The Big Day

I was woken at 5.30am this morning by an extremely excited little girl desperate for her party to begin. Our beautiful Eloise had her 3rd birthday party today. I normally get extremely stressed by my kids' birthday parties because I always try to do too much in too little time but this time I made a plan, stuck to it, kept it simple and small and it was wonderful. Here are some photos:

The Dora cake. I made the cake in a bunt pan. I always use packet cake mix for birthday cakes as it is always moist and lasts about a week. I had to use nearly 4 packets to fill the pan. I then used 4 quantities of butter cream which I divided into 3 bowls and coloured. I used all of the butter cream. I then simply piped rosettes all over the cake and doll's bodice and added shop bought icing flowers. I sprinkled edible glitter and butterflies over the cake and voila, done. Oh and I wrapped Dora's legs and body in the soft plastic bags you get your veggies in to protect the cake and help her to stand upright. This is an age old party cake but it always looks so impressive.

Heart cupcakes:

Place setting (Stephanie of Liberty Lane made the beautiful crowns which were a great take home present that will actually last!)

The finished bunting (Happy Birthday Eloise):

The table. I used gorgeous pink and yellow primroses as a centre piece. I covered the plant pots with yellow crepe paper and tied them with offcuts from the purple felt table runner and pink fabric table cloth (just hemmed pink fabric). The pink and purple balloons are on sticks stuck into the flower pots and are tied with yellow curling ribbon.

Another shot of the party table

Each child had a cupcake with their initial on it at their place.

Here the kids are having their party food:

We played traditional party games. Pass the parcel, Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Musical Bumps. As it was a Dora themed party, we also played a Dora adventure game that came to me at 6am this morning (so it was handy I was woken so early!). We planned to have a normal treasure hunt but I decided to make a Dora style map of the garden and we did a Dora treasure hunt.

The kids had backpacks filled with small balloons, musical instruments and plastic knives (one for each child). We put the slide in the middle of the lawn and that became Slide Mountain. Two wonderful friends sat on the bench by the wendy house and became the Grumpy Trolls. I tied paper streamers to our washing line and that became 'Paper Forest'. Finally, I put my jewellery box filled with bags of lollies in the sandpit and that became the Tiny Desert. The kids followed the map, found the relevant tools from their backpacks to help them over the obstacles and tried to stop another wonderful friend who played Swiper, from swiping their stuff. They had to sing Happy Birthday to the Grumpy Trolls to send them to sleep which was hilarious. The kids loved it, so did we and my girls have spent all afternoon playing it again and again (my poor jewellery box is looking a little worse for wear!). I had so much fun today. Small, simple and sticking to the plan is definately the way to go in future!!