When we learn we grow! — Fun with Flowers at School.

 

I decided a few years back that if I'm going to volunteer at my kids' school, I better do something I enjoy! I've been decorating the Cafeteria bulletin board for about two years now. This month I had some fun with flowers for Spring. I was inspired by the current display at Anthro. Love them!!!

Since I was on a budget (the budget being $0), and keeping in mind a younger audience I kept my flowers simple, colorful and inexpensive to create. I just used the school's banner paper and sketched a bunch of flower petals, cut them out and taped floral wire to the back of each petal to create the 3D flowers. The flower centers are just bright colored felt glued onto paper plates and stuffed with a little batting. The flower stems are sticks. Then I just hot glued everything to the board and shaped the flowers.

Viola! Spring time at lunch time for all the students!

A Garden Birthday Party - for Mackenzie!

INTRODUCING: The Garden Party Collection available now on Etsy! 

To see the full collection click HERE .

MY NIECE RECENTLY TURNED FOUR and we celebrated with a Garden Birthday Party designed and illustrated by yours truly! Here's the double-sided invitation that was sent out to friends and family (see above and below).

And here's the Birthday Girl!

Since my house is full of boys, I had so much fun designing this party for Mackenzie. 

• The tablecloth is made from colorful bandanas. Thanks Mom for sewing it together for me! 
• Hot Pink Water Jug— is from Joann's found with all their Easter stuff.  Same with the flowers. 

• The yummy homemade white cake was layered with fresh strawberries and homemade icing!
• I made clay cake toppers to match the Garden themed invitation. (Thinking about selling these too.)
• The little statue of Mackenzie was made using Shrinky Dinks! That was fun to watch it bake!
• My friends Shona, Claire and I sewed the Mini-bunting for the cake (and also for the yarn wreath).

• I spray painted the clay pots in bright colors and filled them with Jelly Bellies.
• The Flowers were made from a template and tongue depressors (template available at my shop)
• The Party Circles in the center of the flowers are part of my Garden Party Collection.

The kids loved playing and planting flowers in the sandbox.

• Chenille bubble blowers were easier for the kids to dip into the bubbles and the chenille absorbs the bubble mixture and makes bigger bubbles!
• The Bubble Wrappers are part of the Garden Party Collection.

 I found this adorable Butterfly Catcher jar with "what looked like" a real butterfly! Tap on the top of the jat and the butterfly flutters around. It was a big hit with the kids.

 Click here for instructions on how to make these cute balloon flowers!

Guests left with these Garden Party Favors.

 Can't wait 'til next year!

Week-at-a-Glance as of March 25th

WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE:  What a crazy week it's been, and it's not even over yet! I started my Mixed Media class Monday. Very fun. Painted the poppy-ish kind of flower (see below). Wood burned a sign for my neighbor's husband's outdoor kitchen. Then worked on some promo materials for Fund Education Now and the "Rally in Tally", going on as I blog. And today is Wesley's 8th birthday! He asked if I could bring Dunkin Donuts to school for his class and he wants to eat his birthday dinner of choice at the Mall in the Food Court. We're in the big time now!

"Blossom"

Used miscellaneous papers in my stash to make the flower petals.

 Lined the flower with dyed organza, then beaded each petal. 9x12 canvas board.