How to Make Newspaper Poms

I've coveted them.

Those beautiful tissue paper balls appear everywhere on the party blogosphere. I figured they were out of my league in craftiness. Especially since I'm not crafty.

Boy, was I wrong!

They are so easy.

At least, I think they are. I've not actually made them with tissue paper. I used newspaper instead, and they were decor in three birthday parties. Plus, instead of tossing them after the parties, I discovered they make great packing paper. I used them to cushion a punch bowl!

Black and White and Read All Over

Trash Bash

1st birthday Cupcake Vintage

How to make newspaper poms:

• Take 3 newspaper spreads and cut them into quarters.  
• Stack the 12 squares on top of each other.
• Fold them accordian-style.  
• Tie a ribbon or string in the center to hold them together.
• Cut each end at a diagonal.
• Fan them out.

Are you more of a visual learner?

Check out this tissue paper tutorial  from www.unbeaujour.fr.  It's in French but the images explain it in any language.

Papa's Birthday Made the Headlines! Black and White and Read All Over

 For as long as I can remember, my dad has loved to read newspapers. I mean LOVED it. The man will read all once a month, once a week, quarterly, or daily publications he can get his hands on. 
A lot of people can picture their dads in a recliner with a remote--well, I can picture that, too--but more prominent than that image is my dad sitting in a recliner with piles of newspapers around him. Even that newspaper smell of paper and ink reminds me of him.

imitating Papa

Our son is in the learning-to-tell-a-joke phase. Many (okay, most) of his original ones don't make sense and we try teach him some old standards. One came to mind and I had the perfect theme for my dad's birthday dinner:

What's black and white and read all over?

A newspaper! 

(insert wild four-year-old giggles here)

hunted red, black, and white tableware and used shredded newspaper to decorate. Instead of tissue paper poms, I made them out of newspaper.

 And since Papa likes newspapers so much, I invited a couple of famous newspaper journalists to the party.

Papa with his Lois Lane and Clark Kent

We had a "super" time.

Mommy Monday: Hospitality vs. Cannibalism

I heard that therapists have children use puppets to work out their feelings.  Maybe my kids are telling me to improve my cooking. What do you think?

Max: Would you like something to eat, Mr. Dinosaur and Leo?
Leo: Do you have people toes? I loooove people toes. (he nibbles on Alexandra's baby feet)
Max: You can't eat toes, Leo! (pauses, then moves to mini kitchen and opens fridge) But I have dead people's toes. They're good.  You can have them with ketchup.

Yes, because ketchup covers a multitude of culinary sins.