Everly in ONEderland
You guys Everly York is one year old!! I absolutely love her more than I ever thought possible. I wanted to throw her a special birthday party (because she'll remember it and everything), so I decided on a Mad Hatter tea party theme. I love Alice in Wonderland, love tea, have lots of tea cups and thought a quirky tea party fit Everly's personality perfectly. I actually originally got the idea from my friend in Elmira who had said her sister-in-law did something similar! It sounded perfect. I didn't want to spend a lot because she is just one after all, so I found cheap decorations at Party Stuff, Dollarama and second-hand stores. The party cost next to nothing, but came together so well! I'll list which items I got from what store at the bottom of the post if you're interested. Below you'll find details on the food and decorations!
FOOD
I decided to make all of the food myself, partly by choice and partly because we had her party on the Monday of a long weekend so everything was going to be closed. I also love cooking and making new recipes, so I thought it would be fun! My mom, sister and mother-in-law helped out as well. The party menu:
Veggies with my Dill Dip
Chicken Salad, Egg Salad and Cucumber Tea sandwiches
Cheese and Crackers
Chips, Salsa and my Hummus
Candy and Chocolate (from bulk barn)
Sugar Cookies decorated like clocks
Lemonade
For Everly's cake I used this recipe I found on Pinterest. I wanted to make a cake for her but didn't want it to have any refined sugar. I didn't have time to come up with my own recipe (or the stomach since being pregnant), so I figured finding one someone else perfected was best! I just made a few changes to the recipe. Instead of spelt flour I used oat flour and instead of honey in the frosting I used unsweetened applesauce. Everly couldn't get enough of this cake. She seriously jammed her face right into it with no prompting and wouldn't stop until we cut her off. The frosting was definitely her favorite part. I would definitely make this cake again for myself when I am craving a sweet treat!
Other than Everly's cake, the food wasn't exactly healthy, but it was a party so I wanted everyone to indulge and enjoy themselves! We just invited our families because Everly can get overwhelmed by strangers and big crowds and I wanted her to have fun - and that she did. She took everything in, loved the food and her cake, kept her hat on (!!) and loved opening her gifts and playing with her cousins.
DECORATIONS
Going into the party I just knew I wanted to find a Mad Hatter hat for Everly and to set the table up to look like a tea party. The rest of the inspiration I got from being in stores and looking on Pinterest. The table setting was the focal point and my favorite part to decorate. I used a bunch of random tea cups and saucers I got from Jason's Oma and a complete tea set my mom got from my grandma. I scattered them across 4 grass squares I found to give the table some greenery. I filled empty spaces with fake flowers and pearl strings (still leftover from our wedding). I added height dimension by putting a few tea cups on stacks of books, and a few on gold candlesticks. I also put two tea pots among the tea cups. The centerpiece was a cake stand I made from vintage plates and tea cups that I found at a second-hand store. Jason just glued them all together with super glue. I filled all of the tea cups with candies and chocolates, one of the teapots with a cupcake and the cake stand with sugar cookies and peanut butter cups.
I also wanted incorporate the Queen of Hearts. I hung cards above the island where the food was, and also scattered them among the serving dishes. I also found playing card napkins and a heart and spade shaped serving dish! It all came together so perfect.
I got cute little drinking bottles with polka dot straws and put labels on them that said drink me. The little girls loved these and got to take one home! It's a great take home if you have lots of little kids at the party. I also found a pink clock at the dollar store that I had to include because the rabbit was always checking his watch in the movie.
I draped a white table cloth over her high chair so that it looked like a little throne (and hid the ugly plastic). Behind her chair I put a sign that said Everly in Onederland and a string of pictures from 1 - 12 months.
I also made some quirky signs that Alice finds in Wonderland for when people walked in and a box for the paper hats that we made for the girls.
I had extra gold letters to make a sign that said Happy First Bday that I put on the fireplace above where the presents went.
The cherry on top of the cake was Everly's hat, that she somehow didn't notice and kept on for a few hours! I found it at Party Stuff and I think it is meant for an adult, but she has a big head so it fit perfectly!
All-in-all the party was a huge success. My baby girl was happy and enjoyed herself, which is all I wanted. It was SO fun to put the party together, and I seriously think event planning is in my future. I can't wait until baby #2 turns 1!
Best,
Stacey
Where I bought the decorations:
Party Stuff:
Mad Hatter Headband
Gold Letters for the sign
Playing Card Napkins
Dollarama:
Polka Dot Drinking Bottles
Grass Table Squares
Playing Cards
Pink Clock
Artificial Flowers
Second Hand Stores:
Gold Charger Plates
Tea Cups and Plates to make serving platter
Heart and Spade Shaped Bowls