I have started planning for Caterina’s birthday party. Yes, I know it is more than two months away. But I have taken up a huge work commitment and I know that my time will be limited between now and the end of April. This year, we are going to have a fairy tea party, and it will be the first time that Caterina, who turns three, will have some of her friends along. It is also the first time she completely understands what a birthday party is and is really looking forward to it (to the point that, every second minute, she asks me whether it is her birthday yet). So obviously I want to make the day really special for her.
I have already started thinking about the decorations, and am scouring Etsy for patterns and products. The idea is to have a soft pastel coloured rug (to mimic a fairy glade) scattered with cushions, fabric birds, and felt flowers, strawberries and butterflies, which the girls will play with. Whether I buy or make the felt decorations will depend on how much time I have and what I can find on Etsy (please drop me a line if you know of good shops, especially if they are UK-based, as custom duties on US imports have become crippling in this neck of the wood). I am also going to make a collaged banner and a lace bunting and am planning to buy a few vintage teacups and pewters and fill them with flowers and lace.
I haven’t quite finalised what games to play, though there will certainly be colouring and drawing fairies, decorating your own wings, a pull string fairy house piñata, and making your own fairy cloth dolls (which means decorating pre-sewn cloth dolls, as the girls are too little to really make their own).
The cloth dolls will double up as party favours, and the girls will also get hand tied tutus, which I have started making (well, OK, I have bought the tulle).
I haven’t figured out the food either, but I am leaning towards cupcakes (if nothing else because they are called fairy cakes here in Britain), scones with jam and clotted cream, fruit segments, strawberry tea (caffeine free of course), juice and obviously the birthday cake. I am not to sure what to make on the savoury side of things, and ideas are welcome!
The one thing I have already worked out and nearly finished making are the invitations. They are fairy-themed, pastel coloured cards with enclosed a paper doll that looks like Caterina, and a couple of outfits to put on her (including a fairy one). The paper doll took me forever to draw, as it never felt completely right, but I am rather happy with it now.
