Disclaimer: None of this was my work, but it is still cute.
Monster cake. I love how the cake stand looks like little legs. I wonder if they planned that? Of course, they did. (They being my mom and sisters.)
That colorful tabletop is nothing more than crepe paper streamers run in a crisscross pattern.
Monster cupcakes. Because who could resist red chevron cupcake holders?? And candy eyeballs?
Treat Station. With baby snacks. This party was for a one-year-old, so these are age appropriate snacks, like Trix and animal crackers (which are not crackers but cookies in case you have never had one, in which case you should have more variety in your foods. Or not. They don't taste that great.)
Treat bags. Say "Thank you for coming" with handmade felt monster bags. And handmade tags. With all sorts of monster goodness inside.
Treats. Like monster band-aids. And a monster cup. That red thing? Obviously it is used to make homemade popsicles. And a handmade reusable zipper bag WHICH was filled up at the treat station with whatever you like. So if you don't like animal not-crackers then don't put any of those in your own personal baggie. But please wash and reuse as often as you like.
not pictured: unicorn suckers which look monsterish somehow
Still more to come, but here are the desserts from the butterfly birthday party!
When I was 7 or 8, I had a Barbie cake for my birthday party. I loved that cake. (I was just a little disappointed when we pulled the doll out, and it had no legs. Just a little pick.) So, I thought how cute would it be to add wings for my seven year old's butterfly party. My mom made the cake and decorated it. She outdid herself with this one, I think. We even added a sparkly butterfly to her updo and rhinestone earrings.
We bought the butterfly from Ellis Pottery for the wings. It already had wire picks on it, so we just stuck it into the cake. Edible fowers from Michael's. I think this cake would be perfect for a fairy party as well.
With all the fluttering going on, we needed some nectar for refreshment. It is actually Hawaiian punch and pineapple juice in case you thought we really went out and squeezed some flowers or something crazy like that. You can admit it. It's OK.
We put green grapes on skewers to make caterpillars. The kids had fun eating grapes on a stick. Cause anything on a stick tastes better right? I personally think there ought to be more meats on a stick. (Not really, I just remember that line from one of my favorite movies, "There's Something About Mary.")
Just so you know, these are not really caterpillar eggs. My mom found a bag of all white Sixlets at Party City. How cool is that!! I thought I was going to have to use edible pearls which no one really wants to eat. But the kids enjoyed these. After they watched me eat them to make sure they were chocolate for real. Oh, and the "grass" at the bottom of the jar was edible too. I wish I could remember where my sister Jackie found that. It tasted like green apple communion host from church. Just sayin'.
These butterflies were seriously the best gummies I've ever had. My sister Jena found them at Cracker Barrel. Don't you LOVE their gift shop?? That may be where Jackie found the host grass.
Maybe it's because I am a science teacher by day, but I thought it was common knowledge that butterflies emerge from a chrysalis. Apparently not. I should have labeled the Bugles "cocoons." Cause everyone thought they were crystals and I can't spell. Seriously? If you know me, you know I can spell like the dickens. (I don't really know what that means. I just know my husband likes to say it for some reason.) If you've never had Bugles, they are way more salty than a real chrysalis cocoon.
Oh, look. A butterfly landed on the pixie stick grass. Also from Cracker Barrel. Have I mentioned I love their gift shop? The teeny tiny watering can is from Michael's dollar bins. I also love all things tiny. Wouldn't these be cute for a garden party??
Inspiration for party ideas can come from anywhere. I think I saw a Betsey Johnson necklace with a big watermelon charm on it at Dillard's and it gave me this idea.
Or maybe it was the watermelon dress from Gymboree.
Once I decide on a theme, it is amazing how items seem to pop up everywhere that coordinate well. I found watermelon bubbles at Dollar Tree for the goodie bags and watermelon taffy at a candy shop. Cracker Barrel restaurant usually has watermelon candy sticks.
My mom made the goodie bags with a Happy Birthday punch and I cut out the ants on my Slice machine.
My mom also made the simple red cupcakes with seeds and green striped wrappers. We made the seeds by putting a dot of black icing and pulling out the tip with a toothpick. Simple!
I couldn't resist ordering the watermelon gumballs from ebay to put in the bucket from Hobby Lobby. At the time, Target had the bins of Jelly Bellies where you could pay by the pound so I got a mini bucketful. I don't think they have that anymore.
I cut out more ants to use as gift tags on the red paper which I drew seeds on with a sharpie.
The ants were cut out using my Slice machine to put in the pocket of the invitations and for the goodie bags. Scrapbooking paper from Martha Stewart and my Project Life album kit was used for the invitations as well as dotted grosgrain ribbon. I loved these invitations. Anything with a pocket!!
