Birthday Party Tips

Halloween Face Painting is Almost Here!

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As a face painter, Halloween became one of my favorite holidays! I love doing appointments in my home for face painting instead of masks (it’s so much safer!) so I just wanted  to share a few awesome blog posts to help educate everyone!

CT Body Painting: Do’s and Don’ts

Look at this awesome article:

DON’T use acrylics or other cheap paints as body paint. Body paints are actually giant tubs of makeup similar to liquid eye liner or foundations. Acrylics, temperas, or other paints aren’t made for humans! Click the image on the left to open it up and read it. Remember this guy? He used cheap submarine paint (instead of body paint) to become the Hulk. And then remained the Hulk for months afterwards. Or, even if you can get the paint off you, acrylics can end up staining furniture, clothing, or anything else you touch. Plus, most colors (especially yellow or red) contain heavy metals known to cause cancer. No thanks! And if that’s not enough to convince you, other non-body paints can crack, smudge, and just generally make your costume look awful!

DO go to a professional. Professional body painters use FDA-approved makeups which are made specially for human skin. Even sensitive skin usually does well with this stuff! Plus our body paint is water-soluable (aka comes of quite easily), is applied by professionals (no streaks or smudges!) and we seal it in (aka it doesn’t come off until you want it to.)Now, we get a lot of requests for people asking us where we get Kaleidoscope gets our body paint from because they want to do it themselves. (The short answer is that we get it through professional suppliers up in MA.) But generally, even for a simple painting you’re going to end up dropping $50-75 dollars on enough paint to cover you. And, more than likely, because you’re not used to painting with makeup, you’ll also probably end up frustrated with streaks or uneven coverage. Call a body painter today and see what they’ll give you for a quote or simply tell them your budget. You might be surprised! (If you live in the Hartford or Boston areas, drop us a line for a quote today!)

Read the full article here.

Face Painting vs Masks for Halloween Makeup

There are a lot of awesome safety facts here for families:

Safety at Halloween is more than just stranger-danger. It’s also being thoughtful of cars on dark streets,  security at large events, and making sure no one has an allergic reaction. Can face paint or masks be any more safe than the other?

Check out safety, hygiene, cost, and more! This Halloween, what is the difference between face paint and masks?

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Toddler Party Tips

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I get tons of people asking for balloon twists and face painting packages for toddler birthday parties. Every mom and dad knows that toddlers act different from other ages and should be treated quite different from kids ages 5+. Being a mom and grandmother myself, I know that toddlers are quite unique and need things to be tailored to their curiosity and short attention spans. That’s why I’ve learned how to tailor my parties to make them perfect for toddlers.

  1. Face painting a toddler isn’t always easy. They just won’t sit still! After waiting in line (if you can get them to wait) it’s very frustrating if at the last moment the toddler decides they don’t want their face painted. It is for this reason that I recommend balloon-twisting parties rather than face painting parties. Toddlers love to watch balloon animals being made. If any older kids are at the party, they will also love watching the balloon twisting, and the other twists even more. It’s not even unusual for adults at my parties to want a balloon too. I would say that balloon twisting is a lot more universal than face painting!
  2. Don’t service any party food that would require the child to sit down! Hot dogs and finger foods are perfect. The kids are going to be having too much fun to sit down and eat.
  3. I know plenty of games that are perfect for children of all ages. Toddler parties often have a couple older kids thrown into the mix, whether they are older neighbors or siblings. I make sure that all my activities are suitable for all ages.
  4. When planning the birthday party remember that most toddlers still take an afternoon nap so take that into account. You will probably want a late afternoon (or morning) party and you can keep it short and sweet! This also leaves you with more one-on-one time with your special birthday child. Most toddlers also are beginning to appreciate goody bags. I try to suggest that with older kid’s birthday parties they move away from cheap goodies, and onto a more meaningful give-away. However, with toddlers I would suggest going as cheap and easy as possible! Toddlers aren’t going to be more impressed by bigger and better items.

Toddlers need more supervision then older children, which can make a toddler’s party super hectic. That’s why hiring entertainment is even more important. Balloon twisting is definitely the best option! It will keep the kids entertained and give the adults some much needed adult talk time. Unlike some other companies, I have a lot of experience with kids of all ages and can definitely keep the children entertained, whether it be face paint or balloon twisting.

Overall, don’t stress out, hire a balloon twister, and keep your party short and sweet!250-octopus

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How To Plan a Stress-Free Event

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Between hiring a balloon twister and/or a face painter and getting people to RSVP and making goodie bags, planning a child’s birthday party to be fun can be anything but! I’ve seen countless parents turn an event that is supposed to be magical and pleasurable into a huge hassle. I want to help you plan your next birthday party to include all the fun but none of the stress. Follow this tips and your party will be sure to be a hit:

  • Decide on a reasonable number of guests. Rather than having 20+ kids, have fewer kids and make the experience more meaningful for each one. This also makes it great easier if you hire some form of entertainment. Balloon twister and face painters, for example, can only do 10-12 kids can hour.
  • If you plan on feeding the children, make sure that the food doesn’t require the children to sit still. Finger foods, burgers, and hot dogs are all perfect foods to serve. The kids are going to be having too much fun to want to sit down for long.IMG_4397
  • Hire a balloon twister or a face painter! Now, I know you’re probably thinking that’s just another thing to add to my list. However, balloon twisting or face painting artists are only going to make your event run smoother. The artists will take care of setting up and taking down their stations. By entertaining the kids during the party, you’ll finally get some downtime with other adults! Plus, children will love having their face painted or having balloon animals. You’ll have less planning to do regarding other activities. Balloon twisting and face painting is a win-win for everyone!
  • Buy a cake. There is nothing wrong with buying a cake; you don’t have to make a homemade three-layer cake that looks like it belongs on the Food Channel to impress anyone. Buying a store-bought cake will take away stress, and stores have so many options I’m confident one will fit your theme.
  • Go with nontraditional party favors. Everyone knows that most of those cheap plastic party favors are just going to be thrown following the party. I’m sure you’ve done it before (I know I have). One cool idea I saw at one of my birthday party gigs was a frame party favor. The mom took a photo of the party in the beginnFullSizeRendering, printed it out on the computer, and simply slid the photo into the frame.
  • Schedule your event for the afternoon that way you can setup for the event all morning. Get the birthday child involved in as many pre-party activities as possible. The extra help will be super nice, and it’s a great way to bond.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Similar to hiring a balloon twister or a face painter, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. If you have family coming over, ask them to bring some food.
  • Try not to stress out. I’m sure your event will be a hit!
  • And lastly, don’t forget the candles!

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Popular Questions About Face Painting and Balloon Twisting Parties

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If you’re wondering what it would be like to have a face painter or balloon twister at your next event, you’ve come to the right place! Feel free to email me if I don’t answer all of your questions in this post.

  • Do you have a lot of experience with kids? I’m a proud mom to five kids and a handful of grandchildren. I love working with children, and hope I can help make your child’s next birthday memorable!
  • Is face paint really safe? I only use FDA-approved makeup. I make sure to only use hypoallergenic face paint and have never had a client have an allergic reaction. My grandson Ethan has super sensitive skin and all of the face paint works great on him. Each child gets a new sponge and brushes are dipped in sanitizer! All materials are fully cleaned between parties. I make sure all my parunnamed3ties are fun and clean!
  • Can I offer you food? If you wish. I always make sure that eating doesn’t get in the way of face painting or balloon twisting, but I would love a snack.
  • What if you don’t get through all the guests in time? Sometimes this happens (but rarely) because more kids come then expected. If you want, adding on extra time is super easy and I would love to spend the extra time with you!
  • How many people can you face paint in an hour? Typically I get face paint done on about 10-12 kids per hour. I can also get about 10-12 quality balloon twists done per hour! Always keep in mind that almost every guest is going to want to get his or her face done or get a balloon animal! A lot of adults even want to get in on the fun. This why having the choice to add on extra time is a great!
  • How do I pay? Cash is easiest way. Checks are also another option!
  • Do you recommend toddler birthday parties to include face paint? Toddlers have a really hard time sitting still (as you probably know). This makes waiting in line and sitting in the chair a difficult task for them. Shy children may also be afraid of me when they reach the end of the line!

Some other queries you might be having about my face painting and balloon twisting entertainment is…

  1. What does the party host have to do? For face painting all I’m going to need is a table and two chairs. For balloon twisting I need nothing at all, besides people to entertain!
  2. What do you do during downtime? I’ll be working the entire time. I guarantee that I’ll be busy for the entire time that you hire me. I can always paint children’s hands or do a second round of balloon animals.
  3. When do you setup? I’ll come early to set up. No matter if I’m face painting or balloon twisting (or both) I’ll be sure to arrive about 15 minutes early to set up all of my materials. It takes less than 5 minutes to have everything ready to go.

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Making Sure Your Summer Party Isn’t a Bummer

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Having a summer birthday opens up a couple new options for party ideas that can only be done during this time of year, including some festive balloon twisting and face paint designs. The two biggest decisions for birthday party planners in the summer months are whether the party will be held outdoors or indoors, and if the party is going to be relaxed or lively. Some easy party ideas for any gender and any age during the summer are:

All Parties Can Have Face Paint and Balloon Twisting!

  • Hire a face painter and balloon twister! This is a definite way of making sure the children will be entertained. Face painting is suitable for all ages and designs can be matured for older kids. Everyone also loves a good balloon sword! This option is super easy for parents because the artists do all the setup and takedown. All the party holders need to do is setup a table with two chairs. How easy!

Outdoors

Very Active Party:

  • Not everyone has the luxury of a having a pool. However, don’t fret if you want to cool party guests off but don’t have a man-made body of water and concrete sitting in your background. Water balloons are a major pain to inflate (and take about five minutes to go through). Instead, invest in some water guns! Have bins filled with water throughout the yard so that kids (and let’s be real, adults) can refill the guns. If you already have water guns this can be a total party hit with no cost to you. If your collection of water guns hasn’t begun yet, dollar stores and Wal-Mart are a great place to look. Just be sure that every party child has the option to play, so make sure that the number of guns will equal the number of children at the party. It’s also a super good way to water your lawn (:
    • Just because this party idea involves water doesn’t mean that you can’t have face paint! Noodle Doodle offers waterproof face paint! With FDA-approved ingredients, the paint comes of with soap or makeup remover instead of water.

More Laid-Back Party Idea:outdoor theater

  • Create an outside theater in your own backyard. Hang a sheet up in the backyard, rent a projector, and stream the birthday child’s favorite film. Litter the backyard with old blankets and pillows! I would recommend this idea for parties for older kids (9+) that are more likely to be able to sit through an entire film. This would also be a great time to do face paint, because rather than waiting in a line the kids can come one at a time during the movie. A super awesome addition to this idea would be to make a slideshow of the birthday girl or boy’s photos to play before the movie. There is no harm traveling down through memory lane.
  • For kids under 9, bring a carnival to town! Not literally, but you can create carnival games for the children to enjoy. The problem with this idea is that needs a lot of work beforehand to complete. The games once completed can be used for many birthday parties to come though!

A good majority of summer birthday parties are held outside. However, the weather sometimes gets upset that it wasn’t invited to your party and rains down on the special day. I would recommend a more laid-back tone to indoor parties because having multiple loud kids inside isn’t ideal.

Indoors

  • Now, if you planned for an outdoor movie theater and the weather decides to move the party inside creating the same idea indoors is easy! Although it would now be easier to just play the movie on the TV, I would still recommend using the sheet and projector anyways! That extra step will be sure to wow the party.
  • The easiest way to create a summer feel to an indoor party is to make a beach theme! This where some really fun summer balloon twisting and face painting can come in. Let our face painters create a tropic paradise on your little’s one face. Regarding summer inflatable objects, balloon animals are so much better than beach balls!
face-painting

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4th of July: Book Today! (Nancy is now booking face painting and balloon twisting out a month)

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Good news for me, less-exciting news for everyone else! I am now booking all of my “busy months” parties about a month out. That means even though today is June 1, I’m booked all of June and starting to fill up July! It feels great!!!! 🙂

If you want face painting or balloon twisting for your 4th of July party, please email me very very soon! Any July spots are first-come-first-serve and need a check to be mailed to me to be held.

See everyone very soon!

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Volunteer face painters in CT

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Hi families! I get asked a lot about whether I can volunteer at events or fundraiser.

I choose 1 event a year to volunteer at. I think working with my community is a great way to serve and have met some great families out of it!

The reason I cannot volunteer for more than that is because of how expensive it gets! With gas, supplies, not being able to book paying gigs… I may be retired, but the income is still very important to my family!

I would love to give your 501C3, church, school organization, or neighborhood group a discount, but for right now I cannot work for free at events.

Good luck with your fundraisers!!!!

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Nancy’s Favorite Face Paints

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I often get asked about the face paint I use, it’s safety, and the brand. Here’s a little bit about my favorite face paint brand: Snazaroo!

Here is their safety FAQ off their website:

Are Snazaroo face paints suitable for sensitive skin? 
All Snazaroo face paints are specially formulated to be friendly to the most delicate skin and are fragrance-free. All our face paints have been reviewed by an independent professor of dermatology and professional toxicologists. However, we recommend that before you start, you try a small test area on the inside of the elbow.
Are Snazaroo face paints non-toxic?  
All Snazaroo face paints are manufactured using only ingredients fully compliant with EU & FDA toy and cosmetic regulations, and are not dangerous and non-toxic.

Are Snazaroo face paints suitable for Vegans or for Vegetarians?
Some of our Snazaroo face paints contain lanolin, an animal-derived ingredient and as such, our products cannot be categorised as vegan/vegetarian. However, the glyceryl stearate in our face paints does not contain any animal ingredients and there are no other ingredients (other than lanolin) which are derived from animals in our face paints.

Are Snazaroo face paints safe for pregnant women?
Snazaroo face paints are safe for pregnant women, as all our cosmetics conform to the cosmetics directive.

Are Snazaroo face paints tested on Animals?  
Snazaroo products are never tested on animals.

Are Snazaroo face paints gluten free or nuts free?
Snazaroo products do not contain any gluten or nuts.

What to use to remove Snazaroo face paints?  
All Snazaroo products are easy to remove. Simply wash off with warm soapy water or use gentle face wipes.

How long can I keep Snazaroo face paints?  
At Snazaroo we recommend that you use your face paints within 18 months of opening.

Do you produce or sell rainbow cakes?  
Here at Snazaroo we do not manufacture rainbow cakes as producing these require cutting the paints by hand and touching them. All our products are manufactured in a cosmetic environment and sealed with the cosmetic film which does not get touched by human hand until you, the consumer, peel it back to use the product for the first time.

 

What is the minimum age for children to be painted?

Snazaroo face paints are safe for all ages, but we recommend face painting for children 3 years old and over. If painting on younger children we recommend a small motif on their cheek, hands or arms.

 

 

Does Snazaroo face paint wash out of clothes/fabric?

Snazaroo face paints are water-based and will wash out of most fabrics. However, please remember that due to the high pigment content some colours may stain.

 

 

How long will the face paint stay on my face/body?

Until you wash it off under normal circumstances. Always remove paint before going to bed.

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Baptism and Communion Face Painting and Balloon Twisting

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It seems as if Baptisms and Communions are upon us! Spring must have sprung!

I still have most Sunday mornings available for March and beyond, so if you’re looking for face painting and balloon twisting at your religious event, here are a few things to know:

  • I’m happy to dress appropriately for any event! Just let me know the dress code of your event or church
  • I have fun themed designs like chicks, ducks, crosses and everything else you could want! Great for baptisms and communions, AND spring!
  • Balloon twisting is great for all ages
  • Face painting is great for toddlers and up
  • If you want to take formal photos, remember to invite me to face paint AFTER you’re done with those! Receptions are a great time to keep the kids entertained 🙂

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