Tea Party Birthday

Serenity will be turning 5 soon and we are having a tea party birthday at La Tea Da in Thibodaux.

You can find them on Facebook here.

I've been looking around for fun tea party themed supplies and favors.
There is so much cute stuff online!!

Here's some I've found so far:

Tea pot and cup crayons at Posh Paper Creations on Etsy.

Or you can make your own by carefully pre-melting crayons and pouring the wax into these candy molds:

Here's some adorable multiracial Princesses Have a Tea Party fabric for homemade gifts bags.

Here's some cute tea-themed ribbon for the gift bag handles:

Combine the two to make these fun Tea Party themed gift bags!
Use my gift bag tutorial to see how I made them!



In the cell phone picture above, Serenity is holding a little tea cup (set of 6) that I bought on Amazon.
Only $11.19 and FREE shipping w/Prime.
They are the perfect size for little girls!
You can find the matching teapot ($10) here.
FREE shipping w/Prime too!

I also love this play makeup by Mini-Play.
Just like Mommy's!

Or you can make your own - much cheaper if you're doing party favors for 6 little girls!

I've made some before - but mine didn't turn out nearly as nice as this Mommy's set!

She found all her cute supplies at the Dollar Store.

Check out her entire post on her blog, Meet the Dubiens.

I love these cute non-toxic nails polishes by Piggy Paint.
But at $8.99 they are out of my price range.

AllyKats also has non-toxic nail polish for kids.
They peel-off so you don't need to buy nail polish remover.
Affordable at $4.99!

A cute (and inexpensive) pinata at Amazon!

Tea cup cupcake silicone molds with saucers.
These are too fun!
Even I could decorate these cute!

As for cakes, you can find TONS of idea online.

If I wasn't the worst cake decorator in the world, I would try make this "simple" tea pot cake:

I'm still looking around at tea party fun supplies so I may update this post when I come across something new!

Have Fun!

Remembering 9/11

Remember 9/11 and all the Firefighters who lost their lives struggling to save the people trapped in the WTC towers. 

Please keep in your hearts those firefighters who have developed cancer while wading through unimaginable, toxic dust to find WTC survivors and save others on that fateful day.
You can donate to help firefighters at Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
Also, tune in to Sanjay Gupta's Terror in the Dust.


You can donate to help the families of fallen firefights by going to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

What is a fireman? 

He is the guy next door - a man's man with the memory of a little boy. He has never gotten over the excitement of engines and sirens and danger.

He is a guy like you and me with wants and worries and unfulfilled dreams.

Yet he stands taller than most of us.

He is a fireman.

He puts it all on the line when the bell rings.

A fireman is at once the most fortunate and the least fortunate of men.

He is a man who saves lives because he has seen too much death.

He is a gentle man because he has seen the awesome power of violence out of control.

He is responsive to a child's laughter because his arms have held too many small bodies that will never laugh again.

He is a man who appreciates the simple pleasures of life - hot coffee held in numb, unbending fingers - a warm bed for bone and muscle compelled beyond feeling - the camaraderie of brave men - the divine peace and selfless service of a job well done in the name of all men.

He doesn't wear buttons or wave flags or shout obscenities.

When he marches, it is to honor a fallen comrade.

He doesn't preach the brotherhood of man.

He lives it. 

-Author unknown

Zote Laundry Jelly

Supplies:
1 - 5 gallon bucket*

1 (14.1 ounce) bar of Zote**

3 cups Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda***

3 cups Borax
Water
Grater
Long mixing spoon or paddle


Instructions:
1. Grate the Zote bar.

2. Add the grated Zote to a pot with water on medium heat and stir until melted.

3. Fill the bucket halfway with HOT water.

4. Add Washing Soda and Borax, stir until the powder is dissolved and everything is blended together. 

5. Add the melted Zote; stir well.

6. Fill the bucket to the top with HOT water, stir well and cover overnight to cool and jell.

---------------

Use 1/4 - 1/2 cup per load. 

Some water will collect at the top which is normal and great for delicates.

You can also fill a liquid laundry jug up halfway with the Zote jelly and then fill it with water. 

It will thicken, so shake well before each use.

I scoop the jelly straight from the bucket since it dissolves easily in the washer.

A 5-gallon bucket of Zote jelly is easy to make and inexpensive - only pennies per load! 

---------------

*Lowes and Home Depot carries 5 gallon buckets. I like the Gamma2 spin lid instead of a traditional bucket lid. They are easy to spin off and on, and offer an air-tight seal. They also come in several colors.

**Big Lots carries Zote for like 80¢ a bar, or you can substitute three bars of Fels Naptha for the Zote.

***It may be hard to find Arm & Hammer washing soda in your area. A friend told me to try local hardware stores. I ordered mine online at SoapsGoneBy.com. Right now it's $6 a box, but I stocked up when they had a sale last year.

Buy.com has Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda for only $2.99 w/free shipping if you spend $40. That's 14 boxes! But it might not be a bad idea if you can't find it locally and plan to start making your own.

----------------

This is almost the recipe I use for my powdered Zote laundry soap, but I copied a friend's jell technique. 
She convinced me to try the jelly verison. 
She acutally used Fels Naptha, but I like Zote's light and fresh clean smell on our clothes.

Zote jelly makes very little suds, so it's perfect for your regular and HE washing machines.

Some people have problems using homemade laundry soap, but I think that it's mostly due to hard water.
eHow has a homemade water softener that may work for you. 
It's a simple and inexpensive solution:

1 cup Borax
2 cups washing soda
water

Mix all them together in a gallon container leaving a 1/2" space at the top.

Add 1 cup into the wash with your homemade (or regular) laundry soap.

UPDATE:

My local Wal-Mart now sells washing soda, Borax AND Fels Naptha!

Have Fun!!