Cowboy -1yr- Framed Memory Photo with Signatures

First Birthday - Cowboy Party I wanted my son's first birthday to be special and sentimental. I chose a cowboy theme because my husband had some bronzed cowboy boots and a covered wagon lamp that we could use.

For the invitations, I borrowed a saddle and horse blanket from a friend, dressed my son in short denim overalls with a cowboy and horse embroidered on the front, and set the bronzed cowboy boots beside him as he rode the imaginary pony, I took his picture. From a local craft store, I bought red notecards with brown envelopes, natural raffia ribbon, and magnets. I poked two holes in the top of the notecard, threaded the raffia in and tied a knot; then I cut, with a craft knife, a frame in the notecard, placed the picture behind it, and sealed it with double sided tape. On the back I put a magnet (for the fridge)and wrote: Our little cowboy, Owen, is turning one! So Mosey on over to our house and join the fun! and the party information. (date, time, etc.)I used western, cowboy stamps to mail the invitations.

For the special day, I ordered custom outfits (www.MommyMaeI.com) my son's was a shortall in black fabric with cowboys riding horses on it and my daughter's was a reversible denim & white dress with cowboy boots & hats on it. (My husband bought real cowboy hats for them, my son's is brown and my daughter's is red.) When our guests arrived, there were balloons on the mailbox and we had 4 hay bales set up in our front yard.  

I borrowed rocking horses from my mother and sister (including one that was a gift for my son) and placed them around the hay. There were enough that each child had a horse. My husband tied some wood together, which we used as a post to tie up the horses. He also placed a stick horse in the shrubbery, it looked like a horse that had wondered off. There was a plastic game of horseshoes set up for a party game later, the adults really enjoyed the horseshoe game too.

We served dinner because our party time was 4 p.m. and we have a large family.(about 30 people including children)I decided to serve Southwestern food which included steak fajitas, fiesta rice, chicken tacos, southwestern salad, both a cold and hot layer dip with tortilla chips, a carved watermelon with pineapple, cantaloupe, strawberries,(my children love fruit!) and cake with ice cream.

For his cake I made a chocolate 13x9 and a yellow 13x9, I layered the cakes with chocolate icing in the middle than I cut them into the shape of a one and iced the entire cake with chocolate frosting. I used Pirouline cookies to make a fence around the edges of the cake and put some toy horses on top of the cake. I bought a tube of green icing and put grass between some of the fence posts and in patches on top of the cake. I stood a little cowboy Christmas ornament beside the cake on the cakeboard and of course a number one candle. (I ordered several Christmas ornaments online from www.NorthPoleWest.com)

I used my kitchen table for the children's table. I kept it simple with a denim tablecloth, red & blue balloons, and the cake as the centerpiece. On the cabinet, I placed my husband's covered wagon lamp from his childhood. In my dining room, I had my table and added a portable, long table for extra seating. I used white table cloths, as the centerpiece on the main table I placed my husband's bronzed cowboy boots with a Sheriff's badge beside them.

On the portable table I bought two miniature red, rose bushes in plastic pots, cut a red bandana in two pieces, set the pots each in a piece of bandana and tied them in place with rope. (all of these items were bought at Walmart) I alternated the rose bushes with two glass and pewter bud vases that had daisies from my mom's yard. I hung three more Cowboy Christmas ornaments from the light fixture with curly ribbons.

At the end of the table, I had an 11 x 20 mat board with a 5 x 7 black & white picture of my son, (the picture I used for the invitations)I asked everyone to sign it with an extra-fine tip Sharpie before they left. We will frame this for his room as a special reminder of his first birthday. I only had one game for the children to play, I wanted to keep it simple.(of the seven children invited they were all 2 years old or younger) I also wanted to watch the time because we were serving dinner.

I placed a small quilt in our front yard, and covered it with candy, small toys and treats. Each child was given a plastic horseshoe and brown paper bag, at their turn they threw the horseshoe and got to keep the candy and toys inside their horseshoe. We kept doing this until the candy was gone, everyone had a full bag when we finished. It is like a pinata, without the pinata, much easier for the really little ones. My mom did this game at our birthday parties when I was young.

For treat bags, I used brown paper bags filled with a small farm animal board book, (set of 5 for $1 at Michael's) trail mix that I placed in plastic treat bags then wrapped in red/white gingham and tied with raffia (leftover from the invitations) and a tag that said Happy Birthday Trail Mix, plastic horses and cows, plastic harmonica and I included a ticket to go to our local mall and ride the carousel. I placed the tickets in small envelopes that read: Sheriff Owen knows that every good deputy needs a horse so go to (Mall Name) and have a ride on us. Happy Trails!

I placed a bandana around each bag and tied it up with rope. On the bandanas, I clipped a wooden deputy badge that I made: (I bought the wooden badges at Michaels' craft store 4 for a $1), spray painted them silver, hot glued a clip on each, (like the ones used for name tags - any office supply store) then wrote Deputy and the name of each child invited, with a Sharpie pen. (example:Deputy Madison)Of course, my son was the Sheriff. All the children had a great time playing in the hay and riding the rocking horses! We took a group picture before everyone left. I have smaller red notecards, like the ones used for the invitations. I will place a copy of the group picture in it for the thank you notes.

Everyone had a great time, the food was good, and we made a special party for our special little boy. Several people that my husband told about the party say I need to be professional party planner. (I think I already am as the mother of two small children! LOL)