10 Best Recreation Stores in Austin, TX

It's Easy to be Green In honor of St. Patrick's Day this year, we thoughtit would be fun to have a green party. Green as in the eco-movement, that is. ;)Dell Children's Hospital thought it was a good idea, too. So, we set up one of their playrooms and put together a party that was a huge hit.Here's what we did:INVITATIONSNicole at Stylevites.com created adorable invitations that we printed on 4x6 size recycled parchment paper -- Invites were enclosed in handmade envelopes that we created using old magazines.Check outStylevites.comfor cute invitations and more!DECORATIONSWe covered little tables with the Funny Pages from the newspaper and taped them down with Painter's Tape! Every table had a cute centerpiece of re-purposed paint cans. The Cans were filled with Rock Salt and then we stuck paint brushes, pencils, scissors and markers in each one to create a Beautiful Bouquet of craft supplies for the activites we had planned!Thanks to Shelley Schreyer at the Mission Art Center who saved up lots of containers and craft supplies for us!ACTIVITIESThis event was all about arts and crafts. A month earlier, we started saving up discarded items like cereal boxes, scrap paper, magazines and bottle caps. . . . The kids recycled these things to create treasure boxes and purses, paper bead necklaces, little notebooks and cute magnets.Check outJunkMailGems.comfor ideas and instructions on turning trash into treasure.ENTERTAINMENTWe added upbeat music in the background and brought in a Puppeteer to chat with the kids while they were at work!Thanks to Dr. O'Moose and Alyssa for helping out!

By Once Upon A Time, Kid's Birthday Parties & Children's Events

Plan a Whimsical Children's Tea Party

Tea Parties are not just for girls! Even if you have small boys, or both boys and girls, a tea party is a special activity that will become a treasured memory. Our children are bombarded daily with negative messages. They seem to be growing up faster all the time and their childhood innocence only lasts for so long. Activities such as tea parties, reading, family game nights and craft time will stay with them forever as gentle memories that will carry them through difficult times in their lives. Plan your tea party today, and enjoy an afternoon of magic and whimsy with your children! Once Upon a Time offers a Mad Hatter Tea Party package where everyone gets to paint their own tea cup to keep as a favor! Packages start at $399 for 10 Children. Vanilla Milk Teaingredients: 1 cup milk 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 tsp. decaf black or green tea (or 4 tea bags) 1 quart boiling water Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the vanilla, and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand until the milk is cool. Place the tea leaves in the teapot and add the boiling water. Cover with a towel and steep 5 minutes. Pour about 1/4 cup of the cooled milk into the teacups. Stir and strain the tea into the cups. Makes 4-5 servings. Coconut CookiesIngredients: 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg, unbeaten 1 cup coconut 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, then coconut. Sift in flour with baking powder. Break off pieces the size of a walnut on greased pan. Flatten with fork. Bake in moderate (350) oven until a light golden brown. Lemony Tea BreadIngredients: 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel or lemon balm 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme 2 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons shredded lemon peel 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice In a small sauce pan, heat milk, lemon balm or peel, and thyme until just warm. Remove from heat; cool. Stir together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fluffy. Alternately add the herbed milk and the flour to batter, beating on low speed until just combined. Fold in lemon peel. Turn into greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven 45-50 minutes or until golden. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and just enough lemon juice to make a drizzle. Spoon over bread. Slice and serve on a pretty paper doily lined plate. I'm A Little Teapot(music copyright 1939 Kelman Music) I'm a little teapot short and stout;(stick your tummy out and pretend you are very short) Here is my handle(place your hand on your hip, so your arm is a handle) And here is my spout.(Bend your other arm and hand like a spout) When I get all steamed up,then I shout:Just tip me over and pour me out!(Bend over and pretend you are pouring out your tea!)

By Once Upon A Time, Kid's Birthday Parties & Children's Events