Our Candyland Party

 

As I mentioned during the Dare to Share Party yesterday, we had a Candyland party at work yesterday.  As the days lead up to the party, I helped with a lot of the prep work.  I created games and decorations online, I crafted several crafts and games, and helped decorate for the party.  While I did get some pictures, I was too busy during the party to take more than a couple of pictures while the party was taking place. I will share what I have so far, with more to possible come early next week, because we plan on leaving the decorations up for a bit. 

One of our parents is a talented balloon artist. She made the rainbow balloons in our entryway in the picture above, and at the entrance below.  

As you entered it felt like you were in a real Candyland. Each of the rooms were a different land. We had Lollipop Woods, the Ice Palace, Chocolate Swamp, and Gingerbread Land.

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I took these photos while I was setting up during naptime, so they are a little dark.  As you entered one of the preschool rooms Princess Lolli and several giant lollipops greeted you.  

In that room we had a cookie chair walk game.  It was a combination of a cake walk and musical chairs, but we did not remove the chairs after each round.  The kids and some parents walked around the chairs to the music, and when it stopped sat down in one of the numbered chairs.  If their number was called, they won a bag of cookies and some game tickets to use toward a big prize. 

The chocolate swamp mural was not completed yet in this picture, we were still working on it.  In the chocolate swamp room the kids had a chocolate matching game, and a maze.  

At the last minute I threw together this ice cream sundae.  We had hoped to play pin the cherry on the sundae, but ran out of time to finish making it. We will have the kids play it in class during a school day next week.  

In the second preschool room we had the Ice Palace. There was a big mural on the wall, and snowflakes all over the walls and hanging from the ceiling. 

In this room we had the punch cup game, and the penny toss game.  The kids won tickets and candy with both games.  I made these games by hot gluing regular size and mini red cups onto Dollar Tree foam board. 

I don't have pictures inside Gingerbread Lane room, but the kids who entered were greeted by Jip the Gingerbread man which I made for last year's party.  

In the center area, I play picture Candyland Bingo with a Bingo game I created that will soon be in my Etsy Shop.

At the end of the party the kids could turn in their tickets (hopefully they had a lot of them) for a variety of prizes.  Almost all of the prizes came from the Dollar Tree.  This is only half of the prizes.  There were just too many to get them all in one picture. 

Candyland is one of the parties we do for the kids yearly. We got a lot of good feedback on this year's party, so will have to wait and see what next year's party brings.   

  

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Surfs Up! How to DIY Party Surf Boards

 

I love the look of the surfboard standees on Shindigz, I do not like the $50 price tag.  I had some left over boxes in the garage which gave me an idea.  I have made cardboard props before so I knew I could make my own.  

I had used this box at our Giant Party as one of two really big bugs. It used to have large paper eyes and plastic wings. It has been sitting in the corner of the garage for awhile because it was kind of big to put in the weekly trash.   I knew it would be the perfect size if I opened it up and flattened it out.

I cut both boxes into general surfboard shapes.  They are not perfect because they were done with an x-acto knife was a storm on the horizon.  I did trim down the shorter board because it was too wide. 

The taller board had an area that bent so I reinforced it with another piece of cardboard.   At this point the storm was very near, so I knew I would have to finish the boards inside. 

At first I thought I would spray paint the boards, but I did not have any paint and did not feel like going out to buy some.  I had many bottles of acrylic paint on hand, so I decided to hand paint them.  It really did not take that long, or that much paint.  I had several bottles of orange, but they were all partway full and different colors.  I mixed them, but not completely which gave the orange board an interesting look.  The multi colors make it look like flames.  Kara said she loved it, so we kept it that way. 

I thought I took a picture of me painting my long board but realized when downloading that I did not.   I found this Gone Surfin rub on, on clearance at JoAnns for $3.97. It was normally $14.99.

There was a small hole in the short board that I wanted to cover up.  The butterfly decals we found at the dollar store a couple of months ago were perfect for this purpose.  I allowed Kara to decide on the placement.   Right now they are leaning against the mantel.  I want to use them as props in our party pictures, so I still might add cardboard in the back to make them stand on their own.  

It only cost me $4.97 total  to make my boards.  A $45 savings from the cost on the party site.   While the look of the party site boards are really cool, I would much rather have simple boards and the $45. 

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