Gray’s birthday is in May but we decided to celebrate it in early June due to hectic travel schedules. She actually liked it because she felt like she was having two birthdays! Her party was a cooking theme with create-your-own-pizza-and-cupcakes. And she and her friends even had their very own custom aprons!

Details:

Location: our home here in TN (the back screened porch) to make their own pizza, backyard to eat and make crafts, and dining room to sing happy birthday to and decorate cupcakes. The party was for girls only.

Lighting: lanterns from Target.

Plates, cups, and napkins: Target

Gray’s Birthday Outfit: Appaman from Snap Kids

Aprons: I had an idea for cooking party and a vision for custom aprons and they were beautifully created by my friend, Konika. We went to a thrift store and found a dozen pillow cases, which she made the aprons. Not one was alike. Gray’s apron was an early gift from a friend, Annette and was purchased on Etsy.

Personal pizza pans: borrowed from a friend, Katie. She bought them from Ebay and they used to be pans from Pizza Hut.

Pizza dough: ordered about 25 doughs from a place called Roselli’s Pizzeria the night before. Owner lives in our neighborhood which is a plus, customer service was top notch!  The girls were able to kneed the dough and put toppings on it.

Pizza toppings: cheese, tomato sauce, olives, fresh basil, mushrooms. Each guest had two little white bowls filled with cheese and tomato sauce and then we had a little toppings bar off to the side. Parents who stayed were able to create their own as well.

We put the pizza in oven for 500 degrees for 15 minutes.

Drinks: water with lemon slices and fresh mint from our garden in a glass pitcher with spout, on a “lemonade stand”

Decor: fresh flowers from friends’ Maria and John’s garden, hydrangeas and lavender.

Activity: after they ate outside in the backyard, we put up a tent and blankets and they made crafts: created their own books from construction paper, drew pictures, and decorated with glitter and sprinkles.

Cake: made by mom and dad. Strawberry cake with real strawberries, pink icing, coconut topping. Continuing the tradition with a cake stand for birthdays from Rosanna.

Gray’s birthday crown, another tradition: from StellandLivi on Etsy

Cupcakes: homemade with strawberries baked in. Toppings bar included: chocolate chips, strawberries, marshmallows, sprinkles, and cupcake icing of different colors.

Gifts: On her invitation and a tradition for birthdays, in lieu of gifts we asked guests to donate to the Nashville Flood Relief.

She did receive a few cool gifts! One of Gray’s gifts from us matched the theme: it was a Rosie Flo’s Kitchen coloring book.

All photos by: her daddy :)

If you look at some of my favorite Etsy stores, you would find more cake stand companies than normal. Why is that? I’m not sure, maybe its an obsession?! Nah!  If it was up to me, I would have a new cake stand every year and every party I plan from each of these fabulous companies.

Jeanette Zeis pottery

Jeanette Zeis pottery

whitney smith pottery

ensparkle ceramics (thanks Katie for letting me know about this one!)

Rosanna (this is one of our traditional birthday cake stand)

I adore special occasions, milestones and celebrating them. My favorite is birthdays. Maybe because when I was growing up birthdays were never a big deal. Whatever the case, I vowed to myself that I would make up for it when I had children. I wanted them to know how special they are and that their birthday IS important and it’s a part of a special tradition in our family for it to be celebrated.

Celebrating the individual surrounded by family and friends.

Just today, we threw our daughter Gray, her 5th birthday party. Blog post and photos coming soon!

Last January, we celebrated Campbell’s first birthday party. It was tough to plan since its in the middle of winter and I didn’t know what theme would work, (her birthday also landed on Super Bowl weekend). I decided on a bird theme which worked well!

We planned for her birthday celebration late in the afternoon served light snacks with close friends and family and then a big Super Bowl party with more friends that night for dinner.

Our new traditions:

A birthday crown is now a tradition to be worn on birthdays, ESPECIALLY while blowing out the candles.

Reading the book, Birthday Presents by Cynthia Rylant.  I stumbled upon this book by accident at a used book store and what a treasure it has been. This is a story about the parents of a little girl telling her about each of her birthdays from when she was born until she is six, the memories and traditions they had along the journey…tears!!!

The birthday cake has to be on the special cake stand. It can be the most lopsided and imperfect cake ever made, but the cake stand will make it look beautiful ;)

For guests: choosing a cause to give to in lieu of gifts. For Campbell’s it was Hope for Haiti. Even though there were a few gifts that were sneaked in ;)

I really loved all the details that came together. I always try to find unique and meaningful details for birthdays…thank goodness for Etsy! I have put together names and links for you below. I hope it helps guide you for your next special occasion!

Questions for you:

There are so many Etsy shops to choose from these days. Which Etsy vendor do you love? Which one specifically for kids?

Do you have special birthday traditions? What are they?

Cake with Jelly Belly Ice Cream Parlour mix: yours truly

Bird Cake Topping: Blue Butterfly Design on Etsy.

Wooden Blocks: Petite Circus on Etsy.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries/Marshmallows: yours truly

Cake Stands: Rosanna

Banner: Kim Herring on Etsy

Crown: Oh Sew Sweet Creations on Etsy

Dress: Illia Kids on Etsy

Table cloth: Land of Nod

Popcorn Bags: Target

Animal Jumbo Stacker: Pottery Barn Kids

****And don’t forget to participate with aden + anais giveaway which ends tonight at midnight! Can give as a gift to someone or keep for your child.

Winner announced Tuesday!