Ladybug -1yr- Ladybug and Daisy Cake

Invitations: For the invitations, I had my daughter's picture taken in a custom made ladybug costume.  It was basically one of those easy to make tulle tutu dresses (easy to find directions online), with big black felt dots glued to it.  I photo shopped an invitation with the words Little black spots and polka-dots that's what ladybugs are made of. Come on over and have some fun there's a cute little lovebug that's turning one" and included the details for the party and our contact info.  The ladybug picture was on the left the words on the right and the border was red with black polka-dots. 

These invitations were cheaper than buying stock ones since I printed 20 at Wal-mart for under $4 and of course they were way cuter!

Decorations: I put her first birthday pictures on the table where the gifts went (pictures of her in her ladybug costume and in her "princess/party" dress.  I put up red and black streamers and balloons and also put ladybug wall stickers up in the kitchen (which I borrowed from my daughter's room).  I used red plates; red and black napkins.

Costume: My daughter wore a red dress with ladybugs on it and polka-dots around the bottom hem.  After the cake she had a quick bath then changed into jeans and a birthday girl t-shirt to open her gifts.

Party Snacks: I made sure everything was red/black or circles to keep with the theme.  Black tortilla chips with red salsa buffalo chicken dip (reddish) and crackers (circles) PBJ sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches (with red bell peppers in them) cut into circles and ladybug crackers.  The only exception was the sugar cookies in the shape of flowers and leaves.  

Cake: The cake was made by a coworker who does cakes as a hobby (which meant they were beautiful and inexpensive).  The main cake was done green (looked like grass) with a big ladybug on top.  It also had little ladybugs and daisies on the side (which tied in the flower cookies).  My daughter's smash cake looked like a ladybug.

Favors: I used clear bags for the favors.  I put in ladybug tattoos for the girl bags and bugs/frogs/lizard tattoos for the boys.  They all had bubbles (ladybug ones I ordered from Oriental Trading) and red twizzlers.  I also made ladybugs out of baby food jars- using glass paint to paint them red with black dots black on the lid glued on googly eyes and made antenna's out of pipe cleaners.  I filled those with Valentine's M&M's (which were on sale since my daughter's bday is the week after V-Day). 

The boy bags were tied shut with black and white polka-dot ribbon and the girls were tied shut with red and white polka-dot ribbon (which made them easy to identify).  I also made baby favor bags (for my littlest guests) which had the tattoos bubbles and ladybug jar with a bib inside instead of candy. 

Adults got Hershey bars with personalized wrappers (which I made at home) that used the same border and font as the invites and said Little black spots and polka-dots that's what ladybugs are made of. Thanks for helping us celebrate Cayleigh-bugs 1st Birthday!