We Need You

If you are unaware, I am the President of the East Texas Chapter of Black Mom Entrepreneurs.

We are a non-profit organization seeking to provide a global platform that empowers and supports the personal growth along with professional development to black mothers who are entrepreneurs. One of the ways that we are doing this is by hosting events like the Meet & Greet that took place on May 6th in Longview, TX. This was an opportunity for all business owners to network, connect, and grow. Our next big event is a vendor event that will feature children ages 6 to 18 who have a product, service, or talent to market.

The event will take place on August 6th at the Maude Cobb complex in Longview. We are putting together swag bags and we are opening the opportunity to all business owners. The fee is $15 for 100 bags. All items must be family friendly, and received no later than August 1st. To request an invoice, please email visionsbyvaughn@gmail.com. I hope that you will help make this event a great event for the children, and the local community.

5 Unique Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

I love my children, but I’m so glad I’m done with birthday parties for the year. This year we had Strawberry Shortcake, Princesses and Pirates, Rock ‘n Roll Luau, and Team Umizoomi. The youngest will turn 1 next year so that makes a total of 5 birthday parties. Yikes! I’m a sucker for a good theme, and like any good event planner, I’ve already started researching for next year. Here are 5 themes that I think are too cool not to share.

1. Minute to Win It
   I used to love watching the TV show, and my family and I have even played a few of the games. With just a few household items you can entertain your guests, and create some great memories.
2.  Mystery/Clue 
   Everyone loves a good who done it. Your little guests will have a great time playing detective by finding clues, interviewing suspects, and solving a “crime.” Get the party started with these free printables.
3. Painting/Art Party
   Coloring books are trending for adults now, but they are still pretty popular with the kiddie crowd. Think coloring books, crayons, and water colors. For super-sized fun, hang up a plain white sheet and give the kids squirt bottles filled with paint. They will love it! 
4. Dance Party
   There is so much you can do with this theme: musical chairs, dance off, and choreography challenge. Most local dance schools rent out space and will even have a student or teacher available to teach your guests a few moves.
5. Glow In the Dark 
   If you have a tween, they will love this idea! To turn the fun up a notch, cut open a few glow sticks and use them to make glow in the dark bubbles.

If these themes don’t work for you, then check out my Pinterest board dedicated to kids’ party themes. Comment below and share your ideas for a unique child’s birthday party theme.

How To Throw An Awesome Block Party

Last week my kids, 4 of them, were outside playing. Several children from our street had come over, and they were all having a blast. In that moment,  I felt like the coolest mom in the neighborhood, but the event planner in me wanted to do more. I said to myself,”you should throw a block party?” So as I’m going through this process myself, I’m sharing a few tips to help you plan an awesome block party for your neighborhood.

Picking a date is the critical first step. Keep weather conditions in mind when choosing a date. You don’t want to pick a time when it will be too hot or too wet outside.  You also need to be mindful of other events going on. You might not get many attendees if you choose to hold your party during festival season.

Normally after picking a date you would send out invitations, but in this case there are a few more steps you need to take. You will need to contact your local authorities to get permission to close your street off during the block party. This is a must! Having the street closed to traffic will give everyone a safe place to party.

After you get the all clear, then it’s time to get the word out.  Keep it simple. Print invitations or fliers on your home computer and hand-deliver them to your neighbors. A colorful invitation and a warm smile is sure fire way to break the ice.

Planning your menu and activities is the next step. This is when you will need to enlist the help of your neighbors. Make the event a potluck and have everyone bring an activity to share. This will take the pressure off you and your finances.

Throw in some music and balloons, and you are on your way to hosting a block party your neighbors will be talking about all year long! 

Have you ever hosted a block party? Comment below and let me know how it went.

Three Tips For Photographing Tots (guest post)

If you have ever tried to snap photos of a little one, then you know what a daunting task that can be. I think that sometimes even the professionals have a hard time with it; especially when it comes to taking photos at birthday parties. I have hired photographers to take photos at birthday parties, and at the end of the day I felt like I just didn’t get any of the shots I was expecting. As I thought about this, I realized that both photographers and parents could use a little advice. I asked Josselyne Hutchins of JLondon Images to help us out with this one.

From the perspective of a mother and photographer

To Photographers:

1-     Come down to the child’s level. From an adult’s point of view, the images of the child will appear from a bird’s eye view. 9/10 this is not the photographer’s objective. The best shots of children are taken from their vantage point. In addition, better images of the child/children are produced. 

2-     At a birthday party, refrain from asking the child/children to turn and say “cheese“all the time. Capture the children playing and if you would like to take a group picture be sure to give them a more fun word to say, for example “Elmo”, “summer” or “birthday”. If you choose to do count down before snapping from three, make sure you snap on two or one. This also creates a better image. 

3-     Do not be afraid to get close. Some individuals do not feel comfortable getting closer to the child or children. Some may be able to use their zoom lens if applicable. In some cases lighting will not allow you to produce a quality image via a zoom lens and so it is just better to shoot closer to the subject. Do not be afraid of the children. They are probably more scared of you then you are of them.

 

To Parents:

1-     Prepare your child or children for what is about to happen. Introduce them to the photographer some moments before the event. Children react well and feel more safe when they know what will happen as opposed to being surprised with strangers, especially one giving directions from behind a camera.

2-     Create a safe environment. Depending on the age of your child, the younger he/she is the more secure they will feel in a familiar environment. This will play out in the images taken. 

3-     Trust your photographer. If you believe you have chosen the right person for the job, you have prepared them and have explained your expectations, and then you have permission to enjoy the party with your child. It is as much your celebration as it is your child’s.  This can be “taken” as a weird pointer, but some parents are so nervous (or excited), that if they are following the photographer around constantly giving direction, it can make  it very challenging for the photographer to be as creative as needed.

I want to thank Josselyne for helping all of us out. To learn more about Josselyne, and to see her work, please visit her website. Do you have a great tip for take pictures of little ones? Comment below and share it!

10 Super Cute Party Favors for Kids

Growing up one of the things I loved most about attending birthday parties was the cake and the promise of a goody bag at the end. That little plastic bag filled with cheap trinkets and way too much candy was a veritable treasure chest. Well if you have been to a child’s birthday party lately, then you may not realize this, but the day of the goody bag is over. Parents of the birthday child are looking for more meaningful favors to give their guests, and parents of the party-goers are tired of their kids being sent home with a bag of junk. If you are not sure what to give in the place of a traditional goody bag here are 10 super cute party favor ideas. 

 A gardening kit allows kids the opportunity to get dirty, and it’s a great idea for springtime birthdays. 

Bubbles are inexpensive and will keep your little guests entertained. 

A deck of cards can provide hours of fun for kids of all ages.

I’ve always loved a good book and so will your guests.

Make the party last by handing out personalized CD’s.

Kids might not like getting sock for Christmas, but socks with a fun design make a great party favor. 

Why not let your guests put together their own party favor? This idea works great with things like trail mix, small candies, and even popcorn. 

Every child I know has broken crayons lying around. Put them to good use and melt them down to make multicolored crayons to give as party favors. 

If you must give a sweet treat, then a homemade cookie wrapped in a personalized envelope is the way to go. 

Your guests can play pictionary, hangman, or write farewell notes to each other with these cute chalkboard and chalk sets. 

Do you have any unique ideas for children’s party favors? Share them in the comments section. 

How To Have A Successful Child’s Party At Home

Normally when it comes to discussing the topic of event planning I’m really excited, but this time I’m a little nervous. Why? Because I’m dealing with a topic that makes me a little uneasy: home birthday parties. I talk to parents all the time who are frustrated at even the thought of planning their child’s party, myself included. I have five children, and I find myself loosing sleep just trying to come up with interesting  party themes. Many parents today feel like it is becoming more and more challenging to plan and hold successful home parties. Like them, I too don’t want to deal with the wear-and-tear to my home, and trying to come up with age-appropriate, engaging games can be very time consuming. You may be reading this and nodding your head in agreement, but I’m going to put all of your worries to rest.
The first thing most of us think about when it comes to planning a home party is the work it takes to clean the house, decorate, and then clean up the mess once your house has been destroyed. Well, it’s not really as hard as it seems. First, clean the house a little each day during the week of the party. The night before, just do a little spot cleaning. You can also decorate ahead of time. Putting up wall decorations and streamers can be done days before the big event. What about the big clean-up after the party? That doesn’t have to be such a daunting task if you limit the party to the outdoors. Keep the children outside as much as possible. Have one bathroom designated for use, and one sitting area for the adults. If you don’t have a patio or big shade tree, set up a tent. Use this for the food area. Have everything set out ahead of time, and refresh certain items as needed. This will limit the in and out traffic for food and drinks.
Have you ever tried to entertain a house full of small children? Unless you have a really great clown costume, don’t even try. Spring has sprung and summer is on the way, so let the great outdoors take care of the party fun. One activity that is always a big hit is making bubbles. With a little corn syrup, dish soap, and water kids can have hours of fun! I loved running in the sprinklers when I was a little kid, and I’m glad this is a past-time that little ones still enjoy. Turn your sprinklers on and let them have at it. Just be sure to tell parents their children may get wet. If you don’t have sprinklers, you can purchase a water hose attachment from most stores, or even set up a few of those small plastic pools around the yard.
Parents, don’t worry with planning a Pinterest worthy party. Your birthday boy or girl knows how to have fun with their friends. That’s kind of why they like each other. All they need is a safe place to have fun. Throw in some food and a few decorations and you have the makings of a successful home party.

Are you planning a birthday party for your little pirate or princess? Comment below and tell me what you are most concerned about. After all, I’m here to help!