Graduation Party Hosting Tips

Whether hosting a high school, college or kindergarten graduation party, there are a few simple tips that I encourage you to follow for the most successful and stress-free event.

1. No Under-age Drinking- Other than just being a general no-no, this is an important time to enforce the law.  Kids and young adults that are of driving age typically travel from party to party, they will be on the road and should not be drinking and driving.  If you hold the party at a bar or venue where you are lucky enough to have a staffed bar, have IDs checked or wristband guests over 21 as they come in the door so it is easy to see who can be served.
2. Photographs- This may be the last time, until a reunion, that the group will all be together.  Take a lot of photos, either with disposable cameras set out all around the party room, or with iPhones and then upload to a group file-sharing site so that everyone will have copies.  *Gift tip- a photo album or frame is always a safe gift choice for a grad.
3. School Colors- Looking for a theme other than black, white and little graduation caps?  Use the guest of honor's school colors to choose your streamers, balloons, paper plates, napkins and cake decor.
4. Mark Your Entrance- You will, in all probability, have many guests that may have never visited your home, or other address before.  Make sure that you clearly mark the entrance to the front door, park pavilion, etc.  You can do this by hanging a banner with the graduate's name, put out balloons or yard signs.
5. Estimate High- Unfortunately, guests, especially kids, don't usually RSVP for parties.  That being said, when you are buying drinks and food for the party, estimate high.  You may end up with leftovers but it is better than running out of food.
6. Make It To Go- Usually, graduation parties are come and go events, have lunch or snacks easy to pick up and walk around with or take to go.
7. Sunny Days- At the end of May, the weather can still be fickle and people are not always back into the habit of putting on sunscreen, daily.  Be prepared with bottles of sunscreen, chapstick and cheap sunglasses for your guests to borrow, especially if you are holding the shindig at a park or pool.
8. Plan Some Activities- No, its probably not like a 5 year old's party with pin the tail on the donkey, but you should have a few options for your guests to keep busy and entertained.  Set up a horseshoe pit, Photo Booth or a build your own s'more station.
9. Get Creative with Treats- Pinterest is filled with easy DIY recipes that fit the bill.  Search for these Graduation Cap Pops or Pirouette Cookie Diplomas.

Congratulations to all of you 2013 graduates including you, Raven Gereaux and Sarah Bailly!

Graduation Party Supplies

Its that time of year again.  Celebrate your 2013 special graduate with cupcake wrappers, cupcake stands, washi tape, stamped wooden utensils, tissue pom poms, paper straws and more, available now from Little Bird Celebrations.  Order soon to receive your shipment in time for your graduation party!

Unicorn with a Mustache Party

{Real Parties}

My middle child, Holden is a horse (or a unicorn,) of a different color.  He is fun, kooky, quick-witted, silly and humorous.  For his 9th birthday he dared me to base his small party at home on the following theme:
a unicorn with a mustache that poops rainbows.
Okay.........take a look at what I came up with and let me know if you think I hit the mark!

As soon as the theme was announced, I received this drawing from a talented cousin who quickly created this using his cell phone!  This is the image that I used for the invitations and various other parts of the party.

As guests arrived, they were asked to look the part by donning a unicorn horn and a mustache. (I threw some pink ones in as well as a special request from my dear daughter.)

When I searched Etsy for unicorn with a mustache there were few results, with the exception of this adorable, handmade stuffed animal.  Even cooler, the Etsy shop is owned by a 12 year old girl that makes these cuties!  Great job Maya from Twelve Stitches! 

I hung our new little mustached friend above the food/treat table along with some sky themed tissue pom poms.  I also used some rainbow tissue pom poms in the other room.

I figured it would be easy to just go with a rainbow theme and was lucky to find supplies such as napkins, plates and mini rainbow cocktail forks at my local Target store.  I stamped wooden dessert spoons with little mustaches and ordered some rainbow polka dot candy/nut cups to serve the rainbow sherbert in.

We set out individual bottles of colorful sodas like Jones and Izze donned with mustache drink markers so that the kids would know whose drink was whose.

We served rainbow colored food including fruit loops and goldfish crackers.  I made rainbow colored kettle corn and served it in the old fashioned looking popcorn machine that it was popped in.  I had read about someone else using Bugles as "unicorn horns" but I couldn't find them in the store so I substituted with these rolled up Dorritos.

For dessert we made Unicorn Poop Cookies.  You can find the recipe online but basically it is your basic sugar cookie dough divided into as many bowls as you have colors of food coloring.  Mix with the coloring. Take a pinch of one color dough at a time and roll between your hands (like when you were a kid and made playdough worms or snakes.) Do this with each color and then stack one on top of the other. Twist the colors together and continue to roll out into a "big snake."  Then coil the snake up in a clump of "poop."  Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes.  When the cookies come out of the oven, top with decorator gel and sprinkles.

Unicorn Poop Cookies

Instead of a traditional cake, I wanted to finally try out my Push Up Pops recipe book that I bought from Courtney Dial Whitmore.  So we made Rainbow Push Up Pops with bubble gum and cotton candy frosting.

Doesn't this picture of him just make you feel like you have to smile when you look at it? 

For activities I didn't want to do a ton of pre-planned things since in the words of my son, he just wanted to "hang out." But at the request of my party planning daughter, we did have "stick the mustache on the unicorn" using mustache magnets.

As additional time fillers, my eldest son helped me put together a playlist of their favorite you tube viral videos including "Charlie the Unicorn," "Nyan Cat," "Tobuscus," and "Llamas with hats to play in various rooms.  My kids are also obsessed with looking at memes, so we ran a slideshow of memes such as "Grumpy Cat," "Philosoraptor," "Baby Godfather," "LOL Cats" and "The Walking Dead."

My birthday boy is quite the ham/performer so I thought it would be fun to collect photos to remember him and his guests by by making a makeshift photo booth area. I hung crepe paper streamers to the wall and put out props like boas, big glasses, mustaches, hats and masks with a sign saying "I mustache you to pick some props and strike a pose."

These photos will be my favorite keepsakes from the party and I hope that Holden will look back at them someday and it will make him smile.

I think that my husband and I had some fun with the props too!

Yes that is me.  No those are not my real eyebrows.

Guests hit the candy and treats table before their departure.  (Don't mind my messy office as the backdrop.) They filled their candy bags with skittles, unicorn lollipops, was mustaches, rainbow gumball tubes, colored licorice, sour gummy worms, unicorn stickers, mustache buttons, whoopie cusions and rainbow tears (a little capsule of rainbow glitter.) Whew!

Each guest also got a unicorn beanie baby, complete with a mustache of course!

Go ahead, thrown your crazy party theme request at me and see what happens!

We've moved in at Walnut Creek!

My bad.  I've been awol for a little while trying to get everything in order for our "mini store" at the shop collaborative at Walnut Creek in old town Fort Collins Colorado.  I can't wait for you to visit!  The store is at 222 Walnut Street at the corner of Walnut and La Porte.  The owner, Kate, had the best idea; to find a unique space, big enough to house a bunch of individual creatives to set up their own little areas to sell home goods, jewelry, refurnished antiques, clothing, trinkets and PARTY SUPPLIES!  The displays are ever changing and Little Bird Celebrations will be in every few weeks to replenish party supplies and kits and feature new items.

Walnut Creek opened April 1st, but Little Bird Celebrations moved in on April 15th.  Here are a few photos of the store before they opened.

Our space actually got shuffled around but you can now find us right behind the register.

Here are just some of supplies that we packed up to move in.

And here is our first display all set up, ready for shoppers!  

For now, we have 3 mini pre-made party kits on display and for sale: Oh Deer Adorable, Vintage Fawn Kit, A Foxy Little Party, Vintage Fox Kit,  and Vintage Strawberry Shortcake Kit.

The last available Vintage Circus Party Kit is also on display and available ONLY at Walnut Creek.

It took me forever to hang those tissue pom poms to the super high ceilings but I love them!  They are available in a wide variety of colors and as an inclusion in my Dessert Table Party Kits.

There is also quite a variety of a la carte party supplies including paper straws, either by the package or mix and match, gold painted circus animals, mini glitter clothespins, tissue paper garland, party hats, gift tags, cupcake flags, confetti, barrettes and earrings!

Of course, if you can't find what you are looking for in our store, contact us, we love custom orders!  Happy shopping!

*Follow Walnut Creek on facebook to see what all of the stores are up to.  Seriously, I am honored to be grouped together with all of the many very talented artists here!

More Easter Freebies

I scoured the world-wide web for round two of my favorite Easter free printables for your Easter party or celebration.  Have fun!

Origami Bunny Tag

photo from EatDrinkChic

I love this Modern Origami Bunny Tag from Eat Drink Chic.  Wouldn't it look adorable on a little basket filled with goodies from the Easter Bunny?

What you will need:

• Colour Printer
• White printable card stock
• White printer paper
• Pencil
• X-acto knife / Scalpel
• Ruler
• Cutting board
• Glitter paper or card ( From craft shops. I sourced mine locally from Spotlight. )
• Twine
• Small round hole punch

photo from EatDrinkChic

Bunny Cameo

Download your vintage-looking bunny cameo printable from Craftily Ever After.

photo from CraftilyEverAfter

Easter Bunny Bunting

How cute is this printable bunny bunting from The Sweetest Occasion? Download in navy or peach.

photo from TheSweetestOccasion

What you will need:

• Colour Printer
• White printable card stock
• Scissors
• Twine
• Mini clothespins

photo from TheSweetestOccasion

Easter Cards

photo from Funkytime

There is something so sweet and classic about black and white.  The Graphics Fairy created 5 cards for Funkytime that can be downloaded here.

photo from Funkytime

Happy Easter!