michelle paige blogs: December 2012

Monday

Top 12 Posts of Michelle Paige

Top 12 Posts of Michelle Paige 2012

Thank you so much for reading my blog this year!
I appreciate all the comments and encouragement
to keep on going!
Blogging is a fun hobby for me and you may have noticed that I go in spurts.
Sometimes weeks are full of posts and other times, not so much.
Thanks for hanging in there with me...
you just never know what I'm up to!

Today I'm counting down the top 12 posts of the year.

Starting with Number 12:
Back to School Bash

My nieces were quite surprised when they came to visit and I had set up a school party with food, favors, games and a photobooth.
(I'm trying to win favorite aunt award...just kidding...sort of.)

Number 11:
Organizing a Crafty Kid's Room

I wish I could say that my son's room still looks this good.
I'm thinking we need another organizing overhaul for this year!
Number 10:
Make Your Own Driftwood Star--Easily

This was one of my favorite projects this year.
I love seeing a part of the beach every time I look at this.

Number 9:
Painted Glass Jars

This post is actually about my craft fail of painting baby food jars and then putting water in them. (Don't do this!)
They did look pretty for awhile and we enjoyed them at our Mother's Day festivities last year.

Numbers 8, 7 and 6 are all from the Valentine Link Party
I hosted last February.

Number 8: Mustache Valentines

A collection of mustache valentine ideas.
Number 7:
Valentines for Boys

Robots, army guys, darts and balloons are just some of the boy valentine ideas found at the link party.

Number 6:
Rockin' Valentine Link Party

Lots of wonderful, talented, creative bloggers linked up their valentine ideas in this post.

Number 5:
Sunday School Craft The Parable of the Lost Sheep

For some reason, any post I do on Sunday School crafts, seem to be pretty popular in the blog world. The problem is, I always forget to take my camera to Sunday School class.

Number 4:
Rockstar Birthday Party

This party was actually in pre-blogging days for my daughter's 9th birthday. She's now 12.

Number 3:
Father's Day Fishing Party

The funny thing about this party, is that we didn't celebrate on Father's Day, but on May 29th.
Sometimes you have to celebrate on whatever date you can get your family together!
Number 2:
LEGO Valentines

These were little valentine 'gifts' for my nephews.
I haven't even thought about what we'll do this year!

And the Number 1 viewed post of 2012 is my son's
Nerf Gun Party.

I still receive comments on this party from last March.
I'm not quite sure how I'm going to pull off another party as fun as this one?

What a year! Thanks for joining me! I hope you'll continue to read my blog in 2013.
Happy New Year!

Linking up to: DelightfullyNoted, AllStarBlockParty, GingerSnapCrafts, WinthropChronicles, WowMeWednesday, SweetLittleGals,

Sunday

New Year's Eve Party Decor and Food

I'm a bit behind on New Years' Eve this year.

Who knows what I'll come up with by tomorrow night?

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you last year's ideas.

(Just in case you missed them.)

For our New Year's Eve Decor, click here.

For our New Year's Eve Smashing Cake, click here.

For our New Year's Eve Fondue Menu, click here.

How are you celebrating this year?

Saturday

Quick Soap Gift for Christmas

Sharing another quick soap idea.

You know how I love the hand soaps from Bath & Body Works.

See this post.
Actually, I love everything from that store, but the hand soaps are my favorite!

They have such fun holiday scents this year.
The winter cranberry is lovely!
(You know a scent is a good one when the kids won't stop washing their hands!)

I made a tag on the computer and printed it out.
(Scroll down to bottom of post to print your own.)

Trim, hole punch and tie the tags onto a bottle of hand soap.
(I used red Baker's twine to tie it on.)

Add a big festive ribbon around the neck of the bottle for added flair! Hand deliver.

***Update December 2014:
By request, a friend asked to print out these tags. I didn't save the original file, so I made a new one. The tag looks similar, but a little smaller in size.

Click here to print your own.

Merry Christmas to you!

Friday

Last Minute 'Nutty' Neighbor Gift

I have to admit that many times the neighbors' gifts,
are the last ones I think about, plan for and make!

I usually put together a plate of cookies and treats,
but sometimes in the craziness of getting everything done, the baking doesn't happen...

Or, if you happen to have really healthy neighbors (we do!) they do NOT want the sweets!
Crazy, I know...but it's true.

Here's what I crafted up for our 'healthy' neighbors.

Yes, it's true...our family is a little nutty.
Yes, our neighbors are aware...it's nothing new.
We all have our own quirks
and our family has a few more quirks than most.

Plus, I love a good pun!

Gather up some ribbon, cellophane bags,
and an assortment of nuts.

Dump the nuts into cellophane bags and tie with ribbon.
(They look so much cuter this way!)

Make a tag, or just copy this one in a Word document.

Use cardstock to mat the tag.
Tape onto a big-sized popsicle stick.

Stick the bags of nuts and the cute tag into a Christmas bowl.

Deliver to your neighbors.
Merry Christmas!

Thursday

Quick Candy Cane Brownies

And just when you thought we were all 'candy cane-d' out
from the Candy Cane Party...

I present you with Quick Candy Cane Brownies!

Whip these up with a boxed brownie mix
and you'll have a super fast treat to give away or serve.

You could use any brownie recipe,
but when you're in a hurry (like I usally am)
use your favorite brownie boxed mix.

Follow the directions and bake a pan of brownies.
Let cool for about 3-4 minutes.

Then, place mini candy canes evenly spaced apart covering the pan. Push them down a bit to sink them into the brownie.

Cut the pan of brownies into squares.
Each candy cane should be centered in the middle of each square.
*Remember-- if cutting warm brownies, use a plastic knife!!

Dust the pan with a layer of powdered sugar!

The Birthday Girl helped me make these and package them up to give to her classmates.
I was shocked to learn that at her new private school,
homemade treats are allowed! Yay! (Unheard of around here.)

If you missed the many candy cane posts, stay awhile and visit.

More Candy Cane Party Posts:

Chocolate Chip Candy Cane Dipped Cookies

Easy, Decorated Styrofoam Trees

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

A Candy Cane Cake

A Candy Cane Party

Tuesday

A Candy Cane Themed Party

After many candy cane themed posts
(aimed to build up the excitement),

I'm finally ready to share my daughter's
Candy Cane Birthday Party.

If you missed the details of our
Candy Cane Party Decor post- click here.

First things, first...every party MUST have a photo booth.
That was our first task before the party started.

I hung wrapping paper in the corner for an instant backdrop.

Perfect for the girls to pose.

Next, was a treat making craft.
Candy Cane Marshmallow Dipped Sticks.

An assembly line was laid out on the counter for the girls.

Open candy canes, stick on a marshmallow, dip in chocolate, sprinkle on crushed candies.

When cooled and dried, the girls packaged them up
(4 marshmallow sticks to a bag)
to give to friends and family.

Next: Game time!
Candy cane games, of course.
(Ideas inspired by NBC's Minute To Win It.)

Very simple supplies needed:
candy canes, string, small candies, cards and wrapped boxes.

Face the Candy Cane

Begin with a candy cane on your forehead.
Without using your hands, get the candy cane into your mouth.
(Sounds easy enough, right? Ha!)

Candy Cane Elevator

Tape two candy canes together.
Attach a long piece of string on each end.
Keeping the candy cane level,
place 3 tiny candies on top of the candy cane.
Players wrap the string around their ears.
Starting at their waist level, they must pull the string
(behind their ears)
and bring the candy cane with the candies to their mouth.

Christmas Cliffhanger

Players must use the wrapped gift box to fan
their card across the table.
Object is to get the card to 'hang' on the end of the table without falling off.

Talk about challenging games!(There's no way I could go on that game show!)

After games, was gifts and food, followed by cake.

My 12 year old requested pizza and pop.

(I put baby carrots on the table, too...that's just the kind of mom I am.)

Click here to see the Candy Cane Cake.
Click here to see the decorated trees we made.
Click here to see the Candy Cane Sugar Cookies.
Click here to see the Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies.

And that was just getting the party started!

We then headed to Sky High--the trampoline place.