"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley

November 30, 2011

The Birthday Post!

The FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY for Mil! 

Now let me start off this post by saying: I AM NOT going to be one of those mommies that throws an outrageous birthday party every single year... I'm not, really. I'm way too frugal and besides if she has a big birthday party every year after a while, they won't be SOoooooo special.  I had to throw a good FIRST, because YA' JUST. GOTTA!,  right!? When deciding what to do for Camille's party, I came across the idea of having a book party. 

(Yeah, I know- the kids ONE and can't even read... yeah, I know.)
The reason(s):
  • Knowing a child will be more interested in the wrapping paper, box and the bow rather than the actual gift, I've always been "stumped" as to what to take as a gift to a baby's first birthday party and didn't want to "stump" the party guests! 
  • Toys break, batteries run-down and eventually they all end up in yard sales... but, a good book lasts forever and so will the memories of  reading to her. I could ALSO go on and on about how books are on the verge of extinction and so is the past-time of reading to your children... but, that's for another post on another day....
  • And last, but not least: WHAT in the crap, would I do with a gazillion new toys?!?!  Our sweet lil' house is already busting at the seams with all of Camille's "stuff"! 
Anyways.... BACK to the party: 

I searched and searched for "Book Party" ideas on the internet and that wasn't much help.  I did, however. come across this: click here: See Harper turn one.

Because, I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due: After seeing Harper's first birthday party that her Mommy blogged about, I was completely intrigued and the wheels in this head of mine starting spinning! I loved how the decor was like a vintage school theme and how all the colors were muted and very retro. The whole party was inspiration for me- but, of course, I had to make it my own.

I decided to use a Dick and Jane theme myself... but, only with the invites.  I contacted my go-to Photographer, Lori Mercer and told her of my idea of having the Birthday invites mimic an actual Dick and Jane book. I cannot brag enough about this lady... because, she jumped on my idea and came up with these.


Now, I had planned on making them myself- but, she offered to "whip something up" and I was glad to let her because she has all the cool software and neat-o fonts! BUT- this invite can totally be accomplished by using Microsoft Word and choosing the "Booklet" setting. Use "Georgia" font and copy and paste your pictures to each of the booklet "pages" The "book" invite is printed on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock paper and crease/folded in half. The invite:
See Camille. 
See Camille turn one. 
Come see Camille have fun! 

For the book labels, I purchased Avery Brand name tags and they did the tick!!!  The name tags were the perfect size and the wax-paper backing taped easily to the back of the invite.  The labels read:


This book belongs to 
Camille Elizabeth
presented by: 

__________________________
as a gift for her first birthday!

Instead of focusing on using books for decorations... I wanted to focus more on "See Camille Turn One" and use her monthly photos and all the material I used for the monthly photos.

Probably, my most favorite part of the Birthday Party was the location. Drum Roll, please: The Public Library! How perfect is that? I book party at the Library! Our Library has a good size banquet room right as you enter... it was perfect!

The Banner: I borrowed my friends Cricut machine and cut 6 inch letters using scrapbook paper.  The string was actually some funky knitting yard from Wal-Mart (I would not recommend it, it worked- but, it was really flimsy and kept breaking) Using some tiny wooden clothespins, I secured each of the letters. For the    ( i ) and the ( ! ) I used clear scotch tape to make the ( . ) float. AND- added my favorite pictures of Camille from her first year. Get it: See Camille Turn One! With pictures starting from the hospital to present.


(lol @ the pic over my left shoulder) :)

For the table decorations, we used cheap dolla' store plastic tablecloths and layered them with the material from her monthly photos. Each table had a old-skool Reader's Digest Book with Balloons tied to it.

The food table consisted of a sandwich making station, chips, chip-dip, fruit skewers with fruit-dip!  Pink lemonade to drink and a tub full of soft drinks (which should have been elevated OFF of the floor so that "the incident" (refer to post below) wouldn't have happened.


The cupcakes came from Wal-Mart bakery. I gave them several sheets of paper from the left-over scrapbook paper I used for the letters and told them to match the color scheme and "Go Wild!" Wal-Mart's butter-cream icing cupcakes are actually really good , and for 6 dollars a dozen... yeah, totally purchased SIXTY along with one a lil' smash cake, just for Camille.With the Cricut cupcake wrapper cartridge, I was able to make the cutest cupcake wrappers out of, once again, scrapbook paper.  I placed those precious cupcakes in those precious cupcake wrappers and adorned each of them with Camille's down-sized monthly photos printed on card stock! They were a HIT!  For other sweet treats, I made Oreo Truffles and Puppy Chow Chex Mix and plenty of Hershey Kisses (Camille's absolute most favorite candy!)




For Party Favors:

orientaltrading.com, Baby!
Chalkboards, with chalk and an eraser
Apple Pencil Ornament
Birthday Coloring Book
Hershey kisses labels: "Sweet Kisses from Camille"
Book Worm Pencil Eraser (Cannot find on website, now)

The tissue poms were hand-made. The big poms (Pink and Red ones) were made using the Martha Stewart brand tissue pom kits. (Those were given to me by a friend at Christmas time last year and they have been used for three events!: They were the backdrop for Camille's birthday photo session, I used them at a Baby shower and then her birthday party) They are really durable, just gotta "re-fluff" each time you use 'em. The smaller ones were made from dollar tree polka-dot tissue paper. I secured them to the tile ceiling using fishing line and large paper clips. SO EASY!!!


Here is the video I used to learn how to make them:

I made a ton of silly props for an event (The Flip Flop Ball) we had in our town a couple of months ago and re-used them for Camille's Party. These are easy to make. I googled free templates and combined the many I found from various sites. Just cut them out, traced on heavy duty felt, cut with an exacto knife and glued to a wooden stick.





We played music which included some of Camille's favorites: Single Ladies by Beyonce', Country Girls Shake it for Me by Luke Bryan, Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland, and many more! AND of course we had to play, Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder!

I neglected to pass out the cutesy party hats for the children to wear, or place the precious "Mud Pie" party hat on the Birthday Girls head... womp. womp. Other than that, and having to dislodge a chunk of ice from Camille's throat, everything went perfectly!

We received a TON of books that fill up the bookshelf Patrick built (The night before the party... yeah.) While I was busy dipping oreo balls in almond bark and cutting out letters, Patrick was at Pigeon Creek Cabinet Shop working hard on a bookshelf. We still need to paint it, though... pictures to come soon.

Camille "Mean Muggin'" with her "Gi Gi"

A Bow? I don't think so!



Angel! 
Happy FIRST Birthday, Camille! It's a JOY to be your Mommy... I'm so thankful God gave me you!

1 comment:

Lori Mercer said...

You are such an awesome Mommy! Her first birthday was perfect! :)