If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see? Total nonsense, but total fun!
A couple of months ago Ellen contacted me about her daughter’s birthday party. Or should I say unbirthday party, as Jayna had requested a Mad Hatter themed event to celebrate her 9th. First you have to understand that Ellen loves to plan events so a request like this, which might seem daunting to some, was enough to ignite a spark in her imagination. The colour palette for the party was actually chosen by Jayna with purple, pink, and lime green being the primary hues. Using this as a starting point the rest of the event was coordinated with these colours in mind.
Believe me when I say that Ellen left no stone unturned. From the coloured bread and official Alice costume for Jayna, to the Disney Cheshire Cat in a tree branch, you could tell she put a lot of thought into the details that would take this party from good to exceptional.
My job was to provide the cake, cupcakes, cookies and some other treats. However, sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Due to an unfortunate situation I had to enlist the help of a couple of friends who took care of the cookies and brownies on my behalf. A big thanks to them for coming to my rescue! As for Jayna’s cake and cupcakes, after seeing Ellen’s plans for the decor I steered clear of the typical topsy turvy cake and opted for a whimsical garden inspired cake instead. This is the first time outside of Rick Reichart’s class that I actually painted the base fondant layer of a cake rather than mixing gel colours directly into it. I love how it turned out. Vibrant and totally appropriate for Jayna’s party.
Ellen also enlisted the help of her friend Alycia to create the custom stationery including table menus, hats, and food and drink tags. These definitely added that extra special touch.
When the day of the party arrived and all the elements were combined, the results were phenomenal and Hilary from One For The Wall Photography was there to capture it all. Thanks to Hilary for providing these amazing photos! They clearly showcase all the hard work that went into making Jayna’s party a truly memorable one.
Now some people might look at these photos and think it’s over the top or maybe unrealistic for a simple birthday party. But consider the bigger picture. This wasn’t all Ellen’s doing. Jayna helped too. And twenty years from now I bet she’ll still remember every detail.
To share her passion, Ellen recently started a blog. You can follow her party planning adventures on www.inspiredaffairs.blogspot.com.
If you like the paperwork shown and think you might want some help with your next function, Alycia’s custom stationery can be found at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinart/mystory.
And to contact Hilary about capturing your own event (or loved ones!) on camera check out www.oneforthewall.ca.
