THANKS FOR THIS WONDERFUL WEBSITE.
I HAVE CONSULTED IT TWO YEARS IN A ROW! IDEA 1: LAST YEAR, FOR MY DAUGHTER'S 6TH. BIRTHDAY, WE HAD A BALLET PARTY. I MADE THE INVITATIONS AT HOME USING 'SIERRA PLATINUM' SOFTWARE. THE CARD HAD A BEAUTIFUL BALLERINA ON THE FRONT; IT ANNOUNCED A PERFORMANCE AT THE END OF THE PARTY, PARENTS AND SIBLINGS OF GUESTS INVITED. I RENTED ENOUGH CHAIRS AND ROUND TABLES, WHICH I COVERED WITH WHITE PLASTIC TABLECLOTHS. AS CENTERPIECES, I USED VASES WITH WHITE AND PINK FLOWERS, AND PINK RIBBONS TIED AROUND THEM. LOTS OF PINK AND WHITE BALLOONS, TOO. AS SOON AS THE GIRLS ARRIVED, THEY WENT TO THE ARTS & CRAFTS TABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN GARLANDS (KITS BOUGHT FROM 'BIRTHDAY EXPRESS'). I HIRED A FRIEND COLLEGE STUDENT WITH MANY YEARS OF BALLET LESSONS TO TEACH THE GIRLS SOME EASY STEPS AND CHOREOGRAPHY. WHEN THEY WERE DONE LEARNING THE ROUTINE AND REHEARSING IT, WE HAD SEVERAL GAMES, ALL BALLET RELATED. PIN THE SLIPPER ON THE BALLERINA'S FOOT (I HAD A PICTURE OF A BALLERINA ENLARGED IN LEGAL SIZE PAPER, AND MADE STICKERS OF BALLET SLIPPERS ON WHITE LABELS); HOT BALLET SLEEPER (INSTEAD OF HOT POTATO); MUSICAL CHAIRS DANCING TO CLASSICAL MUSIC; BALLET SLEEPER PIŅATA, ETC. IT WAS NOW TIME FOR THE AWAITED PERFORMANCE. WE PUT MAKE UP ON THE GIRLS, AND HAD THE PARENTS AND SIBLINGS SEATED IN ROWS FACING THE 'STAGE' (BACK PORCH). THE GIRLS DANCED THE ROUTINE THEY HAD LEARN EARLIER. MY DAUGHTER, BEING THE PARTY GIRL, HAD A SPECIAL PART IN THE PERFORMANCE. WHAT A SUCCESS: THE PARENTS CLAPPED AND CLAPPED AND TOOK PICTURES; THE GIRLS WERE SO EXCITED, AND THE PARENTS SO PROUD. IT WAS A GREAT PARTY! IDEA 2: THIS YEAR, FOR MY DAUGHTER'S 7TH. BIRTHDAY, WE ARE PLANNING AN 'AMERICAN GIRL' TEA PARTY. (SHE AND HER FRIENDS ARE VERY MUCH INTO AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS AND STORIES). I MADE THE INVITATION WITH CUTOUTS FROM THE AG CATALOGS, AND SCANNED THEM INTO WHITE CARDS. THE GUESTS ARE ASKED TO WEAR A NICE DRESS AND BRING THEIR FAVORITE DOLL. AS CRAFT ACTIVITY, THEY WILL BE DECORATING DOLL STRAW HATS (THAT I PURCHASED FOR LITTLE MONEY AT A LOCAL ARTS&CRAFTS STORE)WITH FRUITS, FLOWERS AND RIBBONS. FOR GAMES WE WILL PLAY: DRESS-UP RELAY (DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS THEY COMPETE, HAVING TO RUN TO THE BASKETS THAT HOLD THE CLOTHES, PUT ON HAT, SKIRT, NECKLACE AND JEWELRY, RUN SOME MORE, HAVE THEIR PICTURE TAKEN AND THEN RUN BACK TO PUT CLOTHES BACK IN BASKETS); PIN THE CUP ON THE DOLL'S HAND (STICK CUP STICKERS ON POSTER OF DOLL, TAKEN FROM AG CATALOG); PASS THE PRESENT (AS THEY UNWRAP EACH LAYER OF PAPER THEY FIND A SMALL GIFT; HOT POTATO (WITH DOLL ITEM); MUSICAL CHAIRS HOLDING DOLLS; WHO AM I? GAME (EACH GIRL HAS A PICTURE OF ONE AMERICAN GIRL DOLL ON HER BACK; SHE HAS TO GUESS WHO IT IS BY ASKING THE OTHER YES/NO QUESTIONS; ETC. FOR CAKE, I'LL BAKE/ORDER A BIG RECTANGULAR PLAIN CAKE, THAT I'LL CUT INTO SQUARES, THAT I'LL HAVE EACH GIRL DECORATE WITH ICING, SUGAR DECORATIONS, ETC. THEN WE'LL PUT ALL THE SQUARES BACK TOGETHER AS FORMING A CAKE QUILT, THAT WE WILL EAT AFTER SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY. NONE OF THESE GIRLS DRINK TEA (IT IS TOO WARM IN PR, ANYWAY), SO IT WILL BE A LEMONADE TEA PARTY, WITH LEMONADE AND OTHER JUICES, BROWNIES, COOKIES, ETC. FOR PARTY FAVOR BAGS, I HAVE GLUED COPIES OF THE FRONT COVER OF THE INVITATIONS (WITH PICTURES OF THE AG DOLLS AND MY DAUGHTERS NAME ON IT)TO BROWN PAPER BAGS, BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE DECORATED STRAW HATS, AND OTHER GOODIES. (MANY, MANY OF THESE IDEAS CAME FROM YOUR WEBSITE, SO THANKS AGAIN.)
