Happy Friday friends!! Last month we celebrated Ella's 9th birthday with a fun Hollywood themed party. Why Hollywood? Well, 2 years ago she had a Hawaiian themed Luau party, and last year was a Paris themed art party. So when we were thinking of ideas, she was set on having the party set in a city/country, because she said "each year we celebrate in a different place". Our wheels were turning and I was trying to think of somewhere or something that went with the number 9. And we came up with....
"Dress to the Nines to celebrate Ella turning 9!"
A Hollywood style sleepover! Such a fun theme! Some may think I go overboard for a party....but I truly love doing it! I don't get stressed over the planning...it's fun for me! And I certainly don't go over budget. This party was less than a quarter of what you might pay to go to a kids' activity center to host a party.
Here's a few tips on keeping your party cost low.
1. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest & Instagram. There are always lots of DIY ideas. Just put your theme or idea in the search and it's amazing what is out there!
2. Think of things you can reuse...most of the decorations I used for this party was stuff I had for New Years Eve parties. Last year Luke had a football party and again- I had stuff from previous SuperBowl parties.
3. The Target dollar section and the local dollar stores are great spots to find inexpensive decor items for your parties.
4. Wrapping paper is a great tool to decorate with. I use pieces as table runners and also use it to cover up pictures that I have hanging to make them part of the party decor.
5. Skip party favors or try to keep them as part of the party. At last years art party each girl painted their own initial during the party and that was what they took home.
Now back to the Hollywood party. As I mentioned in my tips, I used a lot of my decor from previous New Year's parties. We had a black, gold and silver theme. I picked up black & gold tablecloths at the dollar store, along with some plastic "fancy glasses". I put glue on the stems of the glasses and sprinkled with gold glitter.
Now it wouldn't be Hollywood without a red carpet entrance! I found the coolest idea on Pinterest - cut the Hollywood letters out of posterboard. I was able to get two letters from each posterboard (which of course I got at the dollar store 2 for $1!) and held them into the ground with paint stirrers! I cut out a star for each girl, wrote their name and sprinkled with glitter....add in a $5 red carpet from Party City and our entrance was so fun!
Dinner was a make your own pizza bar. We called it "You're a Star Pizza Bar". Just used some flatbreads and put out the toppings and the girls went to town building their pizzas!
My "red carpet" is some pieces of felt from the craft store.
While the girls ate their dinner and sipped on fancy pink lemonade, they answered "Ella Trivia". My mom did this for my sister's birthday last year and it was a hit. I just made up 10 random questions about Ella...some of the girls' answers were hysterical! This is such a fun idea...one I will do for future birthdays for sure! Ella loved it!
Of course we needed to do a "photo booth"....
I have a chocolate fountain and we thought that would be so much fun to do instead of cake. The girls loved it and thought it was so fancy!
Here's an example of one of my inexpensive decorating tips. That polka dot decor in the middle is a framed picture that hangs in my dining room and I covered it with wrapping paper to make it go with our theme! On either side are just .99cent rolls of streamers. You tape one piece to the top of the wall an twist it a few times, then tape at the bottom. It adds a really cool effect to the party!
Over on the left is some popcorn and licorice for watching the movie.... Beverly Hills Chihuahua!
The girls all camped out in our family room for the night. In the morning, our pizza bar became a waffle bar...thanks to a dry erase marker!
We sent the girls home with a favor of a new toothbrush, holder and toothpaste. I printed a cute tag and tied together with ribbon.
It was such a fun party! Ella, her friends and I all had a blast!
And of course.....Ella and I are already dreaming up where we will "travel" to celebrate 10!
Next week we will be sharing a new recipe for Meatless Monday- Black Bean Soup and of course lots of fun ideas for Halloween! I hope you will join us....there's always room for one more at our Family Table.
xoxo
Genevieve
Be First to Post Comment !
Post a Comment