Busy Bee Lifestyle » Birthday Parties

Spa Themed Birthday Party

Host Bee — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:59:05 +0000

Celebrate Your Daughter’s Birthday with a Spa Themed Soiree!

A spa themed birthday party is a wonderful choice for young girls and especially for tweens! It is also a terrific theme to turn a typical sleepover into something special – one that I used for my own daughter’s ninth birthday this past year! Here are some easy plans to turn your home into a luxury spa!

Spa Party Invitations

From Blue Whale Invitations – I just love this spa party invitation that’s die cut just like a spa mask! The mask is composed of 2 paper layers, hot pink on top and pink and white polka dotted on the bottom. It’s finished off with a satin ribbon “elastic band” and satin bows! (pictured top)
From Tiny Prints – this is a charming invitation that features the faces of three spa party girls on a watermelon colored background! (pictured right)
Print Your Own - this option is a cute card that you can buy blank and print at home! The card’s printing surface is a towel wrapped turban style on a “cucumbered” girl!
From Birthday in a Box – Spa Day personalized invitations, offered at a terrific price and combines both girls in sleeping bags and spa treatments! (pictured right)

Spa Party Decorations

Set the stage for your spa party with some zen-like instrumental music, just like the real thing! (Try Source to the Sea)
Next you’ll need to make your home take on the unique scent noticeable the minute that you enter a spa by using a reed diffuser or scented candle. (I’d recommend a reed diffuser, especially if younger girls will be at the party!
Dimmed lights and a tabletop fountain will complete the spa look!

Spa Party Paper Goods

From Plates and Napkins – Some very cute slumber party paper goods can be found at Plates and Napkins, including pink and green polka dotted items, as well as plates featuring beauty accessories and a cute bunch of girls having sleep over fun!
Not Paper Goods – I love having an excuse to add to my dish collection and sometimes it’s nice to have party dishes that can be used again and again! Two perfectly girly choices include: a set of four plates decorated with desserts and another set of four cupcake plates, cleverly packaged in a cupcake box!

Spa Party Supplies

When I had my daughter’s party, I enlisted the help of a “mobile spa” and so many of the supplies were provided, including eight white terry robes that were borrowed just for that night! Depending on how carried away you’d like to get, here are some resources for spa essentials!

Terry Robes
Pink Terry Slippers
Foam Spa Masks – these masks will add a touch of whimsy to your party! Crafted from foam and imprinted with a cucumber over each eye, these masks will have the girls laughing and make for a great photo op!

Headbands – to pull the girls’ hair back off their faces, I made their party favor do double duty! I ordered spa party favor packs that included, among other things, a pink stretchy headband. I took the head bands out of the package and had the girls use them at the party!

Spa Party Activities

You can incorporate as many or as few of these ideas as you’d like!

Plan to have lots of fresh towels and washcloths on hand, as well as nail polish remover and basins of warm water if you’re short on bathroom space! This is definitely the time to call for back up help, whether you appeal to your own friends or enlist a few teenaged girls!

Spa Party Menu

Your guests will feel like real grown ups if you serve a menu that’s similar to a true spa!

Fill a glass pitcher with ice water and garnish with lemons, limes or oranges
Tea sandwiches or wraps
Smoothies
Fresh fruit kabobs
Tiny cupcakes or petit fours

Spa Party Favors

This is one party where the supplies that you’ll need for the event, like robes and slippers, as well as what the girls create at the party, like bath salts or lip balm, will be terrific take aways!

I suggest purchasing a solid colored gift bag for each guest and encouraging them to collect their spa supplies and creations in their own bag! For some added personalization, consider adding to the bags:

A custom sticker, depicting a girl with a green facial mask in a sleeping bag, thanking guests for coming to the party!
A laminated bag tag that can be personalized for each guest!

These suggestions should be able to get you sailing smoothly through a night of pampering and dining! But, definitely plan to have movies, board games and video games on hand to fill any lulls in the action!

Keep your guest list small (eight was two too many at my daughter’s party!), your helper list big and enjoy a memorable birthday!

High School Musical Birthday Party

Host Bee — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:56:08 +0000

Host a High School Musical Birthday Party!

The incredible popularity of this Disney movie (and its sequel) has captured the imaginations of children of all ages! In my house, the movie is a favorite with all three kids of both sexes and ranging in age from 7 to 14! Since sets of High School Musical (or HSM, if you know the lingo!) paper goods are easily available at major online retailers like Oriental Trading (High School Musical Party Supplies) or Celebrate Express (High School Musical: Friends 4 Ever Deluxe Party Pack & 8 Favor Boxes). I’d like to offer some unique touches that you can add to your party!

Fabulous Invitations

For some fun and fabulous splurges, take a look at these choices from Fine Stationery!

Movie Clap Board – when you lift the top of this two piece invitation, a card with the invitation pulls out! A red megaphone adds the perfect HSM touch! (clapboard invitation, 10 for $60)

The Cast – This card features a picture of the lively cast of High School Musical at the bottom and is perfect for a HSM party! (Cast Invitation, $15 for $43)

Unique Invitations – Thinking Outside the Box!

Plastic Megaphones – Megaphones become a clever invitation when you inscribe the party details on the plain side with a permanent black marker! ( Megaphone, pictured at right, $5.99 for 6)

Dessert

If you’re in the mood to be creative in the kitchen, here are some fun ideas for your birthday cake!

“Get Your Head in the Game” Basketball Cake

Bake your favorite cake batter in a round, oven safe pyrex bowl. When the cake is cooled, frost it to look like one half of a basketball!

Center Stage Cake

After baking a sheet cake, frost the entire cake with vanilla icing, adding red curtain and foot light details also made of icing. Birthday wishes can be inscribed in the middle of the cake “stage!”

Stack of Books

Bake three sheet cakes in three different sizes or cut cakes down from one size into three.
Frost the top and spine of each “book” with a different color icing, frosting the other three sides with white icing for the “pages.”
Use the tines of a fork to make the sides look even more like pages!
With gel icing, write a HS subject on the spine of each “book.”
Stack the three cakes on top of each other at different angles.
It would be even cuter if your top book is done in red and white icing and labeled “East High” or “Go Mountain Lions” with gel icing!

Quick Shortcut

For a quick short cut, purchase a set of HSM cake decorations (High School Musical Cake Kit, Cake Topper, Molded Candles, Cupcake Rings) and take these to your local bakery for enhancing a store bought cake or cupcakes! (See cake pictured at right and Host a HSM Valentine’s Party for more ideas.)

Decorations

Here’s where you can set the stage for more party fun! Since HSM is all about the singing and dancing, give your party guests an appropriate setting!

Consider using red fabric (curtains, table cloths or sheets will all work!) to create a stage back drop.
Suspend your fabric from a shower or curtain rod or even a garment rack and then trim it with twinkling white Christmas lights!
This is the perfect back drop for taking photos, sing alongs, or karaoke. (Inflatable Microphone Pkg/12, Karaoke Series: High School Musical)

Some other great additions include Red and White Pom Poms, and if you didn’t use these for your invitations, plastic megaphones or inflatable microphones! Red, white and Metallic Gold Star Shape Balloons will add pizazz as well!

Have either the movie or sound track playing as guests arrive!

Games

Find the Cell Phones – since Mrs. Darbis is always hiding the HSM crew’s cell phones, pick up a bunch of toy cell phones at your local dollar store and hide them around the house. These can be actual toy phones, or the cell phones I’ve seen that are filled with play make up or lip gloss! (see Cell Phone Lip Gloss, 4 for $4.99)

Name that Tune – play quick segments of the famed songs and see who can identify the song first. (High School Musical Soundtrack)

Musical Chairs – you know what music you’ll use for this game! (High School Musical Soundtrack)

From Your Child’s Toy Box – you might already own one or more of the HSM games that are widely available! There’s a Twister Game (Twister Moves High School Musical), a DVD board game (High School Musical DVD Board Game), Sing Along Microphone (HSM Rockin’ Sing Along Microphone), HSM Mystery Date Game (HSM Mystery Date), HSM Uno Cards (High School Musical Uno Card Game) and a HSM Dance Mat (HSM Dance Mat) just to name a few!

Party Favors

Playing Cards – these are traditional playing cards with the HSM touch! (High School Musical – Deck of Playing Cards,$2.99)

Gabriella or Troy Diary – a traditional diary which includes alphabet stickers to personalize the cover! (High School Musical Troy Personalized Diary,$4.95)

HSM Stage Photo Holder – this cut out frame will be a terrific favor, especially if you take photos while the singing and dancing is going on! (High School Musical Photo Holder,$3.46)

HSM Trivia Book – High School Musical Trivia/Quiz Book: Expert Edition, $7.99

HSM Sticker Book – High School Musical (Ultimate Sticker Books), $6.99

HSM Books – There are a number of well priced paper back books that would make wonderful (and parent appreciated) favors! High School Musical 2: The Junior Novel, retailing for $4.99, is just one example!

Wrap it Up

Send your guests home with whatever favor you’ve chosen, along with lots of terrific memories from a well planned and unique take on a popular favorite! And as you know, since “we’re all in this together,” I’d love to hear your fabulous HSM ideas!

P.S. See High School Musical Valentine’s Day Party for more ideas that may easily be transferred to this birthday celebration.

Party supplies Resources:

You may also enjoy:

Fabulous High School Musical Valentine’s Day Party Party Plan
Host a High School Musical 3 Party!
Have Fun with a Camp Rock Birthday Party!
The Perfect Birthday Party Planning Guide

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Pizza Party Ideas: Birthday Party Themes and Ideas

Host Bee — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:39:19 +0000

Perfectly Easy Entertaining with a Pizza Party!

When it comes to fun and casual entertaining, nothing could be simpler than a pizza party! Pizza appeals to children and adults alike and so, of course, two party plans are in order.

Hosting a Pizza Themed Birthday Party for Your Child

A pizza themed party is great for boys or girls of just about any age – maybe just not the really little ones! Not too long ago, I hosted a birthday party for my daughter at a local pizza shop after learning that it didn’t take all that many guests to have the place to ourselves. But, this is also a terrific party to have at home! Either way, plan to carry the pizza theme throughout your whole celebration from invitations to favors!

Pizza Themed Party Invitations

Fill In the Blanks Invitations

Plum Party – this site has a fun, Pizza Box Invitation with a pizza insert, ready to be filled in with the party details! (pictured right)
Birthday Express – these colorful Pizza Party Invitations invite guests to “pile on the fun at a pizza party!” (pictured at top)

Personalized Invitations

Birthday in a Box - This custom personalized pizza party invitation features a checked border and pizza slice/chef hat details. And I love the suggested wording: “Join Us for a Slice of Fun!” Matching thank you notes are also available.
Fine Stationery – offers several fabulous choices including a very fun Die Cut Pizza Invitation! (pictured right)
Amy*Adele – simple and cute Pizza Party Invitation

DIY

Personalized Sized Pizza Boxes

Go ahead and think inside the box by purchasing personal sized pizza boxes and paste printed party details in the boxes.
Seal with clear strapping tape and send in the mail! What a fun surprise for the party goers to find this clever invitation in their mailbox!

Pizza Themed Party Supplies

Pizza themed paper goods aren’t as common as you might think! Here are a few suggestions to pull your party together:

Pizza Party Basic Party Pack (pictured right)
Red Checked Plastic Tablecloth
Pizza Party Paper Cups
Reusable Plastic Pizza Plates - these plates, sold in a set of 6 are especially appealing since they can be used long after the party is over!
Pizza Slice Napkins

Pizza Party Activities

Decorate a Pizza Party Hat – Using a kit from Birthday Express, Pizza Party Cone Hats, children can add “topping” stickers to a pizza “crust” hat!
Make Your Own Pizza – Whether you use dough purchased from the local pizza shop or make your own, stretching the dough and topping it with sauce and a variety of toppings is an essential activity for this party! Plan to have small bowls of shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, chopped peppers, onions, mushrooms and cooked sausage on hand. (Plan to use disposable foil pans for the pizzas.)
Play with Your Food – There are lots of fun things to be done with pizza dough! In the spirit of real pizza chefs, host competitions for the best dough tossing into the or use balls of pizza dough for a new twist on a traditional egg toss.
Pizza Box Assembly Race – Pick up unassembled pizza boxes from a pizza shop. Divide the children into teams and time them as they attempt to fold the boxes into shape! Depending on their ages, you can make the race more challenging by limiting them to using just one hand or by giving them more boxes.
“Board” Games – Two fun games that will entertain at the party and still offer fun when it’s over: Poppa’s Pizza Pile-Up and Alfredo’s Food Fight Game. Both offer silly, Italian food themed amusement!
Sticker Activity - Decorate a Pizza Flyer with topping stickers!

Pizza Themed Birthday Party Menu

Of course, “pizza” is necessary for each part of this menu! Plan to serve the pizzas that the children have made themselves for the main course and follow up with some pizza inspired desserts including:

A Cookie Pizza made with cookie dough (chocolate chip or sugar) pressed and baked in a round pizza pan then garnished with icing and candy. For recipe, see Cookie Pizza.
Sweet Pizza Dough – traditional pizza dough that is spread with jams, Nutella, fruits and more
A Round Cake that is decorated to replicate a pizza (serve this in a pizza box for an extra fun touch!)
Cupcakes that are decorated to look like pizzas.

Pizza Themed Party Favors

This party lends itself to all sorts of fun take home gifts!

Pizza Crust to Go – This baking kit will let the children bring home their new culinary skills in pizza making!
Candy Treats – Fill cellophane bags with Gumi Pizzas! (pictured right)
Slice of Pizza Charm - This was the favor at my daughter’s pizza party. We bought the pizza charms and strung them on pretty ribbons!
A Chef’s Apron – These aprons are offered at a fantastic price and may be personalized. The aprons could be worn during the celebration and then taken home!

Perfect for a birthday party or just for fun – Enjoy this delicious party plan with kids of all ages and look forward to five star “restaurant reviews!” For some adult fun, see “Friday Night Pizza Party for Friends!”

More Fun Pizza Stuff

Party Resources:

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Indiana Jones Birthday Party Plan

Host Bee — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:32:24 +0000

Celebrate a Child’s Birthday Indiana Jones Style!

This birthday party plan is really versatile since it can appeal to a child who loves the action packed Indiana Jones movies, or one who adores Egyptology or even the idea of ancient exploration! If your son or daughter falls into one of these categories, this is the celebration for you!

Indiana Jones Party Invitations

For an Indiana Jones party: an easy fill-in-the-blank option is available from Party Express to set the tone for your party! (Indiana Jones Invitations, pictured above right)

For a more general explorer or Egyptian party:

consider crafting a clever invitation from parchment paper with singed edges! (a parent’s job!)
write the party details on the parchment and add some fun hieroglyphic patterns.
roll the parchment and secure with twine.
Two tiny rocks tied onto the ends of the twine offer extra punch!
Mail the invitations in a mailing tube or hand deliver. (For sample hieroglyphics, take a look at Hieroglyphic Writing)

Indiana Jones Paper Party Supplies

Party Supplies Kit – One option is to purchase a party package which will cover all of your basic party needs with table cloths, cups, plates and napkins all featuring Indiana Jones! (Indiana Jones Party Kit, pictured at right)

Creative Option – serve lunch in tin mess kits as preferred by all explorers! Five piece mess kits can be found at reasonable prices, like this one: Academy Broadway 5 Piece Deluxe Scout Mess Kit.

Indiana Jones Party Decorations

Raid your Halloween supplies to make this table stand out!
Cobwebs, spiders, skulls, plastic snakes and even a tray filled with sand and some creepy creatures will set the scene!
To go that extra mile, grab a few rolls of brown paper! First, use the paper to cover the table and then detail the paper with treasure map symbols and hieroglyphics.
Then, wrap an assortment of square boxes in the paper, tie with rope and label the boxes “explosives,” “danger,” “Property of Indiana Jones,” “Monkey Skulls” – you get the idea!

Indiana Jones Party Menu

Cook Over a Grill – Anything cooked over a grill will bring to mind the outdoor nature of this theme!
Eat Under A Mosquito Netting Canopy – But no matter what you choose, serve your menu items under those mosquito netting canopies normally used at picnics and feel free to add gross names, like “monkey brains” or “alligator eyes.”

Dessert – Indiana Jones Party Cakes

The birthday cake is a terrific opportunity to get really creative!

Egyptian Pyramid Cake – One clever cake idea replicates an Egyptian pyramid complete with palm trees and gold candles (Desert Oasis Cake)!
Dinosaur Dig Site Cake – Another cake idea looks just like a dinosaur dig site! (Dinosaur Dig Site Cake)
Treausre Chest Cake – Lastly, a treasure chest works well too, with its nod to the loot from those exciting adventures! (Treasure Chest Cake)

Indiana Jones Party Activities

This theme lends itself to so many kid pleasing activities, ranging from simple pen and paper, to outdoor extravaganzas that it will be hard to choose just one or two!

Treasure Hunt – provide the children with either a map or series of clues that will lead them to the treasure chest which can contain an assortment of candy (think: chocolate coins and ring pops!) or their party favor!
Mummy Wrap – allot one roll of toilet paper to each team of two kids and time them as they wrap one partner “mummy style!”
Egyptian Charms – using the hieroglyphic alphabet, (see above) provide each guest with Sculpey clay and have them translate their initials onto a small piece of clay using a toothpick or other small tool. Bake the clay pieces and create a charm or necklace.
Pyramid Dig Kit – easy and fun, purchase a set of six Pyramid Dig Kits that include chisels and brushes used to reveal a buried Egyptian “relic!” (pictured)
Design a Pyramid – using a simple kit, the kids can assemble and decorate their own 3-D Cardboard Pyramid! Have the children work on this project as they wait for all of the guests to arrive.
Geo-Safari Group Dinosaur Dig – this memorable project will require a bit of parental preparation, but will be well worth it since all of the children can be involved at one time! The Geosafari Dinosaur Dig Kit includes everything you need to create a realistic T-Rex dig in your own backyard such as 30 snap together parts, trowels, brushes, stakes and more!
Treasure Stones – these stones mimic real rocks which the kids can chip away at, like real paleontologists, to reveal small prizes, like dinosaurs, Egyptian treasures and more! You can purchases these stones with themed hidden treats like: A Treasure Chest; Dinosaur; or A Spider’s Nest!
Make Your Own – Or you can make your own with a tricky concoction of household items, see Family Fun Magazine!

Indiana Jones Party Favors

This party also lends itself to a lot of cool party favors!

I Dig Treasures – the hands on “digging” toy mentioned above also makes a great favor! (I Dig Treasures)
Adventurer Fedora, Satchel and a Bandana – choose one, two or all three of these accessories as a favor that can be worn throughout the party and then taken home! (Fedora; Satchel; Bandanas)
Bug Bands – this is my favorite choice – hip wristbands featuring an assortment of real bugs permanently encased in clear, lightweight and indestructible Lucite! Nylon bands are adjustable to fit every child perfectly! (Bug Bands)
Traditional Goodie Bags – fill simple brown paper lunch bags with true “adventurer” loot, including chocolate coins, ring pop “jewels,” rubber snakes and spiders and a compass. Fold over the top of the bag, punch two holes and close with a length of rope! You could also package these types of treats in a bandana!

Fun Extras or Gift Ideas for an Indiana Jones Party

Indiana Jones Costume
A Mummy Sculpture Kit
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on DVD
Indiana Jones Soundtrack on CD
Mr. Potato Head in Taters of the Lost Ark
Egyptology – an interactive hardcover book filled with fun information, papyrus pull outs, pop-up art, mini books, fold out maps and more!

By now you should be hearing that classic Indiana Jones music playing in your head and hopefully be all set to put on a fabulous and exceptional party!

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Beautiful Outfits for the Birthday Girl

Host Bee — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:32:35 +0000

Beautiful Outfits for the Birthday Girl!

After going to all sorts of crazy lengths to plan a fabulous party for your daughter, don’t forget to dress her accordingly! There are so many adorable options available that I’ll just highlight a few stand out choices!

Tops

Cupcake Birthday T-Shirt

Silly Wagon’s birthday top is bright pink, with your choice of birthday “number,” along with that same number of cupcakes! (Cupcake Birthday T-Shirt, $39.95)

Birthday Celebration Tee

This celebration top is adorable, featuring fanciful appliqués of cake, presents, party hat, and the words “Birthday Girl!” (Birthday Celebration Tee, $42)

Vintage Print Birthday Tee

For a vintage looking option, this long sleeved white t-shirt has a sweet, nostalgic little girl and a little square with the birthday girl’s new age! Ages 1 through 6 are available! (Vintage Print Birthday Tee, $32)

Dresses

Polka Dot Twirl Vintage Birthday Dress

Bright, cheerful polka dots and a vintage inspired pattern compose this twirly and girly dress! (Polka Dot Twirl Vintage Birthday Dress, $69.95)

It’s My Birthday Dress

For a warm weather birthday party, this dress is perfect! The dress is sleeveless pink cotton frosted with tiers of pink tulle and an apliquéd birthday cake is on the bodice. (It’s My Birthday Dress, $58)

Liliputians Birthday Cupcake Dress

Bold and colorful cupcakes are scattered across this peasant style pink dress trimmed with ric rac and ribbon! (Liliputians Birthday Cupcake Dress, $74.95)

Hot Pink Bishop Dress – Smocked Happy Birthday Cakes

For a classic, heirloom look, the smocked bishop style from The Best Dressed Child is perfect! The dress is hot pink with smocked birthday cakes around the neckline. (Happy Birthday Cakes Dress, $76)

Brown Dotted Skort with Pink Cupcake Shirt

If the birthday girl is a bit older, consider this cute top and skirt set! The top is pink with a cupcake decoration and the belted skirt is brown with pink polka dots! (Brown Dotted Skort with Pink Cupcake Shirt, $56)

Sweaters

Glorimont Girls Happy Birthday Cupcakes Cardigan Sweater

A sweater is a nice birthday outfit option! This cardigan version is white with multi-colored cupcakes and candles, ready to pair with jeans, skirt or skort! (Cupcakes Sweater, sale price, $15)

The ideas for adorable birthday attire are almost endless, but hopefully these suggestions will inspire an outfit for the birthday girl that is as special as her day will surely be!

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