How to Throw a Super Fun Science Party!

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How to Throw a Super Fun Science Party!

For his sixth birthday, my younger son had a science-themed party. We chose a few easy-to-put-together science projects to demonstrate in a silly science show as well as for hands-on activities. The kids had a blast! Some of the projects required only a few household objects, a few others utilized kits from the fantastic website Steve Spangler Science (not a sponsor of this post :). I didn’t get great pic’s...though it wasn’t very “styled” anyway...it was all I could do to get the science projects together! A lot of research went into planning the activities, sourcing the supplies, and the flow of the party so I hope you will find this guide helpful! 

Read on for detailed description of all the science activities!

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Fun Cookie Flower Craft!

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Fun Cookie Flower Craft!

We're thinking spring! These cookie flowers are made from store-bought cookies and candy and are an easy and fun party or rainy day activity for younger kids. They're pretty on the side of a frosted cake for Easter, a shower, or any party! The M&M centers are “glued” to the cookie with a dot of vanilla icing that has been tinted pink. 

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Easter Crafts on The Today Show!

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Easter Crafts on The Today Show!

This weekend I shared a few fun and easy edible Easter crafts on the Today Show with Erica Hill and a few adorable kiddos (including her two sweet boys). You can watch the video here on the Today Show's website. Below are the how-to's for the four crafts that I presented!

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Muppet Party!

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Muppet Party!

Last year, my younger son requested a Muppet-themed birthday party and, as a  lifelong Muppet fan, I was thrilled! Kermit is one of his favorite characters so the color green became an easy decoration theme. The first items that I bought werethese honeycomb balls, for color, from Target. As I stared at the packaging, I realized with a little snipping, I could make it into a Kermit head! (more photos and how-to below). His balloon body was inspired by some of the crafts in the BALLOON chapter in our next book!!!

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Valentines Cookie Cottages on Martha Stewart

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Valentines Cookie Cottages on Martha Stewart

Our little Valentines Cookie Cottages are on Martha Stewart. They make a sweet decoration or fun kid activity. Made from graham crackers, they allow you to skip baking gingerbread and jump quickly to the decorating! Click here for the full tutorial.

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Handmade Charlotte

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Handmade Charlotte

Handmade Charlotte is one of my very favorite websites, so I am thrilled to have recently become a contributor. I'm sure many of you know the website already but if not, be sure to take a look. Tons ofbeautifully photographed and inspring crafts, kid's rooms, and recipes. 

Below (and above) is a peek at some of my posts. Click on the links or photos for the full tutorials.

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Cold Weather Candy Craft!

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Cold Weather Candy Craft!

My friend Melissa sent me these great shots of her daughter and friend making lollipops, inspired by our book Candy Aisle Crafts. The lollipops are almost as cute as the girls! I love the rainbow and letter pops that they thought up.  Lollipop-making is the perfect stuck-indoors winter activity! 

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Crafts to Prevent the Winter Blues on the Today Show!

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Crafts to Prevent the Winter Blues on the Today Show!

This morning I shared some kid-friendly craft and treat ideas to prevent cabin fever this winter on the Today Show. The ideas utilize a lot of leftover holiday stuff that you may already have around the house, like candy, empty boxes, and holiday cards. As always it is a lot of fun and everyone over at Today is super nice! Click here for the video and a how-to for one of the crafts.

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Cookie Snow Globes in Martha Stewart Living

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Cookie Snow Globes in Martha Stewart Living

We are thrilled that our friends over at Martha Stewart Living featured our cookie snow globes in their December issue in the gorgeous "Partners in Craft" story. 
Click here for the how-to!

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Parents Magazine Christmas Candy Craft Story

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Parents Magazine Christmas Candy Craft Story

For some fun do-together Christmas candy craft ideas, pick up the December issue of Parents Magazine. I crafted and wrote the story "A Candy Christmas". Above are starlight mint garlands, shot in my studio while I was developing the story. They're super easy to make. Click here for the how-to on the Parents website.

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Caramel Apple Turkeys!

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Caramel Apple Turkeys!

In case you've still got some Halloween candy lying around, specifically caramels and candy corn, you can make these chubby caramel apple turkeys for a Thanksgiving treat! I've been meaning to put up directions since I showed how to make them on the Today Show right before Halloween, in a segment about what to do with your leftover Halloween candy.

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Boo Cake on Dinner: A Love Story!

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Boo Cake on Dinner: A Love Story!

We are so honored that our BOO cake was featured on Dinner: A Love Story! I'm guessing that, like me,  you guys are already big fans of Jenny Rosenstrach's excellent blog about mastering the family meal. I bought her first book, Dinner: A Love Story and flagged almost every page! The recipes are all excellent but I have to admit that I didn't cook as many of the recipes that I had hoped. I just don't quite have the weeknight dinner routine down. That said, I feel like her new book Dinner: The Playbook, was written just for me!

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Cookie Faces on 100 Layer Cakelet

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Cookie Faces on 100 Layer Cakelet

Our Cookie Faces are featured on the lovely blog100 Layer Cakelet!! Click on over for a fun after school snack and activity....and a chance to win our book, Candy Aisle Crafts! (And click here for their post about our Planet Cookies)

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Book Giveaway on Bloesem Kids!

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Book Giveaway on Bloesem Kids!

The gorgeous blog Bloesem Kids is offering a giveaway of our book Candy Aisle Crafts!! Click over to enter and also to see a few tutorials from the book, including this gumdrop sailboat! If you aren't already familiar with Bloesem, make sure to check out Irene Hoof's other inspiring blog, Bloesem Living. Thank you Bloesem!! 

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Oh Happy Day!

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Oh Happy Day!

We are thrilled that our Cookie Cakes were featured on one of our absolute favorite blogs, Oh Happy Day! They are even offering a giveaway. If you leave a comment on their post by tomorrow 8/22, you might win a copy of our book Candy Aisle Crafts!

Click over to Oh Happy Day for the full tutorial!

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Gummy Candy Chapter

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Gummy Candy Chapter

As I mentioned in an earlier post about ourmarshmallow chapter opener, we were so lucky to have Robin Rosenthal design our book. Here is a peek at the gummy candy chapter opener that she designed! This chapter opener photo is composed mostly of spice drops (gumdrops' smaller cousin) with a few cut up gumdrops in there. Size is not their only difference between these two candies. Gumdrops are fruit-flavored and spice drops are, well, spicier with flavors like clove, anise, etc. Both make an excellent crafting material!

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Planet Cookies!

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Planet Cookies!

Our planet cookies were featured on the beautiful blog 100 Layer Cakelet, a great place to go to for kid's birthday and shower ideas and lots of other parent and expectant parent inspiration!

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