• artsy fartsy,  party party

    Piñata Time!

    We're gonna make a piñata out of this!

    We are totally doing this. We are making a piñata that looks like a giant cat-toy for Bug’s cat-themed seventh birthday party. First we bought one of those giant balloons. I only had them inflate it half way because how horrible would it be if it popped? This thing costs like seven bucks! Plus, two dollars more to blow it up because I don’t have lungs strong enough to do it myself. Anyway, if it turns out I thinks it’s going to be worth the money. I just hope it turns out!

    Okay! Let's do this!

    So we took it home, hung it from it’s string from a nail in the kitchen (it’s too cold to work outside) and started paper maché-ing. If it turns out I’ll do a proper post with step by step instructions (as IF you all needed instructions, it’s so easy).

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    Glop, glop, glop! Strip by strip by strip!

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    Poser. Too bad my little tool box storage thing is full of party loot and making my kitchen look cluttery. Oh well, gotta make sacrifices when you have a great big party to throw. Speaking of, Bug and I have decided we are going to skip big parties next year and just take a friend to Disneyland or something. It would be a whole lot cheaper.

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    Me getting in the mix. Actually I was all up in the mix. Bug only put on two or three honorary pieces and I did the rest. But I’m not complaining. I’d rather paper maché any day over cooking. Did you know that the word paper maché means chewed up paper? Gross!

    Step One done!!

    And then we were done! Well, with step one anyway. It has to dry for a few days. I’m really worried that it’s going to deflate on itself when I pop the balloon so I’m going to let it sit and harden until the very last minute. I might be applying the pretty outer tissue paper on the morning of the party if that is what it takes. I really want it to work. Has anybody else ever made a piñata out of these super big balloons? Or is there a reason I’m not finding any how-to posts on such a thing? Well, here’s to hoping I figure it out first!

    The cat wants me to know her food bowl is empty.

    Next morning: still slightly wet. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. And also? Aqui (the cat) wants you to know that her food bowl is empty. I’m on it. STAT.

  • Buddies,  party party

    Narnia Party!

    Lucy

    Wow. It’s been almost a week already since I last wrote. I forgot how much you guys love neurosis. I’ve got plenty more where that came from but it might harm others so I’m just gonna stay mum. But thank you for all your kind comments. I hope it didn’t sound like I was fishing for compliments because I wasn’t. I really do think I’m a nut. It’s comforting to know the internet is full of nuts like me.

    So anyway! We went to a Narnia party last week. It was so fun. I was waiting for my friend Carrien to write about it because she would have all the details about the scrolls and how we acted out the story by traipsing all over her mother-in-law’s beautiful ranch but she hasn’t had time to write either (she does have four kids and another on the way afterall…) so I’m just going to share my photos and maybe a link to her blog later when she does get around to writing that post. It really was a wonderful party. Make sure you hunt her down.

    Off to a Narnia party!

    Bug and I did a little research online before we got into costume for the party. Bug is Susan. I don’t know who I am. Some kind of village person or something. I just wore every gypsy item I had in my closet, which is quite a lot it turns out.

    under cover

    When we arrived we had to duck down and enter through a wardrobe. It was actually a dresser with the drawers taken out and the back taken off and a rod installed into it with fur coats and blankets hanging over it. It was very clever. Of course I didn’t take a photo of it, I took a photo of the cake that I saw on the other side of the wardrobe. Because cakes demand photos apparently. Especially cakes baked by Carrien. She’s an amazing baker.

    bouncy Susan

    Then there was some jumping on the trampoline while we waited for the other guests to arrive because Narnia is full of jumping.

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    The White Witch

    And THEN! The White Witch stole away the littlest children. She had candy and crayons and crowns. Bug wasn’t one of the littles but she thought coloring and sucking on lollipops was much more fun than making bows and arrows so she snuck away with the White Witch too.

    Bug got lured away by the White Witch who had gummies, lollipops, crayons and crowns. I think the crayons were what got her.

    The White Witch was very captivating. I think it was her dress…

    the art of archery

    The rest of us made bows out of pvc pipe and arrows out balsa wood sticks. The photo above is confusing because it is out of order. That was taken after the party when Bug suddenly discovered that she had missed out and didn’t have a bow. So we rustled up one for her. Spoiled little kid.

    Bow materials.

    The string was neon from Home Depot. Isn’t it pretty? I think I need to get myself some of that because it would be smashing for some sort of yarn-bomb craft project.

    ...

    There was a lot of traipsing around reading scrolls and acting out the story. I haven’t read the book since I was ten or so I was a little rusty on the order of events.

    down with the White Witch!

    They are attacking the White Witch here and she very dramatically crumbled into a little pile on the ground into her elegant ($10 thrift store) dress all crinkled up around her. The kids ate it up.

    golden leaves

    I forget who this character was but he was crucial to the story too…

    Beaver

    And this guy too.

    comfortable hollow

    sir dog

    I don’t think this guy was in the story but he was cute.

    scurrying with trays

    And there was food! Of course there was food.

    bring the food!

    With fair maidens rushing it out dramatically like we were in a real castle.

    royal table

    The royal spread.

    Beaver Hollow

    Eating in Beaver Hollow.

    Carrien makes the best cakes

    Then it was cake time!

    the birthday girls

    And singing for the birthday girls.

    Little helps block the breeze

    cutting the cake

    We were all very excited about the cake.

    yummy!

    Because it was DELICIOUS like all Carrien’s cakes are.

    Queen Little

    Then we just hung out and mingled with the other Narnians. That’s Princess Lucy above.

    he knows he's cute

    Sir Cutesalot.

    dad-hug

    The boy and his dad fresh back from Thailand.

    three's cozy

    The White Witch changed into The Good Aunt with a very warm snugly blanket for any who wanted to squeeze under.

    Elli

    Little E was there.

    B & E

    Bethany was there. You guys know her. I can’t believe I didn’t get a photo of Annalie. She was off having lots of fun I’m sure and somehow escaped my photo radar.

    winter

    Then we closed that party down and went over the Blues’ for pizza. It was a great day.