T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Birthday Planning – With A Disney Flair

 

This week my little guy is SIX MONTHS OLD! Which may not seem very old – but it’s pretty amazing to see how far he has come, and my husband and I are so grateful for him, and we are celebrating the fact that we survived the first six months (relatively) unscathed! Now he may only be halfway to one, but as far as I’m concerned – it’s never too early to start planning for his 1st major milestone – his FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY! We booked the park lodge already, and now it’s time to think about the details – things like cake, food, and THEME are the main points of conversation now – and of course a Disney theme is a possibility, which got me to thinking – how could I do a Disney theme? What’s out there that I can use, and what can I make myself? Check out what I found…

An UP themed birthday is great because it’s so colorful – and it involves balloons – and what little kid doesn’t love balloons?

There’s plenty of stuff available at places like Party City, Wal-Mart, and other party stores – super cute Baby Minnie and Mickey stuff, and plenty of other Disney options too – Cars is a favorite of a lot of little boys for sure!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a show that definitely took some time to grow on me – I did NOT care for the creepy 3-D ish characters or the way Mickey’s ears don’t really move when he turns his head (strange right?), but I know how much my son likes it – the colors, the songs, and the stories are usually pretty fun and send a good message, so needless to say – I got over my dislike of it, and we watch it all the time now! It would also make a great party theme – there’s plenty of décor available out there, and you can easily compliment the Mickey items with primary colored napkins/tablecloths/balloons, etc. It’s great for boys OR girls too

…So maybe this isn’t good for a first birthday party, but if the kids are a bit older, wouldn’t this be fun? A Mickey Mouse bouncy house!!! Just make sure they don’t eat too much cake beforehand…

So while I mull over what his birthday party theme should be, I also need to seriously consider my cake options – check out some cake inspiration here, and while you do that I think I might go whip up a “test” cake…and since he’s too little to eat it now, I better just try it on his behalf (yum!)

TGIF!

 

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Check Out This Awesome Disney-Themed Baby Shower!

Ok – so the title of this might be a bit misleading – but I can’t help but brag about how amazing my recent baby shower was! My mother in law made pretty much ALL of the decorations – from the garlands, to the wooden letters, to the silverware holders, to the cupcake holders and the cupcakes themselves – which contain a famous mouse made of brownie inside them! Check it out:

 

 

 

Oh, and aside from the amazing décor – she also went ALL OUT when it came to sewing – curtains and a valance, a crib skirt, quilt, bumpers, blankets, burp clothes, a teddy bear, onesies, teethers – all handmade, and all Mickey themed! This picture isn’t great, but you can see some of the items she worked so hard to make for us! Makes me feel so special – and we are so grateful that our little guy is already so loved (and that he is getting introduced to the Mouse so early in life too!)

 

Don’t worry – even if you or your family isn’t quite so artistically inclined, you can still outfit your baby in plenty of Disney – clothes, bedding, toys and more are available at most major retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and department stores

 

TGIF!

T.G.I.F. Pic Of The Week – Custom Disney On Etsy!

In case you haven’t ever gotten sucked into Etsy.com – let me break it down for you – it is a place where you can find basically any and every craft/hand-made custom item you could ever even imagine. Seriously – from jewelry and bags to clothes and home furnishings – if you want something unique and one of a kind, you MUST check it out.

Etsy has a LOT of Disney stuff available through the various shops they host – it’s a really great way to get something unique to wear or bring to the Parks. Check out these amazing items:

   

My husband actually got me this necklace for Christmas last year – and I LOVE it – I wear it all the time! Check out AOS Design for this and other great Disney baubles

This is a great idea for your Disney trip – not only will the shirts look great in pictures, but it makes it easier to keep everyone together too! Check out Creations By Jeanne for these awesome custom shirts

I have to say – I seriously LOVE this idea – to have your kids bring a tote bag for autographs is practical (they can carry their own stuff this way!) and unique! Available on Two Boys And A Tee

Ok so let’s say you’re planning your child’s Disney themed birthday party (or maybe it’s your own birthday party? No judgment) Find amazing invites, décor and more on Gardellas Global

Ok I must admit – these are my favorite! I actually follow Brooke on Instagram, and when I saw these amazing creations of hers, I was in awe! These are custom Mickey ears – available in a TON of amazing patterns and fabrics – the Haunted Mansion ones pictured are my fave but she has TONS more – check her out Here!

Can’t find exactly what you want? Most shop owners will create custom pieces for you – so don’t be afraid to ask!

TGIF!

Celebrate Your Next Big Occasion with a Disney Theme Party!

Ok, so I must admit – the reason for this post is partly selfish – as I just recently found out my husband and I are expecting our first little Mouseketeer – due in October! We are thrilled, and of course I have been in overload thinking of things we need to get and buy and prepare and reading books and napping (the napping being one of the better parts of pregnancy I think!), and one thing that has already been brought up to me by one of my closest friends is my baby shower – and she suggested it be a Disney themed shower! Obviously I didn’t really have to think about that one – and she has already gone full steam ahead with thinking about décor, favors, and more! I am super grateful to have her and other friends and family helping plan such a great event for our soon to be little guy or gal, and ideas have been flying around for various things – which got me curious about Disney parties in general – as I will likely be wanting to have some for my child in the future, so I wondered – exactly what is involved in a “Disney Themed” party?

Well, the short answer is – A LOT! You can really go as far as you want with something like that, from the big to the small details – everything can be customized to fit your theme. Let’s take something classic like Mickey, for example. And start with something everyone will notice – the décor:

Banners, signs, tablecloths, plates, and more can be created or purchased featuring Mickey himself

The FOOD is probably my personal favorite part of ANY party – and if you’ve got a Mickey Cookie cutter – you can pretty much make any food mickey shaped! Like sandwiches, brownies, cookies, cheese and meats for deli platters, and much more

Most celebrations involve some kind of sweet ending – usually in the form of CAKE! You can buy a Mickey cake pan at most craft store chains, or go rogue with your own design

Party favors are common at a lot of birthday parties and baby/wedding showers, and usually are just something simple and small – for kids you could do a goodie bag with stickers/crayons/coloring pages etc, or candy, or you could make something all on your own – like individually wrapped Mickey shaped cookies

Not sure where to start? Think about the following questions:
-What’s the guest of honor’s favorite Disney movie/character?
-What did that character love to do?
-What did they eat in that movie?
-What colors does the character always wear?
-What is the one item that symbolizes that movie/character? (For example – Winnie The Pooh has his Hunny Pot, and the movie Cinderella can be summed up with a glass slipper!)

Once you have answers to these questions, you should have a handle on your theme, menu, favors, games, and décor! Check out Pinterest for tons of great ideas – as with anything crafty or food related, the site is bursting with blog posts and pictures and recipes to help make your theme party the talk of the town! You don’t even have to wait until a birthday/baby shower to use some of these ideas – you can do a Disney movie night, or a sleepover, or anything really!

Oh – and as a tip for those who are slightly less crafty/DIY inclined – Disney party supplies can be purchased at places like Party City – and they offer a pretty decent selection too – from cutlery and plates/napkins, to décor and favors – it’s all there and ready to help you host the perfect Disney themed bash