droolicious : party

I Like That Boom Boom Pow!

Cathy Hale — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Believe or not, the 4th of July is right around the corner. Where does the time go? Wanna be festive without doing all of the shopping yourself? Here's a bucket-o-fun for the kiddos with a sprinkle of excitement.

Aptly named the 4th of July Bucket, this treat spells star-spangled fun with fireworks that won't really get anyone in trouble. It comes with lots of red white & blue goodies like a festive headband, gumballs, cookie cutters and a meteor storm toy. It may have some small pieces in it, so check for choking hazards if little ones under three are playing with it. Retails for $49 at Chasing Fireflies!

Birthday Tee To Wear All Year Long

JeanneSager — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:06:00 GMT

There's no reason to be dressing your kid in a "birthday girl" tee six months after her birthday just to get your money's worth.

Bring out the cupcakes every day with this onesie or tee from Ambajam. The polka dots make this a party - whether there's an anniversary to mark or not!

The downfall? It's only available up to size 24 months! But you can get it in short sleeves for $32 or long sleeves for $34.

A Big Day Calls for a Big Chain

JeanneSager — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:02:00 GMT

Remember marking the big black X’s to the calendar in the birthday countdown when you were a kid?

My hands were so coated in magic marker by the time the big day hit my mom had to hold my hands under water and scrub to the bone so I’d look presentable for my party. Except markers? Are not allowed in my house since the office wall incident of 2008.

So we’re counting down to four this year with Big Day Chains’ Birthday Chains Kit.

Packed with perforated strips of 100 percent post-consumer waste recycled paper printed with soy ink for linking up a 30-day chain, it’s all topped off with a card for the birthday kid (a.k.a., already completed scrapbook page for this always-thinking mom). The chains win points for letting Mom fake our Martha moment – the kits come with everything but the crayons – and points from my birthday girl-to-be for the black-and-white pictures just waiting to be coated in color. Glue it all together with the non-toxic dots (no George Costanza and his fiancée crisis for us, thank you very much), and get ripping.

Get one for $14.95 from Big Day Chains (and pick up a countdown till baby for your parents-to-be pals).

Retrolicious: Vintage Baby Cupcake Toppers

Cathy Hale — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Throwing a vintage-inspired baby shower? Don't forget these adorable cupcake toppers. Featuring the sweetest little baby in Bunny Slippers, these toppers are scalloped and have a ribbon trim. A set of 16 retails for $15 and you can find matching goodies like gift bags and invitations at The Baby Gardener.

Get Arty for Their Next Birthday Party

JeanneSager — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:35:00 GMT

If you're all about sending your kids' party guests home with something that kept them occupied through the party, you'll be stocking up at Wallaroo.

The company known for suiting up moms, dads and kids with hats has an Art Hat for kids to get their crafty out.

The cute microfiber sunhats come packed with six non-toxic paints and a brush, so the kids don't need to fight over a collective set of paints. The hats themselves are UPF 50 plus to protect the kids from the sun's damaging rays, while the little drawstring pouch they come in can be stuffed with a thank you card from the birthday kid or a few tchotchkes to celebrate the day. Or you can just call it a day with the hat, the paints and the brush - a full goodie bag, and you didn't have to spend a day hitting up craft and dollar stores to get it done.

Get them for $20 at Wallaroo Hats.

A Hat Fit For A Cupcake Loving Birthday Princess

SunnyChanel — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

My daughter just celebrated her birthday. One thing I didn’t include at the party was a birthday hat, primarily because I didn’t find one that was “her.” Of course, I find the perfect one the day AFTER her party. This handmade perfectly pretty and pink hat by Etsy seller Silver Spoon Crafts includes one of her favorite things front and center, the holy cupcake. An entity she worships in a passionate way. If your girl or boy is in the pink, or for that matter into blue, polka dots stripes, or cupcakes, you can pick up one of these handcrafted party essentials here. Plus they’ll customize it free of charge. $22

Save Your Sanity and Your Furniture

SunnyChanel — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:05:00 GMT

You’re getting ready to have a party for your kids. What do you worry about? Your house getting trashed. One way to spend more time at the party having fun than worrying about the status of your Eames chairs is to pick up the cardboard Birthday Party Table Set from Modern Lola.

This amazing set features six chairs and a table all made of a sturdy corrugated cardboard. It is decorated with black and white line drawings to busy those hands with coloring fun rather than other stress causing hijinx that could possibly ensue. It may be made of cardboard, but it’s extra strong. Recommended for ages 3 -10, but even the 2-year-olds will be keep busy with this temporary furniture set. So do your party a favor, and your mental health, invest in something that you don’t mind seeing destroyed. You can get it here for $99.

These Party Cups Will Be the Hit of the Party

Erin Behan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:15:00 GMT

I've purchased the slightly more "adult" version of these cups (after the jump) for a party myself, but I see no reason why kids can't get in on the action with their very own Pick Your Animal Nose Cup ($8 for 24, 12-ounce cups). In fact, these are the kind of cups that just might make your birthday party way cooler than that party with the pony. And while you're picking up silly drink cups, do make sure to get some of the Pick Your Nose cups ($9 for 24, 12-ounce cups) for your own partay.

Put Your Own Photo on Candy with My M&M's

Chris Ford — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:20:00 GMT

Looking for a party favor or birth announcement gift that you've absolutely never seen before? The melt-in-your-mouth-not-in-your-hand candy M&M's has recently launched "My M&M's," the customizable, printable chocolate. And it just might be that perfect party favor.

The process itself is pretty simple. You upload a photo to the web site, enter a message (if you want one) and it gives you a rough approximation of what the candy will look like. Then apparently a "graphic specialist will work with the photo(s) you uploaded to provide the best reproduction quality possible." Which means that it's more than a computer that will decide how the candy will look, which makes me trust the whole process a lot more.

It's not cheap, but it's not incredibly expensive either. They have all sorts of packaging options from gift bags, glass boxes to teddy bears, but the minimum order seems to be three 7 oz. bags for $12.99 each ($38.97). You can also get a five pound box for $162.50 or a ten pound box for $312.50, which seems like a lot, but for something like a wedding might be one of the less expensive things in the party budget.

Check out all the options at MyMMs.com.