I thought this was a cute and easy way to give something the kids would be excited about (the candy) as well as something they could use this summer (the scoop, shovel or sand sifter). What kid doesn’t love to dig? Put your candy in the scoop, insert the whole shebang into a small (approx 4×8″) cello bag, tie off with twist tie or rubberband, and add cute ribbon and tag. Voila!

I was pretty pleased with the way these came out. Days later,  I saw a similar picture on Pinterest, and now I don’t know which came first. Did Pinterest plant the seed in my subconscious or is there some other crafty momma on the same wave length? Who’s to say at this point?

I can def claim credit for this cute tag though. I was there. I saw me make it. It says, “It’s Summertime! Can you dig it?”

I can also claim credit for this tag I whipped up for the treats Lauren’s son handed out. Moon Dough!

It reads, “Summer’s here! I’m over the moon. Have a blast and let’s play soon!” Lauren also included contact info for summer playdates, which I think is a cute touch.

She wrapped it all up space-age style with cosmic ribbon and stars. The contents were somewhat concealed so there wouldn’t be any fighting over the colors. You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit!

Quick. Easy. Inexpensive. Festive. Happy Summer!

]]> http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/05/23/summertime-classroom-treats/feed/ 0 http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/05/22/watermelon-packaging/ http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/05/22/watermelon-packaging/#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 18:50:40 +0000 Administrator http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/?p=1939 Just ran across a picture of a quick and easy summertime packaging I whipped up for year-end gifts last year.

If you’re even slightly crafty, there’s a good chance you have all the items you’ll need lying around your house. Yea!

You’ll need:

• green handled bag
• red- or melon-colored tissue paper
• black Sharpie marker
• 1 to 2 inch circle punch or scalloped circle punch

Draw “seeds” in marker on the visible ends of your tissue paper. Then, use a circle or scalloped punch to mimic bite marks along the top of the bag.

I finished mine off with a version of these gift enclosures and a matching grosgrain ribbon tie. What a fun and simple way to spiff up a gift for teachers or instructors when you’re breaking for the summer. It’s fun gift wrap for summer birthday present or for a hostess gift for a summertime soiree. It seriously could not be easier, and I don’t know about you, but I am all about something that looks like it took lots of effort but didn’t.

Happy summer!

Here are two versions sure to tickle your Granddaddy, Pop, PawPaw, Gramps or Grandpa’s funnybone!

Top Pop Casual Granddad Printable

Meet My Granddad Tie Printable 2012

Enjoy!

I seriously want to eat him up. I played around with several invitation options, some more design-driven and less newspaperesque than others. In the end, it was this straight-laced, traditional layout and journalistic style of copy that won out. I think it’s playful and unexpected, which sort of makes the whole invitation a bit more whimsical, no? What do you think?

I’ve got several versions of that printable floating around. Some of them are year-specific. Some are not. All have a yellow tie design running down the center. I guess it’s sort of an antiquated notion that ties represent dads though. My husband wears a suit and tie to work. Every. Single. Day. Many dads don’t though, and I’m sure they are glad for it! I know I would be. I’ve just finished an updated version: Dad in t-shirt. Top Pop. I’ve switched up the questions a bit and added a place for your kiddo’s name, age and the year as well. Enjoy!

Download it here:Meet My Dad Printable or here.

Here’s the Granddad version.

]]> http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/05/03/fathers-day-printable-meet-my-dad/feed/ 2 http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/04/06/hoppin-bunny-pops/ http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2012/04/06/hoppin-bunny-pops/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:58:41 +0000 Administrator http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/?p=1893 Things have been so busy around here that I haven’t had time for my usual holiday merrymaking. I’ve always been a big fan of Easter and Springtime, probably because I’m an April baby.

While combing the seasonal aisles at Target a few weeks back, I bought one of these inexpensive bunny-shaped chocolate molds.

I rediscovered them Wednesday and decided to make some time to try them before Easter was long gone. I was so tickled with the way the first tray turned out that I made a few more sets for my daughter to share with preschool friends.

In addition to the candy mold costing less than $3, I thought it was super easy to use. I ended up going back to the store to buy three more sets of molds so I could make more than five bunnies at a time.  I also loved that the directions called for real chocolate, which I much prefer the taste of candy melts.

Here’s are list of the supplies I used:

Chocolate chips

GulfWax, optional

Squirt bottle

Lollipop sticks, 5 inches long

Lollipop cello bags and ties

Decorative ribbon

I melted one bag of chocolate chips and 1/8 of a bar of GulfWax in a double boiler, The GulfWax helped to thin the chocolate a little and also gave the finished product a bit of a glossy shine. Using a funnel, I poured the melted chocolate into a squirt bottle.  I have umpteen of them left over from Caroline’s candy house party.

I filled the molds then added the sucker sticks, covering the end of the stick with more chocolate. I gave the tray a final tap on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles and level out the chocolate. Then, I put them in the freezer to set.  I was nervous, but they popped out of the molds really easily.

Here’s another look at the finished product.

I think they turned out super adorable. We took them to the Easter party yesterday, and the kids devoured them! I started thinking about how cute it would be to play with different flavors and colors, using butterscotch, white chocolate, or maybe even peanut butter chips to create calico bunnies.

Totally adorable for a birthday party favor or as adult favors for a baby shower too.  So what are you waiting for? Get yourself to Target before they’re all gone. Just don’t go to my Target. I already cleaned them out.

Here’s the invitation I created for the big day.

Gina made this moss “A” for the door to greet the party goers. Love.

Here’s the beautiful buffet table filled with all sorts of adorable goodness.

Like these sweet bunny sandwiches. If you’ve ever attempted sandwiches with cookie cutters then you know this wasn’t easy. If not, it’s much harder than you might think!

And how sweet are these carrot silverware treatments? So festive!

I love the natural neutrals of the bristle bottle brush bunnies with the bright colors of Spring here.

After getting rained out the previous year, Gina was brave enough to try her luck with another outdoor party and, boy, did this one ever pay off! Loving all that green.

Here’s a close-up of the centerpiece–Spring branches hung with decorative eggs!

Gina used these natural cups with lids from Think Garnish and decorated them with these little cottontails. No spill!

I love this decorative galvanized accent too. So bright and fun!

Here’s the birthday girl, Ava, getting ready to eat. I adore those cabbage leaf chargers!

The entertainment was a traveling petting zoo. The children were able to pet the goats, ducks and bunnies too!

Ava and her dad got up close and personal with this snuggly little bunny.

Here’s a peek at the birthday girl’s little smash cake.  So sweet and simple. Love the fondant tag detail with the writing.

Guests took home their eggs and a pair of these adorable bunny britches stuffed full of goodies.

The tag read, “I’ve been on the hunt for a sweet friend like you!”

A beautiful day for a beautiful girl turning 2. Can’t wait to share pictures from another party Gina is hosting soon. It’ll be wild. Stay tuned!

Here’s a peek at the invitations, just delivered! I love the craft envelopes.

Being an April baby, Spring is my fave time of year, so I am a touch giddy to see how it all turns out. Stay tuned…

I have a wonderful lady that I’ve worked with for a couple of years now. She came to me online after seeing Lauren’s son’s bug party. She is full of exuberance and fun ideas for celebrating her kids’ birthdays. Her enthusiasm is catching, and Lauren and I have had the pleasure of doing several party plans for her. The latest was for her daughter, Maddee’s 3rd birthday celebration. These custom design options may look familiar. They were completed around the same time as the vintage fishing invitations I worked on. They have some of the same design elements and a bit of a throwback feel.

We tossed around a few ideas all centering around a petting zoo. We had all but landed on a County Fair theme. The only hangup was that her daughter was hoping for some sort of princess element, as almost three-year-old girls are prone to do. Because it was in the fall, we were able to play around with angles like the party being a Harvest Festival, the party activities being things you’d do and see at a local fair, and the birthday girl being “crowned” the festival princess to satisfy that element of her party wishes. I also tried some poster-style versions, being the time of year the fair comes to town. Here are the invitation options I designed.

I can tell you which version of the invitation they went with for the party, but first I’d like to hear which is your favorite. I’m trying to decide which options to add to the online store. So let me hear about which you like best and why.

This last one was the one Emily decided on. She felt it best incorporated her “Hooked on 4″ idea.

Enjoy the pictures Emily shared and the party details as told by her!

—–

We have a pond in our backyard and we often walk down to feed the fish and just play around in the water. Jack loves being outside, playing in the dirt, picking up worms and of course “hooking” up anything he can scoop up in his net. I also share the same passion for being outdoors and close to the water. I am from the Coast, and my Dad’s parents always had us on the water!

When I began tossing the idea around as a possibility,  I thought it would be fun to incorporate some of our family heirloom pictures, cane poles and cast nets that belonged to both my Granddaddy and Papa. I started to think of colors and wanted to create a vintage, simple, classic look.

After shopping around on the internet and in and out of stationery stores, I remembered Pink Peppermint’s wonderful creations! Eleanor helped bring my idea to life and the party was fabulous! We had a fish fry to celebrate “our fly guy” and I put snack chips in an old fishing basket – “fish and chips.”

We also served boiled shrimp and smoked tuna dip. For our non-seafood guest, we served corn dip, party sandwiches and cupcakes, of course!

I had a galvanized oval tub and filled it with water and plastic fish. I attached a mini tin bucket to a cane pole with fishing line to scoop up the fish for a fun activity!

I decorated these mason jars with red raffia and had Swedish fish and gummy worms for their “fresh catch” or their “live bait”…This was a huge hit!  There wasn’t a fish or gummy worm left over!!!

Adorable party, Emily! Thanks for letting me be involved, and a happy 4th year to Jack! I think as the weather continues to warm up, this is a great theme to keep in mind for spring and summer months too!