It's a Cupcake Party!

What a blast we had at Bella's first Birthday Party! It was cupcake themed with oranges, yellows, and pinks. I wanted to enjoy the company of family and friends so I tried to keep things simple. But, of course, I kept thinking of things to add=)

One goal I did have was to not make it so wasteful. Often times birthday parties are so disposable and I didn't want that. In decorating I tried to use things that could be reused after or give things a second life.

Left - Keeping it simple - cookies, crackers/hummus, and popcorn. My house is itty bitty and, while we love it and it suits us perfectly, I had to be resourceful in my food placement=)
Top - The Izze drinks, a natural soda, were awesome! I mean how often do you see sodas that coordinate with your color theme?
Bottom - My mom was clearing out her stash of kombucha bottles and (once again) they matched my color theme. I took them all and put silk gerbera daisies in them around the room. They added such a great splash of color and after the party I put them all together for another arrangement I don't have to worry about watering.
Right- I found a sheet set that I used in my apartment before I was married and had a double. I made the top sheet into these reusable napkins. I was so excited when I found the set because it matched perfectly. And before I was married I never made my bed or used a top sheet :o so it was brand new. I love that I can reuse these for so many things. I would suggest getting a head start on these though. Don't start the night before - which I didn't by the way =)

Top - This cupcake banner was originally a place mat found on clearance after Valentine's Day - what luck! Left - I love decorating with real flowers. This added a bright pop and I can continue to enjoy it after the party.
Right - I bought (on clearance=) a pack of Martha Stewart hair accessory kit for the little girls to put together. They had fun and it was a favor that would last a little longer than a cheap plastic toy.

Isn't she adorable! I know I'm biased, but really? Look as that smile, and the way she clapped when we sang to her? Adorable.

She hasn't had any sugar yet and while I wanted her to have the messy first cake pictures I didn't want to bombard her little system with all that sugar. However, that didn't mean that I had to substitute taste so I made her a Raw Strawberry Pie. Oh. My. Goodness. It was divine! Seriously you must try this!

Raw Strawberry Pie (found on Happy Foody) By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

picture from Happy Foody

It is best when served within an hour or two of preparing it, since
it is at its most fresh then, but it holds up just fine in the
fridge.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8-12

Crust:
2 cups raw almonds or pecans
3/4 cup pitted dates, preferably Medjool

Filling:
5 cups sliced ripe strawberries
5 pitted dates, soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Place the nuts in a food processor and grind until they’re a coarse
meal. Add the 3/4 cup of dates (for the crust) and process until
thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a non-stick or very
lightly oiled pie plate or spring form pan.

Arrange 4 cups of the sliced strawberries on top of the crust and set
aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine the remaining 1 cup of
strawberries with the 5 soaked dates and lemon juice. Puree until
smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over strawberries.

Refrigerate the pie for 1 hour before serving. This will help the pie
set and will be perfect for slicing.

I hope this little look into Bella's party has given you some ideas and inspiration for your next birthday party.

As a thank you for stopping by and in the spirit of giving I want to pass along the cupcake banner. I love it, think it's adorable, hate to see it go but don't want to just store it. So, if you are planning a cupcake party or any little girl party - leave me a comment and let me know. I'll let random.org pick the winner at the end of the week.

Be sure to come back each day this week for more awesome ideas. Tomorrow come back to see how to make THE cutest invitations and cupcake party favors. Once again - not biased=) Seriously, so awesome!

Make your life beautiful,