Category — Birthday Inspirations

The holidays are drawing near and it’s definitely time to start reflecting on things to be thankful for.  The talented and clever moms Amy Kelly and Brianna VanLierop of The Savvy Mom’s Guide, came up with a brilliant idea to get kids in that thanksgiving mood by putting together a playdate party filled with craft making fun and healthy snack making ideas!  Amy and Brianna shares with us the wonderful ideas that we can all inspire from: “For this Play Date theme our inspirations came from a collaboration of fall, Thanks giving, and Owls.  We wanted to feature natural elements such as woods, moss and leaves to compliment this inspiration.   In planning we knew we needed to create a unique outdoor play date that was whimsical yet natural. We started by contacting Anders Ruff Custom Designs to create the printable collection around our “Whoot of Thanks” theme.  We then provided them our patterns and colors which included oranges, browns, reds, and greens.  For the craft we wanted to keep with the natural feeling and create owls made from pinecones that also served as décor for the table. For each play date we like to incorporate a snack that is kid created with easy to make steps.  We also include a healthy snack that compliments the theme or season.  These choices made the meal kid friendly, nutritious and delicious.

Kolby Kakes edible creations baked the yummiest cupcakes, cake balls and owl cookie pops that coordinated with the colors and theme perfectly.

“Cheese Pies” made from biscuits and cheese baked on a stick:

An adorable turkey made from fruit, cheese and vegetables:

Amy Locurto of Living Locurto came up with an “Owl Smores” recipe that made this possible:

All design elements for each play date are usually purchased or created in a “Savvy” way. When it comes to the dollar bins at Target or our local Dollar Store we try and see more than just the value of an item. The tree stumps that were made into toad stools were covered in plastic tablecloths which came from the Target dollar bins along with scrapbook paper that were laminated with a leaves for the kids to use as placemats.  The table the kids sat at was also made with 3 hay barrels and a piece of plywood covered with a piece of burlap. With the left over burlap we made pennants to hang our “Whoot of Thanks” banner from. The moss boxes were created from left over scrap 2X4’s and pieces of sheet moss purchased from the Dollar Tree.  These we perfect for showcasing our “Whoot Corn” popcorn cones made from scrapbook paper and as a platform for the “Cheese Pies” to be displayed on. Our centerpiece, our version of a thankful tree was also created with the natural elements of our own backyard. We simply placed a tree branch into a tree stump and dressed it with our Anders Ruff printables and colorful leaves.”

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a lollipop? That’s probably a question nobody will ever have an answer to, but I’ve got the answer to your ‘lil girl’s next party theme! Lolli lolli lollies~! Our Ultimatley Plush favorite Laura Winslow Photography dropped a sweet little package in our mailbox a few weeks back, and I’m so excited to share this gorgeous commericial shoot she put together with another favorite of ours, Kim of The Tomkat Studio!  Laura speaks of the experience: “I recently had the opportunity to shoot two new collections for Classy Sassy Girls, and it was a day filled with delicious + darling fun-really! The first shoot was for the soon-to-be available {sweet petti} collection, all chiffon frills, yummy colors + pure girly joy. Our darling models had fun prancing around in the soft fullness of the pettidresses and pettiskirts amidst the quirky Candyland-esque dream that is smeeks.” Enjoy!!

I am a HUGE fan of the creators behind today’s party feature, and I’m so excited to be sharing this AMAZING baby shower with you!  Seriously, when it comes to party planning, it’s tough to outdo the creative ladies behind Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations and Canvas and Canopy, and with these two powerhouses, you get an event that goes way beyond dessert tables & party favors.  You get an experience!

Their main inspiration for this party came from all the French influence in New Orleans, which is where the party took place.  From the ladies: “The whimsy and eccentricity of an early 1900′s Parisian circus, elegance, jeweled antiques, and vintage Barnum & Bailey were the major influences. Glamour, opulence and fun was the goal!

Playing off of the baby ‘shower’, vintage umbrellas and Parisian parasols hovered over tables with strings of dripping crystals that refracted the blue uplighting and resembled raindrops.

Inspired by big top tents, trapeze artists and French circus performers we had a stilt walker greeting guests at the door and waiters with clown couture costume makeup serving appetizers true to French Creole cuisine.

The dessert table resembled a true Parisian patisserie with large spheres of popcorn balls on crystal cut glass cake stands, pastel treats in bowls, macaroons in pale palettes of pink, sherbert green, and lemon yellow.”