Princess Castle
Using an old flat sheet, I painted a castle complete with a drawbridge. I hung it on the swing-set in the backyard for a party game. Pictures were taken in front of the castle for each to keep.
My daughter put a dragon costume she had from a past Halloween and tried to capture the fairy princesses and take them to her dragon cave. The princes then fought the dragon and saved the princesses.
Yellow & Pink Table
I focused on the kitchen where they would be eating. I replaced our kitchen table with a folding table (so I could fit 9 girls, with my two girls sharing one end) and covered it with a light yellow sheet, tying and taping it up under the table so little legs and feet wouldn't catch on the sheet and pull everything off the table!
I had pink paper plates with white napkins and used fancy ponytail holders in pink, purple and white for napkin rings (purchased in the dollar aisle at the grocery store). My only breakable item on the girls table were glass sherbet dishes that I used for fishy crackers, but they didn't need to pick them up to eat the crackers.
The favor cups were plastic wine cups (8/$1 at the Dollar Store) that I filled half way with pastel M&M's and then topped pastel Life Savers (individually wrapped) to take up space as the cups were too large to fill completely with M&Ms. I put a silk flower in each one and tied a pink gingham bow on the base of each one and added a ponytail holder to match the one they had for the napkin ring.
I had stickers with their names on them so they would serve as place cards as well. I had a small white porcelain tea set lined up down the middle of the table with pink flowers sprinkled down the middle as well. I had found flower garland at an amazing price a year ago or so ago with no idea when I would use them, so was pleased that I could attach a pink rose garland along the back of each chair as an extra touch.
I had tulle swagged along the top of the glass doors going outside with bows, curling ribbon streamers, balloons and flowers tucked in it. I also had pink and purple crepe paper streamers from the light hanging above the table to each wall.
I had a boquet of helium balloons anchored on the floor on either side of the window and that was where the birthday girls sat. On the kitchen island, I had a white 3-tiered dessert tray in the center with six crystal taper holders with light pink tapers and pink flowers strewn about as well.
I used my good china (white with violets) in addition to glass and white serving dishes. We had Baby Einstein CDs playing, which is classical music that is easy on the ears, and provided a very nice, calm background.
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Playhouse Castle
The party was actually in our daughters' playhouse and we decorated it with pink and white streamers, pink and white balloons, and clear Christmas lights.
I bought a small tea set at the Dollar General Store (white with pink roses on them) and a regular sized silverplated tea serving set at Fred's. I set out the china tea cups, saucers, and plates. On the plates I put a paper napkin. I bought small paper napkins at Walmart; I believe they were probably meant for a wedding shower but they matched my tea set just fine!
I cut the napkins in half and fan-folded them, then folded them in half, fanned them out and tied them at the bottom with satin ribbon. (I also bought the small paper plates to use later for the cake). I used a child sized table and chairs and covered the table with a pink table cloth with a white cutwork table cloth over it (Yes, it was my good table cloth, but I knew I could bleach it!).
For a centerpiece I found a pink ceramic castle at a thrift store (pure luck!) and I set a vase of flowers on it.
Fairy Lights
Around the party room I put up several strings of fairy/xmas lights, and my husband used the spare lights to make a letter H (my daughers inital) on one wall. I used bright pink crepe paper to cover one wall and used that as a backing to display all the girls colouring in.
I made bunting flags out of the left over card from the hats, each with a gold heart in the middle. There was enough of these to cover 2 walls. A also used the left over pink card into arches that extended all down one wall behind the party table, also decorated with gold hearts which gave the room a castle feel. It worked out quite well as when I made the hats I cut out a semicicle from each one, so the pink arches ment no wastage !
I also had pink metallic heart cutouts that I purchased in the center of each archway. There was an archway on the front door, and I wrote on in gold welcome to all princesses, please come in ! and tied pink and purple pearl balloons to the centre. There was a bunch of pink/purple ballons hanging from the ceiling above the party table, which was 2 tables joined together because I wanted the girls to be able to all sit down together !
On each chair there was tied a hellium heart shaped balloon (red,white,pink,purple)with a whole bunch of hellium ballons tied on the birthday girls chair. I had intended to make her chair into a throne but ran out of time ! Anyhow table cloths, napkins, plates were a matching pink heart design. Each girls place setting had a doilie place mat, and a china tea cup and saucer that I bought from a op-shop really cheap. None matched but the it still looked great and it wouldn't have mattered if any got broke. (which none did)
Also on the table I had planted flowers into some old tea pots and also placed a bunch of pink/red silk roses into. To the handle I tied more hellium heart balloons. On the windows I used stickees hearts, red and white. There was also a happy birthday banner in silver and pastles that ran across the back wall.
Fancy Placesettings
I had shopped thrift stores and garage sales for months prior to the party buying any fancy china plates and tea cups. I used this as the settings for the party. The kids loved using real china, it made them all feel so grown up.
I also purchased at the dollar store, a glass vase for each child and placed it in front of their place setting with a single flower in each one. I had made on the computer and place card for each child with their name on it (ex. Miss Erin, Miss and then their name) and attached that to the vase with double sided tape, so they had a personalized favor to take home as well, and the flowers really made a difference on the table!
I used child sized tables and with the large kitchen we now have and I was able to use that as their dining area. On each table I used lace cloths for the linen and flower petals on the table.
On the island in the kitchen, I set it up as the buffet area for the parents to each lunch. I used different items to create height and drama to the area, and covered it with lacey covers as well. Then with the different china placed on the different levels, the food looked spectacular!
Classic Pink Flowers
The table decorations were easy, since there were only seven little girls I used one table. I had to decorate inside because the weather was cold and windy. I used the lounge, I move the couches in front of the television to accommodate a table, an old sheet that had pink flowers on was perfect for a tablecloth.
I made placemats a week ago, white paper with a pink teapot made out of cardboard glued in the middle, I decorated the rest with light pink butterflies and purple flowers which I got off old gift-wrap. I painted the Child's name inside the teapot, and covered the page with contact plastic. I used proper china plates and teacups, they were pink with flowers which suited the table perfectly, I then had pink napkins by each plate, and on the side of the plate each child got a small white cake box decorated with pretty cupcakes and flowers, this had their names on the lid so each child can see where they had to sit.
Inside the boxes was filled with sweets like candle necklaces, chocolate flowers, suckers which I made into flowers using hard board, etc. This box I told the girls when the party started is what they can take home with them, so if the win anything in games or don't finish any of there goodies, they must store it in their box. In the centre of the table I had a line of half scones, some with strawberry jam and some with apricot jam, each scone had piped cream around the edges.
I had two small silver leaf trays which I put petit fours on; one on each end of the table. The table was full and beautiful to see.
The Pink Table
Table was set with pink table cloths. For the chairs I took white sheer curtain panels and draped them down the backs of the metal folding chairs. I used those clear rubberbands to make a rosette out of the top piece. Then I put a hair bow (which was on a clip) on top of the rosette and it looked like it was tappered in.
I hung sheer curtain scarfs from the ceiling. These went about a foot wider then my table. Giving the appearance that the girls were sitting inside a gazebo. On the back wall I tacked two straight sheers and put up fabric flowers using tape runner tape (like the type used for photos in scrapbooking). I then hung thin ribbon down making it look like flower stems. This took up the entire back wall and gave color to the area.
I strung lights through the curtains that were across the ceiling (three sides). I used three battery operated lanterns to look like a chandelier. Then I took plastic tea sets and hung them from the ceiling above the table area. We hung four tea pots, four cups and saucers and two creamers and two sugar bowls. The all had handles making it easy. I used fishing wire for this and thumb tacks. It appeared as though the tea sets were hanging from the sky. The tea cups were next to the tea pots and it appeared as though the pots were trying to pour the tea as they moved through the air.
I also took this curly ribbon and made it come out of the tea pots and creamer. It looked like real tea/milk was pouring out. When you put on the lights it looked so beautiful! Centerpiece was a three tiered serving tray, the top tray had my daughters' fisher price tea set on it. The other two layers had the desserts. We used a real mini tea service which had dishes for food as well.
Backyard Garden Tea
The party was held in our backyard. I ordered two dozen balloons in pink, orange, and yellow and found silk vines with big pink roses on them on sale at Beverly's crafts for $.88. I bought ten and wound them around everything from the chains on her swingset to the poles of the tiki torches to the entry of her playhouse. The rest of the decorations were on the table. I rented a child-size table and chairs for 15$ from Hertz.
I used my white tablecloth and then covered that with six yards of pink tulle folded end to end. I gathered the fabric at each corner and twist-tied a big pink silk rose to each table leg. The table was set with tiered dessert plates, "silver platters" from the Dollar Store, and pink depression glass creamers and sugar bowls I'd gotten inexpensively from Ebay.
Each place setting was made up of milkglass luncheon plates and matching cups (also purchased from Ebay, 5 sets for $9). These plates were a highlight. The cup sits right on the plate (very 1950's) and the girls felt very grown up with the added bonus of me not worrying about broken dishes. Behind each plate were the paper purses, with the pair of lace gloves folded over the top.
My mom made very sweet cloth napkins from white calico and pink ribbons and there was a folded napkin on the center of each plate, topped with the bubble placecard. I found plastic silverware that actually looked like real silver.
China Tea Cup
The table was covered with a nice table cloth. The centerpiece was fresh flowers, my daughters favorite heart shaped music box, a candle decoupage that she made with a baby food jar and tissue paper and little pink foam hearts.
Each place setting had a plate, doilies and a real tea cup from China. Between each place setting I placed artificial flowers commonly thrown in weddings. They added a nice delicate touch to the decorations. In the dining room, I also displayed all the tea sets I owned. Each place setting had a name plate for each child and a picture of the child.
I just printed this out on our ink jet printer, but the quality was great. The guests loved seeing their picture and it was easy for them to find their seat. The last item placed on the table was the menu. I typed all the items on the menu and used free clip art of tea sets as a border.
Sunflowers
For the decorations I purchased bright yellow streamers and balloons and I placed these all over the party are (my thought... the more streamers and balloons you have the better!)
I also found sunflower garland on sale at a local store and I used this to decorate the cake & present table along with mint green table clothes for contrast.
Kiss the Frog
At this point my daughter decided she wanted it to be a "Princess Tea Party" Not having mentioned that in the invitations, this is how we turned a regular tea party into a "princess" tea party. First, I hung large white glittery stars dangling over the entry way of the front door. Then I sprinkled glitter coming up the walkway onto the porch.
Next to the door sat a very large (about 3 foot tall) smiling ceramic frog that I happened to have left over from my childhood frog collection. Upon his head was a gold crown. He held a sign that read: "STOP!! You must read this before you enter this kingdom! --- Once upon a time, in a land far away, lived a little girl who longed to be a princess. Day and night she wished for her royal dream to come true. One evening, while walking through an enchanted forest, she came upon a talking frog. "What can I do for you my child?" the frog asked. "I want to be a princess" the little girl replied. "To become a princess you must do two things: First, you must kiss me, Second, you must invite all your friends for tea and they must kiss me also!" exclaimed the frog.
So, the little girl planned a beautiful tea party for all her friends. At the party the girl and her friends all kissed the frog and were immediately transformed into princesses. (STOP AND KISS ME NOW FOR THIS TO COME TRUE) afterwards the girls all wondered why the frog did not turn into a handsome prince. "Are you not an enchanted frog?" they asked. "No, my dears, I am just a frog who wanted a kiss," was his reply. "Then how did you turn us into princesses?" they asked. "Oh, exclaimed the frog, that was not magic! Didn't you know? ALL little girls are princesses--- if only they BELIEVE!" --- I wrote this on a large white heavy duty poster with a pink paint pen.
As the guests arrived they stopped and read the story and of course kissed the frog. Then as they entered the house my daughter gave them each a "princess" hat and wand and said: "You are now a princess!" The hats were made from shinny party hats with a long piece of tulle coming out of the point on the top. The girls were given stickers to decorate their hats with while the other guest arrived. The girls loved kissing the frog and some of them kissed him again as they left!
Pink Roses
The table was decorated with a white linen table cloth with vases of pink roses down the center. Each place setting had a miniature hat (about the size of a silver dollar) that held the name card.
I found these in the craft store and simply added pink ribbon and a rose to the brim of it and then cut a slit in the top to place the place card in. They were very cute! The guest were served tea and food from real silver and antique china.
Each chair had yards of pink tulle tied around it with roses placed in the bows at the back of the chairs.
Tissue Flowers
The kitchen was decorated with tissue flowers which we made last minute because we were having the party indoors.
Take 10 pieces of tissue paper, any color (we used pink and white, alternating the two) and with a glass trace circles. Cut out the circles. Bend the circle in half and holepunch once. When you open it up, you have two holes. Put half a pipe cleaner through and twist. Then separate the tissue and one piece at a time crumple the paper. The end result is a flower that looks like a carnation.
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