I am so excited to introduce you to Amy of The Idea Room. You see, a couple friends and I could start our own chapter of The Idea Room Fan Club.  We are such fans. I had just found the Idea Room and was getting totally inspired, when I found out my friend had made Amy’s key chain wristband and pear and apple pincushions. And remember Rachelle? Also a fan. Check out her completed version of Amy’s beautiful Valentine’s wreath. And my family loved making our own book on tape. So if you want to join our little fan club, we’ll see you there!

And a big welcome to Idea Room readers! Don’t miss my giveaway going on until tomorrow. And if you’d like to see some of the links I mentioned in my post at the Idea Room today, here they are. I hope you enjoy!

gift idea index | pretty packaging index | doodling on cakes | doodling on shower curtains | doodling in hand soap | take a peek in my gift and wrapping closet | teacher gifts | gifts that are cheap or free

And now I’ll leave you in Amy’s capable hands. Thanks, Amy!

+++

My name is Amy and I can normally be found over at The Idea Room. I am a stay at home mom of 5 little people, who keep me busy but happy. I am so excited to be here on Giverslog where I have been a blog stalker for quite some time. Today I would like to share with you a fun way to add a little “craziness” to your family dinner. Not that it isn’t crazy enough some days…?!

April Fool’s Day is coming up and we try to do things a little differently that day at our house. In the past, we have made dinner time a little “crazier” than normal by letting the kids pick what they would like to order for dinner from The Crazy Cafe menu.

But this menu is not like other menus. Your kids will be choosing Disney characters rather than an actual food item. They will not know what Disney character goes with an actual food choice.

Before giving the kids their menu items, decide what you would like to serve for the meal. You will need the following items:

Fork

Spoon

Napkin

Main Meal

Side Dish

Roll/Side Dish

Drink

Dessert

Choose whatever items will work best for your family, but you need a total of 8 items.

Then assign each item to go with the Disney characters. For example:

Mickey Mouse = Fork

Minnie Mouse = Dessert

Huey = Main Meal

Duey = Roll

Luey = Drink

Donald Duck = Side Dish

Pluto = Napkin

Goofy = Spoon

Then when it is time for dinner, get your meal all ready, but do not set the table. Sit your kids down and hand them the menu’s and explain to them that you (and Dad) are going to be their waitress (waiter) for the evening. Give each child their own menu, which you can download here. Have each child fill out their orders directly on the menu or you can take them as a real waitress would.

Each child will need to order 2 items as the Appetizer, 4 items for their Main Course and then 2 Dessert items (being sure that they order all 8 different items only one time each. Does that make sense?

Each child’s dinner will vary depending on what they order. So if one child orders Pluto and a Minnie Mouse for their appetizer, you will bring them a napkin and dessert, and so on for the other two courses.

The fun thing about this meal is that everything will be mixed up. They may not have a utinsel to eat with or a drink until the next course, but that is all part of the fun. The kids will be able to eat with their fingers or have dessert before their dinner. What kid wouldn’t love that? Everyone will also have a great time seeing what the others are eating (or not eating yet) as well.

So add a little craziness to dinner time this April Fool’s Day, your kids and you will enjoy every minute of it.

**Click here to download The Crazy Cafe menu.

Thanks Amber for sharing your blog and your awesome readers with me. Come on over to The Idea Room and see some of the other ideas I have for you and your families.

Today I’ll be trading posts with the lovely Amy of The Idea Room. If you’ve never met Amy, she is a complete darling, and you are in for a treat. Amy always has great projects and ideas (more on that in a moment), and she has one in store for you that will appear here soon.

And if you stop by The Idea Room, you’ll see an idea from me there today. I won’t tell you exactly what it is, but I will tell you it involves well-priced picture frames, and also doilies and crepe paper, though that really isn’t the point. I’d love to see you there, stop by and say say hello if you get a chance.

I just had to tell you, Garnish just got these in. Wooden cutlery. Aren’t they a dream? And for only 30 cents a piece. I knew you would want to know.

Let the picnic season begin!

Be sure to stick around. I have an all-time favorite coming up for 13-ounces or less and an incredible gift for give that man a hand. Oh, and one more thing I super excited about. I have a certain celebrity blogger stopping by. Do I have you curious? I’ll be back with all this soon. So soon. Now back to work.

I am so pleased to tell you that our tea party was a smashing success. Really it couldn’t have been more of a delight.  The little ladies arrived in their pretty dresses ready to munch and chat, and fully determined to have a good time. They broke out into impromptu games of ring around the rosie, and they burst into cheers for each girl around the tea table, which may not have been polite tea talk, but it was perfectly lovely. And they all-around made the party worth all my trouble.

I did have one moment of doubt. Is this a good place to confess? About an hour before the party I still had flour all over the counter and hadn’t made it to the shower yet. Please tell me you’ve done this at least once when you’ve entertained. Somehow though, it all came together. I’m just glad I planned this over a week after our Mario party. That timing was just about right.

I’ve told you the invitations are my favorite part of any party. So of course we had to do something fun with them. We used glassine and my Divine Twine to make these. (Thanks for the inspiration, Sherry!)

We had three proper courses, and followed these guidelines to the letter as best we could. Of course our tea sandwiches had to have cucumbers to be legit. My daughter’s favorite part was going around the table, asking “one lump or two?” We did, however, also offered lollipops for stirring the tea, which make a colorful replacement for a sugar spoon.

Thank heaven for Krustez and Pilsbury. Without them there would have been no scones and no pretty sugar cookies to decorate.

Do you like the cake? I used this trick for making it smooth, and doodled on it using this trick. It turned out to be the easiest thing.

As the girls arrived, they each got to decorate their own pretty dress cookie. This turned out to be the perfect inexpensive craft. Plus it turns out that icing a cookie and designing your dream ball gown makes for a pretty good time.

I used this idea to make a cupcake with different color candies wrapped up inside. I made just one of these so we could use it for a game: I hung feathers from the ceiling that matched the colors of candy. Then we followed the rules for a cake walk. We played music, had it stop and had the girls run under a feather.  We found out who won by unwinding the surprise-ball cupcake (oh the suspense!) to reveal the next color of candy.

We decorated the front door, which doubled as our photo booth. The roof and walls of my patio are painted white, and I find I get pretty good lighting there. The shots turned pretty cute. It’s harder to get cuter than excited girls dressed up for a birthday party.

We had to have our guests looking their best, so my MIL gave all the girls manicures. And she didn’t mess around, she even had them soak! By the time the party was over, she had manicured and painted 80 little fingernails. (Thanks, Mom!)

Do you like the chair favors? They’re my favorite touch. I got the idea from this version, which I saw online just days before the party or I would have considered buying them. Though these were pretty easy to put together.

We’ve had lots of our little guests tell us since that they’re just dying to have their own tea parties. Which I think is adorable, and which I figure makes for a good compliment. And truthfully I had a great time too, I think afternoon tea really could be addicting. So I think the next logical step is either to move to England or host my own afternoon tea for grown up ladies. Though I think I’d better give the husband a little break before I bring up either of these.

Forget candy. I promise that is what any child would say if you gave them this Easter basket. And any adult. And that includes me.

Today’s giveaway is from one of my favorite shops of all time, Stubby Pencil Studio. And if you’ve never visited the shop, you are in for for some fun. I know several of you are super creative, and I know you will love their cheerful and eco friendly wares. Make sure you stop by and check out the art supplies (including these adorable aprons), party decorations, fun and wacky craft kits, oh, and while you shop make sure you pick up a free birthday countdown chain.

And for you, dear readers, Stubby Pencil Studio has put together an Easter basket that will make your inner artist tingle. The basket is stuffed full of eco friendly art supplies. And they did throw in some lolipops, just so you don’t feel totally candy deprived.

The studio would like to get this to you in plenty of time for Easter. So I’ll run the giveaway this week and announce a winner on Thursday. To enter, just leave a comment and mention a favorite item from the Stubby Pencil Studio. It will be hard to choose, I know. Good luck!

Eco Easter Basket from Stubby Pencil Studio
Retail Value $100+, including:
Reusable felt basket
6×9 Apples ecojot sketchbook
E-color-gy washable markers
Set of 10 smencils
Soy crayons
Mary’s softdough rainbow
TubSoftdough tool set
Yummy earth organic lollipops
Dragonfly yoyo
Color ‘n kids garden pals cards
Double pencil sharpener
Spring top pencil
Color blackboard chalk

We’re bustling about today cutting slices of bread into heart shapes and adding lots of girlie touches before our little guests arrive for afternoon tea. Such fun. Plus last night Brent brought home Little Women (we just finished the audio book, oh how I could gush), the one with Susan Sarandon et al. We plan to watch it and unwind after the party. In fact, I think I might make this a tradition, to spend unwinding time with the birthday kid once the excitement of the party is behind us.

But I had to stop in and tell you about next week. It promises to astonish and amaze. Truly I have so many fun things in the works for you, I’m not even sure where to start.

I will of course share details of the tea party (including the idea pictured, seen here).

Also, I got some very happy mail. I’m bursting with some of the best 13-ounces-or less ideas. I can’t wait to share.

One of you sent the most amazing story for give that man a hand. This is such a good story. You will die.

And I have giveaway, a big one, that I promise will brighten your week.

Yes, next week is shaping up to be quite a good one. So I hope you get to do something nice for the weekend. And then meet me back here ready for the fun. See you then!

Just a few thoughtful bits I’ve come across lately.

Lauren of Lauren Makes made a paper chain with a link to count down each day until her first nephew arrives. She packed it up oh-so-pretty and mailed it off to the mom-to-be. (I always enjoy catching up on Lauren’s projects, I especially love this ingenious idea she designed for Lowe’s).

Erin of Bird and Banner shares this sweet little gift given by a friend for her birthday years ago. Proof that little gifts can last. Happy birthday, Erin!

Heather of the Coterie Blog was having a rough day, so her husband brought her something to help cope. (And today is her birthday, so be sure to pop in and wish her a happy one.)

Junie Moon got a surprise phone call from her brother, who is taking a pretty amazing birthday suprise into his own hands.

Amanda Joy surprised her neighbors with something yummy and homemade (be sure to check out the free printable she made and shared for the package).

Happy Lady Eats had her foodie friend drop by a dish of these, which look amazing. Hooray for friends who appreciate food as much as you do.

I love that SamanthaLee got a pair of these in the mail and used them to cheer on the Olympic athletes in proper Olympic style.

And since we’ve been discussing men who know how to make a girl happy this week, here is one more happy girl from one more man who did good.

Hope your day is a happy one. I wish you at least one little unexpected thing that brightens your day.

All the ladies in the house, tell me this. How much do we appreciate a man who can pick up on a hint?

How nice it is to mention your favorite flower, and then be presented with a bouquet of them? Has anything similar ever happened to you? Men, if you’re paying attention, we like you to read our minds. And if you can’t do that, listening to our hints is almost as good.

I had a lovely reader tell me this story about her man, who not only followed through on a hint, but took it to the next level. Michele was once a journalist, is now a calligrapher (her work is beautiful, be sure to check it out). Michele mentioned to her husband, Todd, how she’d love a handwritten letter from him as a gift. And he delivered. Not only with a one hand-written letter, but one every month. And I have for you here, a picture from Michele of the real, actual year of letters.

(thanks for the picture, Michele, totally beautiful)

In Michele’s words:
“As 2009 unfolded, on the first of every month I found a handwritten letter waiting for me. The letters were wonderful and completely heartfelt. I consider each one a total treasure. So you can imagine how pleased I was when, in his December letter, he revealed that he would be renewing my “subscription” for 2010. Hooray! I couldn’t ask for a better gift or a more thoughtful husband!”

Way to go, Todd! This is for you.

If you have a man you’d like to gush about, and think it might work for this series, be sure to pass the story. I’d love to hear.

I’m completely thrilled to introduce you to Garnish, the newest sponsor here at GiversLog.

One of my favorite gifts to drop off with friends are gifts of food, like a batch of granola or a home baked pie or a cup of chicken noodle. Good food is thoughtful, handmade, and appreciated. But one of my biggest quandaries is often how to package it. I quandar no more (that’s not a word, is it?)

If you’ve never heard of Garnish, your life is about to change. You are about to find everything you need to host a party, package up goodies for a bake sale, or whatever your ambition may be. Take a look at some of Garnish’s offerings and you’ll see what I mean. Doesn’t it get your party planning wheels spinning?

DIY ice cream kits.

Apples for the teacher using Garnish’s clear boxes.

Garnish all dressed up for game day
(setting includes paper bowls, glassine envelopes, waxed tissue paper, pie clam box,and more)

Haven’t you been wanting to get yourself a handful of stripey straws?

This fun children’s party setting includes cone cups filled with gumdrops.

Deliver soups and bread to go using deli containers and loaf molds.

I love this place setting that includes their CD case with a clear label and confetti in a tube.

If you get a chance, head over to check out their other ideas or products. And stay tuned, Garnish has a few new fun products on their way. And they’ve promised to share them here once they arrive.

Here it is, the gift we picked out for my daughter for her birthday. They’re a pair of Gingher sewing scissors, and we gave them with a ribbon for hanging them around her neck, in true seamstress style. If you have a seamstress in your life and would like to pick out a pair to give, here is a great guide.

We had a seamstress friend stop by on my daughter’s birthday (this friend has taken it as her mission to teach me to sew from a pattern. Brave woman.) She inspected the scissors, approved, and told my daughter they should last her a lifetime. So of course now I have sentimental visions of her using them decades from now, making gifts of her own for the generation or two beneath her. I’d better stop before I get too teared up.

UPDATE: I just came across these while browsing though all the fun things here and had to share. What an heirloom these would make.

Our Mario birthday party was a hit, and I collected my pictures over the weekend to share with you. We had rain, so we gave up our plans for bike racing and stayed indoors to party. But it was pretty fun having five little Marios running around my house hunting for Yoshi eggs and dodging balloon bombs.

Invitations are my favorite part of planning a party. (Forget the party itself!) We included a gold coin and invited each Mario to come earn more. (I found the question block idea from here and here.)

Toad has got to be my favorite character, so we decided to make the cakes in his honor. Do you like the cloud garland? I’m pretty proud of myself for that touch.We had invincible Marios fighting our ghosts all party long. (I saw the idea here.)
I went a little crazy and made each boy a hat. I just couldn’t resist. I promise I kept it simple other than this.
In case you were wondering what a Mario hat pattern looks like, here you go. It took me a couple tries to figure out the right pattern, but once I did i was very happy with the result. This pattern also works for an artist’s beret if you leave off the bill.
Everyone wanted to give the pinata a Mario punch before we really got serious about picking up the stick and breaking it open. It was filled with, you guessed it, gold coins.
Despite the rain, I think all five Marios had a good time.

Now we’re hard at work pulling together a tea party. Stick around and hopefully I’ll have a few pictures to share. Somehow I get more nervous planning for little girls.

Today my little daughter turns seven. I can hardly wait to show you what sweet gift we picked out for her. (Right now it is all wrapped up, so I’ll snap a picture once it’s out.) It has to do with her new, most earnestly loved endeavor—sewing. She is taking a class and is fully engrossed in it. She has this adorable grandmotherly teacher, whom I love. And I also love that someone in the family will really know how to sew, if things keep going as they are.

So in her honor, here are a few fun gifts for the budding seamstress. (see more ideas here, and if you’re looking for gifts for the more experienced, grown-up version of a seamstress, try here).

Dress form for girls (via DesignMom), house sewing basket by Kath Kidson, mug pin cushion (via here), softies sewing book, sew your own skirt kit and doll kit, measuring tape sewing pouch, design sketchpad where lines dissappear when you photocopy your designs (via cupofJoe), hand printed mix pack of fabric from melbomba

Dear readers, have you ever stopped by The Mother Huddle? If you haven’t, you should, because it is bursting with inspiration. It’s a blog hosted by the lovely Destri and a charming group of mothers, and if you peruse their sidebar, as I often do, you’ll find yummy dishes, beautiful projects, simple sewing endeavors, and so much more fun. (And if you’re a small business owner or blogger, this post is a must see.)

One of the things I love about the ladies at TMH is that they appreciate a good list. Their bullet list is a regular feature, where a blogger stops by each week and shares something, really, wonderful in list form. Which is why I was so honored to get to construct my own bullet list. So if you get a moment, stop by the Mother Huddle today and see me there, sharing

11 of the most amazing gifts I’ve gotten or seen someone get

Hope to see you there.

P.S. I got some fantastic responses to yesterday’s posts of men giving great gifts. Thank you, readers! So stay tuned and be ready to swoon, ladies. I also have some very fun 13-ounces-or-less ideas to share. I am getting organized after yesterday’s birthday bash (which went great!), but promise to share all soon.

Spring fever is creeping in over here. We are all peeking out the window at the rain (today is our Mario party, looks like it may have to happen indoors) and waiting until we can burst outside and ride bikes and hike and picnic and play. I want to lounge in my hammock, bask in the sunshine, and read The Secret Garden. Doesn’t that sound nice?

On the topic of outdoor play, I have a something to share with you, and someone to introduce you to. Mark and Heather are a very impressive couple. Heather is a quilter and turns out beautiful quilts like nobody’s business. While browsing through quilt after quilt of hers, and having one of those moments when I ask “how does she get it all done?” I came across some handy work by her husband. How fun is this?

This is the actual skate ramp Mark built in their backyard. You are looking at some lucky kids in this picture.

Incase you’d like to transform your yard into a skater’s paradise, I found a couple places with great plans:
DIY Skate: How to Make Ramps, Ledges, and More
Free Halfpipe Plans

If you know a man who gives good gifts and think it might work for this feature, I want to know. Share the story with me so we can congratulate him formerly and officially. (Maybe I should mail out certificates, wouldn’t that be official?)