It was quite possibly our most adorable party ever and it might take me a LONG post to tell you about it. Apologies in advance. If cute isn't your thing, look away now. But if you're in need of a quick and easy party, I'm your girl.
It was great luck that so much of this party came together the morning of the event. I'll never again plan to host people just hours after summer has begun. In the race to finish the school year and start to celebrate summer, there wasn't much party prep time. Really just time Big Brother and I logged getting ideas online. And most of that was spent mired in photos of cake wrecks. Nonetheless, I was determined that this -- being Baby Sister's first not just us birthday party -- would be full of fun and fanfare. And always - a theme!
But, I digress. (That might be the new name of this blog.)
Of course, at my house all the best parties start with a favor plan. The guests got sand buckets filled with bubbles and a super easy goldfish barrette/bow. So easy that I made extras for friends.
If you're going to whip up a last minute party, it pays to stockpile ribbon, clothes pins, google eyes and general art supplies. Keep your supplies separate from the kids' if you want to ever find them.
Goldfish hair bows: Loop medium-width orange grosgrain ribbon like you were making an advocacy bow. Tie that with a thinner ribbon behind the neck. Do fish have necks? The little opening makes the mouth. Hot glue a googley eye to the front and barrette in the back.
Blow a little air into a gift bag and tie with ribbon.
What if you have to make palm trees in a jif? Not to worry. Especially if you have lunch bags, pool noodles and tissue on hand. Just cut out the bottoms of the brown bags, crumple and thread them onto the noodles. Top with green tissue fronds. Three minutes max.
Of course, busy little mermaids will need to eat.
Croissant sannie platter dotted with bubble gum "pearls" - even if crabs don't make pearls. I cracked myself up seeing these guys staring at me in the frige all morning.
Nine-legged octopus (polypus?) veggie and dip platter and sea turtle fruit bowl. Fondant mermaid (thanks, Barbie for the bikini loan) as cake topper sitting on graham cracker sand. Goldfish and Swedish fish rounded out the lunch menu.
We played lots of fishing games and had water balloons galore. The girls painted their own little clothes pin mermaids. We used q-tips as paint brushes. They LOVED this and spent lots of time with their creations.
I hot glued skeins of embroidery floss hairdos onto each clothes pin.
And what mermaid party would be complete without tails?
These were the cutest things EVER. And take less than 5 minutes each. I'm serious. Cute, quick and cheap? In addition to being my next band's name, those are things I strive for everyday.
Did I mention these are no sew? (Made extra important as our power went out the night before the party.) I took turquoise tea towels, attached layers of wide sparkle tulle ribbon with hemming/fabric tape and made a waistband with wide fabric headbands (sold in multipacks). The stretchy waistband also attached with fabric tape
Gather the base of the tail with ribbon and you've got a mermaid. Or two!
Invites were homemade with leftover ribbon and card stock. The vellum was a last minute addition (cut @ the bottom to look like waves) and what happenstance - it made it all look a little under water.
We had a great time and the guest of honor was even happier than the craft lady. Cheers!
