At the weekend we held Florence’s 6th birthday party ahead of her New Year’s Eve birthday. We decided, as we are leaving London, to make it a big blow out event and also hire the hall for a bit longer so that we could stay and have leaving drinks with friends. She chose a Wizard of Oz theme and we decorated ruby slipper cookies, had fancy dress, glitter tattoos by Interplay, hot dogs and chips inreally cool wrapping I bought from Party Pieces (NOT cheap) and all the usual party games!
50 children, 100 adults, a considerable amount of prosecco and lots of laughs later and I’m exhausted but looking back on that crazy party with great fondness. I have some amazing friends (and Mum) who all took on jobs for me to make the party run smoothly – thank you to them! Also thank you to my photographer friends as I didn’t get to take many pictures at the party! The wonderful images you see here were largely taken by Elaine Rudwell Kasket, Lauren Gee and Carly-Jane Rorke, thanks guys!
Here’s our party in pictures, check out the AMAZING cake all hand made from scratch by my Mum!
My ‘Dorothy’ Florence!And the scarecrow Jimmy!THE cake!The Wizard in the Emerald City as the cake topper – all made by my Mum!All the hand made characters decorated the base!While the children decorated Ruby Slipper cookies – shop Lenny and Larry cookies!They seemed to love this activity!I bought confetti balloons from Party Pieces and Asda (The Asda ones were MUCH cheaper and just as good) and I filled them with helium that I bought in Asda too. With hidsight I’d not do this again and I’d pay the local card shop to fill my balloons instead. It was time consuming, expensive and the can DIDN’T last more than 10 balloons when it was meant to do 30. Shame but at least we had a few that looked nice and a rainbow arch of mini balloons too!When we played games like musical statues I had made them all scarecrow necklaces using pendants I bought on ebay for something ridiculous like £1 for 30 and curling ribbon. Every time someone was out they got a scarecrow necklace so we could see they were out but they could keep on dancing!They ate hot dogs on paper trays and chips in cones from party Pieces. tehy were very funky but a bit pricey although Jimmy used his cone for the sweet buffet later on so they got used again!
Wrapping the pass the parcels took me for the WHOLE of ‘Love Actually!’ They were BIG pass the parcels!Glotter tattooing with Carly!
Then doing their own!The tattoos were VERY popular and loads less hassle than face painting!
I love how they all came in fancy dress! Flying monkeys, wicked and good witches, Toto (or Todo) as Florence isnsits on calling him… All the Wizard of Oz crew were there!Thankfully I have great friends and family who helped out! My Mum and friend Abi ran the kitchen perfectly – thank you!Me with my Dad – he spent a long time blowing up balloons and retrieving them from the ceiling as well!
Cake time!My Mum also made these mini cup cakes with hand made poppies for the poppy field and rainbow belts on them!And more rainbows inside the cake when it was cut!
Birthday parties and leaving parties are all about just being with good friends!
I love these two pictures of my two and their party shoes!And when a party comes to a close a good goodie bag is always welcome! Florence requested lots of plastic tat so who was I to argue although it can add up in cost. I shopped around and found some great bargains in various places, one of which was ‘Party Bags And Supplies’! I did get really sweet bespoke ‘Wizard Of Oz’ stickers to thank friends for coming and close the candy striped paper bags from ebay though, just to make them look pretty!And at the end of a party there’s always a boy under the table right?!The clean up crew!The best parties end bare foot! My gorgeous friend’s partner is making F laugh!Before home time and lots of wonderfully generous presents!
So… The main party is over and now it’s on to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, her actual birthday when we will celebrate all over again!
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