In The Garden Party

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks to everyone who replied to the previous thread, this is a bit of an update on A's 2nd birthday next month.

Invites - done by the gorgeous and talented BG - Welcome to Facebook

Cake - being done by the lady who did her 1st - is going to be a garden with bugs, butterflies etc through it.

Goody Bags - are a 'bug catcher' - Welcome to Facebook not quite finished but what do you think?
Am thinking for the boys will paint the handles and the top green and the girls pink.
I just have to add some lollies (choc frog, green & red frogs, snakes), a bug toy for the boys and thats it i think.
In them are:
Stickers, mini eraser, magnifying glass, bug toy (boys), 1 butterfly & 1 dragonfly hairclip (girls), balloon & lollies, jumping frog (boys)
Am thinking i might just get a bouncy ball or something small and partyish in there, like a noisemaker or something... thoughts????

Deco's - we don't have a lot of $$ at the moment so wont be themed plates or napkins etc, will get her butterfly balloon from last year re-used and am thinking a 2 balloon and a ladybug.
Will get plain table cloths from the cheap shop and use some of the leftover stickers.

I bought these bugs off e-bay you put them in water and they grow, i thought all the little kids will love playing with them in a bucket.

I am going to print out some bug & butterfly pictures and photo copy them for the kids to do some coloring, i bought some packets of pencils at safeway for 50c each - BARGAIN.

Food - pies, sausages rolls, little boys, fairy bread, fruit platter, mini muffins.
I was going to do cupcakes but don't really have the time or the $$ right now, i'm positive DP's mum etc will ask if they can make things so was thinking i might get them to do a choc ripple cake, maybe some sandwhiches or something?

I was thinking of making a jelly garden, i have smallish oven dish, i was going to do green jelly but put a small round bowl in the middle, once it's set take the bowl out and do blue jelly then get some little fake flowers and put them in with some frogs and snakes... WDYT???

Party is on 9th Oct.. not long now.. ahh my little girl is getting so big.

Would love to know what you think about the bug catchers.

[Trillian]

I can't see the pics on FB - you might need to change the permissions a bit. It seems like you have everything pretty much organised. Definitely delegate some of the food to others if you know they will be keen to do it. One thing I did think of for the party bags when you said noisemaker - there are these little tin frogs you can get (well they were tin when I was a kid, but they are probably plastic now) and they would go really well with the bug theme.

[STARRYSKY]

I think it all sound fantastic ZF! Sooooo...how many boys/girls are there gonna be? cos I'm thinking te bug catchers wont be complete without a butterfly biscuit for the girls and a cattrpillar for the boys... (not to mention no.2 cupcake toppers!)...just wondering.... (whistling innocently)

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I can't see the pics on FB - you might need to change the permissions a bit. It seems like you have everything pretty much organised. Definitely delegate some of the food to others if you know they will be keen to do it. One thing I did think of for the party bags when you said noisemaker - there are these little tin frogs you can get (well they were tin when I was a kid, but they are probably plastic now) and they would go really well with the bug theme.

Ah yes i have it to people on my BB list... if anyone wants to see them just request to add me as a friend.. i don't want to open it up as there are certain people i do not want accessing ANY part of my FB... IYKWIM.

I bought the 'jumping frogs' for the boys ones but i think i remember what you mean, ohh i remember the clicky metal beetles too... hmmmm might have to look around... i love the cheap shops, they have some great stuff.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I think it all sound fantastic ZF! Sooooo...how many boys/girls are there gonna be? cos I'm thinking te bug catchers wont be complete without a butterfly biscuit for the girls and a cattrpillar for the boys... (not to mention no.2 cupcake toppers!)...just wondering.... (whistling innocently)

Whistling innocently.... i have no idea how many, don't have the RSVP's yet and the date for them is only 4 days b4 the party..
At the moment including A i think it's something like 22 kids.. oh it's going to be a busy day but i am expecting that some of those wont make it.

[*Beema*]

It all sounds great hun

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Went to the cheap shop this morning, they had the foam stickers (in the pic) for $2 a packet, there are easily over 50 stickers in each pack so i got some butterflies and a bug mix which had butterflies, lady bugs, bees & dragonflies... so now when i buy the plastic cheapo table cloths i can STICK bugs n things to it, i can also pop them on the cups and write the kids names on the foam so they don't loose them...

Argh yay for cheap shops... most og the things i have bought have been like $2 a pack, so far the goody bags have prob cost no more than $5 a child.. not even.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Ok so as it stands i have 14 kids confirmed as a yes, IF the ones that haven't replied or are maybe's come it's about 22.

I have decided adults will be having kids food with some adultish snacks... do you think this is ok??

Food so far:
2kg's - little boys
Sprinkles for Fairy Bread
Sultana's for kids
3 packets chips - plain, salt 'n' vinegar & BBQ
Chicken Crispy and BBQ Shapes
Rice Crackers
Lollies for goody bags

TO GET:
Party Pies & Sausage roles - HOW MANY? possibly 22 kids and say 20 something adults??
Fruit & Veg - fruit platter & carrots, celery etc for veggie sticks
Bread - fairy bread and vegemite sanga's etc.
Dip
Jelly - green & blue, going to make a little garden with snakes and frogs hidden (more for the bigger kids).
Should i do an adults dessert??? maybe get MIL to make choc ripple and maybe just buy a cheesecake or something?

Any other ideas for food???

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

OK SOOOO at the moent i have 13 kids confirmed and 2 as maybe's with most of those having 1 parent coming plus about another say 10 adults.

Foods i have:
2kg's - little boys
Sprinkles & 2 loaves bread - fairy bread
Sultana's for kids
3 packets chips - plain, salt 'n' vinegar & BBQ
Chicken Crispy and BBQ Shapes
3 lots vita weat rice crackers
Lollies for goody bags
3 packets sausage rolls
3 packets party pies
1 packet dim sims (for steaming)
2 packets nuggets
Jelly (green for grass, Blue for 'lake') - snake and frogs
Pasties - MIL bringing
Sandwiches for adults - cousin
Mini Quiches - SIL
Fruit Platter - SIL
Going to do carrot, celery, kabana, cheeses and dips
Cordial
9 bottles of softdrink (for adults - older kids)

Is there anything i have forgotten... any suggestions???? am off to clean clean clean... argh!

[Trillian]

That sounds good to me. If you are only doing snacks for the adults too, the best thing is all that can be left frozen if you don't need it.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Yeah we are just doing the 'kids' food for the whole party, we are getting DP's aunts pie warmer so we can just throw everything in in the morning, leave it outside and adults can help themselves.
Nuggets can go in the oven, dimmy's in the steamer and were done.

Can the kabana, cheese etc all be pre-cut the night before so less for me in the morning?
Fairy bread will be made fresh but jelly will be started tomorrow night... umm yeah

[kawazuki]

you forgot my invite :P

that sounds like an amazing party hun.. im sure it will be a big hit

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Hehe we 'forgot' a lot of invites this year... last year there were over 100 ppl invited to her 1st birthday.. we both have BIG families and this year i put my foot down, said kids party n thats it, a few 'key' ppl are coming.. i would LOVE to invite all my BB friends

[Trillian]

All your kabana and cheese/vegies etc can definitely be cut the day before too - will save you loads of time on the day. Plus if you run out, you just have to get more out and not muck around cutting up more.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

great, am buying that stuff fresh friday, will cut it and wrap it and pop it out of the way! woo hoo!