{SUMMER FUN IDEA} Family Movie Night

     

It's official! Summer has finally shown up in all its colors and glory! 

My mind goes 100 miles per minute and party ideas are flying from my pen to paper.  Today, I am sharing, with the followers of Eye Candy Creative Studio,  the first in a series of  three ways our family celebrates in the Summer months.    

Family Movie Night:  Our family does not go out to the movies.   

It’s not in our entertainment budget to spend upwards of $ 75 - $ 100 for the 5 of us to sit (quietly, yeah right),  eat overpriced and fattening food just to see a movie that is just released.   

Instead, we invested a few hundred dollars in an OutdoorMovie Screen (you can see it would pay for itself after about 3 trips to the cinema).  The projector is from a retail department store for $ 100 (this year we did invest in an upgrade and purchased a more state of the art projector, but the $ 100 worked great for the past 4 years). The other components were an old DVD Player and some wireless speakers (not expensive).    

Now our family can have Family Movie Night anytime we want to.  We can accommodate plenty of friends in our yard!  The food is what we prepare and the kids don’t have to sit quietly!  

You can easily watch the movie inside and still make some wonderful family memories!  Your local dollar store is a great place for popcorn containers and candy!  Throw down a few blankets and pillows on the floor and settle in for a fun night! 

What are some fun celebrations that you family partakes in? 

Until next time friends, this is Melissa from My Party Passion saying PARTY ON FRIENDS!

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Guest Contributor: Melissa Newell

Melissa Newell has been planning and executing parties for over 20 years - parties have always been a passion of hers.

Melissa’s motto is Go Big or Go Home! She celebrates with her children every chance they get - making each day a celebration of Life!

Creativity on a budget and the attention to the smallest of details is what she is known for. 

You can follow Melissa

website

{Season to GIVE} BELIEVE in GIVING back

     

Giving Back
by Melissa

It’s Melissa from My Party Passion coming to your computer today for a special, from the heart, reminder….

To Give:  to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation: to bestow 

To Believe:  to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.

WOW just typing those words and definitions makes me well up inside with emotion.   (give me a moment, talk amongst yourselves..)

Ok, back now….

Giving is something that our family does year round. Whether we are giving to our church or a local family in need of a foot forward, we are always mindful of giving. What ways do you give to others?  Your community?  Your family?    I encourage you to find ways to give, as a family or individual – trust me when I say it will make a HUGE difference in your day, your week and your life.   Most of the time it does not cost a cent to give…what about a smile or holding the door open for someone next time you are at a store. Or helping someone with their grocery’s…so many ways…so much time to GIVE!

On to the “B” word (and no not that B word…)  Believe.  This can mean many different things to many people when you see BELIEVE throughout the year. It can be BELIEVE in Santa Claus or maybe it means BELIEVE in Christ.  Whatever the definition in your book, it helps to BELIEVE in something.     IF NOTHING ELSE – BELIEVE in YOURSELF!

I had fun using Laura’s MOD SNOWFLAKE collection to remind you to take the time this year to GIVE and BELIEVE!   

I BELIEVE it will make a difference in your lives and the lives of others!

Until next time – Party On Friends!
Melissa

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Party Tips Contributor: Melissa Newell 

Melissa Newell has been planning and executing parties for over 20 years - parties have always been a passion of hers.

 Melissa’s motto is Go Big or Go Home! She celebrates with her children every chance they get - making each day a celebration of Life!

Creativity on a budget and the attention to the smallest of details is what she is known for. Her blog, My Party Passion, highlights all of the parties that she throws!

 

You can follow Melissa

facebook  | blog | website

 

 

 

RECIPE :: Brownie Eyeball Bites

Brownie “Eyeball” Bites

by Melissa

 

It’s Melissa and I'm coming at you from my kitchen.  Halloween is almost here and with me being so busy getting ready for our HUGE Family Halloween Party, I have no time to really bake for the “house”.   

 As most of you already know, I don’t really bake anyway…..  However, I can put a quick and child friendly snack together as quick at the next mom!  

Today I have a real easy DIY not-even-close-to-homemade Halloween Snack for the kiddies. They are bite size and perfect for a little after dinner treat!

Brownie “Eyeball” Bites

Three simple ingredients:  Brownie Bites (from the grocery store), Edible eyeballs (Michael’s Craft Store) and vanilla frosting from a jar (grocery store)!   

These little brownie bites are the circumference of about a quarter so it won’t spoil anyone’s dinner and just right for a dessert!     So easy if you are rushed for time and need to put out something quick!  

BONUS HINT:  If you can’t find the eyeballs, use M&M Candies for the middle.

I hope you have a Happy Haunting Halloween!  Until next time – Party On Friends!

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Guest Contributor: Melissa Newell 

Melissa Newell has been planning and executing parties for over 20 years - parties have always been a passion of hers.

 Melissa’s motto is Go Big or Go Home! She celebrates with her children every chance they get - making each day a celebration of Life!

Creativity on a budget and the attention to the smallest of details is what she is known for.

You can follow Melissa

website

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CRAFT :: Spooky Halloween Lanterns

   

DIY Spooky Halloween Lanterns 

by Melissa

BOO!  Did I scare ya?  Probably not and neither will these kid friendly Spooky Halloween Lanterns, but they will go easy on the budget and you can get the kids involved in creating them! I'm sneaking into your day with a quick tutorial on these cuties!

What you need:

Two White Paper lanterns (Dollar store has these around Halloween)

Black & White card stock

Glue stick and glue dots

Scissors

Glitter

Gauze or gauze tape

The first lantern I made was the Batty Lantern. You can cut out bats using your card stock (kids can do this part if they are allowed to use scissors) or if you have a die cutter or Silhouette machine that makes it even easier.  After that I put some glue on the wings and glittered those wings right up! 

Then I used my glue dots and stuck the wings to the lantern (I used the easy to remove dots so I can reuse my lantern for other events).  Easy as 1 -2 -3!  They are fun and so easy to decorate your table with.  They don’t have to be hung. You can put them on a candle holder or even just right onto the table. If you have a tea light that is battery operated (please no real fire candles around these paper lanterns) you can put those inside and they will even add more of a spookiness to your table!

My next project was even easier if you can believe that. All I did is have the kids cut out a set of eyes and glitter those up.   

Then I wrapped some gauze tape around my white lantern a few times. Used glue dots to glue on the eyes and there you have it – Mummy Lantern!

BONUS TIP:  IF you can’t find or don’t have white paper lanterns at home you can always use a white balloon! 

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Here’s hoping your Halloween is safe and spooky!  Until next time – Party On Friends!

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Guest Contributor: Melissa Newell

Melissa Newell has been planning and executing parties for over 20 years - parties have always been a passion of hers.

 Melissa’s motto is Go Big or Go Home! She celebrates with her children every chance they get - making each day a celebration of Life!

Creativity on a budget and the attention to the smallest of details is what she is known for.

You can follow Melissa

 website