Oh Crafty Day! #2 - Mug Tutorial

And the crafting continues!  The hobby horses were great gifts for the kiddos on my list, but for the adults on my list I wanted to provide a gift that was a bit more versatile, yet still unique and fun!  Again, my inspiration came from this Pin via Pinterest, and really this craft couldn't be simpler.  It's as easy as picking up some mugs from the Dollar Store, a few Sharpies, and finding a design, quote, or doodle that's to your liking.  Pop them in the oven and you have a personalized gift!

I found all my mugs at the Dollar Store and used several different
kinds of Sharpies - I figured a ceramic friendly kind would be best
and washed the mug thoroughly before starting.

Sometimes C is for...

Coffee! (I love Cookie Monster, but sometimes this is just
more appropriate)! After you're done drawing the design,
just pop in the oven at 350 for 30 min

I made these couple cups for my brother and sister-in-law.

When paired with some coffee and tea mixes and a movie they had
a cozy date night in kit!

I loved how the gold turned out on the black mug...

Remember to keep the design down far enough on the mug for
its owners lips not to touch where the Sharpie has been, unless
you know the marker you've used is non-toxic.

And, I wanted to add my own little touch on the handle :)

See, how easy was that?! Just in case you were wondering, these are best hand washed, not in the dishwasher (I speak from experience). Whether these are a gift for yourself, or for others, maybe party favors even, they are a great and easy way to customize and specialize the gift giving process!

Oh Crafty Day! #1 - Hobby Horse Tutorial

Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is filled with wonderful things for you all, and now that 2012 and the holidays are over, I can share those fun DIYs I teased you with in my previous blog!  I'm a crafty person by nature, and with the help of Pinterest, this holiday season's gifts didn't stand a chance; there was bound to be glitter, yarn, boas, and creativity galore!  Since I did quite a few, I'll break them down into separate blogs - I think these crafts are are great gift ideas for friends and family, and even for yourself, if you find yourself in need of a little TLC, as well as great inspiration pieces to get your mind going on a party, and are definitely adaptable for a Ballerina Birthday (I know I'll be using some of these for upcoming 2013 parties)!

Today I'll do the Hobby Horse tutorial, these hobby horses I made as Christmas gifts for my niece and nephew and I think were my favorites of all the crafts I did.  Here's the inspiration pin I found on Pinterest; I didn't follow all the directions from this pin (namely I used fabric glue instead of sewing, it worked just as well and so far the ponies have been played with and haven't fallen apart)!  Aren't they cute?!

Here they are! Pony Palls

Find a fuzzy sock and stuff it with something fluffy-
I used poly filled batting, but you can use pillow guts too.
Cut out nostrils from a sheet of Foamie material (from Michael's or the like),
and place a pair of googlie eyes about 5 inches above the nostrils.
I got my eyes and the fake eyelashes from the Dollar Store and
used fabric glue for all this!

Grab some yarn to make a bridle above the nostrils.
Just start wrapping it neatly around the sock, I wound
mine about 6-8 times.

Cut the ends on the backside of the face, leaving a little
extra room to tie a knot.

Tuck the ends in, and voila!

Next, attach the head to the pole.  For this horse I used the base
of a mop, since this one was for my nephew, who's not quite two
and I figured it'd be easier for him to hold and pick up, but
for the girly-er horse I used a thicker dowel.  Use that fabric glue
on the inside of the sock and slide the top of the dowel up the sock
and hold it all together with your hand for a minute or two.
Then, for extra stability, use your yarn and start wrapping
it around the neck.

Do this several times up and down the neck and cut the ends
to tuck them in like you did for the bridle.  It's ok if this
doesn't look perfect, the mane will cover it later, or you can
tie a bow here to cover it up.

Here's what it looks like on the base of the mop.

Cut out some ears from that same Foamie sheet and glue them
to the top of the head.

Attach the ears where you like them and then cover
the back of the head with fabric glue to attach the
boa.  For this purple boa, I folded it over to make 4 shorter strands
Here's what it looks like on my girly pony.

For the reins on the girly horse I used heart beads and for the
more many horse I used gold Christmas garland.  Attach the
ends on either side of the bridle.  Here I did take a few
small stitches into the sock to attach the reins to the bridle.

Here's the bridle from the side, and you can see how
the boa fluffs out nicely, and just for fun I added
a clip on butterfly!

Seeing the faces of my niece and nephew on Christmas was priceless, and watching them cowboy and cowgirl around the house the rest of the afternoon was wonderful.  I also attached a little story to these guys, telling their new owners that their new pals needed a name and lots of TLC to ensure epic adventures.  I can't wait to make some more of these, I think they'll be a great addition to Ballerina Birthday props!

Holiday Giving and Crafting

I can't believe Christmas is in one week!  December seems to just have flown by, and although I've got most of my shopping and crafting completed, there's a few things left on my to-do list, not to mention baking, wrapping... oh my!
In any case, this has been a crafty holiday season for me, in part because of Pinterest.  My love of Pinterest knows no bounds and is both a blessing and a curse, but at this time of year definitely a blessing for all the fantastic ideas and inspiration it provides!
While I can't post any of my finished products yet (I don't want to give wandering eyes of family and friends who may read this the scoop on their gifts!) I can share some of the giving and crafting ideas that motivated me this season.  Don't worry, a full report of my crafting adventures (and mishaps) will appear here as soon as wrappings have been cleared away and gifts have been handed out!  So here are a few of my favorites, check out more by following me on Pinterest! 

From Whit and Whistle - love these chalkboard mugs!

I love to personalize things, especially gifts.  These chalkboard mugs seemed like a great way to do just that, and encourage the recipients creative juices to flow - they can mark it up however they like!  Michael's carries the Martha Stewart line, which has a good non-toxic chalkboard paint.

I also love a little glitter, and holidays are the perfect excuse to glitter things up in my opinion!  These sparkly votives are super easy to make, and you just might find some fun ways to add your own flare as you start experimenting, like I did, but more on that to come!

From Namesake Design - DIY sparkly votives

I hope these have provided some inspiration for some of you in need of a little divine intervention on gift giving ideas.  And, if all else fails, just remember .....

Via deanmorriscards.co.uk on Pinterest

Nutcracker - Streaming Live!

Hey everyone! Just found this via the Ballet News Facebook site and thought it was too great not to pass along.  If you're not making it to a Nutcracker this year, or just can't wait another second to get some Tchaikovsky into your system, Staatsoper.TV will be streaming John Neumeier's Nutcracker tonight!  Here's the link with all the info, hope you can check it out and Happy Nutcrackering! 

Photo by Wilfried Hosel

Sugar Plum Party on Pretty Ponderations!

My good friend Janice has a wonderful blog called Pretty Ponderations.  (I'm sure you've heard me talk about Janice and Pretty Ponderations before, both she and her blog have been constant sources of inspiration for me over the years).
Check out her post on our Sugar Plum Party here.  Remember, there are only a few weeks left in December!  Don't miss out on this great offer and sweet event, book your party now!

Holiday Reading for Party Planning

Happy belated Thanksgiving!  I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and that you're still nibbling away at those yummy leftovers! 
As the creator of The Ballerina Birthday, I obviously love a party.  Holiday parties have a special place in my heart as well, since the Christmas season is one of my favorites.  (It's one of the things that inspired me to create our Sugar Plum Party! Have you checked it out yet?!)
I'm sure I inherited my love of the holidays from my Mom, our family has always made a point to dress up our house, meals, crafts, and parties around the holidays.  It's a tradition that I love, and one I'm sure I'll pass on to my own family someday.
I also inherited my love of books from my Mom, she has a huge collection, and she especially loves cookbooks and entertaining books. I've been known to snoop in her collection from time to time, and I've found two new books that I think are great especially at this time of year, with parties and events and gift giving opportunities around every corner.
Pippa Middleton really captured the media's attention by being her sister Kate's Maid of Honor at the oh-so-memorable Royal Wedding last year.  Ever since then I've had a slight fascination with these sisters; they are both so elegant and chic, and as I dove into Pippa's new book, Celebrate, I came to like and respect her even more.  I love that her introduction opens with this:

"It's a bit startling to achieve global recognition (if that's the right word) before the age of thirty, on account of your sister, your brother-in-law and your bottom."

Classy, witty, and well-spoken.  I love her!  With years of experience working at her parents business and within the London event planning industry, Pippa offers not only useful tips, observations and ideas on hostessing, but history on events and holidays celebrated in the UK, which I found particularly interesting.  The pages are filled with beautiful photographs as well, taken by David Loftus.

Another great book I've found is Cupcakes and Cashmere.  Inspired by her very successful blog of the same name, Emily Schuman gathered some of her most popular blog posts, some additional in-depth tips, tricks and tutorials on staying organized and getting the most out of each season, and great photographs into her book.  I love that this book offers ideas not only on organization and hosting parties and gatherings, but tips on fun seasonal make-up, and festive wardrobe looks.

If you're looking to host either a grown up holiday party, or a kid-friendly festive gathering, both of these will get your planning wheels turning and inject a good dose of party planning excitement into your process!

A Sweet Sugar Plum Party

My holiday gift and to-do list has been in development since September, and now that it's November, I can feel the buzz of the holidays in the air!  

I'm excited to announce The Ballerina Birthday will be a new offering a new holiday themed party for the 2012 Holiday Season: The Sugar Plum Party!  Treat your Sugar Plum and her friends to a festive party that's sure to sparkle and delight!

The Sugar Plum Party will draw its inspiration from the holiday classic story of The Nutcracker.  Have this timeless story read aloud for 10 of your guests, who will be dressed to the nines in our fantastic tutus and dress up items that make our parties so unique.  Party leaders will guide guests through dancing their own version of The Nutcracker, using Tchaikovsky's music and interactive props!  End the afternoon with a special holiday craft that guests take home to remember their special day!

This is a seasonal and limited offer, and one we're confident will make your holiday season magical.  Bookings are limited, but we have a few select weekends still available! Additionally, if you book a  Sugar Plum Party before December 1, receive 15% off the Performance Fee!  We're also extending this offer to any Ballerina Birthday Party!  We can't wait to celebrate the holidays with you!

A Sugar Plum Fairy Wand: just one of the crafts guests

can do at the Sugar Plum Party!

A plum-y tutu perfect for The Kingdom of Sweets!