Shabby Chic Fairy Party

This weekend we celebrated my daughter, Aly's 5th half-birthday. Her birthday is actually January 6th and it is extremely hard to throw a big party right after the holidays. So we celebrate both my December and my January Babies' birthday in the Summer. Easier on friend and family, plus it gives the kids a break from gift overload.

Aly is like the majority of little girls and adores fairies and all things pretty and magical. So for her birthday I wanted to create a party that was little girl sweet and of course magical, a "Shabby Chic Fairy Party".

Like most families these days we are on a tight budget, so going over board with catered treats, decorations and photographers just wasn't going to happen. How do you save money when creating a party for 20 people, do the majority of it yourself and splurge on a few smaller items. From the decorations to the food, favors and photos, I did...all of it for less then $100 (not including my time of course). 

I used antique glassware from my own collection that I had started when I was in high school (I am a Depression Glass junkie). I was able to add a few pieces with a lucky find at a second hand store last week (50% off woo hoo). The banners, fairy boxes, cupcake wrappers, fairy cupcake picks and butterfly straw decorations I made using a damask printed paper in watermelon pink, apricot orange, lime green and ocean blue as well as muted shades of the same colors in solids. All of the food and drink was made by myself, with some help from my brother. We splurged on a couple of bags of candy, popcorn and flowers.
For more photos and details on the favors and activities check out my post from yesterday HERE.

So on with the pictures (click on photos to make larger)...

 The dessert and beverage table were set up in the center of our backyard. The weather was beautiful, the birds were singing and our waterfall was trickling...it was perfect! 

 

I think this was one of my favorite parts of the table. My Mom had this window box that she was getting rid of, so I snagged it. I cleaned it up, put foam in the box, covered it with moss and decorate it with a mini banner. My fairy boxes sat perfectly right on top. Each girl got to take a Fairy box home. Inside was a little glass bottle with white glitter AKA Fairy Dust that they could spinkle OUTSIDE and see if Fairies would show up, because everyone knows Fairy like all things sparkly.

My custom cupcake wrappers and Fairy picks. These were the cupcakes my brother made with the kids while he visited. Check out the cute little Hello Hanna "Sweet Stand" in the background. 

 

These were carrot cake cupcakes, these were a nightmare at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning. LONG story short..new cupcake tins = burnt cupcakes, salvaged a total of 8 of 24...argh!

 

Another view of the dessert table. The Anchor Hocking jars holding up my window box were filled with Leis that I got on clearance at Target, the inspiration for my color scheme.

 

Butterfly straw decorations. Found this idea on the Martha Stewart website and had to try them out...the girls LOVED them!

 

My Aly and "Her Fairy Candy Table".

 Fairy Pops from Stix N Pops, along with the cups and straws on the Lemonade table.

For more photos and details on the favors and activities check out my post from yesterday HERE.

SO there you have it, Aly's Shabby Chic Fairy Party 2010. Now...onto the next party for my 10 year old soon to be 11... gotta start planning now! Corbin's party is only 3 weeks away...don't worry, we have a handle or one might say a handlebar on it *wink wink*!

Thanks for stopping in. Have a wonderful day!!
Hugs,
Pam

*Photos courtesy of Pam & Al Smerker