Getting Crafty in March

Good afternoon on another endless winter day. There is good news in store for the weekend as temperatures actually get above freezing, so I hope you have plans for the weekend.

March has been declared National Craft Month by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA). The CHA began this tradition in 1994 to instill the joy of crafting for beginners and experts alike. This tradition is a wonderful opportunity for craft retailers to hold in-store events and contests. For consumers, the CHA provides a calendar of tips for each day of the month. This is the opportunity to try a new craft, or for those who don't this is a great time to start! I've dabbled in a number of paper crafting techniques such as origami, scrapbooking, decoupage, and collage. Besides paper crafts, one can learn how to make jewelry, candles, or pottery, knit, crochet, emboss, etch glass, weave with a loom, press flowers, sew, tie-dye, and much more. Let you imagination run wild! About.com shows you many of the basics. Check out your local craft store or go online for special promotions, giveaways, and projects.

Crafting is a very popular activity for birthday parties. Start off with this great crayon-box invitation from Fun Family Crafts. 

Cool Mom Picks presents ten craft projects that could double as birthday party favors. I love these purses made from corrugated cardboard.

You know the saying: March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Why not have the kids make these adorable lion and lamb nameplates from Celebrations? Templates and instructions are provided.

For the spring, kids will also appreciate some homemade glitter Play-Doh. Instructions are also from Celebrations.

Having a zoo-themed party? From Kix Cereal, these crafts, which include a cereal box lion party favor, a monkey hat, a paper plate panda, and an egg carton alligator, are perfect for younger children.

For teens and tweens, scrapbooking is a very popular crafting activity at parties. Hedy of To the Moon and Back styled a Smash scrapbooking party for her daughter. Smashing is taking a shoe box full of memories and cramming it into one little book. Each guest was given supplies such as cardstock, embellishments, stickers, and tags to make their own book.

Today's Freebie Friday is a matching game that celebrates Women's History Month. On Monday, I will talk about International Women's Day. As usual, just right-click to download, save, and print. Answers will be published next week.

Here are the answers to last week's Freebie Friday game.

Here are the lists for this weekend. There is a lot going on!

Today's birthdays: Tyler, the Creator (25), Chris Tomson (31), Bubba Sparxxx (380), Beanie Sigel (41), Amy Pietz (46), Moira Kelly (47), Connie Britton (48), Skip Ewing (51), D.L. Hughley (51), Tom Arnold (56), Anna Maria Horsford (68), Kiki Dee (68), Rob Reiner (68!), David Gilmour (69), Hugh Grundy (70), Mary Wilson (71), and Ben Murphy (73)

Tomorrow's birthdays: Laura Prepon (35), TJ Thyne (40), Jenna Fisher (41), Rachel Weisz (44), Randy Guss (48), Wanda Sykes (51), Bill Brochtrup (52), Taylor Dayne (53), Bryan Cranston (59), Ernie Isley (63), John Heard (69), Peter Wolf (69), Daniel J. Travanti (75), and Willard Scott (81)

Sunday's Birthdays: Kristinia DeBarge (25), Jessica Collins (32), Tom Chaplin (36), James Van Der Beek (38), Freddie Prinze, Jr. (39), Andrea Parker (45), Shawn Mullins (47), Camryn Mannheim (54), Aidan Quinn (56). Lester Holt (56), Gary Numan (57), Peggy March (67), Randy Meisner (69), Micky Dolenz (70), and Carole Bayer Sager (71).

Today's Holidaze: There are so many holidaze going on today, beginning with National Employee Appreciation Day! At work (yes, I do have a full-time job besides running the shop), employees get to pick out gifts from a catalog when they reach five-year milestones. This year will be the 15th year with my company, and this is a small but valuable token of thanks for the the contributions to the goals of the company. Verbal praise is always good, too.

Foodie holidaze include National Oreo Cookie Day and White Chocolate Cheesecake Day, and National Frozen Foods Day. Now in its 103rd year, the Oreo sandwich cookie is loved by millions and now comes in several varieties. However, I will always be partial to the original flavor.

The American inventor and industrialist Clarence Birdseye is believed to be the founder of the frozen foods industry. Birdseye's initial product line featured 26 items ranging from meat to fruit to vegetables. In 1984, then-president Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation declaring National Frozen Foods' Day.

After you eat too many Oreos and pieces of white chocolate cheesecake, you may need to visit your dentist. Let's face it, sitting in a dentist's chair is nobody's idea of a good time, but it's a necessity. National Dentist's Day is the time to show "Thank You" and appreciation for your dentist and all the teeth cleaning and cavity filling that he/she does.

Salespeople are often underppreciated and underpaide. In March 2000,  Maura Schreier-Fleming, created National Salesperson Day to honor the professional salespeople and the work they dow.

Today's final Holidaze is National Day of Unplugging, a 24-hour period to do things other than using electricity, electronics, and social media. Read a book or spend the afternoon in the museum if you have the luxury.

Tomorrow's Holidaze: Tomorrow is National Be Heard Day, a day dedicated to the small business owners in the U.S. who are struggling during the "big box era." This is a day for small businesses to be heard through creative marketing and publicity tactics. This day was started by Business Mentor Shannon Cherry in 2006.

There are two foodie days tomorrow: National Cereal Day and National Crown of Roast Pork Day. Cereal has been a part of our breakfast table since the mid-1800s. Cereal is also used in cakes, cookies, and bar recipes. For a comprehensive history, check out The Great American Ceral Book: How Breakfast Got Its Crunch by Martin Gitlin and Topher Ellis. This caught my interest at a local bookstore but didn't buy it until a year later. You won't be disappointed. 

Sunday's Holidaze: Sunday is National Proofreading Day, which is a day to promote error-free writing. I see typos everywhere from the daily paper to store signs. As a professional copy editor and proofreader, I feel having these skills is so important in many situations from school to the business world. This day was created by Corporate Trainer Judy Beaver. who provides proofreading tips on both her website and Facebook.

Our last foodie holiday of the weekend is National Peanut Cluster Day. I love the combined saltiness and sweetness of peanut clusters. This is an easy-to-make snack: just melt the chocolate, add your peanuts, stir them together, drop them by spoonfuls into clusters on waxed paper, let them harden, and enjoy!

Tonight, I will be attending a presentation and book signing for the book Legendary Locals of Forest Hills and Rego Park by Michael H. Perlman. I've been chatting with a group from the neighborhood on Facebook and hope to meet many of them at the book signing.

Sunday at 2 a.m. is Daylight Savings Time! Don't forget to turn your clocks one hour ahead! 

Have a PRINTASTIC weekend!

Kathy

Going to the Game--Sports-Themed Parties for Kids

Good afternoon . . . .winter just won't go away! We got socked with at least another four to six inches of snow, and the temperatures keep falling.

It's hard to believe that spring is just fifteen days ahead and it's almost time for baseball season. Spring training has begun along the Florida coast and in the warm Arizona sun. In another couple of weeks, March Madness will begin in the NCAA. I thought this would be a good time to talk about sports-themed parties. We've attended a few bar mitzvahs with a sports theme, including the Yankees, the Mets, and Wide World of Sports. Once again, this is a theme where finding decorations is easy because there are so many options from chains like Party City to doing it yourself (DIY).

The ballpark ticket is one of the most popular types of invitations for a sports-themed party. I love this adorable invitation from Dazzle Expressions, where you can customize it with a photo and wording.

Soccer is very popular with girls, and there are many directions one can go with the color scheme. You can either choose feminine colors such as green, pink, or purple, or use the team colors. The website Big Dot of Happiness shows you how. I love the set-up of the snack table.

Does your child love tennis? Check out this idea from Catch My Party. As with a football-themed party, you can use felt to cover the tables and mark the felt with tennis courts. What made this party stand out was the dessert table. 

For a hockey/skating theme parties, these brownie hockey sticks are adorable. These are featured in t the blog The Piggy Toes.

At one baseball-themed bar mitzvah I attended. the centerpieces contained peanuts, Cracker Jacks, sunflower seeds, and bubble gum. From the website Jewitup, here is a great example of these foods displayed in a wire basket. Other concessions may include hot dogs and baseball-shaped cookies.

For the littlest basketball fans, the blog It's All About Ty and Ashlee features a wonderful DIY party using the colors of Iowa State. From the plates decorated with black electrical tape to the favors of blow-up basketballs sports-themed wristbands, and basketball fake tattoos, this party was simple yet festive. The party occurred around the time of March Madness.

 

Over the past ten years, several states have recognized cheerleading as a competitive sport. Athletes as young as five join cheer teams. For a cheerleading party, here is a great table decoration from Uncommon Designs featuring pom-poms and megaphones. 

A sports-themed party wouldn't be complete without some games. The blog Beau-Coup shows you how to play a game called "Hot Basketball," which is a variation of Hot Potato. This game is ideal for younger children.

Image courtesy of Best Children's Games

Depending on the party, you can also include a football toss, a batting cage, an obstacle course, or an indoor basketball game.

A couple of months ago, I promoted some of the football games from the shop to coincide with the Super Bowl. Today, I am promoting a sports-themed word search. Originally designed for my husband's birthday, this is a word search featuring the New York Yankees all-stars (as you can tell, he is a Yankee fan). I can customize this word search to feature your favorite baseball, football, basketball, or hockey team, along with the team colors. The puzzle makes a great goody-bag or table favor. Just hit the "Request a Custom Order" button at the shop or send me a convo for more information.

Now for today's lists:

Women's History Month Fun Fact of the Day: Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes. Many kids' items, such as disposable diapers, folding cribs, and infant carriers, were invented by moms who saw a need that had yet to be filled. See the complete list on Fact Monster.

Today's Birthdays: Jake Lloyd (26), Sterling Knight (26), Eva Mendes (50), Kevin Connolly (41), Craig and Charlie Reid (53), Penn Jillette (60), Marsha Warfield (61), Eddy Grant (67), eddie Hodges (68), Michael Warren (69), Fred William (77), Dean Stockwell (79), James B. Sikking (81), and James Noble (93).

Holidaze: Today is National Multiple Personality Day. You may know someone who has been diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder, which is characterized by at least two distinct identities that alternately control a persons behavior. This disorder is accompanied by memory loss that goes beyond ordinary forgetfulness. This is a day to spend extra time with those who have been affected.

March 5th is also known as National Absinthe Day. This is a potent alcoholic beverage derived from the flowers and leaves of the grand wormwood plant, and is traditionally colored green. Because it has such high level of alcohol, it is normally distilled with water prior to drinking,

Finally, it's National Cheese Doodle Day! Although I don't really like cheese, I really love cheese doodles. A cheese doodle is usually a cylinder-like cornmeal puff with a cheddar cheese flavor. Sources say they were invented in the 1940s by a man named Morrie Yohai, who had taken over his family business called Old London Foods.

March is also National Craft Month. In the weekend edition of the blog, I will discuss events that coincide with this occasion..

Beginning next week, I am going to reduce my posts on this blog to three times a week instead of daily due to time constraints.

Our prayers go out to Harrison Ford, who was piloting a vintage plane and crashed into a golf course.

Have a PRINTASTIC night!

Kathy

Celebrating Purim--The "Jewish Halloween"

Good afternoon . . . sorry I was MIA yesterday. I was busy with many things and didn't have a chance to write a post. 

At sundown tonight, the holiday of Purim begins. Although this is a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar, it is also one of the most joyous and most fun occasions. 

The story of Purim is told in the Book of Esther and is set in Persia (present-day Iran). The book of Esther is unusual because it is the only one that does not mention G-d. King Ahasuerus held a seven-day banquet and order his wife Vashti to dance naked before his guests. Because of a skin condition, she refused. Vashti was banished and executed as a result. Ahauerus held a pageant to choose a new Queen. Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman, encouraged by her cousin Mordecai, entered the competition and won. However, she did not reveal to Ahauerus that she was Jewish.

The villain of our story is the king's evil prime minister, Haman, who walked through the streets and demanded that all bow down to him. Mordecai refused to bow down to him because Jews only bowed to the almighty. On the 13th day of Adar, Haman decided to exterminate all the Jews, beginning with Mordecai. He persuaded the king to carry out the plan. 

The Megillah

Mordecai then urged Esther to speak to the king on behalf of their people. She risked her life because anyone who went to the king without being summoned was put to death. Esther fasted for three days went to the king, who welcomed her. She confessed that she was Jewish and told the king of Haman's plot against her people. The Jews fought back and killed their enemies, and Haman was hanged. 

The Grogger (Noisemaker)

Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, the day after Haman attempted to carry out his plan for the extermination of the Jews. The word Purim means "lots," and refers to the lottery that Haman used to choose as the day for the massacre. The holiday is preceded by the Fast of Esther, which commemorates Esther's three days of fasting before meeting the king.

Tonight, Jews from around the world will be heading to synagogue to hear the megillah (the Book of Esther), which is the scroll that tells the story of Purim. The megillah is read twice in public, once tonight, and again during the day. Every time Haman's name is mentioned, members of the congregation twirl their groggers (noisemakers), stamp their feet, or boo out loud to eradicate his named. Many children (and adults too), attend synagogue costume. which is a reference to G-d's hand in the Purim miracle. This is also a holiday when we give to those less fortunate in keeping wit hthe them of Jewish unity. We also send food baskets to friends. This is known as misholach minot.

Hamentashen

Finally, Purim is a day to gather your loved ones and enjoy a traditional feast. Among the special foods is a pastry called hamentashen. The pastry symbolizes Haman, the defeated enemy, and resembles the three corners of his hat. Hamentashen are made with many different fillings such as the traditional poppy seed, prunes, nuts, dates, apricots, raspberries, apple, cherry, and chocolate.


In certain ancient cities--such as Jerusalem--Purim is celebrated on the 15th day of Adar. This is to commemorate the battles in the ancient city of Shushan, where the battles extended for an additional day. The 15th of Adar is called "Shushan Purim."

To those who celebrate, we wish you a very happy holiday!

Now it's time for today's lists:

Women's History Month Fun Fact of the Day: Did you know that until 1974, single women could not have a credit card to her name? They were often required to bring a man to co-sign when applying for a card. In 1974, Congress passed the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which made it illegal to discriminate against someone based on gender, race, religion or country of origin. Women now account for 85% of all consumer purchases!

Today's Birthdays: Andrea Bowen (25), Margo Harshman (29), Jason Sellers (44), Patsy Kensit (47), Evan Dando), Grand Puba (49), Jason Newsted (42), Steven Weber (54), Patricia Heaton (57), Mykelti Wiliamson (58), Catherine O'Hara (61), Emilio Estefan (62), Kay Lenz (62), Chris Rea (64), Shakin' Stevens (67), and Chris Squire (67).

Holidaze: It's National Grammar Day! I am a stickler for proper grammar and I cringe when someone uses it incorrectly. Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, (aka Grammar Girl) established this holiday in 2008. Navigate the official holiday website (linked above) for a list of fun things to do during this week.

Today is also Hug a G.I. Day, which is set aside for the military heroes who have risked their lives. The initial G.I. means "galvanized iron," a logistics term used by the armed forces.

Finally, today's foodie Holidaze is National Pound Cake Day. A traditional pound cake recipe calls for a pound each of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. That's a lot of cake! 

For those in the New York area, enjoy today's mild weather (45 degrees!) while it lasts, because Old Man Winter makes another return tomorrow. No more after this, please!

Have a PRINTASTIC Day!

Kathy