Royal Princess -1yr- Queen's Treat Bags

We decided to have a royal party for our little princess' first birthday.  We set the mood by mailing invitations to Prince/Princess Erin etc.  The invitations were pink castles cut out with silver flags flying on each turret.  The text inside:  Princess Sarah, of the house of Johnson requests your presence at the royal affair in celebration of the first year of her birth.  We then listed the who/what/where etc using formal english (at the Johnson Castle etc.)  We had a wide range of ages....so as the children arrived, they were sent upstairs if they were older to decorate a crown (bought at the dollar store) with gems (from the craft store).  The younger kids stayed downstairs and played with blown up frog shaped beach balls.   

Once everyone had arrived and the crowns were done, the older kids joined us and we played a pass the frog game (I bought a prince and princess frog hugging each other at one of the teen jewlery store places at the mall...when you squeeze it, it sounds like lips smacking).  The kids all sat in a circle (moms held hte little ones) and passed the frogs as music played (the music was various princess theme songs from Disney). When the music stopped, whoever was holding the frog received treat bags(from the Queen's royal jewels). 

I filled cellphane bags (from Walmart in the craft section) with silver confetti (dollar store) and various treats.  Then tied with silver ribbon. With a silver pen, I labeled each bag with a child's name (since the prizes varied slightly for boys/girls and by age).  The treats were chocolate coins (dollar store), candy necklaces (oriental trading), bracelets for girls (dollar store) and flutes (dolllar store) for boys, and frog bath toys (dollar store) for the babies.   

Next, we played pin the lips on the frog.  I bought a coloring book and used it as a pattern for the frog, which I made out of green poster board.  We added a crown and cut the lips from construction paper.    The winner got a bag of gold coins from the King's royal treasure. (each child got a few coins...but the winner got a whole bag). 

Next, we dug for buried treasure in the King's royal treasure chest.  I made this from a styrofoam cooler (the kind that looks like a treasure chest with a beveled top).  I sprayed it gold and hot glued jewels on it.  I filled it with sand and buried candy rings (they were individually wrapped).  We then moved into the Royal Banquet Hall.  I had soooo much fun decorating this.  I used a silver/gray plastic table cloth, then covered it with bunches of pink tulle.  Each chair had a silver or pink balloon tied on the back of it. 

At each place setting were pink cups with the child's name written in silver ink, pink plate, gray plastic silverware and either a sword for boys (from oriental trading) or a light up magic wand (from toys R us).  The birthday princess had a beautiful crown and wand (purchased at the teen jewlery store).  Be sure to have a booster seat or high chair for little ones.  In the center of the table were silver trays that were elevated from underneath the table cloth with books. 

On each tray were scattered pink and silver marbles and beautiful rose arrangements.  The table was so beautiful and certainly fit for a princess.    We had the food set up as a buffet style in the kitchen…so the mom's could choose for their child.  This table was also set with gray and silver to look beautiful.  All the food was on silver trays.  We served snacks since it was not lunch time.  On a silver tray were fruit kabobs (I bought a fruit platter and put the fruit on skewers.  At the top of the skewer was a piece of star fruit.  I am not sure of the correct name for it…but when you slice it, it is shaped like a star). 

In a silver goblet were pretzel wands (I dipped rod pretzels in white chocolate and rolled them in pink sprinkles).  On a silver tray (a multi tiered tray would have been cool!) were chicken salad tarts (purchase phyllo dough tart shells and fill with chicken salad…so elegant).  I also made mini ham/cheese party sandwiches.   I used an antique punch bowl for the pink punch.    After snack, we all gathered in the kitchen for the birthday cake.  I decorated the princess' highchair with pink tulle and gold cording (just hot glued it all on…it peels off easily). 

The cake was a castle and of course the birthday girl had her own cake.  I bought a pink onsie for her to wear during the cake eating…since I didn't want her to ruin her beautiful party dress (which was pink with a tulle skirt and silver bow).  On either side of her chair were huge bouqets of helium filled balloons in pink and silver.  This made the cutest back drop for pictures. 

After we enjoyed cake, the kids went into the living room.  I brought the princess in to the tune of "someday my prince will come".  We decorated a wagon with gray posterboard over the top to look like a coach, and tulle and ribbons around the edges.  It was so sweet.    She opened her gifts and we said a fond farewell to all her friends…then collapsed from exhaustion!  I had planned to get pics of all the kids in the wagon, but our little princess was all done! 

For thankyou notes, I found blank cards with prince frogs on them (k-mart).    As the princess came into the livingroom, she walked down a red carpet (gold flecked yards of red felt) to her throne (a child size chair covered with gold lame fabric).  Behind the throne was pink tulle and bundles of helium balloons.  The kids all loved the red carpet.  And it set the stage as soon as they entered the house.