ladybug - lovebug - PARTY

Our little lovebug turned two... which means it's time for a party!!!  The weather was GORGEOUS here today - so we had time to play outside with cousins after a yummy lunch together & naps for the 3 little ones.  Here she is in her ladybug top.

A couple more party details...

I wanted a little something to hang in our entryway.  It's a ribbon garland - felt rectangles are just straight stitched onto the ribbon.  I grabbed some brightly colored fabric, and put my machine in free motion mode.  I free-handed the letters, and then trimmed them.  Then I stitched some brightly colored buttons in between the letters.

The other garland is more party-specific, but I'll probably keep it up for a while just because it's springy, blue, and I LOVE the fabric!  I used my rotary cutter with a pinking blade to cut the triangles, and then machine stitched them along a ladybug ribbon.

 I also made lovebug cupcakes.  The "lovebugs" are made from red melting chocolate in a heart shaped silicone mold.  I popped them out, then dipped the heads in dark brown chocolate.  Then I used a sparkly black gel to do 2 spots on each side (she is turning 2 after all!) and the stripe down the middle for the wings.  Then I used a white gel for the eyes.

The cupcakes are just a plain yellow cake mix that I dyed pink, and then added mini chocolate chips to be ladybug spots.  (It helps that I LOVE chocolate and thought this was a good reason to throw in some more chocolate!)

{for more ladybug party details click on the ladybug thread below}

ladybug top

So - just a little something I made for the birthday girl.  It's a seersucker green fabric with butterflies, ladybugs and dots all over.  After I took the pictures, I decided to add some big red ladybug buttons where the straps meet the bodice.  She's going to wear it with black leggings.  I made pink knit capris, but I think it's going to be a little cool for her to wear them at the party.  I'll probably put a white onesie on underneath too.
It matches her new purse too!

{edited to add... check her out at her birthday party! and I linked up at a couple parties!}

ladybug favors

The ladybug party is coming up this weekend.  Here's the favors for the little girl cousins.

Each girl gets their own "Love Bug" mask to decorate.  They were in the Joann's Dollar section.  It remains to be seen whether they'll be decorated at the party or later at home.  Then there's a little glitter to sprinkle around on a ladybug picture, and tins with black and red M&Ms inside.  The tins are also from the dollar section, and I added the glitter black dots around the top.  Of course everybody gets to pick a ladybug magnet, too!

ladybug magnets

Conner wanted to help make some goodies for Abby's party.  We got busy with Model Magic.  I haven't used it often, but with it's magical drying abilities, I figured it work out well for this project.

So much great fine motor work for him - rolling the balls, smooshing them together.  We made 22!

Then we left them out overnight to dry.

After they were dry, I glued magnets to the back.  Then we paired up a bunch of google eyes out of our stash, and glued the ladybug's eyes on.  It dawned on me then - I wonder what would have happened if I had stuck the eyes in before the Model Magic dried.  Has anyone else tried something like that?  Next project I'll find out!  I also used a Sharpie to draw a line down the middle.  If I had been doing this project myself, obviously the dots would have been a little more consistently sized & placed.  But with Conner helping, each ladybug has "personality".
At the party, they'll be parading on the refrigerator, and everybody will get to pick their favorite to take home.

ladybug wreath

The next wreath in the series!

I took off the ribbon strips & the eggs on the Easter version and added some red felt in the spot without enough twine.  I used black pins to hold it in place - perfect ladybug spots!  Then I used a Model Magic ladybug (more coming up soon!) and stuck it in place with a black pin through its neck.  A little ladybug ribbon to hang it up & we're good to go for the party this weekend!

ladybug, lovebug

Have you ever read this book? It's the cutest story about a younger sister who always feels left out of things by her older brother. She is so creative, and so ready to take on the world. It was a must have for our library!
To celebrate our little ladybug girl turning 2, we're throwing a ladybug party!
I found a poem written by Maria Fleming and added my own special stanza.

Ladybugs all dressed in red

Strolling through the flowerbed.
If I were tiny just like you,
I'd creep among the flowers too!
Abby, lovebug, dressed in blue
Strolling through the morning dew
At 11 in the morning on April 10th
Let's party with family as you turn two!