Hula Hula!

So I can't seem to throw a party without a theme... like... EVER...

  

I L.O.V.E. to decorate for parties- I love to create a magical/extraordinary feel out of ordinary things.  I Challenge myself to up-cycle what I already own or can pick up on the cheap/chic second hand or with some thrifty shopping.

{This is where places like Oriental trading, Ebay, Dollar stores, 

Buy/sell/trade sites and 2nd hand places come into play.}

Gabbi wanted a Luau/Hawaiian theme for her birthday party this year- so I went big on color... 

without going big on the pocket book....

I made our cupcakes and used come crazy colors and flavors {Blue velvet cake with  green Key Lime frosting & blue sanding sugar and Vanilla cake with Orange cream frosting with pink sanding sugar.  Add some polished rocks to the bottom of the bowl and nestle three cake plates that I already owned and added  some tropical silk flowers that we pulled off their stems... created the center piece on the kitchen island.  I scored on the mini sand buckets that we filled with a variety of candies to go on the ice cream sundaes later.

Candles and twinkle lights, and paper lanterns turn even a snowy evening- into a warm party feel- 

so we sprinkled them everywhere!

The bad ass Tiki God centerpiece???  Two flat wall hangings that I glued together, nestled into a banana basket from the studio, filled with oranges and candles and more hibiscus blooms.

The treat bags we gave to her friends at the beginning of the party so they could wear their leis, hibiscus hair pretties, shades, temporary tattoos, tropical colored fans and neon nail polish all night long. 

I like to do a little display somewhere in the party area of a then and now of the girls so that their friends can see what their school chum looked like as a baby- it's always fun to look back!

The girls munched on pizza and went swimming at the pool for a couple of hours and then came home and ate more pizza,  opened gifts and dove into the volcano of cupcakes and ice cream sundaes.

Gabbi was so lucky to spend the evening with friends!

Thanks to those who joined her!