I started thinking about Evalyn’s birthday party a few months ago. I was racking my brain trying to think of a creative, personal, cute theme that we could center her party around. We were out for a walk one day and I was looking around our farm and the area surrounding it and thought that it would be fun to play on the fact that we live in the country and her birthday is in the fall. My first thought was to do a pumpkin patch or harvest party. But, I just wasn’t feeling it. A few days later, she and I were playing together and I started singing, “I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck…”
And I knew. THAT would be the most perfect theme. I even knew that I already had a dress for her to wear that would fit so well.
The next few months were full of ideas and planning and craft and, you know, LOTS of list making. And in the end, I was so happy with the result. I loved her party. It was absolutely perfect. A day where we were gathered with our friends and family, celebrating the first year of this sweet angel’s life.
Most of the decorations were handmade, whether by me or someone else. A friend of mine from church used her die cut machine to cut out the letters and apples and I made the two sided banner using coordinating scrapbook paper and jute. It turned out 195893 times better than I pictured. The photo display was made using a frame that Ev built, painted and distressed. I printed her monthly monkey photos in sepia with a white border and used small apple die cuts, with brown letter stickers to mark the months. (And, um, yea, both the banner and the photo display are still hanging. And will be for a while). The beautiful painted canvas was a very special gift from my dear friend Gina. This was the first decoration that I had, and so, everything else was centered around it. And I love it. The tin flower pots were bought at Ikea and, again, I used a small apple die cut and brown stickers to personalize them a bit.
For the guestbook, I got a copy of the kid’s book version of the “Bushel and a Peck” song. I stuck some yellow cardstock inside the covers, and had it sitting out with pens so everyone could leave a message for the lady. I also used her first birthday portrait, caramels and other little apple decorations to put finishing touches on the decor.
The centrepieces were made with miniature bushel baskets from Michaels, filled with fall mums and handmade tags, done by me. There were four of them. I love you. A Bushel and a Peck. A Hug Around the Neck. A Barrel and a Heap. I gave these away as the prizes for the people who got the most points on the All About Evalyn quiz.
For the favours, my girlfriends and I busted our butts making beautiful, delicious caramel and chocolate apples. We used peanuts, skor bits, and reese pieces as the toppings. Yum. Tied them up with cellophane, coordinating thank you tags and jute – and there you have it. I also had brown paper bags filled with sweet and salty kettle corn – as that stuff, thanks to my friends, helped me survive the first year of motherhood. They were stamped with a small apple stamp, tied with jute and had a thank you tag as well.
The (gorgeous) smash cake was made for Evalyn by her ever so talented Auntie Caley. And the cupcakes were made by my mom and myself.
Now let’s move on to the party itself. Evalyn was surrounded by her cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends as we celebrated her life. What a fun day! The weather was gorgeous. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.
Tons (read: way too much) yummy food.
And a snoopy girl who wanted to dig into the gifts.
A few photos of the birthday girl and my family on party day.
She had so much fun opening her presents and definitely had some help from her cousins. The singing Mickey Mouse card? Highlight of her life. The chair she is sitting in so proudly was her birthday gift from her daddy – built with his own two hands.
Watching her smash her cake was hilarious, since she hates to have anything messy on her hands. She wasn’t so pumped. She would grab a chunk of icing and then shake it off her hand as fast as she could. Girlfriend doesn’t know what she’s missing.
It was such a special, perfect day.
