St. Patrick’s Day Party & Kids Craft Ideas

Get Creative with St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

For most, St. Patrick’s Day parties mean a day of fun.   From a young age, children learn that St. Patrick’s Day is about the color green—wearing it, eating green-colored food, and coloring pictures of shamrocks.  Why not have more fun than creating the traditional shamrock picture?

Create a fun, festive St. Patrick’s Day party for the kids in your life and come up with some crafts for the kids to take part in.  Use cute decorations to catch attention and make the kids smile.  Start by decorating the entryway to your St. Patrick’s Day party with a rainbow balloon arch for your kids to walk under.  Line the walkway with a gold or yellow plastic tablecloth and have the kids follow the yellow road.  Then, when they walk under the balloon arch, toss some shamrock-shaped confetti into the air to surprise them.  Give the kids green, gold, and white beads as quick and easy St. Patrick’s Day party favors.  Keep their attention with a leprechaun standee that they can take pictures in!

Crafts & Favors Make St. Patrick’s Day Parties Fun

Rather than simply having your kids color a picture of a shamrock or a picture of a rainbow, make a shamrock-shaped cake and have the kids break into groups to decorate them.  Remember when you plan the party, have the kids ask their parents for old shirts that they can use to protect their St. Patrick’s Day party clothes.

Favors at your St. Patrick’s Day party can range from lollipops to personalized cookie tins to gold coins.  Send your kids home with adorable St. Patrick’s Day favor boxes filled with these goodies and more.  You can also include personalized lip glosses for the girls and personalized gum for the boys.

Include your kids this holiday.  Have fun, be safe, and let them enjoy a party for a reason other than a birthday.

The Ultimate Mardi Gras Cocktail Party

Mardi Gras Party Recipes and Ideas

The ultimate Mardi Gras cocktail party requires the ultimate selection of Mardi Gras cocktails and appetizers, served in an environment totally decked out in the ultimate Mardi Gras theme. Purple, green and gold are traditional background colors for this carnival of carnivals. However, Mardi Gras cocktail recipes tempt pallets with bourbon, rum and fruit juice, while popular appetizers are made with spicy, New Orleans essence.

Festive Mardi Gras Cocktail Party Recipes

Hurricane

Classic Mardi Gras Hurricanes are made with 1 part rum (equal portions of dark and light), 2 parts fruit juice (orange, pineapple and passion preferred), a dash of grenadine syrup and a hint of fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, squeeze fresh lime juice over the top, add the rest of the ingredients and shake thoroughly. Pour hurricane cocktail into festive Fat Tuesday tableware cocktail glasses, garnished with an orange slice and topped with a cherry to serve.

Tiger Paw

Mix equal parts Southern Comfort, pineapple juice and raspberry wine over a shaker filled with ice. Strain cocktail into a martini glass garnished with fruit and serve on personalized Mardi Gras coasters.

New Orleans Hand Grenade

Mix equal parts gin, grain alcohol, melon liquor, rum and vodka over ice. Add water and sugar to taste and stir well. Guests drinking these powerful cocktails are likely to enjoy wearing festive Mardi Gras glitter masks, and lots of Mardi Gras beads, celebrating the true spirit of Mardi Gras well into the evening.

Easy Crabmeat Spread

 Combine 6 ounces of flaky crabmeat (fresh or canned) with 8 ounces of soft cream cheese and ¼ Cup salsa. Heat mixture in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until warm, but not hot. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

Golden Triangles

 12 sheets frozen phyllo dough

½ cup melted butter

Cajun Pork Filling

Apricot Dipping Sauce (optional)

Lightly brush one sheet of phyllo dough with some melted butter. Place another sheet on top of first sheet and brush with butter. Cover remaining phyllo dough and set aside. Cut buttered phyllo dough into six equal, horizontal strips. Place 1 tablespoon Cajun pork filling approximately 1 inch from end of strip. Fold one corner over, diagonally, lining it up with edge of strip to create triangle. Continue folding up the strip, until phyllo dough has many layers and is a single triangle appetizer. Repeat for remaining strips. Use rest of phyllo dough to make many more appetizers. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for approximately 10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with Apricot Dipping Sauce if desired.

Cajun Pork Filling

Thoroughly cook 8 ounces ground pork in a medium skillet. Add 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and cook for another minute. Stir in ½ Cup soft cream cheese, 1/3 Cup grated carrot and a few dashes hot pepper sauce to taste. Mix well.

Apricot Dipping Sauce

Combine ½ Cup apricot preserves and 1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce in a 1-Cup glass measuring cup. Stir in 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion and ½ teaspoon finely grated orange peel. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute, until bubbly and warm.

Cool Valentine’s Day Crafts and Decorations

 Valentines Day Decorating Ideas

Love is in the air, as friends, families and communities prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is a time to playfully exchange all sorts of Valentine greetings, cherish the people we love and of course, eat way too much chocolate. Valentine’s Day is cheesy, crafty and oh, so much fun. It is decked out in bold shades of red, pink and white – everything from soft and shadowy pastels, to strong and brilliant burgundies and fuchsias, all emblazoned in simple and ornately designed hearts, often accented by ribbons and flowers.

Decorating for Valentine’s Day can be simple or extravagant, depending on the mood or event taking place. Intimate lovers desiring a romantic setting will benefit by covering aisles, pathways and hallways with large sheets of gossamer fabric, overlaying them with flower petals, confetti and curly ribbon. Votives and candles strategically displayed will add warmth and passion to the scene.

Families longing to share their love and devotion with each other in a special way might plan a tasty family dinner, decorating the dining area with numerous Valentine’s Day party supplies, and offering personalized chocolate bar party favors, complete with a family photo and memorable family motto, message or favorite saying.

Groups and communities are bound to enjoy the festivities taking place on Valentine’s Day, a time when social gatherings like parties and dances increase the energy in the air. Valentine balloons strewn about a dance floor, or crafted into floating arches and heart shapes add to the effect of a light and fun-filled event.

Valentines Day Craft Ideas

Children also enjoy the happy traditions of making Valentine party crafts and exchanging Valentine greetings on Valentine’s Day.  Party tableware like paper plates can be made into Valentine holders and personalized Valentine cards and decorations. Make a simple Valentine holder by using two paper plates. Cut one in half and join it around the edge to the other one. Decorate with glitter, fringe, even crafting feathers.  Design Valentine gifts and decorations by cutting hearts from solid color tableware and stringing them together; join the ends to create festive jewelry or use as streamers and garland, hanging them from ceilings, bookcases and lighting fixtures.

Pull back the arrow and let it fly through the air. This year’s target for February 14 is on cool Valentine’s Day craft and decorations. It’s all about lightening the mood, being playful in the spirit and having fun with the people you love and cherish the most. Oh, and don’t forget the chocolate!

11/11/11: What’s the hype about?

The unique date of 11/11/11 is quickly approaching. It has its own movie, its own Facebook page and its own prophecies.  Expect it to be a phenomenon day.

Most of use recently experienced 01/01/01 and 10/10/10. So, what’s the significance of the number 11?

For starters, the number eleven lends itself to some interesting peculiarities as relates to mathematics. For example:

• 11 x 11 = 121
• 111 x 111 = 12321
• 1,111 x 1,111 = 1234321
• 111,111 x 111,111 = 12345654321
• And so on…

Eleven is also a favorite of blackjack players usually resulting in a doubled down bet. An eleven in craps is as good as a seven on a come-out roll.

Number One Beaded Necklace

To relationship experts, eleven is a “mirror image” symbol, representing a relationship associated with self-acceptance and authenticity. Needless to say, Justices of the Peace across the country will be working overtime on 11/11/11. Wedding venues, caterers and florists report having this day booked for over a year or more. Why is that so strange? Well, it’s a Friday. Although a Friday wedding is not entirely unheard of, a typical American Wedding takes place on a Saturday.

While some are planning weddings, others are planning cesarean sections to bless their little one with the unique 11/11/11 birth date. What they might not realize is that eleven is a “master” number in numerology, meaning anyone born with an eleven in their birth date was born to “master” their life. Bonus!

People across the world are planning 11/11/11 parties to celebrate the once in a lifetime event. Bars, night clubs and hotels have been planning their parties and events for months. OnesInALifetime.com shows parties registered from California to New South Wales. Shindigz.com, an online party supply retailer “where the world comes to party,” even has a party supply page featuring #1 party supplies dedicated to the occasion. They carry one-shaped piñatas, candles, sparklers, and of course, #1 foam fingers.

Other than parties, weddings and baby deliveries, will something significant happen at 11:11:11 a.m. or 11:11:11 p.m. on 11/11/11? You’ll get two chances to find out!

Amazing Winter Theater Backgrounds & Props

Winter Sets & Backgrounds:
Let’s put on a show! Shindigz saves your production extra time and money with amazing winter sets and props. Transform an empty stage into a winter playground with a snowflake fantasy kit or present a western holiday twist. Hitch a stylized winter sleigh kit to a desert sunset.

Kids Christmas Show Props:
The children are jumping up and down with excitement to put on a Christmas show for guests. Good for them! Help them address custom party invitations with details about the event. Order a Christmas scene setter kit or other Christmas decorations to professionalize the fine acting at the show. If they are retelling a fairytale or nativity story, consider ordering a fairytale decorating kit as the backdrop to a large, Christmas event full of big dreams and gifts. 
Community Theater Ideas & Backgrounds:
Rent out the local theater, community center, or house of worship to host an event or lecture. No theater should be dark at night. Cross advertise between organizations. Sell refreshments at intermission. Hang something simple that’s reusable and virtually indestructible. A simple, black, fringe curtain can be used for concerts, readings, or mystery dinner shows.
Shindigz’ simple set pieces are easy on your budget and time. After you pick a play, create a list of set pieces and winter props you’ll need for the show.

With so many theme party decorations to choose from, maybe you’d like to put on 50′s play or a western for diversion.  Buy inexpensive backgrounds made of solid or patterned decorating fabrics and flat paper.  Whether you’re hosting a large benefit or a simple, nativity scene these props will help you create a background set at your theater.

Decorate for Winter- Even When You Live in the Sun

Are you missing your winter wonderland? Create your own! Just because Mother Nature’s not cooperating with snow, doesn’t mean you can’t surround yourself and loved ones with some of your own decorative snow. Think about what the holidays mean to you. Create a community wherever you are and start your own traditions!

• Take family photos in front of a winter scene wall decoration or cover your home with one for a holiday party!
• Do you know friends that don’t have places to go for the holidays? Consider having them over for your family dinner or hold an orphan’s holiday dinner. Invite all your friends (potluck or otherwise). Friends are the greatest gifts to be thankful for this, and every season.
• Strategically place some standing snowflakes around your home to ignite your holiday mood and play holiday music (unless you’ve been shopping in a mall and are already jingled out!). For a change, try Rockapella or Manheim Steam Roller.
• Snuggle by the “fire”. Set up a fireplace decoration in your room. It makes any home cozy. Then sip cider, Chai, or hot chocolate and add a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Cuddle with your honey and kids.
• Do you cook the same foods every year? Try one new Shindigz party recipe every season and note your favorites.

Some holidays don’t feel the same without the way we picture them from childhood, but with a little ingenuity and a lot of love, your holidays will be better than ever. You’ll be surprised at what becomes a new tradition. Happy holidays from our family to yours!