Fairyland Party

I just picked up the newest Home & Heart magazine. I loved it! In it, there are so many wonderful party ideas - beautifully presented and stylized. I saw the little girl's fairy party and thought of our "real-life" fairyland party last October - let me share it with you! It was my daughter's 8th birthday - it was so much fun!!

I spent the morning creating "fairyland" out of a basic canopy structure and some flat sheets. I put our playhouse furniture in it, flowers, lights, and lots of color. I had an odd variety of little chairs and stools so I bought some cheap ($1.98 ea. yah - WalMart) woven rugs to use as covers. It really did the trick to pull them all together. I used fabric strips and raffia to attatch things...

I wanted to make a fairy house, so the girls could have fun just playing imaginary games - like they were fairies in fairyland. During the party, the girls played in fairyland for awhile, then they had a small meal.

Fairyland Menu:

chicken strips in a foil pouch

mini blueberry muffin

bagel bites

carrot sticks

apple wedges

rice krispy treat

fruit punch

I love the beautiful food and favors that you see in magazines - but, having a lot of kids, and doing things myself, I have learned to practice balance! I want to create a unique and special event that everyone will enjoy, but I am determined to keep my prep. time and expenses in check. I don't think that children need their Moms to take excessive amounts of time creating parties (maybe to impress other adults?), especially if it makes Mom stressed out and exhausted during the party.

That being said (...soapbox...), this party looked fantastic but was so easy!!

Dressing table and sleeping area in the fairyhouse.

Pictures of fairy friends in the sitting area...

Each girl got to choose a set of wings, an ivy crown, a wand, and a party bag to play with and take home.

Let the fun begin!!

Fairyland Party Plan:

Fairyland is a secret place, hidden until nightfall...don't let anyone peek until the "journey to Fairyland"! As guests arrive, they may choose fairy wings and crown, and apply the fairy dust to cheeks. The little fairy girls then gather and make tiny fairy friend dolls (wooden bead heads, pipe cleaners, silk flowers...). The dolls are magic, and take them on a journey to fairyland, where the party will stay. At fairyland, the girls play for awhile - then it's time for the meal. Dinners are served in baskets lined with cloth napkins. After dinner the birthday fairy opens gifts, they all have a magic cupcake, and then play in fairyland until parents pick them up.

See the slide show of the actual party at the top...

Have fun!