Crafty Fun for all ages!

I have often had people ask me, in the past, if I host Adult craft parties and the answer is most certainly YES! Craft parties for special occasions are a great way to keep your guests entertained and talking, all the while creating something special for the guest of honour ie. the Bride, the Mum-to-Be or the new baby!

Nothing is as personal as homemade shower gifts. When you make something yourself, the receiver feels extra special because your heart and soul have gone into the creation. Going to the shops and picking out the perfect gift takes time and effort,  But, to sit down and create something with your own hands and your own imagination takes a little bit more thought and love.

 Talk to us today about tailoring a package to suit your extra special occasion.

We will keep you and your friends busy for up to 2 hours. A wonderful way of putting all your memories down on paper or to create that special album for your favourite bride or new grandson!

For more information feel free to give us a call on 0425882715

Or you can email us at info@artyparties.com.au 

Happy Crafting!

Sarah

Have your heard about our WORD ART parties?

Have you heard about our fantastic new WORD ART parties? All the girls at Arty Parties decided that this was too much fun to miss out on so welcome to our new party package theme - WOODEN WORD ART. This party is proving very popular and would be perfect for the older children who want to experiment with their creative side and have something to keep for themselves as well! And don't worry - boys are definitely catered for too!

 As part of this package, your Arty Parties hosts will arrive 20-30 minutes before your scheduled party and set up an awesome colourful decorating station where all the magic will happen. Along with popular words such as 'Smile', 'dream' and 'wonder', Arty Parties can also arrange to have each individual guests name made to create that truly unique art work! Imagine having your own name with your own spelling! We can make that happen!

 Let the designer inside shine through. With a huge variety of embellishments such as ribbons galore, flowers, rhinestones, butterflies, buttons and glitter, assorted shapes such as animals, sports and even pirates and cars! your children won't be able to stop themselves from creating!

 

Prices start from $250 for up to 10 guests and includes set up, hosting and clean up! 

For bookings and more information, email Sarah at info@artyparties.com.au. 

Or call on 0425 882 715!

(REAL STORIES) Wonderful WORD Art!

 Here we are with another fabulous WORD art party for some fabulous 12 year old girls. Our word art party is one of our most popular parties, especially with the older kids and who wouldn't agree? When you get to create and design and totally unique piece of room decor to be just what you want. Some wanted bright colours with heaps of ribbons and 'bling', others wanted plain white with a few sparkles.

I think we can count this wonderful birthday a success when there was a deafening 'quiet' over their working tables. (Funny, Dad had already pre-warned the neighbours that a rowdy bunch of girls were attending. Well he got a shock! Not a peep, except for the odd giggle!)

 Not really in the right order are they, oh well.

For more information on our WORD ART parties, please visit us at info@artyparties.com.au or call Sarah on 0325 882 715. You can also read more about our Word Art parties in our post here.

( REAL STORIES) A Christmas Celebration

I know it's a bit late but let's share them anyway! Arty Parties had the wonderful honour of helping out with a lovely bunch of people from a local church in Melbourne, celebrate the Christmas season with 200 of their guests. It was a lovely sunny afternoon for some crafty fun our on the lawns.

Arty Parties is a fantastic choice for your work or Christmas function.......with Arty Parties everything will be taken care of. We will work with you to provide an individual and creative experience to suit your function and your guests requirements. In this particular case, we arrived all ready to have some Christmas fun! All set up for Christmas Wreath decorating and Adjustable Santa hangings! Something to suit the wide variety of ages from 2 to 12 years!

Happy Crafting

Sarah

(CRAFTY KIDS) Thumbprint Valentines!

 I have enjoyed having my children make their very own cards to give out for Valentines this year!Capture a lovely moment with your kids this Valentines Day by creating personal Valentine's Day Cards with their thumbprints! The kids will love being able to draw or stamp on their own skin and not get into trouble! These cards are simple to make and a wonderful keepsake that you can keep or frame to remind you of how little they used to be!!! (Sniff....Sniff!)

Some tips to remember before you start:

• Thumbprint Materials - An ink pad gives a clear and defined thumbprint and dries almost instantly, but finger paints and even acrylic paints can be used. If you're using paints, dab a little on a piece of card stock. Rub your finger around and make sure it is just lightly coated - too much paint will create globs. Wash fingers before using another color, and let the thumbprint dry before adding accents. Of course fingers can be used too - depending on the size and shape of the print you want.
• Changing Colours - Have a damp washcloth or wet wipes handy to wipe off excess paint from child’s hands when changing colors. When finished with this project, have child wash hands with soap and water.
• Get creative and use whatever colors you like. Just remember to use colors that contrast with your construction paper to be sure it shows up well. Once the thumbprint is dry, why not add some features using a pen - An arrow through the heart, draw faces,  create different animals or creatures!
• Messages - You may want to have the child write their personal message inside the card before starting the paint process. It can be done afterward, but if done before there’s no risk of accidentally messing up these cute creations.

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Sarah

5 Great Tips for Partying with Young Children!

Happy children running amidst balloons and confetti come to mind at the mention of a child's birthday party. Getting to that happy scene takes the coordination of several party planning elements. However you go about planning the party, keep the goal in mind. The birthday party is meant to honor the young birthday child and ensure he has a memorable birthday.

TIP NO.1 Plan early

With so many details to coordinate, starting early is a must for a successful party. Start preparations at least a month before the date. This gives you ample time to make all of the decisions, purchase supplies and send out invitations. This will also allow you to research and book entertainment if need be with plenty of warning. Many entertainers are book well in advance, something to consider.

TIP NO.2 Scheduling 

From an after school or kindy party, to one on the weekend the options are endless. There is no rule, and certainly does not have to be held on the day of your child’s actual birthday. Be aware of Public Holidays and school holidays when preparing. It would be upsetting if most of your children's friends are away and could not attend your child's party. Also, consider a weekday party for something different. Perhaps a party afterschool from 4pm until 6pm would be suitable, if you don't want a massive weekend extravaganza. Many birthday entertainers and companies may also offer a discount to encourage more parties during the week. Always good for the budget!

TIP NO.3 Choosing a Time

There are two things to consider here: the time of day and the age of the birthday child.

Top tips:

• Make sure if your child is a toddler or preschooler that you consider morning and afternoon sessions and potential time clashes. Preschool sessions, lessons, school pick ups are all things to consider!

• Consider parents with younger siblings – early afternoons often mean nap time.Parties for younger children should be conducted in the morning where possible while the kids are awake and refreshed for the day. Often, we have found that younger children of around 4-6 years fade in enthusiasm very quickly later in the afternoon!

• Consider extra-curricular activity times for school aged children. These are often between 3.30 and 5 pm. (at least)so check with as many guests.

The age of the child is important, and shorter is often better. The maximum time frame for children up to intermediate years is three hours – unless you are particularly game and are hosting a sleep-over.

As a general guide for how long children's birthday parties should last:

• Age one: One hour. This party is usually for the parents to celebrate surviving that first year.

• Age two: these lovely treasures love a party but have no concept of shared play and will have no memory of it in later years. Favourite adults and perhaps one or two friends will be ample. Again, a one-hour party is usually long enough.

• Age three: By this age, birthdays are becoming special, so a little effort will be well rewarded. They are still young, so 1 ½ - 2 hours will be ample.

• Age four: This is where it starts getting fun! Most children are used to social situations by this age so you can be more structured in your planning. Short and sweet will still work best, with a maximum of two hours

• Age five: There’s nothing quite like turning five. It is an important milestone for our kids. Theme parties really come into play now and planning the party can be as exciting as the party itself. Party times should be around two hours, with some of that time being unstructured play/fun.

• Six and up: Party on!! Everyone loves a great party at this age. A maximum of three hours should be enough for all . . . especially you! 

TIP NO.4 Guest List

Choose the guests carefully. A good rule of thumb is to add one to the child's age to determine how many other kids to invite. So if your child is turning 5 years old, she would invite up to 6 other children. Consider the location of your party, whether it's indoors or outdoors and also your ability to handle large groups of children. Many party companies have a minimum of 10 children to be paid for at one party. This may be to cover costs associated with equipment and wages. Even though this may be more children, having a hosted and structured activity during the party will help 'control' the enthusiasm of so many children. So don't panic with having as many as ten children. A professional and experienced entertainer will work their magic.

TIP NO.4 Enlist Help

Birthday parties for young kids require a lot of work. Expect to be exhausted at the end of the day. Enlisting the help of your friends and family members makes the day run more smoothly. Don't forget to enjoy the party yourself after all of your efforts to plan and coordinate the event.

Happy Crafting

Sarah

Owner- Arty Parties Children's Craft Parties

Preteens and Arty Parties......

Are you planning a birthday party for your preteen?

Planning a birthday party for older children can be as much fun as planning a party for toddlers or preschoolers. It just requires a little more thought. After all, preteens are a bit harder to impress than the little ones, and they're looking for activities that are a tad more grown up.

If you're headed towards your preteen's birthday, don't panic, we have some fantiastic ideas to help get you started! 

This is an active, exciting age for kids, who try to emulate their older siblings in some ways but are still childlike in others. Pre-teens have a variety of interests and hobbies and enjoy doing activities that help them to attain a sense of mastery.

This is where Arty Parties can help you! Consider having a Tween Craft Party as part of your celebrations! Arty Parties has come up with a range of more challenging crafts that will relate to their personal style and interests! 

 Word Art Party

 Add some individual and unique decor to your bedroom or lounge with our beautiful wooden script words party!

With our Word Art party you can design and decorate with a unique colour scheme to match your room, your mood or maybe to give to your best friend! Put your favourite word on display - one that describes you! 

 Scrapbooking Album Parties

Our Best Friends Album Party is great for guests who want a stylish and special place to record their thoughts and secrets! Tweens will enjoy the challenge of assembling the album from scratch and then let their creativity shine as they decorate and embellish in theri own style. Complete with glitter pens to start sharing their secrets and you have a winner!

 Funky Frames Parties

Put your favourite picture on display with a funky frame you made yourself. With our funky frames party you can design and decorate a unique photo frame perfect for that best friend photo. Maybe you'd like to match your room decor or maybe you'd like to use your favourite colours?

 Wooden Crafts Parties
Our Wooden Crafts Party is very popular and comes with a variety of wooden projects to embellish and style to fit their room or their mood! Projects such as name plaques, wall hangings, desk tidys, pencil boxes and door hangers all allow the girls (or boys!) to use their creativity and learn new skills by using new crafting products. All while creating a gorgeous keepsake that they made themselves!

 Accordion Album Parties

Perhaps you could try our accordion album.

Turn your favourite pictures into an 8 page Accordion album that you can display on your favourite shelf.
Why not put together an album with you and your best friends, you and your dog, your cat, horse or maybe you want an album with you and your mum! Tweens will love the challenge of setting out their design, colour palette and then choosing embellishments to suit their tastes.

 Let Arty Parties help you come up with a fantastic party for your 'tween'. For more infomation on our packages and prices, visit us at www.artyparties.com.au. 

For the lastest info and updates from our most recent parties, pop over and check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/ArtyPartiesandEvents 

Happy Crafting,

Sarah

(REAL STORIES) A Sandy Affair

 We had the pleasure of hosting a colourful sand party for a gorgeous and bubbly young girl. Her request was for crafty fun that would appeal to both boys and girls at her party and be popular and appropriate for a wide age group as she was expecting younger cousins as well. So we decided on the ever popular Sand Art Party. Her choice of over 10 bright colours of sand along with over half a dozen designs of sand art sticky cards to choose from.

 The crafty artists hard at work........

 This popular party works well for all ages , we even had a couple of adults enjoy getting their creative flair out. With the use of the Arty Party Splatter Trays, keeping track of their scratch sticks and left over sand was simple, and cleaning up a breeze. Once the party was completed, all children took home their masterpeices in protective sealed bags where they could admire their work over and over again!

For more infomation on our sand art parties or for any of our other great parties, visit us at www.artyparties.com.au. You can also email us at info@artyparties.com.au and we would be happy to answer you questions.

Happy crafting everyone!

Sarah McDonald is the Owner/ Director of Arty Parties Children's Craft Parties and Events. We specialise in  host children s art, craft and scrap booking parties for children aged 4 - 14 years.

( REAL STORIES) Party in the Park!

 

We had the enormous pleasure of helping to celebrate an 8th and 6th birthday in the gorgeous parks of Kew, Victoria. We had the exciting task of entertaining 35 children under one big tent.

 

 Being in the outdoors in no problem for the team at Arty Parties. Many of our parties require no power and make minimal mess (not that cleaning up is anyone elses job besides Arty Parties right? So today they had decided to experiment with Calico crafts and design not only a tote bag (library bag, shopping bag or whatever you decide bag) but a pencil case to match.

 Many of the young artists chose to draft their artwork first before their final drawings. To top this off, the children also used different embellishments to finish off their designs! We had designs from superheros, to sporting teams, to butterflies and nature gardens.

 The creative process......

Another highly successful morning, thank you for letting us help celebrate. For more infomation on our many party packages  and ideas, visit us at www.artyparties.com.au or email us at info@artyparties.com.au