There’s a new girl in town and she’s all about fashion and fun. Today I’m introducing you to Little Miss Runway who specialise in fashion parties, events and products for girls age 4 to 12.
I have a little girl who is nearly 3 and she already loves to pose and prance in front of the mirror so I can only imagine how much she would enjoy a party like this when she is older!
Little Miss Runway has created a ‘real’ catwalk experience. Illuminated mirrors in the dressing room, an elevated catwalk and track lighting the length of the runway are just some of the elements that make Little Miss Runway a truly unique experience.
Such a perfect fun day out for your daughter and her friends without you having to worry about supplying all the costumes and dresses.
Karen, who owns Little Miss Runway, explains – “We have a fabulous collection of clothes available for our little fashionistas to wear during the fashion show to create their own style”.
I can imagine the fun the girls would have just being able to choose their own fashion items!
Little Miss Runway offers a variety of party packages to suit every little miss including fashion show, fashion photo shoot and fashion tea parties. They also run ‘Party like a popstar’ parties
There is also a range of specially selected fashion goodies for sale in the studio and online such as Pure Poppet natural play makeup, Pink Poppy jewellery, and Chalk Hair gift packs. These would be perfect for party favours and you can find the online store here.
“It is such a thrill to be able to make our mini models’ birthdays extra special and see how much fun the girls have dressing up and walking the catwalk in front of an enthusiastic crowd of Mums and Dads”, says Karen. I can imagine it would also provide parents with memorable photo opportunities as well.
Little Miss Runway’s studio is based in Port Melbourne and they also offer mobile parties and run fashion events throughout the year.
This is such a unique party experience for little girls and you can find the Little Miss Runway facebook here to keep up to date with all the news and party services.
Guest Post by Stephanie Keeping from Spaceships and Laserbeams Blog
On my blog, Spaceships and Laser Beams, I’ve featured a lot of adorable farm birthday parties. With fun colors schemes and an old-fashioned feel, it’s an exciting theme to bring in another year. If you’re planning a farm party, here’s some inspiration:
Farm Party Decorations
The atmosphere of “down on the farm” can be easily reflected through the decorations – in some very budget-friendly ways. I love the idea of incorporating inexpensive burlap into banners and tablecloths. The texture works perfectly and the neutral palette lends itself to just about any color scheme. At this farm themed birthday party, they stacked hay to create a table in their party space and then added the burlap. It’s such a fun idea and it takes the party to a whole new level without a lot of cost. If you’re looking for other fabric patterns to mix in with all this neutral color, you can’t go wrong with classics like gingham or paisley.
Birthday Cake and Party Food
A farm-theme, perhaps more than any other birthday party theme, lends itself to simple, basic food. Pile shiny apples high in baskets for color. Serve classic homemade cookie favorites like oatmeal. For the main meal, roasted chicken, hot rolls with lots of real butter and corn would be a hearty treat. I also love incorporating mason jars wherever possible in a farm theme — use them to serve cider or sweet tea. Instead of birthday cake, how about serving carrot cupcakes (topped with tiny carrots, of course) that reinforce the theme of homemade, fresh grown goodness? The birthday boy’s mom at this farm birthday party served them as one of the treats and the idea was very successful.
Birthday Party Activities
If you’re lucky to have a hobby or adventure farm nearby, they make excellent locations for this theme. As a bonus, you’re not stuck with any mess. But I’ve seen many moms recreate that farm feeling in their own backyards. There is a wide range of activities that can take place at a farm birthday party like sack races, beanbag toss and pumpkin bowling. This barnyard carnival party has to be one of my favorites. There was a small baby animal petting zoo, a pumpkin patch and tons of farm-themed carnival games.
Farm-Themed Favor Ideas
As far as party favors go, you can be as simple or as elaborate as your budget allows. Tiny toy tractors and farm animal figurines both fit with the theme and are very easy to find at your local dollar store. If you have a bit more room in your budget, send little guests home with their own “farming kit.” It can include a small pot, seeds and any tools they might need like a tiny watering can.
What’s your favorite idea for a farm-themed birthday party?
Stephanie Keeping is the mom of a boy named Sam, a blogger, and an Etsy-preneur. She celebrates boyish charm at Spaceships and Laser Beams, where she talks about all things boy and birthday party. You can connect with her on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter and on Etsy.
Today I am introducing you to one of my blog sponsers Saffy & May. They have been a long time blog sponser of mine from back when I was on the older site – I have truly appreciated their support and loved seeing all the new products coming into their store!
If you haven’t heard of Saffy & May they are all about stylish party supplies, stationery, coordinating party décor, table linen including ruffled tablelcoths and party hire.
I love that they have the must-have party items (eg: favour bags, cups/plates, lanterns) as well as more unique items such as little picket fences, chalkboard labels and sweet favour baskets:
They are constantly sourcing new items for their store such as these chevron paper lanterns I saw and loved on their facebook page this week!:
They also aim to make party styling, an easy and enjoyable experience for mum’s and offer “custom made party packs“. These packs include coordinating party stationery, supplies, and party décor. They also offer a DIY styling party pack, which includes a custom made party pack, together with party hire.
You can see two examples below of two of their party pack themes. They’ve made it very easy to style a party and have everything looking coordinated!:
If you’re in Brisbane then Saffy & May can also assist you in styling your little one’s celebration. Their party styling services range from party theme development, sourcing and provision of decorations, bonbonnieres, party set up and decorating, as well as custom candy and dessert tables.
One of the most unique items Saffy & May offer are these gorgeous ruffled tablecloths and tulle tablecloths! They provide the perfect finishing touch on any party table – and they are available for purchase OR hire.
They have a range of other items available for hire as well if you’re in Brisbane. How sweet is the vintage high chair? Perfect for a 1st birthday!
Now can you see why I love Saffy & May so much? They really have so many fantastic products and services and Alex is truly lovely to deal with! I have personally used products from Saffy & May in my own children’s parties and can vouch for their quality and service.
You can see an image here of the pink picket fences from Saffy & May I used at my daughter’s Baptism around some platters:
Make sure you pop over to the Saffy & May facebook page to see and purchase any of their fantastic products or view their other services!
Dani from Once Upon a Table is the talented stylist we are hearing from this week. Once Upon a Table is a Brisbane based Event Styling business covering from Sunshine Coast to Byron Bay.
Dani is sharing some fantastic tips for party planning as well as running your own business while being a mum – hope you enjoy the read!
Confetti Fair – Bohemian Chic Dessert Table with Native American Indian Influences
Styling Secrets
1. Be inspired to be different
I love looking at Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Blogs and it is definitely a great way to source inspiration and ideas. But it is also great to think outside the box and do something different. Event ideas and themes can come from the strangest places.
I got the idea for our Confetti Fair table while sitting in my daughter’s teepee. I had been struggling to come up with a unique theme, and as I sat there watching my daughter play with her drum, I knew instantly I wanted to create a table that incorporated Native American Indian elements. We made a wooden teepee to cover the drink dispenser, used a dreamcatcher for the “O” in our name, a feather headpiece to wrap our cake and an Indian Wedding Blessing as our table sign. A lot of the elements we used on the table were not necessarily intended to be used on a party table, but we adapted them to suit our theme.
When you start planning an event, use an Inspiration Board to collate your ideas and create a vision for your event. Don’t limit yourself to just party pictures, as you never know what you can create by looking in different places. The more creative you can be, the more you will enjoy the process and your guests will be blown away by the end result.
Cute As A Button 1st Birthday – Pastel Button Party Table
2. Make it personal
An event draws people together and it is where memories are created, so it is always so special to be able to make it personal. Choose a theme that says something about the person – that tells their story. For example, our daughter’s nickname is Button, so we did a “Cute as a Button” 1st Birthday Party.
We also had a lovely customer who wanted to do a Raggedy Ann 1st Birthday because her daughter was photographed with a Raggedy Ann doll as a newborn and it was her daughter’s favourite toy. If you don’t want to theme your event, use colours, props, photos or quotes to make it more meaningful. It is also great to involve your guests and create a lasting memory by having a unique guestbook. An old typewriter for guests to type a message, a time capsule, a photo booth or even a thumbprint picture are all great ways to capture the memories of the event.
Lovely Lace & Pearl Christening – Dessert Table incorporating pink, lace and pearls
3. It’s the little details
It is great to incorporate as many little details into an event as you can. It is so rewarding to watch people’s eyes light up as they notice different elements at a party, and it is the little extras that will transform your event into something memorable.
It doesn’t have to cost a fortune either, as handmade items or DIY projects can be so much fun leading up to an event. Involve friends and family too, as they will love to see their creations used on the day. Don’t forget to be creative and think of new things you can include on your table – they will really stand out!
Finally, if you are going to include lots of different elements at a party make sure you plan ahead. Doing a project or two each week is much more enjoyable than trying to get everything done in the last week. You want to enjoy the party, so the more organised you are, the more time you will have to actually enjoy the special day.
A Darling Affair – Vintage Chic Dessert Table with lace, feathers and fresh florals
Business Brains
I started Once Upon A Table while I was on maternity leave with my second child in 2012, and have since returned to work as a Business Development Manager in Banking.
Juggling a very busy job, 2 children and a new business has been exciting, but also very challenging. I am certainly very sleep deprived and my house is a little messier, but I absolutely love what I do.
I think this is so important, as being passionate definitely shows in your work and it also helps you get through when you are tired or busy.
Sweetie Pie Table – Rustic Pie Table
I am also lucky enough to have a great support network. I have a fantastic husband who builds all of our props, furniture and backdrops, and is always there to listen to my new (and sometimes crazy) ideas. I also have an amazing 15 year old son who is always on hand to help out. There aren’t many teenage boys who would hold ribbon, sort doilies or stay up to talk to their Mum on those late nights working on an event!
My 18 month old just loves playing with all of my craft stuff and often contributes to a rather big mess on our kitchen table. My family are my biggest supporters and they really push me to live my dream and grow our business.
Through the business I have also met so many wonderful people who have become my close friends. The support in this industry is amazing and everyone is always available to give advice. We are often emailing or texting late at night and it is always good to know that I am not the only one up after midnight working on a party.
I have also found that collaborating with other suppliers or friends not only helps take your vision in a different and more creative direction, but also cuts down on the number of late nights. When I started I would do absolutely everything myself, but now I enlist the help of some amazingly talented florists, cake decorators, paperie designers and so on. Working together with other creative people is so rewarding and can really take your event to another level.
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Thank you so much Dani for sharing your party planning advice and business wisdom with all of us!
You can follow more of Dani’s work on the Once Upon a Table facebook page here.
A little man theme has become a popular party theme lately for young boys, and especially 1st birthdays. This theme focuses heavily on the image of a mustache however often also incorporates bow-ties or ties as well.
It is an easy party to style through the use of printables and attaching mustaches to items such as candy jars, balloons, cups, favour bags etc
I’ve based the selections in this blog post around black/white as well as some chevron items which is often incorporated into this theme to give it a modern feel. You can find more chevron finds in this blog post.
However I don’t think this theme should only be styled around black/white – the invitation/printable section of this blog post will give you some ideas for colour schemes for this theme.
You can also find my pinterest board for this theme here with more ideas.
Here are my selections:
Invitations and Printables
Little Man printables – Style Me Gorgeous
Bow tie printable pack – Paper and Style Co
Little Man printables – TomKat Studio
Little man printables – Little Dimple Designs
Mustache bash – Lemonade Moments
Little Man bow tie invitation – Petite Party Studio
Little man mustache printables – Party Lovers Shop
Little Man fill in invitations – The Party Parlour
Decorations
Mustache balloons – Party To Go
Mustache paper chains – TYPO
Black and white striped lantern – Occasion by Design
Mustache garland – Mailbox Happiness
Mustache bunting – Pretty Pic Creations
Tableware
Love this clever tablerunner:
Little Man Tablerunner – The Party Parlour
Black and white tablerunner – Just Party Supplies
Yellow chevron tablerunner – Love the Occasion
Paper Eskimo black and white plates – Occasion by Design
Sambellina square plates – Occasion by Design
Blue chevron plates – Just Party Supplies
Green chevron bottle – Love the Occasion
These mustache adhesives are perfect for attaching to a range of items:
Little man adhesive stickers – Ah-Tissue
Straws with mustache cut out’s
Black chevron straws – Just Party Supplies
Melamine platters are fantastic for kids parties and these black ones are perfect for this theme:
Black melamine platters – Occasion by Design
Sweet Treats
Love these mustache lollipops!:
Mustache lollipops – The Little Big Company
Create mustache cookies with these cutters which also includes a stamper to stamp on a design:
Munchstaches cookie cutter and stamp – Lime Tree Kids
Make your own chocolate mustaches using these moulds:
Mustache lollipop chocolate mould – Confectionately Yours
Easy decorating for your cupcakes or even savoury items with these toppers:
Mustache picks – Party Kit n Kaboodle
Chevron cupcake wrappers – Saffy & May
Theme your ice-cubes with this mould!:
Mustache ice tray – Mighty Ape
An easy way to style a cake using this topper:
Mustache cake bunting – ETSY Katura Jo
Themed items
A popular idea for a Mustache party is the use of a photo booth and supplying guests with mustaches to play with:
“Prop it” range of photo booth props – Ah-Tissue
Adhesive mustaches – Occasion by Design
Favours
Cute mustache shaped soaps! :
Mustache soap favours – Soap Buddies
Perfect favour boxes & bags for this theme:
Mustache favour boxes – The Little Big Company
Little man mustache muslin bags – Penny Lane Studio
You could attach mustaches to these bags to theme them:
Black and white striped bags – Saffy & May
Light blue chevron bags – Sweet Celebrations
Use this stamp to create your own gift tags:
Moustache stamp – TYPO
Perfect washi tape to use to attach a gift tag to your favours and to use for other decorating for this theme:
Mustache washi tape – Kawaii Kids
Real Parties
Find more ideas by viewing these Little Man parties:
Lovely and stylish 1st birthday in greens and blues featured on Hostess with the Mostess
Father and Son mustache bash with a slightly vintage look from Kara’s Party Ideas
Love the backdrop in this Little Man party from Project Nursery blog
Cute Little Man party in yellow, black and grey from the Bondville blog
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Hope you enjoyed the round up of ideas and they help when planning to celebrate your little man!
