What's in a Gnome?

My family and I had been watching the animated movie "Gnomeo and Juliet" recently and I was inspired by all the fun and gaudy lawn decorations featured in the movie! We decided to invite friends over for some some snacks, desserts and "fun in the sun" activities!

2B or not 2B?! The story of Gnomeo and Juliet is based on the classic Shakespeare play, but set in the lawns of two families... of gnomes... on Verona Drive! The decor followed this premise from gnome hats to pinwheels and all things lawn-related! 

The dessert table was centered by cupcakes and a lawn flamingo, separating the blues' (Montagues) and the reds' (Capulets) houses/lawns. I utilized some turned over galvanized pails, as well as grass coasters to display the cupcakes, which were set inside grass cupcake liners.

Aside from cupcakes, I also made daisy flower cookies and topiary cake balls. Throughout the table, I utilized little watering cans and pots with little plant markers to label the food, which was set in a variety of containers, such as vases, miniature shovels and flower candle holders. I designed the paper goods with adorable graphics from Dreamloft and the backdrop was a piece of artificial grass with "G+J" inside a heart "mowed" into it. I added some extra decorations with pinwheels and lawn toadstools, as well as coordinating candy in umbrella containers.

We also had an ice cream "gnome" bar (with cones dressed in gnome hats - template from Martha Stewart), as well as a snow cone machine to make "snow gnomes", to help us stay cool!

The beverages were set inside galvanized tubs (watering cans) and the signs differentiated the adult and child beverages.

I found a great idea from The Party Animal to have lawn mower races (like events in the movie) and was able to find lawn mowers that blew bubbles! We also had "weed killer spray guns" for water play! 

Like the original Shakespeare classic, Gnomeo and Juliet teaches us about the senselessness of feuding, overcoming obstacles for true love and begs the eternal question: Can't we all just get along?! We certainly did and have a fabulous time doing so!!!

Silly Old Bear!

I have always had a special place in my heart for Winnie the Pooh since I was a little girl. My affection for this bear and his friends continued to grow as I did, and so did my affinity for bees! When my family and I found out a new Winnie the Pooh movie was being released this month, we threw a little party to commemorate!

The whole feel was very natural, with references to bees, honey and the 100 Acre Wood friends. I utilized very neutral colors, paired with shades of yellow and touches of red, and burlap fabric. I designed the paper products, with graphics purchased from The Dotted Daisy and Graphique. For the backdrop, I tied four felt placemats together whose pattern resembled that of a honeycomb and also attached a plastic red balloon that I spray-painted red that is featured in the movie. 

The food offerings all represented some form of honey ("hunny") items and included honeycomb cereal, honey graham s'mores on a stick, teddy graham cookies, honey roasted peanuts, honey candy, honey butterscotch popcorn (with movie tickets) and finally, honey vanilla cupcakes with custom fondant toppers. I added a small flag bunting in the front with the words "Silly Old Bear".

For the topper design, I created Winnie the Pooh dressed up as a bee and since a premise of the movie includes the characters searching for tails, I decided to reference them with their ears and tails!

All the food was presented in various pots, jars and canisters with a outdoor/garden feel that I purchased at Home Goods, Hobby Lobby and Joann's. I also utilized my daughter's red wagon to offer some honey vanilla pudding and a honey apple juice beverage, which were served in glasses with honey bee etchings. The food tags were displayed on turned-over nesting bowls to resemble hives.

The favors were placed on a small kids table adorned with flowers in a honey pot and offering honey bears and pots, while the picnic basket carried some decorative plush animals and Winnie the Pooh coloring books. Also on the table were paper mache books with a custom cover, inside which included crayons for the children.

Some additional decorations included a turned over crate displaying Winnie the Pooh items and a framed quote.

Lastly, I hung a sign up with "100 Acre Woods" printed on paper with a burlap graphic and attached it to an embroidery circle on a tree by the decor.

Hip, hip, hooray! A fun time was had by all in our re-creation of Pooh Corner! We're really excited to see the new film and hope to hear more of Pooh Bear's wisdom, such as this little heart-warming quote:

"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever." ~Winnie the Pooh

Finding Neverland ~ Part 2

In Part I of my daughter's Finding Neverland party post, we began our journey through this magical land! As we flew over, we caught a glimpse of the decor of the Darling nursery, including the food, beverages and dessert. And now our adventure continues... 

To aid the children in imagining and navigating through Never Never Land, I hired Ms. Louisa from the fabulous and enchanting Fairytales and Tutus ballet studio my daughter attends to read Peter Pan and transport the kids from the nursery into Neverland. The first step in the transformation was to dress in costumes! I had fairy wings and tutus available for the girls, as well as pirate gear (scarves, eye patches, hooks and inflatable swords) in treasure chests that my father helped to stain. 

Ms. Louisa also brought additional costumes, such as mermaids, indians and the lost boys, just to name a few! The children were free to choose their outfits, which was so fun and added to the imaginative play, as my daughter had three costume changes throughout the party... from a mermaid to an indian and a fairy! 

I filled little jars with pixie dust and added a little tag with a tiny little bell to symbolize Tinkerbell. The paper I had utilized to make the invitations also had a golden compass, so I took advantage of the "scraps" and made little wooden compasses, which I "Mod-Podged" for all the children to navigate around. 

After hearing the story, the children learned to fly by sprinkling the magical dust and jumping on a trampoline!

Ms. Louisa then led them through activities from sinking pirate ships with cannonballs at Skull Rock, jumping over the crocodile, swimming through the Mermaid Lagoon with bubbles and a pow wow at the Indian Camp. 

Ms. Louisa’s presence at the party was invaluable, as it allowed the kids to play all together and utilize their imagination, while the parents watched and enjoyed without worry. I cannot thank Fairytales and Tutus enough for helping the children (and adults) to believe.
I added to the combination of the nursery and Neverland décor with a bookcase and additional furnishings, such as clocks, ships and wooden blocks I made with Anabelle’s name (from a DIY tutorial seen on the Martha Stewart website). 

I continued to place quotes from the various characters with the décor in small frames and silhouettes cut out with the Disney Classic Cricut cartridge attached to canvases – both purchased from Michaels. Stuffed animals, such as a crocodile and dog to stand for Nana, softened up the decorations and provided additional props for the children!

One of my favorite elements included two tee pees we made from instructions on the site Sew, Mama, Sew!.

Another hit with the kids was a table I set up at the Mermaid Lagoon with plastic bubble bottles they could fill up with colored sand. I used glass jars found at Joann's with small metal spouts to facilitate the pouring. It provided the children yet another activity that required little supervision and since we were outside, it lessened the concern of leaving a mess!

Since imagination and costumes were already enormous components of the party, we could not do without a photo booth! With the help of my parents and their piping and sewing talents, we created a backdrop, which I embellished with a “Happy Birthday, Anabelle” sign I made. The props were stored in a mini toy box I bought from Hobby Lobby my husband helped to paint, along with another frame and a sign to be held up reading “believe”. The toys in the Darling nursery ranged from a pirate's hat to feathers to a crocodile hat! I also had another frame that could be utilized in the photos as well.

Lastly, the favors were stored in oversized wooden blocks referring back to the nursery (also from Hobby Lobby and painted) on a beautiful table my father-in-law made. Inside the blocks, the guests would find shadow puppets I cut out from my Cricut and glued on wooden sticks, along with a flashlight to allow the children to play on their own back at their own homes, while still playing on the shadow/silhouette concept. They also received their own copy of the Peter Pan book to read the story over and over again. And, since it was such an inspiration and a movie that touches me and makes me cry every single time I watch it, each family received a “Finding Neverland” DVD with the final quote from the movie: “Just believe.”

I was very happy with how the decor and details of the party came together, but most importantly, what made it all worth it was to be able to watch all the children (and adults!), run around and play and use their imagination! One of my good friends and mother of one of the children who attended the party sent me a note later saying her daughter really liked Anabelle's party and requested to do it again the next day! She then ended it with, "We read our new story tonight and I am certain my kids believe." I was beyond thrilled to hear that and felt fulfilled that my daughter and her friends had such a wonderful time! Though no one can escape the inevitability of growing up, I hope they will always believe.