Mermaid Party and Big Giveaway!

Finally! I am finally getting around to sharing Penelope’s party pictures! Um, I am not sure about you, but I don’t know where the last 2 months have gone. This party was actually pretty stressful to plan, since I still don’t know our new town like I knew our old hometown. I agonized about finding the perfect location and scouted and called and planned and prepped, just to find the perfect spot. In Tallahassee, that would have taken me 15 minutes. In the end, it was worth it, I had found the most perfect spot for a mermaid theme party. But note to self: the next time I move across the state before Penelope’s birthday, make it a trip to Disney kind of birthday.

Even though this party had higher levels of stress than I like thanks to our move, it was her best party yet. Damn near perfection, I would say. It would have been nice to have a little bit more sunshine, but the rain held out till just after the last person left. Most importantly, Penelope had an amazing time. It was exactly what her little heart wished for and she was perfectly happy the whole time, not one single meltdown or fearful moment.

Here she is after getting out of the car and seeing the party decorations all set up for the first time. Read on to see all the details and enter the mermaid party giveaway! You could win almost $700 worth of party supplies for your little girl!!

My mermaid princess. She luh-uved this party hat so much. She still wears it all the time when she plays dress up at home. Little Pink Tractor Party Goods could not have done a better job designing and creating it.

After Penelope arrived, she made a bee-line for the coloring table I set up, just like I thought she would. Coloring is very calming for her. Anytime she is at a crazy party and there is a coloring table, that’s where you will find her. Since I know about her SPD this year, I kept the invite list to 5 little girls. Last year there were 12, but it was a very familiar location, and everyone there were her best little girlfriends. But 5 was a good call this year. Although I hate to leave anyone out, it was exactly what she needed. She really played well and made memories with each little girl there. Plus, Peter and I were able to really spend time with the parents who came and got a chance to get to know them better and begin to forge some new friendships. The party was supposed to be over at 1pm, but everyone was having such a great time they stayed till after 3pm! It was truly an awesome day.

I found these wave tablecloths at Target over a year ago, on sale for a couple of bucks each. Total score.

The coloring table was easy-peasy set up. I printed out a bunch of free images online, put crayons in a mason jar with a bow and BAM! Done! I am a big fan of putting a bow on a mason jar and calling it a day.

I got a couple of bouquets of purple flowers from the grocery store and tried to arrange them Martha Stewart style as best I could. I have no idea what I am doing as far as flower arranging goes, so I stick to the short, bunch ’em tight style. Blue mason jars, instead of clear ones, made for a big visual impact, and they are just a couple cents more than clear ones.

One of the highlights of the party, the handmade mermaid costumes from  A Pip Squeak Shop on Etsy. These costumes were SO beautiful and well made. All of the girls flipped out when they realized they all got one to wear at the party and keep to take home. They loved wearing them at the party and all the mothers have said that they continue to play in them regularly.

And because there were only 5 little girls, I kind of went over the top with party favors. So in addition to the hand made mermaid costumes, they also got a purple towel that I tied into a mermaid tail (just use two hair ties to make the V shape at the bottom).

And little party favor gift bags  from The Party Fairy (who I also got the paper straws from) with these little gifts inside. The starfish hairclip is from Sprinkle Designs on Etsy. I bought a mermaid hair bow holder from the same shop to give to Penelope as our gift from us, and it is adorable.

The other craft table was a necklace/bracelet making station. I just got some pipe cleaners and beads and set ’em out pretty. Those white mason jars I got at a little bakery in Savannah early last year but this is a super cute DIY option. 

Oh, how I loved this banner. I have seen tutorials for these banners everywhere lately. They are so hip and cute and make me feel like I am an artsy hipster and I really wanted to have one for Penelope’s party. Glam Fete By Bri on Etsy made a custom color combo for Penelope and it was perfect.

All paper goods were from Paiges of Style on Etsy – everything from invitations to thank you cards to recipe cards came in a pdf file that I had printed at a local print shop and cut them out myself. It was a total bitch to cut them out, but its one of those easy crafts I like to do while watching TV, so I can justify the TV watching in my head, because I am doing something “productive”.

This absolutely stunning table skirt is also from Paiges of Style. I kept trying to figure out how I could repurpose it and change the decor of my living room to have it out all year round. But I am giving it away! It’s part of the awesomesauce mermaid party giveaway prize! Read on to enter!

Every four year girl needs a bedazzled candle, yes? Yes. The answer is always yes. 🙂

The mermaid cake topper was also a hit, Penelope plays with her in her dollhouse, along with her ballerina ones.

Gluten-free, dairy-free, dye-free, organic cupcakes from a local food truck bakery called PAC Pastries. 

Can’t have a party with out some tissue paper pom poms.

I got some dolphin balloons from Publix and I tried to strategically place them around, but the wind was blowing like crazy and they got tangled up and after I dropped several f-bombs I decided to just forget it and tie them all up in a heap in the corner. Not what I had planned, but whatevs, can’t win them all.

Now, don’t laugh. This is the one thing I actually crafted myself this year. I made a pin the tail on the mermaid game. The girls loved it, it was a great party activity, but my mermaid is a wee bit cray-cray looking.

Penelope, ever the fierce competitor and perfectionist, needed to make sure she nailed placement. She wasn’t leaving anything up to chance. 🙂

Ah, the bubble machine. It was the star party activity. Seriously, no need to hire entertainment (which I have done every year except this year- a folk singer came for her 1st birthday, face painting clown the second year and a ballet dancer for her third party) if you don’t want to or don’t have the funds, just get a bubble machine. Endless entertainment and pure joy.

I had some chalk out too, in case it rained. P.S. the way Penelope is sitting here is called W-sitting. Usually we harp on her to make sure she sits criss-cross-applesauce, becasue W sitting can damage the ligaments in the knees as well as not build core strenth, but we let it go on her birthday.

The rest of the location was awesome too, so just a hop a skip from our picnic table area was a playground and a little lagoon.

Later in the afternoon the girls went swiming and pretended to be mermaids and then they all ran back later and put on their purple towels, I didn’t get a good shot, but it was really cute.

Penelope is always very excited about sweets. She talked for weeks about what kind of sweets she wanted to have at her party. The cookies are from Sugar Fairies’ Etsy shop (the same gals that did her amazing ballet slipper cookies last year, this year they did a gluten-free version!

She had so much sugar that day. It was painful to watch and I said a quick prayer for her pancreas. On birthdays and holidays I pretty much let them be free-for-alls, as far as sugar consumption goes- I am always strict about allergens, but it’s hard to watch.

She loved all her little friends that came and had such a good time. I waited till the last minute to buy her a swimsuit and thank God, Target had the perfect shimmery purple swim suit, it was a size to big, but hey, at least it matched! Is she not the most beautiful ray of Light?! I love her so much!

Our party family photo attempt. You know how it goes. At least we managed to be color coordinated. My husband is such a good sport.

Oh! Wait! I did craft one more thing, that felt garland in the back. I cut out a bunch of felt circles and hot glued them. I know, so fancy. But it ended up being just what the dessert table needed.

A few things I was thinking about doing that I never got around to it, was a party game where they wrap each other up in tissue paper streamers and then bust out of them-to pretend they are mermaids turning into humans… Penelope loves this game at the beach, she makes us cover her legs with sand and build up a mermaid tail, then she makes us sing the Ariel themesong as she busts out and says “I’m a human girl now!” And these jellyfish lanterns would have been really cute, too. Check out  my Pinterest mermaid party board for more ideas.

All and all, this was a great day, even though I was totally exhausted from doing everything myself (last year I had a friend help with set up and another friend take pictures and I just got to waltz around like a princess-not this year, I was hustling it hard!). Watching Penelope have so much fun and feel so special and loved made it all worth it. I was hoping that next year could be a take her on a trip kind of year, but just last weekend we went to a Minnie Mouse party and she wants one now too. And once she gets an idea in her head, she sticks to her guns. Mark my word, she will be talking about planning her Minnie party from now till November.

So… the giveaway details! Are ya ready?! I am so excited for one lucky little girl to get the party of her hearts desire. I am so blessed to be able to give Penelope everything she wants and needs and I am thrilled to be able to pass it on a little to another family.

From me and Penelope you get:

-Tissue paper garland from Glam Fete By Bri Etsy shop $29.50 retail value.

-Ruffle table cloth from Paiges of Style Etsy shop. $250 retail value. 

-Party favor bags and  paper straws from The Party Fairy Etsy shop. $12 retail value. 

-Pin the tail on the mermaid game I made. $10 retail value. 

-Felt garland I made. $10 retail value.

-4 rolls of tulle. $15 retail value.

-1 package of skinny candles. $5 retail value.

-1 set of purple plates, napkins, cups, forks, knives and spoons. $8 retail value. 

-2 clear mason jars with bows. $5 retail value.

-5 plain white, plastic table cloths. $5 retail value.

-5 purple tissue paper pom poms. $17 retail value. 

-$100 Visa gift card from me  to get anything else you need or want for the party.

And from other Etsy shop owners:

–6 felt starfish hairbows from Sprinkle Designs Etsy shop. $60 retail value.

-One mermaid costume from A Pip Squeak Shop with a 50% discount for any other costumes you want to order for your party. $50 retail value.

-12 mermaid cookies from Sugar Fairies Etsy shop. $40 retail value. 

-Mermaid princess party crown hat from Little Pink Tractor Party Goods Etsy shop. $14.50 retail value. 

-Mermaid Birthday Party Printable Package from Paiges of Style Etsy Shop $39 retail value. 

-Mermaid cake topper from Giggle Box. $20 retail value.

-Bedazzled candle from Glitter Wishes by Cara.  $9 retail value. 

That’s almost $700 worth of party supplies for your little girl!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OVER. STAYED TUNED FOR MORE FUN GIVEAWAYS COMING SOON.

Ways to enter:

-Sign up for my email newsletter (you get my Healing For Mothers ebook free when you do!). Reply with a comment below telling me you did.

-Pin a picture from this post to one of your Pinterest boards. Each photo can be a seperate entry-all photos can be pinned if you want. Reply with a comment below with a link to each of your pins (seperate comment for each pin please).

Giveaway will run till February 13 at 12p EST.   One winner will be randomly picked via Random.org and personally emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, or I will pick another winner. You can read my full policy page here. 

GOOD LUCK!!!