Happy Birthday - BRATZ Style - FunKy Fun For All!
May 26 '04
The Bottom Line If you are deciding on a party theme for a girl between the ages of 7 – 10, BRATZ is a consideration.
Birthday parties should be fun… with proper planning (including input from your child) they will be. I have successfully hosted numerous birthday parties and frequently help friends do the same. It is my view that the party is easier to plan if there is a theme, so that is where we begin. I feel that it is important to include food and activities; I like to include snacks, beverage, cake, game(s), arts & crafts, gift exchange and limited free time. Our parties have varied in size, from 4 guests to over 30 guests. With proper planning the party goes relatively smooth, the guests enjoy themselves, and the birthday child has another memorable milestone.
My youngest daughter starts thinking about the theme she wants, for her next birthday party, the evening of the current one. A recent party choice was BRATZ, a doll series by MGA Entertainment. The primary dolls are approximately 10" and there is a 4" LiL BRATZ line. Like Barbie, this doll line spans out to include accessories, stationary, clothing items, trading cards, and – of course – party supplies. She enjoys playing with the doll line, as do her friends, so it wasn't surprising that she wanted a BRATZ theme party. When I asked her what she felt that a BRATZ party should include, she replied BRATZ decorations (meaning ™ paper products), dancing, FunKy crafts, manicures, hair up-dos, and fun, fun, fun.
The Birthday Party was successful, meaning the guests and the birthday girl had a ton of fun. If you are deciding on a party theme for a girl between the ages of 7 – 10, BRATZ is a consideration. Allow me to share the details with you….
BRATZ
"The Girls With a Passion For Fashion!™"
Planning
I begin planning the upcoming birthday party two months prior. The initial steps include:
- Selection of Theme
- Preliminary Party Guest List and Decide Number of Guests
- Preparation of Itinerary & Menu
Four Weeks Prior:
- Completion of Guest List
- Purchase of Paper Goods, Party Favor Bag Contents, Arts & Crafts Supplies
- Schedule Help (Dance Instructor, Teens, Friends….)
You can purchase theme related Bratz Birthday Party Supplies at BirthdayExpress.com or various other party supply sources: invitations, plates, cups, forks, spoons, napkins, balloons, tablecovers, crepe paper streamers, hats, blowouts, curling ribbon, candles, and more. Although the mentioned merchant offers party bags, my daughter wasn't fond of the contents, so we decided to create our own. We purchased some BRATZ party supplies and supplemented with less expensive (bulk purchased) solid colored paper goods. Oriental Trading Company Online Store is a good place to shop for arts and craft supplies, party favor totes, and bargain party items. I purchased foam door hangers, precut foam pieces and other craft supplies from this merchant. Other party favor goods, such as nail polish, lip gloss, and emery boards, were purchased at our local Wal-Mart.
Three Weeks Prior:
- Invitation Completion and Delivery
(We include a note card sized enclosure, complete with a map to the party location.)
Two Weeks Prior:
- Cake Order
- Assembly of Party Favor Bags
The party favor bags included a Lil Bratz doll, lip gloss, a nail emery board, fingernail polish, a body glimmer tattoo and a variety of other items. I ordered the cake from a local baker. She prepared a cupcake cake, with a funky flower theme and placed a Bratz Cake Topper set on it. This cake option was perfect; it is several cupcakes that offer the appearance of a decorated cake, yet the convenience of cupcakes (no cutting, just tear off the cupcake).
Evening Prior:
On the evening before the big event we moved as much of the unneeded household furnishings into the garage as possible, therefore opening more floor space. I prepare make-ahead appetizers, pull out camera (make sure there is enough film), recheck craft supplies and note any last minute store needs.
Party Day:
The morning of the party we pick up the balloons, cake, ice and any other necessities. We decorate with balloons, crepe paper, tissue paper flowers and banners (homemade). Decorative tablecovers are put onto the dining table, eating bar, craft table and a gift/party favor table. Appetizers are prepared, punch is mixed, and everything is set out – approximately 15-minutes prior to guest arrival.
Itinerary
(Approximately 4 hours total, unless converted to sleepover.)
Greeting
Appetizers (Available Throughout Party)
Arts & Craft
– Funky Door Hanger
(Foam Door Hangers decorated with child's name, foam piece accents, & gems.)
Cake
Presents
Manicures & Hair Styling
(My oldest daughter, her friends, and a couple of my friends assist with this.)
Dance Down
(Guests are taught a simple, yet funKy dance.)
Games
– Guess How Many
(Fill jar with candy. Each child estimates how many are in the jar, writing guess onto piece of paper. The winner takes the jar of candy home; the other guests are given a small bag of candy.)
– Fashion Emergency Party Game
(Guests are divided into groups of five and each group is provided with: Large piece of felt or cloth, Colored tissue paper, Colored rolls of crepe-paper streamers, Colored chenille pipe-cleaners, Scissors, Stapler, Tape. Each group has one model and four designers. All groups have 30-minutes to create a fashion outfit. At the end of the time a fashion show is held.)
Arts & Craft
– Scrapbook Page
(Theme related stickers and paper used to create scrapbook page of event. Pictures taken with digital camera and printed for each child.)
Party Favor Bags & Good-byes
Menu
Punch
(Combination of ginger ale, strawberries, and fruit punch.)
Bottled Water
Cake
Snacks
- Various Chips & Candies
- Cucumber Slices, Carrot Sticks, Ranch Dressing
- Apple Slices & Carmel Dip
- PB&J
(Peanut Butter & Jelly placed onto bread of choice and cut with a Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal.)
- Sunflower Sandwiches
(Adapted from a Pillsbury recipe.)
Ingredients:
Biscuits
1 (1 lb. 1.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Refrigerated Flaky Biscuits
1 egg, beaten
4 teaspoons shelled sunflower seeds
Toppings
8 slices cheddar cheese
Preparation Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. With fingers, split each biscuit in half horizontally; place 8 biscuit halves 2 inches apart on each of 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Press out each biscuit half to form 3 1/2-inch round. Bake 1 cookie sheet of dough at 350°F. for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove biscuit halves from cookie sheet; place on wire rack.
2. Meanwhile, with scissors, make short cuts around edges of each biscuit half on second cookie sheet to resemble petals. Brush center of each flower shape with beaten egg. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sunflower seeds onto beaten egg on each biscuit half.
3. Bake second cookie sheet of dough at 350°F. for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove biscuit halves from cookie sheet; place on wire rack.
4. To serve cheese (and other desired toppings) on each plain biscuit half. Top each with flower-shaped biscuit half.
Yield: 8
Picture: http://www.pillsbury.com/RecipeSearch/recipeImage.asp?recipeID=24784&imageTypeID=1
Parting Thoughts
Although I preplan parties, I maintain an attitude of flexibility. It is more important that the birthday person and the guests have fun, than attempting to conquer any agenda. I have the birthday child indicate the activities that are most important and make all attempts to do the 1st and 2nd 'most important' selections, in addition to the given (cake, presents, snacks). I also follow the lead given by the attendees; sometimes activities aren't popular and you'll need to scurry along to the next item. Bottom line with regard to activities, plan more than time allows for, prioritize and remain flexible.
I always have a menu yet also make sure to provide plenty of extras (common snack options that most kids like) so that all attendees will find something to nibble on. My daughter is and incredibly selective eater, so I am ultra sensitive in this area. If a guest is attending that I don't know, I ask the parents if there are any food allergies or any other issue that I should know about. I collect cellular phone numbers, provide the parents with mine and let the parents know that although they aren't required to stay, they may (usually they don't). As mentioned earlier, I implore 'helpers' prior to party day (usually teens and friends of mine).
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BirthdayExpress.com
Oriental Trading Company Online Store
Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal
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Thank you for reading!
©2004 Lisa_J
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Lisa_J
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Location: Pacific Northwest - Washington State
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About Me:
Mom of two wonderfully spirited daughters. Childcare Director. Spectator fan of dance.
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