"A Kiss for Lily" ~ A Giraffe-themed 1st Birthday Party

I am so excited to announce that I am a Guest Designer for the Decorate to Celebrate Kid-Themed Birthday Party Challenge that runs July 13-26.  Amy and Rhonda created this awesome challenge blog to showcase decorations for every celebration.  These girls know how to party!

Welcome to Lily's 1st Birthday party!  Lily is the daughter of our dear friends and former across-the-street neighbors, Kelly and Brent, and she recently celebrated her first birthday with a giraffe-themed birthday party.  Kelly is a Chef and caterer who is known for her killer parties!

This party's inspiration was taken from a children's book that Kelly and Lily love called "A Kiss for Lily" by Lia Nirgad.  The story features a giraffe name Lily.  So the color scheme for the party was a given -- brown, orange and yellow.

Get ready -- there are lots of pictures!  Don't forget, you can click on the pictures to zoom in! 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out Miss Lily's fabulous 1st birthday party.  And thank you, Amy and Rhonda for featuring me on your blog -- I'm honored!

~ Jen

Digital invitation created in Adobe Photoshop.

Decorated paint cans (partially filled with

sand) with helium balloons were used as

decorations in various places at the party location.

Paint can detail - Cricut cartridges used:

Create-A-Critter and Pooh Font

Guests were invited to write a blessing or birthday

wish for Lily and hang it on the "Blessing Tree." 

The large giraffe on the chalkboard was created

using the Animal Kingdom cartridge.  She measures

approximately 23" tall.

Kelly painted an old wooden highchair a glossy

bright yellow.  I created the min-banner using the

following Cricut cartridges:  Pooh Font, Create-A-

Critter and Calligraphy Collection (pennants).

Kelly's mom, Diane created this beautiful fondant

covered cake.  They used several different ribbons

on the layers and topped it with a silk flower and a

bejeweled monogram letter "L".

This banner measures about 13' long and is being held by two 23" tall giraffes.

Cricut cartridges used:  Animal Kingdom, Pooh Font and Calligraphy Collection.

The buffet tables were covered with orange tablecloths and featured

a huge stuffed giraffe, a tall metal pail filled with greenery and

sunflowers, orange plastic cutlery wrapped in yellow napkins

and a giraffe-patterned paper napkin "ring."  The yellow frame

holds the buffet menu.

The cupcake table!  Kelly got creative and used plant stands

to hold the cupcakes.  Two wooden wine cases were used to

add some elevation.

Dee created the cupcakes and they were yummy!  They also

disappeared in about 2 minutes flat!  The cupcakes with orange

buttercream are chocolate and the yellow buttercream cupcakes

are french vanilla.  I created the cupcake wrappers using the

Cricut Cupcake Wrapper cartridge.  The toppers were created

using Create-A-Critter for the giraffes and Cupcake Wrappers

for the scalloped circle.  I created  inside layer on the circle in

Adobe Photoshop.

Here is Miss Lily all decked out in the tutu

and onesie I made for her.  Getting her to keep

the hat on proved to be an issue!

The tutu is made with a plain orange tulle and a glittered yellow

tulle.  It is hand tied with five different ribbons in various colors,

widths and patterns were tied in too.  A large giraffe patterned bow

topped with a silk gerber daisy and a giraffe tail complete the tutu.



The tail totally makes this tutu!  I took six long

strips of tulle and braided them; added a loop of

brown marabou and hid the connection under a

piece of giraffe ribbon.  I then attached it to the

back of the tutu with some heavy-duty thread.

I hot glued medium sized pale yellow rhinestones to the center

of the gerber daisy.  After all, a girl's got to have a little sparkle

and bling on her birthday!

A white onesie with an appliqued number

one and matching birthday hat.  A big

thank you to my Mom for doing the

applique on the onesie!  We struggled

with the onesie and Mom saved the day!

And it wouldn't be a birthday party without a party hat!

This cute little fabric party hat is made with two different

fabrics fused together with ultra Heat 'n bond.  Dee appliqued

the number one before she sewed the hat together.  I hand

stitched the marabou to the edge and then hot glued a brown

pom-pom on top.  The little orange flower is a felt scrapbook

embellishment -- also hot glued.  I then tacked on an elastic

chin strap.