July is My Favorite Month..

..Next to my birth month, of course! It is because it’s my daughter’s Natal month. And her birthday is something that I always look forward to. 

At a young age, she chooses her Birthday Party theme. Well, what could a crafty, DIY momma do? Of course, give in and do anything to make her the happiest!♥

We Found Ourselves a Cheerleader!
I’ve always dreamt of throwing her a DIY party, but, I didn’t get the chance to do everything DIY on her First Birthday due to time constraints and so we ended up hiring an events stylist for her Cheerleader – Themed First Birthday Party. Even though everything’s taken care of by our stylist, I still made some DIY party decors such as birthday invitation, birthday chalkboard, welcome-to-the-party board, and some photoshoot essentials or props to add my personal magic touch. My daughter’s first birthday party is special, as this was a first to us, plus it also opened a new door and paved the way to my first-ever business venture – My Craft Of Tea. 

Hey Kitty, Kitty! It’s Time to Party!
Her second birthday is a simple Hello Kitty – Themed Party! I set up a Sweets buffet section at home, ordered a Hello Kitty-themed homebaked cake, and invited our family and a few friends to celebrate with us. This time, I’ve created and designed the backdrop, birthday chalkboard, invitation, “Thank You” sticker and notepads for the party souvenir!

Our Princess.
When my daughter’s almost three, she requested a Princess – Themed Party set up, but since she got sick the day before her birthday, we had a simple and private party instead. I cooked spaghetti, our staple “handa”, and bought a Princess-themed cake from Chef Ks.

Sparkle like a Unicorn!
Her fourth birthday was extra special because it’s her first year in preschool (yay!) and she wanted a Unicorn – Themed Colorful Birthday Party to celebrate with her classmates and had another celebration at home with our family and her friends. I DIYed backdrop, birthday invitation, chalkboard, and set up a Sweets buffet section. Got our unicorn-themed cake again from Chef Ks. This year, we also started our DIY photoshoot at home! I must say that this is one of her best birthdays! Oh, how we miss pre-pandemic birthday celebrations.

Our Barbie Girl.
The year 2020 came and my daughter was looking forward to another birthday celebration in school but then the pandemic struck and we are stuck at home. We made it memorable by letting her Barbie Dream Party came true. With the help of my husband, I made a DIY Barbie Doll life-size pink box and used it for our DIY photoshoot and party at home set up for her fifth birthday. She enjoyed our DIY photoshoot as she got a chance to dress up like Barbie! We set up a Sweets buffet table and for the first time, I made her a Barbie-themed Triple Chocolate Cheesecake! And of course, I also made the party essentials (birthday backdrop, invitation, and chalkboard).

Frozen-tastic Party!
This was the second time having a Birthday quarantine at home and we are still beyond blessed, grateful, and super ecstatic during the whole planning process and actual party! My daughter is a huge Disney Frozen fan! And my! Why haven’t we had this birthday theme before? I have nooo idea. LOL! So finally, we had a Frozen – Themed Birthday Party on her sixth birthday and she sure had a lot of FUN! This was a first, as I set up a backdrop with Frozen-themed balloons and shining shimmering icy-blue foil curtains! We also set up a simple Sweets buffet and I made her a Frozen-themed Triple Chocolate Cheesecake! Of course, we also had an awesome time during our DIY photoshoot, not to mention having good photo results! It was an intimate, yet Frozen-tastic party at home! One that I am sure she’ll forever treasure.

Parties in the Time of Pandemic
Birthday parties during a pandemic can present significant challenges, but we – parents, party planners, venues, and the entertainment industry have all gotten inventive and imaginative in COVID-friendly celebrations. Guest lists are definitely lesser right now as party hosts aim to keep safety in mind, but that doesn’t mean there has to be a limit on fun! Here are some tips on how to plan a simple DIY birthday party:

1. Think of a birthday theme. This is the core of all the party planning and styling. It also helps you to have a clear image of that perfect party you have in mind and keep your eyes on your #birthdaypartygoal. I often base the theme on my daughter’s favorites or interests, or you can ask your child what they want for a theme.
   
2. Set a clear budget. Sky’s the limit, they say, but this is an exemption (unless you are filthy rich!). Discuss it with your husband or partner and agree to a specific budget for the whole event and the most important part – try to keep everything within the budget.
   
3. Choose the party condition your family feels most comfortable with. Whether the party includes family, friends, or just the ones in your household. 
   
4. Select a venue. Choose a safe and comfortable place that can let you unleash the inner artist and DIY master in you to create that awesome party. Whether at home or a venue, make sure to sanitize and use disposable plates and utensils and individually-packed drinks and snacks whenever possible to minimize hand-to-hand contact. Remember to always adhere to safety guidelines and health protocols.
   
5. Get started with the details. Write down anything that you may think of that is important at the party and something that you can DIY or buy. You can put into drawing your peg set up so that you have a clear vision of what you need. List down the things that you may already have and what’s missing, and the like. Consider a lot of things like How many guests are you having (always consider safety guidelines and protocols)? Your child’s outfit based on the theme? Do you want to have a Sweets Buffet table? The Cake? The Souvenirs? The Food? And the list goes on and on.
   
6. Google and Pinterest anything you would like to DIY. You can choose from a pool of designs and DIY party inspiration available on Google and Pinterest. Most of the time there are step-by-step guidelines presented on how to create your chosen designs or you may also want to try to innovate and add some magical, personal touch or even make your own DIY party designs too! And hey, if you do not want anything to do with DIY, you can still use these go-to sites as a guide for your preferred party setup and search for them to purchase online.
   
7. Do not procrastinate. For a DIY or hosted party, managing your time is crucial since you have A LOT of things to do and attend to.
   
8. Have FUN! DIY or not, enjoy and breathe in the whole party-planning process AND the actual party – of course! Keep in mind that whatever situation you are in, you can always learn a thing or two. Who knows you might just unlock a skill you never thought you have. And who says that this once-in-a-lifetime event is for Kids Only? Kids at Heart are allowed to have extra fun every once in a while.

So, yes, throwing a party during the pandemic, can be a bit disappointing but this should never stop us from having a creative, safe, fun, wonderful, best, and memorable birthday party that our children can have. And it doesn’t have to be grand for our kids to enjoy and have the best time of their lives. It can be simple, yet full of love and happiness with the people that matter to them the most.♥