Mermaid Dress-up Party:  We started with invitations on blue card stock. We glued sand to the bottom part, added stickers and used markers to decorate with seaweed, mermaids, fish, crabs, etc, and cut a wavy shape across the top.  For the party, I found a party company in Florida (via the internet)to mail me a trunk of mermaid costumes. I used many, many blue streamers to create a wave effect across the ceiling. Along the walls, and from the ceiling, I placed fish and other creatures, and used green streamers to create bunches of seaweed. I created a small 'grotto' along one wall to take pictures of the girls. When they arreived, they had fun choosing different costumes. They decorated crowns (with the shape of a scallop shell on the front)and then each had her picture with the birthday girl in the 'grotto.' (these were sent out with the thank you notes.) After that, we decorated gold treasure chests (from Birthday Express, I believe) with gems. Games included limbo, to the tune of "Under the Sea", pin the scale on the mermaid, musical chairs, more trading of costumes and dressing up, dancing to music,etc. The cake was round, blue with 'sand' along the bottom, icing in the shape of crabs, fish, seaweed, etc. In the center was a "rock" (brown icing over a mound of cake.) In the center was a mermaid - a doll pick with icing used to create hair and the tail, and the chest seashells, of course!  After the cake and presents, the girls had to follow a trail of clues to a large treasure chest full of the party favors, which included dress up necklaces with pearls, seashell bracelets, gummy fish candies, seashell candies.  It was one of the best parties ever, and I did not have to hire any entertainment!