Thursday, August 16, 2012

A Pink and Aqua Themed Birthday Party

A pink themed birthday afternoon tea with a touch of aqua. Simple little touches can really transform a table.

This year I didn't feel I could manage with hosting a big birthday party for my girl so we decided to just have an afternoon tea with some of her school friends on the day of her actual birthday. So I spent a couple of hours baking and making our dining room pretty. I decided on a pink and aqua theme, actually the whole theme was based around some cupcake wrappers I'd bought!


Aren't these cupcake wrappers beautiful, they look like vintage fabric. I love these tall cupcake wrappers, so much easier to use then the normal style of patty cake wrappers. Slightly expensive but so worth it for a special event.


I sacrificed the bunch of hyacinths that my aunt gave me last week. The good blossoms I used for the take home lolly boxes and the wilting blossoms I strew across the white tablecloth. I found some lovely little white cardboard boxes that I filled with lollies for the girls to take home. I wrapped them with beautiful grosgrain ribbon - some pink and white stripped ribbon and some aqua ribbon. So simple but so pretty.

I also served ham sandwiches - all in the pink theme! And great for hungry kids after school.


I know you will have seen these little bottles and the retro waxed straws around before but I found them at our local party shop when I was buying ribbons and I could not resist them. I just filled the bottles with plain soda water which is my kids' favourite (we don't give them processed juice, cordial or soft drinks). I think these little bottles will look beautiful with flowers in them also. Stay tuned! I think I'm hooked on taking photos of flowers!


I served the cupcakes in this beautiful etched glass domed cake stand that my sister gave me a few years ago. I love the stand and this vintage romantic themed afternoon tea was the perfect setting to use it.


Raspberry jelly (jello) went down very well. These little glasses were el cheapo ones I bought at IKEA last year. I love how plain they are and being little they are great for desserts or kids water glasses.


It was all very pink! My daughter isn't actually a "pink" girl but she did think it all very pretty and loved all the little touches. Her favourite colours are purple, blue and green. Mine too!



I set the table with my mother's vintage cake teaspoon and cake fork set. Mum and Dad were given this beautiful set 50 years for their engagement present by mum's parents. I really love this set and it was so sweet seeing Sasha and her friends eating their cake, jelly and other treats with them.


Initially I was goings to use white linen napkins but they looked too white (is that actually possible??) so at the last minute I raided my material stash and found some pretty white material with shabby pink roses on it. I actually made a quilt for Sasha out of this material when she was a newborn baby (she slept a lot, about 20 hours a day...sorry don't hate me). To make the napkins I just cut squares using my pinking shears. I then stapled some aqua grosgrain ribbon into little rings. È voilà!


I will be blogging the cupcake recipe later this week. It is a rippa of a recipe. It never fails. They are caramel cupcakes (brown sugar based) and I've been using this recipe for family gatherings since Sasha's christening.


The kids all had a great time, lots of laughing, eating, dancing and jumping on the trampoline. At one stage there were 6 kids and a soccer ball on the tramp all at once ...and the dog could have been on it all there also, but I was pretending to not notice that. Luckily we've got a Springfree tramp so no possibility of falling off and no broken arms. Phew!

Here is the birthday girl. I can't quite believe she is 9! She brings us so much joy and we are so proud of her. My beautiful girl.


After all that, we went to dinner at our favourite Italian restaurant in Haberfield with the kids and Phil's sisters, as Sasha shares her birthday with Phil's elder sister. On the way home the kids started a discussion on what themes their next parties are going to be!!

I put an end to that conversation quick smart....LOL...


All over for another year...phew!

Cheers
Fiona xx

8 comments:

  1. What a sweet party! I love all your pretty details and the color scheme is beautiful! Your daughter is so pretty too!

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  2. Happy Birthday for yesterday Sasha, you look so grown up and mum has done an amazing job setting up your afternoon tea. All looks gorgeous Fiona, just beautiful. Your such a good mum xx

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  3. Fiona, your little girl is gorgeous! They grow up way too fast don't they?

    The party looks lovely - beautiful styling! xx

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  4. Fiona, your decorations and little touches look perfect, you really are very creative. Oh and Happy Birthday to Sasha too xxToni

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  5. Well I am a pink girl and I think it all looks totally gorgeous! Jake's 6th birthday is in 15 days (he is counting down the days of course!) and I am dedicating next week to getting it all orgnaised...party and presents. I am always so much more organised with Sophie's, then poor old Jake's is chucked together at the last minute. Usually ends up just fine though :)

    xx Karen

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  6. How lovely it all looks. The bottles are a great idea.
    I am visiting from Meg and mum's. :)

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  7. Well Fi looks trés chic mais not very shabby!!!!!!! You can go into catering!!!! Many happy returns to the gorgeous girl, my my 9 years old already!

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  8. Everything looks gorgeous Fiona! Pink and aqua are just meant for eachother I think :) So glad your little girl had a happy birthday.
    Cas x

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