Pinterest Challenge #17: Autumn Wreath

I must've seen this wreath re-pinned on Pinterest about 100 times. Everyone loves it!

It looked easy enough, so I decided to try to make it myself. I bought a grapevine wreath, two bags of Spanish Moss, a roll of burlap garland and a handful of decorative mini pumpkins! An hour last Sunday afternoon and it was done--  It will hang on our door until a Christmas wreath goes up!

I think I need to add some pumpkins to mine. I would have preferred a 12" wreath, but all Michaels had was 18" wreaths. The etsy seller makes hers with one pumpkin for each person in your family, so mine has three-- for Rob, Liam & I, but I think I may add one for Jack and Chloe (our pup)!

http://pinterest.com/pin/234964665/

Pinterest Challenge #16: Halloween Bucket

I saw these Halloween buckets on Pinterest and fell in love with them! However, the pin was a link to an etsy shop and the seller charges $22 per bucket and $7 for shipping! Ouch!

So, I bought a small black bucket from Hobby Lobby for $2.50 (it had a Halloween sticker on one side that I was able to remove) and found an etsy seller who specializes in vinyl decals to cut me the circle, the initial, the name and the polka dots for $6! I have a Cricut and could have cut these myself, but I don't love the fonts that I have on my cartridges and buying one roll of vinyl would have cost me more than the decals did!

I can't wait for Liam to carry this Trick-or-Treating for the next few years (the bucket's only about 5" tall) and I ordered the decals to make one for Jack, too!

http://pinterest.com/pin/181411115/

Pinterest Challenge #15: Fishy Favors

I love clear pillow boxes. You can fill them with cute things, wrap a ribbon around them & slap on a cute label and you have a great party favor. I filled mine with goldfish... naturally. I wrapped an orange ribbon around them and a sticker with our fish logo.

http://pinterest.com/pin/59463241/

Pinterest Challenge #14: Bubbles

Bubbles with a personalized label seemed to be the party favor of choice for all recent 1st bday parties! I had to get in on the action-- I bought orange bottles of bubbles at Party City, removed the labels and replaced them with the ones I made (in PhotoShop).

http://pinterest.com/pin/45442218/

Pinterest Challenge #13: Napkin Rings

I love bright cutlery and napkins at a party or shower! Wrapping up a fork, spoon and knife in a napkins and holding it together with a napkin ring with a personalized label is a nice touch!

I bought teal cutlery & orange napkins. I printed teal polka dot paper strips (that matched the background of the invitation) to wrap around the napkins, then secured them with a round sticker with the goldfish logo and "Liam's First Birthday" on them.

http://pinterest.com/pin/239230072/

Pinterest Challenge #12: Cookies

When I saw these cookies, I knew I HAD to try to make them for the party. I'm not a baker, but I gave them a shot and while they're not perfect, I liked them and I'll definitely try decorating cookies with royal icing again! I learned a lot during my "trial run" and when I made them for the party.

These are sugar cookies, with blue royal icing flooded on the top. The fish are Goldfish Graham Crackers dipped in orange candy melts.

Cookie Idea: http://pinterest.com/pin/45410258/

Royal Icing Tutorial: http://pinterest.com/pin/69381900/

Pinterest Challenge #11: Birthday Banner

You can't have a first birthday party without a birthday banner! I loved these scalloped circles strung on ribbon, so I decided to make my own! I designed the circles with letters and fish in PhotoShop, printed, cut and strung them on an orange ribbon!

http://pinterest.com/pin/247468037/