Category Archives: That you can mail

DIY Spring Gift and Kid Activity: Mini Bird Feeders

29th March 2016

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I found this recipe in a Kroger magazine of all places and thought they were easy, cute and fun for kids to make!

For 10 dollars or less, you can make a few shy of 2 million bird feeders.  It’s fast and you can be creative. Shapowzers.  I also used cookie cutters in the shape of trees and houses to make different shapes.  It was easier to fill up and pack down a cookie cutter then to mold them by hand.

Mail a half recipe of the dry ingredients to a friend and her kids as a fun spring craft or package it in a colored mason jar like I did below. Just fill the mason jar in layers of ingredients, just like you would a food recipe in a jar gift. I attached a craft paper envelope with the recipe, as well as an example feeder as decor.  Pretty special, y’all.  Pin, share, and enjoy this craft or easy spring “Just thinking of you” affordable gift!!

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Recipe

1 envelope gelatin

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 cup flour

3 TBSP light corn syrup

4 cups wild bird seeds

Yeilds

Apprx 20 wreaths or more!  Whoa mini bird feeders….calm down.

Directions

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk in a mixing bowl.  Add bird seed once everything else is mixed through.  Use a spoon, or ice cream scooper worked best for me, and dollop balls onto wax or parchment paper.  Press down with a large wooden or plastic spoon.  Use finger to make a hole in the center and let dry overnight!  Use ribbon or string to hang your feeders in a semi-sheltered place from rain.  Get your birdie on.

 

Winter Gift Under 10 Dollars

15th February 2016

There is still plenty of snow left in the season…unfortunately…said the mom on her kid’s 8th snow day. Why not package this cute, non-toy gift idea for a friend or grandchild this winter? I scored this bad boy at Aldi for just under 10 dollars. They also had snow fort maker cubes which I was too slow to get. Dang.  This is also a really easy gift to mail a special kid you love! Just wrap it in brown paper and it’s good to go!

He comes with all of the snowman accessories you need, including two snowmen paint pens in blue and red to REALLY make him fancy!

Want one? I will mail this one to you! To enter, follow me on Instagram, comment on this Instagram pic and I will choose a winner this week. That’s the good thing about me here on herpartypants….I’m always snaggin’ good deals I see and giving them away!  Giveaways don’t have to be huge, they just have to be free!

Happy snow day! In Kentucky anyways =0)

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Love A Mom-To-Be From Afar: Baby Shower In A Box

26th October 2015

 

If my love for creative gift ideas and my love for my friends had a baby, it would be this idea:  Baby Shower In A Box.  As you get older and your friends scatter, it’s hard to get to them for all of the big events in life.  I recently had a friend who was adopting a baby girl and the problem was, she lived in a different city but I still wanted to do something special for her.  My idea for a baby shower in a box was born when I thought, “How neat would it be to send to her what I can’t do in person?  I’ll send her a party to her door!  Her own baby shower!”

Thus, I present to you the idea of planning and creating a party for someone that you pack and ship right to your loved one’s door!  You can make it any theme and in any price range.  I promise that you will be the only one giving them this gift.  It’s sort of a double gift:  a party and the gifts for the party.

Special thanks to Joel Ham Photography for making my idea come to life in these beautiful photos.  Check them out on Facebook and on their personal site.

Here’s a look at what I created:

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This is a baby I borrowed, along with a box I bought and embellished.  Using scrapbook paper, chalkboard stickers, and an oil-based Sharpie, I made this “Baby Shower In A Box” label.  I will wrap the front in packing tape when it’s shipped so it will be delivered with this on the front!

 

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When she opens the box, the first thing she will see is this handmade invitation I made to match the decor for the front of the box.

 

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What’s in the box?  Well, a whole shower so…

  • An invitation
  • Cake mix and icing to make the shower treat with her son
  • Paper goods:  napkins and plates
  • A helium balloon that will pop-up when the box is opened
  • Gifts:  a dress for later, a onesie for now, and a headband to grow with her
  • Party Game with a game prize AKA a treat just for the mom
  • Big Bro Bag because you can’t forget the older sibling(s) while showering the new little squirt
  • Something for the nursery.  I ordered the print shown from Mandipity on Etsy.

 

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What’s in the bag?  For the sibling bag I just put in a bunch of cheap thrills:  bath bombs, Ninja Turtle cup, Ninja Turtle bubble wand, M & M tube, and a party of pack of glow stick glasses and wands.  If the bag is for a little girl you could include: nail polish, pink cookies, glitter pens, plastic tiara, or one of the many paperbooks about being a big sister.  Lots of popular characters that both boys and girls love have cute books on becoming a big sister/brother.

If you want to go all Martha on the bags, check out my post on Big Sister Bags and Busy Bags for Toddlers for more specific bags that will really make a mom cry tears of jubilee.  You can do these for yourself pre-baby to build in a little sanity for after the baby comes.  Hey, if no one sends you a bag to busy your kids, by all means, be your own hero.

 

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How did I make the box that holds the prize? I took a plain white gift card box from Hobby Lobby and embellished it to match my party theme. Using washi tape, a doily die cut and a chalkboard sticker, this little box became my favorite party detail.  And just for all you curious cats, the prize was a gift card to Starbucks for the mom because EVERY mom needs a little Star-cation.

 

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One small detail you might have overlooked is the doily banner strung on twine across the backdrop.  That actually coordinates with the whole theme and will be sent in the box as more of the “party decorations”.  A banner can be personalized and used in the nursery or can be pulled back out and used it at their first birthday party.  It’s a sentimental touch and I’m a sucker for that.

If you want to add a few pieces that are personal to your special celebration, yet doesn’t require a crafty hand, the home decor space within Shutterfly has everything from custom art, plates, and pillows.  I love the chalkboard pillow or woodgrain monogram pillow print for a nursery I also adore the personalized placemats for kids as a big sibling gift.

 

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This gift is creative, personal, thoughtful, and has more possibilities than the Powerball.  It’s for any person, for any party, for any celebration! Now that’s versatile! You don’t have to be close to a friend to be a part of the experience.  Pin, share and enjoy!