Birthday
How To Throw A Killer Kiddie Party
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photographed by Sabrina Bot
Jun 25, 2015
Throwing a birthday party that is fun for your kids and their buddies and you and your friends can be a real feat, but not an impossible one. Need proof? Look no further than this festive beach-themed shindig thrown by Jennine Jacob of the San Francisco-based start-up Mrs. Peasy. To celebrate her son Jasper’s 2nd birthday, we asked Jacob to take her expert eye and surf Minted’s wide variety of invites and party décor to add some chic and playful printed elements to her backyard soirée. The results? Take a look after the jump, plus tips on how to ace your next hostess gig.
This post is brought to you by Mother + Minted
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- "We decided to go with a surf theme. Jasper's favorite movie is Finding Nemo and his favorite scenes are those with the turtles, who are basically surfer dudes. Jasper loves everything about the beach, water, and fish. So, we thought it would be a nice theme for a kid's birthday that was also fun for the parents. I love the idea of getting back to analog. Over the years, invitations via email and digital RSVP services have taken over, and the art of the invite has been lost. That said, I am the worst at mailing, so Minted's invites were great because they include a beautiful address printing service, so no one had to endure my terrible handwriting. The site has a great selection of invites with different themes, and this surf theme was super cute. It was also great because I could put a photo of Jasper on the back, which turned out to be a hit with the kids. I heard a few of his friends were carrying the invite around for days!" Minted Sun, Sand, and Surf Invitations, 10 for $35, plus free recipient addressing, Minted. Coordinating Thank You cards, photo backers on invitations, envelope liners, and upgraded die-cut shapes also available.
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- "We borrowed a few surfboards from friends and incorporated them among other water-themed elements, blue shibori, watercolor, tie-dye, indigo tablecloths, as well as a 'surf shack,' which was Jasper's tipi that we brought outside."
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- "My toddler loves quesadillas, watermelon, and pasta salad, sometimes he'll eat hotdogs, and those are all things that adults love, too. From all of my years hosting parties, I’ve learned that it's easy to get carried away with offering a ton of different kinds of food, which usually ends up as leftovers. It's a waste of time and money, so focusing on a few dishes that everyone can share usually works the best. To go with the surf theme, we labeled the food with Minted's custom indigo watercolor-edged cards, using words associated with surf culture to pair with the food, like 'Dogtown’ next to the hotdogs. The pasta salad we labeled ‘Wet Noodles,' a term to describe having no strength left in your arms after a long surf session, and so on.”
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- Minted Indigo-Edged Personalizable Table Signs, 2 for $7, Minted. All Minted party décor is available a la carte or in all-in-one packages, including personalized table signs, bunting banners, notecard favors, and much more.
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- A gorgeous "naked cake" via Batter Bakery.
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- "The tabletop is mainly the frame for the food. I never want the tabletop to overshadow the food. The red enamelware plates from Mrs. Peasy had a very outdoorsy element, while the indigo table cloth really made the table feel summery and watery. I also attempted to do some floral arranging, which always adds a component of festivity. The cake also helped it come to life! In my opinion, a party without cake is just a meeting."
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- Surfboard cookies via Batter Bakery.
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- The event's hashtag, spelled out on Minted's indigo table signs.
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- "Find the balance between what the kids love and what the parents love. Oddly enough, I feel like if the parents feel good about being someplace (it's relaxing, in a nice environment, etc.) they're happier and the kids pick up on that. Kids can use their imagination to play, and putting in a few elements that inspire them to play is enough. We don't need to overkill with activities, because that can be stressful for everyone, and who wants that?" The adorable birthday boy, Jasper.
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- Mrs. Peasy herself.
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- "We had a piñata made in the likeness of Nemo. While the toddlers had fun hitting Nemo with sticks, they couldn't hit him hard enough to break it open. It may have been a traumatic event, but they loved the prizes inside. Sharks, sea mammals, and Gummi Bears. We also had a water table, because at this age, kids really love pouring water. Next to that I placed little tie-dyed towels with a sign with orange, Nemo-like fish that reads 'Hang Ten, Dry Ten,' so they could dry their ten little fingers. We didn't have an actual 'shack,' but since we had this cute fish sign from Minted with the words 'Surf Shack' next to it, a tipi quickly transformed to fit the theme. We also had a couple of balls for them to kick around. They seemed like they were busy the entire party!" Beach Day Personalizable Table Sign, $14, via Minted.
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- The "surf shack" was a tipi brought outside for the afternoon.
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- A beach-themed, toddler-favorite snack. Minted Indigo-Edged Personalizable Table Signs, 2 for $7, Minted.
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- "The main highlight of the party for me was to see everyone having a nice time. The kids all had enough to do to stay entertained, and the garden was a contained space to let them explore without having to hover over them. This allowed the parents to relax more and hang out with each other. The piñata was a memorable part because the toddlers loved hitting the piñata, but getting it open required a bit more force, and I think ultimately was too intense for the kids. Hopefully, they won't be talking to their shrink about it in 20 years."
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- "Jasper loves parties. He's actually a good host for a little guy. He loves playing with the other kids and he'll hang out with the parents (not necessarily his). But I'd say his favorite things were the water table, the piñata, the cake, and jumping on the bed with his buddies afterwards." Party favors for the littles included mini tie-dyed t-shirts and tanks that Jennine made herself.
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- "One thing that's become a major part of parties is the idea of a 'photo booth.' It doesn't have to be an actual photo booth, but an area where people can take photos at the party without having to think too much about 'composing the photo' to get a great snap. We used Minted's shibori-printed fabric, because as much as I love doing shibori myself, I'm nowhere near skilled enough to take on such a large piece. This was perfect, and now I can use this fabric for other events!" Hand-Dyed Shibori Fabric (Used As A Photo Booth Backdrop), $32 per yard, Minted.
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- “Mrs. Peasy is a San Francisco-based party box rental company designed to make hosting small gatherings easy. We provide luxury tabletop items and serveware that elevates the experience of a party at one-tenth the cost it would be to buy. It's not only sustainable by providing a zero-waste option, but it also gives the host more bang for the buck in terms of visual impact. Last year when I hosted Jasper's first birthday, I spent a ton of money on food, supplies, entertainment, and the party was okay, but it wasn't that beautiful. This year, I ended up spending a lot less, and the difference in the ‘wow' factor was significant.” For more on Mrs. Peasy head over here.
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