Category: Disney-Inspired Crafts

Flying High with a Pizza Pie Planes Party! {Free Printable Menu Cards & More}

Planes Pizza Party

Are you going to see Disney Planes Fire & Rescue this weekend?  We’ll be there!

To say my son, Gavin loves airplanes, would be an understatement.  There isn’t a day that goes by when discussing planes or something that flies isn’t part of our conversation and aviation is a staple in almost every play activity.  This seven-year-old boy goes through flying toys as if he’s changing clothing.  It’s not because he doesn’t take care of his toys, he wears them out or the plane gets stuck in a tree.  With the movie release of Disney Planes last year (see my review here), Gavin’s love of airplanes unbelievably grew and he immediately started asking when Planes Fire & Rescue would be in the theater.  Well, the movie release week has finally arrived!

To celebrate this exciting event I put together a couple “Free Printable” Planes-inspired items that I created and party planning tips to help you host a Pre-Show “Flying High with a Pizza Pie” Planes Party for your little aviators and their friends!

 Planes Themed Pizza!

planes pizza menu

There are so many different types of pizza that you can have at a pizza party!  Try offering the kids specialty pizza and place these silly menu cards close by.  It’ll give young readers a chuckle or two before choosing their pizza.

  • Chicken Wing-man Pizza
  • Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Flying Pizza
  • Ham & Cheesy Flight Attendants Pizza
  • Pepperoni Pie In The Sky Pizza
  • Flying High Cheese Pizza Pie

I’ve created this set of FREE printable pizza party menu cards for you to use. (For Personal Use Only)  Simply print the Planes Pizza Party file (found below) on white card stock, cut the orange and blue colored cards out and fold along the white line.

Click on the Planes “Pizza Party Menu Cards” link for the five piece printable menu cards.

Planes Pizza Party Menu Cards

Dessert!

Planes cupcakesI made these Planes-inspired cupcakes for my son’s birthday party last year.  Check out the super simple cloud icing tutorial for these soaring cupcakes here!

Dusty cookie popsAnother Planes-inspired dessert option are these Dusty Cookie Pops.  You can see my simple tutorial here!

Decor! {Free Printable Template}

Now that you’ve got the food covered, time to decorate the food table! Add a simple planes garland to the front of your food table, to complete your pizza party table.

Airplane Garland template

You can download the airplane template here!

 Trace the template on orange and blue card stock for the airplanes to match the menu cards.  Then add blue and orange table wear and your party will be soaring!

Still looking for more Planes party ideas?

Check out my son’s planes-themed birthday party here!

Check In Desk (Presents!)

Now you’re ready to have the perfect Pre-show Planes-inspired Pizza Party!  Enjoy your party and then off to show!

Mod Podge Collage Clay DIY: Frozen-Inspired Princess Wand

Mod Podge Collage Clay Wand

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by Plaid Crafts (Mod Podge) and The Blueprint Social. The project idea and opinions of Plaid Crafts products are 100% mine.  Collage Clay is NOT recommended for children ages 12 and under, and the product is NOT edible. Small parts are a choking hazard for children.

The Magic of Mod Podge Collage Clay

Despite Olaf’s “Warm Hug” heat outside, our television continues to play to the chilly tune of Disney’s hit animated film, “FROZEN”.  I think we all can agree that this film, and every single product related to the film, isn’t frozen but instead it’s HOT!  So popular are these items that they disappear from shelves almost as soon as store employees take the products out of their shipment boxes.  The hunt for “Frozen” related items is often forefront in my mind when I’m out shopping. So as you might expect, when I gazed upon fluffy white Mod Podge Collage Clay, sparkly silver and bright blue Mod Melts, and over-sized jewel Mod Molds, I instantly thought of “Frozen”.  Instead of searching for a “Frozen” product to purchase, I decided to make my own “Frozen”-INSPIRED item!  I simply couldn’t wait to work on a Decoden project that would celebrate the famous Ice Queen.

Wondering what Decoden is?

Decoden is the art of decorating ANYTHING with trinkets, and “the more the merrier” is the name of the game in designing an over the top look in this 3-D collage technique.  You can use Collage Clay with Mod Melts, buttons, rhinestones, and anything else you can think of!  On top of your design add extra drama and dimension by using Drizzle Paint  or make the project really sparkle with Podgable Glitters.  Go for total indulgence – it’s welcome in Decoden!

Here’s how I made this “Frozen“-Inspired Princess Wand

Last week my daughter and I were out shopping and came across a wooden snowflake ornament (yes, in July!)  Victoria immediately associated it with the movie “Frozen” and she wanted it.  I instantly wanted to use it for this Decoden project!  We went straight home with our snowflake ornament and a wooden dowel.  My daughter took her nap and I was done making a “Frozen”-Inspired wand by the time she was up!  It was that simple AND so much fun!  Here are eight simple steps to help you create a Decoden Princess Wand too!

Step 1:  Start by gathering up all of your supplies.

I was so pleased to have received from Plaid Crafts two packages of Mod Melts  and three different Mod Molds  to use for this project.  Mod Melts are used with a high temp mini glue gun to create embellishments by applying the melts into the easy-to-use and durable silicone Mod Molds.  I used Mod Melts from both packs but only used the Gem and Sea Life Mod Molds for this project.

Mod Podge Supplies

Here’s the complete list of supplies needed for this project:

  • Snowflake ornament
  • Wooden Dowel
  • White Paint
  • White Mod Podge Collage Clay (Also available in the trend right color, Strawberry Pink, but I chose White, for obvious reasons.)
  • Blue and Glittery Silver Mod Podge Melts
  • Mod Podge Gem and Sea Life Molds
  • One Disney Frozen character button pin
  • High Temp Mini Glue Gun

Step 2: Make Embellishments using Mod Melts and Mod Molds

I opened both bags of Mod Melts and picked out the most beautiful glittery silver from one and bright icy blue Mod Melts from the other. With the help of my trusty glue gun, I got right to work making gems with the mod mold.

Mod Melts with Mod Mold

After allowing the mod mold to cool down for ten minutes, the gems easily popped right out! There wasn’t an ounce of mess left behind, so I filled them again to make more.

To create the snowflake embellishment, fill the starfish Mod Mold completely and then add the additional snowflake spokes to the starfish while it is still hot.  Then at the end of each point, add an additional dab of the Mod Melt.  My snowflakes each have ten points.

Step 3:  Paint the wooden dowel white.

Mod Podge Molds Embellishments

Step 4: While the paint is drying, lay out your Decoden design idea to make sure you like the look before you start applying the Collage Clay.

Preparing for Mod Podge Collage Clay

 Now the fun really begins!  Time to get out the College Clay!

Collage Clay is a lightweight whipped clay that can be used in all kinds of assemblage arts, like Decoden, 3D Collage, and 3D Stenciling.  Included in each box is a Star Tip, Round Tip and a Wavy Tip, similar to the tips you’d use for decorating with icing.    Honestly, the white Collage Clay really did look like icing, so much so, that my seven year old son said, “Can I have a bite?”.  And that is why Mod Podge Collage Clay is not recommended for children 12 and under.  As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Collage Clay is NOT edible. Mod Podge Collage Clay

Step 5:  Place aside the embellishments, attach the Star Tip to the Collage Clay bag, and apply it to the wooden snowflake.

Working with the Collage Clay was just like piping icing onto a cake.  Once I piped my design onto the snowflake, all I had to do was place the embellishments onto the clay. It was that easy and a lot of fun.  It was so simple and quick that I found myself searching around the house for other items I could decorate!

Step 6: Add Embellishments to the Collage Clay

Mod Podge Collage Clay

Step 7: Secure the wooden dowel to the back of the snowflake with the help of a glue gun and some left over Mod Melts.

Step 8: For the final touches, add embellishment beads and ribbon to the painted wooden dowel.

One final tip:   The Collage Clay does not set quickly.  Within the first hour the clay started to harden and I was able to pick it up and let my daughter hold her new wand for a few minutes.  (There was a lot of “Abracadabra” going on!) However, after the couple minutes passed, I put it back on the counter to cure for a few days.  By the fourth day I felt it was completely set.

Here’s a close up of the completed Frozen-Inspired Princess Wand.  Doesn’t the Collage Clay give it a perfect fluffy snow-like touch?  My little princess is ready for some serious Elsa role playing!

Collage Clay & Mod Melt Embellishments on a wooden snowflake

So are you ready to Decoden?  You can purchase all of these wondrous products at Michaels .

But wouldn’t it be great to win them all?
Enter to win this awesome prize pack from Plaid Crafts!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can you imagine the awesomeness you can create with all that stuff?  If not, here’s some inspiration brought to you by Plaid Crafts.

Mod Podge Collage Clay Decoden

 Do you love Mod Podge as much as I do?  You can keep up with the latest and greatest Mod Podge craft ideas from Plaid by following them on Pinterest and Instagram!  Don’t forget to “Like” them on Facebook!

For more crafting fun, you can check out The Plaid Palette or have Plaid send their news directly to your inbox by signing up for their newsletter!  You can also find Plaid on Twitter and YouTube.

Kids Summer Activity: Favorite Disney Movies Photo Scavenger Hunt {Free Printable}

Favorite Disney Movies Photo Scavenger Hunt

Have you ever had a day where your kids only want to watch TV?

Summer days have the utmost potential for a super awesome fun time, but for whatever reason some summer days my son, Gavin, and daughter, Victoria, want to sit in front of the TV and just stare…for hours.  A few days ago when Gavin asked me to watch a DVD I shut off the TV and asked the kids to name 20 of their favorite Disney movies.  It seems like a lot of movies, but the kids had no problem shouting out their favorites within two minutes.  They immediately wanted to know why I was writing their answers down, but I ushered them to go have fun with a promise that I’d tell them a few days later with a surprise. (more…)

Princess Belle Birthday Celebration ~ $5 Chalkboard Wreath Tutorial

Victoria's Belle Birthday Party 010

“Be Our Guest” at my daughter’s Princess Belle themed birthday party!

My daughter’s Princess Belle themed birthday party was this past Saturday.  I’m thrilled to say she had a wonderful time AND it didn’t rain!  Talk about a success!  I can’t wait to share the details of her special day with you.  Over the next week, you can look forward to posts where I’ll share the Beauty and Beast themed food, desserts, decor, activities and party favors.  Of course I have to throw in a tutorial post or two, so today I’ll begin the party by sharing with you a quick tutorial on the welcome sign that our guests saw as they arrived.

Chalkboard signage has been hot for the last few years and I’ve been looking for just the right opportunity to make one.  Since Be Our Guest is an iconic phrase sang in the film, “Beauty and the Beast”, I felt that Be Our Guest worked as a perfect greeting message for our arriving guests.  I decided to marry the partnership of a welcome sign with the phrase by utilizing a chalk board inside of a wreath.  However, I wanted to complete it inexpensively and quickly.  I gathered the following dollar store and craft store items and went to work.

Be Our Guest signage supplies

 The key to this project is the black foam-core board that the items are laying on in the photo above.

I found the black foam-core board at our local Dollar Tree store!  Black foam core looks exactly like a chalk board and chalk presents well on it too. I chose to use foam-core because it was a simple solution to get the project done quickly.  It’s important to know that you can’t put any amount of water on foam-core and expect it to wipe completely clean without destroying the surface.  I used a dry tissue to wipe off some minor mistakes, but it didn’t return to the crisp clean state that I started out with.  Lesson to be learned:  Make sure you know what you’re going to write before you start!

Be Our Guest wreath supplies Here’s an overview of how I completed the wreath.

The frame, purchased from Michael’s craft store as a double set for around $2 (with a coupon) was painted yellow and allowed it to dry.  While drying I hot glued on the dollar store pink rose buds on to the Target store grapevine wreath (found in their dollar bins) and measured the opening in my frame.  I cut a piece of the foam core just a few centimeters larger than the opening and hot glued it to the back of the painted wooden frame.  That’s it!

 Next the lettering!

Be Our Guest wreath supplies

Writing on black foam core was incredibly easy and the chalk that I used made the writing very clean.  You can use an average piece of chalk, but I decided to purchase the Allary set that is pictured above. The set was a bit pricey at $8.99 (Amazon), so my $5 calculation for the wreath price does not include the chalk.  However,  I absolutely love the set and can’t wait to use the other colors!

Here’s the finished piece as it greeted guests on Saturday.

Victoria's Belle Birthday Party 007

I hope you’ll be MY Guest this week as I share more Beauty and the Beast themed details of my daughter’s special day.

Up next, the dining room proudly presents- you’re dinner…or in our case lunch!

 

Use UP! those left over jelly beans with this simple craft idea.

Up Inspired Preschool ArtA week and a half after Easter and my family is still consuming candy.

Yesterday was a rainy cold day, so Victoria and I were stuck inside with “the candy”.  Of course I visited the candy shelf in the pantry.  After devouring a few candy Kisses, I decided to stop the cavity-causing madness by choosing to take some of that candy and use it for creating a bit of Disney Pixar-Inspired art.  Looking at our big bag of jelly beans I couldn’t help but think of the beautiful balloons in Disney Pixar’s movie “Up”.  “Up” is a movie that can be seen on The Disney Channel quite often, so it’s one that both of my kids know and enjoy.  When I asked my two and a half-year old daughter, Victoria, if she wanted to work on an “Up” project, she was ready to start that very moment.  The project took us about 15 minutes to complete which included looking for glue, finding the brown and blue crayons and taking a few pictures.  It was the perfect amount of time for Victoria to stay engaged in the task.  It was an added bonus that we had the chance to talk about the different jelly bean colors while she worked on her gluing.  Here’s a brief photo tutorial of our Pixar-Inspired Preschool Art.

Up Project

We started with a heavy weight white piece of card stock.  I wouldn’t recommend using regular copy paper.  It won’t be thick enough to support the glue needed to hold the jelly beans.

Disney's "Up" Jelly Bean Project

Mommy assisted with the outline of the house and helped her fill in some of the coloring.  Otherwise, she could call it her own.  She was so proud giving it to her big brother after school.

"Up" Inspired Preschool Project

We allowed the artwork to dry for three hours before the big unveil.  By that time our tacky glue had dried clear and the jelly beans were secured.

Upon seeing Victoria’s artwork, big brother Gavin announced it was the best artwork she had ever done.  Victoria had a huge smile.  And I smiled when he asked, “Can I eat the jelly beans now?” and I responded, “Sorry, they’re glued on.”  Up, up and away go the jelly beans!