Pom Balls and Tissue Paper Flowers

First let me say that these are so easy, and ADORABLE! I made them for Claire's first birthday party, and decorated them all around the room. I had so many compliments on them that I thought I would share my how-to :)

Materials:

• Tissue Paper (a pack of assorted colors for a BUCK at the Dollar Store!!)
• Pipe Cleaners (to be used as stems)

scissors

1. For the flowers layer 4 pieces of tissue paper, then cut in half and stack all on top of each other. (8 layers total) For the big pom poms layer 8-10 pieces but do not cut in half.

2. Fold all of the layers into a "fan"

3. Place a pipe cleaner around the middle to secure. For the pom poms I trimmed off the excess pipe cleaner, and for the flower I left it alone to make it look like the stem of the flower

4. Trim each end of the tissue paper fan into either a point or round it off (I did a point)

5. Unfold each piece of the tissue paper on both sides of the pipe cleaner.

That's all!

Here is a picture of the flowers

Tu-Tu-rific!

Along with the birthday Onsie... I had to make a tu-tu for Claire's First Birthday too. Having your daughter in a tu-tu is like an unspoken rule for mothers. You have to do it. If not for her birthday, then at least for dress up fun!

Here are the materials I used:

• 3 yards of tool in 4 different colors. (3 different colors of pink and one green)

• Elastic

• needle and thread

Make sure you measure your little ones waist using the elastic. Cut the desired length and sew the ends together. Fold the tool in half (long ways) and cut down the middle. Now fold it in half the opposite way and cut down the middle. Lay sheets of tool on top of one another (do this with all of the tool) The idea of doing it this way is to layer all of the sheets of tool and then cut into strips. Those strips will be used to tie knots onto the elastic to make the tu-tu. Start cutting in strips (about an inch width) Now it's the fun part... start tieing knots all the way around the elastic. The more tool strips you use, the fuller your skirt will look. I used all three yards! Here is what mine looked like when finished! Hopefully you have been inspired to make a tu-tu... if not for a little one, make one for yourself on nights when you're home alone... haha nobody has to know ;)

Turning One already?!

Where does the time go?! Claire turned One (hard to believe that it went by this fast!) I had someone suggest a "Garden" theme for her birthday party. So, I thought about it, and why the heck not?! The ideas were endless, and although I did not get to do them all... here is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Flower Onesie :
All you need to complete this idea is:
a onesie of you choice and color (wal-mart for $2)
choice of fabric, thread and large needle, hot glue gun and glue sticks

I traced the "1" on the pink and green polka dot fabric, cut it out and glued it onto the onesie, and then I hand stitched with thick green thread all the way around the "1". It just gives it a little sumthin' :) Because it was a Garden theme, I decided to glue some flowers and butterflies to it as well.