Alice in Wonderland Party

Julia in Wonderland

Julia had been planning, preparing decorations, writing lists of games, menus, and activities for her Julia in Wonderland party for a few months prior the big day!  Truly, I did not do much to orchestrate her party, she was a diligent girl.  Of course, her sisters were a great help!  Julia's dear friends all dressed in perfect, wonderland attire in the most clever costumes.  My camera did not capture their creativity...I am so sad about this.  I do believe it is time to upgrade my camera!

Do you know:

I shall let you ponder!

 The Characters

Chesshire Cat, Queen, Flower, Mad Hatter, Rabbit, Card, Caterpillar (off crawling), 

and of course, Julia

The Tea Party

Julia set a partly pretty, somewhat mad table for tea

Vegan Menu:

zucchini-walnut muffins, carrot-raisin muffins, fruit skewers, nut butter and jam sandwiches, 

spinach-hummus wrap sandwiches (detailed in a previous post), 

oatmeal cookies, veggies, strawberry cupcakes, tea

Using cookie cutters, hearts, spades, clubs, and diamond finger sandwiches were prepared

Strawberry Cupcakes

Both birthday and "unbirthdays" were celebrated and sung.

The cupcake and muffin recipes I will post soon.  All easy and delicious - so the characters said!

 Peppermint Tea was sipped

 The Games

Throughout the Tea Party, I passed out cards.  Who ever was closest to my card clue received a prize. For example, "The highest, even, heart...or closest to the Q or hearts...or the lowest black card...

Teams race to find old skeleton keys to ensure admittance to the party,

and compete to find hidden cards which had to be placed in order, Ace to King,
as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter

Teams try to find the most words using the letters in Lewis Carroll

  A friendly game of Royal Croquet was played at the Royal Court...

replacing balls with stuffed hedgehog dog toys.

By asking questions which can be answered with only a yes or no, 

characters decipher the card stuck on their forehead.
(Just dab a drop of water or lick the back of the card and it will stick.) 

Teams race to set and sip a royal tea party...

 bringing only one item at a time to the "Tea Party."

Tea cups on heads?

Manners were mad!!!

 

 Instead of hot potato, "Hot Rabbit!"

 The Craft

Succulent varieties (I am mad about these striking plants!) were transferred into old china tea cups, 

which I picked up at thrift stores.

Flowers hot glued to a frame serve as a photo opportunity for each guest with Julia,
as well as dress up the royal chair!

So, why is a raven like a writing desk?

 Answers:

They both do not have fur, nor do they both have wheels like a bicycle.

There is no answer!!!  But, I bet Lewis Carroll got you thinking! 

The Post Party

All royal guests kept their heads, but roughed it under the stars!

 

Julia had a very happy birthday in Wonderland!

The End

Ear Lobe Wonders!

EAR LOBE WONDERS

My sister introduced me to something too good not to share!   LOBE WONDERS!  When she told me about them during my Carlsbad visit I was not overly impressed, but she did cause me to pay closer attention to my ear lobes...I discovered they are saggier than the last time I analyzed them.  Gravity is pulling everything down, even my lobes!!!  The nice thing about ear lobes, I now know, is you can comfortably remedy the "sag" with these little wonders I am about to share with you!

Here is the box, which I purchased at Claire's for $11.50.  You can also go to www.Lobe-Wonder.com to research and print out a coupon to use at a store near you!   On the left you can slightly see the round stickies, and a pair of hoops which I can now wear without seeing my stretched earring hole!  Smile!!!

I wore mine all day.  They are quite simple to affix and my ears did not feel bothered by my hoops at the end of the day, either!  Simple, painless, purposeful!  So, flaunt those hoops, diamonds, or gems and say good bye to stretchy, torn, saggy ear lobes!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Sophia's Gift

This has been a busy summer!  Truly, I do not know how we could already be entering the home stretch to summer's end!  Classes resume in August!  Sophia delivered these to my front door!  She knew, in her perceptive way, I needed to literally,  

"stop and smell the roses!"

I am reminded that it is the little things in life that matter so much, like sweet notes, kind words or a wheelbarrow filled with flowers!  I am grateful and touched!

Clothespins Aplenty

The Multipurpose Clothespin

We have a fondness for clothespins! For fun my daughters and I have even decorated clothespins.  Lately I seem to see one on every surface and around every corner in our home. My favorites are the old, weathered-wood peg style clothespins. 

One-piece wooden clothes-pegs were invented by the Shaker community in the 1700s.

The first design resembling the modern clothespin was patented in 1853. 

What can a humble, little clothespin do?

Prevent spoons from getting lost in the soup pot.

Hold rubber bands,

recipes, or old supermarket sales signs - 

Imagine that!  $.47 cents for a bag of potatoes! 

Hang special papers inside a kitchen cabinet. 

(see my post Displaying Art for a How To on adhering clothespins to walls)

Hang children's art.

Organize paper stuff like "to do" piles.

Seal open packages.

Wish Happy Birthday.

Make lunch or gift bags a bit more fun.
Become animal legs,

big and small.

Celebrate Christmas,

Valentine's Day,

or spring.

Instead of laundry on the line, pictures on the line.

 Peg type pins disguise as Mary and Joseph.
Look pretty packaged for gifts.
Decorate a Clothespin "How To"...

Supplies

Clothespins, glitter, Mod Podge, Foam paint brush, scissors, paper cutter, paper, adornments - (flowers, plastic insects, buttons, seasonal items)

How To:

Simply paint one side of the clothespin with a light coat of Mod Podge.

Then  

Sprinkle on glitter, allow to dry, then repeat on the other side. 

OR

Adhere paper strip (cut to clothespin dimension before gluing) to the clothespin. When dry, apply one more thin coat of Mod Podge. Repeat on other side.

OR

Use a small amount of hot glue to glue on adornments.