one year old in a flash {party details}

I meant to post this last week, but a certain teething little boy was needing a lot of my attention and I didn't get to it. I loved planning Levi's first birthday party. I got the idea of the One Year Old in a Flash theme from here. Levi's party was orange and gray, but you will notice that I stole many of the party ideas! Here are the details:

Invitations

I loved the invitations from the party linked above, but decided to try to make my own. I used Photoshop Elements and printed everything at home. The invitation was printed on white card stock, matted on orange card stock, and then I wrapped the film strip around both pieces. The film strip is from this kit.

Decorations

I made the circle garland by punching 1" and 1 1/2" circles out of orange and gray scrapbook paper. I sewed them all together with my sewing machine just like Ashley did for her turquoise, red and white party.

My circle garland was one long strand. I draped it over the chandelier in the middle of the room.

The flag pennant was made with the same scrapbook paper I used for the circle garland.  I cut out the triangles with my paper cutter and then sewed them to an orange ribbon with my sewing machine.

I made the cupcake flags with scrapbook paper and toothpicks. I think it only took seven or eight sheets of paper to make all of the decorations.

Birthday Hat

 {before}

{after}

I bought the green birthday hat from Hobby Lobby. I thought I would use it as a pattern to make my own gray and orange birthday hat. The morning of Levi's birthday came and I hadn't had time to make it yet. I was going to try to let go of my perfectionistic tendencies of wanting everything to match and just use the green hat. My mom and sister were helping me set up and I was telling them my woes of the green hat not matching and we came up with the idea of taking apart the non-matching hat and hot glueing the gray felt right onto it. My mom came up with the hat above and Levi had a matching hat. Phew. Thanks mom for saving the day. :)

Photo Props

The photo props were the centerpieces. All the adult tables had one of these. I cut out mouth and mustache clipart (actually my sister did...thanks Anne!) and hot glued them to a wooden stick. I filled the planters with crayons to hold the photo props in. All the tables had paper on them so you could use the crayons to doodle too. The kids table just had a bucket of crayons and paper to draw on.

The photo props were great entertainment...even for the adults.

My brother made me these awesome thought bubbles out of wood and I painted them with chalkboard paint. He is really talented like that. Unfortunately we were having so much fun at the party that we totally forgot about them. I am sure Levi and I will find other ways to put them to use.

Party Favors

When Joel and I were at Hobby Lobby {yes, he actually went INSIDE Hobby Lobby}, he spotted these funny glasses. They were only three dollars for the whole package.

I wrapped each one up in a clear bag and tied them with ribbon and a thank you note from Levi. The camera on the circle tag is from the same kit as the film strip. They were the perfect party favors...and cheap too.

All of the kids loved them.

Photo Timeline

I wanted to have lots of pictures of Levi around for the party. I put out the framed pictures we already had, but I also wanted to have a picture from each month of Levi's first year.

The numbers for each month were made with mini clothespins, 1 1/2" punched circles, and number stickers. I hot glued the circle to the clothespin and clipped the pictures in order onto pom-pom fringe. (By the way I noticed a few of the pictures were off by a month...oops!)

Time Capsule

The time capsule was the main reason I chose the One Year Old in a Flash party. In the birthday invitation I included a gray piece of paper with Levi's name and the date. I also included a note that said this:

Please use the enclosed card to write

a note to Levi to be placed in a time capsule.

Levi will open the time capsule on his 18th birthday.

Some suggestions are:

A verse you are praying for Levi

Predictions for the future

A note of blessing

Photographs

Small items of today

Thank you!

I loved the idea of Levi having this time capsule to open when he is 18. How special for him to have these notes from grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends who love him so much. I also added his birthday invitation, a few things from the party, and a little album with the 0-12 month pictures. I am thinking I may have to do this same party theme for all of our kids (assuming we are blessed with more) on their first birthday. That way they each have their own time capsule.

A few other details...

plates & polka dot napkins - Target

scrapbook paper - Michaels & some that I already had

paper straws - Garnish

gray polka dot fabric - Hancock Fabrics

(and for those who asked about my outifit)

dress-Old Navy

cardigan and leggings-Target

And one more thing about birthday parties...

I know a lot of people feel pressure to have the "perfect" birthday party. I love planning parties. I love all the details and trying to figure out a way for everything from the invitations to the party favors to work together. It is fun for me. It is not stressful (unless I put everything off until the last minute which I have been known to do). I don't love planning and making the food though. So, I usually ask for help with this part. This year my sweet mom and sister helped me make the food and frost the cupcakes.

My point...

Do what works for you and your family. If you prefer small parties and don't care about the details...totally fine. If you love making fancy cakes...make an amazing cake. If you love the details like me...sew those paper circles together so that everything matches. The important thing is that we shower our children with love on their special day. We want them to know how much we love them and how much more that God loves them. The day they were born is a day to celebrate! I had to stop and remind myself of this as I was planning Levi's party. When all the details didn't quite get finished like I had planned...I had to let it go. The important part was that Levi felt loved on his birthday.

And that is my birthday party advice...for what it is worth.

I have so much experience you know! :)

One birthday party down...many many more to go.