Tuesday, September 15, 2009

What a Ball!

Cute, huh?

While it is true the Elite 8 earned Swag Bags for signing up first to attend Highlowaha's Second Annual Taste of USA, everyone got to leave with a few small treats.

Our most prized giveaway was a collection of handmade "Shine" balls. The balls were initially conceived by Sandra at Sandrajuto.com, discovered by Cheryl, and then replicated by your friends at Highlowaha. You know what they say... Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Making them is easy, but the impact is high. Here's how.
  1. Get a roll of crepe paper streamers and a handful of trinkets. We used yellow streamers and trinkets such as: smiley face balls, necklaces, tiny erasers, confetti, parachute men, a key chain, and a few other chatchka.
  2. Begin rolling the first item in a piece of crepe paper.
  3. Continue rolling the crepe paper, slowly adding additional chatchka.
  4. If easier, cut crepe paper and begin a new strand with each additional item rolled into your ball.
  5. Once all items are included, wrap a few additional layers of crepe paper to round out your shape.
  6. Use ribbon, jewels, foam shapes, buttons, and other accents to dress up the outside.
Voila. That's it.

Don't believe me? Check out the site where we originally discovered the idea.

In the spirit of Highlowaha, let's advance this idea of the Surprise Ball. For what other kinds of events could we use this idea? Orange streamers at Halloween, made to look like pumpkins? Blue and green paper made to look like globes? White streamers with black accents filled with treats and presented to your favorite soccer team? What else you got for me?

And while you're at it, what are some other ideas for trinkets to be included? Coins, stamps, stickers, rub-on tattoos, and what else?

Signing off until tomorrow...

16 comments:

Robin said...

Dino eggs with plastic dinos inside, dino stickers, etc. Easter eggs with Easter Candy. Or what I'm using it for: Start with a dreidel mix in some gelt (gold coins), and game instructions and other small goodies as a party bag for our kids party.

Chaotic Kristi said...

I can see small rubber stamps, an inkpad or several, a small blank booklet, a box of crayones, a couple tubes of glitter glue, etc...

goptta run...today is Karen's appt w/back doc

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Chaotic... let us know how Karen's appointment goes. Many of us are interested.

I love the idea of the Dino egg, by the way. Hold that thought until Thursday when we feature another fun idea for which the dino thing could work.

Kat said...

I love that idea! What a great party favor idea. It's sort of like a personal pinata!

Cheryl Houston said...

This could become a great tradition for kids at Christmas. The ball can be done like an ornament. Maybe it's done early and sits on the tree or mantel. Maybe Santa brings it on Christmas Eve but the chatka can grow with them. What will be in my ball this year?

Or, as a pick me up with positive affirmations put inside. Truly the possibilities are endless, right?

Heather said...

I love the thought of using this as a goodie bag for a kid's birthday party. It would be one way to engage the kids rather than just handing them a bag filled with chatcka.

Good luck Chaotic...I hope Karen's appt. goes well.

Tera said...

I still need to unwrap mine. I'm excited to see what I got!

I had a BLAST this past weekend with y'all. It was great to see old faces as well as meet new folks.

Your trip home seems like a ton of fun. I'd expect nothing less from any of you :)

Happy Tuesday :)

Katie said...

I was thinking of the girls sleep over from a few weeks ago and you could do a ball with some chatcka for them. I'm thinking along the lines of little lipstick, necklace, hair bows, eye shadow, rings, etc.

Unknown said...

Going along the Christmas theme... the Surprise ball could be dressed up like Santa... he's little white beard (pulled cotton balls), red little hat, a black belt and shoes, and of course a red little jacket and small bag behind his shoulders (teeny tiny ornaments could be hot glued inside the bag to represent toys and other holiday trinkets!). :)

Unknown said...

he's = his

Claudia said...

Oh, Britney... great idea! Imagine using poster board or foam to add black shoes to the bottom, and a black belt. Maybe the head could be a smaller styrofoam ball on top, decorated to look like his face.

I love place small treats on people's plates at the holidays. this lends itself nicely.

Think Thanksgiving, but using fall colors... oranges, browns, yellows, reds, and greens.

Peggy said...

Lots of great ideas already....
First aide kit with bandaids
Sewers delight, buttons, thread
Stamper fun, mini, stamps ink pads
Cookie lover, food coloring, small tools
Bead maker, beads,wire

Any holiday, kids party favor, dine by design name card holder...

I briefly mentioned to a few of you... we did something similar for a birthday gift but used a fresh toilet paper roll... un-rolled it and then rolled it back with dollar bill$$.... the 16 year old boy who received it...looked at us... and said thanks! rolled his eyes... but when we told him to unroll it.... everyone thought it was a cool gift! As tp and dollars were flying everywhere!

It's all in the packaging!!!

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Peggy the visual image of you giving someone a roll of tp is hilarious! I love the idea especially for a teenage boy!!!

Claudia said...

Money rolled in toilet paper is even more clever than my "cold hard cash" idea.

Remember when I froze a $50.00 bill in a block of ice for Ricky's 16th birthday?

Unknown said...

Since moving to Chicago I have visitors from time to time. I like to make them a Chicago goodie bag filled with trinkets upon their arrival. This would be a fun way of delivering their goodies, as long as they are small. I see Chicago magnets, a mini-compass (because with all these tall buildings it is tough to figure out which way is north), pocket maps, coins for the bus or train, bandaids for the blisters they will get from walking, etc. all packaged up in little cubs/white sox baseballs. Or by using black and grey foam paper you could make little buildings for a skyline. Or in support of the 2016 Olympics, yellow, red, white, etc. balls with the rings on them. The list could go on with Chicago themed packaging.

Claudia, only you would freeze a $50 bill for a b-day gift and title it “cold hard cash.” :) I love it.

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Fun idea, Lauren. I love the idea of using the treat balls as presents for your house guests.