Leila's Fashion Birthday Party

A couple weekends ago we had Leila's "Fashion Girl" birthday party....the birthday party she's been talking about around the clock for the last several months....the one she's had planned since the day after her birthday party last year. When Leila gets an idea in her head, you can't get it out of there until it comes to fruition. Just like her mama.

She was very specific about the invitations. Pink and white. NO black or gray. And she wanted "one of those things that you put clothes on at a store." Otherwise known as a dress form. My amazing friend, Jen from Top That! Designs came up with the beautiful invitations and a ton of coordinating party printables.

Leila knew that she wanted to have "hair" as an activity at her party. I asked her what she meant by that, and she said "You know, have Lindsay come and put pretty things in our hair?!" Obviously.  So, my sweet friend and hairdresser, Lindsay (visit her at Belleza Cristali in Pleasanton if you live in the Bay Area!) came and put hair tinsel in the girls hair.

We also had a coloring table set up. I found some cute La La Loopsy coloring books at the Dollar Store, so each girl got her own coloring book that she was able to take home after the party.

Another activity highlight was the nail parlor. A HUGE thank you to my friends at Julep who sent all of the nail polishes. It was such a fun treat to have those salon-quality polishes to use, and at the end of the party each girl was able to take home the nail polish she had her nails painted with.

After some nail painting, coloring and hair it was time to eat. Food was also kept simple, and germ-free thanks to individual cups.

Drinks were also kept simple - pink lemonade and water. I loved the custom water bottle wrappers!!

After lunch it was time for the main event....the fashion show! Tony built a pink catwalk, complete with a blocked off "backstage" dressing area for the girls.

Girls were dressed in their most stylish outfits, but we stocked the "backstage" area with lots of dress up options, so that they could change as many times as they wanted and keep walking the runway.

hair accessories I made a few nights before...

costumes from Leila's dress up stash

These cutie pies had a great time showing off their model walks!

After the fashion show it was time for dessert. Leila was firm on her dessert choice. Cupcakes, cake pops and a real cake. Oy.  I was planning on making a pink ombre cake, but Gianna's hospital stay totally put a wrench in my party planning, and we had to settle for a store-bought cake and cupcakes. Oh, well. I did manage to make cake pops.

Then presents. Her friends were so sweet and generous and totally stuck to the fashion-theme. 

Party favors were in a hot pink, glittered take-out box. Each girl got lots of lipgloss, chapstick, nail polish and other girly things. I'm sure some of the moms hated me for it. Ha!

Leila had a blast at her party, which I am thrilled about. 90% of the decorations that I was planning on making, and the food I was planning on baking didn't get done, but she didn't notice. When we were at the hospital I emailed everyone to say that the party was being postponed, then when I found out we were being released Friday night I re-emailed everyone to let them know that the party was still on. Leila was none the wiser :)

I want to say a huge thank you to Jen of Top That! Designs for all the amazing party printables (email her - she does custom work!), Lindsay of Belleza Cristali salon for the beautiful hair she did, Julep for sending the gorgeous nail polish we all enjoyed so much and Tara of Tara Marie Photography for taking all of the wonderful pictures. I could barely speak a full sentence that day, being on an hour and a half of sleep, let alone take any pictures. I'm so grateful she was there to do that!                                                                               I can't believe my girl is five. Time is a jerk and really needs to slow down. She already has her party idea for next year. A luau. She asked if we could get sand from Hawaii and put it all over the house. I'm thinking no.