Super Hero Party to the Rescue!

I have said it before and I will say it again.  I have been in a blogging rut.  This whole "putting the house on the market" thing and moving and all the troubles that have come along with that(that's for another post when I am emotionally ready to let it loose) have just made me grateful to have a stinky saging roof over my head. HA!  So I haven't been in a creative mood.  But...enter my approaching baby boy's 5th birthday! Those big blues, huge imagination, and his sensitive soul can even pull a mom out of her creative rut.  I had every intention to just have a party at a bounce house and pick up a cake and be done.  We did do the whole bounce house thing but little man was dying for a Super Hero Party and I was itching to play around with some ideas that I had seen in blogland of course.  I am amazed at the stuff you guys come up with and honestly I had to stop looking at blogs at one point because it made me want to try to many things that I didn't have time for;)
So when I came across Erin's blog Life Abundant I was motivated even more to quickly add a few special touches to party day.  Little man has a love for all super heros as do many 5 year old boys I know.  He wanted it to focus around several different super heros so I felt a little stuck when it came to decor and a cake.  Every cake I saw in the grocery stores had one super hero on them and knowing my boy I knew he would ask where the other ones were.  In order to not exclude any super heros I went about it the round about way.

First I found these plates at wall mart.  They were "super heroish" enough for me. I almost bought these Super Hero Fun Square 3D Dessert Plates at one point and they would have worked to.

Then the little man had spotted some iron man masks similar to these at our local HEB when he was out to spend his allowance money and bought them just to run around the house in.  Since it is rare that I haul the 3 kids to the grocery store I just found this multipack online. (we ended up running to the store anyway at the last minute because I didn't think about the fact that I may need more than 8).  Why?  Cuz I 'm a spaz.

Then I used Erin's great idea of a city Backdrop

It consists of a display board that was on sale for 3.99

I just drew out my idea of a city on the back and then cut it out with one of my hub's pocket knives(classy)

Then used a bright yellow craft paint for the windows and voila!  A back drop for the cake or cupcakes.

I ended up going the cupcake route after being inspired by these little toppers also whipped up by Erin at  Life Abundant.

Now don't go comparing...Mine are a bit messier and haphazard but they were super easy and cute.

You start by using wiltons decorator icing and piping the shape on wax paper and then filling in the center and decorating. 

 Warning:  they were very fragile but just think of the possibilities!

 I let them dry overnight and then carefully used a spatula to pry them up and place on the cupcakes right before the party.

Here is the  haphazard thrown together at the last minute table.

As you can see I didn't make one for each cupcake.but you got the feel without all the extra work;)

You see that little decoration there on the right?  It says Bang!  

See

Again inspired and totally copied from Erin..I cut out a wacky shape, then laid it on the polka dot paper and cut that just a little bigger.

 Then played with how I wanted it to look(cuz it really matters;)

 Incorporated a reading/spelling lesson while decorating them...

 I got carried away and did this 5 but didn't use it.

 These pails were 50% off at Hobby Lobby and they didn't have 3 of the same size so I went this route with the sizes.

 I wanted them on the tables but figured they would easily get knocked over by crazy super heros and needed a way to stick the little signs in so I filled them with beans.  Actually I ended up putting the tissue paper in first and then the beans(I didn't get a pic of that..which by the way I am sure my kids think it is strange that I take pics of every little step of something).  Or maybe they are use to it.

 Then I plopped the signs in, added some tinsel star thingies

 and voila!

 The tables came with tablecloths so we just went with what they had and displayed all the masks as decorations.  Each kiddo took a mask home as party of their party pack.

Speaking of party packs...

 Also inspired by guess who?  Go check out her blog for sure!

She was sweet enough to send me the design for the lables

 trying to do my own would have probably driven me insane..Thank you Erin!

  

I cut them out and backed them with sturdier black paper and tied them to the candied popcorn.

This was the most time consuming thin I did.  I was trying to be thrifty and avoid a specialty popcorn shop but it may have been worth my time.  Mostly because we don't have a microwave right now and I had to perfect my old fashioned popcorn popping skills.  After stinking up the casa a few times I got it.  I followed a recipe online to the tee the first time and then after that just eyeballed everything because what?  I'm a spaz...I was tired and didn't want to read or think but it worked.  

Really all you need is popped pocorn, 1 tb light corn syrup, 1/4 cup sugar and I think 4 oz of instant jello.  My jello was in a bigger box and I just eyeballed it.

Heat the butter and corn syrup, add the sugar and melt then add the jello and coat the popcorn.  It is suggested that you pour the mix over the popcorn and then spread it out on parchment paper.  I just threw in my popcorn and once it had hardened a bit I broke it up and put it in bags. 

Doesn't this look healthy?

 My intention was to layer different colors but I didn't make enough and ended up buying bags of buttered and cheesy popcorn at HEB for additional yellow and orange colors and just mixed it all up.  It was actually perfectly sweet and salty.

Now to the good part!  The people, the party, and most of all the celebrated little man.

 Wolverine

 Our sweet E playing with our sweet sitter

 Baby Girl enjoying the goods

 Our sitter Miss A is always willing to put herself out there and dress the part.  She came as Cat Woman. Unfortunately little man doesn't know cat woman yet so we have some educating to do.

Even hubs had fun bouncing an climbing around!  Actually he looks a bit unsure here;)

Happy Bday My Sweet, Crazy Super Hero Dude!

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