Glitter Memo Boards

Remember last post when I told you my seven-year-old turned nine?  I just want to clarify that we didn't skip eight.  It'd just been that long since I posted!  Good transition to the party we threw for said nine-year-old.  Theme?: Crafts, what else?

The Invitations

Thinking up party crafts for nine-year-old girls is a bit of an ancient Greek riddle.  They had to be challenging enough (so they wouldn't get bored), easy enough (ibid), and be completable in about 30 minutes/each.
I had planned three different crafts but starting with the sewing project was a horrible idea slowed us down a bit.  And by sewing project I mean making three lines of simple running stitches that were supposed to make a little drawstring pouch. Somehow, after trying to teach the running stitch while threading 800 needles after 45 grueling minutes each guest did in fact have something resembling a pouch to use as their first sewing kit.
While I set up the next activity, I sent the girls upstairs to decorate their own cupcakes.  Luckily, they counted this as one of their crafts so I was still pretty smugly on schedule after all.

A close-up of this most awesome cake.  All icing! And all edible!  The buttons are cookies, 
the pincusion a cupcake, and the tape measure? Fruit roll!  I so wish I could say I made this, but alas...

The most successful project of the day had to be these glittered memo-boards.  I am now of the opinion that glitter is like shredded cheese, it just makes everything better.

Aside from glitter and a glue gun, the other (dollar-store) supplies you need are:
Wood plaque or scrap wood
Straight wooden clothespins
Pretty paper

Spread some glue on the front flat side of the clothespin and then cover them with glitter.  Leave them to dry for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, trace your plaque onto the paper and cut it just slightly bigger (or exactly on the line - I like to sand the edges)
Spread some glue or mod-podge on the plaque and put the paper on.  While this is drying put a heavy book or two on top so it dries flat.
Glue gun the non-glittered flat side of the clothespins and place them on your board (I recommend a dress rehearsal prior to the glue gun getting involved).
That's it, your memo board awaits.  The plaque I picked up already had a hanging chain, but if you're using scrap wood, just loop a ribbon on the backside and staple gun away.

Somewhere there is a little girl who cannot use two of her clips.  Be sure to have your clips all 
pointing in the same direction. No refunds for human error.

We never did make it to card-making, but I promised them I'd post the instructions for them soon.  There were a lot of requests for the accordian card on the left, so I'll start with that.