An Arsty Fartsy Affair

So, as many of you know, I live for planning my kids' birthday parties. 

I spend months thinking/planning/shopping/preparing... 

OBSESSING, really! 

And I love every single second of it. 

This year, for her 6th birthday, Isabella asked for an art-themed party. 

In our family ART=FUN! 

So I wasted no time and quickly got to work researching ideas and projects. 

I finally settled on a party at home (crazy, right?) with five different art stations: 

Marble Art, Art Studio, Scratch Art, Bubble Art and  Freestyle Art.

The invitations were sent, RSVPs received and the fun began!

Upon arrival, everyone walked in through our huge frame (you can kind of see it behind the kids).

It was kind of like walking into a painting. 

Immediately to the right was the laundry line with all of the kids' personalized aprons.

I got the aprons at the dollar store.

Pink and purple for the girls, orange and green for the boys.

My Mom and I paid Jo Ann's a visit to buy a variety of fabric.

I cut out the circles and the letters, and she got to work sewing them on.

I love how they turned out. 

They were a HUGE hit with the kids (and the parents).

Here is the birthday girl with most of her guests:

I just love how they all look with their little aprons!

Right after this photo was taken, we counted down and off they ran to get their art on!

Marble Art:

 I bought two big containers of oatmeal and covered them with paper.

Filled the divided tray with 7 different paint colors.

Dropped the marbles in the paint.

Placed a sheet of white construction paper inside the containers.

The kids used the spoons to scoop the marbles inside the container.

Secure the lid.

And shake it to your little heart's desire.

Open container, remove paper and you have marble art!

Needless to say, marble art was a VERY popular station.

The Art Studio:

I purchased three tabletop easels, lots of 8x10 canvases, a bunch of brushes, paint trays, and paint in every color available. 

 The kids enjoyed the freedom of painting whatever they wanted.

We had some amazing masterpieces come out of this station

;)

Scratch Art

All the supplies for this station came from Dick Blick Art Materials.

Have you ever shopped them?

They have everything you've ever thought of (and everything you haven't) related to art.

Heaven!

Bubble Art

It kills me that I didn't take a picture of the Bubble Art station before the party started. 

It was SO colorful! 

And SO fun!

So fun in fact, that some of the kids got a bit carried away when blowing...

Exhibit A:

HA! Just look at that face!

She's so proud of herself and her HUMONGOUS bubbles!

Love it!

Freestyle Art:

 I bought a good size poster board and nailed to the fence.

Then I picked up a bunch of cleaning tools at the dollar store that would add different textures.

And let them go CRAZY!

Unfortunately, once it was all said and done, the entire thing was covered in brown.

But Isabella has decided that she will use that as a background for a painting of her own.

We will then frame it (with the blue frame you've seen floating around this post) and place it in her bedroom.

That way she'll have something that all her little friends contributed toward.

Cute, isn't it?

Throughout the party, kids were constantly going up to 

the makeshift laundry line to hang up their art work.

Here are just a few fun random photos...

Then it was time to go inside and sing Happy Birthday.

Cake maker extraordinaire, Karen, made the cake, as usual.

 And as usual, it was adorable AND delicious!

When everyone was leaving, each child got an 8x10 frame to put their favorite art piece in.
Apparently I forgot to take pictures of those as well...

At the end of the day, her apron looked like this:

and when I asked her if she had enjoyed her party, 

with a HUGE grin on her face, she replied:

"Mommy,thank you for giving us the BEST parties ever!"

And that, my friends, is exactly why I spend months thinking/planning/shopping/preparing... 

OBSESSING, really!