I have a great friend that gives me some leftover party supplies every year. I usually take what she gives me and add my own touch each year. Last year, she gave me some ladybug stuff and after watching it sit in my garage for a year, it was time to make it come to life.
First, the party preparations:
I found the red buckets at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. I grabbed those and a Sharpie and started circle-ing away. I added sticker sheets, also from Hobby Lobby and also 50% off, ladybug garden tools and ladyug bug catcher, both from Dollar General and a ladybug wood cutout to color from Joann Fabrics. I think they turned out precious!
Then, for the ladybug dress-up!
I made the antennae with headbands from Dollar General (6 for $1), pipe cleaners and pouf balls (isn't that the official name?). I took 5 pipe cleaners per set. I twisted 2 around a pencil to make them cork-screwy. I then twisted a pouf ball onto each end. I twisted the other end around the headband. Once the antennae were secure, I used the remaining pipe cleaners to twist around the headband, covering them completely.
The wings were made of posterboard. Between the red and black layers, I attached some elastic for the children to thread their arms through to wear the wings on their backs.
Preparations complete!
I even found it necessary to have ladybug snacks. A little google search and blog-stalking and I found a few precious things to eat!
The ladybug bucket that the plates are in and the ladybug stand that the brownie pops are on both came from Hobby Lobby - again, 50% off!
The recipe for these precious ladybug crackers can be found here.
A mixture of Chex-Mix and Goldfish. The 'swarming ladybugs' are ladybug buttons glued to the ends of wire. They were in the original hand-me-down-party a year ago.
Someone posted brownie pops on Facebook and the moment I saw them, I knew I had to make them - ladybug style!
Even though many of my FB friends thought I should make the cake myself, I decided to buy one from a local bakery instead. I think it turned out precious!
Kaylee's super cute shirt came from here! Yvette and Sheila are my heros!
We did a super easy - and super messy - ladybug craft.
Small paper plate, painted red. Add black spots and head (that I had pre-cut from posterboard), googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae.
Along with the bouncer and the craft, the kids played a ladybug beanbag toss game. The beanbags were ladybug shaped and the kids tossed them and tried to get them to land on large leaves that were cut out of green butcher paper and laminated. We had these scattered on the floor and steps.
Also, notice the simple decorations in the background. Red streamers and black balloons...so lovingly hung by my almost 12 year old son!
Don't you just love that stance!
She is loving the gifts...and it looks like her big brother is too (HA!).So, even though it took a lot of prep work, this was by far the best party I have given.
I hope my girl remembers it for a lifetime!
She was so precious and so excited! She told Santa that she wanted 'dress-up' and 'toys'.
Stuffing her dog.
Giving their animals baths.
She made a manger scene...
Then, Pastor told The Christmas story!
