Thursday, September 19, 2013

Doc McAricia is 7

Lil' one has been talking about her big day since the beginning of the year. Call it persistent, I finally gave in to her and she has a Doc McStuffins birthday celebration this year. We only celebrated for her in school, I have no time and energy to plan any party for her this year as venue is always a big problem.
 
As usual, my girls always like to choose a theme that has no ready supply of birthday stuffs in Singapore. It's always so difficult to get favors here and I have to resort to get it shipped in from US.
 
Well, I did an online search. There were quite a few items but if I were to multiply that by 30-36x, it costs really a lot. And thus, personalization comes in to make her goody bag a little different. As usual, a lot of photoshopping was done and since I do not have a ready template to work on, I'm always doing a trial and error printing until I get the correct alignment.

The preparation @ home :
Prepared these tags to put on the cupcake boxes (which I eventually forgot to do so in the school canteen)   
 
I wrecked my head for snack items and somewhat remembered I used to like these "8" chocolates and they work fine as a 'medicine'. Of course needed to get the correct Ziploc bag size and then I'll figure out the 'medicine sticker' These are lozenges. Aww.. you know they're not real lozenges but if you eat too much of them, you'll really end up with a sore throat. Haha!
 
Doc McStuffins always have plasters in her bag. And these caramelized biscuits are so perfectly rectangular shaped that I can print and paste them on it.
 
Hersheys Kisses as Paractemols. If you know, it was pun intended. 
The stickers I print out are lovely to look at but it's really difficult to paste them coz' I printed them on glossy photo paper.
 
I really have no idea what else to put in .... but was told that some kids don't eat chocolates. What?!?! They're missing out the best thing in the world! Decided to put in the healthy Honey Stars and then designed and printed the activity sheets on it, cut and paste. If you remember, I did almost the same thing for her Little Einstein birthday as well  
 
In the midst of all these preparation, our parcels arrived. Here, the girls opening up the boxes. I hate it when they have to pack into such big boxes!!
Figurines for her mock cake and later will be her toy, skipping ropes, stickers, balloons, favor bags, plates and napkins
 
Finally everything's here, it's ready for assembling. Tags made
 What goes into each bag and the final product

On the day itself :
In the morning, lil' one kept reminding me that I HAD TO BE IN HER SCHOOL DURING HER RECESS TIME. I'll definitely be there, afterall what can I do with the leftover cupcakes and favour bags if I don't appear in her school.
After I dropped the girls in school (che-che was made to help her carry the goody bags into mei-mei's class as I can't manage to carry so many things all by myself later), I rushed home to finish packing and moving the box into the car. I put all the nitty gritty stuffs in the box for easy transportation.
Collected the cupcakes and proceeded back to the school.  
 
They're lovely, aren't they? But they're really costly at $5 per piece. A friend laughed at me, "why are you paying people money when you can bake it yourself?" I guess I'm paying for convenience, I needed to save time plus I have no space in my small fridge to put them in.
I asked for boxes too, have to pay 50cents extra. Hmm......   
Her mock cake. Heehee! Goes to show that I can do the real cake and the fake cake. Don't think it's an easy task doing this fake cake, it's not! hard to get the felt to stick and I got myself burnt with the hot glue so many times
 
The setup and ready for the girls
The recess bell rang, I had a few kids running to me. "Is this for Aricia's birthday??" I was surprised that they knew and asked if they knew her. "No, she told us this morning that it is her birthday today." Haha! This is funny. My boastful girl!! Wait till she gets to my age, she won't reveal when her birthday is. 

Class photo
 
 
 
 
A happy and older girl with some of her best friends
 
My laoshi was there on duty, so she came by to wish her. Sweet huh?    
After mei-mei finished her recess, I waited for che-che's recess and pass her the birthday cake and pass one of her best friend a goody bag for her younger sister. Then it was back to the cakeshop to collect the remaining cakes. And pack the cakes for distribution to friends. Brought along a cold bag with ice sticks to keep the cakes cool as I can't go back home.  
 
Remaining ones for me and mom.
The banner - I prepared these but my girls said "cannot! cannot put anything". I asked if I could hang banner infront of the table cloth they thought I was referring to the wall. Of course lah! Who would climb up to hang on the wall? Anyway, since I had it all ready, I hung it in the living room 
 The happy child
 and her presents ......
 
from all the aunties that love her .....
 from her classmates ....
 
 Birthday treat at Swensens
 
 Happy Birthday my lil girl. Mummy LOVE you from here to the Moon and back 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Thank You Teachers!

Thank you dear teachers !

It's a brain wrecking affair every year. This year I took the lazy way out by getting a template available on the website. Credit to : http://www.iheartnaptime.net/teachers-are-treasures-free-download/

Printed the labels using my candy wrapping papers. Got the tags and backings ready for assembling
Bought removable adhesive dots, you know the kind that is attached on your new credit card?? It's really easy to handle and I felt like I'm in a factory. Oh well! I'm so used to this "factory line work" by now.But before I start with the factory work, I had to play mahjong. Haha! Well, literally so coz' I had to plan the positions of the chocolates to make sure colours and patterns don't repeat next to each other. Yup! Call me fussy but I needed it to be asthetically nice.

End product
Commissioned my friend too to make these pencil holders for me. I guess with the exam period looming close, I needed to free up my time. As it is, the chocolates already took up so much of my time. She did the most helpful thing but putting a "boy" in the cups that are meant for male teachers.
Packed and ready to go. I seem to exaggerate alot huh? My girls complain that they get to lug heavy big bags around on Teacher's Day. Actually I do notice kids usually just prepare the gifts for their particular teachers that year only. But no.... my girl says it must start from P1all the way to P5. Do your count then, on the average I have to prepare between 15-20 for both girls' teachers. Oh well, another year to go for che-che or maybe not..... she might want to come back to school and visit her teachers. Especially when her sister is still in the school and she gets a ride home after that.
Nonetheless, Thank You Teachers!! For without you, I'd be totally lost in teaching my girls.