A Little Legends, Exceptional Men in Black History Birthday Celebration
In honor of Black History Month, the talented Victoria styled the perfect birthday party for her son. Inspired by the book “Little Legends, Exceptional Men in Black History.” Check out our latest blog post to see the stunning details she put into the party to make it exceptional.
This party was submitted and styled by Victoria @queen_victoriap
Vendor credits below.
It’s no secret that it’s been a tough year for children. I wanted to do something at home for Lennon’s birthday to honor his heritage. Ever since he was a baby, we’ve been reading a page of Vashti Harrison’s “Little Legends, Exceptional Men in Black History” to him every night. Every night we focus on one individual and their accomplishments. As he’s getting older, he’s starting to look forward to this. When I had the idea to make this book a birthday theme for him, I wanted him to feel represented in a beautiful light. Representation is important. Images help shape our identity.
The cover of the book was my inspiration. I worked with the moon rising, an incredible designer that helped me recreate Lennon in the same style as the characters in the book. He was now front and center as he is an exceptional black boy, soon to be a man.
Each child had a bookmark with a different character from the book and their names on the back. We had library cards made so that they can continue with the rest of the book series reading about exceptional people in history. I kept the color scheme the same as the cover of the book, focusing on black-white mint and yellow stars.
Working with Pavan Floral is always a pleasure. The florals she creates are stunning. They always fit perfectly with my aesthetic.
Janice Wong with the desert never disappoints. We had a beautiful cake where she hand-painted the characters. The cookies featured the faces of the characters in the book and the cake pops had a printed image of the cover.
The star of the show was the incredible backdrop provided by Modest Peach. They recreated the cover and had each character's life-size standing on podiums. I want Lennon to always remember this day. How special he is. How exceptional he is and to shoot for the stars.
A bbq lunch catered by the incredible Sarah of Active Palate was the perfect meal. The children had Mac and cheese cups and fried chicken sliders, while the adults had bbq and a beautiful grazing table put together by cheese pretty please. A yummy green juice for the kids and sangria for adults by Nate Parker really complimented the meal. The incredible Kara Coleen shot this day for us. She helped us capture the magic of a day we’ll always remember.
Party Vendor Credits:
Party Stylist: @queen_victoriap
@karacoleen - photography - https://www.karacoleen.com/
@modestpeach - backdrop - http://www.modestpeach.com/
@pavanfloral - flowers - https://www.pavanfloral.com/
@cheese.prettyplease - grazing table - https://www.cheeseprettyplease.com/
@creativeamme - signage - https://www.creativeamme.com/
@janice.w0ng - dessert / cake - NO WEBSITE
@activepalate - food - https://activepalate.com/
@iamnp3 - cocktails - NO WEBSITE
@letscreateevents - balloons - NO WEBSITE
@moonrising20 - Lennon design - NO WEBSITE
@3littlebirdseventplanning - rentals - https://3littlebirdseventplanning.com/
@ohhappyday - paper goods - https://ohhappyday.com/
@vashtiharrison - Author of the book - https://www.vashtiharrison.com/
Best 1st Birthday Baby Shark Theme Party
Best 1st Birthday Baby Shark Theme Party
This beautiful 1st baby shark birthday party was submitted by Carter 7 Grand Events. This is what she said was her inspiration to create and style this party. “As a party planner/decorator; we are often asked to repeat a popular theme more than once; and BABY SHARK being as popular as it is; we have completed several setups; however, this was our first large setup and our first setup for the theme outdoors.
It was a very HOT TEXAS DAY, but we managed to pull through. Our client was very excited to celebrate Romir's first birthday party and even motivated and gave us so much eagerness to set up such a memorable event. We took a little bit of everything we had previously set up before and added a little twist to it.
Having the event outdoors under a tent; gave us a little more imagination to work with; from the balloons hanging from the center of the tent; to the props being placed in front of the water wave custom table cloth that was made by our business owner Carla Smith. The entire setup was FUN - FUN -FUN. We never draw out a detailed setup map; we just bring what we need and then we allow our creative juices to flow and we create a GRAND-ness.
Carter 7 Grand Events is our business name; which has a very meaningful meaning behind it; which is part of the reason we love setting up children's events. Carter is the name of the owner of our business’s first son; who passed away during birth; it was her only child; but was the 7th child of her deceased husband, who passed away suddenly 2 years after their son passed away from a blood clot.
When hired to do children's events; it is always an exciting and fun time for us and most of our inspiration comes from our sweet and precious angels who watch over us from above.
We would like to invite you all to our business page on Facebook @Carter 7 Grand Events and on Instagram Carter 7 Grand Events
We would like to give a special thanks to She's Making Sweets for the amazing cake, custom candy apples and cupcakes; and also La Casa de Carton for our amazing marquee numbers that we love so much.
Romir's Baby Shark 1st birthday was definitely one of our favorite setups since dealing with this pandemic. Due to the pandemic of course business for us is not what it once was and parties are not how they use to be. Through the hand sanitizer on each table, and no candles being blown out on the main birthday cake, and food being served in to-go containers; we were still able to bring some sunshine with our decorations; even during the pandemic storm. We pray for the safety and well being of everyone and this too shall pass; we hope very soon.
We’ve included lots of pictures for you to enjoy every child’s dream party!
Vendor Credits:
Party Stylist & Event Planner: by Carter 7 Grand Events
Cake: She's Making Sweets
Party decor: La Casa de Carton
LYFETYMES is the #1 party planning website. Check us out for all your party planning needs!
Want to be in the party business but don’t know where to start? Whether you specialize in party planning, baking, or balloons Hostessy Pro can help you get your party business off the ground. Hostessy Pro will create your personalized business webpage, URL, and email. As well as access to our digital media library with over 100 of our best content & more, Check them out to get started on your party dreams.
10 Awesome Social Distancing Kid Birthday Party Ideas
When life gives you a global pandemic, you turn your creative caps on. Although we've been stuck at home, the world around us is still moving. Our kids are missing their proms, graduations, and friends from school. Children's birthdays are being canceled. It might not be traditional, but it can still be special.
We all want to make our kids happy and lighten their spirits even in these difficult times. Here are ten ideas to celebrate your Child's Birthday while practicing social distancing.
10 Kid Birthday Party Ideas For Social Distancing
When life gives you a global pandemic, you turn your creative caps on. Although we've been stuck at home, the world around us is still moving. Our kids are missing their proms, graduations, and friends from school. Children's birthdays are being canceled. It might not be traditional, but it can still be special.
We all want to make our kids happy and lighten their spirits even in these difficult times. Here are ten ideas to celebrate your Child's Birthday while practicing social distancing.
Have a Virtual Party!
Virtual parties have been a big talk worldwide recently due to the CoronaVirus. With plenty of streaming platforms to use from, having a Virtual Party can be accessible to anyone anywhere. Platforms like Zoom, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Skype, and more all have unique features for you and your guests to play with. It's essential to do your research before choosing a platform to make sure the platform you select is manageable for all your party guests. You can also check out Lyfetymes Blog to learn how to throw the Ultimate Virtual Party.
2. Virtual Princess/ Character Visit!
You planned a Frozen party or Superhero birthday party for months only for it to be canceled. There's an even better solution. Your kid deserves to have that theme party, and you can turn it up a notch by having a real-life character of choice join in on the fun. So let it go and let Elsa sing and dance at your child's virtual birthday party
3. Birthday TikTok Challenge
I'm sure by now you have all heard of TikTok. Most kids have been spending most of their time at home practicing their TikTok dance moves. Have the birthday kid pick a song on TikTok for everyone to dance to. Have your friends and family send in their dance version to the song. The fun challenge will get everyone excited and moving. You can even create a unique hashtag for the birthday dance. Seeing all your child's friends and family dancing will put a smile on their face.
4. Host a Virtual Movie Night
Invite your child's family and friends for a Movie Night In and include the link to Kast. Kast allows you to video share through your screen. Have your child pick out the movie they want to watch with their friends. Once your invitees download Kast, you can watch the film and have a live chat during it. Netflix also currently added an option to watch movies together and chat from your couches. It will be a virtual slumber party!
5. Drive-By Celebration
Set a time and date for your party guests to line up their cars and drive-by. You can set up a table for gifts and goody bags for your guests to take on their way! Decorate your driveway with balloons, garland, or sidewalk chalk for your guests and your little one to enjoy. To add some extra excitement for the birthday kid, purchase some confetti poppers for them to pop as guests drive by.
6. Decorate the Front Yard
Kids love surprises. Decorating your whole yard will make your kid's birthday! With these excellent birthday signs, surprise the birthday kid as they walk outside in the morning. You might also get some honks and cheers from neighbors passing by. Make your kid like you're throwing a big celebration even though you can't.
7. All Aboard the Party Express- Drive-By
If you don't live in a close neighborhood or don't want to bring the party to your location, you can try this alternative! Let your neighbors, family, and child's friends know that there's a birthday celebration coming up. Ask anyone who wants to join in on the party to put up signs, balloons, or anything else in their yards, driveways, or windows on the day of the birthday party.
Decorate your car with balloons and party decorations and take your children for a drive around the neighborhood to see all the birthday surprises. If you want to set a time, let everyone know so they can stand outside to cheer and sing for the birthday kid as you drive by.
8. Virtual Game Night
Don't let your kids' special day go without any fun games. Many Livestream platforms allow you to share your screen so the kids can play online. If your kids are at writing age, you can download the Mural app and use it as a whiteboard for Hangman and Pictionary. You can also play games like Guess that Song. Or even have the kiddos bust out some dance moves.
9. Birthday Scavenger Hunt
Everyone loves a good scavenger hunt, especially when there are gifts involved. Start your little one's special day with a fun scavenger hunt game around the house. You can create your clues or find some Birthday Scavenger Hunt printables/ ideas at Playtivities.com. Have the clues lead them to special surprises throughout the house.
10. Celebrate at Home- Mail it in
Have an at-home celebration for your child like you usually would, minus all the party guests. Decorate the house with balloons and garlands for your child to wake up to. Give your address to your friends, family, or close neighbors and ask them to mail postcards, birthday cards, letters, or whatever they would like for the birthday kid to open. My favorite kind of gifts are the ones that had much thought put into them, so these will be heartwarming gifts. Plus, your child will feel extra special, seeing what their loved ones took the time to do.
What will be your first Virtual Celebration?
At-Home and Virtual Parties can still be festive and engaging. It does not just have to be a Face-time call, you can make it as memorable as you want and it is important to celebrate those milestones and recognize they have been accomplished. You can plan for free at LYFETYMES or if you don’t have the time or non-technical, check out our LYFETYMES Vendor Marketplace to find party services such as event planners, photographers, bakers, catering, balloon stylists and more.
How To Host An Incredible Graduation Party Quarantine Style
Graduation Party Ideas for Celebrating in 2020! We know this year is going to require us to celebrate creatively. We cover the creative ways to help Celebrate our Graduating Class of 2020!
How to Host a Graduation Party Quarantine Style
by April Sharer and Katie Cunningham
So you set a goal, put in years of work to accomplish it, and now a global pandemic has canceled your moment of recognition? COME ON! You deserve this moment to shine and to celebrate that goal you crushed. You did NOT put in YEARS of all-nighters, stress, and studying to accept your diploma via email and call it good-- you deserve a celebration grad!
Was the Tassel Worth the Hassle?
Unfortunately, this major milestone that so many friends and family look forward to will not happen in the traditional way of years before. Our graduates will not walk across the stage, almost a parent’s visual representation of our children transforming from a child to an adult. The big graduation parties that people travel to will be postponed, or worse canceled
And all that money those seniors dream about envelopes stuffed with cash, like the opening Wedding Scene in the Godfather, are slipping away. Those funds are used for college and to jump-start their adult journey. We are not going to lie to you, it is disappointing for everyone. Thankfully there are still many ways to celebrate our graduates, and even though we may plan a big party later, it’s important to celebrate the moment, the accomplishment, and recognize the graduate!
Let’s walk through some creative ways to Celebrate!
Now introducing the graduating class of 2020! (Quarantine Style)
Make it a Virtual Graduation Party
Virtual parties are all the craze right now. This moment should be shared. It does require some planning and effort to make it great and differentiate between just another Video call. Here is a quick rundown of how to get it done!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add a virtual party link, so all they have to do click and party with you!
Add an easy registry link for guests to send gifts to your door or a cash link to get cash gifts! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly and can be included on your website.
Determine where in the house, backyard, or space you will use for the graduation party, a fun backdrop can be great for gift opening, a central focus of the room for photos. We love balloon decor that spells it out!
Determine Theme and Decor and order to your door ahead of time. There are easy party sets offered here for small parties that ship right to your door, make a few graduation themed treats and stock up on the confetti.
Wear The Cap and Gown, if you have them, if not improvise the walk, diploma, cap, and gown. Go outside and toss that cap while your squad showers you with confetti!
Front yard and Porch Decor, like yard sign decor, or balloon garlands that can be shipped to your door. Most good neighbors will honk for the Graduate if you are telling your neighborhood you are celebrating a graduate via yard sign.
Make a mental agenda, especially for your video call - make sure you have put some thought into the call- the last thing you want is a boring virtual party! Incorporate game activities, have folks dress up in theme costumes, and keep the party moving. You may want to start with cake and gifts.
Make a video memoir for the grad sharing photos and videos from birth- present. Ask your guests to each submit their memories or well-wishes for the grad and incorporate those in the video. This is sure to make the grad feel special and probably on one of the parents’ to-do list for a while! in your virtual party, you can share your screen with the other guests to enjoy!
Don’t make it crazy long. Zoom’s free accounts host parties for up to 40 minutes.
Drive-By or Drive Thru Graduation Party
Drive-By Parties are gaining momentum as a way to get out of the house and social distance safely. It is a great way to feel like you have participated and gone to a party- see each other say hi from a safe distance and show some love!
Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.
No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add your home as the venue, the time it begins, and title it is a “DRIVE-BY GRADUATION PARTY” so everyone knows. You can even add a comment on your website to further explain if needed.
Add registry links in your party for guests to know where to buy gifts your graduate needs so they can drop off and/or a cash link to get cash gifts! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly and can be included on your website, not everyone is going to be able to participate based on location so it’s a great way for them to send gifts they know you need or will love.
Create a “drop-off zone” Determine where guests can safely drop off gifts and decorate the space with balloons so they know where to drop. we have seen a ton of ideas from decorating the trunk of a car, back of a pickup, decked out tables to recycling bins!
Create the appropriate socially distancing space where you will be located, waving from your spot- may be on the porch or lawn chairs from the front yard or window
Don’t forget the Front yard and Porch Decor, yard signs, Garage door signs, decor or balloon garlands-all these can be shipped to your door.
Dress up for your well wishers-Wear The Cap and Gown, if you have them, if not just put on pants, please.
After everyone goes, grab your loot and go inside and celebrate more! Open gifts, have food, decorate inside, record the grad opening gifts to keep for you or share. Shop small themed party sets and awesome balloon garlands offered for small parties right here.
Graduation Party Parade
Similar to a Drive-By Party, this is a bit different. Here are a few differentiators to consider:
The point of the parade is all the participants meet and start following each other at an agreed location (usually not the grads home) and time, so it looks like an actual parade!
Guests pretty much will stay inside a vehicle at all times and may jump out to give a gift quickly and jump back in, so it is helpful to have a close “drop-zone”.to the parade-goers.
It’s a high energy event, expect a ton of honking! It is great fun for guests to decorate vehicles with signs, balloons, and decor- get engaged and have a “Best Decorated Car Float” winner
This is a great idea for teachers and parents who want to celebrate several students with one parade party by visiting multiple grad’s homes.
How will you celebrate your Grad this year?
So Graduation Parties can still be memorable and engaging. Whether you have a small at-home gathering, drive-by parade, or a virtual celebration, throwing a graduation party is no small task. DIY lovers can use our amazing free party planning tools on LYFETYMES or allow our LYFETYMES Vendor Marketplace for help planning, styling, and more services.
Party Planning Has Gone Digital in 2020 with LYFETYMES
LYFETYMES is a free digital party planner with tools and checklists for party planning. We help solve the all those pain points with planning a celebration, party or any occasion. LYFETYMES is an all in one place to plan any occasion. It’s perfect for Birthday parties, Graduation parties, Bridal showers, Baby Showers, Gender Reveal Parties, Engagement Parties, Holiday parties like Thanksgiving, New Years, Easter, July 4th, Anniversary Celebrations, Superbowl parties or ANY occasion, LYFETYMES is the #1 party planning site.
LYFETYMES Digital Party Planning
We created LYFETYMES for busy parents, one place where they could manage and plan important moments and celebrations like Birthday Parties, Baby Showers, Graduations, Holidays, etc. As moms ourselves, we spend hours and days planning, we get it. We want to be able to save moms all over the world hours and days of stressful planning.
Another reason was to create a place to share tutorials, DIY Ideas, and support women and build a community of sharing. And we wanted it to be free.
Planning Has Never Been Easier
To us, planning a party is more than décor, that's why we created a Platform and Marketplace that is one-stop and will help you plan from ideation to memories. When you join our party, you will have free access to planning tools where you will be able to start planning in 30 seconds. Anyone that is the family or friend designated “Party Planner” knows there are many verticals to plan for.
Party Planning for The Future
Create Personalized Party Websites to text email your guests who can RSVP and get party details. LYFETYMES just launched where you can send a video, not just a picture, and we think it will really knock your guest's socks off!
Celebration Dashboard-Easily to read dashboards to keep track of valuable information and updates, including countdown clocks.
Invitation Station- Build easy email, mailing and texting lists, import previous guest lists or from your contacts, send invites, and track RSVPs. Save the Dates & Thank You notes.
Inspiration Boards-Upload and share your favorite pictures to capture or inspire your vision for decor, cakes, themes, etc.
Vendor & Venues- Your "Party Motherboard" of all the things you may need for a party all in one place!
Registry & Gift Board- Create wishlist’s or add registry URL's that can be shared with guests or begin a new registry with your favorite store.
Planning & Tools- Interactive checklists, add and track to-do's, assign tasks, and due dates. Assign your celebration a budget and track spending.
Food, Drink & Dessert Center- It's the center of every celebration! You can order catering, book a restaurant, order food delivery or DIY grocery lists – it's all in one place!
Decoration Center- Browse decorations based on the occasion, purchase from top suppliers, or get inspiration for your celebration!
Hostess With The Mostess
Are you hosting for someone? Maybe a graduation party or baby or bridal shower? With LYFETYMES, you can send your Guest Of Honor a link to help personalize the celebration with a limited view (so you don't give all the details away!). That way, they can help with invites or provide registry information or theme favorites.
We know that not every day is a party, but it's still important to remember someone's birthday, anniversary, or any special day. To keep all those dates organized, we created LYFEMINDERS: You pick the day, and we will send you a reminder so you can send your love.
You can even plan multiple celebrations at the same time and access past parties to reuse tools and information like previous invite lists to make LYFE easier!
To Infinity and Beyond!
As we grow LYFETYMES, we will continue to share party ideas via our blog. So you can bring a party together quickly with the latest insights around themes when it comes to décor, food, games and activities, and everything party. Hopefully, make some friends, collaborate, and have some laughs along the way!
LYFETYMES Your Celebration Platform and Marketplace
We are committed to eliminating the pain points in planning celebrations and the stress that comes with it. We want to enable you to spend more time with your family and friends enjoying the moment and less time sweating over the details.
Here at LYFETYMES, we want to hear from you as far as the information you want to learn about. With the holidays fast approaching we will have a ton to share with each other, and we can’t wait to start Celebrating all of the milestones in LYFE with you.
Please feel free to reach out to us directly at katie@lyfetymes.com if you have feedback, ideas, or just want to connect. We have BIG things coming for the rest of the year and can't wait to share them.
Keep Partying,
Katie Founder & CEO LYFETYMES