Clara’s big birthday party is tomorrow—her actual birthday too—and it’s hard to believe she’s already been here a year. Time has flown. Since so many of you asked for party details, I wanted to share a quick pre-party-prep post outlining the supplies and little plans for the celebration. I may be a bit over the top, but we’re totally smitten with our girl and grateful to celebrate her first year here.
First, I made some easy tissue paper pom-poms in our three main party colors—blue, green, and pink—to echo her nursery palette.
Those colors match the invitation and her room—she adores blue and green with a touch of pink. For now, I’ll embrace these cheerful hues before she inevitably goes through other phases.
Below is a numbered photo of the party supplies with explanations for each item.
- This is a cloth party hat that gets passed around the family for each child’s birthday. Clara has been eyeing it ever since her cousin Emanuel wore it on his first birthday.
- This birthday fabric was designed on Spoonflower for Clara’s 52-week photo. We’ll also use it as a backdrop for a small photo station where guests can hold blank cards with colored borders. We’ll add each person’s name digitally and make a little album so Clara can see and learn names like “Granny” and “Nona.”
- Patterned napkins and plates from Party City—on sale—match the look we like from Clara’s weekly photos and invitation. They provide a playful, photo-friendly background.
- Giant punch balloons from Target to hang from the patio trees (weather permitting) for a fun, whimsical touch.
- Two banners I made—one long ago from paper and one more recently with my sewing machine—full of patterns and colors that echo the weekly photo backdrops.
- Pink, blue, and green balloons from Target that I hope to inflate and turn into large balloon garlands to decorate outdoors or inside if it rains.
- Simple pink and blue tablecloths to cover mismatched outdoor tables and add pops of color around the yard.
- A festive table runner I stitched from some of Clara’s weekly fabrics. It was quicker than making her quilt and adds a handmade accent to the table.
- Sidewalk chalk to entertain kids on the patio and bubble containers shaped like ice cream cones to use as favors. I plan to personalize the bubbles with each child’s name.
I still need to make Clara’s smash cake and finalize the rest of the food, but that should be manageable. We’re also creating a small time capsule that guests can add items to for Clara to open when she’s 18—should be a lot of fun and a nice memory to look back on.
Operation Inflate All the Balloons is about to begin.
We’re attempting a DIY pull-string piñata. So far I mixed a paper mâché paste, blew up a punch balloon, and glued newspaper strips onto it. I let it dry overnight and then hung it outside to speed the drying. It’s still a bit questionable, but I’m hopeful. If it works, we’ll fill it with small toys and candy, cover it with ruffled tissue, and use pull strings so younger kids can enjoy it safely.
The only bigger worry than the piñata’s appearance is the weather forecast. Scattered thunderstorms threaten the afternoon, and I’m crossing my fingers for two clear, sunny hours so the outdoor setup and balloon decorations hold up. After that, we won’t mind if it rains.
Here’s hoping for blue skies and lots of bubbles, balloons, and smiling faces to celebrate Clara’s first birthday.