Shark Attack 7th Birthday!

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What could be more fun than hunting for shark teeth at the beach for your 7th Birthday?

Have you ever found yourself just a few weeks away from your daughter's birthday party or your best friend's bridal shower with no clue what to do?  You are not alone!  The good news is that we are here to help!  In just a few days, The Clueless Chick can turn your blank canvas into the perfect party plan.  Take a sneak peek at some of what we prepared for "Walker's" 7th Birthday Party when his mom called and said "Help!  I want to throw the best 7th birthday shark tooth hunting party but I just don't know where to start."

Contact us today to get your own custom Clueless Chick Party Plan!

7^th Birthday Shark Attack!

Event

•    7th Birthday Party

•    Inspiration Pinbord: 7th Birthday Shark Attack!

Date

•    Saturday June 16th

Time

•    10am - 1pm

Guest Count

•    TBD

Theme

•    Beach Shark Tooth Hunt

Location

•    Home and local beach

Timeline

10-10:30am: guests arrive

10:30-11am: travel to the beach and setup

11am-12pm: hunt for shark teeth and play trivia game

12-1pm: travel home, open presents and serve cupcakes

Invitations

•    “Help us take a big bite out of Walker’s 7th Birthday with a shark tooth hunt!”

•    Thank You Notes:

Decorations

•    Front Door/Yard Sign 
•    Shark Happy Birthday Banner: 
•    Blue Tablecloths, Shark Plates, Napkins and Blue plastic silverware

Favor Options

1.            Each guest will receive a Personalized Shark Tooth Collection Jar

2.            Each guest will receive a small Personalized Shark Tooth Collection Jar (similar to a tic tac boxes)

Entertainment

•    The main activity will be the trip to the beach to hunt for shark teeth!

Supplies: beach towels, large sheet, baby wipes, shovels (all supplies can be thrown into a plastic tub or large beach bag for easy transportation)

•    Shark Tooth Trivia (perfect for either at the house to get the kids excited to head to the beach, or at the beach):

1. - Sharks have seven rows of teeth; each row consists of 40 or more teeth.
2. - A shark’s front row of teeth is used to feed until they wear out, at which time they are shed and a new row of teeth moves up and into place
3. - A single shark can produce as many as 2,400 teeth in one year!

Menu

•    Most food will be served on the beach post-shark tooth hunt, while cupcakes will be served at the house

Food

•    Lunch will be prepared and packaged in easy to carry Chinese Take Out Boxes for each guest containing a sandwich and snacks:

Pizza Rollups 

Turkey Tortilla Wrap (made as a wrap or Pita Pocket) 

Ham & Turkey Tumble (made as a wrap or Pita Pocket) 

Individual bag of Goldfish

Grapes (in a cupcake liner)

Carrot Sticks/Celery (in a cupcake liner)

Tortilla Chips

String Cheese

Granola Bar

•       Family style side dishes can be prepared to supplement packed lunches for allow parents to snack:

pasta salad, fruit salad and Chex Mix; all of which should be served in plastic tumblers/highballs

•    Cupcakes!

Drinks

•       Drinks are easily transported to the beach in the same cooller as the prepared lunches.  Tip: pack ice in large ziploc bags so that nothing gets wet and ice can be used for drinks.

Juice and Milk Boxes

Water Bottles

Afternoon Tea Sprinkle

www.CluelessChick.com

When it is time to celebrate the pending arrival of baby #2, #4 or #10, there is nothing better than a Surprise Sprinkle!  What's a Sprinkle, you ask?  Well, it is a a "light" shower of course :-)  Since Mommy-to-be likely has all of the basics she will need for the little on you can get even more creative than normal with your theme! You may want to have a “Turning Blue Pink” shower to make all of her baby boy things girlie, a “Disposables” shower to restock her supply of diapers, wipes, creams, etc., or a “Mommy” theme to celebrate Mom and shower her with gifts.

For this Surprise Afternoon Team Sprinkle, the Mommy-to-be's closest girlfriends surprised her with a lovely afternoon tea at The Umstead.  What a perfect way to pamper a Mommy-to-be for the afternoon and sprinkle her with fun baby gifts!

Decorations and Favors (The Umstead is so beautifully decorated little work had to be done!):

• Oversized pink clothespins used to display the Sprinkle invitations (at a surprise party it is fun to display the invitation for the guest of honor to see)
• Place cards designed to match the invitation's cupcake design
• Mason Jars filled with a variety of teas, Lindor Truffles and a cupcake note card adorned with a personalized favor tag designed to match the invitation's cupcake design  

Activities:

• An amazing afternoon tea
• A fabulous harpist provided by The Umstead!

Menu:

•  The Umsead's amazing three course Afternoon Tea:

Loose Leaf Tea Service

Tea Sandwiches

            Deviled Quail Egg

            Sesame Chicken Salad

            Sundried Tomato Basil Tapenade

            Cucumber, Sherry Cream Cheese

            House Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche

Scones

            Warm Buttermilk Scones

            Devonshire Cream

            Fruit Preserves

            Lemon Cream

Sweets

            Cornbread Madeleine

            Grand Marnier Chantilly

            Hand Picked Strawberries

            Seasonal Macaroon & Pastry

Go Green! Party Planning Tips for The Clueless Chick

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In honor of Earth Day, here are a few of our favorite Go Green Party Planning Tips for The Clueless Chick:

Time	•      Choose a time of day that requires the least amount of energy such as mid-day when you will not need to turn on all of the lights in your home and can open windows for a cool breeze
Theme	•      Choose a theme that challenges guest to “Go Green”. Offer a prize to the guest who was most creative in their effort to go green
Location	•      Choose a location that does not have a negative impact on the environment and is centrally located so guests do not have to travel far, or are able to carpool/take public transportation
Invitations	•      Choose a paperless invitation option, if you need to send a formal invitation, choose the highest Post-Consumer Recycled content you can find.
Decorations	•      Use your gifts for the guest of honor as decorations •      Clothesline filled with baby clothes for a baby shower •      Use the crystal vase from their registry wrapped with a large bow as a table centerpiece •      Create a kitchen utensil arrangements for a cooking shower
Favors	•      Make your favors do double duty as decorations •      Cookie cutter used as a napkin ring •      Small bud vases with a single flower •      A Candy Buffet that allows guests to make their own favor bag (a bit overdone but still fun) •      Light weight favors hung from a clothesline with cute clothespins •      Skip favors all together
Entertainment	•      Create a fun activity with items you already have around the house such as playing musical chairs at a kid’s birthday party
Food	•      Avoid serving food that requires additional packaging •      Serve a menu of locally grown foods
Drinks	•      Skip the bottled water, put ice water in a large jug or drink dispenser •      Purchase drinks in large containers as opposed to individual servings
Paper Products	•      Get biodegradable disposable items (napkins, plates, etc) •      Set up recycling and compost station and tell a few key guest about it so that they can help point other guests in the right direct •      Invest in serving dishes and skip the plastic disposable ones •      Using real dishes and flatware will encourage people to only use 1 set and will significantly reduce waste •      In the summer time use mason jars to serve lemonade/iced tea
Gifts	•      Ask guests to skip wrapping paper/gift bags/tissue paper and wrap their gifts in the Sunday funny pages or a reusable shopping bag •      Save gift wrapping, bags, etc. to be reused

Let's plan an environmentally friendly Party!!  And yes, this is a sneak peek at Party Planning Tips for The Clueless Chick :-)

Happy Earth Day!

Teacher Appreciation Gift Baskets

Movie Theme Teacher Appreciation Goodie Bag

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All of you Chicks who have little ones in day care know that there really is no way to sufficiently thank your child's teacher for everything they do all day every day.  One of the ways we try to thank our teachers at my little one's Bright Horizons is by having Teacher Appreciation Month every April.  In addition to cooking the teachers lunch and bringing in snacks once a week, we have dress-up days, a celebratory dinner at the end of the week, and my favorite - a goodie bag week where the parents bring in small gifts each day to thank the teachers.  These gifts usually include, pictures of your little ones, handmade cards, candles and lotion, gift certificates to a local restaurant or movie theater, etc.

In keeping with this year's Movie theme, I created these adorable popcorn bucket gift baskets filled with sweet and savory treats, popcorn and popcorn cups, pampering goodies and a restaurant gift card.  They are of course adorned with yellow ribbon to give it that buttered popcorn feel and cute favor tags which say "The Oscar for Best Teacher goes to...".  In true Clueless Chick fashion, this Chick's motto for goodie bag week is "Go BIG or go home!". I sure hope the teachers like their gifts!

Happy National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day!

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Who doesn't love a good Grilled Cheese Sandwich?!?  Whether you are pregnant and having serious cravings for comfort food, you are looking for something simple to cook with your little ones, or you are just a kid at heart - a Grilled Cheese Sandwich is just what the doctor ordered!!

The only 3 things you must have to make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich are: 1. Bread, 2. Cheese, 3. A Grill.  Other than that, your imagination is your only limit.  Here are a few Clueless Chick favorites:

Grilled Brie

Who says a Grilled Cheese Sandwich can't be open-face?  Simply add a slice of Brie and your favorite fruit to a thinly sliced Baguette and you've got yourself and AMAZING bite-size Grilled Cheese Sandwich! 

Tip: Lightly grill your baguette on one side, then flip and add your cheese and fruit for an extra crunchy treat.  If you are going to use preserves in lieu of fresh fruit, spread the preserves on the grilled side of the baguette and add your Brie on top. For an added treat, place a small slice of Prosciutto under the Brie. 

Grilled Pimiento

What could be better, or more simply southern, than lightly grilled Pimiento Cheese on two pieces of Thin Sliced White Bread?  Nothing.  

Tip: Be careful not to smash the sandwich with your spatula when grilling because the pimiento cheese will run.  This sandwich is also delicious with a thin slice of turkey.

Ham and Swiss on Rye-Pumpernickel Swirl

For a perfectly hearty Grilled Cheese, add Black Forest Ham, Swiss Cheese and Stone Ground Mustard to Rye-Pumpernickel Swirl.  Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!

Tip: Place 1 slice of Swiss on either side of your ham to ensure a perfectly meltilious sandwich.  Spread your Stone Ground Mustard on the top slice of bread for before adding it to your sandwich.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Tips for The Clueless Chick:

• Prep your cooking surface with a thin layer of oil (preferably a flavored olive oil)
• Brush melted butter on each side of the bread that will touch the grill
• Always grill your sandwich on Low to Low/Medium to allow the cheese to melt and avoid burning your bread
• When grilling an open-face sandwich, lightly grill the top side of the bread, flip and add your cheese, etc.
• Always lightly toast your English Muffins before grilling
• Do not smash your sandwich down unless necessary to avoid an ooy gooy mess
• Allow your sandwich to cool for a minute or two before cutting
• Serve grilled cheese with your favorite soup
• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with meat can also be served cold
• There is no such thing as too much Cheese on a Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

What are The Clueless Chicks Favorite Grilled Cheese Supplies?

• Bread:
• Sourdough
• Baguette
• Rye
• White
• Whole Grain
• English Muffin
• Cheese:
• Swiss
• Provolone
• Jalapeno Jack
• Sharp Cheddar
• White Cheddar
• Brie
• Pimiento 
• Meat/Protein:
• Roasted Turkey
• Black Forest Ham
• Roast Beef
• Bacon
• Tuna
• Fruits/Veggies:
• Red Grapes
• Green Apples
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Avocado 
• Cabbage
• Condiments:
• Stone Ground Mustard
• Yellow Mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Horseradish Sauce
• Tabasco Sauce

Your imagination is truly your only limit.  So let's get grillin'!

For additional information on Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, check out these fun resources:

http://grilledcheeseacademy.com/

http://ilovegrilledcheese.com/

http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/

Signs of Learning!

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www.signsoflearning.com

If you are looking for something fun and educational to do with your little one, check out Signs of Learning a Raleigh based American Sign Language (ASL) school for babies and small children.  Yes, babies!  If you have never seen a baby use ASL it is an amazing and adorable sight.  

So check out their latest Class Schedule and like their Facebook Page for updates.  You can register for everything from a free informational session to Sing & Sign Playtime!  If you aren't in the Raleigh area, they also have great self-directed teaching aids.  Jess is an amazing teacher, you and your little one will just love her!

Pregnancy Tip for The Clueless Chick: if you are pregnant this is the perfect opportunity to learn a few signs before your bundle of joy arrives!

Personal Note:  As someone who was once fluent in ASL, I have signed to my little ones since the day they were born and they LOVE it!  Signing has helped my little ones communicate before they could talk and learn to spell.

Homemade Easter Play-Doh

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If you've never tried to make your own Play-Doh, you should!  It is super easy and requires just a few ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

Ingredient:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
food coloring

Complete instructions can be found on the Instructables website.

Tips:

• To achieve these pastel colors I divided each batch into quarters and added the following drops of food coloring:
• Blue and Green = 2 drops food coloring
• Yellow = 3 drops food coloring
• Pink = 5 drops food coloring
• Create a toddler friendly Easter Treat:
• Divide each color into eights 
• Roll each piece into a small ball and place inside a plastic egg (the cuter the better!)
• Wrap each egg in a small bag adorned with a favor tag or simply fill an Easter basket with your homemade Play-Doh eggs