cupcakes, circles, and a party

72 mini cupcakes+24 regular cupcakes
+30 plates
=1 fabulous party!

The cupcakes were chocolate with chocolate buttercream, and funfetti with buttercream (birthday girl's request). They were all covered with nonpareils (large on the big cupcakes, small on the minis).

The plates were kind of a random idea. I saw this laundry line featured on Twig & Thistle. I knew my friend's 40th birthday party was coming up, and she's going with a bright circle/ circus/ fun fair kind of theme for it. So I was going to cut out a bunch of circles and make a garland to decorate with, and for guests to write her birthday wishes. But when I went to get the paper, the plates were sitting on top - and I got this crazy idea to get out a circular sponge & primary colored paints. This is what I came up with! If I had come up with the idea at a better time, I might have had my son help me with some of it. Instead, he spent his last hour before bedtime helping daddy dig up & wash carrots. I was on a deadline, so the painting fell to me. There are so many cute ways to make this work for your party theme or craft time!If I'd thought it through, I might not have brought permanent markers - but everybody was able to write something nice & the kids drew some illustrations. It was fine.It looked pretty fluttering in the breeze!

The birthday girl wanted to relive her youth, and she did that by getting out the "old favorites". She had Bozo Buckets, badminton, croquet, Bocce, Musical Chairs, the balloon stomp, and of course...

a water balloon toss...

the clothespin drop...

And car rides!

It was such a great celebration - her family and friends came together at her parent's house. We ate, chatted, made new friends, watched each other's children have all kinds of fun together, and enjoyed some fun "retro" music from her youth. (Yes, there might have been some singing along to ABBA!)

Happy Birthday, B! The kids loved it!