We did it!! We celebrated Addie’s third birthday in major mermaid style. And I think all of the kids had as much fun as I did! All of the creative elements of the party came together just as I had envisioned and I think it was pretty darn amazing (am I allowed to say that?) We transformed our hot, weedy outdoor space into quite the beachy destination and I’m really excited to have that space to hang out in now that the party is over!! In fact, we were out there all day Sunday, and Graham and I even sneaked down there after the kids were in bed to have a glass of wine in the peaceful evening with our lantern candles flickering – bliss!
I have a lot I’d like to share about the party and some tutorials planned, but I’m going to just overload you with pictures today and then, when my brain functioning returns, I’ll post more of the details – assuming you’re interested, that is. It’s sort of a weird thing – this blogging gig – because I feel like I’m talking to you, but I don’t really have any clue if you’re interested…good with a little info….wanting more details or more pictures or tutorials or maybe just something else entirely? Such a guessing game, so speak up, I’m listening, okay?? Now… here’s a snapshot (or many) of the party:
My beautiful birthday mermaid! I think she looks pretty dreamy in her cute swimsuit and pettiskirt (full tutorial here) made by her mama.
Dining for mermaids and mermen – kid menu items included: goldfish, chips, watermelon, terriyaki chicken wings, and mac and cheese shells.
If you can’t have your mermaid party at the beach, you can have the beach delivered to you! I knew it would be cool to have a sand pile, but I didn’t anticipate just how much it would round out the beachy feel of the party. AND now my girls want to live outside covered in sand. They played pirates all day after the party and built a super cool “pirate ship” – see?
One of my favorite spaces for long term potential – this is across from our kiddie pool – great for hanging towels and admiring my – let’s call it whimsical – beachy art (get the beach art how-to here).
Homemade taffy. It’s not that the party needed homemade taffy, but how much fun is it to have a great excuse to give taffy-making a try?
The fabric banner found a nice place hanging above the seashell painting area. I kind of love this little seashell sign I painted up, but maybe not as much as I love this next sign….
I thought this would be a good spot for naughty children to have a time out. The Crab Shack – get it? sorry….I entertain myself with that kind of humor. Okay, moving on…
More candy on the dessert table – this is candy sea glass, candy making doesn’t get easier than this one! And I can’t get over how great raw sugar works as “sand.” Thank you, Pinterest, once again.
A zoomed out shot of the dessert table mostly set – I also had cupcakes out here, but they didn’t make it down from the house in time for their photo shoot. Do you recognize the dessert table?
And as long as we’re talking about dessert, let’s squeeze in some more yummy pictures of candy and cake. The candy seashells turned out pretty on top of that ocean-y cake, right?
I hear the cake was delicious – chocolate with rasberry filling and lemon with rasberry filling, frosted with swiss meringue buttercream. I’m not usually one for fads, but the ombre ruffles were a must for this cake!! (Full tutorial for the decorating the cake here.)
A pre-party picture of the cupcakes. I love those mermaid cupcake toppers!
Pillows are so simple to make – I whipped up a pile of them to cozy up the party space and add some extra color. (Read all about the pillows here.) I used remnants from the quilts I’m working on for the girls’ room so that the pillows are ready to accent their beds should I ever finish the quilts!!
And, finally, I even handed off the camera to get my picture taken with the birthday girl herself!!
Alright! Happy Monday everyone! It’s a new week, a new month, and I have just tossed my mermaid party to-do list in the trash. Checkity-check-check-check!! What are you working on?
Comments & Reviews
Madbags says
brilliant party – wish I was so talented.
need to ask one thing – what is taffy?
Night Garden Design says
@Madbags: Taffy is chewy candy. It’s sold at beaches here in the states, sometimes called “saltwater taffy”. She mentions “taffy pulling”; after you cook the candy on your stovetop (if you’re making it at home) you butter up your hands and pull the taffy blob into long strands, snipping it into bite-sized pieces and wrapping the pieces in wax paper. A popular pastime in earlier decades, now sometimes a Girl Scout project.
sweeter than cupcakes says
Great details!! I love every inch!
Christene says
It was the best birthday party ever!!!!!! Everything was amazing..and better in person!!! Thanks for sharing with us 🙂
Mom says
I love it! Lots more details please!! =)
toots2u says
You put the most amazing parties together…every little detail!!
Shannon says
You are awesome! You are talented and very creative. Your daughter is lucky to have such a talented mommy! It looks like you left no detail out. 🙂 You rock!
Kristie Clower says
Once again Stef, you totally rock. Everything looked amazing. EVERYTHING! I don’t think there’s any part of the party that I don’t want to know more about. If you have time & energy tutorials on everything would be awesome. Maybe even a tutorial on how to be awesome like you? I adore the picture of you & Miss Addie at the end & the birthday girl in the sand pile. Happy Birthday Addie!
Betsy says
Wow. . .can I have a mermaid party too. LOL I love it all. Amazing!!!
Julia says
Stef…you ARE amazing!! I think you need to go into business or something. What a beautiful party and everything was just lovely! I love the sweet picture of you and your daughter at the end:)!
~Julia
Kerilyn says
I can’t even. You are one amazingly creative woman. What a wonderful party for your cutie!! Mazzy wouldn’t even know what to do with herself, she’d love it that much. 🙂 That is the sweetest photo of you and your girl.
nest full of eggs says
everything goes together so well ~ i’m loving all the turquoise 🙂
this party should be in a magazine… you really know how to throw a party !
Anne @ Domesblissity says
Oh my goodness Stef! That looks an amazing party, as do all of your parties and projects. In all the time I’ve followed you I can’t say I’ve ever seen a photo of you and I always pictured you as a more ‘mature’ Mum with young children because your skills and abilities are just outstanding and you look like you’ve been crafting and sewing for 40 years! You’re just amazing and I love everything you do. It’s even more amazing now. You look like your daughter’s older sister! Well done!
Anne @ Domesblissity
Lindsay(PACountryCrafts) says
WOW! That is so awesome!!! I love everything- you did a fantastic job!!!
Vanessa@Designs By Sessa says
Holy Freaking Cow!!! That is the prettiest most awesome mermaid party I have EVER seen!!! You are SO hugely talented my friend! WOWZERS!!!!
Anonymous says
Could you throw me a mermaid party, and does it matter that I am over 30 🙂 You could do tutorials on it all and it wouldn’t be to much to me! I love the cake and would love to know how to do the ruffles. The pillows are to die for…and the pettiskirt tutorial would be wonderful.
Heather