MERMAID PARTY- FOR MY DAUGHTERS 7TH BIRTHDAY WE INVITED 12 GIRLS. THE INVITATIONS WERE MADE WITH BLUE CARDSTOCK. I COPIED A PICTURE OF ARIEL AND GLUED IT ON EACH CARD ALONG WITH SOME GREEN ALGE AND BUBBLES.  AT THE TOP IT SAID YOU'RE INVITED TO A PARTY UNDER THE SEA". ON THE BACK WAS ALL THE INFORMATION-SAIL ON OVER TO ... RSVP TO MERMAID GINA... I PUT THE INVITES IN FLAT PLASTIC ZIP LOCK BAGS AND PUT A LITTLE SAND AND VERY SMALL SEA SHELLS IN EACH(I BOUGHT ALL AT MICHAELS).I PLACED THESE IN ENVELOPES AND ADDRESSED EACH TO MERMAID(GUEST'S NAME).FOR DECORATIONS, I BLEW UP LT AND DK BLUE BALLOONS AND STUCK THEM UP ON THE CEILING TO LOOK LIKE WE WERE UNDER WATER AND GREEN STREAMERS FOR ALGE.I HUNG UP FISH NETTING AND CUT OUT FISH SHAPES FOR THE WALLS. I BOUGHT ARIEL WRAPPING PAPER AND COVERED THE FRONT DOOR WITH IT.I TRACED ONTO A POSTER BOARD(USING AN OVERHEAD PROJECTOR) A PICTURE OF ARIEL AND COLORED IT-THAN HUNG IT UP ON THE WALL FOR ALL THE GUESTS TO SIGN AND WRITE A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY MESSAGE( MY DAUGHTER THEN GOT TO KEEP THIS AS A MOMENTO OF HER PARTY AND HUNG IT UP ON HER BEDROOM WALL.)MY DAUGHTER DRESSED IN HER ARIEL COSTUME BEFORE THE PARTY STARTED. WHEN EACH GUEST ARRIVED THEY WERE GIVEN A LEI AND PAPER SEASHELL BRA TO DECORATE (MADE OUT OF PAPER PLATES AND STRING)- THIS KEPT THEM BUSY AS OTHER GUESTS ARRIVED. I BOUGHT COLORED SAND AND SEA SHELL SHAPED BOTTLES FOR ANOTHER CRAFT. THE GIRLS HAD SO MUCH FUN POURING IN ALL THE DIFFERENT COLORS.  THEN WE PLAYED A BALLOON POPPING GAME. I PUT A PRETTY RING IN EACH OF 12 BALLOONS AND BLEW THEM UP. THE GIRLS HAD TO SIT ON THEM OR POP IT IN ANY WAY TO GET THE SURPRISE INSIDE. AFTERWARDS WE HAD "SEA SNACKS" INCLUDING PIZZA, GOLFISH CRACKERS, SWEEDISH FISH, JELLO MOLD WITH CANDY FISH, ALL SERVED IN SAND BUCKETS WITH SHOVELS. FOR DESSERT, I MADE A SAND CASTLE CAKE WITH RICE KRISPY TREATS STACKED ON TOP OF EACHOTHER AND HELD TOGETHER WITH TOOTHPICKS TO RESEMBLE A CASTLE.  AROUND THE CASTLE, I SPRINKLED BROWN SUGAR TO LOOK LIKE SAND. I MADE SOME PAPER FLAGS WITH COLORED TOOTHPICKS AND PAPER AND STUCK THEM IN THE TOP OF THE CASTLE.THIS WAS EASY TO SERVE SINCE THERE WAS NO CUTTING INVOLVED. AFTER OUR SEA SNACKS AND SAND CASTLE DESSERT, WE WENT ON A TREASURE HUNT.I WROTE ON PAPER, A BUNCH OF CLUES AND HID THEM AROUND THE HOUSE. EACH CLUE LED TO ANOTHER AND THE GIRLS HAD TO READ EACH ONE. THE LAST CLUE LED THEM TO A LARGE TREASURE BOX FILLED WITH-CANDY COINS, BEADED NECKLESSES, RINGS, BRACELETS, SEA SHELLS AND JEWELS. THEY WERE SO0 EXCITED TO GRAB THE TREASURES OUT. THE BOX WAS MADE WITH A ICE COOLER COVERED WITH TIN FOIL. AT THE END OF THEY PARTY WE PLAYED MUSICAL CHAIRS TO THE MERMAID MUSIC AND THEN WATCHED SOME OF THE MERMAID MOVIE.  FOR PARTY FAVORS I PAINTED LARGE BUCKETS ($1.00 AT THE DOLLAR STORE) WITH EACH GIRL'S NAME AND ON THE SHOVEL I WROTE-"THANK YOU FOR COMING TO GINA'S PARTY UNDER THE SEA!" INSIDE THE BUCKET WAS THE LEI, THE BRA, A BOX OF MARKERS USED TO COLOR THE BRA, THE RING FROM BALLOON GAME, THE TREASURES FROM THE TREASURE HUNT, THE SAND BOTTLE WE MADE AND SOME MERMAID COLORING PAGES I COPIED. FOR THANK YOUS-I SCANNED A PICTURE OF MY DAUGHTER IN HER COSTUME AND MADE A CARD THAT SAID "OCEANS OF THANKS!" THIS PARTY WAS A TON OF FUN FOR EVERYBODY! HOPE YOU CAN USE THE IDEAS!!