Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

Welcome to my fourth post in the SCOTT Naturals™  series celebrating Earth Month and the little changes all of us can make to live a little more green. Today’s post is on how to throw an eco-friendly party for your little one!

Have you ever thought about how much trash and waste goes into a birthday party? Why not give your next party an “Every Day is Earth Day” theme? This green theme is a ton of fun and there are so many ideas you can play off of. Here are a few to get you started…

Invitations:

Of course the most eco-friendly invitation is one that is paperless.

Create an emailed invitation for your eco-chic party on a site like Paperless Post or Echoage.

Brainstorm on invitation wording like a party that will be “Out of this World.” Or “Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice. Join us for an Earth Day Birthday Party for…”  Or, “The Best Friends are Sustainable Ones. Celebrate with us at an Earth Day theme party for…”

If you want to take the idea further and reduce the waste associated with gift wrapping, Echoage allows you to pick a favorite charity (you can opt for one focused on environmental projects) and guests can make a donation in lieu of gifts. This is the greenest giving of all! 

Decor / Supplies:

Playing on the Earth Theme, pick a color palate of browns, white, green and blue for a global-flare.

Use cloth tablecloths and SCOTT Naturals™  hybrid napkins and paper towels.

Opt for reusable plates and silverware versus paper.

If that isn’t practical, consider purchasing party supplies from Susty Party, an eco-friendly party supply company that sells items that are compostable and biodegradable.

Food / Drinks:

When going eco-friendly, think local when it comes to your food. Shop your favorite farmers’ market for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Make your own mini organic pizza crusts, and let kids top theirs with a choice of toppings (including local organic veggies and cheese.)

Serve homemade lemonade with fresh lemon slices in reusable cups.

Activities:

* Have kids first make their own pizzas so those are ready to pop in the oven when the time comes.

* Planting Station: Buy mini terracotta pots and paint them with chalkboard paint ahead of time.

Set up a table with colored chalk so kids can decorate their own pot to take home. In center of table set up soil and seeds, and help kids scoop their own soil into their pot and then plant their flower seeds of choice. Send their decorated pot home as their party favor.

* Make your own binoculars.  Let kiddos make and decorate their own set of binoculars out of SCOTT Naturals™  hybrid bath tissue rolls to take on their nature scavenger hunt.

* Nature Scavenger Hunt: Let kids explore around the backyard or take a walk around the block as they search for various items found in nature.

* Go Green Story Time: Read a favorite eco-friendly children’s book.

Dessert:

Playing off the nature theme, have the kids make their own earthy “mudpies” using homemade organic chocolate pudding and toppings with such as whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, pretzels, gummy worms, smashed up organic chocolate cookies, etc.

Thank You’s:

Take a picture of your child with each guest and send them a sweet emailed thank you with a sentiment like “Thank you for being a sustainable friend.“

As you can see, you can have a ton of fun with this green theme. And events like this can spark many teachable moments about the Earth and our care of it.

And while we are thinking green, SCOTT Naturals™ invites you to take the 4 Week Test Drive during the month of April.

Simply go to scottbrand.com and pledge to switch to SCOTT Naturals™ for four weeks and try their selection of hybrid products.

When you make the pledge, you will enter in your zip code, and the state with the most pledges can win $50,000 towards local forest and land conservation efforts to preserve America’s great outdoors. Click HERE and take the pledge!

[Disclosure: SCOTT Naturals™ is compensating me for my time and participation in this campaign. All of the above are my honest opinions, as always. I have made the switch to SCOTT Naturals™ and have taken the 4 Week Test Drive pledge! I hope you will too!]

Resources: Paperless Post, Echoage, Susty Party, Homemade Pizza Recipe, Homemade Lemonade Recipe, Fruit Cake Recipe on Family Fun, How to Make Paper Tube Binoculars, How to Make Terracotta Pots with Chalkboard Paint, Eco-friendly Children’s Books, Organic Chocolate Pudding Recipe,  Worms in the Mudpie Recipe

Photo credits: Forks from Susty Party, Fruit Cake from Family Fun, Terracotta Pot from Scissors and Spatulas, Worms in the Mudpie from Raspberri Cupcakes.

Sensitive Sweets, a dedicated gluten-free, nut-free bakery in Fountain Valley is now offering special decorating parties!

As a mom of a daughter with a milk and egg allergy, Sensitive Sweets is a God-send to moms like me who have kids with food allergies. Her goodies are made with NO gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts or tree nuts. And they are amazingly good! 

I keep a stash of Sensitive Sweets cupcakes in my freezer, so anytime we go to a party, I have a special cupcake for Morgan on hand so she doesn’t have to feel left out at cake time.

Sensitive Sweets is now offering extraordinary decorating parties at her darling bakery, perfect for a birthday party or even a Girls Night Out! She even has special take-home kits (if you call 24 hours ahead), so you can do your own decorating party at your home.

Here are her in-bakery party offerings:

Sensitive Sweets Cupcake Party (ages 4 +)

Each guest gets 2 cupcakes, one to eat and one to take home, sprinkles, toppings, and a cupcake box. 60-minute session, max 12 guests. $12/guest.

Ultimate Sensitive Sweets Cake Party (ages 6 +)

Each guest gets a 2 layer 4″ round cake, frosting, sprinkles, cake decorations, and a cake box. 90-minute session, max 12 guests. $24/guest.

Sensitive Sweets Cake Challenge Party (ages 12 +)

Teams will compete with one another on a themed cake challenge. Participants will start with 30 minutes of demonstration and then break into teams with 1 hour to assemble ready-to-use items. Items include ready-to- ice cakes, cupcakes, frosting, fondant, rice crispy treats and a multitude of other decorating supplies. The winner will receive a Sensitive Sweets gift set. 90-minute session, max 12 guests. $29/guest.

[Details: Ask about additional items of your party including drinks, aprons, chef's hats, invitations and goody bags. Minimum of 6 guests per party, max 12. Deposit is required at booking (non-refundable.) Activities are for paid guests only. No outside food allowed. Prices subject to change.]

Visit www.SensitiveSweets.com for more info or call 714.968.9169.

Sensitive Sweets is open Tuesdays-Fridays 10am – 6pm, Saturdays 10am – 5pm. After hours parties may be available. Bakery is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Photo credit: Sensitive Sweets.

I love a great party idea which is why I am so excited to share with you a local OC company called Lovely Paper which offers craft parties at your location in Orange County or LA!

Owned by Patricia Aguilar, an artist and teacher who married her two passions, Lovely Paper is a company that celebrates teaching people to unleash their creativity through whimsical crafts.

Parties by Lovely Paper

Do your children LOVE doing crafts? I know my oldest daughter could spend hours working on art projects, so I can only imagine the fun she would have at a one of these parties!

Parties by Lovely Paper are geared towards ages 7 – 12, but she can do younger if your child is old enough to sit and craft OR even for adults! Think how fun it would be to have a craft party for a baby shower or moms’ night out!

Lovely Paper will come to your event and put on a fun craft party which includes:

* 2 hours of crafting with 5 crafts per participant. Parties are $250 for up to 10 participants, each additional is + $20. Mention Tiny Oranges and book your party before June 1st, 2012 and you will receive 20% OFF – Yippee!!!

* All supplies, drop cloth for the floor, table and tablecloth if needed, and a small treat bag for each of the participants.

You can choose from one of her three most popular themes:

Princess for a Day

This girly-girl sparkly craft party includes bejeweled crowns, fairy wands, castle photo cards, paper jewelry charm bracelets, and a wish box for the party celebrant.

Whimsical Wonderland

This bright colorful craft party includes masks, paper flowers, flower photo frames, paper weave bracelets and a wish box for the party celebrant.

Funky Diva 

This superstar craft party includes an animal print jewelry box, a jewel and animal print paper mirror, an “autographed” photo card, a paper purse with bejeweled ribbon handle and a wish box for the party celebrant.

Or maybe you have your own theme in mind?  Lovely Paper will work with you to create a customized craft party with crafts to fit your theme. Prices will vary due to supplies, call them for a consultation.

And, for extra convenience, for an additional cost Lovely Paper will provide light snacks, appetizers, paper cups, paper plates, and napkins in matching theme colors. Click HERE for more details.

You can also visit www.LovelyPaperParty.com and their online retail shop that includes wonderful products by independent designers and click here to follow Lovely Paper on Facebook.

[Disclosure: Lovely Paper is a Tiny Oranges sponsor. Check out their darling ad in the right column!]

Hey party people! If you are a lover of birthday parties and cute ideas  you will not want to miss the Birthday Party Bootcamp Event coming up March 4th at the oc mart MIX!

Saige Nicole’s baby and toddler boutique along with The Pantry wedding party boutique are hosting the first “Birthday Party Bootcamp” with the assistance and creative direction of Lemonade – An Event Company.

This innovative and lively party trio has brought together over 10 of the best OC party vendors to share their secrets, expertise and ideas on how you can create a birthday party kids will love and one that makes the mommies gush!

Attendees will enjoy workshops which include…

* DIY demos
* Yummy pastries and treats
* Info on how to capture the perfect party pics
* Ideas for creative decor
* How to choose a theme that will WOW
* Birthday party fashions
* Paper goods and design…and more!

Sounds like SO much fun – I think I might have to check it out myself!

Event is FREE, kids are welcome, RSVP’s are helpful, but not necessary. You can RSVP on their Facebook event page or here at Saige Nicole’s or here at The Pantry.

Birthday Party Bootcamp

Sunday, March 4th, 2o12
12:30pm – 4:30pm
(workshops every hour starting at 12:30pm)
oc mart MIX in Suite C
3333 Hyland Avenue, Costa Mesa 92626

Participating Vendors: 

Saige Nicole’s

The Wedding Pantry 

Lemonade – An Event Company 

Darla Marie Designs

Push Cakes 

Dez and Tam Photography 

Sensitive Sweets 

Bubba Sweets 

Dolly’s Sweet Dreams Cotton Candy 

Sweet Lucie’s Ice Cream and Treats 

Connecting Moms.CA 

I recently discovered the company Cheap Collage online and thought it was a cute idea so I wanted to share it with you. If you are interested in making your own collage, enter code “tiny50″ for  50% OFF any order through 2/14/12 – yippee!

First you choose your shape or design your own, upload your personal photos, and then your photos are used in the shape of the design to make a personal and unique piece of artwork.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought this heart collage would make a VERY cute gift for a grandparent or child (but please note Valentine’s order deadline is 2/3 to ensure you get it on time!)

You can also choose to incorporate one picture or many pictures inside of one word, like your child’s name or FAMILY.  How cute would that be?  Or, something like “LUKE TURNS 3″ with pictures throughout the year for a birthday party idea?

You could make one of your vacation, use honeymoon or wedding pictures, make one as a gift for a alumni that is nuts over their alma mater, anything!

They also have great race car or airplane design for those of you with little boys who love all things that go! Or a butterfly for your little girls.

But this one happens to be my favorite…and just in time for the month that we celebrate it…

Ahhhhh…and once again, to show us their love, Cheap Collage is offering a coupon code to Tiny Oranges readers to make it even cheaper.

Enter promo code “tiny50″ for 50% OFF today through 2/14/12.

www.CheapCollage.com
Follow Cheap Printing Company on facebook *  Tweet with @PrintingCheap on Twitter

Have a great weekend everyone!