For all of you lucky enough to be born on Chinese New Year or celebrating a birthday this weekend, I have an idea for you! It comes from Tiffany Bird, author and creator of SimplyModernMom.com.  Tiffany’s blog is teeming with terrific tutorials for crafting projects that are simple and special, just the way I like them!  She also stocks the Gift Box at SimpleModernMom.com with products that she has handcrafted,  so be sure to take a peek at these precious items while you are there.

For Tiffany’s daughter’s 1st birthday, she crafted fortune cookies from pretty fabric and included special birthday wishes from the guests at the party (pictured above) .  Then she put the fortune cookies in a mason jar to be kept unopened until a later date, like her daughter’s 16th birthday, similar to the concept of a time capsule.

I love this idea, not only for milestone birthdays, but for baby showers too!  Guests can leave the baby a special wish to be opened at a 5th, 10th or even 16th birthday.  It’s simply modern and very special!

Thanks Tiffany for sharing this clever craft with us here at The Partybluprints Blog.  For detailed instructions and pictures please visit SimplyModernMom.com.

It’s back to school and the kids need healthy snacks to pack and so do the grownups! Peeled Snacks has packaged delicious and truly healthy snacks that are perfect for “on the go” when you need to eat and run. They don’t need to be refrigerated and you can munch on moist fruit or crunch on nuts (packed separately to keep it this way) while you do a bunch!  The pretty and colorful packaging makes them perfect for on-the-go parties, like tailgates and picnics.  Put out a variety in a basket or tray and let your guests enjoy a healthy, yummy option when you entertain.

10% Off Coupon for You!

As a special gift to Partybluprints Blog readers, Laurie and Christina at Peeled Snacks are giving us a 10% off coupon.  Just type in the  ”eat123″ code upon checkout at the Peeled Snacks’ online store to receive the discount.  The coupon cannot be combined with another and has no cash value.  Enjoy!

I held a taste test with 4 Mothers and 10 children on the beach this summer.  Both kids and moms gave an overall thumbs up to Peeled Snacks – the big favorites were Fig-stated  fruit and nut combo and the Mango-man-go and Banan-a-peel.  For raisin lovers we all thought that the Bing Bing Cherry was great.  Everyone agreed that the fruit was dried but not dried out – moist and cut into large easy-to-eat pieces. My 13 year old, even gobbled up a bag of the Apple flavored fruit ( jaw dropping!).  Here’s the amazing part: they have no added sugar or oil like most fruit and nut snacks, no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils and no artificial flavors or colors.  They are cholesterol free, wheat, gluten and dairy free so they are great for kids and adults with food allergies.    

Here is a great gift idea for a new Mom!   There is a cute onsie for baby and a variety of healthy snacks for a New Mom who needs lots of energy and is looking to lose some baby weight!  Check out a variety of gift options at the Peeled Snack Gift Store

Easter is around the corner and if you need a hostess gift or just want to spread some cheer this spring we found a great little gift for under $10. These precious little egglings look and feel like a real egg, but are really a little garden ready to grow!

Cultivation is easy — seeds are already sown into eggling’s fortified peat mixture, just crack it’s top (by tapping on it with a spoon), water and place in bright spot. Plants grow for up to five months in the eggling, after which it can be planted directly in soil.

The Eggling is made of white porous ceramic (2.125″ height x 1.875″ diameter) and comes with a terra cotta tray and seed pack of either herbs or flowers. We love the Strawberry for Spring, but the egglings also come in a several other flower and herb varieties.

Egglings are available on a few websites like windowbox.com and ochelly.com