Ahoy!

In party planning a theme and color scheme are always the first to check off the list. In this case, mom wanted to go with the birthday girl's favorite colors... red & blue. Is there any better way to celebrate those, than with a NAUTICAL theme?!

The invitation by Ellison Reed, set the tone for the party. After sending my client numerous choices, we  agreed this simple, classic, design would be perfect! Love it! 

I made the frame that hung on the front door to welcome guests & she found the darling anchor door mat!

The entry way...

It's always nice, if you have the space, to set up a small table near an entry way. Here I included touches of decor items that were displayed in other areas of the home and backyard to tie it all in.

The Dessert Table...

Many party planners and hosts/hostesses like to have a designated table for treats & desserts for guests. Here we wanted to show off the fabulous cake and darling cupcakes. I love to tier and with these three rustic pieces, I was able to create a nice set up for the goodies. I added a little netting & made the large pinwheels for another variation of texture & element with the sand. The large boat was the perfect touch, as it drew your eyes up and added more dimension to the overall look.

The Cake & Cupcakes...

The Cake Baketress

The cake was an absolute masterpiece! Everyone raved about the flavor... beautiful & tasty! 

How darling are the mini cupcakes? Mini cupcakes are a such a great idea when serving little people. 

The Birthday Girl's Table...

I wanted to give the birthday girl her own special seat and did so with balloons and this sign I made for the back of her chair. The centerpiece was a red geranium plant in a painted can, with a scrapbook sailboat design I created.

Table Touches...

The light blue table cloths made the stripe plates pop! The napkin rings with a little life saver (preserver) turned out great. I made sure to secure the mint tight to the rope... didn't want any littles choking on a hard mint. Water bottle labels and stripe straws are very popular. I like using the mini waters for child parties. Other centerpieces consisted of smaller painted cans filled with sand to "anchor" the pinwheels and flags I created.

Boat Races...

Mom found this idea and ran with it! It was the perfect activity for this age group and they enjoyed the whole process. Each child made a boat and raced it in these water filled rain gutters. Many had fun just playing with their boats in the water too. 

More Decor...

Mom wanted a large banner for the large patio out back. This nearly 25 foot banner was pretty from both sides. I used a thin rope & several different ribbon colors & textures to fill in gaps between flags. 

The life preserver was one of the first items I created. White and red ribbon and a large pinwheel are the details you can see below. There are two strands of rope with tiny flags that hang within the preserver as well. This hung on the main door to the party area outside.

The beverage counter outside with nautical touches like the "Sail Away" sign that mom had purchased, along with my buoys, a sand filled glass jar with flags and the painted can with pinwheels were the perfect nautical touches for this area. Not pictured, a large blue waterproof mat with anchor.

Party Pinata...

My client purchased this pinata from Karola's Kreations.

Beautifully crafted, this pinata was a wonderful decor piece during the party. When it was time to break it open each child lined up quickly for his/her turn at helping. What fun! 

Thank You...

The birthday girl sent her guests off with a special sailboat cookie, also made by The Cake Baketress. These were placed on the entry table for her friends to take as they left the party. All party printables (invitation, water labels and thank you tags) were created by Ellison Reed.

The birthday girl & her siblings...

Mom coordinated the kiddos in the party theme colors. They looked absolutely darling!

Ahoy! What a joy it was to style this party for one special little lady! Happy 5th Birthday, Miss A!

Food (sandwiches, salads, wraps & delicious deviled eggs) provided by Bertha's Cafe in Phoenix, AZ.