Category: Green Birthday
Every year our family hosts a casual drop-in party on Halloween night. Some families come before trick-or-treating for our slow cooker white chicken chili, pigs in a blanket and photos of the kids in their costumes. Some families stop by after trick-or-treating so the kids can dump their candy bags and they can sit down in a warm house and relax with a cup of coffee or a bowl of chili. Either way, we love to have our neighbors over on Halloween!
But what if I just moved to a new neighborhood and haven’t even told my new neighbors about our tradition yet? Eeek!
I now have 4 days to tell our neighbors about our annual “Trick-or-Treat Tailgate”. I needed something cute, but definitely QUICK. Here’s what I did (in about one hour this morning):
I headed straight for my computer files labeled “DIY” – these are mostly free printables I save when I find them. Kim’s Chevron Invitations were one of the first ideas that popped into my mind.
She made a six-page PDF of the cutest Chevron Invitations for HGTV.com (she owns The TomKat Studio). I knew that would work for Halloween (the black and white version is on page 6 of the free PDF). Find the free PDF here: The TomKat Studio Chevron Invitations for HGTV.
But it needed a little extra somethin’…
BAM! AndersRuff to the rescue with another DIY file I saved – the cutest “Happy Halloween” tags a girl could ever ask for. Prints six tags to a page, which I love. Find the free PDF file for the cute shipping-style tags here: AndersRuff Halloween Printable Tags (originally designed for The Twinery).
Next up, your paper cutter, scissors, a single-hole puncher and some jute twine to put your two freebie printables together into ONE totallly cute and unique Halloween party invitation!
You did it! Maybe planning ahead isn’t good all the time…I really like how this last-minute DIY invitation project turned out (and I hope my neighbors do too).
Do you have a favorite Halloween printable invitation too?
Happy Halloween, friends! – Sally
Whether they are calling it a birthday or anniversary, Google is celebrating its 13th year with a new Google Doodle! I still remember the first days of Google and how word traveled fast about this new search engine with an uncluttered home page.
Just for fun, let’s take a quick look back at the Google Birthday Doodles of the past!
Google’s 12th Birthday Doodle (2010)
Google’s 11th Birthday Doodle (2009) – a bit bland don’t you think?
Google’s 10th Birthday Doodle (2008)
They really went all out on this birthday and created a special page promoting their Project 10100 and even created an interactive Google Timeline highlighting their first 10 years.
Google’s 9th Birthday Doodle – it’s pinata party time! (2007)
Google’s 8th Birthday Doodle (2006)
Google’s 7th Birthday Doodle (2005)
Google’s 6th Birthday Doodle (2004)
Google’s 5th Birthday Doodle (2003)
Back on September 27, 2002, Google created it’s first Google Doodle to mark their 4th birthday:
Who would have thought that 13 years later this little search engine would be so massive and continually introducing amazing products like Google Maps or that their stock would sky rocket? At the time of this writing, it’s sitting pretty at almost 2 per share.
Happy 13th Birthday Google!
Celebrate your birthday in style…even on a limited budget!
Visit FreeBirthdayTreats.com‘s today to find out what you can get free for your birthday!
Have a great birthday!
Friday, September 23rd is the first day of fall and I know many of you are planning parties for fall birthdays and Halloween, so let’s share some ideas for incorporating polka dots into your themes!
Above is the Halloween photo shoot set-up for Visive Photography (Jacksonville, FL and High Point, NC photographer) styled by Preppy & Pink using many of our Polka Dot Market products, including our Halloween polka dot balloons.
Let’s start with one of my favorites, mini candy corn treat sacks are ready for your personalized gift tag or sticker:
Something new this year to our shop are the cute polka dot cupcake wrapper sets complete with a black cat topper and a happy pumpkin topper:
I think these happy pumpkin stickers are the perfect addition to your favor backs for classroom parties, fall festivals, neighborhood gifts and more. Dress up a simple brown paper lunch sack with your child’s name in orange crayon and lots of pumpkin stickers (or let the kids color the bags and add the stickers for a party activity):
Felt Halloween bags are so much fun. This year’s tote features a chiffon pumpkin applique OR a chenille white ghost applique. These are less than each for an adorable bag your child will use for years. I love these bags to dress up a mantle or foyer table – fill with wrapped candies for your fall guests to sneak a sweet before they leave your home!
Whatever you do, spend some time “shopping the house” to gather up any items that would work with your fall party or decorating color scheme. Start with what you have! Add orange and black polka dot ribbons, flowers, balloons, fabrics and more to items you already have at home. By gathering items all in one place, you can have a beautiful party set-up just like Stacy of Preppy & Pink created for her Halloween photo shoot shown above (first photo). No matter what, have fun and save a marshmallow sprinkle pop for me!
You’ve seen the gorgeous tissue and paper daisy fan backdrops around the party blogs…have you ever wondered how to hang the daisies to create your own DIY backdrop?
Tissue daisies and backdrop fans are an inexpensive way to add bold pops of color to your party space. Just like the fans our moms used when we were kids, now the trend is to group large bunches of tissue daisies (in your party colors) to create a unique and colorful backdrop for your dessert or presents table.
Let me show you one way I like to hang my daisies:
I started with a 24″ x 36″ blank artist’s canvas (that’s what I had on hand). For your backdrop board, really anything will work. A piece of plywood, foam core, a sheet, plexiglass, a corkboard or even a gigantic picture frame you found on clearance. You just need something that you don’t mind using hot glue on…something that your daisies will be stuck on for a while (until your next party with a different color scheme).
I first tried using double-stick tape. That was a no-go. Not secure and who wants tissue daisies flopping off their board in the middle of their party on top of the cake and desserts? Not me. So fire up your glue gun and while it heats up, gather your supplies:
- Hot glue gun and glue stick(s), depending on the size of your boad + number of daisies
- Cardstock, white or any patterned cardstock you have (will not show in finished product)
- Scissors
- Tissue Daisies, Backdrop Fans, Honeycomb Globes (opened 1/2 way) or Handmade Fans
- Your board, canvas, foam core, frame or fabric screen/backdrop
Cut your cardstock into approximately 2.75″ x 8.5″ strips, then cut each strip in half.
Fold each 2.75″ x 4.25″ rectangle in half again. Then, fold back the edges like you’re starting to make a mini paper airplane or a mini “M” shape.
This little piece of cardboard is our TOP-SECRET METHOD for hanging your daisies securely on your backdrop board. Not really, but this is the secret to creating a FLAT surface on the back of the delicate tissue daisies and fans (which are anything but flat). Now you know the secret (wink)!
Now your hot glue gun should be all warmed up right now and ready to get to work. Open your tissue daisy fan from the package and grab one top-secret mini “M” cardstock piece. Your going to place the center fold of your “M” into the space where your daisy ends come together.
First, place hot glue in the center fold and press your “M” together. Now place hot glue on one of the “M” sides and press into one tissue daisy cardboard side.
Now squeeze hot glue on the other “M” side and along the other tissue daisy side and press the whole long piece together. Your daisy will be glued together with your cute little flat side now on the back, ready to go on your board.
Squeeze a few strips of hot glue onto your flat backing and press into place on your backdrop board. This is what the flat strip looks like from the back, attached to my canvas:
Repeat these steps for each tissue daisy or backdrop fan until your board or canvas is all filled up with these gorgeous, bold, vibrant and inexpensive party decorations!
I hope you like this method and the super-secret cardstock folding trick! You can also finish the tops of your tissue daisies by cutting off the cardboard tops or tying on a big ribbon bow.
Have fun and send us your tissue daisy party backdrop photos to polkadotbirthday@gmail.com.
I’d love to hear what you think or if you have questions, please post a comment.
Our sweet customer Michelle sent us photos this weekend of her daughter’s fabulous 2nd birthday party. Her theme was an ELMO girl’s party in pink, orange and red polka dots!
Michelle compiled a detailed list of her finds and I’ll share those at the bottom of the post. She made a lot of the decorations herself and her friend Stacy Hart Photography of Birmingham, Alabama beautifully photographed the entire event.
Let’s start with the gorgeous pink and orange polka dot ribbon topiary centerpiece above…wow! Michelle made this using our easy topiary tutorial. She added the pipe cleaner curly-q’s for a whimsical touch and I just love that!
Michelle picked the Girl’s Elmo Party printable collection from Shindigs and it is a huge set of goodies for !
The infamous HowDoesShe? balloon wreath tutorial came in handy for Michelle – more pink, red and orange balloons and more of my favorite pipe cleaner curly-q’s make this a special and inviting door decoration for her daughter’s 2nd birthday.
Ahh…the food table! Amazing! More topiaries, more polka dots, Dorothy’s fish bowls and even our popular cake/cupcake box tower tutorial all decked out with Elmo printables!
What a beautiful day for a party! I love how she decorated the tent with tissue poms, polka dot balloons, little red chairs and a polka dot table topper. Looks like a magazine, Michelle!
Thank you for sharing your daughter’s special day with us, and all of your hard work! Here’s to you and your beautiful family, Michelle!
Michelle’s tips and resources:
- Elmo Girl Printable FULL Collection by Shindig
- Sesame Street Elmo cake and pink cupcakes by Louise’s Cakes in Hoover, Alabama
- Elmo cake topper by www.etsy.com/shop/bluehawk1982
- Elmo cookies baked by A Dozen Eggs
- Elmo lollipops by Christine’s Chocolate Creations in Mount Laurel, Alabama
- Elmo painted canvas by Sassy Polka Dots (Michelle’s sister Andrea is the owner and also made the balloon door wreath!)
- Sesame Street sign by www.etsy.com/shop/CAMRYNJOLEE
- Michelle had a huge Elmo bouncy house for the kids as her activity as well as lots of crayons and coloring books from the DollarTree (she found giant crayons here).
- http://www.stacyhartphotog.com/ captured every single detail and precious moment!
- Michelle made the fabric backdrop, tissue poms, ribbon topiaries and assembled all the printables and fabrics and decor herself (including a special bowl for Dorothy the fish)!
This is amazing! I know so many moms will be so happy to see your ideas and be so inspired by you, Michelle. Thank you! – Sally
Congratulations to…….
Candice and Jaque!
You both have won an 18×24 Large Format Poster courtesy of UPrinting.com!
Thank you all for participating in the UPrinting.com giveaway!
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From time to time, I host giveaways so be sure to either bookmark FreeBirthdayTreatsBlog.com or subscribe for future updates so you don’t miss out on news about new birthday freebies and more giveaways coming your way!
Special thanks again to UPrinting.com, for providing these posters along with a poster for myself and information about this giveaway.
Celebrate your birthday in style…even on limited budget!
Visit FreeBirthdayTreats.com‘s today to find out what you can get free for your birthday!
Have a great birthday!
It’s giveaway time here on the FreeBirthdayTreats.com blog! Thanks to UPrinting.com, I have the opportunity to giveaway one (1) 18×24 Large Format Posters to two (2) lucky winners! These posters can be used for all kinds of occasions such as a promotional poster or perhaps a decorative photo poster to add some color that blank wall.
These posters are printed on high and semi gloss HP Photo Paper with a one (1) business day turnaround and shipping is free. Can’t beat that!
If this is the first time you’ve heard of UPrinting.com, they have all kinds of printing products ranging from business cards, calendars and greeting cards to photo enlargements, poster prints and rolled canvas prints.
As a recap, two lucky winners will each receive (1) 18×24 Large Format Posters from UPrinting.com. Any questions? If so, let me know and if not….
Here’s how to enter:
- Visit www.uprinting.com, check out their product line-up, then come back and leave a comment here, sharing what other products you like from their site.
For additional entries:
- Follow UPrinting.com on Twitter – leave a comment w/your Twitter ID that you are.
- Like UPrinting.com on FaceBook – leave a comment that you are.
- Follow FreeBdayTreats on Twitter – leave a comment w/your Twitter ID that you are.
- Like FreeBirthdayTreats on FaceBook – leave a comment that you are.
- Subscribe to FreeBirthdayTreats Blog to receive RSS updates via reader or email (will verify) – leave a comment that you are.
Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.
Deadline: Participants must enter by midnight, Friday, August 19, 2011.
Two winners will be announced on Saturday, August 20, 2011. Please make sure you provide a valid email address. Winners have 48 hours to respond, otherwise new winners will be chosen. Incomplete details will disqualify a winner from receiving the prize.
Good luck!
Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive a poster for hosting. Check out UPrinting’s Large Format Posters, Photo Enlargements and Poster Prints.
Introducing our new line of polka dot birthday tees featuring the cutest fabric appliques (so many to choose from!) paired with traditional embroidered monograms. We can design your shirt to perfectly match your birthday party theme and you will flip over the quality and workmanship.
To continue our 10,000 Facebook fans celebration, we are giving away ONE custom birthday tee in your choice of design, fabric and thread color.
Simply leave a comment below with your idea for your custom tee (how it will look) and we’ll randomly choose a winner on Monday night, August 8th at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Here are three more of our recent customer designs to get you thinking about your party shirt design (we have hundreds!):
To enter, please leave a comment below with your email address and tell us what you want YOUR tee to look like if you are the winner.
Comments will close at 8:00 p.m. EST on Monday, August 8, 2011. Good luck and thank you for helping Polka Dot Market reach (and exceed) 10,000 fans on Facebook!
- Sally
