I couldn’t find a good spot for the photo booth so ended up hanging it in front of my china cabinet. The lighting was not the best and I didn’t manage to get everyone but it was still a super cute idea. I would recommend assigning someone to catch all the guests as them come in the door and forcing them to engage in your fun photo opportunity. Including the noses!!
I don’t even know how many people came for the party but it was AMAZING. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family! I’ve never had such a successful party before, including all my own childhood birthdays. I wasn’t the most popular child. Maybe this is a good sign for his elementary school status, although if I have to throw a party this elaborate every year for the next decade I’m going to need access to a much larger budget. And also some high quality pharmaceuticals.
p.s. If you want a copy of your picture let me know!
Although my plan was to save money by making all the decorations for Evan’s circus birthday party, it didn’t take long for things to get out of hand with my budget. (Or at least that’s what WOULD have happened if I’d had a budget to begin with. I’ve never been good with numbers.) I would have been better off ordering a couple banners off Etsy, picking up paper plates and cups at the dollar store, plopping a hat on everyone’s head and calling it good. So don’t come around here looking for cheap party tips because I don’t have any. If you want inspiration, cute ideas or hints on where to find circus themed stuff, then by all means keep reading.
I decided I needed a wreath for the door at 9 pm Friday night. It’s tissue paper on cardboard.
Banner on the front porch. Craft paper from JoAnn Fabric.
Playbill font on craft store paper.
I pushed our buffet in front of the fireplace to keep the kids out and used it as a cake table. The photos on the mantle were done by Nina Benjamin, a local photographer. Tablecloth is just a couple yards of fabric from Joann’s. Circus tray is vintage from my grandmother, crown is from Michael’s crafts with a little felt badge I made glued on.
I used “Coffee Tin”, a free font I downloaded, and printed on paper rectangles I bought at the craft store. No cutting involved!
Popcorn boxes from the $1 section of Target, wind up clowns, gumball machines and pin wheels from the dollar store.
Prizes for the older kids, although the games were so disorganized I just handed them out to whoever I could find.
Origami circus animals from Michael’s.
I bought a 50-balloon helium tank from BJ’s for $22 and used ALL of it. Balloons outside, balloons inside, balloons on the ceiling, balloons on the staircase.
BALLOOOOOOOONS!
My proudest and most frustrating decoration – I cut every single one of these tiny triangles out by hand and sewed them together one at a time in a looooooooog streamer.
Clown noses ordered from Oriental Trading Co, free circus font downloaded from internet, tablecloth is fabric from Joann’s
Napkins from Celebrate Express (seriously, they had some good stuff)
Games: clothespin drop, pin the nose on the clown, coloring pages of (non-scary) clow faces
ALL those little circus graphics are actually from favor boxes I bought at Christmas Tree Shops. I cut them up and used them as my theme and color scheme. The silverware holders are actually pencil holders from the $1 section at Target. Tickets from iParty.
I ordered a photo book from Snapfish with a 30% off coupon code and left a few pages blank in the back to use as a guest book. The photos are a recap of Baby Evan’s first year.
Bean bag toss – the cloth was purchased at Target on clearance, E built the backing. Extra bean bags bought at Christmas Tree Shop.
More fabric from Joann’s, top hat and mustache from local party store, baby suspenders from Belt Outlet online.
I spent so much time painstakingly cutting out paper triangles, sewing yards of banner and hunting down just exactly the right font for my invitations that I completely forgot about providing food for Evan’s circus birthday party until the last minute. All I had planned was cake and candy and – although those are two of MY favorite food groups – I don’t think most people consider Pixie Stix and fondant a balanced meal. Also, I thought maybe giving all the kids an option besides SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR SUUUUUUUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAR would be a wise choice. I’m all about the wise choices.
I tried to stick with my circus/carnival theme, which made munchy, snacky food a good option. Here’s what we ended up with:
Popcorn
Hot dogs
Soft pretzels
Cotton candy
Nachos
Animal crackers
Fruit
Salt water taffy
Rita’s Italian Ice
Cake
Jones Soda
Pink and Yellow Lemonade
…and a whole bunch of random candy I used as decoration rather than food.
Circus cake by Amanda, covered in homemade fondant, top layer is rice krispie treat, second layer vanilla, bottom is chocolate. Delicious AND gorgeous!
Dining room table buffet. The empty bowl is for the giant soft pretzels. Also missing: nacho dip.
My mom cut up GALLONS of fruit because she loves me and would like to let me keep all my fingers
$10 popcorn machine from Craigslist, boxes from party store online
Mini-cotton candy bags bought in bulk from BJ’s (Circus tray from Goodwill)
Hot dog trays from iParty, old-fashioned ketchup & mustard from grocery store
Jar from a flea market, animal crackers from Target, candy stand from TJMaxx, taffy from Christmas Tree Shops
The lemonade has lemons floating in it, the pink lemonade has pink ice cubes with cherries in them. Cups from Celebrate Express online, straws from grocery store, milkglass vase from flea market, drink pitches from Target.
Rita’s Ice! I got a 2.5 gallon party bucket, which was MORE than enough and they let me borrow a scoop and gave me free cups. Loooooove Rita’s!
Vanilla smash cake with buttercream frosting for Baby Evan – the pictures are FANTASTIC. It was a GREAT idea thought of and baked by Amanda. Cake stand is mine from a flea market.
Check out more party posts including circus party decorations and our circus party photo booth.
At 7:21 pm tonight, Baby Evan will be 1 whole year old.
Most of my birthday posts have been filled with disbelief that the months since Baby Evan was born have passed so quickly. Oh my God, look how fast he’s growing. Holy cow, he can roll over/crawl/walk. Gee, we better hurry up and babyproof. Blah, blah blah blah yakety yak yak. It’s like the mantra of experienced parents everywhere: enjoy every moment because they grow up so fast.
But looking back, every second of the last year has been a million times longer than any previous second in any previous year. Time hasn’t flown, it’s stretched and stretched like a huge piece of taffy or the world’s longest Slinky. There have been a billion trillion zillion magical moments and another million terrible ones – sometimes all in just one day. My life is fuller, richer, busier, happier and just life-ier than ever before thanks to one tiny little 7 pound 12 oz miracle. Who’s now a 23 pound red-headed terror. But the cutest, sweetest, loviest little terror ever to run rampant through a sleepy Connecticut town. I thank God every day that I get to be his mother and pray I get to enjoy another long, busy, exciting, sleepless year starting tomorrow. Plus a 100 more after that.
12 Month Milestones from Baby Center
Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Imitates others’ activities – He’s gotten really good at imitating. He can clap, give kisses, put things in, take things out and a few more.
• Indicates wants with gestures – Still not very good at pointing with a finger but reaches and definitely indicates wants.
Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Takes a few steps – RUNS.
• Says one word besides “mama” and “dada” – He only started saying “mama” yesterday with any meaning attached. But he DEFINITELY knows “mama” now and we’re working on “dada”. If we count “ba” as “ball” then sure, one other word.
Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Walks alone – RUNS. Although we’re still working on walking without falling and giving himself brain damage more than once or twice a day.
• Scribbles with a crayon – Who gives a 1-year old a crayon? I don’t have enough time to scrub my walls AND call poison control to find out how much wax a kid can safely eat.
• Says two words besides “mama” and “dada” – Well, if we could “ba” and “ball” and “balloon” then SURE. But not really.
Good morning Mama!! I have new teeth today!
Running towards Daddy (my hero)
Take my picture!
Ok, all done!
