Check out this crown tutorial on You Tube or click their post to see how to do the makeup too.

The post Taking Face Paint to The Next Level: DIY Mermaid Goddess Look! first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

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?

The post Halloween Face Painting is Almost Here! first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

So our whole big Family got together for a big birthday party. We had my Sister’s backyard and pool, a piñata, and a bounce house! But most of the kids were too little for any of those things. So I went to the craft store down the street and tried to find something fun for them. Well, I found something much more fun than a craft! I picked up a face painting kit and thought “I could do this!”

My face painting might not have been pretty that first day, but I loved it and so did my family! After Alexander’s birthday (and another few grand children!) I just kept doing face painting at all of the birthdays in our Family. Then, friends and neighbors and other parents started asking me if I would do it at their parties. For years I kept face painting here and there for free, but after I retired to spend more time with my family which was really big by now, I decided to start doing it on the side!

I have been face painting now for 17 years, but only 8 of those years have been professionally. I love my job and I love the kids I work with.

Almost all of my business is word of mouth. Alexander helped me with this Website, which I would say is a pretty great trade-off for years of painting his face! So if you haven’t met me before the Website Hello! I would love to come to your birthday party whether we’ve met or not and entertain all of the kids there!

I also do balloon twisting and glitter tattoos now, so I can do anything you want!

The post How I became a face painter! first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

Last year I had time for three parties, so hopefully this year I will be able to too! But as always, it’s first-come-first-serve, so please move quickly! See you soon!

The post Labor day balloon twisting and face painting parties in CT first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

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!

The post Toddler Party Tips first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

• 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.
• 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 beginning, 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!

The post How To Plan a Stress-Free Event first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

• 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 parties 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.

The post Popular Questions About Face Painting and Balloon Twisting Parties first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

Thank you Lynda for the lovely note! I’m so excited about the relationship I’ve formed with a few families in CT. Invite me to your party any time of year for any occasion.

The post "See you soon!" - Review for Adam's 5th Balloon Twisting Birthday in Norwalk first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

Incorporating Balloon Art and Face Paint Into Popular Birthday Themes: Girls Edition

This week I’m going to discuss how the same can be done for popular boy themes. According to party city the most popular boy birthday themes are:

Superheroes:

• Hire a face painter to come and face paint the children’s favorite superhero masks onto their face. Complete this with buying some bulk cheap capes and the children can entertain themselves by playing superhero.
• Balloon twisting designs for superheroes isn’t as obvious as face painting designs. It is possible to make small superheroes balloon figurines, however in my experience children would prefer superhero weapons or just simple swords. Swords are one of the easiest balloon twists to make (no surprise there). Kids love them though! I personally love the Caption America balloon defense weapon (and I’m sure my grandson would agree with me). It’s requires a lot of balloon twisting skill, so remember this kind of twist will require more time.
• I love how many characters there are for superheroes. With that comes many different options for superhero themes foods! The marshmallow and fruit Caption America armor will be sure to please both children and adults. Plus, it’s super easy to make! The Thor cupcakes are also easy to make and use some of the same materials. However, if you plan on serving birthday cake you may not want to invest time in making cupcakes. The hulk rice crisp treats are also super easy to make! Just add some green die to the recipe, and buy some black dye at the nearest Michael’s Craft Store for the frosting. All these foods allow less time cooking and more time with your birthday child.

Cars:

• Believe it or not cars face paint is actually less common than one would think. The face paint design below is one of my favorites. It’s so creative and it’s more than painted car on a cheek. The face paint design incorporates the whole face!
• Now the picture below looks like it would take a lot to recreate. However, if you build this one scene you don’t need to go all out with the rest of the decorations. Don’t be worried that a lot has to be done to make this scene, just think about how much more one would have to do if you didn’t do it. Take a cheap black tablecloth and paint the white stripes. Buy a few balloons and cones, and BAM decorations done.
• The car balloon art is awesome. I taught myself how to balloon twist this after seeing the photo. Just remind the party guests that balloons can’t be rough housed with. No car accidents for these balloons.

Toy Story:

• I’m in love with this party theme! The face painting designs for Toy Story are quite time-consuming and detailed. Without so much meticulous brushstrokes, the designs wouldn’t look good. They would look more like the birthday child did it. With some face painting designs, like this one, there is no in-between between good and bad.
• Creative food that plays with the theme of Toy Story is great. Getting boxes of pizza and making a sign saying “Pizza Planet” is a super easy and low-effort way to feed the guests and up the décor. Another food to serve could be croissant-wrapped hot dogs and calling them “slinky dogs” to reference the popular character. Whatever food you chose to serve, if you choose to feed the guests, make sure the items don’t require the children to eat down. There is too much excitement happening!
• Toy story alien balloon art are some pretty awesome examples of the talent it takes to balloon twist. It’s so obvious who the balloons were created to be. Making ionic balloon animals can really showcase talent.

For more party ideas I have created some Pinterest board with even more party ideas for a bunch of themes: https://www.pinterest.com/FacepaintingCT/

Which Pinterest board is your favorite?

The post Balloon Twisting and Face Paint for Popular Boy Birthday Themes first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.

Most Popular Girl’s Party Themes:

Minnie Mouse:

• Balloon twisting can be tailored to every theme for every age. The video below is a great representation of how balloons can tailor to any theme! The hats would be a great way to tie in the party theme.

• While on the topic of balloon art, balloon decoration is another way to bring together any theme. Minnie Mouse balloon arches are especially amazing because it’s so obvious what theme the party is aiming at. Even if you decide not to go over the top with decorations this one single décor addition will be able show the guests what the theme is. Or if you are deciding to go over the top with decorations, then you really need a balloon arch!
• A super awesome craft and treat idea would be to make a ‘create your own Minnie cookie area’. Making the cookies before hand can be a great way to get the birthday girl or boy involved.

• Face paint, like balloon twisting, is a simple way to keep the party guests entertained. Children love having their favorite characters painted on their faces. Adults love it because face paint makes the kids happy! I adore the Minnie and Mickey face paint design below.

Disney Princesses:

• One of the great things about princess birthday parties is that the party ideas are endless! Maybe it’s because there are so many princesses, or many it’s because they have been around for so long. Whatever the reason we aren’t going to question it. Just like party ideas, there are endless ideas for princess balloon art. Not only can Disney princesses be made into balloons, their companions can also. There are so many characters in Disney Princess movies so every party guest could get a different one if that’s what they wish.

• Side Note: If you’re looking for a summer Disney Princess party then check out my old blog post about throwing a Frozen party in the summer.
  • http://www.facepaintingpartyct.com/frozen-summer-party-ideas/
• Having a face paint princess crown on is a great way to make any birthday girl to feel like royalty. Just like balloon art, face paint for princess parties also has a lot of design options. Having glass slippers, princess companions, castles, crowns, or the princesses face painted on the partygoers faces are just some of the options.
• Decorating crowns is another way to entertain party guests. It’s also a great party favor for the guests to take home to their own castle.

Hello Kitty:

One of my granddaughters was a major Hello Kitty fan growing up. The problem was that she really liked the cartoon before it was popular! Of course when it started getting popular she grew out of it. She would have loved a party like this.

• Hello Kitty face paint has to be done well. I’ve seen plenty of pictures where the kid’s face is entirely painted white, and they end up looking more like a ghost then hello kitty. The example below is a great example of good Hello Kitty face paint.
• Hello Kitty balloon animals are a bit harder to screw up then face paint. Unlike Disney princesses there aren’t as many ionic Hello Kitty characters to paint. So I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of party guests would also want more typical balloon animals.

• I spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking for Hello Kitty party crafts. I was actually super surprised by the lack of ideas. Even though Hello Kitty is a popular theme according to Party City, you can began to see how much harder it is to plan a less popular theme. Having face paint and balloon twisting is that much more important for unpopular themed birthday party, because it ties together a theme easily.
  • The only idea I found that I thought was unique and special would be to make headband ears. Just like decorating crowns, this Hello Kitty headband ears would be a great keepsake and a dress up play toy for the guests.

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The post Incorporating Balloon Art and Face Paint Into Popular Birthday Themes: Girls Edition first appeared on Noodle Doodle by Nancy.