Ice Cream Shoppe - Banana Split Invite

Ice Cream Shoppe:  We bought styrofoam sheets and cut them with cookie cutters to look like latticework and then painted them white and pink (what a hit!).  We attached them under the cabinets in the kitchen.  Our colors were pink,red and white.  I bought window paints that could make window clings and painted circles of different colors and sizes and (after they dried) placed them on all the cabinets, fridge, oven,  dishwasher and windows. 

With fun foam I cut out ice cream cones, and then used a die cut to cut out "scoops" of ice cream in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.  I hot glued them together to form a triple scoop ice cream and the glued each ice cream to a piece of styrofoam that had been punched out to make new drawer handles.   I removed all the drawer pulls from the cabinets and replaced them with the new ones we made very easy just stick the screw into the styrofoam. 

Then we cut out circles in our colors.  We layed out a piece of thread and taped a circle in varying distances apart (2", 3").  We then took a matching circle and using a glue stick, glued it to its mate to cover the string.  Once we got enough made we hung them from the ceiling and in front of the slider doors. 

We hung lace valances on each doorway to give it an "older" feel.  Of course, we had colored streamers draping from the ceiling and plenty of red, white and pink balloons!  I ordered "Soda Jerk" hats for each of the kids to decorate and then wear during the party.  We had a frozen drink machine making Berry Punch and Orange Creamsicle drinks where the kids could serve themselves!   

GAMES:  We really had so much fun coloring hats we kind of skipped the games, although we had a pinata (tradition) and then the kids played on the Moon Bounce.  

GOODIE BAGS:  Each bag had a spare "Soda Jerk Hat" to decorate when they get home, a couple pieces of candy, a personalized juice drink and a personlized candy bar.  Pretty simple. 

THE FOOD:  Since ice cream was the main attraction we ordered pizzas to make it easy, had some chips and dip to munch on!  As for the sundaes.. Well,  We had bananas,chopped peanuts, chopped pecans, chocolate sprinkles, white chocolate sprinkles, crushed oreo's, cherries, whipped cream and chocolate whipped cream and six different flavors of ice cream to choose from.   

THE INVITATIONS:  Used a sizzix diecut "Mixing bowl" and punched it out on note card -card stock.  (Leaving the bottom of the bowl hanging over the card stock so that the bowl could open).  We then cut out bananas, and a scoop of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry and a couple of round circles for cherries.  We assembled our own banana split on paper, labeled the party information on the inside of the bowl and then mailed the invitation.  When our guests got it they knew immediately that it was an ice cream party and they just opened the bowl to get the details!