Sweet Shoppe Theme

What could be sweeter than a sweet shop party for your darling little one? Such a fun theme with lots of beautiful colours, candies, candy jars and more!

You could set this party up based on a traditional lolly store, a girly sweet shop with pastel colours or a bright modern candy store! Dream up different ways of displaying/serving the candies or treats (I’ve provided some unbreakable options in this post too!) and try not to eat too much of the candy before the day of the actual party!

Hope you enjoy….

Invitations/Printables

Lanch your party with a gorgeous invitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorations

You could make your own candy store awning, however this cute scalloped border could be used to help create a bright feel for your candy store for an easier option:

Another sweet option is this border wall decal which you could use to frame your sweet table setting:

A lovely backdrop for the table with custom wording available:

For a bright candy feel, these wall stickers will really liven up your party space and can then be transferred into the playroom/bedroom after the party:

Cute printable banner with candy stripe lettering:

The soft colours of this bunting would help create a pretty feel to your candy shop:

Or try this garland for a fun look!

Love this bunting as you can pick/choose which flag designs you like when you hang it up and can decide the order of the patterns as well. So if one of the designs don’t work into your theme you can leave it out:

These sweet paper chains can be easily made yourself with this kit of pre-cut paper which is adhesive and makes creating a unique and fun decoration easy!

The orange,pink and yellow colours of this garland is perfect for a sweet store feel!

Imagine the room decorated with these pastel pom pom’s! Just gorgeous!

Mix and match your hanging decorations for a cute look:

 

 

Table Decor

Set your table with these bright colours:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such cute polka dot straws for the cups/bottles!

To add to the fun of a sweet shop theme, try this straw holder to display all the pretty straws:

Yellow and pink are so beautiful together for this theme, and these custom wrappers would be lovely on poppers, glass bottles or juice bottles!

Sweet Treats

You could make a variety of coloured cookies with this sweets cookie cutter. They would look great on the table or could be used to make some cookie take home gifts:

If you are having cupcakes in your sweet shop, keep them within the theme with these cute cuptake toppers and wrappers:

 

 

 

Instead of a cupcake stand, try displaying your cupcakes in a sweet cupcake carrier such as this one. Tie a ribbon around the top to dress it up and I think it would look really sweet!

For your main cake these candles which have wording on them such as “Sweet” and “yum yum” are just perfect for this theme!

Also loving the yellow and white combination of these cuties:

The scalloped look of this cake stand would work in so well with a sweet shop theme, besides the fact that it is just gorgeous and could be used for many parties to come!

Now onto some items to display and serve your candy if you are having a candy buffet.

I have included some glassware as well as some unbreakable options as well, so depending on the age of your guests you can choose what is most appropriate! If most of the little one’s are very very young and it is mainly the adults you are having the dessert table for, then you can’t go past the beautiful glass jars for a classic sweet shop look!

However there are still fun options for displaying your sweets if you are worried about the kids around the candy jars!

First off I love these selections for a traditional sweet shop style:

 

 

 

Just adore these selections of elegant and modern candy jars:

 

 

If you are after some more affordable options, Ikea has a few simple but cute candy jars available such as this one:

Or these sets of 3 are another great idea:

 

For easy candy access (perfect for kids who you think can handle the glass but you still want to make it a bit easier for them) these candy bowl options are great!

 

 

Onto some fun unbreakable options and as you’ll see there are plenty of cute ways you can display your sweets/treats which are safe for tiny hands!

Love this turntable which can be used after the party too, to store all sorts of items!

Dress up these cones with some pretty paper:

These tin buckets which come in a range of colours (but I love this colour!) can be used to display lollipops as shown, as well as other treats:

Icecream cups and cupcake wrappers could also be used if you have a smaller group and hence less volume of lollies to serve

These sweet melamine bowls come in such lovely colours and can be part of your kitchenware after the party!

Another simple option is a tray such as this from Ikea which is easy for the little one’s to access and useful to display a few different lollies:

These colourful trays would look great for serving your other treats on, displaying cake pops or your drinks:

To make it even more fun to serve the candy, try one of these cute scoops or tongs:

 

 

 

 

Labels for your sweets not only help your guests know what they are, but also is an extra way to pretty up the table. Here are some lovely labels and stands to help you do just that!

 

 

 

You can’t have a sweet shop without sweets! Here are some of my favourites:

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to buy more lollies online here are a few candy stores to have a peek at:

The Sugar Boy online

The Candy Store

Lolly World

The Professors

Special Themed decorations/ideas:

For a classic sweet shop look, one of these bubblegum machines would look fantastic on the table:

Another lovely way to display your lollies is to place some of the jars on this tiered stand – wouldn’t they just look even sweeter?

Pinwheels are SO cute for any theme, and these pinwheels (available in other colours too) could be used as extra decoration on your sweet table for a fun look:

To create a sweet shop feel, perhaps use a welcome sign such as this printable one and place in a pretty frame:

Or for a more traditional feel this vintage shop sign:

This bright chalkboard sticker could also be used to write a welcome sign or birthday message!

Love this print! I’ll happily follow it’s advice =)

If you are creating different levels on your sweet table, this colourful wrapping paper would look great wrapped around the boxes you might be using to place your other candy jars on:

To really make the kids feel they are in a sweet shop, these toys are lovely as decorations and for your little one to play with after the party too!

 

 

 

 

Take Home Gift

If you are using sweets/candy as the dessert and wish to give the little one’s something novel to take home instead, here are a few cute picks:

 

 

 

 

The kids will absolutely love picking their treats from the sweet shop table either to take home, or to enjoy at the party! Here are some packaging ideas to carry on the fun:

 

 

 

 

 

To top off the favour bags, this ribbon is too sweet!

Or try this cute sticky tape!

These sweet pegs are adorable to attach to the top of a lolly bag!

Some sweet tags to say thank you to the little one’s for coming!

 

These striped tags come with a variety of numbers to match the age of your child. Love the colours!

Real Parties

If you are needing further sweet shop inspiration have a look at these real parties for some more ideas:

Bethany’s sweet shoppe party from Karas Party Ideas

A sweet shoppe party for twins on the Celebrations at home blog

Love the use of tissue pom poms in this sweet shoppe party on the Save the date for cupcakes blog

An amazing sweet shoppe party featured on the Little Sooti Blog

A unique way of spreading out the sweets in this sweet shoppe party featured on Hostess with the Mostess

Packed full of inspiration is this photoshoot based around the Lollypop printables from the TomKat Studio

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Hope you have enjoyed these sweet shop finds and they give you some inspiration for the Sweet Shop theme or for any candy buffet you are planning!

Enjoy & may your little one be truly celebrated!

 

 

 

 

Superhero Theme

If your child would love to have Super powers a Superhero party is the perfect chance for them to at least pretend for a day, that they do!

As you can see from the printable designs below – a generic superhero theme or one based on a comic book look, are popular rather than only a specific character (ie superman, batman etc) party.

Remember to visit the Party Directory section of this site in the midst of planning for this party to find all the items and suppliers you need! You can view my PINTEREST board for this theme here.

 

Invitations and Printables

A range of superhero printables for boys and girls:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorations

 

If you are crafty you can make your own bunting out of comic book pages! Love the look of this and I’m sure your little one will too! Follow the link to see the tutorial!

 

 

Here are some hanging decoration ideas which could work into this theme:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect for a girls superhero party:

 

 

 

Giant balloons for a super effect!

 

 

 

Table Decor

Here are some bright options for your kids table which you could mix and match. Some of the plate designs below often have matching sets so follow the link if you want to find the matching items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Treats

 

The little one’s are going to love these! Follow the link to get the template so that you can make these superhero lollipops! A simple way to transform a sweet treat for your theme!

 

Clever idea from the Mon Tresor blog to fill a push pop with coloured lollies to match this superhero party theme! You can purchase these push pops here

 

 

 

Another unique find are these Kaped Kandy Kones (from the US but can be shipped)! You could even make a similar design yourself. Fill them with lollies, popcorn, chips – anything you like!

 

 

 

Some items to use as toppers on sweet or savoury items:

 

 

 

Fill your candy buffet with these red, blue and yellow treats!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find lots of vendors on the Directory in your state to create a Cake, cake pops, cookies and more to suit this theme such as these Superhero cookies from The Iced Biscuit (Melb):

 

 

Some items for your birthday cake!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Party Hire:

There are some fun items you can hire for a superhero party. How fun would this phone booth be at to hire out?:

 

 

There are a few vendors on the directory which hire out similar canopies in other states. Contact me if you need referrals or browse the HIRE category on the childrens  party directory.

 

 

Props/Special themed items:

 

Love the idea of a personalised comic book covered letter to use as part of the party decor. If you are wanting a local supplier for these, chat to Shell at Hanging Pretty to create one for you:

 

 

A special customised cape for the birthday boy or girl for their party (and after!):

 

 

 

 

 

Or you could involve the birthday boy or girl in designing their own cape for the day with this fun kit:

 

 

 

Another cute gift idea for the birthday boy:

 

 

 

 

Here are some ideas for masks for the kids on the day:

 

 

A tutorial to create these masks yourself:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Party Favours

 

 

 

How cute are these peg dolls?:

 

 

 

 

Cute favour packaging idea:

 

A superhero tag would look great on one of these options:

 

 

 

Real Parties

Need more inspiration? Here are some Superhero parties filled with ideas which you can then tailor to your unique little superhero and how you wish to celebrate them!

Fantastic ideas in this amazing Superhero party by Tiny Tots Toy Hire

Love the cake toppers and backdrop in this party by staff from Little Red Chick

 Dessert table for a girls Superhero party by Sugar Coated Candy and Dessert Buffets

Love this amazing Superhero Party by Thetis of Sooti Event Styling + Design

Clever backdrop and great ideas in this superhero party by Barbe a Papa

Vintage pop art superhero party on Hostess with the Mostess blog

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Hope you enjoyed the Superhero selections and they help you plan the next celebration for your little one!

 

 

Aeroplane Theme

‘Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away….’! This sweet Aeroplane theme is so cute and perfect for little boys!

Let images of planes (vintage or modern), clouds, pilots, wings, airports, luggage & travel inspire you!

You could use a blue/white/red colour palette however I love some recent Aeroplane parties (see the end of this post) which have used the unique colour scheme of blue/white/orange and so I’ve incorporated some of my choices around this selection. However some of our previous posts such as the Nautical Theme & Fire engine theme have cute ideas for red decor.

You can have a lot of fun with this theme with the use of boarding passes, a luggage claim area (where the kids can collect their meal boxes or party favours), paper aeroplane making activities and more! I hope this collection below inspires your ideas and sets you on a fun journey of planning for this theme.

Invitations & Printables

To launch this post, here are a few printables and invitation collections which I thought were really cute for this theme:

 

 

 

 

A vibrant vintage invitation which is really unique!

These cute airplane printables can be used for lots of different items at the party and I love the boarding pass invitation!

 

Hanging Decorations

The Aeroplane theme is perfect for hanging decorations of clouds and flying planes and you can really be creative in creating a sky effect which you can then transfer into the bedroom/nursery after the party for a cute style:

This cloud and plane paper garland is too sweet for words!

 

Buntings always look great at parties and here are a few lovely options which would work for this theme:

 

 

 

 

I’ve featured this delightful cloud mobile (which comes in various colour raindrops) in my Nautical theme post as it can be worked in for a few different themes and would look great in creating a cool sky effect!

I also love this unique paper cloud balloon! It would look fantastic suspended with some clear string:

Another great effect could be created using these colourful Aeroplane mobiles above your dessert/cake table!

 

Wall motifs and stickers continue to be a unique decoration which can be moved into the bedroom after the party:

 

 

 

Tissue pom pom’s would be ideal for a cloud effect. You could bunch them together to create cloud clusters or spread them out throughout the room for a gorgeous cloud scene. The best thing is – they are white so they could be reused many times over for different themes!

Hang a bunch of these blue paper fans together for a blue sky backdrop that you could then mix the white pom pom’s into as well!

To incorporate balloons into this theme, these blue and white polka dot GIANT balloons would look sensational in the party area!

 

Table Decor

Your table decor can be worked around the colour scheme you have chosen, but here are a few different options to have your party table flying high!

 

 

These chalkboard placemats could be used in the centre of the table to create a tarmac centrepiece! You could draw runway lines onto the placemat and place some toy planes on them for a great look!

Another unique way of dressing the table is this fun world map tablecloth to connect the idea of travelling into your plane theme!

Some colourful tableware choices which we are sure will make the food taste even nicer!

 

 

 

 

If you are incorporating orange into your colour scheme then these stripy straws look fantastic in this colour!

A cute alternative to the milk bottle is the use of small glass milk carton’s! They are so fun and different and I am sure all the kids will love drinking out of them!

 Sweet Treats

A nice cupcake wrapper can instantly dress up the simplest of cupcakes! Here a few choices which could work for you:

 

Blue and orange look so great together don’t they?

These pom pom cupcake toppers are adorable! They look like little mini fluffy clouds – just perfect for this party!

Also loving these cupcake toppers with a cute design and colour scheme:

It’s easy to have Aeroplane theme cookies using these cutters!

For your main cake, these blue details will ensure it takes centre stage on your table!

 

 

Special Themed Decorations/Ideas:

Your little boy may have some cute toy aeroplanes you can use to help decorate the party table/area however if not, or if you want some more, here are some really lovely choices which will be great for the Birthday boy to keep and play with after the party too!

 

 

 

These vintage planes would really stand out wouldn’t they? Just lovely!

 

Now for a few other unique items which may be useful for this theme. If I had a boy I wouldn’t be able to resist this cute pilot hat! It is just gorgeous and would make a great beanie too in winter months!

These pilot accessories are great for decoration or for your little one to wear:

 

An aeroplane theme compliments a travel decorations/items as well, and these unique notebooks could be used for the little one’s to obtain stamps  during the party (for example when they they complete a party game). If you wanted you could even have different  “Country” stations set up at each game area, so they are “flying” to different countries for each game and receive their stamp on arrival! These notebooks would also make great party favours too!

Cardboard suitcases are great to be used for decoration for this theme or as a way of displaying your tableware for the kid’s to collect (cutlery, plates etc), or to display your other unique items such as the above notebooks! They work as fantastic storage for after the party too!

You could decorate the suitcases (or other items for your party) using these cute plane and travel stickers:

 

How lovely is this globe (and not as pricey as it may look)! It would make a unique decoration for this theme and an educational toy for your little boy for later on too!

For a personal touch this stamp with a vintage plane means you can personalise a range of items for your party! Your little one is sure to love this and it could be used to label all sorts of items for him in the future too!

It’s great to have a hands on activity at a party and these kits to create your own planes/gliders are sure to keep the little one’s busy. You could also have your little boy work on this before the party and then use the plane as a decoration for a personalised  touch!

 

 

Love the vintage look of this Aeroplane carousel which would be a unique table decoration and look lovely as room decor as well:

Another centrepiece idea which would make a fun toy as well is this toy airport! Really liking the wooden look!

 

Take Home Gift

All the little one’s at the party are sure to be in love with aeroplanes by the end of this party! So here are a few cute ideas for take home gifts for them:

 

 

 

 

 

To package these items or some sweet treats there are lots of cute options for this theme! First off are these fantastic luggage favour boxes! They would look so good all packaged up and ready for the kids to take home!

Another adorable option are these unique milk carton favour boxes which match with the invites/printables shown at the start of this post. The clouds look so sweet and the personal touch of the name is a really nice extra!

To go along with the travel theme are these cute mailbox favours ! If you have travel related crafts at the party ( eg. creating a postcard or drawing on some letter paper) the kids could take these home along with this favour box:

These suitcase favour tins could also be used for some unique decorations too! You could even stick your food labels onto them and place them on your table!

Also loving these other cute options which you could embellish with ribbons, tags, mini pegs or stickers.

Gingham is such a sweet pattern which we don’t see enough of in partyware even though it looks so lovely here in blue and white!

You can never go wrong with polka dots. They always look good!

A touch of orange if you are working this into your colour scheme:

This carry box could also be dressed up to look like a suitcase, which makes it another great option for this theme!

Can’t go past these luggage tags to top off your favour packaging! They could also be used to label your food or as an embellishment on your drink bottles too:

This airmail twine really compliments the Aeroplane theme and would finish off your packaging nicely:

Or to bring in a touch of orange, this vibrant ribbon would do the trick!

And finally some special items for the Birthday boy! I love that these ride on planes are wooden – they have a really unique feel about them and would make an extra special gift for your little man!

 

Real Party Inspiration

I wanted to end this post off by providing you some links to some real parties using this theme as they can be a great source of inspiration and ideas! However just like every child is unique, so should every party be unique. So pick and choose the elements and ideas you love and then work in your own touches!

• Levi’s Aeroplane party by Polkadot Prints
• Little Aeroplane party by Kate from Sambellina
• Captain Archie’s 2nd Aeroplane party by Nicole from Little Soiree
• Aeroplane party by Not Just a Mommy
• Aeroplane party styled by RubyJu
• Aviator Airplane party showcased on Kara’s Party Ideas

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Hope you enjoyed this post on this adorable theme! I have enjoyed sourcing these various items for you and would love to hear from you if you use any of these ideas for your little one’s celebration!

 

Garden Tea Party – Styled by Whimsy Petite Styling

Spring is in the air, and now is the perfect time to get to planning for a sweet garden tea party {of course any time of year is a wonderful time for a tea party don’t you think?}.
I know a lot of you loved the Tea Party Theme post we shared recently and now I am excited to share with you exclusive images and details of a sweet Springtime Tea party styled by Whimsy Petite Styling, Brisbane. Don’t miss also a special offer for our Life’s Little Celebrations readers at the end of this post! =)

For Tash, stylist at Whimsy Petite Styling, Spring evokes images of blue skies & green grass, pretty spring blooms & summer dresses, sophisticated garden soirees and afternoons filled with casual delight!

These images were her inspiration behind this gorgeous  4th birthday party.
As Tash explains “This was to be a sophisticated tea party for little ladies, not sparing any of the trims.  From beautiful handmade linens, to antique fine china, luscious floral arrangements and a homemade menu to delight the tastebuds. The little guests were to enjoy an afternoon of good old fashioned high society living”.

Guests arrived in pretty dresses with beautiful spring inspired accessories – instantly setting the tone for a delightful afternoon soiree.
Despite the best laid plans the day of the party did not in fact bring blue skies for the most part – thankfully a well sized deck was at hand to allow the soiree to go ahead.

I love the look of this table dressed with linen tablecloths and pretty pastel colour tableware! Oh and how lovely are those pretty personalised party hats which doubled as place settings?

Antique tea cups were the perfect vessel for jelly cups.  Topped with a dollop of cream and raspberry, the little guests felt quite grown up using their “grown up” tea cups which is a great way of using pretty teaware for the little one’s!

The menu consisted of old fashioned homemade treats: Fruit Kebabs {with dipping marshmallow}, chocolate brownies, lemon tarts, finger sandwiches, jelly cups, and individual serves in Robert Gordon cups of old fashioned sweets and caramel popcorn.
Adults also enjoyed a selection of cheese and fruit platters at their table.

Despite the disappointment of not having the table set up under the shade of the trees on the beautiful green lawn as planned, the weather did manage to hold out long enough for guests to enjoy old fashioned lawn games of egg and spoon races,a  three legged race, an egg hunt and relays. A bunting created start and finish lines which added sweet character to the lovely back yard – what a great idea!

4 year olds love getting crafty don’t they!  Whimsy Petite Styling came up with a quaint idea of each of the girls decorating their own flower pot which would be their take home gift.  Each guest received their own apron, brushes and ready to paint pot.  Seedling trays were used as paint pallets and painted old tins for the water to wash the brushes off in.  You can just imagine the wonderful time they would have had creating bright pots which dried while they enjoyed other party activities.  The girls then took these home with a packet of spring flower seeds to plant and enjoy in the coming weeks. What a unique party favour!

For those of you planning a tea party theme here are Whimsy Petites top tips for a great tea party:

•    It doesn’t have to cost you the earth!  You’d be surprised what you probably already have around the house to use as tableware, props etc.  And if you don’t have any…it won’t take long to find someone who does!
•    The best way to use your fine china….is to actually use it!  Dust off Grans old tea set and get some joy out of it! Not using your old china makes it brittle – then no one will get to enjoy it {I always say there’s no point saving it for the queens visit…I don’t think she will ever come!}
•    Consider safety and practicality too….we use melamine plates at children’s place setting to reduce likely hood of breakage { other platters and teacups on the setting in this party are all antique china}
•    If you don’t have any old cups and saucers you can find them easily enough at second hand stores.  A mismatched setting always adds character and interest to the table so don’t be too worried about finding complete sets.
•    Be sure to press your table linen – a crisp clean cloth lays the foundation for a beautiful, sophisticated table setting.
•    Coordinate your colour palette and be sure to flow it throughout the event
•    Flowers are a must! They are an essential element to creating a beautiful spring atmosphere to a tea party, and there are so many beautiful blooms to choose from!  Place a number of arrangements around the party to create atmosphere and bring the delight of a spring garden to all corners of the party
•    Use items like cookie jars, ornate glasses or recycled jars as vessels for pretty spring blooms.
•    Keep your menu simple.  Bite sized finger foods is ideal for this type of party….and traditional homemade foods are the perfect option for this theme
•    Be sure not to forget the adults at the soiree – provide a simple range of refreshments and nibbles for them too
•    Keep games simple and fun – they don’t have to be about winning prizes – children love old fashioned games like, relay races, hoola hoops or scavenger hunts..these keep them giggling and occupied for ages
•    Hang reusable decorations like pom poms, lanterns or buntings – they all look fabulous rehung in a little ones bedroom or playroom; and are a lasting reminder of the celebration they had
•    Keep thank you gifts simple and in keeping with the theme – a garden pot with seeds; a single tea set with cookies; a pretty headband and accessories….something that will last and bring joy to your guests which will generally last longer than the car ride home.

Exclusive LLC reader offer

If you loved the pretty bunting and just gorgeous party hat’s used in this tea party then you are going to love this special offer available to YOU!

Whimsy Petite would like to offer the readers of Life’s Little Celebrations a wonderful Tea Party themed discount to celebrate the coming of spring and the successful launch of their business this year.
Start styling your own spring themed tea party with this wonderful offer of a 3m handmade fabric bunting plus a custom styled party hat in coordinating colours of your choice. Normal price of $55.  LLC special only $40. {based on a cardstock hat with fabric trim – reinforced fabric hats also available at an additional cost}

This exclusive special is only valid to Lifes Little Celebration readers and is valid from date of blog post until September 15th 2011. Please allow up to 28 days for production of goods ordered, limited to the first 20 orders received.
Email Tash {whimsypetite@hotmail.com} before September 15th to order your exclusive pack, be sure to quote the special code of LLC TEA PARTY to get your discount.
If you would like inspiration or help in creating a fabulous Tea party or any other soiree of your own,  contact Tash to discuss Whimsy Petites event styling services, party packs or inspiration boards.

Thank you Tash for sharing this wonderful party with us and this beautiful bunting & party hat offer !

250 Liker Giveaway

It has astounded me that 250 + of you have joined Life’s Little Celebrations journey so far!

I had much smaller expectations for this blog, but it is amazing how things work out isn’t it?

To celebrate this – I’d love to give you the chance to win a bunch of goodies which I have purchased from Mon Tresor based around a red/white theme since a red/white palette can really work into SO many different party themes. You can view these items on my facebook page.

All you have to do is comment below stating what is your favourite party theme of all time!

Entries close Saturday 30th July at 6pm (AEST) and I will use random.org to draw a number. Whoever is the corresponding comment to that number will win our prize pack!

As simple as that =)

Good luck and thanks again for being a part of this blog to help you celebrate your little one’s!

Tanya