Our younger daughter turned 11 this weekend, and she invited a few friends over to celebrate. This lover of art decided to have an arts and crafts themed slumber party. As we bumped around the internet for ideas, we came across momof6.com. This website provides great inspiration for parties hosted at home. Though our daughter chose activities we have done in the past , I wanted to mention the site as a wonderful resource for inspiration.
Tie Dye Pillowcases
I bought pillowcases at a discount store (2 for $2), and I purchased a Tulip Paradise Punch Tie Dye Kit. After washing the pillowcases, I swirled the fabric and secured each with three rubber bands, following the instructions shown in the kit's directions. With the pillowcases prepared, the girls only had to douse them with dye during the party. NOTE: While I did wash the pillowcases, I did not use soda ash. We did not use plastic wrap. Instead, we placed each tie dyed pillowcase in a gallon-size zippie bag and let them sit overnight. The next morning, I rinsed the pillowcases in cold water. Be sure to wear gloves! I tossed all of the pillowcases in the washer and ran them through a quick cycle, using hot water. I then threw them in the dryer, pulling them out well in advance of the parents' arrival. As I revealed the designs to the girls, I made sure to emphasize how they all started with the same twisted fabric and the same colors of dye, though their pillowcases turned out differently - each unique and beautiful - just like them.
Alcohol-Inked Ceramic Tiles
Last year, our older daughter and I attended Books by the Banks in Cincinnati, and she had an opportunity to create an alcohol-inked ceramic tile. The instructions are detailed here, but I thought I'd show one tile created during the party this weekend.
Sketchbook Party Favors
Our daughter loves to draw, and she has many how-to books that have helped her learn to draw Disney Characters , horses, Dogs & Puppies, and zoo animals. During the party, she wanted to teach her friends how to draw her favorites. I found sketch pads on clearance and made a cover sheet to personalize one for each girl. I downloaded a free Disney font (this one is "New Walt Disney") and then found sketches of some of her favorite Disney and Pixar characters to copy and paste into a Word document I later printed and glued to the cover. The girls enjoyed drawing, and I instructed them to search for tutorials online at home with permission from a parent or caregiver.
We served pasta, meatballs, garlic bread, and salad for dinner, birthday cake for a snack, and donuts and strawberries for breakfast. When we weren't working on crafts, the girls played games they had created during recess at school. Though our kitchen got a little messy, the girls had a great time! Maybe Scout troops could incorporate these activities into a holiday party. Maybe they could complete badge steps in the process. If you give them a try, I hope you have fun with the kids! Thank you for reading.
