the party. (Nice eh!!)

We are not limited to just cake here either. I am thinking ice cream, pudding parfaits...oooh the list goes on. Can you tell I'm excited about this one? Yup I am. Are you too?

Poppylop Parties: Recipes For Fun

Poppylop Parties: Recipes For Fun: "Bubbles - Spring and Bubbles, For some reason I think the two go together. Call me crazy. If you are planning a spring party or even anyti..."

Recipes For Fun

Bubbles - Spring and Bubbles, For some reason I think the two go together. Call me crazy. If you are planning a spring party or even anytime of the year (outdoor) party, this bubble recipe will add a little extra fun.

1/4 Joy dish detergent - or any really inexpensive dishwashing liquid. (the cheaper the better)
3/4 cup water
5 drops of glycerin Do Not Skip this part. (available at pharmacies)

Mix it all together.
You will probably need to double or more the recipe and place in serveral containers. Shallow dishes work best. I like tin pie plates.

Next you will need to make some bubble blowers. Feel free to pick some up at the store, but for added punch it would be very impressive to have some hand crafted ones. Kids can make these as well.

• Pipe cleaners are great, bendable, flexible. Bend them into any shape.
• Wire works well too.
• Very inexpensive toilet paper rolls are easy for little hands to handle and while they work only until they get soggy, the blow great bubbles.
• For a more impressive bubble (you will need a bigger container for this) Tie a long length of string onto a dowel (tie both ends on so they will slide back and forth. Close loop, put tied ends together, dip in solution. Slowly open the string, slide on end back and swing the string through the air (boy I hope this makes sense!!)
• Another easier way is to get two straws the same length and a lenght of string. Put string through the straws and tie two ends together. Put knot end inside straw. If you hold the straws apart you will have a square or rectangle. Dip in the solution and blow.

This should keep young and old amused for a few hours. It really works best on a humid day.

If this is all too much, you can buy or rent a bubble machine. Any under the sea, princess or bubble party will be complete.

Photography

In starting my blog and website, I went looking for all those wonderful pictures that were taken of the parties I had thrown. Much to my chagrin there weren't many. Most of the details were over looked, the guests were just a blob of backs of heads, the beautiful candy buffet I did, wasn't even present and the lighting don't even get me started. OHHH dear, what to do. Well I'll tell you. Do your photography research. I know I am going to need great pictures from now on. Not only to have fabulous memories for my children, but also for the business. This madness cannot continue.

So, here's the plan. I am reading and learning a lot about how to take pictures at parties, which I see from photographers sites, is not an easy task (thank goodness, I thought it was just me). I plan to practice in advance and make sure I know what pictures to take instead of running around like a mad woman just clicking when I can.

Here is what I have learned so far;

• Get down to the child's level and take pictures from there. It is ok to take a few from the usual adult hight, but the most effective pictures (those that will capture the true feeling of the day) will be take low to ground where the action is.


• Nominate someone to do it for you. If you know someone who is going to be at the party that has experience in photography or just alway seems to have the best pictures, let them do the picture taking. I am a big fan of getting parents who attend parties to be active and participate. "Camera chief" can be a great role for someone who wants to do something. This way you will be hands free to attend to all the details you have planned. Deligate, deligate.


• Hire a photographer. If you can afford it and are willing to go to the expense then hire a professional. I am sure that you won't regret it. There is also the less expensive option of having a photography student or amateur photographer to do the pictures. I have found some of my favourite photographers on sites like "USEDEVERYWHERE" and "KIJIJI" Hey, sometimes they are free!! Nothing beats free.


• Lastly, for tonight anyways, get the detail. The tule skirts, the design on the cake, the fabulous paper straws. It could be anything. I had a friend who took a picture of the candy necklaces I had wrapped around the napkins and cutlery. I thought she was silly at the time, but now I am so happy to have memory of the details that I created. I only wish I had a picture of that cute candy bar....next time.

BACK TO YOUR ROOTS

It is said that a"home based" party can be the most memorable in a child's life. If you think back to your birthday parties, I am sure that the ones that come to mind right away are those that you had in your loving room, backyard or basement. Mom's homemade cake, playing pin the tail on the donkey (which has come a loooong way now) or hot potato. Believe it or not these simple and basic activities are the best and probably the reason that you remember them so fondly. Your mother probably made your favourite food, had things decorated the way you liked with your favourite colours, and yippee, BALLOONS. It was out of the ordinary and full of your favourites or "FLAVOURITES" in the case of food. What could be better. Time moves forward and now the tendency is to blow the roof off of these parties. To "out do" the Joneses and make it bigger and better than last year. Some people spend upwards of $20 000 on this one day or a couple of hour events. Who is this party for? The parents or the child. It is important to keep this in mind when planning. We can want to bring in the whole petting farm, but is it really necessary. What if we just put some stuffed animals behind a small garden boarder fence. Would your 3 year old mind?? No probably not, but it would add to that farm theme without taking it overboard.

It time to get back to basics. It can be hard to hold back. I know for a fact that it's a challenge. I do have a tendency to go over board, but when it comes down to it the visit from the professional actor/pirate was not really necessary when my husband's free version was even more entertaining. Don't hesitate to go back to those good old games either. Chances are that your kids have probably never even heard of "HOT POTATO" and I have yet to meet a child who didn't cheer when we announced it was time to play musical chairs!!




Go back to your roots, think simple and see how it turns out. If your child was not happy with the results, there is always next year.

Website

After many hours of work and a few choice words, my baby is born ....well the website it up and running.  Yippee for me.  I am so excited.  It's not perfect not is it exactly what I wanted but I think it make the point clear.  What do you think?
My goal was to be clear, give examples and make it easy to get what you want, with a dash of inspiration.  I hope it makes the mark.

http://www.poppylopparties.com/

Super Excited

My business cards have arrived.  I'm so excited.  This kinda makes it all official.  Yippee... Now to get some customers!!! hmmmmm

POPPYLOP PARTIES: A sea of fairy fun

POPPYLOP PARTIES: A sea of fairy fun: "I am still plugging away at the fairy garden party. Here is a sneak peak at the invitations and the skirts I've made. I like the..."

A sea of fairy fun

I am still plugging away at the fairy garden party.  Here is a sneak peak at the invitations and the skirts I've made.  I like the way it is all coming together.  So much fun.  I hope the party girl is equally surprised.

I just love the colours and softness of this party.

The invitation also doubles as the thank you loot bags. The design is from My Grafico .  So much fun. They will be ironed on to the fabric loot bags.  So cute.

Only two weeks to go.

More fun to come.

Busy day today

Well, the past two days have been ordering, planning and creating. Things are coming together nicely.  Now, however, it's time for bed.  Back at it tomorrow.
Don't forget to let your friends know about us.  We would love to help them put things together.  Like us here and on FB

Cake

OOOOHHH the dreaded cake.  Some of us can't wait to get up to our elbows in that gooey icing, fondant and sprinkles.  Other's break out in a sweat just at the thought of trying to get a cake mix box open.  It seems that it might be the most stressful detail in planning a child's birthday, but yet really the most key element!  Everything seems to revolve around the dreaded cake.  The children can't wait until it comes out.  It is usually the element of surprise (well hidden until the lights go out and everyone breaks into song)  It is usually the pinnacle point of the theme and everything revolves around it.  No wonder there is so much stress.
For those of you who like to dabble but aren't sure how to go about it I have come up with a wonderful site with some great techniques that will help you through and teach some key skills that will make this cake thing a breeze.

I AM BAKER has very simple and concise instructions with excellent pictures to guide you through the process.  Her cakes are just so cute and easy to do.  Have a look.  After all she say's that even her husband can do....
Next up, there are several cake decorating sites out there.  This one has a great list and promises to take your cakes to the next level.  It is probably better for those who have a basis is decorating and knows there way around a piping bag.
If you have the time and the drive try a decorating class. Both Michaels and Artisitc Cake Design have great classes for beginners.
Finally, should none of the above be part of your make-up, there are PLENTY of decorators out there who would be happy to do it for you.  The local grocery store to the local business (which I prefer for taste and design) would be happy to put something together.  I just came across this lovely lady who does everything from cakes to cookies in Arnprior.  Here business is relatively new and local.  Her prices are very reasonable and worth a look.  Check out Sweet and Sassy Co. for inspiration and to place your order.
If all else fails, don't be afraid of a tub of icing from the store and do it as an activity with the kids at the party.  They don't mind getting messy.
Most of all have fun.

Planning Planning

We are going strong and planning the big event for "L"  we hope that all the brain spinning we've been doing will be exactly what you want.  Fairies in the Garden - flowers and fairies.  What more does a girl need?

Have you EVER seen anything so cute????

I just came across this beautiful site by a VERY talented woman.  I really needed to share this wit everyone.  I am sure I won't be able to help myself and try to use some of these elements in my parties, but I think that any child would be over the moon excited to be a part of a party like this.  The attention detail is inspiring and the simplicity of it all perfect.  The games were easy to put together without much fuss and planning but were SUPER fun for the kids.  I love that she used the element of suspense with the Owl hunt and playing in the dark is ALWAYS going to bring on the giggles.  This woman knows children and the things they love.  The simple props like the bed are a great inspiration for the kids imagination.  They can get right into the theme by way of their own imaginations.  All I can say is wow.  Just look... wouldn't you like to be in your jammies at this party too? 

     Night Owl Party

Please head over to SnowyBliss and leave some love.  She deserves it!!!!