Throwback: DIY Matchbox Monster Mouth Favors

Nothing says, "last-minute Halloween craft for preschoolers" quite like these super quick, inexpensive, fun matchbox monster mouth favors. I whipped them up a couple of years ago for kiddo, but now that she's practically grown (in elementary school), her little sister's preschool class can reap the rewards of this old school spooky treat box.

Swing by my Momtastic post to see the entire DIY tutorial.

4 Guilt-Free Summer Treats

This summer, I'm whipping up lots of cool desserts to beat the heat. In fact, I created four healthy, fruity, sweet treats for Momtastic. Each one uses Arctic Zero, instead of ice cream, so you can indulge without the snacker's remorse.  Check out these strawberry watermelon floats, coconut mango pineapple popsicles, coconut pineapple shakes, and strawberries and cream "ice cream" sandwiches.

Swing by Momtastic to check out my 4 Arctic Zero Dessert Hacks post.

Decadent Grilled Summer Desserts

BBQ season is here! It was 80 degrees this weekend in Minnesota, and we celebrated accordingly. Saturday was all about both kids' dance recitals. Even though that ate up a large chunk of the day, we still grilled and dined al fresco (which is just the snooty way I like to think of our deck). I squeezed in some quality gab time with the neighbors while the kids played in the pool. Note: going down a slide in a wet swimsuit will basically turn a four year old into a rocket.

We also managed to squeeze in a bike ride on a trail near the house, which was a MAJOR advancement for the older kid. We've trying to get her confidently biking for three summers. It seems like every time we take a break over the winter, it's like starting from scratch again in spring. That saying about bikes and never forgetting is clearly false. I feel lied to. We did a little geocaching on the trail, which was awesome. I pretend we're on a family version of Amazing Race while we blindly follow the compass from one spot to the next. The kids hit the motherlode of goodies in a geocache hidden in the rotted out hollow of a tree in the woods. All in all, fun was had.

One of the yummiest moments was when we threw some chocolate, cookie, marshmallow, butterscotch-filled ice cream cones on the grill for dessert. Yeah, it's exactly as sticky and delish as it sounds. Swing by my 15 Summer Desserts for the Grill post on Momtastic for the how-to on those cones and so many more summer-y sweets.

(image & recipe: Brit & Co.)

DIY Abstract Art Heart Valentine's Day Favors

It's finally candy month! Er, um I mean the month of love. Yes, Valentine's Day is almost upon us, and the kids and I spent a snow day crafting our little hearts out (pun totally intended). We recently were invited to see The Children's Theatre production of The Frog Bride, and the vibrant, abstract backdrops in the play inspired our Valentine's favors.

The play was unlike any children's play we'd ever seen before. Instead of elaborate sets and a whole cast of characters, The Frog Bride features only writer/director David Gonzalez, pianist Sergei Prokofiev, and violinist Daniel Kelly set against a multi-media backdrop. The story all comes alive in Gonzalez's colorful narrations, which are partnered with abstract, watercolor splashes on the screen. This uncluttered performance really allowed the kids to use their imagination to envision the characters, the scenario, and the story's clever plot twists. The jazz music kept everything lively and engaging.

These DIY Abstract Art Hearts are perfectly unique and wonderfully inexpensive. Even my youngest was able to get fully involved in this project to create watercolor Valentine's cards for lots of friends and family. They're impossible to mess up, and that's a full-on win in my book. Because, ain't nobody got time for frustrated kids. Check out the entire how-to below.

LA, Here We Come!

Yup, I'm in the Mom Squad. Last month, kiddo and I flew to LA for a fun video shoot. Before we dive into the shoot details, let's just talk about the logistics of getting there, shall we? 

I've been to California before, but never the LA area, and the mere idea of the 101 was giving me heart palpitations. This would also be my first trip where we weren't meeting up with a family member or friend at the airport. Basically, once we got on our flight from MSP, we were on our own. I was terrified about getting lost, ending up on a future episode of Criminal Minds that centered on a deranged Uber driver, and a million other catastrophes. 

I was also wrestling with managing all of these variables on a really tight timeline. I knew this would be a fun memory for us to have of "that time we did that thing," but I'm still a mom, so school takes priority. I wanted to minimize how much school she missed, so here's how we rolled:

• Mon 3 pm : leave school, head directly to MSP
• Mon 9 pm : arrive in CA (We lost 2 hours on the time change.)
• Tues 9 am : arrive on set 
• Tues 1 pm : get thee to the airport
• Tues 11 pm : land at MSP, drive home, sleep
• Wed 8 am : school time!

We made it! We caught each connecting flight, didn't get assaulted by a cabbie, and had the best day with an amazing crew. The makeup artist even hooked me up with the perfect, customized nude lipstick.

We were onset in an amazing private residence for a Playtime with Mom segment for Momtastic. We talked about all of the fun things we do together and her never-ending quest for a dog. Luckily for her, StarLily is getting her closer to accomplishing her goal.

I'm supa dupa happy to report that everything went so smoothly. Kiddo only missed one day of school, and she was up and ready to go the next day. I was crossing my fingers that she wouldn't be a moody, groggy mess, but she was great. Be sure to check out our Playtime with Mom video. It's a two-parter, so be sure you give that right arrow a click after the first one.

DIY Gold Typography Pumpkins for Thanksgiving

My neighbors already have their lights up. One of my best friends put up three, yes three, Christmas trees inside her house before Halloween. By now, she's probably put up her other four trees. I know it's tempting to bust out the winter-y holiday decorations, but I'm savoring the fall festivities. These DIY Gold Foil Typography Pumpkins are gonna wow my Turkey Day guests. Swing by Momtastic to check out how I decked out our Thanksgiving mantle.

Twin Cities Live Craft Star Challenge Pt I

Imagine a Project Runway-esque craft competition created to find the Twin Cities' most awesome crafter. I was chosen, along with three other talented women, to compete for the coveted title on Twin Cities Live, and it's getting intense.

We started with a mad dash through Jo-Ann Fabrics and a shopping budget of $150. Let's just say, I was in the zone! Check out the video to see how our hunt for craft supplies went down, and how I put those items together to create my tablescape.

Dessert Meets Design: Sweet Birdie Birthday Party and Dessert Table

You know I L-O-V-E a good party, but I was determined not to go overboard planning, decorating, and designing stuff for my girl's third birthday. So, instead of inviting over a million of her tiny friends or renting out a bounce house venue, I temporarily converted my office into the perfect party spot for her birthday party. Her only request was that her closest little friends and a cake be in attendance at her soiree, which photog Sydnee Bickett captured beautifully. 

After I designed the hexagon and faux bois invites and found a great cake recipe, I planned a bash that was full of bright, spring-y colors offset by lots of white and gold accents. I created DIY faux bois color block placemats to bring color and warmth to my white desk for the girls to dine in style. 

Along with sliders, powdered donuts, and popcorn, the girls devoured vanilla ice cream and my strawberry cake. I customized labels with each girl's name to decorate the paper ice cream cups from Sweet Party Shop. I also designed faux bois labels for the milk bottles to add a natural element to the all-white room. Land of Nod's birdie garland and cupcake kit added a bit of whimsy to the dessert table that really kicked up the color a notch. 

The birdie garland also added a fun touch to the faux bois backdrop I made for the photo booth. Lila smiled happily with her sister and friends as she wore the a DIY starburst birthday crown I made for her. Sydnee even managed to snap a picture of us all smiling, which is basically a small miracle.

Credits

party concept, styling, and dessert table: Shauna Younge

images: Sydnee Bickett

birdie garland and cupcake kit: Land of Nod

ice cream cups: Sweet Party Shop
my projects: DIY starburst birthday crown and DIY faux bois color block placemats

DIY Geometric Gender Reveal Truffles

I'm in a gender reveal state of mind. My friend (and Confetti Pop assistant) recently had a GR party, and I was the only attendee that knew the sex of the baby pre-party. So. Much. Pressure! The other guests kept trying to sneakily get me to spill the beans. Now that her party is behind us, I'm still in a boy or girl mystery mood. I designed these DIY Geometric Gender Reveal Truffles exclusively for Momtastic. Click on over there to get the how-to.

Dessert Meets Design: Ruffles with a Side of Star Wars Dessert Table

It's been forever since I touched based on this ole blog. Hopefully, you've been following along on Pinterest and Instagram, because I'm loving both those platforms right now. But, it's been a while, so it's good to get back to my blogging roots. I love working with Kirsten of Fab Event Design, and this time was no different.

What better way to say, "Hey, girl heeeey!" and get back in the swing of blogging than with a pretty dessert table I designed for Katharine & Tim's wedding? It was photographed by Melissa Oholendt and dressed up with Munster Rose blooms all set in beautiful Aria Minneapolis.

My clients, Katharine and Tim, wanted the table's vibe to match the femininity of the bride's blush pink dress (It was ah-mazing!) and the elegance of the invite's soft silver, ivory, and champagne palette. As pretty as the table was, it was also really important to the bride and groom that we incorporate a little Star Wars into the design. Gateaux added a tiny Princess Leia and a lil' Chewbacca for the topper on their ruffle cake. I was so obsessed with the cake frosting, that I had to try to recreate it at home weeks later. The kids were all over that. Here's another close-up of these two when they came out from behind the bow.

This sophisticated design wouldn't be complete without some macarons, custom monogrammed petit fours, and shooters. I designed custom favor boxes for the kids and custom bags for the chocolate potato chips and bacon brownies. Because let's face it, it wouldn't do to just have them sitting in a bowl on the table.

The sweet display wouldn't have been complete without the R2D2 groom's cake. Not only was he made following a very specific blueprint, he also made the robot's trademark sounds and lit up! Want to hear for yourself? Check out this video I posted from the wedding. 

Check out the noises this R2-D2 grooms cake made. Amazing, right?!?

A video posted by Shauna Younge (@shaunayounge) on Mar 8, 2014 at 9:36pm PST

Loved this couple, loved the vendors, loved it all!

venue: Aria Minneapolis

photographer: Melissa Oholendt

planner: Fab Event Design

dessert table, custom favors, custom labels: Shauna Younge

florals: Munster Rose

cakes, petit fours, shooters: Gateaux

macarons: Cocoa and Fig

chocolate potato chips: Sweet Chocolat

Easy-to-Make King Cake Pops for Mardi Gras

This weekend, I decided to put a twist on the traditional King Cake for Mardi Gras. Instead of hiding a tiny toy baby inside a cinnamon-y, sprinkle-covered cake, I made these little cake pops. The entire process only took about 10 minutes! So, get your cake pop maker out and check out my post on Momtastic to learn how to make these sweet New Orleans treats.

Admit, you're totally ready to get into the Mardi Gras spirit! Now, swing by Momtastic to check out my King Cake Pops tutorial.

pics by yours truly

The Biggest Little House Favor Printables

Last week, we were treated to an advance performance of The Children's Theatre's The Biggest Little House. The story is based on the book by Djemma Bider, and it's full of sweetness and laughs. We've seen several plays in the large theater at CTC, but none in the intimate Cargill Stage theater. We like to really get into plays, which you already know because of this and this. We read the book, watch the movie, then watch the play if all of those options are available. Then, we discuss which format we liked better and why. I really think plays bring books and movies to life in a way that uniquely interests kids.

During The Biggest Little House, which is perfect for kids between two and five years old, kids sit on low benches right at the edge of the stage. They're free to laugh, pop bubbles, and enjoy the various characters who live together in a tiny house that is bursting with love. Our girls liked it so much, that I cooked up this little DIY project just in time for Valentine's Day. Just like the holiday, this little play is full of love, love, love.  

Since the play focuses on a variety of woodland animals living in harmony together, I thought it'd be nice for several different candies to reside peacefully in this favor bag (right before taking residency in my mouth!).

Check out the quick and easy tutorial below. If you haven't already made plans to see The Children's Theater's The Biggest Little House  definitely add it to your to-do list. It's running now through March 15th, and it's perfectly tailored to tykes. Even the adults giggled a time or two. Seriously, what better way to get the kids excited about their upcoming theater date, than by reading the book and crafting up a cute little favor bag or two?

Supplies
this favor template
2.5" x 4" white envelopes
8.5" x 11" paper
washi tape
scissors
candy, candy, candy

Instructions
Download and print this favor bag template in black and white onto a sheet of 8.5" x 11" paper. Tape each envelope into position using washi tape. Unlike transparent tape, washi is less sticky and won't rip your envelopes when you remove them from the paper.

Print the template, this time in color, to transfer the images onto each favor bag. Gently remove each envelope from the paper.

Cut the tops of the envelopes into roof shapes, if you wish, and fill with a variety of small candies.

Kiddo's Retro Modern Birthday and Dessert Table

Whew! Kiddo's 6th birthday has come and gone. Now that I'm rested up from all that designing, planning, and crafting, it's the perfect time to share some pics and projects. You know me, I had to DIY some cute stuff and design a dessert table to customize her bash, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money. So, I created an inexpensive photo booth backdrop, a retro modern dessert table backdrop, some milk bottles, and a colorful dance floor for breakdancing.

The fab Sydnee Bickett captured all of the lovely details, and I'm sharing tutorials for the projects on Momtastic. I also give my 5 Tips to Makeover a Bland Birthday Venue, which helped us save some money. Check that out, and be sure to swing by to learn to make your own:

DIY Retro Diamond Paper Plate Backdrop
DIY Number Outline Birthday Photo Backdrop
DIY Retro Diamond Color Block Bottles

These little diamond color block milk bottles were another easy, inexpensive DIY. I wrote up the tutorial for Momtastic. Swing by for the how-to.

 

Last year, I made a little cake for her. This year, we had a million (read: 14) kids in attendance, so cupcakes seemed like a more manageable option.

This giant number 6 photo booth backdrop was easy and really inexpensive to make. You've got to check out my tutorial.

 

I danced as much as the kids, and this pic of my two girls dancing together makes me so happy!