Recently, one of my BFF’s asked for my help setting up the dessert & party favor bar for her granddaughter’s 2nd birthday… FUN!

She wanted to feature some nature elements, to compliment her granddaughter’s favorite animal in nature…. an Owl!

Her inspiration – a super-cute Owl foamy shape from Hobby Lobby:

Only $1.27 (BEFORE coupon) & 76 cents (AFTER coupon)!

She also asked if I could create something (to display at the birthday party) that afterwards, would become a keepsake for her granddaughter.

EASY!  And here’s how I did it….

Beginning with a white, 16″ x 20″ canvas, purchased on sale for $3,

I laid out a design, using colors to compliment her foam owl and

painted the area (of the canvas), where I’d be spelling out “Who’s 2”, in “Pink Blossom” (59 cent acrylic paint from WalMart)

and let it dry thoroughly.

Once dry, I placed about 50 cents worth of removable, self-adhesive alpha letters and the number “2”, over the pink painted area:

and spray painted 2 primer coats of flat white paint over the self-adhesive number & letters:

    

Once that was completely dry, I painted the entire canvas again… this time in Design Master’s Satin Spray paint (#780, Perfect Pink)

[$3.50, after coupon @ Michael’s Craft Store -or- on line]

After that dried, I peeled off the self-adhesive alpha letters & number to reveal the “Who’s 2”, in hot pink:

Next, I free-painted dots (using the handle end of my paint brush, dipped in paint),

a brown branch and glued the foam Owl to the canvas, perched above the branch.

The final steps: cutting-up a single piece of striped, scrapbook paper (50 cents) into 6 triangles and gluing them to the canvas,

(below the branch) to create a banner.

Add (75 cents worth of) alpha letters, to the banner, spelling out her granddaughter’s name.

The final touch, a (10 cent) length of ribbon, tied in a girly ribbon bow accent for the owl.

Here’s the finished project:

For around $10, it turned out super-cute

and was the perfect, personalized birthday accent, displayed next to a lantern of battery-operated candles,

a ceramic owl & some topiaries (with bows to match the art keepsake),

all of which added that touch of nature she wanted:

Also on the bar, we added some candies as well as little (owl) candy boxes

so her guests could fill them up with a take-home treat at the end of the party:

And here’s another fun tip…. did you notice those flower balloons?  She hired a balloon artist for the party!

This party was extra special and

everyone commented on the birthday girl’s keepsake, which made it even more memorable!

Afterwards, another Mom requested a similar keepsake art, with her daughter’s name only.

Here’s how that version turned out:

Enjoy the Creativity!