I love giving parties, do you need some ideas?

[ShirleyKnot]

Hello!

If you don't know me I'm Shirley and I'm a great lover of planning parties. I do a blog about it (which I'm not going to link here, but if you look on the bloggers network for PartySpanner you'll find me)

ANYWAY

If you're chucking a do, I might be able to help - I'm not a business, I don't charge for my ideas or owt, I just love to trawl the internet find good invite ideas, games and food.

Jump in and I'll see if I can help.

Does DD have any plastic play plates you could use as moulds, Blathers? I know we have dozens a few which would be about the right size - so I would cut circles out of thinly rolled gumpaste and put them on a greased plate to dry in shape.

No. She's getting a kitchen for her birthday but it's all wrapped up and I think they're probably too big anyway. I might see if I can get a cheap set on ebay.

Right, I've drawn the table out to scale and the plates don't seem so bad anymore. Phew! Definitely too small for buying any play ones that I can find.

I could only get gumpaste in white (even though our Hobbycraft is a huge 2 floored thing!) so I figured I would make the more complicated things like the plates and cups in that and maybe cheat a little with the cake and sandwiches and just make them out of roll out icing to save myself on hours of colouring the paste. Is it better to colour the gumpaste before modelling or paint it afterwards do you think?

I've got biscuits to make for DS's Christmas Fayre tonight and then I can concentrate on getting bits ready for the cake!

Gumpaste is fairly easy to colour, but if you want patterns it may be easier to paint them afterwards. I think almost all of the stuff on DD's cake was painted afterwards - except eggs, and the wooden spoon, but I did colour paste for some bits and it worked fine.

For things that don't have to be very thin and/or self-supporting I find a 50/50 (or even 70/30) mix of icing and gumpaste works well.

Blathers i coloured the gumpaste for my gruffalo as he was all brown but everyone else i painted as it was far more forgiving in changes of colour etc.

Thistle i had 30 adults and ten kids crammed in my house rather than catering for kids and adults seperately i did one massive buffet, kids got party plates, adults got poundshop paper ones as well as plastic cups. Made clearing up a doddle. Parents got stuff off buffet then seated the kuds, then adults went up. I did sandwiches, egg, cheese, ham. Quiches, crisps kettle types with dip and skips/wotsits. Crudites for veggies and health conscious kids. Sausage rolls/cheese versions, cubes of cheese on cocktail sticks (didnt stretch to a hedgehog) jelly and icecream for kuds, mini cakes for adults.

If you're worried about any gaps in time, we've all relied on a craft type activity. I had mask making and hunt a jigsaw piece game, others have decorated cookies or colouring pics/crowns etc.

Oh and shirley whats this secret? Its mean to taunt us!!

I am so not telling you.

(but it's a nice secret that will delight my children and means that 2012 will have a lovely aura of excitedness )

Ooooo you not pregnant are ya shirl??? Go on i'll swap pregancy gripes with you!! Hmmm but you wouldnt keep that from the kids. Damn it shirley.

I wanna decorate salt dough with dd tomorrow but thought i could poss get away with making some rustic/shaker stylie decorations for her keyworker as a gift. You know something you may actually display not a glitter encrusted toddler offering. Anyone seen anything plausible on interest? Stealth?

It would be totally Christmassy if I were up-duffed. Christmassy in the sense that it would require the Good Lord Himself to have impregnated me!

Have you looked on pinterest for ideas? Just search for salt dough.

Imnot registered for pinterest although i have the app when i search it says no pins. I looked on google images but many were just smushed hearts or stars smeared with glitter. Pinterest wouldnt dare!!

I've had a little look for you.

ADORE

LOVE LOVE LOVE Aw I really LURVE these little mittens.

Like this idea

Fuck it, I've been sucked back into pinterest.

Thanks shirley. I made the dough, cut out the xmas shapes and then tomorrow we'll paint. I saw some via google images whete someone has drawn on snowflakes with a sharpie looks simple and uncluttered. I also made some stars to make a little garland. I'll let dd loose on the rest although she did roll out and cut the shapes so its been a team effort so far.

Blathers they are bear pizzas in tescos. I bought one for dd yesterday just cheese and tomato.

Really? Sounds perfect Thank you

I love the paisley baubles. At a toddler group I went to this week, they had some plain baubles and gave the children a pritt stick to draw on them with, and then rolled them in glitter. They actually looked really lovely (if rather rustic!), but sadly ds would rather run round and round than do anything crafty.

How have the decorations come along, TheDW?

Well both DD and I made some and we only got round to painting today (cos she freaked out at santa's grotto and didnt want to see him) so we came back to the crafting. She's slopped the paint on hers, my rustic stylies; the paint has chipped off. proper pissed off. tomorrow I will attempt to redeem and if not the key worker gets a tin of bloody sweets! How's the party planning going now? not long to go!

I've been working from home this eve and sat on laptop next to xmas tree in the dark, DH put some old christmas songs on the ipod, really jazz type ones and then elf was on the TV. I feel really christmassy. Made me think of you trying to preserve DD's birthday. It must be quite hard as the christmas thing intensifies closer to christmas. My friend is due to give birth on the 18th so I'll be interested to see how she manages the balance in later years.

Gah! last week! really beginning to panic now

Pressed post too soon.

Not only have I got DD's party to finalise but I've got to make sure everyone's Christmas presents are done - including Mum's home made hamper and the house needs to be spotless as Dbro is bringing his new girlfriend to meet us for the first time ever! Thankfully, DH has got Wednesday and Thursday off work which should help as I can leave him in charge DD while I get on.

Sorry blathers was working on these decorations. Bless you doing a hamper, last year I did 4 instead of presents and I swear it was way more work and it meant I had little time to cook for my own christmas so i swore never ever again. Love it that you are having a spring clean to impress the new girlfriend!!

i've posted the finished decorations on my profile. Can you lot take a lot and tell me, can i get away with gifting them? I drew the pattern on and sealed it with PVA glue but it dried opaque so I had to re-draw it on, subsequently they arent sealed, although the pattern is in sharpie so should stay put. I dont think I dare give them away in case they end up a mess by next year etc. But they look quite nice I thought. and DD really did help as she rolled cut and painted them. I just had to detail and seal them. I may have to try again.

I'd be happy if someone gave me one of those for Christmas! They look lovely DW.

Just making a list before my trip to Costco tomorrow...

You may all be subjected to it later

DrsW They are beautiful! I would be over the moon if I received a home-made (or not!) gift like that. You (and dd, of course) are very talented.

All ears Blathers - have sleeping baby and toddler (who was up all night vomiting) so sitting here MN'ing and online Christmas shopping and trying not to fall asleep so all ready for shopping list perusal

Saltdough decorations are fantastic, DrsW

I must do something about teachers' cakes tonight - rapidly running out of time [panic].

Cake - Buy and Decorate (Ha! If only it were that easy. Still got to start sugar modelling yet! )

Party Bags ? Buy sweets and fill cones. Add Ribbon and Teddy reflectors

Pass the Parcel ? wrap. Big teddy for middle, Haribo and Chocolate Stars for layers. Going to do about 10/12 layers and have a bowl of sweets for the "losers"

Colouring table? Sheets all printed (did some colouring and some dot-to-dots/word search ones for the bigger kids) Got to find the crayons - we had loads! - or buy some more

Party Bear Hats ? Cut Coloured Paper strips and remember to take tape. I need to buy some stickers to decorate.

Decorations ? Balloons and Bunting. Some balloons doubling as an activity. I have a huge roll of that fine pasticy ribbon somewhere which I'll use to tie them up

Music - DH still hasn't made CD so got to bug him. Going to alternate Bear songs and Birthday Songs. I'll take DS's little CD payer down to play them on. It has 2 microphones for a bit of impromptu Karioke if necessary.

Party Food
Sandwiches ? Ham, Cheese and Jam?
Veg ? cucmber sticks, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, pepper sticks
Mini sausages
Chicken nuggets
Pizza Bears
Pom Bears
Fruit ? Grapes, Apple, Pineapple, Blueberries, Orange
Mini Jammie Dodogers
Party Rings
Rice Krispie cakes ? which my Brother has offered to make His new Girlfriend is obviously a good influence :)
Squash for kids
Coke/Lemonade for parents

I've got 2 hours to fill. That's going to be OK isn't it?

I also need to Tidy House, Make DBIL's Chilli Hamper up and make Mum's Home made hamper! She's getting a Christmas Cake (made but needs icing), A Christmas Pudding (made but needs wrapping), Hot Chocolate Mix (takes 5 mins once I have the bits), Chocolate and Cardamom Biscotti (need to make) and Cranberry Granola (easy once I have the bits). Oh and I need to get DS to write some Christmas cards for his friends at School as I've bought the bloody things so he can do them now! Oh and I need to do the Thank You present for DS's swim teacher tonight (she's getting hot choc mix too)

You did ask