First, I would like to say always check this site for ideas before you begin your party planning. There will always be something to incorporate into what you were thinking to do. This was a Barbie Dress up party My party was for my 3 year old daughter, but it would be great for an older child too. The invitation had a photo of my daughter on it posing in dress up clothes. Inside the invitation I wrote all the activities planned. First we had a photo shoot in the same mode as the invitation photo. I took my son't hockey net and placed a white sheet over it for the background and placed adjustable lights infront to the side to spotlight the sheets to give me enough light . I set it up in the livingroom. This party was in January  so it was too cold to do it outside. If you can do it outside it is easier to get better photos in natural lighing. The children were told in the invitation that they could dress up, or bring dress up clothes. My daughter also had a dress up box that she would share if they wanted to try some things on. Most of the children were too shy for all this. Later in the party one of the girls was posing with her hat and I got some nice shots. I had invisioned a group photo of all the girls together dressed as they had dressed themselves, but I didn't get that. It would probably work with older children. Also, It might work better if the photo shoot was later in the party when the children are warmed up to each other.  Next, we had the family room downstairs set up with Barbie dolls/clothes/houses etc...and the children were free to play. The older brothers to the girls played system games with my son who is 7 years old. Here is where you can control the time on the party. I had them play for awhile so that we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the company of the parents upstairs. Two of the girls saw the craft set up in the kitchen and were excited to begin that soon, so we did.  The craft was a joint idea between me and my friend. I thought of jewels and beads in sand and the children digging them out and using a sandbox sifter to separate them from the sand. She thought of gluing them to a jewelry box. Then I thought of the empty cigar boxes from my brother, but you could use anything in theme to what your party is. My son was interested in doing it too so I spray painted the boy's boxes black and the girl's boxes white. And I called them treasure boxes. In a small plastic bin I put the sand and jewels and beads and they passed them around the table( they all stood around the table) a few times collecting the jewels and beads and gluing them to the top of the box. Get a glue that is made for this and dries by the end of the party. I had also painted each child's name on the box. It was an obsolute hit with the children and nobody forgot to take it home! Then we had small sandwiches for the children and a cold cuts platter for the adults. Next, my daughter had wanted cup cakes and a cake. A 3 year old's dream. So we decorated cup cakes. Each child got a cup cake with white icing and I went around asking what color they wanted. I put a drop of the color onto their cupcake and they spread it. They abosolutely loved this. The older children wanted to mix the colors from the directions on the back of the box, and they wanted more than one try. So a suggestion would be to maybe put a few clumps of icing on the cupcake plate so that they can try a few times. I also had colored sprinkles to finish them off. Now my daughter was waiting for the main event: To Sing Happy Birthday! I had made a cake and at shoperite they have an edible barbie cake topping (a picture of Barbie and the words "Happy Birthday") that you just place on top of the cake according to the directions. And there you have a beautiful Barbie Cake!! Put the candles on and start singing.  Our party lasted 4 hour. If you want it shorter just cut down on the free play time, or leave that out altogether. This was a fun, easy going, relaxed party. Enjoy