"AWESOME" B-DAY PARTY IDEA

Here is an easy and fun party idea. We just had one for our 8 year old
son. 20 invites. What simply spray is, is a fabric spray paint, which
dries soft and sets permanantly without heat. You get all the kids
together and provide each of them with a white tshirt a bunch of colors.
Make sure you put newspapers down and help the kids with their designs.
Online you can find some ideas and instructions, we had a few kids make
flag shirts ( http://simplyspray.com/projects.html ) several did
camoflague patterns ( http://simplyspray.com/projects5.html ), others did
plain old tye dye designs. The best part of this whole party was that it
took up a good hour, was inexpensive, and was easily cleaned up.

What we did in preparation for the party was to make a small stencil which
we cut out of a piece of plastic, it said

Tom's 8th!
03/19/05

We bought one can of the stencil spray which made imprinting each tshirt
very easy.

My wife found out about the product when shopping at a local craft store,
It was quite expensive there, but when researched online I found
www.fabricspraypaint.com

We bought everything from fabricspraypaint.com including shirts. 20 for
$40. Additionally we bought 2 Party Kits, 3 Camoflage Kits, 2 Freedom
Kits, and 1 can of silver stencil spray. Overall the whole project cost
us just over $100 and with the food and other games cost uner $175, so
about $8 per kid.

Its a great and unique party idea, especially if planning time is limited.

Our birthday parties tend to be homemade versions of traditional games
.... homemade cake, and the rest of the money spent on goodie bags. We
tend to have about 20 kids over and ALWAYS pray for sunny weather.

Last year we did a Harry Potter party ...

decorate paper bags while kids arrive, including about $5 worth of Harry
Potter stickers (also crayons, etc.)

Outside for Potter-themed races in the front yard (with broomsticks, of
course!) and pin-the-hat-on-the-wizard ... (the kids say I need to learn
to draw better?)

Stay outside for a pinata. We found a wizard-themed one for about $15.
Spent about $30 on candy.

Back inside for cake ($10) -- made it myself and no one complained!
Harry plates etc. added up to another $20.

Back outside to play whatever until the parents took the kids away. SO
I guess I spent $70 plus whatever I put in the goodie bags this year. (I
tend to get that stuff on sale and at dollar stores well in advance of
the party, so probably about $1/kid.)

So, $90 altogether for about 20 9-year olds ... it was a BLAST.

We've been to t-shirt parties before. They can be lots of fun, too.
It's just that my kids insist on a pinata (without which you cannot have
abirthday, apparently) and love the traditional games. We always seem
to limbo, too.

I'm not sure what we'd do if it ever truly poured so that we couldn't do
the pinata outdoors ... hope it never happens!

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

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