Sesame Street Birthday Party

Vinny has a big birthday coming up (5 years old!!) and today he let me know what theme he wants! (I will share that with you soon, so long as Vinny doesn't change his mind! ;) ) Anyway, to get me back into event planning mode, I like to look back on events that I've done in the past, mainly for two reasons:

1. It inspires me and gets the creative juices flowing.
2. It reminds me what things I already have and how I can reuse them or use them differently.

Here's a look at Vinny's 2nd birthday. So much color and so much fun! It was a Sesame Street theme (but really Elmo theme because that's the only character he really knew and loved!). This was one of my favorite party themes to work with. It was so easy and there are so many things you can do and colors to play around with!

When doing events I find that it's easier to focus on matching colors than buying everything according to the theme. You get more options that way and I think it looks less tacky too! :)

Decorations: I bought most of my decorations from Target or Wal-Mart, most of the time they're much cheaper than Party City. I designed all the Sesame Street labels on Photoshop and attached them to ribbon to tie them around the jars and drink dispensers. I bought the banners (on the buffet table and fireplace) from Target. The chairs I found at Wal-Mart, as well as the tablecloths and tableskirts--although I think the bright blue tableskirt may have been from Party City. I already had the kids table and chairs (hand-me-down from Vinny's older cousins), I had the orange rug and pillow, and I bought the red and yellow pillows from Ikea. I find so many good (and cheap) party supplies at Ikea!!

Photobooth: The fabric for the photobooth was from Joanne Fabrics. I made the Polaroid-inspired frame out of foam board and an Xacto knife (thanks to my dad who's an artist and has all these things on hand!) I hung the frame from the ceiling using tape--alot of tape! However, for my events now, I like to use Command Strip hooks since they don't put holes in the wall and provide a sturdy hold. The backdrop is fabric draped over a large flattened cardboard box and it's leaning in a doorway. We also bought funny props and made mustache sticks for people to use in their photos. Credit to my dad for setting my friend up with the California State Penitentiary sign! :p

Party Favors: When choosing favors, I like to give kids things they may actually use and not just small toys that end up all over the floor for their parents to step on. :p Vinny's birthday is in May so the favors were things that kids can use over the summer. The buckets and bags were only a dollar each from Target (bags) and Party City (buckets)! The bags were for the infants and included soft bath books, a Sesame Street snack cup, and a bath toy. The buckets were for the toddlers and older kids and included a Sesame Street coloring book, snack cup, bubble wand, crayons, and a crazy straw. Everything was $1 or less from the Target dollar section.

Now off to plan Vinny's 5th Birthday party! Yes--I always start planning months in advance! :)