Through house and yard work, stepson visit, regular work and lots of other things that crept up this summer, I ALMOST got a summer issue out an emag out... I didn't want to do it without feeling really good about it and I felt too rushed... so instead of wasting the progress I did make, I wanted to share it with you guys!
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Parties for toddlers can get pretty repetitive (princess, elmo, etc). I love parties based on books... but my not songs?! Do you remember singing "The Ants go Marching" when you were little?! It was my favorite song to sing with the kids at the daycare I worked at when I was young - we sung it every day when we "marched" to the restrooms for diaper changes!...
...I thought... let me do a spin on a summer ant picnic... Hope you enjoy!
(p.s. I am not grand photographer, it rained and had to do the shoot inside... so definitely could have been better!)
Setup
Lots of rain, leaves and ants married with pinks and reds to make it a more girly day! You could easily swap out for more traditional boy colors to make it perfect for a boy!
DETAILS
Food: Picnic lunches in mini picnic baskets for everyone! Sandwich, fruit and a few ants along for the ride!
Name tags coordinated with the theme using watermelon note pads!
Food: Since this would be perfect for a toddler party... I carved a "2" out of a half of watermelon using a cookie cutter for trace and a carving knife... Popsicle sticks and some pretty twine make watermelon slices ready for snacking!
Decor: Raindrops cut with the Cricut using glitter paper (2 glued together) where used hanging from the leaf with fishing wire!
Snacks: "Puddles" were made using jello in clear mini bowls, tied with twine... to add that extra Frosting, I cut out leaves, raindrops and ants with the Cricut. I glued the leaves stir sticks I had colored with marker and adhered with tape to the container (not inside the bowl so that it wouldn't touch the food).
Drinks: I cut grass with the Cricut, adhered to mini milk jugs and filled with juice. I cut green fondant leaves, scored, added a hole, bent and let dry before topping off the drinks. Adorable detail AND it keeps the flies out! only ants allowed ;o)
Cake: I created this unique ant hill cake baking in two different sized, metal bowls. I covered in thin icing and crushed graham cracker. I made a coordinating "happy birthday" pendant and grass made from the Cricut to make sure the ant hills were cute, not icky!
Favors: Everyone gets to take home a mini picnic basket full of "raindrops"! I found an icecube tray that was raindrops... I added blue coloring to white chocolate melts and packaged with a leaf and metal ant brad!
Hope you are inspired to think outside the traditional party theme box!
Supplies:
Ants with eyes - Marshall's HomeGoods
Book (ants go marching) -
Amazon
Clipped ants - Michael's Craft Store
Overhead leaf, green carpet "grass" -Ikea
Mini favor baskets - AC Moore
Milk bottles - Save-on-crafts
Twine -
The Twinery
Watermelon (stuffed) - JoAnn Fabrics
Quick update... Thank you all for your well wishes as my little guy, Elias, turns 2 weeks tomorrow! I am so glad I took the time to not focus on anything buy my new family, it has been such a blessing and dream come true. My recovery (c-section) is going well and I am feeling up to being back in the party world! Thank you all for supporting me while I had a hard pregnancy! many hugs!
