Art Party Because We Are Too Cheap to Go to a Studio

 

 

Ella has a January birthday and every year we try to make it special because BIRTH and because WINTER.

I wrote about how I had a revelation years ago about not really going all out for her birthday because of WINTER.

It was since that revelation that we have made up for our early lack of party hardiness.

BIG TIME.

Since then, we have had a donut decorating party, ice cream sundae decorating party, gymnastics party and now an art party.

NOW, I should state that we did all the above on a budget. Think very little money, scrape the bottom of the barrel, can we re-use these?? budget.

After her party last year which was away from home (YAY TO NO CLEANUP!), Ella said that she wouldn’t really like that anymore. Oh sure, she was very appreciative of said gymnastics party but liked celebrating her birthday at home.

I can hear the AWWW’s from here. Stop yourself.

Not just because she loves home but mostly because the two-hour time period the gym provided was not enough for all the socializing that needed to happen. And drama. Did I mention the drama? Oh wait, there’s more.

So I said, “of course we can have your party at home”. To which she replied, “great! I have ideas….”

For the next 11 months, Ella discussed in full detail what she wanted her nine-year birthday festivus to look like in theory:

painting artwork, sleepover, pizza, cookies, and cake 

Not necessarily in that order.

This looks like a lot more work than a party at a mouse house with pizza and unlimited game tokens. 

 

 

I got these plates from a mass merchandiser that I won’t list here because last year I said I wouldn’t shop there anymore. I lied to you because I still shop there very, very occasionally. I am a very bad person, I know. But I like saving money more than living righteously.

 

 

The sugar, OH THE SUGAR. I don’t know what I was thinking when I poured all these Red and Yellow Dye #43583593 into the bowls on the table. Yes, I do know what I was thinking: it’s a kids party for Abe Lincoln’s sake and kids like candy. It was one night, I reasoned. Let kids be kids. OH, THE SUGAR.

 

I ordered the canvases and paints online at the retailer “I don’t shop at any more” also because it was cheaper than at the retailers I do shop at regularly.

 

 

It looks so organized and Pinterest-y doesn’t it? What you don’t realize is that while my husband, my friend Melissa and I were setting this up, sugared up children were running amok, AMOK I TELL YOU.

 

And yet, there sit the bowls FULL of Skittles, Starburst and M & M’s. It’s like this is my first kid.

 

 

Buddy obviously thought he was invited to this shindig and was all in for the painting festivities.

 

 

Where’s my paint?? And can you pass me some Skittles please and thank you.

I also ordered men’s white tee shirts as cover-ups for the girls clothing. Brilliant idea, don’t you think? Only the girls decided that after they were done painting their canvases, they had the painting fever in them. Well, that and the red and pink Starburst.  WE. MUST. PAINT. EVERYTHING.

So they started painting on each other. The shirts, I should say. Let’s just say there was a reason I went with washable paint.

 

CAN YOU SAY SUGAR???

 

And then we brought out the cake……

Random- Meijer has THE best cakes. This was from the case and it was amazing. See? I don’t shop at that other mass merchandiser for everything. Hmph.

After the cake, there was lots and lots of running, dancing, singing, eating candy, screaming at the tops of lungs, frightening the dog, frightening the teenagers, frightening the adults, eating more candy, drama, hugging, jumping, eating more candy and drama.

That’s okay, I had wine. 

 

The next morning we had a big breakfast for the girls who spent the night and to also counteract the sugar from the previous night.

 

 

This was just some of the artwork that was produced because I forgot to take a picture of all of their masterpieces.

Probably because of the whole sugar kerfuffle.

Pass the Skittles.

 

 

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