My Preschool Daze: Awesome October Giveaway: Binder Clips from KuteKl...

My Preschool Daze: Awesome October Giveaway: Binder Clips from KuteKl...:  Congratulations to Diane B. on winning last week's contest for the teacher key chains from The Pink Pouch!  Now for this week's p...

Wizard of Oz Party

My baby girl turned 9 years old today. Ash wanted to have a Wizard of Oz themed party last year but we couldn't due to moving into our new home the same week. So I told her this year we'd do it, and we did, and it was great fun.

I got a lot of inspiration from the movie, of course, and from Pinterest (imagine). And plenty of help from my husband, sisters, mom, and even a co-worker. Theme parties take a lot of work and all who helped or loaned items to me are greatly appreciated. :)

Wish the photos were better quality. Just try to imagine eight or so sugar-hyped little girls in costumes armed with body glitter, sparkle hairspray, and a healthy dose  of imagination, and you have the perfect recipe for silly, giggly, girly fun.

Ash as Dorothy and my sis Em as Glinda (she really is Ash's "Auntie Em")

 

Some of our girls came in costume. Some adults dressed up as well. 

We had every character except the Tin Man.

Jarred playing the Scarecrow was a big hit with not only the girls but the crowds that drove past.

He changed positions when cars went by and freaked out a whole lot of innocent children. lol

Mrs. Amanda became our adult Dorothy thanks to one of our 

daycare moms lending us the costume.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! No wait, it's just tween girls

waiting to party. :)

"I'll get you my pretty!" 

(thanks to my sister Nessa for playing the role 

of the Wicked Witch of the West)

 I had a lot of fun making the goody bag station, or as I called it, the Munchkin Land Sweet Shoppe.
Since I can't locate my photo (pooh!) I'll have to describe it to you. I placed a green table cloth out and used brightly-colored bowls as containers. I bought Wizard of Oz food party labels that you edit and print yourself from Etsy seller Sassaby and made my own custom labels. Each bowl had a corresponding label on it.

 I set out licorice sticks (Witch Legs), Dum Dum suckers (lolly pops), animal cookies (Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!), bubble gum balls (Glinda bubbles), sour rainbow straps (rainbow candy), and Hershey's Kisses (tin man hats). I found some really cute witch leg themed goody bags at Walmart and set them out with a sign that said "Thank you for coming to my party. Love, Ashleigh. Fill up a treat bag to take home."

Instead of a cake from the store, Ash helped me bake 48 cupcakes which we frosted 

and arranged into a rainbow. We used marshmallows for the clouds. I found some super-cute 

Ruby Slipper bookmark/cupcake picks on Ebay.

Thanks to a couple of trips to McDonalds and a few shopping evenings on Ebay 

we had the full Happy Meal toy set of the Wizard.

Our party table was decorated in a Kansas farm picnic theme. I served two kind of sandwiches, plus Kansas Tornados (Bugles), Scarecrow Stuffing (pretzels), and Yellow Bricks from the Road (cheese puffs). We decorated with gingham, baskets, mini straw hats, and signs I printed off the internet.

With the addition of a red-checked napkin this basket became a pretty silverware server. I added in more labels from the ones I ordered from Etsy seller Sassyby.

Thanks to the cute Ebay find high-heel cookie cutter in the top right of the photo, 

we had peanut butter and jelly "Ruby slipper sandwiches".

Ash already had a basket and a Toto toy from our local Goodwill so we used those to decorate the gift table. I also left a white t-shirt and Sharpies on that table for the guests to sign. That shirt became one of Ash's favorite things.

Ding, dong, the witch is dead! We stuffed some stripey tights and used the shoes 

Ash outgrew to make the Wicked Witch of the East.

A Dollar Tree Scarecrow plus a sign printed off the internet points the way to Munchkin Land

 (I kept this as a decoration outside my pre-k classroom door).

My sister drew random bricks on the daycare walkway and left messages such as "Follow the yellow brick road" and "To Oz".

My sweetie, the Scarecrow, who directed traffic into the daycare parking lot.

Dorothy and the Scarecrow.

The party goers played Melt the Witch (with a bucket of ice water and sponges).

Then we went over to the Oz jewelry shop to craft bottlecap necklaces using graphics I got from two Etsy sellers, Pretty as a Pixel and PinkLimeadeD.

And last of all we had fun at Glinda's beauty shop, because goodness, one can't see the Wizard without getting a little mani/pedi/hairstyling. Armed with colored hairspray, face glitter, and nailpolishes in shades such as Glow-in-the-Dark, Ruby Slipper Red, Wicked Emeralds, and Prairie Sky Blue, my sister Emily (aka Glinda) blinged the girls out and made them look FAB-U-LUS!

I really enjoyed pulling this party together. I have always loved themes...themes in my classroom lessons, themes in decorating, and themes in parties. I had as much fun as the girls did.:)

Later on I'll be reviewing past theme parties I've done such as Blues Clues, Hello Kitty, Pink Poodles in Paris, and more, so come back again.

Blessings,

Lynn

It's Autumn at the Foster house

 Well, autumn is here and appears to be a fun-filled month from the looks of my calendar. My daughter and sister's birthdays, school pictures, homework, field trips to the Pumpkin Patch, our first ever "Three Sisters Do Pinterest" Party....just lots going on.

 I have really enjoyed our Autumn weather. I love fall; it is by far, my favorite season. October days make me smile. My family has been enjoying playing some badminton each night now that the humid days are over. And even the dogs are happy walking in this cooler weather. The air smells crisper and fresher. I like the slight chill that hangs over us at dusk and the golden sunshine we have all day long. The pecans have started dropping off our tree, and we are just waiting for the leaves to change colors so we can do my son's senior photo shoot with JBash Photography. It's that time for apple pies, sweaters, and pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins.

October will be hectic for me also with the celebration of my daughter's 9th birthday with a Wizard of Oz Party. I am daily Pinning and adding ideas. I think it will be a lot of fun. I adore themed parties. I hope to get lots of good pictures to post on here. :)

 My friends and fellow Pinners have been making some pretty fall items, such as painted pumpkins and DIY scarves. I've been thinking lately that I wish I had some time to go back and re-open my Etsy stores. Every time I get on there or on Pinterest I see things I could be making and selling, if I only had the time to craft and list the stuff. My husband's shop is also home to my crafting area that he so thoughtfully set up for me when we moved here last October. It's filled with all sorts of supplies, including a lovely Cricut machine, just waiting to be used. Someday I keep telling myself, someday.

The newest thing I'd like to try is a t-shirt scarf. These look so cool. They were made by my friend and co-worker Michelle, and her daughter. Aren't they great?

Another place I wish I could make items for is Teachers Pay Teachers. I think I could learn how to, again, if I just had the time. But I am into my 3rd year of college and most of my classes now are very task-oriented and project-laden, versus just studying for and passing an exam. Those were the good days. *sigh* I was told that in order to pass this semester I will need to complete one project PER WEEK. Bye bye blogging!
Bye bye home-cooked meals. Bye bye family. I could really get down if I thought about it much but I just keep reminding myself that higher education will pay off one day and it will all be worth it. Praying daily for the Lord's mercy and grace to see me and my family through my last two years.

 I still miss homeschooling though. Seems strange to say coming from one who is studying to become a licensed TN teacher! :) I keep thinking my sons got the best of my time when they were little but my daughter got "jipped" some. I do hope that I am able to install a love of learning and a firm footing in the faith in her, despite the fact she doesn't get as much mommy time as the boys did.

 The new church year is about to begin and I am a little overwhelmed. I have desired and felt called to teach a missions class for the two years we've been members, which I am now doing. But I also became involved with the youth on Sundays and Wednesdays. I need God to s-t-r-e-t-c-h my hours so I can accommodate all these good things and still get 5-6 hours of sleep! lol Ya'll ever feel that way? But when we serve Him, He is good to supply our needs. :)

 I have also stayed busy lately gathering donations from lovely Etsy sellers to donate on my other blog, My Preschool Daze. I've given away tool belts, learning games, and key chains all geared towards educators. I have plenty more donations lined up to carry me through the fall, so come on over and check it out. My Preschool Daze
This week's give away is a set of two adorable key chains:

 I've also been blessed with a business opportunity and a way to minister all at once. I have a new online store selling Bibles, homeschool supplies, church supplies, VBS, home decor, jewelry, books, you name it. It's like walking into a Christian bookstore, only minus the walk. ;) Please check it out and spread the word to family and friends and churches for me.

All Things New Christian Books

Hope your autumn is golden and radiant!
Lynn

New Christian Bookstore online

I am very excited to announce the opening of my new online Christian bookstore. It is called All Things New Christian Books. I have thousands of items in stock, most at a discount. If you or your church need supplies, please consider shopping with me.

All Things New Christian Books


I carry Bibles, homeschooling supplies, Bible bags and covers, jewelry, apparel, music, DVD's, learning games, pulpit and church supply, VBS resources, home decor, study guides, fiction and non-fiction books, and SO MUCH MORE!

Please pass this link along to your family, friends, and churches.

Blessings,
Lynn