Barnyard Bash -1yr- Galvanized Pail Food Buckets

For my son's first birthday we had a barnyard bash.  It was held outside on our deck and lawn.  There were 22 adults, 3 toddlers, and 3 infants. 

Invitations: I started with the invitations, which I created with the help of my best friend who is a graphic designer.  We created a square invitation with a rope border inside a blue border.  On the lower left corner was clipart of a horse. 

The invitation read:  Ryan's Barnyard Baa-sh!  Our little cowpoke is turning one.  Saddle-up and mosey on over for barnyard fun!  Moo-ve on in at 2:00p.m. On Sunday, May 30th at the Peoples roost.  Neighs only to 555-5555.  Wear your barnyard best!

Decorations: I started with the 1st Farm Birthday paper goods that had pictures of farm animals with green and blue background.  This determined my color scheme of light blue, lime green, and yellow. 

Our deck was lined with bails of hay for seating.  On the railing we had blue, green and yellow streamers, helium balloons, and cutouts of farm animals.  The children's table and the food tables were covered with the 1st Farm Birthday table cover. 

For centerpieces I tied helium balloons to two beanie horses on top of a miniature hay bail.    The food was placed in galvanized pails and baskets lined with light blue bandanas.  The drinks were served in a large galvanized tub.  In the yard I had a barn scene set up for the children.  I created a cardboard barn complete with a gambrel roof and Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. 

Behind the barn was a bulletin board fence that we staked into the ground.  And on either end of the fence were three bails of hay.  Inside the fence I had two rocking horses. 

Activities:  We welcomed our guests on the deck and gave each of them a bandana.  The children played with our Little People Farm and colored pictures of farm animals while we waited for all the guests to arrive.  When all of the children were here, I got them together and said I heard a cow.  (My husband was mooing on the other side of the house.) 

Our search led us to the barn and when we got there I told the children that the animals had escaped and they had to find them and put them back in the barn.  The children had some free time to play in the barn with the animals while we took pictures of them wearing their barnyard best! 

Food:  For appetizers I served Chex Mix, potato chips, and a vegetable tray that was arranged to look like a garden.  In the middle of the tray was a scarecrow and a sign that read Ryan's Vegetable Garden. We served hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, and baked beans for the main course.  For drinks we served root beer, lemonade, and sprite. 

Cake:  I made three cakes in all.  I made a chocolate cake with green frosting.  Using a fork, I pulled the frosting to give it a grassy look.  On the cake I placed a plastic fence and the Little People horse, cow, and a pig, which was placed on a chocolate frosting puddle. 

The second was a white cake with red icing in the shape of a barn.  I used white icing to draw the barn doors and hayloft and roof.  I had yellow tinted coconut in the hayloft and painted wooden animals at the bottom of the barn.  The third cake was a miniature version of the barn cake for my son. 

Favors:  I purchased brown gift bags and put red gingham fabric inside.  I tied a nametag with twine and attached it to the bag.  For goodies, I gave a coloring book that I made, a baby farm animal board book, farm stickers, a harmonica, and a beanie farm animal. 

Other:  The clipart for the invitation was also used in the coloring books, favor bags, and animal cutouts and came from a Mailbox Magazine.  When making the barn cake, use Wilton's No Taste Red!  Finally, children's washable poster paint works great to paint the barn.