Ladybug Brunch - 1yr (August 2001):  For my daughter's 1st birthday, we chose a ladybug theme. I took pictures of my daughter wearing a ladybug costume (wings, antennae, and a ladybug T-shirt from Gymboree)in our front yard with a lot of greenery in the background. I scanned it into the computer for the invitation and used a lot of ladybug computer graphics. The outside of the card had her picture and said, "Ice cream, cake and lots of fun -- Our 'ladybug' is turning one!" (Creative Keepsakes software has a spotted ladybug font that is adorable.) The inside said, "Join us for a ladybug brunch and gardeny games in honor of ___. Fly on over to [address]; Infestation time: 10:30 am; Give us a buzz [phone number]."  I added Microsoft clip art graphics which made it look like ladybugs were crawling around on the inside of the card. I also scanned some graphics from the book "Ladybug's Birthday" and made some fancy address labels for the envelope. For the return labels, I found a site on the internet that sells ladybug graphic return labels, and ordered them in time.  We decorated inside and out with Ladybug mylars and red, white and black balloons.  We ordered ladybug paper plates, red plasticware, and a paper ladybug table covering for the kids table. The kids table (from a local rental company) was very low to the ground and had red plastic chairs.  Tables for the adults had red cloths, sunflower centerpieces in wooden boxes wrapped in a ladybug ribbon from a crafts store, and flying ladybug decorations (small bugs on wooden stakes) from Oriental Trading, and this made it look like ladybugs were hovering over the sunflowers.  From Starbucks.com, I found these adorable stuffed teddy bears in ladybug costumes, and so I put one in front of each centerpiece. On the buffet table, I used a rectangular "picket fence" kind of plant holder to hold wheat grass, and used more flying ladybug decorations to look like they were hovering over the green grass.  This created a gardeny touch. I ordered an assortment of foam insect masks from Oriental Trading (ladybugs, bees, butterflies) and gave one to each child as he/she entered the door.  We served brunch food: scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee cake, waffles, potatoes, orange juice, coffee. A local entertainer (who is popular on the kiddie party circuit) came and sang songs and played guitar for the kids, and created balloon insects (and a few balloon animals).  We then had a bug hunt in the front yard. At Target and a local toy store, I found some adorable metal pails: some in primary colors, and some with a ladybug design painted on it.  We hid lots of plastic bugs in the yard and had the kids look for them and put them in their pails. This was a huge hit (and I hear that some of the kids who were there are still playing with the bugs since they got to take them home as favors!)  The child with the most bugs got to choose a prize from a bag filled with ladybug books (from the Right Start) and toys (such as wooden racing bugs from Hearthsong.com).  We also had goodie bags filled with plastic magnifying glasses, bug rings, a butterfly glider and a small ladybug beanie.  I found some pretty ladybug decorations from Bed Bath & Beyond that we placed on a cake which had a blue sky and flower garden scene. There is a ton of ladybug stuff out there if you look.  For example, from Target we also got some small soaps shaped like ladybugs and ladybug hand towels for the bathrooms. Target also has welcome mats with ladybugs on them.  People are still talking about this party, and some moms have even asked if they can copy my ideas. Of course, I don't mind -- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.