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Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

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Original poster

I love giving parties, do you need some ideas?

999 replies

ShirleyKnot · 03/09/2011 21:56

Hello!

If you don't know me I'm Shirley and I'm a great lover of planning parties. I do a blog about it (which I'm not going to link here, but if you look on the bloggers network for PartySpanner you'll find me)

ANYWAY

If you're chucking a do, I might be able to help - I'm not a business, I don't charge for my ideas or owt, I just love to trawl the internet find good invite ideas, games and food.

Jump in and I'll see if I can help.

OP posts:

BlathersFright · 24/10/2011 21:43

We're going to a Halloween party on Friday. Outfits are sorted but I've been asked to take cakes and I can't decide what to make!

What sort of spooky cupcakes shall I make for a group of 4.5 and 1 year olds?

Geordieminx · 24/10/2011 21:50

I would just do small fairy cakes, with green buttercream icing and a Harribo ghost or eye ball stuck on the top.

Or go to M&S and buy some

BlathersFright · 24/10/2011 22:01

No way! I love making them too much to buy them! :)

I have a funky black and orange cupcake stand from M&S that has bats and trees on so they need to 'go' with that.

stealthsquiggle · 24/10/2011 22:05

these would go well with the stand, Blathers? or these? (that's seriously complicated icing, though - flat iced, then swirly, then cake topper )

BlathersFright · 24/10/2011 22:10

I have that cupcake stand too

The second one's possibly too involved to just be smushed into toddler faces. If I'm putting all that effort in, I want them appreciated

I seem to have lost my piping set too so I'll need to get a new one quick! What's a good one?

FootballFriendSays · 24/10/2011 22:13

I expect my request is very low key, ignore if too boring. I am having 10 friends round this Saturday. I need to prepare the food, it needs to be pretty bland Italian or French stuff as 3 of them have food issues (we never eat spicy, Indian, Chinese etc when going out). I work FT but have Saturday off and I can get a delivery too. Any ideas?

FootballFriendSays · 24/10/2011 22:14

I meant delivery of ingredients, not of the whole dinner :) Although if it was DH's friends I would just ring for takeaways.

stealthsquiggle · 24/10/2011 22:14

I just bought a single nozzle (from ebay, IIRC) for piping swirls on cupcakes - other than that I just cut appropriate sized holes in disposable piping bags (I don't do much piping - can you tell ?)

Geordieminx · 24/10/2011 22:19

I bought a set of 8 nozzles from Lakeland and some disposable bags... They are fab.

You could make spiders webs out of liquorice laces?

Best bet is to see what kind if sweets/toppers you can get and work from there?

stealthsquiggle · 24/10/2011 22:28

tempted?

lifesabeech · 24/10/2011 22:34

DD3 has just had her birthday party. We used mini disposable icing pens and decorated ginger bread men with sweets. The children then put the biscuits inside paper bags they had decorated and took them home as party bags. Tried making our own piping bags by cutting holes in plastic bags in the past but it didn't go too well!!

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 08:25

I've got Halloween cutters but party host has specifically requested 'cakes' and I know better than to deviate :)

She suggested spider webs so I might go with those, possibly with black icing rather than liqorice though as I'm not sure the children will like it.

Liking the sound of the nozzles and disposable bags. Cleaning the left over icing out the bags is always a pain and makes everything sticky. Will have a look after I get back from my Sister's house later. Will wave as I drive past DoctorsWife

Tinkerisdead · 25/10/2011 15:22

Waves to you too. Did you get to craftplay?

Tinkerisdead · 25/10/2011 15:26

Football friend is it just the meal or will ghe night be themed? Is it halloween or could you do something different? Shirleyknot has given ideas before on a mafia night. Only say it as you mention italian. If it has to be pretty middle of the road can you do lots of antipasti stuff to pick at, some lasagnes garluc bread green salad and tiramisu. Predictable but if you themed the night you can get away with predictable italian food.

stealthsquiggle · 25/10/2011 15:56

I was thinking of the cutters for making cupcake toppers, Blathers (admittedly I didn't check the sizes...)

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 16:39

Yes we made it to Craftplay but I didn't end up getting much for the party. I really want to stick to the teddy bear theme and all she had was teeny, tiny, plastic choking hazards teddies which weren't really suitable for 2 year olds. There was loads of Halloween and Christmas stuff but I'm actively avoiding that.

We have a load of stuff to use at home though and some fabric aprons with pockets in (25 pence each!) to use on the biscuit icing table.

Had a good chat with Mum and Sisters about the party too. I think I've decided on getting an indoor bouncy castle to keep everyone busy then having a table for colouring (with loads of crayons and some colouring sheets from the Internet), a table for biscuit decorating (with homemade gingerbread bears, icing pens and sweeties to decorate with - and hope they don't all get immediately eaten so they can go in the party bags) and a pass-the parcel. That, along with the actual picnic should fill 2 hours do you think?

Party food will be picnic type stuff - sandwiches, veg and fruit with dips, Pom bear crisps and maybe some teddy shaped pizzas

Party bags are still worrying me. I'm going to end up making lots of different types I think as I can't make one lot of fillers suit everyone from 3 months to 13 years. We'll hopefully have the decorated biscuit, some Gummy teddy sweets, maybe some bubbles.... What else?

stealthsquiggle · 25/10/2011 16:47

NOT FAIR on the 25p aprons. Hours, bloody countless middle-of-the-night hours I spent making aprons for DD's cooking party, and I could have bought them for 25p each (plus a tank of diesel, but we'll ignore that bit)? [sulk]

That said, if you were to put names on the aprons (3D fabric paint works well) then they could take them home with them - that would help to fill the party bag.

Could you find some baby socks with bears on for the

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 16:53

I considered it but they'll be too big for DD and friends and too small for cousins so would only really fit DS and friends. I've got 8 (for £2!!) which should work for the icing table and I'll probably give them out to the suitably sized children afterwards.

I was thinking small bear or socks for the babies. The bigger ones are harder...

stealthsquiggle · 25/10/2011 16:59

Bear-themed stationery? I shall do a little vicarious online shopping later and see if I can find any bargains... [frustrated because DS is not having a party this year so I am done]

Geordieminx · 25/10/2011 17:07

I got cellophane cones off eBay for ds's birthday and filled them full of sweets. Didn't cost a huge amount, kids were delighted, and most parents thought they were fab too, rather a pile of plastic tat that was broken before they got home.

Tied them with curling ribbon so they looked good

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 17:07

I considered pencils. Everyone but the tiny baby and the 13 year old boy would be happy with pencils I think.

They had some in Craftplay for 20p - might have to send Sis back

I found some teddy bear shaped reflectors on ebay which I might get. I thought they might be good for School bags as the weather gets darker...?

I don't want to tie myself on knots over this but I'd like to try to include everyone. At some point I have to say 'Sorry, but it's a 2 year old's party' I think.

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 17:10

Geordie, that is genius!!

Sweets for everyone but the 3 month old and he can have a teddy. I usually don't like giving out just masses of sweets but I think it might be the only way to go this time

Geordieminx · 25/10/2011 17:17

Everyone thought they were great, much better than whistles/key rings/ yoyo landfill

They don't take much to fill either, couple of packs of haribo, couple of snack sized milky ways and a flump. Sorted.

Tinkerisdead · 25/10/2011 17:17

Yes yes we have those aprons. Gardening characters on them? Bargain. I've got some of those teddy reflectors you mention too my mil gave me for dd they are handy for school bag as you say. I really think sweets are the way to go for your party bag if you want to be inclusive. Buttons for littlies etc.

Cant believe you steered away from halloween and christmas. I stock up so ive always got something to pull out for dd when im losing the will to live. I bought a pack of multicultural faces and we made pics of all our friends. They have big cut outs of people so i want to get one for dd so she can make a paper version of herself. I may go in tomorrow now as my xmas stuff is put by for my advent activites calender.

BlathersFright · 25/10/2011 17:30

They're the ones DW. Red with characters all over them.

We got lots of stuff for at home! I got a textured rolling pin for play dough, some big dice for playing board games, a huge bag of teeny pom poms which we're going to use as lights on the trees when we make our Christmas cards, paint, Christmas stampers.... I'm just avoiding anything Christmassy for the party as I want to make it all about DD's Birthday.

I think sweets is by far the best idea yet. Teddy bear reflectors to tie in with the ribbon or is that going too far?

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