Hello folks at The Idea Door,

I wanted to send a note to say I used some of the ideas from your very helpful website.  We are first time scout parents and I was in charge of center-piece decorations for the blue and gold  banquet.  I read through so much info on the web and I kept coming back to the candy-wrapper idea, but with a twist.  Somewhere, maybe your site, I saw something called "pots of blue and gold"  and from somewhere else....party poppers  {I had been saving paper towel rolls} so I think I combined two ideas.  It was real important that the boys do the craft, I mean that's the whole point, so I chose something that was simple for them.    So with a little craftiness, your website's inspiration and the help of 11 little hyper boys {I mean hyper but happy :) the "arts and crafts" part went well. 

I have a pic to share.....the clip art that we printed out come from yet another very helpful site..... logo/recourses from Kevin Doyle/gilwell.com.  I printed out the artwork/clip art and cut them in square shapes so the boys could just color and glue them to the buckets / or "pots"  in whatever pattern they wanted to. 

Each boy made his own.  We used the candy wrapper to go around the tissue paper covered paper towel rolls after we filled them with goodies. Each boy wrote his name on his own creation.  In the roll "party popper" we hid small pieces of candy and a small party favor {like a spinning top or small plastic harmonica} then twisted the ends and tied with either blue or yellow curling ribbon.  When done we put it in the "pot" then we will add a few pieces of those chocolate gold coins candy to each. Each table will have a few of these in the center.  The families get to take them home.  The little buckets { .97 cents -  wal-mart floral dept} can be re-used at the boys home for any number of purposes. 

all in all very fun to make.

Thank you so much for the inspiration,

-Maria

mom of scout in Rochester, NY, pack 342