Introducing ‘Hanging Pretty’

I have some wonderful businesses advertising on my blog and I’ll be introducing you to them over time so you can discover some of the fantastic items which exist for your child’s parties and celebrations.

I love handmade items in a celebration and if you aren’t one for DIY there are some talented women who can create handmade decor for you such as Michelle – owner of Hanging Pretty. Michelle is based in Brisbane and works from her home studio, which she established in 2012 as a way to work from home while her kids were still little, making handmade prettiness.

Originally making unique mobiles for children’s rooms after not being able to find what she loved for her own daughter’s room a few years earlier she set about making her own bespoke creation and then went on to establish Hanging Pretty.

This beautiful mobile below really shows how Michelle’s business name “hanging pretty” aptly describes her creations!:

Michelle has previous work experience with events/functions so Hanging Pretty gradually transitioned from bespoke mobiles to custom papery for all aspects of events, boutique displays or photo-shoots where Michelle creates prettiness from a variety of mediums which are as unique as the person they are intended for.  As part of this transition Michelle drew on her experience and love of styling to offer styling ideas for boutique window displays, celebrations for any occasion and weddings.

Can you believe these are handmade flowers made by Michelle? Absolutely gorgeous!

Hanging Pretty has a wide range of possible items for your child’s celebration such as: Sewn silhouette garlands, Cake bunting, backdrops, toppers, embellishments for straws and bottles, tassels, favour boxes and more!

Hanging Pretty Services also include (On Location from Brisbane to Gold Coast): Photo-shoot Styling, event planning, boutique window displays, sourcing of products and more!

Michelle is really lovely to deal with and is fantastic at brainstorming ideas for your celebration and designing something unique for your child’s party theme.

If you have an idea and need someone to make it happen then make sure you contact Michelle at Hanging Pretty.
Phone: 0412 965904
Website: www.hangingpretty.com.au
Facebook Gallery: www.facebook.com/hangingpretty
Email: michelle@hangingpretty.com.au

Thanks Michelle for sharing some of your beautiful work with all of us!

 

Cowboy/Western Party Theme

I’ve seen a few fantastic cowboy parties recently which inspired this blog post. There are so many ways to make a Cowboy/Wild West party fun with a chance for the kids to dress up and many fantastic props you could use to decorate/style this party theme.

For this theme think patterns such as cow print, bandana print, gingham or stars. As for colours you can incorporate reds, denim blues, whites and blacks or rustic browns and wooden props.

Have a browse through the categories in the Party Directory to find some wonderful businesses you can use for this theme. You can also view my Pinterest board on this theme for some inspiration.

 

Printables

Here are some fun invitations and printable options for this theme to get you started!

Love the rustic look of these printables incorporating denim, bandana and cow prints:

 

Clever 3D invitation with folding saloon doors:

 

 

Cute idea for a cowboys and indians party:

 

 

 

Decorations

A few decoration options to fit the colour scheme/patterns of a Cowboy theme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tableware

You could put together a fun kids party table for this theme with cowboy hats, sheriff badges etc at each place setting, which would also double as favours. Here are a few items you could use for your table settings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Treats

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love these cupcake wrappers!:

 

Fantastic toppers for cupcakes or you could pop them in savoury food as well:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Props/Special themed ideas

These mini fences are great to wrap around platters or risers for this theme:

 

 

These brown blackboards are great for a rustic cowboy theme party:

 

A hat and bandana for each child can double as party favours as well as fun dressing up for the kids:

 

 

 

 

 

These suitcases are great to use for risers or for unique ways to display food/drinks:

 

For a rustic look, these timber boxes would also work well for risers or displaying party favours or drink bottles:

 

Hire

This is a new category I’m including in my blog posts due to some of the wonderful hire businesses I have as blog sponsors and advertisers. Here are some items for hire to help you theme this cowboy party and particularly put together a really fun kids party table like these ones:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect for a lolly buffet if you are going with a rustic feel are these compartment boxes for hire:

 

Party Favours & Packaging

This is a great, practical and delicious favour idea –  baking mixes packaged in a cute re-usable milk bottle:

 

 

Love the bandana print in this loot bag topper:

 

Create a wild west feel using these wicker baskets with some favour items:

 

A few other ideas for packaging and favours for this theme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top off your party favour with some denim blue twine:

Real Parties

For some more inspiration, have a look at these amazing Cowboy theme parties:

Wild west showdown party by Sharnel Dollar Designs

Fantastic Horsey Cowboy party by Kate who owns the store Piece of Cake Parties & Celebrations

Love this cowboy party incorporating the cowboy print featured on Kara’s Party Ideas

Lots of great ideas in this cowboy party featured on the Hostess with the Mostess blog

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Hope you enjoyed all the ideas and inspiration! Happy planning!

 

Welcome to the new site!

It is finally here….the new site for the Life’s Little Celebrations party directory and blog!

I hope it saves you time in your party planning AND helps to promote your business (if you are advertising on here).

I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you – to the businesses who have sponsored the blog and also advertised on the Directory. You trusted me even before I had a website to show you – you still trusted me enough to book a listing and for that I am truly honoured! Truly honoured to be connected to so many wonderful, talented, passionate business owners who I am genuinely excited to help promote!

I never started the Life’s Little Celebrations blog with any intentions of it becoming a small business or evolving into a party directory. However I am truly happy this is the path it has taken and I cannot thank my husband enough for supporting me and believing in me as well as my 2 little girls who inspire me and remind me each day of why little ones like them are worth celebrating!

Thank you to all of you who have read my blog and joined my Facebook page and been a part of the journey and Life’s Little Celebrations community in many various ways!!

Please make sure you sign up for updates/e-mails so you stay informed with all the exciting things which will be happening on this new site, inspiring blog posts and more!

Also you will notice on the right hand side of my blog all my previous blog posts can be viewed by categories and also party themes (obviously my most earliest blog posts do need some tidying up/updating of links so please be aware of that when viewing them) for easy searching when you are party planning =)

If you wish to find out more about advertising opportunities, either e-mail me at lifeslittlec@gmail.com or complete the form on the Advertise page.

Thank you,

Confetti Fair – an inspiring affair

Heading to Confetti Fair I felt like the “online party world” I see everyday via FB, blogs etc was about to come to life.

So many businesses/business owners I follow online, comment on their pictures and truly admire – I was able to finally meet and see their work or products in real life.

This was at the entrance to the venue – love the colour combo!:

It was amazing to be surrounded by so many different stalls – each styled so uniquely. It truly felt like you were at a different party at each table you went to.

 

However looking back at the pictures I realise I didn’t get to take in all the details of everyone’s stalls and displays – probably because I was too busy talking to all the lovely ladies behind the stalls!

I truly enjoyed meeting everyone at Confetti Fair – most of whom I had dealt with online. It was so lovely to finally get to meet in person these wonderful women who inspire me (& many others) online and see their work in person rather than just onscreen!

I don’t want to mention particular names/businesses because to be honest we could be here all day and I’m bound to miss somebody!  I’ve just picked different pictures to show you from various business to give you an idea of what was on display- please click on the image to be taken to the business/image source.

 

everyone I met….yes everyone, was friendly, down to earth and welcoming!

You know how you see these AMAZING parties styled by people online, or brilliant cakes, or such unique printables…and you realise just how talented these people must be – and wander how they will be if you meet them ? Well each and every single business owner who was exhibiting was so genuine, lovely and humble!

 

 

 

 

Besides specific stalls, there were all sorts of collaboration tables set up all around the hall – lovely kids tables & dessert tables with styling, decor, treats etc all by various businesses combined!

I wish I could put up a lot more images to showcase everyone’s displays however you can see more on the Confetti Fair facebook page.

There were party boutiques, handmade decor suppliers, party hire businesses, cake makers, printable designers, event stylists and more all exhibiting –  everything you need when organising a party!

If Confetti Fair is coming to a city near you, you HAVE to go….!

Whether it be to find some party ideas or products or to meet in person the people behind the amazing party businesses in these states – I assure you, it is worth it.

Here are the upcoming dates, more details and tickets via the Confetti Fair website:

Brisbane: 14th July

Melbourne: 4th August

Perth: 23rd November

Congratulations & thank you to Claire for organising Confetti Fair and to all the businesses who exhibited and put together such inspiring displays of their work/products/services for all of us visitors to enjoy!

 

Pink Lemonade Party supplies

Do a search for “pink lemonade party” in google or pinterest and you will find the cutest party images ever! This is such a gorgeous theme and even if you don’t style a whole party around this theme you could always incorporate a lemonade stand into another theme you are planning.

 

This is the perfect party to include lovely drink dispensers, use cute mini bottles and coloured straws and bring some sunshiny yellow into your party!

Most popular colours for this party are mixing yellow with pink and/or green but for boys I would mix the yellow with grey, or blue (fantastic real party in this colour scheme under the “Real parties” section of this blog post).

You can go for a retro or vintage vibe with this party and include cute wooden crates/boxes/props for a unique look.

See my Pinterest board for this theme for some more ideas!

Hope you enjoy this post!

 

Invitations/Printables

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some perfect options for boys:

 

 

Cute FREE printables for some lemonade signs:

 

These labels are easy to just write your descriptions straight on and pop them on your table:

 

 

Love chalkboard signs for a vintage feel for a lemonade party:

 

 

 

 

Decorations

Lots of cute ways to decorate this party and particularly to string something pretty around a lemonade stand:

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bright paper chain for a retro feel:

 

Love these MINI tissue balls – only 12.5cm!

 

 

Tableware

This theme is the perfect excuse to set out a cute drinks table and use mini bottles and colourful straws. Here are some items perfect for this theme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love love love these PLASTIC milk bottles. Perfect for smaller children!:

 

 

For older children who can handle the glass – these yellow dot glass bottles are cute!

 

 

Or go for a vintage feel with these little mason jars for your drinks:

 

These are great props on a dessert table for a pink lemonade party:

 

 

 

Pop in some cute straws:

 

 

 

 

You can’t have a lemonade stand party without drink dispensers! Either hire some or buy some of these lovely ones:

 

 

 

 

This lovely white tray would be perfect filled with your little bottles:

 

Also love these square tins for this theme…fill them with some lemons perhaps and use as a prop?:

 

These berry boxes would also look great filled with a few lemons if you are going for a rustic feel:

 

Or use these sweet ceramic punnet boxes in your party:

 

Top off your dessert table with a yellow cake stand!

This yellow wooden stand is also available to hire from Tiny Tots Toy Hire if you’re in Sydney:

 

 

 

Props and Lemonade Stands:

For an affordable lemonade stand to purchase, this cute cardboard one is perfect!:

 

You can also hire a stand which you can use as a lemonade stand like this one available in Sydney from Tiny Tots Toy Hire:

 

 

Here are more lemonade stands for hire from vendors in the HIRE Category of the Directory:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A canopy such as this one below (available for hire and you can probably find similar for hire in other states) would also look really cute for this theme with the yellow and white chairs as well:

 

You can find other vendors in various locations which have similar canopies for hire such as Wild Rose Sweets and Styling (Newcastle/Hunter region in NSW), Sweet Boutique Lolly Buffets (Canberra), Your Style Dessert and Buffet tableware hire (Ipswich, QLD) and many more on the Directory here.

 

These sweet yellow chairs for HIRE would also look fantastic for this theme:

 

Get your birthday boy/girl a fun apron to wear as they serve some lemonade! Love these waterproof ones:

 

Or dress your birthday girl in a sweet pink and yellow outfit:

 

 

 

 

 

These ladder shelves are so fantastic for around the house and I know when I’ve used similar ones in my parties, some of my facebook readers have asked where to buy them from. They would really suit this theme I think – fill the shelves with cups/bottles etc for your lemonade stand – and of course use them around your home after the party!

 

 

You can also hire a similar ladder shelf as well as a butlers tray (along with a drink dispenser, bottles etc) from Utterly Organised Events in Melbourne.   Browse the hire category for other vendors in your location.

A butlers tray table would also look really sweet filled with some bottles. I’m not suggesting you buy this JUST for a party – they make a great little table for around the home! Or as mentioned above – hire one!

 

 

Some lovely props for this theme:

 

 

 

Chalkboards really suit a vintage feel for this theme:

 

 

 

Leave these suitcases open and fill them with bottles, cups, lemons, straws or just use them as risers under your drink dispensers perhaps?

 

A cute lemonade making kit:

 

 

Favours & Packaging

Give the little ones some of their own juicers to make some lemonade when they get home:

 

 

 

Or send the kids home with some of your own homemade lemonade using these cute bottles:

 

 

 

Some sweet packaging options for other sweets/treats:

 

 

 

 

 

Real Parties

There really are SO many gorgeous parties in this theme. Here are a few that really caught my eye for inspiration!:

Such an adorable pink lemonade party featured on Kara’s Party Ideas

Combine lemonade and tutu’s and you get one amazing par – featured on The Hostess with the Mostess website

A lovely summer lemonade stand party in blues, greens and yellows on the Hostess with the Mostess website

This lemon and lime party is a slightly different take on this theme but I love the colours & styling in this party from the Any Given Party website

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Anyone feel like setting up a lemonade stand after this post? It would be a lot of fun to style one!

I hope you enjoyed the ideas!